The Brass Ring Ch. 06-07

Marla and Pop did their damndest to cheer me up. Marla always did suspect there was something off about Joanna, but even she was surprised at what happened.

"That's terrible," she said when I told about her going back to Ted. "It was just about the money?" She asked, as if it couldn't be true. I assured her it was.

"She always said she loved Ted, but I thought he was history. Now I find out he wasn't and I am."

Marla had her arm around me, trying to comfort me. I wasn't really in the mood for anything other than sympathy, I guess. I'd gotten past being mad. Now I was settling in to feeling sorry for myself.

I gradually came out of my bad mood over the next few days. I had to face what had happened. There wasn't anything I could do about it, so there wasn't any point in spending all my time thinking about it. It was easier to say than do, though. I kept having visions of a naked Joanna in my arms, or in our bed as we made love. At night, those visions would come and go, keeping from getting a decent night's sleep. It would take a while before they disappeared.

I hadn't been out on my own for some time when I decided to stop in at Tricky Dick's and have a beer. It was Friday afternoon, and I didn't have anything planned for the weekend. Jo had been gone for a month now. Christmas had come and gone, and New Years was on Monday, so I had a long weekend. There were all kinds of parties planned at one place or another. A lot of my friends would be attending one or more of them. I was just as happy to be on my own.

Marla was insisting that I go with her and Pop to a New Years party at the Jenkins' home. I really didn't want to, even though I had an invitation. I was sure Merilee would be there, and I didn't need that right now. The party was Sunday night, so I had a couple of days to dream up an excuse not to go. Maybe I'd catch a cold by then.

I was slightly surprised when Brains walked in with his wife. She worked at some law office or other, while Brains was the computer boss at the school board.

"Hey, Duke. How they hangin'?" he cracked. "You remember Sonya, don't you?"

"Sure ... nice to see you, Sonya. Happy New Year," I said, giving her a hug.

"Nice to see you too, Duke. How are you? Where's that nice lady I saw you with a while back?"

I didn't want to get into telling her or Brains about my disaster of a love life, so I sort of lied.

"Not seeing her just now." I didn't add anything to that. Sonya looked at me kind of funny, but didn't say anything. Brains didn't even notice.

We went through the usual stuff about Christmas and what we were doing for New Years. I asked them about their two kids, both now in school. Sonya had lots to tell me about them.

Sonya had ordered a white wine while Brains had a beer. I was still nursing my first mug. I wasn't in a hurry to get drunk or anything.

"Saw your old girlfriend Merilee the other day," Brains said out of nowhere.

"Oh," I replied, trying to act disinterested.

"Yeah. She was doing some volunteer work with the cancer people in the mall. I stopped to say hello, and she asked how you were. I said fine. I didn't tell her anything about your new girlfriend."

"Thanks. My new girlfriend is actually no longer a girlfriend. She's moved out of town, so I'm back single again." I'm not sure why I spit that out, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. Big mouth!

"Man, that's too bad. She was something else. Smoking hot!" That earned him a jab in the ribs from Sonya.

"Gotta go now," Sonya said. "It's dinner and a movie night. My mother is watching the kids."

"Have a good time," I said, as they rose to leave.

As I watched them go, I saw once again, what my life might have been like. They were a nice, typical couple with a nice, typical family. They both worked, so there were only so many hours they could have to themselves. Brains was a smart guy, so I knew he would never take Sonya for granted. And Sonya was a fine lady, keeping a nice home while she raised two young daughters. I envied them.

I ordered the Friday night special from the kitchen, chili. Another beer would help with the hot peppers. Around nine o'clock the place was pretty full. The live band was already into their second set, and the dance floor was getting more and more crowded. People were here to have fun, and the most often heard noise was laughter. I wish I felt like laughing.

My life was like a merry-go-round, I decided. I could ride, but I wouldn't get anywhere. When I reached for the brass ring, it was always just out of reach. But still, the horse I rode went around and around. I didn't know how to get off.

As the place got more crowded, I moved to the bar to give some people my table. I could see what was going on by looking in the huge mirror behind the bar. It was decorated in old-fashioned gold trim with the name of a distillery in Scotland across the middle. Just the same, I gave me a good view of the tables and booths behind me.

Mac, the bartender, thanked me for the gesture and said the next beer was on the house. I hadn't really planned on a next beer, but I thought about it for a moment, reached into my jacket pocket and handed my keys to him.

"Don't give these back to me if I shouldn't have them," I said.

Mac grinned. "No problem, Duke."

Mac was Martin Macklin, another graduate of our high school. He was a couple of years ahead of me, but we always got along fine. He was a big guy, and could handle the dual role of bartender and bouncer if necessary. It was seldom necessary. More than once I saw him take the keys from some guy or gal who were too far gone to know enough not to drive. He was a good guy.

It wasn't long after I moved that a crowd of a half-dozen young women entered the bar, all busy yakking with each other and laughing, having a good time. They found an open booth and settled in, stealing a couple of chairs from other tables. I glanced at them and one of them was familiar. It was Teresa from Jenkins. She hadn't spotted me and I really didn't want to get involved with them, so I went back to studying the pattern on my beer mug.

Mac and I were talking back and forth when there was a lull in the action. That was getting less and less frequent as the noise level went up. The band went into their next set and conversation was hopeless after that. I was pretty sure I would be taking a cab home tonight and picking my truck up tomorrow. No big deal. No one was expecting me.

About a half hour later, Mac gave me a heads-up and I looked in the mirror to see Teresa headed my way. Damn. I wondered what she wanted.

"Hey, Duke. Whatcha doin' here all alone? I thought you had a girlfriend?"

"Nope. Just stopped in for Mac's famous chili and a couple of cold ones."

"Why don't you join us? I'm sure there's a couple of the girls would be happy to meet the famous Duke Hunsinger."

"Thanks, Teresa, but I'm fine right now. Just chilling out from a long, hard week. Beside, who said I was famous," I chuckled.

"Jeez, Duke. You blew off the boss's daughter. None of the girls could believe it. She's never gotten over it. Doesn't go out anywhere. Doesn't date. You must have really shook her up."

Now that stopped me cold. I had no idea eight months after I broke up with Merilee that she wouldn't be dating anyone. That didn't sound like her. Now, I was curious. I knew what had happened to Harley. He hadn't been seen or heard from for about the same amount of time. Maybe she was upset that he was gone. It didn't sound like it the last time I talked to her, but who knew?

"Maybe I'll stop in and say hello," I said to Teresa.

"She's gone, Duke. She's working at Jenkins Toyota in the lease and loans department. Has been for a couple of months now."

"Oh ... yeah ... I guess she did say that's what she wanted to do. Looks like she got her wish."

"Well ... one thing I'll say for her," Teresa said, "she earned it. She doesn't expect to be treated special just because she's the boss' daughter. I was real sorry when you two broke up. You'd hardly got started and it was over. You can tell me if it's none of my business, but what happened?"

I smiled at her. "No offense, Teresa, but it's none of your business."

She laughed. "Good old Duke. Always tells it like it is."

A moment later she was walking back to her friends after giving me a kiss on the cheek and a friendly smile. I was glad we had parted as friends. She was a nice kid, but still a kid.

That little conversation got me to thinking about Merilee rather than Joanna. It was a relief to find something else to occupy my mind for a change. Jenkins Toyota was across town and I usually ended up there on Thursday afternoon. Their offices were upstairs and out of sight, so it's no surprise that I wouldn't have seen Merilee yet.

I had a routine that I followed pretty strictly. I had all my regular customers on a sheet and slotted in times that I would call on them. After a while, they got to know that I was going to be there on a certain day, usually at a certain time. The bigger customers, like Jenkins and the other mainline dealers, were a weekly call. The smaller outlets were on a once-every-two-week schedule. Even with that, it left me some time for prospecting. I had a couple of target accounts for this next year and I would be spending my time trying to get a foot in the door.

That reminded me of the invitation to the Jenkins home on New Years Eve. Now ... maybe ... maybe I wouldn't be so quick to blow it off. Besides, they were our biggest customer and I'm sure they'd notice if I was a no-show. I needed another beer to think about this situation. Beer always made me smarter ... up to a point.

I used the washroom while Mac was calling me a cab. It would be a few minutes before it arrived. I glanced at the big clock above the bar and saw it was barely past ten. Man ... didn't I have any staying power any more? I must be getting old.

I thanked Mac, paid the tab and left a big tip. I'd catch up to him later tomorrow morning and collect my truck. I wasn't drunk, but I knew I shouldn't drive. I guess the good news was that the hangover wouldn't be too bad in the morning. I took a couple of aspirins and drank two glasses of water before falling into bed. I don't remember much else.

I slept well for the first time in a long while. No dreams to bug me, just sleep. I was happy to wake up without a headache, but I had to piss like a racehorse. My mouth tasted like the inside of a garbage can, so the first order of the day was to brush my teeth and dose myself with mouthwash. A shave and a shower made me feel much better. I guess I didn't abuse myself too badly last night.

I wandered over to the house just after ten. I knew Pop and Marla would go out shopping and have lunch, so I could hitch a ride with them to Tricky Dick's and rescue my truck.

"Where did you get to last night?" Pop asked.

"Stopped in at Dick's and had a couple of beers and a bowl of chili. Felt like a night out. I need to get a ride there to pick up my truck, if it's not too much trouble."

"Of course not," Marla said immediately. "Thank God you've got the smarts not to drive when you've had a few."

"Bad for business," I said. "Get my license pulled and I wouldn't be making my calls. Not good!"

Pop was nodding his head in agreement and smiling that I did the right thing. He knew me well enough that I wouldn't do anything stupid, especially if it risked the business.

"Have you decided to join us on New Years Eve?" Marla asked in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

"How can I resist your charming invitation," I grinned.

"It's not my invitation, it's from the Jenkins, and I think it would be a big mistake not to show up," she said, making it plain just how she felt.

"Yeah ... okay, Marla. When you're right, you're right. I'll be there."

"We might as well all go together," she said.

I shrugged. "Fine with me. What time?"

"Nine o'clock is plenty early. I'm the designated driver, so you two can have a drink. Just don't get stinko on me."

Both Pop and I laughed. My old man liked his beer, but I don't ever remember him being drunk. Even when the old lady left, he kept things on the level.

Marla drove her new Buick LaCrosse to the party Sunday night. It was a dark red color and she loved it like a new baby. Leather seats and all the toys. I had to admit, it was a nice ride. Pop thought she deserved something special, so this was it. He hit a home run with this idea.

There looked like there were going to be quite a few people at the party that night. We ended up parking down the block a ways. It was cold, but not snowing or raining. We were told to dress informally, so I had a nice shirt and dress slacks that Merilee had picked out for me along with my polished leather loafers. I wondered if she would remember getting me to buy these clothes. Marla and Pop had got me a really nice leather jacket for Christmas, so naturally I wore that too.

I gotta admit, I was a bit nervous. I wasn't worried about Gerry and Paulette, but you can guess I was wondering how it would go with Merilee that night, assuming she was there.

It was Paulette that answered the door and welcomed us. The party was going pretty good already, and with the music in the background, the noise level was getting up there. Naturally, no one was smoking. If they had to, there was a back deck off the kitchen and dining room that they could use if they could stand the cold.

Paulette showed us where to put our coats and Marla and Pop started to circulate while I just looked around a bit to see who I knew. I didn't see Merilee, but I was pretty sure she'd be around here somewhere. In the meantime, I headed for one of the two bars that had been set up and asked for a beer. I ran into several of our customers, and made sure I said hello to them, wishing them a Happy New Year as well.

I guess I'd been there about fifteen minutes before I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Merilee standing beside me with a very big smile on her face.

"Hi Dieter. Happy New Year. I'm so glad you came."

"Yeah ... thanks for the invite ... looks like a great party. Do your folks do this every year?"

"For the last few they have. Some of the people here are our neighbors, and some are people from business. You probably know a lot of them."

"Yeah ... I see a lot of familiar faces." That seemed to be the end of the formalities and I wondered what to say next. I stuck with the easy stuff. "You have a good Christmas?"

"Yes ... very nice. Just family. My brothers were here along with our grandparents on my father's side. Calvin and Ralph are back at school now, and my grandparents have gone home. But it was nice. We went to visit my mother's parents at Thanksgiving."

That seemed to use up the conversation once more. This time it was Merilee that spoke.

"I like the shirt. You look very handsome tonight."

"Thanks. It was picked out for me by someone with very good taste ... in clothing."

She blushed. I wasn't sure if it was the compliment or the little add-on at the end.

"I saw you with a very attractive woman and two young boys a few weeks ago. Is she your girlfriend?"

"No. She was at the time, but not any more."

"Oh. Sorry."

"No need to apologize. How about you? Seeing anyone?" I asked, not trying to be too nosy.

"No. I haven't been in the mood since ... since ... we broke up," she stumbled. It sounded like it was still a sore spot with her.

"Now it's my turn to be sorry. I didn't mean to open old wounds."

She shook her head. "Maybe when we have some time, we can meet and talk about what happened. I feel terrible about what I did and I've never apologized properly to you."

"No need, Merilee. But if you think it will make you feel better ... sure ... we can talk."

I saw her smile immediately. I was giving her some hope I guess. I'm not sure I knew why. It would have been a lot easier to just say thanks, but no thanks. Let's face it, she was a beautiful young woman. Just as beautiful in her own way as Joanna was. I was just as big a sucker for a good-looking woman as the next guy. One thing I didn't have to worry about was her being seduced by money. That wasn't her.

Merilee got pulled away by some woman I didn't recognize to be introduced to some other women I didn't recognize. No surprise. It didn't know the neighbors, and I hadn't met many of the wives of the people in our business circle, so I shouldn't be surprised if they didn't look familiar.

Over the course of the evening, I kept an eye on Merilee. She looked great, wearing a really nice dark burgundy dress that showed off her body. It was warm in the house and she didn't have to worry about the fact that the dress was sleeveless and fairly open at the back. The front was pretty well on display too.

"See anything you like?" came the voice over my shoulder. I had been caught staring at Merilee I guess. I turned around and showed a guilty grin to Paulette.

"You have a very beautiful daughter," I confessed.

"I have a very lonely and unhappy daughter right now," she corrected me. "She's pining over her lost Prince Charming. It seems she made a bad choice and is now regretting it."

The look on Paulette Jenkins' face was something I didn't recognize. It was a mixture of sadness and what? Disappointment? Frustration? To me, she was almost as irresistible as her daughter. If Paulette was the future for Merilee, the daughter would be just as attractive in twenty-five years as she was today. I was beginning to wonder if I had been too hasty. Or ... maybe I was just feeling a little desperate after the shock of Joanna's leaving.

"We've agreed to get together and talk. She wants to apologize."

"I'm glad. She needs that opportunity. Young girls ... young immature women ... can make mistakes, Dieter. Sometimes they are very painful mistakes. It's how they learn ... even if they can't make it right."

I looked at Paulette and gave her a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

"Merilee has a very smart mother," I said.

"Thank you. Good luck. We'll talk again," she said, moving back into the crowd.

Just before midnight, the catering staff began to bring the champagne glasses out and then the bottles as well. The popping of corks preceded the countdown to midnight and the traditional singing of Auld Lang Syne. Marla was on one side of me and just as I raised my glass to toast the New Year, Merilee appeared on my other side. I turned to kiss Marla, then turned to Merilee. We looked at each other for a long moment, then I moved to kiss her as well. I saw her blink and the glistening in her eyes. I smiled as I silently toasted her with my glass.

I lay in bed for some time before I fell asleep on that New Years morning. I was wrestling with what to do about Merilee of course. She was beautiful, and in so many ways the woman I would have dreamed of as a wife. But she had a fatal flaw, or at least I thought of it as fatal. Honesty ... something that was tied to trust. If she couldn't be honest, how could I trust her?

I thought about what her mother had said. She was young, it was true, and she had made a mistake. Is that all it was? Was I being too unforgiving? We all make mistakes. And how big was it? I didn't even know. Maybe that was the problem. I didn't know what her relationship with Harley McDougal really was. I tossed and turned until sometime after 3 am when I finally fell asleep.

To be concluded...

Editing by ErikThread and DaveT with my thanks for their thoroughness and helpful suggestions. Any errors are mine.