CHAPTER 1
When Roosevelt Richards left home shortly before his nineteenth birthday after his solo mom married a whining near alcoholic, he went well south and settled in Holman City, Texas. Roosevelt immediately engaged an attorney to have his name legally changed to Roo Richards, to rid him of a moniker he regarded as inappropriate.
That process swallowed almost half of Roo's money but he didn't have to advise his bank and insurance and credit card company of the adjustment in name change because he hadn't accessed those services. At Junior High Roo had mostly been called by the shortened version of his name anyway. When all documentation was completed and the attorney Annette Foot found Roo was no longer in contact with his family, she invited him home for a Saturday cook-out.
There the tall and curly dark-headed Roo met lively Belinda Foot and thought he felt something flash between them but then her two older brothers called him over to look at the '56 Ford pickup they were restoring.
It was a good family occasion and Roo was made to feel at home.
Roo found a low-paying job preparing vehicles for their new owners at a Chevrolet dealership and within three years was making big money (for him) selling trucks at a Ford dealership. One day a very attractive young woman came up to him and said, 'Roo?"
"Oh hi," he said to the stranger.
She smiled and said she was Belinda Foot.
"Annette's daughter," he gaped.
She giggled and said yes all grown up and invited him to lunch at a restaurant on Saturday. It would be a family post-graduation dinner for her.
"But I'm not family."
"It doesn't matter Roo, honestly."
"But why?"
The beautiful blonde eyed him steadily. "Because you are one of the few guys to have made a real impact on me."
"But I've only met you the once."
"That's when it happened. I can invite you to lunch but you might think it improper of me to ask you for a date."
"Belinda, thanks for inviting me to lunch but it's for family. Instead ask me for a date."
"May I take you to a movie and then to dinner on Sunday?"
"Yes, I'd really like that Belinda."
"And then what?"
Roo grinned. "I really like you Belinda. You have an unusual style. Are you thinking sex?"
"Yes."
"Well let's have perhaps three dates to get to know one another."
"Are you intending to talk to my mother about this?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Annette was the first person in this city to befriend me and I'd not wish to upset that relationship."
"How can you have such high ethics when you have not been to college?"
"With me it's a feeling Belinda. Your mom is the loveliest woman I've ever met. May I ask did you learn ethics at college?"
"We studied them."
"What I actually want to know was did you learn anything from that study?"
Belinda thought about that. "I guess there was nothing new to learn."
"Because of the way you were brought up?"
"Yes I suppose it was."
"Well same here. Even poor families can be highly principled."
"I meant no..."
"No offence taken. You are now very beautiful and could have your choice of males to date you."
"I know and that's why I've chosen you."
* * *
Annette Foot studied the young man opposite her. She rarely took a lunch break but Roo had said it was important, as a friend, so they met at a café opposite her office. She had been unable to guess what he wished to discuss. She mused he was no longer the gaunt guy she'd first met, now looking muscular and fit, no doubt big into exercising and perhaps belonged to a gym because his work was rather sedentary.
"Belinda came to me yesterday and invited me to her post-graduation lunch tomorrow."
Annette was shocked. So that's why Belinda had asked was Roo still in town.
"My goodness, that's a surprise. You've only met her the once haven't you?"
"Yes."
"I said no because it would be family but we agreed to date on Sunday."
"I see."
Roo said before any such association began he'd like to know Annette's thoughts.
"Well this is unusual for me. I don't know what to think."
"Then I'll not date her."
Annette's reaction was quick. "No don't do that, I don't wish to be responsible for you doing that. But why, why you?"
"I also asked that and she relied I had impressed her as a person and she'd not forgotten that. I didn't tell her this but must admit when I met her four years ago I honestly felt as if something passed between us."
"Well I know what you're talking about. I have experienced that with people but very rarely. I'd use the term a feeling of kindred spirit."
"To misquote a little, 'Bumble was a fat man, and didn't respond to this open-hearted salutation in a kindred spirit'."
"Omigod, that's from Oliver Twist. How is it you know that?"
Roo looked a little taken aback but said shyly, "I completed a two-year associate degree course in English literature online last year to improve my education and my ability to learn new things and am now doing an associate degree course on business management."
"Oh you good boy, I'm so proud of you."
Roo hung his head.
Any seized the opportunity she'd long be waiting for.
"Roo," she said gently. "Am I some kind of substitute mother to you?"
He nodded.
"Roo please look at me."
As soon as they had eye contact she said, "I am honored Roo, there is no need for us to speak of this again."
He smiled and then grinned, "Aren't we discussing Belinda?"
""I'm happy for you to date her and to go as far as she allows you. Belinda is an adult now. At the same time I admire you for seeking my opinion and I assure you I'm happy about it. What say you and I have a quick lunch every Friday whenever we can both make it."
"Sure, I'd like that. You look great in that blue suit Annette."
She blushed, surprising herself, having thought she no longer colored expect in anger.
Roo and Belinda dated for two months and then her Teaching Certificate arrived and when she left for Fort Worth to take up a supervised teaching position to begin her career in education.
The next time Belinda came home a boyfriend accompanied her. Annette apologized to Roo when she gave him the news but he looked at her brightly and said, "These things happen. I must say you don't look particularly happy."
Annette hesitated and then said, "On of our male friends told me two days ago he suspects his wife and my husband Dan are having an affair. That revelation made me more than suspicious."
"Damn, I'm sorry."
Annette smiled and said, "These things happen. Let's have a glass of wine to help me out of the dumps. Dan is a good companion and therefore I don't intend to confront him and to ditch him."
"In having you Dan is one lucky guy."
Annette buried her head in the menu to hide her flush.
* * *
A few weeks after that adulterous revelation, Roo was promoted to sales manager (new vehicles) and that Friday invited Annette to dinner to celebrate. Later when alongside her vehicle they kissed goodnight and the way Annette had pushed against him made Roo aware it was more than a good night kiss between friends. He pulled away and said goodnight softly and they exchanged a lingering look before Annette pushed her remote and Roo opened the unlocked door for her.
"You ought to trade in his lackluster and aged vehicle. We have a good range of new vehicles over-filling our showroom at the moment but a few days ago accepted a year-old black Mercedes coupe that has you written all over it. I'll be honest, we'll have difficulty finding a buying in this city for it and may have to..."
"I'll call in around 11:00 in the morning. Seduce me with a great deal."
Roo waved her off and from that moment began thinking of Annette sexually despite her being much older than he was. It was her and not her age that mattered. That kiss and her use of that word 'seduce' were signals what were on his mind.
Annette did a deal on the Mercedes next day and then everything between them returned to normal, she giving him just a sweet little kiss when they met and departed after lunch on Fridays. That ease between them lasted until two months later in July.
At the Friday lunch Annette said, "Belinda and her boyfriend and his family are on a hiking tour in Colorado and Dan is visiting his parents for two weeks in Florida. He knows his parents are too loud for me and become abusive to one another when they get drunk, which is often, and so didn't argue when I said I wouldn't accompany him. He'll probably enjoy other women in Florida."
"Why don't you move in with me? I'm well settled into my new apartment."
"Are you thinking of adultery?"
"Yes."
"Omigod Roo, I'm nineteen years older than you."
"Yes and I know that."
Annette then told him she'd often thought of having sex with him, ever since she'd heard the allegation her husband was having an affair."
Roo wrote the address on the back of his business card and handed it to Annette.