Dody

by Betty McLain

  Dody, though, was not going home. She was going back to school.

  When they were settled on the train and on their way, Greg turned to Ron. “I have been thinking. When we get home, I do not want to tell anyone I am married, not just yet.”

  “Why not?” asked Ron.

  “I would like to find Dody first. I want to know why she left. I don’t want to tell anyone until I have talked to her.”

  Ron thought it over. “Yes, I guess you are right. I won’t tell anyone.”

  “Thanks,” said Greg.

  Chapter 6

  Dody arrived at school shortly after midnight. She had eaten a couple of sandwiches, not because she was hungry; she just did not want to get sick because of not eating. Not that it would make much difference to her if she got sick, except that she would be sent home, and she could not face her family just now. She dumped her suitcase on the floor, pulled of her travel stained clothes and fell into the bed.

  After tossing and turning and trying to remember what happened the night before, she finally dozed off about an hour before daybreak. She was awakened by the ringing of the phone. She looked at the clock and saw that it was three o’clock. She fumbled for the phone and mumbled hello.

  “Hello, Barbara,” said her mother, who always called her Barbara. She did not like using the nickname, Dody.

  “Hi, Mom,” she replied.

  “Did you have a nice trip, dear?”

  Dody thought about her trip. The trip was fine. It was just the night that bothered her. “Yes, It was fine,” she said with forced cheerfulness.

  “That is nice, dear. I am glad you enjoyed yourself.” There was a pause.

  “Is something wrong, Mom?”

  “No, nothing is wrong. I was just wondering when you would be able to come home for a visit.”

  “I do not know, Mom. There are not any more holidays until school is out, three months from now.”

  “Couldn’t you get home for a weekend soon?”

  “I do not know. Are you sure nothing is wrong?”

  “No, nothing is wrong. I just wanted you to meet our new neighbors. I wrote you about Lisa Dorchester.”

  “I will see what I can do and let you know. Thanks for calling. I need to get up and unpack and take a shower. Give everyone my love. I will talk to you soon.”

  “Yes, dear, I will. You take care of yourself and we will see you soon.”

  Dody hung up the phone and sat thinking. Dorchester, now where had she heard that name? She could not remember. “Oh well,” she thought. “Maybe it will come to me later.”

  That evening after dinner, of which Dody ate very little, she called Sue. After discovering Sue’s mother was not doing much better, Dody gave her the pleasant news about her pictures. Sue was very excited when she told her about the check she had waiting for her.

  “How did you do in Reno?” asked Sue. “Did you have any fun?”

  “Sure, I had a great time. I met a friend of yours, Carolyn Adams.”

  “How was she?” asked Sue.

  “Oh, she was fine. I went to a party she put on after the show. She said she always gave a party after the show. There were a lot of people there.”

  Sue laughed. “Carolyn gives some fairly nice parties. There is only one thing you have to watch out for.”

  “What is that?” asked Dody.

  “She always spikes her punch. I have to go. Mother is calling. I will see you soon. Bye for now.”

  “Bye,” said Dody faintly as she hung up the phone. “Spiked punch,” she thought. “No wonder I can not remember what happened. I must have been really drunk.”

  Dody shuddered. “I need a keeper,” she thought, and then she laughed. It was too late to get a keeper. The damage had already been done. She rose slowly from her seat. She thought about the man she woke up beside. He was the man from the train, the man with the beautiful eyes. She remembered being introduced to him at Carolyn’s. His name was Greg. She was drawn to him from the first moment she saw him on the train. She just wished she could remember the night. At least then she might understand her actions. She gathered up her papers and decided to get the lessons ready for her classes the next day. “No use crying over split milk,” she thought as she laughed a little hysterically. “Or should I say lost virginity?”

  Another teacher was passing just then and stopped. “Are you all right, Dody?” she asked.

  Dody looked at her blankly for a moment before she answered. “I am fine. I guess I am just a little tired. I think I will go and lie down and rest for a while, if you will excuse me.” With a weak smile she returned to her room to lie down and try to rest.

  But, no matter how hard she tried, All she could think about was a pair of brown eyes that looked deep into hers; or how he looked with his hair disarranged, sleeping peacefully, when she stopped and looked at him before she left his hotel room. She did not think she could ever erase those two memories from her mind. She was not sure she wanted to.

  While Dody was getting settled back in at school, Greg and Ron arrived at Greg’s parent’s house. They told Greg’s parents they would stay for a couple of days. They dumped their luggage and started out to see what they could find out about Dody. Greg was startled to hear his mother and sister talking about the Lansing family next door. Their address matched the one on the certificate. He asked them about the family. There was a daughter, away at present. They thought that her name was Barbara, but they had not met her, yet. He found out that Mrs. Lansing was the old school friend of his mother’s that she had been talking about. He got very little more information from them, so he persuaded his mother to visit Mrs. Lansing, taking Ron and himself along. They did not manage a visit until the next evening. They were introduced to Mrs. Lansing and Greg offered to help bring out the tea and cookies so that he could talk to Mrs. Lansing alone for a bit. “Do you have a large family, Mrs. Lansing?” he asked. He looked around for pictures, but there were none to be seen.

  “Well, fairly large,” She replied. “I have two sons and a daughter.”

  “Are they all with you, now?” he asked.

  “My two sons are here. My older son runs the plantation. The younger one is in school. Barbara, my daughter, is not here just now. She is a school teacher.”

  “I see,” he said. “I wonder. Do you have any relatives around close?”

  “No, we do not. We only have two cousins, Ned and Drake Lansing, and they both live in California,” she replied.

  “Do they have any families?”

  “No, they are both widowers. They didn’t have any children.”

  “Greg, stop asking so many questions,” said his mother. She turned to Mrs. Lansing. “My son is a lawyer. Sometimes he even puts me on cross examination, when I let him get away with it.” She laughed and everyone laughed along with her. Greg was very disappointed, though. He had come up against a dead end.

  Greg was very impatient during the rest of the visit, although he tried not to let it show. He was thinking about Dody and wondering where she could be. Ron watched his friend as he tried to make conversation and felt very sorry for the predicament he found himself in. If there was just some way he could help him, he would be glad to do anything he could. When, finally, Greg’s mother decided it was time to leave, both young men were relieved. Greg did not know how much longer he could sit and make conversation. They said their goodbye’s and, with Greg driving, started for home.

  “Mother,” said Greg, when they were on their way home. “Would it be alright if I just drop you at home? Ron and I will be leaving tomorrow and I would like to show him and myself around a bit.”

  “Oh, I had hoped you would stay longer,” she said.

  “I am sorry, Mother, but we have some business to take care of. I also have to start getting a practice going.”

  “All right, dear, you can drop me at the house.” Greg glanced at his mother. She really was a wonderful person, always considerate of them all. “She would not run out on anyone,” he tho
ught. His mother glanced at him just then. “Why the fierce look, Dear? You look like you were getting ready to tear someone apart.”

  “I was just thinking about something.” Greg looked at his mother and laughed. “Do not worry. If I get ready to tear someone apart, I will let you know.”

  “All right, Dear,” she said and patted his hand. “You two enjoy yourselves.”

  When they had left her, Greg drove on toward town. They rode in silence for several minutes. Ron glanced at Greg. He wished he could help, but he was coming up blank on ideas.

  “I have been thinking,” said Greg, “Wasn’t there a friend of Carolyn and yourself Dody was supposed to know?”

  “Say, that is right,” answered Ron after thinking a minute.“ Sue Taylor.”

  “Do you have any idea how we can get in touch with her?”

  “No, I did not know her too well. I met her at several art exhibits. She has been to a couple of Carolyn’s parties.”

  “Let’s call Carolyn, then, maybe she can tell us how to get in touch with Sue,” said Greg as he pulled into a parking place next to a phone booth. Greg pulled out a hand full of change and gave it to Ron. “You make the call. She knows you and she will tell you more than she would tell me.”

  Ron took the money silently and went into the booth. It took some time to get the call through, but finally, Ron talked to Carolyn and was on his way back to the car and Greg. Greg was waiting impatiently for some news.

  “What did she say?”

  “She did not know where Sue lives. She said Sue is an art teacher at a private girl’s school. She said Dody teaches music at the same school, but she has no idea where the school is located.”

  Greg stared out of the window in front of him, his hands clenched on the steering wheel. There was a set expression on his face. He sat there for several minutes before he spoke.

  “Well, that is that. I am certainly not going from one girl’s school to another trying to find her. She is the one who ran out. If she wants to see me, she can get in touch with me.” With that he started the car and turned toward home. Ron did not say anything. He just sat quietly, feeling miserable for his friend.

  When they got back to Greg’s house, they packed their bags and got them ready for the next day’s departure. At supper that night, Greg’s mother and sister tried to draw him out, but he was not interested in making conversation. He seemed a million miles away. His mother glanced at him worriedly several times, but she seemed to understand he had something on his mind he did not want to talk about. She left him to his thoughts. She knew if he got ready to talk, he would let her know. Then she could listen. Until then there was nothing she could do. Ron kept Marcie occupied with conversation so she would not bother Greg with too many questions. He knew his friend was hurting and he was doing what little he could to be there for him.

  They left early the next morning. Greg’s mother gave him a hug and told them both to drive safely and come back soon.

  Chapter 7

  It was two weeks before Sue returned to school to find a quiet and moody Dody. Dody inquired about Sue’s mother and found she was much improved. After telling Sue she was glad for her mother’s recovery, she then presented her the check from the art show. Dody tried to be as excited as Sue about her good fortune, but she could only dredge up surface cheer. Sue could tell her friend was not into celebrating just then. She gave Dody a hug and thanked her for going to the show for her. Sue decided to give Dody some space. Besides, she had a lot of work to catch up on. Even though a substitute filled in for her, there was still a lot to do. Another month passed quickly. Things did not seem to be any better with Dody. As a matter of fact, Dody was more moody than ever. She was also pale. Sue decided to not let another day go by without finding out what was wrong. She knocked on Dody’s door and was told to come in. She found Dody just coming out of the bathroom.

  “Dody, I am your friend. I know something is wrong. Won’t you please tell me what it is so I can help?”

  “Nobody can help me!” cried Dody, and to Sue’s surprise, she flung herself on her bed and began to cry. Sue went over and sat on the edge of the bed. She put her arm around Dody and tried to comfort her.

  “Now, now, Dody, nothing can be as bad as that.”

  “I am going to have a baby,” she wailed.

  Sue sat in stunned surprise for a minute. “A baby,” she repeated blankly.

  “Yes, a baby,” said Dody crying harder.

  “Who is the father?” asked Sue.

  “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know? But, you must know.”

  “Well, I don’t,” repeated Dody still crying.

  “Here, pull yourself together and tell me what this is all about,” ordered Sue, giving Dody a small shake. Dody sat up and made an effort to control her crying. Sue waited until Dody gained some control before she spoke again.

  “Now,” she said. “First of all, are you sure you are going to have a baby?”

  “Yes, I went to the doctor. I got the results back yesterday. It was positive.”

  “Well, start at the beginning and tell me what happened.”

  “It happened when I went to Reno.” Dody took a deep breath. She was relieved Sue would finally know the truth. It was hard not having anyone to talk to.

  “What happened?” asked Sue.

  “Well, on the train going to Reno I saw this man. When I looked into his eyes, I felt as if a shock had gone through me.” Dody paused, remembering how it had been the first time she saw Greg.

  “Then what happened?” asked Sue, breaking into her memories.

  “What? Oh, Well, I went into the dining car. When I came back he was gone. I went on to Reno. So did he, evidently. I did not know that at the time, though. The next day I took your pictures to the gallery. While I was there, I met Carolyn. She invited me to her party. I went to the party. I wondered around and drank punch. I had about four or five glasses of punch before the man I saw on the train and his friend showed up. His name was Greg and his friend’s name was Ron. I did not know the punch was spiked until you told me about it after I returned to school. It all fits in, though.”

  “What fits in?” asked Sue puzzled.

  “Well, I remember meeting Greg and his friend. I remember dancing with Greg a lot and drinking more punch. And that is all.”

  “What do you mean, that is all?”

  “I mean that is all I remember until I woke up the next morning in Greg’s hotel room without any clothes on. He did not have any clothes on either, by the way.”

  “Oh,” said Sue faintly.

  “Yes,” agreed Dody.

  “What did you do then?” asked Sue.

  “He was still asleep. I put on my clothes and slipped out of there as quietly as I could. He was in the Carolton hotel, just two doors down from my room. After mentally beating myself up for a while, I threw my things into my bag and got out of there just as fast as I could. I was so embarrassed and afraid I would run into Greg before I could get away. Then I took a taxi to the train station and got the first train back to school.”

  For several minutes the two sat in silence over all that had been said. Dody was reliving the events, what she could remember of them, and Sue was processing everything.

  “And you do not even know his last name,” repeated Sue, as if she was trying to get the facts straight in her mind.

  “No, I do not know his last name or where he comes from. But, it does not make any difference. I can not walk up to a perfect stranger and tell him that I am going to have his child.”

  “No, I guess you can not do that,” agreed Sue. “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. There is another month and a half of school left this year. Maybe I can figure something out by then.” Dody gave a large sigh as she leaned back as if exhausted.

  “Maybe,” agreed Sue, but, she did not sound too hopeful. “If there is anything I can do to help, let me know and I will do it.”

  “I
will,” said Dody, putting an arm around Sue’s shoulder. “You have helped a whole lot just by listening. I needed someone to talk to. I feel much better already.”

  “Well, anytime you need an ear, I have two good ones.”

  “I know. You are a real friend. Thanks a lot for being here and letting me talk.”

  “Anytime,” said Sue. “Well, we had better get to class or they will be sending someone after us.” Sue spoke with forced cheerfulness to cover the tears that threatened her.

  “You run along,” said Dody. “I will be along as soon as I have fixed my face. Sue gave Dody a hug and left for class.

  Dody turned to the mirror to straighten her appearance and fix her hair. Instead of her face, she saw a pair of eyes. They seemed to bore into her very being. Dody shook herself free of the image that appeared in her mind. “I have got to stop this,” she said to herself. “I have got to stop thinking about him all of the time.” With grim determination she combed her hair and fixed her makeup. Dody left for class with a determination to put Greg’s eyes behind her. She had other things to think about beside Greg. She had a baby to think about.

  The next month passed slowly for Dody. Though she thought about her baby a great deal, she did not know what she was going to do. Her classes suffered because of her inattention. She could not keep her mind on her classes. The baby kept popping into her mind even when she was in class. As a result of this, two weeks before school was to be over, she was called into the principal’s office. As she knocked softly at the door, the principal, Mrs. David, asked her to come in and be seated.

  “Now, Dody, I would like to know if there is anything I can do to help you.”

  “Well, no, Mrs. David. I know I have not been doing as well as I should in class, but I have not been feeling well lately.”

  “Are you ill, Dody?”

  “No, I am not really ill. The doctor said I was slightly anemic, that is all.”