Tears on a Sunday Afternoon - Michael Presley [8]
“Are you hungry?” she asked me, taking Emerald into her arms and carrying him into the house.
“Daddy said we’re going to the zoo,” Emerald said as I pulled the door shut.
“Well, if your dad said we’re going to the zoo, then we’re going to the zoo,” Julie replied as she put Emerald down. “Do you want something to eat first?”
I had already gone to the refrigerator and taken out a bottle of Poland Spring water.
“I don’t,” Emerald said. “I ate at Grandma’s.”
“I sure didn’t eat at Grandma’s. I’m famished.”
“What does famished mean, Daddy?”
“It’s another way of saying that I’m very hungry, Emerald.”
“Where’s Linky?” Emerald asked. Linky was Julie’s cat. Emerald loved him. I wasn’t in a hurry to see him.
“I think he went outside,” Julie said. “I’m sure he’ll be back later.”
“Emerald, I’m going to eat in the kitchen,” I said.
“Okay, Daddy,” Emerald replied, sitting in front of the television. “Aunty Julie, can I watch the cartoon channel?”
I lifted the cover off a pot on the stove, steam escaped. I took two spoons of rice, then headed for the stewed chicken. The smell alone made me want to eat the entire bowl. I packed chicken legs and breasts onto my plate. There was potato salad with chopped, boiled eggs and green peppers. I used the knife to cut two cubes of the macaroni pie. Finally, I leaned back onto one of the black seats surrounding the table and started on the overfilled plate.
“I see that you are very hungry,” Julie said, as she walked into the kitchen. “Father and son, what a pair! One is busy stuffing his face and the other is fast asleep.” She paused. “Donald, when are you going to stop this?”
I put the fork down and looked up at Julie. There was concern etched between those beautiful high brows. I knew exactly what she was talking about. I hadn’t eaten dinner in my own house for more than two years.
“He’s all that I live for. If it was only about walking away from the wealth, I would’ve done that a long time ago. There’s no way that I’m going to leave my son to grow up with those two bitches.”
“Donald, it’s all your fault. You said you wanted a meal ticket. You said you didn’t want to marry for love and all that other stuff.”
“I got what I wanted, but things have changed. There is so much more. Sometimes I laugh at myself, the man who could get almost any woman he wants ends up with a woman who doesn’t want him. How ironic!” I dug my fork into the potato salad.
“So what? Now you’re going to give up and waste your life drowning yourself in the stupor of alcohol.”
I smiled. Julie was the only person I knew who used the English language in such a formal way.
“Today, I told him I wanted out.” I reluctantly placed the fork down. “And you know what he told me?”
“What?”
“He told me I could leave but I had to leave my son. He told me what I realized all along; he doesn’t care about his daughter or me. But, before that, he raised the price on my son’s head. He offered me a million dollars to change my son’s last name. Do you believe that?” I asked, gazing into Julie’s eyes.
“Donald, did you think he would stop asking to change your son’s last name? Your father-in-law has it all, except an heir to his fortune. He’s a businessman who’s willing to pay whatever the cost to get what he wants. Right now, he wants his grandson. I’ve only met that man once and he gave me the creeps.” Julie ran her hands up and down her elbows.
“Julie, I have to get out. I don’t know how I’m going