Artex
Chapter nine-temptation
Everything was back to normal now. Haley and Piper were happy and cheerful.
Then, a few weeks later, I got a letter from Haley and Piper's teacher asking me if I could please stop in and see him.
The next morning at breakfast, I asked them why would their teacher want to see me unless they were getting into trouble.
Piper shrugged, but Haley had that guilty look on her face. Finally, I flat out asked her what was going on.
"I put gum on Lisa's chair," Haley said, looking sheepish.
"Why?" Joey asked, looking shocked.
"Because Lisa called me a dweeb," Haley said.
"That's no reason to put gum on someone's chair," I scolded.
"I'm sorry," Haley apologized.
"You're grounded for two weeks," Joey said firmly.
"When does Mr. Larsen want to see you?" Haley asked.
"Tomorrow," I replied handing Michelle some toast.
"Does he want to see me too?" Joey asked.
"Just me," I replied.
"That's weird. Normally he wants to see both parents," Piper said.
"Hmm. Oh well," I said, shrugging.
"Well, anyway, you are grounded for two weeks, plus no TV, or phone," Joey continued.
"Deal," Haley said, quietly.
"Hey! I've got a date for Saturday," D.J. said happily.
"Really? With whom?" Danny asked, intrigued.
"Some guy named Eric," Deej replied dreamily.
Stephanie and Michelle giggled.
D.J. gave Michelle and Stephanie a look. I smothered a snort.
We continued to talk.
THE NEXT MORNING.
I got ready to meet Haley and Piper's teacher. Jesse had dropped me off since he was heading that way to go to a music store to pick up some new instruments. I was dressed in a gray skirt, a white V-necked shirt and a blue cardigan sweater. I entered Haley's classroom. Mr. Larsen was sitting behind the desk, grading papers. He was about my age with short, dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in a suit and tie.
He looked up and smiled when I entered.
"Ah, you must be Mrs. Gladstone," he said, as he stood up and extended his hand.
I smiled back and shook it.
"Please, have a seat," Mr. Larsen said.
I sat in front of his desk in a chair.
"So what's going on with Haley?" I asked, crossing my legs.
"I don't know. She's been acting out lately," Mr. Larsen continued. "Plus, her grades have been slipping."
"I really don't know why," I said, sighing.
"Perhaps it's for attention?" Mr. Larsen suggested.
"She get a lot of love and attention at home, trust me," I said, grinning.
Mr. Larsen grinned back.
"You've got a very pretty smile," he said.
"Thanks," I said not understanding why he went off topic.
He stood up and walked around the desk to where I was sitting and leaned against the desk. He put a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sure your husband doesn't give you enough attention that you deserve," he said.
I jumped up.
"Excuse me? My husband very much does and I love him very much," I growled but I was also shocked as to his behavior.
"You can't tell me you haven't fantasized about other men," Mr. Larsen said grinning.
"No. I haven't. If you'll excuse me I must be going," I said firmly and turned to walk out of the classroom but he rushed in front of me and stood in front of the door.
"Please let me leave," I said frustrated and I had to admit I was a little scared as well.
"Please? Let me take you out to dinner one night…just to see what I'm like," Mr. Larsen said.
"No,"
I tried to pass him but he grabbed me and started to 'cope a feel' on me on my upper thighs and my chest.
"Leave me alone," I hissed and struggled to break free of his grasp.
"You're a very beautiful woman," he cooed.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I yelled and I kept struggling to break free but the more I struggled the more he felt me up.
He pushed me against the wall and tried to go further.
"STOP!" I screamed now getting upset and terrified.
Just then, the classroom door burst open and Jesse stood there looking from me to Mr. Larsen. Realization dawned on his face and he lunged for Mr. Larsen and pulled him off of me. My white shirt was tousled and the first two buttons had been ripped off.
Jesse banged Mr. Larsen against the wall and grabbed the collar of Mr. Larsen's shirt.
"What do you think you're doing?" Jesse growled.
"I was just telling Mrs. Gladstone that Haley is a wonderful girl," Mr. Larsen stammered.
I pulled the cardigan sweater tighter around me and I hugged myself. I was shaking violently.
"Hmm…seems to me that you were harassing my best friends wife," Jesse snarled as he clenched his fist together and drew back his arm, preparing to punch Mr. Larsen.
"Jesse no!" I said as I grabbed his arm. "We'll take care of this the legal way. Don't get yourself thrown in jail over a piece of slime."
Jesse automatically lowered his arm and let go of Mr. Larsen's collar.
"You're a lucky man," Jesse growled angrily. "Let's go Emma."
Jesse led me out of the classroom with not so much as a backward glance at Mr. Larsen.
When we were outside, Jesse turned to me.
"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly as he stood in front of me.
I was still hugging myself trying to keep the shirt from exposing anything. I nodded, but then burst into tears. I slumped forward into Jesse's arms.
He slowly wrapped them around me and pulled me close.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked quietly.
"I don't understand it! He wanted to talk about Haley first, then all of a sudden he was like coming onto me!" I sobbed pressing my face into Jesse's chest.
"He's a scumbag. Don't worry. We'll get him into a lot of trouble," Jesse said reassuringly.
I pulled back from the embrace and Jesse took off his leather jacket and wrapped it around me.
"Should I tell Joey?" I asked quietly as he and I climbed into his red 70's mustang convertible he named Sally.
Jesse started the car and we pulled away from the school.
"Absolutely. This wasn't your fault. Joey will understand. He always does," Jesse said grinning.
Feeling much better, I sighed and looked out the window.
When we arrived home, Stephanie was the first to notice something was wrong.
"Aunt Emma? Are you alright?" she asked concerned.
She was at the table writing a story.
"Yeah," I replied sitting down.
"She just had a slight run-in with Haley's teacher," Jesse replied as he too sat down at the table.
Stephanie scrutinized me closely. "He harassed you…didn't he?"
I felt a grin forming. She was so good at detecting things.
"Yes," I replied.
"What a jerk," Stephanie replied. "Are you going to tell Joey?"
"Yeah," Jesse replied. "Can you do me a favor Steph? Go get him? He's probably watching cartoons in the living room."
"Close," Stephanie said her lip twitching. "The Teletubbies."
Both Jesse and I snorted.
"Just kidding. He's watching Scooby-Doo with Haley," Stephanie grinned as she went over to the swinging door that led from the kitchen into the living room.
"Joey! Emma and Jesse need to talk to you!" Stephanie called.
Joey and Haley entered the kitchen.
"Um, Haley? Why don't we go upstairs?" Stephanie asked extending her hand.
"Sure!" Haley said eagerly as they both headed back into the living room and up the stairs. Joey sat down across from me.
"What's going on?" Joey asked looking from me to Jesse.
"Mr. Larsen came onto Emma," Jesse said quietly.
"WHAT?" Joey cried.
"It's true. He tried to 'you know' with me," I replied.
Joey's eyes filled with anger.
"And I bet you let him,"
My lower jaw dropped. Jesse seemed shocked also.
"Joey man, she didn't ask for it," Jesse replied stunned. "I walked in just in time."
"I told you I should've gone instead," Joey continued.
"So it's my fault that Mr. Larsen did what he did because I told you I would go?" I asked shocked and incredulously.
Joey didn't reply.
Then, it was my turn to get angry.
"I don't believe you! Some wacked out teacher decides to have field day with me and you're telling me it's MY FAULT? Some nerve! HE came onto ME and tried to feel ME up! Not vice versa!" I shouted as I jumped to my feet. "I thought you would be better than Michael…it looks like I was wrong."
My voice shook horribly on those last words as I turned around and stormed upstairs.
JESSE.
I looked at Joey with a disgusted expression.
"I can't believe you just did that," I said angrily. "Why in Gods name would you accuse Emma of doing something that she would rather scratch herself in public than do. You've been married for like what now? 4 years? You know Emma inside out and she knows you the same way. You know dam well she would never do something like that! Why would you accuse her?"
Joey's eyes for a moment looked like they'd tear up but then he shook his head.
"I really don't know Emma that well. We've only been married for four years. Who knows what she'd do if another attractive man came along? She's just following her genes," Joey replied.
He got up and headed back into the living room. I sat there, totally amazed and astonished at how he was acting. But there was something nagging me and I got the feeling that Joey was hiding something.
Deciding to tell Emma, I too hurried upstairs.
EMMA.
I was sitting in Stephanie's room with Haley helping Haley with some Science questions when Jesse entered the room and sat down beside me at the table.
"Hi Uncle Jesse!" Haley cried eagerly.
"Hi munchkin," Jesse said gently before he turned to me. "Listen. I think Joey's acting weird."
I snorted. "That's an understatement,"
"No…I mean even for Joey. I think he's hiding something," Jesse said leaning forward.
"Like what?" I asked. "Jess, he accused me of asking for it with Mr. Larsen. He practically insinuated that I was the S word."
"Mr. Larsen?" Haley asked becoming alert. "What happened?"
"Mr. Larsen harassed me today when I went to see him," I said to her. "He tried to go further also."
"Geeze. What a jerk," Stephanie replied. "Are you okay though?"
I nodded and smiled.
"Mr. Larsen always harasses the women teachers. Then he blackmails them," Haley muttered turning the page in her science textbook.
I almost saw a light bulb go off above Jesse's head.
"I think that's what might have happened with Joey," Jesse said slowly. "But I can't be sure."
"Why would Mr. Larsen blackmail Joey?" I mused.
We looked at each other and couldn't come to an answer.
Joey avoided me for the next few days. Becky and Danny couldn't understand what was going on with him.
Haley refused to go to school for a few days after hearing what Mr. Larsen did to me. D.J, Stephanie and Michelle couldn't understand Joey's behavior either. He wasn't the type to act like this.
I had no idea that the truth would come out that night.
That night while everyone laughed and talked, although not to Joey, I decided to take Haley and Piper out for an evening drive to think and relax. As we were getting up from the table, I told Danny out loud what I was planning to do and that we'd be back shortly. As Piper, Haley and I were about to leave the kitchen, Joey grabbed my arm.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Out for a bit. I'm going to take them for a little evening drive if that's all right with you. Or would you blame them for putting me up to it?" I asked coldly.
At that instant, I saw guilt in Joey's eyes.
"Listen. Don't drive my car. Take Danny's," he said as he handed me the keys.
"Why? I happen to like that car," I asked raising an eyebrow at him.
"Look. Just trust me okay?" Joey snapped.
"I don't think that's possible…not after what you did to me," I said coldly.
Haley and Piper looked at him before following me out into the backyard and over to the driveway where Joey's four-door Corolla was. We climbed into the car and pulled out of the driveway.
JOEYI wanted to yell after Emma so badly but she had already pulled out of the driveway.
When I turned to face the family, they were all glaring at me.
"Joey. What's gotten into you? You've never treated Emma like that," Danny said shocked.
"You don't understand!" I cried.
"Well help us to! Tell us why you've been so mean to your wife!" Jesse cried.
"Mr. Larsen blackmailed me! He threatened to kill Emma and Haley if I didn't turn around and blame what he was going to do on Emma herself. He told me what he was going to do," I said miserably.
"Wait a minute…that scum threatened you?" Becky said wide-eyed.
"Yes," I said flopping down in one of the kitchen chairs.
"But what does that have to do with Emma taking Dad's car as apposed to yours?" Stephanie asked.
"He put a bomb under it," I said quietly.
Everyone went white.
"We've got to call the police!" Becky said shakily.
"No. We can't or else he'll detonate it," I said.
"How would he know?" Michelle asked.
"Because he's keeping an eye on my car. There's a small camera hidden in there," I said burying my head in my arms. "Emma's as good as dead."
"Don't talk like that! I've got an idea!" Danny said as he jumped to his feet. "Joey, and Jesse? You come with me in the Taurus. The rest of you stay here and call the police and tell them the situation. They might have an idea as to what to do. In the meantime, let's go!"
We ran outside and climbed in Danny's Taurus.