"Well, now you've found me. Now we're together! Nothing is changed! Don't worry about my marriage! It won't last. As I just said I feel sorry for Steve!" She spoke as she thought.
Their waiter brought them more drink. Helen now had switched to wine. The waiter announced the dinner was being served in a buffet style. Jacob gave a hundred dollar bill to the smiling waiter and said:
"What if you bring our dinner here for us. Just pick up what ever you like yourself. It'll be okay for us!"
The dinner that they had already paid for it in the package that they had bought cost them a lot more only because they did not want to move. So they ate their dinner at their short cocktail table, sitting on the love seat. Helen's friend from college that had invited her to this party, thought that she was gone home. She was no where to be found. Many people were dancing but not the two friends.
"Now you know everything about me, things that I don't dare to say to anyone. It's your turn now! It seems to me that you've done good for yourself!"
Luck had come to him shortly after the sudden disappearance of Helen. The manager of Safe Way had an uncle, who was in the store one day. For no reason known to Jacob, he took a liking to him. He took Jacob under his wing. He was a famous personal injury lawyer, having his own law firm with one hundred ten lawyers working for him. The first time he saw Jacob in Safe Way, he told him:
"If you want to make money, you must become a personal injury lawyer! Only God and he knew why he took a liking to Jacob and took him under his care! He even gave him room and board at his beautiful five acre house out of country. Soon Jacob got used to be part of his family. Andrew Holland and his wife treated him like their own children. They had a son, twenty five years old and a daughter, same age as Jacob, just a little older. Their son had left home three years before Jacob moved in with them. Their son, Andrew the junior, which they called him Drew, was a point of pain and shame for them. Mr. Holland told Jacob one day. He was a complete disappointment for his mother and father. He had left school, never even finished high school, was mixed with wrong crowd. The last news they had from him was that he was in prison for dealing hard drugs. Mr. Holland against his wife's entreaty told his family: "I have no son!" Then he turned to his wife: "You better forget about him, too. He is dead for me!" He truly was ashamed of his son, and did not want any of his associate even to know about these things. To families and friends he said: "He is gone to America for his study!" He kept his word against his wife's nervous breakdown and swoon!
But their daughter, Melisa, was an ideal girl. Jacob began going to the same school she went. They graduated at the same year. Mr. Holland recommend that Jacob should go to the law school!
"I didn't want to take advantage of their generosity toward me. I said no; but he insisted. He said that he would pay for my college!"
Helen was all ears. How easier life had been for him than hers.
"Melisa went to SMU and got an English degree. She wanted to become a teacher!'
"How strange! That is what I wanted to become a teacher! So what did you do?" Helen quizzed him.
" I also went to SMU. It was not my idea. Mr. Holland insisted. He said that SMU has the best law program and is one of the best in the nation!"
"You went to SMU!?" Helen sighed with a complete bewilderment!
"Yes, I did. I've just recently finished. I'm waiting for the result of my Bar Exam."
"How wonderful! Oh, my, I am so happy for you! So what was the price? Don't tell me that Mr. Holland asked you to marry Melisa, his daughter?" Helen had a wreathed smile on her face. Her tone of voice was derisive!
Jacob looked in the space without blinking. He removed his hand from hers. Helen could read an exasperation his face!
"So, did you marry Melisa?" She was pale and gloomy!
"Yes, I did!"
"So where is she tonight? Where is your wedding band? How come you're alone tonight?"
Helen continued her baleful tone of voice and her bombardment of questioning! She was all shaken up!
"She is not here tonight because..." He stopped. His voice trembled with emotion!
"Go on; spill it out!"
"She's expecting! any day now. Not more than a week. We were invited tonight by the law firm, Mr. Holland's law firm, where I work now. She told me that it was okay for me to go without her. Besides we're staying at her parents these days because of her condition!" Jacob was pale and gloomy!!
To Be Continued
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