The Tree Goddess

by Tom Raimbault

  “Where are you going? What are you doing?”

  Wayne remained an adrenaline-fueled maniac who continued to speed along the pitch, black road. He had no business doing this and no right to hold Eileen against her will. The anger inside Eileen suddenly rose above all other emotions. “What the hell?”

  But Wayne remained silent.

  As the seconds passed, his breathing accelerated as Wayne grunted and pounded the steering wheel. It was like watching someone turn into a horrible creature, like the 1970's Incredible Hulk or some sort of werewolf. Then he finally spoke, “I just don't know how I'm supposed to reach you!” The vehicle came to a screeching halt until the tires met the gravel entry of a closed forest preserve. “I don't know what else to do!” He quickly exited and slammed the driver door shut.

  “Wayne, what are you doing?”

  The sound of the trunk opening could be heard. Nervously, Eileen exited the passenger door. “What the hell are you doing?” She backed at an angle towards the forest in hopes to see what the crazed monster was doing in his trunk.

  The dulled ring of iron was heard, and then Wayne quickly approached with a tire iron! “I'll teach you who to love! I'm sorry Sweetie, but you leave me no choice.”

  Instinctively, Eileen ran towards the forest. But which was the lesser of two evils? Should she have run into the dark woods and get lost, possibly attacked by an animal. Or should she have allowed herself to be beaten with a tire iron? Holding her hands out in defense was the best Eileen could do at the moment.

  The assault was more like slaps to the shoulders and upper arms, enough to cause pain. It was certainly frightening to be beat with a metal object while having the man she hated demand love. And when Eileen turned to avoid further strikes to the arm, the tire iron's assault landed on the back of her upper thigh.

  “End it with him! End it!” Wayne paused his beating while Eileen cowered against a tree. Then he delivered another harsh blow to her thigh, just to reinforce that he could hit harder. It was the worst strike of them all and probably caused damage. “I can't hear you! You gonna end it?”

  Eileen finally cried out, “Yes!”

  “Yes what?”

  “Yes, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!”

  “And what else? Do you love me?”

  “Yes, I love you. Please don't hit me anymore!”

  With that, Wayne stormed back to his car, threw the tire iron in and slammed the trunk shut. He opened the driver side door and sat down. Then Wayne yelled out the passenger window, “Get the hell in here! I'm hungry and we're going to Taco Mile!”

  Poor Eileen didn't want to be left alone in the dark. She did as her boyfriend demanded, but it was necessary to limp to the car. The last strike must have bruised her muscle which made it painful to walk.

  “What the hell are you limping for? I didn't hit you that hard! You're lucky tonight because I could've killed you!”

  She sat down; but before having a chance to close the passenger door, Wayne tore off and u-turned on Creek Highway, heading back towards Mapleview Road.

  * * *

  Customers inside the Mexican fast food establishment watched as the young girl limped through the door with her apparent boyfriend who demanded that she walk normal. Since it was summertime, Eileen wore a pair of shorts and sleeveless shirt. Most disturbing were the many bruises that now covered both her arms and shoulders. Mascara ran down her eyes, a suggestion that she had been crying.

  I'm pretty sure Wayne expected people to mind their own business. And we do live in a world where we are told not to jump to conclusions, judge a book by its cover—all that. But are people really that stupid? Fortunately, there remain individuals who have learned to follow gut instincts and use some common sense. Such was the case when a middle-aged husband and wife stood in the line next to Wayne and Eileen. They immediately noticed the beaten appearance of the young girl.

  Wayne announced his need to use the restroom followed by, “If I don't get back in time, get me a macho burrito with extra jalapenos and a jumbo soda.”

  The older man standing next to Eileen waited for Wayne to disappear. Then he laid his hand on her shoulder which jerked at the touch. “Honey, is everything okay? Are you alright tonight?”

  The mascara-smudged eyes looked up with tears that were about to run.

  The older man's wife asked, “Did he beat you?”

  Eileen nodded yes, followed by a flood of tears.

  “I'm going out to my car phone to call the police.” The older man walked away while his wife remained.

  The wife gave the young girl some important advice. “Honey, I hope you don't stay with him. You're way too beautiful to tolerate that. And if he does this now, imagine what he'll do when you're married. Leave him.”

  Moments later, Wayne returned from the bathroom. “What are you cryin' for? You still mad?”

  She felt like a child who had been beat and scolded by a parent. It was all Eileen's fault for the punishment. Eileen had no one to blame but herself. At least that's what Wayne told her as they sat down with the tray of food.

  “You can stop putting on the little act and making people feel sorry for you. You're the one who lied and cheated. I suppose you should tell people that, instead.”

  They sat at a small table in the middle of the dining area. Although Wayne would have preferred a booth at one of the perimeters, the crowded restaurant made it necessary to sit at the center. The establishment had entry doors at both sides of the building. Wayne felt as though he had the greater vantage point as he could see the same entry that he and Eileen passed through. Eileen sat opposite where she could see the entry that the older man had used, announcing he would call the police.

  “Is that all you're eating, a taco and a diet soda?” asked Wayne as he unwrapped his ridiculously large burrito while grinning at his defeated girlfriend.

  “I'm not hungry. I had dinner, earlier.”

  Of course this was the stupidest thing Wayne ever heard. It was his world and he proved to be lord and master. He just shook his head in disbelief while taking a hearty bite of the burrito.

  For Eileen, this moment was the most pleasurable in which she savored every second. As two officers of the Sillmac police passed the entry of Eileen's vantage, she waited until Wayne looked up and then gazed deeply into his eyes. She held the ring finger before his face, pulled the stupid promissory ring off, and then laid it down on the tray.

  Before Wayne could voice anything or show disapproval, a stern greeting was made from above. “Is everything okay, tonight?”

  Much to Wayne's surprise it was the police. And Eileen was sure to put on quite an act that night! Outside of court, it was the last time Wayne ever saw the girl he loved.

  Chapter 39

  A sorely missed love haunts the one who misses. A sorely missed love can often be seen on a stranger's face in the crowd. Throughout the years, Wayne would take sight of a woman who had much of the same appearance of the one he lost. That new coworker, that face in the grocery store, the woman in the car next to him; they all looked like his beloved Eileen. But they weren't, and even if he fancied the idea of substituting one of these women for Eileen's absence, they were all taken.

  It was probably not best for Wayne to sit before a desk in front of a PC where he explored a downloaded web program that utilized detailed satellite imagery from around the world. Type in the town of Mapleview, Wayne could zoom in on the high-resolution imagery of houses, stores and forests. And the web program included a nifty flight simulator that emulated the appearance of flying a small plane. Wayne soared about 5000 feet, following Mapleview Road and through the forests. Such technology was not available 15 years ago when Eileen was his. In fact, Wayne hadn't heard of the Internet back in the early 90's. It certainly would have been a useful tool, then.

  An old buddy recently mentioned to Wayne of Eileen's whereabouts. Surprisingly, she still lived in Mapleview in a new subdivision that was located off the wooded section of Mapleview Road.
According to Wayne's friend, Eileen lived on the main road of the subdivision and had the sprawling ranch with in-ground pool in the back.

  In his virtual plane, Wayne located the wooded subdivision that sprung up 5 years ago. He circled the main road and found the sprawling ranch that boasted the in-ground pool. “Hmm, looks like she didn't do so bad for herself.” Eileen's home certainly was impressive in comparison to Wayne's condo which he barely afforded on a modest salary. Eileen was so smart and beautiful; no wonder she flaunted success later in life. In less than a minute, Wayne's old feelings of envy resurfaced.

  “I wonder what she looks like, now.” Then he snorted a deliberate laugh through his nose, “Probably fat and plumpy.”

  Still, curiosity took the best of Wayne. He continued circling Eileen's supposed house while decreasing elevation. Perhaps he could see her in the backyard or out in the street, getting mail. There was a chance that Eileen may have been outside on the day the satellite imagery was taken.

  With no sight of Eileen or the likes of any people, Wayne fancied the idea that it was possible to circle close enough to the house and glance through the windows. And then he saw something through, what looked to be, the front room window. Being necessary to circle the house a few times, Wayne determined that his beloved Eileen could be seen through the window. Most disturbing, she appeared to be naked!

  This possibility infuriated Wayne. Eileen was somewhat promiscuous in high school and wore clothing that he felt was too revealing in college. Obviously this need to show herself continued later in life. Eileen was probably aware that the satellite would photograph her neighborhood that day, so she stood in the front room window while posing nude. All day long she probably waved at neighbors, the mailman or utility workers while dressed in nothing more than her birthday suit. How Wayne's rage grew by the second.

  The small plane continued to circle and descend. To avoid crashing, he pulled the rudder (controlled by the mouse) so the plane would gain altitude and the flight simulation could resume. Now a thousand feet in the air, Wayne realized just where his ex-girlfriend's house was.

  Only a walk to the end of the block would bring Eileen to a patch of trees that appeared to provide a small path for accessing the other side. Beyond that patch of trees was a large park that offered a playground, a couple baseball diamonds and a soccer field. And if Eileen ventured beyond the park, she would find herself on Curt's street, just a few doors down from his house!

  It was all in front of his face. The satellite imagery showed exactly why Eileen had chosen that house. For years Wayne speculated that perhaps Eileen had forgiven him, maybe even missed him. He imagined there was a special room in Eileen's heart that waited for Wayne's return. He wrote several letters of apology in those years that also confessed his longing for her. But a restraining order was plain and simple; keep away from the victim and attempt no contact. He wasn't sure if the order had expired, and if so, had Eileen renewed it? Wayne was lucky enough to have avoided prison. Testing the waters with an attempt to contact would have been most unwise on Wayne's part.

  All those years of wondering, and all those years of feeling her presence that longed for his return through some imagined, psychic connection: Instead, Eileen moved not more than a block away from Curt's house. It was more than Wayne could handle. He smashed his fist on the desk and quickly stood up while mumbling, “How could she do that to me?” And then violently punched his fist in the air, “I can't believe her!” Wayne lived alone and never married. No one would see or hear his tantrum.

  It's interesting to observe Wayne's perceptions and actions. One might conclude that there was something seriously wrong with the man. The very fact that he assumed Curt was living with his mother and father some 15 years later was testament to his mentality. Wayne was a man who never grew up. None of us really do; but Wayne was seriously stuck in that summer after high school graduation, somewhere in the early 90s. Ever since his bad experience in college, he tried desperately to return to what he believed to be the happiest days of his life with Eileen.

  Wayne was unable to move forward, accept that life progressed and that people change along with the times. Self-perceived as a man of nostalgia, in reality his life was a music CD that continuously skipped and reverted back to the beginning. Hopes and dreams were nothing more than a haunting and the impossible desire to return to the past.

  That midnight-blue Camaro was replaced by a midnight-blue, used Mustang GT. And the same songs of the 90s grunge that were played with Eileen continued to be played as he left his job at Big Boy's Beef and Ribs each day. Being promoted from fry boy to franchise manager in 15 years of dedicated employment, he laughed at the kids who cruised in the parking lot with thudding bass that vibrated the paint off their vehicles. These kids weren't even babies when Wayne was the king of the streets. Unfortunately, Wayne didn't understand that they were the kings who had replaced him.

  * * *

  “Nobody has fun, anymore! Nobody parties like the old days!” This is how Wayne felt about life. On a late, Friday afternoon in April, Wayne cruised over to the Mapleview liquor store where a 40 ounce bottle of beer was purchased. Then he drove to the secret party spot in the woods with his imagined Eileen seated beside him. What if this could be real? What if he and Eileen finally reconciled?

  Standing in the middle of the woods with a half-finished 40-ounce bottle of beer, Wayne had a good time with all his friends, people who only existed in his imagination. Eileen stood beside him with her head on his shoulder. Even Curt laughed with him while drinking his beer. This was a great Friday night!

  “So what's the plan? The night is still young!” Wayne was in the mood to party. He guzzled the final bit of beer in his bottle and finally accepted the fact that he was alone. “I guess the only plan for me is get to the bottom of a 40.”

  Wayne hiked back to his Mustang GT and roared down the road with a mild beer-buzz. The only words he could ever recognize from that Green Day tune, which now played on CD, was the refrain, “Welcome to Paradise!” It almost made fun of Wayne who was beginning to suspect that life would be nothing more than loneliness and heartbreak.

  Perhaps a quick drive past Eileen's house would have restored some sense of connection. He put on the sunglasses while entering her subdivision and slowly drove by, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl (now woman) who he loved. It was only the month April, and the air was rapidly dropping to a chill as the sun fell low in the horizon. No one was outside in front of Eileen's supposed house. But Wayne noticed something that immediately caught his attention.

  Apparently, Saturday was garbage day, at least for Eileen's neighborhood. Cans and bags were lined up at the edge of her driveway on that Friday night. Wayne would come back later in the evening and play garbage man while collecting the bags and placing them in his trunk. Garbage can tell much of a person who is stalked.

  * * *

  Late in the evening, Wayne lugged four kitchen garbage bags up the flight of stairs to his condo. He excitedly carried them in and hauled the bags into the bathroom where they would be placed in the bathtub. Scissors cut the ties loose so the bags could ultimately be opened.

  This was the greatest thing, ever! Eileen's garbage laid before him to be inspected to heart's content! Wayne stripped down to his boxers and entered the bathtub. Then he embraced the garbage bags against his bare chest while breathing in the scent of rotting meat, rotting vegetables and used coffee grounds. “Ahhhh… Eileen!”

  He rocked back and forth while resting his face against the side of one of the bags. Then he burst out in tears, sobbing. “I'm so sorry; I'm so sorry!” Wayne loved Eileen so much. Her garbage was precious and the next, best thing to Eileen herself.

  After the moment of sweet reconciliation and re-unitedness, Wayne carefully opened one of the bags as far as it would go. “So what do you have here? There is much catching up to do.”

  A copy of the Mapleview Daily Herald had been discarded. The front page story announced, “Ske
letal Hand in Vase Settles 1830s Legend of Trivelli House!”

  It was nearly a week since the discovery was made in the vase, but Wayne wasn't interested. Pulling out the newspaper, he discovered mail underneath that looked to be unopened credit card solicitations, junk mail and…

  “Oh no! No!” Wayne beat his fist on the edge of the bathtub. “Why, why, why, why, why?”

  Poor Wayne couldn't even have a sacred moment, alone, with Eileen's garbage. The presence of Curt remained in that moment as Wayne discovered an envelope addressed to Eileen Saulmon, the same last name as Curt. This was evidence enough that proclaimed the terrible reality to Wayne that Eileen had married Curt!

  Chapter 40

  Awakening the following morning, Wayne now had someone's garbage in his bathtub. The stench of rotting trash filled the bathroom which caused Wayne to gag. Those bags needed to be disposed of. They were of no use to Wayne now. During the excitement of the previous evening, it was no work at all to bring Eileen's trash upstairs and into the bathroom. But now it was a grueling task to reseal the bags, carry them down the two flights of stairs and haul them over to the dumpster.

  It was Saturday morning around 7:00am. Big Boy's Beef and Ribs wouldn't open until 11:30am, and Wayne could have enjoyed sleeping in. Employees wouldn't arrive to work until around 10:00am. But Wayne had difficulty sleeping being that his world was crumbling around him. He groomed and shaved, leaving the trimmed mustache and goatee. And he plucked another gray hair from the side of his head and inspected the hairline for any signs of receding. Those hair growth products appeared to be doing the job.

  But it was all in vain. For years Wayne maintained his appearance for the day when Eileen would finally take him back. He did his best to remain youthful which was not difficult for Wayne as he had the unusual phenomenon of appearing much younger than he truly was.