A Trade For Good

by Bria Daly

  “I'm sorry. I just wanted to meet you. Mitch can't stand the fact that I'm not the jealous type. He's been telling me how pretty you are, how efficient, and how you brighten up everyone's day. I am supposed to hate you, but you don't really look hate-able."

  "Thanks. I was just thinking the same thing about you! I wish all of my 'visitors' felt that way."

  "Visitors? I didn't think anybody ever came in here." Trish looked around not with distaste, but surprise. “By the way, this looks amazing. I know you are the one to blame for making this place look like a real office. These guys are worthless, not to mention clueless.”

  "Actually no, we really don’t have visitors. The guys meet clients at their homes, and the workers and contractors aren’t really ‘visitors.’ You are the second visitor I've had, and the first one was yesterday. I’m sorry. I guess I’m shell-shocked. The lady who came in yesterday left me a little rattled.”

  Sera turned bright red when she remembered this was Jeff’s sister she was talking to. Way to go Sera.

  "Who left you rattled? Did you tell Mitch or my brother? Were you alone? I know they’re always concerned about people popping in after-hours thinking there is money here or something."

  "No, sorry, I didn’t mean ... You see, I was alone, but ... Well, I guess she just caught me off guard. Not her fault at all.

  “I feel like an idiot, anyway, I was in the back when someone came in and Jeff always tells me to lock the doors and I forgot, and…”

  Trish was looking at Sera and waiting patiently for some punch line.

  “Sorry. To make a long story short, it was Jeff's fiancée, who surprised me. It was just unexpected, that’s all."

  The woman looked at Sera confused, as if Sera had just grown another eyeball right then and there. "What do you mean by fiancée?"

  "Just that she came in yesterday and told me she was Jeff's fiancée. I didn’t even know he was engaged. Anyway, she never told me her name ... So when I saw you in here this morning, I thought great, another fiancée checking things out."

  "Eww. You thought I was her? Anyway, she actually said fiancée?"

  "Eww, and no, I didn’t think you were her. You look a lot more norm ... Uh, I just thought you were another fiancée or something. You’re a lot prettier! It’s just that she made a point to say fiancée several times in the conversation, and then kept referring to Jeff as Mr. Mason to make sure ‘I knew my place’ or some stu…" Sera stopped abruptly and turned a bright shade of pink. "Oh my God, I am so sorry. This is your future sister-in-law and I’m…”

  "Sorry about what?" Trish asked.

  "But…” Sera stammered, “I’m so stupid. I just realized that if you are Mitch's wife, that means that you are Jeff's sister, and here I am badmouthing your future sister-in-law. I’ve always had a big mouth."

  Trish started laughing again. "First of all, you can bad mouth that bitch any time you want. I will help you and feed you some additional ammunition. I’ve got stories. Secondly, she only wishes to be the future Mrs. Mason. Oh my God, I can’t believe she actually said that.” Then with a huge smile Trish looked at Sera and winked, “She must have felt super threatened by you to say that.”

  “Threatened? Threatened by me? I was the one that felt threatened. She looked so ... perfect.”

  Trish looked down at Sera warmly. “Of course she felt threatened. You’re here with Jeff all day, you’re hot as hell, and you’re more his type than she will ever be. She hates you!” Trish bubbled up with laughter, loving the fact that Sera had rattled Lydia as well.

  “She’s NOT his fiancée. Jeff broke things off with her and just can't seem to get rid of her, and believe me, not one person in our family would hesitate to dump a load of manure on her if we got the chance. She's absolutely horrible."

  "Well that's a relief," Sera said suddenly serious, "not that she seems like a horrible person, but ...” Sera suddenly stopped and gave Trish a look that said she was lying about Lydia not being a horrible person, and they both burst out laughing.

  Sera wiped her eyes and added, “I honestly would hate to see Jeff with someone like her. Not that it’s any of my business, but he's such a great guy. It's stupid, I know, but after I met her, I couldn't get my mind off the thought that I would take up voodoo just to get her far away from Jeff. Yuck! She uh, she’s so ... hideous, and wrong for Jeff."

  Just as she was finishing her sentence, Sera saw the door to the office open as Jeff walked in. "What's wrong for me?"

  Sera and Trish exchanged a quick and knowing look, and Trish jumped in. "Brussels sprouts. They upset your stomach.” She stretched out her arms to motion a hug, “Aren't you going to say hi to your little sister Jeff?"

  "My little sister is not little in height nor is she in age, at least compared to me," he said laughing. And looking at Sera, "Ever since my sisters passed the age of thirty, I suddenly became the older one of the three. It's amazing how things work out. And you thought my math was bad?"

  Jeff walked over to his sister and gave her a long hug and a quick kiss. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

  "Not you, Sera. I'm supposed to be green with envy and jealousy of Sera.” She winked at both of them. “Mitch keeps telling me how wonderful she is and finally in a moment of rage," she turned to smile at Sera," I told him I'd come and meet my competition."

  Sera looked embarrassed and slightly confused, but Jeff was just laughing.

  "Let me explain," Jeff told Sera, "Mitch and I were college buddies. In all honesty, I don't know why, but I was the one who had the most girls when we went out or were partying. I mean, neither one of us was exactly the playboy type, but I think Mitch always had his eyes on this one," he said pointing to his sister who suddenly pretended to be shy and embarrassed, "so I think he tried to behave in case she heard about our escapades. Anyway, when she started noticing Mitch, Mitch would tell her of all of the parties he went to, of all of the girls, and would make up stories while I would just shake my head in the background. My sister is smart enough to let him enjoy the pleasure of thinking he’s making her jealous, when in reality, he's completely harmless. Not only that, but this one,” he said pointing to his sister, “loves to annoy him, but when it backfires, she has to pretend so he doesn’t lose face. The truth is they’re both still crazy about each other and play stupid games to keep the romance alive, since they don’t really get out much.”

  At that, Trish punched her brother hard on the arm and he pretended to fall against the wall.

  He kept going, unperturbed, “This is not the first time Trish has had to pretend to be the jealous wife, just so you understand, Sera."

  "Well, I am not sure if I really do understand. You see, when I heard stories like that about my husband, I never heard them from him, and they ended up being mostly true," Sera said smiling.

  Trish and Jeff exchanged a look and Trish looked heartbroken. “Oh Sera, how heartless of us. I completely forgot. I mean, not that we know anything, but Mitch told me a few things about what's happening in your life, and I know your husband left you, but I didn’t know if it was for anoth ... I mean that he had cheated, so still, I mean ...

  “Umm ... Oh God, I should just shut up." Trish finished, and turned a bright shade of pink.

  Sera went over to Trish and surprised her with a big, heartfelt hug. "Please, it's not your fault. First of all, I'm okay, and secondly my husband is an ass. You can't say a lot of nice things about him because he doesn't deserve it. And contrary to the stereotypical wife that has been dumped because her husband went off with another woman, I don't think it was my fault. I do think I make a better mom than a wife, but sometimes you just have to grow up, and they were his kids too. The guy is an ass, and you just pointed it out. Other than the financial loss and the hurt he's left on my kids, I am better off without the man. Of that I am sure."

  Trish hugged Sera back and said with a wink, "You go girl." Then looking back at her brother, she added, “You deserve a nice guy.”

&
nbsp; Sera wasn't sure why, but she looked up at Trish and turned bright red again. If Trish and Deb met, they would definitely hit it off, but then again, it might be safer if they never met.

  The door opened again just as Sera and Trish were separating from their hug. This time it was Mitch who came in. He looked surprised to see his wife there and immediately smiled and went to give her a kiss.

  Trish put her hands up to shield herself from the man she had married and said, "I came to meet her for myself, Mitch. She's everything you said she was and more."

  Mitch looked suddenly uncomfortable, and turned to Jeff, who looked quite happy with the way things were developing.

  Trish turned around to wink at Sera, but only Sera saw her do this. "Sera, I am here to tell you this man is mine. I want you to keep your paws off him, you hear?"

  Mitch looked extremely uncomfortable and started to say something when Sera walked over to him and told him, "Oh Mitch, I don’t know what to say. I was hoping, but…” Raising her hands to touch him, and stopping herself as if burned, she added, “I guess it’s just not meant to be. You have your wife and family, and I have my kids. I just wish we had met a long time ago when we still had a chance.”

  Mitch shook his head and started chuckling, while at the same time Trish and Sera exchanged a look and Sera said, “Goodbye sweet Mitch,” and with that Sera raised her hand as if to wave a goodbye, but instead got a high-five from Trish.

  Trish smiled, “Well-played my friend.”

  "Them two is some dangerous wenches bro," Jeff told his brother-in-law, and then bent down and kissed the top of his sister’s head, before walking towards his office with Sera following.

  Trish grabbed her brother’s arm as he was walking away, and said, "Not so quick little brother."

  Jeff turned, "At least we got the ‘little’ part straight," he said, even though he towered over her by a good five or six inches. "What's up? You look just like you did when you caught me with that dirty magazine when we were little."

  "Oh yeah, I remember. Mom gave you hell and dad asked to see what the fuss was all about and then he kept it the evidence. Anyway ... Don’t change the subject!” she waved her finger at him. “Now tell me, what's this about you getting engaged and not telling me about it?"

  Jeff looked at Mitch, then his sister, Sera after that, and then back to Trish again, although his eyes darted back to Sera a few times in between while he was talking to Trish. "What the ... Engaged? Engaged to what?"

  "So you know exactly what I’m talking about? What, as in that ... ugh,” Trish pretended to slow her breath down and make a yoga pose to relax herself. “Don't get me started ... I’m talking about being engaged to Lydia, you idiot."

  Jeff looked at his sister in shock, not to mention anger. "Are you out of your mind? What the…? Who told you that?"

  Sera was beginning to look very uncomfortable since she was the one who had come up with this little piece of information, but Trish seemed oblivious to her discomfiture and kept going.

  "Your fiancée came in yesterday and made sure to let Sera know who she was, and where Sera stood."

  Jeff looked at Sera, and by now all eyes were on her, making her want to teleport any place and anywhere out of there, "Sera, did you say Lydia was here?"

  Sera looked down at her white sneakers and then at Trish begging for help. "Yes, umm, she came in at around noon, and I didn't tell you before because you weren't here, and also because she didn't ask me to."

  "She said we were engaged?"

  "Yes. She actually said it more than once. She used the word engaged and the word fiancée, so she left me no doubt. I shouldn't have said anything. It's just that when Trish came in, I thought 'Great, another fiancée to deal with.'" Sera realized she had said more than she had intended to say, and immediately apologized. "I’m so sorry. You can have as many fiancées as you want. I just work here. I ..."

  Jeff smiled at her. "I can? As many fiancées as I want, huh?"

  Sera turned a deep crimson, but Jeff put his hand on her shoulder and smiled in a way that put her at ease.

  Sera was relieved, and her smile to Jeff showed it. Trish looked at Mitch with a knowing glance and signaled for them to go away. At the same time, Jeff shrugged and mouthed another “I'm sorry” to Sera, who was left with very mixed feelings: one was relief in knowing that Jeff was not actually engaged to that horrible bitch, but the other and more frightening feeling, was being relieved that he was free. That giddy and happy feeling of knowing he was unattached actually made her panic. That, topped with the warm look Trish was giving her, absolutely freaked her out.

  Chapter 16

  Saturday mornings were always hectic at Sera’s house. Mondays were also hectic, as were Tuesdays. Wednesdays were just as bad, and Thursdays, well, if she had to be honest, all days were pretty hectic.

  Still, Saturdays were a different hectic. They were sports days. During the week with work and sitters, it was impossible to let the kids do their extracurricular activities, so that left everything for Saturday.

  The activities changed regularly, but usually there was dance, swimming, tee ball, or whatever else the school dangled in front of the kids to tempt them, who in turn, dangled in front of their parents with a pouty face that softened the deal and brought on a lot of expense.

  Today it was tee ball and Charlie was having his first real game against another team of four and five year-olds.

  Sera was in charge of not only snacks, but of getting her four kids motivated and moving. Daniel didn’t want to go, but didn’t really have a choice. One, it was his little brother’s first game, and two, Sera needed his help. He was thirteen and hated the world, but more than anything or anybody, he hated his dad. Everything bad was about his dad, and today he was stuck helping his mom because his dad had dumped them. There were no two ways about it.

  “Did you remember to pack the pretzel packs?” Sera asked Daniel, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the SUV.

  “Yah…”

  “What about extra diapers for Em?”

  “Aha…”

  “Did you get the…”

  “Yup…”

  Sera turned to look at her son who was staring out the window of the car and obviously not even paying attention to her. “Okay, so you got the fireworks. Did you bring the matches?” Sera stopped and looked at her son again. “Daniel, did you hear anything I said?”

  Daniel smirked at his mom and said, “Yeah, but just that last sentence. And yes, I always carry matches…”

  Sera rolled her eyes, “What’s the matter with you P.D.?” Sera used the nickname she had given Peter to separate him from his dad when he was only two, and she saw her son’s miffed look and said, “Sorry, D-a-n-i-e-l – Hey, it’s going to take me a while, but I’ll keep trying, okay?” She smiled and continued, “I’m sorry that you had to come today, but your brother worships you, and I both need and worship you as well.” Sera looked over to see if he was smiling or even listening, but he was still looking out the window at the moving road, and brooding.

  “I hate dad.”

  “Peter! I mean, Daniel, try not to say those things in front of your brother and sisters.” Sera told him in a hushed tone.

  “Why not? If they don’t hate him yet, they should and will. Dad’s an asshole,” Peter braved using a word he never used in front of his mom.

  “Daniel, what’s wrong with you? You know you’re not supposed to say things like that in front of the little ones.”

  “Really mom? Well that’s not fair ... So I can’t say a-s-s-h-o-l-e, but I can change a diaper and I can clean puke. You can’t have it both ways you know! If you expect me to do things that jerk should be doing, then you can’t expect me to be happy about it.”

  “P.D. said asshole…” Charlie giggled. “A-s-s-h-o-l-e, a-s-s-h-o-l-e…”

  “Charlie, don’t say that word sweetie. It’s not nice. Peter is angry, but he shouldn’t have said that.”

 
“That’s a funny word, A-s-s-h-o-l-e. What’s an asshole?”

  Sera thought to herself, the kid has a slight speech impediment and can’t say “boss” or “kid,” but he can say asshole?

  “That’s a bad word Charlie! You’re going to hell if you say that!” Melle chimed in. “Mommy, I don’t want Charlie to say that! Tell him to stop! Please!”

  “A-s-s-h-o-l-e, a-s-s-h-o-l-e…”

  “Hell? Where did you hear that Melle? Nobody in this car is going to hell, you hear me?” Sera was starting to lose it. She didn’t have time to have a family pow-wow, and they were already running late to Charlie’s game. Under normal circumstances, she’d sit everyone down and make sure they all had a chance to say what they needed to say, while making it a learning opportunity on what not to say, but today wasn’t normal. They were running late and had a game to go to.

  “Matthew, a boy from school, says if we don’t think God is our father we’ll go to hell. He said God sends you to hell when you say bad words too. I don’t want Charlie to go to hell! I love Charlie! Make him stop mommy, p-le-a-s-e!”

  Sera’s head had started to pound. “All of you stop! All of you stop right now! I mean it. I’m turning this car around and heading home, and there will be no game if you all don’t stop saying that word and talking about hell!” Sera pulled the car over to the side of the road and gave each of her kids a piercing look. Silence reigned, and was broken some thirty seconds later by Peter.

  “Asshole?” Peter obviously decided to risk it again, but this time he was hoping to be rewarded for it. With any luck his mother would turn the car around and head back home to put him out of this misery.

  Sera put her head down on the steering wheel and started hitting it against the hard surface. Once oww, twice oww-oww, three times oww-oww-oww and over and over, and over again.

  The small humans in the car went suddenly silent. Even Emma by some strange miracle had decided not to scream. In the silence of the car, all they could hear was Sera banging her head against the wheel.