Millie stopped again and looked up at him. This time, her face reflected a clear sense of relief.
“Look, Anne’s sweet and pretty and she seems like a really wonderful young gal. No doubt about it. You know, I think I liked her from the first I met her and that’s real unusual for me.”
Millie’s left eyebrow rose slightly in protest. These were precisely the things that were troubling her and hearing about them wasn’t helping. Henry could see the look in her eyes and continued.
“But that’s it. I’ve never had a child, Millie; you know that. But I guess I kinda can see myself being like a father or an uncle or something to her as time goes on. Like I said earlier, turns out I knew her dad, and she and I really hit it off. We’re just a lot alike, is all. I think I can understand a lot of who she is, and she seems to have a pretty good handle on me, too. I didn’t mean for you to think it was anything else.”
Millie stared back at him without saying anything. She was stunned by his candid comments but also relieved by their content that for once left her totally speechless. Her lack of response or expression suddenly made Henry feel a bit uncomfortable. He waited for another instant and then raised his eyebrows in an attempt to coax some sort of reaction from her. Failing to do so, he muttered, “All right then, I’m glad we cleared that up.” Silently he spun and returned to his office while Millie still stood as if frozen in place.
Finally, after Henry was out of sight, she regained her senses. Well, what do you know about that? she thought as she started mopping again with decidedly more vigorous strokes this time. As she did, she began cheerfully humming a favorite hymn. Henry settled back into his chair and resumed reviewing the coins on his desk. From his office, he could hear the melody coming from the kitchen, and he delighted in the sound of Millie’s voice. Despite her initial lack of reaction to his words, Henry knew that his message had been well-received, and it brought a smile to his face. It was a small step perhaps, but in expressing his feelings about Anne he had more openly revealed his deep regard for Millie and in turn he was confident that she felt the same way about him. Though they had been together for nearly 25 years, this new phase of their relationship was uncharted waters. The uncertainty of how best to navigate what lay ahead left Henry feeling a tad uneasy but excited as well.
Chapter 7
Quantity vs. Quality
Any concerns about the future and Millie were quickly pushed aside as the days leading up to Henry’s sojourn to St. Louis seemingly evaporated. Before he knew it, Thursday morning arrived and it was time for him to head off to the Gateway City for his eagerly anticipated adventure. He and George had agreed to meet for brunch at the host hotel at 11:00 a.m. Following that, they planned to spend the afternoon searching the bourse floor for treasures.
Henry pulled the Lincoln Continental alongside the porch and parked it there for loading. As he did, he gave a quick glance in the direction of the vegetable garden, which, like the rest of Oak Forest, was beginning to burst with life. Briefly, he lamented that he wouldn’t be able to tend to it or the surrounding grounds of the estate until after his return on Sunday afternoon. However, that feeling was hastily dispatched by the realization that great coin shows came along infrequently and yard work, even as much as he enjoyed it, was an ongoing daily reality.
Meanwhile, Millie was inside performing a final inspection of the contents of his suitcase at the island in the kitchen. As usual, she had ironed his clothes and packed all of the necessities that he required. This had been their standard practice for years. Whenever Henry traveled, Millie would ask what his itinerary was and then select the appropriate clothing for him as she saw fit. Henry preferred to leave such matters up to her and deferred to her completely on any wardrobe decisions that needed to be made.
“I think I’ve got you all set,” she said as he entered the room.
“Good deal! I need to get on the road. It’s nearly nine-thirty, and I don’t want to make George wait on me.”
“Well, you just take your time and be safe,” she cautioned as she closed and fastened the bag.
“Yes mother,” Henry replied with a sly grin as he tightened the lid on his thermos of coffee.
Millie smiled at his jest and turned to the counter near the sink to retrieve a brown paper lunch bag she had prepared for him.
“I’ve got some cookies in here,” she said as she handed him the sack. “Figured you might need a little something to keep in your room for a quick snack if you get hungry.”
“All right!” Henry grinned as he peeked into the bag to see the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. “That’s my girl!” he exclaimed with a subtle wink that wasn’t lost on Millie.
“Say, where’s my other girl?” he asked as he looked around for Joe, who typically was found near his feet on such an occasion.
“You know what? That’s a darned good question. I haven’t seen her all morning. She must be sleeping somewhere.”
“Huh. That’s strange. Man, she sure has seemed lethargic lately.”
“You’re sure right about that. She hasn’t been eating too much lately either. I haven’t had to add food to her bowl in three days,” Millie said with growing concern as she stared off toward the family room.
“Huh, that doesn’t seem right,” Henry acknowledged as he did a final review of the contents of his briefcase that was on the kitchen table. “Maybe you ought to run her into Dr. Miller’s and get her checked out.”
“Good idea. I’ll call and see if I can get her in there today or tomorrow.”
Henry nodded in agreement as he gathered items to put in his car. Millie followed suit and between them they were able to carry everything out to the Lincoln in a single trip.
In short order, Henry was rolling down the highway on his way to meet George. His mind was filled with thoughts about the coins that he hoped to find at the show. Nothing matched the enthusiasm he felt for the hunt for new pieces for his collection, and he relished the chance to completely immerse himself in it. It was a pleasant diversion, and the trip passed quickly. He soon arrived right on time and as scheduled to meet George.
The two men enjoyed a delicious and robust brunch that was secondary only to the vibrant conversation they engaged in. Topics ranged from numismatics to British authors and kept their waitress entertained as she struggled to eavesdrop. Once their meal was finished, Henry checked into his room and dropped his bags there before the duo headed to the exhibition.
Thursday afternoons were typically slow on the bourse. Many of the collectors who would be attending the show were still of working age. Some might take a day off on a Friday to play some numismatic hooky but Thursday was, for most, too tall of an order. However, for the retired crowd, there were no such restrictions. The opening afternoon was a chance to get the first crack at the best coins ahead of the crowds that Friday and Saturday were sure to generate.
Henry and George were anxiously standing in line and ready to go as the show opened its doors at 1:00 p.m. The assembled crowd was somewhat bigger than they had anticipated but still far below the numbers that the weekend would produce. As this was a new venue for the event, Henry was unsure what to expect when they finally made their way inside. He was pleasantly surprised to find the trading floor much more spacious than the old location. Countless scores of eight-foot tables were organized into several long rows to accommodate the vast array of dealers who were there to buy, sell, and trade coins. The layout provided for generous aisles that would easily receive the attendees comfortably.
George and Henry agreed to go their separate ways initially and then reconvene later on to compare notes. That way, each man could browse at his own pace and seek out specific coins of interest without worry that he was delaying the other. George and most of the rest of the early birds moved en masse toward the dealer tables nearest the entrance. Seeing this, Henry opted to veer to the far side of the room where other dealers sat patiently waiting for customers to reach them. It was a typical move for Henry.
Throughout his professional career, he was often one step ahead of the crowd. He could identify even the slightest advantage in any situation and regularly used this skill to gain an edge over the competition. On this day, it allowed him to acquire a unique and highly coveted piece for his collection before any of the others in attendance even got to see it.
The rest of the afternoon proved to be enjoyable and quite productive for Henry. In a handful of deals, he was able to land a few new coins and a rare medal as well as move several less-desirable old friends from his holdings along. The net result was that at the end of the day, he felt that he had upgraded the overall quality of his collection. Also, he had engaged in numerous conversations with other collectors and dealers alike, including a particularly plump fellow apparently known simply as Blimpy. This large and gregarious gentleman was particularly well-schooled about early American federal coins and also smelled oddly like bacon. The whole encounter left Henry feeling quite entertained by the experience and just a little bit hungry.
George’s first day was slightly less successful than Henry’s as he only located a pair of coins for purchase. Nevertheless, he had a good time perusing dealer inventories and also had the pleasure of talking with the aforementioned gentleman. Their conversation, however, had nothing at all to do with numismatics. Rather, it was entirely about a steakhouse named The Ranch located just down the street that Blimpy could not recommend strongly enough. Due to a lengthy discussion about charbroiled Angus beef steaks and the faint but distinct aroma of bacon in the air, George decided it was time to find something to eat. Henry was on board, and the two men opted to call it a day and head for dinner. They had a meeting with Jake at the hotel bar before venturing over to The Ranch to find out if Blimpy knew as much about steaks as he did about eighteenth century U.S. coins. It had been a very good day, and the chance for a terrific meal seemed the perfect way to cap it off.
By Saturday night, three things had been confirmed. The first was that Blimpy did indeed know as much or more about steakhouses as he did about coin collecting. The men had enjoyed an incredible dinner on Thursday featuring quite possibly the best porterhouse steak that Henry had ever tasted. The second was that attending the weekend coin show together was a brilliant move. Neither Henry nor George could recall the last time he had enjoyed himself at a show so much. The third and final truth was that Blimpy owned The Ranch and also regularly supervised operations in the kitchen. Following a ho-hum Italian meal on Friday night they chose to return to Blimpy’s place for an encore performance of Thursday’s magnificent dining tour de force.
“We’ve got to make this an annual event,” proclaimed George as the two men waited for their steaks to be prepared.
“This place?” asked Henry from across the table as he sipped from his drink. “I can’t wait a whole year to get back here.”
“All of it, I mean this whole weekend,” clarified George.
Henry shook his head. Now, he understood exactly what George meant.
“Oh yeah, I totally agree. Honestly George, I really can’t remember having such a great time. It really flew by.”
“Time has a way of doing that,” George concurred.
“Well, it’s not always about the quantity of time, but the quality, right?” Henry asked as he held up his glass for a toast. George followed his lead and the friends gently tapped their tumblers together.
“You know, I had that exact conversation with Claire right before she died.”
“Oh, I’m sorry pal. I wasn’t trying to bring that up,” Henry apologized.
“No Henry, not at all. It doesn’t upset me like that. Oh sure, I miss her like crazy every single day. Geez, she’s the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing at night when I hit the pillow. But you know, I had a wife and best friend for nearly forty-four years. You can’t feel sorry for yourself with a record like that. Sure it hurts, but no self-pity here,” he declared as he eased back. “We did it all, left nothing to regret. It was the best. Just a real love affair. Of course, I’d kill for just one more minute together, but I never let myself think that way because God gave me such a wonderful life with her. You know how many guys have never had that?”
Henry listened intently to every word his friend said and nodded in complete agreement. He indeed understood exactly what George meant.
“Yep, I surely do.”
George detected the solemnness of Henry’s tone, and now it was his turn to beg pardon.
“I didn’t mean it like that, buddy,” George explained, referring to Henry and Mary and their failed marriage.
“Oh, I know that. But I have to tell you that sometimes I feel just a little bit jealous of you,” Henry admitted.
“You do? Why?” George asked.
“You and Claire, your kids. Just all of it. George, I royally screwed up my chance at that. Now I’m just an old man with a cat.” He laughed half-heartedly at himself as he gazed off into the distance in the direction of the kitchen.
“Hey, you’ve got Millie too,” George reminded him.
The mention of her name caught Henry off guard, and he looked directly at George. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“Come on Henry, what’s going on there? She’s been with you for decades. You told me you guys get along real well. So what’s the deal?”
Henry gulped the final swallow from his glass and placed it on the table in front of him. He considered George’s question for a moment before responding. Then, finally, he decided it was time to break his silence on the topic.
“Well, I do have some feelings for her, sure. But I don’t know what to do about that. She’s been working for me for so long that it isn’t like she’s an employee anymore. Now, it’s kind of like she’s my family. Whatever the hell that is. I just don’t know how to tell her that.”
George smiled at his friend as he leaned toward him. “That’s not a bad way to say it right there,” he offered.
“Gentlemen, can I get you another round?” asked the waitress as she paused at the table.
“Yes ma’am, please,” Henry replied as George finished his drink as well.
“Great! I’ll be right back,” she said as she headed off toward the bar.
“What if you asked her to dinner and brought her here?”
“You’re kidding!” Henry scoffed.
“Why not? It’s just dinner. She eats, right? Besides, you two had dinner after you saw Mary and you told me it was great.”
Henry hesitated. He didn’t have a valid objection.
“First off, I don’t even know if she likes steak,” he protested weakly.
“You’re joking, right? Henry, she’s worked for you for like what? Twenty-three or four years? How about you ask her?” George needled him. “Or take her someplace else with something she does like to eat,” he added with a laugh.
“It’s not quite that simple,” Henry argued.
“The hell it’s not. You’re a man, and she’s a woman. My friend, that is how it works.”
“Yeah, I don’t know,” Henry mumbled as the waitress dropped off fresh drinks for the men and cleared away the empty glasses.
“Your steaks will be out shortly, fellas,” she advised.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Henry acknowledged.
“Henry, it’s not my business, I know, but how long has it been since you’ve been with a woman?” George asked with a more hushed tone. Perhaps he was feeling his liquor, but it was a question that he had pondered before this.
Henry nearly spit his drink. “What the hell, George?” he fired back.
“Come on now Henry, we aren’t kids. Seriously, how long?”
“George, I’m not interested in discussing this,” Henry declared with a degree of agitation.
“Calm down, I’m not fishing for carnal details,” he whispered. “I just think it might explain why you are hesitant to pursue Millie. You mean to tell me that in twenty-something years you never thought about being with her? You’ve never flirted
with the idea, or her, for that matter?”
Not a moment too soon for Henry, the waitress approached their table with two large platters that were dwarfed by enormous steaks complete with baked potatoes on the side. “Here you go, gentlemen,” she proclaimed. Clearly, she was completely oblivious to the fact that she had just interrupted George’s interrogation at a critical juncture.
Though Henry gratefully viewed the arrival of their food as the end to the matter, George had other ideas. While he gave the appearance that he was now more interested in lathering sour cream on his potato than in pursuing the discussion of Henry’s love life, nothing was further from the truth. To him, it was merely halftime of the game. He had successfully convinced a reluctant Henry to reconcile with Mary. Now, he was determined to continue his mission to help his friend fully return to the human race. Bill was going to be a tougher nut to crack, but with Millie, George could see definite light at the end of the tunnel.
*
Sunday’s drive home from St. Louis was dramatically different for Henry than the trip he had taken to get there on Thursday. This time, rather than being blissfully consumed with thoughts of coins, he was meditating on what George had said the previous evening. Regardless of the fact that his friend had mercifully dropped the subject, Henry now could not seem to get entirely away from it.
Again and again, he rolled the words over in his head. George had touched on a nerve. Certainly, over the past forty years he had occasionally enjoyed the company of a woman. He was a handsome, rich, and powerful businessman who traveled the world. Such interludes were not beyond his grasp. However, none of those encounters could be characterized as anything approaching the status of an affair, much less a relationship. Rather they were more akin to business deals; emotionless and simply for self-gratification. He had never allowed anyone into his heart or permitted his feelings to become entangled with another. If someone tried to get too close, he moved on. The current state of affairs with Millie was rapidly drawing him into new territory, and he found himself unsteady and awkward. These feelings were foreign to him.
Celebrations With Jake and Joe Page 8