"Dan," Dad said with his goofy grin, "This is Lisa; Lisa, my son, Dan."
"So nice to finally meet you, Dan. Welcome to Florida," she said, taking my hand. "Your father has told me so much about you. How was your trip?"
I suddenly felt feverish as I mumbled a reply. Mom had died just over a year ago after a prolonged illness, and Dad had been devastated. After 40 years together, he had watched her waste away and he was left living in a 55 and over community in Florida that they had purchased just prior to Mom falling ill.
I had offered for him to move back to New York with Vickie and me, but he declined, which worked out fine because we were going through some rocky times ourselves.
Since then, we had divorced and Dad had met and married Lisa. I was unable to attend the wedding due to an injury on my job, but the pictures he had sent me did not do Lisa justice.
Now, meeting her for the first time, I was awed by her sleepy brown eyes and deep, smoky voice. Her hair was light brown with blonde streaks and she was about 5'4".
"It was a long drive, but I stayed over in Savannah one night," I explained, still holding her hand. Dad finally came in for a big hug and Lisa seemed to reluctantly release her grasp. As I hugged Dad, she stood just beyond us, smiling warmly. I tried looking away, taking in the place, but my eyes returned to Lisa, dressed in white slacks, pink polo shirt and white visor. She was so different from Mom, younger, prettier, warmer, and definitely built better. Mom was petite, moody and easily bored. Lisa was none of the above.
Since the injury, I wasn't able to continue working as a laborer. My leg had been broken in two places, so scaffolds were too challenging. Dad suggested I come down for a long visit. I could check out the area with an eye on relocating.
"We have plenty of room, Danny," he had declared. "The guest room has a private entrance so you can come and go as you please." A change of scenery may have been just what I needed, so I hopped in my SUV and headed south.
"You must be exhausted," Lisa interrupted the long hug. "Do you need help bringing your things in?"
"Yeah," Dad chimed in, "We'll get you settled. Baby, do you have time before your tee time? We don't want to keep the foursome waiting."
Lisa smiled even wider, her bright, white teeth glistening against a deep tan. "Of course, Bobby, we always have time for family."
"Thanks, but that's not necessary," I replied. "Please, don't let me interfere with your plans. I can bring my stuff in just fine, thanks."
The pout Lisa gave us was too exaggerated and her eyes drifted to my healed leg, but I persisted. "Really, please go. It'll give me and Dad some time to catch up."
She reluctantly agreed, giving Dad a kiss on the cheek, and me another flash of the ivory.
"Isn't she something?" Dad proudly asked after we settled in the sun room for a few beers.
Even if she hadn't been so amazing, I would have politely agreed. He told me that after a few months of Mom's death, his friend Wally had dragged him out for a few drinks at the country club. It turned out that Lisa had just finalized her own divorce and, as a friend of Wally, she had stopped by to say hello at the bar. Dad was smitten, which was understandable, to say the least. Soon after, he got up the nerve to ask her to dinner, and a whirlwind romance came to fruition with a small, hastily organized civil ceremony.
"Lisa was so excited when she heard you were coming down," he continued. "And so was I!"
"Well, thanks for having me."
We settled into a routine, with me trying not to disrupt their lives and them trying to include me. Dinners at the club were frequent, with many of the divorcees who stopped by to visit Lisa gave me come-hither looks. Though they all seemed well-heeled, they were quite a bit older than my 37. Hell, they were older than Lisa, too, it seemed.
One night, a member of her regular foursome said hello. She asked if I played golf. "Not in a while," I answered.
"Danny, you used to love to play" Dad interjected. "No more?"
"I haven't had the chance."
"Well, you do now," Lisa beamed. "I can get us a tee time whenever you like." Dad agreed, enthusiastically.
After a visit to the ladies room, she returned to announce, "It's all set: 9:30 tomorrow."
I began to protest but Dad assured me, "When Lisa sets her mind to something, there's no sense arguing."
The next morning, we were at the Pro Shop, with Lisa's clubs on the cart. "I wasn't sure if you were a leftie or rightie," she advised. "They have decent clubs available." When the clubhouse boy put a set of Pings on the cart, I knew she was right. They put my second-hand Wilsons to shame.
"I hope you don't mind, but we'll be playing alone today," she informed me.
"That's fine. It's been so long since I've played, I'd rather not embarrass myself in front of too many people."
Lisa laughed heartily. "It's like riding a horse. Or sex. It'll come back to you with a little practice." Her devilish smile chilled and excited me.
She was right: After the first few holes, I was playing better, although not as well as she. "You're very good," I said.
"Oh, thanks. I've been playing all my life, which is a long time!"
"Well, it shows... I mean about your talent, not how long your life has been," I stumbled to apologize. She laughed again, touching my arm.
"Believe me, I didn't take it like that." She paused and I looked over to her, and her eyes bore into mine. "I'm not a gold digger, you know."
My face wrinkled. "Why did you say that? Did I give you the wrong impression or something? I didn't mean to."
