Katie's trance like state was broken and she shook her head. "No, I haven't finished reading yet."
"Why do you have to wait?"
"I guess I don't. But I want to. When I finish the journal, Will said he would go with me to the library and help me do some research."
Sarah's eyebrows shot up. "And who is Will?"
Katie laughed. "Relax. He's new to Cedar Hollow. Well, sort of new. He bought the old Miller place and does odd jobs to make extra money."
Sitting down and crossing her arms slowly, she smirked. "And how did you meet this Will?"
"Oh my gosh, Sarah, really! Tom's father hired him to fix the hot water heater. And then he brought me a puppy."
"Hold on, he brought you a puppy?"
"Well, yeah. He had a few that didn't have homes so I took one."
"And is he who you hired to help you with the acres you want to plant?"
"Yes," Katie said slowly. "Just what are you getting at?"
"Katie, I know you're not happy, but...just don't do anything you might regret."
"Honestly, you don't think more of me than that? That I'm so lonely I'd go running into the arms of the first handyman that knocks on the door?"
Sarah stared at her with a teasing grin. "Is he hot?"
Katie burst into laughter. "You are so silly."
"Is he?" She leaned forward. "C'mon give me something to chew on. Ian's been so tired working two jobs I haven't had any action in a week."
Katie dropped her head to the side. "Oh, I feel so sorry for you," she said flatly.
Sarah grinned big.
"Fine. He's hot. Really, really hot."
"Tall?"
"Yes, about six foot four."
"Big and muscular?"
"He looks strong, but he's not grotesquely muscular, no. Well-toned is more like it." She started gathering her things. "Listen, thanks for watching the baby. I have to get back home."
"No! I want to hear more about the hot handyman. You know, if you leave Tom, you could go for it."
"This is so dysfunctional; I'm not talking about it anymore."
Sarah had the shining eyes and devious smile Katie remembered well from their childhood, when she was trying to talk her into doing all sorts of things that would get her in trouble.
"I just like seeing you happy, Katie. I haven't seen your eyes so alive in years."
"Well, it has little to do with Will and more to do with my deciding to do something with my life besides sit at home and wait for Tom."
Katie found herself nervous as she made dinner. A simple meal of roast and potatoes, she added extra touches and then scolded herself for her futile attempts to appease him. While trying to settle on what way exactly to inform him of what she had planned, he burst in the door and saved her from the decision.
"Katie!" He slammed the door and tore off his coat. "Where's the money."
She stared at him blankly, too shocked to say anything.
"I went to the bank this afternoon. The teller told me you came in today and cleaned out the savings account."
"I did." She poured steaming water from the kettle into a mug with shaking hands.
"Would you like to tell me why?" he seethed.
"I'm investing it."
He laughed. "Investing it. Well, you're going to invest it right back into that account. That's what you're going to do."
"No, I'm not." She turned to face him and hoped her shaking wasn't visible.
"What?"
"I said, no, I'm not. I'm investing it. Why were you at the bank today anyway? It's not payday."
He clenched his fists. "That's none of your business."
"It's a joint account. We're married, on paper at least, so yes, it is my business."
"Give me the money, Katie."
"It's gone."
"It's WHAT?" he roared. She winced and then regained her stature. "I've already put the money toward the investment."
He pulled the keys out of his pocket. "Then we'll just go get it back."
"We can't. It's a done deal."
"And what fucking deal did you make behind my back, Katie!"
"I'm having as many acres as I can tilled up and I'm going to plant."
"I already told you we're not doing that."
"Well, I'm going to do it anyway." She glared at him, putting on all the bravado she could.
Enraged, he spun around cursing. "I need that money, Katie."
"For what?"
"Something important."
"Hardly as important as our son's future. That's what I'm investing in, Tom."
"Then entertain me with this. Where exactly is my money right now."
"OUR money is with Will Anderson. He's going to be doing the labor on this project.
He took two menacing steps toward her. "Go get the money back."
"No."
She didn't see it coming. He slapped her hard. She stood for a moment in shock with her cheek on fire. Glancing at the counter with her eyes, the kitchen knife surrounded by browning potato skins stared at her.
"If you ever do that again, I'll kill you in your sleep," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. She leveled her head to look at him. No remorse, no concern, he continued on about the money.
"I'm going over to Will Anderson's and getting my money back. And if I ever catch him anywhere near here..." he trailed off, leaving his threat empty.
"If you go to Will's house, I will go to the police. And I will tell them that you forged my signature for a ten thousand dollar loan while I was giving birth to our son. And I will press charges. Married or not, forgery is a crime."
He turned around slowly. "You can't do that. You don't have any proof."
"Do you think a withdrawal was all I did at the bank today? I have all the proof I need. What did you use the money for, Tom? Certainly you didn't run your bar tab up that high. And you didn't buy much for me or the baby, that's for damn sure. Who'd you spend it on?"
He looked her up and down in disgust and walked away.
She let out a breath and then a deep sob, nearly collapsing to the floor. Grabbing the back of the chair for support, she found her way to sitting and started to formulate a plan to get out of this miserable mistake of a marriage, once and for all.
The next day around mid-morning, Katie stood on the porch with the baby propped on her hip. He drooled and chewed on his little fist as Katie waved to Will, who was slowly making his way down the road on a tractor.
The old beast crawled along. "What does that thing go, two miles an hour?"
"Five if I'm feeling wild and crazy. It's old and ugly, but it was cheap to rent. Just pray it doesn't break down on us."
"C'mon, I'll show you where I thought we could start." She adjusted the baby and walked alongside the tractor out to the vast empty acres that lay behind the house.
Will cut the engine and climbed down, looking over the land. "Fifty acres. Sure is a waste to have all this just sitting here."
"Well, that's why you're here." She smiled up at him and then over the flat expanse. "It's not going to just sit here anymore."
"Soybeans. That's what will bring the biggest profit, I think. Of course we could do half soy beans half corn, too. It's up to you."
She nodded. "Half and half. That way if one struggles, we might make it back in the other."
"Sounds good." He bent to adjust the tillers, dropping them down. "Best get started then."
"I was wondering if it would be too much trouble to run that thing over my kitchen garden. It's not big. It'd only take a couple passovers. And it would save me days of work."
"Sure." He nodded as he worked. "So, did you tell your husband what you were doing?"
"Yes." She looked down at the baby and began adjusting his jumper. "He's not going to try to stop me. We have an...agreement."
Will eyed her where she stood, swaying with the baby on her hip. "Still, might be best to have it wrapped up by five."
Leaning on the tractor, he gave
her a small salute with a playful grin. "You're the boss."
She didn't dare look up at him, she could see enough from the corner of her eye; He looked especially nice today, though he wore normal work clothes. His jeans looked new and the dark blue shirt, open over a white t-shirt brought out his eyes in a dazzling way. Too distracted to say anything intelligent, she simply gave a small wave and turned toward the house. I wonder if I should call Sarah to see if she wants to have lunch on the back porch, she thought deviously with a grin.
Chapter 10
Tom said nothing to her when he came in late. Making a plate from leftovers still sitting on top of the stove, he ate alone and made a bed for himself on the couch. Katie breathed a sigh of relief. In the past he had tried to use sex as a tool for getting his way whenever she stood her ground about something. But it had been so long since she had done that, she figured it was such a shock he'd forgotten entirely how to use his good looks, charm and his body to seduce her into seeing things his way.
Or, perhaps, she thought as she readied for bed, they were past that. There was something different in the air now. Something final. And it seemed as if they were both waiting for the other to make the first move and file for divorce. It was only weeks ago that the smallest part of her wanted things to work out with Tom. She wanted to try so hard, if only for convenience sake and for the sake of an intact family for their son, and, for her loneliness. But that little part was gone now.
She climbed into bed alone. Strange that she would feel less lonely without Tom in the bed next to her. She closed her eyes and began making her mental list of what she wanted to accomplish the next day.
Painting. That was what she wanted to do most after breakfast and with the baby snuggled in his swing on the screened in back porch, she scraped the last bits of stubborn wallpaper and began apply primer to the pea green walls. Every once in a while she peeked out over the land and saw Will hard at work in the distance. She smiled and pretended for a small time that this was her life and there were no problems, no worries and when it came to the current state of her marriage, no fear.
She heard the mailman sputter up in his old jeep and put down her roller. Wiping her hands on her apron, she tucked a few strands of hair back under the scarf and slipped her shoes on.
Checking the mail was always a non-event, just bills and sales papers, but it was part of her routine every day. Today however, brought something she only half expected and mostly dreaded.
An invitation to Tom's fathers' birthday party this Friday night. Every year her mother in law threw a lavish party for him. It was grotesque, the money she spent to celebrate the birth of such a crabby, cynical old man. They were expected to come. No way of getting out of it.
She sighed heavily as she turned the ornate invitation over and over in her hands. She chewed on her lip, desperately trying to think of a way out. The thought crossed her mind to give herself food poisoning the morning of the party. That's how desperate she was not to go. She put the invitation on the table.
Maybe Tom won't want to go either, she thought hopefully. Maybe he can make an excuse for us. The combined nastiness of spending the evening with her father in law and all his gloating, fat bellied rich friends that made crude jokes and thought themselves better than everyone else, and the fact that she would have to stand next to Tom and smile and pretend everything was fine, was too much to deal with. She'd rather have her toenails yanked out one by one.
She heard the tractor cut in the distance and jogged back into the house to make fresh lemonade. It was getting warm already and not even noon.
He stepped up on the porch and kicked dirt off his boots. "Another day and I think I'll be ready to plant."
"That's wonderful! I hope this isn't taking you away from anything important at your own place."
He shrugged. "I can get my chores done in the morning and evening."
"You can come in, you know."
"I think I'd better stay right here." His smile was pleasant but firm. He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and stuffed it in his back pocket while she brought out two glasses of lemonade. "Thanks." After a long drink, he sniffed in the direction of the living room. "Painting?"
"Yes, finally. I'll be so glad to get rid of the pea green. I think I'll go with a pearly white. It'll go well with the old place."
"That will look good."
She felt the sudden awkward air between them and resented it.
"After tomorrow, I won't be able to come back until Monday. I have a few other jobs to get to."
"Absolutely. I don't want to keep you from your other work."
"Believe me, I'd rather be here," he said, tilting his head toward the field. "Just out of curiosity, I was wondering if you had any plans Friday night."
Her heart did a heavy thud and then began to beat so fast and thin it made her dizzy. Her mind was scrambled, rational and romantic having a screaming match. Before she could say, do or assume anything stupid, he continued.
"I'm working for your in laws on Friday night for Mr. Johnson's birthday. I thought you and your husband might be going."
Finding her voice and forcing an even tone, she said, "We are. We go every year." Her face was flushed with the embarrassment at the absurd thought that he would be asking her out. And she was disappointed in herself at how much she wished he was.
"Well, I guess I'll see you there," he said, returning the glass to her. She watched him as he walked away and knew in that moment how desperately she wanted to be free.
Flying to the phone, she had to dial her sister’s number three times before she got it right.
"Hey, Sis, it's me. I need you to watch the baby for a few hours this afternoon. And on Friday night."
"Ooh, what big plans do you have on Friday night?"
"No big plans. It's Tom's father's annual 'I was born' celebration."
Sarah's voice fell flat. "Oh."
"So can you watch him?"
"Of course."
"And can I borrow those pearl inlaid hair combs that belonged to Grandma?"
"Yes," she answered slowly.
"What. I can hear you judging. What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that you've never been so excited to go to that old goat’s birthday party, that's all. There wouldn't happen to be someone else going that has you all twitter pated, would there?"
Katie stamped her foot. "I'm excited to get out of the house and do something, is all." She was a terrible liar.
"Uh huh. Let me guess. Hot handyman is going to be there."
Katie groaned.
"Relax, Katie. Yes, I'll watch the baby. But you have to show me the new dress you're going to buy."
"How did you know I was going to buy a new dress?"
Sarah laughed. "I know you that well, big sister."
Tom looked at the invitation and tossed it in the garbage. "We're not going."
"What do you mean we're not going? We go every year."
"I have plans."
"You have plans. Let me guess, hunting again? For someone who hunts so much, you never bring home any meat."
He tossed her an ugly look and it tore at her heart. Once, she could scarcely breathe when he looked her way, handsome as he was. But now he seemed shrouded in a dark cloud.
She picked up the phone receiver. "Then call your dad and tell him we're not coming. We are supposed to RSVP by tonight anyway."
He blew out a hard breath. "I already made plans, Katie."
"Don’t tell me, tell your father," she said, holding out the phone. He took it from her and slammed it back down on the hook.
She followed him out to the garage, keeping just out of arms reach.
"I need to talk to you, Tom."
He began to move things around randomly; pointless busy work to keep from looking at her. She decided not to drag it out.
"I want a divorce."
He stopped cold, staring at the wrench in his hand.
"I've tried, Tom, but you obviously don'
t want to be here with me." She steeled herself and choked out the words. "I know you're cheating on me. You have been for a long time."
There was a long silence and they looked in opposite directions. Finally he came back to life and began rearranging things again. "You can have the house," he said quietly.
"Just like that? You can have the house? See you later, Katie, it's not been nice?"
"What do you want me to say? If you want a divorce, what am I supposed to do, try to talk you out of it?" he yelled.
"If any part of you still loved me, then yes." It was his very last chance.
He gave her a long cold stare.
"But you don't love me, do you?"
He looked away, frowning.
"Did you ever?"
"Well, of course I did, or I wouldn't have married you."
"You're a liar. You married me for the same reason I married you. For the thrill of defying them all. Saying to hell with every last one of you! We didn't love each other. We rebelled together."
He nodded, acknowledging. "I guess we did."
Her head pounded with rage. Wasted years, wasted tears and wasted hopes and dreams, all concreted by his lackadaisical attitude toward their failed marriage. A small part of her wanted him to fight, just a little, if only so she could shoot him down.
"I'll sleep on the couch till we can afford the divorce."
"Sleep wherever you want. Just tell your girlfriend to lay off the perfume. I'm tired of smelling it on you when you come home."
She turned and slammed the garage door, hard enough to shake the window panes. The baby began crying and so did she. Cradling him carefully, she rocked him, crying softly.
Later she woke up to the sound of hushed whispering. Slipping out the door she poked her head around the corner. Tom was standing in the dark, speaking in a hushed, urgent tone. He was apologizing, saying something about Saturday. Saying it would all work out.
Rescheduling his 'plans' she assumed. Well, whatever hussie of a woman had caught his eye this month, she could have him.
Chapter 11
Friday afternoon Katie got ready for the last social event she would have to go to with Tom. She had found a black silk straight dress that had almost an oriental look to the shape and embroidery. It was low cut in the front and form fitting all around. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. While she could stand to gain another ten pounds, she had eaten enough recently to look womanly, at least. She pulled her hair up into an elegant up do; a messy, sexy version of one she'd seen in a magazine. Mascara and red lipstick was all that was needed to transform her into someone even she didn't recognize.
Reclaiming Katie Page 6
