Wealth Pt. 04

"Hey Briah," Heather called out. "Yes, yes, yes!"

Chapter 39

Sadie did not like Snowball, especially since Snowball insisted on tormenting the small poodle. The poor animal would dip her head to get a drink, only to have Snowball race up behind her, swat her, and then race away.

Dr. Pelieur had put Stacy on full bed rest and Anita had put Stacy into her bed while she slept on the couch in her living room. Anita's homosexuality had made Stacy a little uneasy at first but Stacy had to admit, the girl made no inappropriate advances toward her and was taking excellent care of her.

"Anita! Anita!" Stacy called out early September eleventh.

"Yeah?" Anita sleepily asked, stumbling into the bedroom.

"The, I think the baby..." Stacy said.

"But not for another two weeks," Anita said, fully awake now.

"Tell him that, huh?" Stacy groaned through a contraction.

"Yes, I need an ambulance; we're having a baby," Anita said as she gathered Sadie up and locked the animal into the laundry closet.

"Oh God!" Stacy cried out.

"Yes sir, I'll leave the door open," Anita said as she tossed Snowball into the bathroom and shut the door.

She pulled on her shorts and tee shirt, thought better of it and put on a bra, then pulled her tee shirt back on.

At eleven forty nine that morning, Anita sent out the text messages announcing the birth of Jacob Antonio Lopez, twenty inches and seven pounds, ten ounces.

"That still doesn't excuse you; get your butt into work," Honey tapped out from the hot dog truck outside of the St. Elizabeth Parish Courthouse.

"And there's grass that still needs cutting," Maggie Cox sent out.

"So are you still the supervisor or do we now take orders from Jake?" Bobby, one of her Superior Lawn employees asked.

"Congratulations!" Jenee replied from the Pizzaco truck outside of U.L.D. campus.

Then a moment later replied, "Manny's wants a rematch; says their salsa's better than ours."

Stacy wearily smiled at the messages. She looked at the wrinkled mass of life in the small bed and knew she should feel something, but she did not. She felt no affection, no connection to that little bundle.

"I made the right choice," she admitted to Anita. "Giving that boy up was the absolute right thing to do."

Pho Dim, Henry and Shirley's former housekeeper was now assuming duties as Jacob's nanny; Anita was still carrying a full load at the University. She let herself into Anita's condominium, let Sadie out to do her business on the small back porch, then let Snowball out. The small Vietnamese woman happily bent to the task of cleaning up the bedroom, changing the sweat soaked sheets and laughing merrily as Snowball tormented Sadie.

At Superior Motors, Henry rolled his eyes as Jack received yet another text message from Honey.

"See, Barry's got the right idea," Henry teased. "Told Caitlin he doesn't text and won't text and doesn't have to put up with all that foolishness."

"Didn't you retire? Thought you retired, didn't he retire?" Jack asked Barry. "I was at his retirement party; he retired so what's he doing here?"

"Hey, Henry, instead of reminding Jack that he's a big girl with all this text crap, why don't you run Jacob Antonio Lopez's teddy bear over to her office, huh?" Barry said.

"Oh please do," Jack said.

"Would you like that, Jack? Would you like it if I ran the teddy bear over to the office?" Henry asked.

"Yes, Henry, I'd like it very much," Jack answered, sending Honey a text.

"Then I'm too busy," Henry said.

"Oh for crying out loud, I'll..." Michael laughed.

"No, no, I'll do it," Henry smiled and picked up the four foot tall stuffed animal. "Giving my roommate a hard time is one of the few pleasures I have left in life."

Henry drove to the glass and concrete building, admired it's sleek look, then found the thick glass door for Superior Landscaping.

At her desk, Maggie was testing the gap in her upper teeth; the implant had fallen out again. She heard the door shut with a solid 'thunk' and turned to see a distinguished looking older gentleman watching her with amusement.

"Oh God!" Maggie groaned, highly embarrassed.

"Hi there, Henry St. Martin, proud uncle of Jacob Antonio Lopez," Henry smiled and hefted the ridiculously large teddy bear.

"Oh my God, it's huge!" Maggie said.

"Yeah, well, nothing's too good for our boy," Henry said. "I'm Henry, and you are..."

"I'm Maggie," Maggie said, holding out a hand.

"Charmed. So where do you want this?" Henry said.

"Um, put it in that chair, I guess," Maggie said, pointing while covering her mouth with the other hand.

"Tell Anita it's from..." Henry said, propping the toy in the chair, only to watch it tip over and fall out.

"Do you have a business card?" Maggie asked.

"Huh? Oh, yes, right here," Henry said, watching the bear again fall out of the chair. "I'm sticking this goofy thing in the corner, hear?"

"Oh God, it's so soft!" Maggie said, touching the bear.

"Yeah," Henry said, admiring the woman's rounded buttocks as she bent to bet the bear's pelt.

"Oh I'd love one of these in my bed," Maggie laughed and took Henry's business card

At Toni's old condominium, Darlene Delacroix puttered around. Television bored her, none of the books Toni had downloaded onto her Nook had held her interest. So, she looked at the clock, saw that it was five o'clock somewhere and fixed herself a vodka and tonic.

She again looked at the text message that Anita had sent her, announcing the birth of her son. Her first response had been to reply with 'Who Cares? Another Illegal on welfare.'

Her second thought had been to respond with 'Congratulations on your anchor baby.'

Her third thought was, as bored as she was, sleeping in a nice soft, dry bed, a bed that did not have insects and other vermin crawling around in it, bathing with hot water, having freshly washed hair and a scalp that did not itch were all very nice things.

And if she pissed off her daughter's little friend, her daughter might take away the nice house, the nice car, the credit cards.

Of course, nearly half of her money had been recovered and Toni's accountant had discovered two accounts that Dr. Edward Byrd held and Toni's lawyer was working to lay claim to those accounts as well.

But Toni controlled her finances with an iron fist.

"And since when does my daughter have an accountant? And a lawyer?" Darlene asked out loud as she sipped her drink.

She had visited the A and A Soaps workplace. She had been amazed; a simple little recipe for organic soap had flourished into a business that had daily UPS shipments, employed nine employees, and these employees had full benefits. Dental, Health, 401K plans.

"Oh, damn, forgot," Darlene said when she heard the garage door go up.

"Mother?" Toni called out from the kitchen. "You like ready?"

"Completely forgot; let me get dressed," Darlene called back.

"Mother, really? Vodka and... Have you even like eaten today?" Toni scolded as Darlene dashed up the stairs.

"I think, no I'm pretty sure," Darlene said, now not sure if she had eaten that day or not.

"And gargle with that mouthwash," Toni called up the stairs. "Don't like need to be knocking anyone out with vodka breath."

Darlene did, pulled on a simple dress, but her sandals on and came back down the stairs.

"Mother, put like a bra on, put some panty hose on and put on like good shoes; we'll get you a pedicure tomorrow, okay?" Toni demanded and like a dutiful child, Darlene turned and went back up the stairs.

Their conversation was stilted so the drive to Dr. LeMoine's office was mostly silent.

While Toni sat in the waiting room of Dr. LeMoine's Dental Clinic, she texted with Anita.

"Ooh, so now you're a Mlf?" Toni sent.

"So tired I feel like a Glf," was Anita's response.

"ILY X 1000" Toni responded when a chastened Darlene entered the waiting room.

"Dr. LeMoine needs to see you," she mumbled.

Seven cavities and you like need two root canals?" Toni fussed when she hustled Darlene into her car.

"Hey, when did you become the Mom, huh?" Darlene spat.

At the next red light, Toni leaned over the console and kissed her mother's cheek.

"Sorry Mother," she said. "Just like worry about you, you know?"

"God, I'm hungry but my mouth is so sore," Darlene complained.

"Here," Toni said, pulling into Clark's Drive-In.

"Like two large chocolate malts," Toni said to the girl that skated up to the car.

Toni resisted the urge to grab a handful of the girl's round buttocks as she whirled and skated away.

"I don't know why those poor girls have to wear such short shorts," Darlene complained.

"Says the woman who like runs around butt naked like every second she can," Toni smirked.

At the office of Superior Lawn Care, Maggie again read Henry's card then sighed.

"Like he'd be interested in a toothless redneck?" she asked herself.

Anita had said she'd be at the office on Monday; she was too exhausted to come in today, and would have both today and tomorrow's classes to contend with.

Maggie again tested the area where her implant had fallen out with her finger.

"Trying to make the hole bigger?" Henry asked.

Aieee!" Maggie shrilled out, startled.

"Sorry; y'all really need to put a bell or maybe one of them electric chimes on that door," Henry chuckled.

"It's being fixed right now," Maggie said, still trying to catch her breath.

"But I uh, I, you said you wanted..." Henry said, now blushing hotly, and held up a bright red and white four foot tall stuffed panda bear.

"You uh, you didn't have to, I mean, wow," Maggie said, shocked.

No man had ever done anything for her, simply because she said she wanted something. John Cox, her common law husband had never given her anything but black eyes, a broken nose, a few broken ribs, and three missing teeth, the reason for her implants. Nicky, her boyfriend after John, had given her heroin addiction.

Sophia Coutre, her attorney, was the first person in her life to ever do something for her out of compassion. And Maggie was completely devoted to Anita Lopez.

"But I can't take that!" Maggie said, looking at the bear.

"Afraid you're going to have to," Henry said, turning to leave. "They won't take it back without the receipt and damned if I didn't lose the receipt when I left Babbage's."

"Babbage's?" Maggie said, stunned. "I've never even been in there!"

"It's okay," Henry shrugged. "See you."

He drove back to Superior Motors, smiling.

"Damn, I know you're old," Jack needled him. "But how can you get lost between here and Anita's office? Turn left onto nineteen and turn left again on Highway fifty four."

"Uh huh, and who took a whole hour driving some girl five miles to her dorm room?" Bob retorted.

"In my wife's new SUV?" Barry asked.

"Oh, look, I have a text message," Henry said, holding up his cell phone. "Let's see, it says Jack kiss my ass."

"Wow, and we actually manage to sell cars, huh?" Michael asked.

"Believe me, no one's more shocked than we are," Bob agreed.

Henry almost dropped his phone when it suddenly rang.

"Hello?" he asked.

"I uh, I get off at five and me and Miss Scarlet? We'll be as hungry as bears," Maggie stammered.

"Miss Scarlet?" Henry asked, confused.

"Uh yeah, that's what I named the bear," Maggie said.

Henry turned; Jack's smirk was irritating him.

"Well, can't have you and Miss Scarlet going hungry, now can we; you ever eat at Bombay? It's right there on nineteen," Henry said.

"No! But I've always wanted to," Maggie agreed.

"You said five? I'll meet you there," Henry said.

"Wow, didn't know we could we could come and go as we pleased. Did you know that Bob?" Jack said when Henry ended the call.

"Fuck you; I'm retired, remember?" Henry said.

At Anita's condominium, Pho Dim looked up when Anita staggered into the bedroom.

"Clean sheets I just wash, okay?" the woman said and Anita wearily nodded, shrugged out of tee shirt, shorts and bra, unconcerned that she was exposing herself to a total stranger.

She lay down, hugged one pillow to her chest, entwined a second one between her legs, and stuffed her head underneath the other two pillows on her bed.

"You big pillow in dryer, okay, I bring when it dry, okay?" Pho Dim said.

Sadie hurtled down the hall, leapt, and jumped up on the bed. Snowball attempted to jump up on the bed, but Sadie greeted her with shrill yaps. Sadie peered over the edge, to make sure she'd rid herself of the horrible cat. Snowball jumped onto the bed behind Sadie and swatted the dog, causing the dog to tumble off the bed onto the carpet.

"Both of y'all, I'm going to kill you," Anita warned.

They must have believed her; Snowball curled up on her corner and Sadie lay down behind Anita and both settled down to sleep.

At Bombay Café, Hashim, the host/waiter/cashier smiled and approached the blonde woman that stood in the doorway.

"Hello, you Maggie?" he asked. "Your table is right..."

"Uh, how'd you know my name?" Maggie asked.

"Told him to be on the lookout for a beautiful blonde," Henry said as he pulled out her chair.

Maggie looked at him askance.

"I uh, a gentleman pulls a lady's chair out for her; I know, it's kind of old-fashioned but..." Henry stammered.

"No, no, I like it; I've just never had anyone do that," Maggie admitted.

Over dinner Maggie was bluntly honest about her past; she had been a stripper and part time prostitute and full time heroin addict. She told him she went to Narcotics Anonymous meetings every Tuesdays and Saturdays.

"But you are clean and sober, right?" Henry asked.

"Oh yes I am; Ms. Lopez told me if she even THINKS I'm using, she'll bounce me out of there and believe me, she means it!" Maggie said, eyes wide.

Henry told her about his beloved Shirley's passing and his extreme disappointment in his four sons and their partners.

"We didn't raise them that way," Henry said. "I mean, we never denied them anything they needed, but..."

"Think my mom and dad raised me to be a whore?" Maggie asked gently. "But I fell head over heels for this guy; didn't take him long to make this good little Catholic girl do things I knew were wrong."

She shrugged.

She smiled; when she shrugged, her breasts wobbled in her blouse and Henry, distinguished older gentleman or not, his eyes went straight to her breasts.

At Jack's cottage, Jack was actually glad that Henry was out on a date. Honey was a screamer. And a curser. And a thrasher.

On their first date, Jack had cooked his 'world famous' chili.; it was famous for inciting heartburn and little else.

Then they sat on Jack's couch and kissed, their kisses turning more passionate and demanding.

"When you got to be back at the dorm?" Jack asked as Honey rubbed his erection through his jeans.

"I need to get my books before my first class and that's at eight in the morning," Honey said, jumping to her feet. "Which bedroom is yours?"

Jack had felt a tremendous amount of guilt the first time he and Honey made love. Melanie had always looked up at him with such love and devotion, but because of her spina bifida, was not a very enthusiastic participant.

Honey, on the other hand, screamed, begged, cursed, thrashed and cried. And she did something Melanie never had, Honey got on top and rode his hard cock to orgasm.

Henry left the house a few moments after Honey and Jack started; highly embarrassed. He checked into the DeGarde Inn and did not return until the next morning, in order to change clothing for work.

But with henry out of the house, Jack did not need to worry about embarrassing Henry; he and Honey could make noise.

In his bedroom, Honey bent over to put her jeans on the floor and Jack playfully swatted her backside.

"Oh fuck yeah," she grunted. Do that again!"

Outside of Bombay Café, Henry smiled as he saw Miss Scarlet securely strapped into the passenger seat of Maggie's car.

"So what we do now?" Maggie asked, entwining her arm around him.

"When's the last time you went bowling?" he asked.

"Bowl, are you serious?" Maggie asked.

He'd listened as Michael and Patrick had been talking one night when Michael brought Patrick to the showroom. Michael had been talking about taking Briah bowling and realizing what a sexy sport it was.

"That beautiful butt of hers, right there, in my face," Michael had laughed.

"Well, absolutely," Henry smiled, thinking he would get to ogle Maggie for at least a few hours more.

"I have never, well, when I was twelve my friend Helen had her birthday party there; but I haven't been back since," Maggie said, actually bouncing slightly.

She followed him to the Bowl-A-Rama.

"I need to ask Ms. Lopez if she knows what kind of car that is," Maggie told Miss Scarlet as they followed Henry's Rolls Royce.

Henry offered up a silent thanks to his godson; bowling was a wonderful sport for a couple to play. Maggie's ass was nice, round, and looked wonderful as she attempted to hurl a heavy ball.

Since neither one of them bowled on a regular basis, one game was all they had the endurance for. Again, Maggie entwined her arm around him as they returned their shoes.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Now we say 'good night,' it is a weekday," he smiled.

"Oh," Maggie said, a little puzzled.

What night of the week it was had never mattered to any of her fuck buddies, her common law husband, or her pimp.

"You have work in the morning," Henry reminded her.

"Oh! I sure do!" Maggie agreed.

"But may I have a kiss good night?" he asked as he stopped in front of her car.

Maggie fucked Henry's mouth with her tongue, pressing her entire body against him.

"Can I see you again?" he asked when she finally released him.

"You want to?" she asked.

She was sure, since he wasn't trying to fuck her, that he was just being polite, but didn't really like her.

"Oh very much," he assured her. "When you that can kiss like that? Damned right I want to see you again. "He kissed her on her lips and asked her to call him to let him know that she was home safe and sound and she promised she would.

Then Henry, knowing Jack and Honey were at Jack's house, went to Superior Motors. He sat at his desk and looked over at the black and white photograph of his and Shirley's wedding and a feeling of guilt and shame washed over him.

"Parran?" Michael asked softly, putting a loving hand on the man's shoulder. "You would want Nana to be happy, right?"

"No, damn it," Henry lied. "I'd want her to be miserable without me."

"Then thank God she was more of a man than you," Michael teased lightly. "She'd want you to live, she'd want you to be happy."

"Being happy without her is so damned hard though," Henry choked out.

At her apartment, Maggie put the huge stuffed animal into her bed, even tucking the covers around it. Then she playfully gave it a kiss on its stitched lips.

"Hi, I'm home, me and Miss Scarlet are getting ready for bed right now," she cheerfully said when Henry picked up his phone.

"Oh, good, good, Miss Scarlet looked pretty tired," Henry smiled.

"I really had a great time; thank you so much," Maggie whispered.

"I had a great time too," Henry admitted.

"And that food was so good!" Maggie enthused.

"Well, we'll have to go there again," Henry agreed.

"It'll be our place," Maggie decided.

"Thank you, boy," Henry said to Michael when he hung up his phone.

Love you Parran," Michael said and smiled at a young woman, no older than twenty years old as the woman gawked at the sleek sports cars.

She even stepped up to the glass but scampered away when Michael stepped toward her.

Chapter 40

Jacob cried for his morning bottle, even though it wasn't even daylight outside. Anita disentangled herself from Toni and scooped the baby into her arms.