by Rich Garon
“You should be proud of your boy there, Christie,” Reid said as he got out of the car. “Wait till old Ed Turley gets a look at Lee. Just think of the seats we’ll have on opening day.”
“Good bye Reid,” Christie said in a low voice as if not to wake someone crying out hallucinations as they slept.
“What? Oh yeah, thanks for the lift. Lee, you take it easy this weekend, don’t be getting injured or anything. I’ll call you and we’ll get back into training on Monday.”
“Good bye, Reid. I will be careful this weekend.”
“Seems as if Reid has this whole thing all planned out for the two of you,” Christie said in voice as far away as Lee ever heard it.
“I think Reid is very excited. Reid gets very excited; at least he does not get excited about cable television any more. That was really getting him into trouble. Would you like to come with us next weekend? I would like it very much if you would come with us, because I am very nervous when I think about what the Coach was saying. I mean, I would not want to disappoint him in front of his old football teammate.”
“Lee, I think the coach probably knows what he’s doing; he’s been at this a long time. Thank you for inviting me. I would really love to go, but maybe it’s better that it’s just you and Reid. I think it’s better that maybe you have as few distractions as possible. Plus, I doubt Audrey would give me the time off, especially since I took off Friday.”
“Christie, I saw the way Bobby DeFlore was looking at you, and he is this big important guy at state university and I am not, I mean I just barely finished high school. I wish you did not have to go to school there. And you were smiling at him. Are there any more courses you can take at the community college?”
“Lee, we have been through this so many times. I have told you how I feel about you and I don’t care how you think Bobby DeFlore was looking at me, and if I were smiling then that’s because it was the polite thing to do. I smile at a lot of people. If I do go to state, I wish you’d see that it was because it would make me happy and that I could get a better job in the end and if we want to think anything about us and the future, then we better make sure I get the best job possible.”
“Does that mean you think I can never get a good job too?”
“Lee, I didn’t say that.”
“My sister’s car is in front of our house,” he said and then paused.
“Lee, look at me. Why don’t you just rest this weekend, spend some time with your mom; maybe you two could go to a movie or go out to eat. I seem to be upsetting you.”
“I do not know what I will be doing with the rest of my weekend if you want to be by yourself.”
“Lee, that’s not what I meant. Lee look at me. I told you I love you and I know you love me. I know how much this week coming up means to you. I told you I haven’t even decided if I’m going away to school. Let’s not talk about it anymore. I’ll call you on Monday. You can come over for supper if you want, okay?”
“Okay Christie. You are right, all of a sudden I am very nervous about this week.”
“You’ll be fine, I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t mean it,” she said as she leaned over, turned his head and kissed him.
Marian Fitts and her daughter sat at the table, a half-eaten coffee ring and two mugs in front of them. They were smiling; they were talking as mother and daughter; two women realizing how much a part of each other they were, the intervening years notwithstanding. They had Lee tell them several times what was happening the following weekend just so they were sure they understood fully what he was describing. Ellie got up first and hugged him. Marian Fitts motioned for her son to come closer as her eyes welled with tears. He heard them talk about blessings, about mysterious ways, about how happy Jim Fitts would have been.
“Lee, that is such good news. You should be so proud of yourself for getting such an opportunity. I know your sister and I are so proud of you. At least we get a little good news today. Ellie was at church this afternoon, helping with the flowers for tomorrow and well she heard about Rev. Taylor’s brother. He died yesterday, seemed he was severely overweight, someone said over four-hundred pounds. Well, anyway, Rev. Taylor will be gone for most of the next week. Ellie said people who had seen him said they had never seen Rev. Taylor so upset. He kept saying he should have done more, that it wasn’t his brother’s fault that he was so overweight, that he should have been more patient with his brother. You know Rev. Taylor; he always seems to come up with a smile, even if it’s at the last minute. I’ve never seen him seem troubled by anything. Ellie said that people that saw him yesterday, they were trying to comfort him, said they have never seen anyone so upset, just completely broken, sobbing, and everything. We must be sure to remember Rev. Taylor in our prayers.”
Christie Veit looked at herself in the full length, bevel-edged mirror. Encased in a frame of darkened carved wood, it hung between two matching posts. It had been an expensive purchase that day at the auction house, maybe her single most extravagant act of treating herself ever. The mirror was the only piece of furniture she owned for which she had plans to place in her dream house. The mirror would tell her on those occasions when she needed to hear it, that she was a very attractive woman, her hair, her face, her figure, other than the color of her blue eyes which she would have preferred to be green, she wouldn’t change anything. She was quick and resourceful with the “no thank you’s” she dispensed over the years to men she didn’t care for. Lee was different; it became unmistakable to her after spending so much time with him since the previous fall. He was good and hers to protect. Her brother Sam “had been snuffed out by a savage, twisted fate slipping past the vigilance of a loving God,” said scribbled words punctuated with red marker on a postcard with no return address among the many pieces of mail she received after her brother died. Her early, ephemeral infatuation with Lee became linked to a vengeance borne from that one anonymous note she could never forget. She would cheat the dark power from claiming another victim. She didn’t blame God; she was just confused.
Yes, she would protect Lee at all costs. She might have to forgo college; she knew Lee was coping badly with the prospect of her going away. But how would they support themselves? Maybe she had done all she could for Lee. After all, his mother was back now; she could take care of him. And what about Bobby DeFlore? She saw that look in his eyes as the star kicker from state university spoke with her. If she became Bobby’s girl she knew she would be popular, well-known as she walked with him on campus and went to parties, and watched in the stands as he played football and broke the school scoring record.
Bobby was a silly thought. Her life would be with Lee; somehow, she would make it work. But when Christie returned from her three-day weekend, Audrey Plennington was ready. It had never crossed Christie’s mind. She thought the odds greater that she would win the Mega Jackpot Lottery on one of those occasions when the top prize got over two-hundred million dollars. Audrey brought a surgeon’s skill to making a story sleazy. In her pert, condescending manner, she described an afternoon in a prose full of suggestive blanks that Christie’s reluctant mind could not refrain from filling in. She examined the mirror, looking carefully for any defect the reflection might define.
When she heard the knock at the door she looked at the clock and rushed over to turn off the burners on the stove. She took one last look in the mirror before opening the door.
“Hi Christie. That smells very good. I know that is roast chicken and I can smell Stove Top stuffing. That is another favorite dinner of mine. I brought an apple pie for dessert. My mother said I should bring something over to celebrate about seeing Ed Turley this weekend, so she bought me an apple pie. I told her apple pie was your favorite,” Lee said as he leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. She took the pie and pulled away.
“Christie, is there something wrong?”
“Maybe you should tell me if there is something wrong.”
“I do not know what you mean, Christie.”
�
��I find it hard to believe her sometimes, but at other times she can be very convincing and if you must know, I was sick in my stomach when she told me.”
“Who told you what that you got sick in your stomach?”
“Well let’s try someone we both know; someone it seems you might know better than I thought: Audrey Plennington.”
“I do not know what you are talking about Christie.”
“Last Thursday, you were at Audrey’s house?”
Lee’s head dropped.
“I was at Mrs. Plennington’s house because I was helping Reid with his new landscaping business. She saw one of his cards about his new business and she needed to have the mulch put down before her big party last weekend. Reid said she recommended me for the job. But then Reid got in trouble with his boss and so he had to stay at that job longer. Then he told me to take a cab and start working on the mulch because he said Mrs. Plennington would give us a bonus if we got the job done before dark.”
“Remember I asked whose house you were working at, and you never answered me? Why didn’t you tell me you were at Audrey’s?”
“I was scared, I get very confused sometimes when I am around Mrs. Plennington..”
“Were you in the house alone with her?”
“She asked me into her house, she said I needed to take a break and that she had fixed me a snack.”
“Did you hold her?”
“Did I hold her?”
“Did you? I’ll tell you what she told me and two of the other instructors at the spa. Just picture her saying this. ‘It was nice seeing Lee at the house on Thursday. He wanted to come in, he was so thirsty and had been working up such a sweat. I gave him some sweet tea and brownies. He gave me such a big hug almost wouldn’t let me go, guess it was his way of saying thanks. He said he really liked being at the house. I’m glad I made him happy; he’s had such a rough life, and now with his father gone, well, I hope he’ll be all right. He’s such a nice boy, guess not really a boy anymore.’ That’s what Audrey Plennington told us at the spa this morning.”
“She hugged me first. It did not happen the way she said. I did not want to hug her, but we were alone in the house and I did not know what to do. I was very happy when I heard Reid’s truck coming up the driveway. I was able to get out of the house then.”
“Is that all that happened?”
“Lee hesitated. He would beg to be forgiven if she knew otherwise. “Yes, that is all that happened.” He held his breath, hoping he saw no signs in her expression that Audrey Plennington had said anything about where her hands were.
“Lee, do you remember being upset about how you thought Bobby DeFlore was looking at me. How do you think I feel when Audrey Plennington tells me all this?”
“It will never happen again. I will not go back to her house again even if Reid needs help. I will not come to the spa anymore, and if Mrs. Plennington walks over to me when I am at the piano in the parish hall after church, I will walk away in a hurry.”
“Lee, you can’t give her a chance to make something out of even the tiniest thing.”
“There will not be even the tiniest thing, Christie.”
“There are so many things we have to work out Lee,” she said as she put her arms around him. Lee’s arms wrapped around her and he watched in the mirror as she placed her head against his chest. There was nothing more beautiful than looking at his hands firm around her waist. Lee rested his head on hers. She pulled back, smiled and kissed him. “Let’s get your chicken and stuffing. We’ll have a nice dinner. You’ve got an important week ahead of you.”
Wednesday afternoon, minutes before Reid was due to pick up Lee, Coach Clement Ezzer called. “Okay Lee, just spoke with Ed Turley. Got a pencil and paper?”
“Yes, I do Coach, I have them right here.”
“Okay, okay. We’re going to meet Coach Turley at the football field at St. Leo’s College.”
Lee listened carefully and wrote down the interstate and exit numbers and the street names to St. Leo’s College. He read them to the Coach.
“Good, good, I figure it will take us about four hours and Ed wants to meet us at ten o’clock sharp and he wants you and Bobby all warmed up before he gets there. You still planning to drive up with Reid?”
“Yes, we plan to drive up together and get there the night before so I can get a good night’s sleep.”
“Good, good, that’s good. I’m going to tell Bobby to do the same thing. You sure that truck of Reid’s will make it okay?”
“I asked Reid that same question and he said no sweat. He said that his truck could make it clear across the United States if it had to.”
“Okay, I guess I’m glad we’re not going across the United States. Coach Turley is looking forward to seeing you boys but he’s not going to have a lot of time. He really doesn’t need it you know; he’s had a lot of years that tell him pretty quick if he likes what he sees. Do your best Lee, do just what you were doing the other day. Just don’t bring that head up too fast. Remember what I told you and you’ll do fine and then we’ll see. What’s to be is to be, life is as simple as that.”
“Yes, coach I will do my best and I will remember everything you told me. I have been working hard so I can do a good job on Saturday. I will be stretched and ready at 10 o’clock.”
“Good, good. I will see you then.”
Marian Fitts took Lee, Reid, Christie, Ellie, and D.H. out for pizza on Thursday night. They laughed as they hadn’t in many years, sometimes at things Reid said even though he wasn’t trying to be funny. Christie wiped pizza sauce from Lee’s face and Marian said she had never known Lee from the time he was very young to eat pizza without getting sauce on his face. Ellie’s Coke slipped and most of it landed in D.H.’s lap. D.H. tried not to laugh at first, but burst out so that a tiny bit of mucus hung from his nose which made Ellie laugh even harder as she reached to wipe his nose. “Mrs. Fitts, you better get a hold of this unruly group,” Reid deadpanned.
“It’s so good seeing everyone having a good time,” Marian Fitts said, her wide eyes focusing on a picture she wanted to hold on to forever.
Three pizzas were gone and the pitchers of soda were almost empty. D.H. poured what remained so that everyone had enough for a toast. “Here’s to Lee; here’s to his doing the best he can do and letting him know we’re with him no matter what.”
There were a lot of smiles, and a tear in Marian’s eye as she watched Lee and Christie embrace and say their goodbyes before he and Reid left to get ready for the next day’s travel.
“I can take you home, Mrs. Fitts,” Christie said as she returned to the table.
“Are you sure? Ellie and D.H. had planned to take me.”
“It’s not a problem at all.”
“Very well. Ellie I’ll talk to you later and thank you and you too, D.H. for making this such a pleasant evening.”
“That it was, Mom,” she said as D.H. nodded.
“Lee tells me you work for Audrey Plennington. I understand she has a nice exercise facility.”
“Yes, I do, it’s just part-time, but the pay is decent and it helps me stay in shape.”
“I haven’t seen Audrey since I returned. We spoke a bit when I came home. She was my very good friend when I left, but we didn’t keep in touch as we probably should have. She was a very good friend and helped me tremendously after the crash – she was a very good listener. I tried to think I helped her also when she had her problem.” Marian realized she might have gone on more than needed.
“Is she all right?” Christie asked as she thought this might shed light on why Audrey was the way she was.
Marian looked at her. “Maybe I’ve said too much, but, well, you and Lee have gotten so close and I see for myself how kind you are. I’m sure we’ll be sharing a lot in the future. Please don’t think me a gossip. Audrey is a very good person; it’s just that she went through so much.”
“Went through?”
“About a year before the event that changed
all our lives, Audrey went through a very nasty divorce. Her husband had been abusive, physically and emotionally. It was amazing the job she did to hide that. However, she was crushed beyond belief by her husband’s carrying on. Not just one woman either. He was going out with several; all from town. And he did nothing to hide it. It seemed the more brazen it was, the better he liked it because he knew it humiliated Audrey. He spent money with little regard. It was all Audrey’s money that she got from her family when she turned twenty-one. Audrey was beautiful and I imagine she still is, but she was destroyed and spent her time at home in the fetal position. Her parents stepped in, hired a big-time divorce attorney and it all ended pretty quickly. I often thought about her as Lee was recovering and thought at times that what she went through had the same destructive force as that train hitting the school bus. I spent a lot of time with her, trying to help, and it often seemed that she’d never snap out of it. Yet, an amazing transformation took place when Lee was hurt. It seemed she poured her emotional energy into helping me and my family. And it seems too that now she has become a successful business woman.”
“That is an amazing story. I’m so glad it seems to have a happy ending,” Christie said, although not sure why she said happy ending. Christie had begun putting the pieces together: Did Audrey think Lee was safe, wouldn’t harm her, someone she could control? And would she be as conniving as necessary to get him?
“Oh, one thing, Audrey did mention, she has started seeing someone.” Christie’s body tightened. “Yes, actually someone I knew; John Cantoli from church. He was always such a nice man. He doesn’t go to our church anymore and Audrey has visited his new church a few times. I’m happy for her. John is a very nice man; I’m sure she’ll fill me in when we get together.”