Eyeball's Two Black Cadillacs
Not many people, to Gordie's relief and surprise, had caught on to why, at the end of his memoir, he had decided not to write about where any of the Cobras were at now. It wasn't that they had all stayed low lives, actually quite the opposite. All of them were at least middle class citizens if not higher. But if one was mentioned, they all had to be. And mentioning Franklin "Eyeball" Chambers and where and how he ended up, would be a little awkward.
Perhaps you could say eyeball, better known as an adult as Frankie Frank, had it all. He had begun dating high class school mate, Jane Broker, his senior year, I guess she deserved a bit of the credit on steering him onto a more responsible path. He got his first job within the first three months of their relationship, started doing really well in school, and even started attending church with Jane's family. After graduating high school at the top of his class, he soon married Jane and started a family just a year and a half later, welcoming a little boy into the world. Life was a bit difficult for the two, a small family just starting out. A shabby apartment, with only one spouse working. After a small raise at his job at the post office, he celebrated with buying a few lottery tickets. And, you guessed it, he won. The family of four now won 12 million dollars. They moved from that shabby apartment and into a six bedroom mansion. They were happy.
It was fourteen years later. They had five children together. And you would never guess how that fairy tale became oh so twisted.
Five months before, Jane was done being suspicious of her long term husband being unfaithful. So she went through his brief case. And in it she found a slip of paper that read Natalie Bossman (956) 596-0823. Jane's heart immediately shattered. She took the slip of paper and walked to the kitchen, where she dialed the phone number. After two rings, a whispered sob was heard at the other end of the line.
"You go to fucking hell you cheating ass hole! Married? Are you fucking kidding me?!" cries blared into Jane's ear as tears sprung to her eyes.
"Th-this is his wife." She managed to choke out. After an explosive gasp on the other end, there was an awkward silence on both ends for at least ten minutes.
"I-if you couldn't t-tell I had no idea that he was married at all… I should h-have seen th-the signs. God I'm so stupid.." Jane couldn't help but feel bad. Yes, she'd been sleeping with her husband for who knows how long, but unknowingly.
"Don't beat yourself up about it doll. This is in no way your fault, as long as you truly didn't know he was a married man, this is all on him." Jane rubbed her eyes. She knew this was happening, she was just in too much denial to come to her senses.
"Thank you so much for understanding! I feel so guilty…." She sighed. She sounded energetic, young… everything Jane wasn't.. at least anymore.
"How old are you sweet heart?" Jane questioned.
"Uhhh…. Well I'm 21… and a half!" the girl added defensively.
"And a half…" Jane repeated, laughing under her breath.
"I'm not going to let him get away with doing this to you.." Natalie growled a bit.
"To us honey… he hurt both of us." Jane said understandingly.
"You're an amazing human being… why would he cheat on you with a skank like me…" the girl sighed. Jane felt bad for the guilt ridden girl. But in all honesty, shed fell sick to her stomach if she was in her shoes.
"I'm willing to go to far extremes to teach this lesson." Jane said, unable to remove revenge from her mind.
"We've just gotta wait for the right time…" Natalie said sinisterly.
And they did, they most definitely did.
It was two months later and two black cadillacs lined up in a small parade. One was for the now widowed wife Jane Chambers, and her children that she shared with her late husband. The other for the all too young and naïve mistress who didn't even know she was a mistress for the whole affair. But she was indeed the woman who loved him every week when he flew her out from Florida to be with him. Deceit was what had took up most of the situation in the beginning, soon to be replaced with a good dose of revenge.
Jane and her children exited the car. Followed closely behind by Natalie.
"Who's that woman mommy? She's wearing a black wedding face cover like you. She looks very pretty. Her face is nice but hard to see." Four year old Summer questioned, referring to the black veils they had on.
"She is very pretty. She's someone mommy knows." Jane explained to her, trying to give away as little detail as possible.
"Is she your friend?" Summer wondered.
"You could say that." Jane replied, biting back a smile. After walking into the church, where Eyeball's funeral would be held and being seated, people started to file in, over two hundred people had showed up, making Jane wonder. Wonder what life would have been like if they wouldn't have won the lottery, hell she wondered what life would have been like if they would have never gotten together, if Denny Lachance wouldn't have died while they were at the peak of their relationship. Would she be in a better place? So many things went through her mind, but she was here, this was her life.
"Franklin was a good man. That was for sure. He didn't start out the best, but after meeting his beautiful wife, things only went up for him." the preacher said, motioning towards Jane and the children with a sympathetic smile. But the sympathy wasn't worth anything. Because the women in the two black veils didn't even bother to cry. Natalie sat in the back, a poker face never leaving her expression.
After a few more minutes of praise from the preacher, Eyeball's brother, Chris Chambers, a hot shot attorney, stepped up to the podium.
"Wow… I really don't know what to say… I'll always miss my brother. He was the only member of my family I talked to. He was a good person and a good friend. And he'll be missed greatly. I just want Jane and the children to know that my wife Jordan, my children, and myself will always be there for you guys." Chris blinked back some tears before walking off the stage and back to his very pregnant wife and their two girls who sat front row across from Jane and the kids. Chris kissed her head and held his wife to his chest. Even before Eyeball and Jane had married, he'd never been one to hug her and kiss her in public. Chris' love for his wife and his family was visible in everything he did. Everything he did was for them, and any time he could, he took time off and took them on a vacation or anywhere to spend time with them.
Everyone began to exit to witness Eyeball's burial. After gathering around the deep hole. Natalie and Jane took turns laying a rose down on his casket, while others gave him beautiful floral arrangements, up to twenty four flowers, they both left a single rose.
After they lowered him into his , everyone threw a handful of dirt into the deep ground. Little did they know, he wasn't the only one who had a secret to hide. And it wasn't the only one he would take to his grave.
It was the first and last time Natalie and I saw each other face to face. We shared a crimson smile and she squeezed my right hand as we walked away. And left our deadly secret at Eyeball's grave. His death was no accident. Yes, if you haven't guessed by now, I am Jane Chambers-Broker and I've been telling story all the while. And maybe I had something to do with what happened to my husband, but so did Natalie.
It was twenty five years later. And I, Jane Chambers-Broker was alive and well, driving my oldest granddaughter to jazz practice. The radio was blasting to her favorite country station. When all of a sudden, the song changed. And what I heard was most shocking. But by the end, for the second time in my life, a certain crimson smile crept onto my weary face.
"Who sings this and what's the name of the name of the song?" I asked Alexa, my granddaughter.
"Oh, this is "Two Black Cadillacs" by Carrie Underwood. Why do you ask grandma?" Alexa asked curiously.
"Oh, I don't know… I just like it. Do me a favor doll, look up who wrote the song on that little cell phone of yours." I requested.
"Oh no need Gram, everyone loves Natalie Bossman. She's an actress and a song writer! She wrote it!"
R & R PUHLEEEEZE