Betty and I drove the newly betrothed couple back to Tom's. Wow, will his parent's ever be surprised. They always liked Julie but Mr. Davis used to constantly lecture Tom about never keeping a flame lit for someone who doesn't return the fire.
During the drive back, Betty chatted away about how happy she was for them and how she had always hoped they would end up together. It was a love story, she called it. Me, on the other hand, I stayed silent, dreaming about my upcoming evening.
After we dropped them off, I drove Betty to her grandfather's house in what can best be described as a very uncomfortable silence. Tom's words echoed in my head. I do appreciate what I have, I thought. I just need to do this. God wouldn't have brought Lulu to me if there wasn't a reason.
My Pa's words suddenly entered my mind; be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it. I quickly brushed his words aside ascribing the thought to Tom's lecture. Tonight was going to be the greatest night of my life. After this, I'll be able to settle into a mundane reality. I looked at Betty sitting in the car, angry. Even now she was beautiful. I suppose if I had to spend the rest of my life with anyone, she would do just fine. I'll be happy.
As we drove up the narrow winding streets of Beverly Hills, Betty stared aimlessly at the endless parade of mansions avoiding any possibility of accidentally making eye contact with me. I had never seen Betty so angry that she couldn't even speak about it.
The sudden sound of screeching tires broke the silence. I had driven through a stop sign. A Mercedes convertible coming from a side street had slammed on the breaks, stopping inches from my side door.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" the driver, a middle aged man, yelled from his car.
"Sorry," I yelled back as I continued up the hill.
"What's happening to you Adam," Betty asked? "You've been behaving strangely ever since you came back from the washroom at the concert. Is there something wrong?"
"There's nothing wrong," I answered.
We arrived at her grandfather's. As soon as Billy heard the car park he raced out of the house to greet us. Betty opened her own door and left the car. Billy ran right past his mother straight to me. "Hey Adam, guess what?" he said with a wide smile across his adorable face.
"You're going to be the starting quarterback for the Rams this Sunday," I said with over-exuberance. "It's all over the news!"
"No it's not," he replied as if I was being serious. "Grandpa bought me a Frisbee. Wanna go to the back yard and play?"
"He can't," Betty told him sadly. "He has to work tonight." She looked at me angrily. "Isn't that the excuse, dear?"
I put on a brave face. "That's right kiddo, I have to work, but don't worry there's always tomorrow."
Billy playfully lifted himself on the car door and leaned over me. "But its Saturday," he protested. "You're boss is mean."
"He's not mean. He's just taking care of his business. When you're a grown up you'll understand."
"I never want to grow up if it means having to work on Saturday," he replied with a pouty face. "Do you have to go to work?"
"He does," Betty answered. "You're leaving now, right Adam?"
I was going to say I'm leaving now but Aunt Irma ran out the front door before I had the chance. "Adam," she yelled out, "your mother's on the phone for you. She doesn't sound well at all. She says it's urgent."
Oh crap, I thought. Ma is always around to ruin anything that makes me happy. "I'll be right in."
"I hope everything's alright with your mother," Betty said guarding herself not to appear as if she had forgiven me.
"I'm sure it's nothing," I replied but then I realized I could use this to get me out of trouble with Betty so I added, "but with Ma you never know. She hasn't exactly been doing so well lately."
"I know," Betty replied as she showed me a bit of concern. "The past few months haven't been easy on her. You better hurry up and take the phone."
My Pa used to trick Ma when she was angry at him by changing the subject to something that brought emotion out of her. I remember one time when she was pissed to no end because Pa had forgotten to water her flowers on a boiling hot summer afternoon when she had gone to the market. When she came home the flowers were dead.
"I told you ten times to water my petunias," she hollered over and over again.
"I'm sorry dear, I got caught up on my work in the garage," he replied. Pa had been repainting a piece of furniture that was in my bedroom. He felt that baby blue wasn't a suitable color for a ten year old boy. He was repainting it brown.
"Sorry isn't going to bring my flowers back to life," she exclaimed.
"Why didn't you just water them yesterday or this morning before you left?" he asked her. I felt it was a valid question.
"I didn't have to because I asked you to do it."
"At least I didn't lie to you about it the way Senator McCarthy lied to the American people," he replied.
"They got him in the end though didn't they?"
"They sure as heck did," he answered in complete agreement. "That bastard got everything that was coming to him."
"I hope we never have to listen to another nutcase like that again," she replied. And just like that Ma was on his side having forgotten why she was upset in the first place.
"Just imagine how much worse it would have been for him if he'd forgotten to water your petunias?"
She laughed.
"I'll buy you some new ones," he said as they both smiled.
Betty started to play Frisbee with Billy as I walked slowly to the house, contemplating the myriad of possibilities for the call. I suddenly remembered that I had forgotten to send Tom with a check for Ma last week. Couldn't she have just left a message with Tom's parents instead of tracking me down here?
I went into the house and took the phone.
"About the check," I began.
"I'm not calling about a stupid check," she answered rudely.
"Then why'd you call, is everything all right?"
"No everything is not all right," she answered. "He's been hurt, pretty badly."
"Who?"
"Your brother Brad, that's who."
"Is it serious?" I asked.
"Of course it's serious; he's in a damn hospital!"
"I mean is he going to make it?"
"Who knows?" Ma then gave me the sigh of despair that she would use when trying to inflict guilt on of her children.
Brad and I had never been close but still we were brothers. From the very moment he had gone to war until now it never occurred to me that Brad might not make it back. I always expected he would come home to a hero's welcome, settle down with a family, start a practice then buy some fancy home, probably right here in Beverly Hills.
"How'd you find out?" I asked.
"A couple of military guys just left here and gave me the news. They said it happened last week. The gooks got him. Those bastards blew him up and now my baby's hurt."
"Ma, is Brad going to pull through!" I needed to hear her say that my brother was going to be alright.
After a long silence she finally, almost reluctantly, let it be known that the Army guys told her that Brad is fine and they'll be sending him home in a week or so. Ma then broke down and started to cry. "I need you Adam. Please come home."
What do I do? I moved the receiver away from my ear and looked up to the sky. I couldn't believe it that Ma would use Brad as a ploy for attention but I wasn't going to call her on it. That's exactly what she wanted, an argument. Pa used to tell me that Ma needed to argue because when we argued back it showed her that we cared. Isn't that messed up?
"I'm sorry Ma but I won't be able to pass by until tomorrow. I've got this big job I have to do tonight and I can't push it back. I'll be by tomorrow morning, early. I promise."
"Adam you selfish bastard," Ma was screaming at me as loud as she could, "Brad is your brother. How can you be so cold?"
"I feel bad, I really do, I know how much Brad means to you but I just can't come by right now. I'm sorry Ma," I said calmly. "I'll see you tomorrow." I hung up the phone and then went back outside.
"Is she alright?" Betty asked.
"It's just like I thought, it was nothing." Betty appeared relieved.
"I guess that means I'll be seeing you tomorrow?" Betty asked. She no longer seemed to hate me but was definitely still very disappointed.
"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll take you somewhere special, just the three of us," I replied.
"That'll be nice," she said as she cracked a smile.
Billy ran up to me and held out the Frisbee. "O.K. one toss," I told him. We played for about half an hour.
When I finally got into my car, Betty came over and kissed me goodbye as she held my face with her two hands. It was a soft, gentle kiss. "I love you Adam Baker," she said to me.
"I love you too," I replied.
I swear I thought I saw her eyes water as I started the engine. Was it possible that she knew what I was really doing? I don't mean exact details but that I was off to see another woman? That was impossible, I said to myself.
Billy ran back to me. "Adam, after you and Mom are married can I call you Pa?"
Once again this kid always had a way of melting my heart. "There's nothing that could ever make happier," I answered. "If you'd like you can start calling me Pa right now." Billy's face lit up with joy.
Betty stood by the front door and watched me back out of the driveway. "You still have time to reconsider," she yelled. "I'm sure Big Al won't be too upset."
"I'll make it up to you tomorrow," I replied.
Reflecting back on those words I feel as if Betty was trying to give me one last chance to save me from myself. I should have listened to her. I'll never forget the memory of Betty standing by the front door in her blue dress with the breeze blowing gently through her long brown hair as I pulled away from the driveway.
From my rearview mirror I remember seeing Billy run after my car as fast as he could. I waved back at him.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Pa," he hollered as I turned the corner.