Before you start, this story takes some time to develop. Second, if you want to read from the beginning then please read: Zoey, please explain this, Go get em Zoey girl, and Zoey, come on. Because they don't have the same title with a chapter marker behind them, I can't get the web master to put them in a series.
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Not every story has a happy ending, at least for me it didn't seem that way. Zoey had won states and was heading off to the west coast and Stanford in the fall. She was excited but apprehensive about the move and being that far away from home and me. I assured her it would be fine and she would be fine.
Soon after we had returned from the state championships my wife decided that she wanted to be single and try to find someone else. She had threatened enough times that she was leaving and now she finally made good on her word. Only thing was she wasn't running away, I was getting kicked out. I didn't want to fight and be that guy so I left and moved in with Easelee.
He didn't mind having me there since his wife had past and he had a big house with nobody to share it with. He was starting to have health problems so it was nice for him to have somebody in the house with him just in case.
I knew my wife was going to leave me sooner or later but I always thought it would be later. I thought Cotton would be out of school before she would make that decision but she just couldn't wait anymore. I didn't really care since I found myself in love with Zoey. We spent that summer doing one of two things, golfing or screwing.
We had a lot of time for both since I had retired soon after the impending divorce was sprung on me. Zoey improved a lot over the summer and really had her game working for her when she left in the fall. She begged me all summer to come out there with her since I wasn't needed here anymore. I told her I would think about it after everything was settled and I knew how much money I had left over after I split it with the ungrateful Ex.
She headed out west in the fall and continued to beg me to come with her. I told her it would still be a little longer before I would know if I could or not. Money was tight and her mom was trying to suck me dry. She suggested that she quit school and try to get on the tour so she could make money and we could be together. I tried hard to keep her in school and told her things would work out.
Soon after that she stopped calling and wouldn't return my calls. I tried for 2 weeks before I got a single text message from her that said she was doing fine. That was the last I heard from her. I tried to ask her mom about it but she was just as cold as ever. I couldn't figure out what I had done wrong but I had that sinking feeling I had broken her heart somehow.
I checked the web and was able to keep tabs on her through that. She was still at college and finished in third at the national golf championships. It wasn't until July, when Easelee came in and told me to turn on the golf channel, that I saw Zoey. She was holding the open trophy after an exciting win and by an amateur no less. She dropped school and went on tour. I followed her via TV and watched her win and lose but I always cheered for her.
By the time she had won her second open, Easelee had too past and I was forced into a small apartment alone. It was all that I could barely afford. I quit golfing and became a shut in. I continued to follow Zoey on TV and sent her cards on the holidays but I never tried to contact her other than that. I still loved her and missed her but it was up to her to decide if she wanted a relationship with me. I never got anything back from her.
It was a sunny day in early June, another year had gone by, three since she had won states. I had decided that living like a slob wasn't cool anymore. I join an amateur tour and played competitively on the small stage. I had just returned from a long weekend away and was happy with my third win of the year. It didn't pay much but it was fun nonetheless. It got me back out there instead of being locked inside.
I opened the mailbox and took out my stack of mail that had piled up for the few days I was gone. I set them on the table and noticed one in particular. It had my address and a Malibu post mark on it. I scrambled to open it and Zoey's neat handwriting jumped off the paper and went straight to my heart.
I was called dad of course but it was better to be called that then nothing at all. The letter said we had unfinished business that needed to be resolved. She was taking the whole month of June off in preparation for the open in July. I could come out anytime and visit her until then. If I chose not to then this would be the last time I ever heard from her again. I was given an address to the house and nothing more. I booked a flight the next day for the second week in June. I had just enough money sitting around to do it.
I landed at the little airport in Burbank. I avoided LAX since I hated large amounts of people crammed into a small space. I paid a little more to fly in here but I figured it was worth the trouble. I walked down the flight ramp and onto the runway itself. It was unusual but I figured this way the way they did things before the planes parked at the gates like most places do.
I claimed my bag and caught a cab towards Malibu. I had the cabbie stop at a diner so I could get a bite to eat. I asked if he wanted to join me but he declined. He made money driving people around not eating with strangers so off he went.
I walked into the joint and was seated quickly. The hostess was a hot little number that was around 30 years old. I complimented her on how good she looked. She smiled but brushed it off. She must have heard that all the time I thought. The waitress was even better looking but a few years younger. Malibu definitely had some very good looking women in it. Zoey belonged here.
The waitress made small talk with me as I ate dinner. She must have felt sorry that I was sitting by myself. I told her why I was here and who Zoey was. She had never heard of her but was genuinely interested. She hoped I could figure everything out but if I couldn't she had a place for me to stay. I took her number and folded it up before putting it in my pocket.
People were good looking and friendly too I thought as I waited for her to return with my change. I called for a cab again and waited while continuing to talk to her. The place was starting to get busy but she still managed to chat.
I left her a nice tip and started for the open door. My cab had just pulled up. She wished me luck and thanked me for my business. I reached the thresh hold of the door and was stunned by a blonde headed beauty. I gawked as she smiled and tried to go left. I went right and we almost bumped. She tried to swerve back right as I tried to go left. My hands went to her hips and touched them lightly as I turned her back to the left and spun us around.
"Oh my," she giggled as we smiled at each other. "Such strong hands," she teased.
I looked at her intense blue eyes and natural hair. She was a beauty. A guy approached from over her shoulder and looked at me with interest.
"Thanks for the dance sweetheart," I said as I let her go.
"No, thank you," she flirted.
"I will take it from here pal," the guy said as he took her arm. "Wouldn't want to burn yourself on something this hot."
I took a hard look at him in a very quick way before turning. I wasn't violent so I didn't bother. The way he said it though, he wanted a fight if I was giving one. I walked out but glanced back. He had his tongue shoved down her throat and his hands cupped her ass marking his territory. Maybe the women were nice but the guys were dicks so far.
I shut the door on the cab told him where I was going. We started driving. The Pacific Ocean came into view as we wound down the highway. It was peaceful and beautiful. We drove for a little while until we reached the gate to the house. He stopped and dropped me off. I paid the fare and watched him speed away.
"Wow," I said aloud. A big copper gate weathered by the ocean air guarded the entrance to a narrow driveway flanked by tall palm trees. They were spaced evenly apart and in a perfectly straight line down the driveway. At the far end was a circle drive that circled a granite fountain. Flowers and shrubs were neatly planted all around and all were blooming. A mass of hedges and smaller palms hid a tall fence that guarded the edges of the property. This was my kind of place. I loved gardening back home but this put my stuff to shame. I could only see the front of the house but it was huge. I buzzed the speaker box and waited.
"Hello," said the voice. It was Hispanic in accent.
"I'm here to see Zoey," I spoke. I was expecting her so this took me off guard.
"She is not expecting anyone today and is currently busy working," the voice talked back.
"Oh," I said dumbfounded. "It's her father," I offered.
"Oh, si, yes," she said excited. "Step back to the X to I can see your face."
I turned around and saw an X on the pavement by the gate pillar. A camera hung above it. I walked and looked up at the camera. The gate buzzed and started to open.
"Ah," thanks I said as I picked my bag up and started walking.
I started up the long driveway towards the house. I admired the neatly cut grass and well-trimmed hedges that surrounded the property. I touched the zoysia grass gently and marveled at its smooth feel and deep green color.
I got about half way up when I saw a golf cart coming towards me. My heart jumped thinking it was her. It was her but not Zoey her. Miranda, the voice in the box, picked me up and drove me the rest of the way to the front. She was a mid-50s house keeper that had been working for Zoey for about a year.
