Steph and Chas (This is part of a much larger, incomplete, work.

It will be difficult to read, because it starts in the middle, sorry. Also, I think it has too many characters. Its my first attempt at fiction writing, and I like to get feedback. How do you like the flow, is the dialog OK, etc. Let me know if you find any grammatical errors or misspellings. Thanks, George) Yuki felt a tinge of guilt when she went over to the Hopper's. She really should bring something to thank Janice for her hospitality, but she had absolutely nothing to offer. Those roses from Eleanor's garden would have done nicely, she mused. Janice opened the door as she walked up. "Hey, Yuki," she beamed. Two children and a grey and white pitbull stood behind her, looking at Yuki curiously. "I'm glad you decided to come. Where's your friend?" "He's making himself beautiful. I wanted to come over and help with dinner. Who are these cuties?" "These are my kids, Noah and Steph. The dog's name is Kip." Yuki squatted down and met the trio at eye level. She held out her hand to pet Kip, and he went for her face and gave her a slobbery kiss. "What a friendly dog! Do you take care of him, Noah?" "My job is feeding him dinner." Noah said with obvious pride. "I feed him breakfast, and sometimes I have to remind Noah to feed him at dinner time!" Steph chimed in. "Wow! You guys are are a great team." Noah said, "We got some new Legos, do you want to see them?" Yuki glanced quickly at Janice who gave a slight nod. "I'd love to see them!" The kids led Yuki to their playroom while Janice and Kip headed into the kitchen. Yuki and Steph collaborated to build a dream castle while Noah assembled a fairly creditable airplane. The doorbell rang. The dog, barking loudly, sprinted out of the kitchen. Mom, kids, and Yuki all followed. Janice opened the door for Chas. Yuki introduced everyone, then Yuki and Chas were escorted to the children's room. The foursome played with the Legos for a while, then Yuki asked, "Chas, can you stay with the kids? I want to go help with dinner."

When Yuki got the the kitchen, Kip rose from his place in the corner, and followed her. "What can I do?" Yuki asked Janice. "Finish the salad for me. That would help. Thanks." Yuki surveyed the ingredients, took a knife from Janice and went to work. Kip started licking her on the back of her knee. "Hey! That tickles," she said. "Kip! Go back to your mat!" Janice ordered. The dog obeyed. "You have him very well trained," Yuki remarked. "He's really smart, and he wants to please. You just have to be consistent." The dog was alert and ready to spring up again. Yuki thought that he was probably waiting for a morsel to fall onto the floor. Janice fetched a jar of olives from the refrigerator. Handing it to Yuki, she said, "Here, put a dozen or so of these in." Yuki said, "OK." And, Kip was instantly at her side, looking at her intently. "Kip! Go back to your mat!" Janice ordered once more. The dog obeyed again, but this time he moved slowly and looked dejected. "What you just said, Yuki. Don't say that unless you are going to feed him. That's his release word." "I'll be careful. Maybe that wasn't the best release word, though." "Obviously not, but we're stuck with it now. Once we were at the park when a lady about fifty feet away said that to one of her kids. Kip took off like a shot." Janice and Yuki shared a laugh. Janice's husband, Brian, came home and there were more introductions. He excused himself to go change. Yuki noted that Kip stayed in the kitchen instead of following Brian. Either he was really Janice's dog, or he was interested in the food. Things were under control in the kitchen, so the women went to check on Chas and the kids. The Legos had been set aside and the trio was playing a game of shoots and ladders. Janice and Yuki watched. Chas was in the lead, but they saw him deliberately miscount his move so as to land on a shoot and let Steph win. Chas was smiling when Steph did her little victory dance.

When the women went back to the kitchen, Janice said, "He seems like a good guy. I like the way he plays with the kids." "I think he's genuinely enjoying himself." "How long have been with him?" "Actually, I met him three days ago." Janice was surprised. "Three days, really? You seem to have really hit it off, anyway. I saw you two playing in the surf. You were like a couple on their honeymoon." "We're not at the honeymoon stage yet. We're just getting to know each other." Yuki smiled slyly. "Well, I hope it works out for you. If that's what you want, I mean. You certainly seem compatible." "I guess time will tell." Janice whispered to Yuki, "Here comes Brian, we better change the topic." Brian smiled broadly and said, "I heard that. I'll go away if I'm ruining the girl talk." Then he embraced his wife. Janice giggled and said, "Honey, not in front of the company!" He said, "I guess you don't love me anymore." Releasing Janice, he turned to Yuki and asked, "You're staying in the Carstairs' place?" "Yes. It's a lovely home. We're having a great time." He scratched his chin and said, "I thought John Carstairs told me his son's family was coming out to use the house today. Maybe I got that wrong." Yuki said, "Chas and I are the only ones there. Francine Detweiler arranged it for us." Janice said, "Brian is always getting stuff like that wrong. They're probably coming next week or something." Brian said, "Yuki says Brian is wrong. Francine says Brian is wrong. Janice says Brian is wrong. Brian must be wrong. How long till dinner?"

"About twenty minutes, dear." "I'm gonna try to get the kids to go outside with me for a bit, then." Brian, Chas and the two children went out to walk on the beach. The sun would be setting about when dinner was ready . Yuki said, "I like Brian. He's funny." "That's why I married him," Janice responded. "Chas can be funny, too. But he's kind of shy. I think there's a lot he wants to say, but he's afraid." "That's not surprising. He hasn't know you that long, dear." ... Out on the beach, Brian asked Chas, "Yuki says you guys just got here." "Yes. We came just after lunch." More often than not, food acted as the mental milestones in Chas life. "What kind of work do you do?" "My family raises horses. I help with the business." "That sounds great. Do you think I could bring the kids out to see the horses?" "Sure. We've got a couple of them that are really good with kids. They'll have a lot of fun." "Your friend Yuki is a real knockout. She looks like she works out." "Yes, she's very pretty. I like her alot." "That's good. How long have you two been together?" "I met her three days ago." Brian was taken aback, "Three DAYS! You work fast, don't you?" Chas smiled shyly, "France Detweiler introduced us."

Brain looked thoughtful, "Good for you. Three days and you've got her spending a long weekend with you at the beach. Can you give me any pointers?" He laughed. "You're married, Brian. You've got a really nice family. I'd trade places with you in a heartbeat." Chas didn't look happy. Brian said, "Why so glum? You're doing great! You've got a beautiful new girlfriend, and your life is ahead of you. Come on, let's play with the kids." Brian picked up a handful of wet sand and gently tossed it on Noah's back. "Hey!" Noah quickly retaliated, plastering his dad and Chas. Steph joined in, as did Chas. When things settled down, the two kids had a little of the wet sand on them, and the two adults were nearly covered. "That's enough. It's time for dinner," Brian said. They headed back to house, hosed down, and sat down to eat outside on the patio. Brian asked Chas to say grace. He hesitated, and Yuki did it in his stead. "Thank you, O Lord, and for these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, and for blessing us with this fellowship today, through Christ our Lord. Amen." Noah shouted, Ha, ha ha! She doesn't know we are Jewish!" Brian said, "I guess we're Christian tonight. We'll take all the blessings we can get." After dinner the kids went back to their playroom, and Brian took the lead in cleaning up. Chas tried to help but he was elbowed aside by Yuki. Eventually, the foursome found themselves sitting in the family room. Janice asked Chas what kind of work he did. "My family has a horse ranch, ma'am. I help out a bit." As usual, he slipped into his drawl when he was talking about horses. Brian said, "He's going to have us out to meet the horses. They have some they have some that are good with children." Chas responded, "Yes sir, that would be Goya and Ace. Goya is a mare and Ace is her colt that I raised up. They both love to give rides to kids." Janice said, "Wow! We have to do that. Can I get your number while I'm thinking of it?" She pulled out her phone, ready to punch in the number.

Chas responded, "Yes, ma'am. I just got my phone three days ago. Dang, I don't know the number." Yuki interjected, "Text me. I'll be sure to text you back with his number." "OK, thanks," Janice said. There was a lull in the conversation. Janice produced a Scrabble set. "This will give us something to do," she said. Yuki said, "I hope you're not going to keep score." Chas said, "You'll have to tell me the rules. My aunt used to play this game, but I never got to." "Don't worry, Chas, we're playing for a dollar per point. And, we'll change the rules as we go along," Brian joked. It wasn't the official Scrabble rule, but in Brian and Janice's home, the lady guest has to go first. "The best I can do is 'MOIL'," Yuki said, placing her tiles on the board. "That's not a real word," Brian said. "You made it up." Yuki answered the challenge. "It's real alright. You can look it up, but it'll cost you points. You're going to start out in the hole." "OK, then. What does it mean?" "No way. I'm not telling. You have to look it up and spend your points." With false malice in his voice, Brian said, "I curse you, woman, and hope that something slightly unpleasant happens to you." Chas was next. "I add letters to Yuki's to make a word, right? I see one. Chas placed three letters to make MOPS using the Yuki's 'O'." Yuki said, "Come on, Chas. I'm sure you can do better than that. Let me see your letters." She stood and leaned over his shoulder, looked at his letters, pointed to the 'Z' and said, "You get ten points if you use this letter." Almost immediately, Chas withdrew his original move and replaced it with 'ZOO'. "You can still use that 'S' you have," Janice suggested. And so, Chas spelled out 'ZOOS' on the board.

Janice said, "Good, Chas, you're winning." Yuki said, "He's not done yet." She took his four remaining letters and placed them on the board to make 'ZOOSPERM'. Brian said, "Well, now we know what's on Yuki's mind." Chas' face reddened as the other three laughed. They played on without keeping score, but it was obvious to everyone that Yuki was far and away the best scrabble player. Brian was a little frustrated. "Were you on the scrabble team in college, Yuki?" he asked. "No, but I studied English literature." "I imagine there were lots of job opportunities for you then. Why did you pick that major?" "Part of the reason was so that I wouldn't have to buy textbooks. I got all my books from the library. You're right, though. There aren't many jobs for English literature majors. I went to Japan and taught conversational English for a year and a half. Then I went back to school to study psychology and social work." "Is that what you do now?" "Yes, I have my own practice." "What kind of clients do you get?" "Mostly I help people who have been isolated and want to improve their social life." "You mean like convicts getting out of jail? That can't be too profitable." "I haven't had any ex-convicts. Mostly it's people who had a bad family life or suffered depression or feelings of inadequacy." With that, Janice started and her eyes widened. She looked at Chas who was fiddling with the scrabble tiles. Then she looked at Yuki as though she was seeing the young woman for the very first time. Then she looked at Chas again and her brows furrowed deeply. No one else noticed Janice's reaction. Brian continued the line of inquiry. "That's fascinating. Are most of your clients men or women?"

"Men," Yuki said. Then she cut the conversation short. "It's getting late. Chas and I should make ourselves scarce so you can get your kids in bed." Yuki rose from her chair. Janice, said. "You're welcome to stay if you like. I do need to get the kids in bed, though." Chas finally said something, "I want to say good-bye to them." The four adults went to the playroom where they found the two children fast asleep. Kip was laying next to Noah. He opened his eyes and he looked the four adults over. Janice bent down to pick up Steph. When Brian tried to pick up Noah, he grimaced and said, "Damn, my back hurts again." Chas whispered, "Let me." He picked up the boy, carried him down the hall to his room, and placed him gently in bed. Chas and Yuki went back the the Carstairs' house and settled in for the night. Yuki's phone rang. The number didn't come up on caller ID. It couldn't be a prospective client. They'd be calling her office. Dan was out of jail now. Maybe it had something to do with him. She answered, "Hello?" "Yuki? This is Janice." "Oh, hi. You wanted Chas' number, right?" "Listen, I've got to talk to you. Are you alone?" "Yes. Is something wrong?" "Chas is Chas St.James from San Marino, isn't he?" "Yes, that's right." "I grew up with him. He used to spend a lot of time with my sister, Anna." "Oh?" Yuki was surprised. "Tell me what happened, to Chas I mean. You're his therapist or something, aren't you?" "Yes, I am. I can't discuss my client. You understand?" "Of course. But isn't there anything you can tell me?" Janice was intense.

"Not much, I'm sorry. If you tell me what you know, it might help me with him, though. Would you tell me about Chas and Anna?" "All right. Let me tell you what I know, what I remember, anyway, if you think it will help. My sister, Anna, and Chas were in the same class in third and fourth grade. Anna was the smartest kid in the class, but sometimes Chas would get a better grade in math. They spent a lot of time together and really got along well. I guess it was sort of puppy love. My mom and dad were OK with it. They included Chas in most of our family outings. Anna and Chas used to read a lot together. She helped him with his penmanship, too. One day in the summer, Anna went over to see Chas and visit the horses. Anna was enchanted with the horses. That was part of the appeal Chas had for her. The St.James family had a mare and a colt." "Maybe that was Goya and Ace, the horses Chas mentioned," Yuki said. Janice said, "I think that's right. That day, though, they wouldn't let Anna in the gate. They told her that Chas had gone to see some out of town relatives. We never saw or heard from him again, until now." "Did your parents talk to Chas' aunt about it?" "Yes, my mom did. The aunt wouldn't give her any information, no address, nothing. Anna was devastated." "Thanks for sharing that. It will help with me treatment of Chas." "So, you can't tell me what happened to Chas?" "I can't, but there is a police report. That's public information. I'm surprised it's not all over the news, considering who his family is." "Can you just tell me what is in the police report?" "OK. The police found Chas and another man on the St.James property. They think the men were held involuntarily for years by Chas' aunt." There was a long silence. Finally, Yuki said, "Janice?" "Sorry, I was just thinking. Eleanor, Chas' aunt, I met her a few times. She didn't like men. She kept telling me how useless they were and that I should stay away from them. She said she was glad Chas was spending all the time at our house because then he wouldn't be bothering her. Is she in jail now, or what?" "She had a stroke. They're doing tests, but it looks like she's brain-dead."

"I have to tell Anna about Chas. She'll want to see him." "Janice, I didn't tell you before, but Chas is a ward of the state." "What?" "The judge decided that he wasn't competent to handle his own affairs and appointed a guardian." "A guardian? Who is it?" "Francine Detweiler. She's John Carstairs' partner." "Oh, yes. I know her." "You really need to talk to Francine before you tell Chas anything about Anna." "All right, but I'm not going to keep this from Anna. She's got to know. After he was gone, she wrote him lots of letters. After a while, she stopped sending them and just saved them up. I found a box full of them when we cleaned out the old house." "She can't see him until we go over it with Francine, you understand?" "When can we do that?" "I need to meet with Francine. I'll let you know what she says. I have some work to do before I can go to bed. I'll let you know when I hear from Francine, OK?" "OK. Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow, then, bye." "Bye." Yuki was up late working on her case notes and composing an email to Francine. Chas' case was so difficult. She'd thought that moving him out here was would simplify things. In fact, it had done the exact opposite. Chas woke early, as usual. His first thought was to take care of the horses, as he had done on waking every day for many years. He took in his surroundings and realized that he would not be caring for his horses for some time, if ever. He laid still, thinking of what he would do today. It was Saturday. One way or another, he would go to that party Bettie had invited him to. "Be here at 8 PM," she had said. "Why did she add the 'PM'?", he wondered. Who would start a party at 8

AM? Since he wasn't going to be taking care of the horses, he decided to take a walk on the beach. It would give him a chance to relax and think about things. Yuki didn't hear Chas get up and leave the house. She woke much later. Her room was on the east side of the house, and the sun was attempting to peek in the window. She checked the time, then she checked her email. Francine had responded, saying she'd drive down to the beach to meet with her and Chas. Yuki was supposed to call to set up a time. She dialed Francine's number. "Hi, Yuki." "Hi. You're coming down here today?" "I'm on my way now. I got up early and was tired of waiting for you to call." "Oh, good." "Did you eat breakfast yet?" "No, we don't have any food here at all. There's not much shopping nearby, either." "I'll stop off and get something for the three of us. Any requests?" "Chas likes pancakes. If you get the ingredients, I can cook it. This place has a wonderful kitchen." Francine was a little curt. "That would be a lot of trouble. I'll just get some rolls or something instead." The conversation soon terminated. It was a warm morning. Yuki dressed herself in a one-piece bathing suit and a skirt, then went to see what Chas was up to. He wasn't in his room, but she noticed both his computer and phone had been left behind. "He's probably upstairs admiring the view," she thought. She soon determined that he'd left the house. She went out on the balcony and saw a few people walking in the morning sunshine. One man, about 200 yards north on the shoreline and walking away from her, could have been Chas. He was too far away for her to be sure. Yuki was at loose ends. She made a systematic survey of all the drawers in the kitchen. "So I'll know where everything is when I get a chance to cook," she told herself. Under the sink she found a half-full bottle of coffee liquor. She was tempted to take a swig, but refrained, even though she was craving the sugar, caffeine and alcohol. When nine o'clock came around, she decided that it was late enough to call her friend Kathy.

Hey, Yuki," Kathy answered immediately. "Hi. I'm bored, and I just called to chat." "Oh, I thought you were busy working. Isn't that what you said?" "I do have a client. But, we're kind of in the doldrums if you know what I mean." "I got an invite for a party tonight. Wanna come with me?" "Wow. That sounds great. I think I can go, but I'll have to call you back. Where is it?" "In Westchester, at a place called The Studio. I heard their parties are really wild." "Good. I need a break. And, I'm in Playa del Rey now, so it will be easy to get to." "Tell me what you're up to, honey." Yuki didn't violate her client's confidentiality, so there wasn't much to say about Chas. Instead she told Kathy about the beach house, Janice's family and the scrabble game. They agreed to check back later regarding the plans for the evening. ... [missing scenes: Francine arrives, talks with Chas and Yuki, breakfast, a heated discussion] ... Chas punched Janice's number into his phone. There was no answer. He left a message. Then he told Francine, "I forgot they were Jewish. Maybe they went to temple." "Do you want to go then? I could take you shopping, then to my place. Or, we could go see Dan." "Dan? Where is he? I want to see him." "He was released yesterday. He's back at your aunt's house." Chas' brow was furrowed, and his jaw clenched. "What? Why didn't you tell me?" "Yuki and I thought it would be better for you two to come down here than to have to deal with Dan." Chas sighed with disgust. "How do you expect me trust you if you don't tell me things like that? I told you I wanted to see him."

"I'm sorry, Chas. You'll be included in all the decisions from now on. You'll probably be on your own by the end of next week anyway. But that will be up to the judge." "All right. I'm staying here this afternoon. I promised Noah and Steph I'd play with them. Then I want to go see Dan, and I want to stay at my place in San Marino. I'd like to go see my aunt tomorrow. I want Dan to see her too, if he wants." Chas was lying. In fact, he was planning on leaving this evening to see Bettie and go to the party. Francine said, "OK, if that's what you want." Chas said, "Is there anything else you're not telling me?" This time Francine lied by not mentioning the information about Anna. "I don't think so. Your Aunt's lawyer says her will is in order, but it won't be read until she's gone." "Doesn't that put me in a bad position? You're asking me if I want to keep her on life support. Maybe I'd rather get her estate." "Yes and no, Chas. The doctors have determined that her life is basically over. It's up to you how long she will stay on life support. Nobody is going to challenge your decision." "You mean I don't have any second or third cousins my aunt is supporting?" "I don't know about that. If there are any, they haven't come forward publicly. Her lawyer or accountant should know, but they won't tell you much. The lawyer prepared the will, but its contents are sealed for now." "So, everything is on hold for as long as she lives." "That's right." "If there is nothing else we need to talk about, I'm going to go enjoy the beach for a while. Did you bring a swimsuit?" Chas asked. He thought, somewhat unkindly, that Francine would not fit in one of Yuki's. Then he smiled imagining what it would look like if she tried. "I did bring one. And that's a good idea. I'll go change." People were already on the beach when Chas and Francine headed out. The real crowds weren't here yet; they'd come in the afternoon. Chas walked into the surf until the water covered his calves. He enjoyed its coolness and the wet sand squishing between his toes. When the water rushed back out to sea, Chas tried to watch it closely, spotting the little ripples and rivulets of sand. He made himself a slightly dizzy in the process. Francine was a few steps behind him in shallower water. "I went north this morning. Let's go south." Chas said after a few small waves had passed.

When they'd walked a short distance, Francine said, "I need to apologize. I'm sorry I underestimated you." Chas thought about his outing that first day. He still felt it was necessary, but now he was paying the price. "I guess it spooked you when I took off that day. I shouldn't have done that. I wasn't thinking." "You came back safe. That's the important thing." "Why did you take my case, Francine?" "Your aunt's lawyer asked me to. I thought I could help. Can I tell you something? Something kind of private?" "Sure. I guess." "You're about the same age as my son. He's doing well, but right now I wish he were more like you in some ways." "How is that?" "I like the way you've been with Yuki. You're a natural gentleman, Chas. It wasn't at all what I expected. My son, well..." Chas nodded, but he didn't tell her the truth about why he was such a gentleman. Francine continued, "I like the way you asserted yourself today, too. You're sticking up for your rights. I find that very remarkable considering your background, what you've been through, I mean." Chas tried to take that in. He didn't admire himself, nor was he proud of his behavior, especially towards Yuki. Finally, he said, "Thank you, Francine." But, he couldn't bring himself to smile. Chas saw a jetliner climbing away from LAX. They were coming at regular intervals. Beyond that he saw the gray smokestack of a power plant. When they got back to the house, Janice was opening the windows of her house next door. "It looks like they're home now," Francine commented. They rinsed off their feet and went inside. Chas' phone was ringing. A boy's voice said, "Hello?" Chas said, "Is that you, Noah?"

"Are you coming over?" "Sure, what do you want to do?" "Mom said we could watch a show together. Then we can take Kip for a walk." "That sounds like fun. I'll be right over." At the Hopper's house, there was a repeat of the previous day's commotion with children and dog. Janice recognized Francine and said, "Francine, I haven't seen you in a long time." Francine responded, "Right, Noah was just a little guy. Now look at him. And this must be Steph!" Francine leaned over to get close to Steph. Characteristically, Kip inserted himself and tried to give Francine a slobbery kiss. Janice was able to pull Kip back before any damage was done. The two children soon dragged Chas to the playroom and the two women headed to the kitchen. The dog went to the playroom. When he saw Chas and the kids settle in to watch cartoons, he went to the kitchen and joined the women. Francine and Janice discussed matters over coffee. "Where's Brian?" Francine asked. "Oh, he's still at temple. There's a committee meeting." "It's good that you guys are active like that. Do they have a youth group as well?" "Oh, yes. The kids have a great time. We go more so that we can be part of the community than for the spiritual aspects. But, I do want the kids to have that as well. You wanted to talk about Anna and Chas?" "Yes, Yuki told me what you told her." "That was basically all I know. I tried to call Anna this morning, but she didn't answer." "Did you leave a message?" "I just told her to call me back, nothing about Chas. I found a few old pictures of Anna and Chas. These two are from the summer before he disappeared, and here's the class picture from fourth grade."

Francine took her time examining the pictures. They were somewhat faded. Anna had perfectlycombed straight brown hair, blue eyes and a few freckles. Her smile was pleasant, and she appeared confident and intelligent. Chas looked a little skinny and awkward, but happy. He had a couple of crooked teeth. "They look like good kids. Too bad they were torn apart like that." Janice said, "Here's a recent picture of Anna." Francine said, "She's a very beautiful young woman." "She's brainy too. She just got her bachelor's degree in bioinformatics and is going to graduate school in the fall." Francine decided not to tell Janice that she had already learned a lot about Anna from the investigator she hired. "Does she have a romantic interest?" "No, at least not that she's told us about. She didn't do much with boys in high school either. She never let a guy have a second date. And, there were lot's of great guys at our school, like Brian." "Anna dated Brian?" Janice was trying to lighten the mood. "No, I wouldn't let her. We all went to the same school, but not at the same time. I'm five years older than Anna, and Brian is a year older than me." "Do you think she was subconsciously afraid something bad would happen if she got another boyfriend - like what happened to Chas?" "That's exactly what everyone thinks. Mom made her go to a psychologist for a while. It didn't seem to change her at all." Francine nodded slightly. She had little faith in psychologists. And, recent events hadn't done much to increase it. "Yuki told me that Anna wrote letters to Chas. When was the last one?" "The last one I know of was when she graduated high school. She went away to college. For all I know, she's still writing them." "Maybe she suffered as much as Chas." "Well, she's dedicated herself to her studies. She acts like all she wants in life is to be a professor or something like that." "You think it's an act?"

Janice shrugged, "I don't know what is going on in that woman's head. Let me put the pictures away before the kids come out. You haven't told Chas about Anna?" "That's right." Francine frowned. She thought that she had painted herself into a corner by not telling Chas right away. He would feel betrayed when he finally found out. "Why don't you tell him?" "He's got a lot going on. His aunt is dying. The boy he grew up with, Dan, just got out of jail. And then there's his relationship with Yuki. We're trying to compress years of adolescence and young adulthood into a few weeks. Anna popping up would really complicate things." "Look, it's not really my business, but don't you think you are pushing Chas too fast? I mean with Yuki and him?" "Maybe. I thought I needed to provide that outlet or he'd go out and do something dangerous. Now I'm not so sure." "Sorry, but how much time did you spend with Chas before you decided he needed somebody like Yuki?" Francine sighed. I had about two hours with him, then he ran away. That's when the judge and I made the decision." "Well he came back, didn't he? I'm sure Yuki is good at what she does, and I like her. Nothing against her, but I don't think Chas needs her. You should have found him something like a foster family instead, let him go back to school and meet people naturally. He's so nice, he wouldn't have any trouble at all. Did Yuki tell you how he interacts with Noah and Steph?" "No details, I gather they get along, though." "The kids love him. They are dying to meet his horses, and they've been asking me when they can have a sleepover." "That's good to know. I guess everybody likes him." "Everybody except his aunt, anyway," Janice said wryly. "Thanks for your input, Janice. You've given me a lot to think about. Can I ask something personal, about your family?" "About the family, maybe. About me, no problem. I'm an open book." "Well, you're Jewish. But Anna has blue eyes. Isn't that unusual?"

"Oh, Francine, my family is pure goyim. I converted so I could marry Brian. He has brains, looks, and money. And, he's a great lover! I figured I'd rather have Brian than Jesus. I traded one Jew for another that does a lot more for me." Janice amused herself. Francine thought it sounded like Janice had told the same thing to many other people, maybe even her family members. "Well, I'm glad it's working for you," Francine said sincerely. Brian came home, and the dog rushed to the front door to greet him. Brian came to the kitchen and saw Francine. "Francine! I haven't seen you in years." He extended his hand. She said, "That's right, we haven't been down here much since my son went off to college." "Kids grown up and move on, new ones come. I don't think the beach notices," Brian said. Francine said, "Wow. That's deep! I didn't know you were a philosopher." She laughed with her hearty laugh. Janice said, "He gets that way when he goes to temple." Now both women were laughing. "I said something funny?" He feigned confusion. Then he continued, "The kids wanted to take Kip for a walk. I want to go before it gets too hot, before lunch." Kip perked up and started pacing anxiously. Francine said, "He understood that?" Janice said, "Yes, hes really intelligent." Chas appeared and said, "What are we doing for lunch? I'm hungry." Janice said, "The plan is for you guys to go out and play. Lunch will be ready when you get back." Chas quickly stepped out on the balcony and back inside. "I'm back!" Francine teased, "I'll hold him, you hit him!" Chas beat a hasty retreat.

The activity excited Kip and he loosed a series of robust barks. Then he sprinted to the front door. His tail was wagging wildly, and he knocked a box of tissues and a remote control off of the coffee table. Brian said, "Kip! Stop it! Down. Stay." The last two commands sounded more like pleas than commands. Brian was holding the leash and Kip jump up and grabbed the leash in his mouth. The two children were laughing hysterically. Janice arrived on the scene. "Kip! Down! Stay!" The dog obeyed her barked-out commands instantly. She put one end of the leash on the dog and handed the other to Chas. "I think Kip is more likely to obey you than Brian." Brian said, "Hey!" Janice said, "Be quiet, Brian, or I'll put you on a leash too." With that, Kip, Brian, Chas, Noah and Steph headed out on their walk. The kids raced to the corner and waited for the dog and two men to catch up. "Aren't we going to the beach?" Chas asked. "No. Dogs aren't allowed anymore," Brian answered. "We'll head over to the park. It's about five blocks. Where's your girlfriend, anyway?" "Yuki? I think she's sleeping. She was up late last night." "You wore her out? Good for you!" Brian had a lecherous grin. Chas didn't know what to say, so he just nodded and smiled vaguely. When they got to the corner, Kip sat down. "He's trained to sit instead of going into the street. You need to tell him 'heel' to start again," Noah said. Chas said, "OK." The dog immediately lunged forward, almost throwing Chas off balance. Fortunately, there were no cars coming. Brian explained, "What you just said is his release word. Don't say that unless you are about to feed him or want him to run wild." Chas said, "Heel." And, the dog did.

As promised, Janice and Francine had lunch ready for everyone when they got back. The meal consisted of sandwiches, crudits, chips and lemonade. Brian said, "I'm going to have a beer. Anyone else want one?" He reached into the refrigerator. There was no response from the other adults. "Come on, Chas. You've got to try this." He opened a bottle and handed it to Chas. Chas sipped tentatively. He didn't like the taste. But it was cold, and he was thirsty. So, he went ahead. The only other alcohol he'd ever consumed was half a beer when Yuki made him the spaghetti dinner. This time he drank most of the bottle on an empty stomach. Soon he felt a little dizzy and lightheaded, but he found the sensation pleasant. Chas was thinking about how he could manage his getaway this evening. He wanted to go shopping to get some gifts for Bettie. Then he had to get to the party at eight. He thought of asking someone for a ride. But who could he ask? He could take a cab, but there weren't any roaming the neighborhood. If he called one to the house, Francine would certainly intervene. There were no trains in the area. There were bus stops, but the buses must run infrequently because he didn't see any on his walk. At least there was still plenty of time. Maybe something would come up. After lunch, everyone decided to head for the beach. It had turned into a hot day, and the beach was already full of people. Chas noted sailboats out on the water. There wasn't much wind, nor was there much surf. Noah and Steph had armed themselves with plastic shovels and buckets in anticipation of a major sand castle construction project. They soon found the ideal site for the sand castle. The two women, Francine and Janice, laid out their towels nearby. Chas and Brian excused themselves and headed up the beach, walking in the surfline. When they were out of earshot of the women, Brian asked, "Do we get to see Yuki today?" "I don't think so. She has some other plans for the rest of the weekend." "I thought you two were really tight. Maybe not, huh?" Chas looked a little glum, "I just met her on Tuesday." Brian reflected, "I knew Janice for three years before I got to spend a weekend with her." Chas wanted to say that he was making up for lost time, but that might lead the conversation into sensitive areas. He decided to draw Brian out instead. "Was she your first girlfriend, Brian? "The first serious one, yes. I met her when I was sixteen." "So, you were in school together?"

"She was in my German class. I thought she was really cute, but she was always with her friend, Mary. I couldn't get them apart." "You managed somehow?" "One of my friends had a party at his house. I invited both girls to come with me. I had my drivers license by that time. Mary didn't show up, but Janice did." "That's an interesting story. Do you think Mary stayed home to give Janice a chance with you?" "That thought occurred to me later. I've never been able to get Janice or Mary to give me the straight story." Two beautiful teenage girls, probably sisters Chas thought, dashed in front front of the men and splashed into the water. Brian was the first to comment. "Swimsuits just keep getting skimpier and skimpier, and girls keep developing earlier." "How old do you think they are?" "I bet the older one isn't even sixteen yet. Why don't you go ask her?" Chas smiled shyly and sighed. "Oh, I don't think so. I've got enough going on right now." Brian shrugged, "You said Yuki was leaving you on your own tonight?" "Yes, tonight and tomorrow, too." "Are you going to hang around while she goes out and does whatever?" "I have to go see my aunt tomorrow, and I have my own plans for this evening," Chas said. "Another girl, Chas?" "Sort of. She invited me to a party that her company is having." "Wow! You really have to give me a few pointers." "Brian, you have a family. I wish I had what you have." "I'm sure you'll have that, too, if it's what you want. Right now, I suggest you enjoy your freedom. It probably won't last long." Chas sighed. Brian's heart was in the right place, but he really didn't know anything about Chas or his situation.

The tide was coming in when the men got back to the women and children. Noah and Steph were battling to save their sand castle from the waters. Chas rushed forward, grabbed a bucket and helped the children build their seawall. The trio worked frantically for a few minutes, but their efforts were for naught. A large wave arrived and inundated everything. Even Francine and Janice were forced to decamp to higher ground. As she watched her work crumble and wash away, Steph said, "No! It's not fair." Chas said, Let's build a better one on higher ground." But, Noah and Steph had lost interest. "Let's go swimming instead!" Noah exclaimed. The two children held Chas' hands and led him out into the surf. Noah had to swim as they entered deeper water. He was a strong swimmer. Chas waded and pulled Steph along, helping her stay afloat. Steph asked to go on Chas' shoulders and he accommodated her. Noah headed further out. Chas and Steph followed until the water was chest deep. Chas playfully squatted down to dunk Steph. He was careful not to let her head under water. "Do you want to swim now?" he asked. "No! I want to stay up here," she responded. Then she said, "Look! There's Yuki and another lady." Chas looked to see Yuki and a blond woman with Brian, Francine and Janice. Steph wanted to go greet the newcomers. Chas said, "Hey, Noah, I'll race you back!" Chas let Noah win the race. Steph told Chas sternly, "You let him win! You weren't even trying." She made a little pout. Chas responded, "Shush, Steph. Don't let him hear you. It'll be our secret, OK?" Yuki introduced Chas to Kathy. She had brown eyes and attractively styled long dirty-blond hair. She wasn't ask athletic looking as Yuki, but she was nicely proportioned. She wore a colorful sundress over her swimsuit and broad-brimmed straw hat. As Chas took her hand he said, "You were smart to bring that hat. I wish I had one." "I'll bring two next time," she said and smiled. Her smile was warm, almost affectionate. Chas found Kathy both beautiful and charming. If she had any physical flaw, it was that her nose was slightly pudgy. Steph was standing behind Chas, hugging his knee. Kathy bent down and said, "You must be Steph."

"Yes I am, and Chas is MY boyfriend," she said possessively. "Is that right, Chas?" Kathy asked with a straight face. Chas said, "Oh, yes, absolutely." Yuki thought that Chas and Steph were good match. "You two make a lovely couple," she teased. "I thought you had plans for today, Yuki," Chas probed. "I do. It's going to be a girls' night out. After Kathy and I enjoy the beach, we are going to have a nice dinner out and paint the town." Chas wanted to tell her she deserved to have fun after the trouble he had given her, but there were other people around. Instead he said, "That sounds like a good way to spend a Saturday." Yuki thought that Chas was fishing for an invitation. The whole point of hanging out with Kathy was for her to get away from Chas, but she couldn't think of a way to discourage him without sounding rude. After some time Chas said, "Do you think you could drop me off at the mall on your way to dinner?" Yuki was relieved that Chas hadn't asked to spend the evening with her and Kathy, so she immediately said yes. Then she became suspicious. Why did he want to go to the mall? And, why didn't he ask Francine to take him? Well, it wasn't her problem. She was off the clock until Monday. ... Brian appeared and said, "I'm going to have a beer or three. Anyone care to join me?" Yuki responded, "Me, but not right away. I want to enjoy the beach a little first." Brian said, "OK, come over to the house whenever you like." Yuki inventoried all the things that were outlawed law on the beach: no booze, no dogs, no playing ball, no fires, no camping, no fun. How many of the rules address real issues, she wondered? Maybe the more restrictions there were, the fewer people from the inland communities would bother to come out. Maybe that was the real point.

Brian headed to his house, while the rest of the group chatted. The children were looking a bit tired, like they were ready for a nap or at least an inside activity. After a short time, Yuki and Kathy separated from the group and went walking down the beach. Chas went to join Brian. Chas found Brian sitting at his patio table. He had arranged the umbrella of the table to shade himself from the afternoon sun and was enjoying a beer. "Chas!" he said. "Let me get you a beer." Chas sat while Brian fetched the beer. When the beer arrived, Chas said, "Thanks." The men took a few sips together. Chas didn't care for the taste of the beer. He thought it was bitter and yeasty. "Sometimes I wish I were single," Brian said with a sigh. "You mean because of Kathy?" Chas asked. "Not her specifically. You guys are going to be out tonight having a great time. I'm only a few years older, but I'm going to be home watching TV." "You want to be with Janice, though, don't you?" "Well, Janice is great. But, what do they say, the 'bloom is off the rose', or maybe 'the fires don't burn as hot anymore'? We've been married seven years." "I wouldn't know about that. I think Janice is very attractive. You're lucky." "I'll tell you something else. If you ever want to see how long you can go without sex, all you have to do is get married." "Really?" Chas did know something about going without sex, but he wasn't going to volunteer that information. "Ah, let's change the subject. Did you do sports in school?" Brian asked. "Actually, no. I was home schooled." Brian tried a few more topics, but failed to find anything that worked. Finally, the pair settled on watching the pedestrians and bicyclists on the boardwalk and commenting on the attractive women or particularly odd-looking characters as they passed. The were most of the way through their second bottles when Kathy and Yuki join them.

Yuki surveyed the empty bottles on the table. "Were you going to leave any for us?" she asked. "Don't worry, there's plenty more," Brian said. The two women went inside to help themselves to the beer. At this point Brian didn't feel like carrying the weight of the conversation. Maybe it was the combined effect of the beer and sun. He just wanted to veg out. The four of people sat drinking without saying much for some minutes. Then Chas said, "Is there anything to eat? I'm hungry." "When are you not hungry, Chas?" Yuki responded. "Francine brought some chips and salsa this morning. I'll go get them." "No. I'll go. You stay here and relax." Chas fetched the chips and salsa from the Carstairs' house, returned, and began stuffing his face. His three companions were able to get a few chips for themselves before he finished the bag off. Then he thought of something. "Yuki is a very good swimmer," he said. Kathy said, "That's right, she was on the swim team in high school. Weren't you, Yuki?" "I wasn't very good," she admitted. But, I tried." Yuki thought that now Chas had gotten another bit of information about her without sharing anything about himself. "Chas, why don't you tell us something about yourself, something none of us know." He thought for some time. Finally he said, "My father owned a sailboat." Brian said, "Oh, that is interesting. Do you sail, Chas?" "No. I only remember going on the boat one time. It smelled like diesel fuel and pipe tobacco. My father used to smoke a pipe. Maybe I should learn to sail now, though." Brian said, "I did some of that in college. It can be a lot of fun and very relaxing." Francine, Janice and the two children came in from the beach, looking red from the sun and tired. Steph gave Chas a hug before going into the house. She whispered in his ear, "Now that you're my boyfriend, I expect you to spend a lot more time with me." Chas left to tell Francine that Yuki was going to drop him off at the mall so he could do some shopping. She offered to take him instead, but he insisted he wanted a little time to himself as per the discussion of this morning. He'd take a cab home. And, yes, he'd take his phone so Francine could call him.

Six o'clock rolled around. Chas was starting to wonder when Yuki and Kathy would get going. He waited impatiently while they dressed. Finally, they came out, dressed and made up to perfection. Kathy said, "I'll drive." She knew how much Yuki tended to drink. Her car was a coupe, somewhat larger than Yuki's Civic. But the rear seat was still cramped for an adult. Chas insisted on sitting in the back. After they were on their way, Kathy asked, "What are you shopping for, Chas?" "Some more clothes, and a present." "A present for your girlfriend, little Steph?" Chas went along with the joke. "That's right. Any advice? What do you think she would like? "Oh. I don't know. Maybe a diamond tennis bracelet," Kathy said thoughtfully. "I was thinking more like chocolate." Yuki had a suggestion, "Get both. Hide the jewelry at the bottom of the box of chocolate." It wasn't far to the mall. The women dropped Chas off and bade him farewell.