Love lessons, p.3
Love Lessons, page 3
She checked the time. Still a few hours until she had to arrive at Mr. Hatch’s office. Perhaps the present would be the best time to start job searching. Jolene wandered out into the street and looked both ways. A vintage jewelry boutique, a cafe, and a car parts store. Not much to choose from, but something was better than nothing.
The jewelers were a solid no. Not hiring and not interested. Car parts were out—she didn’t know a muffler from an engine. The cafe accepted her application and she splurged on a cheap lunch while she was there. Looking around she decided she could fit in there. She could do that. She really could, but in her heart, she knew she was just trying to convince herself.
At half past two, she began the walk back to the museum where Mr. Hatch’s car would pick her up for the meeting. She just wanted the day to be over. Enough was enough.
Right at three on the dot, the driver arrived and a half-frozen Jolene climbed inside. The driver nodded and turned up the heat. The ride took just minutes, but Jolene conveyed her many thanks. She was sure she would have died on the street without the warmth of the car. Pulling herself together, she stepped inside Edgar Hatch’s office. Three red leather, high-backed chairs sat facing the attorney’s desk.
Hatch smiled at her. “Welcome, Jolene. Please have a seat,” he offered, motioning toward the middle chair.
She did so, settling between Mary McManus on the left and Henry Charbonneau on the right.
“I apologize, Mr. Hatch.” She spoke barely above a whisper. “I didn’t think I would be here for the general reading with Mary and”—she cut her eyes to the right—“and Mr. Charbonneau. I just thought you had some small remembrance for me.”
The attorney again smiled and peered over the rims of his glasses. “All in good time, my dear. Now, let’s get started.”
He poured a glass of water from the pitcher on his desk, then adjusted his chair for comfort. “Hmmm,” he muttered. “Stupid chair.”
Henry snickered and jabbed Jolene in the ribs with a gentle nudge.
“Ok, here we go,” he said, clearing his throat and began to read. “I, William Henry Charbonneau, hereby devise and bequeath this, my last will and testament. Being of sound mind and body, and knowing my due course in life, I set forth this document to assure that my properties, belongings and holdings are disbursed according to my wishes.
“To Mary McManus, I bequeath my mansion, and everything contained therein, with the few exceptions mentioned here. This property is to be used solely by her for as long as she lives. All taxes, upkeep, insurance, and miscellaneous repairs will be paid from a fund set up for that purpose. Additionally, I bequeath to my dear Mary one million dollars for her personal use and pleasure.
“To my friend, Jolene Benningfield, I leave my personal book collection. I could never repay you for all you have done for me, but I hope that from things I leave to you, you will always remember your old pal, Billy Hank.”
Edgar Hatch paused and swallowed hard. Mary’s sobs filled the room, and tears coursed down Jolene’s face. She felt a tissue being pressed into her hand. Looking up, she found Henry’s intense blue eyes filled with compassion. She watched as he passed a tissue to Mary, as well, and patted her hand. There was a sweetness there that surprised her.
The attorney sipped more water and “ahemed.” He shuffled his papers and continued the reading.
“To my nephew, Henry James Charbonneau, I leave the balance of my estate, twelve million dollars, as well as my ownership in various companies and my positions on the boards.”
Jolene gasped and Mary patted her hand in a silent admonition to get herself together. Henry, she noticed, remained very still and quiet. He stared straight ahead, unaware of her shock.
“However,” Mr. Hatch read on, “my beloved nephew will only inherit my fortune on the following conditions: One, that he learns the lessons of frugality. Throughout his life he has enjoyed the benefits of my money. Now is his time to earn it. In order to inherit, he must learn to live on a budget. In order to become rich, he must first learn to be poor. Two, is that he must learn his thrifty ways from Miss Jolene Benningfield, who never had the advantages of a privileged life. However, she manages to make her way through her day-to-day existence with nothing more than what she can earn. Henry will have three months to learn how to survive. How to live Jolene’s life. If he cannot manage to do so, then he will inherit one hundred thousand dollars, and Jolene will receive the remainder of the estate. If he succeeds, then he will fulfill the inheritance and pay Jolene the one hundred thousand dollars to begin a new life.
“I realize what an imposition this will be for Jolene, but she can teach Henry like no one else. Either way, she will come out a winner. Edgar Hatch will be the judge of Henry’s accomplishments, so report to him on a regular basis. Good luck to all of you, and I will see you again someday.”
Silence filled the room like an electric layer of disbelief. Jolene shook her head with a slight gesture of questioning. Looking from one to the other, she checked for signs of being the butt of an enormous joke, however each one of them looked as shell-shocked as she felt.
Suddenly, a giggle erupted from Mary McManus’s lips. Then in evolved into a full-out throaty laugh. “That is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard!” she crowed. “I can’t believe he did it. Oh, my stars!” Gathering her things, she made her way to the door. “For what it’s worth, kids, I wish you both the best. Feel free to call me any time. I’m going to love hearing about this one.” Her red head shook with laughter as she made her way out of the office.
Jolene watched Mary disappear through the elegant wooden door, her laughter still streaming behind her into the office. She turned back around to face Mr. Hatch and Henry. The former seemed rather amused, and the latter definitely did not. Henry’s mouth was set in a tight, straight line. Obviously, he did not find his uncle’s antics at all funny.
“Edgar,” Henry intoned with a somber voice. “Is there nothing you can do? The old man must have been out of his head.”
“No, son, there isn’t. And I can assure you he was in his right mind.” Mr. Hatch leaned back in his chair. “He worried about your future and your ability to handle the responsibility of so much money. And the companies, too, were on his mind.”
“So, there’s nothing?” Henry sighed.
“Well, you can refuse to comply with the terms, but by doing so you will automatically forfeit the twelve million dollars to Miss Benningfield.” He motioned to Jolene.
Henry turned in his seat and glared at her. “That’s another thing. Just how well did you know my uncle, and why would he want to leave you so much money?” His eyes gleamed with a wild anger.
“He, uhm, he was my friend,” she began, looking to Mr. Hatch for backup. “We ate lunch together on the bench outside the museum where I work, uhm, worked until today. I don’t know why he would give me such a gift. The books were more than generous in their own right. Mr. Hatch, I don’t want to cause any trouble here. Can I be the one to refuse?”
Lowering his glasses to the bridge of his nose, the attorney looked at her with disbelief. “Young lady, pardon me for saying so, but you should not entertain the idea of refusing this opportunity.”
Henry leapt from his chair. “That’s a great idea! Let her be the one to refuse. That way I keep what I’m rightfully due, and I can give her a little something as a consolation parting gift.” He beamed at this new glimmer of hope.
Edgar Hatch snorted. “Sit down, Henry. You haven’t gotten your way just yet.” Turning his attention back to Jolene, he added, “Billy Hank was a dear friend of mine, and I respected his opinions. However, I must confess that I took the liberty of having you investigated, Miss Benningfield. You are practicality poverty stricken. You have no security, no family, and very minimal savings. And if I heard you correctly, you now have no job.”
She nodded. “I got laid off this morning. I’ve already started looking for a job, and I think I can file for unemployment.”
“Oh, my word,” he murmured. “Your salary at the museum was tiny and you had no benefits. Think about what you’re suggesting. One hundred thousand dollars would change your life. It could enable you to get an education and secure your future. Twelve million dollars in your hands could very well change the future of this city. I believe that, Jolene. Either way, you cannot lose here. Do you understand?”
She nodded slowly. “I would love to go to college. It would be my dream come true.”
“All right then, my dear. Perhaps it is time for you and your new friend to become acquainted. Jolene Benningfield, may I introduce you to Henry James Charbonneau. Henry, this is Jolene.”
The two sized one another up through new perspective. He looked into her eyes, searching for a selfish motive. She tried to find the humor and kindness she had seen before, but found none.
“I don’t like this arrangement,” he said at last.
“Nor do I,” she agreed.
“Let’s get this fiasco over and done with and get of each other’s lives as soon as possible.”
She nodded. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
~ ~ ~
Traffic on the street thrummed along with loud motors, mufflers, and horns. She could barely hear what Henry was saying.
“Come with me. Let’s take a drive around the city, and then we can talk about this over an early dinner and make some plans.” He motioned toward the alley.
Jolene followed, only slightly afraid he would knock her in the head and leave her to die. She followed him to a swanky blue sports car she couldn’t even begin to identify.
“Buckle up,” he admonished and brought the car to life. “Where would you like to drive?”
“Could we go down by the river? I’ll bet the rain has the flood gauge way up by now.”
He smiled at her suggestion. “Sure. I haven’t been over that way in a long time. Let’s go.”
They rode in silence while a seventies rock station played low on the sound system. The rain had abated, and a bit of sun struggled to shine through.
Henry pulled up into a parking area at the side of the river where various boats were tethered to moorings at the edge of the shore.
“I never get tired of seeing this,” Jolene sighed. “It’s always as if the river and I are remembering one another when I see it again after a long time.”
He nodded. “There is something special about it, isn’t there? Like it has personality. A real being.”
They sat chatting about the city and the many fine points it had, as well as a few of the darker aspects of life in Louisville. Time slipped away, and the sun began to pull in its stingy share of rays in order to close down the day.
“Look at the time. Maybe we should get going.” Henry set the car in motion. “So where would you like to eat?”
“There’s a nice steakhouse near my apartment, if you wouldn’t mind that. It’s rather quiet during the week, so we could talk.” She pointed down the street in the vague direction of her apartment building.
“Oh. Sure. Steakhouse. OK,” he agreed with a puzzled look.
“Is that wrong? Was I supposed to say something else?” she asked, her heart pounding.
“No, no, that’s fine. Just steer me as we go,” he said, pulling out of the lot.
Keeping her eyes trained out the passenger side window, she wondered about the steakhouse thing. Was that too much to ask for? Or was he judging her for being practical minded? The canyon between their lives was stretched out like a galaxy, and their adventure was just beginning. Jolene had to admit if only to herself, she was terrified—of him, of the money, and of her own self.
“Take a right down here, and then a left at the light,” she said, fighting to keep her voice even.
“Wow, we are really getting into the, uhhh, What I meant to say was the . . .”
Sighing, she said, “The poor side of town? I guess you’re not used to slumming it, are you?”
“Oh, no, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just not familiar with this side of the city. That’s all,” he explained, moving his hand down to the door panel.
“Yep, lock it up. Never know when you might get jacked at a traffic light.” Her sarcasm dripped through the stifled air in the car. “And be sure to engage your anti-theft devices when we get there, too.”
“Hey,” he protested. “You can’t blame me for being cautious. This is a very expensive car.”
“I know, I know. Get into that turn lane. It’s up here on the right.” She motioned with a wave of her hand. Her tummy grumbled at the mere thought of food.
“Whoa! Little hungry there, are you?” Henry laughed. “It won’t be long now.”
Jolene felt her cheeks burn as he chuckled. How embarrassing, however true it was. She was starving now. He parked the pretty car in a well-lit section and hurried around to help her out. As if the stomach growl wasn’t enough to make her feel like a clodhopper, she proceeded to whack her head on the doorframe of the car getting out.
“Crap!”
“Ohhh, are you okay?” he asked, looking down on the top of her head.
She shooed him away. “I’m fine. I guess I forgot to judge for the lower clearance than what I’m used to on the bus.”
His face paled. “The bus? Are you telling me that you really ride the city buses?”
It was her turn to laugh. “Well, yeah. I have to get to work and the store and such.”
“Really?” He looked as though he were a bit faint. “With the weirdos and the crazies?”
Jolene scowled at him. “No. With other people just like me. Unless I can be classified as a weirdo or a crazy. And you know what?”
His eyebrows scrunched together in thought. “What?”
“You will ride them too during the course of your education.”
He didn’t reply but led the way into the steakhouse. Jolene followed, making mental notes for his first lesson.
~ ~ ~
Henry assured her that she could order anything her heart desired, so she ordered a salad, rib-eye steak, baked potato and chocolate pie. He watched her saw into the meal, barely picking at his steak sandwich and fries.
“If I ate like that, I’d look like a dirigible,” he confessed. “Where do you put it all?”
“I don’t always eat this much,” she laughed. “I didn’t mean to make a pig of myself but going out to eat is a treat for me. Most nights I share some tuna with Linus or just have some soup.”
“Who is Linus?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows in comic interest.
She sighed after a dramatic pause. “Linus is the love of my life. We have lived together for three years now.”
His eyebrows stopped in mid-wiggle. “Oh, I see. I had hoped that you and I could become close friends, but if you’re already involved with someone . . .”
“You and I can still be friends, Henry,” she said with a secretive smile. “Linus doesn’t mind, as long as you bring him something nice when you come to visit.”
His face reddened in the dim light. “I am such an idiot. Linus is a dog or something, isn’t he? Wait, no. A cat. Right? Cats eat tuna fish. Oh, you are just so cute, aren’t you?”
“I like to think so,” she replied, finishing off her pie. She wrapped bits of leftover steak in a napkin and tucked it into her purse.
“You are a smart aleck,” he commented. “But I’m glad that we can still be friends, Jolene.” He took her hand in his.
Hesitating for a moment, she withdrew her hand from his. “Yes, we can be friends, Henry. But not that kind of friends. I think your idea of friendship and mine may be two entirely different things. And I, for one, will not put our respective inheritances in danger for the sake of a cheap fling.”
“Maybe,” he drawled, imitating her accent, “but you might find out that my way is a lot more fun.”
“And you may discover that your way could prove very costly,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows in reminiscent fashion.
He frowned. “This isn’t going to be easy, is it?”
“No.”
“You truly want to make me experience your real world and all its gory details, don’t you?”
“It will be good for you,” she explained, gathering her things.
“We could still have fun . . .”
“Knock it off, Charbonneau. Schmoozing will get you nowhere.”
Sighing, he pursed his lips. “You have a heart of stone, Jolene. A heart of stone.”
She stood up and pulled her coat on. “That may be true. I guess you will find out, but right now I need to get home. My cat will be starving, and I have to start looking for another job tomorrow.”
“OK, fine. I shall remember you later while I’m dancing and having a good time.” He shuffled a few fancy steps for her.
“Live it up while you can, Henry. Life changes tomorrow.”
~ ~ ~
Morning brought a renewed spirit of determination to Jolene. She would clean the apartment, meet with Henry, go look for a job, and file for her unemployment. If the horror stories were true, the last task on her list would be nothing short of a nightmare.
She had a little money in savings, not a lot but maybe enough to see her through this mess. When it was all over, she could enroll at the university and maybe even go back to the museum part-time. Things would work out, she was sure.
“Linus,” she assured the wide-eyed feline, “we can’t lose. It’s hello happy future for us.”
They rose from the warm, comfy bed and got the day rolling. Cat food. Instant coffee. Dusting, sweeping, and picking up clutter. After an hour, she surveyed her work with a critical eye. How had she never before noticed how shabby her home was?
