Greshmere

by Scott Wittenburg

  He clearly recalled the smug grin on the guy’s face as he pulled up and peered over at him. He had at first been tempted to flip him the bird but had changed his mind. Just let the creep get around him and forget about it, he’d thought to himself.

  The next thing he knew, the truck had smacked the side of the Porsche with such a terrific force that he went flying across the berm down into a ravine. He had been so shocked by the sudden action that he was unable to react for a moment. He locked up the brakes but it had done no good. The ground was frozen and super slick from the fresh layer of snow on it.

  Everything suddenly went into slow-motion. He kept pumping the brake pedal like mad and could hear the awful sound of grinding gears as he downshifted into first. But nothing would slow down the little sports car. The next thing he knew he was heading for one of the trees at the bottom of the ravine at full speed. He tried to avoid it by turning the steering wheel hard to the right but the car didn’t respond. He just kept plowing faster toward that tree.

  And that was the last thing he remembered.

  Greshmere continued staring blankly across the room at the unlit fireplace, trying to recall what had happened after that. Who had come to rescue him? Had an ambulance transported him to a hospital? Had he woken up in the hospital?

  Had he ever seen his wife again?

  He swallowed hard as the cold reality became apparent. There were no more memories after the crash.

  That had been his last day among the living.

  He now felt robbed and cheated. He had been taken out of the picture in the prime of his life. And had left behind the love of his life. It wasn’t fair.

  His sorrow turned to anger as he recalled the man in the truck. That man was the reason he had died. As the image of the grin on his face returned, he felt certain that the guy had planned on killing him that day, as absurd as it seemed. You just don’t pass somebody on a two-lane road and suddenly decide to smack him for the sheer fun of it. The guy knew exactly what he was doing.

  But why? Why would some random driver run him off the road?

  He had no idea.

  Greshmere heaved a heavy sigh. It was all too much to conceive.

  At that moment, he wished he had never come here; that he had never decided to rediscover himself. It had done nothing but make him feel bitter and remorseful.

  He should just leave now. There was nothing more to do here. Seeing his wife would be too much to bear. Nothing good could come of it. Only more sorrow and pain.

  But another part of him told him to stay. He wanted to see Megan again, no matter how difficult it might be. He needed to know how she was fairing now. Had she been able to move on with her life and put the past behind her? He hoped so.

  He had come this far and there was no turning back.

  Greshmere settled in on the sofa and let his thoughts go. Backtracking through time, he thought of his family and his former life while growing up in Smithtown. His father was an insurance salesman and his mother worked at the Social Security office. They had been such wonderful parents and he hoped his death hadn’t been too hard on them. He and his sister hadn’t been very close until she had gotten married. Her husband had once been a friend of his in high school and he had grown close to his young nephew, Billy.

  As Greshmere sifted through his life’s memories, his thoughts always swung back to Megan. She had been the only thing in his life that really mattered from the first time he’d gone out with her. Their close relationship at such a young age had molded him and transformed him into the man he had come to be. She had—

  He suddenly heard the sound of a key inserted in a lock. Megan was home!

  Greshmere felt his heart nearly burst out of his chest. What should he do?

  He would have to hide. The last thing he wanted was for Megan to come into this room and find a bird sitting on her sofa!

  He heard the squeak of hinges as the door opened. He glanced around the room in a panic, looking for a place to hide. The answer became obvious: the fireplace.

  He flitted over and took refuge behind one of the gas logs. He would be out of sight there.

  He heard the sound of voices coming from the hall. He immediately recognized Megan’s voice and the familiar sweet sound tore him to pieces. How he had missed her! He was half-tempted to go see her this instant, but knew better.

  He heard the sound of a male voice and it chilled his insides. Who is the guy? he thought. Something about the man’s voice put him on the defensive—why, he did not know.

  He listened closely. Although the pair had apparently gone into the kitchen, his keen ears were able to pick up their conversation.

  “Would you like a drink?” he heard Megan ask.

  “That would be excellent,” the man replied.

  There was the sound of a cabinet door opening and the clinking of glasses as Greshmere cocked his head and strained to hear. A moment later, Megan spoke again.

  “You may need a drink after you hear what I have to say.”

  “Hmm,” the man said. “I don’t know if that means good news or bad news.”

  “All I can say is that I wish I could join you with that drink.” There was a brief pause before she continued. “I’ll be honest with you, Gary. I didn’t expect you to show up at the office today and you know that. But since you’re in town, I guess it’s only fair that we get this whole thing over with.”

  “You make it all sound so mysterious, Megan! Makes me wonder what’s on your mind. And I apologize. I should have let you know I’d be in town today. It’s just that it’s been over two weeks since we seriously talked about this and you still haven’t given me a solid answer yet. I’m getting a bit antsy, I have to admit.”

  “It’s all right, Gary. In fact, I think we need to resolve this now once and for all. It’s not fair putting it off any longer.”

  “Now you’re making me feel like I’ve been pressuring you all this time. That’s not fair.”

  “I’ve never thought that. It’s a big move, Gary, and I’ve just needed some time to let it sink in, that’s all. What do you say we go into the den where it’s more comfortable?”

  “Sure.”

  Greshmere heard them coming toward the den. He ducked down even lower behind the logs to make sure he was out of sight. A moment later, he peeked out and saw his wife and the man enter the room. Megan was dressed in a loose-fitting business suit he had never seen before. She looked like she had picked up a few pounds. In fact, if he didn’t know better, he’d swear that she was pregnant. But that of course wasn’t possible.

  Megan was as incredibly beautiful as ever, although her face seemed a bit drawn. She seemed stressed-out, the way she used to look when she’d had a bad day at the office.

  The man was tall, in his early to mid-thirties and wore a very expensive gray suit. He looked familiar for some reason, but Greshmere couldn’t place him. The only thing he knew for sure was that he didn’t like him one iota. There was something about the stranger that seemed suspicious, even sinister. He was handsome and in great shape, and seemed to be brimming with ego. There was an arrogant, controlling look to him—one of those types that were always popular with the women.

  Megan sat down on the sofa and Gary seated himself much too close to her. That bothered Greshmere. Megan, he noted, was drinking a can of diet Sprite.

  Something told him that there was some history between them. That too was bothersome.

  What in the world is happening here?

  Gary took a huge jolt of whiskey and set the glass down on the coffee table.

  He said, “Before we get into this, I just want to say that you have never looked more beautiful that you do right at this moment. The baby has given you a special glow, that sort of special look that expectant mothers always have. I remember my cousin and how she seemed to go from butt-ugly to almost presentable when she was pregnant. There’s something about it that seems to bring out the best in a woman.”

  Megan elbowed him playfully.
“That’s a horrible thing to say about your cousin, Gary! Sometimes I can’t believe how cruel you can be!”

  Megan is pregnant?

  Greshmere’s heart plummeted.

  Please, God, tell me this is some kind of joke!

  Greshmere’s mind raced forward to the implications. Here was his wife, sitting with this man, talking about pregnancy in a casual way. So what was going on here?

  Had his wife been going out with this man? And if so, for how long?

  Long enough to make her pregnant, apparently. Considering her size, she had to be at least three to four months along. That would mean that she’d been seeing this man not long after he had died in the car crash.

  Or—

  Maybe she had been having an affair with him while he was still alive.

  Was that possible? Could Megan actually have done that? Had they not been the most rock solid couple in the world?

  It just couldn’t be so!

  Or could it?

  He thought back to the weeks prior to his death. Had there been a single moment he had suspected anything like that happening? No, of course not. So if that wasn’t the case, she had starting seeing him shortly after he had died.

  Which made him try to fathom how she could do that. How could somebody who had been so in love with her husband start in on a new relationship in such a short time after his passing?

  Greshmere was in a daze. Was this woman really the same woman who had loved him all of these years?

  Gary said, “I’m sorry, but you would have to see my cousin to know what I mean! Anyway, I want to add just one more tidbit regarding the job before you give me your final decision. I have just learned that you will be appointed full office manager if you accept the offer in Chicago. That’s why I really came here today; to give you the good news. The boss sees no reason why you shouldn’t be the executive at the new branch instead of assistant. And of course that means a salary increase would be included—a substantial increase to an already considerable increase to your current salary in Columbus. And you don’t have to feel bad for Tom Reiner, the one who was originally going to be branch manager. Tom has agreed to hold out for the next branch we are opening in Phoenix. His wife has family out there so he wants to make the move.

  “Now, tell me that this isn’t the sweetest offer you’ve ever heard of! You’ve got an executive position, increased salary, and the opportunity to live in one of the most exciting cities in the country. A wonderful opportunity to give that little child an excellent start in life. Megan, it does not get any better than this!”

  Greshmere could tell that his wife was nervous. She took a long sip of Sprite and seemed to be staring directly at him in the fireplace. A moment later, she spoke.

  “I know it’s a fantastic offer, Gary. And I want you to know how grateful I am for being offered such a wonderful opportunity. But— I’m afraid that I’m going to have to pass on it.”

  Greshmere saw the utterly incredulous look on Gary’s face.

  “You are kidding, right? Tell me you are kidding, Megan.”

  “No, I’m afraid not. I just can’t do it, Gary. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry? You’re a goddamn fool, that’s what you are! Do you know how many people would kill for an offer like this? A chance to make big money and advance themselves from a mere office peon to a top management position? In Chicago, no less? To get the fuck out of this hellhole of a town and live a good life? You have got to be shitting me, woman! I just can’t accept this!”

  Greshmere observed that Gary’s face was literally crimson now. He wore a scowl that looked threatening. Megan noticed his mounting anger, but she didn’t let it bother her.

  “Well, you’re going to have to accept it, Gary, because it’s true. That’s my final decision. As wonderful as it all sounds, I just can’t leave this place. I don’t want to leave this place. There is way too much holding me here.”

  “And what the fuck would that be? And please don’t tell me it’s your dead husband. You aren’t really that stupid, are you?”

  “I’m going to try to forget you said that, Gary,” she replied, her anger apparent. “As a matter of fact, it has everything to do with Daniel. I still love him. And I’m not over him. I will never be over him. And he is still living inside of me in the form of this child—our child. You may have trouble grasping this concept, but that’s how I feel.”

  Greshmere nearly whooped for joy. The baby was his! How could that be? He wanted to ask Megan right this moment, but he knew that it was impossible. Still, he could not feel any happier than he did right now. There she was, the love of his life, putting this creep into his place. That’s my girl!

  Gary grabbed his drink and took a couple of enormous gulps, nearly draining it. The alcohol seemed to calm him down a little.

  “Listen, Megan, I’ll be frank with you. You need to take a moment to consider what you are doing here. By passing on this job, you will not only be making an unwise financial decision but also an unhealthy one with regard to your state of mind. Your husband is dead. You need to accept that and move on. I’m sure that all of your friends and family have told you the very same thing. But apparently, you aren’t listening. You can’t let the past run your life, Megan. What’s done is done. There is a whole world out there for you to be a part of—to take advantage of. Pining for your dead husband will do nothing but hold you back.

  “And what about your child? Doesn’t she have some say in this? Doesn’t she deserve the very best you can give her? A decent start in life? Living here in the past is not going to be a very healthy environment for your child, is it? She would want you to move on with your life and be happy, don’t you think? Not sit around here moping around, crying over her deceased father. Don’t you see how unhealthy that would be?”

  Megan snickered. “You really don’t get it, do you? Money is not everything, Gary, nor is this job in Chicago. And you have no right to tell me how I should raise my child or that I would somehow be doing her a disservice by staying here in Columbus. I lost the only man I have ever loved, Gary. We have been together since we were kids in school. We had a beautiful life together and I wanted nothing more from life than to spend the rest of mine with him. I can’t just toss that aside like an old worn out shoe and ‘move on’ as you put it. Nor do I want to. If I want to live out the rest of my life without a man in it, then I, by God, will do just that! This job is not going to make me forget that which is so important to me. Is that so impossible to understand?”

  At this point, Gary fell silent. Greshmere stared at the man, sensing that he was doing a slow burn inside. In fact, he was fuming but trying his hardest not to show it. He wondered why this whole job thing meant so much to him and figured that it had something to do with a personal issue. Or perhaps a self-serving issue would be a more accurate term.

  This guy wanted Megan to take the job so bad because he would somehow benefit from it. There was something in it for him that had nothing to do with Megan’s feelings or well-being. And although he had no idea what may have been going on between his wife and this man before now, Greshmere was pretty sure that Gary wanted Megan for himself and was not going to take her refusal lightly.

  “Before you turn this down, why don’t you do me just one little favor. Come up to Chicago and case everything out. That nice apartment I told you about is still there, awaiting your arrival. I can give you the grand tour of the new office site and show you around the city. And then, if you still want to turn down the offer, then so be it. Done deal. You’ll have my word that I won’t ever bug you about it again. What do you say?”

  “That’s a nice gesture, Gary, but no thanks. I’ve already made my decision and going up there would just be a waste of everybody’s time.”

  Gary’s anger was no longer hidden by a mask. The scowl had returned and his body tensed up, like the mainspring of a clock wound so tight it was about to snap.

  “Fuck you, then!” he bellowed. “I don’t know what your prob
lem is, woman, but you need your head examined! I’m offering you the chance of a lifetime and you have the gall to turn me down? You’re nuts! But you know what? I don’t give a flying fuck what you do with the rest of your life. If you want to stay here and rot just because your husband bit the dust then that’s your own goddamn problem. But let me tell you this. You may as well say goodbye to your job at Manco and start looking for something else. That’s right, bitch! You want to play hardball, then game on! It will take me just one phone call to see that you are out on the street next Monday!

  “You don’t fuck with Gary Jamison. No way. Especially after everything I’ve done for you. Not only have I put up with your constant whining about your dead husband and how wonderful your life used to be with him, I’ve had to endure your constant refusals to cut me just a little slack and spend some of your precious time with me. And then to top it all off, I go way out of my way to line you up with this awesome job after practically having to suck the boss’s dick to make it happen and you won’t even give it half a shot. Do you think I’m going to sit here and take this shit? It isn’t going to happen!”

  Megan’s face was fraught with fear. She was literally speechless. Gary’s menacing display of animosity and vengeance stunned her.

  She started to get up but Gary grabbed her arm and yanked her back down on the sofa.

  “Let me go!” she cried, trying to break away from his grip.

  “No way!” he snapped back. “I’m not done talking yet.”

  “You’re scaring me, Gary. I want you to leave right this minute!”

  “Not gonna happen,” he said. “You need to hear the rest of what I have to say.”

  “Gary, there’s nothing more to say about this. I’ve told you I’m not taking the job and that’s it. Now will you please let go of me and leave me alone?”

  Gary smiled at Megan and Greshmere gasped. He now knew why the man looked familiar. He was the same guy who had run him off the road! He’d seen that same hideous grin just before he’d rammed his Porsche into the ravine!