This Other Eden

by Michael Hemmingson

  She had been awake for a while. She sat in the bed next to him, playing with the remote on the TV.

  MTV.

  “"Jane Says."”

  He hated Perry Ferrell.

  “"I don’t want you to worry, but I’m late,”" Joanna said.

  “"Okay,”" he said.

  “"Did you hear me?”"

  “"Yes.”"

  They didn’t say much after that. He tried to bring up something else; his job where they really seemed to like him. He tried to ask about her classes. She was still at the University.. Studying anthropology of all fucking things. All the conversations fell into mumbling. He walked her back to her apartment. They didn’t say much. All small talk. At the corner, he put his arm around her and told her that everything was going to be okay. Somehow everything would be okay. She didn’t believe him; she let him hold her.

  Three days later, she had her period. That was the first time Harry wanted to hear about a woman’s period. They got married a year and a half after that.

  ***

  A voice message from Alexia: “"Harrison...Harrison...are you deliberately ignoring me, Harrison Mavin Evans? I think you are. I am convinced you are. Yes, I know you are. That is not nice. And what else is not nice? Let’s see. You are blowing me off, I have a feeling, I know you are giving me the cold shoulder and I know you and your father are in cahoots. You are plotting and whispering behind my back just like the two of you did twenty years ago. I know what the scoop is, Harrison, and it’s a scoop of poop. How dare you. I’m smarter than you are, and you know this is true! I’m smarter than you and your father both! You’re both a couple of true bastards and I’m not going to take it anymore. I’ll show you both what is what, I will.”"

  ***

  Next: “"Harrison? It’s your mother. Yes, YOUR MOTHER. I may not have given birth to you like that dead bitch your father was once married to, that - that - WOMAN who popped you out of her dead uterus; but I raised you for the better part of your youth and I was like a biological mother to you and have been a real mother to you all these godawful years. So I have to ask, I have to ponder: how can a son treat his own mother the way you have treated me? You’re a zillionare and you haven’t given me squat. Except that hotel suite, what have I seen of our money? Yes, Harrison, OUR MONEY. WE ARE A FAMILY AND FAMILIES SHARE AND I WAS NICE AND RAISED YOU WHEN I DIDN’T HAVE TO SO YOU OWE ME, HARRISON, YOU OWE ME FOR ALL THOSE YEARS I LOST. Lost, yes, that’s the word, lost. What have you lost, Harrison? Nothing. Nada. Is that fair? Is it? Harrison, IT IS NOT FAIR. I want you to give me what’s mine, Harrison. I want my portion of your fortune so I can, finally, live the life I was meant to have. Keep acting stubborn, keep being the bad little boy, and you’ll regret it.”"

  ***

  He met Donna Fey for dinner at Jake’s, a beachfront restaurant in Del Mar. It was the place she picked when he told her to choose one.

  “"The food is good and the setting is romantic,”" she said.

  Romantic. Anything was possible; he could still feel her slap on his rear end. Donna was waiting for him in the bar. Black slacks, high heels and a bow tie at the neck of her blouse. Harry kept it simple with a gray sports coat and jeans.

  “"Am I late?”" he asked.

  “"I came here straight from work,”" she said, “"I’m on my second drink.”" She was holding a White Russian and Harry ordered one too. They toasted The Dude from The Big Lebowski and were shown to their table.

  Chit-chat, banter and meaningless phrases. Harry was uncomfortable. He never knew this woman and she didn’t know him. They didn’t have any mutual friends so they started talking about the department store and then both agreed that was not a good topic. Donna said she hated the lack of direction in her life; she had no goals or desires because all she ever did was work.

  “"I have debts,”" she said; “"I would like to go back to college and finish my degree and maybe go to grad school but I still owe on the other school loans so I couldn’t afford school, I mean I’d have to stop working to go.”"

  His mind was wandering, and so were his eyes; if he’d been paying attention he would have known what was going to happen next. Donna reached over and took his left hand and said, “"Hey, are you here on Earth still, Mr. Evans?”"

  “"Sorry.”"

  “"It’s okay.”"

  “"It’s not. I’m being rude.”"

  “"Are you okay?”" she asked. “"Something heavy seems to be on your mind.”"

  She was drinking her fourth White Russian and still holding his hand. He watched one of her fingers stroke his palm but he didn’t feel it.

  He said, “"I’m going to be blunt and say that maybe I should’ve just asked you to come see me at my home.”"

  “"And cut to the chase?”"

  “"No chase.”"

  “"The capture?”"

  “"The point.”"

  “"Which is?”"

  “"How blunt do I have to be?”"

  “"As if,”" she said, tightening the grip.

  “"I didn’t even ask if you were in a relationship, if you had a boyfriend,”" he said. “"You see how rude I am?”"

  “"I haven’t asked the same.”"

  “"I’m here. I called.”"

  “"You called.”"

  Two of her fingers were caressing him.”

  “"As if,”" she said.

  “"As if what?”"

  “"You’re a funny man.”"

  “"Yeah, I should do stand-up comedy. Look.”"

  “"You look,”" she said, “"because I’m going to be ‘blunt’ with you too. I do have a boyfriend, but I can’t stand his ass. You know him. Bob.”"

  “"Bob? Bob from the job?”"

  “"He’s still mad at you for something.”"

  “"You two...?”"

  “"He’s not my type, I know, but he caught me in a moment of weakness and he does make me laugh. But he also annoys me. It’s been a short thing, three months tops, and I’m ready to break up with him. I’ll do it right now. Give me your cell and I’ll do it this second.”"

  “"For?”"

  “"For you,”" and she reached over and took his other hand. “"Hear me out, I know I’m going too fast but I like it fast. I’m going to be blunt too. I really need your help, Harry.”"

  “"Help?”"

  “"As in financial.”"

  “"But of course,”" he said. He tried to pull his hands away but she wouldn’t let go. He wondered if this appeared funny from another table, or if they looked like a couple in love having a deep and serious talk about life and the future.

  “"I’m stuck in my life and I can’t see a logical way out,”" Donna said; she was very serious. “"I’m forty thousand dollars in debt and I just don’t see how I can ever pay that off, not doing the work I do. And I can’t move on to something else, like going to college or just starting over in another city. What I’m asking...what I want to offer...look, what I need from you is forty-five grand or so. That’s chump change to a guy loaded like you are but for me, it’s salvation, it’s an end to my terrible burden. Now, hear me out, all right? I can’t believe I’m actually doing this, but I’m buzzed and I am desperate. I’m prepared to make you a good offer. In exchange for that money, I will be your slave for six months. I don’t mean like sex slave - but we’ll have all the sex you want. I mean, I will always be on your arm, I will be devoted to you. I might even love you. You’ll never have to be lonely because I will be there. I will be your constant companion, your soul mate, your best friend, your sister, your mother, your daughter, your pal, your wife. I can see it in your eyes; it’s lonely at the top but you don’t need to be a solo man. If you help me, I’ll help you.”"

  “"And after six months, then what? Do I need to give you another forty thousand?”"

  “"After six months, we’ll see where we are.”"

  He said, “"Please let go of me…please.”"

  She did. She sat back in her chair, sipped her drink and played with a strand of
hair.

  “"I know I’m hot,”" she said, “"I know I’m making you a pretty fine offer.”"

  “"What is it with you people,”" Harry said. “"It never ends. Everywhere I turn. It’s a wonder I ever step outside. I could be a total recluse and the phone would still ring. I could change my number but somehow people would find the new number. I never answer the phone because I’m afraid of what the person on the other side wants from me. And what do they want? Money!”"

  His voice was rising. Patrons at other tables were glancing over.

  “"Sure does make the world go around, doesn’t it? Can I blame you? Should I? Would I do the same thing? It’s always worth a try. You wouldn’t give me the time of day a year ago but now that I can save you, now that I can bail you out, you are willing to whore yourself out for six months. And you know what? It’s tempting. You’re attractive, I’ve fantasized about you before, and yes, I am a lonely man. I’m a lonely man because I don’t know who to trust. But I’m not surprised, not at all; I’m not surprised when complete strangers ask for - and demand money. Strangers are one thing. Family is another. No one thinks I deserve it. Since I won it and didn’t work hard for it, it’s not really my money.”"

  Harry looked at her to see if she was angry. But she just stared at him with that same stupid look that was supposed to seduce him.

  “"Let me tell you about some of the people who want pieces of me. There’s the Vietnamese fellow who owns the store where I bought my lotto ticket. He tried to sue me but the court dismissed the suit because there was no legitimate claim. In court this guy loses it, starts coming after me, telling me I better give him ‘his’ money, that’s HIS money or else he’ll come into my bedroom one night and slit my throat. The bailiffs had to take him away and he did two weeks for making a criminal threat in front of a judge. But did that stop him? No. He sent me letters demanding his money or else. Then there’s my stepmother, who thinks she deserves something for acting like my real mother. Then I got cousins and aunts and uncles; people who claim they went to elementary school with me, they all have their own needs and stories. So I ask myself: why don’t I give them what they want? I’ll give it to them and be a saint and they’ll be happy and I can be left alone. Maybe they’ll come back for more, but so what? So what. It’s only money. I’m still the same guy when I didn’t have it, only now I can wine and dine at a nice place like this and not worry how much of my paycheck it’s taking away. Don’t look at me that way, Donna.”"

  “"What way?”"

  “"Like I’m about to cut you down, because I’m not. And there’s no need to say you’re sorry or you didn’t mean it because you did mean it and you’re not sorry. I don’t hold it against you. I understand. This is why I have decided the hell with it. I’m going to answer your prayer.”"

  He pulled out his checkbook from inside his sports coat.

  “"I’m going to wash away your debts. How do you spell your last name?”"

  She told him. He wrote the check out for $45,000, and handed it to her.

  “"Are you playing a joke on me?”" she said.

  “"Did you think I’d say no?”"

  Her hand was shaking as she held the check and looked at it.

  Harry stood up and said, “"And it’s a gift. I don’t want anything in exchange. You don’t have to be my slave;, you don’t have to fuck me. You don’t have to see me at all.”"

  He put two one hundred dollar bills on the table.

  “"That should cover the bill plus a good tip. Have another drink or two, take a cab home, congratulate yourself on obtaining your goal, and go start your life over.”"

  He left her with her mouth hanging open like she’d witnessed a horrible car crash. In the parking lot, Bob was waiting for him.

  “"So,”" Bob said, “"dating my woman, are you?”"

  Bob had a pistol and was pointing it at Harry.

  “"I followed her, Harry, because I knew she was cheating on me. But with you? YOU? Do you think you can take anything you want because you’re rich? And you give her all that money but wouldn’t give me a few bucks?”"

  Bob shot Harry in the chest three times and Harry fell down and died.

  Well, no, that’s a lie, that didn’t happen; Harry just imagined it. He thought about how funny that would be, if it did happen, if things were only that exciting. Nothing happened to him that night. He drove home alone.

  He was hoping Donna would do the noble thing, the moral thing; that she would mail the check back to him with a note: I can’t take this. It’s not right.

  He called the bank three days later. Customer service informed him that she had “"cashed the instrument in question.”"

  ***

  On voice mail: “"Harrison? Are you there? It’s your mother. I think you are there and you are ignoring me once again and, well, this is a horrid thing. Simply appalling. What kind of man have you become, Harrison? Not a man at all. I’m not going to take this sitting still, Harrison. You should understand that. You must understand that you will have to pay for your sins. Who wants to do that? Redeem yourself and do it today. Redeem yourself and start doing what you know is right and good.”"

  ***

  Harry met her on the street in downtown.

  “"Hey,”" she said, and she was smiling, “"how are you doing?”"

  They were both on Fifth Avenue walking in opposite directions. She was going to work and he was heading home. He thought maybe she recognized his picture from the papers when he won the jackpot, because he didn’t know who she was.

  “"You don’t remember me?”" she said. “"Kinko’s. Seven or eight months ago. You were bleeding. Those are things you don’t forget. At least I don’t. Ha ha.”"

  She had pink hair then; it was green now.

  “"Oh yes,”" he said, “"yes, of course.”"

  “"You doing okay?”" she asked.

  “"I’m doing...good,”" he said.

  “"That’s good,”" she said.

  “"You still work at…?”"

  “"On the way now,”" she said, walking, looking back, “"I’m late, always late, I’m never on time. See ya.”"

  Her name was Denise McNamara. The next few weeks he crossed paths with her again and they said hello. The third time he offered to buy her lunch.

  “"My lunch break is at 1:30,”" she said, “"meet me?”"

  He did. They had pizza slices. She had no idea about his money. She wanted to know about that night he came into the shop bleeding.

  “"I drove into a tree,”" he said.

  “"Drunk?”"

  “"Preoccupied.”"

  “"Must have been something dire.”"

  “"It was,”" he said.

  “"Thank you for lunch.”"

  “"I’d like to buy you dinner,”" he said, “"but...”"

  “"But?”"

  “"I’m too old to be asking you out.”"

  She said, “"That’s silly.”"

  He was ten years older.

  He said, “"Well.”"

  “"I never say no to food.”"

  “"Um.”"

  “"Or cute men,”" she said eating her pizza.

  Dinner, movie, dinner, lunch, drinks, movie, dinner. That’s the story. The first time they made love and slept in each other’s arms, it was at her place, a very small apartment in a part of San Diego called North Park. The apartment came with a Murphy bed that folded out from the closet and the bathroom seemed to have been made for small people, something Harry always noticed about these places built in the 1940s. She had a black and white TV that received three channels, a parakeet in a cage and around five dozen pairs of shoes. She didn’t own a car and took the Number 7 bus to and from work everyday.

  “"The public transpo here is awful,”" she said, “"but the 7 runs every ten minutes all day so it’s cool.”"

  She was born and raised in Denver, moved to San Diego two years ago; drove in the car she’d had since high school, which died two days after her arrival.


  “"Why here?”" he asked.

  “"I wanted to be close to the water,”" Denise said.

  ***

  He didn’t tell her about the money and, for some reason, she didn’t ask where he worked. Denise would later say that she just assumed he had some crappy-ass job like everyone else in the world; that when they’d seen each other on Fifth Avenue he was going to work like she was (he was taking morning walks). Eventually, he knew he would have to fess up because “"things”" seemed to be getting serious.

  “"Can I tell you something, Harry?”" she said one night as they lay on her Murphy bed. “"I’ll tell you, I think I’m in love with you. I don’t think. I believe. I know I am, I feel it: I’m in love with you and I’m not sure if I’m happy or worried.”"

  It had been a long time since Harry M. Evans heard those words - not since Joanna, a year before he married her. Ten years ago. When he was Denise’s age.

  Denise said, “"Is this okay?”"

  He said, “"Yes it is.”"

  “"Cool,”" she said. “"That night you came into my work…if someone told me this would happen, I would have laughed. I don’t mean it’s funny, this; I mean it’s funny how things work out sometimes.”"

  “"I love you too,”" he said.

  “"I already know this.”"

  The next night they spent together, Denise said: “"Something is kinda bothering me, Harry.”"

  “"And what’s that?”" he said and he tried to tickle her, because he was feeling very good.

  “"Stop it,”" she said, pushing his hands away, “"I’m attempting to be grim here. Or glib.”"

  “"What? What?”"

  “"Why don’t we ever go to your place? Two months, we’ve been together; two months and I love you like crazy and I have no idea where you live.”"

  “"You’ve never asked.”"

  “"Like I’m supposed to? Mister...”"

  “"Come here,”" and he tried to tickle her again.

  “"Are you ashamed of where you live?”" she asked. “"I would understand.”"