Fighting Prejudice

Dan shrugged.

“First of all, I’d like to express my admiration for the way you and your family have supported your mom through an experience I had no idea had happened until today. It was horrible and must have been terrible for all of you. I had no idea what happened to your mother who just suddenly vanished from my life, and it put me into depression for a long time. Yes, it’s true, your mother made a deep impression on me and no one else could possibly have taken her place all those years. I did make attempts to find happiness but at the last minute found I could not love anyone as much as I loved your mother.

I was very successful in life and am proud of that. But my life lacked the quality your mom could have provided, and I was so happy to see her for the first time in forty years today. These last few hours have been precious time for me, and I fully understand your protective attitude after what your family has suffered. And now if you permit me, I’ll take my leave for the evening but will be at the airport tomorrow to see your mother off to Florida. I’m here for her any time she needs me and will be looking for any opportunity to keep in touch with her. I hope you can eventually see just how much she means to me.”

Eva nodded and smiled. She came over as Dan rose from the chair and planted a kiss on each cheek.

“From my point of view, you have my support Mr. football hero. My mother has carried a torch for you all the way through my growing up years so I hope you can convince the rest of the family to accept you too. I’m off to bed now as I have a big day at the courts tomorrow and mom, I suggest you let this good man kiss you good night. I’d also appreciate it Dan if you’d take my mother to the airport for me tomorrow as I was trying to find a way to do that, and you can be my good Samaritan. It was nice to make your acquaintance at last Dan.

Dan glanced at Rosa who was sitting in shock with mouth open in surprise at this turn of events. Rosa looked at her daughter.

“You can see him to the door mom and this time no fingers on the lips.” She chuckled to herself as she headed for her bedroom.

Instead of getting up to see Dan to the door Rosa indicated he should sit with her on the twin lounge chair. She had tears in her eyes.

“Well, that was an interesting conclusion to an inappropriate outburst from my daughter, but it seems she is on your team.”

She reached over and kissed Dan on both cheeks. It was quite late when she eventually saw Dan to the door with the promise, he’d meet her at the apartment next day and take her to the airport.

Weeks later Eva Rodrigues looked up as her secretary entered the room.

“Eva there’s a man outside who says he knows you and his name is Dan Turner. You have a tight schedule this afternoon will you see him?”

Eva nodded.

“I can give him five minutes so send him in.”

Eva sat back in her chair as her secretary ushered Dan into the office and directed him to the interview lounge section of the office. She got up slowly and moved to join him.

“Dan I’m really snowed under this afternoon with work so this will have to be quick. What can I do for you?”

“I’ve come personally to ask if you’d allow me to take you to dinner one evening as I have things to talk about which you could advise me on, and I knew your schedule would be too tight for a day appointment with all the criminal cases you are involved with.”

Eva laughed.

“It looks like you also have a dossier on me Dan and that in such a short time since our only meeting before my mom returned to Florida.”

“Only what I could dig up quickly on the internet Eva. You are a worthy daughter of a remarkable mother.”

“My mother’s version if I remember rightly from her description of your first date with her at the beach were something like you look astonishing and beautiful Rosa but remarkable is fitting too. I’m not sure what you’re up to but assume you are going to try and convince me you’d be a suitable addition to our family. My mother rose above a terrible experience to become a successful businesswoman during working years and was a vital asset to all the Rodrigues investments. She is just as well off financially as you are Dan Turner.”

She glanced at her watch,

“I’m sorry but I really must go Dan, but I will spend an evening with you to satisfy more of my curiosity about you. How about tomorrow evening at the Conquistador Restaurant just a block away from here. I’ll be there at 7pm if that suits you. I take most of my clients there so know the owners and the best food they have on offer.”

Dan thanked her for considering his request favourably and took his leave.

Next evening, he was there at the restaurant early having noted that only those dressed in formal attire were admitted. This was a restaurant for the rich and famous and he’d never ventured there as he’d thought the food would be unsuitable. He’d always looked for the healthiest food and that he imagined was not always the cuisine in upper class restaurants. He gave his name at the door as requested by Eva and was welcomed effusively and directed to a table. It was obvious this was going to be an expensive evening but that was OK with him. He sat observing the clientele of that establishment and was so absorbed in his observation that he was taken by surprise when Eva arrived beside him. He rose to his feet in greeting as the waiter settled her comfortably in her chair and came around to see him seated again. Eva in a burst of Spanish ordered their meals and the waiter bowed low and rushed to do her bidding. She then turned to Dan.

“Dan you’ll be happy to know this meal will be on the house. I bring some of the richest people here as clients and management is grateful to me, so I personally eat free whenever I come alone. I told them you are family which is not exactly true is it? So, you too eat free this evening.”

Dan protested but Eva put up her hand to indicate her statement was final.

Eva recited much of what she’d gleaned on Dan’s history, and he could see she had a very comprehensive dossier on him. Then she paused and looked at him.

“Is there anything I’ve missed there Dan, if there is I’d like to add that to my file on you.”

“Yes, there is Eva, I’ve spent forty unhappy years yearning for your mother and would love it if you could see it in your heart and for your family to see in their hearts to accept that and let me pursue happiness with your mother.”

“Well Dan I can see how much my mother loves you and she deserves to have happiness for the rest of her years, so you won me over with your measured response to my aggressive thrust at you when you bought mom home a few evenings back. I’ve talked with my uncle, mom’s brother living with his family along with my grandparents and he will think about it. Unfortunately, my grandparents were traumatized and humiliated by police corrupt charges against them so Bill Evans could avoid jail. I suppose in a way I should be grateful as I’d not be here today without my father but in fact, I hate him for the way I came into the world. Mom has been my rock and the family so loving and supportive as I grew up so that takes some of the poison out of those memories. But the unfortunate truth is my grandparents will never accept you as in their minds you are part of the corrupt gringo tribe. So, none of us would support a marriage without our grandparents’ blessings. That’s our way unfortunately for you.”

Dan nodded.

“Thank you, Eva, I fully understand their feelings and will not pursue that goal. Both your mom and I are in our sixties anyway. But what would be family attitude if I were to move to Florida to be close to her and meet her for outings? That’s the reason why I wanted to meet you tonight. I need some advice on the right people to see to buy into property without being ripped off. Can you put me in touch with the right legal and property people there?”

Eva smiled and reached over the table to pat him on the hand.

“You are a real gentleman Dan, and I can see why my mom fell for you in high school even though you were not aware of it. Tell you what! Why don’t you and I fly to Florida together when I can get a break from court sessions. There are some holidays coming up soon when that part of government shuts down for a brief time and I’m free. I usually go home for a visit then. Would you like that?”

Involuntarily tears formed in Dan’s eyes at this gracious offer, and he quickly reached for the napkin to try and dab his eyes without being too obvious, but Eva’s eagle eye saw it all and her heart went out to him.

“I take it then you agree. Give me your current calling card before we leave, I know I’ll have it on your dossier file, but I can cross check in case you’ve recently changed any contact details.”

Dan quickly took a calling card from his wallet and handed it over. Eva took it and glanced at it quickly nodding appreciatively.

“Elegantly presented and quite an impressive lineup of qualifications there Dan. I see you’ve been a guest lecturer in business and economics during your working years too. I’ve learned you have a working knowledge of Spanish too. That’s good.

“I lecture in law school along with my attorney work and when I get tired of making money at my trade, I may enjoy making education a career as I enjoy the interaction with students.”

They parted ways on excellent terms and Dan looked forward to an eventual phone call to indicate when it would be convenient to take that trip to Florida together.

Things were formal between them again when Eva and Dan met at the airport for the flight to Florida but once they were on the plane heading south Eva began to thaw out in her approach to him again. She surprised him by indicating she’d decided to stay in the same hotel as he was booked in as Dan had assumed she’d be staying at her grandparents’ home.

The hotel was overlooking a beach with marina nearby. After engaging in small talk for a while Eva explained why she’d changed her mind. She’d discovered in her dossier on Dan he had a sailboat and wondered what it would be like for her to have the ocean experiences her mom had when she was in her growing up years and knew that Dan and Rosa had frequently visited the ocean in their brief courting days. Eva had poured herself into academic studies at an early age and apart from her daily workouts had not ventured into outdoor sports. She wondered if this man could introduce her to something other than the gym as her work was stressful and she realized she needed to get away from her routines to counteract the stress of the courtroom. She turned to her fellow traveller.

“Dan, I decided to help you in your quest to convince the family to accept you and mom’s need of each other. So, we will be looking at how you can relocate to be near her, and I have useful contacts to help you do that. Now you must do something for me.”

Dan spun around in surprise and smiled.

“I’ll gladly do anything that’s in my power Eva.”

“Good! I’d like to experience some of the recreational pursuits you are familiar with and the first one would be to try sailing. Can you teach me the rudiments of that while we are there as I see the marina has craft for hire? Mom and you used to go boarding. I’d like to try that and wind surfing too.”

To Be Continued.

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