Bobby made the lady bring him and Teddy some drinks, and she also brought me another Coke.
"Don't worry, Chet," she said to me. "You're going to be all right.
You'll go home with your dad."
"Sure you will, kid," Bobby said.
But now I didn't believe any of them.
That Teddy, the one wearing glasses, made me nervous. He never sat down, he just stood holding his ice pick and watching us. If I had a gun, he wouldn't act so mean, believe me. If he tried to stick me, I'd just shoot him.
"I've got to go to the bathroom," I said.
"Sure, kid," Bobby said. "And I'll come with you. I wouldn't like you to take a powder."
I didn't know what he meant by that. But he went with me to the bathroom, which was at the back of the house. Bobby inspected it first, and it didn't have any windows so I guess he figured I couldn't get out and run away. He waited for me to come out, and then we went back to the living room.
After we had all been sitting a while, no one talking or anything, we heard a car pull up outside. "That must be the guy," Bobby said.
"Teddy, I'll handle him. You just keep an eye on these two assholes."
My father came in and looked at all of us. He looked a long time at Willie and Jessica, then turned to stare at Bobby and Teddy. And then he motioned to me. "Go out to the car, Chet," he said quietly. " "We're going home." the "Hey, wait a minute," Bobby said. "You chemist from Mcwhortle Laboratory?"
Dad nodded.
"You got the ZAP pills?"
"Yes, I have them." "Then hand them over and we talk about what comes next." "Come on, Chet," my father said. "We're leaving-" Bobby sighed.
"Get the pills, Teddy," he said.
The little man moved close to Dad, holding out his ice pick, waving the tip back and forth.
"Let's have them," he said.
Then my father moved so fast I could hardly off Tedsee what happened.
He jerked the glasses from the face, snapped them in two, dropped them on the floor, and stomped on them hard. I heard the sound of breaking glass.
Teddy jabbed out blindly at where Dad had been standing, but he wasn't there. He had moved to, Lawrence Sanders the side, caught Teddy's arm, and twisted it up behind his back.
The ice pick fell on the floor. Dad pulled the arm up higher and the little guy screamed when the bone broke. My father released his arm, and it just dangled.
Then, quick as lightning, my dad rushed at Bobby and punched him in his fat belly. Bobby went "Ooof!" and kind of doubled over. Dad grabbed up a big brass table lamp and smashed it down on Bobby's skull. He just fell down and my father started kicking him in the head. He kept kicking until Bobby's face was all bloody and his nose was yucky.
Then he went back to Teddy who was flat on the floor, groaning and holding his broken arm. Dad started jumping up and down on him, his chest and his stomach. Held just leap in the air, come down hard, and then do it again. I think the little guy passed out.
Then my father stopped and took a deep breath. He looked at Willie and Jessica. While he had been destroying the two guys, they just sat there, really stunned.
"Chet and I are going home now," my father said sternly.
"Any objections?,' Willie cleared his throat. "None whatsoever," he said.
"Let's go, Son."
We went out to our car together. I took his hand.
"Dad," I said, "you were awesome."
After Mabel Barrow left the motel, I stayed for almost an hour, sipping diet root beer and reflecting on what an intimate and nurturing encounter ours had been. I felt that I had, perhaps for the first time in my life, been totally open and honest with another human being. I had shared myself, my inner self, with Mabel, and the experience gave me a glow of happiness.
I returned to my office, and Goldie told me that my daughter and wife had phoned several times, sounding frantic. I called home immediately and learned that Chester Barrow had been kidnapped and his father had gone to rescue him. In addition, Tania and Chet had been planning to run away. Also, my brother Chas had phoned and wanted me to call him as soon as possible.
"Courage, dear," I said to Marleen. "I'll come home at once and provide all the support I can."
By the time I arrived at Rustling Palms Estates, Greg Barrow had returned home with Chester, and that family was reunited and happily bonding with one another. Marleen, Tania, and I gathered in our own kitchen, and I urged Tania to tell us honestly why she had intended to run away.
She offered many critical comments on my past behavior. I assured her that the censure was warranted, and the blame was completely mine. I promised to abandon my bad habits and begin to conduct myself as a loving father should.
"That's another thing, Daddy," Tania said. "Sometimes I think you don't love Mother and me. You never say you do."
After ten minutes of earnest pleading, I believe I convinced both wife and daughter that my love for them was genuine and deep.
Henceforth it would be verbalized frequently and reflected in my actions. , "Remember," I told them, "we are a world of three, and it is in our power to be supportive of one another. The important thing is to get in touch with our innermost feelings and share them in a homey atmosphere of warm intimacy."
They eagerly agreed that sharing could revive our family and create the closeness we sought. Then Tania left to learn from Chester Barrow the details of his brief kidnapping. I phoned my brother and related all the events of that afternoon. I also informed him of my resolve to mend my ways and provide the spousing and fathering my dear family deserved.
"Glad to hear it," Chas said. "So Tania isn't going to run away?"
"I think I persuaded her that I am fully aware of her discontent and will do everything in my power to ensure her happiness."
"Good God Almighty!" Chas said, and hung up.
My wife had gone upstairs, and after speaking to my brother I followed her. I went first to the guest bedroom where I freshened up, using more of that cologne Marleen had given me to try. Then I knocked on the door of her bedroom.
"Come on in," she caroled.
We sat close together on the bed, and I spoke again of our love, the need to share our innermost feelings, the importance of compassionate understanding, sympathetic parenting, and mutual nurturing.
Marleen lay back on the bed and held her arms out to me.
"And don't forget quality time!" she cried.
Jessica phoned me at Hashbeam's Bo-teek, and the moment I heard her voice I knew the whole deal had crashed. Well, what the hell, I knew it was a crapshoot when I got into it.
Jess told me what happened, talking so fast I could hardly keep up.
"Laura," she finished, "Willie and I are taking off. As soon as we can.
Before those two gorillas come to."
"They're not dead?"
"Nah. I wish they were, but they'll revive. Both of them are candidates for Intensive Care. But eventually they'll get out, and I don't think we ought to be around when they do."
"You got that right, Jess," I told her. "If you and Willie are lamming, I think I better skedaddle along with you. How soon can I get my car back?" w. I'm taking my packed "We're leaving right no e things." suitcases. I hate to leave so many nic "Don't worry about them," I said. "They're only things. just worry about saving your ass."
"Yeah," she said, "you're right. Survival is what it's all about-" it was Wednesday evening before we got everything organized. We met at my place. Willie had his silver Infiniti packed with all his wardrobe, including evening gowns and wigs. Jessica decided to dump her old clunker and drive with me in the Taurus.
"Drive where?" I asked again. "How about New Orleans?" Jess suggested again. , "Suits me," Willie said. "I got enough cash to keep us going awhile.