Part 118
Gerhardt walked Sarah back to the theater, letting Johnny and Ryan monopolize the conversation. He didn't want them asking questions about their family feud. He contemplated how to get his brother to talk to him.
An orange-and-brown, tortoise-shell cat waited outside the theater. "Sarah, your uncles were wondering if you'd be back soon. It's almost time to go home."
"Sorry, Onkel Jerry. We lost all track of time in the park. Onkel Gerhardt, this is Jerry. He is a friend of Onkel Günter and Onkel Eddie," she explained to the pig.
Gerhardt smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Jerry nodded stiffly. "Go upstairs please, Sarah." He waited until she was out of earshot. "Why did you really come? Günter was clear that he didn't want anything to do with you. You betrayed him!"
Gerhardt shook his head. "I know but you don't know everything! Nobody knows the whole story, not even Günter. If he knew, it would break his heart." He said. "Günter is so innocent. He was always Father's favorite."
The cat stared with confusion. "That's not how he tells it. He said you betrayed him, sold him out and that your sister was the favorite."
"Gertrude was Günter's favorite," Gerhardt corrected. "Günter was the one who could make Papa laugh. He did everything in his power to protect his innocence. He was attempting to train Günter to take over his banks and his entire estate. But all he wanted to do was dance and be on stage. Papa eventually started training me instead but only because it made Günter so unhappy to spend all of his days in an office." He sighed. "I only told Papa because… I didn't want Günter to get hurt. But Papa doesn't want him to know and I promised never to tell." He leaned against the lamp post.
Jerry listened to the pig's tale. "Come on, I'll take you back to your hotel. Be right back." He went upstairs where Gunter and Eddie were getting ready to go home. Miss. Crawly was helping Sarah get her stuff. "I'll meet you guys back home. I want to make sure he gets back to his hotel okay."
Gunter nodded. "Thank you, Jerry." He didn't care to talk to his brother but he still wanted his brother to be safe. "Take a cab, pay for it with the business card. Remember, we're going to Rosita's from here."
Jerry shook his head. "I think we'll walk. It's nice out tonight. I'll take a cab back to her place though." He promised. "I shouldn't be long."
Sarah buttoned up her jacket. "Why don't you want to see Onkel Gerhardt?" She asked. She wasn't blind or deaf. "Don't you like your brother?"
The hog put a hand on her head. "I love my brother but… no, I don't like him." He said honestly. "Onkel Gerhardt hurt Onkel Günter. Long time ago. But Onkel Günter is still mad at Onkel Gerhardt." He hugged her.
She nodded. "Mama was mad at him too. She never talked to him. Papa always took me to visit him. But Mama would stay home."
Gunter stared at her. "Really? I thought I was the one she was mad at. For leaving home… She begged me to stay… but after what Gerhardt did and then Vater… I couldn't stay." He explained. "I won't tell you what he did because I don't want to sabotage the relationship you have. I just can't trust him anymore." He hugged his niece. "But while he's here, you can see him as much as you both want to."
Jerry watched them for a moment longer before hurrying down to where Gerhardt was waiting. "Where are you staying?"
"The Marriott," he replied. On the way, he asked. "So, um, she hasn't said much about you. How do you know my brother?"
The cat looked dead ahead at the sidewalk, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "So, I met them when they worked for my boss and… after some things happened, I ended up working for them. They've been a source of great support and comfort for me during the hardest times of my life. Without Eddie, I'd be dead. They've gone out of their way to give me a home, friendship, and a job. Gunter has been one of my best friends."
Gerhardt smiled. "My brother… He made friends easily… He was everyone's favorite for a reason. And this Eddie. He is good to my brother? Sarah says that…"
Jerry laughed. "Oh yeah. Eddie loves Gunter. More than you can imagine. They're kinda/sorta getting married soon." He saw the pig's face relax.
"Good, then I didn't… I didn't ruin his life," he said. "I know he thinks I did. He thinks I drove away his only chance at love. But I knew he would find a better mate someday. Someone who really loved him."
"Look, you obviously are dying to tell someone. What happened? What is it that Gunter doesn't know?" He couldn't stand his own curiosity anymore.
Gerhardt studied the cat. "Ja… but you must promise… you must swear that you will never tell him. Never…"
Jerry nodded. "I promise." He'd feel no guilt whatsoever if he had to break that promise. Would almost serve the big mouth right.
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Norman was looking at his laptop while Rosita made dinner. "Honey, look at this. General Education Teachers in Calatonia are expected to be licensed for all ages pre-k through senior high school. Oh, there's a database for licensed teachers currently looking for jobs." Click, click, click. "Wow! Did you know that in Santa Francesca there are at least 50 abandoned school buildings. We could refurbish one."
Rosita came over, stirring a bowl of barbecue sauce. "Hmmm, find us a few to look at. That's something we can do over the summer after we get back from the tropics. I can't believe we might actually do this." She said, reading over his shoulder. She took the bowl back to the kitchen and pulled a pan of roasted beef out of the oven. She gingerly bathed the meat with the barbecue sauce. Putting that back in the oven for 15 minutes, she put some butter in the bottom of a sauce pan. After it was melted, she threw in some flour, whisking it together until it was a roux. Heavy cream was poured into the bottom of the pan. She threw in some freshly-grated white cheddar, Gruyere and mozzarella cheese into the mixture. She drained a pot of shell pasta and poured the pasta into the mixture. A couple cups of cooked broccoli was mixed in with the pasta and sauce before she topped it with crumbled potato chips and put it in the oven for 15 minutes. She put a package of sauerkraut in a pot to start simmering. The lights of the theater's new large van pulled up. "Oh, they're here. Do you think we should have invited Gunter's brother?"
Norman shook his head. "I bet he's tired. We'll have another chance." He put away his laptop just in time for his kids to come running in. "Hey guys. Did you have fun at practice?"
They all shouted "yeah" while they took their things to their rooms. Eddie and Gunter came in behind them followed by Miss. Crawly and Sarah. "Hey Mama. We brought them home safe and sound. Yum, I smell barbecue!"
Rosita laughed. He loved anything she made. His biological mother never cooked. It was always the private cooks and it was always fancy dishes that had next to no flavor. She felt so terrible for how he grew up. He had so much but so little at the same time. She pulled the roast out and began shredding it. "Would you mind setting the table, Eddie dear?"
"Of course not, Mama," he got the plates while Gunter got the silverware.
Rosita smiled at her surrogate brother. "I bet it was a nice surprise to see your brother. He seemed very nice."
He shrugged. "It was a shock to see him," he said. "I hope you guys are keeping Sunday night open. The kids are getting so excited."
She nodded. "Of course we are. Now, go wash up. Dinner is almost ready." She decided not to ask about his brother again. She would try again later.
She got a supply of buns for sandwiches. At last a glass bowl of fresh coleslaw was placed on the table.
Eddie and Gunter washed their hands, setting a good example for the kids. When they came back, Rosita was talking with Sarah who was sharing her tale of going to the park with her uncle.
"So you're glad to see your uncle? Your other uncle?" Rosita asked with a grin as she made Sarah a small slider sandwich. The kids all got sliders.
She nodded. "Onkel Gerhardt tell me stories about when he was a boy in Heidelberg. How he and Mama would play and Onkel Gunter would dance and sing for them. Onkel Gerhardt tell me about his Papa and Mama too. They died before I was born."
Gunter listened while they sat at the table. He made eye contact with Rosita. This was not normal behavior from her best friend. It made her worry. Gerhardt seemed perfectly nice but Gunter was usually very perceptive. She resolved to try talking to him in earnest at a later time. She only hoped that Gerhardt was as nice as he seemed.
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Gerhardt and Jerry finally reached the hotel right as he ended his sordid tale. Jerry was staring at the ground.
"And Gunter knows nothing about this?" The cat asked.
He shook his head. "It would break his heart if he knew. But I had to do something. My brother deserves better than that." He decreed.
Jerry nodded. "Yeah, he does. But… I think you and your father don't give him enough credit. If you told him, he could handle it. And you're going to have to tell him if you want a chance at fixing this." He fixed Gerhardt with a look. "I have to go. Look… Come to the theater tomorrow. We can take Sarah out together and talk some more." He promised. "Around lunch time."
Gerhardt nodded. "I'll be there…" He wasn't sure about this cat, but he listened. He seemed like a decent guy and he wanted to get to know him better. "Gute Nacht."
AN: Short but I'm tired.