Charlie IV
Chapter 31
Hilo turned out to be parking, walking, and a lot of shopping till they came across a vet clinic. "Aloha Veterinary Center." Kate allowed herself to be pulled inside.
After being asked if they had an appointment and then finding out that their dog wasn't even on this island, the receptionist disappeared. Fifteen minutes later Kate was shaking the veterinarian's hand.
"I'm Dr. Trevor Rodriguez. My receptionist says you're studying to be a veterinarian."
"I've completed two years at Jones County Community College in Mississippi. Next is 2 years at Mississippi State at their veterinary school, then looking for a job," Kate explained.
"Mississippi State, one of the first five universities to start a Veterinary School, good choice." Rodriguez approved. "I was born in Africa. Moved to Hawaii and graduated at the University of Hawaii with a Bachelors in Animal Science. From there I went to Washington State University where I worked with Dr. Ott. He's a genius in feline medicine. Then I moved back to Hawaii and opened this place in 1993.
"I have Dr. Kapust who studied in Massachusetts. She moved here when her husband got a job at the University of Hawaii. So far, every two years I hire a technician who gets on-site training. Wilson started last month so if you're interested you can send me your résumé when you graduate. Something may change between now and then.
"Just keep in mind everything in Hawaii costs 30% more than on the mainland. The Big Island costs less than any of the other islands but it's still more expensive here. Almost literally everything is shipped in. But if you like small towns, Hilo is the greatest little town." Rodriguez loved it here.
"We live in Laurel, Mississippi, population of about 18 thousand," Rick told him.
"That sounds more like Kona but you'll love either location. Aloha and Mahalo, Haole. Pronounced HOULE, meaning someone not born in Hawaii. Move here and you'll catch onto the Hawaiian and Aloha spirit really fast." Rodriguez shook both of their hands and watched them leave.
"So?" Rick asked her outside as they walked down the street to do more shopping.
"Sounds like we have to be able to afford it. Wait!" Kate turned around, went back inside, and asked about how to move Charlie here. That was where she found out that the State of Hawaii demanded a minimum of 30 day quarantine for every animal that was shipped here. The receptionist at the front desk handed her a pamphlet on how to do just that. It was all done at the pet owner's cost.
"Thank you." Kate went back outside to Rick and handed it over for him to read. "Ooo, 30 days, I didn't know that. Charlie will definitely not be happy."
The town of Kona was next where Kate bought all the Kona coffee she thought her suitcase could handle and then stuffed what didn't into Rick's suitcase.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
"Get ready to be attacked," Jim warned them since Charlie knew even his Explorer as he drove just past the office and parked.
Sure enough Charlie went nuts. He whimpered and whined and did his best to try and get both of them to pet him and hug him since they had been gone FOREVER!
Kate found Charlie in her lap almost when they sat down and told her parents about their honeymoon.
"So you found a job on the Big Island?" Johanna jumped to her already having a job.
Kate shook her head. "Not till I finish my classes but he said contact him when I did. Laurel's population is 18k, Kona's is 14k, and Hilo's is 40k. Hawaii is expensive. Gas there was ungodly expensive."
"So maybe?" Jo asked.
Kate eyed her suspiciously. "Why do you want us to move to Hawaii?" Her mother seemed to be really pushing.
"So I can visit, of course. My daughter and her future family live in Hawaii so I can come visit and not need a hotel. Borrow a car and go be a tourist." Jo thought that was obvious.
"OH! Is that all?" Kate glared at her. "Wait! Family? Just how many children do you think I'm having here?" Kate didn't even want one at the moment.
"Five or six maybe," Johanna teased her, straight-faced.
"MOM!"Her mother had lost her everloving mind.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
Jim and Johanna were out front waving as Rick, Kate, and Charlie were leaving. Katie was starting her classes at Mississippi State next month and they needed to find an apartment for the next two years that accepted dogs.
"Now what do we do, Jim?" Their daughter and her husband were moving out and going two plus hours to the north. It felt like her heart was being ripped into two pieces. One part was here and the other part was in that truck and old car.
"We drive up and steal Charlie for a week is what we do," Jim told her since he wasn't going to miss his daughter nearly as much as he was going to miss Charlie. That got Johanna to burst outyyyt laughing hard. Charlie was special and they both knew it.
"They left the RV behind so they'll be back eventually," Jim assured her.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
One day in a hotel room that accepted pets and they were moving into a two bedroom apartment that accepted dogs up to 100 pounds which fit Charlie perfectly.
The Social Block
Two bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, 1,250 square feet of space. It was a townhouse design. Living room up front. Laundry room and half bath in the middle and kitchen with dining in the back. Upstairs were two identical bedrooms with a bathroom in the middle.
There was a $300 non-refundable deposit for Charlie plus another $25 a month so total cost was $1,103 per month which they could do easily enough. Especially if Rick could find a job again.
The mail room was in a central location for everyone. Two parking spaces for their unit were right out front. It was like living in a row house with unit after unit in one long row.
However, what they needed was a furniture rental package and all of the usual small appliances for the kitchen. Not to mention cleaning supplies, food, and a vacuum cleaner since they had carpet and vinyl floors in the kitchen and bathrooms. Which meant one more day in a hotel room.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
"And?" Rick was sitting there in the living room as Charlie went nuts since Kate was home. She petted Charlie and watched him race into the kitchen looking for his ball as she plopped down and handed her class schedule to Rick.
"The earliest is 8:00am. That's not so bad. So what's the problem?" She had a defeated look on her face.
"I need a minimum of 6 hours of Humanities, that I do have, 6 hours of Fine Arts which I also have, but I also need 6 hours minimum of Social Studies that I don't have. So I had to add that class to my already full schedule."
Rick saw the time of the class. "They have classes that late in the day?"
"Apparently." Kate groaned and fell back into the sofa just as Charlie showed up. He dropped the ball in her lap and took off toward the kitchen. Rick took the ball from her, bounced it off the door to the half bath, and into the kitchen where it bounced around it. Charlie didn't catch it but brought it right back to do all over again.
"What did the hospital say?" Kate knew Rick had gone for a visit with Charlie today.
His eyes lit up. "We start next week. It took a call from ADT to talk them into it but we're in." He got kissed by Kate for that.
"Job prospects?" Kate asked him since they were spending money and the only money coming in was what Black Pawn sent every month if Rick's books made the best seller list.
"Nothing yet, but I haven't given up."
"Two years." Kate threw the tennis ball just like Rick had done. "The neighbors better like hearing me scream when I have an orgasm." She started laughing since she couldn't help herself. What Rick could do to her body still meant she couldn't help herself.
"We're going to find out tonight. Right after one of us makes dinner." Rick called attention to the new problem.
Kate blinked then stared at him. "I didn't take any cooking lessons from Mom. I thought you did."
"I can do breakfast and lunch, as for dinner we're in trouble," he said and shrugged.
"I see a lot of pizza in our future." Kate laughed and threw the tennis ball at the bathroom door for Charlie to chase.
"Maybe we can talk your mom into coming out for a weekend."
"Except we only have the one bed," Kate reminded him since their rental package was for a one bedroom apartment. It saved them money.
"I have two words for you: air mattress." Rick listened to Kate continue to laugh.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
"Hi, Babe!" Kate had made it past Charlie who had announced that she was home from school. "What are you doing?" He was cooking and it wasn't pizza.
"Browning ground beef, boiling spaghetti, and then pouring in Ragu Spaghetti Sauce and warming it up. I'm falling back on my days living in a 27 foot trailer in LA. So don't laugh." Rick pointed his wooden spoon at her.
"Not me, I like spaghetti." Kate kissed his cheek, took the ball from Charlie, and threw it down the hall toward the living room.
"I do have good news."
"Good news?" Kate took a guess. "Mom agreed to come out for a weekend and cook and put everything in the freezer?"
Rick grinned. "Good guess and I like it, but no. I got a job at the local UPS. Four hours a day, weekdays only, at $22 an hour."
"YES!" Kate started her happy dance, threw the ball, and kissed Rick. "MONEY!"
"Something from Black Pawn came in today's mail. It's on the table."
Kate picked it up. "You didn't open it."
"I was waiting for you." Rick listened to Kate rip it open and pull out the letter.
"A check! More money." Kate read the letter to herself. "Two weeks on the best sellers list! BABE!" He was still a success. Kate wrapped her arms around him from behind but had to let go of him to throw the ball for Charlie. "When was the last time Charlie was outside?" He knew to poop and pee outside and was a really good dog about that.
"Lunch while you were at class."
"I'll get his leash and take him outside. Where are the poop bags?" She didn't remember.
"Laundry room. And fifteen minutes tops for this," he warned her.
"We'll be back. Let's go, Charlie!" Kate went into the Laundry room to find the poop bags, then his leash, and then they went outside. Problem was right outside was all sidewalk and black top. Finding grass took a bit of a walk.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
It was Christmas and Kate was ringing the doorbell. "Hi, Mom!"
"KATIE!" Johanna hugged her tightly. "Charlie!" He got petted and kissed and Charlie charged inside. Jim had to be in here somewhere. He hadn't seen these two in FOREVER!
Now Johanna was laughing as behind Katie was Rick carrying wrapped packages for everyone to open, including Charlie. "Give me a couple before you drop those." Jo carefully took a couple from the top of the pile.
"How is Mississippi State?" Johanna was full of questions.
"Bigger and a lot more students. Would you believe we've already had 5 people drop out of classes? I don't know why, of course, but they're gone. I'm still getting A's but it's harder."
"You're telling me! You haven't heard anything till you hear Kate screaming obscenities over her homework," Rick said and chuckled.
"Keep that up and I'll file for divorce," Kate threatened him not that she meant a word of it. She had no idea what she would do without Rick or Charlie. "But he has news, guys."
"Book number three is out and has already reached the best sellers list for one week. I'm told the others are still selling but I'm not seeing any money from those."
"That's great, son!" Jim liked the sound of that. "And you're still working at UPS?"
"Yup, 20 hours a week doing what I'm used to doing. It's not a lot but it pays the bills. We have a plan for New Years. We're going to drive down then get the RV and drive it down to Biloxi. We're going to watch the fireworks and then drive back here, park it, and drive home. Makes for two long days but we think we can make it."
Kate had made a caveat to his plan. "Provided my homework is easy enough to finish."
"So when do they want book number four?" Johanna asked him.
"I don't know. When I started this whole thing book number 3 was the mark to meet to get a new contract so I'm betting a trip to LA or maybe New York City might be in my future." Rick knew a new contract meant signing something so an in-person meeting was probably necessary.
"Whatever you do don't sign it till you give it to us," Jo told him. "We want to read it and make sure it works in your favor."
"We'll even give you the family discount," Jim said with a grin.
Jo glared at him. "By family discount my husband means free."
"That still qualifies as a family discount, Jo," Jim pointed out.
"I'll definitely bring it. If I don't Kate will hurt me," Rick teased his wife.
"Got that right, Husband." Kate glared at him just like her mother taught her.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
Kate looked up from reading the letter Rick had gotten from Black Pawn. "New York City? I thought you were working with Peter or someone in LA?"
"I was but apparently that has changed. Fly out, have my meeting and fly back, and then drive home." Rick wasn't looking forward to it but he didn't have a choice.
"Do you have to take Charlie with you? I won't have anyone to come home to." Kate hated that part most of all.
"Charlie's not used to being all alone and he is used to being at your parents' office. Besides, Laurel has an airport."
"Two days of hell for me, though. You better not forget me, Charlie." Kate hugged him and kissed his fur.
"I promise to call each day, every night," Rick vowed. "We could have phone sex." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
"At least I'm getting something out of this trip." Kate kept petting Charlie. She was going to load up before she had to do without.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
Johanna saw their office door open. Charlie came charging inside and decided she was first. "Hi, Charlie!"
Jim was up and came over to Rick.
"I have to get moving. There was construction on the road and that really slowed me down. So here's his dog food and you still have his food and water bowls and there should be a ball around here somewhere," Rick told him and now that he had said the word Charlie took off looking for it.
"And the poop bags." He put those down as well. Charlie was back with a ball in his mouth that he was moving around waiting for someone to try and take it from him. It was time for keep-away.
"You be good, Charlie. Kate's going to go into withdrawal. She made me promise that you would call her every day and get Charlie to bark at her." Rick listened to them laugh.
"I have to run. I'll be back late tomorrow at your house to pick him up." Rick turned to leave them since he really did have to run.
"Remember do not sign anything with your name or even initial anything. You bring it all to us first. Jim knows karate," Jo threatened him.
Rick delayed just long enough to razz Jim. "Kate's a blue belt now. What are you?"
"Belt? I wear a belt?" Jim asked and heard Rick laugh.
"See you all tomorrow really late." Rick left and took off down the road.
"I wear a belt?" Jim looked at his wife.
"You were supposed to say you were a black belt." Jo shook her head and snatched the ball out of Charlie's mouth and threw it since his attention was on Rick leaving him behind. Except Charlie didn't care. Rick was gone.
"Uh-oh!" Jim exclaimed. "He's depressed already."
"We're in so much trouble, Jim," Jo said; this might be a really long two days.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
Rick saw a man holding a placard with his name on it at the airport. He drove him into downtown New York City so he could check into his hotel and then waited to drive him to the offices of Black Pawn.
Rick actually got to meet the president of Black Pawn. Sebastian Ehret wasn't what he was expecting. He was thinking this old, really thin bookworm-like man. Instead he saw a seriously overweight man about Jim's age who had to weigh at least 300 pounds. A very well dressed in a very expensive Italian Suit 300 pounds.
"Mr. Rodgers!" Ehret was happy to see Rick. Rodgers had turned into a very good success story for them. His three books had made them a lot of money. Ehret didn't remember just how many times they had been on the New York Times Bestseller List, he just knew it was more than enough to get his attention.
"Good afternoon, sir." Rick shook his hand.
"Since you have achieved book number four and are starting a new contract we've moved your account to the New York office. So you'll be getting a new editor for your books."
"Just remember I presently live in Starkville, Mississippi. New York City is just about as far as LA and I have a job to pay the bills to support my wife."
"I'm sure we can find a way to work around that. Let me introduce you to your new editor. If you will follow me." Ehret took him to the conference room where they would discuss his new contract. That he would sign.
Ehret introduced them. "Richard Rodgers, this is Gina Cowell. She will be handling your account from now on."
Gina, Rick noticed, was blond, had big chest, and was pretty enough. But he was a married man so it didn't matter any to him.
"Gina, the same Gina that canceled the books I ordered through the LA office for my wedding?" Rick already hated her.
"That was a mistake on our part. We just didn't understand," Ehret told him. "I'm needed elsewhere but I will see you again before you leave. Gina will explain your contract. It has been a pleasure, Mr. Rodgers. We have several more books of yours to print." He shook Rick's hand yet again.
[:] o-0-O-0-o [:]
Gina was beginning to get angry, like really angry. Rick was refusing to sign his contract right here and now. He kept telling her he was taking it home with him so he could read it more thoroughly and also have his lawyer read it. Gina continued to assure him that it was a standard contract that he needed to sign.
Then Ehret had shown up and told him to take it home and read it. Let his lawyer read it. He had nothing to hide. As soon as Rodgers signed it he would get his one million dollar advance for book number four. If this book reached new milestones he would receive royalties. Ehret just didn't explain what the odds of that were. Given that they were almost NONE Black Pawn was the one going to make most of the money, not Rodgers.