This is the final chapter in the Cruel Irony series.
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On the second Thursday evening in February Jeff answered for the phone. A familiar voice that sounded week and distressed spoke, "Is Pam there?"
After calling his wife to the phone he asked his sister, "Are you okay?"
Betty did not want to talk with him. He sat at a distance waiting for his wife to tell him what was up. It was evident from a few phrases that there was something really wrong.
When she finished, Pam did not say much other than that Betty was with her parents for the weekend and was coming over Saturday. Betty needed to talk to Pam. Early Saturday morning Jeff loaded a range of tools into car and drove to Tara's new home, four houses down the street. Tara had closed the home two weeks before and needed numerous small repairs and painting. As he started painting the master bedroom, his mind was upon what was happening with his sister.
Time crawled. A year ago he thought their lives were orderly and perfect. He and Pam loved their jobs. They were renovating and decorating together their home. Above all they were deeply in love. The tension with his mother had disappeared and other than some distance between Tara and Vince, their extended families all seemed to be well. Even the tension between his in-laws seemed to be more a result of them being married so long that they had taken each other for granted. Adjusting to the empty nest may have been a factor Jeff often thought.
Becoming parents earlier than planned was the first yet celebrated change to take place. Then the news of his mother's affair shocked them. The news of his parentage had created complications, but they handled it all.
Royce did not walk away from his marriage with Doris. Instead he had sought to love Doris and redeem their marriage. For three months his father and mother were seeing counselors as part of their healing process.
Vince, his father-in-law announced in mid January a two month work assignment in California. All, including his mother-in-law Tara knew the trust and that this was Vince's first step towards a divorce. When Vince learned earlier that his wife was expecting his surprise turned to anger. His anger overflowed in a letter that Tara received two weeks ago.
The carefully worded and cold letter charged that Tara's pregnancy was a continuation of the manipulation and control games she had been playing since they met. He did not desire to father any more than two children. Just as she used pregnancy as a way to entrap him into a marriage, she was doing it again to hinder his professional advancement. He questioned whether she really loved him.
The letter went on to say he was not going to stand for it any longer and was contemplating divorce. He asked that she agree to his claim of irreconcilable differences and her unwillingness to move to California when he was offered a permanent transfer to the new plant. Vince threatened that if Tara fought his filing he would charge her before her family for emotional and physical cruelty. He also claimed that he would bring forward evidence that she had been having an affair with two unnamed men, one for eleven years and another for four years. He implied that he would taint her reputation with her children and cause his grandmother to disavow her. Vince's true unguarded heart was evident.
Tara shed no tears. The letter only steeled her resolve. It also steeled Nancy's anger and resolve as well. She had married Robert after her first husband, Vince's natural grandfather, died. Though Robert a successful business lawyer and land speculator never had children Nancy did not want his money that she inherited to be given away thoughtlessly. She saw the letter was evidence of her grandson not being a worthy heir.
Into this tangled web the one who seemed to be the most stable, Betty, now seemed to be in crisis.
At two o'clock while waiting to apply the last coat of paint Jeff looked out the window and saw Betty depart in her green Accent.
That evening after dinner and with the baby resting Jeff learned Betty was pregnant. Jeff was stunned. After a moment of silence a myriad of questions spilled forth from his lips, "Who is the father? Now what? Is she going to get an abortion? Was she not on the pill? How is this going to affect her completing her degree and get her first position? Who else knows? Why did she not tell both of us?"
With a serious look on her face Pam told her husband to be quiet and give her a chance to explain what she learned.
Betty was on the pill. When her prescription ran out at the end of the semester she had not taken the time to get to the clinic. With the assignments due at the end of the semester and her teaching responsibilities she just kept putting it off as she was not seeing anyone. At a party the week prior Christmas she ran into an old flame. She thought she was safe as her period had ended not long before but evidently the alcohol blurred her memory. She thought she would not be ovulating until Christmas.
Betty's anguish deepened when Ron, the old flame, called Betty a slut for trying to blame him. He said he could not be the father as he had a vasectomy two years ago. Betty suspected that was a lie but she was not going to push it. From his reaction it was just as well that Ron should not be in the baby's life. She was at point in her studies where being pregnant and having a baby would not unduly impact her studies.
Looking at her husband Pam said, "Betty's biggest issue is with the financial implications."
Pam paused before telling her husband that she offered Betty their help. Before she could say anything Jeff uttered, "We can help her. I am confident dad and mom will help too."
Pam hugged her husband, "I told her much the same."
"Why did she tell you first?" Jeff asked.
"It is a little complicated," Pam replied quietly to her husband. "I was the preliminary test ahead of telling Mom and Dad. And there is something else at play here that you need to know."
Jeff became speechless as he learned that his sister was bi-sexual and had feelings for his wife. He became numb when his wife told him what happened Christmas Eve, her reaction and what led up to what almost happened New Years Eve. His heart became more settled when he heard her assurances of her faithfulness.
