Tavern on the Boardwalk -III - Who Is Connie?

           Tavern on the Boardwalk -III - Who Is Connie?

       She was at last quietly resting on the bed that once had been their daughter Annette's.   Thinking that she  would need rest, rather than putting clothes on her, Willy took out a pair of pajamas from what was Annette's bureau.   She looked so cute lying there, it reminded her of the times she would sit on the edge of the bed and read bedtime stories to Annette.   Without thinking, she kissed her lightly on the forehead.

       "Well, how is she doing?" asked John when she came downstairs.

       "She looks fine.  Though she's asleep, I think I saw a smile on her face.   Any word yet from the EMS people, its been over twenty hours?"

       "They called back earlier and asked how we thought she was.  Unfortunately the bridge is still out and no one knows for sure when it'll be back in operation.  The wind has finally died out, so if there is a very real emergency they  could arrange to have a helicopter come and get her." he told his wife.

       "Except for that bruise, I don't see anything that would necessitate  a helicopter trip to the hospital, let's wait and see, okay?"

       "Sure, you're the doctor."

       She gave him a good morning kiss, which he returned with enthusiasm.

       "You're so wonderful.   I don't think I know anyone else as caring as you.  Always looking out and caring for the other person, especially me." he told her.

        "Come on John,  you're pretty much the same.   That's why we get along so well, besides, I love you."

        Once again they gave each other a deep loving kiss.

        "Hmmmm, we better get started setting up for the lunch crowd.  It's Thursday and for a change the sun is shining bright.  We should have a good day."John said.  

       While John went about making sure all the glasses were clean and the rows of liquor were in neat order, Willy went about dusting off all the bar stools and the seats in the booths.  Afterward they each grabbed a Swifter and began wiping the dust off the fans that added to the atmosphere of the tavern.   After moving all the bar stools apart, Willy went into the kitchen and got the mop they used to mop the floor.

        "I think we're ready," he said at last, "but I haven't had a thing to eat for breakfast and I'm hungry.  I did get our coffee started though." John told his wife.

        "We have a bit of time before we should be getting our first customers.  Why don't I make us a couple of omelets, bacon and toast. I'll put on a couple of pounds of bacon that I'm sure we'll be using later.  Before I start though, I'm going to run upstairs to check on Connie.  I promise not to be long." she told him.

        "Don't worry, I'm hungry, but I'm not starving." he laughed.

        

        Connie was sitting up on the bed and seemed surprised that she was wearing pajamas.

         "They were our daughters', the two of you seem to be about the same size. I thought you'd be more comfortable in these than in jeans.  Did you sleep well?"

         "Willy, I don't know how I can possible thank you and your husband."

         "Quite honestly, you remind us of our own daughter, shes' in Colorado now. She is a teacher and got a teaching job out there she also loves skiing, soooo - she thought, why not combine the two?   As far as repaying us, you can start by putting on the some of the clothes you'll find in the closet,undies and bras are probably in the dresser.  If you don't something that fits you, let me know.

         When you are ready come down and join John and me for a nice breakfast, we're having omelets and bacon and toast.   Do you like omelets?"

          "I love them!  They're the only way I eat eggs."

          Not to her surprise, John had already begun making breakfast for the two of them. The bacon was sizzling away and smelled delicious.  She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug and a kiss.

        "Connie looks fine and after she gets dressed, she'll be down to join us." she told him and kissed him again.

        "You taste like bacon!  You cheated, you already had a slice." 

        "A slice?  You know how much I like bacon, hmmm, true be known,I've already had several."

        In the middle of another kiss, Connie made her way into the kitchen.   Taken aback for a moment the two of them stared at her almost unbelieving what they saw.  Except for her Auburn hair and a few freckles on her cheeks Connie looked so much like their own daughter they couldn't believe their eyes.   

       "We're sorry for staring at you, after breakfast we'll explain." Willy told her.

       "This is the best omelet I think I've ever had, and so big.   I was so hungry, I hadn't eaten for a couple of days.   And the bacon, I hope you don't mind that I ate so much, but I love it."  Connie told them. 

       "It's a four-egg omelet, normal for us.   Don't worry about the bacon, I just about eat a pound of it myself." John assured her.

       Seeing that everyone was finished eating Connie started to get up to clear the dirty dishes away.  Willy gripped her arm gently and told her to sit and got up herself.

       "I told you I had to explain why we looked at you the way we did when you first came in this morning.  I'll be back in just a few minutes."

       When she returned she held a framed picture in her hands.  Turning it so that Connie could see it, both John and Willy watched the expression her face.

        "This is incredible," she exclaimed.  Except for the different color hair and the few freckles, I'd swear that this was a picture of me!   How can that be?"

        "We don't know.   They say that each of us has a twin somewhere in the world.  I've never seen of heard of anything like this happening to anyone I know.

I'm going to send a picture of you to our daughter and see what she thinks.  I'd bet she'd want to come home and see you or have you go out there."  Willy said.

        "That would be really interesting, I'd love to meet her." Connie told them.

         "If you don't kind my asking, where are you from Connie?"

        "Not that far away, I'm from Somers Point.   Right along the coast,of course a bit further inland than you folks.   I lived with my mother, two step-brothers and a step-father.  I attended college for three years, but had to drop out."

        "That's too bad, what were you studying?" asked John.

        "I want to be a teacher, of little kids."

        "Just like Annette.   How nice, what happened?" asked Willy.

        "I don't want to bore you."

        " I promise, you won't bore us, we care and we'd like to know.  Maybe we can help." John told her.

        "You've done so much already, how can I ask you to do more? Connie pleaded.

        "You're not asking, we're telling you.  Now, please tell us why you dropped out of college." Will spoke gently.

        Unexpectedly Connie began to quietly sob and Willy eased herself around her shoulders and cuddled her.

       "It's okay, just take your time.  If you don't want to talk about it, we'll never bother you again."Willy told her.

        Calming, Connie wiped her face and slowly began to tell her story.

        "I don't like to say bad things about people.   I thought it was great when my step-father, his name is Bill Brandon married my mother.  She'd been a widow for four years and provided a nice home or us.   We went on trips together, we even drove up to Canada.   He took us all to Florida on vacation.

       After a year they had a baby boy, Bobby and we were all happy.  I was excited to baby-sit for them.  The following year I had another baby brother, Sam.   By the time they were ready for Kindergarten I was of course older and had begun to develop into a young woman.   I didn't notice at first, but every once in a while I'd catch my step-father eyeing me.

       I went to college right after I graduated high school.  I got a good sized scholarship but I needed more, he said he'd pay the difference for me.

      I was doing well in school and close to the end of my junior year.   Of course every time I was home I sat for the two boys even though they were now in middle school.   I liked helping each of them with their homework.

      For a while I had forgotten about my step-father giving me the eye every once in a while.  I though maybe it was my imagination.  It all came to an explosive head one evening when my mother was out shopping and I had already put the two boys to bed.

     It had been a long day and I really felt like I needed a shower.   When finished I was startled to see him standing at the door to the shower stall.

        "You have a very beautiful body, Connie. Come here."

         I was frozen and I didn't move.   I couldn't believe that he was coming after me.   Before he began to move closer I thankfully heard the front door open.  My mother had returned from shopping."

         "Did you say anything to her?" asked John.

         "No!  I was to scared.  I didn't know what he would do.   It's not that he's ever been mean or cruel even, but I didn't know what kind of reaction my mother would have.  This man has taken care of us for years and helped me, up to this point, to go to college."

         "So nothing else happened?" asked Willy.

         "Not really,at least not  right away.  He did act much more coolly toward me than before, But I figured that was probably a good thing."

        "But, then something else happened, didn't it? John probed.

       Connie began to sob again and finally broke down into tears until she was shaking.

       "We've heard enough, you don't have to go on." Willy told her.

        "No!  I've got to finish this, maybe I'll feel better for at last getting it off my mind."

        "Okay dear,just take your time." said Willy.

         

        "Just a few days ago, mother had taken the boys with her to buy me some things for my going back to college for the start of my senior year.   I thought my step-father had gone to work, but later found that they were having a major change in equipment where he worked and all the office staff were given the day off.

        I was lying on my bed wearing my white blouse and jeans and sneakers when he came in.

        "Take them off, "he yelled.

        "What? What do you mean?" I said.

        "I'll show you what I mean ."and with that he grabbed my side and pulled me toward him.

        "I pulled away and kicked at him.   This made him more angry and he picked me up and slammed me into my dresser,  I thought I'd pass out from the pain."

       "So, that is where that awful bruise came from." remarked John.

       "When I got up he was undoing his belt.  I grabbed my night lamp and tossed it at him.  I think it hit him in the head.   He went down and I ran out of the house and I haven't been back since."

       "How long ago did this happen?"asked Willy.

       "I lost track, but I think it's been three days, counting this one."

       "My God!   What a horrible experience to have to go through.  Well. you're safe now, as long as you want.  John told her.

       Clutching Willy, Connie sobbed, " I can't believe how kind you people are.  I don't know how I could possibly repay your kindness."

       "I do, said Willy. "First of all, you'll need a safe place to stay, right?"   Then you'll need some kind of job, to earn money for yourself and going back to college.   Well,my dear, you've got all of those things right here."

       "We've been looking to hire a bar-girl/server girl.  We'll discuss a salary and all the tips you make will be yours.   We won't even charged you room and board, we already saw how much you eat and its's not enough to worry about.  What about it, do you want a job?"

        "Willy and John, I can't thank you enough.  I love you."

       

        

 

Reviews

[Delmar Cooper]

The story is solid and for the most part easily believable. I bow to Margie's expertise on the abuse scene, but disagree on the quality of the written dialogue. It needs work and does not in every instance reflect the speech patterns people actually use in conversations. This is the best of three chapters, but it needs a complete proof reading and revision/rewrite. I say that not because it is bad but because it is very good - good enough to deserve your best efforts.

This chapter needs much tighter writing: repeated words or phrases need to be pruned, the exact order of actions should be studied, and any unnecessary words either shown to be needed or cut.

Example:
' "I don't like to say bad things about people. I thought it was great when my step-father married my mother, she'd been a widow for four years and provided a nice home or us.'

This is not worthy of the story. She is gathering breath to say terrible things about a person, things that are perfectly true. Omit the advance apology. As written the widow provides the nice home, okay, what has this to do with the stepfather? Or, did the nice home come about after the marriage? Or, did he buy them a house? Left as is the sentence is a confusing eye stopper.

Read a good grammar text book on quotation marks. There is a standard way to punctuate a long speech that is delivered by a single speaker, but must be divided into several paragraphs.

If this comment discourages you forget you read it and keep at the story. Only the story is important, not what any Cafe' critic has to say about it.

[Dave]

Delmar - I'll continue the story. I'll do my best to take into consideration your wise council.read moreDelmar - I'll continue the story. I'll do my best to take into consideration your wise council.
Thank you so much - and take care - Dave

[barleygirl]

As a person (myself) who lived with abuse for years, I was ready to jump down your throat if this abuse scene sounded inauthentic. I have to tell ya, YOU NAILED IT! I'm very proud of you for getting outside yourself & your obsession for bra & panty talk. This felt like a realistic & respectful treatment of the tragic thing that happened to this woman, well written, realistic dialogue, etc. It was dramatic enuf, but not overdone. This is some of the best, most in-tune writing I've ever seen from you (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Dave]

I am trying my best with Connie. I am so proud that I was able to please you with this. I really hope to continue and make her even more alive and real.
Thank you again for your wonderful encouragement.
Take care - Dave

[Coyote Poetry]

A wonderful story written Dave. I liked the personal feel of the story. Sharing a meal, sharing a conversation. Our best days. Great conversation also and thank you for sharing the outstanding story.
Coyote

[Dave]

Thank you, thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it
Take care - Dave

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome Dave. I am enjoying the story.