Friday March 29

Bobbie spent some time at her Mom’s and was feeling a little better. Would she ever really be comfortable in her new apartment again? Bobbie decided to go back for the weekend. The building crew that Greg hired was gone and Rocco and his guys were finishing up the interior of the new reception desk and art gallery. She thought it was beautiful. They picked out some nice paving stones to go between the buildings. They originally thought that cars would drive between the buildings but it was such a pleasant courtyard that they changed that plan. Motel customers would drive to their back doors anyway.

Bobbie heard from Trixie and met with Rocco, she was getting her infusion of money that would pay to finish of the double suites and balconies. Progress at last! Then they could work on either the single rooms or the restaurant.

Her phone rang and she saw it was George. She hadn’t talked to him since the party she hoped he wasn’t feeling too embarrassed.

“Hello George it so nice to hear from you.”

Hi Bobbie, I’m calling to let you know that my son Karl passed away and I’d like you to come to the funeral on Sunday. I really need to have a friend there with me.”

“Of course, George, that is so sad, would you like me to come over this afternoon?”

“Would you Bobbie? I would like that very much. I’ll see you around 2 then?”

“I’ll see you then.”

Bobbie got a big pot and started boiling water. She had all the ingredients for cabbage rolls. She just had to soften the cabbage leaves and she could finish. She planned on making 2 pans of them and freezing one but she could take one batch to George. It was a complete meal and one that he wouldn’t have to cook at this sucky time.

Then she got a text from Effie. Effie said that a friend of hers died and she was feeling a little shaken and wanted to take the day off.

“Of course Effie, I’m so sorry, was his name Karl Dolan? I know his Dad. It is such a tragedy.”

“Yes I remember his Dad was at your parties; Karl had a lot of troubles. He was a great guy and I thought I loved him once but he could never outrun his demons.”

“Take care Effie, I’ll probably see you at the funeral Sunday.” Bobby put down her phone and thought that solves the mystery of the guy who kept trying to approach Effie. Effie could use some cabbage rolls too.

She finished her cabbage rolls and went to change while they cooled. She put on some jeans and a nice cashmere sweater and some makeup and some of her jewellery.

It was around 1 o’clock so she grabbed the 2 pans of cabbage rolls and drove to Effie’s she found her apartment, buzzed and was let in. Effie was in the hallway when she got up the stairs she said. “Ms B. how come you’re here, is everything OK?”

“No problems dear, I just wanted to drop off something for your dinner tonight, you won’t feel like cooking so here are some cabbage rolls.”

Effie took the cabbage rolls, smiled and said. “My Nan used to make these, I love them, thanks so much!”

“No problem, I hope you enjoy them. I’m off to see Karl’s Dad now; he needs someone to talk to.”

Bobbie pulled up in front of George’s building a little after 2. She found his name and buzzed and a few moments later he came to meet her.

“Hi Bobbie, I’m so glad you could come. I’m glad you are still speaking to me at all.”

“Don’t be silly George. You have nothing to be sorry for and at a time like this, there are other things to think about.”

“Well, come on up and see my bachelor pad.” They got in the elevator and George looked at what she was carrying and said hopefully. “Do I smell cabbage rolls?” Bobbie nodded. “I love cabbage rolls, my mother used to make them every New Year.”

“Well I hope mine are as good as your Mom’s.” Was all Bobbie could think to say.

“I’m heating them up right away, I haven’t eaten all day.” Said George.

“I could eat.” Said Bobbie

George sat down. He had a drink in front of him and he offered her one. She nodded and he started to talk about his son. “Karl flunked out of university in his first year and started at the store with Pop and me when he was 19. All he did was booze it up. He ticked off my pop enough, that eventually he was fired and Karl never forgave me for not overruling my dad’s decision. I think that’s when he started the harder drugs. My wife got him to a therapist and after seeing several doctors, came out with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. We were devastated but had hope. He told me he never heard voices he just had intrusive thoughts; whatever that means. Buy this time, he was stealing from us for drug money, he bullied his sister and his mother. They moved out. They fought with me because I let him come and go and mostly do what he pleased. I’m not sure what they wanted me to do. For almost 10 years he drifted in and out of jobs in and out of sobriety and on and off his meds. Over the last couple of years he was getting worse and wouldn’t even come back here for days at a time. I picked him up at the hospital after he overdosed right after Christmas.”

He paused and Bobbie said. “George, I never realized you were going through all that. There is a lot to Karl’s story. As a parent, I hope you understand that you’re boy loved you and you just tried to keep him safe until he, as an adult, could ask for help.”

“Now I have that all off my chest, maybe I can start focusing on the good parts of Karl.”

“Good idea!” Said Bobbie and she got up to check on the cabbage rolls.

They sat down at his worn dining table and she noticed how beat up everything was and how there was no radio or books or decorations or anything. Her eyes landed on a picture. “Is that a picture of Karl, he was a good looking kid!”

George smiled. “Yes he takes after his old man. He was a smart kid too. He always did really well in school and loved sailing. He raced Lazers when he was in high school he had a steady girl. Then he went to university and wanted to be independent so stayed in residence even though we lived in the city. That’s when he changed. The cabbage rolls are almost ready. I should get my ex down here she loves cabbage rolls and I’d like you to meet her.”

“Does she live close by?” Asked Bobbie

George grabbed his phone and said “Yes, she lives with her new hub in the penthouse upstairs.”

“Wow, that is close.” Said Bobby

5 minutes later there was a knock on the door and a shortish blond lady came into the room. Bobbie turned to greet her.

“Bobbie, is that you?”

“Sam!” Bobbie answered and jumped up to hug her.

“I can’t believe it’s you Bobbie, I’ve never been so glad to see someone in my whole life!” Said Samantha.

“I’m so sorry about Karl, Sam, It’s such a tragedy when a young person dies. I wish we could have re-connected over happier circumstances.” Said Bobbie.

“Thanks Bobbie, we’re getting through it as best we can aren’t we George?”

Looking confused, George nodded and then said. “I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

Sam turned to face him. “Yes George, Bobbie and I have been friends forever, we met in high school advanced Math class and then went to university together. We started off, both majoring in mathematics. Then I switched to business and met you. And Bobbie stayed in math and started dating the teacher’s assistant (T.A.). I think his name was Alex.

It was like a light went off above Georges head. “Now I remember, I never connected your friend Bobbie to the Roberta that arranged her government contracts with the store. I even called her Bobbie when we spoke over the phone”.

“I never clued into the fact that you were Sam’s George either.” Said Bobbie.

“Thirty five years will do that.” Said Sam. “Are you guys dating now?”

“We’re just friends Sam. My husband, Alex the TA, just died a few months ago and I’m not quite over him enough to even think of dating.”

“I’m so sorry.” said Sam ”We really have a lot to catch up on!”

“Let’s eat while you catch up.” Suggested George and they all sat down with plates of cabbage rolls and glasses of red wine.

They talked about their lives for a bit and Bobbie said she knew they mostly split up because Karl was such a handful. Sam assured her that Karl was just the last straw and they drifted apart a long time before then. To change the subject Bobbie said “Why is there a bedroom dresser in the living room?”

“Karl wanted everything out of his room and used that dresser and the linen closet for his things. you should see his room!”

They all went over to the closed door in the apartment hallway and when George open it, they saw a single bed in the middle of the room, surrounded by piles of books, filling the space. Kids books, adult books, graphic novels, magazines and even video games were all piled in heaps on the floor.

“It’s piled up as high as the bed. You’d have to climb over it all to sleep. Wow, that’s something.”

George and Sam just nodded. “He told me he wanted ideas all around him to help push his bad thoughts away while he slept.” Said Sam.

George was still nodding. “He started doing it about 2 years ago.”

With their mood dampened a little they went back and sat at the table. George brought more wine over and Sam mentioned she really liked Bobbie’s jewellery and asked where she got it. Bobbie told them that Alex’s father and even his grandfather had been passionate about collecting fine jewellery. They had a goldsmith shop in old town that her brother Jamie had taken over. “Jamie didn’t get all the jewellery they collected, it came to me after Alex’s parents and then Alex died.”

George looked thoughtful and went into his room and came out with a ring. “Does this ring look familiar Bobbie?”

“Where did you get this George? This ring belonged to Alex’s Mom. She had a caregiver she really liked and asked Alex give to her. The girl’s name is Effie, she knew Karl and I now employ her as my head of housekeeping. Effie told me she lost that ring in a fire.”

George hesitated. “I have a bad feeling about this. I found it in Karl’s coat pocket. He came home late one night a few years ago and his clothes smelled strongly of smoke and gasoline and something compelled me to get rid of them but that ring fell out of the pocket.”

“Effie was pretty messed up after the fire, it was that big apartment building on Fenway St. that burnt up so fast. All the siding was cheep and flammable and one guy died because he couldn’t get out in time.” Said Bobbie.

Sam looked up and said. “Do you think Karl could have had something to do with the fire? Maybe he was just in the fire and got Effie’s ring out to give to her?” She finished hopefully.

“He was really messed up after that fire, it’s more likely that he wanted the ring to sell for drugs; what would it be worth Bobbie?”

Bobbie squinted at the ring a moment and said. “Probably about 15K”

George gasped and Sam said. “No Way!”

“Well it’s a pretty big ruby and those are all real diamonds so I’d say so.”

George whistled and said “Karl, what did you do?”

“We can’t jump to any conclusions” said Bobbie reassuringly. “I saw someone trying to talk to Effie a couple months ago maybe it was Karl telling her he had the ring?”

Sam suggested they just give the ring back to Effie and be done with it.

“I gave Effie another ring already because she was so upset.”

“Then the ring should go back to you, Bobbie.”

“I have enough jewellery. Why don’t we set up a charity or maybe a bursary in Karl’s name. It could be for people who suffer from mental health problems, who want to go to university? The 15 thousand can be seed money and we can top it up until it is self-sustaining.”

Sam just started to cry.

George picked up her hand. “That is a beautiful idea Bobbie, I’m humbled by your generosity, I’ll set something up if you can handle selling the ring and I’ll ask people to donate to the bursary if they want to honour Karl’s memory. You have given us a great gift Bobbie, maybe we can find some peace.”

They drank more wine and Bobbie told them about the ’emerald pool’ at the motel. Sam called her husband Ron and asked him to come down. Bobbie and Sam went into Georges room with a bottle of wine when the men started to watch hockey on TV. They chatted and told stories and after almost 3 bottles, they fell asleep. George ended up on his couch and Ron went home alone.