A Little Bit of Déjà Vu

by Laurie Kellogg

  “Sure, no sweat.”

  As Emma followed them inside and down the hall, Margie pushed her back toward the living room. “Em, go sit down and relax. You’re supposed to stay off your feet.”

  A moment later in the bedroom, Margie grabbed Alex’s arm as he started to remove the bedding. “The mattress really isn’t why I called you in here. I wanted to talk to you privately.”

  “About?”

  “I thought you should know Emma’s feeling a little insecure. Something’s clearly bothering you. She’s thinks you’ve lost interest in her because her belly is growing.”

  “No.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “I’ve just been thinking about football and starting school.”

  “You seem more than just preoccupied. Are you worried about something?”

  He plopped down on the bed and rested his face in his hands. “I’m not sure I want to play ball anymore. I don’t know how to tell my dad. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

  “What happened to change your mind?”

  “It’s just not fun anymore.” How could it be when there was so much pressure on him to live up to his father’s reputation?

  She laid her hand on his shoulder. “Then talk to your dad and tell him. He’ll understand.”

  “I’ve tried, but he’s been pretty distracted lately. Maybe you could discuss it with him. When you speak, he listens.”

  “That would be a little tough considering I’m trying to avoid your father.” She chuckled. “Besides, it’s a conversation the two of you need to have. I suggest you do it soon. You’re supposed to leave to start training in three weeks.”

  He held up one hand and headed for the hall. “Don’t remind me.”

  “Please, Alex, talk to Emma and reassure her. When a woman is pregnant she feels about as desirable as a manatee.”

  He stopped in his tracks, reminded of the other thing that had been bothering him. He should’ve asked the doctor that afternoon, but he’d gotten distracted by the man’s concern over Em’s blood pressure. “Uhh—Mom, I can’t hurt the baby, can I? You know—when I’m lovin’ Emma?”

  “No.” She smiled. “Not if you’re gentle.”

  “Thanks.” That was one worry off his mind.

  “You know, Alex, there’re lots of great websites on the Internet about pregnancy. You should check some of them out.”

  “Good idea. I will.” He strode into the living room, hoisted Emma off the sofa, and nuzzled her neck. “Let’s go, Angel.”

  When they got outside to the Explorer he pressed her against the door and cupped one of her breasts. How could she think he didn’t want her? If she would just stop hiding under the blankets from him, she might find out how much her body turned him on. “I can’t wait to get you home, so I can touch you without all these clothes.”

  She wound her arms around his neck and sighed. “I love you so much.”

  His cell phone rang inside the car. Emma reached into the Explorer and answered it. “Hello?” Her face flushed in fury. “No, you can’t talk to him. He’s my husband. You got that?”

  “Who is it?”

  As he reached for the phone, Emma flung it to the ground and stomped on it. “That was your girlfriend, Braandy.”

  He stared at Emma in shock. He’d never seen her so infuriated before. It wasn’t fair for her to look so damn enticing. Especially when she was so pissed at him and the last thing she wanted was for him to touch her. “Angel, calm down.” He picked the phone up. “There’s nothing going on between Brandy and me.”

  If he told her how gorgeous she was when her cheeks flamed and her eyes sparked, she’d probably smack him.

  “Oh? Then why’s she calling you? Tell me that.”

  “How the hell should I know? I haven’t talked to her since before graduation.” His stomach sunk as he recalled Greg’s note. Had Brandy been calling to tell him something about Phil? “I don’t even know how she got my cell phone number.” He punched the power button on the phone and nothing happened. “Damn it, you broke it.”

  “Good. Now she can’t call you anymore.”

  He counted to ten silently under his breath. She’s pregnant, insecure—a little irrational.

  “Emma, I swear on our baby’s life, I don’t want that slut. You’re the only one I ever think about. Now get in the damn Explorer, so I can take you home and spank your sexy bottom for breaking my phone.”

  ~~~

  The following evening, Jake squeezed his way into the high school’s packed library for the closed hearing prior to the public board meeting. The place had standing room only.

  What was everyone doing there already? Had he misunderstood what time Petrillo had said the board wanted to meet with him?

  Mrs. Newberry elbowed her way through the crowd to greet him. “Thank you so much for what you’ve done for Simon, Coach Manion. I can’t believe the change in him in the last month.”

  “Simon’s the one who’s done it. All I did was help Mrs. Bradford convince him of how bright he is.”

  “I’m very grateful to both of you. It’s a lot more than anyone else ever did for him. The board is going to get an earful from me tonight if they even suggest replacing you.”

  “You heard about that?”

  “Mr. Petrillo’s secretary is my neighbor. We made sure all the parents knew about this.”

  So that was why so many people were there. Even his son’s doctor had shown up.

  “I appreciate the support.” He hoped. A lot of attendees could simply be curiosity seekers looking for some excitement to spice up an otherwise boring summer evening.

  Alex waved to him and pointed to the seat he’d saved for him in the front row with Emma and Maggie. The crowd fell silent as he wandered down the aisle between the rows of chairs, feeling like a condemned man.

  At the front of the room, he paused next to Maggie. She had ignored the twelve messages he’d left on her answering machine since the night before.

  She shrugged one shoulder. “Don’t read anything into me coming early. This afternoon, I received an anonymous note saying I’d be getting mine tonight, too. I assume Mrs. Carmichael told her pervert husband what she heard, and now he’s planning to malign my character as well. So I guess I can forget about my book club. I’ll be lucky to keep my job.”

  “I’m sorry.” Jake continued past Emma and Alex and sat in the empty chair his son had saved for him.

  When the board assembled in front of them, Howard Carmichael banged the gavel on the table. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a closed executive session. The public portion of the meeting doesn’t begin until seven-thirty.”

  Bill Sutton called out from the back. “We’ve heard you’re deciding whether to retain Mr. Manion as a teacher. I’d like to be heard before you do, just as I suspect these other parents would.”

  The mob applauded.

  Howard held his hands up. “There’s time in the agenda for the public to comment after the superintendent’s report. You’ll have to wait until then.” He turned to the other eight board members. “It’ll take all night to get these people out of here. I suggest we move the executive session to the audio-visual room.”

  Jake leaned forward and looked past his son and Emma to watch Maggie while she continued to stare straight ahead.

  A man shoved his way in the door and shouted over the racket in the room, “Mr. Manion, I’m Vance Lincoln, reporter for the Intelligencer.”

  Everyone’s mouth closed and all heads snapped toward the door.

  “My editor received a tip that the board is considering dismissing you because you purportedly lied on your job application. The allegation is you committed a felony act in California nineteen years ago. Would you like to comment?”

  The crowd gasped and every eye in the room turned to Jake. His stomach cramped at the smug expression on Howard Carmichael’s face.

  A felony? He looked at Maggie. The reporter must be referring to Jake sleeping with her in college. But how could the board preside
nt know about that? He glanced across the aisle at Pam Garner and raised his eyebrows.

  She shook her head and mouthed the words, Don’t look at me.

  He knew she would never betray his confidence. So if she hadn’t told Carmichael, who had? Howie must have proof if he was bringing it up before the board. The only way the chiropractor could have any evidence would be if Jake’s classroom had been bugged the day he’d talked to Pam.

  Still, it didn’t make sense for Carmichael to call the newspaper before he ousted Jake.

  Anthony Petrillo winked at him and gestured toward the reporter, encouraging Jake to answer the man. Had the superintendent called the press to give Jake the opportunity to publicly set the record straight?

  In reality, he would probably fair better that way as opposed to facing a closed session of Carmichael’s cronies and becoming the topic of whispered rumor and conjecture.

  Alex shook Jake’s shoulder. “Tell them it’s not true, Dad. The bastard’s lying.”

  “Technically he’s not.” He patted Alex’s arm and rose. The only way to save his reputation was to fess up to what had really happened. “Mr. Lincoln, I never falsified my job application, because I was never prosecuted or convicted of the incident you’re referring to.”

  “But you don’t deny raping a minor and getting her pregnant?” the reporter asked.

  A horrified murmur rumbled throughout the room as his son and Emma’s shocked faces both turned toward Maggie who just sat there, her eyes squeezed shut as if she were wishing she were invisible.

  “Statutory rape,” Jake corrected. “I was twenty-three, and the young lady was completely willing.”

  And eager and responsive. He’d relived the night a thousand times.

  “When I slept with her, I wasn’t aware she was still two months shy of turning eighteen, and once I learned she was having my baby, I offered to marry her.”

  “Why don’t you tell everyone who that girl was?” Howard taunted from the front table.

  Jake glared at him. “I don’t think that’s pertinent, seeing as she was an innocent minor.”

  “Maybe not. But the baby she conceived is relevant, and I’m sure everyone here is interested in what happened to him or her—especially your son and daughter-in-law.”

  That son of a bitch. Of course, Alex and Emma would want to know the fate of their half brother or sister.

  “Yes, what became of the baby?” the reporter pushed Carmichael’s point, just as Howard had clearly hoped he would. “Have you been a father to the child?”

  Jake swallowed hard and looked at Maggie, wishing their kids weren’t aware it was her everyone was referring to. He didn’t have much choice but to be forthcoming.

  “The pregnancy was terminated.”

  Emma peered at her mother as if she were seeing her for the very first time. Maggie stared down at her lap rather than meet her daughter’s gaze.

  “I’d like to add that it was this personal experience that turned the prevention of teen pregnancies into a crusade for me. So you see, Mr. Lincoln, I’m the perfect person to be teaching these people’s kids about sexual responsibility and abstinence because I know firsthand how easily a person can screw up his life.”

  Debbie Carmichael’s big hair caught Jake’s attention from the corner of the room. Why hadn’t Howard mentioned Maggie’s current pregnancy? Hadn’t his wife told him what she’d overheard?

  She flashed a genuine, reassuring smile at Jake and then scowled at her husband. Evidently she was against what her spouse was doing. It seemed the bastard had simply planned to humiliate Maggie by letting the world and their kids know she’d once had an abortion.

  Jake turned to the board and rocked back on his heels. “What I’d like to know, Dr. Carmichael, is how the board came to be in possession of this information? You must be able to substantiate the claims you’re intent on dismissing me for.”

  “I don’t need to prove anything. You’ve admitted you committed the crime whether you were prosecuted for it or not.”

  “Except I’m guessing you also broke the law. Since I was hired, I’ve only discussed this with one person in confidence at the school. I know the individual in question didn’t share this information, so I can only assume my classroom was bugged.”

  Guilt flickered in Carmichael’s eyes. “The administration has the right to monitor your classes.”

  “Yes, but they don’t have license to listen in outside of school hours when I have an expectation of privacy. I’m wondering if I should contact a lawyer to explore a possible violation of my rights under the federal communication laws.”

  Carmichael swaggered over to him and shoved a folder at him. “Rather than threatening me, Coach Manion, I think you ought to take a look at this before the board goes into executive session for a vote. Maybe you’d like to explain how this could happen while you were supposedly in charge?”

  Jake flipped open the folder and had to swallow back the sour bile rising from his stomach. He wanted to believe it was a retouched photo and his son hadn’t done something like that, but the horror in Alex’s eyes when he leaned over to see what was in the file betrayed his guilt.

  “You bastard,” Jake muttered through gritted teeth. “Your problem is with me. Leave my son out of this.”

  “No way,” Carmichael whispered so only Jake and Alex could hear. “I’m sure ESPN, the tabloids, as well as the coaching staff at Penn State, will be very interested to see this. You either voluntarily resign, Coach, or I’ll ruin your kid’s career just like you did my son’s.”

  ~~~

  Alex stared at the eight by ten glossy of him plastered against the shower wall in apparent ecstasy with Brandy’s mouth and hands on his buck-naked body. The picture made it seem even more sordid than the day it happened.

  Phil must have snapped the photo with his cell phone from behind their teammates because the backs of their heads were in the lower forefront of the print making it clear an audience had watched.

  This picture had to be why Brandy called him last night.

  He stiffened as he realized Emma must have overheard and had risen to peek past his shoulder at what the board president had given his dad.

  “Oh, God, no.” She sank back in her chair and buried her face in her hands.

  “Angel, it didn’t mean anything, I swear.” He tried to pull her into his arms, but she pummeled his shoulders and shoved him away.

  “Let go of me, you disgusting pig.” She turned to Maggie. “Mom, please take me home. I’m not feeling well.”

  As Emma raced out of the library followed by her mother, Alex stood to go after his wife. He froze when he caught a glimpse of the disillusionment in his father’s eyes and the victorious grin on Howard Carmichael’s face.

  Setting things straight with Emma would have to wait. He couldn’t let that bastard Carmichael get away with doing this to his dad. Alex faced the people who’d cheered for him on the football field for the last four years. “I’m sure all of you are wondering what’s in the folder Dr. Carmichael gave my father. Well, I’ll tell you, because I refuse to let him blackmail my dad into quitting a job he’s so good at.”

  “Alex, don’t.” His father grabbed his wrist and tried to push him back down into his seat.

  He yanked his arm away. “The file contains a photograph of me in the field house shower with a girl. You can use your imaginations to fill in the blanks.”

  Brian Carlton’s dad rose at the back of the room. “Alex, I guarantee any board member who votes to replace your father, on the basis of what we’ve heard here tonight, will lose his seat when it comes up for reelection. My son could be dead today except that your father takes the time to get to know his students and listens to them.”

  Tina Sutton’s mom stood up and chimed in, “That’s right. There’s not a parent in this room who isn’t grateful for your dad’s dedication to our kids.”

  Alex scanned the room and smiled. “Thank you, everyone. I won’t try to excuse myself
by telling you the girl pushed herself on me. However, I think you should know Dr. Carmichael only has this photograph because it was his son, Phil, who set me up and took the picture.”

  A dark-haired man in his early thirties stood in the back and cleared his throat. “Hi, I’m Dr. David Lambert. I’m sorry to say, I’m not a resident of Redemption. However, I established my pediatric practice in this town and hope to move here someday. My friend, Dr. Paul Brennan, on the other hand, has lived in this town for years. He wanted to be here tonight to speak on the Coach’s behalf, but one of his patients went into labor. Last semester, Paul talked to Mr. Manion’s classes about sexually transmitted diseases and was impressed with Mr. Manion’s rapport with the students. He told me he doesn’t know a finer young man than Alex or a better father than Jake Manion.”

  “Paul told me the same thing, David.” All eyes turned to Doc Foster as he rose next to the young pediatrician. “I am a resident. As most of you know, I founded the Redemption Family Health Center, and my wife, Abby, and I have lived here for nearly forty years. I can’t divulge any specifics, but several of your children have consulted me about drug, alcohol, and sexual issues simply because Coach Manion took an interest in his students and encouraged them to visit me.”

  Doc Foster and his wife were more than simply long-time residents of Redemption. They were the backbone of the community. Doc had been Alex’s scoutmaster, and his wife had taught Alex’s Sunday school class for several years.

  From what I’ve heard here tonight,”—Doc pointed at the school board president—“I suspect this man is the one the school district should be getting rid of—not Jake Manion.”

  “Don’t worry, Matt,” Dr. Webber, Alex’s dentist, spoke up from the seat next to Mrs. Foster. “I think it’s clear to everyone that Howard Carmichael has used his position on the board to carry out a personal vendetta against the Manion family. I promise you, he’s done his last adjustment on my back.”

  Dr. Carmichael glared at Alex and muttered under his breath, “You’re gonna get yours, you little shit.”

  “You don’t scare me.” Alex scowled back at him and snorted. “Hell, if the politicians in our country can survive a scandal like this, sadly enough, if you make that picture public, you just might turn me into a campus hero.”