By this time Bill had retrieved the two MAG lights and was looking around for the door closer button. Teri volunteered the needed information along with gate opening instructions. Within a minute they were standing at the end of the driveway and had turned towards Harry's. Holding up one MAG light Bill flipped out a steel ring from its base and asked Teri to clip it to the snap centered between his shoulders. With amusement in his voice Bill said, "We'll be safer if you turn the light on." Teri chuckled but quickly turned on the MAG light.
As Bill and Teri crossed the parking lot at Harry's they heard the authentic gong of six bells. They both knew the time to be 1900 hours. Harry had seen them coming and was waiting.
"Something happen to your transportation?" he asked.
"It was a pleasant evening so we decided to use what God provided." Bill replied.
Harry extended his hand to Bill and said, "Welcome back, Bill." Turning to Teri he opened his arms and asked for a hug and a kiss. Teri answered her fathers request joyfully. "Let's sit in the back tonight. Andy and I are closing early because there hasn't been enough business. Get a good window seat but not in line with the front doors."
Teri and Bill did as requested while Harry went about the business of closing down the restaurant. Before they could be seated Andy appeared with two steaming mugs. They were filled with Andy's special blend. "Good to see you both. Down for the weekend?"
What's with the white light on the back of your coat, Bill?"
Bill responded first. "We walked down here and I felt safer with a warning signal attached to my fantail." Teri continued the conversation by saying, "I'm spending the whole week so I can learn about my new house and the finances that keep it running. Bill didn't check his social calendar before he left so he may be here for just the weekend." She smiled at Bill and he stuck his tongue out at her.
Harry showed up just then and asked if they had eaten. When Andy heard the negative reply he immediately left for the kitchen muttering under his breath about Harry being old and senile.
Suddenly Harry let out an oath and asked Bill to accompany to the front desk computer. "It has been giving me no end of trouble lately," Harry said as he started towards the front.
"Go see what he wants," Teri said, "I'll sit here, have my tea, and enjoy the view."
Bill rose from his seat and followed the wake caused by Harry's passing. When he arrived Bill was surprised to see Harry leaning against the counter with a big grin on his face. "Good, I didn't raise Teri's curiosity. Now Bill I know that we were supposed to have our meeting tomorrow. What with slow business tonight and your sitting on pins and needles for the past two weeks why don't we have the meeting after you and Teri finish dinner?"
"Okay, Harry. I'll sleep better tonight without the tension and anxiety I've put myself through. Teri should know the best and the worst about me."
"Good man, Bill. I knew you had guts and a strong will when I met you two weeks ago. I have some papers to get from upstairs so you go back to Teri and enjoy Andy's dinner. Even for a 'Yank' like me it was fine eating."
Teri saw Bill's refection in the window as he approached the table. Turning towards him she said, "Obviously the problem was minor and you agreed to have the meeting tonight after we eat."
Bill smiled as he responded, "Yes to both parts. All I needed to do was reboot the computer to have the glitch go away. I will feel and sleep a lot better having the meeting over and done with."
Just then Andy came around the corner bearing a heavy tray. "There isn't enough room at that table for all this. Move over to the big table so you can start to eat. You two sit on that side so you can continue to enjoy the view." Andy placed two heaping platters next to each other on the side facing the windows.
??
Dinner was finished. The dishes were soaking in the big sink and the necessary trips to the head had been completed. When Teri and Bill returned to the table there was a large carafe of coffee waiting along with ash trays. Andy was seated opposite Teri while Harry sat opposite Bill. Bill lit two cigarettes and handed Teri one of them.
"Let's tell the worst part first and move on to the better things," Harry said in a solemn voice. "Teri, Bill lied to you about his name. Now don't judge him until you hear me out. Bill did what he did out of self-preservation. With his disabilities and limited income he was unable to clean up some wreckage of his past."
Picking up the top sheet in front of him Harry slid it across the table in front of Teri. "Allow me to introduce you to William Edward Bouchet, the second. Teri had heard the words and her eyes scanned the paper in front of her. She was numb with shock. Bill was as shocked as Teri.
Harry picked up the next set of sheets. Bill, in 1993 you suffered a rather nasty wound to your head requiring forty-two stitches. The concussion you sustained in today's medicine would have been noted in the mandatory CAT scan now required. Because you never lost consciousness the ER at Harborview didn't do a scan. More important was divorce that became effective as of 1 January 1994. The reason for the divorce being granted was irreconcilable differences." Harry slid the packet over in front of Bill. Bill let the tears flow down his cheeks. Teri silently gave Bill a heavy duty napkin while Andy and Harry both offered their handkerchiefs.