“You have got to quit cursing around the children, Tom! My having to endure that sewer mouth of yours is one thing but I will not let your affliction be passed on to my children!”
“Sorry, dear,” Tom replied. “I’m working on it-honest! Kelli must have heard me call Tyler that under my breath earlier today after I saw what he’d done to my iPod headphones. Neither of the kids were in the room when I said it-Kelli must have been eavesdropping.”
“Yeah, right.”
Tyler came into the room, his head hung down forlornly.
“Do not pull your sister’s hair again, Tyler.” Peg said.
“I won’t, Mommy, I promise. I’m sorry.”
“Okay, then. Tell Kelli you’re sorry, too.”
“I will, Mommy.”
Tyler sauntered out of the room
“Anyone need another drink?” Tom asked.
“I could use a Seven-Seven,” Julie said.
“New Year’s Eve isn’t until Wednesday, Jules. Don’t you think you’re celebrating a bit early?” Frank said to his wife.
“This will be my last one, Frank. I can’t help but notice that you’re on your third beer already. So what makes you so special?”
“I can handle my booze-you can’t.”
Julie scowled. “That’s a crock.”
“Whatever.”
Tom got up and headed out of the room. Frank followed behind and paused for a moment in the living room.
“How’s it going, pumpkin?” Frank asked his four-year-old daughter, Brittany. “Are you and Kelli having a good time?”
“Yes, Daddy. Guess what! We just decided that we’re going to be fashion models when we grow up!” she gushed. The two girls then commenced to sashay around the room as if they were doing a runway show.
“Perish the thought,” Frank sighed as he followed Tom into the kitchen. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for the teen years, Tom. I’ve been dreading that the very moment I found out we were having a girl.”
“I know just what you mean,” Tom replied. He opened the fridge and saw that the Seven Up bottle was nearly empty.
“Looks like we’re out of pop. I’ll go to the store and get some more.”
“Want me to join you?” Frank offered.
“Nah, that’s okay. You hold down the fort and I’ll be back in a bit.”
“Okay.”
They returned to the family room and Tom gave Peg a peck on the cheek.
“I’m going to run to get more Seven Up-we’re fresh out. Anything else anyone needs?”
“Can you get me some cigarettes?” Julie asked.
“Sure. Marlboro Lights, right?”
“Yes, here, I’ll go get my purse.”
“Forget about it, Julie. As much as I don’t want to be a party to your suicide, I will spring for the little killers for you.”
“You’re a dear, Tom.”
“I know it. Back in a flash.”
“Be careful, Tom. The roads have surely gotten slick by now,” Peg cautioned.
“I will.”
Tom went to the closet, took out his coat and gloves then left through the side door. The snow was coming down hard and it looked like Columbus was finally going to get its first blizzard of the season.
Excellent, Tom thought. It was about time.
He got in and started the engine then grabbed the ice scraper lying on the back seat floorboard. He went about the task of clearing the windshield and windows, taking his time as he did so. The frigid air felt good and he was in no particular hurry to get back to the others.
As he backed the Jeep Laredo out of the driveway, Tom found himself pondering his present dilemma. He had in fact been thinking about it the entire day-dismayed to discover that even the euchre game had failed to relieve the incessant nagging thoughts.
Was he doing the right thing? Or should he tell Frank the whole ball of wax and let fate take over from there?
“Yeah, right.” he breathed out loud.
Face it, Grayson-this is a no-brainer!
He reached the supermarket and pulled into the parking lot. The Jeep’s interior was still uncomfortably frigid so he left the engine running, hopped out and pressed the lock button on the key remote.
Once inside the neighborhood market, Tom began searching for the soft drink section. Although he’d been here countless times, he couldn’t recall where it was. He stopped agonizing over his thoughts long enough to walk the entire length of aisles, peering down each one until he finally located the beverage section near the far end of the store.
Tom picked up a liter of Seven Up and headed toward the checkout lanes. He paused at the cigarette counter long enough to pick up Julie’s Marlboros then joined the throngs of people waiting in line. It was obvious that New Year’s Eve was just around the corner when he observed the enormous amounts of wine, champagne and beer piled up in the carts.
As the thought of New Year’s Day entered his mind, Tom considered it’s profound symbolism. If he were to do what he should morally do, this New Year would mark the beginning of a whole new life for him: the end of his comfortable existence with his wonderful wife and kids in their quaint but beautiful home in suburban Worthington, and the likely termination of his job as art history professor at Capital State College. And to think that he had just received tenure this year
…
His turn came and Tom paid the cute young cashier with his check card and headed for the exit. He sneezed loudly along the way and cursed his sinuses-how long had it been since he’d been able to smell or taste anything? What he had once thought was a head cold had now become full blown sinusitis. Peg was pushing him to see a doctor about it and he had to admit he was getting tired of not being able to breathe half the time. Maybe he’d go have it checked out after all, he resolved dismally.
The snow was coming down hard now-in fact it was a full-blown blizzard. Tom could barely make out his Jeep parked just twenty yards away.
He got in and stared out at the driving snowstorm. Instead of pulling away, he sat there mesmerized by the wintry scene and resolved that he must come to a definite decision about Tracy Adams. He already knew what the answer would be, but the moral aspect continued tugging at him hard, making it difficult to fully and unequivocally commit to it.
Unfortunately, the fact that Tracy was pregnant with his child wasn’t the only issue here-as if that weren’t enough.
He had to consider the other person involved in this as well-the poor black girl who had been dumped off in the alley over a month ago. Tom learned from Frank, who was a trial lawyer, that the young woman had in fact been abducted and raped but had no clear memory of what her assailant looked like. The police were looking for anyone who may have possibly seen the woman’s attacker or his vehicle on the night of the crime.
This had really thrown Tom for a loop. And as guilty as he felt about not coming forth with any info for the police, he was still too paranoid to even consider getting involved in the investigation.
Once it became public knowledge that the police still had no leads in the case, Tracy started calling Tom on a daily basis to update him on her pregnancy and beg him to go with her to the police station to report what they had witnessed.
But Tom didn’t want to hear any of this. He just wanted everything to go away.
A week ago, apparently fed up with his noncommittal attitude toward their unborn child and the rape case, Tracy gave him an ultimatum. If he didn’t take responsibility for his actions, she would go to the police by herself and give her account of what they had seen that night. She assured Tom that she would keep him out of the picture, so he needn’t worry about being involved. She would have their baby all by herself, without any involvement from him whatsoever, and he would never be allowed to see their child or be a part of its life.
In essence, she was telling him that he would be off the hook.
Tom could hardly believe what he was hearing-he was absolutely elated. For not only would he get out of having to testify in a court case, he wouldn’t have to worry about his little secret ever being found out. All would be good again!