Bob, Nancy and Jazmine

"Who was the woman who answered your phone?"

"The babysitter I've had to hire to watch Trip until I get home from school."

"This smells to high Heaven Robert. Nancy just would not do what you say."

"Nice talking to you Sal" and I hung up on her.

I'd just finished eating dinner when the phone rang. I picked it up and said hello.

"What have you done with my daughter you bastard?"

"I cut off her head and gave it to some kids at the park to use as a soccer ball" and I hung up on him.

Five minutes later the phone rang again. This time it was my mother in law.

"Can we talk reasonably about this Bob?"

"Of course we can mom."

"What is going on? Sally called here and said you've kicked Nancy out and dumped everything of hers in Sally's driveway."

"In the first place I did not kick her out. He has apparently run off with her lover."

"Apparently?"

"All I know is that she cleaned out our bank accounts at 9:30 in the morning and walked into the HR department where she worked an quit without notice. And her lover James Augustus, who also works there quit at the same time. I don't know how you might read that, but to me it means that she has run off with another man and please, please, please don't tell me that it is something that she would never do because it is obvious to me that is just what she has done."

There were several seconds of silence on the other end of the line before she said "Does this mean we won't be able to see our grandson?"

"No it does not. You are part of his family and you can see him whenever you want."

"Thank you Bobby."

"Your welcome mom."

We put Trip to bed and then sat down and watched some TV until I started yawning. Jaz saw it and picked up the remote and shut off the TV and then said "Bedtime baby. How are we going to handle this?"

"I'll take the sofa and you take the bed."

"Nonsense sweetie. I told you I'm here to claim you."

"Look Jaz; she hasn't even been gone two full days. I'm just not comfortable with this claiming thing."

She shrugged and headed off to the bedroom. I got a blanket and a pillow out of the linen closet and was unfolding the blanket when Jaz walked back into the room. She was stark naked. She stood there one hand on her hip and said:

"You sure you want the couch?"

I would like to be able to say I was made of sterner stuff, but unfortunately I can't. I dropped the blanket on the floor and headed for Jaz. She smiled, turned and walked back into the bedroom with me right behind her.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That set the pattern for the next year. Nancy's parents heard from her four months after she bailed on me, but neither they nor Sally would tell me where she was. After one year of her being gone I went for a divorce claiming abandonment and when it was granted Jazmine started pushing for us to make it legal. I stalled and resisted for the next two months and then she got tired of waiting.

"I need a ring on my finger Rob. You need to shit or get off the pot."

Okay; she pushed and I had to push back.

"You know my stance on this Jazmine. You have heard my definition of insanity. I'm not going to go there again. At least when it happens this time we won't be married and have to go through all of that divorce bullshit."

"That's just bull crap and you know it. As far as divorces go I'll sign a prenup that will give you everything. And the insanity thing won't wash either. This situation is totally different. In the other three you were the one expecting forever while I was just a girl unsure of herself and always looking. In this situation I'm the one looking for forever and you are the one who is balking so you will not be repeating the same action."

I was sitting there looking at her and shaking my head no when she dumped it on me.

"I was hoping that you would do it on your own, but it seems like you won't. I really, really did not want to do it this way, but I guess I'll have to. I'm pregnant."

"I thought you were on birth control?"

"I am, but it isn't one hundred percent effective. Says so right on the box."

I felt like saying "Are you sure it is mine" but I knew it had to be. She might dump me for someone else, but I knew she'd never cheat. I sucked it up and we got married. It was a simple ceremony performed at City Hall. We held a reception at the American Legion hall and at the reception I found out how it was so easy to get Trip into the day care center even though Nancy no longer worked there. The Allison that Jaz referred to way back when turned out to be Allie Martin one of our classmates from high school and a good friend of Jazmine's. Why I never connected Allison to Allie I suppose I'll never know.

When we got home from the reception Jaz handed me an envelope.

"What is it?"

"Read it."

I did and it was a signed and notarized prenuptial agreement that gave me everything if we ever divorced for any reason at all. My fault, her fault, didn't matter. I got it all.

"I told you I would do it. Now how about we get to bed and consummate our marriage."

It was a couple of days later before I got around to asking her when her due date was.

"I don't know. Pretty much depends on you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm dumping eggs and you need to fertilize them."

"You mean t..."

Jaz laughed and said "That's just what I mean. All's fair in love and war. I'm off birth control and ovulating and waiting for you to do your part."

"You didn't give any thought to how pissed off I'd be when I found out you played me?"

"Nope. Why would I? You come out a winner. You got me and an insurance policy that covers you. What more could you want?"

"An insurance policy?"

"The prenup sweetie. You know how materialistic I can be. You really think I'd bail on you and give up all my stuff? No wat Jose!

She pulled me into the bedroom and by the time she got done with me I'd gotten over being pissed.

Trip got a brother and two years later Trip and Evan got a sister. After Elizabeth arrived Jaz and I decided that three was enough and she had her tubes tied.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nancy never did make any attempt to see Trip. No birthday or Christmas cards and I don't suppose I'll ever know how she could have just walked away from her child. I got half of what I wanted back when I wished that something bad and painful would happen to the both of them. Augustus was working at a bank in Seattle and was shot and killed in a holdup. Nancy dropped out of sight and neither her parents nor Sally have heard from her since.

Trip has never known his mother although he does know she exists. He is shown pictures of her when he visits her parents. They try to get him interested in her, but while he acts as if he is when he is with them when he comes home he tells me he has no interest in her at all.

"Why would I give a damn about her when she has shown she doesn't care if I'm alive or dead?"

I can honestly say that I have never bad mouthed his mother to him. He figured out how much she cared about him on his own.

Nancy will never know what she missed by not seeing him to grow up to be the fine young man he is. Who knows; she might show up at his door someday. If it happens I can only hope he slams the door in her face.