Escapade

by Susan Kyle

  “Ward would never go for that.” Amanda sighed. “He’d go through the roof if he even realized what I’ve already done.”

  “It’s going to be partially your business one day, isn’t it?” he asked belligerently.

  “Yes, it is, when I can sneak control of it under the table,” she replied. She glanced at him. “I could pay Addie out of my own pocket.”

  “No need for that. You do the checks, don’t you?” He grinned at her. “Tell Ward we need extra help on Saturdays.”

  “I’ve made too many changes already. He’s getting suspicious. He’ll never agree to it.”

  “He will if you wait until just before we go home and hang around for a few minutes,” he said, his eyes narrowing.

  Amanda glanced up at him. “Playing with fire.”

  “So?”

  She shrugged. “It’s worth a try, I guess.”

  “That’s my boss. You’ve got grit. More than old Johnson ever had.”

  “I hope I can keep enough to stay here,” she said. She stayed late that afternoon, noticing that the longer she hung around, the more impatient Ward got.

  When he was to the point of chewing his thumbnail, she told him what she wanted. “Just on Saturdays,” she persisted. “A little extra typesetting will put us over the edge, and there are these two new clients—”

  “All right,” he said finally, his eyes on Dora. “All right, go ahead, hire the girl. But only on Saturdays! And I’ll want to see a sample of her work.”

  “Yes, sir!” So far, so good. “And Lisa brought us two new ad accounts, did you see? She’s a whiz of a salesperson. She even took college courses in marketing. We could let her spend two or three days a week just canvasing for new customers, for the newspaper and the job press.”

  He scowled, trying to balance business with Dora and failing miserably. His body ached. “She has to set up copy for the paper,” he reminded her.

  “Our revenues are picking up. That throwaway they’re threatening to start up won’t put us out of business if we can increase our printing business. Having Lisa out there showing samples of our printing even one day a week would be nice,” she relented. “She could sell refrigerators in Antarctica.”

  Somewhere in the back of his mind, Ward remembered the threat of the shopper. He hadn’t checked the books lately, but he was aware that business had picked up. “All right,” he said after a minute’s deliberation.

  “And we need more toner for the copier. We only have one bottle and it’s going down fast. You wouldn’t let Tim order more than one bottle because it’s expensive, but the quality of copies depends on it.”

  He stared at her. “It does?”

  “Yes. Didn't the man who installed it explain it to you?”

  “I was out. He explained it to Lisa… Oh, all right, I’ll authorize the purchase. Is that all?” he asked impatiently.

  “Yes, it is.” She grinned at him. “Thanks! Good night!”

  Tim was a genius! she thought. In seconds she was out the door, noticing that Ward locked it behind her with undue haste. She should have been ashamed, even allowing that situation to develop. It was worse to take advantage of it, despite the fact that the business wasn’t going to survive without some intervention.

  She thought about that as she started toward her small compact car. She should do something about Ward and Dora. But what? She had no proof that anything was going on. Just suspicions.

  She had to wait until there was concrete evidence, and then she might have to approach Josh for help. Meanwhile she hoped Dora’s husband was thicker than he looked, and that Ward’s wife didn’t care that he was never home. Those two were heading for tragedy. She could feel it.

  As she got into her car, she noticed an old, loud-motored car pull up at the curb. A young man climbed out of it and walked toward the door of the office. Almost as an afterthought, he moved toward the window and stood there for a minute.

  Amanda jumped out of her car and all but ran toward him. “We’ve just closed!” she said, loudly enough for Ward to hear her. “Can I help you?”

  The young man paused and glowered at her. His eyes were very bright. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Amanda Todd,” she said. “Who are you?”

  “Scotty Johnson,” he mumbled, avoiding her eyes.

  “Oh, you’re Mr. Johnson’s son!” she exclaimed with just the right mix of curiosity and pleasure. “He’s finishing up some bills in the office. If you need to see him…”

  The front office door opened and Ward came out. “Hello, son,” he said pleasantly. “Nice of you to drop by and see the old man. Come on in!”

  “No,” Scotty said quickly. “No, I, uh, just thought I’d say hello. I’m on my way to a party. Got twenty I can borrow? There’s a girl…”

  “Sure.” Ward peeled off a twenty and handed it to the boy.

  “Thanks, Dad. Nice to meet you, Miss Todd,” he added to Amanda. He went back to his car and got in. His tires screeched as he tore away.

  Ward glanced at Amanda with eyes she couldn’t quite read.

  She stared at him until he flushed and went back inside. He didn’t dare say anything to her, even admit that his son had a reason to suspect anything was going on. He had the upper hand right now, but it was going to be touch and go to keep it. Amanda was like Josh Lawson in her old-fashioned attitudes. She had a weapon to use against him now, and he knew it. He had to keep his head.

  Amanda went back to her car, feeling as if she’d finally gained a little ground. Ward Johnson knew that she had a pretty good idea what was going on with him and Dora. He’d be careful about pushing her too far, for fear that she’d go to Joshua. He couldn't intimidate her anymore, and she could make sure that he didn’t put the Gazette in the red.

  Ward went slowly back into his office. Amanda had saved him, for reasons he couldn’t quite grasp. Scotty suspected that something was going on. Maybe his mother had sent him to spy on his father. He was in danger of having this sordid little affair blow up in his face, and if it did, his job was the last thing he might have to worry about. Josh Lawson might have women, but he had conservative views concerning adultery.

  “What was that about?” Dora asked worriedly, wringing her hands. “Who was it?”

  “My son,” he said. He caught her hand in his and held it. “Don’t worry, he’s gone now.”

  “I heard Amanda.”

  “It’s all right. She doesn’t suspect anything.”

  Tears stung her eyes. “I’m scared.”

  “So am I,” he muttered. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. “Dora, you’re all I’ve got now.” She put her arms around him and clung. But inside she was already regretting her indiscretion. Things were getting out of hand. If his son was suspicious, his wife had to be. If Mrs. Johnson started making wild, drunken accusations, people might listen. This was a small community, even though it was a suburb of sprawling San Antonio. Edgar would be devastated if there was any scandal, and so would her children.

  She could never do that to Edgar, to her children. She’d missed her chance at happiness by marrying out of desperation, but now her actions would affect other people. Edgar had never hurt anyone. He shouldn’t have to suffer because he couldn’t satisfy her. And God knew her children had done nothing to deserve that kind of contempt.

  “We’ve been living in a dream world, Ward,” Dora said sadly. “We’re going to have to stop seeing each other.”

  “No, we aren’t,” he said. He bent and kissed her. She struggled at first, but she gave in, as she always did, after a few seconds. “You want me and I want you,” he whispered. “God knows we’re entitled to a little happiness in this lousy world!”

  Perhaps they were, but at what cost? she asked herself. Then his hands slid under her neat blouse and she stopped asking questions.

  Edgar was sitting on his easy chair when Dora got home later that night. He glowered at her as she put down her purse.

  “I don’t like cold supp
ers,” he told her. “And having to put the kids to bed myself.”

  “I’m sorry, dear, but we’re getting a lot of new business at the office, and I have to help out.”

  He put down his newspaper and stared at her. Dora felt dirty under the level look and had to work hard at not letting her shame become visible.

  “Well, try to get home on time, can’t you?” he muttered after a minute, and went back to the paper. “I couldn’t find a clean shirt, either. And will you please make some effort to let me know when you won’t be in time to pick the boys up from ball practice? They had to call me from the field. Everyone else had gone home. They were out there by themselves.”

  The boys! In her passion for Ward, she’d actually forgotten her own children. Her hand went to her throat. “They were all right?…”

  “Yes, fortunately.” He sighed and shook his head. “Honestly, Dora, this job has changed you. You were always so efficient. Now you’re just scattered. Honey, I wish you'd come home,” he added, his face faintly pleading. “You were a brick to get the job to help me afford those courses. I think you’re wonderful. But I’m getting a substantial raise next month, and we did agree when the boys were born that one of us needed to be here when they came home from school; that both of us should share their upbringing. Lately,” he added gently, “I’ve been doing it for both of us.”

  That’s right, she thought, feeling even more guilty by the minute, even though it had been Edgar’s idea for her to get a part-time job. Her lower lip trembled with mingled dislike and fury. “I like my job. I don’t want to quit. I’m entitled to do something I want to do,” she said.

  He laughed. “You sound like a mutinous teenager who’s just been told that she can’t go out with a college senior.”

  Her face burned. “You aren’t my father.”

  “No. I’m your husband.” His eyes narrowed. “Dora, this isn’t like you.”

  She realized that just in time. Soon she would lose sight of any possible future for her family. What was she doing? She was having an adulterous affair, and she was furious at her husband for asking her to care about him and her children. Perhaps the guilt of her clandestine life was beginning to warp her thought processes.

  “Maybe it isn’t,” she faltered.

  “You don’t even go to church with us these days.”

  She’d found excuses for weeks now. Headaches. Lack of sleep. She knew it was because she felt too tainted to walk into a church. A woman who was having a love affair was betraying everything the church stood for. But she loved Ward! She did!

  “I’ll… go this Sunday,” she promised, knowing she wouldn’t. “I’ll look in on the boys before I go to bed.”

  “I’ll see a doctor,” he said wearily as she paused at the doorway.

  “What?”

  “I know that I have a problem with intimacy,” he replied without looking at her. “You’ve been patient, and I’ve been a fool. I’ll see a doctor, Dora.”

  “No! It’s not your fault! I… maybe it’s my age, but I don’t… I don’t care about that anymore,” she said in a heated rush. “I must go to bed, Edgar, I’m very tired!”

  She almost ran out of the room. She’d never felt so guilty or so ashamed in all her life. She had a wonderful, caring husband and two little boys who loved her. She’d tossed all that away for a sleazy affair with a man hanging on the edge of disaster. Now she had to wonder whether a little attention and mediocre sex was worth the devastation of her whole life.

  Brad’s rehabilitation would be in an out-of-state clinic, so that the tabloids didn’t get wind of his problem or the impending solution. Amanda saw him off at the airport.

  He looked down at her with quiet regret while he waited to board the plane. She looked worn and sad. “Still mourning Josh, aren’t you?”

  She shrugged. “Like you, I’ll get better.”

  “I wonder.” He tilted her face up to his, and deep feeling burned in his dark eyes. But when he bent to kiss her, she turned her face so that his lips landed on her cheek. He drew back, a pained expression momentarily hardening his features.

  “I’m sorry,” she told him, her green eyes compassionate. “I really am. But it will always be Josh, no matter what happens.”

  Brad could have cursed until his face turned blue. Nothing had hurt so much in all his life. Maybe it was only his pride, but he was used to women falling into his arms, and Amanda wouldn’t. His ego was shattered. “I’m sorry,” she repeated helplessly.

  “I wanted you to bail me out,” he choked. “That’s how it all started. I was going to use you to bankroll me so that I could get out of trouble with the casino.” He laughed bitterly. “It all came back to haunt me, though. In the end, I couldn’t do it. I cared too much. But like everything else, big brother has you, too.”

  “Not the way you mean, Brad,” she said proudly.

  “Give him time.” He sounded almost violent. “But I won’t make it easy for him,” he added. “No, I won’t.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  His handsome face hardened. “He saw us.”

  She blinked. “I beg your pardon?…”

  “In the office, when I kissed you. He came in the door and saw us, and went right back out again,” He watched Amanda’s face go pale. “Try telling him you weren’t kissing me back. Try telling him we aren’t involved He’ll believe me, Amanda, because it will save him from having to admit that he’s human enough to love. You don’t deserve someone that hard. Can’t you see that?”

  She leaned against a pillar for support, her eyes wide and tragic in her oval face.

  “I love you. My God, I do. If I can’t have you, he certainly shouldn’t! He’s not capable of loving anyone more than his work.”

  She could barely find words. A voice came over the intercom, the last call for boarding the plane. “How could you, Brad?” she asked with building anger. “You say you love me, and you could hurt me like this, knowing how I feel about Josh? You don’t know what love is! You’re too selfish and vain to learn!”

  In a fever of pain, she reached out and struck him across the face as hard as she could. “That’s for me, and for Josh, and for all the other people you’ve used for your own gain!”

  He touched his cheek. “You could love me, if it weren’t for Josh,” he said his voice hoarse.

  “Pigs could fly,” she said levelly. “You’re the most self-centered, shallow man I’ve ever known. I thought you were my friend!”

  “Friendship is less than I wanted.”

  “Now it’s more than you have.”

  He smoothed his cheek and looked down at her with blatant hunger. “Maybe you’ll change your mind. After all, Terri has Josh,” he added with a cold smile.

  “It doesn’t matter. You won’t have me,” she returned with contempt.

  He flushed. After a minute he picked up his suitcase and turned, walking quickly down the boarding ramp. Amanda shivered with pure rage. She’d trusted Brad, and he’d sold her down the river. She could imagine what Josh had thought when he saw her in Brad’s arms. She could, of course, call him and explain. But if he had Terri, it would accomplish nothing to open her heart to him. No. Brad had helped her dig her own grave there.

  When Mirri and Nelson Stuart stopped by the office later, she was deep in her own misery.

  “My, what a gloom-and-doom look that is,” Mirri said, glowering at her. “I came by to cheer you up. Look!”

  She held out her hand. A small but respectable diamond ring graced it.

  “Congratulations,” Amanda said, rising to hug her best friend. Obviously she was meant to pretend that Mirri hadn’t already told her about the engagement, so she did. “I wondered where you’d been the past few days.”

  “In heaven, I think,” Mirri murmured, looking up at Nelson with pure adoration. “We were going to just go ahead and get married and not tell anyone, but Nelson said we should do the thing right.”

  “I’m very happy for you both,”
Amanda said warmly. She smiled at Nelson, who looked like a different man altogether in jeans and a casual knit shirt. “When did you propose to her?”

  “It was the other way around.” Nelson chuckled and looked down at Mirri in a way that made her blush. “I got the works. Soft music, soft lights, a candlelight dinner, and a proposal of marriage. How could I turn her down? She’s got a good job, so she can keep me in style, and anyone can see she worships the ground I walk on… oof!”

  Mirri had clipped him in the ribs. “Don’t get conceited,” she told him.

  He laughed with pure delight, pulling her close. “Anyway, we’re going to have a small wedding. A quick small wedding,” he added ruefully, “next Monday. You’re invited.”

  “I’ll be very happy to come and be a witness. Where and when?”

  They told her. Nelson went outside to smoke a cigarette, and Amanda hugged Mirri warmly.

  “I’m so happy for you,” she told her friend.

  “Me, too.” Mirri laughed. “Can you believe it? He’s nothing like I used to think. We get along so well together. He’d die for me, Amanda,” she added, almost choking on emotion.

  “I think that’s mutual. Be happy.”

  “I don’t see how we couldn’t. He’s my world.” Long after Mirri and Nelson had left, Amanda sat at her desk and wondered how it would feel to have that kind of happiness. Love, it seemed, didn’t come with guarantees of happiness.

  The telephone rang. She answered it, since everyone else was in the makeup room.

  “Is this Amanda?” asked a faintly slurred male voice.

  “Yes. Who—”

  “Listen. That old tart had better stop making a play for my dad, or she’s going to wind up in a cemetery somewhere. My mom just tried to kill herself!”

  She caught her breath. “Scotty?”

  “Yeah. Scotty. If my dad can drag his ass away from his latest conquest, tell him Mom’s in the hospital. He might like to pretend to care, for the sake of… of appearances, you know.”

  He hung up. She got to her feet. The boy was obviously under the influence, and he sounded dangerous. The situation here was getting complicated. Too complicated.