Past Due (2 page)

“So, how have you been?” He asked slowly, with an emphasis on each and every word. Jenna doubted the friendliness of the question. It seemed more like the beginning of an interrogation. Like where were you on the night of September 7th? Simple question, kill yourself answer. Jenna gulped. She’d declare the fifth if she had to.

“I’m…I’m kind of in a hurry. I, uh, have to get home. I have...to…to get to work. A lot of work to do.” Her words tumbled forth breathless and mumbled, but she got her point across. Tres stepped aside and allowed her to go to the counter to buy her wine. She swore his eyes bore into her back, but she dared not turn around and verify her instincts.

She handed the bottle of wine to the clerk. He scanned the bar code. The beep seemed to bounce off the cinderblock walls and made her jump. He said flatly, “I need to see some ID.”

Jenna looked at him as if he just hatched. “Seriously?”

“It’s the law.”

“But I…Oh, whatever…” Dropping her bags in a clatter of cans and glass, she growled under her breath. Tres cleared his throat from the doorway. Jenna looked. Her heart banged, flip-flopped, and continued its attempt at escape. Her purse grew heavy in her hands. She wanted to turn her back on him, finish her business and leave, but somehow the gravitational pull in this spot became more powerful than usual. She froze.

Finally, gratefully, after what felt like an eternity, he said a simple good-bye and stepped outside. Gravity lifted, she turned and flopped her purse on the counter. Fumbling through it with nervous fingers, it took great effort to slide the card out of the plastic slot in her wallet. The clerk barely glanced at the ID before declaring, “All right.”

Jenna bit her lip. She tossed it in the belly of her purse and zipped it with as much attitude as a zip could convey. Goods in tow, she headed for the door. Reaching for the metal handle, she stopped.

Tanner was immersed in conversation with Tres. She should have known he owned that ostentatious, arrogant hunk of metal. She stepped to the side of the door, half hidden behind a rack of postcards, and watched. Her fingers figuratively crossed.

Tres opened his car door. “Pleeeeaaaase leeeaaaave,” she closed her eyes and prayed he would be gone when she opened them.

No such luck. Her heart skipped a beat and a half when he stepped aside and Tanner sat in the driver’s seat. Jenna’s chill disappeared, replaced by a stifling, queasy warmth. Sweat sprang instantly from every pore and ran down her spine to the small of her back. It seemed like forever, but he finally shook Tanner’s hand and drove away.

Plowing through the door, she grabbed Tanner by the arm, “What are you thinking? Talking to strangers?”

“He wasn’t. He said he knew you…”

Jenna gasped, but further interrogation was cut short when Milo, the beefy mechanic with a heart as broad as his chest, stepped out of the garage and addressed her. “Hey girl, not a good day for a walk.”

Tanner spun toward Milo. “Did you see that car?”

Milo’s good humor lifted the corners of his mouth, “Who could miss it?”

Jenna snorted and frowned.

Tanner turned to his mother, “Come on, Mom. You gotta admit it was sweet. Six hundred horses– clocked for 210 miles an hour. I was hoping he’d offer me a ride. Probably would have if you hadn’t taken half an hour picking out your booze. I kept him there as long as I could.” He wrapped an arm across her shoulders. “I try to help you. He was a nice guy. Okay looking and all. Evidently he’s got some money. That’s a great catch. Right Milo?” Milo shrugged and bobbed his head. “I mean come on, I could’ve gotten a ride, and you could’ve gotten a date.”

“You know, Tanner, if I could just stop you from talking, you’d be the perfect child. Milo, is duct taping a child’s mouth illegal?”

Milo laughed. “Can’t say. Anything else I can do for ya, girl?”

She cleared her throat as she remembered why she walked a mile to this spot, “Oh, yeah, my car broke down. Stalled about a mile up the road.”

Milo pulled off his ball cap and scratched his head. “What happened?”

“It made some funny noises, then stopped. Like it wasn’t getting gas no matter how hard I pushed on the pedal.”

Tanner rolled his eyes and shook his head. “More like it made some funny noises. Mom turned up the radio, as usual, then the engine sounded like it blew up, and then we hauled butt outta there before it caught on fire. Honestly? If that crap box would fit in a garbage truck, we’d have them pick it up
.
”

Milo grinned at Tanner then turned to Jenna, “Well, I’ll see what I can do for ya. I’ll have it towed in and take a look at it. Need a lift?”

“No. It’s a short walk. But thanks.”

She turned to Tanner as they walked away and accused him with a poke to his ribs, “Trouble maker.”

“Me?” Tanner responded with exaggerated offense.

“Telling Milo I turned up the radio.”

“You do!”

“Just today.”

“Just always.”

“But there was nothing I could do; may as well enjoy the music.”

“Ignoring problems don’t make them disappear.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Jenna asked through a clenched jaw. “My car broke down. It’s not the end of the world.”

“How can you say that? How’re you gonna come up with the money to fix it?”

Jenna didn’t answer immediately, so Tanner concluded, “You can’t. You can’t afford this and you know it.”

Jenna stopped in the road and planted her hands on her hips, “Tanner Scott Austin, you stop right there.”

He stopped, his back to his mother. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“I don’t want an apology. I want you to listen to me.” She turned him until he faced her, “I’m the adult and you are the child.”

Tanner nodded. His gaze fell to the ground. Jenna lifted his chin until he made eye contact. “Has there ever been a time when you’ve not gotten what you need?”

“No, but...”

“No buts. I don’t need you to worry about this. I take care of us. It may not always be done to your liking or done as perfectly as some mothers do it, but it gets done. I’m doing the best I can. And, you know, maybe we don’t have the finest of everything. And maybe sometimes the bills do back up on me, but they always get paid.”

“Electric bill came yesterday and it said past due.”

“For crying out loud, Tanner! Will you stop?” Jenna threw a hand in the air. “It’ll be paid. Sweetie, we’re fine. I’m fine.”

“I really am sorry, Mom,” he said, head hanging low.

She hugged him, pressing her cheek against his. “It’ll all work out, sweetie. It always does.”

Tanner nodded and pulled away. “I just sometimes think that if you considered dating…you know…like the guy at the gas station…you could…”

The tension returned to Jenna’s spine as she blurted, “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“He said he knew you. Said you guys were old friends.”

“What did he say exactly?”

Jenna’s heart lurched. “Did you tell him you were my son?”

“No, I told him you were some creepy child molester who was trying to kidnap me, but your car broke down.” He rolled his eyes. “Of course I said you were my mom. What are you freaking out about?”

“I’m not freaking out. I just...well...I don’t like you giving out personal information to strangers,” Jenna stammered. She chewed the side of her cheek a moment before asking, “Did he say anything else?”

“Why do you care, if you don’t know him?”

“He just seems creepy is all.”

Tanner laughed, “You are crazy. You think a guy like that’s creepy? No wonder you fell for Jake’s bull.”

“Oh, Tanner,” Jenna closed her eyes and touched her hand to her heart for a moment. “Don’t talk like that. Your dad was a fine man. The world could use more men like him. I won’t let you disrespect him.”

“Whatever, Mom.” Tanner shrugged, adding barely above a whisper, “You could have had a better life.”

“What more could I want?” She asked as they reached home. The paint on the tiny white bungalow was beginning to peel in spots and the red shutters were faded from candy apple to barn red. Old milk cans filled with geraniums sat by the single cane backed rocker on the tiny stoop. More were growing in the flower beds and from hanging pots. The immaculate flowers and rustic pots made her home look more like a weathered cottage than a dump. Jenna carried the same shabby chic design inside, in what she called dumpster treasure interior decor.

Tanner’s young face was full of concern as he admitted, “You’re gonna be real lonely when I leave for college.”

“Oh, go shower, you arrogant turd. You act like I didn’t exist until you were born.” She shoved him toward the house. “I’m gonna check on Nanny Maureen. Save me some hot water.”

“Tell Nanny we want to eat with her tonight. Making me walk a mile in a storm was abuse enough.”

She shook her head and watched until he disappeared into the house. She relaxed a little, with his mind on food, he’d forget about Tres. She should’ve bought something stouter than wine so she could too.

Chapter
2

Jenna took a moment to compose herself before facing her mother-in-law. If she wasn’t careful, Maureen’s emotional radar would sense something seriously wrong as soon as she laid eyes on her. Maureen’s house flanked Jenna’s at an angle. It was a large two-story white rectangle with a couple of add-ons attached to the north and east walls making the final shape a squared horseshoe. It was built at the turn of the last century by Maureen’s relatives who had no training in the art of construction or design; they simply built as they needed space. Exuding a strength girded by love, not perfection, it survived countless storms and hurricanes over the last hundred years, even though no part of the home was plum or square.

Jenna stepped into the house, welcomed by the smell of roasting chicken. She crossed through the living room, the dining room, and into the kitchen where an open window blew the savory smells and lifted the orange blossom curtains that overlooked Jenna’s.

***

Maureen met her at the doorway and gave her a hug. Maureen’s crooked gait left her slow, but steady. She stood just over five feet and was as round as she was tall. Her mousey brown hair, peppered with barely a sprinkling of gray, indicated her sixty some years. Her face remained unlined with the exception of smile lines that framed her mouth like dimples.

“Goodness, you’re wet as a drowned rat.” Maureen rubbed Jenna’s arms as if to warm them up.

“The Lizzie broke down.”

“Why, you should have called me,” Maureen admonished.

“It was a short walk.”

“In the rain.”

“We’re hardy.”

“Tanner too? Why, Jenna—”

“We survived just fine. Besides Tanner got to drool over a Porsche. He was delighted.”

“I saw that when I drove in. Did you see the stud behind the wheel, Miss Jenna?” Jenna turned as Lois Pugh walked in behind her. “I’m a legal brief widow again, Maureen. Teddy won’t be home till tomorrow. Need some company? At least let me beg some dinner?”

“Oh, of course,” Maureen beamed. “I roasted a couple of chickens. Tanner’s Thursday special you know. I put in two just in case he brought friends. Besides Jenna’s so thin…keep trying to fatten her up.” She gave Jenna a side hug as she made her case. “See? All boney.”

“And wet. That your car Milo was towing in?”

Jenna nodded, but couldn’t speak; she was scared to death the conversation would return to the driver of the Porsche. Lois poured herself a cup of coffee while Jenna took the opportunity to plead out of dinner. Jenna cleared her throat and said, “Just Tanner’ll be over. I have quite a lot of work to do.”

“Oh, pooh, Jenna. As your biggest buyer…I’m giving you the night off,” Lois ordered as she took a seat at the table.

“No. Uh. This is personal. A painting I started…and I just can’t walk away from it, you know?”

Lois and Maureen frowned and shook their heads, and then looked at each other and shrugged. “I think we’re both pulled away from work easily enough for a good meal.” Lois laughed.

“I am just so close to being done. Have Tanner bring me a plate?”

“Of course, but you know Jenna…”

“I know, I know. I need to work less, sleep more, and eat healthier. ”

“You forgot, you need to eat more often.”

“Oh yes, I need to eat more often. And you, my very best mother-in-law, need to worry less.”

“It’s just that…well…you’re just too pale lately. And did I mention too thin?”

“Yep, pretty sure that was first. Now you guys know I’d love nothing more than to be harassed for being skinny all night long, but I really do have to go.” Jenna made a backward slide out of the kitchen. Lois and Maureen didn’t even wait until the front door closed before they started talking about her…Jenna cringed when she heard the words…if only Jenna had
a nice man she could count on.

Jenna shuffled Tanner off to his grandma’s.

Determined to treat love like any other illness- catch it; cure it; and then be immune forever…Jenna drove thoughts of love out of her mind in a frenzy of work.