Dad came in and gave us a report on Aunt Pearl. It wasn’t looking good for her. He looked at me and told me he would be staying home from work the next several days until he could figure out a way to get someone to keep an eye on me while he was away. I told him not to worry, I would be fine until he returned. He told me I may be fine for a few hours, but not all day, every day six days a week.
Just then, Cindy intervened: Ralph, if I may, I would be ok watching Jim until Pearl gets better. But Cindy, my dad said looking astonished at her request, I couldn’t impose on you to do that. You have your business and errands to run not to mention your meeting with clients off and on all day. She ran a Bridal Boutique, a very lavish one, she catered to a cliental of very wealthy people across the country, and sometimes around the world. Ralph, he’ll be fine with me, unless…and she made this sad face, pouting and almost crying as she spoke, unless…you….don’t….trust…me….with….him? And with that, the water-works began to flow. Even I believed she was hurt because he didn’t ask her.
Dad reached over and wrapped his arms around her. He was telling her he didn’t know that it meant that much to her. As she was crying, she was saying: but I…I love you both. I would do…anything for…for the two…the two of you. And she got louder with her sobs. She looked at me, then my dad and said: I already think of Jim as my own son. I wanted to jump off of the coffee table and wrap my arms around her and comfort her too. Damn! That woman was convincing.
She told my dad to drop me off of a morning on his way to work at her house and in the evening, she would bring me home. He told her that he needed to talk to me about it first and if she was ok to drive home, he would call her in an hour and let her know. She wiped away her tears, kissed my dad on the cheek and gently picked me up and gave me a kiss and setting me back down, she smiled at us both and left.
We talked about it for a few minutes. I told my dad I liked the idea of Cindy watching me. It’ll be great dad. Did you hear what she said? SHE SAID SHE LOVED US! Not just you dad, but US. MEANING ME TOO! I was happy. Never before had anyone he dated said they loved me. No one besides dad and Aunt Pearl had told me they loved me except for my mom before she died. I was usually treated like an idiot or just ignored all together. Well, son, he smiled. If you want to give it a try I’ll call her and tell her.
Dad?
Yeah, Jim, what is it?
Can I tell her? You know, you dial her number and let me talk to her?
Uh, sure. I’ll put it on speaker phone, it’ll be easier for you to hear and talk that way.
GREAT! I couldn’t wait to tell her. I just hope she knows it’s me talking, I said.
She’ll know it’s you son, trust me. I doubt very seriously that there are any other 3 inch guys calling her house. And we both laughed at his joke.
Rrrrrriiiiingggggggggg….Rrrrrriiiiiinnnnnggggggggg. Hello? Cindy, this is Jim. Hey honey, how are you and your dad holding up? We’re fine, thank you. I just wanted to call you and tell you that if your offer still stands I will see you in the morning. And why wouldn’t my offer still stand, Hmmmmm? I…I mean…um…..I was only asking because I’d love to spend the day with you. Or until Aunt Pearl is better. If it’s still ok. She was laughing at this point. It would be my pleasure to have a gentleman with me at my side every day. Thank you, I said. I knew she knew I was blushing now. I walked away from the speaker so my dad could talk to her. He picked up the phone and walked into the kitchen talking away. He came back about 20 minutes later and told me we were set for tomorrow.
I was too excited to sleep that night. I wondered if I would get another back rub from her. Just thinking about it was beginning to turn me on. I tried thinking of other things. What would we talk about all day? Would she even have time to talk to me? What if she was busy and forgot about me? What if…what if….All of this was swimming around in my head and I slowly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning I was up bright and early. I saw my dad as he walked through the living room and into the kitchen to start the coffee maker. I walked out and sat on my porch until he came for me. He looked sort of shocked when he saw me up and ready to go. He laughed at me and told me not to be too excited, Cindy was a busy woman and may not have a lot of time for me. I didn’t really care, it was something new, like going to school for the first time or getting a new bike, like I should know how that feels. All I know is that I am excited about this. Strange, but I am. I really feel good about spending the day with her.
On the way over there I told my dad not to get jealous if Cindy pays me more attention then him. He looked at me, trying to suppress his laughter and just said, DEAL!
Once there, he carried me up the walkway and rang the bell. While we waited, he laughed and said maybe he should let me slide under the door and surprise her. I laughed at him and told him we would save that for another time, maybe April Fools day or Halloween. He agreed.
She answered inviting us in, he handed me to her and apologized for having to go, but he had 45 minutes worth of traffic to fight to get to the factory. She kissed him goodbye and we both waved as he drove off.
We spent the biggest of the day at her Boutique. She was mostly talking on the phone with customers and a few of the florist in nearby cities. When I asked why she had to call the flower stores, she told me it was because some of the Brides don’t like plastic and silk flowers in their bouquets, they prefer real ones special made. I learned a lot about her business that day. It didn’t seem like much, I thought at first, just sell wedding gowns and that was it. But, I was wrong. She showed me some pictures of some of her clients. There were movie stars, princesses, politicians daughters, and some very rich people that I had never heard of.
But the one I liked the best was of a Mediterranean Princess whom she had designed a wedding gown for eight years earlier. She had to be the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I stared at that picture for the longest time, wondering what it would be like to be her “Loyal Subject”. AHEM! I heard snatching me back to reality. Yes? I said turning around instantly. You are drooling on my pictures young man, Cindy said with a smile. I’m sorry, I replied. She is just so beautiful, I guess I was mesmerized by her beauty. Don’t get too mesmerized there and get caught by her husband or the Palace guards. Why is that? I asked. They would chop your head off for looking at her that way. I put my hand on my throat and rubbed it. Cindy just laughed at me and put the book back on the display counter.
Well, I’m all done here for the day. Want to get something to eat and head home? Sure, sounds good to me. She dropped me in her purse and away we went. She picked up some Chinese food and we ate it at her house. We sat and talked for the longest time. We were interrupted by the phone ringing. It was my dad. He told her someone called out sick and that he needed to stay and cover their shift. He apologized several times to her for it and thanked her for watching me. He told her if I was too much responsibility he would get someone else to work and he would come right over and get me. Cindy wouldn’t hear of it. She told him to work his shift and to go straight to bed afterwards and in the morning to bring me a change of clothes. He apologized again, thanked her a few more times and hung up.
Well kiddo, looks like it’s just you and me tonight. Your dad’s got to work a double shift again. I’m used to it, I told her. Sometimes I go a couple of days without seeing him. Yes, you might, but usually you have your Aunt Pearl looking out for you. What would you have done if he had left you home alone today? I hadn’t even considered that happening I said. See, that’s why you have me now. And Cindy smiled and lightly poked me in the belly. I laughed when she did this. It was gentle, but it also tickled. She was really a fun person to be around. I would find out soon enough just how much fun she wanted with me.