A Marriage Takes Two

by Janet Lane-Walters

  With me, it’s, “Mrs. Flynn I would like to order a complete blood count on this patient.” He even spoke in a slow, even tempo like she was too dumb to understand. Much more of his special treatment and she’d scream.

  She poured a cup of coffee and slumped in the green couch. The first sip brought a sigh. It was just what she needed to help her devise a plan of attack designed to grab Tony’s interest. She wanted to help him realize his feelings for Marilyn were nothing but a bad habit that could be broken. It was a shame she didn’t know her coworkers well enough to involve them. Jane, Beth, and Ruth, were friendly and fun, but they were still on the getting to know you level. Plus, they were Tony’s friends, and she was sure he hadn’t given them a hint of the reason for the marriage.

  The lounge door opened. Hazel paused on the threshold. Her eyes were red-rimmed. Her hair was uncombed and her blouse mis-buttoned.

  Carrie put her cup down and crossed the room. “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Ben. Dr. Flynn’s sending him to the medical center. His breathing’s real bad. I have to go with him.”

  “Of course you do.”

  “What about Chad? He can’t come home to an empty house.” Tears pooled in the older woman’s eyes. “My fault. I should have called the doctor yesterday. I should have made that stubborn old man come to the clinic. Should have called the boys. They would of made him listen.”

  Carrie put her arm around Hazel’s shoulders. “Should haves are hindsight and don’t mean a thing. I’m sure you tried. Don’t worry about us. Tony and I will handle Chad’s schedule. Ben needs you to be there for him.”

  “Are you sure? I hate hospitals.”

  “I know the feeling. Go and don’t worry about a thing.”

  “Who’ll cook?”

  “There’s the microwave, and we can eat out. We won’t starve.” She hugged Hazel. “Go. Give Ben my best.”

  “Bless you.”

  “Drive carefully.”

  “I will.”

  As soon as Hazel left, Carrie carried her coffee to Ruth’s office. She tapped on the door.

  Ruth looked up. “Carrie, what’s happening?”

  “Am I interrupting?”

  “Just the dreaded monthly schedule. Got a problem?”

  “I need a favor.” Carrie explained the situation. “Tony’s on house calls, and I hate to ask when I’m new, but could I leave early?”

  “No problem. Tomorrow, take Jo’s seven to three. I’ll call her. She won’t mind coming in at nine for a change. You’d better call the school. The driver can drop Chad off here.”

  “I’ll do that. Thanks for the schedule change. How can I repay you?”

  “Want to do the schedule?”

  “Just show me how and I’ll give it a try. Never had the experience of doing one.”

  “Not this time, but I plan to show you how to do a lot of things around here.”

  Why, Carrie wondered, but she didn’t ask. She turned to leave. “I’d better call the school. Again, thanks.”

  “No problem. Helping each other is one of the good things about working here.”

  “See you later.” Carrie continued to the second floor. I really like it here, she thought.

  As she prepared for afternoon med rounds, Tony entered the small room and closed the door. “We have a problem.”

  “Already solved. Hazel told me about Ben. Ruth arranged a schedule switch for the duration.”

  “Efficiency. I like that. I had visions of Chad trying to cook and burning the house down, or having the gang over. What if he beats you home?”

  “Won’t happen. The bus will drop him off here. He can wait in the lounge for me.”

  Tony rolled his eyes. “What if he goes exploring?”

  “Trust me. This will be better than him being alone at the house for fifteen minutes. How’s Ben?”

  “Pneumonia. Not good with his already compromised respiratory system.”

  “Will he be all right?”

  “Hope so. We caught the infection early.” He leaned against the door. “What about dinner?”

  “Pizza.”

  Tony groaned.

  “Then soup and sandwiches. Microwave dinners. Chad and I can run to the store.”

  “That’s almost an hour round trip and we planned to start his room.”

  “We’ll do what we have to do.” With the door closed, the room seemed too small and Tony too near. The scent of him was doing strange things to her body, not to mention her thoughts. “Let me get these meds out so I can finish charting and be ready for him.’

  He opened the door. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Those words raised her hopes and she tried to squash them. He meant his words mainly because he was worried about his son. “Glad I’m here.”

  “See you around five thirty. I wish…” He waved and left.

  What had he been about to say? The question remained in her thoughts while she gave the medicines, wrote her notes and hurried to the lounge to meet Chad. She opened the door. He sat on the couch.

  “How come I had to come here?” he asked.

  “Ben’s in the hospital and Hazel’s with him.”

  “Do I have to stay here until you and Dad get off work?” He pointed to the machines. “Can I have a snack? I’m starved.”

  “Aren’t you always?” She fished in her purse for some change. “We’ll take it home. I’m off...How was school?”

  He fed coins into the machine and pressed buttons. “Got a ninety in math and a hundred in spelling. Can I go see Ben?”

  “He’s at the medical center.” She opened the lounge door and headed toward the parking lot. The sky was pewter gray. Rain or snow? “We can call when we get home.”

  “I guess...No.”

  She put her hand on his shoulder. “I thought Ben was your friend.”

  “Maybe.” His lower lip quivered.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Doesn’t look like nothing to me.” She leaned in the car and checked his seatbelt.

  “He left me. Dad left me. Mom left me. Everybody does.”

  “You’re with your dad now, and I’m here.”

  “You won’t stay.”

  Carrie’s breath caught in her throat. She wanted to stay, but he was right. She couldn’t unless Tony asked her. “Your dad and I are married.” She pulled into the street.

  “Not.”

  She didn’t know how to respond. She and Tony had to stop mincing around. “I wish I could explain. I’m not leaving. I just took a job at the clinic...and...I want to be here.”

  When they reached the house, she remained in the car. How could she explain anything to Chad when she didn’t know what would happen?

  “Can we start in my room?”

  “After you do your homework. We need to go to the store and buy stuff for dinner.”

  “You can’t cook.” He shot out of the car and ran to the house. “Don’t want to go to the store.”

  “Then we’ll find something here. There are some packages of soup in the pantry and I make a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”

  “Dad can cook burgers.”

  “He could, but let’s surprise him.”

  “And go to the mall. They’ve got burgers and pizza there.”

  Carrie nodded. “Maybe your dad will be tired. Maybe I can find a cookbook. Finish your homework while I look.”

  The phone rang and she welcomed the interruption. Had she argued like that when she was a kid? “Mary...Is Mom all right?”

  The aide reassured her. Carrie sat at the table. “Thanksgiving? No, we don’t have plans. That would be nice...I won’t have mastered cooking by then.” Mary’s hearty laughter made Carrie smile. “She’s coming around. That’s good...Chad? She wants him...I’ll let you know.” She hung up. “We’ve been invited for Thanksgiving dinner at my mom’s.”

  Chad put his pencil down. “I can’t go.”

  “Why not?”
>
  “My mom won’t let me. Dad said she gets to have me on holidays the way he used to.”

  “Wouldn’t you rather be with us? My mom asked for you especially.”

  “That won’t matter. I have to go to my mother’s. You know, last Christmas, she was mad at Dad and wouldn’t let me come here. I had to go to Brian’s.”

  “Was it fun?”

  He scowled. “No.”

  “Maybe she’ll change her mind. I would like you to come with us.”

  “She won’t. She’ll make me leave here, ‘specially since you’re here. You just asked me to please Dad. He likes Mom better than you.”

  Since she feared that was the truth, she didn’t respond. She returned to the pantry and took two boxes of soup from the shelf. “Which do you want? Beef or chicken? And you said Hazel showed you how to make grilled cheese sandwiches.”

  “That’s lunch stuff.”

  “Sometimes I have breakfast things for dinner.” He almost smiled. “When your dad comes home, we’ll ask him about Thanksgiving. I’m sure he wants you to be with us.” She bent to take out a pan.

  “He never listens to anyone but her.”

  The sound of shattering glass made her jump. “Chad!”

  “Don’t have to listen to you either. She don’t want me to live here. Don’t want your old soup. My mom would get me good food.”

  “Chad, please.”

  “I hate you.” He ran from the room.

  Carrie slumped in a chair and buried her face in her hands. Tony had to tell Chad the entire story. Delay would only make matters worse. She shuddered to think how he would react when he learned his mother didn’t want him. A frown wrinkled her forehead. Maybe he didn’t want to go and that was what made him act out?

  She walked into the hall and listened to the noises from upstairs. Though she’d planned to start in his room, she wouldn’t go there now.

  The front door opened and Tony walked in. Just then, a door slammed. “What’s wrong?”

  “He’s upset.”

  “What set him off?”

  “An invitation from my mother for Thanksgiving dinner. She practically asked for him.” She planted her hands on her hips. “Why haven’t you told him?”

  “I will.”

  She sighed. “That’s what you always say and you don’t. I know you’ve always had trouble telling people things that will hurt them, but you were never a coward.”

  Tony started upstairs. “I wish I could find a way to tell him that won’t destroy him.”

  “Have you ever thought he might want to stay with you? Maybe he doesn’t want to live with his mother and is acting out of fear.”

  “How can you say that? She’s his mother. Would you have wanted to leave yours? I know even if my dad had come for me, I wouldn’t have gone.”

  Carrie turned away. His mother and hers were the kind of women Tony believed Marilyn was. How wrong she believed he was. “He’s your child. Do what you must. I’ll start dinner.”

  Tony watched her walk away. Why couldn’t she see Chad belonged with his mother? All children did.

  He paused on the landing. He hadn’t told Carrie about Hazel’s suggestion that Chad spend the weekend in the city with her to help fill the time between visits to Ben. With Chad’s behavior, that was out. There went a chance for him and Carrie to be alone and sort out where they were going. He had a feeling if they could, the problem of Chad might be easier solved.

  His stomach churned. Resentment of his ex-wife’s self-centered attitude grew. He paused outside his son’s room. The sound of Chad’s sobbing hurt.

  “Chad.” He opened the door. A suitcase lay on the bed. Chad was jamming clothes inside. “What are you doing?”

  “Leaving.”

  “Why?”

  “What did she tell you? She hates me.”

  “Who?” Had Chad talked to his mother?

  “Carrie. I broke a plate on purpose. I yelled at her. She don’t want me here.”

  “Did she say that? I don’t think she hates you.” He put his arm around his son.

  “How can she like me when I’m so mean?”

  Tony stroked Chad’s hair. “She said you were worried about Ben, and upset about Thanksgiving.”

  “Is Ben going to die?”

  “His pneumonia is getting better. Last I heard, he’s breathing easier.”

  “But he won’t live forever.”

  “No, he won’t, but no one lives forever.”

  “Everybody leaves me. Is it because I’m bad?”

  “You’re not bad.”

  “One time I kicked Brian and Mom said I was bad. She smacked me.”

  “Are you worried about yelling at Carrie?”

  Chad nodded. “You’re sending me back to Mom, right? I want to live with you...and...Mom...”

  “That’s impossible. You’re staying with me.”

  “Then Carrie will leave.”

  “She won’t.”

  “Mom don’t want me to live here. She said if you ever got married again, she would stop you and I’d never see you again.”

  “She didn’t stop me.”

  “But she isn’t home, and she’ll make me live in Brian’s house when she gets back. She says I belong to her.”

  “You won’t go back. That’s a promise. You have choices, and if you want to stay here every day, you can. You don’t even have to visit her.”

  Chad shook his head. “You don’t know her.”

  Maybe Chad was right, but Marilyn’s latest plan showed there was no room in her life for her son. “There’s something else. Hazel wanted you to go to the city and stay at the hotel. Maybe visit Ben and go to the museum.”

  Chad stared at his feet. “I can’t go. I’m on punishment, right?”

  Tony nodded. “What do you think your punishment should be?”

  “Tell Carrie I’m sorry. No TV and no phone. Maybe a spanking.”

  “Have I ever spanked you?”

  “No, but...never mind.” Chad looked up. “I would really like to see Ben.”

  “Let’s see how the rest of the week goes.”

  “I’ll be good. Maybe I’d better show Carrie how to make grilled cheese.”

  “Good idea. I think she’s started the soup. Bet she burns it.”

  “Dad, it’s one of those boxes. Who could ruin that?”

  Tony stepped into the hall. “I smell something and it’s not Hazel’s coffee.”

  “Come on, Dad, we have to take care of Carrie.”

  * * *

  On Friday afternoon, Carrie reached for the last chart in the stack. One more note and she was done. In fifteen minutes, the bus would drop Chad off and they’d pack for his weekend trip. She and Tony would be alone, and the idea unsettled her. How would she keep from acting in some foolish way?

  “Carrie.”

  The sound of his voice caused her pen to slide across the page. “What’s up?”

  “You busy?”

  “One chart, and then I have to meet Chad.” She stared at his serious expression. “Did Hazel change her mind?”

  “Not that I know of. Just wanted to know if you’d like to come when I drive Chad to the city.”

  “His furniture’s being delivered.”

  “I forgot. We’re not ready.”

  “All we have to do is paint. I’ll start when I get home. Pick up a pizza for dinner.”

  “He’s still got a bunch of stuff all over the room.”

  “He’ll clear it out, never fear. Don’t be a pessimist. You never used to be one.”

  Not until Marilyn announced her pregnancy and he’d known he would marry her. Once he’d been like Carrie and seen life as a series of adventures. “Guess I have been.”

  “You got that.”

  She looked into his eyes and saw desire. He wanted her, and she wanted him. Tomorrow night they would be alone. She’d find a way to change his mind about the nature of the marriage. She closed the chart and rose. “Let me go. Chad’s waiting.”


  “Carrie.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re good for him, and you’ve been good for me.”

  “Thanks.” She headed to the stairs.

  He caught her hand and turned her to face him. His lips brushed hers in a kiss as fleeting as a shadow. She stepped toward him. This was what she wanted and what she needed.

  What about his love?

  An impossible dream.

  “Sorry,” he said.

  “This isn’t a good place.”

  “Or a good time,” he said.

  She hurried away. He needed her, but not forever, and not for love. “Or a good idea,” she whispered.

  “See you later,” he called. “There’s something we need to discuss. Something you can’t continue avoiding.”

  What did he mean? She couldn’t afford to be hurt by him again. This time, she wouldn’t recover. On Wednesday, they would meet Mr. Hurcutt. He would sign the money over. Then she’d be free to leave, though she wanted to stay.

  * * *

  Tony watched Carrie. He shouldn’t have kissed her. At least not here. For a brief instant, there’d been hunger in her eyes. Her response confused him. She’d always been open and impatient. Since the wedding, she’d become wary. Tomorrow they would talk about the will and decide what to do. Would she opt to keep the truth from the attorney? Would they make love if neither of them could speak of commitment?

  He started downstairs. To continue to think about the marriage was to go in circles. He entered the first examining room and immersed himself in the needs of a patient.

  “Mrs. Greene, I’m pleased. Your pressure’s down and you’ve lost five pounds. Any dizziness with the new medicine?”

  The elderly and over-weight woman shook her head. “Not so’s I noticed. Been eating bananas like you said. What’s the story about Ben Smithton?”

  “He’s improving.”

  “My man died from the black lung. Was in the days afore much could be done. Been a widow near thirty years.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  “Nothing a body could do. Beth give me a new diet. Gonna lose five more pounds. Got a great grand coming. Want to be around to see her smile.”