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We had a wonderful dinner together. As it happened, Hendrik got his quiet sense of humor from his father. Not only what Papa said, but stating it with his ever-so-slight Dutch accent, made much of what Papa said very amusing.
I felt really good during that whole meal, even though Papa was sort of a surprise to me.
Chapter 49
Hendrik
Iguessthisisa week for revelations.
That was my thought when Vader invited himself to dinner with me and Beatrice. She had already been in Papa’s hospital room when he was very ill, so I figured meeting in a public place like a restaurant to see him healthy and fit again was only natural.
Papa made Beatrice laugh her belly laugh more than once. He tried to embarrass me by telling her childhood stories about me …
Do all parents do this to their adult children? Really!
And Beatrice is just looking at me with affection.
She's the one. She's the one for me.
During dinner, we agreed that one car would take Papa home, while I took Beatrice back to her place.
Or to mine... We'll see...
I have to give Papa credit. He made no reference to Carly. He made no reference to my grief or my broken heart when she died. He also made no reference to my wealth.
Well, our shared wealth.
I had long since made sure my father was financially set, not just right now and during the remaining working years, but also for his retirement. I needed to make sure that he had plenty of money to spend even though he protested that he had a perfectly fine pension and was eligible for Social Security, too. “I am a naturalized American citizen and I have worked every month since I moved here, I will have you know! I have earned my way and I will continue to do so!” And with a fatherlyharrumph, he thought he had set me straight.
I just went ahead and set up some accounts for him. No way he can protest now. Done is done. He has worked so hard. He has worked smart, too, and I think I got that from him as well as my numbers sense.
Looking back, it's almost as though my Papa never made a wrong move since we arrived here. I freely admit to myself that I have no idea what his struggles might have really been during my youth or how Papa actually managed on any front.
He never complained. Not once. Not overtly. And never in a backhanded way, either.
My Papa is one big optimist!
Beatrice seems like she likes my father. Interesting that I don't remember Papa ever dating. Not once. Hmmm …
***
Next morning, my Papa phoned me. If I didn't know better I would have accused my father of having fallen in love. Vader has apparently become very quietly enamored with Beatrice!
He goes on and on, “She has quite a European type of beauty. But she also has quite an American type of intelligence! She’s witty and sassy, son. Your Beatrice haschutzpah!”
Chutzpah, huh? Well, she is pretty bold, come to think of it.
I drift back to the club and how she just slid right in and took me home, assuming I’d come along.
Chutzpah! Oh, yeah.
When I call Beatrice at the end of that afternoon, knowing she’s almost done with work, I'm floored again. This time she’s the one gushing … about my Papa!
I tease her, “Well, then! I guess I'd better step aside. My father is gushing over you. For him, you are full of chutzpah. You are gushing over him. For you, he’s full of humor, vim, and vigor. I guess you two are squeezing me out of this relationship!” and I laughed warmly at this woman my father had fully accepted as very important to me.
And don't fool yourself, he's probably got you both married by now in his mind.
Then Beatrice surprises me again. “My sweet, I've met your father. He’s wonderful! It's time you meet my mother. I talked to her at noon on my break and made her promise to make our all-time favorite meal tonight. I told her I was bringing a Plus One as a surprise. Sorry, I just haven’t had a minute to warn you before now. I also told her just the three of us. No pesky cousins. Not yet. I don’t think you could handle all of us at once the first time!”
