Chapter 26

By the end of the week, Andrea was doing much better and Conrad was running around the house making plans for their first adventure.

Pete and Conrad had resolved things with the South Padre Island Police, including a full explanation for Officer Billings’ ears only, and a sizeable contribution to the Widows and Orphans Fund. They also had tickets for everyone in their company to attend the Policemen’s Ball!

Bull was cooking surprising delicious delights every evening and baking cookies for Mrs. Chambers. He was in heaven in the McIntyre kitchen, with all of its gadgets and accouterments.

Evie had taken Simon to the water park and decided it was the place to be on hot Texas days free from the constraints of job and publicity. They enjoyed the anonymity and the amusement park like two little kids. Evie learned Simon had never been to a real amusement park. She loved watching Simon be a little boy again and learn to enjoy life a little. To his complete amazement, and her complete surprise, he loved the rides and floating the moving river around the park.

Pete had been to the office a couple days in a row, smoothing feathers and figuring out how the new workload would be divvied up. Conrad would still consult on the design elements and have a say as to the contracts. He’d work part-time as his new life permitted, but Pete would shoulder the brunt of the work, with his very efficient administrative assistant. Conrad’s secretary, Rita, was promoted to Project Manager and Head Communicator with Conrad, wherever he might be in the world, at any particular moment. Pete seemed to come to terms with his partner’s need to be with his wife and Rita was capable of setting up a communication system that could track the guy anywhere in the world if they needed him in an emergency. By their short conversations, Evie was happy that Pete was slowly developing a new appreciation for what a marriage could be. He no longer considered Andrea an interloper, but a valuable asset. And Conrad’s level of happiness had doubled in the last few days.

Evie was the lone observer when Pete, remorseful about his part in the surveillance camera scam, made a grand and eloquent attempt to apologize and explain everything to Brittney, the athletic store clerk. He’d really felt bad about what they’d done and didn’t like using her and abusing her trust. To his surprise, Brittney turned out to be a pretty observant, smart cookie. She was just completing her degree in business and she actually suggested a dinner invitation in lieu of formal charges. Pete knew a good deal when he saw one, and jumped at the opportunity. After a twenty-minute conversation-flirtation-apology-date suggestion, Evie got the idea that Pete may have found a new friend with potential. Brittney might make a good addition to Pete’s life and possibly his company, if things panned out as she thought they might. The flirtatious conversation between the two was so cute, Evie had to step away to maintain any sense of decorum. She damped down the giggles and pretended to shop while the two exchanged their gooey, drippy, sexy banter.

Andrea was in seventh heaven as the world bustled around her lounge chair. Her ribs were still quite painful, but the cuts and bruises were fading fast. Bull’s cooking was filling the hole three days without food had produced. Evie invited Callista and Wilmer to come for a visit. Wilmer told Andrea about some ‘soft’ exercises that would help her stiffness and Calli brought essential oils to rub on her traumatized skin and foot. Andrea hadn’t had so much attention since being crowned Homecoming Queen back in high school and was loving it. Evie congratulated herself on her people-judgment skills. Wilmer and Callista were stand-up folks and after learning of his brother’s part in Andrea’s kidnapping, he vowed to cut off all contact with his useless brother. They told everyone about their plans for the future and Evie noticed how interested Pete and Brittney seemed to be. The world was moving on and the entire drama of the past week was fading with her friend’s bruises.

****

All good things have to come to an end eventually, and it was time for Evie and Simon to get back to the real world.

Bull planned a sumptuous Sunday night dinner, complete with prime rib, corn on the cob, three-bean salad and homemade cornbread. Pete had invited Brittney to the dinner, and Simon’s pilot tore himself away from his Confederate Air Force buddies to join the party. As they all sat down to the feast, Simon was unusually quiet.

He’d been doing a lot of thinking. Pete’s comment at the beginning of the week had made quite an impact, and the happiness that had surrounded him in the last few days, was forming a picture he didn’t want to let go of.

“Chow’s on. Come and get it!” Bull called from behind the stove. He stood, slicing a giant hunk of rock salt-crusted prime rib. “Let me know how hungry you are, and how done you want it.” He wore a new Chef’s hat with the words Chef Cheddar embroidered on the rim. It was a gift from Pete, via Brittney’s suggestion. She was pretty much a fixture by Pete’s side now.

As everyone took their seats, Simon spoke up. “Hang on a minute, Bull. I have something I need to know.”

Bull grinned. He’d figured it out already.

“When are we going to do this again?” Then Simon quickly rephrased his question. “Not the kidnapping part, the get-together and food.” He took a big hunk of prime rib and shoved it in his mouth. He’d never had a big family. Actually, it had only been Uncle Grady and himself, even before his mother had passed away. Now, he was really enjoying the closeness of these new friends and the way they considered him ‘family by choice’. It awakened feelings in him that he truly liked and valued, and didn’t want to lose when they flew off to his old life.

Everyone spoke at once with different dates and locations.

Simon turned to Evie. Her smile was huge, and he chuckled. “Now look what you did, Mister. Opened a can of worms that will never go back!”

That called for a toast and Conrad stood. He raised his wine glass, and everyone followed suit with whatever they were drinking. “To my family and friends, the same, one and all!”

After dinner, Simon and Pete were clearing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen. Bull was asleep on a recliner chair, his enormous legs stretched out into the living room as he snored softly. Full belly and satisfied with his dinner, he’d retired right after the dessert was done, and promptly dropped off to sleep.

Pete waved toward Bull. “He’s quite the chef, that one. But I bet he eats most of his work!”

They both chuckled. “He deserves it. He grew up on the streets of Oakland. The only good meals he got were at our place.” Simon commented. “Don’t know how he got so big.”

“No kidding.” Pete was quiet for a moment, watching Evie and Britney chatting with Andrea. “So, you gonna ask her?” He nodded toward Evie.

Simon choked. On nothing at all.

“Don’t let her get away, Simon. She’s your other half, if you don’t know it already. Anyone with an ounce of brain could tell in just one glance.”

Somehow Evie knew they were talking about her and looked toward the two men in the kitchen. She raised an eyebrow then winked with a grin.

“See…” Pete chuckled. “So, what’s it gonna be, brother? Make the biggest mistake of your life and lose that gorgeous woman? Or pull up your big boy pants and ask her to share your life?”

Simon was flabbergasted. In the first place, no one had ever called him brother before. In the second place, he’d not been aware that Pete was so observant.

“We’re all betting you do the ring thing.” Pete punched him softly in the shoulder and put the plates in the cupboard, then went to join his friends in the living room.

Simon stood in the kitchen, contemplating Pete’s words. He concentrated on scrubbing the clean broiler pan in the deep sink. His mind was literally swirling. Like his head had in the junior high toilet, when one school bully had caught him alone in the boy’s bathroom. Nothing mattered except getting away. But he was an adult now, and running was not an option. Besides, how could he run from something he wanted more than life itself.

“Good you figured that out, boy.” Uncle Grady’s voice drifted through the open window above the sink. “I taught you well. Just listen to your heart, or me. I lost my love and had to wait a lifetime to get her back. Hate for you to learn the hard way, like I did.”

Simon heard Amee giggle and maybe a pair of lips kissing a cheek somewhere in heaven. His uncle was right. He had everything he wanted right in front of him. Now all he needed was the courage to grab for the brass ring. Like it always did when he contemplated emotions, a picture of his mother materialized before his eyes, her beautiful smiling face and tight white lace mini dress. She held the hand of the man she said I do’ to, the first time. Then the dress faded to rags and her smile was gone, wilted into sunken cheeks and black eyes. The man was gone too, but his handiwork remained, as well as the baby boy they’d created. He’d never known his father and Uncle Grady never, ever made a point of it. He just stepped in and became the man Simon needed in his life.

Simon squeezed his eyes shut. He’d seen the same thing over and over. Too many times to count. The last time, there were only the empty, closed eyes of a shriveled addict, beaten and worn out. No more life left to live on. And he was alone…

“You’re never alone, boy, if you truly love.” Uncle Grady’s tone held such love, it passed over him like a soft, warm wave of complete and tender acceptance. It was the kind of love he’d always wanted from a mother who couldn’t break the curse of drugs and alcohol, and men who used and discarded her.

“Simon,” Conrad called from the living room, “Now I got a question for you.”

Pulled from his own depressing memories, Simon froze. He prayed, please no talk about the ring thing!

Conrad had a map of Brazil on the coffee table and a book of Amazonian animal classification in his lap. “What do you think about a family reunion in Rio de Janeiro?” He pointed to the map on the table.

Simon took a deep breath, dried his hands and joined the group. “Rio?”

Brittney perched on the arm of Pete’s overstuffed chair. “Brazil, where the nuts come from!”

Pete gave her a silly look.

“It’s a line from Charlie’s Aunt. Didn’t you ever see the oldie-but-goodie? Young man, you have missed so much!” She wagged her finger at Pete. “Jack Benny? Ann Baxter? Oh my God, you have to see it.”

Simon and Conrad were with Pete, but they laughed anyway. Apparently, Pete’s new friend was an old movie buff. Bull had come to life with the laughter and added, “I’ll make the popcorn.”