***The Next Morning***
Jennifer woke up with Jonathan, and they had breakfast together before he headed to the office.
"Darling, the ladies are coming at 11 for pedicures. Can you tell me about the poker game from beginning to end in case they ask me something?"
"So, we all gathered at Bill's. He had ordered pizzas and he made a beast burger for all of us, and he had gotten a keg".
"What is a beast burger?"
"It's a burger that weighs about 14 pounds. Basically, you make 2 hamburger patties about the size of a small pizza pan, and you cook up some thick pork belly strips. You fry up some jalapeno tater tots, and saute some tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, and onions, and then you put the tater tots in a saucepan, put the tomato mix on top, cover it with cheese and get it all melty. You make two pans of that, and put one pan on the bun, then one of the burgers, the pork belly strips, the other burger, and the other pan of tater tots. You drizzle bbq sauce, horseradish sauce, spicy mayo and sour cream, and then top it with about 4 fried eggs, and then put the other burger on."
Jennifer looked like she was going to be sick.
"That sounds disgusting".
"He loves it. He used to make them in the Navy all the time. So, we ate and played poker, and drank some beer, and then when James lost his last dollar, we didn't have enough people to play, because Drew was toasted and could barely stand up, and so that just left me and Bill and Bill's brother. And then the doorbell rang, and Bill went to get it, and then told us to move the party to the living room. So, we go to the living room, and there's the stripper, and she did her little dance, mainly with Bill and his brother, and then Bill paid her and she left. And then Drew told us he had a present for all of us, and started pulling his pants down, so we called him a cab and took him outside and he puked in the bushes. James rode with him to make sure he got home ok, and Bill and I cleaned up and then I came home".
"Sounds like a charming evening".
"They were all concerned as to why I wasn't more involved with the stripper, but I don't need a stripper. I have you".
"How sweet".
She leaned over and kissed him.
"I feel bad for Vanessa, though. She loves Bill, but he clearly doesn't value her if he's hiring strippers".
"I agree. He made a few comments that he married her too soon, and that he wishes he was still single".
"What a shame".
"Ok, you ladies have fun. I'll be home as soon as I can be. If you get a flower delivery, call me at the office. Deanne knows to put you through right away, no matter what".
She walked him to the door.
"I love you, have a good day".
"I love you too".
They shared lots of kisses, and then he left.
She hurried upstairs and showered and dressed and then got the room set up for the pedicures.
Susan arrived right on time, with Laura.
"Hey, Vanessa said she'd be a little late, but she'll be here".
"Got it. We can just soak while we wait for her".
Jennifer ordered a salad bar from a restaurant nearby, and then opened some wine.
The pedicure lady showed up right after, and got them all started with foot soaks.
Vanessa showed up about 20 minutes later.
"Hi, come on in".
"Hi everyone".
"We are just soaking, you haven't really missed anything".
"Great, thanks".
She took her glasses off and they could tell she'd been crying.
"Wine is in the kitchen. Help yourself".
She came and joined them and started soaking her feet.
"Everything ok?"
"No. Bill and I had a huge fight last night when we got home, because I wanted to spend time with him, and all he wanted to do was make another one of those damned beast burgers".
"What's a beast burger?"
"It's a burger that weighs like 10 pounds and has meat, pork belly strips, jalapeno tater tots topped with tomatoes, diced jalapenos, onions, and cheese, on both sides of the burgers and pork belly, and then all of that is topped with bbq sauce, spicy mayo and sour cream and horseradish, and 4 fried eggs".
"Vanessa, as a member of the American Medical Association, I must impress upon you how vital it is that the next time your husband wants to eat that, that you intervene".
"Trust me, I've tried. But at this point, if he'd rather make one of those than spend time with me, then I say let his health suffer, he deserves it. I'll just go shopping on his credit card".
They all snickered.
"I would do the same, except James wiped out our savings at the poker game".
"Ha. Drew felt so guilty that he had gotten trashed, that he started doing things around the house to make up for it. I told him he didn't have to, and he realized that I really and truly don't care that he got trashed".
"You don't?!"
"No, I don't. When he drinks, he's a moron. And he's a pain in the ass. And this time, I wasn't here to have to deal with it. So, in my opinion, the best time for him to drink is when I'm out of town. And then when he realized that I didn't care that he got drunk, he got mad at me for not caring and wouldn't speak to me or even stay in the same room as me all night. Peace and quiet in a clean house and the TV to myself? I'll take it".
They all chuckled.
"Ladies, I think it will be a good bit before we have another girl's trip, unless…we plan it when our husbands are all out of town".
"I think that can be arranged."
***Later that afternoon***
The ladies had stayed till almost 3, and then headed home. They had tried to cheer Vanessa up, but it was no use. She was just out of sorts.
Jennifer was working on the beginnings of another short story when the gate buzzer went off.
"Hello?"
"Hi, delivery for Mrs. Hart".
"Come on up".
She opened the door and watched the delivery guy drive up.
"Hi, I have a flower delivery for Jennifer Hart".
"That's me".
"Sign here, ma'am".
She signed his clipboard and then took the flowers from him.
"Thank you".
She immediately closed and locked the door, and then took the flowers into the study. She watched him through the window till he had driven through the gate and the gate had closed.
She looked at the bouquet. It was a crystal vase, filled with white Tudor Roses and hot pink poker flowers.
She dug for the card, and read it.
Go to the public pier at San Pedro Wharf, and find post marker 143. I'll meet you there at 7. Love, Pa.
She burst into tears and picked up the phone and called Jonathan.
"Hart Industries, how can I help you?"
"Deanne, it's Jennifer. I need Jonathan, please".
"Right away".
He came on the line a few seconds later.
"Hey, Deanne said you were upset".
"The-flowers-came-and-they're-"
"Calm down. Take a deep breath. It's ok".
She calmed down and then started over.
"I said the flowers came and they're from him. They're from Pa".
"What does the card say?"
"It says to go to the public pier at San Pedro Wharf, and find the marker 143. He'll be there at 7. I know it's him, Jonathan. 143 was the number that Pa had on all of our license plates. And the flowers that he sent-they were my mom's favorite".
"Your father was very famous darling, anyone could have known that".
"Maybe".
"Darling, why did this upset you so much?"
"Because…I miss him, Jonathan. And now I get to see him again".
"We get to see him again, darling. You aren't going alone. Now, I have to call Herschel and then I'll be right home. I love you. Lock the door".
"I already did. I love you too".
She hung up and went and washed her face. Jonathan got home about an hour later, and came and found her in the living room.
"Hi darling".
"Hi handsome".
He gave her an upside-down kiss, and then came and sat with her.
"Herschel is going to be nearby tonight, darling".
"That's good, I guess".
They walked out and got the mail, and then came back in.
She had a letter from her father's attorney.
He looked over and saw her reading it intently.
"Anything important?"
"Kind of. He says that now that Pa has passed away, I will get my share of the Edwards' family trust, and that it will be coming by messenger in two days. You and I have to sign for it together, darling".
"Good. I think our good pal Herschel might need to be here for that just in case".
"Ehhhh…..I'm 50/50 on that. I mean, I trust him and all, but this is a lot of money. We are talking hundreds of millions of dollars as of just a few years ago, darling. I wasn't exactly going to advertise that I came into that much money".
"I know that. We won't let him see the check, we will just let him be here in case there's trouble, that's all".
"Darling…what do you think about us getting one of those swinging beds, for the patio? And also, like a big bean bag lounging type chair that you just sink into?"
"Whatever you want, darling. Whatever you want, it's yours".
She headed upstairs and changed clothes and got ready for their meeting.
Jonathan went and poured himself a scotch. In his gut, he just knew this wasn't going to end like Jennifer wanted it to, and that she would be devastated. He would do anything to protect her from that, but in this case, he didn't see a clear path to doing that.
***Later that night***
Jennifer came downstairs at precisely 6 p.m., ready to go.
"Darling, no matter how this turns out, I want you to know…I love you more with every second. And I promise, if this is a good thing, and you and your father have a good talk, I'll take you both to dinner afterwards. If this is someone yanking your chain and playing a mean joke, I'll clean his clock and then I'll take you to dinner, wherever you want to go".
She leaned up and kissed him.
"You're wonderful. But darling, I know this is my dad. And if anyone can get him to be honest, it's me. He's never been dishonest with me before and I know he's not going to start now".
Jonathan took her hand and led her to the car, and they headed up the road.
"So, how was your ladies' nails thing today?"
"Fun. All the husbands are in trouble, except you. And Drew. But he's upset that he's not in trouble, so he's not speaking to Susan, which makes her happy. So, whatever you call that, that's what it is".
"I figured they would be".
"We basically decided that our next girl's trip will have to take place when all of the men are out of town".
"Well, that's the best idea ever".
"It is?"
"Yes. You see, darling, I work at the company, and Bill, he works as a pilot. James is a lawyer, and Drew is an architect. So, the likelihood of all of us being out of town for our jobs at the same time is pretty low. Which means that the only other reason we would all be out of town, would be if we took a guy's trip, which we know you ladies' won't allow after the poker game at Bill's. And if I'm not going out of town for work, and I'm not going out of town with Drew, Bill, and James, then that leaves all my weekends open to going out of town with you. And trips with you are my most favorite trips of all".
He kissed the back of her hand.
"I like trips with you the best too".
They pulled up to the pier, and decided to wait in the car till Herschel arrived.
"Darling, what if someone sees us talking to Herschel?"
"They won't. He's going to call the car phone".
"Oh".
"Max sometimes plays poker at a bar about a block from here. We might see him tonight".
"I didn't know he played near here".
"Yep, one of his regular spots".
"Ok, well we better start walking, because 143 is a quite a bit from here".
They got out, and Jennifer put on her sunglasses. They laced their fingers together and then started walking down the pier.
Jonathan was focused on looking for the numbers, while Jennifer was focused on looking for her father.
By the time they reached the end of the pier, they were both frustrated.
"I don't see him".
"And the post markers only go to 119".
They turned around and started walking back towards the car.
They got about halfway there, when they noticed someone putting a note on their windshield.
"Darling…"
Jennifer pointed it out to Jonathan.
"Let's go see what it is".
They got to the car and she pulled the note off, while Jonathan searched around the car for other clues.
Too many people here. I love you, I'll be in touch soon. Love, Pa.
Jennifer was devastated, and there was nothing Jonathan could do to bring her out of it.
They headed to Chasen's afterward, where Jennifer just picked at her salad and barely spoke.
Afterwards, she took a long bubble bath as soon as they got home and then headed to bed.
Jonathan wrapped his arms around her and held her all night long.