Fun and Excitement
Chapter Four

Paula looked at the calendar on the kitchen wall. August was nearing an end. The summer was almost gone. She read the notice in the Homeschool Newsletter again. Today was the deadline; she had to make a decision.

 

“Boys,” she called to her brood, all sitting in the living room with books, “Do you want me to see if I can get you enrolled in this art class we talked about earlier?”

 

“Yes,” all three replied eagerly.

 

“OK,” she began dialing, “I’ll ask your father what he thinks.”

 

“Nelson, Cochran and Jervis Architectural Designs, may I help you?” An unfamiliar voice answered the office phone.

 

“Yes,” Paula told her, “I need to speak to Rob Jackson, please.”

 

“Mr. Jackson may not be available,” the receptionist informed, “May I take your name and number?”

“This is his wife,” Paula already disliked this new girl, “I’m sure he’s available for me.”

 

“Well,” the girl still wasn’t convinced, “His door is shut. Hold on and I’ll check.”

 

Paula was about to hang up after being on eternal hold, when the girl came back on the line, “I’m sorry. I’ll tell him you called.”

 

“Wait,” Paula stopped her, “What’s your name?”

 

“Debbie,” the voice obliged.

 

“OK, Debbie,” Paula was getting irate, “Tell me what he’s doing that can’t be interrupted? Is he with a client? I really need to talk to him.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Debbie was totally uncooperative. “All I can tell you is that he is busy.”

 

Paula listened to the dial tone briefly, then growled at the phone.

 

“Everything all right, Mom?” Jason asked, coming in to get a drink.

 

“Oh, yes,” Paula smiled, “Just a little snag in the line. I’m going to go ahead and call to get you enrolled. I’m sure your father will work out his end of the deal.”

 

She was just hanging up from registering them when the phone rang, “Hello?”

“Hi, Sweetheart,” Rob greeted from the other end, “Did you try to call me earlier?”

 

“Yes,” Paula was relieved to hear his voice, “I apparently didn’t have the proper security clearance.”

 

“Sorry about that,” he chuckled, “I did have my door closed for a while. We have a new girl answering the phones. She hasn’t quite got the hang of it yet.”

 

“I noticed,” Paula grumbled, “Anyway, I made an executive decision, since I couldn’t reach you.”

“I’m sure it’s fine,” he assured, “What’s up?”

 

“I enrolled the boys in an art class,” she explained. “It’s on Fridays from 1:00 to 4:00. It starts the first Friday after Labor Day and goes through the end of October.”

 

“That’s fine,” Rob agreed, “Why did you need to talk to me about it?”

 

“Because I was hoping you could take off early enough on those Fridays to pick them up,” she explained, “I can bring them in and drop them at class, but I don’t really want to spend three hours just killing time. You know I’ll end up shopping and that won’t be a good thing.”

“No,” he laughed, “We wouldn’t want that, would we? Sure, I can pick them up. I’ll just make sure to mark my schedule to leave early on Fridays for a while. I’m sure I can work it out.”

 

“I was hoping you’d say that,” she was always grateful for his help with the boys.

 

“Hey, listen,” Rob told her, “speaking of Labor Day, have you checked about the big Fox Trotter show down in Ava?”

 

“No,” Paula exclaimed, “I totally forgot! I’ll get online and check the schedule to see when we want to go.”

 

“Well,” Rob suggested, “Since it’s kind of a family tradition for us, how would you feel about inviting Mitch?”

 

“Oh, I think that’s a great idea!” Paula already felt like Mitch was part of the family.

 

“Good,” Rob said, “Then after you pick the day, do you mind calling him to ask if he’d like to join us?”

 

“I’d be glad to,” Paula answered, “I’ll put that next on my list.”

 

“OK, Honey,” he thanked her, “I appreciate it. Sorry about the misunderstanding earlier. I’ll see you tonight, OK?”

 

“OK, Sweetheart,” Paula replied, “Thanks for calling me back. See you later.”

 

~*~

 

Ava, Missouri is home to the headquarters of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association. They host an annual week long horse show starting Labor Day weekend each year. Going to at least one show had become a Jackson family tradition and this year was no exception.

 

Paula had chosen Labor Day itself, so that Mitch would be free to join them. He was on call, but by driving the vet truck and carrying his cell phone, he felt safe to attend.

 

After making the rounds, and checking out the stables, the family settled in on the bleachers to watch the outdoor event. Rob and Paula were seated behind Mitch, who was flanked by a twin on either side and Jason sat in front of him.

 

“Hey,” Mitch turned to speak to Rob and Paula, “I really appreciate you including me today. It means a lot to me.”

 

“Glad you could come,” Paula smiled.

 

“You’re welcome at anything we do, Son,” Rob told him, “Have you heard from your mother?”

 

“She’s called a couple of times,” Mitch shrugged. “I’m kind of having a hard time thinking of her as my mother.”

 

“Gee, I can’t imagine,” Paula muttered and Rob gave her a look that silenced her.

 

“Give it time, Mitch,” Rob encouraged him, “Mary’s got her good points.”

 

“Yeah,” Mitch chuckled, “By the way, Paula, I’m supposed to ask you something.”

 

“Me?” Paula wondered what Mary had put him up to.

 

“Yes,” Mitch put her mind at ease, “Lucy needs a big favor.”

 

“Lucy,” Paula smiled at the thought of Doc Brown’s receptionist, “What does Lucy need from me?”

 

“Her family is having a big reunion this coming weekend in Kansas City,” Mitch relayed the information, “And she’d really like to go. She was hoping I could convince you to work for her Saturday.”

 

“Why me?” Paula hadn’t filled in at the clinic since she’d had Jason, “What about your technician, Sheila?”

 

“Sheila’s off Friday and maybe Monday,” he explained, “to get her wisdom teeth out. Lucy’s already on her own those days, as it is.”

 

“Well,” Paula didn’t relish the idea of working, “How about your kennel girl, Jessica?”

“There is no kennel girl after today,” Mitch informed, “Jess quit because of some conflict with her band schedule at school. So, guess who’s doing kennels next weekend?”

 

“You’re cleaning kennels?!” Paula grinned and laughed, “Well, Rob, what do you think? Can you and the boys handle a Saturday morning to yourselves?”

 

“Oh,” he patted her on the knee, “I’m sure we can struggle through it somehow.”

 

“What did Doc say about all this?” Paula asked.

 

“He said that Lucy never asks for time off, so if you can’t cover for her, then I’m working the front while he plays doctor. He’ll pay you what you were making when you quit,” Mitch grinned.

 

“Oh, yeah,” Paula moaned, “I bet he would. Pay scales have changed slightly in the last ten years. OK, tell Lucy I’ll do it. Tell Doc we’ll barter it out in services.”

 

“Thanks,” Mitch winked, “I owe you.”

 

“Uh-oh,” Rob rolled his eyes.

 

“Uh-oh?” Mitch questioned.

 

“You don’t want to owe Paula,” Rob warned, “She’ll get even with you, believe me.”

 

“Oh, Rob,” Paula teasingly punched him in the stomach, “I’m not all that bad.”

 

“Hey, Mom,” Jason interrupted, “Can we take Mitch over to look at the booths?”

 

He was pointing to a row of vendors with everything from saddles to trailers to toy horses for sale. Paula looked at Rob and he nodded.

 

“Sure you can,” Paula told him, “If Mitch wants to go.”

 

“Do you mind?” Mitch asked his father.

 

“Let’s see,” Rob mused jokingly, “Do I mind if my adult son takes his brothers wandering around to burn off energy, leaving me alone with my beautiful wife? Let me think about that for a while…”

 

“We won’t be gone long,” Mitch got up and followed the boys.

 

“I’m glad they get along so well,” Paula observed.

 

“I think he kind of likes having them around,” Rob nodded, “You know, I was thinking…”

 

“Uh-oh,” she laughed.

 

“Well,” he shrugged, “Then I just won’t tell you.”

 

“Oh,” she grabbed his arm and leaned on him lovingly, “I’m just kidding you. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

 

He gave her a sly sideways glance, “If Mitch owes you for this Saturday…or at least thinks he owes you…Well, he and the boys sure are getting along well…”

 

“Oh,” Paula smiled, “I like it! You think we could get him to watch the boys sometime? Have a night out maybe?”

“Maybe,” he nodded, “or even a weekend away.”

 

“A whole weekend?” Her eyes turned to saucers, “Just you and me? You think that’s actually possible?”

 

“We could sure try,” he pondered.

 

“Maybe I’ll see if Lucy wants more days off,” Paula laughed, reaching up to kiss him.

 

~*~

 

Paula walked into the lobby of Nelson, Cochran, and Jervis Architectural Designs and glanced around.  It was a large firm, each of the partners had their own secretaries. Rob was the senior of four architects that worked under the partners. The secretary they shared and the new receptionist, Debbie, had desks in the front.

 

She approached the new receptionist, who had the place to herself at the moment, “Hi, I’m here to see Rob Jackson.”

 

Debbie looked up at Paula, whose long brown hair fell down over her shoulders, framing her attractive tanned face. Her brown eyes danced as she smiled. She was wearing a short pink sleeveless dress that accented her long legs.

 

“Do you have an appointment?” Debbie asked.

 

Realizing Debbie had no idea who she was, Paula decided to have a little fun, “I don’t need an appointment. He’ll see me anytime I like.”

 

“May I tell him who’s here?” Debbie still hadn’t figured it out.

 

“Tell him,” Paula leaned down and spoke quietly, “his girlfriend is here.”

 

Debbie picked up the phone, wide-eyed, and pressed a button. After a moment, she relayed, “Mr. Jackson, there’s someone here to see you…She says she’s your girlfriend.”

 

Not long after she hung up, Rob looked around the corner and gave Paula a broad smile, “Hey, Gorgeous! Come on back.”

 

“Hi,” Paula followed him into his office and closed the door. “You looked around that corner like you weren’t sure it was me. How many girlfriends do you have?”

 

“Oh,” he teased, “the rest of them are just lovers. Come here.”

 

She hugged him and gave him a big kiss, “You know, I think Debbie believed me.”

 

“You’re going to get me in all kinds of trouble, you know,” he sat on the edge of his desk, so they were eye to eye. His arms were around her waist and hers around his neck. “I guess you dropped the boys off?”

 

“Yes,” she nodded, playing with his ponytail, “That’s why I’m here. I wondered if you wanted to swap vehicles? I can take the truck and leave you the Jeep so you won’t be so cramped if you like.”

 

“No,” he shook his head, “We’re fine in the truck. Thanks, though. You heading home now?”

“Yes,” she kissed him again, “Unless you can think of something else you need me to do while I’m in town?”

 

“Well,” he raised his brows and bit his bottom lip, “That short dress you’re wearing makes me think of one thing you could do.”

 

“Who’s causing trouble now?” She laughed.

 

“Hey,” he pulled her closer, “the door has a lock on it.”

 

“Don’t you have buildings to design or something?” She scowled.

 

“Do you mean,” he teased, “I have to wait for my wife?”

“Doesn’t your wife take good enough care of you, Dear?” She countered.

 

“My wife,” he kissed her, “takes very good care of me.  Do you need me to pick up dinner on the way home, or do you already have something started?”

“I put meatballs in the crock,” she told him, waving her left hand in front of his face, “And I forgot to put my rings back on. It’s driving me crazy.”

 

“Oh no!” He teased, “Now some young hunk will steal you away from me.”

 

“Well,” she reminded, “the last young hunk that came along turned out to be your son. Let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of that episode.”

 

“Ouch!” He winced, “Did I deserve that?”

 

“No,” she kissed him, “Sorry. I’ll make it up to you tonight, OK?”

 

“OK,” he stood up. “Guess you’d better get going. I do have some work I need to finish before I go get the boys. I’ll see you out.”

 

“That’s OK,” she told him, “I know the way. Besides, I can’t do this out there.” She pulled him down and kissed him deeply and passionately this time.

 

He sighed as he watched her go, “Now I won’t get anything done. See you after while.”

 

Debbie was watching Paula as she came back into the lobby. She had curly brown hair that was frosted. Her brown eyes were naturally big, but they grew as she watched Paula.

 

The opportunity was simply too good to refuse. Paula leaned over the desk and whispered, “You might give him a few minutes before you interrupt him again."

 

~*~

 

Saturday morning at the clinic seemed like old times to Paula. Doc Brown was in and out on a couple of horse emergencies. Mitch stayed there and saw the small animal appointments. The morning flew by and it was time to lock up and close things out before she knew it.

 

“Well,” Mitch came up to the front as she was balancing the cash drawer, “You made that look easy. If you can keep things running that smooth after being away for 11 years, it’s no wonder Doc raves about you so much.”

 

“Raves about me, does he?” Paula chuckled, “Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret—this is a breeze compared to raising three boys and running a farm.”

 

“Probably true,” he laughed and sat on the stool nearby, “Speaking of raising boys, can I talk to you about something?”

“Sure, Mitch,” she was finished counting, “What is it?”

 

“I’d rather keep this between us,” he told her, “If you feel like you can’t keep this from Dad, then I won’t talk to you about it.”

 

“Ooh, Mitch,” Paula frowned, “I don’t keep things from your father. Is it that bad?”

“I’m just afraid he’ll take it upon himself to fix it,” Mitch explained, “I’m sorry. It’s unfair of me to ask you to do that. I shouldn’t have said anything…I just really need someone to talk to…You’re easy to talk to, Paula…Don’t take this wrong, but sometimes I wish you were my mother, instead of Mary.”

 

“I take that as a great compliment,” she smiled. “Go ahead and tell me. I think Rob would want me to listen, if that’s what you need. I’m sure he’d understand.”

 

Mitch sighed and looked at his feet, “It’s my real mother. She’s been calling…a lot. More than I thought she would…more than I want her to. She’s full of questions and…well,  at first, I just thought she was trying to put things right, you know…make up for lost time, but now….”

 

“But now, what?” Paula listened attentively.

 

“Now,” he disclosed, “I realize she wants something.”

 

“Something you’re not willing to give, I take it?” Paula guessed.

 

“She wants to come down here and stay the next weekend I’m off,” he explained.

 

“Is that so unreasonable?” Paul tried to be fair.

 

“Probably not,” he shrugged, “but I don’t think it’s me she’s coming to see.”

 

“Who then?” She asked, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

 

“She wants me to invite Dad over while she’s here,” he informed, “Just Dad…not you and the boys.”

 

“Now, that is unreasonable,” Paula sighed. “What did you tell her?”

 

“I told her no,” he informed, “That Dad’s not going to do it, anyway. He wouldn’t come without you, for sure. So, then she suggested I could convince him to come to St. Louis instead.”

 

“Just him?” Paula rolled her eyes.

 

“Yep,” Mitch nodded, “I really don’t know how to handle this. She’s not wanting to take no for an answer. Right now, I’m regretting that I ever went looking for her. She sure turned out to be nothing like Dad.”

 

“Well, Mitch,” Paula advised, “I know this is not the answer you want, but I really think you should talk to your father about this.”

 

“Oh, Paula…” Mitch protested.

 

“Listen, Mitch,” she reasoned, “If she’s this brazen with you, then she may just decide to go directly to him. You don’t want him to get blind-sided, do you? If you tell him you don’t want him to interfere, he’ll respect that. I think he needs to know about it, though. And I have a feeling he’ll be able to advise you on the matter a lot better than I can.”

 

“OK,” he acquiesced, “I’ll come by tonight after I finish kennels and talk to him.”

 

~*~

 

As Paula drove up, she could see all her boys riding their horses in the arena she and Rob had devised two years earlier. Rob was standing in the middle, giving them instructions. They all waved as she stepped out. She walked to meet Rob at the gate, who hugged her and gave her a kiss.

 

“How was it?” He asked.

 

“Easy,” she grinned, “How about you guys?”

 

“Well, no one was hospitalized,” he laughed.

 

“I’m starving,” she remarked, “I suppose you boys have all eaten?”

 

“Yes,” he nodded, “We had sandwiches. Would you like for me to come and fix you one?”

 

“No thanks, Sweetheart,” she hugged him again, “I can manage. Listen, I need to tell you something.”

 

“What is it?” His face became serious.

 

“Mitch asked me today if he could talk to me about something,” she confided, “He asked me not to tell you.”

 

“But you’re going to anyway?” He raised his brows.

 

“No,” she shook her head, “I listened, because I thought that’s what you would have wanted me to do. But I did manage to convince him to tell you about it himself. He’s coming by this evening. I just thought I’d warn you that he needs you to himself for a while when he shows up.”

 

“Sounds serious,” Rob reflected, “I’m not about to be a grandpa, am I?”

 

“No, not quite that serious,” Paula laughed, “But it’s bad enough. I’m sure you’ll be able to tell him what to do, though. I have faith in you.”

 

“OK,” he headed back to the arena, “I’d better get back to these boys for now.”

 

~*~

 

“Well,” Paula turned off the light and slid into bed next to her husband, “Did he tell you the whole story?”

 

“I guess so,” he pulled her in close to him, “He told me enough, anyway.”

 

“Good,” she started playing with the hair on his chest, “So what kind of sage advice did you give him, O Wise One?”

 

“Are you making fun of me?” He let his hand run down the side of her body, resting it on her hip.

 

“No,” she kissed his chest, “I really do think you’re wise. What did you tell him?”

 

“I told him that the next time she calls,” he revealed, “he should very politely explain to her that he wants to get to know her, since she’s his mother, but that if she has any business with me, she needs to handle it directly. He needs to tell her not to put him in the middle.”

 

“See,” her hand was on his belly now, her fingers tickling the fur there, “You are wise. That’s exactly what I would have told him.”

 

“You realize she’s going to call me, don’t you?” He predicted.

 

“I think she will anyway,” Paula told him, “Whether Mitch tells her to or not. It’s just a matter of time. At least now you know what she’s up to, so you’ll be expecting it.”

 

“He says he told her that she’s wasting her time,” Rob reported, “He told her that we’re the happiest couple he’s ever known. Wasn’t that a nice thing for him to say?”

 

“Yes,” Paula let her hand stray further down, “We are happy, Dear. Of course, I doubt if she believed him.”

 

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, “Why wouldn’t she believe him?”

 

“Because, Rob,” Paula reminded, “She still thinks of you the way you were at 18. I’m sure she thinks you’d be totally open to the idea of an affair. Probably assumes you’ve already had at least one or two.”

 

“You know better, though, right?” He pulled her over onto his chest, “You trust me, don’t you, Paula?”

 

“Of course I do, Honey,” she kissed him, “Why?”

 

“Because she may get nasty before all this is over,” he warned, “She may call you…say things to you to make you think…”

 

“There’s nothing she can say,” she stopped him, “that will make me doubt you, Dear. I love you with all my heart. Don’t worry…we’ll be fine.”

 

~*~

 

“Hey, Lucy,” Paula walked into the clinic that Friday afternoon, “How was the reunion?”

 

“Great!” Lucy was about Paula’s age and had short blond hair, “Thanks for working for me. I really appreciate it.”

 

“It was actually fun,” Paula told her, “Listen, is Mitch here?”

 

“Yeah,” Lucy pointed, “He’s in the treatment room with Doc doing a necropsy. Go on back.”

 

“Paula!” Doc Brown looked up, gloved hands deep in the chest cavity of the body they were examining, “Grab some gloves and dive in!”

 

“No thanks,” Paula shook her head, “I’ve done enough of that back in the good ol’days.”

 

“What’s up, Paula?” Mitch asked.

 

“I wondered if you’d like to pay me back that favor you owe me?”

Paula grinned.

 

“Uh-oh,” Doc chuckled, “Watch out, Mitch…you’re in for it now.”

 

“What do you want me to do?” Mitch asked skeptically.

 

“It’s not that bad,” Paula explained, “In fact, it can help us both out. When is your next weekend off?”

 

“End of the month,” he told her, “Why? You want me to invite Mary down for a visit?”

 

“No,” she shook her head, “I want you to come to our place and spend the weekend with the boys.”

 

“What?” Doc never could mind his own business, “And let you and Rob have a weekend alone somewhere?”

 

“Will you do it?” Paula ignored him, “It’ll get you off the hook for another month with Mary. You can honestly say you have plans. You don’t have to share with her what those plans are. Just tell her you’re not going to be home.”

 

“Sure,” he agreed, “I’ll do it. It’ll be fun. Just don’t expect everything to be perfect when you come home, OK?”

 

“Don’t worry,” she patted him on the back, “It’ll be a piece of cake.”

 

~*~

 

“So,” Rob tossed his jeans in the hamper and reached for the light switch, “Where would you like to go for our weekend away?”

 

“Anywhere with you, Sweetheart,” Paula grabbed his hand and pulled him into bed next to her, “Do you have any ideas?”

 

“As a matter of fact,” he lay on his side and propped his head up on one arm, “I was thinking of our cabin. It’s short notice, but since it’s after Labor Day, I might be able to arrange it.”

 

“Our cabin?” She questioned.

 

“Yes,” he reached over and caressed her face, “Our cabin…the one on the lake where we spent our honeymoon.”

 

“Oh, Rob!” She squealed, “That’s a great idea. There’s no phone, though…What if Mitch needs to reach us?”

 

“We both have cell phones, Honey,” he reminded her, “Besides, they’ll be fine. He can even patch up their wounds all by himself if he needs to.”

 

“Yes,” she laughed, “But who’s going to patch him up?”

 

“Oh, he’s young,” Rob kissed her, “He’ll heal up fast.”

 

“So,” she put her arms around his neck as he eased himself over her, “You’ll call this week and see if you can reserve it?”

 

“I’ll take care of it,” he began trailing kisses down her neck, “But first, I’ll take care of you…”

 

~*~

 

“Paula,” Rob’s voice called on the answering machine, “Pick up, Sweetheart…”

 

“I’m here,” she grabbed the phone, “Whatcha’ need?”

 

“Mmm,” he spoke in a low voice, “You…but that’ll have to wait, huh?”

 

“Afraid so,” she chuckled, “I guess I don’t need to ask what’s up?”

 

He laughed, “No, you never need to ask that. Anyway, I’m calling to tell you that I got our cabin for this weekend.”

 

“You did?” She was almost dancing, “What time should I tell Mitch to be here?”

 

“I guess as soon as he gets off on Friday night,” Rob informed, “He can eat dinner with us before we leave. I went ahead and booked it through Sunday night, so we can stay late if we want. I figured it’s worth paying for an extra night, just so we can have all that day, don’t you?”

 

“Absolutely,” Paula agreed, “I’ll call Mitch and let him know…Rob?”

 

“Yes, Honey?”

 

“Thank you, Sweetheart,” she sighed.

 

“Thank you, Dear,” he said softly, “for being my wife.”

 

~*~

 

“OK,” Paula pointed to a list of phone numbers on the refrigerator, “Now all the numbers you might need are right there. And all the meals are labeled and in containers that can go straight into the microwave…”

 

“Paula,” Rob put his arm around her and squeezed, “I’m sure he’s got it. You’ve gone over this with him three times, Honey.”

 

“I’m sorry, Mitch,” she apologized, “We’ve just never been away this long…”

 

“Which is exactly why you need to,” Mitch reminded, “We’ll be fine. They’ll take care of me and I’ll take care of them, right Guys?”

 

“Right,” the threesome nodded.

 

“All right,” Paula put her arms out, “Hugs and kisses…You boys behave.”

 

“Mitch is the boss, Guys,” Rob told them, as he hugged them in turn, “You mind him just like you would me. Jason, if anything were to happen to Mitch, which it won’t, you call our cell phone or your Uncle Terry. Got that?”

 

“Yes, Dad,” Jason assured, “Just go have fun. We’ll be fine.”

 

~*~

 

Rob’s blue truck pulled up in front of the cabin. It was a small stone structure sitting up on a bluff that overlooked the water. It had only one room with a bath. It was cozy and rustic with a fireplace and a small deck that attached to the front porch.

 

“Shall I carry you in this time?” Rob grinned.

 

“I think I can walk, thanks,” she replied, “I can’t believe we’re actually here. It looks just like I remember it.”

 

“I’ll grab a couple of bags,” Rob got out and reached in back. “Do you think you packed enough? We’re only staying two days.”

 

“Well,” she shrugged, “You know me…I like to be prepared for anything.”

 

They walked in and flipped on the lights. There were fresh roses on the snack bar that separated the kitchen area from the rest of the room. Wood was neatly stacked next to the fireplace and there was a loveseat close by. There was a small box on the queen size bed with a card. Paula looked at Rob and raised her brows in a silent question.

 

“Don’t look at me,” he acted innocent, “Go see what it is.”

 

She sat on the bed and picked up the card. It had her name on it, in Rob’s handwriting, so she read it aloud, “From a diamond in the rough, to my pearl of great price.”

 

She smiled up at him and opened the box. She lifted out a delicate gold chain with a single pearl pendant. Paula gasped in surprise.

 

“Rob,” she ran to him and hugged him, “It’s beautiful…how did you…?”

 

He shrugged and kissed her, “Go look at the roses.”

 

She did as he requested and saw another card. Again she saw her name in Rob’s own hand. She read, “To my rose without thorns.”

 

A tear started down her cheek, as she smelled the fragrant flowers. She turned to him, “Thank you, Rob…I didn’t do anything for you…I…”

 

“Hey,” he came to her and took her in his arms, “Nonsense. You do so much for me. Everyday. Day in and day out. I just wanted to make this weekend special, Sweetheart. Because you’re so special. Now, go look in the fridge.”

 

“In the fridge?” She laughed, “What’s waiting in the fridge? Oh! Champagne!”

 

“You like?” He stood there, hands on his hips, and Paula thought she would melt at the sight. After all these years, he could still turn her into a puddle.

 

“I like,” she went over and kissed him, “You are not a diamond in the rough…You are the whole diamond mine…My diamond mine!”

 

~*~

 

“You know,” Paula stroked Rob’s chest as she lay next to him, “We really should get out of bed. It’s nearly noon. We probably ought to eat at some point.”

 

“Is it really that late?” Rob stretched and reached for his watch on the bedside table, “I hope you’re not suggesting we leave for lunch…”

 

“No,” she sat up, “I brought lunchmeat and such. We can just stay here all weekend and not leave at all if you like.”

 

“Actually,” he sat up next to her, “I made dinner reservations for us tonight at that nice place down by the dock. They have a band on the weekends, so we can go dancing after dinner.”

 

“You thought of everything,” she kissed him, “Are you hungry?”

 

“Always,” he almost rumbled, “But I suppose you’re referring to food? I could eat a sandwich. Then I think I need a shower. Care to join me?”

 

“As I recall,” she got up and put on her robe, “the shower in this place is barely big enough for one person.”

 

“That just makes it more entertaining,” he pulled on a pair of sweats and followed her to the kitchen area. “Want some help?”

 

~*~

 

They were just stepping out of the shower when there was a knock on the door. After exchanging glances, Rob grabbed a pair of jeans to pull on. His long blond hair fell across his shoulders, slightly curly now from the water in it.

 

“I’ll take care of it,” he told her, heading for the door.

“Toss me my dress, would you?” She called and he obliged as he passed it on the loveseat. Paula closed the bathroom door and listened as she combed her hair and pulled the bright yellow dress over her head.

 

“What the…?” Rob exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”

 

“I came to see you,” a vaguely familiar female voice stepped in, “I thought we could ditch your girlfriend and have the rest of the weekend to ourselves.”

 

“My girlfriend?” Rob repeated. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Oh,” she was obviously walking around the room, “I know all about her, Robbie. She stops by the office and treats you behind locked doors…”

 

Paula suddenly recognized the voice as Mary’s. She decided to stay put and listen for the time being.

 

“…and you leave early every Friday afternoon to meet her. Now you’ve whisked her down here…But, Robbie, whoever she is…I assure you that I can do much better…I’ve had a lot of practice since the last time you had me.”

 

Paula listened to the silence. She figured Rob was trying to compose a response, while digesting what had just transpired. She was about to reveal herself, when Mary continued.

 

“It’s no wonder, Robbie,” Mary cooed, “After all, that little ‘Susie Home-Maker’ wife of yours couldn’t possibly satisfy a man with your appetite for life.”

 

“Now, wait a minute,” Rob finally spoke,  “I don’t know who you’ve been talking to or how you found me here…But I’ll not let you talk about my wife like that…”

 

“It’s OK, Honey,” Paula stepped in and Mary’s mouth flew open, “She’s just jealous because SHE isn’t woman enough to run a farm, raise three boys, and satisfy a man with an appetite like yours.”

 

“You!” Mary exclaimed, “What are you doing here?”

 

“I’m his ‘Susie Home-Maker’ wife, remember?” Paula walked toward her, “The one that couldn’t possibly satisfy him.”

 

Rob started chuckling, then when Mary shot him an angry glare, he burst out in full-fledged laughter. Paula couldn’t help but laugh with him, he had a very contagious laugh.

 

Their laughter only served to make Mary madder, “What’s so funny? I don’t see anything funny about this! You shouldn’t be laughing! Did you miss the part about his girlfriend? He’s cheating on you! Did you miss that part?”

 

“We’re laughing at you,” Paula kept chuckling, “You’ve been talking to Debbie, haven’t you?”

 

“Mary,” Rob tried to regain a sober expression, “I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Paula.”

 

“Wait, but no…he’s…” she stammered, looking back and forth between them.

 

“Debbie’s new,” Rob explained, “She’s not quite got it together yet…I’m not sure she’s going to have the chance to now. Did she tell you where I was?”

 

“Yes,” Mary confessed, “I told her I was supposed to meet you, but I lost the directions. She read them to me from something.”

 

“Why did Debbie have the directions…?” Paula cast him an inquiring look.

 

“The courier,” he nodded, “I hired someone to bring down the necklace, roses and champagne. I left directions in an envelope at the front desk for him to pick up. She must have opened it and read it.”

 

“I’m lost,” Mary sat on the bed.

 

“I stopped by Rob’s office one day,” Paula told her, “Debbie didn’t know me and I happened to have left my rings at home. I decided to have a little fun with her. I told her I was Rob’s girlfriend.”

 

“She obviously still thinks that,” Rob nodded, “And I marked myself out early on Fridays to pick the boys up from an art class. She must have put two and two together and gotten five.”

 

“Yes,” Paula giggled, “It’s that new math, Rob.”

 

“Boy,” Rob looked down at Mary, “You stepped right smack dab in the middle of it, didn’t you? What did you do, call my office after Mitch refused to help you? Start pumping Debbie for information? You must have posed as my girlfriend on the phone and Debbie thought you were the same girl who’d been in to see me.”

 

Mary looked surprised at how well he put the pieces together, “Mitch told you? I tried to call him all night last night…No answer…I’m worried.”

 

“You’re not too worried,” Paula observed, “Or you wouldn’t be here.”

 

“He’s at our house,” Rob offered, “He’s staying with the boys so we can have a weekend alone.”

 

“At your house?” Mary shook her head, “He doesn’t even want me to come visit.”

 

“Well, no wonder!” Rob cried, “Look at you. You’re putting him in the middle of some love triangle you’ve created in your own head. Give it up, Mary. There is no ‘us’, OK? There never was. As far as I’m concerned, Paula is the only woman in the world. She always will be. If I had it to do over again, I’d never be with anyone but her.”

 

Paula looked at him and smiled at that declaration. He’d never actually said that to her before. He caught her smile and walked over to her, putting an arm around her waist.

 

“Mary,” Rob went on, “You have one chance to have some semblance of a relationship with your son. Don’t blow it. He’s a good man and he’s willing to try to get to know you. He won’t be played for a fool, though, so don’t try.”

 

There were tears streaming down her cheeks. When Rob used his stern voice, he sounded like a captain commanding a ship where his word was law.  Arguing with him might get you a dozen lashes with the cat o’ nine tails.

 

“Can we at least be friends?” She almost whispered.

 

“Friends?” Rob shook his head, “We never were friends, Mary. Why don’t you go home and think about what you’ve done. If you want to be a friend, you can learn a lot about that from your son. There are a lot of things you could learn from him.”

 

“I’m sorry,” she got up and walked out slowly.

 

“Well,” Rob told her, “Remorse is a good starting place. And don’t even consider stopping by our place to see Mitch on your way back. Leave our boys out of this, do you understand? You mess with my boys and you’ll wish you’d never been born.”

 

Mary’s eyes grew wide at his last remark. She had no doubt he was serious, “I’ll go. I’ll leave you alone. I’m sorry…Paula..?”

 

“Yes,” Paula answered.

 

“Take care of him…of both of them, will you?” Mary seemed sincere.

 

“Certainly, Mary,” Paula smiled, “You have my word on it.”

 

After Mary walked out, they looked at each other and started laughing again.

 

“Nothing like a little excitement, huh?” Rob fell backwards onto the bed.

 

“Our life is never boring, Rob,” Paula collapsed next to him. “Are you sure you want to go out tonight?”

 

“Well,” he explained, “See, I really reserved two tables, planning to bounce back and forth between my wife and my girlfriend.”

 

“You know,” Paula picked right up, “You’re an amazing man…keeping so many women satisfied the way you do.”

 

“Yeah, well,” he shrugged, “Someone’s got to do it…”

 

Paula mused, “I could really freak Mary out someday…I could mention that it was when I saw Mitch’s birthmark that I knew for sure he was your son!”

 

“Oh, please, Honey!” He started laughing, “Give her a break. She’s no match for you. Show her some mercy, will you?”

 

“And what about you?” She climbed on top of him, “Shall I show you mercy?”

 

He sat up and wrapped her legs around him, “None at all…none at all…”

Go To Chapter Five
The Prodigal Daughter