Same Old Truths (The Reluctant Avenger)

by Delora Dennis

  Tony charged for the door. “You get your clothes on NOW. I’m taking you home.”

  Owen stepped in front of Tony to block his path. “Leave her alone, you big waste of space,” Owen yelled.

  Tony looked at Owen with a smoldering hatred. “So, Mr. Salinger. What does your wife think about your special limousine service?” he said. “Oh, that’s right. SHE HATES IT. She told me so when she called me this morning.”

  In a move that would have impressed any NFL coach, Owen rushed Tony and tackled him to the ground. The women screamed while Ed ran back and forth around the tumbling tangle of arms and legs looking for an in to put a stop to the fight. Soon, Tony was able to roll his substantial heft on top of Owen where he wasted no time landing a few well-aimed punches to the older man’s face.

  “Get your fat, lazy ass off of me,” Owen grunted.

  “Not until you promise to leave my mother alone,” Tony said

  Taking advantage of his parked position, Ed, Kay and Ruth charged Tony, each grabbing something pullable. In his adrenaline infused state, Tony was able to fight them off for several more moments. Eventually they were able to free Owen from his assailant. With Tony on his feet again Ed pushed him up against the front fender of the limousine and held him there with the full weight of his body.

  Ruth and Kay helped a humiliated Owen stand up. He shook their arms away and began brushing the dust from his suit. Ed offered Owen his handkerchief to stem the blood streaming from his nose. Owen took it while avoiding Ed’s piercing glare.

  “Now, let’s everyone calm down and try to act like civilized human beings.” Ed said. He turned to Tony. “If I let you go, do you promise to control yourself?

  Tony, who couldn’t stop crying, simply nodded. Ed released his hold.

  “Now, will someone please tell me what’s going on.” Ed said.

  Keeping his eyes on his shoes, Owen cleared his throat. “Evelyn is a fine woman. She’s just lonely and needs a little companionship,” he said. He looked up at Tony. “Lord knows YOU never pay attention to her unless you want her to put something in that hole in your face.”

  Tony lunged at Otis and they were back on the ground. This time, total chaos was averted by the sound of an approaching police siren. The squad car came to a stop and out jumped Officer Lindy O’Malley. Kay shrunk behind Ruth to avoid being recognized.

  Without the slightest hint of a faint, the trained officer adeptly pulled the two men apart and got them to their feet. “Do I need to handcuff you, or can you two be trusted to behave yourselves?

  They both muttered, “yes,” and she guided them to neutral corners.

  Officer O’Malley walked over to Ed who was gaping in amazement at the petite policewoman.

  “We received a call of a 10-16 at Salinger’s Mortuary,” she said. “There were also several reports of two cars speeding and driving recklessly through the middle of town. One of the vehicles was purported to be your limousine.”

  “Oh good, the cops are here.” Leo said, running up to the scene. He blushed and tried to hide his delight when he realized Lindy O’Malley was the responding officer. He inched up next to Ed.

  “Did you call the cops?” Ed said from the side of his mouth.

  Leo nodded and Ed smiled. “Good call,” he said.

  “I’ll need to take statements,” Officer O’Malley said to Ed, pulling a small notebook from her back pocket.

  “I’m afraid it’s all my fault.”

  Everyone turned to see Evelyn Burleigh emerge from the back of the limousine. She was fully dressed, including her signature black hat and sunglasses. In her best Black Dahlia sashay, Evelyn glided over and positioned herself halfway between her son and her lover.

  She turned to her son whose tears continued to stream down his face. “Dahling, you musn’t make Mr. Salinger the escaped-goat. I’m the one who pursued his affections.”

  “But why, Mother, why?” Tony pleaded. “I thought you and I were happy together, just the two of us.”

  Evelyn smiled sympathetically at her distraught son. “Dahling, it isn’t rocket surgery. I’m still a vibrant, full-blooded woman who, every now and then, needs the attentions of a man. It’s important for my self of steam. But that can never take away the special bondage between mother and son.”

  If the scene hadn’t been so heart-breaking, Kay would have taken Owen’s place rolling on the ground with laughter. She looked around to see if anyone else was having trouble keeping it together. Ruth and Leo seemed to be oblivious; they were eagerly waiting to provide their personal, official eye-witness account of the incident.

  Oh well, their loss.

  “Don’t blame your mother, Tony. I was the one being promiscuous.” Owen said.

  Evelyn nodded. “And you know how much I love Greek mythology, Son.”

  Tony refused to be appeased. “But Mother, he’s married,” Tony whined. “It isn’t like you to deliberately hurt another human being.”

  Evelyn cupped Tony’s face in her hand. “Everyone makes mistakes, Dahling. Even me.”

  Owen took a tentative step toward the mother and son. “You’re mother is trying to fix her mistake, Tony. That’s why she broke up with me this morning.”

  Tony sneered at Owen. “So she fixes it by sleeping with you again? ”

  Evelyn looked at Owen with a bittersweet smile. “I had to say thank you…and goodbye.”

  “Mother, I want your solemn promise you’re never going to see him again.”

  Evelyn turned back to her son. In a dramatic move reminiscent of Scarlett O’Hara, the disgraced woman raised a defiant fist to the heavens and declared, “quote the raisin - nevermore!”

  She brought her hand down, covered her face and began to quietly weep. Tony put his arm around her and she buried her face in his shoulder. The two waited for their turn to talk to Officer O’Malley.

  When everyone’s play-by-play had been duly recorded, Officer O’Malley addressed Owen. “Mr. Salinger, from all accounts it appears Mr. Burleigh was the aggressor. Do you wish to press charges?”

  Head tipped back with blood-soaked handkerchief still pressed up against his nostrils, Owen simply shook his head no.

  “Well, based on the frantic calls that came into the station, I’m issuing warnings to both you and Mr. Burleigh for speeding and reckless driving. I can’t ticket you because there was no official police witness.”

  She completed the forms, tore them off her ticket pad and handed them to both men. “You two got off easy today. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you endangering the lives of other drivers and pedestrians is serious business. Things could have been much worse than a bloody nose.”

  Ruth nudged Kay with her elbow and signaled with her head in Leo’s direction. Leo was beaming at Officer O’Malley. “What’s with him?” Ruth asked quietly.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” Kay said with a giggle.

  What wasn’t obvious was whether Lindy O’Malley returned Leo’s affections. Her professional demeanor never wavered - even as Leo escorted her back to the squad car with a lovesick-puppy eagerness. He chatted her up, trying to think of things to say which would delay her departure.

  Back at the Burleigh car, Tony was gently helping his mother into the passenger seat. The tender sight sent a pang of guilt through Kay for thinking of Tony as a spoiled bully. Clearly, the two of them had one of those mysterious relationships that was difficult for someone on the outside to understand.

  Before he closed his mother’s door Kay heard Tony invite her to lunch. “What do you say we go to Carl’s Crab Cove? They’re having a two-for-one special.”

  “But, Dahling, you know I can’t stomach the thought of eating crushed Asians.”

  “I don’t care. That’s what I want, and that’s where we’re going. You can have the fish,” Tony said before slamming the door.

  As they drove away, Kay couldn’t help feeling a little sad. In light of today’s events, it was likely Kay had seen her last Black Dahlia Cavalcade of Comedy
show.

  Oh well. It was good run.

  “Ok, everyone. Back to work,” Ed said. “Leo, let’s finish up in the embalming room. Owen, put the limousine away and then come to my office. And ladies…well, carry on with whatever you were doing.”

  “So what do you think is gonna happen to Owen?” Kay asked Ruth as they walked to the back door of the mortuary.

  Ruth sighed. “I’m not sure. I couldn’t read Ed’s face. It has to be difficult when something like this involves close relatives. I know he feels an obligation to Owen - you know, being his father’s brother and all. And I’m sure he wants to protect Adelaide…AND the mortuary. No matter which way you look at it, it’s gotta be a bear for Ed.”

  “What in the world could Owen have been thinking?” Kay said.

  “I don’t know,” Ruth said. “The heart wants what the heart wants and, unfortunately, thinking just doesn’t come into play.”

  Kay wanted to disagree. Thinking was the only thing she and Ed seemed to be doing.

  “I just feel bad for everyone involved,” Ruth went on. “Love can sometimes be a messy business. But everyone needs it. Even those you least likely expect.”

  Ruth’s far-away voice made Kay wonder if she was referring to herself. Then Ruth seemed to snap to and she let out a little chuckle. “Well, I definitely owe Mrs. Dash an apology. Of course she won’t know the full extent of my regret, but I’m definitely going to ask her to forgive my rudeness of the other day.”

  “Are you going to talk to Aunt Adelaide?” Kay asked. She held the back door open for Ruth

  “Probably. But I think it best if I wait for her to call me.”

  Kay followed Ruth into the building, tempted to offer her services as a person with experience in these matters. But then she figured Adelaide would be more comfortable talking to someone closer to her own age. Not only that, older couples were much less quick to resort to divorce. Given the way her own marriage had turned out, Kay realized she wasn’t exactly the best person to offer Adelaide hope for a happy ending.

  The loud grumbling in Kay’s stomach returned and she looked at the clock hoping it was finally time to go eat.

  Yay! 12 noon.

  “Kay, would you mind if I went to lunch first?” Ruth said.

  Ruth and Kay usually alternated lunch times so there’d always be someone at the front desk. Today was supposed to be Kay’s turn to go first. In spite of her protesting stomach, Kay couldn’t refuse a visibly-excited Ruth. It was clear Ruth had a special lunch date; Kay was happy to put her hunger on hold for the cause of love.

  For the next hour Kay fielded incessant phone calls from nosy townspeople wanting to know if everything was ok at the mortuary, or if the limousine had been totaled, or if it was true the police had shot someone in the parking lot. The rumor mill was as fast as it was incorrect. Fortunately, no one seemed to be clued-in to the salacious basis of the incident. Nevertheless, Kay felt extremely uncomfortable since she wasn’t in a position to give an official statement. She just told callers she was a temp, didn’t know what happened, and suggested they call back tomorrow. Knowing people’s short attention spans, Kay figured it was unlikely anyone would follow up on her suggestion.

  Kay was checking the restaurant app on her cell phone when Uncle Owen walked past on his way to Ed’s office. Sad eyes kept straight ahead, he pretended not to see her. Kay knew whatever awaited him behind Ed’s closed office door was nothing compared to what awaited him at home.

  Kay braced herself for muffled shouts sure to come from the direction of Ed’s office. But everything remained eerily quiet. When the door finally opened she heard Ed say, “Go ahead and go on home. I think you should take the rest of the week off. Addie needs you right now and we’ve got everything covered here.”

  Owen walked past Kay again, using the bloody hanky to wipe away tears. This time he stopped in front of the desk.

  “I guess I just love too easily,” he said, voice breaking. He searched Kay’s eyes for absolution.

  “Do yourself a favor, O,” Kay said, as kindly as she could. “Whatever you do, make sure you don’t say that to Adelaide.”

  Owen walked away, muffling a sob.

  Kay wanted to feel sorry for him, but she couldn’t. Choices come with consequences - especially when those choices affect other people.

  “Where’s Ruth?” Ed asked, suddenly coming into the front office. Kay could see he had been crying too. It was completely foreign for Kay to see him this way, and it broke her heart.

  “Are you o…? Kay started.

  “I’m fine” Ed said. “Did Ruth go to lunch?” He avoided looking directly at Kay.

  “Yes. We traded today. But I expect her back in about ten minutes or so.”

  “Ok. I’m late for an appearance at the Chamber of Commerce lunch. Then I’m supposed to be at St. Mary’s rectory for a meeting with the cemetery committee. Tell her I should be back in time to make arrangements.”

  He turned to hurry down the hall, but Kay stopped him. “Hang on a sec, Ed.”

  “Yes?” he said.

  She walked up to him and without a thought, put her arms around him in a supportive embrace. For a brief moment he stood there rigid, not sure how to respond. But he couldn’t hold out for long. He surrendered to her kind concern and the two maintained the embrace for an extended moment.

  “I know dealing with Owen had to be difficult,” Kay said. “No one would blame you if you told him not to come back.”

  Ed spoke softly into Kay’s ear. “All I could think about was how my father would have handled this. Owen is his brother and my uncle. He’s just as much a part of Salinger’s as I am. How can I banish him?”

  Kay pulled away and looked into Ed’s distressed face. “Well, they say you shouldn’t make important decisions when emotions are running high. Things will eventually settle down and then you’ll know what to do.”

  Ed’s expression relaxed and for a moment Kay thought he was going to kiss her. But he broke their embrace and combed his fingers through his hair. “You’re probably right. I better get going.”

  Before he turned and sped away he took Kay’s hand and smiled. “Thank you,” he said in a near-whisper. He leaned in and, to Kay’s disappointment, kissed her on the forehead.

  As she watched him sprint down the hall, she wondered if she had the patience for a slow courtship.

  21

  Meeting Your Fate on the Road You Took to Avoid It

  “Cory,” Kay called upstairs. “Come down and talk to me.” She pulled two cans of soda from the fridge.

  “Can it wait? I’m in the middle of my French practice drills.” Cory called back.

  “Je veux que vous me parler,” Kay hollered in her best college French.

  Kay didn’t like to bother the girls when they were doing their homework, but the calamity at the mortuary earlier in the day had been so unsettling, she needed to anchor herself to something familiar. She told herself she’d only keep Cory long enough to transition back to her real life.

  Kay pulled out a chair for Cory at the table, set down one of the sodas, then took a seat herself.

  Cory was chuckling as she descended the stairs. “I didn’t know you could speak French,” she said.

  “I can’t. Not really. Took four years of French in college.”

  Cory was impressed. “Were you any good?”

  Kay shrugged. “I was OK. I got B’s. My dream was to go to Paris after college and live there for a year.”

  Cory sat and popped open the soda. “Why didn’t you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I guess Life got in the way,” Kay said. “I met your father and suddenly going to Paris didn’t seem very important.”

  Cory propped her elbows on the table and rested her face in both hands. “A year in Paris…” she said with a dreamy sigh. “I could never let some guy ruin my plans to do something that wonderful.”

  Kay smiled. “Your dad wasn’t just “some guy.”

  Despite everyt
hing she’d gone through over the last eight years, nothing would ever rob Kay of her happy memories of her early years with Dave.

  Cory stiffened. Listening to Kay’s reminiscences about her father always made her uncomfortable.

  “Speaking of Dad, are you taking him back to court again?”

  Ever since their interview with the mediator, the girls had been aware of the legal goings-on between Kay and Dave - but only in the vaguest of terms. Kay had told them Dave’s return after seven years had made it necessary to bring the divorce decree up to date. Mariah had been satisfied with the explanation, but Kay suspected Cory knew there was more to it than a simple update.

  “No. All that’s done,” Kay replied. “Why do you ask?”

  “There was a big manila envelope on the seat next to Dad in the truck. He said Mariah told him it was from you. Then he muttered under his breath about it probably being more crap from your ball-busting lawyer.”

  “You mean he hadn’t opened it?”

  Cory shook her head. “He said he was waiting ‘til he got to work. He didn’t want Sandy getting upset.”

  Kay got up to get some cheese crackers to go with her soda. She poured them in a bowl to share with Cory.

  Cory grabbed a small handful of crackers and jammed them in her mouth. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, what was in the envelope?”

  “Please don’t talk with your mouth full. And no, I don’t mind. It was a lease for a townhouse your dad’s renting while he remodels his house. The leasing agent is a friend and I just passed it along as a favor to her.”

  Cory stopped chewing. She swallowed hard. “Mom. Dad finished that remodel six months ago.”

  “Are you sure? Sandy told my friend they needed to rent a place while the remodel was going on.”

  “Unless he’s planning to tear down the house and start all over again, I’m pretty sure.”

  Kay was totally confused. “Well, he must not have opened the envelope, because he called me this morning very upset and…”

  Cory didn’t want to hear any more. She jumped up from the table, grabbed one more handful of crackers and headed for the stairs. “I’m sorry, Mom. I really need to get back to my French. I have a test in the morning.”