CIA - The Slave Traders
Page 41
grown six inches. Both her kids came running and were looking for Marcus. Ted said, “Ma-ma.”
Tasha looked behind Lynda and said, “Where’s Marcus?”
Lynda explained that Marcus had work to do, and would be home soon.
Time seemed to fly by. Marcus called every other night, but did not come home for two months. When he did, something was different about him, Lynda suspected that he had a girlfriend. Things did not improve as the day dragged on. Their relations were strained. Finally he said, “Lynda I am afraid this is not going to work. I can’t stand being away from you and the kids. One of us has to give.”
She knew it was coming, but was still unprepared for it. She asked, “What are you saying, Marcus?”
Marcus sighed, “I have to ask you again. Will you please move to Pensacola with me? You could just transfer to a local CIA office.”
Lynda had not thought about a transfer. It would solve a lot of problems, but would put her so far from her mother and dad. She said, “I will have to think about that. I guess you have decided that you won’t move in with me?” It was a question.
Marcus answered, “Lynda, I am a Seal. I can’t change that. You once said that you knew who I was before I married you. I have to say the same thing to you.”
The week that he was there seemed to go downhill. When it was time for Marcus to leave, they had settled nothing. As he left, they were both more confused than ever.
Two weeks went by, and Lynda had not heard from him. She had not called him either. It was a stalemate. Then something terrible happened: Max showed up. He was not aware that Lynda was married. She told him that she was married, and Max couldn’t believe it. He said, “I was hoping that you would wait for me. I guess I waited too long.”
Lynda found herself crying on Max’s shoulder. He was comforting her. She was vulnerable. She had put Tasha and Ted to bed. She sat on the sofa with Max and wondered if she had made a terrible mistake. Max put his arm around her, and expected nothing in return. She realized that she loved Max too.
The next morning she woke up as usual and looked beside her. There was a man. It wasn’t Marcus—it was Max. Oh my God, what had she done? Lynda jumped out of bed and stared at him.
He rose up on one elbow. She said, “Max, did we?”
He shook his head, and said, “You were too vulnerable. I just could not take advantage of you.”
She sighed. She had to get him out of here. Tasha could not see this. She said, “Max, you need to leave. My daughter cannot see you in here.”
Max got up and put his shirt and pants on. He put his socks and shoes on. Then he was out the door.
When he was gone, Lynda woke Tasha up. She sat on her bed and began to shake.
Tasha said, “What’s the matter, mommy?”
Lynda said, “Nothing, sweetheart. I just had a chill.”
Tasha asked, “Mommy, why does Marcus leave us?”
She responded, “Honey, Marcus doesn’t leave us, he works for the government, just like I do. Sometimes he has to go work, and he has no choice in it.”
Tasha said, “I heard you talking to him. You thought I was asleep. He wants us to move to Florida with him. I want to go live with Marcus. I love Marcus.”
Lynda was shocked. She said, “Honey, I love Marcus too. We are all adults; we have to work our issues out, and I promise you we will do our best.”
Tasha got up and went and ate breakfast. She did not seem content with Lynda’s answers. Lynda was worried. When she got to work she called Marcus. She got his answering machine. She left a message. “Honey, we have a problem. Please call me.”
That afternoon, a very concerned Marcus called back and asked, “What kind of a problem?”
Lynda told him what Tasha had said. She did not mention Max. She added, “Why haven’t you called me?”
He said, “I just got back home; I have been out of the country!”
She said, “You can’t let me know anymore?”
He said, “Honey, sometimes I have to go on a moment’s notice. I don’t have a chance to call you. I am sorry.”
She was still testy, “So you left on a moment’s notice and have been gone all week, and you just got back today?” It was a question.
He was being tough as nails. “That is correct, Lynda.”
She said, “Okay, I guess I have no choice but to believe you.”
He asked, “Do you think I am lying to you?”
She was silent. Marcus hung up. Lynda threw the phone on the floor. Everyone in the office was watching her. She looked down at the phone. It was in three pieces, an expensive temper tantrum.
She called Max on her office phone and found that he was still in town. She asked him, “Please come by tonight.” He said that he would.
Max was out front when she pulled into the driveway. He walked up to the car and took her by the hand and helped her to the front door. She had a slight smile on her face. The first thing she did was to unplug the house phone. Her cell phone was broken. Marcus could not get to her tonight. She was free.
Wanda left. She had prepared dinner. Lynda did not change clothes. She put the kids up to the table and fed them. Then she put Ted in his room, and told Tasha to go do her homework. She and Max had a candlelit dinner. She gave Ted a bath while Max watched the television. Finally the kids were in the bed, and she and Max were alone.
Lynda fixed them both a drink, then a second. After a while she was not sure how many drinks the two of them had had. She went in and put on a tee shirt and shorts. She came out and Max had turned the stereo on. He had fixed another drink. She knew that she was smashed, but she did not care. Marcus had hung up on her. She would get even.
Lynda went to take a shower and sober up some. When she came out, Max was in her bed. She stood at the door and watched him roll around the bed. She went to the bed and sat on the edge. She knew that she would hate herself tomorrow, but tonight she did not care. She lay down and arched her back as he touched her.
She was right: the next morning she hated herself. Again, Max left early. Tasha wanted to talk, but Lynda was too busy. She got the little girl ready for school and sent her on her way. Ted was up. Wanda came in and took him. Lynda went back to bed and slept until eleven.
She got up and plugged her phone back in and called Tom. She told him that she needed a day off.
She had barely hung up when the phone rang. She debated not answering it, but did. “Hello?”
Marcus screamed, “What in the hell is wrong with you? I have been trying to find you since yesterday.”
She listened to what he said, then calmly said, “This isn’t going to work, Marcus.”
Marcus was aghast. “What are you saying, Lynda?”
She said, “I think it is clear. Our marriage is over. I want a divorce.”
There was dead silence on the other end of the phone. Neither one spoke for over a minute. Then Marcus caught his breath and his anger, “Lynda, why? I love you!”
She wasn’t sure what to say right now. She had said it all. She spoke softly. “It’s over, Marcus. I am sorry.”
He almost tripped her up. He said, “Have you found someone else?”
She stuttered, “No, Marcus, there is no one else!” She wasn’t sure if she was lying or not.
Marcus was as scared as he had ever been. He said, “Lynda, let’s take a deep breath, step back, calm down, and try to work whatever the problem is out!”
Lynda did take a deep breath. She tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach, she said, “Okay.”
Marcus went, “Whew. Honey, I can be there tomorrow. I will take a few days off. We can work this out, okay?”
She said, “Marcus, I really don’t want to see you right now. Wait a few days.”
“Okay,” he said, “I will come Saturday afternoon, will that work?”
She said, “I think so. I will fix the spare room up for you.”
Marcus knew that the spare room was Ted’s room. He said, “I will get a motel room, don’t worry about it.”
They finished talking and hung up the phone cordially.
Lynda called Max; he came by and picked her up. They went to lunch together. She told him about her conversation with Marcus. He asked, “Are you using me to play games with your husband?”
She said, “Of course not.”
He did not believe her. He said, “Lynda, I have to go today. It has been fun, but call me when your divorce is final. I do not want to be a part of this!” Lynda had to respect his response.
Max took her back home and dropped her off. Lynda spent the rest of the day pondering her situation. She drove over to the cell phone store and traded her broken cell phone in for a new one. It wound up costing several hundred dollars. Quite a cost for her temper tantrum.
When Tasha came home from school, Lynda was waiting on her. She told Tasha, “Marcus is coming home Saturday.” Tasha squealed in delight. Lynda began to wonder if she was making a big mistake.
She called Marcus after Tasha went to bed. He answered on the first ring. “Hello?”
Lynda said, “Marcus, plan on staying here at the house. Okay? Tasha needs you.”
Marcus said, “What about you, do you need me?”
She replied, “Marcus, I feel like you broke my heart. I don’t know what to do!”
He sighed, “Lynda, give us another chance. Whatever I did, I will fix it, I promise you. I don’t want to lose you. I will do what ever it takes to keep you.”
She asked, “Even move here?”
Marcus quickly said, “Yes, I will do whatever it takes. I want you in my