Thunder and Lightening Chapter 40 By Lazlo Zalezac Copyright (C) Lazlo Zalezac, 2004 Standing next to the kitchen table, Jerry and Bill waited in the kitchen for Melissa to come out for breakfast. The table was set with a stack of pancakes at her place complete with seventeen candles. Bill smiled at his father and said, "Won't she be surprised." "I think so." Melissa came out of her room and entered the kitchen in dire need of a cup of coffee. She looked up and saw the two men standing by the table. Her mouth dropped open in shock. It took her half a minute to recover enough to say, "You got robes!" "Happy Birthday!" said Bill as he twisted and turned like a fashion model. Jerry ginned at the antics of his son and the surprised expression on Melissa's face. "I don't have to look at you in your boxers any more," exclaimed Melissa. She actually jumped with joy. Unable to contain her pleasure at that prospect, she said, "That's that best birthday present you could have gotten me." Grinning at his father, Bill said, "I told you she would like it." Melissa noticed the stack of pancakes with the candles sticking out of them. Her eyes misted at the idea that they had taken such an interest in her birthday. Recalling what they had done for Abe, she wondered what else they had planned for her. Touched, she said, "I love the candles on the pancakes." Jerry pulled out a lighter and lit the candles. Once they were all aflame, he and Bill stepped back to sing 'Happy Birthday.' She stood in place feeling the typical mortification that young adults feel on that specific occasion. Through it all, she was pleased. When they had finished, Bill said, "Blow out the candles and make a wish!" Making a wish that things would continue to get better, Melissa bent over and blew out all of the candles. Standing up, she grinned and said, "All right. That's one wish that I hope will come true." They sat down at the table and started in on their breakfast. Mondays were hot breakfast days and they appreciated the routine. For a short time, eating occupied most of their attention. When their appetites had been sated, Jerry sat back and emitted a long happy sigh. On cue, Bill asked, "So what's the plan today?" "Well, today is Melissa's birthday. So I thought we'd do a few things to help her celebrate it," answered Jerry. Wondering what her father had planned, Melissa looked up and asked, "So what do you have in mind?" "To start off, I thought I'd drop Bill off at school and then take you to get your driver's license." The news that he was going to let her skip school to get her driver's license was a major shock. Like most seniors in high school, the opportunity to skip school was just too great to pass up. She squealed and shouted, "Really?" "Yes, really. Then I thought that I'd take you out to lunch at the Crimson Rose," said Jerry. "You're finally taking me to Jenny's place?" asked Melissa with her surprise evident in her voice. As far as she was concerned, the plans for this day were good and getting better. Nodding his head, Jerry said, "You bet. After that, I thought we'd head over to the house. They're delivering the furniture today and I thought you might enjoy directing the delivery guys as to where everything goes." Melissa stared at her father upon hearing the great news. She hadn't known that the furniture was getting delivered that day. Once the furniture was delivered, they could move in! She screamed, "All right!" Bill grinned at his sister knowing how much the news about the house meant to her. Jerry waited for her to calm down. Once she was paying attention to her father again, he said, "After school gets out, we'll come back here. Some of the people in the neighborhood want to stop by and wish you happy birthday." "You're kidding. Some of the people around here want to wish 'me' happy birthday?" asked Melissa with emphasis on the 'me.' The suggestion that folks around there would want to have anything to do with her was totally unexpected. "You've met quite a few people around here. I know that things started a little rough, but they're good people who know how to forgive," said Jerry. Abe had been one of the prime movers in getting some of the kids to come over. "I never knew," said Melissa humbled by his description of the people around the neighborhood. It was true. She and Shauna had buried the hatchet. Despite herself, she found that she liked Abe and his smart mouth, even though she was frequently the subject of his quips. "Your day isn't over yet," said Jerry with a smile. He looked over at Bill and said, "You tell her the rest." "Dinner at the Bon Fromege. You've got reservations and the bill is all taken care of. I talked to your friends last Friday and they're going to be waiting for you there," said Bill. He knew how much she and her friends liked that fancy French restaurant. "My God! This is such a surprise," said Melissa as tears flooded her eyes. She couldn't keep herself from crying tears of happiness. At the worried look on Bill's face, Jerry winked. Picking up a clean napkin, he handed it to Melissa and said, "Bill and I are pleased to see you so happy." It dawned on Bill that although she was crying that they were tears of happiness. He relaxed and watched his sister struggle to say something. After blowing her nose into the napkin, she finally said, "This is so much more than I expected." Jerry looked at Bill with more than a little pride and said, "Bill has paid for your dinner tonight. He thought you'd like the chance to drive there yourself and enjoy an evening alone with your friends. That's his present for you." Melissa reached for Bill with an energetic lunge that almost knocked him out of his chair. She hugged him tightly and cried, "Thank you. Thank you." By the time that his sister released him, Bill was nearly on the verge of tears himself. He looked up to see his father watching them with a smile on his face. Bill, uncomfortable by the attention, said, "Happy Birthday, Melissa." Jerry reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring. Handing it to her, he said, "It's time for me to give you your present." Looking at the key, Melissa asked, "What's this?" "Well, I didn't know how wealthy your grandmother was. The estate has passed to you and Bill to share. I talked to the lawyer and he told me that it would take about a year for everything to get cleared up, but that the house could be used until then. Bill and I talked about it. If it is okay with you, we thought that you'd like to keep your grandmother's house rather than sell it." Melissa's eyes had grown larger with each word that her father had said. If she understood what her father was saying, she was being given her grandmother's house. Swallowing, she asked, "What are you saying?" "Bill has agreed to get his half of the estate out of the stocks, bonds, and cash leaving you with the house and about a quarter of her money. The money should see you through college and pay for the upkeep on the house. For all intents and purposes, you are set up for the rest of your life if you take care not to blow the money," said Jerry. He had been staggered when he learned how much the kids were set to inherit. Melissa thought about it for a moment and then, afraid to learn the answer, asked, "Are you saying that I'm not going to live in the new house?" Laughing at the worried look on her face and understanding that it arose from a sense of abandonment, Jerry said, "No. You're seventeen years old and will live with us as long as you want. I'm just saying that on weekends and afternoons, you have a house of your own that you can go to. It has a swimming pool and a garage for your cars." "Cars?" asked Melissa, relieved to learn that her Dad wanted her to live at home with him. "Your grandmother had two cars," explained Jerry. Melissa was silent for a minute and then asked, "What about mom's sports car? What's happened with that?" "What car?" asked Jerry. He hadn't thought about his ex-wife's possessions other than what she had been given by her mother. Thinking about it, he realized that her car must be parked in front of the courthouse if it hadn't been towed away. "She had a Mustang convertible," answered Melissa. She looked at Bill and saw the effect that mentioning the name of the car had on her brother. She smiled and said, "When we find it, Bill ought to take it. The girls will love that." "Oh boy, Billy Boy's gonna get a chick magnet," Bill quipped with a grin and giving a giving a little disco-fever dance move. It would be almost two years before he could drive it, but it was nice thinking that a convertible was waiting for him. Jerry laughed at the Bill's joke and saw that Melissa was smiling as well. He said, "Anyway, that gets me back to your birthday present. You've got three cars, a house, and enough money for life. That didn't leave much for me to get you. However, I figured that you might enjoy going skiing between Christmas and New Years with some of your friends. I know they usually go to Aspen, so I'll cover your trip there." The young woman threw herself at her father and wrapped him in a hug. She was amazed that he was able to do just the right thing for her over and over. Every year, she had watched her friends go skiing over the winter holiday wishing that she could go with them. She stepped back and said, "Thank you, Dad." "Happy Birthday," said Jerry. Glancing over at the clock, he said, "Hey, we better get dressed so that Bill isn't late for school." The kids carried their plates to the sink and then rushed off to change clothes. Jerry took his time while getting his clothes and then going into the bathroom to change into them. As he changed, he thought about the strange position that he was in with regard to the kids. They didn't realize it yet, but they had far more wealth than he did. He chuckled to himself at the thought of asking Bill for an allowance. Bill and Melissa were waiting by the Camaro when he finally got out of the house. Looking at them, he said, "Hey, we need to take the BMW. How's Melissa supposed to take her driver's test if she isn't driving her own car?" Feeling a little foolish at their lack of foresight, both kids went over to the BMW. Melissa had headed for the passenger's seat until she realized that her father was getting in that side of the car. The prospect of driving through rush hour traffic to school was a little daunting. She started the car and pulled out of the front yard. Just before the front tire left the curb, she stopped the car and said, "I heard a redneck joke the other day." Surprised by the fact that she was mentioning a joke, Jerry asked, "What was it?" "You might be a red neck if you have more than three cars parked in your front yard," answered Melissa. She gestured behind her with her thumb at Bill's car, the truck, and the Camaro parked on the lawn. Jerry and Bill laughed at the joke as Melissa drove down the street dodging the hundreds of potholes that littered its length. As she made her way around a particularly bad pothole, she knew that driving a cone lined path would be simple compared to missing the potholes. Melissa pulled up to the high school feeling much more confident about her driving skills. When she parked the car, Bill leaned over the front seat and said, "Good luck." "Thanks," answered Melissa. "I'll meet you at the house after school," said Bill after getting out of the car and before shutting the door. "Okay," said Jerry. He watched as Bill raced off to meet his friends. Woody, Larry, Sandy, and a third guy were waiting for him. Jerry recalled that Sandy now had a boyfriend and decided that the guy he didn't recognize was the boyfriend. "He's got a large circle of friends," commented Melissa. She added, "The nerds, the geeks, the band, and the elites all like him. Even the football players wanted him to join the team as center. It surprised me when they accepted his decision not to join and remained friends with him." Not fully aware of the complexities of the social structure of high school, Jerry was clueless as to why she would be surprised. He guessed that you didn't turn down the football team. He asked, "Who are the nerds, the Greeks, the band, and the whatever you called the other groups?" She smiled at her father's lack of knowledge about the social hierarchy of high school, particularly when he called the geeks the Greeks. She pulled away from the curb. While navigating through the school zone, she answered, "The nerds are the brains that love computers, dungeons and dragons, and form Xena fan clubs. The geeks are those kids that want to be cool by copying the cool kids, but come across as fake. They try to fit in, but can't. The band, well, those are the kids that are in the band and really enjoy it. They are basically their own social group. The elites are the leaders on campus. That includes the football team, the cheerleaders, and the trendsetters." "Oh," replied Jerry knowing which group she belonged to based on her descriptions. Although Bill was a freshman and she was a senior, she had watched her brother moving through the school crowds on a couple of occasions. He greeted everyone and dealt with each person like an equal. The social misfits appreciated the honest attention and the elites liked his honesty. Melissa said, "I wouldn't be surprised if Bill doesn't end up with a cheerleader for a girlfriend. Who ever he ends up with, she's going to be a lucky lady. I think Shauna taught him a few tricks that they are going to enjoy." Deciding that she was headed into territory that he wasn't interested in exploring, Jerry said, "I don't want to know about that." She laughed at his obvious unease with the topic of his son's sexuality. She smiled and said, "Okay. I understand. I just thought that you'd like to brag that your son is seen as the neighborhood stud." Jerry groaned and said, "It's none of my business. So long as he uses precautions, he's a free agent." The thought came to her that her father had given her the keys to the house just to allow her a private place knowing full well that she could use it for that kind of activity. Looking over at her father, she realized that one of the things that she respected about him was the fact that he allowed her to keep her sex life private. The truth was that she hadn't had much of a sex life to that point in time. Yes, there had been a few dates, but her mother had instilled barriers to intimacy that she was only now breaking down. How many times had her mother told her to keep her thighs together until the man put the ring on her finger? She couldn't even begin to guess. Blowjobs? Forget about that. A lady, at most, would calmly jack a guy off into a handkerchief and she would only do that if it was necessary to keep his hormones under control. She pulled into the parking lot of the DMV and looked around for a place to park. It took her a few minutes to find one. She groaned on seeing that she would have to parallel park. Seeing the smile on her father's face, she said, "Good practice." He watched as she went through the proper sequence of actions. Without hitting the car in front or behind, she managed to get the car into the parking space. Nodding, he said, "Good job." That was another thing she liked about her father. He was always there with a compliment rather than a criticism. She smiled as she turned off the engine and said, "You do that well." "What?" "Give compliments," answered Melissa. She grabbed her purse and added, "Let's get in line." "I'll let you get in line while I wait with the screaming kids," said Jerry rolling his eyes at the prospect. Melissa laughed at the expression on his face and climbed out of the car. He followed behind watching cars pull in and out of the parking lot. In a way, he was envious. He wished that his store had that many people visiting it in a day. He could just imagine the bonus that kind of business would generate. Jerry sat down on one of the plastic chairs and looked around. He would have been willing to swear that the same people who had been there when he had brought Abe to get his permit to ride a scooter were still there. There was a fat woman with three screaming kids. A black woman was seated beside him with a hard bitter look on her face and reminded him of the woman who had asked him if Sharon was his 'Ho.' Now that he knew what she was asking, he would have reacted very differently. He watched as Melissa slowly advanced through the line. Once she reached the head of the line, he couldn't see her anymore. It was a few minutes after that when she appeared in front of him. A good deal of her excitement about being there had vanished. She said, "I have to wait until they call my name, then you and I have to take the car over to a place over by the side of the building." "You're going to do a great job, so relax," said Jerry. Standing in line had to be one of the most horrible things in life. This had been particularly bad since the man in front of her had a horrible case of body odor. She dropped down into the chair and said, "I really hate lines." "I'd tell you to join the club, but the line for membership is so long that you'd hate it." Melissa laughed at the lame joke and felt better. She leaned back and said, "Wow. I wish I had a dollar for everyone that comes through here in a year." The black woman sitting beside Jerry said, "You can say that again." In the past, Melissa would have made a point of ignoring the woman. Today, she leaned forward and said, "Just as good as winning the lottery." "Oh yeah. I'd be riding in a big car, wearing fancy clothes, and livin' in a mansion. Did you hear about that guy who won fifty million dollars the other day? Shit, I'd a died if my number came up." Melissa smiled and said, "It's kind of hard to spend that money if you die." The black woman laughed, the hard lines on her face disappearing for a moment, and replied, "Honey, I'd pull a Jesus Christ and rise from the dead for that kind of money." Laughing at the joke, Jerry said, "Wouldn't we all?" Jerry heard them announce Melissa's name over the loudspeaker. He turned to her and said, "They called your name." Melissa rose and turned to the black woman. Giving her a wink, she said, "I wish you luck on the lottery." "Thanks, honey," said the woman as she watched the pair head for the door. She shook her head at the thought that there were some nice white people in this world. Taking a deep breath, she went back to waiting. Jerry stood waiting for Melissa to return from her test. He had watched as she drove through the laid out course and parallel parked. Then she had followed directions and headed out into real traffic. When she returned, he could tell by the smile on her face that she had passed. She parked and climbed out of the car, bubbling over with excitement. She exclaimed, "I passed!" "I knew you would," said Jerry giving her a hug. Melissa stopped inside the door and looked around the restaurant. She didn't know any of the clients, but she recognized what they were like. She looked at the décor finding that it resonated with her feminine side. Looking over at Jenny, she said, "It's lovely." "Thank you. I'm glad you like it," said Jenny. She took them over to the table where Jerry usually sat and said, "I'll be right back." A few minutes later, Jenny made it back to the table and said, "I've asked the chef to prepare a little birthday treat for you. I hope you like it." "I'm sure I'll love it," answered Melissa wondering what was going to be served. It wasn't long before she found herself looking at Mesclun Salad with grilled chicken. It was exactly what she would have ordered for herself. Melissa leaned across the table and smelled the fresh flower on the table. Her eyes took in the floral prints on the wall. She ran her fingers over the lace covers and said, "I had no idea it was this nice in here. I'm kind of surprised that you eat here, though. Don't tell Jenny this, but it isn't exactly the kind of place that guys like." Jerry laughed at that and said, "We both figured that out the first time I came in here." Never having heard the story about how Jerry met Jenny, Melissa asked, "Why did you come in here?" Over lunch, Jerry recounted the events that led him to come to the Crimson Rose for the first time. Melissa listened to the story incredulous that her father had gone through such an experience. It was such a contrast to the story that her mother told about why he had left home. Spellbound, she listened to how he had come here to eat every week for months before ever asking Jenny out. She tittered when he relayed how suave he had been in asking Jenny out. She decided that it was a romantic story. They finished eating by the time that the restaurant had cleared out. Jenny sat down at the table and asked, "So how did you like your meal?" "Oh, it was great. That dessert was so rich. I can't believe that I ate the whole thing," answered Melissa. She didn't feel guilty about having eaten it. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," said Jenny. She had expected Melissa to protest the high calorie dessert and had been pleased when the young lady had eaten it with as much gusto as her father. Melissa had learned over time exactly how Jenny felt about her mother's attitude towards men. She recognized the type of women who frequented the Crimson Bistro and knew they shared the same attitudes as her mother. Confused by the contradiction of running a business that catered to women, who were the opposite of Jenny, Melissa asked, "What do you think of your customers?" "I try to keep my relationship with the customers professional. In fact, there's only been one customer that I've ever seen socially outside of the restaurant," answered Jenny. "Oh, who is that?" "Your father," answered Jenny reaching over grasping him by the arm. Melissa burst out laughing and said, "Okay. I should have known that." Jenny pushed a small envelope across the table and said, "Happy Birthday." Opening the envelope, Melissa gasped and then announced her pleasure, "This is so great. I've been dying to go there for ages." "What is it?" asked Jerry curious about what could make Melissa that happy. "A gift certificate to a day spa," answered Melissa. She shivered as she read the card aloud, "A massage, hair styling, manicure, pedicure, skin treatment, and even a lunch. I'll be in there all day!" The young woman embraced Jenny in a hug. It was a heartfelt act that both women understood. Jenny, eyes misting, said, "You're going to have a great time there. I've been twice and each time I felt like a princess by the time I left." Jerry looked at his watch and said, "I hate to break this up, but we need to get to the house for the delivery." "Oh, that's right. Everything is getting delivered today," said Jenny with a smile. After the deliverymen had left, Melissa walked through the house looking in each room. She stopped at the Master Bedroom taking in the balance between masculine and feminine elements. With the addition of a few lace curtains, it would strike the perfect balance. She knew that Jenny and Jerry would both be comfortable in it. Jenny would feel like a real woman in that room and her father would reap the benefits. She still blushed whenever she looked at the picture of the nude over the bed. The woman bore a superficial resemblance to Jenny, but the painting was old enough that there was no way that it could have been Jenny. She went on to Bill's bedroom. This room was almost Spartan in appearance, containing only a simple bed, a small desk, and a chest of drawers. It reflected him - simple, straightforward, and practical. She figured that he would be adding posters on the wall, but she still hadn't decided if the posters would be of women or cars. She had a private bet with herself that he'd choose cars. Turning, she went into her bedroom. The four poster bed with the canopy looked like the bed of a princess. She had a white desk, a make up table, and a three-shelf bookcase. The whole room, filled with white and lace, looked like something out of a fairy tale. She looked at the picture that her father had just hung on the wall. It showed a delicate fairy hovering in front of a flower. She had wanted the painting when she had seen it at the gallery, but didn't mention it. Jenny must have noticed and purchased it for her. From her bedroom, she made her way back to the living room. It was meant for the whole family and conveyed a sense of comfort rather than formality. The overstuffed chairs were covered with a neutrally colored fabric and faced an entertainment center. She could picture her father on the couch with his arm around Jenny who was curled up beside him. Bill would be sprawled across the chair. She planned on claiming the love seat. Stepping into the new den, she was amazed at the transformation that had occurred in the new addition with the introduction of the furniture. The wood desk, bookcases, and credenza looked rich and sophisticated. The red leather judge's chair behind the desk, the two stuffed red leather chairs in front of the desk, and the small red leather sofa gave the room the feel of an old fashioned library. She turned on the lights and watched as the wall sconces lit up the wood paneled walls and white ceiling. Jerry walked up behind her and saw the room for the first time. He couldn't believe his eyes and entered the room spellbound. He whistled as he slowly spun around in the center of the room. With awe in his voice, he said, "Amazing. Absolutely amazing. I can't believe how … I don't even know how to describe it. It's just…" Melissa smiled at his honest display of emotion and said, "It was Jenny. She put so much work into this room to make it just right for you. She loves you a lot." "I don't know what I ever did to deserve her," said Jerry. He went over and hugged Melissa. He added, "I don't know what I did to deserve you and Bill, either." Stepping back, Melissa wiped her eyes and sniffed. Getting control over her emotions, she said, "Jenny has an antique dinner table for the dining room that we'll move in. Add our personal stuff and the house is ready for us." "Just a few days to go," said Jerry making reference to the fact that he would be getting married over the upcoming weekend. "I'm looking forward to the wedding," said Melissa. Although there had been a time when she would have been angry, she really meant it. The more she had worked on decorating the house with Jenny the more she loved the woman. She was classy without being pretentious. "Jenny is going to be a beautiful bride. You're going to look very handsome in your suit." Bill shouted upon entering the house and seeing the living room. He raced around taking a quick look in each room until he reached his. The sound of his shout brought Jerry and his daughter out of the study. Melissa laughed as she watched Bill go into his bedroom. Standing at the doorway, he said, "It's perfect." Amazed that he would be so excited by so little, Melissa said, "It's a little barren." "No, it's perfect. Just like I wanted." Melissa smiled at his reaction. She couldn't believe how perfect this day had been. That reminded her that they were supposed to go back to the house. Rather than insist they leave immediately, she asked, "Hey, aren't we supposed to head back to the house?" The party at the house was a simple affair. Jenny had brought over a small birthday cake. Although the guest list was small, the tiny house was filled with people. Abe, Sharon and Henry came by bearing gifts and to wish her a happy birthday. They had gotten together and bought her a makeup case. Leo and Denzel stopped by and gave her gift certificates to the burger place and taco stand. Shauna had slipped her a little present and told her to open it when she was alone. Melissa had a blast telling everyone about taking the driver's test, lunch, and setting up the house. The kids were interested in what it felt like to be able to drive. The adults reminisced about when they had gotten their licenses. Surprising herself, she related best with Abe who had just gotten his license. Although the pending move to the house was foremost on her mind, she didn't mention it to anyone. She was looking forward to going back home, but understood how it would sound to the others. She didn't want to sound like she wanted to leave here and by extension leave them behind. When the guests left, Melissa collapsed on the Futon and said, "Wow. What a day." Sitting down on the floor, Bill grinned at his sister and said, "You still have dinner." "I know. Everything has been perfect. It's almost like it is too much," said Melissa. She looked around the living room and wondered when she had become comfortable living there. A little later, Bill, Jerry, and Jenny watched Melissa drive off to meet her friends for dinner. Jerry said, "I think she's happy." "I know she's happy," said Bill as his stomach growled, "and I'm hungry." "Let's get some tacos," suggested Jerry as his stomach growled at the idea of eating. Jenny shook her head at the thought of eating at Poncho's Tacos. She was half tempted to run to her car and follow Melissa. Frowning, she said, "I really can't face Ponchos tonight." Bill and Jerry both turned to Jenny in horror at the thought of actually going to Poncho's Tacos. Seeing the looks on their faces, she asked, "What?" "Oh Jenny. Have we got a treat for you tonight!" said Jerry realizing that he had never taken her to the Mexican Restaurant on the other side of the slum.