The Tree Goddess

by Tom Raimbault

  The professor next encouraged that the students find a partner in class to exchange future works for feedback. No problem for Wayne! He and Eileen should have exchanged each other's work as they were boyfriend and girlfriend. And with Eileen being his new feedback partner, Wayne was most delighted when learning of the next assignment that was to be a small essay titled, “Who I Admire most in Life”.

  It would have been more appropriate for Wayne to title the essay, “How do I Love Thee? Let me Count the Ways!” After a short, Tuesday night out with Eileen, Wayne retired to his bedroom and wrote several paragraphs of flattery on his girlfriend. Knowing that Eileen would be reading it, the work was poetry in disguise, designed to melt her heart in class.

  * * *

  “I can't wait for you to read my essay!” Wayne took hold of his girlfriend's hand while driving to school.

  She smiled back while disguising her dread, “Uh-oh; what did he write? Would it be necessary to read Wayne's essay out loud, in class?” His firm declaration of possessing Eileen was somewhat embarrassing on the first day of class.

  That day caused heartbreak for Wayne. As he found out, Eileen did not write several paragraphs of flattery to him. Instead, Eileen wrote a nice paper that was dedicated to her mother who had triumphantly survived breast cancer. Never losing her grace while maintaining strength and faith, she pushed on as a full time mother of three children, loving wife and continued working her career. Needless to say, Eileen was most admiring of her mother.

  But Wayne was crushed that his Eileen was not on the same page. He poured his heart out on paper, declaring eternal love for his soul mate. Eileen, however, wrote about her mother.

  Another writing assignment involved describing a place that students would like to one day visit. Wayne wrote of his future honeymoon with Eileen on some tropical island where two weeks would be spent snorkeling, boating and laying out on the beach. At night they would make love and create their first child together.

  Eileen, however, wrote of her longing to visit Paris, maybe even live there for a moment in her life. She continued to describe that Paris was often believed to be a romantic place where one can fall in love.

  This writing seriously disturbed Wayne as it showed that he and Eileen were not in synch. And what did she mean about “falling in love”? She was already in love with him! And Wayne had no desire to live in Paris. The only way she could live in Paris was to break up with her boyfriend and maybe meet the love of her life, half a world away! Wayne offered much criticism on this work, citing that it was too dreamy and not realistic. Eileen's sentences were full and somewhat lengthier than Wayne's. Of course Wayne declared these to be run-ons and a serious fracture of the rules of writing.

  All these events occurred under the stress of Curt's presence who sat very near Wayne's precious Eileen. College writing was every Tuesday and Thursday. College writing became emotionally traumatic times of the week for Wayne. Curt's girlfriend was far away and possibly broken up with. Wayne feared the potential of losing his girlfriend to Curt.

  And then Wayne's worst nightmare happened in class. The professor announced that it wasn't good to receive feedback from the same partner. On the fourth writing assignment, Eileen and Wayne were required to turn to the neighbor of the opposite direction. The end result, Eileen and Curt exchanged papers!

  Although a harmless, persuasive essay in which Eileen chose to state her reasons against capital punishment, Wayne imagined with slippery slope anxiety all the sensitive things that Curt would learn of the girl he loved. Wayne's presence could be felt as he listened from two seats away.

  And it killed him to hear Curt compliment Eileen's writing style. “You are truly a brilliant writer. Have you ever thought of doing this professionally?”

  Driving home in the early afternoon hours, Wayne's dependent girlfriend, who had yet to own a car, sat in the passenger seat. As far as Wayne was concerned, it was every bit his right to ask, “What was your paper about?”

  “Capital punishment; why?”

  “I don't know; I just want to see what Curt thought was so spectacular about your assignment.”

  This was the moment when Eileen finally lost patience, “You know Wayne, ever since we started college, you've turned into a big jerk. It's like your jealous or something. What if I don't show you my writing assignment? Would it kill you?”

  Wayne's blood boiled, “I would almost expect you to show me your paper. I don't like seeing secrets between you and Curt. Show it to me, now!”

  He quickly pulled over to the shoulder of Mapleview Road, just past the bend where the road transitioned south. Seeing that she had no choice in the matter, Eileen removed the paper from her folder which was quickly snatched by trembling Wayne.

  Wayne's parents were fundamentalist, ultraconservative republicans who often spoke of how the country would soon collapse with Bill Clinton in office. And it wasn't uncommon for his father to preach that it was cheaper to put a bullet in criminal's head than to keep him alive in prison. Reading Eileen's humanitarian essay that defended the lives of those who should rightfully serve their debts in prison went against just about everything that Wayne believed. “Eileen, this stuff is wrong! You're obviously not educated enough! Don't you get it? A killer will serve his time in prison and come out to do it again! Why waste money? Execute him!”

  And then he insulted her writing style; the length of sentences along with a couple spelling errors. “I don't know what Curt is talking about. You suck as a writer and your ideas are stupid!” He flung the paper back at the glassy-eyed Eileen and tore off, spinning stones from the shoulder until gripping the asphalt.

  How Eileen missed Curt at that moment.

  * * *

  A year-and-a-half passed and seasons transitioned. Despite how the young Eileen desired to end her relationship with her mentally abusive and possessive boyfriend, she remained with him. There was just no way to break up with him. Any suggestion or hint that it was best to spend some time apart would be met with rage and fists pounding the seats, hood of his car, or whatever inanimate objects were nearby.

  It was necessary to request in advance nights out with her friends. And somehow, Wayne would end up at the same club or whatever function was planned.

  And then came a warm, summer night when Wayne would learn the truth of Eileen's Friday night outings. As usual, it was necessary for Eileen to call her boyfriend in the afternoon and ask if it was okay to go out with her friends.

  Wayne wasn't the least bit receptive to the idea. “You know, it would be nice if I could spend a Friday with my girlfriend. You went out last week, too.”

  “Well Wayne, you could spend some time with your friends instead of stalking me. They probably forgot about you.”

  And right Eileen was. Wayne had no friends as every moment of his life was devoted to Eileen.

  He continued to probe, “Where are you going?”

  “I don't know; Lynn and Julie want to go out for pizza and maybe see a movie. Is that so terrible?”

  “What movie?”

  “Wayne, I don't know! We just want to go out and have some fun.”

  There was a slight pause before the lord and master spoke. “Well I don't see how you can go out without making plans. If you ask me, a bunch of girls wandering without plans is a bunch of girls asking for trouble. I don't think so, Eileen. You're not going out tonight. I'll be over right after work.”

  It would appear that attempting to go out unsupervised by Wayne would entail another nasty fight along with one of those pseudo breakups. She spoke sharply in reply, “Wayne, don't bother coming because I won't let you in. And if you don't like it, then we can end this!”

  Now I won't go into the pathetic afternoon of harassing phone calls that threatened to breakup along with plenty of crying, rude hang-ups and accusations of, “I know you don't love me”. Such things needed to be endured by Eileen. But strangely, Wayne didn't show up after work. In fact, she heard nothing from him in the early even
ing hours. Perhaps he decided to visit some old friends like a normal guy should.

  But unknown to Eileen, her possessive boyfriend hid at the park down the street! It was 7:00 in the evening as he sat inside the top of a tornado slide. The entrance area provided a porthole view of his girlfriend's house. She wouldn't see him, nor would anyone else. A pair of binoculars remained on Wayne's lap. He would find out, once and for all, if his suspicions were correct. For some reason, Wayne did not trust the girl he loved.

  By 7:03 a Pontiac Grand Prix pulled into Eileen's driveway. Wayne quickly raised the binoculars to his eyes which yielded the most shocking and unwelcome sight. Curt exited the vehicle and walked up to Eileen's door!

  10 minutes passed before the couple came out. Along with no flowers brought into the house, there was no opening of the passenger door so Eileen could get in. And before pulling away, the two kissed. These were all suggestions that they had been dating for some time.

  Oh how Wayne's hands trembled! How his breathing became erratic as the tips of his fingers tingled from an abrupt change in circulation. Wayne's suspicions were confirmed. Eileen was lying and cheating. Wayne sat at the top of the tornado slide for some time as twilight faded into evening. What could he do? How could he handle this situation? Perhaps it was best to use that evening as an opportunity to learn of where Curt lived. Although buddies before starting college, they weren't on a “go-to-each-other's-house” basis. If Wayne could hide out at the park and wait some hours for Eileen to return, he could follow Curt. Keep in mind that this was the early 90's, a time when computers were not exactly a common house appliance and sites such as Zaba Search were nonexistent. Back in those days, it was necessary to physically follow one in hopes to discover his or her residence.

  Wayne's midnight-blue Camaro remained in the darkened lot of the neighborhood park. He waited at the top of the tornado slide with binoculars until 1:17 am when a car pulled into Eileen's driveway. In the dark, Wayne jumped off the slide and ran to his vehicle. Driving up to the edge of the road, he waited with headlights off while carefully observing their activities through binoculars. He imagined that his cheating girlfriend and Curt were oblivious to the distant presence as the couple made out for some 5 minutes.

  And then Eileen exited the vehicle and ran up to the front door. As a gentleman, Curt waited until she made it into the house, safely.

  Curt remained oblivious to the midnight-blue Camaro that followed some distance behind. The pursuit took Wayne northbound through Mapleview Road, into the old section of Mapleview, past the Hidden Lake Forest Preserve and then a right turn onto Vine Road. It was so easy! Curt actually turned into his small, heavily-wooded subdivision where he finally pulled in front of his house. And he remained oblivious as the midnight-blue Camaro passed, drove half a block and turned around. Wayne watched the man he hated most enter the home. For now, his residence was found.

  * * *

  “Hello?” Eileen answered the phone the following morning, sounding as-if disturbed from slumber.

  “Hey…” It was Wayne of course.

  “Hey…” was given in return. With the previous afternoon of immature fighting, Wayne was not her favorite person at the moment. Besides that, she had a wonderful date with Curt the previous evening.

  Wayne quickly asked, “So where'd you go last night?”

  “What do you care? You broke up with me, right?”

  “Come on Babe, I was just upset. I didn't mean that. And I thought about everything and you are right. Why shouldn't you be able to go out with your friends?”

  There was a long pause that was broken by Wayne. “So where'd you go last night?”

  Eileen sighed, “We went out for pizza and then went back to Lynn's house for a few hours. Not much of a night, just girl stuff.”

  “Oh yeah? That was nice. You wanna go out tonight, make up?”

  Again, there was another pause followed by a sigh, “Sure, you can come over around 6:00.”

  “I can't get there that early. I've got to work for a few hours and cover for Rick who called off.” Wayne was the fry boy at Big Boy's Beef and Ribs. “Maybe I can be there around 9:00?”

  “Sure; I'm going back to bed.”

  But before she hung up, Wayne's voice could be heard through the receiver. “Hey Eileen?

  “What?”

  “I love you.”

  She threw the phone back down on the receiver. Next to it laid Wayne's promissory ring, a piece of cosmetic junk to be worn in the place of a real engagement ring. It spoke to the world and pretty much said, “She's mine, but my modest salary as fry boy makes it impossible to have a fiancé.” Eileen whipped the ring across the room, something often done when frustrated with Wayne.

  Only a split second after the ring bounced on the floor, Eileen's phone rang. No problem, she pulled the cord from the outlet. Wayne would be calling all morning, and Eileen needed her sleep.

  * * *

  And so the very, much, disliked, midnight-blue Camaro zipped into Eileen's driveway at just a dot past 9:00 that night. How she wished she could break up with Wayne. How she hated the sensation of sitting in his passenger seat.

  “Where's your ring?”

  Uh-oh; Eileen forgot to put her ring back on. Most likely it remained in the corner on the floor. “Oops! I put some lotion on and left it on the dresser. Do you want me to get it?”

  Wayne remained motionless with a blank stare.

  It was Eileen's cue to dash out the passenger door and back into her house. She returned with his ring on her finger, expecting another fight for trying to leave the house without it.

  But surprisingly, Wayne was nice as they pulled away. “Ah; nice night tonight, huh?”

  It was best to agree with him, “Yeah…”

  “Again, I'm really sorry about yesterday. I've got to learn how to control myself. Let me make it up to you.” Wayne drove through downtown Mapleview with some song by Nirvana playing on the local radio station. Eileen had grown sick of that song along with many others that were heard on Wayne's radio station of choice. They were so off-tune and harsh. At least Curt didn't play that crap.

  Eileen asked, “Where are you going?”

  “A little surprise for you, tonight.” He edged the downtown section of Mapleview and headed into the old, forested section. Was Wayne taking her to a restaurant in Sillmac?

  The peculiar sense of adrenaline could be felt as Wayne turned right onto Vine Road. She was familiar with this route. It was the way she often took to Curt's house. Wayne looked over and smiled while continuing to drive. He turned onto the street that entered the small, heavily-wooded subdivision; all the while Eileen's face grew increasingly flush. Did Wayne know something?

  There was no denying his knowledge once the car stopped in front of Curt's house. “So do you know this place? Have you ever been here before?”

  Eileen considered flashing open the passenger door and running up to the house. Even if he wasn't home, Curt's parents would gladly let her in once hearing of trouble. She was fearful of Wayne's anger and how the night would turn out. But Curt's parents were unaware of Eileen's dilemma. Although Curt was patient, his parents might have been misunderstanding of her difficulty in breaking up with the original boyfriend. Wayne's violent and possessive behavior would surely bring him to the door where he would pound his fists and scream to open up. It would be an embarrassment, to say the least.

  Instead of running up to Curt's door for safety, Eileen remained seated in the passenger seat. “Yeah, I've been here before.”

  Wayne tore off, “So you're not going to lie? You're not going to tell me that you've never seen the place?” He quickly u-turned at the end of the block.

  Eileen answered a soft, “No.”

  Wayne revealed his knowledge of the previous evening. “You didn't go out with your friends last night. Curt picked you up at 7:00. I saw you both from the park.”

  His voice increased in volume and began to tremor. “I saw you kissing him throu
gh binoculars! And I waited all night for you to come home and watched you make out in front of your house!”

  Wayne was now out of Curt's subdivision and halfway down Vine Road, rapidly approaching Mapleview Road. “You lied to me and you cheated!”

  Eileen could only remain motionless and speechless. He was right. But she hated Wayne so much and couldn't get rid of him, no matter how she tried.

  Now Wayne peeled right onto Mapleview Road and traveled north. “There's just one thing I want to know, Eileen. If you wanted to go out with him, couldn't you have given me the decency of breaking up?”

  Eileen finally spoke up in defense, “Wayne, I've been trying to break up with you for some time, now! You just don't get it! We're not like we used to be! You've changed since graduating high school! It's time for us to move on!”

  The suggestion threw Wayne into a fitful rage! “Don't ever say that! You have no idea what we have! The midnight-blue, 1984 Camaro roared down the wooded highway while approaching the bend that transitioned the road east.”Don't you understand? You just can't stop loving someone! No one ever does! You will always love me; I will always be in your heart! Why don't you just accept that?"

  There was a long pause as the strained couple traveled the dark road. Eileen was tired of his drama and inability to let go. And she grew increasingly fearful of wherever he was taking her. “Where are you going?”

  “Eileen, there are too many obstacles, variables and changes of events that I think distract you from me. Can't you just find it in you to forget about Curt? I'm the one who is meant for you! And the quicker you accept that the quicker our problems will go away. And you'll be happy again, I promise! Don't do this; don't end this wonderful love that we've had since 7th grade.”

  They now approached Creek Highway, near the spot where Hotlicks Sports Bar and Grill would stand if it were several years later. Eileen softly replied, “I love him, Wayne. There's nothing you can do about it and it's time for us to breakup.”

  Wayne didn't bother to stop at the intersection. He merely slowed down and then violently peeled left onto Creek Highway, “Fine! Fine and dandy! I try to be nice and reason with you; but, no!”