A/N
Thank you, Hannah .grahamlecter, for your hard work and dedication. You've done a great job as Beta-reader on this and I am extremely grateful.
If you care to leave comments, reviews, or constructive critiques, I'd appreciate it. There are better ways to say something, and there are parts of the story that could (and should) be cut out. I get that, but how will I know if the readers don't tell me?
I appreciate those who have given me ideas, praise, and constructive reviews. And I am grateful for all those following my stories.
To all, as always, please enjoy the story.
G-Girl
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Chapter 64 - Proga & Janelle, Paroled
That afternoon, Spencer walked in the door and heard Susan playing the piano in the library. He set his leather satchel and the takeout bag on the table, put his keys in the bowl, then walked over and leaned against the doorway to the library, with his hands in his pockets, watching her play. It wasn't a song he was familiar with, but it was a beautiful melody. Her fingers flew lightly over the keys and when she finished playing, she lowered the fallboard and turned around, smiling. "I heard the door, but didn't want to stop playing, since it was such a short piece." He walked up behind her as she stood up, slipping his arms around her, kissing her neck, his hands spread over her belly. "How was your day… and what was that song?"
Her shoulders trembled, and she turned around, her arms about his waist, kissing him, long and lingering. "Chopin's Etude Opus 25, number 1, in A flat major, and I had a good day, but I missed you. Class was good, Proga was nice and now I'm all limbered up for Childbirth class." She wiggled in his arms. "Hmmm, you taste yummy." Then, narrowing her eyes, she smiled slyly. "You had barbeque for lunch today, didn't you?"
He grinned, feeling the baby inside her moving against him. "Yes, and I brought some home for you. You know, hearing Proga, for Pregnant Yoga is still funny to me. I assume you walked with Lizette?"
"Of course, it's the perfect warm-up. It's great having her two doors down." Susan went to get her yoga mat from the shelf under the table by the door. She put her hand on the top to steady herself, did a deep squat, grabbed the mat, and stood up slowly, picking up her purse. "Okey dokey, I'm ready to go, if you are."
He watched in amusement. "Give me a minute? I had three cups of coffee today… maybe four. I gotta go." He dashed into the downstairs bathroom across the foyer and after he came back out, met her by the door. "What happened to the bag?"
"I put it in the fridge while you were in the bathroom."
"I was going to do that. Okay, I'm ready to go."
They got there early, as people from the last class were still walking out. There were inflated fitness balls scattered around the room; the music still playing. Spencer sat on one, while Susan was talking to another woman in the class. She came back over to find him bobbing happily on the ball in time to the music.
"Having fun, Love?"
He nodded, smiling. "Yeah, now I get why you like it. We need one of these at home."
"We have two down in the basement... one's a Hoppity Hop."
"A… what?" Tilting his head, he looked up at her with a puzzled expression on his face.
"A Hoppity Hop, like that, but with a handle. For bouncing around. Loads of hoppity good fun. Promise me you won't try it on the stairs. Não é bom. Not good. More like bam, bam, ouch."
He chuckled, grinning. "Sounds like you know that from personal experience." He pressed his lips together and gave her a thumbs up. "Duly noted."
The instructor walked in, asking the couples to grab a ball, and put their mats on the floor as the class started.
/
Saturday morning, Spencer woke up, stretching, smiling, happy to have the day off. After the day before and not getting enough sleep, Emily told everyone they had the weekend off since they were mostly caught up on case files.
He and Susan went to bed late and slept in later than planned, and now there was enough time for a shower and breakfast; her Pregnant Yoga class started at 10.
At 9:30, Susan was dressed and ready to go when Lizette knocked on the door, wearing her Ballet ensemble; except she wore sneakers instead of her usual black ballet slippers. With Tiana in the stroller, she and Susan left, walking to the rec center.
Spencer figured he'd read while she was gone. Then they could relax, watch a movie while they had lunch, or whatever when she got home. He smiled, thinking about the whatever. His wife, alluring as ever and even at 34 weeks along, her sex drive seemed to be stuck in high gear. He wasn't complaining.
When he heard the gate buzzer, he figured they were back, so he put his book down. "Betty, please disengage the lock?" He got up from the couch and went out the door to help with the stroller.
Outside, he didn't recognize the woman at the gate, but then Susan had lots of friends and he hadn't met all of them yet. "Can I help you?"
She was tall, slim, with dark hair, cut very short, curling in under her ears. Her large sunglasses obscured part of her face.
"Is Suzie home? I need to talk to her." The woman was obviously upset about something. She fidgeted, twisting the strap of her purse.
"No, but she'll be home in a few minutes if you'd like to wait?" He opened the gate and she followed him into the house. "I'm Spencer, Susan's husband."
"I'm Janelle, her cousin." She took off her sunglasses and hung them on the front of her t-shirt.
He didn't recognize her from the security tape, with the dark hair, no doubt her natural hair color, but then it had been several months, and with several pounds added to her frame, she looked healthy. He gestured to the other end of the sofa and she sat down, still twisting the strap in her hands.
She sat silently, so Spencer was about to ask if she wanted a drink, when she started sobbing, trying to get the words out. "All my life… Suzie always got whatever she wants… and I get nothing but trouble. My mother told me Suzie was the one who called the Feds."
He sat back down on the chaise. "I know for a fact Susan was in her classroom, that day. The 9-1-1 call was from a man."
"I meant after that. The FBI arrested me and my boyfriend." She pulled a .38 from her purse. Her hands shook, holding it in her lap, scowling as she stared at it.
Spencer kept calm and spoke slowly. "Let's talk about this, Janelle, but first, give me the gun. Okay?" He was surprised when she handed it to him. She started to cry again, and it was obvious to him she didn't want to hurt anyone. He took it into the library and checked the cylinder. Thankfully, it was empty, so he put it in the roll-top desk drawer and walked back to the sofa. His initial reaction was to call the police but figured she needed to talk. He remembered everything Susan told him about her as he sat on the sofa, still speaking calmly.
"I'm sorry, but your mother is mistaken. Metro PD called the FBI, to assist in what they believed was a kidnapping case. Do you remember what happened that day? You called Susan to tell her you were being held for ransom? She didn't even listen to her messages until later that day, after her class." He assumed Janelle didn't remember being under the influence of whatever drugs she was on. As Luke said, she and her boyfriends were both high as kites.
"No, but that doesn't matter. You don't know what it's like, being in jail. Having everything taken away and getting locked up."
Spencer chuckled. "Actually, I do. I spent nearly three months in prison, framed for murder before I was cleared and released."
She looked up. Her eyes were red from crying. "Really?" Janelle seemed pleased to have someone who could understand; someone willing to listen to her.
He nodded. "Mm-hmm. I went to Mexico, to get experimental medicine for my mother." She stared at him with wide eyes. He continued. "Janelle, Susan told me she's tried to help you over the years. She gave you a place to stay after your parents kicked you out, and tried to help you manage your money, right?" She nodded slightly, and he went on. "Your grandmother and aunt sent you to rehab, on a couple of occasions, to help you. Do you believe blaming Susan for what happened to you is fair to her?"
"I don't know. All my life, everyone in my family loved her and they barely tolerated me. My grandfather used to teach her and Lizette how to make stuff, but not me. My grandmother taught them to cook and took Suzie to Europe… but not me." She shook her head. "My own parents treat me like I'm a parasite."
"Look, Janelle, I get it. You feel slighted. But Susan is one of the kindest, sweetest, most loving people I've ever met. It's simply the way she is, so I don't understand why you blame her."
She fidgeted with her purse again. "I got out of jail a month ago, and I'm living in a halfway house, going to meetings for drug and alcohol addiction… trying to clean up my life, but I'm tired of living in her shadow. It's like everyone knows her and adores her."
Spencer was starting to understand why Janelle was this way, after dealing with Ellen. Susan had said once her aunt and cousin were odd. To say the least, he thought to himself.
"Janelle, Susan would move mountains to help someone, who needed it and I believe she'd help you. She has before, correct?"
She started sobbing again. "When I was staying… at her apartment… she called me… telling me not to come… back. I had nowhere to go… no money and my boyfriend Cooper came up with the whole ransom plan… not me." She took a long, shaky breath. "I know I need to make amends for my mistakes, but don't others who make mistakes have to make amends to me? Was kicking me out fair?"
"You mean the apartment that she's paid the rent every month for ten years, even though she's been living here or at school, for most of that time? The day she called you, I was there with her, cleaning up the mess in the apartment, so I understand why she was upset. Look, I know the reason I ended up in prison. It was because of the choices I made, to cross the border into Mexico, to buy medicine, for my mother. I certainly don't blame my mother, for needing that medicine. I made the choice to help her."
"Are you a psychiatrist, or something?"
"No... but I analyze psychological behaviors." He didn't feel telling her he was an FBI agent would help the situation. "Perhaps if you separate what you perceive others have done to you, from what you've brought on yourself, you may understand why Susan isn't to blame for your problems."
"I don't understand… what do you mean?"
"Think about the choices you've made in your life and how those choices resulted in negative consequences. Susan went through a lot, too, growing up, but she made better choices. She certainly doesn't blame you for what happened to her. Could it be you choose to see the good things in her life and not the bad?"
"You're saying the choices I made are the reasons I don't get to be happy? That's why I'm trying to clean up my life."
The door opened and Susan walked in, followed by Lizette, talking as they brought the stroller into the house.
"Hi Honey. How was your class?" He stood up as Susan walked over and kissed him.
She smiled, clearly trying to be friendly. "It was good. Hey Janelle. How are you? You look well."
Janelle stared at Susan's abdomen, with wide eyes, for a long, uneasy moment. "Mom said you got married, but not that you were pregnant." She started wailing again, dropping her head down into her hands. "I'm so sorry… for everything."
Susan stared at Spencer and whispered, "What's going on?"
"You and Janelle should talk. How about if I fix lunch and the two of you can sit down and have a nice chat?" He held his hands up in front of him and shook his head, mouthing, Leave me out of this.
Lizette chimed in. "How about I fix lunch, the two of you talk, and Spencer, you can arbitrate?" She patted his shoulder. "Tiana's still napping, so I'm gonna park this in the dining room."
Janelle was still sitting on one end of the sofa, and Susan sat near Spencer on the other side.
"So, Janelle, what's going on?" She kept her voice calm.
Janelle told Susan everything she said to Spencer and about the gun she brought, that she didn't plan on using it; there were no bullets in it.
"I see. Thank you for telling me that. It seems this has been difficult for you, but you're taking steps to make your life better. You and I were raised next door to each other, but we've always been so different. Our mothers were raised in the same house and they were just as different. Maybe that has something to do with it, I don't know? Since we can't talk to my mother, perhaps we should talk to yours." Spencer nodded. Susan's addressing the situation without judging.
"But it feels like you got all the breaks in life, while I got all the leftover crap."
Susan leaned back with one hand behind her on the chaise. "Janelle, my life hasn't always been easy, but I've worked hard for what I have and the life I live. Even though you and I are only a year apart, we were four grades apart, in school. It worked out that way… I didn't plan it that way and didn't take your feelings into consideration any more than you did mine, for how you lived your life."
"True, but from my perspective, life seemed easy for you."
She rubbed her side. "Mmm. Janelle, I can tell you how I saw you live your life from my perspective, but that wouldn't help the situation, would it? Even in High School, we had different experiences. I had very few friends, didn't go to dances, parties, or even prom, but I don't blame you, or anyone else for that. If I wasn't in class, or at cheerleading practice, the football, or softball games, I was in the library, reading. I didn't even start going on dates until I was 18, in college. And I wouldn't call Alexei trying to force himself on me a break, or my father dying before I turned 14 a break either. Would you?"
"No, but Grandma and Grandpa liked spending time with you, but not with me."
Susan sighed in frustration; it was obvious she wasn't getting through to Janelle. "I do recall Grandpa saying he wanted to show you, me, and Lizette how to use the lathe. The bowl you made wasn't turning out the way you wanted, and you threw it, breaking it, and cracking the windshield of Grandpa's Cadillac, remember? He was angry because you refused to apologize or take responsibility for it. After that, you told him you wanted to go hang out with your friends. Grandma said the same thing. She wanted to teach us how to cook and bake. Lizette and I spent time in the kitchen with her, while you went off with your friends. There are two sides, to this. If you could understand th—"
Janelle cut her off. "I've tried to understand, Susan. I didn't ask for my boyfriend to kill himself or be forced to have an abortion."
She kept her voice calm. "You were 14, Janelle. Alexei was over twice your age. If you had been older, I would have been happy for you both and wished you well, but there was still the issue of him trying to force himself on me. I had nothing to do with him killing himself, or for your abortion. I'm sorry you went through that, but don't blame that on me, please. I wasn't even in the country. As for that, Mom, Grandma, and Marsha planned to go to Europe, while Lizette and I were going to stay with Phil and Katie. Marsha convinced them to take me instead."
Lizette stormed over to the sofa. "I need to say something here, Janelle. We all know what happened with Alexei. Your mother called the cops, and she convinced you or coerced you to have an abortion. Whatever. None of that is Suzie's fault. You both had money and privilege, growing up, but Suzie has never acted like an entitled brat. She worked hard to give back to the community, pay it forward and make something of herself, in the process. So, cut the crap and take some responsibility for yourself. I wasn't born into this family, but Emily, Phillip, and their parents made me feel like I was, and I'll be forever grateful. That made me want to be a better person." She didn't bring up the fact Mary and Emily paid for her to get her master's degree in Business Administration, knowing it wouldn't help the matter any. She was sorely tempted, though.
Spencer and Janelle's mouths dropped open. They both stared at Lizette, and Susan signed to her OMG, ILY.
Spencer spoke quietly. "So… now all that's out in the open. How do you two move on from here? I believe that's the next step, otherwise, you're going around and around, rehashing the past."
Janelle stared down at her hands. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to do. I need a job. Something that will make me feel like a worthwhile person and I need a place to live when I leave the halfway house at the end of the month. Suzie… could you please help me?"
"Of course, I'll help you. You're family. If you promise me, you'll do your part and stay in recovery? You were always good with math, right? I know Rob is looking for a project assistant, for Pen Wheeler. Do you remember Pen from school?" Janelle shook her head, still looking down, as Susan continued. "Pendleton Wheeler? No? He's a cousin on my dad's side and was a senior when you and Lizette were in 9th grade. His sister Tabitha was in Mom's dance class with us? Anyway, he's a project manager at the construction company. The position pays well. And I'll call Mrs. Jenkins and Mr. Baldwin to see if there are any apartments available. I can ask if they'll give you a break on the rent, but you'll need to pay the rest on time every month."
"I will. Since I was locked up, my money's been adding up in my checking account. My mom refused to accept my calls or put any of my money into my commissary account. But… she told me you got that apartment rent-free. Because it's in your mom's trust."
"Well, I didn't have to pay upfront the usual first, last, and security fee, when I moved in, but still paid 1,200 a month for it, and kept it, partly so you'd have a place to stay when your money ran out and you had no other place to go. Most of your friends treated you differently when your money ran out. Right? You told me that." Janelle nodded, wiping tears off her face with the sleeve of her hoodie. Spencer pulled a few tissues out of the box on the coffee table and handed them to her.
Lizette came back over. "Lunch is ready. Why don't we eat? I remember Pen from High School and as the project manager from work done at the center. He's a sweetheart, hit a rough patch when his wife died before he came back from Afghanistan, but his dad got him into rehab and helped him get a job working for Rob. He's worked hard to clean up his life."
Susan nodded. "Yeah, what she said." They went to the kitchen. Lizette had cooked Stir Fry with the chicken, veggies, and rice that Susan had prepped the day before. Once everyone had food on their plates, they sat down at the table, thanked Lizette for fixing lunch, talking about the class. Janelle ate quietly.
Spencer laughed, watching Susan rub her belly while eating and softly groaning at the same time. "Is she kicking?"
"Mm-hmm. Kicking, doing cartwheels, probably dancing. At least she waited until after class was over."
Finally Janelle spoke up. "Thank you, Suzie. I appreciate your help and again, I apologize. I've been horrible to you. And I'll do my best. I promise. Mom's been extra weird lately. It probably has to do with Roger moving his two boyfriends in. She's talking about divorcing him and selling the house."
Lizette looked over at the sleeping child. "Yeah, I saw them, from Tiana's bedroom window… sunbathing in the backyard… in the buff. Andy moved her into Phil's old bedroom."
Susan thought about the sale of the sub-basement stuff. Since Phil told Ellen she wasn't legally obligated to share it with Janelle, chances were good she knew nothing about it.
Spencer was quiet for a few seconds; his brows furrowed. "Janelle, you told me you were tired of living in Susan's shadow, right? You've seen a solar eclipse? When the moon comes between the earth and the sun, blocking out the light? She nodded. He had simplified it, of course, hoping she'd understand. "It seems the only thing to do is find a way to make a name for yourself, right? Step out of the shadow and shine on your own."
She looked as if she was going to cry again. When she finally spoke, her voice was nearly inaudible. "I don't… know how to take control of my life. It feels like people in my life conspire against me. My mom told me this house, the construction company and the security company are all in Suzie's name and there's not much left in our trust fund."
Susan spoke calmly, as if verbally defusing a live bomb. "Janelle, after Grandma died, my mom bought out your mother's share of this house, the Construction Company and Union Security, because your mother said she needed the cash. I couldn't tell you why she needed it, so maybe you should ask her about that. Phil knows more about it than I do. My mom left the house and both of those companies to Phil and me. You can ask him, or perhaps you could talk to Stan since he administers the trusts. Speaking of living in someone's shadow, I grew up in Phil's. I found my own way to shine. Look, I will always tell you the truth, but I'm not trying to be hurtful. I'll do what I can to help you, as long as you do your part. Okay? Hang on a minute, I'll be right back." Susan went through the kitchen to the master suite by the library.
Spencer considered Susan was being as kind as she possibly could, without being heavy-handed while still being truthful.
She returned a couple of minutes later and held a red velvet box out to Janelle. "This is something Grandma wanted you to have. I never had the opportunity to give them to you after she died."
Janelle opened the box. It was a pearl bracelet, necklace, and earring set. She smiled, hugging it to her chest. "Thank you, Suzie. This means a lot to me. I'll treasure it. I swear. And I won't let you down."
After they finished lunch, Susan said she would make the calls. "As soon as I know anything, I'll call you. Janelle, please think about talking to someone. If you need the name of a therapist, I can help you with that as well. Do you still have the same cell phone number?"
"Yes, remember you helped me set up my phone bill? The payments come out of my account the day after the money goes in. Thank you, Suzie. I really do appreciate your help." Janelle looked down at her feet. It seemed like she wanted to say something else, but decided not to, and left.
Tiana was awake and sitting up, hungry and fussy, so Lizette hugged Susan and Spencer, and took her home. "Poodle, I love you too. I needed to say all that. I didn't know you still had the jewelry that Grandma left Janelle."
"I'm glad you did; it needed to be said. Grandma thought Janelle would sell it all for drug money, so she left written instructions in her will to Mom, Phil, and me, asking to wait until she was off the drugs. I didn't know if that would ever happen. I'll give her the rest if she can stay clean." Susan hugged Lizette, kissed Tiana's forehead, and they headed home.
Spencer sat in the corner of the sofa and moved one leg over so Susan could sit across his lap. He had one arm across her back, rubbing her abdomen lightly with his other hand. "That was intense. At least you talked, right? That was thoughtful of you, to hold on to the jewelry for her. What did your grandfather help you make? I'm curious."
"The key bowl on the entry table, the sofa table downstairs on the wall outside the safe room, the two bookshelves in our room, and the little table in my old room. Oh, and the coffee table that was in the apartment, now in Lizette's living room."
"The striped bowl we put our keys in?" He smiled and gestured behind him at the table. "You made that?"
"Yup. Grandpa told us to get several blocks of wood out of the scrap bin, had us glue them together, and clamp them real tight until the glue dried. Then he helped us with the lathe. Lizette made a similar one. Then he had us sand and shellac them. The stripes are from the different shades of wood."
"Hmm. Very cool." He kissed her again and smiled when she trembled. "Are you going to make those calls now?"
She turned her head and looked at the clock on the mantel. "Later. I have plans for us, for the next hour or so." Susan put her arms around his neck and kissed his neck, sliding her fingers through his hair. He looked down at her belly. "Look, the baby's pushing against my hand; That's so bizarre. Doesn't that get distracting during the day?"
"At night, too, yes. But right now, you and I need our time." She turned her head and burped, waving her hand over her mouth. Susan reached over to the coffee table for her water bottle, took a drink, and set it down. "Oh, excuse me. That's not sexy at all. Hmm, maybe give me a few minutes for my stomach to settle?"
Spencer laughed. "You're always sexy to me… incredibly sexy." He kissed her, pulling her closer, feeling her shudder. "At least it was just a burp this time." Susan gasped, and he kissed her, deep and slow as his hand slid to the back of her thigh, squeezing lightly. His fingers reached to the inside of her thigh and she shuddered again, letting out a soft moan…
/
Susan made some calls, getting information on a therapist, and finding out there were no current vacancies in either of the apartment buildings, but since Spencer had given notice the week before, his apartment would be vacant by the time Janelle moved out of the halfway house. Then she called her brother.
Phil picked up on the first ring. "Hey Sooz, I was about to call you. Ellen called me about selling her house."
"Yeah, that's what Janelle said. She's sober, attending meetings and living in a halfway house."
"Janelle's out already? Hmm. Okay… anyway, Ellen asked me if I wanted to buy it, so I told her I'd talk to you. I'd hate to see that house go to anyone else. What do you think?"
"Sure, I'm good with that. We could have it rented out, but I'm sure it needs some work done. I talked to a colleague about therapy, for Janelle; she needs it. Badly. I need to ask you, maybe you know. Why did Ellen sell off her share of the house, the security and construction companies, after Grandma died?"
"Mom told me Ellen needed the cash but didn't go into detail. Maybe Stan would know?"
"I told Janelle to ask her mother. Those two both need therapy, in my professional and personal opinion."
"That's a huge can of crazy right there, Sooz. Like Marsha said, it's their issues. I've got to run, kiddo, but I'll talk to you tomorrow. Eddie has a baseball game we've got to get to. Love you."
"I know. Still, I want to help Janelle. Love you too. Bye." Susan put her phone down on the counter and plugged it in to charge it, then went to the library to play while Spencer read.
/
