by McKay, KC
"Darcy," Miriam said firmly. "We need to excuse ourselves from the table. Let the men talk. Your husband needs to sort out your future."
"Yes, Mother."
They picked up their plates and left.
Holy crap. I couldn't believe what I'd just seen. I thought Darcy would have kicked up a fuss that it affected her future as well, which it did. And I thought our major decisions would be joint. I didn't mind being a 50/50 partner. I didn't need, or really even want, the macho job of being head honcho. But it looked like I was getting thrown in at the deep end. It must have been the way of the hills.
Roscoe took another gulp of wine and refilled his glass. "So, what you thinking, son?"
I polished off my drink while he still had the bottle in his hand hoping he'd get the hint and refill my glass while he was at it.
He did.
"Mr. Novak, I'd really like to talk to Darcy about this. I mean, it concerns her military future. Her career. I'm not even sure if she wants to move back to Kentucky."
"'Course she does. This is the finest of the fifty states in the Union. And it's time for you to slip on the trousers, Zac. You're the head of the household now. What's it gonna be?"
I searched his gray eyes and he was dead serious. He didn't hold a look of 'Let me know tomorrow.' It was now. I certainly didn't want to look weak in his eyes, but I didn't want to upset Darcy either. She didn't resist her mother's instruction, so she must have been cool with it. Knowing Darcy, if she didn't want to do it, she wouldn't. I sensed she handed over her fate — our fate — to me.
Then it hit me. Another one of Roscoe's tests. He probably just wanted to know if I'd shit myself. I had to show him I wasn't some weak mama's boy.
I twirled my wine glass by the stem. "Well, Mr. Novak. If I were to come work for you, what kind of salary could I expect?"
He smiled and rattled the keys. "I'm already giving you a house."
I nodded. "I would expect that, but that's a wedding present to your daughter and myself. I need to provide for my wife…" I looked at him from the top of my eyes, "…and she is not a cheap date."
Roscoe slammed the table with his hand and erupted in laughter. "Fair point. How about thirty grand a year?"
That started some serious butt twitching, but I played it cool. "Good Lord, man. Have you seen the fingernails and hairdo on that woman? She's high maintenance. We may just about be able to scrape by on forty."
Roscoe banged his fist repeatedly on the table and stomped his feet. After heart-stopping moments thinking he may have been choking, he stood up and opened his arms wide. "I love you, Zac! Welcome to the family."
I stood up and shuffled forward for him to hug the crap out of me. He eventually backed off and held me by the shoulders. "Hey, you know what? I'll make it forty-five because I hope it's not too long before we hear the pitter-patter of little Novaks." He looked at the floor with a slightly dejected look. "I guess technically it'll be little Chambers. I always wanted a boy to carry on the family name, but hey, what are ya gonna do, eh?" He looked up. "Promise me you'll take good care of my Dodo."
"I will, Mr. Novak. Don't you worry about that."
"Call me Roscoe."
We retired to the parlor for brandy and two of his finest Cuban cigars.
***
Darcy and her parents said goodbye at the mansion, leaving me to take her to the airport on my own.
Roscoe let me borrow his Mercedes; after all, we were kin now. I parked the car at the airport, and after getting Darcy checked in at the ticket counter, we went for coffee and a donut while waiting for her departure.
Darcy blew on her coffee. "I take it you and Daddy got on well last night."
"Yeah, he's cool, but I think he keeps testing me."
"I know… Daddy thinks the man should make all the decisions. So what did you decide about our future?" I could only see her eyes as the rest of her face was hidden by the mug as she sipped her coffee.
I reached over to touch her arm. "Look, I think I did a pretty good deal, but of course I won't go through with any of it if you don't agree."
"Oh, come on, Zac. Grow a sack. If I don't like it, believe you me, I'll tell you, but I won't let you welch on my father. Did you shake on it?"
I nodded.
"Then it's a done deal. So what is it?"
We were married now, but she was still difficult to read. Her face gave nothing away. I think she wanted me to take control in one way, but I sensed I would pay a heavy price if I got it wrong.
I sucked in a deep breath. "Right. We have a four-bedroom house, in the finest state in the Union. I'll be your father's assistant and right-hand man for forty-five thousand a year." Once I said it out loud it sounded like a total dream — a true fairytale. And why not? I certainly had the princess.
"Oh," she mumbled, staring into her coffee, then took a sip.
"What? I thought you'd be pleased. I mean, I know I didn't talk to you. I couldn't. Your dad wanted an answer there and then. I thought I did pretty good."
"I thought you would have gone for fifty."
"What? Fifty grand a year? Are you crazy? He started at thirty! I did pretty damn good."
"Zac. Shut up." A huge grin broke out across her face and her whole demeanor changed. She reached across and pinched my cheek. "Zac, you did fantastic. I was just teasing. Wow. You're some negotiator. No wonder Daddy hired you. I know he wouldn't do it out of charity. That's awesome."
"You're not mad?"
She shook her head. "No way. I'm ecstatic."
We shared a short passion-filled kiss.
A flood of relief washed over me, knowing she approved of what I had done, but there was another issue to deal with that Daddy Novak wouldn't have a say in.
I fished a sugar packet out of the holder and fiddled with it. "What about the Navy?"
She scrunched her shoulders. "I think I can get out now that you're on a good salary. I've been thinking about this ever since you got busted. What kind of life would we have? Me dragging you around the world playing househusband while I put up with male chauvinist pigs. I'm really pleased you get along with Daddy so well. It's been his dream to have someone in the family to carry on his legacy. A son. I know he's over the moon. And I'm really, really happy, Zac. I don't want to live our lives apart. And if I stay in, they could ship me anywhere, anytime. You stay here and get settled in. I'll be back in six months at the end of my enlistment and we'll begin our lives together and never, ever be apart again. What do you say?"
Her gray eyes melted my heart. This woman had everything there was to offer — except a singing voice.
"I'd like that very much."
Darcy's plane was called for boarding and I walked her as far as I could toward the gate. We stopped and exchanged the kisses that needed to last us for six months. We'd had the separation experience before, so this was just another small test.
In half a year, I'd be back in the same place, saying hello once again to my wife.
My heart dropped a notch farther down with every footstep she took toward the plane and away from me.
Chapter 46
Roscoe took me under his wing and taught me all things horsey. It was a fascinating learning experience and I enjoyed it, not to mention Roscoe was a lot of laughs.
He and I played golf with the governor and Senator Simmons as often as we could. Sometimes Roscoe told them he was too busy. He and I went duck hunting with the Governor of Tennessee, and I even met the Admiral who knew the General who gave me that cushy little ride in Oklahoma instead of serving a stint in the big boys' prison.
Roscoe gave me bonuses nearly every month. I wasn't exactly sure what for, but he did drop enough grandchildren hints that I opened an account for a college fund.
Miriam and I forged a strong bond. After she taught me how to play, I'd often be her partner at bridge and we were quite the formidable force. She said next year she was going to put us in for the state championship.
I felt like the son Mr. a
nd Mrs. Novak never had, and they filled the void that my own parents lacked. They were my family.
They invited me around for Sunday evening dinner every week, and it was always one of the highlights in my life. The week before Darcy was due to arrive back home I had some news to spring on them. I had written to Darcy and told her what I was going to do that night. Taking a page out of Roscoe's book, I told her, as head of the house, and it wasn't open to discussion.
After we finished Eleanor's delicious roast leg of lamb, Roscoe and I headed to the parlor for our brandy and I asked Miriam to join us. I think I broke some kind of rule with the invitation, but she reluctantly accepted under Roscoe's questionable look.
I made small talk through the first half of our brandy, then got to the nitty-gritty.
"Roscoe, Miriam, I can't thank you enough for your generosity and the way you've welcomed me into the family. I couldn't have felt warmer if I came out of your own womb."
Roscoe howled as Miriam choked on her brandy.
"Sorry, that may have been a poor choice of words. I'm a bit nervous." I sipped my brandy, hoping to conceal my embarrassment.
Roscoe wiped away tears of laughter.
I swiped at my brow. "I didn't mean it like that, but I did have babies on my mind. Must have been a Freudian slip." I took another sip before dropping the bombshell. "Anyway, I've been thinking. Knowing Darcy is your only offspring, well, I know you want the Novak name to carry own down the generations. But you have me instead."
I offered up a light chuckle, but they just stared at me with a confused look.
I cleared my throat. "Knowing you want grandchildren, and a dynasty, I've decided something. I'm just Zac Chambers and always will be, but I want all of Darcy and my children to take your name as well as mine. They'll be Novak-Chambers."
Their eyes focused on me with amazement, both of them staring at me, slack-jawed.
Miriam chugged the rest of her brandy.
I looked at Roscoe. Tears trickled down his cheeks. He wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands, but more tears replaced the freshly wiped-away ones.
Oh my God. I made him cry.
He stood up, opening his arms. "Zac, you just made me the happiest man in the world." We shared a solid embrace.
Miriam looked on, her eyes filled with tears of happiness.
I did my best to fight it, but I think one or two of my own escaped.
***
I crossed off the days on the calendar, counting down until Darcy would be coming home to me. It wasn't far away and I made sure the house looked nice, with some help from Miriam's keen eye for decorating detail, but I was the one who bought lacy pillows for the bed and placed Mr. and Mrs. Married Bear on them every morning.
Every time I called Darcy, she'd bring me up to speed on what was happening at Sacred Loch, but she was more interested in making plans for when she got out. And the more excited she got, the more excited I got, and the less we talked about her work.
Then one day I got a letter from Billy Earl.
Dear Zac,
Lt. Novak told me you live in Kentucky now. It's about time you came to your senses. Hey, I bet you didn't know this, but her first name is Darcy. She sure is pretty.
She said with my new rank I needed to be a supervisor, so she put me in charge of the sheet metal shop. It's pretty easy. No critical work to mess up, so I still got plenty of time for beer, boobies and moo-moo.
We got a new PMA. Commander Gentry had a heart attack. He didn't die or nothing. He was yelling at me for filling out some paperwork wrong, and I told him if he was so dang smart, why didn't he do it himself. Next thing I know, he was clutching his heart. He's got some office job in D.C. now.
Master Chief Woods got a medical discharge. He went to swat a fly with his backscratcher, but the claw came off, hit the wall, bounced back, and shot down his throat. It was stuck real tight. You should've heard him gulping for air. They had to cut one of them little holes in his neck so he could breathe. When Lt. Novak called for the medical team, she said he had a hairball caught in his chamber. She sure got that wrong, but she laughed later.
No one's supposed to know, but Charlotte and Knothead are a couple now. They reckon they share something real special that other couples don't have.
Ma reckons the farm's going real good, and I kinda like bossing people around. I might reenlist for another four years. Maybe I can even make Chief.
Let me know if you don't have a girlfriend yet. I got plenty of cousins I can set you up with if you need. Just holler.
Your Friend,
Billy Earl
***
I stood in the Louisville airport waiting for Darcy. She'd be coming off that plane as a civilian and as my wife. Now I could grope her anywhere, anytime I wanted.
She stepped into view and she looked better than I had ever imagined her. Looking like a million dollars was small change compared to her radiance and beauty. She was glorious and every bit of my body had goose bumps. She walked toward me and my life was complete once again.
We touched for the first time in six months, holding each other tight and sharing an explosive kiss. My love had returned to begin life all over again.
***
A man went to the doctor and the doctor told him he only had six months to live.
"Six months? Doc, what am I going to do?"
The Doctor said, "Marry yourself a rich American Jewish princess, and move to Kentucky."
The guy says, "Doc, why on earth would I do that?"
"Son, those six months will seem like an eternity."
***
Well, I hadn't been diagnosed with a terminal illness, but I did marry a rich American Jewish princess… and I did move to Kentucky. And now with Darcy in my arms, I sincerely prayed that our life together would actually be an eternity.
I couldn't wait.