by Kelly Utt
“What a surprise, Beatrice!” he replied, bowing towards her in a stifled, phony pose. “Who’s your friend?”
Bea swallowed hard. This was the first of many moments of truth she would have to face in the coming days. All her talk about honesty would mean nothing if her actions weren’t in line with her speech. She thought about introducing Travis as her boyfriend. Or significant other.
Did thirty-something adults call each other boyfriend and girlfriend?
But John and Max didn’t know yet, and she owed it to them to let them hear the news first.
“This is Travis Earl,” Bea said without describing her relationship to him. “Travis, meet Kyle Hodges. He’s a colleague of John’s.”
Travis extended a hand to shake Kyle’s. Bea was again struck by how strong and handsome Travis looked compared to John and his fellow office-worker types. “Pleased to meet you,” Travis said politely.
“Does your husband know you and Travis are here together? And that you’ve taken off your wedding ring?” Kyle asked with a serious expression on his face.
Bea could see Travis tense up. She hadn’t told him about last night at Honey Hog, so he didn’t know she already thought Kyle was strange. He was getting that idea on his own.
“Kyle, it was great to meet you,” Travis said, standing up out of the booth and flexing his muscles like he had done in the school office with John. He positioned himself in between Kyle and Bea. “If you don’t mind, we’d like to get back to our lunch. It looks like our waitress has our food ready. You have a good day now.”
Kyle raised his eyebrows and looked shocked as Kai arrived at the table. She sat Bea and Travis’ plates down in what turned out to be perfect timing. Kyle huffed, then turned on his heel like a soldier doing an about face. He walked out of the diner, letting the door slam behind him.
“Sorry about that,” Bea said, forgetting that she didn’t have to apologize around Travis.
“You don’t have to…”
“I know. Let me rephrase. That guy is weird. I appreciate you getting rid of him. I have to admit, it’s hot when you stand up and flex all of your muscles like that. You make every other man feel physically inferior. And I’m the lucky lady who gets to feel those muscles up close and personal.”
“I don’t know about all that,” Travis said as he took a gulp of tea and slathered some mayonnaise on his sandwich. “I’m not trying to make other men feel inferior. Not trying to show my physical dominance or anything.”
“You mean lesser men,” Bea added with a smile.
“If you say so. But you know I’d lay down my life for you, right?”
“Wow,” Bea said. “Talk about heavy.”
“Oh, that didn’t come out quite as slow as I would have liked. I mean… I guess I could have built up to that a little better.”
Bea reached across the table for Travis’ hand. She didn’t care who might notice. “I hear you. And it’s sweet. I really do love the way you adore me.”
They both smiled as they ate their lunch and talked. The interaction between them was effortless. And the attraction remained intense. Bea found herself thinking about when they would make love again. It was better than thinking about being arrested, she reasoned.
When they were finished at the diner, Bea and Travis sat in Gabby’s parked car and got on their mobile phones to spread the word about the evening press conference. Bea messaged her sisters, Gabby, and her mom to invite them all to attend. She asked that Lana wait to tell Max until Bea could be there to do it herself, but she wanted her mom to have a heads up since the event had the potential to be momentous. Travis made calls to the media, and he made arrangements for the event to take place outside of town hall. No special permission was needed to assemble in the public square, but he let town officials know as a courtesy.
“How about John?” Travis asked. “He has a right to know.”
As if on cue, Bea’s phone rang. She recognized the number as her husband’s.
“Hello?” Bea said as she answered.
“Another video has been released. I thought you’d like to know,” John said. “This one may be substantially more upsetting to you than the last. I’m sorry.” Then he hung up the phone. They were beyond cordial greetings and unnecessary words.
37
When Bea and Travis arrived at the Hughes house, the reporters from the morning were nowhere to be found. John’s SUV was gone. As Bea parked Gabby’s car and they walked towards the back patio, she saw that Myra White was sitting outside with Lana.
“Bea!” Myra said. “You’re just the person I was hoping to see.”
“Is that so?” Bea asked as she walked over to give her neighbor a polite hug. “Let me first introduce you and Mom to my friend, Travis.”
Lana looked thrilled to finally meet Travis. “I’ve heard so much about you, Travis. Welcome,” she said.
“The same goes for you, Mrs. Denton, ma’am,” Travis said as he took Lana’s hand and gently kissed the top of it. “Now I see where Bea gets her good looks.”
Lana blushed. Travis had already won her over.
Bea didn’t want to be rude to Myra, but she needed to talk to her mom and her son. Time was passing quickly, and the day was getting away from her. “Myra, what can I do for you, my friend?” Bea asked, hoping to speed whatever it was along.
Myra hesitated. She looked from Bea to Travis a few times, then over to Lana. “You know what?” she asked. “I have a roast in the oven that I should really go back home and tend to. We can talk another time.”
“Okay,” Bea said. “If you don’t mind, that would probably be best for me, too.” Bea looked at her mother, who gave her a wink, letting Bea know she approved of having Myra wait until another time.
“Then it’s settled,” Myra said. “We’ll catch up another time soon.” She said goodbye and walked across the grass towards her home.
“Now,” Bea said when Myra was past the line of trees in the side yard and out of earshot. “Mom, I need to have a serious discussion with you and Max. Right away. Will you come inside?”
Travis stood dutifully at Bea’s side. He smiled at Lana, looking patient, but eager to get the show on the road at the same time.
“Absolutely,” Lana replied. “If this is about what I think it is, then I’m looking forward to it.”
Bea smiled at her mom, and they all walked inside.
When they arrived indoors, Max was upstairs in his room. “How has he been today?” Bea asked her mom before calling him down.
“He seems a little worried, but mostly okay.” Lana replied. “He’s been busy playing video games.” She tilted her head towards Travis. “Does he know?”
“He knows everything,” Bea said as Travis shook his head in agreement. “And I haven’t scared him off yet,” Bea added with a laugh.
“No place I’d rather be,” Travis said as he wrapped one arm around Bea’s shoulders. Lana smiled as she saw it happen. She wanted her daughter to be loved like that.
Bea knew there were a lot of logistics to sort out. Even if she managed to avoid being arrested after tonight’s public confession, she would need to find a new place to live. That went for Max and Lana, too. It wouldn’t feel right to stay in John’s home. Bea wanted a fresh start in a home where she knew she could relax and make positive memories. She hated that she’d have to uproot her mom and son, but she knew it would be for the best long-term. Natalie’s offer to have Lana stay with her in Sacramento still stood. The family would need to get together and discuss options.
“Max?” Bea called up the stairs. “Can you come down here for a minute?”
It took Max less than a minute to run downstairs. He was eager to find out what was happening. He didn’t like waiting around for information any more than Bea did. When he entered the kitchen and saw Travis, his eyes lit up with recognition. It thrilled Bea to see it happen. She would never push Travis on Max, but she hoped that a good relationship would develop between them naturally.
“Hey Travis,” Max replied, lifting his fist up for the bump.
“You remembered my name. Awesome.”
“Yeah,” Max confirmed. “What are you doing here?”
Bea stepped in. “I invited him,” she explained. “I need to have an important talk with you and Grandma. And I want Travis here while I do. How about we sit down at the table to have our talk?”
“Okay,” Max said. Bea thought he seemed curious, but cooperative.
Bea directed Travis to the dining room table where they all took a seat. It felt like a full-circle moment, because Bea had met Travis for the first time when she visited his furniture shop to pick out this very table. It seemed fitting that she would tell her mother and son she and Travis were together now as they all sat around this very special table. Bea made a mental note to tell John she wanted to take the table with her when she moved out. She didn’t figure he’d mind. After all, why would he want reminded of the day his wife met the man she would leave him for?
“So, what do you want to tell us?” Max asked, his bright eyes eager to learn whatever it was his mom had to say. “Is it about Dad? Is it his temper again?”
“No, that’s not it,” Bea said. “At least, that’s not all.”
“Go ahead,” Lana prompted her daughter. “We’re listening.”
Bea took a slow, deep breath and looked up at the ceiling. She knew the words she was about to speak would change their lives forever. When she told Max what she had done, he might never look at her the same way. When she told Max she was leaving his dad and seeing Travis, he might not look at her the same way. But both truths had to be told. There was no turning back now. Bea could only hope her son would understand why. She hoped that if not now, someday he could have compassion for everything she’d been through. She hoped her son would believe she’d done her best for him.
“Max, I have two things to tell you, and they’re big. I’m not sure which one is the easiest to talk about, so I’ll start with the reason Travis is here.”
“Okay.”
“Your father and I are getting a divorce,” Bea blurted. She leaned back in her chair and put her palms flat on the table as she waited for Max’s response. He looked at her, stunned. He didn’t speak. No one did. After a long few minutes had passed, Bea tried again. “Did you hear what I said, son? Your dad and I are getting a divorce. We’re… Separating.”
“I heard you,” Max said. “Like the reporter said this morning. They were right. And Travis is going to be your boyfriend.”
“Yes,” Bea confirmed, swallowing hard. The conversation was turning out to be more difficult than she’d realized.
“Why?”
“That’s a very long story,” Bea replied. “The important thing to know is that your dad and I care about each other. We will still be friends. And we both love you very much. That will never change.”
“I mean, why do you have a boyfriend already?”
“Max,” Lana inserted. “Hear your mom out. It’s understandable that you’re upset, but I promise you she’s doing what she thinks is best.”
Travis reached under the table and squeezed Bea’s hand. The warmth of his skin felt so good. She was happy to be part of a couple. A real couple.
“Travis and I have known each other ever since you were a baby,” Bea explained. “The truth is, Max, your dad and I have always been better friends than we have been a married couple. I’m not sure why that is, but I knew something was different not long after our wedding. By the time you were born a year later, I was sure. And then, when you were a baby and we were shopping for furniture, I met Travis.”
“Has he been your boyfriend since I was a baby?”
“No,” Bea said. “But I’ve known I wanted him to be. I stayed with your dad to give it my very best try. I wanted us to be a happy family.”
“But we’re not.”
“Right,” Bea confirmed. “We love each other. That’s for sure. But I now understand that me, you, and your dad will be a better family and a happier family if he and I aren’t married.”
Max sat quietly as he fiddled with the edge of a cloth napkin on the tabletop. Bea let him have his time and space to think. She waited for him to ask questions when he was ready.
“Are we going to move to a new house?”
“Yes,” Bea confirmed. “We are. I’m not sure where your dad will live. Maybe he’ll stay living in this house. But I’ll live in a different house, probably with your grandma. And you’ll have two homes. One with me and one with your dad. As far as I’m concerned, you can go back and forth anytime you want. I want it to be comfortable. I imagine your dad will say the same.”
“I know how it works,” Max said. “I have friends at school whose parents are divorced and they have two houses. Some of them have stepmoms and stepdads.”
Bea reached her free hand across the table and took her son’s. “I know that all sounds scary. It’s a little scary for me, too. Change usually is. But we will get through it together. You’ll see. Your dad and I will both be happier, and that will be good for us all.”
Travis cleared his throat. It startled even him. He wasn’t intending to interject, but he was nervous.
“Will we live with him?” Max asked, gesturing towards Travis.
It was a reasonable question. Bea wasn’t sure how to answer yet. She’d made enough decisions for one day and wasn’t ready to make any more.
“I’m not sure yet,” she answered, truthfully. “But when I figure it out, you’ll be the first to know. Does that sound fair?”
“Sounds fair to me,” Lana said, trying to be encouraging. She reached over and tousled some of Max’s hair. “I’ll be with you every step of the way, grandson. It won’t be so bad, I promise.”
Max sighed begrudgingly. Bea could tell he wanted to cooperate. He was just trying to wrap his mind around it. “I guess it’s fair, yeah.” He also seemed like he had something to say.
“Is there something you need to tell us?” Bea asked.
Max hesitated for a long minute, moving his fingers quickly back and forth across the cloth napkin. “I guess… Not right now.” He looked at Travis as he said it. Max wasn’t ready to share with him.
“Okay, for now,” Bea confirmed. “We’ll keep going to the next part.”
“Yeah, what’s the second thing you need to say?” Max asked.
Bea took the biggest, deepest breath ever, then she told Max what had happened at Eagle’s Point. She told him how the person on the videos was right and how she might be arrested. She told him how the wretched man had locked him in the bathroom and was trying to take him away. She told him she’d hit the man with a baseball bat and then pushed him over the edge. And she told him she was going to make a public confession. When she finished, Max said but one simple sentence in response.
“Mom, you’re the very best.”
38
The size of the crowd surprised Bea as she gazed out the window of the stately Town Hall lobby. Folding chairs were assembled in front of the podium where she was to speak outdoors on the square. Already, there was standing room only. Her family was sitting on the front row to show their support. Max, Lana, Natalie, Ruth, and Ruth’s husband Steve waited patiently. Bea didn’t see Gabby, but she assumed an empty seat next to Max was being saved for her. Word of the press conference had apparently spread quickly, because Myra White, Jenny McGuire, Annie Rogers, and Susana Herrera sat amongst the crowd. Reporters and cameramen gathered at the back, testing their equipment and periodically filming briefings in advance of the event.
Bea had left a voicemail for John to warn him about her public confession, but she wasn’t sure whether he’d received it. She figured a member of his staff would have brought it to his attention by now as well. His office was in the same building where she was waiting. She knew that wha
t she was about to do would change John’s life. But it had to happen. Her resolve was strong.
Travis sat in a wingback chair beside Bea, holding her hand as she stood. He was dressed in nice pants and a blue and white button-down shirt with a navy sport coat. Bea had never seen him dressed so nicely. She thought he looked even more handsome than usual. Maybe it was because her mind drifted to special occasions they’d attend together in the future. Seeing Travis dress the part made those events seem more real. More within reach. Maybe, Bea would exhibit at an art gallery again one day. Travis would dress up and attend her shows, showering her with praise and warm kisses.
Bea had purposely stayed off the internet all afternoon. She knew another video had been released thanks to John’s call, but she had decided not to watch it. She figured it wouldn’t change what she would say, anyway, and she wanted her head clear when she spoke. Travis supported her decision. He’d turned his phone off in a show of support. Neither of them knew what the rumor mill was churning out next. And they liked it that way.
“Hey, babe,” Travis began, standing up. “I’m going to stop by the restroom before we get started. We have about fifteen minutes until go time, right?”
Bea looked at the clock on the wall. “Yeah, about that. I’ll go with you. I could stand to splash some cold water on my face.”
“Do you think they have one of those unisex rooms we can go into together?” Travis asked, only half joking.
Bea smiled. She always had fun with Travis. He had a way of making things easier to bear. She looked forward to his happy presence in her life. “You’re too much,” she said with a chuckle as they walked hand-in-hand out of the lobby and down a long hall, looking for the restroom. “We only have fifteen minutes.”
“Based on the time we clocked this morning, I don’t think that will be a problem.”