by Judith Keim
Sukie was sitting at her desk when Edythe approached. Sukie stood, anxious to make things right. “I’m sorry about the parking lot incident. I didn’t see you...”
Edythe cut her off. “I’m not here to talk to you about that. I just got a call from an old friend of mine. Muffy Wright. She’s furious. It seems you’re interfering with her son’s marriage. I’m warning you to back off. You need to mind your own business.”
Sukie’s jaw dropped. “What I do is none of your business.”
“We’ll see.” Edythe’s smirk stung. “I’ve got a candidate lined up to take over for you. I’ve already talked to Julie about it. She agrees my candidate is much better suited for the job than you are.”
Edythe turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Sukie speechless. She clenched her fists. No one was going to tell her she couldn’t help a friend. Tiffany needed all the friends she had in the battle ahead.
A short while later, Julie approached her.
Sukie stopped typing. “Is it true? Edythe has a candidate for my job? I’ll be replaced?” Her stomach felt hollow.
Julie nodded. “I’m sorry, Sukie. I really am. The person she’s found for the job has all the necessary qualifications. She’ll still have to be approved by the Board, but that’s a mere formality. I’m sure Edythe will have their support lined up before the meeting next month.”
Sukie’s whole body collapsed inward.
“I feel terrible about this,” said Julie. “Why don’t you take some on-line computer courses, programs that’ll be helpful to you at other jobs? They’re free here at the library.”
Sukie swallowed hard. “I guess I will.”
“If it’s any comfort to you, you’re the best children’s librarian we’ve ever had. I’ll fight to keep you on through the summer. We’ll say you’re training the new person and going through a slow transition so the children have a chance to get used to the idea.”
Sukie let out a sigh. “That would be wonderful. It’ll take a while for me to find something else.”
Busy with details for the library, Sukie managed to make it through the day, but her stomach churned. Even though Ted had initially agreed she could stay in the house and have enough alimony to pay for the expenses of running it, he’d started pushing to get out of the agreement. If any adjustments were made to it and without her job, there was no way Sukie could make it financially. What in hell was she supposed to do? Move to a motel?
At the end of the day, Sukie hurried home, changed her clothes and tried to reach Cam. He’d been in business meetings all day and she hadn’t had a chance to tell him about Tiffany. She finally reached him on his cell on his way to pick up Chloe early from daycare. The teacher had called to tell him Chloe wasn’t feeling well.
“Hi, Sweetheart,” he said in the low musical voice she’d come to adore.
She held back a sob.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“No,” Sukie choked out. “It’s everything. Edythe Aynsley found someone to replace me at the library and told me to stay out of the Wright family’s business and Tiffany moved in and I don’t know how I can stay in this house.”
“Whoa! Calm down and tell me one little part at a time.”
Sukie sniffed, took a deep breath and started all over again.
“That’s all?” he said, when she’d finished.
Sukie realized he was kidding and felt a laugh begin to bubble. It felt so good to share her concerns with him.
“Just take it one step at a time, Sukie. I’m going to take Chloe home. Stop by when you get a chance.”
“I will. I have a feeling Tiffany will need some time alone and I can’t wait to see you.”
“Me too. Later.”
Sukie hung up the phone, thinking how much she loved him. He’d shown her in the weeks and months they’d been together that he loved her too, though she still waited to hear him say those three important words.
She was in the kitchen putting together a chef’s salad when Tiffany walked into the room. “How’d it go?”
Tiffany shrugged. “We met at the lawyer’s office, like you suggested. Beau tried to tell me I couldn’t take clothes or any of my things out of the house, but after his father found out, Beau agreed it was only fair. Beau’s father told him to let me go; I’d come to my senses within a week. He also told Beau to tell anyone who asked that I’d gone on a mini-vacation to get ready for the baby.”
Tiffany shook her head. “They won’t listen to me when I tell them things have gotten out of hand. They say I’ve got to stop annoying Beau.”
Sukie shook her head. “Classic enabling. When are you going to pick up your things? Do you want me to go with you?
Tiffany’s face lit up. “Will you?
Sukie nodded. No way was she going to let Tiffany go back to that house alone.
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
TIFFANY
Tiffany gathered several large garbage bags together, grateful Sukie had offered to go to the house with her. She’d probably never get another chance to pick up her things after Beau’s family realized how serious she was about leaving him. Tiffany checked her watch. Beau was going to stay with his parents, so it should be safe for them to go to the house now. She and Sukie put a few empty boxes into the SUV and took off.
Pulling up in front of the house, Tiffany remembered how proud she’d been of it when they’d first moved in—until she’d realized it wasn’t really hers and never would be.
Sukie grabbed some of the boxes and the plastic bags. Tiffany got the rest and they walked up to the front door. Tiffany unlocked it and stepped inside, feeling like an intruder in her own house. She stood a moment, eying all the furniture and decorative stuff Muffy had chosen. She was more than ready to leave it all behind. Now, she wanted to get in, snatch her personal things and get out as fast as she could.
Crossing the marbled entry, Tiffany led Sukie up the stairs and into the master bedroom. The oversized room contained massive carved walnut furniture, filling the room with a heavy look Tiffany never would have chosen for herself. Even the hangings at the window had been selected by Muffy, as if she and Beau couldn’t have picked anything out for themselves. The only things she would miss about the room were the number of drawers in her dresser and the space in her closet. Pretty sad, she thought.
Tiffany opened the drawers and tossed most of their contents onto the king-size bed—lingerie, nightgowns, silk scarves—anything she thought she might need in the future. It all ended up in a heap in the center of the bed, but she didn’t care.
Sukie began to gather them together and place them into plastic bags.
Tiffany sat on the plush carpet in the closet and shoveled the shoes she wanted onto the floor behind her. Taking a garbage bag, she scooped them up and dragged the bag out of the room, down the stairs and into the car. Sukie followed with two full bags of clothes.
They kept up a steady pace, taking things on hangers in bunches down to the car, dragging full plastic bags out of the house. Tiffany’s heart clutched with sadness. Her life with Beau was being reduced to items on hangers or in bags to be carted away.
Tiffany took the last load from the closet to the car while Sukie began on the bathroom.
When she returned, she found Sukie staring at an ornate wooden box. “What’s this?” she asked. “Should I pack it?”
Tiffany opened the lid of the jewelry box and stared at the pieces of silver, gold and assorted precious stones that sparkled against the dark blue velvet lining. “It’s mostly stuff Muffy gave me, back when I thought we’d be able to get along.”
Sukie lifted out a gold chain with a large Topaz pendant and studied it. “You’d better take it with you. It’s valuable. You might need some of this later.”
Unsure, Tiffany shut the lid and placed the box on the bed. “Before we go, I want to check on one thing. The nursery was supposed to have been painted yesterday.”
Holding back a sob, Tiffany ushered Sukie down the ha
llway to the room she and Beau had chosen for the nursery. Nothing had turned out the way she’d once imagined. Even so, she wanted to view the room she’d intended for her baby.
“I selected Shell Pink for the color of the room, a pale shade just perfect for a little girl,” she explained to Sukie. She opened the door to the room and stumbled back. Struggling to keep on her feet, she clung to the door frame and stared in shock at the writing on the wall.
“FUCK YOU!” was scrawled across all four pink walls in bright blue paint.
Sukie grabbed hold of her as she sank to the floor. Seeing those foul words, Tiffany felt as if she’d been socked in the stomach.
“Omigod! Who would have done this?” Horror was etched on Sukie’s face. “It’s just like one of the notes.”
“Beau did it. I’m sure,” Tiffany said, trying to catch her breath. It was so like Beau’s sick behavior lately. It had to be the drugs, though he’d promised to stop.
Sukie grabbed hold of Tiffany’s shoulders. Her eyes were wide with fear. “Tiffany, we’ve got to get out of here. Now!”
They hurried to the master bedroom for the box of jewelry. The sound of the front door being thrown open stopped them.
“Tiffany? Where the hell are you?”
Tiffany felt the blood leave her face. “It’s him!” She could tell he’d been drinking or worse. His words were slow to come out but they were filled with fury.
“Stay behind me. I’ll protect you.” Sukie’s voice quaked, but Tiffany knew from the ferocious scowl on her face that Sukie meant it. She wanted to weep with gratitude.
Beau met them at the top of the stairs. His glassy eyes peered from a face that had become the angry mask of a stranger. “What are you doing here?” he snarled at Sukie.
Though her knees were about to buckle, Tiffany stood firm. “I asked her to help me. We’re leaving now.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Beau grabbed Tiffany’s arm. The jewelry box went flying, spilling its contents over the carpet in shiny patches.
Sukie positioned herself between Tiffany and Beau. She glared at him. “Leave Tiffany alone or I’ll call the police.”
“Stay out of our business,” snapped Beau. “She’s not really going to leave me.”
“Your father agreed that you should let her go. Right?” said Sukie.
Beau bowed his head and dropped his hand. “What the fuck does he know?”
Sukie tugged on Tiffany, and they moved down the stairs as fast as they could, leaving the jewelry behind.
Pulse sprinting, Tiffany turned and looked back.
Weaving on unsteady feet, Beau stood at the top of the stairs and shook his fist at her. “You’re going to be sorry.”
She and Sukie scrambled into the car. Gasping for breath, Tiffany started the engine and pulled away from the house with a shriek of tires that matched the howl in her heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
LYNN
Lynn flipped off the six o’clock news on the television, wondering if she was right to feel suspicious. A series of small robberies were taking place in the next town. The description of the man who’d tied up an older woman and taken all her money had sounded eerily possible. Not enough details had been given, though, to make Lynn certain it was her ex. There’d been no mention of huge hands, no talk of a heart tattoo with Grace written across it, but then the robber had been wearing dark clothes that had covered his arms.
She shook her head, telling herself her imagination was being overactive. Sighing at all the bad things that had happened in her life, Lynn went into the kitchen and took out the makings of a chicken Caesar salad. Since joining the Fat Friday’s group, she’d taken to eating healthier meals, daring to believe she might live longer than she’d always thought possible. She wondered how her sweet daughter was. Had she grown into those long, skinny legs of hers? Did she understand about the mother who loved her so much she’d been forced to abandon her?
Tears stung Lynn’s eyes. Someday this running would all come to an end. But when?
CHAPTER FORTY
SUKIE
Sukie suspected Tiffany was still in a state of shock, like her, as they headed back to her house. They hadn’t spoken a word to each other. Finally Sukie said, “I had no idea things had gotten so bad.”
Tiffany sighed. “Like I said, they’ve been getting worse and worse.”
As much as Sukie wanted to protect Tiffany, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for Beau. She’d bet it wasn’t the first time he’d cried out for help and been ignored. “Beau needs help. I hope his parents come to understand that.”
Tiffany shrugged. “They’d probably tell him it was too public a move to seek counseling or rehab, that Wrights keep their business private and they didn’t need other people to tell them what do to. “ The bitterness in her tone told a story of its own.
Tiffany turned the car ignition off, and they sat a moment in silence. Shame colored Tiffany’s face when she turned to Sukie. “I don’t want to put you out, Sukie. I’ll try to find another place as soon as possible.”
Sukie squeezed Tiffany’s hand affectionately. “Stay as long as it takes. It’s important for you to get settled and remain as calm as possible—for the baby’s sake, as well as your own. Things will work out. You’ll see.”
Tiffany lowered her head on the steering wheel. Her chest heaved in and out with heartbreaking sobs. Sukie gave her another loving pat and got out of the car. There were times when people needed to be alone. This was surely one of them.
A short time later, Tiffany entered the house, her eyes red and puffy.
Sukie put her arm around her. “It’ll be all right, hon. Somehow things will work out.”
Tiffany handed her a bag of cosmetics. “Here. I’ll start to unload the car.”
“Let’s eat some dinner before we think about doing that.” She’d already called Cam and told him she wouldn’t be able to see him after all. Then she’d phoned Betsy to suggest she and Karen stop by on their nightly walk together.
Conversation was kept to small talk as they ate their simple meal. Sukie suspected Tiffany’s stomach was as upset as hers. They were just starting to clean up after dinner when Betsy showed up with Karen, Lynn and Carol Ann. Betsy carried a floating pink balloon which read, “Happy Birthday”.
“What’s this?” Tiffany asked, smiling as she accepted it from her.
Betsy grinned. “Like they say, today is the first day of the rest of your life. So it’s kind of like your birthday.”
Sukie was happy to see Betsy acting more like her old quirky self.
“We’re here for you,” said Lynn, giving Tiffany a hug.
They all trooped out to Tiffany’s car, grabbed the bags and boxes and went upstairs to help Tiffany settle things in the guest suite. Sukie was now grateful that in the hopeless days following Ted’s departure, she’d spent hours cleaning and straightening closets and drawers. There was plenty of room for Tiffany and her things.
As they unpacked Tiffany’s things, talk and laughter echoed in the bedroom. To Sukie, it felt like an old college sorority gathering. Carol Ann “oohed” and “ahhed” over each dress, skirt, pair of pants or blouse that she and Sukie hung in the closet. Betsy unloaded all the shoes and arranged them neatly on the closet floor. Lynn took the bag of cosmetics into the bathroom and Karen stored sweaters, knit tops and other items in bureau drawers. Tiffany went from one to another of them, supervising.
After things were settled, Tiffany gave each of them a hug. “Thanks. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Their earlier gaiety disappeared as the women looked at one another, aware their worries were far from over. Looking as if she were ready to collapse, Tiffany sank onto the bed.
Sukie waved the others out of the room and followed behind. Downstairs, she bid everyone good night, shut and locked the door and leaned back against it. It had been one helluva day.
In the morning, Sukie gave Tiffany a key to the house, showed her the al
arm system, then prepared for work. She believed Regard Wright when he told Tiffany they’d give her a week to calm down and figured the situation would remain fairly quiet for the next few days.
After a busy day at the library, Sukie returned home, excited by the prospect of spending time with Cam and Chloe. It had been two days since she’d seen them. She stopped at the mailbox and pulled out the usual stack of mail, leafing anxiously through it for hand-folded, ugly notes and breathed a sigh of relief when she found none. Still uneasy, Sukie glanced around, but saw nothing unusual. She slipped into her car, remembering the days when she’d felt safe in her own yard.
###
“Sukie! Sukie!” Chloe shrieked, running toward her with outstretched arms. Sukie hugged Chloe to her and laughed when Cam wrapped his arms around both of them. She’d missed them terribly.
Chicken fingers and carrots were two of Chloe’s favorite things, which meant dinner was without the coaxing they sometimes needed to get her to eat.
After their meal, Sukie helped give Chloe a bath and then tucked her into bed. Sukie studied her sweet face ringed by damp curls. In just a few years, Chloe would be heading into the tween years and soon after would become a full-fledged teenager. The idea caught Sukie off guard. Elizabeth hadn’t been as difficult as some girls her age, but no teen girl was easy. Helping Chloe through those years would take a huge commitment on her part. Sukie kissed her goodnight and left Chloe and Cam alone to go through their nightly rituals.
Sitting at the bottom of the stairway, Sukie’s thoughts whirled. There were so many things to think about when considering her future.
Cam came down the stairs and sat on the bottom step next to her. “God! It’s only been what? Two days? I’ve missed you.” His eyes sparkled with humor. “And your cooking.”
Sukie laughed. “Everyone loves my cooking. Even Ted.”
The smile left Cam’s face. “Sukie, I’ve heard rumors around town that things are not going well for Ted and Emmy Lou. He’d better not decide he’s made a huge mistake and come trotting back to you, asking your forgiveness.”
