Chapter 5
Pamela and Michael decided it was time to be concerned. They had kept in touch with Wendy since they first saw her two days earlier. She had no idea where their father had gone and had gone searching around town, went to the Marriott and asked for him. As far as they knew he had checked out 3 days earlier.
She went to the diner and asked if he had been in at all during the past 48 hours, when they told her no she put up a sign in the window with his picture and her phone number. She went to “Walt’s” and gave them the same picture to put up after asking and being told no whether he had been there as well.
Wendy called.
“Have you heard anything?” She asked Mike.
“No, how about you?” Mike asked her.
“No, I did put up the flyer with his picture all over town. I am sorry…”
“I am going to speak with Pam – I’ll keep you posted. Wendy, thank you. I know you only knew my father for -”
“Don’t – I really like your father and I can tell you he really loves you and your sister. He will show up.”
“OK” Mike hung up the phone.
“Good morning kids.”
“Mom can you at least pretend to be concerned?” Pamela told her.
“I am concerned, I am concerned about being left alone.”
“Mom – please.” Pamela added. “You are never alone – unfortunately you never tried to hide that.”
“Please get over that already – it was one time…”
“One time that we know about and it was a Christmas mom. What a great present, right Pam?” Mike added.
“I would have preferred a card.” Pamela said, “I am sure dad would have too. You killed him that day mom.”
“I don’t have to hear this from you.” She pulled up her pocketbook, pulled her phone from the charger and left the house. Neither of them went after her. She stood outside the front door waiting for them to come – when they didn’t she shrugged, went into her car and drove away.
“I think we should go to the police.” Michael said.
“And tell them what? That a terminally ill man, who told his family he was going to die at any moment, left home is no where to be seen? They would arrest us for being insensitive pricks.”
“We fucked up and hurt him – we are hurting too Pam. I want to see him, to be there for him.” He stopped speaking, put his head in his hands and began to sob.
Pamela – walked over put her arm around him and then walked to her phone.
“I want to file a missing persons report…”
Henry was feeling invigorated. He had been spending the day with his new friend Lisa, and had actually forgotten that he was sick.
They rented a boat the next day to go snorkeling – they packed a lunch, there was a stacked refrigerator with drinks and a boat driver to take them where they wanted to go.
They went snorkeling at a place called “Mangel Halto,” ate lunch, drank too much and then went for a walk on the beach. Henry told her that he had been to the Doctor the week before and that, “Apparently, I am dying.”
She let out a laugh, looked at him and then said, “Are you telling me the truth?”
His look said it all.
“Then we need to write down a bucket list of things you want to do. Did you ever make love in the ocean?”
“In the ocean, no and that is number 1 on my bucket list. Make love with a beautiful young lady in the warm waters of the Caribbean.”
She led him into the water – the water was warm.
She led him in deeper until they could not touch the floor.
She looked him in the eyes and he threw her a grin. She put her arms around his neck and parted her lips and kissed him. They wandered towards shallower height and he went in behind her.
He spied another lady in her mid 30’s watching them and she gave him a smile.
“I think we have someone who is jealous…”
“Have you ever…”
“No – have you?”
“I have wanted to try it…”
“Me too…”
Her name was Lucy and she was from Hastings Minnesota and had just gotten legally divorced from her husband of 12 years.
“He was cheating on me.” Was all she said. “I want to do all the things I would never have done in the past.”
Lisa and Henry smiled and pulled her into their embrace.
Henry woke up in the middle of the night to a throbbing headache.
“I don’t want to die…” Lisa woke and then Lucy saw Henry crying.
They each held him, encircling him for support. He closed his eyes and lay back down.
“Maybe this is heaven?” He said.
Michael found an american express bill in the mail. He opened it and read through the charges.
Freddy Zalta 