Passion in James County XIII
Nancy's Quest
By D.C. Roi
Chapter twenty-four
Sobbing, Nancy drove aimlessly around Jamestown for what seemed like hours. The whole time, images of what she'd seen her husband and best friend doing kept flashing through her mind. "I can't believe it! I can't believe they'd do something like that to me!" she thought, her pain causing her to temporarily forget her own transgressions. "My husband! And my so-called best friend! Fucking like a couple of rabbits!"
She had to stop at a traffic light and when she did, she glanced down at her mini-van's dashboard. It was lucky she did. The gas gauge said her tank was almost empty. "The last thing I need is to run out of gas," she thought. "It would be rich if I had to call George to come and get me, wouldn't it? I wonder if he could find time, seeing as how Fran needs him so much!" Deep sobs again wracked her and the tears flowing from her eyes made it hard for her to see.
She managed to pull into a self-service gas station and brake to a stop in front of the pumps. She sat there for a few seconds, trying to compose herself. When she felt as if she was at least a little bit under control, she got out of her van and went to open the door that covered the gas filler pipe. She fumbled with the gas filler door and broke her fingernail. For reasons that made no sense to her, then or later, breaking that nail was the last straw. Overwhelming feelings of despondency swept over her and she stood at the rear of her van, sobbing, barely able to move.
"Nancy! What's the matter?" a male voice said. Then an arm wrapped around her shoulder.
Nancy looked up into Ben Morris's concerned face. "B...Ben...Oh, B...Ben..." she sobbed. "I...I broke...I broke my...my nail!" She held her finger up to show him. "I...I need gas...I...I broke my nail," she stammered. "Oh, B...Ben!"
Ben had no idea what was wrong with Nancy. He'd never seen her like this. She was almost acting drunk, but he couldn't smell alcohol on her breath. What could have happened to make her like this? "Why don't I put you in my truck?" he man said. "I'll fill your tank, then I'll pull your van over there. I don't think you're in any shape to drive."
"O...O...OK," Nancy sobbed. She let Ben lead her to his truck. He helped her get up in the cab, then he turned and went back to where her van sat and filled the gas tank. After the car was gassed up, he paid for the gas then he pulled the mini-van into a parking space behind the gas station. He locked the van up, then he rejoined Nancy in the truck. She was still sobbing uncontrollably.
"Nancy, what happened?" Ben asked, studying her, looking very confused. "What's wrong? Are you hurt or something? Did something happen to the kids?"
"Ben, can...can we...can we go...somewhere?" Nancy stammered. "I...I don't want to sit here like...like this."
"We can go to my place, I guess," Ben said.
"What...what about your...your mother?" Nancy sobbed.
"She's got a new boyfriend. They're up in the mountains at some kind of murder mystery weekend thing," he replied. He started his truck's engine, put it in gear, and pulled out of the gas station. "Something really terrible must have happened to her to make her this upset," he thought as he drove down the street. "I wonder what it is?"
Nancy was only vaguely aware that the truck was moving. Her thoughts had returned to the scene she'd observed in the Melanson home. "I...I guess I can't blame George for wanting Fran more than he wants me," she thought. "She has big breasts, she isn't skinny and flat-chested like I am." She took a deep shuddering breath. "And she really is pretty...a lot prettier than I am. At least George seems to think so. Maybe...maybe if I hadn't gotten pregnant with Mike, he wouldn't have married me at all." Another shudder ran though her.
Ben glanced over at his passenger. She had a kind of far-away look on her face. "Nancy, are you sure you're OK?" he asked.
"I...I'm better...now...now that you're here," Nancy replied. She reached across the truck and laid her hand on the young man's arm. She gave no thought to the fact that the last time they were together, Ben had told her he'd found a girl his age he really liked.
The truck turned a corner. Nancy continued mulling over her situation, not realizing that her anguish made it impossible for her to think clearly. "What am I going to do?" she thought. "George will probably divorce me so he can be with Fran. What if he wants custody of the kids? My God, what are the kids going to think?" Then as her mind swirled with emotion, anger boiled to the fore. "That bastard!" she thought bitterly. "He's not getting my kids! I'll show him!"