Part 19 (1/2)
Robert smiled tentatively, scratched his head. ”Well, thanks for your-”
”Robert?”
He raised his eyebrows.
”What I wanted to ask you was, well, I noticed the picture on your desk, and thought maybe you could use a little help.”
”Some . . .”
”You know, babysitting, cooking, whatever.”
”Oh.”
”I mean, if you don't need-”
”No,” said Robert quickly. ”That'd be great. Fantastic even. My dad's been staying with me the past few weeks, but I'm seeing him off tonight, so that'd be . . .” and he paused, smiling at her. ”Thanks, Mary. Really.”
”Can I get your number?”
”Of course,” he said, still smiling. ”Unfortunately, you won't be getting an A.”
”Why's that?”
”I must guard against a.s.s-kissing in all its permutations.”
Mary laughed, then punched him playfully in the arm. Robert tried very hard not to scream.
That same evening, while Robert was getting ready for the drive to the airport, his father appeared in his bedroom doorway. ”Hey, kid,” he said. Tears made his eyes gleam.
Robert looked up from tying his shoes. ”Hey”-he hesitated, seeing the wet gleam in his father's eyes-”Dad.”
Jimmy sat beside him, put a hand on Robert's knee. ”Look, son, I don't know how to tell you this, but I have to. I promised Juanita I would, but I've been putting it off.”
”Tell me what?”
”I never thought it was important that you know, but I think that was probably my own grief process talking,” said Jimmy.
Robert had never heard his father mention a process in his life. Juanita had forced him into therapy for years, though. There had been times Jimmy had been mighty friendly with Jim Beam.
”Your mother disappeared. She vanished, Robert.”
Robert stood up before he realized he was moving. ”I'm sorry, what?”
”She disappeared,” said Jimmy. His chin quivered. ”We knew she was dying, knew it was only a matter of days, really, but she left you close to a . . . a kind of church, Robert. Just left you sitting in the dirt. You were four years old.” Jimmy paused, closing his eyes. ”She'd burst into this place that day, and the guy, some type of priest I guess, wouldn't even tell me what she'd said. Then your mother ran outside, and I guess she ran off.”
Father and son stared at each other. ”What in G.o.d's name are you telling me, Dad? Did they find her? Her body?”
Jimmy shook his head. ”The cops asked her doctor's opinion, and he said she'd probably crawled off somewhere and died. She didn't have long, son. She weighed less than one hundred pounds, and she could barely hold you in her arms.”
”They never found her body?”
”No,” said Jimmy, hiding his eyes, his tears, from his son.
After Robert dropped his father off at the airport, he went to The House of Socrates.
Dan was rolling the carts inside when he pulled up. ”Leaving so early?” asked Robert, racing out of his car to help Dan with the closing ch.o.r.es.
Dan consulted his watch. ”Been dead all day, and I've got a date. How you feeling?”
”Like s.h.i.+t. Got a minute?”
Dan nodded, pushed a book-cart inside. ”Always for you, my dear. One minute, considering that my other appointment has b.r.e.a.s.t.s and you, clearly, do not.”
”Could you put the girl off, just for tonight?”
Dan shook his head, rolled his eyes. ”Robert, Robert. You put p.u.s.s.y off until tomorrow, you might never get it,” he admonished, but he was already unclipping his cell phone from his belt. He had her on speed dial. Must have been serious.
They drove to the Denny's at the edge of town. At a reasonably clean corner booth, Robert didn't bother with small talk. He told Dan what his father had said, and only then noticed that his friend had not touched his fries. Eventually, Dan did pluck one up and dip it in catsup, but he left it there, growing pink and soggy. ”For once, I'm speechless.”
”Unbelievable.”
”The soul makes the body,” said Dan.
Robert pushed his plate away, on which was only a bunched napkin, catsup stains, and a fork. ”Emerson?”
Dan nodded. ”You were there that day, Robert. You may not consciously remember it, but a part of you has.”
”Come on, Dan. Enough with the New Age s.h.i.+t.”
Dan leaned forward. ”Are you so arrogant that you believe you've figured out the world in thirty years? Logic isn't the same as strength. Don't try to think your way through this. You aren't dead yet.” Then Dan grinned, as if he knew something that Robert should.
”What?” Robert asked.
”I think you're ready.”
”For what?”
”There's someone you have to meet. Tomorrow. Come by tomorrow. Now eat. You're getting skinny.”