The Renaissance Man Pt. 03

"Brad, what's going on," I asked.

"Trish called Terri crying. Terry could not get a word in because Trish kept calling your name over and over," Brad replied. "She called Tina who called me. It looks like they panicked and called the police. I got here just in to let them in. The police found Trish at the top of the stairs to the right sitting there crying and then we came to find you."

So, the three of us walked back towards the house.

"Any idea whats this is about Scott," Brad asked.

"Haven't a clue, Trish was still asleep when I came out to the shop," I replied. "But I will have a better idea when I view the situation."

So, by the time we walked into the house, there was a huge crowd. All of the Malley family, the two cops, Trish, and I. The female officer was getting Trish to calm down but when she saw me, she started crying again. I knew what had happened. Trish was reacting just like her mom would. Everybody was looking at me because I had a huge grin on my face.

"Helen and Tina go upstairs and turn to the right. You need to see what's on Trish's phone," I said. "If there is not enough light just clap your hands and the light will come on."

All of us watched them go upstairs. We saw them clap their hands when they hit the landing. The light on Trish's surprise came on. The Hungarian carousel started spinning. The ivory horses began moving up and down. It's hidden music box started playing. Helen and Tina started crying. I could see Trish starting to cry even harder as she tried to break herself free.

The female police officer watching what was happening had the 'wtf' look on her face.

"You bought one of them for Trish?" Helen said directly to me still crying. "And restored it before letting anyone know."

I smiled, nodded my head as Trish broke free and ran to me.

"It's truly a beautiful piece," Tina said. "No wonder Trish is behaving this way."

The police captain Earl Jackson and his wife Ruby walked in dressed as if they were going to church. They had heard the call over the radio while getting dressed to go out.

The captain says to the female police officer, "Have you see the video clip where a woman tried to arrest the undercover cop?"

"Yes, Sir I have!" the female lady said. "Everyone who has seen it thought it was a hoot."

"The lady you were holding on to is her." He said. "The man you have cuffed is that undercover cop. The carousel that is playing upstairs I helped Scott buy from the insurance company's asset recover section was one of the ones she accused him of stealing."

The male police officer uncuffed me and said, "Sorry sir we did not know."

I wrapped my arms around Trish tight. Trish looked at me through her tear-stained buttercup eyes. I knew she was emotionally overwhelmed because it showed her how much I loved her.

I said to him, "That's okay better safe than sorry. You were following the book as you should. When you fill out the report on this call could you put a copy in my mail slot?"

The officer agreed to.

"Trish was trying to call you," Terry said. "and hit my name by mistake. I am so sorry I overreacted. I thought that my sister had done something to you. So, I am going to go up and look at it."

Ruby said, "Earl, Trish got her promissory ring a week ago last Friday."

Earl smiled took out his key ring and took the key cuff out. He walked over with the cuff and key in hand and handed it to Trish.

"Next time young lady when you want to put Scott in cuff's, you can do it yourself. Instead of finding a way to involve us. Congratulation's you two." The captain said with a smile a mile wide. "Beth has taken a lot of us to the cleaners because of this. Mr. Claus is going to have a good size donation from the police department this month."

Ruth and the captain said their goodbyes and left. I told the rest to go and grab their bathing suits and I would open up the pool. Afterward, Trish and I went up the stairs and looked at the carousel by ourselves.

"You did wonders with it, it is truly beautiful," Trish said. "When did you find the time?"

"It was much like working on the furniture," I said. "The time needed for things to dry and or get stained numerous times slows down the process."

"When did to decide to buy it?" Trish asked.

"After that first weekend we spent together," I said.

"Dam you Scott," Trish said before kissing me. 'You're spoiling me too much."

We soon had ten around the pool and somehow it slipped out that I was taking her to New York for a few days. I had fun playing with my future nephews.

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We were flying into a small airport in a private jet that had picked us. The airport was still thirty minutes by air from the hotel we would be staying in. Trish was surprised to find that the rest of our trip would be done by helicopter. It was now going on four o'clock New York time.

Trish was memorized by the view as we flew over the city. She had seen it on film, but this was surreal. It was also the first time she had been in a helicopter so she would not let go of my hand. For a small-town girl, this was a real thrill. As we started our descent down to the landing spot for our location, she got really nervous. We had a dinner date with the publisher and her husband set for about seven.

Pat had arranged adjoining suites. Everything was being paid by her employer. They did things like that for their clients especially when they needed a signature. As soon as we landed the ushers were there to take our luggage to our suites. Each of us was presented with a key card. I went to give him a tip and he refused it saying that it had been taken care of.

Trish unlocked her side of the door to my side. I did the same. We were both surprised by how big they were. It was her first time in the city. It was nice to see her so excited for it allowed me a glimpse of what this city had once been to me. We both had time to unpack and get ready.

At a quarter to seven, we headed down on the elevator all dressed and ready to meet our hosts for dinner. I was wearing a three-piece Italian black suit with a soft blue shirt but no tie. Trish was in a white dress. She had barrettes in her hair to keep it off her face. Her red curly hair shoulder length was stunning like always. She was wearing the diamond set I had given her. I thought she could walk into a room and have it stop.

Pat was dying of a bad case of curiosity ever since she had first talked to Trish. She had to see for herself what kind of woman had finally captured my heart. Most of the staff who worked under her would have jumped at the chance to date me. All I would have to do was ask them. Now she was meeting my intended for the first time.

When I had called her back, she had all sorts of questions. Like how when and where? Only she knew that I had made it clear that I would only allow my name to be used when and if I found the one.

With each book that came out, the demands got greater for my identity to be revealed. My latest called 'Winters Desire' had been on the best sellers list for five weeks. Pat believed that "Tearstained Buttercup Eyes" when released would be the best yet. We had spent hours trying to come up with a book cover design. It was my idea of eyes in the darkness looking down over a small rural town from the eighteenth century that we went with.

I wrote about what I knew. The hardships of life and applied my stories to a simpler time of life before the machine age. The loneliness of living a life in a certain way, because of a different view about life.

What Trish did not know was that I wanted to use her eyes. I had deliberately brought Trish with me to prove to Pat that her eyes were perfect for it.

As soon as we stepped off the elevator, I could see them getting off of the couch in the sitting area. Pat and her husband Kurt Roseburg, were an older couple who had always lived in the city. Their children were all around my age. I could see that Pat had dressed to make an impression. Kurt came across as not giving a dam. I had always thought he was a man after my own heart.

Pat's face glowed when she saw us approaching. But it was on Trish that her eyes were focused. I had told her that she looked like Maureen O'Hare, but she had to see it to believe it.

After introductions, we were escorted to our seats in the hotel's upper-class restaurant. We ordered our before drinks while deciding what we wanted to eat. Trish had never tried escargots. I told them they would be done with cheese but would still be slimy. That cut that idea down flat she was from meat and potato country.

Pat and Kurt decided to have the braised lamb, with garlic red potato and asparagus. I ordered prime rib meat with onions, baked potato, and a side salad. Trish ordered spaghetti, tomato sauce meatballs, and garlic toast.

During the meal, Pat got to know a bit about Trish. Trish had to tell her the highlight of our story. Trish showed Kurt and her, the disguises I had worn. Including the one of me in drag. Pat did not know that I worked in wood or that I worked for the state as an investigator. When she started telling the part of her finding the carousal she teared up. Pat's eyes lit up. I realized that she now saw what I had seen.

"Trish we would like to photograph your eyes for a book cover we are designing would you be interested?" Pat asked.

"Depends on what it requires, and how long it would take," Trish replied.

"We could do it in one day. Our makeup artist would blacken your face," Pat explained. "We would be using multiple cameras to get the right shot. We could get it done on Friday."

"What do you think Scott do you think I should do it?" Trish asked.

I replied, "I see no reason why you shouldn't as I will there at the office to taking care of some paperwork."

The rest of the evening went well. Trish and Pat seemed to jell well together. Kurt, a lawyer and I got into a great discussion about the latest stunts being pulled by the federal government. We both agreed that most of the politicians needed to be led off a cliff before things would get better.

On Thursday we spent the day going to see the Statue of Liberty and toured the well-kept Ellis Island park. That night we went to an early show and both enjoyed it. We had an early night because Friday was going to be a hectic day.

Trish and I arrived at the publisher's corporate office at six am. After signing the contract for the shoot Trish went to have her face prepared. Pat and I talked about a little request I had. When I explained what it was and how little it would cost, she gladly agreed to it. Pat and I went line by line through my contract with the corporate lawyers. We had just about finished signing the agreement when the art department called. Trish was unable to cry.

I was amazed to see that they had fifty digital cameras set up in various places all linked into one computer. Trish was sitting alone in a chair that was placed in front of a black screen. Every piece of clothing she had changed into was black. Even her red hair had been tied back and covered. We were all hidden behind one-way glass. They had her face completely black.

"Is there any way I can get her to hear my voice?" I asked.

"Yes, all you have to do is press down on the base of the mike and speak." One of the staff said.

"Then gentlemen get ready to shoot," I said as I pressed down on the mike. "Trish remember when I left the message to clap your hands when you came out of the bedroom."

Looking at her I could see the tears starting, so I added. "What you did not know is that I bought all three. The second one is almost done."

It was quite the sight as the camera's caught her eyes and tears from all different angles. One of the crew said its quite amazing she really does have tearstained buttercup eyes. When they said they had captured more than they needed I walked into where she was and took her into my arms, holding her until she calmed down.

During the next hour, Trish and I were both in the makeup room being worked on. They wanted numerous shots of us together dressed in period clothing. They thought that having the back cover tying into the theme of the book while introducing me would be an added plus.

We must have put on ten outfits each before they called it done. Pat was really pleased with the results. To celebrate Pat and her husband took us out for supper. It was nine at night by the time we got back to our room. After getting changed into my pajama's I poured us both a glass of wine to unwind. Trish came in her full-length housecoat and together we watched our new favorite movie "McLintock." It did not take long until we fell asleep.

Saturday, we went to Tiffany's just to satisfy one of Trish's childhood dreams. That evening we took in another show. Pat and Kurt had breakfast with us Sunday morning and gave Trish the two thousand dollar cheque and said that with every book sold she would earn ten cents in royalties.

For me, they had five framed copies of the images being used for the book cover without printing on them. Behind the side that held Trish's eyes and the eighteenth-century village was a letter of authenticity proving what they were.

Once again, we climbed into the helicopter to begin our journey home. Trish made me promise that we would come back. We cleared Cape airport at about two o'clock I had Trish wait at the curb while I went to bring the car around.

Unexpectedly we stopped in at Trish's parents. Helen had brought home her mother for the day from the nursing home she lived in. At the age of eighty-six, she was still a spy lady. Though her body was slowly failing her mind was as sharp as a whip.

When she saw me the first thing, she said in French was, "If I was my granddaughter's age, I wouldn't kick him out of my bed."

I responded in French "Does anyone else besides me know what you said."

That caused her to break out in laughter. "Trish are you going to introduce me to your young gentleman."

Trish did and her grandmother and I got into a long friendly discussion in French about how Trish and I had met. Every question she asked I answered to her complete delight.

We were still in a heated chat when Trish brought the drawer out to show her grandmother.

"Where did you find this?' Nana asked. "That's my signature I remember as if it was yesterday."

"Scott and I found it at a swap meet and we restored it," Trish explained. "It's now part of Mom's new dining room."

"Can I see it?" She asked.

John and I had to lift the wheelchair and her up over the stairs into the house. I wheeled her in as Trish led the way.

We all got kind of choked up when Trish's Nana started to cry. "When we were in 'the great depression', money was tight when my grandparents were forced to sell it to keep food on the table. What you have here looks like I remember it from back then."

Nana wheeled herself over to it and touched in a loving gentle way. I could tell she was reliving a tender memory. Then she turned and looked directly at me.

Nana looked at me for a few than said, "Your initials used to be ABG until you took your new name to put the family shame you carried behind you. I see Trish and you having six before I end my days."

Trish saw my face go white because there was no way anyone knew. The words she had said had been the truth. Everyone else had also seen my automatic reaction.

She came to me taking my hand and asked. "Is it okay that I tell Mom and Dad about what Nana said?"

I nodded my head in an affirmative manner.

Trish told the three of them the history of my life.

Trish's family listened as she told them all about my walk in life from my parent's death to the present. Even how I had decided on what my new name would be.

Nana put it all in perspective when she said, "Trish should always consider herself blessed to be able to go through life with this man. His values are forged in steel, his strength unbending and his love for humanity is unending. He is a young version of what men in our society used to be. They were called the "greatest generation" now you may understand why."

"Mom, Dad, and Nana there's one more thing you need to know about Scott," Trish said. "When we celebrated mom's birthday lunch at Terry's, I was forced to tell her something that I am going to reveal to the three of you today. But what I am going to disclose goes no farther. Scott is also Mr. Claus."

I'm not surprised," said Nana. "It had to be someone with great compassion for the hurting to do something like that. I always knew that the person behind the image was doing it because of what they had gone through."

John and Helen were stunned. They had often wondered why Trish had described Scott as a Renaissance Man and now they understood why. Scott was a throwback to the type of man that had gone through the world war one and two. One who did what he had to do and did not talk about it. All of them developed a mental toughness that left their stories untold. From the day they came home to the day they died they were, for the most part, the silent ones. Yet the achievements they gave to this country made it the envy of the world. They in their departing were taking something that would be lost forever their love respect and faith in America.

John felt very proud to have the possibility of having that kind of man as a son in law.

Helen looked at Trish through tears and asked, "How long have you know that fact?"

"The day Scott and I brought the hutch and china cabinet home I was suspicious," Trish explained. "When we went to the police station the officer wrote in the report verified by Mrc. It was revealed to be true when I was on the way to the hospital because Scott had been shot."

Before anything else could be said we heard a car drive-in. We knew more of the family had arrived. Since we were going to have a barbeque, we had to get Nana back outside.

By five we were all talking a break before starting to prepare supper for the tribe. I walked back to the ford explorer and brought the pictures out. Trish and I passed them out. I left ours in the car.

"We went to New York because Scott is about to have a book published under his name. Until now he has been what they call a ghostwriter. "Trish said. "What you each got is a copy of what the cover will look at from the back and front without any of the print."

Helen was the first to open it. She gasped and said, "Are those your eyes?"

"Yes, and I even got paid for it. New York was wild and exciting." Trish said. "There was so much I would love to do but the time was short, so I got Scott to promise to take me back."

"What's the name of the book?" Helen asked.

"For marketing purposes, we can't tell you," I said. "The publishers are keen on keeping that and who I am secret for as long as possible."

"Then can you give me the name of some of the books that you worked on," Helen asked?

"If I did that would give away what the publishers trying to hide," I said. "I can tell you that the print media has been trying to find out who I am for years. Sales of the series I worked on have grown for years. With each new edition, the demand overall for each title keeps growing."

Over the next hour Trish's mother brought up every series she thought of, but I would not budge an inch.

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Trish had come on at the start of her last shift for the week to learn that there was a new mother in the maternity ward. The note on the file said that Mrs. Carla Woods was to be released the next day because of not having medical insurance. The department head had given the order. Trish noted that the mother was from out of state and had no permanent address.

I was busy with the state parole system getting ready for the next session by reading the files of those up for review when Trish texted me. I have a situation here that needs the help of Mr. Claus's priest. I called her and got the information. It appeared to be that the department head of the maternity ward was being a real bitch and had no clue as to what the hospital and my charity had agreed to.