A Simple Case of Infidelity

A Brief Prelude:

Recall Leslie had cheated, really cheated. Then she'd tried to lie to get out it. It didn't work. Francis sent her away, and he'd done it with malice. After six months she'd finally summoned the courage to come back, but back to what? Part three is the first installment of that phase of our story.

Part Three: Ground Zero. Leslie's first day back.

Harriett placed the hot coffee on the end table by the bed. She softly tapped the pillow, "Leslie dear, time to wake up," she watched as Leslie, eyes tightly shut, groggily rolled over.

She knew her friend hadn't slept well and she hated having to wake her up so early, but her husband would be home soon and she didn't want to deal with the aggravation. Yes, her husband Craig was mightily put off by what Leslie had done.

She, Francis, and Craig had all grown up together. Craig and Francis were the same age; they'd gone all the way through school together, even college. She was older by two years. Craig had been an underclassman in high school. He'd taken a shine to her, and in spite of her repeated rejections he kept at her until she finally gave up and gave in. Shortly after he graduated from high school he made her promise to wait till he finished college; she did, they married, and never looked back. Together they'd watched Francis when he courted Leslie.

Francis found Leslie at some fall festival; she was a real looker. Francis was something of a catch too. He'd dated furiously all through high school and college. Moonstruck girls followed him around everywhere, but until Leslie he'd never taken anyone seriously. It was amazing; she showed up, caught his eye, and it was all over; within a year they were married.

Harriett shook the pillow, "Leslie sweetie, you've got wake up. You've got to get going," at last she saw one eye open. She remembered the whole love affair thing between Francis and Leslie had caught everybody off guard. Francis seemed a confirmed bachelor, he eschewed long term anythings with all the girls who came calling; then wham, there was Leslie.

Leslie sat up on one elbow, "What time is it?"

"A little after 7:00. I've got to get you off. Craig will be home soon, and believe me you're persona non grata as far as he's concerned," Harriett thought, 'It hadn't always been that way. Once upon a time Craig would have done anything for the tired haggard woman she saw lying on her daughter's bed. It was like Leslie completed their friend; before Leslie Francis was one way, after, well he changed, he became the complete man. They were the perfect match; the prettiest girl, the handsomest man. They had it all. Why did Leslie have to go and ruin it?'

Leslie stretched, she glance over at the night table, "Mm coffee," she reached over, picked up the cup and took a sip, "Folgers huh."

Harriett reached over and wiped the dribble from Leslie's chin, "Only the best for my girl" she leaned back as Leslie sat up.

"I've got to get my clothes. I checked our house last night, and nothing was there. Francis must have stored them someplace."

Harriett stood up, "I think he gave them to Goodwill."

"Goodwill," Leslie hadn't expected that.

"Come on Leslie, he was moving, he had to do something. You've been gone for months. You never called or anything."

"But Harriet, he threw me out."

"Can you blame him? You cheated on him. Still, you might have called, at least about your clothes and your other personals," Harriett went on, "I mean I haven't talked to him, not about you two, but Craig has. That's why he's so mad. Jesus Leslie, like I said, you've been gone for months."

I reflected on why I was in the horrid place I was. I thought about my recent time in Baltimore, my last six months. Everything seemed like this big blur. I remember I'd gone back to my parents. I remember crying. I remember doing a lot of sleeping. There'd been more.

My parents had been; well they'd been my parents. My father had been away most of the time. I think he came up to my room once or twice; that was typical and expected. I can't remember exactly my mother had brought in several doctors; specialists from Shephard Pratt, a local mental facility. The doctors were all very sympathetic and helpful; their diagnoses were all the same. They said it was depression. The therapy; tranquilizers, sedatives, sleeping pills, prearranged scheduled trips to a private health spa, home massages.

I spent most of my time in my old room; there was a lot of moping, and sleeping, and watching old movies, and crying, lots of crying. I overheard one of the doctors say something to my mother about a suicide watch. My mother hired a full time 'companion'; actually she was a nurse. I wondered how I managed to muster the courage to get up and come back. But I was back now.

Yawning and stretching I said, "Francis's been waiting for me. He has hasn't he?"

"I don't know. I think maybe, but then maybe not. I know he doesn't date or anything, not even Venica, and you know how she is."

Leslie frowned, "Venica; she's been something of a bitch if you ask me."

Harriett pulled Leslie off the bed, "Come on girl. You're hardly in a position to call anyone else a bitch. Now get up and get dressed. I'll call your mom and see if she knows where your clothes are," that said, Harriett left the room and went downstairs.

Leslie came down a few minutes later. Her skirt and blouse were a little worse for wear, but she didn't want to pull anything new from her suitcase. She got to the kitchen, "Did you call mom?"

Harriet was on the phone. She turned and put her finger to her lips, she whispered, "Mom Campbell wants you to come over right away."

Leslie put her empty cup in the kitchen sink. She shuddered, then she thought, 'People still cared. After all she'd done people still cared,' then she reconsidered, 'maybe mom just wanted to ream me out, no,' she calculated, 'not Mom Campbell.' She glanced at Harriett, Leslie's thoughts were a muddle, 'I've not only done a horrible thing to a wonderful man; I've interrupted and in some cases ruined a lot other people's lives. I've got a bunch of paying back to do. It'll take a lifetime to fix all this.'

Putting her fears aside she whispered back, "Tell her I'm on my way."

Harriett breathed a sigh of relief as Leslie went back upstairs to retrieve her suitcase. Craig would be home soon.

~~V~~

I drove over and got to mom and dad's place a little while later. It was funny how I thought of Francis's mom and dad as my mom and dad. I pulled into their front yard, got out and went to the door. Mom was waiting for me; she opened the door before I got to knock.

"Leslie girl, where've you been? We've, I've missed you so."

I started to say something, but like always, I didn't get a chance.

Mom pushed right by my effort to reply, "You look tired honey, lost weight too. Bet you haven't had any breakfast either. You come right in here. Whalen will be down soon. I've already cooked up a batch of bacon. I'll fix you up some scrambled eggs. Then we'll talk, OK?"

"Mom I..."

I was interrupted again as Mr. Campbell came in the kitchen.

"Oh Jesus," he said as he rushed over to me, "our girl is back. No getting away this time. We've got you now."

"Dad I..."

Mom caught me up, "Coffee?"

I nodded. I started to say, "Mom, dad you...."

Mom placed a plate of scrambled eggs in front of me, "You better eat something."

Then dad got me again, "You gave us all a scare. We thought you weren't coming back. Didn't know what to do. But you're back now, and..."

"Shut up Whalen," Mom scolded, "let her at least eat something and then say good morning."

"Mom, dad; you don't hate me...?" I was a little nervous and scared; plus the eggs were delicious. Why was I always on the edge of tears so much?

Mom put a pile of pancakes in front of me, "Eat some of these."

I started to say I was sorry but mom tackled my sentence before I finished, "Hate you! Honey you're our girl. We love you."

"But mom; what I did, the things I did."

Dad elbowed past my sentence, "Leslie that's between you and Francis. You two have to work things out. But you're our girl, our daughter, mother of our grandchildren,' then he added, "Here have some of this bacon."

I was starting to feel stuffed when the kitchen door flew open, "Mom!"

It was Victoria. I gasped! She looked so radiant! My stomach quivered. One more thought and...oh no, don't cry.

I started to get up, but she beat me to it. She rushed me and threw her arms around me. She was all over the place, "Oh mom, at last you're back. We've got so much to talk about. It's my senior year. Watch it; don't get syrup on my blouse. I met a boy. Right now my grades aren't so good, but last year remember, my SAT score. I'll be good to go. I want to go with Richard to Frostburg so I can be home with you and dad," she glance at the pile of pancakes and the fried eggs Mom Campbell had just lifted off the griddle, "Mm, those eggs look good. Can I have some grandma?"

Mom plopped a plate of eggs in front of my daughter. I was momentarily forgotten as she started to scoop them in her mouth

I tried to explain, I didn't know what to say, "Your father, he...," Victoria wouldn't let me...

Her mouth full, orange juice had spilled all over her hands, "Mom, don't worry about dad. You're back. He'll come around. You just watch. You'll see. "

I gulped. I felt all itchy and nervous. I changed the subject, "I need to go see Mrs. Bielson's today. She's got a room for rent."

Mom interrupted me, "You say you're staying at Mildred Bielson's place? She's not real high on you right now. There might be trouble. She might want to give you a hard time. If she does..."

Dad interrupted mom, "What Maggie means is we can set you up in the back bedroom. We already got the place cleared out," he knew they hadn't actually done anything yet, but he wanted to make sure Leslie understood she had a home, then he added, "Mildred gives you any trouble, or you can't pay the rent we're ready for you."

I looked from mom, to dad, to Victoria. I thought, I wondered, 'What was going on? Didn't they know? Of course they knew. Everyone did. Why were they...,' I burst into tears.

Dad blundered, "What the..."

Mom interrupted with a scowl, "Whalen watch your mouth."

Dad gulped down some more eggs.

Victoria pounced, "You're my mom...we've all missed you. Sure you did a...wrong doing," 'she couldn't say the things her mom had actually done. They didn't matter anymore anyway', "you're back now, and now we can fix things. I called Richard last night..."

Mom Campbell admonished, "Victoria, the bus. You'll be late for school."

Victoria replied, "Can't I..."

Mom Campbell, "Certainly not. You're going to school young lady, and you're to tell everyone you see your mother is back home, especially tell your teachers."

Victoria looked at her mother, "Mom...can I?"

I couldn't seem to catch my breath. Wiping my eyes I answered, "No sugar. Mom's right. School comes first. Besides I need to see Mrs. Bielson. I have to find my clothes, and I need to visit the library and see about getting my old job back. Dot McIver said there might be an opening." I thought, 'Gee that was a mouthful; wonder how I got it out.'

Outside the kitchen door they heard what everyone but Leslie knew was a familiar knock. Mom Campbell said, "That's Addy now," Addy was Victoria's closest friend at school and they rode the bus together when they weren't fighting, "you better get going."

Victoria grabbed her coat and books. She kissed me, "Tonight, you and me," and then she was out the door.

Dad Campbell looked at me, his erstwhile daughter, and commented, "Well you made one little girl very happy."

I continued to wipe my face; it was wet with perspiration and drying tears. I felt cold. I was getting all sweaty everywhere. I felt itchy around my bra straps. I said, "Victoria anyway. I wonder about her dad...and Richard."

Mom Campbell closed in on me. She sat down and pulled me, her, errant daughter-in-law, to her lap, "Don't you worry about Richard...and as for Francis...we'll see. Only time will tell."

I felt my mother-in-law's ample bosom against my cheeks; they were warm. Large soft arms encircled me, I felt secure, secure and safe. It was like I was home again. I told myself, 'No I'm not going to cry.' I thought, 'If only now...,' my thoughts were outraged by Whalen's next intrusive remark.

"I've got some errands. Maggie you take the Blazer this morning and help Leslie see to some of her chores." The Campbell's Blazer was an old K5; one of the earlier Blazers made, theirs was a 1977 and had historic tags.

I tried to respond, "I can..."

Maggie scotched me, "Sorry, can't handle it today. I've got some of my own errands to run."

I nodded my head. Mom Campbell was right; she had her chores, I had mine. I sat quietly and practiced my breathing exercises.

Together Maggie and I watched as first Victoria and then Whalen left. It was then Maggie turned to me and said, "You can tell me about what happened or not. Either way I'll understand. And no matter what, like I said you're my daughter."

I pressed my head my mom's chest, "Oh mom. I'm so scared. I feel like the ancient Spartan boy whose stomach was gnawed open by a fox while he was being questioned."

Mom Campbell chuckled, "I don't know about any Spartan boy's stomach, but I can just bet you've had your moments," she took her left hand and wiped some loose fronds of hair from my face, "whatever you decide, I'm here for you," the she paused, thought, and continued, "maybe you could practice up on me before you talked to Francis, that is only if you feel like it."

I felt another shiver go up and down my spine, 'Francis', I thought. I cringed at the prospect, "Maybe we can talk later tonight?"

"Good idea," said Mom Campbell.

~~v~~

Maggie Campbell and I left at the same time; Maggie to wherever she was headed, me to fetch my clothes, then on to Mrs. Bielson's, and last the library.

~~v~~

Whalen was driving down Garrett Highway when he opened his cell phone. He got Woodrow Patch on the phone, "Hello Woodrow? Whalen Campbell here."

Woodrow had a headache. It wasn't because it was Monday; it was because he was dying. He was seventy and he didn't know it yet but he had an inoperable tumor. He'd stayed on as a forest ranger way past his 'expiration date'. Nobody knew why he'd refused to retire. He was on medication for a half dozen different ailments, but he wanted to hang around a while longer. That, and the fact that it was Monday made him a little irritable, "Yeah, I saw it was you. What do you want?"

Whalen smiled to himself, then replied, "Remember back and we were talking?"

"You mean about a part time something?"

"Yeah, is it still there?"

"Could be; you want it?"

"Tell you when I get to your office. By the way is Francis in?"

"He's been in and gone already. Got a report; seems some hikers, most likely just kids, left a mess on the Savage River Hiking Trail. He's gone to check it out. That boy of yours got a real burr up his ass. He'll check through any rubbish he finds to see if he can get some identification. Then he goes after them. Caught a couple. Usually it's high school kids. Somebody'll leave a sheet of note paper or a signed receipt. Dumb kids. If they want to go someplace and drink beer; why go there?"

Whalen replied, "Sounds like the same shit he used to pull, and as I recall, some smart assed young ranger caught him once or twice," of course the ranger had been a much younger Woodrow Patch, Whalen concluded, "See you in a minute."

Woodrow laughed, "More than once I caught that rascal of yours. I'll be here." They both hung up.

~~V~~

From Frostburg Richard Campbell got his dad on the cell phone, "Hello dad?"

"Yeah, hi Richard. Doing all right? Need anything?"

"I'm good. Have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Mom's back."

There was a long pause, then Francis replied, "When she'd get back?"

"Late last night I think."

Francis answered, "Thanks for telling me, I've got to go. Talk to you later," Of course he'd already suspected; he closed his phone. He pondered, 'Damn I gave her clothes away. I filed 'separation papers'. I took the insurance off the Avalon. I cancelled her on my policy. Just the other day I cut off her phone service and closed her out on VISA. She's off all my accounts. And now...well she's not my problem, not anymore.'

He got out of his 'state truck' and took a few steps toward the river. Originally he'd figured he'd check on the report they'd gotten about teenagers, beer cans, rubbish and what. Suddenly he didn't feel much like rummaging around looking for two or three misplaced pieces of paper. No, he went back to his truck, got out his fishing rod and catch basket. He'd dig around, find some worms, and maybe do a little fishing, the weather was warm maybe he'd doze off, just take a nap.

~~v~~

The sun was well up. Fluffy cumulus clouds scuttered across a beautiful blue sky as Leslie drove back into town.

As I drove along I looked at the sights and sounds of the town I'd lived in for over twenty years. It was good to be back. I pulled up in front of the Goodwill store, got out, and went in. The place was bigger than I remembered; it hadn't been open long, not more than an hour or so.

I walked in and looked around. The store manager Lori-Ann Womack was folding some old shirts. I felt a growing sense of unease; Lori-Ann was wearing one of my blouses.

Lori-Ann and I had never been very friendly. She'd been one of several girls I'd elbowed aside to get at Francis. Since then Lori-Ann had married a truck driver, divorced him, and much later married an older man who was a custodian out at the middle school. From what I remembered Lori-Ann wasn't the easiest person to live with; something of a scold, hot tempered.

I walked over and asked, "My husband brought in some clothes the other day. Do you know where they are?"

Lori-Ann blushed slightly, "We already put them out. Most of the stuff's gone."

"Could you show me where what's left can be found?"

Lori-Ann pointed to a distant aisle, she reiterated, "Like I said I'm afraid most of the stuff's gone."

When I got to the indicated aisle I saw Lori-Ann was right; only a few things were left, and the tags indicated ridiculously low prices, but then this was a Goodwill store. I thought. 'With these prices it's no wonder there's not much left.' It was kind of disquieting; I'd bought quite a few especially nice things back when... I'd spent quite a lot of money.

I figured best not to make a big deal out of this. Francis had dropped the stuff off. I guess I should've been surprised he'd waited as long as he had. I picked through what I still wanted and decided to run over to Walmart and pick up anything else I needed. I carried what I wanted back to the front of the store where Lori-Ann was waiting.

Lori-Ann looked at me, "Just take it Leslie," she paused and added, "And I'm sorry. I took some, but most of it was sold right away, it went in all directions. You've got good taste. I took a couple blouses and a skirt. I'll clean them and bring them to you if you want."

I was surprised; she looked really sympathetic. I replied, "No I'll just take these. The things you picked; you should keep."

Leaving Lori-Ann alone at the register I went out for my car. 'Damn it,' I thought, 'now I'd have to buy a whole new wardrobe. I was stupid. I never thought. I'd left all the things I'd bought when I was in Baltimore back there. I never wanted that crap anyway. I wanted my good 'homey' stuff, my heavy flannels, my jeans, my L.L. Bean boots, and my hiking shoes.' Well I guessed it was Walmart for me.

~~v~~

On the way to Walmart I saw my gas gauge read just a quarter tank. Francis had always admonished to never let my gas fall below a quarter so I pulled in the BP station on Main Street. I got out and passed my card through the scanner. It was kind of sunny and I couldn't get exactly what it said, but I definitely saw the word invalid. I passed the card through again, and then again. I jiggled it around inside the slot. I wasn't getting anywhere. This was crazy!