He sighed deeply.“Yes.No.I dunno.I went to see her last week,” he started.“Normally our visits are brief.I provide a kiss, a hug, yell at her to get her act together, get a man, then leave some bills on the table on my way out.You know, in case she needs to treat herself.“
“But this visit was different?”
“Hell yeah,” he said, and as if he had a person walk over his unmarked grave, he shuddered.“The little shit box of a house she lives in had curtains up and a colorful rug on the floor, and she had biscuits, homemade jam, and fresh, delicious coffee for me when I arrived.”
“That's nice,” she replied, offering a smile.“It sounds like you had a pleasant visit with her.”
“It was a great visit,” he said, scowling.“We actually had a conversation.She asked me about my childhood, where I grew up—my parents.She spoke fondly of her mother and the things her mother would cook that she hated, which is why she lived like she did.I felt like I was actually getting to know her.”
His hand went to his chest.Helen inquired if he was doing okay, and he nodded.She was still unclear on what this had to do with her although she'd taught both Passion Fruit and Bryan how to make Ruth's biscuits, and Bryan had added the rugs, curtains, and color to the home, not her, but it made a difference.Passion Fruit's father had noticed the slight changes in the house as well as his daughter.
“Okay, interacting as the person you wanted to meet here, I'm going to respond as her.Is that okay?”He nodded in acceptance of her offer.“And what does any of that have to do with me, or how can I help you with the changes in your relationship with your daughter?”
“Not just her,” Michael said.“I have twelve kids in all.”
“Whew, your wife must be a strong woman,” Helen said.
He shook his head no, and arched his brows, to let her know that all twelve were not by the same woman.Helen tilted her head in acknowledgement that she understood.She sipped her coffee, waiting to see how X was a variant to Y and what any of it had to do with this fucker spoiling the ambiance of her favorite coffee joint.
“I have three worthless, entitled, spoiled children with my wife,” he said.“I have five amazing others, like my daughter I just mentioned who is a medical doctor.One of my kids, out in Wyoming has a sheep farm with horses, and she was an Olympic show jumper, even earned a silver medal from the Olympics.”
He said it with pride as he spoke of the others.“The one in Kansas went to West Point and was a military helicopter pilot.He has a small business where he provides lessons, you know to fly helicopters.He took me up in one of his when I came for a visit.He’s a strong good man.My son down in Georgia—he's my oldest and a certified bad ass that lives off the land.The one up around the Boston area is an arborist.”
“A what?”
“An arborist, like a tree doctor,” he said.“He's really good and is sought after by the forestry service and everything.One time, he got called to the White House to work on the trees in the Rose Garden before what's her face cut them all down.”
“Okay that is only eight kids,” she said, “the other four?”
“Younger,” Michael said.“One is in culinary school.The other is a journeyman plumber and the younger two are still in high school.”
“Noted,” Helen said, leaning forward, “and what would you like for me to help you with, concerning your children?”
“I want them to all meet,” he said, looking Helen in the eye.“Whatever this Fruit did for my daughter, I want her to wave her fairy wand and bring my five accomplished adult kids together so we can all sit and the table and they can meet each other.”
Helen crinkled her brow.She wasn't sure what this man believed her to be capable of doing, or why he even felt she would be able to make this happen, but she was invested and continued the conversation.She took another sip of the coffee as she peered at him over the rim of the cup.
“If I were able to wave this magic wand to bring, I assume the five adults that you're proud of together, what would be the incentive for me to do this?”Helen asked.
“I'd retire,” he said.
“Retire from what Michael, and why would I care?”she asked.
“The person I wanted to meet would understand the request and the significance of what my retirement would mean,” he said softly.“I really would like, before my eyes close, to sit at the table with those five children to tell them I'm proud of them.I know them well and have remained active in all of their lives, but I want them to meet.I want her to wave her wand and bring them all together for me.I would be in her gratitude until the end of my days.”
Helen observed the man who had grown old and tired.His days of peddling flesh were ending, and the politicos he’d blackmailed or greased palms were also retiring, if not dead, and the new breed of politicians had no shame.The joy of having such power was over, and he wanted to call it quits.
Her watch beeped.Helen closed the book she hadn't bothered to read and polished off the remnants of the coffee in the cup.The croissant she wrapped in a napkin to take with her, then, she stood.
“Michael, I must depart,” she said.“You have it off your chest and the words are spoken into the universe.All you have to do now is wait for the universe to respond.”
“Yeah, the universe hates me,” he said softly.
“Evidently not; your daughter invited you into her home and shared with you moments from her childhood while finding out about yours,” she said.“The universe is listening.Take care of yourself.”
She said nothing more, taking her cup to the dirty dish counter and exiting the door.Helen didn't look back as she rounded the corner to the black Explorer parked a block away.Once in the vehicle she started it up, disconnected the blue tooth, and using her earpiece.She dialed Azrael and she drove.
“State your need,” Azrael said.
