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Now I have to ask, “Hendrik, what inTarnationis this emergency number deal?Jumpin' Jehoshaphat, Hendrik! Do you have that many emergencies that you need a special number? Please empty your brain to me about this!” and I wave my hands in my usual woo-woo, brain-emptying manner in front of me.
Hendrik laughs at my attempts at magic. “It dates from our earliest years of friendship. Jared and most of his crew were born in this neighborhood. There are loads of first- and second-generation families here, like me. But when he realized I had actuallychosento live in this neighborhood, he wondered if I was oblivious to the dangers or what. So I just explained that it was a cheap place to live while I finished college. When after college I also didn't move out, I had to explain to him that I was starting up a small business and saving money by living here.”
I'm still pretty clueless and he can see it on my face, so he continues, “When the mugging occurred and I was knifed is when he and I met, as I told you.” He looked at me with questioning eyes, “I did tell you, right?”
I nodded.
Hendrik smiles, “Well, Jared was in despair when he found out that I was in the hospital for two days with no one knowing about it. It took that long for the hospital to find out who I was and who they could call.”
This is confusing to me. So I ask Hendrik, “What do you mean? Don't you have your father in your phone as an emergency contact?”
“Of course I do,” he responded ruefully. “But geek that I am, and security-oriented that I have always been, no one could unlock my phone to look him up! And since I didn't have any other ID on me at the time because I was just going and coming from the gym that day, it took them until I could open my phone for them myself to do anything for me. And that wasn’t until the next afternoon of my hospitalization.”
I was aghast! “My sweet! Your father must have been shocked and worried sick by the time he got to the hospital!”
“Oh yes, and he hasn't let me forget about that. But the fact that he was recently hospitalized, and our emergency procedure worked instantly has since comforted my Papa. He knows that we have a system in case of emergency now that really works. I think he's very happy Jared came up with it! But also quite shocked that I did not!” And Hendrik gave me a belly laugh.
I nod with a mock accusation on my face, “Oh yes, my son the billionaire geek. Ach!” and I try to imitate his father's lingering Dutch accent, “How disappointed am I in his security measures!”
That made Hendrik laugh even harder. But I won't be deterred, “So what about Jared and that crew then?” I smile. “You seem to mean a lot to Jared. He seems to take your friendship very, very seriously.”
Hendrik nodded, “And so do I. It was from those days forward that they knew how to contact my father. I knew how to contact them for an immediate response and vice versa. And Jared made sure that Vader, my Papa, also had that emergency number. Jared and my father know each other pretty well by now, too. I sometimes hear from my Papa, long after the fact,” and he chuckled, “that Jared and he have gone out for a meal together. I think, although my Papa has never said so, that Papa has sort of adopted many of them as his other sons.”
I nod in recognition of the phenomenon! “My uncle has mostly treated me like his troublemaking, youngest kid. Other times I’m his damsel-in-distress daughter. My mom would scold my two cousins like they were her own, too, and does so even today. So yeah,” I laughed, “I get that!”
Chapter 47
Hendrik
Well,hereweare.That wasn't so hard, bringing Beatrice to my place, now was it?
Yes. It was!
Thank goodness my place is always pristinely clean And presentable.
And for whom? Just me?
If I have my way, it won't be just me anymore.
I pull Beatrice to me, and ask her with a grin, “Do you want the 10-cent tour? Or have you seen everything?”
She looks me right in the eyes with a bigger grin, and teases, “I’ve had my inspection tour, Mister! I've looked under the sink. But there is a hitch in the inspection tour.”
Well, well, well. She’s perhaps noticed after all.
“Don't tell me that you're so stinkin’ rich that you don'tsleepin your own apartment? Maybe this is just where you work? Where do you go at night ... the Ritz-Carleton Hotel?”
Nope! She hasn’t noticed. I see that I havegother!
I can't help but break out into a belly laugh as I hold her close to me around her waist. “Ah Hah! My Lady Fair is not as observant as I thought she was!” The delight is too much and I give her a big deep kiss. I press her upper back into me with one hand and pull her hips into me with the other.
But I’m so happy that I start to chuckle right in the middle of this amazing kiss. Without letting her go, I look her right in the eyes … only to see that she is staring at me with amusement as well!
Still locked in this warm kiss, I duck-walk her over to the corner of my work desk where I pick up a remote control. I duck-walk her back over to the sofa and make her sit and get comfortable beside her.
“Observe carefully, my beauty!” I say dramatically as I wave the remote control in front of her. “Do you like art?” I ask.
Beatrice looks at me questioningly and shrugs with both arms up-raised.
