You're Always 17 Ch. 01

It took a several more cases of beer and hours of conversation with mis compadres before I agreed to go meet with Katrina, who I knew was going to beg me to reconsider. She did, half-heartedly, but when I offered to provide a copy of the tape and the report from the investigation, she capitulated, asking only that I consider 'irreconcilable differences' so her reputation wouldn't be so badly tarnished. I reminded her that the tarnish was of her own making, but I'd consider it.

And I did. I didn't hate her, just her actions, so what was I giving up by changing three words, and getting her signature in return? I called my 'family law practitioner' and we talked about it.

Two days later, a courier brought me signed copies of the divorce and settlement papers, and then all I had to do was wait thirty days so the judge could sign the decree. I got drunk that night too, and then listed the house in Carlsbad for sale. The trailer was all the house I needed, what with offices in two states and River's credit card.

Ironically, when I checked the mail at the house before I left, I found a receipt and tickets for two people for the meet and greet, evening meal, and reunion of the Cowtown High School Cowpunchers. I laughed and tossed it with the other mail to look through and dispose of. Fat chance!

Three days after my decree was finalized, and four days after my lobbying efforts at the state capitol began, I came home to find a brand new tricked-out black Jeep Wrangler sitting in my parking spot. It looked suspiciously like a new version of one that had been parked there a few years back, and my heart rate was well over the threshold for AFib as I got out of my pickup and saw a party going on in my newly fenced back yard. The grill was blazing, there were chairs all over the place, and a crowd was gathered around a woman with a head of golden blonde hair, who was sitting on a tabletop.

I shook the dust off my clothes and wandered nonchalantly around back. "De chingas, vato - I thought I was going to have to do all the cooking! We killed the fatted pig, so you need to get una cerveza and get the meat on! The prodigal hija has returned!"

And fuck if she hadn't! How she could get better looking I had no idea, but she had, and her presence was a grand as her appearance. Grown up Shannon was so breathtaking I struggled to approach her, and she did nothing to greet me. Her face was neither welcoming nor unwelcoming, and her posture delivered the same message. I was nobody to her.

Finally, I said, "All grown up, I see. How do you feel about older men? In particular, a recently divorced older man."

"That depends. I know a lot of divorced older men, and as a class I hold nothing against them; anybody can make a bad choice. I do resent old friends who completely desert me for five years, whether divorced, married, or single."

"Hmmm. I was under the impression that was the way your wanted things when you left here last time."

"Yeah? Then why did you cyberstalk me and come to football games with binoculars for a season without ever saying hello?"

"Refer to my previous statement. You said no contact, remember?"

"I was eighteen, you were twenty-four - why were you letting me make decisions?"

A string of Spanish, mostly expletives, erupted from Juan, the gist of which was to stop being a pussy and apologize for being estupido! Shannon said, "De veras!" in agreement. When did she learn Spanish?

The serious face remained, but the tiniest sign of a grin tickled her mouth. That was all it took; in two longs strides I was there, wrapping her in my arms, and admitting to being a fool where she is concerned. She giggled and said I should remember that in the future, and then wrapped me in her arms and snuggled her head against my chest.

Standing there on these god-forsaken, dry and dusty plains of west Texas, holding the girl of my dreams, surrounded by friends celebrating her return, my heart was bursting with love and appreciation. I couldn't see but a handful of my compatriots, but those I could either had tears in their eyes or grins that split their faces. I think I had both.

****

Chapter 2 is ready and will be posted as soon as this is published.