CHAPTER TEN
Jane was working in the kitchen when DW first got up. She was much earlier than usual for a Saturday morning, and Jane wondered why she would want to give up a few hours more of sleep. She knew something must be bothering her, but she knew from experience to say nothing to her until DW decided to speak on her own.
"I don't believe you about Dad," DW whispered, rubbing her eyes before looking up to her mother, "He would've said more about the trip. And we know those people. We could've gone to that wedding too."
"Your grandmother knows those people, not us, and the airfare was quite expensive. Your dad's was paid for by the groom's family, otherwise he would've been stuck here too," Jane explained.
DW shook her head, "He would've said more beforehand even if we couldn't go. He and I used to talk in the mornings, a while ago, but he would've said something. I bet that wedding's been in the works for a year. He would've told me if they were considering him. No, I think you're lying. I think he went somewhere else, somewhere bad."
"He's working, DW. That's all I can tell you. Maybe he wasn't the first choice. Maybe the first chef or company had to pull out. Things change often in the world," Jane smiled, hoping she could smooth over the cracks DW kept finding in her lie.
DW shook her head again, "Dad needed help. He asked me about dealers at school, drug dealers. Why would he ask me about something like that? Well, I figured it out. He wasn't testing me to see if I was doing drugs. He wanted drugs himself, but what kind of drugs? Pain killers? Is that why he went away, Mom? Painkillers?" DW asked, grilling her mother.
Jane shook her head this time, "I don't know what you're talking about, and you should've told me he was asking you weird questions. I was about to go through your room, but now I know I won't have to," Jane smiled.
"Why would you anyway? It's my room," DW said defensively.
Jane smiled, "My house, my rules, and since you rarely tell me what's going on with you, I was beginning to wonder. Your plans about college are strange. You never showed much interest before, and now you want to move out as soon as possible to go to school? I just have my doubts that you're telling me everything. I understand that you don't necessarily want me in every aspect of your life, but while you're still here, you're my daughter, and it's my job to protect you."
"I don't know what I'll do," DW admitted. "I thought about leaving, but now I'm thinking about staying. I only went over to that girl's house because you told us to go somewhere after school. I figured that would be better than wandering the mall alone, so I took up her invitation. She's a nice girl with a good family. I was about to have dinner with them when you called to say you were on her way."
"And she helped change your mind?"
"Well, yeah. Mom, all my friends left last year. I've had no one for so long, and I thought she was only inviting me over to mess with me. But she's really nice, and now I think we could hang out more over the summer. She told me where she's applying for jobs so we could apply together. I think it'd be great," DW smiled.
"I'm happy for you if that's what you decide. It's okay to change your mind a little when you're young. And I knew about your friends. Maybe you should've tried to get to know those younger kids a little sooner so the transition wouldn't be as bad, but that was the past. I don't think you realized things were going to change, did you?" Jane asked.
DW muttered, "No, of course I didn't. I never met anyone that got held back, just me. Well, Arthur said Binky got held back, and Brain had to repeat kindergarten, but those were his friends and his classmates. We never had that issue, at least until me. No one knew at first, but then a few of them asked about graduation plans, and then they figured it out. They stopped talking to me before they left. They just didn't know what to say to me."
Jane nodded, "That's understandable if no one had been through that. They also didn't want to make you jealous, I'm sure. And if you recall, some of them had other problems, remember?"
"Yeah, that guy killed Mrs. MacDonald so James stopped talking to everyone for a while," DW whispered, curling her arms around herself, "People were scared to talk to him for a while so they wouldn't upset him. I guess they did do the same for me, but I don't know why these younger kids never talked to me. Except this one girl, and it kinda bothers me."
"Why does it bother you?"
"I told her about my favorite band, so she got a CD, and she's always inviting me over to her house or out to the movies. I've resisted because she's a little scary. I've never had someone want to be my friend this badly before. She might have something else in mind, like a relationship, and I just don't like girls."
Jane turned to face her daughter, "Well, I think you should see what she's like before you jump to those kind of conclusions. I met a girl at college like that who bought posters for my favorite movies and made me a mixtape cassette, if you even know what that is," Jane grinned. Jane shrugged, "It turns out she just really wanted a best friend. She was new to the area and really wanted a friend. In the end we broke apart because she really hated everything I loved, but that's just how it goes. I'd love to help you through more situations like this, by the way. I know you've always been a little closer with your father, but maybe you should try talking to me sometimes. I've been where you are before, so maybe I can help you."
"I'll think about it," DW muttered, "but I still don't believe you about him, and I wish you wouldn't have changed the subject," she growled, darting back upstairs and slamming the door. Jane shrugged as she got back to work. At least her plan worked, for now.
Francine wasn't surprised when an older detective asked her into a small office a floor down. She took the stairs and soon found herself in a room with the detective, a police office, and an official from Human Resources. Francine wasn't really surprised to find a representative of the company in the room, but she did wish the woman would disappear.
"I want to start with your name," the older detective said, pointing a microphone towards her. It was attached to a laptop computer that was recording the information.
"My name is Francine Frensky," she said, looking back and forth between the officers.
Instead of them speaking next, the representative asked the next question, "Please state your relationship with Thornton."
Francine eyed her closely, "Why are you asking the questions? Better yet, why are you even here?"
"The company needed a supervisor," she responded, eying the microphone.
Francine shook her head, "I don't feel comfortable with this. She knows Thornton was my boss, and she knows so much about this company. How can I say anything around her?"
The detective and the cop exchanged glances, but they didn't ask the woman to leave. Instead of saying anything else, Francine decided to leave the room. She just couldn't say anything in front of the representative, and she couldn't force herself to bite her tongue like that in an official interview. She stood to go, and the older detective stopped her.
"Well, if you would like to provide more information, please call us to set up an appointment," he said, handing her a card. Francine accepted it and moved back to her office. She bit her lip as she thought of the run-in. The plan was for everyone to say what they could in their interview even if a company representative was there, but Francine couldn't do it. And after lunch with some of the others, she found she wasn't the only one. All of the women she ate with, four others total, walked out of the interview as soon as they realized the representative would be helping with the questioning, and all four were now wary of calling for an appointment.
Francine agreed, "I had that same gut feeling. I think we should go up there together after work and barge in on the department. That won't give them any time to plan for us."
The others agreed, but because the entire group hadn't been questioned yet, they decided to hold off so they could spread the word. Francine agreed, and the group returned to work and tried to pretend that things were normal. They weren't, however, and Francine felt her stomach twisting into knots. She left a few minutes early in an attempt to get relief, but her night was fitful, and she knew this would only get worse until she could get the truth off her chest.
Fern was working her shift at the Greasy Burger when a woman came inside that Fern knew through her mother. She'd sold the woman a small ranch-style home not far from theirs, and from what Fern remembered, the inspection done after the sell revealed major problems that angered the woman. Somehow she still had a copy of Fern's book under her arm, and while Fern asked for her order when she approached the counter, all the woman could say was:
"Your mother ruined your book just like she ruined my chances of ever having a dream home."
"I really don't want to talk about that here," Fern blushed, scanning the room. Her eyes fell on her manager standing about twenty feet away. He heard the dark tone in the woman's voice and immediately honed in on their conversation. Fern gulped, "May I take your order?"
"Number one with Coke," she said gruffly, watching as Fern input the numbers on her computer. She handed Fern her credit card without Fern even asking for it. She eyed her carefully, "You know what she did, and now you're just as stuck. If you need help, come to me. I'm getting a group together. We're going to start a Facebook group that's a book club soon, but it won't be a book club. Find us, okay?"
"I'll do that. Now I can't talk anymore about it. You're number forty-eight," Fern said, handing the woman her receipt. She nodded and dropped the subject, but the encounter worried her throughout her shift.
After showering in an attempt to get the smell of Greasy Burger off of her body, Fern went online and messaged Alex about the encounter, complete with the history between the woman and her mother. He asked if she'd found the group yet, but Fern hadn't despite a few search attempts. Alex was quiet for a while, but he soon sent a simple response:
"Your mother's problems are becoming a pattern."
Fern swallowed as the realization hit her. Her mother's problems did reach beyond this recent swarm of issues. That woman's ranch-style disaster was only one of many deals Doria made that many neighbors deemed questionable. In one incident, a family bought a home that ended up being picked in an eminent domain deal to expand one of the mall's parking lots. When they did some research, they discovered the plan was in place for several years, angering them enough to sue Doria. The lawsuit didn't work, and neither did the others Fern remembered from her childhood.
As she thought about the situations her mother had been in throughout the years, situations that often ended in court disputes being ruled in her favor, even Fern couldn't dismiss the evidence. Her mother was some sort of control freak or scammer, but Fern wasn't sure. Selling a home set for demolition or a home with major problems could be overlooked. Maybe she didn't know about the problems with those properties for whatever reason. But Fern now had first-hand evidence that she liked to alter products, from printed materials for a friend's business to her own daughter's book.
Fern didn't know what to think, but she told Alex the truth, "I think it's been going on for years now, maybe even since before I was born. I don't know what to think anymore."
Alex wanted to know more, but Fern was drained. She asked to talk about it another day, and he agreed to wait. Their conversation ended, and soon Fern found herself reading through her new project again. It really was good material, but she had to fix her current book first. Despite some reluctance, she started another letter that she would send out to a few publishers, perhaps three to start. She stated her situation and made sure they realized that Fern had an audience, one eager to get the real version. She'd wait to send it off, and while she didn't really want to undermine her mother this way, Fern knew she had no choice.
Sue Ellen was reluctant to put her plan in place despite how important it was to let her parents know she was safely in the United States. She had to focus on her studies for now, so she spent her free time reading for two days. On the third she found herself in the student center getting a cookie and a soda to help boost her energy. After making her purchase, she turned around and nearly ran headlong into George.
"Wow, sorry, I didn't see you," Sue Ellen blushed, quickly realizing that it was his own fault for nearly getting knocked down. He wanted to talk, but he was struggling to begin. Sue Ellen made her way to a table and sat down, "What's up, George? Just spit it out."
"I've been having to lie for you all week, and I'm so glad you're actually here. Ever since those attacks, people have been so curious about you. You really need to post something on your blog to let people know you're okay," George said quickly.
Sue Ellen squinted, "You nearly mowed me down to tell me that? I know I need to let people know I'm okay. I've been really busy with my work, so I just haven't done it yet. I've told my parents I'm safe, but I've decided that I need to go a step further. I have to tell them I'm here."
"I was going to say that too. How are you going to do it?" George asked.
Sue Ellen smiled, "I want to tell them in person. I was thinking of going this weekend if I'm not too busy. They follow my blog, so I might have to lie there first, but…I'm growing tired of the lies. It gets to be taxing."
George nodded, agreeing that it was hard to maintain such a life. But then he changed the subject, "How's Pierre doing?"
Sue Ellen thought about him and realized they hadn't been in contact since the attacks. She pulled out her phone and went to Facebook to see if he'd posted. He hadn't, but there were several recent comments on his page. Sue Ellen went pale and passed the phone to George.
"He was killed in the attack? Where was he?" George asked, scrolling through the list.
Sue Ellen couldn't say anything. She rushed away from the table, leaving her things with George as she moved into a bathroom. She locked herself in a stall and squatted in the floor, sobbing as a wave of nausea hit her. Pierre was dead. Her benefactor was dead, killed in a terrorist attack. This was unreal, and she just couldn't handle the news.
Worst of all, she knew that meant he couldn't pay for her anymore. The good thing was that she intended to tell her parents soon, but the bad thing was that she'd lost a good friend in France, one of the few good things she'd encountered in the country.
After composing herself, Sue Ellen returned to the table red-faced but alright for the moment. She eyed her cookie and soda and realized she needed to eat and drink it despite her feelings. She had to keep up her strength so she could get ahead on her studying. If she was going to Elwood City this weekend, it was going to be a trip that would definitely steal into her time.
George made sure Sue Ellen was alright before leaving her. He was just as shocked by the news as her, but there was nothing more he could do. He returned to his day, hoping for the best for his friend.
Jenna never thought she'd actually be grateful for Frank to return. Despite him being hung over, he did let her out of the room. She settled on the couch, glad to be out of that ungodly room. She was even happier to use an actual bathroom when the time came, and she hoped he wouldn't lock her in there again any time soon.
While he dosed in the master bedroom, Jenna sat in silence in the drab living room. While it was in better shape than the living room in their last house, this one was just as bad. The television was broken, and judging by the size and shape of the crack, Frank had thrown a beer bottle at the screen in anger. Jenna gulped as she noticed other signs of his anger—a hole in the drywall behind the front door from swinging it back too hard, a punch-sized hole in the drywall in the kitchen, flakes of broken glass under the cabinets from who knows what. She knew he had a temper, otherwise he wouldn't lock her away as often, but he'd never shown real physical force against her…yet.
As she gripped her belly, Jenna knew the time was coming for her to set her baby free. It had stopped moving as much, and the practice contractions were getting a little stronger. She could go into real labor any moment now, and she hoped Frank would actually take her to the hospital. Judging by how excited he was when she first told him she was pregnant, he would probably pretend to be the doting young father just to keep up appearances.
Jenna knew the truth, and she couldn't do that to her baby. As she sat quietly alone in that living room, she daydreamed about all the different scenarios that could happen when she goes into labor. She had to prepare herself for anything that could happen so she'd know what to do in that situation, so she'd know how to get her baby out of any future situations.
Muffy was sitting at the bar waiting for her client to get there. She was back with the businessman who had sparked her father's tirade, the man who decided Ed's children deserved better treatment even if he didn't agree. He was still in town on business and wanted someone to have dinner with, but Muffy wondered what else she might hear from him. She didn't know what to think as the waiter retrieved her and led her to his table.
"Hello, Muffy, it's good to see you again," he smiled, folding out his napkin and placing it neatly on his lap. "I'm glad you were available tonight. I assume your father doesn't include you in his charity galas?"
Muffy sighed, shaking her head. She wondered why her father had been late that afternoon. She didn't know his schedule in a general sense, but hearing that he was going to a charity gala without her did annoy her. Chip was always allowed to go, always standing beside him while he completed his hosting duties. Even her mother would likely be there sitting at the head of the most important table. Yet Muffy wasn't even informed of the gala, and she definitely wasn't invited. She sighed again as she sipped her drink again.
The businessman sighed, "See, this is why I wanted out of your father's dealings. He thinks people are chess pieces, and while that can be true in war, it should not be true in business. I've been thinking about that contract for days since I ended it, namely because he keeps attempting to contact me. My decision has been made, but another one has been coming up in my thoughts, as well as in discussions I have with my associates. We need someone to help lead that international front, going to meetings and attending events. Do you have any experience in the European sector?" he asked.
Muffy withheld a scoff, "No, I've only been to Europe on vacation, and that was with a friend I met in college who was kind enough to let me tag along. My family never took real vacations when I was growing up, nothing of notice, and you know about my life from a business standpoint."
"I am aware of that, and I already suspected that would be your response. We have someone in mind, an older woman who has divided her time between here and Europe her entire life. She wants to retire soon, but she's going to give us a few more years. While she's still there, you can shadow her, going where she goes and learning exactly what she does, plus some of their languages if you can. You'll be paid a fraction of her salary while you shadow her, then you'll inherit her salary, plus a little, when she does retire," he smiled, sliding a card across the table, "That is the salary you'll start with on top, and that will be your full-time salary on the bottom."
Muffy nearly choked. It was ten times what she was making now at her father's company, plus the work was ten times more prestigious. She was in a state of shock as she eyed the card, but then her eyes lifted to her client:
"What about this?" she asked in a low whisper.
"What you do in your spare time is your decision. Our meetings would cease, of course, to keep up appearances, but how you handle yourself beyond our schedule is entirely up to you. I heard that you just started."
"I have just started," Muffy nodded, trying to think of the numbers in her head, "I think this would be more money, but I'm not sure. I was just curious because there has already been some talk. My brother confronted me because he saw us at that party. He thought I seduced you at the office or something."
The man laughed, "No, no, that's definitely not how it happened, and we only ended up with each other by chance. My usual companion has been dealing with family problems across the country for the last few weeks, otherwise I would've gone with her. Knowing you beforehand helped my decision, but you would've been my choice anyway. All of this was just chance, but it got me thinking. And now that you've mentioned it, I've wondered how your family would react if they found out."
"Well, my brother was unhappy, thinking I planned this, and my father was furious. I had no choice but to let him know the whole reason I started this, and I'm curious to see how he reacts. I wonder if he'll actually change anything about my job. If he doesn't, I think you know my decision, and I'll think about this arrangement," Muffy said, gesturing to the table. "I have enjoyed the few meetings I've had, so I might continue."
"That's entirely up to you. I can honestly say I've enjoyed our time together. You're a fabulous young woman, and I'm eager to see how you are in the office after seeing how you are in bed," he winked. Muffy smiled, knowing what would happen after dinner. A few months before, she'd be petrified by the thought, but now that it was happening to her, she found herself excited and eager to see what the night would hold.
Learning her new position was much easier than she expected. The cash register in the boutique was simple to use. A few of the keys were prone to sticking in the humid Louisiana weather, but otherwise it was a simple process. The stockroom was well organized, so putting items back on the shelves after a purchase would be easy. She would have to walk around every morning to make sure no dust accumulated the night before, but otherwise she would remain at the counter. She would have to answer the phone on occasion, but the time was good for her to continue her reading for class.
The first morning she knocked out her chapters for the week in one of her classes, then she found herself checking her camera feeds. She found her mother and the nurse taking a stroll around the yard looking at the various flowers that had come into bloom. She must've had a good morning so far, Ladonna thought, trying to remember the last time she actually let her mother out into the yard for a walk. Because her mother rarely recognized her, Ladonna was afraid to let her outside in case she decided to run off, but she knew the nurse had a control over the situation. She watched them go back inside and sit in the kitchen to work out what they were having for lunch.
As lunch time rolled around for herself, Ladonna decided to walk up the street to a small diner. She ordered a small hamburger with all the fixings and a large tea. She then settled by the window to eat her meal, contemplating the entire time whether or not she'd order some of their homemade potato chips.
As she ate and contemplated, she felt someone studying her from somewhere in the room. Ladonna looked up and noticed a skinny brunette with a group of people across the room. Her eyes were practically locked on Ladonna, but when she realized she'd been busted, the girl made her way across the room and sat down across from Ladonna as if she'd been sitting there all along…yet Ladonna still had no idea who she was.
"I cannot believe you don't recognize me, Ladonna Compson," the girl said with a devious smirk. Ladonna realized she must know her since she knew her full name, but Ladonna shook her head to let her know she was still clueless. The girl scoffed, "You moved to Elwood City and left us behind completely, didn't you? I'm August Lynn, AL. Do you remember me now?"
"Oh my god, I can't believe it," Ladonna gasped.
AL was her best friend until she left for Elwood City. They met in preschool and became fast friends because they were both the youngest girls in rather large families. AL had eight other siblings, three girls and six boys, two of which were younger than her. Ladonna studied her and immediately realized the problem. AL had always been a little chunky, but somehow she became a skinny bombshell over the years.
"Wow, how have you been?" Ladonna asked.
"Well, I'm not the youngest girl anymore. Mama had two more kids, both girls. The youngest, Meredith, died in a car accident a few years ago. She was fourteen and decided to take the family car for a spin while we were seeing off my brother to college, and we're glad she left the other one, Mary, at home. We found out later she was with her boyfriend. Needless to say she's already had a kid, Donny, and now she lives with him in Alabama. I think there are seven kids now total. My oldest brother has two, the oldest girl has three, Mary has one, and I have one, Michael. I had him right out of high school," AL whispered, nodding gently, "I gave him up though. I was not ready for that kind of responsibility. So, what about you?"
"Mama stopped at Bud, so you still know all of my siblings. My parents divorced while we were in school up there. The oldest kids were already out of the house, and the rest of us decided to stay with Mama. Then we came here so I could go to college."
"Are you done yet?" AL asked.
Ladonna laughed, "Well, not really. A year or so in she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I had to quit to take care of her, but I'm back now because I've gotten people to take care of her. I track them using cameras. You just can't trust anybody nowdays. And I just told my family a few weeks ago," Ladonna blushed.
AL leaned forward, "Wow, you mean you kept that burden to yourself for two-plus years?" she asked. Ladonna nodded meekly. AL shook her head, "Wow, I don't see how you did it. I couldn't imagine my life revolving around diapers, and now you've got a mama who probably needs them herself? I'm amazed at you."
Ladonna shrugged, "I was just doing what I had to do, and you did the same thing. I couldn't imagine having a baby right now."
"I thought I was imagining at first myself," AL laughed. "I guess I've got that in common with my sister. I let him tell me what I wanted to hear, and the next thing you know my pants don't fit and I'm craving ice cream sandwiches and Cheetohs. I was so disappointed in myself, but I did want to give him up. Michael is with Catherine now. Do you remember her?"
"Of course I remember her. She was in the grade above us and she always wanted to be a teacher," Ladonna nodded.
"Well, she wanted kids too, remember? And right after high school, she found out she couldn't have kids. She'd been working on adopting one, but with her age and without a husband, she was having no success. So when I found out, I called her and we set things in motion. Now I'm Auntie AL and she's a mother. We don't plan on telling him."
"Wow," Ladonna whispered, raising her hand to the waiter. She ordered some of those homemade potato chips she'd been wanting and she invited AL to join her. AL had to get back to her table. She was out with the guys from work and needed to get back. Ladonna didn't mind eating alone, but she wished she'd gotten her old friend's number so they could stay in touch. That regret ate at her for the rest of the day, but she knew AL. She would definitely find her.
Bitzi was in the middle of a text conversation with Richard when her doorbell rang. Bitzi let Richard know she'd be back on in a little while, and she left her phone in her bedroom before answering the door. She was surprised to see Buster at the door with a chocolate pie in his hands. She let him inside and let him put the pie in her refrigerator while they talked.
After settling on the couch, Buster broke into his spiel, "I wanted to set things right with you. I feel like we didn't end things on good terms the other day, and I need things to be on good terms with you. You actually know Palladia, so I need to listen to you."
"I was being honest when I told you that I didn't want to be fully involved in your love life. I cannot make decisions for you," Bitzi said firmly.
Buster sighed, "I don't want you to make decisions for me. I need you to tell me things, such as when I'm messing up. I know now that we should wait to get married and move in together all in one go. I understand that now. What I need to know is if moving in with her at all is going to be worth it."
"How do you feel about it?"
"Mom, I don't know! She can be argumentative about silly things. I found that out when I got the wrong dish at a restaurant, another dish I like, and she forced them to bring me another dish free of charge. I almost left the place without her. It was awful!" Buster exclaimed.
Bitzi smiled, "Well, Palladia had to learn to be headstrong. She's a journalist like I am, and she had to learn not to just sit back and let things happen. Should she learn to listen to your needs? Yes, but that's something you have to work out with her, not with me."
"Look, I know you said you don't want to help me anymore, but I feel like I'm making the biggest mistake in my life even though it hasn't even happened yet. We've been looking at apartments, and she wants one-bedroom deals with good views that are close to shops and venues, and I just don't want to share a room with her. She's been to my place now, and she hates everything. It would be her house, not mine. I can't live like that," Buster said firmly, "but I don't want to just dump her because I really care about her."
"You can date someone without living with them," Bitzi smiled. "That's all I can tell you though. I might know Palladia, but I can't just talk sense into her just as I can't talk sense into you. You're an adult now, and you need to figure things out for yourself."
Buster sighed, "Something else has been bothering me. Okay, you're right on the one thing and we're done with that. I'll figure it out," Buster said, rubbing his temples, "I need to know what you were saying about Dad. What happened back then that I don't know about?"
"He did cheat. He played me and he lied," Bitzi nodded, "and I decided I couldn't live like that. We made a pact to keep things civil for you, but that's the main reason I worried whenever you would go with him. I don't know if he ever figured it out, and I didn't want him putting those values into you. He treated me poorly and had no regrets about it. He regretted you, but I gave him no choice but to leave you with me. He didn't have a permanent residence at the time, so it was the obvious choice."
"So Dad was a player. How come you never thought to tell me before? You never even told me not to date more than one girl. We never even discussed it," Buster said.
Bitzi nodded, "I know we never discussed it. Discussing it would've let you know that one of us cheated, be it me or your father, and I could tell you knew better. You were pretty angry when you found out that guy you went to high school with had three kids with two different girls, plus other girlfriends on the side. I knew then you'd turned out to be nothing like your father, and I honestly never wanted you to know about that. But you need to remember that in the future. Just because a breakup was civil doesn't mean there weren't severe problems, crippling problems. Your father and I kept things civil for you, and that's another lesson. Children change things, and that's something I want you to remember before you decide to get too…involved."
Buster blushed, "I get it, I get it, and I know already. We've talked about that and I still hate it. Palladia and I are really careful, but…I think I've got it worked out now," he said, standing up, "Can I eat some pie with you just like in the good old days?"
Bitzi nodded, following him into the kitchen and removing the chocolate pie from the refrigerator. She cut out a few pieces then set them onto the plates Buster retrieved for her. They sat at the dining table and ate in silence, enjoying a slice from their past as they attempted to forget their current problems.
Belinda picked up the phone but stopped before dialing any numbers. She'd found Bitzi's direct number at the newspaper office, but with it being a Saturday, she wondered if the woman would be there to answer her call. She wanted to talk to her personally about her situation. Leaving a message wouldn't do, so Belinda had to decide her plan now.
It came to her in a flash—if Bitzi wasn't there, she'd just have to call when she got off her shift on Monday.
With that decided, Belinda finished dialing the number. After two rings, the plan she came up with went away in an instant—Bitzi was at work, and she was the one who answered the phone.
"Hello?" Bitzi asked. Belinda realized she'd hesitated slightly too long, but she knew her mistake now. She'd have to speak, which meant she'd finally have to speak.
"Hi, this is a former nurse from the general hospital here in Elwood City. I think I have some information that should be shared with the public, but I'm unsure how to go about it," Belinda said, careful to leave her name out of it at the moment. She knew this was dumb—she was calling from her home phone, and the bill was in her name, meaning Bitzi might already know who she was—but it was how she wanted to start out.
Bitzi shifted, "Well, I'm happy to hear from you. How do you feel about meeting in a private location to discuss your issue? I like to meet people at a gazebo by the lake. Do you know the place?"
"The lake, yes, but a gazebo?" Belinda asked. Bitzi gave her directions to a gazebo down a beaten path on the west side of the lake. An hour later, Belinda was surprised that she easily found this path and the gazebo located at the end of it. The only thing she could hear, despite this being a beautiful day for a lake outing, were the cries of water bugs and local birds.
A few minutes later, Bitzi arrived with a journalist's notebook and sat across from her. Bitzi smiled in recognition as she looked up for the first time. Belinda nodded. She was indeed Binky's mother from those Lakewood years.
Belinda sighed, "I've debated about this, but now that I know how many people will be effected and that they can't come after me for speaking, I feel the community should know what the hospital is planning."
"Before we begin, I'd like to tell you that yes, the company has been covering up the impending merger. Their legal documents have trickled through our Friday editions, but so far no one has made a big deal about it. Speaking up now is too late to stop this merger, but I take there's another problem?" Bitzi questioned.
Belinda nodded, "They're firing all of the nurses, a complete clear-out. I quit before this could happen to me because the conditions were miserable. They had us working twelve-hour shifts, but many of us would often get called in on our days off or right after our shift to come back in. The day I quit, I was asked to come in to handle a trauma case in the ER, something that would be unlikely to happen as we're not a trauma system, and I'm not trained for that situation."
Bitzi scribbled down a few quick notes before looking up, "This is the first I've heard of a clear-out. Can the job market support this? I mean, are there enough jobs for those who would be leaving and enough workers to fill the spots?"
"No on both counts," Belinda replied firmly, "and many of them need their job just to stay afloat. I offered to help them, but the location I moved to filled their last spot when they hired me, and honestly they could even do without me. Those nurses do half of what we had to do at the hospital, not even considering the nurse-to-patient ratio. And from what I was told when I arrived, they had a hard time getting applicants because most local nurses have jobs, and they didn't want to hire anyone from somewhere like Metropolis, not that many of them applied."
Bitzi again took down some notes and looked up with a smile, "Do you know if anyone else would be willing to provide quotes on this situation?"
"I doubt they would. If the hospital changes its mind, they might still fire anyone that gets quoted," Belinda warned.
"I just wanted to know if there were any others in your situation. I know who you are, of course, but I'll keep your name out of it for the moment just in case your new employers don't want a whistleblower in their ranks. I'll keep this quiet for a week, then I'll break it in next Sunday's edition as a final addition. No one will see it coming," Bitzi grinned with a devious note.
Belinda thanked her, then she left the gazebo. Bitzi said she'd leave soon after, but Belinda didn't stick around to find out. She went home and changed clothes before joining her husband and daughter in his car. They were going out to lunch as a family, something they hadn't done for years.
Anita was nervous as she entered the courtroom. She almost didn't show up for her husband's hearing, but she needed to know what they were going to decide about him. From what she'd heard, he was thinking of pleading guilty to avoid much press on the matter, something she liked to hear, but she was worried about his punishment. This was his first offense, and she knew the judge could go light on him.
After hearing a few other cases, a burglary case and a car theft one, it was James' turn to take to the bench. He and his public defender stood a few feet from where an assistant district attorney was standing. Once the judge heard what he needed to hear, he asked for his plea. As Anita had heard, he plead guilty to all counts.
The judge nodded and looked down to some paperwork, "I've been trying something new with my DUI clients. There have been far too many as of late, and many of them seem to be the type that could be repeat offenders if they do not get control over their alcohol problem. So, instead of jail, I'm sentencing you to ninety days at a rehab facility here in town. Do you accept this sentence?"
"Yes," James nodded. The gavel banged and then it was over. James was lead out and the next guy, another burglary suspect, was led into his place. The public defender remained in his spot, but Anita didn't stick around. She followed her husband and his bailiff out to the front, where a group of men sat on a bench with cuffs around their wrists.
Anita went over to where the bailiff had gone. It was a glassed-in area with a woman inside. She seemed to know what was going on, so Anita got her information from her. Sure enough, her husband would be attending a rehab facility in town. It was in a gated complex, so no one would be able to go in without permission, just as he would not be able to leave without permission because of his sentencing. What he did after those ninety days was entirely up to him. He'd be free from his DUI charge, but whether he was free from his alcoholism was something he would have to work out on his own.
She decided against speaking to her husband. She left the courthouse and returned home without really thinking of what she'd do for the rest of the day. She decided to begin looking at properties in Metropolis on her own, commercial properties from a realtor local to the area. She would keep this search a secret for now, but as her personal life became hectic, she knew that she didn't want to take anything from Doria. If the woman became too much to deal with, Anita would find someone else in a heartbeat, and she'd tell the whole town what happened.
Molly finished her exam and stepped away from her client. The freshman smiled before reporting to the professor's chair for one final examination. Molly knew this was one of her last tests before her true final exam, and she nervously kept her seat as she tried to rid her thoughts of the nauseous feeling in her stomach. She hadn't been able to eat for about thirty-six hours now, which she knew wasn't helping, but she had no choice. Her treatments were making her quite sick, whether she would admit it to her professors or not.
After looking over the student test subject, the professor gestured Molly into her office, standard practice after such an exam. The professor finished filling out a rubric on a bright purple clipboard as Molly settled herself across from her. After a moment, the professor signed the bottom with a flourish and passed the rubric to her:
"I'm impressed, and I know this is going to help you quite a bit. I'm counting this as your final exam. You did a good job with this patient, and I know that will help you at the job you already have. I've looked into your other courses, and since you have a steady B in your mechanics class, I think you can exempt that final. Pending your other courses, this could be your last day of class," the professor smiled.
Molly was stunned and shook her head, "I don't see how it's possible. I thought I had to do so many hours of hands-on work with so many patients…"
"Don't worry about that. Your degree should never come into question, and even if it does, I'm putting some notes in your file to confirm the discrepancy was known, that in fact, we planned it. Consider it a rare graduation gift from your professors."
Molly looked up with a sudden realization, "Is this because of my cancer, because of the treatments?" she asked.
The professor sighed, "That's part of it, but you really are a wonderful student. I just did an examination for another classmate of yours who's been here longer because of a failed course or two. Even they missed spots you were able to get, and I saw no signs of gum damage from a slipped tool, something your classmates still do this late in the game. I want you to be done with school, cancer or no cancer. You're doing well enough that I feel confident in releasing you."
"I thank you. I'd argue with you on principle, but I really just want to go home right now," Molly said, standing up. "These were my last two classes, and since I'm not walking, I guess this is goodbye."
"For the most part," the professor smiled. "I'll stop in every once in a while, and I'd like your permission to add you on Facebook. You're a wonderful student and an amazing person, and I'd love to stay in touch.
Molly gave her permission, but as she left, the sick feeling in her stomach only got worse. She was an average student at best. Yes, she was attentive to detail and made her patient's comfort a top priority. But she knew she was only being released early because of her sickness, and that just made her feel worse. It made her angry, which for some reason made her hungry. She stopped by a chicken place and got a wrap. She ate in her driveway, not wanting to let that voracious feeling escape her.
When she was done, Molly went inside and changed out of her uniform and into some sweats. As she curled up on the couch, she felt her nauseous feeling subside. She smiled softly. She was actually going to get to keep her lunch and graduate early. Today was a good day.
Prunella wasn't necessarily surprised to see one of her old coworkers show up at her new job. She'd been there four or five days now, and she had encountered some people she knew would spread the word. Once that word was spread, she knew people were bound to show up looking for her.
What she didn't expect was them not to beg her to come back. Her instructions ended up being adequate, so they just mixed work around to cover her duties. They weren't even thinking of refilling her position quite yet, though their supervisor wanted them to vote at their Friday meeting for a designated representative, something they were eager to do though none of it wanted the power to go to their heads.
Overall the place was running smoothly, and while they were crazed at first, they eventually settled into a routine and started getting work done, work they didn't even know they could do until Prunella left. The coworker thanked her before heading out of the dealership.
At home that night, Prunella turned on her cellphone and noticed the messages declined after the second day and stopped after the third. She smiled to herself and realized she'd made the right decision for everyone. She kicked her feet back and turned on her television to find something to watch.
But then it happened. She heard something thump in the kitchen. She turned around to see the same man she'd seen that night at the office. Prunella rubbed her eyes as she watched the guy finish making a sandwich and move into the living room next to her.
"Aren't you going to have any dinner, love?" he asked.
Prunella flipped off the television and went to her room. She was hungry, and she probably hadn't eaten for twelve hours or more since she forgot her lunch. She doubted hunger could cause such a delusion, yet when she went to her bedroom door and peeked out, she was surprised not to see the man still sitting in the chair. He was gone as quickly as he'd appeared, but his appearance alone freaked her out.
After a few minutes, Prunella did make herself some dinner, which she scarfed down in record time before fleeing to her bedroom again. She dove into bed and fumbled under the bed for a book, which she picked up and tried to flip through just to keep her mind occupied. It didn't work. Seeing that delusion again made her feel ill, and for the first time, she wondered if she needed to seek treatment as her sister had done.
Marina was eating dinner when Mary called her. She and Anthony had just finished meeting at his father's office, and so far the details were in place. Anthony's father would put in an offer the following Monday at six a.m. sharp, and they all hoped the school's board would begin discussing it quickly, though they all had doubts.
As their plan began to take shape, Mary's keen eye made them well aware of the problems that could come up. The school could reject Anthony's father's offer. The school could close at the end of the term without warning. The grants could get rejected. The grants could be awarded, but if those first two problems came up, it wouldn't matter because they wouldn't get the money anyway. There were so many variables and so many ways this could go wrong, but Marina knew she had support.
After her meal, Marina went online and navigated to the school's website. She was drawn to the Facebook feed, which displayed recent messages. There were ten new messages total, all of them begging the school to take action to keep the school open without raising tuition to unpayable levels. Parents were starting to hear of the school's problems, and their assumption was that the school would close or they would hike up tuition to cover their losses.
Marina thought of telling them her plan, but she decided against it. She wanted to see the school's response to these online concerns. She knew a handful of the board members and administration checked the school's website and social media accounts at least weekly, so now she just had to wait to see what they had to say. Depending on what their response was, Marina knew they'd be stuck. If they rejected the buyout offer and raised tuition to stay afloat, the school would end up closing from a lack of members. While this could help Anthony's father start his own school for the blind, Marina knew this ultimately wouldn't help anyone.
After a few more minutes online, Marina decided to turn to her assignments from the day. She settled in at her dining room table and graded for hours, the rhythmic work keeping her mind at ease despite the stressful thoughts within.
Carla sighed as she went through the grocery store. In her heart, she knew Jenna was still out there safe, and she half-expected to see Jenna or Frank wandering the same supermarket she was in at the exact same time. She found herself crowd watching more than usual, causing her to run into displays and even into other carts. She ended her trip early because of this, rushing home to where her husband was relaxing after work.
As soon as he saw his wife, he knew she was thinking of their daughter again. Both of them had started to recover from her renewed disappearance, but this time was definitely harder. They cried together, both of them worried for Jenna and her unborn child. They wanted to do so much more for their daughter, but it was because of her actions that they could do nothing.
When they were finished with their emotional time together, the couple quietly got into the car and went out for dinner. They ended up at a seafood place without really discussing a location. It was overly crowded and the food wasn't as good as they expected, but they were going to go home dissatisfied no matter what restaurant they went to or how it performed. Their daughter was still missing, and her baby was still trapped in its mother's vicious cycle.