War.

by Shannon Dianne

  “Alright.”

  “I can check in with her in forty-eight hours. Her mother says that she’ll stay with her until then. Dr. Harlow and I think it’s best if Jasmine goes to her father’s parents’ home during this time. And also, to keep her daughters away from her.”

  “Of course.”

  “So we’ll wait forty-eight hours and if there is no change or if she’s gotten worse, we can take it from there.”

  “Worst case scenario, what happens?”

  “Well, let’s start with the best case. ASD may resolve itself with time, so that’s all she may need. Rest and time. Worst case, her ASD will turn into PTSD.”

  “Post-traumatic stress disorder. What army vets get?”

  “Don’t downplay Jasmine’s reaction to this, son. She’s a stay-at-home mother with no income who has just lost her husband, her furnishings and her home. And from what I’m gathering she’s having extreme marital as well as personal issues. Don’t take this lightly.”

  “Of course not.”

  “This may not involve guilty verdicts and death sentences, Attorney Blair, or all the glamorous things you lawyers are accustomed to, but this is serious.”

  “Of course. I’m sorry.”

  “Dr. Harlow will take Jasmine to her grandparents’ home in the morning, I take it it’s fine for them to stay here for the night?”

  “Absolutely.”

  MALCOLM

  “Hello?”

  “Marla, it’s Malcolm.”

  “Oh Malcolm, I was so nervous to answer the house phone because, you know, it’s not my house but then I thought that Dan may call or something so…”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I, um, yeah. I guess.”

  “I’ll have a grocery service come over in the morning. They’ll bring a catalog and an order form for food. Nice people. Danielle and I use them.”

  “Wow, that’s, uh, really nice. Because, well, I’m not sure if Jon’s gonna cut my credit cards off and well, I don’t really have my own money. But come Monday, I’ll be looking for a job. I have a degree in art history so I’m not too sure what kind of job I’ll find. I think I just may head back to Philly and-”

  “Danielle’s parents sit on the board of the Museum of Arts. Just give me the word and I can see what they’ll do for you.”

  “Oh my God! That would be perfect.”

  “Alright. I’ll call them tomorrow.”

  “Thanks, Malcolm.”

  “No problem. What time should I tell the groceries to be there?”

  “Nine is good.”

  “I’ll call them. And Red will be in the hospital for another day so we’ll see you, right?”

  “I’m not too sure if, you know, Dan’s in the seeing mood.”

  “Visiting hours start at ten.”

  “Alright. I’ll be there. Thanks Malcolm.”

  “No problem, baby.”

  MALCOLM

  “There you go hogging the bed again.”

  “Hush, Malcolm…when did you get back?”

  “Just got in…thank God they give you king beds here.”

  “Adjustable ones like in those commercials with the old people from years ago. Do you remember those?”

  “Of course. Now move over.”

  “Is Jasmine okay?”

  “When I got there, Nat said he just got the cops to leave. Dena was trying to hold Jasmine back as she was beating Marlon up. By the time her mother got there she was refusing to talk. And by the time Dr. Samuels got there, she was barely blinking.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “I know. She’s at our place now with Zara, sleeping it off.”

  “Malcolm, you don’t sleep off crazy.”

  “She just got served a sucker punch, that’s all.”

  “I’ll call her tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, she should be good by then.”

  “Night…”

  “Goodnight…”

  “Uh-oh. Guess who’s up.”

  “I’ll get her.”

  “No, I’ll get her. You had a long night.”

  “I’m all good, baby. I’ll get her…alright baby-girl, here I come…”

  MALCOLM

  “Jake.”

  “She left.”

  “What?”

  “She left. She’s gone. Took the kids, packed some clothes. Went to my parents.”

  “That’s a good sign. She could have gone anywhere, to any of the Yates’ homes, but she went all the way to Cambridge to stay with Uncle Preston and Aunt Pammy.”

  “I’m so fucking tired.”

  “I know, but it’s okay … were you with Jasmine the night before?”

  “I was but not like that. Long story. I’ll tell you in the morning.”

  “Alright. Relax. It’s okay. We’ll get your wife back.”

  “I hope so.”

  “We will.”

  MALCOLM

  “Malcolm? I woke you didn’t I?”

  “It’s alright. Is Jasmine’s okay?”

  “No change. But I talked to her father and we think that it isn’t a good idea for her to go to her grandparents’ house. Marlon’s going to need help with the girls and both Jasmine’s dad and I work during the day. Her grandparents will be the only ones who can take the girls since my parents are still on their cruise. So, we’re going to drive her to my sister in New Hampshire. They live in a beach house so she’ll be by the water and my sister’s a retired nurse so Jasmine will be taken care of. My brother-in-law teaches psychology at the University of New Hampshire, so he should be of help.”

  “I think it’s a great idea, Dr. Harlow.”

  “And maybe, during the time that Jasmine’s gone, Marlon will have a change of heart…I don’t know, I guess I’m hoping for a miracle. I’m not sure what happened between the two of them but I just hope that it’s not bad enough for them to actually divorce.”

  “I hope not, either.”

  “Regardless of what happened yesterday, Marlon’s a good guy.”

  “He is.”

  “So we’ll leave this morning. Should Jasmine and I stop by Jacob and Winnie’s condo to grab a key to lock your door? Do they have a spare?”

  “No. Just, uh, leave it unlocked. I’ll call Rusty, the security guy.”

  “Very well. And thank you , Malcolm.”

  “No problem…Danielle wants to know the address to your sister’s home. She said she has it somewhere buried in her address book.”

  “Sure. I actually think letters would be therapeutic. Let me know when you’re ready…”

  MALCOLM

  “Dena.”

  “Hi. Just calling to tell you that I’ve just helped Jasmine get into her mother’s car. She’s not doing too well. Excuse me if I sound stuffy, it’s just that I’ve been crying all morning.”

  “Nat there with you?”

  “Yes, he’s just made me a cup of chamomile tea and the kids have written me sympathy cards. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

  “I’m glad you have them.”

  “I can only imagine Jasmine feels the same way. She’s devastated, Malcolm. Just devastated. Is there anything, anything at all that Nat and you can do?”

  “We’ll try everything we can.”

  “And you’ll talk to Marlon?”

  “We’ll get through to him somehow.”

  “I’m thinking Matt? Perhaps Danielle can talk to Rena and Rena can talk to Matt.”

  “That’s exactly that I was thinking.”

  “Very well. Thank you for calling me last night and I’ll be there in a bit to check on Sunny.”

  “See you when you get here, Dena.”

  From the Desk of Zara Harlow

  Dear Jasmine,

  I’m not going to express worry. I know that’s what you’re waiting for. I’m not going to tell you that all things happen for a reason. That has been said before. I’m going to tell you one thing:

  Experience every emotion you’re having.

 
As a doctor, I realize that many women want labor to be over. But the only way to get past the pain is to go through it. There is no way around or over it, only through it.

  I love you and I’ll write tomorrow,

  Mom

  From the Desk of Jacob Blair

  Winnie,

  If I have to beg for the rest of my life, then I’ll do it.

  If I have live on my knees until the day I die, then I’ll do it.

  If I have to sleep with one eye open…if it’s next to you, then I’ll do it.

  If I have move from Boston, renounce everything I’ve established and start from scratch somewhere else…if it’s with you, then I’ll do it.

  Whatever you want me to do, whatever I need to do, whatever you think of, I’ll do it.

  -J

  From the Office of Dr. Zeke Harlow

  Jasmine,

  Your mother and I don’t know the whole story. Marlon says that he’d prefer you tell us. Dr. Samuels is using patient confidentiality as an excuse. So, I’m not sure why you and Marlon broke up or why you tried to murder him that night but I’m assuming it’s over something serious. I therefore am not adequately informed to give advice. But I’m your father so I will anyway. And this is what I’ll say: If someone walks away from you, let them leave.

  Love,

  Dad

  From the Desk of Jacob Blair

  Winnie,

  I was talking to my father over lunch today and he mentioned accountability. I’ve been saying that I’m sorry, I’ve been begging you back, but I have yet to admit to anything. I think that any admission on my part will kill any chance I have with you but my father thinks otherwise. He thinks that if I’m open and honest, you and I can start to build our marriage up, the right way. I realize that he may be right. So, I’m taking a chance here and I’m going to be honest.

  Before you and I married, I didn’t want to choose between you or Jasmine. I wanted you both.

  When you and I married, after six months, all I wanted was you. I felt guilty about this. I felt like I didn’t deserve to be happy with you after I left Jasmine.

  I had an affair three years into our marriage. Why? I thought I wanted Jasmine. She reminded me of Jasmine.

  I had another affair. The girl reminded me of Jasmine. But she went nuts. I stopped seeing her. She wanted me to leave you. There was no way in hell that I was leaving you.

  I had another affair. Another nut job. She reminded me of Jasmine. It happened once.

  I had the last affair. It was with Jasmine…there, I said it. Marlon has every right to want me dead. He has every right to want to destroy my marriage. The affair lasted two weeks. That was it. When she came to our place, I thought ‘no more’. I was done. Something clicked in me. Three psychos in a row is a warning. The fourth one, I’d likely end up dead.

  There. I told you all of it. I didn’t love them. It was nothing. Nothing but me chasing after Jasmine’s ghost.

  You’ll probably never come back to me now.

  -J

  (But please come back to me.)

  St. Michael’s Parish, Father Luke Harper

  My Dearest Jasmine,

  If you’re looking for a Bible verse, this won’t be the letter to offer you one. The Bible is full of verses, so if you’re looking for one, I’m sure you can find it. I don’t want to bore you with words that were written so long ago, when there was no such thing as Acute Stress Syndrome. You need something that is relevant for what you’re going through now.

  I christened you when I was just twenty-seven years old so I’ve known you before you officially knew yourself. I will, in that case, give advice based on that. My advice is the following: It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves. You have the power within you to be better. Please remember that during this time. For there is only one thing that we humans have complete control over and that is ourselves.

  With Love,

  Father Luke R. Harper

  From the Desk of Lola Blair

  Winnie,

  I’ve talked to Cadence and he’s told me what’s going on. I tried to call you but your cell keeps going to voicemail. Must be off or something. I thought I’d write to offer you a bit of advice. Please keep in mind that this is coming from a woman whose husband cheated on her with multiple women and her own sister. So, I know you and I don’t speak often, but when it comes to cheating ass husbands, I win.

  When I was thinking about a divorce, Angie dragged me to her priest. Of course, I didn’t want to go. Why would I? I didn’t need help, Cadence did. I wasn’t in the mood for some sixty-year-old virgin to tell me that I wasn’t fucking my husband enough or that I wasn’t making his favorite Sunday meals according to the instructions on the package. I almost didn’t go but Angie practically begged me. She is obsessed with those boys of hers, isn’t she? (Don’t tell her I said that.) So I went and Cadence went with me…Angie came as well. And guess what? Cadence and Angie’s priest had another couple in the room. They were the priest’s parents! Weird, to say the least.

  We all sat down on couches in Father Bianchi’s office and had wine, cheese and communion crackers. Then the story began: Father Bianchi’s parents had been through what Cadence and I went through , only it was his MOTHER who was the cheater, with her own brother-in-law. Her infidelity was now her testimony. Cadence, Angie and I were stunned.

  The story was brief and to the point. Mrs. Bianchi cheated repeatedly, Mr. Bianchi would lash out and then forgive her repeatedly and so the cycle continued. Then one day, Mr. Bianchi left. He just left. With no warning . His reason: he finally realized why she kept cheating. He kept letting her. I asked him why and he told me it was because she was a good mother. A good friend. A good nurse. She made him laugh. They enjoyed each other’s company. She made a great pan of bolognese. They had a vacation home in New Hampshire where they had great memories. She initiated romance half the time, he the other. He wasn’t willing to throw it all away over another man…or two…that was, until he did.

  Come to find out, Mrs. Bianchi was a cheater because she had permission to be one. Once her husband said ‘no more’ and meant it, she stopped.

  I asked Mr. Bianchi what he would have done had she not stopped. And you know what he said? “Well, then I guess I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you right now.”

  Towards the end of the three-hour session, Mrs. Bianchi said something to Cadence that I will never forget. It was a quote from Sigmund Freud: How bold one gets when one is sure of being loved.

  Lola

  From the Desk of Danielle Rouge

  “A liberated woman is one who has sex before marriage and a job after.” ~Gloria Steinem

  Dear Jazz,

  You are what we Creoles call ‘crazy as a bed bug.’ But I love you anyway. You are what the old folks talk about when they say that someone doesn’t have the sense God gave them. But I’ve been called crazy before and so one of these days, you may laugh at your stay in The Bin. (Out of respect, I will not call your aunt’s home The Loony Bin, I’ll just call it The Bin.)

  You can count on my letters at least four times a week. In them you will hear me mention how Malcolm and Sunday are extremely annoying. If they’re not listening to the Cinderella soundtrack, they’re blasting Beauty and the Beast. Nicky chooses to sing along. (sigh) Rusty, our security guard, has been up to our condo twice as reports of a loud and seemingly strange party was going on. (Malcolm thinks Jon’s reporting us.)

  By the way, Sunny’s fine. I would ask you to be her godmother but how fair is it to have me as a mother and you as a godmother? Oh, what the hell, you’ve got the job.

  I wanted to give you something to think about, though. It’s another quote by Gloria Steinem: Some of us are becoming the men we wanted to marry.

  Love You,

  Danielle

  p.s.

  I’m not sure if you were aware but Nicky has been asked to resurrect his role as Jesus for the Easter play. Of course Father Harper wanted to na
me the play with a typical misogynistic title: ‘Our Lamb of God, He Has Risen.’ I don’t think so. So the play is called ‘Mary, Don’t Weep’ and will feature Nicky singing his rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb. I do hope you’re sane by then.

  From the Desk of Jacob Blair

  Winnie

  I WILL NEVER CHEAT AGAIN.

  Jacob

  From the Office of Serena Beauvais

  Jasmine,

  Girl, what the hell is your problem? You would go and get put in The Bin (that’s what Danielle is making me call it) when Georgie’s birthday party is coming up—the one that you were supposed to cater! Write me back if you know any good alternatives.

  Also, I’ve been driving by Marlon’s new loft and watching him through his office window. (I probably shouldn’t have written that.) Lucky for us, he bought a place that faces the street. Not much activity going on, just him working at all hours of the night. That nanny of yours, Gertrude, has been there with the kids; I’ve seen them through the living room window. I’ve been getting the girls and bringing them to Danielle’s condo so that all the kids can play there. Don’t be mad, but they’ve been playing with Winnie’s kids, too. But don’t get mad at that because this issue is between adults, not the children.

  Okay, so write me back.

  Love You,

  Rena

  p.s.

  Matt and I have decided to move from Roxbury. I know, so sad. But our firm and most of our life is in Beacon Hill. So, Marlon is in the process of selling us a two-story loft in that new building of his. I thought you’d be mad that we’re letting Marlon close the deal but I figure there will be more cash for you in the divorce settlement. I’m what you call a good friend. Always thinking ahead. xo