Quartet: Julie Ch. 06

Ch. 06: Some Guys Have All The Luck.

The weeks rolled by that summer. Robbie had progressed in his job and Julie had continued to work the afternoon shift in the restaurant. They had talked about her changing to day shift, but that would mean giving up her Assistant Manager's pay and for now, they decided to accept the status quo. Julie and Robbie were pooling their income in a savings account for the time that they would be able to find a better place to live and to help support them when they married.

Robbie was very happy working for Tony Blanton's company and he was particularly impressed with Tony's oldest son, Tom. He was the operational brains of the company and he was the man that Robbie most respected. His younger brother Vinnie was Robbie's crew chief, but he lacked the organizational skills of his brother and was easily distracted by a pretty face. His private life was often interlocked with his business responsibilities. Robbie had learned to work around this by making decisions on his own that wouldn't embarrass Vinnie, but would get the job done when it had to be done. His scheduling of suppliers was only a first step and soon he was subtly helping the crews work more efficiently. He was conscious that he didn't want to rub Vinnie's nose in it; he just wanted to make the job more efficient. His efforts didn't go unnoticed.

Tom Blanton was the Operations Manager for his father's company and as such, he was up to date on all the jobs they were involved in. It didn't take him long to notice Robbie Delgado. As a fellow B.C.I.T. alumni, he was keenly aware of the efforts Robbie had made to get his education and the persistence that he showed in seeking a job with his company. When he saw the performance of Vinnie's crew improve steadily over the six months that Robbie had been there, he knew it wasn't coincidental. Robbie was doing Vinnie's job for him without Vinnie realizing it. Tom smiled to himself and knew he had his next crew chief. It was just a matter of time.

That time came when Tony Blanton decided he wanted to take on a project for a political friend who had paved the way for several job permits. It would stretch the people resources of his company and he knew Tom would be unhappy with his decision. He was right. Tom was angry that he had no say in his father's commitment to his friend. He knew the onus of performance would be on his shoulders and he would still be responsible for bringing the existing projects in on time and on budget. He would need to create a new crew and he was ill equipped to provide it. He gave it his undivided attention for several days and then decided he would have to take a big risk. He would appoint Robbie Delgado as "Acting Crew Chief" and borrow people from his existing crews to make up three skeleton crews. He would then set about looking to hire sub-trades to fill in the blanks. It was his only option.

As it turned out, it was the right decision. Robbie proved to be the right choice and with a bit of luck on his side, Tom found a couple of finish carpenters who could work for the next five to six weeks and take some of the pressure off. He also found a framing crew that was at least competent and had Vinnie watch them to make sure they did the job the way he wanted it done. It was Vinnie's strength and Tom was confident that he would handle it. By good luck and good management, he was able to get most of the new work done without greatly sacrificing the deadlines on the existing work. He wasn't pleased with his father's decision but he was very happy with his newfound talent in Robbie Delgado. He would have to make sure he rewarded Robbie for his efforts.

When Robbie came home one hot August afternoon, he was in a great mood. He had just had a brief meeting with Tom Blanton and had been given a bonus for his efforts on the 'special project' and he had also been given a raise. Tom had told him that he would be the next crew chief and it wouldn't be that far in the future. As he walked into the kitchen, he picked up Julie and swung her around and then gave her a big kiss.

"You'll never guess what happened today my lady!" he sang.

"What?" she said laughing at his sparkling mood.

"I got a raise and a bonus! Kapow! How about that?" He was gleeful and couldn't wait to share his good fortune.

"Oh Robbie, that's wonderful!" Julie was suddenly as enthusiastic as he was.

"Yes! It's not just some token raise either. It's a BIG raise ... and," he said drawing out the drama. "I'm the next crew chief when the opening comes."

"Robbie! I'm so happy for you. It's all happening so fast. You should be proud of yourself too." Julie was just as happy as he was and their enthusiasm was contagious.

"Come on, we have to have a celebration." he continued. "We have to have a special event to mark this."

"Why don't you take me out to dinner? We can go on Sunday and I get to be waited on instead of the other way around." she said lightly.

"Great, I'll make a reservation and we'll celebrate." And they did. He reserved a table at Cimonini's Tuscan Bistro and they had a wonderful meal and a very romantic evening; complete with violinist, flowers, wine and a special dessert. As they drove home, Robbie was feeling very happy and wanted to share it with Julie.

"Julie ... I've been thinking ... maybe it's time to ... I mean ... we've been together for a while. Shouldn't we be talking about getting married?" he asked haltingly.

"Ha Ha!" Julie exclaimed. "I thought you'd never ask." She was in a good mood, fueled in part by the wine and in part by the wonderful evening. "I've been waiting for this, you know. I've been waiting for ... it seems like a long time." Julie spoke in a light voice and not at all confrontationally. The wine had obviously done its work.

"Well, does that mean you agree?" he laughed as he realized she was a bit tipsy.

"Of course, stupid! I'd have married you a long time ago if you'd have asked me. After all, I am twenty-one!" she stated emphatically.

"Only just, my love. Only just." he laughed again.

"So ... when do we do it?" she said, almost slurring her words.

"I think I'd better talk to your mom and dad." he said quietly.

"Why?" she asked with a wrinkled brow.

"It's the proper thing to do. I want them to welcome this." he said seriously.

"My dad is right. You really are old fashioned." Stated this in a tone which was partly faux disappointment and partly mocking.

"Your dad is always right. Remember that!" he grinned back at her.

"OK, Mr. Smarty, when are you going to properly ask me?" she challenged.

"After you and I have picked out a ring that you like."

"Now you're talking. How about tomorrow?" She was determined to pin him down.

"Well, that might be a bit difficult. Both of us are working. How about Saturday morning?" He had obviously given some thought to this.

"OK. Saturday morning it is. Am I allowed to tell anyone we're engaged?" she asked in her still light mood.

"Absolutely not!" he stated emphatically. "No telling until I have your parents' OK and the ring is on your finger." He had no illusions that his prohibition would be respected.

"Spoil sport!"

Robbie laughed and reached over and held her hand as it dropped to her thigh. She was incredibly beautiful; especially tonight. She had bought a new red dress and she had been the most beautiful woman in the restaurant he thought. He knew they would make love tonight he was excited by the idea that they would be man and wife soon. They had become lovers only a few months ago and now they were going to take that next big step.

Late Saturday morning, Robbie and Julie carefully reviewed the rings on display at the jewelry store. Robbie knew that most of his bonus would disappear with this purchase, but he trusted Julie to make a responsible choice and he was not disappointed. She chose a simple ring with an elegant setting for the single diamond with several chips surrounding it. It wasn't a big ring, but it was good quality and spoke of good taste. Unfortunately, the ring needed to be resized and wouldn't be ready until the middle of the next week. It would give Robbie a chance to meet with Julie's parents on Monday night while Julie was off work and formally ask permission to marry their daughter. He didn't want to think of what he would do if they objected.

Robbie phoned Evelyn Payton on Monday morning and asked if he could come over to talk to her and Mr. Payton that evening. She readily agreed and they set the time for eight. Robbie was nervous as he walked up the front steps, holding hands with Julie. He was sure Julie was as well as she had been quiet throughout the afternoon and their supper. He let out a big breath and smiled at Julie as he raised his finger to the door bell.

When they had been greeted and seated, the usual small talk prevailed; although Julie remained quiet, sitting beside Robbie with her hand on his. Finally, Robbie knew the time had come.

"Mr. and Mrs. Payton, I'm sure this won't come as a big surprise, but I've come here tonight to ask for your permission to marry your daughter."

There was silence and Robbie saw John Payton shake his head with a wry smile. For a moment he felt a bolt of fear that he was saying no, but then Julie's father spoke.

"Robbie, you never cease to amaze me. You don't need my permission; Julie's twenty one now. And this certainly doesn't come as a surprise to us. We've been expecting it. But you keep showing me you have class and courtesy and ... oh I don't know. I just know that Evelyn and I will be proud to have you as a son-in-law." He ended his comments with a big, open smile; standing up and offering his hand to Robbie..

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Payton. I'm very happy and I know Julie is too." Robbie said, shaking his prospective father-in-laws hand. He looked at Julie and saw the tears trickling down her smiling face. "She not talking much tonight." he laughed.

"Mom and Dad, Robbie got a big raise and a bonus and he's next in line for crew chief at Blanton. I'm so proud of him." she gushed.

"Well, I guess that answers the only real question I had, Robbie." John Payton said smiling. "Looks like you're well on your way. What do you say mother?" John looked at Evelyn and saw the same tears on the same smiling face as her daughter and she went to Julie and hugged her wordlessly. It was obviously an emotional moment for them both.

"I've been saving something for this moment." he said as he left the room and headed for the kitchen. In a few moments, the unmistakable sound of a champagne cork was heard and in another minute he returned with a bottle of Freixnet and four crystal flutes. He poured the sparkling white wine and passed the glasses to the women and then to Robbie. "It's not Dom Perignon, but it is Spanish, in honor of our soon-to-be son-in-law. It's our way of saying "yes, you may marry our daughter" and I must say, we're very happy to have you in our family, Robbie."

"Thank you. I'm very happy to be a part of it. You've been very good to me and I will be very good to your daughter. You can be sure of that." he said emphatically, taking a sip of the wine.

"Well, have you set a date?" Evelyn finally asked.

"No, not yet." Julie spoke up. "We have some planning to do. Robbie's apartment isn't big enough, so we need to find a place to live. But, I do have a ring!" she grinned. I picked it out on Saturday and I get it on Wednesday. I can't wait to show you and all the girls at work. They'll be envious." she crowed.

They spent the next hour talking excitedly about the future; what kind of wedding, where to hold it, who would be invited and what to wear. Since no one was taking notes, it was unlikely all the details would be remembered in the morning, but no one wanted to spoil the moment. They did agree that spring was better than Fall for a wedding and so the tentative date would be sometime in April, the following year. That would give them plenty of time to find a larger apartment and prepare themselves for the wedding.

"I can't wait until you meet my Aunt Eleanor, Robbie. She's special." Julie enthused. "I hope Roger comes too. His son and daughter-in-law live in West Van. I think he knows the Blanton family too."

"Wow, that would be a 'small world' coincidence." Robbie smiled. "I've got to make sure I invite them too. Without their support, we might not be getting married this soon." Robbie was relaxed and content. He now had what he knew he truly wanted; the love and support of his beautiful Julia.

On Monday morning, Julie phoned and left a message for Cpl Janet Mayne at the RCMP Detachment office. She hadn't heard anything from or about Randi and she now knew she would not be coming back to work. It had been five months since her disappearance and she had never returned to her apartment. Brian had been able to give the RCMP a next-of-kin address for her, but that was about it.

Janet Mayne phoned Julie back after her shift ended at three.

"Hi Julie ... how are you?"

"Fine thanks, mam. I called to ask if you had heard anything about Randi ... I mean Randeen."

"Not much, Julie. We contacted her parents and they weren't very cooperative. They just said she was OK and they had talked to her and that she was getting married this fall. We didn't have any reason to get a warrant or push the investigation any further, so we were stymied at that point. Have you heard from her?"

"No, not a word. I would have called. Did you ever find out who her boyfriend was?" Julie asked.

"No. There was nothing in her apartment. No clues at all. Her cell phone wasn't there, so we couldn't check her outgoing calls. I'm afraid it's a dead end."

"OK, thanks for trying. I'll call you if I hear anything." Julie offered.

"Thanks, Julie. It was nice to talk to you again. Is everything OK with you?" Janet asked.

"Yes, very OK. I'm getting married next spring. You met him ... Robbie Delgado. I'll make sure you're invited to the wedding."

"Oh, that's wonderful, Julie. I'm very happy for you. I'll look forward to getting that invitation." she said sincerely.

After Julie had hung up, Janet Mayne allowed herself a small smile. Finally, a reasonably happy ending to a bad story. Mike Tulkman had his probation extended with a warning that he would be back in prison if he came anywhere near Julie again. These little successes were few and far between and she had learned to celebrate them when they occurred. Date Rape drugs were still prevalent and it had almost become an epidemic in the club scene. Unfortunately, the courts continued to soft-pedal the prosecutions and so there were few strong prohibitions to the young guys using these drugs. Perhaps a statutory rape charge would change some minds. At least now, Janet had some help with another Constable in the detachment capable of handling these cases.

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Julia Marie Payton and Roberto Miguel Delgado were married in the little Catholic Church at the west end of town. It had started out to be a small, family wedding, but it had grown as more people were invited. Happily, this particular April Saturday dawned bright and sunny and both Julie and Robbie took this to be a good omen for them. Julie's Aunt Eleanor and Roger Inhalt both attended. They were staying at the Payton's house for a few days and then heading off on Roger's son's sail boat for a week of cruising in the Gulf with his son and daughter-in-law. Robbie's father Manuel and older brother Diego had traveled from their home in Monterey, Mexico. Robbie's only unfulfilled wish was that his mother was still alive to be here this day. She loved weddings and she was very proud of her family and she would have been one very happy mother.

Julie's parents hosted the reception at a local hotel and obviously were very happy for their only child. They had met Robbie's father and brother and seemed to get along very well together. They had talked about visiting Monterey on their next winter vacation. The guests all joined in wishing the young couple happiness and, of course, children. Janet Mayne came and was welcomed by the Paytons as well as Eleanor, Julie and the Delgados. Tony, Louise, Tom and Vincent Blanton attended as well. They brought a special gift for the bride and groom; Robbie's promotion to Crew Chief. Robbie felt very good about that. He also discovered that T. Blanton and Sons had renovated Roger's son's house in West Vancouver. It was indeed a small world. The gifts for the bride and groom were all practical as they set up housekeeping in their new townhouse. They had managed to save enough to afford an older three bedroom unit that Robbie was confident he could improve and add value for resale. In the meantime, they had lots of room for themselves and the location was still convenient for them both.

Julie discovered her pregnancy in October and while they had planned to wait a bit longer before starting a family, she and Robbie were delighted with the prospect of parenthood. Julie took a maternity leave at the end of May the following year and three weeks later, she gave birth to a seven pound, nine ounce baby boy; John Manuel Delgado. John Payton beamed with pride as his first grandson was named after him with the middle name after Robbie's father. Julie decided to delay returning to work until their son was walking and talking and able to understand what day-care was all about. While money would be a bit tight, both of them were in agreement and Julie enjoyed her time with baby John to the fullest.

Robbie's career at T. Blanton & Sons continued to blossom as he went from success to success. Tom Blanton had become the Operations Manager, relinquishing his crew chief role and Robbie, as his new Crew Chief, reported directly to him. The Blanton's instituted a bonus plan for their employees; not unlike a profit sharing plan, but with performance also tied to the results. Robbie earned a handsome bonus that first year and it made it much easier for Julie to remain at home with the baby. Robbie replaced his aging Mazda pickup with a newer full-sized Ford truck and also acquired a cell phone for both the business and to give Julie access to him on the job-sites. In his spare time on weekends, Robbie worked steadily on improving the Townhouse; starting with the kitchen, then the bathroom and when time permitted, he would begin working on the Master Bedroom. With hard work and Julie's help, they had invested wisely in the building and the results were quickly evident. John Payton estimated they had added nearly $50,000 to the value just with hard work and judicious spending. The Payton's were happy to surprise their daughter and son-in-law with new appliances at Christmas; an extravagant gift to be sure.

As Julie gazed at the High School Yearbook and thought back over the past four years, she was amazed at all the things that had taken place in her life. She never would have guessed at how her life would go from crisis to bliss. She had married a fine young man who truly loved her and their child. She was a mother and the wife of an up and coming employee of a very successful firm. She had a good job waiting for her when she chose to return to work. She had new friends and a home of their own in a good neighborhood. As she looked once more at the Yearbook, she couldn't really remember the yellow dress any more. That was the past and she was happy in the present.

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This concludes Julie's story; the third of the four stories in Quartet. I've got a pair of other stories on the go, so I may be a couple of weeks before beginning the finale. The title "Some Guys Have All The Luck" is stolen directly from a Rod Stewart song and of course, used without permission. Thanks for hanging with me on these yarns. I've been grateful for the positive responses and the helpful comments.