The Many and the One

by Donald Wells

  “I’ve been fine Jason. I’m surprised you remember me, I was a little dowdy back then.”

  “You do look a lot different honey.” Lindsay says.

  “Well you look as good as ever Lindsay. I’m jealous.”

  “Chief, I have some sketch ideas for the mural; I’ll show them to you later in the cottage over there.”

  Rollins offers his hand. “I’ll call you Jason and Lindsay if you’ll call me Bob, deal?”

  Jason smiles and shakes Rollins’ hand. “It’s a deal.”

  “It’s generous of you to paint a mural for the Island Jason. I guess Paul here told you about the wall decals they wanted to use.”

  “Bob if you ever need anything, just ask. I owe you a lot.”

  “What? That trouble with Stern years ago? I was only doing my job.”

  “Chief, Bob, you helped us out of a tough situation at a tough time and job or no job, we appreciate it.” Lindsay says.

  “Anytime folks, the Senator is not one of my favorites, I don’t mind telling you. I also hear that he’s trying to cause you more trouble.”

  Lindsay sighs. “Yes, he’s trying to get custody of our daughter based on paternity.”

  “Unbelievable,”

  “I heard a rumor that Emily can’t have kids.” Kathy says.

  “Poor Emily,” Lindsay says, and then she makes a face while looking at the grill. “Oh Jason, we need more hamburgers, there are some in the cottage fridge. Could you get them?”

  “Just try and stop me.”

  “Thanks Boomer.”

  Kathy watches Jason as he walks away. “Is there a place I can freshen up Lindsay?”

  “Oh sure honey, use the bathroom in the cottage, it’s the door at the back left-hand corner of the room.”

  Kathy thanks her and heads toward the cottage.

  * * *

  Jason is bent over in the refrigerator, grabbing the burgers, when he hears a voice say, “You always did have a great ass.”

  “What?” Jason turns to see Kathy staring at him. “Oh, hi,”

  “I had such a crush on you senior year, but all you were interested in was Lindsay.”

  “I didn’t know you had a crush on me, that’s flattering, thanks.”

  Kathy moves closer. “I still have a crush on you.”

  “Uh, yeah, you know these burgers are really—”

  Kathy moves closer still, so close that Jason can make out flecks of blue in her green eyes, and from her skin wafts the faint, sweet scent of cocoa butter.

  “Lindsay’s stunning and all, but the same old thing is the same old thing; don’t you ever want to try something new?”

  “I guess I don’t like change, one-woman man, that sort of thing.”

  Kathy giggles. “I’m not talking commitment here, just a little harmless fun.”

  Jason looks Kathy over and clears his throat. “I have no doubt it would be fun, but I don’t think Bob would think it’s harmless, and I know Lindsay wouldn’t.”

  “Well, if you ever change your mind I’ll be ready.” Kathy then turns and virtually sashays her way out the door.

  As he watches her leave the cottage Jason mutters, “Jesus Christ, poor Bob,”

  * * *

  Later, after Rollins chooses a mural design for the municipal building, he and Jason have coffee in the cottage. Rollins then decides to also quench his curiosity.

  “There’s something I want to ask you Jason.”

  Oh God he’s going to ask me about his wife.

  “It’s about that trouble with Stern years ago.”

  Whew!

  “Would you really have strangled him to death?” Rollins asks.

  Jason answers without hesitation. “Yes, although I have no clear memory of doing it, I think my instincts took over.”

  “What will you do if Stern can prove his paternity? He could gain partial custody.”

  “He will never have custody of my daughter.”

  “The law may say different.”

  “No offense Bob, but fuck the law.”

  Rollins takes a cassette tape out of his shirt pocket and hands it to Jason.

  “Believe it or not, I feel the same way sometimes.”

  “What’s this?”

  “That’s the cassette that has Lindsay being raped on it.”

  “I thought you told Charlotte there were no copies?”

  “I lied.” Rollins says.

  Jason sends him a wry smile. “Are you suggesting that I blackmail an esteemed member of our state legislature into dropping his petition?”

  “I would never do such a thing Jason. I’m simply returning a piece of property to you, what you choose to do with it is your own business.”

  “Bob, I now fully understand why Paul likes you so much.”

  “Paul is very fond of you also.”

  Jason holds up the tape. “Derek will know where I got this.”

  “I don’t care. I have no time to be intimidated by the Charlotte and Derek Stern’s of the world; I have an Island to protect.”

  “Well you’re protecting one little girl on it, thank you.”

  Rollins stands. “Kathy and I will be going now, thanks for the food, you’ve got a great life here.”

  “Believe me Bob, we know it too.”

  * * *

  “Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds to see you Senator,” Marta the maid announces, as she escorts Jason and Lindsay into Charlotte’s office.

  Charlotte, with jaw still wired and bell firmly in hand, sits behind her desk. To her left sits Derek, in a black leather wing chair. He has one leg slung lazily over the other, while his hands lie on the chair’s armrests.

  Jason lets a small grin cross his face upon seeing Charlotte. One punch, He thinks, while taking in her wired jaw.

  Marta motions for Jason and Lindsay to sit in two additional wing chairs positioned in front of Charlotte’s desk. Marta then turns and exits the room, closing the massive door behind her. Jason sits across from Derek, while Lindsay sits facing Charlotte.

  Jason has seen Derek around the Island from time to time at a distance. Whenever Derek’s spotted Jason with Simona he would silently mouth two words—She’s mine. Jason would invariably mouth two words back at him—Fuck you. The two men have not been in the same room since the meeting in the police station, over seven years ago.

  Lindsay hasn’t been this close to Derek since his attempt at reconciliation during her pregnancy. A feeling of revulsion comes over her, as she looks across at the man who raped her.

  Derek sits with a smile on his face, as he looks over at Lindsay he winks at her.

  Jason grabs a heavy, gold letter opener off Charlotte’s desk.

  “Wink at my wife again and I’ll shove this into your eye.”

  Derek snorts derisively and turns back toward Lindsay to send another wink. Jason has no clear memory of choking Derek, but Derek has a vivid recollection of being choked, of looking into Jason’s eyes and seeing his own death. Prior to Jason attacking him, Derek would not have thought him capable of that level of violence.

  He now knows better. The wink never comes.

  Tinkle tinkle tinkle

  “Mother is wondering, to what do we owe this pleasure.”

  “We’ve come to deliver a message.” Jason says.

  “And that would be?” Derek says.

  Jason leans forward. “Leave us the hell alone.”

  “Our dispute is a legal one, perhaps you should be talking to our lawyers.”

  “To hell with your lawyers, I’m talking to you Derek.”

  “Very well, deliver my daughter here tomorrow morning and I’ll bother you no more.”

  “She’s my daughter!” Jason says.

  “When the tests results come back we’ll see whose daughter she is, you’ll lose custody and I’ll have something to keep Emily occupied.”

  Lindsay looks appalled. “Good God, what do you think Simona is, busy work for the fertility challenged? She’s a person. She’s a little gi
rl who loves her mommy and daddy and her puppy. She’s not a tool or a pawn. You disgust me to no end.”

  Derek smirks. “I remember when I used to please you to no end, in bed.”

  Jason rises suddenly and imbeds the point of the letter opener deep into Charlotte’s desk in front of Derek, who flinches.

  “Enough of this crap! You’re going to drop the petition first thing in the morning and after that you’re never going to bother us again. Do we make ourselves clear?”

  Tinkle tinkle tinkle

  “You’re right mother, why the hell would we do that Jason?”

  Lindsay tosses a cassette onto the desk. “Because of this,”

  Jason jabs a finger at the tape. “That’s the message you left me while you were raping Lindsay.”

  Derek’s face pales a shade, as he uncrosses his legs. “That’s not possible, we destroyed it.”

  Jason grins. “Play it and listen, and while you’re listening, think about all those voters out there hearing the same thing on the news tomorrow night if we don’t receive word the petition’s been dropped. We are not bluffing.”

  Charlotte’s face turns a deep red as she glares at Jason and Lindsay with pure contempt. Through wired teeth one word escapes in a harsh whisper.

  “Rollins,”

  “Get the fuck out of here!” Derek shouts.

  “We are more than happy to go.” Jason says. “But you remember what I said Stern. Leave us alone.” Lindsay rises and they walk out.

  * * *

  Once they’re back in the minivan, Lindsay turns to Jason.

  “Baby, do you think he’ll drop the petition? Do you think he’ll leave us alone?”

  “I don’t think he has a choice. If that tape is made public he can kiss his political career goodbye.”

  “Then… it’s over?”

  “It’s over honey.”

  Lindsay takes Jason’s hand. “Let’s go home to our daughter.”

  Jason drives home, disturbed by something glimpsed in Derek’s eyes.

  He still wants her, he still wants Lindsay.

  * * *

  Derek is enraged. Again, again Jason has dared to take something that’s his. He begins pacing around the office, muttering to himself.

  Charlotte, stewing in her own anger at this setback, Tinkle tinkle tinkle’s Derek to sit down and stop pacing.

  Derek flies at her in a fury and snatches the bell out of her hand; he then opens a window behind Charlotte’s desk and flings the bell outside. It sails into the night like a freed bird and lands on the lawn with a muffled clink. Derek then leans over the desk and screams into Charlotte’s face.

  “Enough with the goddamn fucking bell! You’re driving me up the fucking wall with that thing!”

  Charlotte grabs a pen and writes angrily. When she’s finished she hands the note to Derek.

  “My fault! How the hell is this my fault? You’re the one with the plan. ‘Patience Derek, be patient and you’ll hurt them even more.’ Well seven fucking years later and they’re still together with my fucking daughter, and thanks to that lying prick Chief Rollins, Jason can’t even be touched. Now I have to drop the petition and Jason wins again.”

  Charlotte begins writing another note; however, halfway through the pen goes dry. She lets out a muffled scream of frustration, “Yeeaaarrgghh,” and grabs a typewriter out of the desk.

  She crashes the typewriter on top of the desk and starts typing furiously, Charlotte moves the lever and a bell goes off.

  Derek throws his hands up. “Another fucking bell,”

  After a few moments of tap tap tap and more bells, Charlotte rips the paper from the typewriter and throws the sheet at Derek, he reads it:

  You ungrateful little shit.

  If it were not for me, that imbecilic recording you made while raping that abominable cow Lindsay would have landed you in jail years ago. I am your mother and I will not be handled roughly or talked to harshly ever again.

  If you do not understand this, I think you will while you try existing on that miserable excuse of a salary you’re paid by the state.

  Derek, I always know what is best. If not for me you wouldn’t have become the youngest State Senator in history. I will one day make you the youngest President in history.

  Mother knows what she is doing!

  The Reynolds are a minor annoyance that will be dealt with in time. Now, do not test my patience again with a temper tantrum or I will cut you off without a penny.

  All my love,

  Mother

  Derek slowly crumples the sheet of paper and drops it on the desk. He then turns and heads toward the door. Behind him, he hears Charlotte open a desk drawer.

  Tinkle tinkle tinkle

  She has another bell.

  Derek turns and glares at her through squinted eyes.

  Charlotte rises from behind the desk and saunters over to the leather couch. She then releases her hair from its bun and unbuttons her blouse.

  Tinkle tinkle tinkle She calls and points to the couch.

  Derek trudges over and turns her around. Charlotte hangs the bell around her neck by its chain, and then bends over and places both hands on the back of the couch. Behind her, Derek yanks her skirt to the floor and unbuckles his pants.

  Tinkle tinkle tinkle tinkle tinkle tinkle

  Mother and son making up after a fight, Stern style,

  25

  They’re working in the cottage, both casually dressed in shorts and tank tops, one of the perks of working from home. The call comes in at 10:05. The Senator has dropped his petition. Lindsay smiles so wide that Jason thinks she’s grown new teeth.

  “It’s over Boomer, our little girl is safe.”

  “I guess they got the message.”

  Lindsay turns off her word processor. “I don’t feel like working today.” She wraps her arms around Jason and kisses him. “Let’s make another baby.”

  Jason arches an eyebrow. “I’ll race you to the kitchen?”

  “No, the bedroom, I will not have my son named Kenmore.”

  “Amana if it’s a girl.”

  * * *

  The following morning, they join Simona as chaperones on her last school daytrip of the year. The way Simona’s teacher put it: “It’s not like you’ve got real jobs like the other parents.”

  There was nothing to be said to that, and so they agreed to go.

  The trip is to the Sea County Zoo. Simona’s been here many times with her parents, but never tires of going.

  As they walk about the zoo, Jason observes what he has come to dub, “The Phenomenon.”

  Men of all ages and ilk, accompanied or alone, simply stop whatever they are doing and gaze at Lindsay. He’s seen other women elicit this response, Simone among them, but none to the extent that Lindsay does.

  She walks in beauty, like the night. Jason muses. But no, not the night, the night is dark. No, Lindsay is luminescence. Lindsay is the sun, other women merely stars.

  “Mommy, daddy, look at the giraffe!” Simona cries, thus ending Jason’s reflective mood.

  “Mommy and daddy see it honey.” Lindsay says.

  “I think that guy used to sign my paychecks.” Jason says.

  “Daddy, why is his neck so long?”

  “So that when he eats little girls they can have fun sliding into his stomach.”

  “Oh daddy,” Simona says, while making her ‘oh daddy,’ face.

  Jason and Lindsay notice that Simona’s friend Rosemary is having fun too; it seems she has bounced back from her mother’s miscarriage.

  Rosemary’s long, blond pigtails spring up around her pretty face as she skips along the cobblestone path of the zoo. Rosemary, like most multi-generational natives of Ocean Beach Island, is a distant cousin to both Jason and Derek. With centuries of marriages, trysts and romances among them, most Island natives, tenth generation or older, are related in one fashion or another. Only the Reynolds and Stern families, feuding since the Island’s founding, have never uni
ted in marriage.

  “Hi Rosemary, how are you sweetie?” Lindsay asks.

  “I’m fine Mrs. Reynolds.” Rosemary says. “My mommy said to thank you for your card.”

  “She’s quite welcome honey; I hope she’s feeling better?”

  Rosemary says, “She is.” and gives Lindsay a big hug.

  “Oh, thank you sweetie, what did I do to deserve that?”

  “Mommy read your card to me.” Rosemary says, and then she’s off to look at the tigers.

  “Lindsay what did you write in that card?” Jason asks.

  “I simply wrote, ‘I’m so sorry.’ Nothing else seemed appropriate.”

  “They were the right words honey.”

  * * *

  After arriving back home, Jason begins work on a doghouse outside on the lawn. Simona is supervising and insists that it be big.

  “Sunshine needs lots of room daddy.”

  As Jason starts on the base of the structure, he looks through the sliding glass patio door and sees Lindsay collapsed on the floor of the dining room, she’s sobbing heavily.

  “Simona stay here and play with Sunshine, daddy will be right back.”

  Jason rushes into the dining room and helps Lindsay off the floor and into a chair.

  “My God Lindsay, what is it?”

  Lindsay is still too upset to talk. She points repeatedly at a piece of paper lying on the table, atop the mail. The letterhead reads: Accutron Test Labs.

  The blood tests results.

  Scanning the document, Jason sees a confusion of medical terms. Antigens, Rh antigens, O positive this and A negative that. The bottom line though, is that it is not biologically possible for him to be Simona’s father. Furthermore, the letter states that test subject A, Derek Stern, is “not excluded” for paternity. Simona is Derek’s.

  Jason tosses the paper back onto the table.

  “Lindsay, are you all right?”

  Lindsay nods her head, as she regains her composure.

  “Jason I’m so sorry, oh I’m so sorry. I’ve told you for years that she was yours and that I felt a part of you growing within me. How could I have been so wrong? Simone told me I might have wanted it so much that I imagined it, she must have been right. Oh God baby, I’m so sorry.”