Now and Forever 5, Love's Journey

by Joachim, Jean C.

  “Maybe they think you already went home or your boyfriend took you home.” He crept closer to her slowly.

  “They know I’d never leave without telling them. I don’t have a way to get home without them.”

  “It’s your lucky day, now you do. My car is right over there. Why don’t you let me give you a ride?” He reached for her hand.

  “Thanks anyway, I’m going to look for my family.” She moved away from him.

  “I’ll go with you,” he said, staying close to her.

  “I’d prefer to go alone.” Her hand trembled slightly.

  “Don’t you like me?” He reached for her arm.

  “No woman likes a man who won’t take no for an answer.” The girl stepped back, her foot slipping on a rock. Rex was too quick for her, before she could recover and make a getaway; he snatched her arm and held it in a vise-like grip.

  “Come here, my saucy little bitch. You give me a hard on.” Rex yanked her toward the empty 4-H booth.

  Chapter Ten

  Back at the picnic table, Chase had returned, alone.

  “Where is Kaitlyn?” Danny asked.

  “Isn’t she back yet?” Chase asked.

  “Why isn’t she with you?” Eliza asked him, her hands on her hips.

  “We broke up,” Chase admitted, dropping his gaze to the ground.

  “You dumped Kaitlyn?” Tanner yelled at his brother.

  “Yeah, and it’s none of your business,” Chase replied.

  Danny grabbed Chase by the upper arm.

  “You left Kaitlyn to wander the fair alone and upset? Any badass with five bucks can be at the fair, preying on young women. Where did you leave her?”

  Chase started to sweat.

  “We were by the administration booth.”

  “Take me there, now,” Danny demanded.

  “Chase, how could you leave my sister there?” Sally asked.

  “Guess I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Guess you weren’t. Let’s go,” Danny said, his voice tense, his body ready for action.

  Mac went with Danny while Peter and Sam remained at the picnic table, in case Kaitlyn showed up. When they got to the administration booth, it was almost dark and there was no sign of Kaitlyn. Danny, Mac and Chase divided up the territory. Mac ended up near the 4-H booth. He heard someone sobbing and went quietly to investigate.

  “Please leave me alone. Don’t hurt me,” Kaitlyn cried.

  Mac peeked around the corner, spying a powerful man standing over her, unzipping his pants. Her face had a red mark, like the imprint of a hand. “Kaitlyn!” he called, stepping out from behind a wall.

  The man looming over Kaitlyn turned around and saw Mac. He evidently decided she wasn’t worth fighting for, zipped up and took off, disappearing into the woods. Mac called for Danny and Chase, then went in and knelt down to help Kaitlyn up. Danny and Chase were there in a heartbeat. Danny folded his arms around her. She sobbed against his chest. He found a picnic table and sat her down.

  “Kaitlyn, I’m so sorry I left you there alone,” Chase said.

  Kaitlyn turned her face away from him.

  “Why don’t you join the others,” Mac said to Chase.

  The young man looked at the ground and walked away.

  “Was Chase pressuring you for sex? Is that why you guys broke up?” Danny asked.

  Kaitlyn didn’t answer. She put her head on Danny’s shoulder and her tears returned. Mac whipped out his handkerchief and handed it to her while he and Danny exchanged glances. She wiped her face and stood up.

  “Did that guy hurt you?” Danny asked.

  “He slapped me once. But if you hadn’t come when you did…” She started to cry again and whispered, “he was unzipping his pants.”

  When they rejoined the group at the picnic table, Kaitlyn flew into her mother’s arms. Eliza cried. Mac picked up Jason and in silence they all headed to the parking lot.

  In the administration building at Kensington State University

  The next day, Mac picked up his intercom and heard his secretary, Jonesy’s, puzzled voice.

  “Mac, a personal call for you on line two. He wouldn’t identify himself.”

  “Okay, Jonesy,” Mac said, picking up the phone.

  “Mr. Caldwell? My name is Tucker Carlson. You don’t know me, but I think you know my son, Jason?” an unfamiliar male voice asked.

  There was silence as Mac tried to absorb what the man was saying to him.

  “What? You’re who?” Mac said, disbelief in his voice.

  “You heard me. You have my son, Jason. I just found out he is my biological child and I want to see him.”

  “You’re kidding me. This is a prank, isn’t it?” Mac asked.

  “This is no prank. I’m dead serious. I intend to sue you for custody of Jason, Mr. Caldwell. How serious does that sound?”

  “Where have you been all this time?” Mac asked, tapping his pen on his desk.

  “I’ve been out of the country. I found out about Jason only two days ago.”

  Silence.

  “Of course, I’d hate to disrupt his life. My sources tell me you provide a good home for the boy, which should count for something especially since I’m not married. I want to be reasonable and do what’s best…my return to Willow Falls left me kind of short of funds…Mr. Caldwell.”

  “Are you blackmailing me?” Mac asked, the tapping got louder.

  “What an ugly word, Mr. Caldwell. But a loan of…say…twenty thousand would go a long way toward letting you keep the boy…you must be pretty attached to him by now.”

  “You want me to pay you twenty thousand dollars to keep Jason,” Mac asked, his eyes wide.

  “A crude way of putting it, Mr. Caldwell. Let’s say the loan would keep me in the background. And you’d continue to raise the boy as your own.”

  “And no one would ever know, right?” Mac asked, his eyes narrowing.

  “That’s right. No one would have to know.”

  “How do I even know you are actually Jason’s biological father?”

  “I could do a paternity test, but it might raise a lot of questions…not only with people you’d rather not know about this…but with the boy. You wouldn’t want to tell Jason, would you, Mr. Caldwell?”

  Mac swallowed hard. He’d never subject Jason to such an ordeal.

  “Let me talk it over with my wife, Mr.…ah, Mr.…what did you say your name was?”

  “Carlson. Tucker Carlson. But what difference does a name make, Mr. Caldwell? It doesn’t make someone a father, does it?”

  “Years of parenting make someone a father, Mr. Carlson,” Mac said, unable to keep his irritation out of his voice.

  “That’s right. And you are more Jason’s father than I am…or may ever be. But I doubt a court of law will agree. Talk it over with your wife. I’ll call you back in three days. Have your decision by then,” the man said and hung up.

  Mac was stunned. Jason’s father? Could it be or was this blackmail, pure and simple? He was sweating and worried. Could this be true? This man wouldn’t stop at twenty thousand. He’d bleed Mac dry for years.

  Jonesy came in when Mac ignored her buzz on the intercom.

  “Mac, what’s wrong with…” she started to ask as she opened the door. But she stopped when she saw his pale, frowning face.

  Mac got up and took his briefcase with him.

  “I’m going to be working at home this afternoon, Jonesy. If there are any emergencies, you can reach me there. Otherwise, please don’t give anyone the number.”

  “What happened, Mac? Who was on the phone?”

  “I can’t discuss it, Jonesy, even with you,” Mac said, patting her shoulder as he passed by on his way out.

  As he walked home, he wondered how anyone knew about Jason. Audrey, Jason’s biological mother, died five years ago. Maybe she told someone before she died. Still, wouldn’t this Tucker Carlson guy have come forward before? Not if he was overseas. But what if this man recently found ou
t about Jason’s heritage and was only a blackmailer? What if he wasn’t Jason’s real father? Mac had lots of questions but no answers. Time to talk to Callie.

  * * * *

  Callie, Mac and Sam drove up to the lake house for the weekend with the children. After the children were in bed, Mac and Callie retired to their bedroom early. He explained to Callie about the blackmail.

  “If this guy is for real, why doesn’t he come forward and claim Jason?”

  “Good question.” Callie sat at her dressing table.

  “I think he’s only a blackmailer. A blackmailer who got a hold of this information about Jason and decided to cash in. But how did he find out about Jason?”

  “You don’t think your ex told him, do you?” Callie glanced at Mac.

  “Since Audrey never told me who Jason’s real father was, even in the hospital, before she died, I doubt she told anyone else, either. I only told my father who wouldn’t breathe a word to anyone. Have you told anyone?” Mac asked.

  “Just Peter,” Callie replied, brushing her hair.

  “What do you mean, just Peter?”

  “I mentioned it to Peter once. We were talking about how you and I got together and I mentioned it. But he’s your brother. He wouldn’t do anything to hurt us.”

  “Not intentionally, but he might by accident. I’ll bet he told somebody. Callie why did you tell him? I told you never to tell anyone Jason isn’t my biological child,” Mac said, anger creeping into his voice.

  “I’m sorry, Mac. I thought I could trust Peter…he’d keep it quiet.” Callie slipped on a silky robe.

  “But you told him anyway, after I asked you not to. You may have put Jason in jeopardy. You may’ve put our whole family in jeopardy.” Callie turned to look at Mac. She had never heard this tone of voice directed at her before.

  “I’d never do that!” Callie exclaimed, her eyes wide.

  “But you did. Peter is the only person who could’ve leaked the information.”

  Mac was angry. Clearly he blamed Callie for the blackmail. She was stricken.

  “Please take it back. I never meant to harm Jason. I love him too. He’s been my son for the past five years,” Callie pleaded, tears forming.

  “It doesn’t matter how sorry you are, you’ve done it and it can’t be undone. Now we have to pay or maybe lose our son. Don’t expect me to be happy about your loose lips,” Mac said, turning angry eyes on her.

  “Oh, God. I’m sorry. Mac, I’m so sorry,” she said, tears filling her eyes.

  “Don’t cry! You always cry. Whenever I get angry, you cry and then I cave in. Not this time. You’re manipulating me with your tears. Stop it!” He raised his voice.

  Callie froze. She’d never seen Mac like this. His fury frightened her. He had never yelled at her before. She understood he needed to vent his fear and anger, and she was taking the brunt of it. Trying to blink back tears, her hands clutched the sides of her robe.

  “I can’t help it if I cry. I get emotional. I don’t do it on purpose.” Her voice shook, a sob stuck in her throat.

  “I don’t care. I don’t want to deal with your tears tonight.” He looked at her, then quickly looked away. Mac finished undressing and walked toward the bed. Callie removed her robe and tossed it on the bed. She went over and put her small hand on his bare chest but he brushed it aside.

  “Not tonight, Callie,” he said, in clipped tones.

  “You don’t want to make love?”

  “No.”

  “But you always want to make love.”

  “Not tonight. Leave it alone,” he said, walking away from her, toward the bed.

  “What about make-up sex?”

  “How many times do I have to say it? I don’t want to make love to you.” He got into bed, snatched the covers and yanked them up around his chest. He turned his back toward her.

  Silence hung heavy in the room as Callie tried to catch her breath, feeling a tightness in her chest. As fear and anxiety settled in her stomach, she thought she was going to be sick. She tried to concentrate on breathing.

  Mac had never treated her like this. He never took his worries or anger out on her. He admitted it was something she didn’t mean to do but still he wouldn’t forgive her. She was devastated.

  The silence grew until Callie didn’t think she could contain her tears any longer. She threw on her robe and softly padded out of the room, closing the door quietly.

  Callie went downstairs. Tears welled in her eyes. Tilting her head up to gaze at the moon, she kept her tears from spilling over. Sam, dressed in his bathrobe, walked out of the kitchen and put a glass of milk down on the coffee table. He looked at her.

  “Can’t sleep? I’ll get you a glass of milk too, Callie.”

  But when he turned to go, Callie grabbed his arm and turned him around. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing.

  “What’s this? What’s this?” he asked, holding her close, but she was crying too hard to stop.

  Finally she slowed down a little.

  “Dad, Mac hates me. Our marriage is over,” she sobbed, crying harder.

  Sam brought her over to the sofa, sat down next to her and reached into the pocket of his robe to pull out a handkerchief. She buried her face in the white cloth.

  “Do you want to tell me what happened?” he asked her, gently.

  “Oh, Dad, it’s all my fault. I told Peter about Jason and he must have told someone and Mac said never to tell anyone and now we’re in trouble with a blackmailer and Jason is threatened and our family is falling apart…and it’s all my fault!” The words fairly flew out of her mouth.

  “Oh my, oh my, Callie, don’t say that. It isn’t your fault some criminal is blackmailing you. It can’t be as serious as you say. There must be a way to fix this.”

  “But Mac said it’s all my fault and he’s right. And now he hates me. He said I’m responsible for us losing Jason,” Callie said, then paused for breath.

  “Mac said that? Shame on him! He should be supportive, figuring out how to nail this creep, not attacking you. I’ll speak to him,” Sam said, getting up.

  But Callie tugged him back down on the sofa.

  “No, no! Please don’t say anything. He’ll be even madder at me for telling you. Please don’t, Dad,” Callie begged, on the verge of hysterics.

  “Okay, I won’t. It’s all right, Callie,” he said, kissing her forehead.

  Sam knitted his brows as a frown swept across his face. He put his arm around her and tenderly pulled her into his shoulder.

  “Can’t you use your feminine wiles on him, if you get my drift?”

  “I tried. I put my hand on his chest…our signal. And he said he didn’t want to make love. Mac always wants to make love…oh, please don’t tell him I told you! I’m not supposed to tell, but he does. This is the first time since we’ve been married he has turned me down. And I tried again, and again he said no. Then he got mad at me for asking and mad at me for crying. Oh, Dad, he doesn’t love me anymore,” Callie wailed.

  “Of course he still loves you, Callie. You’re the light of his life.”

  “Not anymore,” she said, shaking her head.

  “You are. I see him with you. He’s crazy about you, has been for years,” he said after taking a sip of his milk.

  “Not now.”

  “You know how I know he still loves you and your marriage isn’t over?” he asked her, raising his eyebrows.

  “How?” She sniffed, curiosity overcoming her pain. She opened her swollen eyelids as wide as they would go.

  “Because he’s still up there, in your bedroom. If he was through with you, he wouldn’t be sleeping in the same bed. He would’ve left the house, or at least gotten up and gone to another room or the sofa. He’s waiting for you.”

  “He isn’t. He’s in bed, turned to face the wall.”

  “Oh, so what. He’s in your bed, isn’t he?”

  “True.”

  “Well, there’s half the battle, isn’t it? Getting him
in your bed.”

  “I suppose. He could’ve left, you’re right,” Callie said, twisting Sam’s handkerchief in her hands while she considered what he said.

  “I have a feeling you know what to do when Mac is in your bed, Callie,” Sam said, a slight blush appearing in his cheeks.

  She felt the color rise to her cheeks too.

  “I always have in the past. But tonight is different,” she said, looking at her hands.

  “Is it? Maybe you have to try a little harder, or be more inventive,” Sam said with a twinkle in his eye.

  “What do you mean, exactly?” Callie looked up at him.

  “Do I have to spell it out for a smart girl like you? Didn’t you seduce him from the beginning?”

  “Well, maybe, sort of. At least I got him interested.”

  “He says he couldn’t resist you.”

  “He told you?”

  “He said you turned on the heat and he melted like a candle in the sun,” Sam said, hiding a smile behind his hand.

  Callie smiled.

  “You did it before; do it again.”

  “I don’t know, Dad. Tonight is different,” Callie said, drying her eyes.

  “Mac loves you, Callie. He’s given you power. Use his love to soften him up a little. Turn on the heat and melt him, like…”

  “…a candle in the sun,” she said, finishing his sentence.

  “I know you can do it. You’re a strong, resourceful lady, Callie. Go get him,” Sam said, finishing his glass of milk.

  Callie kissed Sam on the cheek and gave him a big hug.

  “Thanks, Dad. I feel better. I’m going back to give it another try.”

  “My money is on you,” Sam said with a chuckle.

  Callie smiled and went back upstairs.

  She opened the door softly, but could see Mac was still awake, because he stiffened when she came in the room. She knew then he was worried she wasn’t coming back or sleeping in their bed. Sam was right, she could break his angry spell.

  She got into bed.

  “Mac, I know you’re awake.”

  He didn’t answer her.

  “Okay, you don’t want to make love. Fine. We don’t have to make love. But my mother always told me not to go to bed mad, without a goodnight kiss. So you have to let me kiss you goodnight. Okay?”