Love On The Brazos

by Carlton, Susan Leigh

  Michael went back into the house and into the kitchen where his mother was putting some things away. She said, “Michael that is a lovely girl. I really like her.”

  “I do too, Mom. I think she is really special.”

  Chapter 6 An Old Flame Returns

  “Jordy, we need to talk,” Jim Carlyle said to his daughter.

  “Sure, Daddy, what’s up?”

  “I went to the doctor yesterday, and we discussed my condition. He pretty much told me, I’m not going to get any better than I am today. There’s no way I can ever come back to work full time,” his voice filled with emotion.

  With tears in her eyes, and a lump in her throat she replied, “I think you’re getting better, a little bit at a time.”

  “That’s wishful thinking honey. It’s a part of life, and I accept it. It’s just that I always wanted to work with you and I thought we’d have years of working together.”

  “Daddy, I need you. You can still work with me. Do you think you’re pushing too hard?”

  “I don’t think so. I don’t want to have another stroke. There are some things your mother and I always wanted to do, and I think we are going to get around to doing them. We want to see a bit more of the world before our time comes.”

  “Daddy, don’t talk like that. I need you.”

  “Jordy, honey, you don’t need me. I think we should put the business in your name and let you do your thing.”

  “No. Not going to happen. I won’t have my name on the business without yours. I will not do it. You can set things up to give me control, but it’s your business and always will be. That is that, and I don’t want to hear any more about it. I’ve got to go to work now, are you coming?”

  “No, I don’t think I’m going in.”

  “Daddy, don’t you dare quit on me.”

  “Honey, I’ll help out if you really need me, but I want to let it go. It’s time.”

  Openly crying now, Jordy went to her Dad and hugged him fiercely. “I hate you talking like that, and don’t do it again. Now, I’ve got to go fix my makeup. See what you did?”

  With that, she strode forcefully from the room. She sat on the vanity chair in her bathroom until she had control of her emotions, stood before the mirror and repaired the damage to her face. “I won’t let him quit. He needs to work, and I need him.”

  * * *

  Jordy was sitting at her desk when her phone rang. She picked it up and answered in her usual manner. “This is Jordy.” Then lightning struck. It wasn’t really lightning; it was who was on the other end...

  “Jordy, this is Hank.”

  The call was the first time she had heard from him in over a year. “Hi”, she answered in a voice devoid of any emotion or feeling.

  “I’m in Houston for a few days and thought we might get together while I’m here.”

  “Toward what end,” she asked coolly in the same voice.

  “We left with some bad feelings, and I would like to resolve them. I care for you, Jordy.”

  “And you took eighteen months to decide this?”

  “Come on, Jordy. Don’t be like that. We were going to be married. I cared for you, and you cared for me, or so I thought.”

  “I don’t think so Hank. I’m pretty busy right now on a project and don’t have any spare time at all.”

  “How about if I come out to your parents tonight? You’re staying with them, aren’t you? I’d love to see them.”

  “Yes, I am.” She said and immediately regretted it. She didn’t want to see him but didn’t see any way out of it.

  “Great, I’ll be there at seven. It’ll be nice seeing you again.”

  * * *

  The evening was a total disaster. Hank really turned on the charm with her parents, her Dad wasn’t buying his line. Any of it. Her mother was more receptive, but then she had always liked Hank. Jordy had been raised never to be rude to anyone, but it was a struggle at times.

  When she walked in, Hank stood and held out his arms as if to kiss her. She ignored him. “You’re late, Jordy. You should have called.”

  “Late for what? Mom and Dad know not to expect me at a specific time.”

  “I told you I would be here at seven.”

  “Yes you did, but I didn’t invite you or even tell you I would be here.” She walked out of the room to go change clothes. She had brought work home and wanted to get to it before too late.

  She returned to the family room and sat next to her mother on the sofa. Hank began talking about moving to Houston. He had apparently been passed over for promotion with his company and was looking for greener pastures. He thought these pastures might be in Houston. When he began hinting about resuming their relationship, that was it. Jordy had heard enough. She said, “Hank, I’d like to talk with you for a few minutes?”

  “Well sure, honey. You want to go outside?”

  “Yes, let's.” Once they wereout of hearing range on the front porch, she turned on him with a fury. “How dare you show up here after eighteen months without a word and invite yourself to my home and start this crap? I cannot believe the unmitigated gall you have.”

  “What do you mean? I apologize for being so obstinate at a time when your father was ill. I should have known better, and I’d like a chance to make it right.”

  “Ill? My father had a stroke. He is still partially paralyzed on one side, and you say “ill”.” Jody’s voice had risen in volume and tone.

  Her mother came to the door and asked, “Jordy is everything all right?”

  “Yes mother, everything is okay. Hank was just leaving.”

  “Well, okay. Nice seeing you again, Hank.” She went back in and closed the door.

  “Get this straight, Hank Webster. There is no making things right. All you were thinking about was the place where you thought you could do better, not what I needed. It never occurred to you I was hurting and needed you. But noooooo. You wouldn’t move to Houston, and that was it. You were right about one thing. That was it. Now get off my porch and leave. I never want to see or hear from you again. Ever.”

  “Jeez, you don’t have to be so hateful about it. I care about you. I want to be there for you and you for me.”

  “No, Hank, not now, not ever. Now leave.”

  She went back into the house and closed the door emphatically.

  She went into the family room, with fire coming from her nostrils and steam from her ears. If she had been watching closely, she might have caught the twinkle in her father’s eyes. Is everything all right, dear?” It was nice of you to invite him out and nice to see him again.”

  “Nice? Mother, I didn’t invite him, he invited himself and hung up before I could tell him no. I can’t believe him. Hinting we might get back together. As if! He isn’t a hundredth the man Michael is.” She looked over at her father. The twinkle was more obvious now. What are you smiling about?”

  “I always thought you could do better than him. I always did think he was shallow, but you didn’t see it. I’m proud of you honey. I like Michael.”

  “I do too, Daddy.”

  * * *

  The next morning

  Jordy took out her iPhone and punched a number she had on speed dial. When Michael answered the phone, she said, “Good morning, Michael. How are you this morning?”

  “I’m fine and you. Ms. Carlyle?”

  “I am doing very well, thank you. You’ll never guess who called me yesterday?”

  “Justin Bieber?”

  “No, silly. Good old Hank called. He came out last night. He wanted to talk and he was hinting around about us getting back together.”

  Jordy felt a distinct chill come through the phone lines. “Is that so?”

  “Yes, that’s so. I had a mean nasty thought about calling you and yelling help.”

  “But you didn’t. What did you do instead, if I may be so bold?”

  “I chewed him out, and then ordered him off my porch with directions not ever to call or bother me again.” The ch
ill evaporated, replaced by warmth.

  “Well good for you. What prompted all of this?”

  “The way he was hinting, I think things must not be going so well, and he thinks maybe the grass is greener here. If so, I think he’s been chewing on loco weed.”

  “Can you break away for lunch today?”

  “I don’t think so, but what about tonight?”

  “You don’t have something going with good old Hank?”

  “I’ll break it.”

  “Pick you up at seven, okay?”

  “Terrific. See you then.”

  Later…

  “I’m not in for Hank Webster,” Jordy told the operator.

  “He’s called two times already this morning,” the operator replied.

  “He’ll keep bugging us until I take his call. Next time he calls, put him through, and I’ll see if I can get the message across.”

  An hour later, her phone rang. It was Hank. “I don’t know what I did to make you so angry, Jordy. I don’t understand. We had a great thing going.”

  “That is all water under the bridge, Hank. I’ve moved on. I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to talk to you, and if you call again, I’ll report you to the police for harassment.”

  “Jordy, I’m desperate. I need a job. My company downsized, and my department was integrated into another and they let me go.”

  “I have nothing to offer. There are a lot of companies in Houston. See a headhunter. We have no need for someone of your background. Goodbye Hank, and please don’t call again.”

  The secretary brought the mail in. “Who was it said ‘Old flames die hard’?”

  “I don’t know, but it certainly applies to him. Don’t put any more calls from him through.”

  That Evening…

  Jordy told Michael about the latest episode with Hank Webster. “One thing about it, he doesn’t give up easily does he?”

  “Apparently not,” Jordan said. “Still losing your job whether from downsizing or anything else would be traumatizing. As far as I know, this would be the first time in his life things haven’t gone his way. His self-confidence was always high, and he didn’t hesitate in telling you just how good he was. Now, he has nothing to hold onto.”

  “Are you sympathizing with him?”

  “I guess. At one time, we were going to marry and planned to spend our lives together.”

  “You’re wrong about one thing though. This isn’t the first time he’s lost at something. He lost you, the biggest prize in his life whether he knew it or not.”

  “Aren’t you sweet? Girls like to hear those kinds of things.”

  “Changing the subject, I have been thinking of using the tickets I have for a week in Belize. Would you be able to get away for a week and go with me?”

  “I would love to, and it would be good for me, but my life is on hold right now while I’m working on my subdivision project.”

  “I could help if you’d let me, but I do appreciate your position. You should receive your answer within a week.”

  “Do you think? That would be great. I have applied with three other investors. I would expect to hear from one of them soon. Daddy and Papaw would fund it if I would agree to it, but I don’t want to risk any of the family’s money. If it were mine, I’d go all in. I’m convinced if done right, there’s no telling how much it can turn out to be.”

  “Did you talk to them? Funding it I mean?”

  “They mentioned it, I didn’t. Until Daddy told me where things stood, I was worried about their future, but he assured me that wasn’t something I should worry about. I was afraid of all of the medical costs associated with his health problems, but apparently that isn’t a problem.”

  “Going back to my original question, would you be interested in the trip if you could get away?”

  “Yes, I would definitely be interested. I’ll look at things and see how I can do it. I’d like to go.”

  “Great. Now all we have to do is make it happen.”

  * * *

  After Jordy got home, she sat in the family room talking with her mother. Her Dad had already gone to bed.

  “Mom, is it me or is Dad tiring more easily now than before?”

  “Of course he is. Today was a therapy day, and that is always tiring for him. They are working on increasing his stamina. He says he’s improving.”

  “Michael has asked me to go to Belize with him for a week. I really would like to go. I am pretty tired, and the rest and the sun would do me good.”

  “I’ve heard Belize is a beautiful place. A couple of friends have been, and they raved about it. I’ll bet your Dad would watch the business while you were gone. My Dad always said if you wanted to know how good you are, leave and see how it works while you’re gone. If you’ve done it right, it will be as smooth as ever.”

  “Thanks, Mom. I’m going to ask Dad.”

  “One thing to remember, honey, you’re his girl and it might not sit too well with you going off with some man. He won’t say anything though. Go for it, you deserve a vacation.

  * * *

  “Daddy, Michael has asked me to go to Belize with him for a week, and I’d like to go. I certainly could use a break. Would you watch the office while I’m gone?”

  “Sure, honey, just get me up to date before you go.”

  “Thanks Dad. It won’t be until I hear back from the investors on my project.”

  “Whenever. It will keep me off the streets and out of your mother’s hair.”

  Thanks, Dad. I appreciate it.”

  Later…

  “Michael, I’m all set to go as soon as we get some results back.”

  “Great. We should be good to go in a couple of weeks.”

  Chapter 7 Jordy Meets Michael’s Family

  The office was quiet when Jordy walked in. As usual, she was the first one in. She walked back to the break room and started the coffee brewing. It wasn’t long before the tantalizing aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room. Like her Dad, Jordy took her coffee black. On the way into work, she had stopped at the What-a-Burger drive-up window and ordered a bacon and egg taquito. She returned to her office and settled down to her breakfast and the mail left from the day before.

  One of the envelopes was from Bryson Investment Corporation, to whom Jordy had made a proposal. The letter thanked her for giving them the opportunity to review her proposal, but unfortunately, given the scarcity of land, and the high prices of available acreage, the proposal specifications did not meet the requirements of their company.

  “Jerks! The land is there and is one of the choice properties in the Sugar Land-Rosenburg area.”

  “Talking to yourself again, Boss?” Her secretary had entered the working area so quietly Jordy didn’t even know she was there.

  “Yeah. These jerks turned the proposal down without ever seeing the property. Once we get started, they will want in or even wanting to build a house there. Lots of luck with that!”

  Jordy moved to her drafting table and continued working on the layout. This was a part she liked, though not as much as getting out and getting her hands dirty on a project. She became so immersed in what she was doing, she was surprised it was mid morning when her secretary told her she had a call from First City. Assuming it was Michael, she wondered why he hadn’t called on her direct line.

  “Good morning and how are you this morning,” she asked in the musical voice she reserved for her closest friends.

  “Good morning. Is this Jordan Carlyle?”

  Realizing her faux pas, she changed to her business voice and replied, “Yes, this is Jordan. How may I help you this morning?”

  “Ms. Carlyle, I am Paul Merriam of First City Investments. We are interested in your proposal. We would like to visit the property with you and discuss the other aspects of this project.”

  “I would be delighted to show you the location and my concept of Carlyle Estates. When would you like to see the property?”

  “As soon as poss
ible. Our vice-president is going on vacation, and we would like to get it done and put before him before he leaves.”

  “Are you available to do this today?”

  “Today would be perfect. Can you come into our office and leave from there?”

  “Yes, of course. How many will be in the group?”

  “There will be three of us. Two engineers and me. Is 1:00PM convenient?”

  “Yes, 1:00 is fine. I’ll see you then. Thank you for calling.”