“Walter refused to go to the last two sessions,” she confessed. “I’m at my wit’s end, Annie. I don’t know what to do next.”
Annie was stunned. “But you told me how much you loved Dr. McDaniels, that your sessions had been great.”
“They have been, but I was the only one there,” Sarah revealed despondently. “Walter had an excuse both times. Bottom line, he figured he was ‘cured’ after one visit, and that going back was a waste of time and money.”
“If you’re still going, then the money’s still being spent,” Annie said.
“I’m taking it out of the money he gives me for groceries. If he knew, he’d give me less money.”
“Oh, sweetie, this isn’t good,” Annie said.
“Tell me about it. I think we’re right back to where we started. All Walter can think about is getting us back home to Alabama, where we belong, he says.”
“What do you think?”
“That I’m not going back there if we haven’t worked out the issues that sent me here in the first place. He still demeans me at every turn, but I’m finally able to see that for what it is, a form of bullying meant to destroy my self-esteem.”
Annie was surprised and pleased by Sarah’s determination. “Good for you!”
“It probably means the end of my marriage,” Sarah said glumly. “I don’t see any way around it. We can’t fix it if Walter doesn’t even think it’s broken.”
“Is he coming back this weekend?”
Sarah nodded.
“Want me to ask my dad to talk to him again? He seemed to connect with him last time.”
Sarah managed a faint smile. “I’m not so sure you could call it a connection. Ronnie scared Walter half to death.”
“How? I know he didn’t hit him,” Annie said. “Did he threaten him?”
“According to Walter, it was a come-to-Jesus talk.”
“Well, maybe he needs another one.”
Sarah shook her head. “It’s like anything else, Annie. Walter’s going to have to lose the kids and me before any of this will really sink in. And, I swear, it will be too late. I’m not going to keep trying and trying, when the end result will be the same.”
Annie saw the look of resignation on her face and wanted to cry for her. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” She took another sip of margarita, then lifted it in a mocking toast. “Hey, it could be worse—I could be in denial like Raylene.”
Annie regarded her with surprise. “Why do you say that? Have you been in touch with her again?”
“Oh, gosh, I guess I didn’t tell you. I felt so bad after you called her that night and she blew you off that I decided to try one more time to plan a get-together. You know, you and me driving over to Charleston for lunch or something.”
“And?”
“She pretty much told me what she’d told you, that she was so busy and had so many demands on her time, she couldn’t even think about a thing like that until after Christmas. Can you imagine? That’s months and months from now, and she doesn’t have one single day free for lunch? Whose calendar, except maybe the president’s, is that booked up?”
“I suppose if you’re all caught up in the Charleston social scene and on a dozen different committees, it’s possible,” Annie said, though she didn’t believe Raylene, either.
“Well, I asked her about that. I asked what committees she’s on, just showing an interest, if you know what I mean. She stumbled all over herself trying to think of one. There is something wrong with her. Or with her marriage. Whatever it is, she doesn’t want us to know. I’m sure of it.”
“I felt the same way,” Annie said. She grabbed her cell phone, found Raylene’s number and dialed. “My turn to try again.”
She waited and waited, but when the phone was eventually answered, the voice was unfamiliar.
“This is Annie Sullivan, an old friend of Raylene’s,” she told the woman on the other end. “Is she available?”
“Mrs. Hammond isn’t home,” the voice said stiffly.
“When do you expect her back?” Annie persisted.
There was a discernible hesitation before the woman responded, “I’m not entirely sure. She was called away suddenly. When she returns, I’ll tell her you called.”
“Raylene was called away? Where? Has something happened to one of her parents?”
“I can’t tell you anything. I’m sure when she gets your message, she’ll give you a call and she can answer all your questions herself. Goodbye.”
The thump of the phone as it was banged into its cradle, disconnecting the call, filled Annie with dismay and annoyance. “Does everyone in that house just hang up on people?” she grumbled.
“Who was it?” Sarah asked.
“I have no idea. A housekeeper, maybe. Could have been a relative, though it wasn’t her mother. She’d have said something when I told her who I was.”
“And she said Raylene was called away?” Sarah said. “What does that mean?”
Annie shrugged. “It could mean anything. I suppose there could have been some family emergency.”
“Or it was code for Raylene being in trouble.”
Annie frowned. “In trouble in what way?”
“I don’t know exactly, but it doesn’t feel right to me. Raylene sounded so standoffish and secretive, not like she used to be at all. And now this. What if that husband of hers had her locked up in some loony bin?”
Annie regarded her incredulously. “Come on, we don’t have any evidence that it’s something like that. You’re letting your imagination run away with you.”
“I’m telling you, something is not right over there,” Sarah insisted stubbornly. “We need to find out what’s going on.”
“Don’t you think if Raylene wanted or needed our help, she’d ask for it?” Annie said. “She made it pretty clear she didn’t want us to come to Charleston.”
“Since when do fledgling Sweet Magnolias pay attention to something like that?” Sarah demanded. “Either we’re going to be friends like your mom, Helen and Maddie, or we’re not.”
Annie nodded eventually, though she had second and even third thoughts about it. “When do we go?”
“When’s your next day off?”
“Sunday.”
“Then we’ll go on Sunday. Walter will be here. He can watch the kids.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” Annie asked. “Under the circumstances, he could see it as the perfect opportunity to pack them up and take them back to Alabama.”
Sarah shook her head confidently. “If he could run off with just Tommy, maybe, but he’ll never take both of them, and he certainly won’t run off and leave Libby alone.”
“Are you so sure about that?”
“I am,” Sarah confirmed. “But maybe we’ll have your dad come by again, after all, just to make sure.”
That was a plan Annie could get behind.
Ty left the high school feeling good about his meeting with the team. He thought he’d gotten through to them about the importance of a well-rounded education. He’d pointed out all the different ways various classes had helped him with his career. It had been a bit of a stretch when it came to chemistry, but he’d even managed to make that sound vital to being a professional athlete.
He was on his way home when his cell phone rang. Caller ID indicated it was Dee-Dee.
“Why are you calling, Dee-Dee? We’re only supposed to communicate through our attorneys these days.”
“I need to see you, Ty. I drove all night to get here. I’m on Main Street now, in Wharton’s. Where can we meet? Can you come here?”
Something told Ty it was a very bad idea for him to be anywhere alone with Dee-Dee. Who knew what scheme she had in mind?
“How about Helen’s office?” he suggested.
“I don’t want her involved in this,” Dee-Dee said. “Just you and me, in private. I think if we keep the attorneys out of it, maybe we can work things out.”
Ty had serious
doubts about that, to say nothing of serious reservations about seeing Dee-Dee alone for any reason. “I’m sure Helen will loan us her conference room,” he said, more determined than ever not to jeopardize his case by being alone with her so she could claim who-knew-what to the court afterward. It would be just like Dee-Dee to accuse him of trying to bribe her or some such to cast doubt on his suitability as a father to Trevor.
“We’d be more comfortable at your house,” she cajoled. “And maybe I could see Trevor.”
“Not a chance. It’s Helen’s office or nothing.”
“Fine. Tell me where it is. How soon can you be there?”
He gave her directions, then added, “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
And if Helen wasn’t around to sit in on the meeting, he’d ask Barb to join them, or at the very least he’d insist on an open door so she could keep her ears attuned to every word that was said.
On his way, he called Helen to fill her in.
“Quick thinking,” she told him approvingly. “Any idea what’s on her mind?”
“None,” he said. “She sounded upset, though, especially when I wouldn’t agree to see her in private. I think she has some scheme or other in mind.”
“Or maybe she wants to negotiate a way out of this mess, now that we’ve sent an official letter to her attorney informing her of our position on this. Could be her attorney has finally told her she can’t win.”
“I doubt she’ll listen to reason from anyone,” Ty said. “No, she’s up to something.”
“Well, we’ll know soon enough,” Helen said. “She just got out of her car in the parking lot. Where are you?”
“Sneaking in the back door right now,” he told her. “Thank goodness I know where you hide the spare key.”
“Please don’t tell Erik about that key. He thinks I stopped leaving it there.”
“Our secret,” Ty said as he walked around the corner from the hallway and clicked off his cell phone as he entered Helen’s office. The intercom buzzed, and Barb announced Dee-Dee’s arrival.
“She’s not on your calendar,” Barb said, a disgruntled note in her voice.
“She’s here to see Ty,” Helen soothed.
“Well, how was I supposed to know that?” the secretary demanded. “Where is he?”
“In my office,” Helen told her.
“How the dickens…Oh, never mind,” she said, sounding resigned. “Shall I send her in?”
Ty exchanged a look with Helen, grinning. “I guess I’d better send Barb flowers this afternoon. Otherwise she’ll be ticked at me forever.”
“Make it chocolates and she’ll forget this ever happened,” Helen advised, just as the door opened. Dee-Dee stood on the threshold but didn’t enter.
“You said we could meet in the conference room,” she said, her accusing gaze on Ty.
“Helen turns out to be free, so why don’t we chat right here?” Ty suggested. He sat down to emphasize that it was the only option.
For a moment, it looked as if Dee-Dee might balk, but then her expression turned resigned and she came into the room, closed the door and sat down on the edge of the chair next to his. She looked more haggard than she had on her last visit, as if she hadn’t been sleeping. Ty couldn’t help wondering about that. It was the first time he’d realized that all of this fighting had taken a real toll on her.
Helen sat down behind her desk, in a move deliberately designed to emphasize who was in charge.
“So, this is a surprise,” Helen said to Dee-Dee. “It’s unusual for a parent involved in a custody dispute to ask to meet without representation present.”
Dee-Dee nodded but seemed undaunted by the chiding note in Helen’s voice. “I know, but after my attorney got your letter, he sat me down and said he could fight this through to the end for me, but the outcome will probably be the same. I won’t wind up with full custody of Trevor.” Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “He made me see that the best I can hope for is that Ty and I can work out some kind of arrangement that will give me extended visits with Trevor.”
Ty had remained silent up until now, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself from muttering, “As if that’s going to happen.”
Dee-Dee turned to him, her expression forlorn. “Ty, please, can’t you be reasonable? Trevor’s my son, too. I know I made some terrible mistakes, but I want to make things right. Surely you know how that feels.”
Ty wavered. He’d been fighting for a second chance with Annie, but that was hardly the same thing. He saw right through Dee-Dee’s tears. She was trying to manipulate him into feeling sorry for her. And on one level he did, but protecting Trevor was more important. He stiffened his resolve.
“You gave up any right to call him your son when you left him, Dee-Dee,” he said. “How many times do I need to remind you of that? You’re getting married now. You say the man you’re marrying is a great guy. Have babies with him.”
The moment the words were out of his mouth, Dee-Dee burst into full-blown sobs.
“What the hell?” Ty murmured, casting a worried glance at Helen. Despite his jaded opinion of Dee-Dee, the outburst seemed genuine. He’d never been able to take a woman crying without wanting to rush in to make things better. Before he could stand, though, Dee-Dee turned to him, her expression disconsolate.
“But that’s just it, Ty,” she said, sounding as if her heart were broken. “I can’t. I can’t have any more babies. Trevor’s the only child I’ll ever have.”
20
When Ty didn’t show up at The Corner Spa for his rehab session on Friday night, Annie had no idea what to think. She hadn’t spoken to him since late the night before, when he’d called to tell her good-night. He hadn’t said anything then about canceling their session. Given how dedicated he was to getting back on the ball field, she was mystified.
She couldn’t help wondering if he’d had second thoughts about the two of them, but surely he’d tell her if that was the case. If he’d had the guts years ago to tell her about all of his misdeeds—albeit belatedly—coming clean with her about a change of heart after just one afternoon together shouldn’t be that difficult.
She tried his cell phone, but the call went straight to voice mail. She glanced at the clock and realized he was now more than thirty minutes late.
“Okay, that’s it,” she muttered. “I am not waiting around here half the night for him. I’m doing him a favor, and if he can’t be more considerate of my time, then to hell with him.”
Still grumbling under her breath, she marched around the spa turning off lights and checking locks, then took off for Sullivan’s. She was still seething when she got there.
She walked into the bustling kitchen, dodging Erik, Karen and her mother, and settled on a stool out of the way. Eventually her mother actually seemed to notice her.
“Your dad’s in the dining room,” Dana Sue said. “Why don’t you join him? As busy as we are, it’s going to be a while before I can take a break. I know he’d love the company.”
“Maybe,” Annie said. “In a minute. I just need some sulking time.”
Dana Sue regarded her with concern. “Problems with Ty?”
Annie nodded.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t listen right this second. Can they wait? Or can your dad help?”
“I don’t want to talk about Ty, anyway.”
“We have meat loaf on the menu tonight,” Dana Sue told her. “How about that with some garlic mashed potatoes? That’s good comfort food.”
“Not hungry,” Annie said, then held up her hand to ward off her mother’s protest. “Don’t worry. I’ll eat in a little while.”
“Well, I don’t have time to argue with you,” Dana Sue said. “But I will be keeping an eye on you, so don’t wait too long or I’ll get your father in here.”
Annie grinned. “He doesn’t scare me. Go. Work. I’ll be fine.” Or at least she would be if she could shake the sick feeling that Ty had been playing her yesterday, that
he’d wanted to see if he could get her back, and now that he had, game over. It didn’t fit with the Ty she’d once known, but then neither had the serial cheating spree he’d gone on.
When the dark thoughts got to be too much for her, she snagged Erik’s attention, since her mom was obviously swamped.
“Meat loaf and mashed potatoes,” she pleaded. “I’ll be out front with my dad.”
“Coming right up,” Erik promised.
Annie walked into the dining room. Before she could head toward the booth where her dad could usually be found, though, her gaze was drawn across the room to where Ty sat at a table with Trevor and Dee-Dee. The cozy little family grouping made her want to gag and flee.
Instead, she drew herself up, marched across the restaurant and stood beside the table until Ty looked up.
“Forget something?” she inquired tightly, keeping her voice low in deference to the fact that she was in her mother’s restaurant and he was with his son. Anywhere else and in any other company, she might have created a true Sullivan scene, as her mother had after finding out about Ronnie’s cheating. Every neighbor on their block had witnessed that spectacle.
Ty shot to his feet at once, his expression dismayed, though there was no way to determine if he was merely embarrassed at having been caught or genuinely contrite for standing her up.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Something came up, and everything else pretty much slipped my mind.”
“Hey, it’s your career,” she said blithely. “Next time you want to blow off a session, though, I suggest you call.”
Before he could say another word, she turned and walked away. Her appetite gone, she walked right past her father, through the kitchen and out the back door.
Seconds later, as she was about to turn onto Main Street, she heard footsteps in the alley behind her, but she didn’t slow down.
“Annie!”
It turned out to be her dad, not Ty, which made her madder than ever. Still, she stopped and waited. It was hardly her dad’s fault that she considered him a poor substitute for the man who should have been chasing her down.
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