by Lin Stepp
Boyce reached out to touch her face. “You’ll be all right, Jenna. You’re stronger and braver than you know.”
She bit her lip. “I hope so. It’s good to know so many people believe in me. I haven’t had that very much before in my life. It really helps.”
“You can call me if you need a pep talk.” He grinned at her.
“I may, if I think I can without wanting to run back here and hide. Which means if I don’t call, it’s because I’m having a difficult time and I can’t.”
He frowned at those words. “That’s going to be hard on me, Jenna. It’s going to make me want to come up there and get you. To help you.”
“Well, don’t, Boyce.” She crossed her arms with determination. “I’ve got to do this by myself. It will be hard but I have to do it by myself. It’s important in some way.”
He shook his head. “Like ‘Character is what you are when you are in the dark’, that kind of thing?”
“Yes. Like that,” she answered, with tears in the corners of her eyes. “So, give me a hug and let me draw in some of your strength to take with me. I’m sorely going to need it when I get back.”
Boyce moved across the couch to take her in his arms. “Pull out all the strength you need, dandelion girl. You’ll be all right. I know it.”
They sat like that for a long time, curled up on the couch and holding each other. Boyce thought he was drawing in as much strength as she was for the tougher days that were to come.
“How long does it take to get a divorce?” he asked her huskily.
“I don’t even know, Boyce. But I guess I’ll find out soon.”
Chapter 14
On Monday, Boyce drove down to Atlanta to see Gregor Haldeman about the summer show. Jenna relished in the freedom of a day all to herself. She drove the short distance to the Townsend Wye - just inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A broad turn in the Little River here had created a popular swimming hole and tubing spot. Across from the Wye parking lot, Chestnut Top Trail rose up from the roadside toward the ridge above. Jenna read in her Smokies guide that a multitude of different wildflowers flourished on the first half mile of the trail. And she wanted to take pictures and make sketches.
The trail climbed steeply in the first half mile, but the books were right about the abundance of wildflowers. Jenna took her wildflower book and identified over twenty-five different species. The trail proved a popular and a public one, so Jenna didn’t have to worry about being on her own for this short hike.
The day was summertime warm and the sky an incredible blue. Jenna sang to herself as she walked, feeling more alive and carefree than she had for years. With pleasure, she filled her sketchbook with quick drawings along the way – delicate red columbines, early yellow violets, wild dwarf iris, and white solomon’s seal hanging like bells off their green stalks.
On the way back home, she stopped at the Last Deli for a sandwich and sampled the fresh Rocky Road fudge Nell Watson was just cutting up on the counter.
“What are you going to do for the rest of your day?” Nell asked, after Jenna shared her morning adventure.
Jenna sighed. “I’m going to shop for gifts and momentos to take back to New York with me. I’ll be leaving soon.” The thought depressed her as soon as she voiced it.
Nell reached across to pat her arm. “Well, we’ll all miss you around here, Jenna.”
“I’ll miss everyone, too.” She sighed. “I’ve fallen in love with the mountains and the people here.”
“Well, you’ll have to come back real soon,” Nell added as she turned to another customer.
At Raynelle’s store up the street, Jenna bought handmade quilts, pottery, local honey, boxes of taffy, and picture postcards. She’d already bought gifts at Boyce’s gallery earlier – favorite prints, whimsical signs, and painted birdhouses.
“After all,” she told herself, justifying her purchases as she loaded them into her car. “I’ll be decorating a new apartment when I get back to New York.”
By late afternoon, Jenna arrived back at Sam’s cabin, put up her groceries and filled the outdoor birdfeeders. The towhees and cardinals soon flew in noisily to feast on the fresh seed. Jenna sat at the table watching them while she drank a cola and browsed through the sketches she’d made earlier in the day. She planned to start a chicken casserole in a little while. Boyce wouldn’t return from Atlanta until late, but he might want leftovers if he didn’t eat on the road.
The phone rang, breaking into Jenna’s thoughts. She checked the phone ID before answering. It was Carla.
“Hi!” Jenna’s voice was bright with pleasure. “I’ve had the most wonderful day...”
“Oh, Jenna.” Carla interrupted her in a rush, obviously upset. “The most awful thing just happened. Elliott came home today. He learned somehow that you weren’t in the Poconos. I don’t know how yet. He barreled into our store in a rage. John and I were at a buyer’s meeting, and Milton Blake was working the store. Of course, Milton knew nothing about anything. But he said Elliott behaved very aggressively and started making all kinds of unreasonable demands and threats. Poor Milton was just about to press our security button, when Elliott huffed out.”
She paused to catch her breath. “He went to Sam’s next, Jenna. Sam was alone; Henry had stepped out to do an errand. Elliott got very belligerent and angry with Sam, insisting Sam knew where you were. Evidently, in the course of the quarrel, Sam acknowledged that even if he did know where you were he certainly wouldn’t tell Elliott.”
Jenna clutched the phone, her heart starting to beat furiously.
“Oh, Jenna.” She heard Carla’s breath catch on a sob. “Elliott completely lost his temper and attacked Sam. He attacked him in his wheelchair! Can you believe it? He knocked him out onto the floor and threatened him. Fortunately, Henry let himself in the apartment just then. Henry saw Sam sprawled on the floor and Elliott standing over him, and then Henry attacked Elliott.”
Jenna’s knees went weak and she sat down. “What happened?” she got out.
Carla blew out a breath. “Henry and Elliott had quite a fight. Elliott was literally out of control. But Henry is strong, so Elliott got the worst of it in their struggle – facial bruises, some cracked ribs, and a broken leg from a fall over a stool. Henry called the police and both Sam and Elliott were taken to the hospital. Evidently, Elliott called your mother and father, and they are having a fit to know where you are. Your mother is becoming very accusatory, insisting we are withholding information about you from her and from Elliott. Oh, Jenna, it’s just awful.”
Jenna’s heart was beating up into her throat and her hands started shaking now, too. “How’s Sam? Tell me if Sam’s all right, Carla.”
“I think Henry took him back home shortly after he was examined,” she answered. “He was shaken up and bruised, but all right. Henry said he was mad more than anything. But Elliott is still in the hospital, Jenna. He has a big cast on his leg, and I guess he’ll be there a while. He’s angry, too, but he’s also worried now. Henry and Sam have assault charges pending against him. It looks bad for him to have attacked a sick man in a wheelchair for any reason.”
A new fear hit Jenna’s mind. “What have you told my mother and father?”
“I made very light of it,” she responded. “John and I decided that was the best way to play it. I said you decided to have some quiet vacation time to yourself after you left the Poconos and that I thought I might have a contact number for you. I didn’t give it to her, Jenna, although she got hateful about it. But I guess you’ll have to call her.”
Carla sighed. “I’m sorry, Jenna. I had to come up with some explanation, given the situation. I thought it would be worse if she thought no one knew where you were. She might call the police to start looking for you or something. You know how she is.”
“I know.” Jenna took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself down. “You did the right thing, Carla. I’m going to pack and start back to New York right now. If I can st
ay awake to drive straight through, I will. If not, I’ll stop somewhere to get a few hours sleep and then hit the road again. I’ll call you as soon as I get there – and probably along the way - to see what is happening. Call Mother and tell her I’m on my way back. And call Sam and tell him that I’m on my way home, too.”
“I need to tell you this before you hang up,” Carla said. “John and I saw Sam at the hospital. Sam’s attorney, Maury Berkowitz, was with him. You know he’s the one you’re working with about your divorce case, too. Maury said to tell you to call him as soon as you could. You should call him before you leave, Jenna. Here’s his number and his emergency number – to save you looking them up.” Carla stopped to read these off to Jenna. “He said it was really important that you talk to him before you talk to anyone else when you get back.”
Jenna shook her head regretfully. “I’m so sorry this happened, Carla. This is all my fault for going off without dealing with this on my own.”
“You stop talking like that, Jenna.” Carla’s voice was sharp. “It’s not your fault that Elliott has abusively threatened and attacked Sam. That is Elliott’s fault. Sam said to tell you he was fine and for you not to worry about him. He also said to tell you this should help to show you that you are making the right choices.”
Tears began to trickle down Jenna’s cheeks.
She heard Carla swallow deeply. “Oh, Jenna, I’m almost glad Elliott will be in the hospital when you get back. Otherwise, I would be afraid for you to be alone with him. What a horrid man he is! I can’t believe he would attack a kind person like Sam, especially with him in a wheelchair and helpless to fight back.”
Jenna sighed heavily. What a mess, she thought. “We’ll talk about it more when I get back, Carla. I need to hang up and call Maury now, and then pack and leave as soon as I can. Be sure to let everyone know I am on my way. And thanks, Carla. I’ve put you and John in a bad spot in the middle of this. It wasn’t fair of me.”
“Don’t be silly,” argued Carla. “You needed this time away. It was a good idea; I still believe that. No one knew Elliott would come home early and that all this would happen. None of us knew Elliott was capable of this kind of aggression, either.”
Jenna agreed with that. “I’ll see you soon, Carla.”
“Everything will be okay.” Carla’s voice sounded soothing now. “Drive carefully and take care.”
With shaking hands, Jenna dialed the attorney’s number next. Fortunately, Maury Berkowitz was in office and not in court, and his secretary put Jenna right through.
He quickly updated her on the situation and assured her Sam was fine.
“I guess I did everything wrong by leaving.” Jenna’s voice broke. “But I felt like I needed time to think.”
“Stop worrying.” Maury reassured her. “Any judge will understand that a woman who just learned of multiple indiscretions on her husband’s part would want to get away to consider her future course.” Maury paused.
“And any judge will understand a woman in that state wouldn’t feel in any way compelled to tell her husband about her plans – or to tell any family members or friends she thought might not be sympathetic about her situation either. You did nothing that can be interpreted as legally wrong, Jenna. However, as soon as you return, we need to get together and write out a complaint and file an action for divorce right away. Sam and I both want to put an order of protection in for you, too, considering Elliott’s violent encounter with Sam. I will work on getting a restraining order as well. There are a lot of things you and I need to talk about.”
“I know.” Jenna sighed. “I guess I should have come to you before I left.”
“Did you know exactly what you wanted to do before you left New York?” His question was matter-of-fact and direct.
“No, not really,” Jenna answered candidly.
“Do you know now what you want to do?”
“Yes. Absolutely.” Her voice was firm.
“Then now is the time to talk. Before, I would have told you to come back when you knew what you wanted to do,” he said. “And, Jenna, this business with Sam is not your fault. It is Elliott’s fault entirely. And legally, it is to your favor. Sam and I have been talking about several ways in which this situation can be used to your advantage.”
Jenna shook her head sadly. “My mind keeps thinking of what I would have done if Sam had been really hurt because of me.” She tried hard to keep her emotions in check, but her hands were shaking again.
“But Sam was not hurt,” Maury assured her. “And Elliott will not be foolish enough to let something like this happen again. He is a man who enjoys control. He lost his grip when he realized someone he thought to be totally under his control had escaped the noose. It made him furious, and he slipped past reasonable behavior. With criminal charges pending, he’s on the defensive versus the offensive now. We have the advantage legally. And considering all that Jake Saunders’ report reveals, we have all the advantages in this divorce action. I don’t want you to worry. But I also don’t want you to do anything wrong here. When you get back, go to your apartment, and then call me right away. I don’t care what time it is. I want it documented that you returned to your residence immediately after your trip.”
“Do I have to go back to the apartment?” Jenna knew her voice sounded whiney. “I don’t want to live there anymore. Plus the place holds very bad memories for me. Carla and John have an apartment that will be ready for me by the weekend. I planned to move there when I returned. I don’t want to even stay in Elliott’s apartment. I don’t want to fight for it or for anything in it except for my personal things.”
Maury cleared his throat. “It’s good that you’ve been thinking all these things out,” he advised. “But for now, go to the apartment. When the action for divorce is filed, we can write in it that you are choosing to move to a new location. Everything has to be documented now before you do things, Jenna. We’ll work together through this process step by step. Don’t worry. I will help you. You have strong grounds for a divorce judgment. It may be, with Elliott already knowing this – and wanting to protect his reputation and avoid a trial - that he might even push for a non-court collaborative divorce and a negotiated agreement outside of the court. We’ll have to see. I’ll explain everything to you when you get back.”
“All right.” Jenna heaved another sigh. “I’m packing now. I’ll probably be on the road by five.”
“Jenna.” Maury’s voice was sharp and authoritarian. “Nothing will be served by you arriving exhausted. Drive about seven or eight hours and then stop around Baltimore and get some sleep. They can give you a wake up call, and you can drive on in to New York to arrive late morning. Time your arrival to miss the morning rush hour coming in. Don’t take chances with yourself.” He paused. “And, Jenna, the apartment will be easier to face again in the day hours. Plus you can go over to see Sam right away, too.”
“Thank you, Mr. Berkowitz,” said Jenna quietly. “You’re giving me sensible advice at a time when I can’t think very sensibly. I’ll try to do everything you’ve suggested. And I will call you when I get in.”
“Sam is a good friend of mine.” Maury’s voice softened with emotion. “He’s always talked about you with the warmest regard. It will be a pleasure to help anyone who has been such a good friend to Sam. When you get in tomorrow, I can come to Sam’s to meet with you if it will be easier than meeting at your apartment or my office. You might like having Sam there.”
“Yes, that might be nice,” Jenna agreed. “I know I’ll be tired. And since I don’t have a parent to assist me in this, Sam’s support will be a help to me. It would be hard for him to come with me to your office.”
“Then that will be our plan. I’ll arrange my schedule and start on the paperwork we’ll need tonight,” said Maury. “Drive safely, Jenna.”
They hung up, and Jenna went upstairs immediately to pack. The tears flowed freely then as she packed and loaded her belongings into the car. There was no way
she could reach Boyce. He hated cell phones, and didn’t carry anything but a tracfone he could use personally or activate for an emergency. Since she couldn’t call him, she sat down and wrote him a quick note and taped it on his front door.
When the car was finally loaded, she calmed down enough to call Charlotte and tell her what had happened.
“Charlotte, I want you to come over and clean out the refrigerator and take all the food home with you,” she told her. “And, if you would, clean up Sam’s cabin for me. I just don’t have time. Give Raynelle the key back when you’re done. I’m leaving it under the front mat for you. Tell everyone I’m sorry I didn’t have time to say goodbye. Everyone’s been so good to me.”
She broke down then and started sobbing. “I didn’t even get to tell Boyce goodbye, Charlotte. He’s in Atlanta. I don’t know where and you know he doesn’t carry a cell phone. I won’t be able to work tomorrow for him, either.”
“He’ll understand,” Charlotte told her, soothingly. “You take deep breaths and get yourself calm now. You have a long drive ahead.”
“Someone else told me the same thing,” said Jenna, hiccupping on a sob.
“Well, you listen to good advice,” Charlotte advised. “And, Jenna, you’re going to be all right. God is going to take care of you; do you hear me? We’re all going to be praying for you down here. It’s powerful when people are praying for you. You know that, don’t you? And on the drive back up to New York, you do a lot of praying and laying it all out before God yourself. The Bible says we’re supposed to ask for His help, not just assume it’s handed down automatically without us asking. So you talk to Him and tell Him how you need Him to help you. And He will, Jenna.”
“I will.” Jenna croaked out the words between tears. “I don’t have much experience praying like that, but I’ll try.”