by Anne Hagan
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Early Saturday Evening, June 20th
Jaycee Riverside Park, Zanesville, Ohio
“I’m actually pretty excited for this,” Tom acknowledged. My dad was a big dance band fan – among other things, like polka. He used to listen to this guy’s stuff on the radio all the time…even had a few records, I think.”
Janet smiled politely as Amy reminded her husband that Phil Palumbo passed away in 2000. “They’re just doing a tribute to some of his music tonight, dear.”
“I know,” Tom said “but I’m looking forward to it. It would have been really nice if Barb could have come along too. She’s always working during the good stuff and I know she would have enjoyed this.”
Amy shot Janet a look.
“I know Tom,” Janet said in as soothing a tone as she could manage. How about we swing by the Boar’s Head on the way home and grab a bite. Maybe she can at least sit with us for a few minutes.
“That was wonderful,” Amy gushed as soon as they were all loaded back in Janet’s car.
Tom grinned at his wife. “Are you surprised?”
“No, no. I just wasn’t sure what to expect,” she said, as she leaned in between the two front seats. “My family wasn’t big on anything that wasn’t polka, you know. There wasn’t a lot of any other kind of music in the house, growing up. It was pretty quiet in our house too, after we got married, wasn’t it Tom.”
“Until Barb came along,” he laughed and so did she.
“She was noisy, was she?” Janet asked.
“Not noisy, so much as surrounded by noise. The television was always on and a radio too. Oh,” Amy said, “but she did sing. She sang and danced along to everything.”
Janet raised an eyebrow as she glanced back at Amy and then back at the road. “She sings?”
“She did then. She was in choir all through school.”
“Show choir, too, wasn’t it called?” Tom added.
“Oh yes, in high school,” Amy said, “singing and dancing. She loved those productions.”
They regaled Janet with stories of Barb’s teenage exploits on stage until she pulled the car in at The Boar’s Head.
“You sure you’re up to this?” she asked Tom.
He rubbed his belly. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a bear.”
Amy started to say something but he waved a hand to stay her. “I’m going to stick to my diet; don’t you worry. She’s got a good turkey sandwich here and even decaf coffee.”
The place was busy for just after 8:30 on a Saturday evening. As they wove through full tables toward an empty one, guiding Tom along, Amy waved toward the bar. Janet glanced that way in time to see Barb sketch a wave back at them. The look on her face was puzzled. Janet just gave her a tight lipped grin in response.
Once they were seated and situated, a server came over to them and took their drink orders. She tried to hold back her surprise at the two decafs for the Wysocki’s and a Diet Pepsi for Janet, but Janet called her out.
“Don’t worry, we’re ordering food too. Can we get some menus?”
The young woman nodded and left them.
“Must be new,” Janet said. Before she could say anything else, Barb walked up behind her.
“What brings you all out tonight? I left lasagna in the freezer and a note. Did you eat it?”
“We can have that for Sunday dinner, while you’re there,” Tom told her. “We went to a nice little concert over at Riverside and now we’re hungry.”
“A concert? Outside?” Barb looked pointedly at Janet.
“It’s very nice out, dear,” Amy told her daughter.
“But too cold for Dad and he’s not supposed to be overdoing it. How many times do I have to remind you, and you?” she said, looking to first her father and then to Janet.
Janet went on the defensive. “It was just a concert. We drove over there, walked maybe 50 feet to where we put our chairs down, sat on our butts for an hour and a half and then came here.”
“And then you bring him here, to a bar?”
“Your bar,” Janet fired back. “It’s not like we’re drinking liquor. They aren’t allowed to smoke in here either. Other than the music and pool tables, it’s just like any other restaurant that I wish now we’d have gone to!”
“Girls, please,” Amy pleaded.
Barb wasn’t finished. “You all just don’t get it!”
The server came back with the drinks and menus, interrupting the course of Barb’s anger. Amy took the interruption as a chance to change the subject and asked if there were any specials. Barb slunk away then.
They went ahead and ordered but the atmosphere at the table became very subdued. Janet stole the occasional look at the bar. For a while, Barb was back there seething but then she disappeared. Janet hoped she’d gone to her office and would stay there until she cooled off.
###
It was after 10:00 when they got home. After a round of medication, Tom went off to bed and Amy with him.
Janet thought about waiting up for Barb so they could talk and maybe clear the air but it was Saturday and that meant the other woman might not be home until the wee hours of the morning. She retired to her room and tried to sleep but rest only came in short spurts.
She glanced at her alarm clock when tires crunched along the gravel driveway. It was nearly 3:00 AM.
Listening intently, she heard the door to Barb’s SUV slam, then her fumbling with the front door lock. She considered going downstairs and sat up as the heavy wood door clicked closed but she paused when Barb immediately mounted the stairs and started up to the room she was temporarily using while her parents occupied the downstairs master bedroom.
‘Not a good time; she must be tired,’ she thought.
Barb didn’t go into her own room. Instead, she fumbled at the door to Janet’s.
Janet rose then and went to the door. She opened it to find a very drunk Barb, reeking of alcohol, propped in the door frame.
Barb’s eyes flared when she caught sight of Janet. She tried to draw herself up as she railed, “Just who do you think you are?”
“You’re drunk,” Janet whispered in a stage voice.
“Oh, I’m just getting started, sweetie,” Barb said louder.
“Shh! You’ll wake your mom and dad.”
“Don’t tell me what to do! You don’t listen to me; now I’m not listening to you.”
Janet grasped for Barb’s hand and pulled her into the room. When she got her in far enough, she closed the door softly behind her and prayed the couple downstairs hadn’t heard anything.
“Who died and put you in charge of my father’s care?” Barb went on.
“What? No one did. Your father has been very careful about sticking to the doctor’s orders, Barb. You should be proud of how well he’s doing.”
“He’s still in the woods,” she slurred. “He can’t get out by himself.”
“He has all of us to help him babe.” Janet regretted using the endearment as soon as it was out. Covering quickly, she said, “You’re drunk. This isn’t worth trying to talk about right now. Why don’t you go over to bed and we can talk more in the morning?” She tried to steer the other woman around and propel her toward the door.
Drunk Barb turned into amorous Barb. In her addled state, she latched onto Janet calling her babe and tried to pull her into an embrace. The alcohol on her breath assailed Janet’s nose and she turned her head away just as Barb attempted to kiss her.
“What’sa’ matter baby? Don’t you want to?”
Janet flashed back to her New Year’s Eve go around with an equally drunk Gevona years before that turned out to be the beginning of the end of their friendship. ‘No good can come of this,’ she thought, ‘especially given the current state of our relationship when we’re both sober.’
Thinking fast, she said to Barb, “I am babe, but I just need to use the bathroom real quick. Why don’t you just get into bed here and I won’t be a minute?” She steered the other woma
n toward her own bed instead of to her room across the hall.
Barb looked down at the rumpled sheets. “You were already in here…were you waiting for me?” She started to sway slightly causing Janet to push against her gently until the back of her legs hit the mattress and she sat.
“Yes. I kept it nice and warm for us.” She pressed Barb’s shoulder gently with one hand as she swooped her other arm under her legs and turned her sideways until she was lying down.
“Whoops, missed the pillow…”
“Scoot up just a bit,” Janet told her. Once Barb had moved a couple of inches toward the headboard Janet reached for the sheets and pulled them across her. “You get comfortable; I’ll just be a minute.”
She pushed the bathroom mostly closed then stood behind it, watching through the crack as Barb drifted off to sleep.
“I love you,” Janet whispered. “I love you and your family so much, it hurts.”
Chapter 13
Sunday Morning, June 21st
Janet turned over on the overstuffed sofa in the family room to face out. Her blanket slipped and hit the floor. Eyes still closed, she flailed for it but, she couldn’t get it back over her just right. Sighing, she opened her eyes and sat up.
Amy Wysocki was sitting in the recliner Tom usually sat in when they watched movies, just staring at her. Janet did a double take at the unexpected presence of the older woman and then offered her a wan smile.
“How are you, dear?” Amy asked.
“Couldn’t be better,” Janet said and then instantly regretted the sarcasm. “How long have you been sitting there?”
“Not long. Why are you sleeping on the couch?”
“I uh…it was a little stuffy upstairs.”
Amy wasn’t buying the explanation. “Try again. I heard Barb come home last night. Her truck is parked half crooked in the driveway. She didn’t even bother to try and put it in the garage. Was she drinking?”
Janet ran a hand over the top of her head and down the back trying to smooth down her usual bed head while she pondered what to say.
“Never mind, your face says it all. Did you two fight?”
Janet shook her head no slowly but Amy didn’t buy that either.
“Of course you did,” she said, “but that doesn’t explain why you’re down here, does it? What did she say to you that sent you running for cover?”
“She didn’t say much of anything. She was…” She stopped talking. There was no point in throwing Barb under the bus to her mother and she was too embarrassed to bring up anything else.
“You can tell me dear. I know how you feel about her. I can see it in your eyes.”
Squirming and not wanting to play twenty questions any more, she thought fast and glanced up at the clock on the mantle.
“I’m so sorry,” she blurted intentionally, “but I’ve got to get moving or I’m going to be late. I promised Shane I’d spell him for part of the morning shift today because he had some family thing.” She jumped up, folded the blanket and tossed it across the back of the couch and then bolted with as much dignity as she could muster toward the laundry room.
She grabbed clothes right out of the dryer and put them on in the front hall powder room, combed her fingers through her hair, splashed a little water on her face and then made a decision to leave for the day.
As she stepped into her shoes at the door, Amy came down the hallway from the farther reaches of the house. She handed her a bag. “If you’re going to run away from your problems for a bit, the least you can do is take a little breakfast with you. There’s a bacon and egg sandwich in there.”
“You made bacon? Is that allowed?”
Amy’s smile was broad. “Regular for us…Tom isn’t up yet. Turkey bacon for him for later.”
Janet hugged the other woman and left.
In Morelville, she stopped at Mel and Dana’s house, hoping to find Dana. The house was all locked up and no one answered the door. Mel’s truck was gone and so was Dana’s car. Since it was Sunday, both the store and the bakery were closed. She doubted Dana would be at her parents’ house; she didn’t make a habit of attending church with them.
She munched on her sandwich in their driveway while she contemplated turning back the opposite direction and going into Zanesville or even to the station.
Out on the road, a vehicle beeped.
She looked back over her shoulder and saw Faye Crane’s SUV slow and back up to the driveway. Chloe Rossi was riding shotgun.
Janet got out of her car and walked back to meet them. “Mrs. Crane, Mama Rossi,” she said, dipping her head. “On your way to church?”
“Yes, exactly. Would you like to join us?” Faye asked.
“Thanks ma’am but not today. Actually, I was looking for Dana.”
Chloe answered instead of Faye, “She’s out at their farm,” she said, tipping her chin toward Faye. “They all are. Why don’t you head on out there; they could use all the hands they can get. We’ll be back shortly. Lunch is already in the oven so you should just plan on spending the day.”
Janet knew Chloe’s invitation, echoed quickly by Faye, was more of an order. After they pulled away, she reluctantly headed for the farm. She knew she probably wouldn’t be able to get Dana alone to talk with all of the rest of the family around but she certainly didn’t want to return to Barb’s house either. Not just yet.
Chapter 14
Sunday June 21st
The Crane Family Farm
The Cranes were in the middle of what they jokingly referred to as ‘Family Fun Day’ activities when Janet arrived.
Mel, thinking something must be wrong, greeted her as she got out of her car. “What’s the problem? No one called me about anything.”
“No problem at all Sheriff; didn’t mean to startle you. I’m, uh, on call today and I didn’t want to wander far but it’s…it’s just so nice out and I needed to get out of the house.”
Mel nodded knowingly. “Healthcare can get a little old.”
Janet didn’t correct her. “I ran into your mom and Dana’s in town. They told me you were all out here and you could use a hand so I’m here to help.”
“You’re going to be sorry you said that,” Mel said. “We’ve got fair calves and steers we’re working with today and it’s already been a workout.”
The words were no sooner out of her mouth than Mel’s niece Beth called, “Watch out! Coming through!” as she tried in vain to lead a steer by them that wanted no part of a halter and lead rope.
Janet jumped to the side of the steers pathway along with her boss while asking, “4H projects?”
“And FFA,” Mel said. “Both of my sister’s kids are active in both.” She looked down at Janet’s feet. Looking back up, she told her, “At least you’re smart enough to go around in boots. Come on. You can help load them into the head chute so we can give hem haircuts.”
“I heard that!” Dana called out from her position near the head chute with Mel’s father and Mel’s sister Kris as she and Mel followed Beth and her steer through the gate and then Mel turned and latched it behind them. As they drew alongside, Dana said to Janet, “I admit I didn’t know a thing about farming and farm life when I first started coming around out here but,” she shot a look at Mel, “I am learning.”
Everyone laughed but sobered immediately when Beth’s steer drew close and started to buck a little in anticipation of being led into the chute.
“Nice and easy Beth,” Mel instructed the girl in a low tone. “He remembers being in there before. Get right up to the gate with him and then we’ll push.”
Janet took a wide stance on one side of the pathway to the chute entrance while Mel did likewise on the other. When Beth approached, they both fell in behind the beast she led and pushed him toward the opening.
When he was three quarters of the way in, Mel called somewhat louder, “Get ready to close the gate Beth!” even though the teenager was right there with them.
Once the gate was closer, several
pairs of hands moved the steer forward until his head was in position for them to work on it.
Jesse Crane held up a pair of battery operated clippers. “Kris? Mel? Who wants to do the honors?”
“Let Dana try,” Kris laughed. “She’s helping to raise the next generation. She’s going to need to know how to do it.”
“No way.” Dana shook her head. “If Jef ever wants to show animals, his mother can help with the stuff I still won’t know how to do by then .”
“Oh honey,” Kris said, “you don’t even know what you don’t know.”
Beth came around to the front end of the chute and rubbed her steer along the snout. “I want to do it Papa. He’s mine.”
While Jesse guided the girl, Dana eyed Janet. Later, while everyone pointed out areas along the steer’s spine where hair needed trimmed, she sidled up next to her friend and asked, “So, what’s up? I know you didn’t come out her to help sheer and bathe animals.”
Janet pursed her lips and shrugged. “Nothing,” she said. “It’s like I told Mel; I was bored and I’m on call so I can’t wander too far.”
“Uh huh.”
“Really.”
“Okay,” Dana said but her look said otherwise. “Isn’t Barb off today?”
Janet looked away. “I suppose so but she’ll want to spend time with her folks and I don’t want to feel like a third wheel.”
“You’d, uh, be a fourth, hon’.”
“You know what I mean.”
Dana changed tactics. “You grew up in Zanesville. How do you know anything about this stuff, anyway?”
“My aunt and uncle.” At Dana’s blank look, she continued, “Aunt Leslie and Uncle Bob? You’ve met them. They own a farm…have since they were first married. I spent a lot of time out there growing up.”
“They live in town now, right?”
“Yes. There’s a farmhouse but it’s been on the property since the mid-1800’s. They prefer to live in a house that has a furnace for heating and central air. They only use the other place now during the the planting and harvest seasons, if then.”