More of Chapter Five

“Hello Sweetie, how are you?” “Daddy, it’s me, Charlene.”

“I know dear, how nice to hear your voice. How are things going?” “Good daddy.” “How’s your mother?” “Oh she’s fine. Same as always, I guess.”

Her father knew what that meant. His ex was a mess these days and worrying about things beyond her control, as always. He was still on contact with a few husbands of her best friends. He felt that it was his duty for his daughter’s sake.

“What have you been up to Charlene?”

“Oh you know daddy, mostly working and just living day to day like the rest of the single, working girls in the city.”

Nick looked out of his windows and peered down into the streets, ten stories below him. Many yellow cabs and long black sedans were slowly making their way past his building and trying to get across town or wherever they were off to.

He suspected that the many long black cars held important visitors and politicians while the yellow cabs moved lowly tourists and some locals through the straight streets at a constant but very slow pace.

He took cabs in town for the most part. He could afford the expense and feared what might await him on the dirty buses filled with who knew what type of people. He had read about the problems on them and wanted no part of those.

“How may I help you dear?”

“I have a chance to go on a fabulous vacation which may lead to marriage. I just need twenty thousand dollars or so to make it happen.”

Joe began to think of all the ramifications of that statement but thought better. His daughter’s life was best keep private from him. The less he knew the better he slept. As long as she hadn’t been confined to jail or the hospital he was as content as possible, under the circumstances.

Charlene had been doing well for the last year or so and he was happy for her and himself. He just hoped she would continue to take her meds.

“I see dear, who might the lucky man be? Do I know his family?”

“No you don’t daddy, but I have worked with him for sometime. I’m his personal secretary and he is a fine gentleman.”

“I see. Has your mother met him yet? He asked with a hint of jealousy. “She should have if this is a serious relationship.”

Nick had been dreading this exact turn in events for sometime. “I’d like to meet him as well.”

“We are on the verge of making a decision about that as we speak,” she lied, knowing her parents seldom spoke to each other or any one in each of their now very different social circles.

Her father, Nick Smith, still ran in the New York and Hampton social circles. Her mother had little or no social life these days.

Her erratic behavior had seen to that.

Her health was also declining for some unknown reason that her doctors hadn’t quite figured out yet. She never mentioned her penchant for drinking a fifth of whiskey a day and smoking three packs of cigarettes or that she hardly ever ate anything.

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Well, to each her own, I say.

More tomorrow.