Doing The Right Thing

"The problem is, Dan, I've wanted you to do that for so long." With that said, she backed out of the drive in her old car and headed home.

I didn't hear from her on Friday, Saturday or even Sunday. I was worried about what I had done. On Monday I went over to the restaurant and she wasn't there. Joe told me she had to take Molly over to the day care today and would be back in a little bit. I had to get over to the store and figured I'd come back at lunch time but one of my employees was off sick so I had to stay around and work the shift.

I was trying to give Carmen a little space after crossing the line. After all, I was supposed to be a holiday buddy, not her lover. I went home and my phone was ringing. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was Carmen.

"Hello, Carmen, I'm sorry......"

"Dan, our apartment has been broken into. I just got home from picking up the kids and someone took our stuff. Even the old TV set. About all we have left is some of our clothes," she was crying. "I don't know what to do. The police are here now taking a report. They figured it was someone looking for stuff they could pawn off for drugs. We don't have anything of value but they took what little we had." God, it was horrible hearing her cry.

"Carmen, take some suitcases or bags or something and put yours and the kids' clothes in them. I will be by in about fifteen minutes. Everything will be alright. I promise you."

"Dan, I didn't know who else..."

"It's okay, Carmen, I'm glad it was me you called. Now go pack your things and I'll be right there."

I took the car and went and picked up Carmen and the kids. Molly had been crying saying she was scared. I told her everything was going to be ok. I was going to take them all home with me.

Carmen looked up at me in surprise. "I thought you'd drop us off at a motel for the night."

"No, you are all coming home with me. Put all the bags you have packed in your car. Take my car and the kids home. I'll drive yours with your belongings." She didn't ask any questions; she just did what I said.

I talked to the police officer and told him that they could contact her at my house. I gave him my phone number if he needed to get hold of us. He did tell me that they probably wouldn't get any of her stuff back. She didn't list anything of real value that they could trace. All they did was really tear up the apartment pretty badly.

I thanked the officer and got in Carmen's clunker and went to start it. I couldn't get it to turn over. The officer helped me jump it and I headed home. When I got there, Carmen and the kids were sitting on the porch.

"It's open. Why didn't you go in?"

"You weren't here and we weren't just going to walk in," replied Carmen.

"Come on, boys, help me carry all these bags in. Mike, you and Mark take your stuff up to the bedroom with the bunk beds in it. If it's Molly's or your mother's stuff, put it in the front bedroom. The one across from Mandy's room. Do you know which one?

"Yes, sir, boys stuff upstairs, girl stuff downstairs."

"If you're not sure then put it in the living room and your mom can decide. Carmen, you need to come and talk with me. Molly, why don't you help the boys and make sure they get it right." Of course Molly liked her job, telling the boys what to do.

"Dan, what are you doing? We can't live here. What will your kids think?"

"Carmen, you need help right now, tonight. Let's try it my way for a few days. It will give us time to figure out what to do. You and Molly can share the front bedroom and the boys will be more than comfortable upstairs."

"Dan, the boys have school, and Molly preschool. I have to work...."

"So, how is living here going to hinder that. You just need to leave about fifteen minutes earlier. I can help too; I'll either drop Molly or the boys off at school. Call them tomorrow and explain that your house was broken into and that you will be bringing the boys to school. Give them my name so I can drop them off and pick them up. This will work, Carmen, I promise."

"Dan, I care for you. I like you an awful lot. Your kids know it and I need for you to know it."

"Did you tell them?" I asked.

"No, women just know it. Men... I don't know, men think differently. I don't know about your son, Brad, but Mandy, Janice and Gail all can tell. I'm sorry, it's not just something I can hide. I wear my feelings on my sleeve, I guess."

"I'll worry about my kids. You have enough to worry about. Oh, and I'm sorry but yet not sorry about kissing you. Just thought you should know."

I went upstairs where the boys were sleeping and made sure the dresser drawers were empty and Carmen helped the boys put their clothes away. While they did that, little Molly and I went downstairs and emptied the dressers in their room. I was glad that I had my wife's stuff removed after her death. It sure made this much easier.

Everyone came into the room with Molly and me. Molly asked her mom if she could put her stuff in the drawers. I took the boys and we went to find something for dinner while Carmen put her personal stuff away.

The boys and I put on some hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. After it was done, we all sat around and talked while we ate. Carmen asked me about house rules. I told her that we would make them as we went along. We told the kids that they needed permission for whatever they wanted to do until we were sure about our rules.

They were told they couldn't go in my room or my office unless invited. They weren't allowed near the pool at all. It was enclosed but they were also kids. We made sure they understood that they could drown. They could only go in the hot tub with their mom or my permission. It wasn't going to be an everyday occurrence. They could watch TV only if their mom or me said so.

It was their job to keep their room clean. Carmen laughed knowing that the boys weren't the neatest. At least the rules were made.

I looked at the boys and Molly who always smiled at me. "Kids, this is your house right now. You can be kids and have fun. Just remember to always get your mom's permission if you're not sure of what to do."

"Uncle Dan, what if we get hungry?" asked Mike.

"Eat! That's what I do when I get hungry. Tomorrow your mom and I will pick you guys up some snacks. There will always be food for you. Just remember when it comes to food, your mom's the boss. One more thing and I mean this. If your mom says 'No,' then don't come and ask me. If I say 'No,' don't put your mother on the spot. 'No means no'. Any other questions?"

Molly raised her hand. I had to laugh. I guessed she learned it in preschool.

"What, Honey?" asked Carmen.

"Can we play with the toys in the basement cause they're not ours."

"Honey, you can play with all the toys you want that are downstairs. We'll talk with Santa this year and he will probably give you some of your own," I told Molly.

Molly raised her hand again. "Can I go play with them now?"

"Yes, honey, go ahead. I'll come down and be with you in a little bit," said Carmen.

Molly got up and headed downstairs. It wasn't ten seconds before the boys followed her downstairs. One of the boys yelled upstairs, "Uncle Dan! Can we turn the TV on?"

I just yelled back. "Yes, go ahead, just don't have it too loud."

Carmen came over to me and hugged me. She had tears in her eyes and said, "I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't for you."

She backed away and wiped the tears from her eyes. We didn't kiss or hug again right then.

I knew I should say something without being funny or yet overly serious. I squeezed her hands and said, "I'll always be here for you. Let's go see what the kids are up to." Together we headed down to the basement to join the kids.

It felt like a family. I remembered back when Annie and I would be doing the same thing, sitting and watching the kids play. It just felt so right.

It was getting late and Carmen told the kids they had to take their baths and get ready for bed. There were three bathrooms in the large house. She had the boys use the one upstairs and asked if Molly could use the main one on the first floor.

"Carmen, this is your home now. Of course, Molly can use the big bath and shower. I'll use the basement shower if I need to. Please, just make yourself at home."

While Carmen was getting her kids ready for bed, I went into my office to do a little book work. I glanced up and saw Molly looking though the doorway at me. She was dressed in her little nightgown. I could see she was fresh out of the shower.

"Hi, Molly. Do you need something?"

"I want to kiss you good night but mommy said I can't go into your office unless you say so."

"Come on in, sweetheart." She came running in and I had to back up in my chair as she climbed upon my lap. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight, Uncle Dan," she said.

"Goodnight, Sweetheart. Where's mommy?"

"She's upstairs arguing with Mikey and Marky."

"Oh, well, let's go see if we can help out." Molly ran ahead and up the stairs and I followed. We caught them talking in mid-conversation. "...But mom, Mike always gets his way because he's older. I just asked for the upper bunk and he told me he was older so he gets his choice."

Carmen looked at Mike while Molly and I just stood back and listened. "Did you say that Mike? Did you say you get everything first because your older?"

"...Yeah, I guess so, but I'm older mom. I should be treated like I'm older."

"Mike, you're two years older than your brother. That should make you two years smarter. Do you think that which bed you sleep in is worth arguing about? I'll tell you what. He's your little brother and always looks up to you. Think of a plan to share the upper bed that you both can agree on."

Mike looked at Mark, "Okay, Mark I'll tell you what. This month you can have the upper bunk and then I'll get it next month. We'll take turns and change each month. Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, thanks, Mike. You're a great big brother," he said as he climbed up to the upper bunk.

"Makes you feel kind of good inside, doesn't it, Mike?" asked his mother.

"Yeah, I guess it does, Mom."

Carmen kissed her sons and we headed downstairs and she put Molly to bed.

"I have to get back to my paperwork."

"...and I have to shower and get ready for bed myself," replied Carmen.

I went back to my office and I could hear the shower running. I couldn't help thinking of Carmen in the shower. After the shower stopped, Carmen came out in a nightgown and robe. Her hair still wet from the shower.

"Goodnight, Dan, and again thank you for everything."

I looked up and asked her, "Is there anything you don't look good in?" She smiled and headed for bed.

I could smell the scent of her from the shower. I drew a few big deep breaths and continued on with my book work.

Our first morning was all hurry, hurry, hurry. She asked me to call Joe and let him know she might be a little late. She had to stop off at the school and at daycare so they knew it was alright for me to pick up the kids if necessary. Also, she had to file a change of address.

I called Joe and he asked me if I was serious about Carmen. He didn't want her to get hurt. He was in his sixties and married for over forty years. I got the feeling he kind of looked out for Carmen. His wife was a cook in the restaurant so I knew he was genuinely interested in Carmen's well being.

I let him know that I would never hurt Carmen or the kids. I was trying to help them out but that I did have feelings for all of them.

That evening we went back to her old apartment and gathered up anything else she wanted, which wasn't much. She turned her keys in at the office and told them she had moved out and her rent was paid up for the month. She didn't have to give a notice since the apartment was broken into. Mike and Mark rode back with me in the truck and Carmen and Molly rode in her clunker.

When we got back to the house, the phone was ringing. Carmen answered it and it was Mandy. Mandy asked Carmen why she was at the house and Carmen started explaining it all to her. How her apartment was broken into and she and the kids were near homeless until I offered her a place to stay. Mandy asked to talk to me.

"Dad, are you sure about this? You do know she loves you, don't you?"

"What do you think I should have done, Mandy? Just give her some money and say, 'Go fend for yourself'? I care for her, you know that. We are grown adults and haven't done anything wrong. In fact, I really feel good about having her and the kids here. Almost like old times."

"I'm just saying, Dad, it's a fine line you're walking. I really like Carmen as a sister, you know that. I'm just saying the two of you need to be careful and aware of what you're doing. Now can I talk to Carmen again?"

She talked to Carmen and they talked for about twenty minutes while the boys and I brought the rest of their stuff in and put it away or stored it in the basement.

"What did she want after I gave you the phone back?" I asked.

"Mostly girl stuff but she is worried about you and me."

"Worried about what? My God, we're adults, damn it, I'm past fifty and made it this far. I am sure I can make the right decisions for an old decrepit man with no mind of his own."

"Dan, she knows how much I really care for you. I told her so myself, and now you know. I tried to explain that I had no idea where this is going but you helped me and the kids out. I'm forever grateful for that, but my feelings have surpassed being grateful. Mandy's worried that one of us is going to get hurt in this relationship. I told her I would never come between you and your family."

"Okay, let's just keep taking this one day at a time. Maybe time is the answer."

Right then Mike and Mark came in. "Uncle Dan, can we all go into the hot tub?"

I looked up at Carmen and then back over to the kids. "Only if your mother goes in. I don't want you kids going in by yourselves."

"Come on, Mom, please go in, please, we're begging you mom. You'll love it. Nice and warm and lots of bubbles. Please, Mom."

"Okay, boys, I'll go in for a little while. Go get your suits on. Molly, go and get yours and I'll be right there." She turned to me. "You set me up for this one, didn't you?"

I just smiled and she smiled back. She went and put on a two piece swimsuit. "Happy now?" She asked me when she walked by me smiling.

"Very! You look good in anything. I'll bet you even look good naked," I smiled.

"Pervert," she replied, smiling as she walked to the hot tub.

The kids were already waiting for her. "Damn, is she ever built," I thought as she was getting into the tub. This woman has everything.

After a few minutes, I took a beverage out to Carmen. She smiled and said, "The water really does feel good. My aching body really needed this."

The kids all just sat there and let the bubbles bounce off them. "Thanks, Uncle Dan, this is really cool... I mean hot... no nice. Oh, well, you know what I mean," replied Mike.

I took one more look at Carmen and headed back to the office to catch up on my paper work. Later I heard everyone coming in and getting ready for bed. I knew I would see Molly peeking in my office in a few minutes. There she was, smiling and waiting for me to tell her it was alright to come in. No man with any feelings could turn away this little girl. Same goes for her mom. Molly came in and got up on my lap and gave me a kiss and hug.

"Goodnight, Uncle Dan. See you in the morning."

As I mentioned, I had a combination gas station (self serve) and small grocery store. I no longer repaired cars but I did have a tow truck on site that I used once in awhile.

I got a call from Carmen saying her clunker of a car wouldn't start again. I was getting aggravated at this old car. I took the tow truck and went to the diner to pick up Carmen. There were two guys there saying they would jump her battery for her. I know they were trying to hit on her and more than likely wanted to jump her bones. She had told me later that she told them no thank you that her friend was coming to get her and the car. When I pulled up in the tow truck, the two fellas kind of backed away. I looked over at Carmen and then told the guys thanks for helping my fiancée but I would take it from there. I guess it made them kind of nervous as they left rather quickly.

I hooked up her clunker and she got in the truck. Since it's set up so high, I saw a lot of leg. She took her time straightening her dress after climbing into the cab.

"Thank you for coming, Dan."

"I told you I will always be there for you and I meant it."

"Are you mad that someone else offered to help me?"

"Yes and no. I want everyone to know what a wonderful person you are. But I guess it bothers me when you get hit on."

"I did nothing wrong, Dan..."

"I know that. I was just answering your question. Besides, I don't own you."

"You told those guys that I was your fiancée. Why did you say that?"

I didn't answer her question. I just went down the road and pulled into the junk yard.

"What are we doing here, Dan?"

"Getting you a couple of hundred dollars for this junk heap. You've broken down enough in it. Get your personal stuff out and put it all in this garbage bag. We'll look through it later."

"Dan, what am I supposed to drive..."

"We'll talk later; we have to hurry so we can pick up the kids."

She put all her personal papers plus some left over shoes and toys of the kids in the truck and we signed over her title and got her three hundred dollars for the clunker. We took out Molly's car seat and headed home. I opened the garage door and told Carmen she could drive my old car. It only had eight thousand miles on it and was four years old. I bought it with the insurance money I got for Annie's car after her accident. Needless to say, her car was totaled. I usually drove the truck so the car didn't get much use. The only time I drove it was when I took Carmen and the kids out somewhere.

She put Molly's car seat in it and left to pick up the kids. When they got back, Mark told me that they got a new car. It was much nicer than their mom's old one.

"Dan, I'll pay you for the car. How much do you want?"

"Carmen, just drive the darn car. You need something better and it's a damn good car. That way I'll keep it in my name and continue paying the insurance. It will save you a few more bucks."

"Dan, I don't want to say this but what if we don't stay together... you know, if I move out of something?"

"Are you thinking of moving out?"

"God, no! I was just wondering what I would do for a car if you should kick us out. God, Dan, I never wanted to give the impression of leaving. I'm sorry."

I couldn't believe we were having our first argument over the stupid car.

"Carmen, I promise you that you will never be stranded without a car. If you want me to put that in writing, I will. I was just worried about you in that old clunker. I want you safe and here with me."

I couldn't believe it but she came up to me and kissed me. I didn't know if it was by impulse or what. It sure felt good. Molly looked at her brothers and said, "Mommy just kissed Uncle Dan."

"Kids, it was a thank you for him letting us use his car..."

"No, kids, it is now your mother's car, not mine. She kissed me because I gave her the car." Carmen turned around and kissed me again.

"Okay, everybody, time for us to get ready for dinner. Do you want me to cook for you or for mommy to take us all to McDonald's in her new car."

"McDonald's!" Everyone yelled out.

Chapter 4 - The Shit Hits The Fan

I was at the store on Friday and of course Carmen was at work. My kids--Brad, Janice and Mandy--came by the store to see me. "Dad, we need to talk to you. Can we all go over to the house for a little bit?" It was more of a statement than a question.