“Oh, how nice for her, I guess,” Deedra added.
Lisa loved her home now and did not over-furnish it, which was good for the dog and kept it open and kind of airy.
One day, sitting out back on the patio, retirement came up. Deedra wanted to retire to California, but David wanted to go to Atlanta where he knew a lot of people, including his brother.
The couple went to church, continued their routine and had a good visit with the girls while they were visiting. They saw many of their old friends who were still in the area. Matt was active. He wanted to transfer to Duke Ellington and study voice. He played the trumpet well, but his parents thought he’d get better preparation for college where he was and denied his request to audition. He was still on the soccer team at school and accepted Deedra’s and David’s decision. He also enjoyed walking Pasho.
One evening at a friend’s home for cocktails, Deedra was about to call the sitter, whose job infuriated Matt, when a friend came up to David and her and said,” Well, I hope, that new employee of yours has had her baby, one of your workers was telling me over golf. David, she must be excited!”
“Yes, I guess. I don’t know.”
One day, over breakfast, Deedra said, “David, let’s take our vacation in Italy this year. Matt can come or stay with his sisters, whatever he chooses.”
“Ok by me.”
A few months later, the phone rang and Kim was on the line.
“You know that girl your husband hired is getting divorced.”
“Why?”
” Craziest thing I ever heard! Her husband is supposed to be Al Queda!”
“What! There must be some mistake. He was not vetted when she was hired, except superficially because they were not married and no one figured that they would, either. They thought they dated superficially.”
After that call , Deedra had nothing but questions. David was vague and would only say “everything is classified.” They argued and as in the past, he once again refused marriage counseling. Deedra consulted with a lawyer and the lawyer came over one evening and talked. He came late because David often came home late. The divorce would happen, the house would be sold, and Matt and Deedra would live in an apartment that allowed Pasho. She would have custody of Matt, and she would not demand DNA of Hope’s baby. He would still have his job and his title without scandal. He eventually agreed. Later the divorce became final.
David moved to an apartment and sees Matt and also Paso when he comes to pick-up Matt. Matt plans to go to the University of Maryland. After he finishes college, Deedra will retire and they will move to California. the girls are doing postgraduate work and working in Michigan. One is getting married soon and the other plans to marry in the not-too-far future. Matt plans to go to law school one
day, probably, and to sing professionally sometimes. Pasho and Deedra are doing fine. Oh yeah, the students really loved the Sound and the Fury.
Sadly, Hope’s stepfather died in the hospital through natural causes. The nature of their relationship before and after her mother died is unclear, at least to Deedra and her friends. Deedra thinks the girls in Michigan can check on her parents, but she is considering moving back to Ohio and Matt can go to college there. Maybe the girls aaand their husbands will join them in California, at least while they are there.
Deedra later learned that Hope’s father had been expected to make a full recovery when he died in the hospital Matt is also considering going to a college in Michigan. The chance for Hope to take over when David retires improved because the person she would probably be competing with has developed an addiction to pain medication. Coincidences, coincidencies, coincidencies….
To be continued
