Aces and Knaves

a stroke of his pen, completely overshadow my poor efforts.
    I said, "Okay, I'll tell you my story if you'll promise me one thing."
    "What's that?"
    "You won't contact my father or put him on your mailing list. You have everybody in the entertainment industry on your mailing list as it is; you don't need my father."
    "I take it from what you just said that you don't exactly come from a poverty-stricken background. It may shock and distress you, but I'd already figured that out."
    Once I got started I couldn't stop. I told her about my father and how I lived in the guest house, rent free, but I helped to take care of the cars, house and grounds, including hiring pool cleaners, gardeners, painters, plumbers, etc. Jacie handled Luz, the housekeeper, but I was careful to maintain her friendship. I told Esther about some of my dealings with Jacie; that made her laugh.

"But my father doesn't give me an allowance, if that's what you're thinking," I said after I'd finished the other stuff.
    "I wasn't thinking anything," Esther said, taking my hand. "Don't be so paranoid."
    "My baseball card business is getting better all the time."
    "I'm sure it is. Now tell me what you've been doing for the last 24 hours."
    I had alluded to my trip to San Francisco. I might as well tell her. For it to make sense I had to tell her everything so I gave her a detailed account. When I got to the part about Ned's death, she gasped and two tears ran down her cheeks. I said, "I'm sorry, Esther. This isn't making you laugh like I'm supposed to be doing. It's not good lunch-time talk."
    "No, no," she said, taking my hand again. "This is your life. I want to hear it."
    I continued my story, and finally concluded by telling about the meeting with my father and Arrow. When I had finished with the details of the meeting I said, without planning it, "And then my father thanked me and arranged to pay me for my time, just as if I were one of his employees. And then he...dismissed me and went back to work." I lapsed into silence.
    Esther squeezed my hand and said, "It hurts, doesn't it."
    "Well, now that I've got your sympathy, could you lend me a million dollars?" I said, trying to break the lugubrious spell. I looked at my watch. "My God! It's almost 3:15. I've got to get you back."
    Esther looked at her own watch and said, "You know what? I really don't feel like going back to Emerge. I think I've done enough for one day."
    "What? The workaholic takes time off?"
    "I will under one condition," she said, punching the number of her office into her cell phone. "Come with me to my apartment. My ex is taking care of Emilio. I want to take a hot bath. And I need somebody to wash my back—and my front."
    ***
    I awoke with a very pleasant aroma assailing my nostrils. It took me a few seconds to figure out that the aroma came from Esther and that we were tangled together in the form of a knot tied by an amateur. I lifted my head. The sunlight coming in through the south-facing window slanted sharply from the west. It must be late afternoon.
    I looked down again. My eyes were inches from her left nipple, which was surrounded by a perfect aureole. I knew that from past experience because my farsighted eyes couldn’t focus on it. However, I couldn't resist taking a taste. She stirred, but didn't awaken. One taste is never enough, but I had to use the bathroom and something was nagging at the back of my mind.
    I carefully untangled myself from Esther. She smiled but slept on. I searched for my watch, walking around the small bedroom a couple of times, and finally found it in one of my shoes. The time was five minutes to six. Six! I was supposed to pick my father up at six.
    I grabbed the cordless phone beside the bed and took it into the hall so as not to bother Esther. I punched my father's work number.
    After two rings he answered with one word: "Patterson."
    "Dad!" I said. "I'm supposed to pick you up at six."
    "That's what I'm expecting. Where are you?"
    "Um...in west LA, near UCLA."
    There was a pause during which I wished I could assure him that I'd be there in five minutes instead of a rush hour 45.
    "I'll call Jacie and have her come," he finally said.
    It would have been easier to take if he had yelled at me. I hung up, feeling the chill. I walked back into the bedroom with my head down. Esther was awake and looking at me.
    "Trouble?" she asked.
    "Of my own making."
    She held out her arms. "I'll make it all better."
    She was totally uncovered. What could I