Unfinished Symphony by Jeffrey Allen White (ebook reader browser .TXT) 📕

be nothing more than closing her bedroom door so the boys would not get into her things if they got home before her.

“No, a magazine. I need one for today for school. We have current events and we have to bring in a story from a magazine.” Kimberly was insistent.

“Can’t we just buy one here at the newsstand outside?” Ken was sure this would solve the problem.

Kimberly turned to see the newsstand. “Oh yeah, right. OK Dad.” They walked to the newsstand and Kimberly started to browse throughout the myriad of magazines. Ken reached into his pocket to get his wallet.

“Oh shit,” he said hoping that Kimberly did not hear him say that. “I forgot my wallet upstairs.

“I need a magazine Dad, let me run upstairs. I’ll be right down.” Kimberly ran back to the elevator.

“No, Kimberly, go wait with the boys. I will grab some and be right back.” Ken turned her around and pointed to the boys who were now trying to open a parking meter with their house key. “Go.” he said.

Kimberly obliged. She thought she would die if any of her friends saw her with those two monsters. Ken pressed his floor again and ascended to his apartment. The door opened and he made a quick sprint to his place, opening the door with a quick twist of the wrist and key.

Ken went to the magazine rack and pulled out several issues. “This should be plenty for her”. He made the elevator just as the doors were about to shut. He had remembered to take his wallet before locking his door.

In the elevator, Ken looked through the magazines. Time, Good housekeeping, Omni, his favorite and there between Omni and a torn issue of Mad magazine was the piece of paper with Mac and Leslie’s cousin name on it. It was Laura, Laura Benson.

Ken picked it up and remembered he had it on the sofa last night. “Must have fallen out into the rack”. He folded the paper and put it in his teeth while he grabbed his wallet to put it there. “Maybe I was too quick in signing myself off.” Ken reached the lobby and the door opened.

“Dad, look what Justin did.” David was crying.

“I didn’t do anything, nuke puke.” Justin disclaimed his brother’s statement.

“Dad, how could you leave me with these two? I mean they don’t listen to me.” Kimberly was right. The boys took advantage of her every chance they had.

It seemed to be their only mission in life. “They’re your brother’s and they love you and you love them, even if you don’t admit it”. Ken assured her.

“They’re just a rash on my life, that’s all.” Kimberly went to the parking garage as the boys raced past her to their car.

Ken wished that Kimberly would be closer to the boys. However, he guessed five years different was a vast distance between them. He knew it would bridge closer as they grew. Ken looked up. “If only he could outlast them while they grew up.

Justin reached the car first with David hot on his heels. Kimberly had stood at the front passenger side waiting for Ken to open the doors.

“OK Kids, enter as your own risk. And buckle up.” Ken started the car and drove out into the busy streets of Manhattan.

He loved the city. He was born here In addition, it was exciting. He and Katie had met and fell in love here. They got married here in the little church over on third and seventy-ninth. They had the kids here. Kimberly at St. John’s and the twins at Mercy General. His music career was here. He had so many memories here.

Ken had started to write a piece of music years ago and every now and then, he took it out and added more to it. He had not worked on it since Katie died.

Ken drove Kimberly to her school kissing her as she left for her classes. “Bye Dad. I am sorry about yelling at you about them”. She nodded towards the boys.

“It’s all right. Have a great day. See you when you get home.” Ken waved to her as she walked into the crowd of teens waiting for the bell to ring.

Next stop was the boys. He would drop them off and get back home in time to make a couple of calls before he had to go food shopping.

At the boy’s school, He stopped in the marked spot for dropping off children. Sister Mary Alice was standing there as he arrived.

“Good morning Mr. Bell. Good to see you.” Sister Mary Alice was the principal of St. Mark School.

Across the seat he said, “Morning to you Sister. I hope the boys are behaving more now after our little meeting and chat last week.” Ken smiled, he was called into the school after Justin and David had caused a stir when they switched identities
Moreover, refused to fess up.

“I am sure it will never happen again,” she returned.

Ken was positive it would never happen again. He told the sister there was a small dot behind Justin’s ear. David did not have one. He never told the boys how he could tell them apart. He saved this news for a day
like last week.

“Well boys, have a great day and... behave.” Ken gave them a stern and waved to them as they slammed the door and raced past the sister and into the school.

` Sister Mary Alice smiled and shook her head. “The Lord works in mysterious ways, Mr. Bell. Sometimes I think the Good Lord has a sense of humor.” She turned and entered the school.

Ken drove out into traffic and headed back for his apartment. It was a good day. He had to make several calls and get a couple of gigs arranged and then he thought he might give Carl’s cousin a ring. Well maybe.

He parked his car in his numbered slot in the garage and walked across the street to his building. It cost him more to part it than for gas and upkeep. He grabbed the paper from the newsstand tossing the man a buck for it.

Ken glanced through the paper while he waited for the elevator. “Same old news in the city. More crime, more shootings, muggings and more mayhem. Probably not the best place to raise kids.” Maybe Mac was right, he should think of moving out to the country. After all Mac could handle the commuting. Then where else could he live with all that was around him? In addition, all the memories he had of Katie and their life together.

The door opened and took him to his floor. He arrived at his door and could hear his phone ringing. He forgot to turn on the answering machine. Quickly he opened it and made a dive for it before whoever it was could hang up. Ken flipped over the sofa and onto it grabbing the phone and landing in a stretched out pose. “Hello?” He said out of breath. There was a dial tone. They had hung up. He missed who ever it was. “Well if it is important, they will call back.” Ken went into the kitchen.
Chapter 4

Laura hung up the phone just as Ken had picked it up. She did not think he was at home after twelve rings. “Well, he’s not home.” Laura said.

“Are you sure you dialed the right number?” said Maryanne, her roommate.

“Yes I think so. Oh, I am glad really. I don’t like blind dates anyway.” Laura put the phone down and went into the kitchen thinking how odd that currently, everybody did not have an answering machine. She was in fact, relieved.

“Oh, don’t be so choosy. You have been here for what, three months and you have not been out once with a guy.” Maryanne took some juice out of the fridge.

“That’s not true I went with Leslie and Mac to dinner a couple of times.” Laura explained.

“That doesn’t count. I mean Leslie’s your cousin and Mac, well he is married to her. You really should date. Look at all the things in the city you can do?

“I know but I can do most of them all by myself. Thank you. I am a big girl now.” Laura corrected her.

“Oh yes, going to the museum, concerts and art galleries all by yourself. How much fun. Listen Laura, it is about time you started dating. You have been divorced a year already.”

Maryanne knew all about Laura. They met when Laura came about the ad for a roommate. Maryanne felt like she knew her all her life. They hit it off immediately and became fast friends. She did not mind Laura tagging along with her and her boyfriend but she thought it was about time for her to set out on her own.

“I just don’t think I am ready. I mean you had to dial this man’s number for me. My hands were shaking so. I am just not good at asking a man out. I never had before. How am I supposed to talk to him? Just say, Hi. My name is Laura. I have been here for three months and have not had a date since I arrived. I am also divorced because my husband ran off with his secretary and left me. Oh and by the way, I am thirty years old and still have trouble finding my way around the city.” Laura felt she was hopeless.

“You’re not thinking right, Laura, It’s the 90’s, its New York City, Manhattan. The sky is the limit here. You have your pick.” Maryanne tried to sell her pitch.

“Well, I work in an office with seven women and three men, and two of them are gay and the third man is over sixty.” Laura lamented.

“Working for a law firm as a receptionist isn’t the ideal way to meet people. I mean the guy’s that come in there are all losers. They are suing someone or someone is suing them. Right?” Maryanne asked.

“You’re right but what else can I do. I never had to work before when I was married. I do not have any experience in anything. I married Jim out of high school. He went to college and got his law degree while I was out with girlfriends and taking aerobic classes. Then after ten years, he dumps me for a women paralegal. She would offer him more intellectually.

“All those years and you never had kids?” Maryanne had flopped on the chair and folded her legs under her as she sipped her juice.

“No,