U Is for Undertow

ten thousand dollars when you were eighteen.”
    “And that was part of the forty?”
    “No, no. He was curious what you’d do with it. If it’s any comfort, he did the same thing with me and I went through mine about as fast as you did.”
    “What, that was like a test or something?”
    “That’s precisely what it was. Your grandfather was a bit of a pissant. This was his method of teaching money management.”
    “That’s not what he told me. He said the money was mine and I could do anything I wanted.”
    “He didn’t want to influence your process. If you made a mistake or turned out to be a financial whiz, he wanted it to come from you. Do you remember what you did with it?”
    “Some of it, sure. I went to Oregon to see my friend Rick, and ended up lending him a few hundred dollars because the transmission on his truck went out.”
    “He pay you back?”
    “Not so far, but he said he would. And I mean, you know, I trust the guy. He’s a good dude.”
    “You also bought a Harley, if I remember correctly.”
    “Well, yeah, a used one. And I paid off some credit cards.”
    “That was smart. I remember the credit card companies were really on your case by then.”
    “I don’t know what their deal was. If they were going to be such butts about it, why offer me a card in the first place?”
    Destiny said, “Creed, would you wise up? Your dad’s a shit-ass. He has no intention of giving you forty thousand dollars. Don’t you get that?”
    “I’m not asking him to give it to me. This would be like an advance.”
    “Yeah, well he’s not going to do that either. God, you are so dense sometimes. This is all bullshit. He’s having a big laugh at your expense. He thinks you’re an idiot when it comes to money. He won’t give you a dime.”
    “That’s not what he said. Anyway, this is between him and me, okay?”
    Destiny got up, ignoring Patrick and Deborah. “You’re pathetic. You know that?”
    She banged the back door as she left.
    Patrick said, “You found a charmer in that one.”
    “We could really use some help,” Greg said, not looking at his father.
    “I don’t doubt it, but you’ll have to come up with something better than this business about a farm, Greg. I’m willing to listen, but you know me well enough to know that’s never going to fly. You don’t even have a business plan.”
    “What? Like I’m supposed to petition my own dad for a break?”
    Patrick said, “Do you have any idea how much farm equipment costs? You want to farm, you better know how much water you have available and what soil conditions are—”
    “Would you quit with this shit? All I want is what’s mine. Granddad left me forty grand and you know he did so what’s the big deal? It’s not coming out of your pocket.”
    “You’ll get the money when you turn thirty, at which point you can piss it all away.”
    “You just can’t let go, can you? It’s all rules and regulations and shit-ass stuff that nobody cares about.”
    “Say anything you like, son. The money’s in trust. There’s nothing I can do.”
    Greg got up. “Skip it. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

    Thursday morning, Patrick left after breakfast, saying he’d be back late Friday afternoon. Greg stuck his head in the door after Patrick took off, saying, “Mind if we borrow the Buick? We’re going to do a little driving tour so Destiny can see the town, and then we may bomb up the coast to Calida. Destiny’s never been there, but I was telling her how cool it was.”
    Deborah jumped at the chance to have them gone, even for a short time. “That’s fine. I just filled the tank with gas. The keys are on the hook by the back door,” she said. “What about Sky Dancer?”
    “He doesn’t want to come so we’re leaving him here.”
    “Would you object to his coming with Rain and me? She has her swimming lesson this morning.”
    “He doesn’t need babysitting. He’s fine on his own.”
    “I thought he might enjoy being out and about.”
    “Sure, whatever. I doubt he’ll do it, but why not? If we’re back late, don’t worry about it. He doesn’t like to be fussed over. He can take care of himself.”
    “What time does he go to bed?”
    “He’s a night owl. He gets hyper. It’ll be one A.M. before he falls asleep.”
    “I see,” she said, and then hesitated. “You know, it wouldn’t hurt you to get to know your daughter. She’s an adorable little girl. In many ways, she reminds me of you.”
    “Yeah,