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"And he encouraged me to dance with that belly dancer even though I felt that it was just a bribe!" I continued, wanting to convince Dad that Don was making every effort. Somehow, the last part slipped, before I could take it back.
"A bribe!" Dad's glare grew fiercer. "How could you say that?"
"What Charlie is trying to say is that, she hired her more for you, than for him." Don said, while giving me a very annoyed look. "If I had a girlfriend with kids, I'd make an extra effort to get along with them if only for her sake."
"Natalie is a very generous person!" Dad insisted. "She really wanted to get you something that you would enjoy, Charlie!"
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Bribing? What that hell is wrong with Charlie? Natalie gives from the heart. Don only found her boring, because she probably talked too much about work. She does that sometimes, especially with people she doesn't know well.
"We're not suggesting otherwise" Don said in that annoying placating voice that he sometimes used. "Are we Charlie?"
"No!" Charlie said, but I wasn't fooled.
"Your mother and I didn't raise you two to be so close minded!" I scolded them. "You just saw her, made assumptions, and never gave her a fair chance!" Would it kill them to give her a chance? She's a wonderful person who loves life.
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"Damn it Charlie!" I thought. Dad was really getting pissed off.
"Dad..." my brother began. His foot kept getting deeper in his mouth. Maybe he should just shut up.
"Don't Dad me!"
"Look, Charlie and I want you to be happy!" I assured Dad. By the look in his face, I could tell that he didn't believe me.
"But on your terms!" he retorted.
"Dad! Come on! That's not fair!" I protested.
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"You're lecturing me about what's fair?" I asked Don angrily. He had nerve! "What about how you two are not giving Natalie a chance?" They want me to be happy all right, but with someone else.
"Fine, we'll give her a fair chance. Let us make it up to you" my eldest said.
"Yeah Dad!" Charlie jumped on his brother's bandwagon.
"I don't believe you" I told them flatly. How could I after finding out that I've been lied to for quite a while?
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"What is it gonna take, Dad?" Charlie asked him.
"A miracle!" Dad answered sharply.
"Dad! Please!" Charlie's hurt showed on his face.
"What if, Charlie and I were to spend Saturday with her?" I asked after a pause, dreading the idea.
"A whole day huh?" Dad looked doubtful.
"Yeah! The whole entire day!" Charlie backed me up.
"I guess if you go through with this, I might be willing to ease up" Dad told us.
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I was surprised when Rick told me in the corridor of the clinic, "A Don Eppes would like to see you. Says he's a family friend? He'sin the waiting room."
My heart went into my mouth. Did something happen to Alan? Why else would Don be here? I thanked Rick, and quickly rushed to the waiting room.
"Where is Alan?" I demanded. My brain went through somescenarios."Is he okay?"
"He's fine" Don said in a comforting voice that was similar to the one I used daily in my practice. "I was just wondering if you wanted to do something with me and Charlie on Saturday"
"Oh!" I breathed a sigh of relief. Then the surprise struck me. We weren't chummy enough for them to ask me to spend a Saturday with them. Alan must have 'encouraged' this. I asked "Like what?"
"I dunno. What would you like to do?" Don asked with a shrug. I noticed that he had on a suit, a tie, and sunglasses. Guess he came from work.
"It's up to you guys" I said.
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"We don't meet up at Da--Charlie's place and decide then?" I suggested, while hearing the yapping of a lap dog and the protests of a cat.
"Sure! That way we can get Charlie's input." she told me. "How does midday sound?
"Okay. Well..I gotta go." I told her, and left. As I walked out, I thought about how for real her concern was. If nothing else, she seemed to truly care about Dad. The problem was that she was wrong for him.
After work, I hung out with Charlie. He read on the couch, while I watched T.V.
"Did you invite her?" he asked me with a pained look.
"Yeah. She actually thought that something had happened to Dad, when she first saw me." I remarked.
"Really?"
"Probably figured that's the only reason I'd come and visit." I had some more beer and made myself comfortable on the couch.
"If something had happened to Dad, letting her know would be last on my list" Charlie gave me a puzzled look. "So..what does she wanna do?"
"We're gonna meet her here, and decide at midday." I told him. "On Saturday"
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The next day, I hung out with Larry in my office in between classes. He had just come from teaching an advanced seminar.
He asked me "What's the matter Charles?"
"Don and I are spending the day with Natalie on Saturday." I groaned.
"Really? Whose idea was this? Your father's?" he asked in a surprised tone.
"Don's. My dad is mad at us" I explained, as I gathered some papers.
"Why?"
"He overheard Don and I speculating about...whether Natalie was Dad's way of trying to feel younger...we didn't see him until it was too late" I sorted and stacked my papers
"Charles, I am almost old enough to be your father, yet we've managed to develop a friendship." Larry began. "Why does the age difference between your father and Natalie bother you so?"
"But we're not dating! It's not the same!" I protested. "And unlike you and me, Dad and Natalie have got nothing in common and she only talks about work!"
Before the argument could continue, a student came in, needing help with a homework assignment.
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"Remember Charlie, don't ask about how she is doing at work!" I warned him as we waited for her at the house. "and be nice!" I hoped that he would not put his foot in his mouth yet again. Dad was still a little pissed off at us.
"Right." my brother nodded. He was wearing his Pi t-shirt.
Soon, the doorbell rang. It was Natalie. Maybe today we'd get lucky, and she wouldn't talk about canine liver diseases, or feline leukemia.
"Hey guys!" she said as I opened the door. She dressed in jeans and a shirt with a bunch of cats from different breeds, posing. Under them, it said 'Desperate Housecats'. We both said hi, and I asked her what she wanted to do.
"I know just the thing!" she said.
"What?" I asked.
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"You'll see!" I said mysteriously. "Let's go in my car."
"Where are we going?" Charlie asked insistently
"Santa Barbara! I'll drive!" I said.
"Okay..."Don agreed congenially.
Soon, we were in my car. However, half an hour into the trip, the car's back right tire blew out.
"Damn it!" I shouted.
With my heart pumping in my chest, I nevouslywent into the side of the freeway. It took all the muster I had not topanic about oncoming cars. When I finally, after what seemed to be a long time, got to the side of the freeway, Don said.
"That was great! You kept your calm!"
"Thanks!" I told him. "It must be from being a vet" Maybe the ice was breaking a bit.
Don insisted on changing the tire.
"Thank you!" I said. While I knew how to do it, I preferred that someone else changed the tire.
"I just bought this tire a few months ago!" I complained when all three of us got out of my car. Vehicles rushed passed us, and it was getting hot.Thankfully, I had the tools, and the jack.
"Maybe you put too much air in it?" Charlie shrugged, as Don opened the trunk to get the tools.
"Need help?" I offered.
"No it's fine" Don insisted.
"Let me know."
Soon, he had it changed, and we went back into the car. When I turned the key in the ignition, the car stalled.
TBC