Cliff's Good Deed

19 - Watermelon

Cliff pulled into the sports bar's parking lot at noon. Hannah was already there waiting for him. He got out of his Corvette, greeted her, and held the passenger door for her. They both wore shorts and t-shirts, suitable for a hot day and for getting splashed by the water rides at the amusement park.

He hadn't seen her since the previous Sunday and looked forward to spending the afternoon with her. Her smile seemed to indicate she was also happy to see him, but she stayed quiet.

While pulling out of the parking lot, Cliff asked, "You seem pensive. Is everything okay?"

She inspected her long hair as if looking for split ends. "It's been a difficult week."

"Are you still up for this?" He hoped she was. "If you have things to take care of, we can reschedule."

What he said snapped her out of it. She looked his way. "That's considerate of you to offer, but I'm okay. I'm nervous about a job interview coming up next week among other things I'm dealing with at home. A trip to Hershey Park is exactly the distraction I need."

"Speaking of home," Cliff wondered if the time was right to bring up the subject. "Are we to the point where I can pick you up at your house on our future dates?"

She grimaced. "Obviously, I trust you. It's just that..." She sighed. "I used to have my own townhouse. I was proud to afford such a nice place at my age. Now I've been reduced to moving back into my small, childhood home with my parents. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm embarrassed."

"Consider yourself fortunate to have a safety net. I'm sure once you get back on your feet you can buy an even bigger townhouse."

"I hope that's sooner rather than later."

He shot a glance her way to gauge her expression. Cliff thought she needed cheering up. "If it makes you feel any better, I still live at home too. In fact, I never owned my own place."

She scoffed. "I didn't know you were such a loser." Her grin let Cliff know she was just messing with him.

He had a sudden idea. "Hey, do you want to see it? I mean where I live? It's not far out of the way."

Hannah sat up straighter in her seat. "Oh, no, I'm dressed down for the park. I'm not going to meet your parents looking like this."

"You look fine. Besides, my mother and father are out of town visiting my uncle. Only Izzy is home." Cliff checked the time. "Her boyfriend is coming to pick her up in a little while, because they're going to the park too."

A few seconds went by before she answered. "Yeah, okay, and I bet your house is a lot bigger than mine seeing as how you're a trash tycoon."

They exchanged glances and laughed. Cliff felt better now that Hannah's mood had lightened. A few minutes later, he drove into the hills above Hershey and turned into the driveway of the family estate.

"Whoa!" Hannah exclaimed after seeing the fountain in the middle of the circular driveway. "Who knew the trash business could be so lucrative?"

Every woman Cliff had ever brought home had a similar reaction. He always tried to downplay the family's wealth so they wouldn't be uncomfortable. "It's the people who live inside that make a happy home, not the size of the house. If you're close to your family, that's worth more than monetary wealth."

Hannah said nothing.

Cliff led her through the main door instead of directly into the private entrance to the suite he shared with Izzy. He gave her a tour. She didn't say much except for when he took her out back. She blurted, "You have a pool. I'm jealous."