by Tey Holden
“Thanks.” Karen took the tissues and dried her tears. “On the JP-James matter, I cannot look the other way and let this work itself out. I have to talk to the two of them separately.”
“I know. I could, but it wouldn’t be the same. I think it would be worse for you if you didn’t.”
“Thanks, for agreeing. Can you, please, call James since he called you and tell him what you just told me? I’ll go see him tomorrow morning. I’ll call JP to tell him that I’ll see him tomorrow afternoon.”
“Ker, can I go with you? I’ll stay outside. I don’t want to be concerned about you.”
“Okay, Addy, but I hope you don’t plan to follow me around to care for me 24/7 for the next nine months. I mean, I should survive this like most women do, right?”
Most do, hopefully, me too! Addy smiled. “Yes, silly. I don’t plan to follow you around all day. It’s just that this is kind of an emotional situation for you, and I’d like to know that you are going to be okay.”
“Alright. I just feel that I need to handle this, and the sooner the better.”
***
The next morning they drove to the distillery. They went upstairs to where the office was located. Karen went inside the office while Addy waited outside.
“Hi Karen, how are you feeling? You look great.”
“I’m fine James. Let’s not beat around the bush and talk. What’s happened? And, by the way, I have not talked to JP yet. I want to hear your side of the story first.”
“Well, there isn’t much on my part. Some guys came in here to tour the distillery and JP started to flirt with one of them. I think they met after that. I’ll spare you the details, and be brief. I brought the matter up and he denied everything, of course, but I know he was lying. I couldn’t stay with him after that, so I left. Frankly, I don’t have to put up with it. I have options. I’ve just been content with my life up until now.” He took a deep breath before he continued.
“As things are right now, I would like first to apologize to you for all this coming up now that you and Addy are to become parents. Second, I would like to ask you to look for someone else to take my place here in the distillery. I will be here as long as you need me, but I must go. Being so close to him is not going to work, and I know you and JP go back a long way, and well, I’m the one who has to go. I know, and I’m not going to make it hard on you. I can talk to Addy about any matters concerning the distillery. You don’t have to concern yourself with any of it.”
Karen remained calm. Addy was stunned. Even though she had remained outside, she could hear the conversation. Karen, the eternal, calculative mind, had already thought of all possible scenarios and was ready with her answer. “James, if this is a resignation, I don’t accept it.” Outside Addy opened her eyes and listened attentively to what her wonderful woman would say. That was for sure a great opening.
Karen continued. “You’ve done a wonderful job with the distillery, and you love your job. So you are not going anywhere. As for what you said about JP and me, yes, we do go way back. However, if he has screwed up, he is the one who has to go. You really don’t think that Addy and I are going to condone unacceptable behavior, do you? We are getting ready to raise a child and we need people of good moral values. If he has failed you in the manner you describe, he does not qualify to be around.”
Needless to say, James was stunned. He was almost choking and about to cry. As per his own retelling later in life, this was a defining moment in his relationship with Karen. He thought the world of her. And his loyalty and love for her tripled after that day. She became more than a friend, she was family. She gained his eternal respect as a true person of moral character. Indeed, if he ever thought Karen would make a great parent, this moment had ratified that belief for him.
He was not the only one astounded. Addy couldn’t believe her ears either. Karen’s solidarity with James over her friendship with JP was beyond Addy’s expectations. She was handling the matter in an admirable way. Addy felt an enormous sense of pride for the woman who was her partner in life and the mother of their unborn child. Not that she wasn’t proud of her before, but as life revealed itself to her every day, she was convinced that she was lucky to be with a person of such caliber. There was indeed no better person on earth to be her life partner, and she couldn’t possibly love her more. Isn’t that what she tells me all the time? Addy smiled.
“Karen, I don’t want to be the cause of a rift between you and JP. You’ve been friends for a long time.”
“So have you, James. And you have my complete confidence as well as Addy’s, as well as our love. Please, don’t go. Let’s try and fix this. Let me talk to JP and see what is going on with him. If he has screwed up, James, I wouldn’t ask anything of you, this I promise.” She smiled because of a thought that crossed her mind, how could their child not ever sound like Addy? When even she was beginning to sound like her!
James was ready to cry at this point. Karen came and hugged him. “Maybe there’s nothing going on and it was a flirt. Let me get to the bottom of this, okay?”
“Alright, but I promise you nothing. He hurt me.”
Karen lowered her head. “I can’t tell you what to do. But, I think that if you love him, you should not walk away. I’ll see what I can do. I’ll call you.”
“Thanks, sweetie.”
Karen came out and didn’t see Addy. Addy had already gone downstairs and was chatting with some of the employees and sipping some Scotch.
“I leave you alone for a minute and here you are in the company of Mr. Scotch!” Karen mocked, and everyone smiled because they knew that Addy was not a drinker.
Addy paid no attention to her comment. “Sorry, babe, I was sampling the merchandise. I’m sorry you can’t have one. Would you like some juice or some water?”
“No, thanks. I actually could use a double of whatever you are drinking, but for now, let’s go home and have some lunch.” They said their goodbyes and walked to the car.
“Let me drive. I don’t know how many of those you’ve had, and I don’t want the constable stopping us, or worse yet, I don’t think we have room in the freezer for another cow.” She grinned.
“Very funny, Ms. Larsen. And for your information, I only had the one. I am perfectly capable of driving.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s what they all say.”
“Ker, I hope you are not seriously thinking that I had more than one drink. You know that if I did, I’d have to lie down.”
Karen stopped, smiled and put her arm around Addy’s waist. “Hum, maybe we should go back so that you can have that second one!”
Addy smacked her on the arm. “Joker! Come on, I’m starving.”
“Yeah, me too. I think this kid is beginning to demand nourishment.”
They got in the car and left. “Aren’t you going to ask me what happened?”
“No. I heard, most of it.”
Karen gasped in jest. “You were eavesdropping?”
“Couldn’t help it. Those walls are pretty thin. We are going to have to do something about that. I had to leave, though. I didn’t want to hear any more. I was ready to cry, not for them, but because I felt so very proud of you.”
Karen smiled. “Addy, I will do the right thing. James is a decent man and a very astute businessman. He runs the distillery like an army general and loves what he does. I will not allow JP to mess things up for James, or for us. I’ll try and get his side of the story, but I know him and I smell a rat.” During the course of the years in Scotland, James had gone back to school and had finished a Master’s degree in Business Administration. He loved his job at the distillery and was a great manager. He had taken the distillery to new levels and the women had great respect for his business savvy.
“Ker, be careful. Consider the possibilities and remember what you told me about Mary and Carol. Maybe if JP applies himself, James will forgive him.”
Karen looked at her. “Who are you? Am I talking to Adriana Marcos?”
&nb
sp; “Repeating your own words, they are not us. We don’t know what they would ultimately do. Personally, you know where I stand. The unforgivable is hitting and cheating. With them, I don’t know the standard. That’s for them to decide.”
“You scared me there for a second. I thought you were lowering your standards.”
“No. There are some things in life that are sacred, and that I don’t allow messing around with. I think you feel the same way.”
“I do.”
Once at home they made lunch, ate and set off to meet JP. Before getting out of the car, Karen stopped. “Addy, this is not going to be pretty. I’m going to slam him and curse him.”
“You do what you have to do, but don’t upset yourself too much. Remember our baby.”
Karen nodded. “This child is going to be fireproof.”
Karen took off ahead. Addy followed thinking that if this kid survived all of this and all the sex they had in Stockholm, it probably had pretty good odds. When they got to the Manor house, Karen went into the office and Addy stayed outside.
“Hi Karen, you look good, girl!”
“Don’t you ‘hi’ me! What the fuck is going on with you?” Outside, Addy open her eyes when she heard the expletive. Karen had a certain gift to use the word in a very effective manner.
“Oh my, this is how it’s going to be? You displaying your best language?”
Addy closed her eyes. This conversation was not going to be pretty.
“JP, I didn’t come here to hear you talk, or to ask for reasons. I’m here to do all the talking. Sit down. This is not going to be like the old days, exchanging notes on love conquests. This time I don’t give a damn if you slept with another guy or not, in fact, if you did, I don’t want to know. I want that to be very clear. You know why I don’t want to know? Because it would break my heart to know that you’ve betrayed James.” Karen paused. She almost choked and had to stop. “James is the most decent man I’ve ever met. I rank him up there with my own father. He’s probably better because he has not resorted to alcohol to drown his sorrow. I talked to him this morning and he offered me his resignation.”
“Oh my God! He has taken things totally out of proportion. And he thinks I’m dramatic!”
“Oh, shut up and listen! I did not accept it. He wants to leave because he thinks it will be unbearable for him to work so close to you and he does not want to put Addy and me in the position of having to choose between you and him, thinking that I would choose you over him because of our friendship. I told him not to concern himself with that because if it was true that you were the one fooling around, I’d ask you to leave.” JP turned pale as a sheet.
“JP, the fooling around days are over. That part of life is over. I thought that you had reached a point in your life where you had finally recognized that you are never, ever in your life going to find a better man than James. If you are so stupid and can’t see that, then you have only yourself to blame for your predicament. Addy and I are going to be having a baby now. We are looking forward to raising this child in a home with love and good moral values. If you cannot fit into what is required here, you are the one who needs to leave. You have a life here with James and with us, but if this is not what you want, think long and hard, and at least have the decency to break it off with him and to not break his heart, or ours. Like I said, I’m not going to ask if this is true or not, all I ask is that you think and make a decision and that when you do, you stick to it.” She paused.
“You have the opportunity of a great life here, or you can go back to your old habits and your former lifestyle. If you decide to stay, fix things. I don’t know what you need to do! Beg, humiliate yourself, cry, whatever it takes, but do it! Also, if James was ever to take you back, get yourself tested. Make sure you didn’t catch something that you might give him. Personally, I think you deserve whatever comes your way, but he is too great of a guy and deserves much better. In fact, you are lucky he ever looked at you. He is, by far, a much better man that you are.”
At this point, JP was sobbing. “I don’t want to see you again if you don’t fix this!” Karen started to walk out and opened the door.
“Karen, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Karen didn’t say a word. She couldn’t. The knot in her throat was choking her. Addy had overheard everything and was in tears outside. Karen passed right by her, still unable to speak. She had to move fast and out of there before she broke down and cried. She didn’t want JP to see her cry. Addy followed her with a quick step, and quickly got in the car and drove when Karen handed her the keys in passing. As soon as Addy pulled out of the Manor’s driveway, Karen began to cry. Addy was also in tears. She pulled to the side of the road because she couldn’t see well enough to drive, and she also wanted to comfort Karen.
“Mother fucker! He’s such a slut! I’m sorry Addy, I just need to get this out of my system.”
“I know, hon, I know.” They were hugging and crying on the side of the road. After they calmed down, Addy started the car.
“Are you good to drive?”
“Yeah, I’ll get us home.”
In the cottage, Karen sat on the sofa very quiet. Addy sat next to her and took her hand. “Do you think it’s true?”
“I know it’s true.”
“You didn’t give him much chance to say anything.”
“Addy, an innocent man defends himself. He didn’t even try.”
Addy’s heart sunk. She realized Karen was right.
“I know him, too well.”
“Well, we’ll see what he decides to do, and if he chooses to stay, and then whether or not James comes back to him.”
“Yeah, it will be his choice.”
“I feel terrible. I’m sure not bringing much to our family! My blood relatives are the scum of the earth, and my adopted family member seems to be a screw up as well. It seems like you are the only good thing in my life. That reminds me that when we go see Mr. Kimbell about you adopting the baby, I need to make very clear that this baby is yours if something happens to me, and if something happens to both of us together, this baby goes to Laurie. I think it’s amazing that I don’t have a single relative I could entrust our child to. Of course, we need to talk to Laurie first.”
Addy took her hand and kissed it. “Sure, baby, don’t concern yourself with that now. Everything will be well. Why don’t you go get in the hot tub now and relax a bit? Or would you rather a bath upstairs?”
Karen grinned. “You and me, hot tub and then a bath?”
Addy looked at her with that look Karen couldn’t resist. Her left eyebrow raised, the sunshine smile and as if not enough, the killer wink. “Come on, sexy, show me what you got. Let me take care of you.” Karen was almost tripping over the furniture.
***
The whole JP/James debacle was put on the back burner due to a more impending matter, Karen’s first obstetric appointment. Dr. Clarkson was in her early fifties. She was a tall, built woman with red curly short hair. She had hazel eyes, big teeth, freckles and a big sweet smile. And as most of Gerry’s recommendations, she belonged to the sisterhood. Why go someplace else when we have the best and the brightest in the family? This is what Gerry used to say regarding her lesbian list of doctor friends.
Indeed, Dr. Clarkson was figured amongst the best obstetricians in the country. She was also a very jovial woman, and Addy and Karen immediately liked her. Addy was extraordinarily happy because she believed in having a good relationship with doctors.
Dr. Clarkson first took them to her office before examining Karen. “I like to get to know my patients. So which one of you is the pregnant one? Don’t get to ask that question much!” She laughed loud and contagiously. Oh no! Another Isabella Ludwig? Isabella, the former owner of the winery, had a loud contagious laugh that made everyone laugh even more.
Addy and Karen chuckled, but it was Karen who replied. “Well, I didn’t want it to happen this way, but I’m the pregnant one.”
Dr. Clarkson’s f
ace immediately showed signs of concern. She leaned forward on her desk and frowned. “What do you mean by that? How did this happen?”
“I was more inclined to adopt. I didn’t want to go through a pregnancy.”
“So, what made you change your mind?”
“She talked me into it.”
Dr. Clarkson frowned while looking through her file. “You were artificially inseminated.”
“Yes, I was inseminated. But she’s the one steering this ship.” Karen pointed to Addy.
“So why aren’t you the one having the baby?”
“First, because I can’t. I had an early menopause, and second because I already have a grown daughter. I want this baby for her and for me, of course.”
Dr. Clarkson looked confused. It was Karen’s opinion that Addy had the gift to confuse anyone easily. She was often mesmerized at how Addy could turn a simple situation into the most obscure event ever to be comprehended. She even came to suspect that Addy sometimes had an ulterior purpose and that the confusion created was deliberate in order to give her some advantage. Karen could not believe that such misunderstandings could happen randomly. This time the web was not so thick, but she seemed to have lost Dr. Clarkson. However, Dr. Clarkson was not one to remain confused.
“So let me see if I understand the situation here. You are having this baby for her.” She first pointed to Karen and then to Addy.
“Yes, that’s correct,” Karen replied.
“And you want this baby for her.” She pointed at Addy and then to Karen.
“Yes.” This time it was Addy who replied.
The doctor leaned back on her chair. “Hum, every time I think about retiring because the job is getting boring, you know? Delivering baby, after baby, after baby, I get a case that makes staying worthwhile. You guys may be the one keeping me around a while longer.” She waved her hand in front of her pointing at the twosome. “Sounds like this might be an interesting one.”
