Yule Tidings (13 page)

             
“It’s only forty-five minutes, Anne.” Franklin said irritably, not wishing to give away his true purpose so soon.

             
“It was forty-five minutes too long for you to come to Trisha’s basketball games, her honor roll ceremony, her awards ceremony, or even to see her before the prom.  The only thing you managed to make it to was her graduation, come to think of it,” Anne said harshly.  If Franklin wanted a fight she’d give him one.  She was in no mood for his attitude.  Standing was making her ankle stiff and her hands burned from the constant contact with the bleach solution.

             
There was no escaping it, Franklin thought; he might as well come clean.  “I’m actually here because I was going to try to convince you to be reasonable about Jason and Alex; but I see there’s no use,” Franklin said with a sigh.  Trisha had explained the situation about her books to him over the phone, and he knew that Anne’s compromise was exceptionally reasonable, especially for her; but it was an excuse to try to talk to her to make things better.  Alex had called him, crying, twice in the last week.  She was heartbroken over what Anne had said, but even more so over Jason’s determination to cut his mother out of his life.  Franklin had tried to explain to Alex that Anne was bitter, but that was no excuse, not really.  He knew Jason was being stubborn, but in retrospect, if Franklin had the foresight to defend Anne against his own mother, many of the problems they’d encountered early in their marriage could have been avoided.  Indeed, even some of the problems leading up to the divorce might have been negated.

             
“I am being reasonable,” Anne said hotly.  Of course Franklin would defend the slut, it was just like him.  Donna was proof that he had a weakness for an easy lay.  “That little hussy is trapping my son.  I’m not about to stand by and watch without speaking up.”  Anne looked at Franklin in distaste, “you may pretend that you like her just to stay on Jason’s good side, but I won’t!”

             
“Alex is not a hussy, Anne.  She’s a very sweet, intelligent girl.  If you’d only give her a chance; get to know her a little,” Franklin began.  He hadn’t really thought much of Alex when Jason first introduced them some eight months ago.  She hadn’t said much and she was rather shy and withdrawn, but over time he’d come to appreciate her sarcasm and quick wit.  She was a genuinely considerate, tender soul. 

             
“She’s unmarried and pregnant, how could she be anything but a hussy?  How are you so sure it’s even Jason’s baby? No sweet, good girl would be unmarried, living with a man and pregnant.”  Anne let the scorn fill her voice.  She would not allow Franklin to change her opinion of the girl.  She was a worthless piece of trash and Anne wanted to see her tossed out of her son’s home before the marriage became a reality.

             
“Oh Anne, come on.  Your values might mean something if your own daughter hadn’t lived with a man for a year before they were married.  You can’t be foolish enough to believe they never had sex.  It was a one bedroom apartment for God’s sake, and they didn’t have a couch for the first six months!”  Franklin hadn’t been particularly proud of his daughter, Rose, when she moved in with Brandon, but she’d told him point blank that she wanted to be certain they were meant to be together, because she never wanted to put herself or any children she might have through a grueling divorce as Franklin and Anne had done.  He wasn’t able to argue with her, though he doubted that living with Anne for a year before their marriage would have prevented the divorce.  Before the miscarriage, the little discrepancies or their personalities hadn’t really been a problem.  They were both willing to forgive each other’s faults.

             
“Get out, Franklin,” Anne said, refusing to look at him or acknowledge that he’d spoken.  She didn’t like to think about Rose’s indiscretion, but at least it was in the past and things had worked out relatively well.  Alexia and Jason was happening now, and it was not going to end well, Anne was certain.

             
“Anne, whether you like it or not Jason is marrying Alex.  You should try to make amends before the wedding.  Alex is really hurt and Jason is irate.”  Franklin didn’t bother mentioning that Jason wanted nothing to do with her; it probably wouldn’t help anyway.  Anne seemed determined to believe what she wanted to believe and nothing he said was making a difference.

             
“I don’t care Franklin; I’m not taking it back.  I will not stand by complacently while she takes advantage of my son.”

             
“It’s not even like that, Anne,” Franklin started, knowing it was in vain.  If he told Anne how much he liked Alex it would only make Anne despise her more.  The more he defended Alex, the worse Anne’s opinion would be.  Franklin looked at her, exasperated.  He had no excuse for what came out of his mouth next, except that perhaps he’d had enough of Anne’s hardheartedness, “Anne, she’s pregnant for Christ sakes.  You’re making her miserable.  Do you want to cause her to miscarry?” The anger seemed to radiate from him in waves.  For some reason he was angrier at Anne than he’d ever been in his life, and it struck him forcefully that he’d come to believe Anne wanted Alex to lose this baby, to somehow feel the pain and suffering that Anne had gone through, hoping it would tear Jason and Alex apart as it had Anne and Franklin.  Maybe it was retribution; maybe it was her own insecurity about how she handled the miscarriage, but somewhere deep down she wanted someone else to feel her pain and loss.

             
“Get the hell out!” Anne screamed at him.  “How dare you?”  Anne was advancing on Franklin in pure outrage, her hatred of him at the moment reaching its zenith.  She couldn’t believe he would bring up a miscarriage to
her
.  He had absolutely no right.  “I would leave it to you anyway.  You have more experience,” she snapped at him before turning and stalking out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

             
Franklin was stunned.  He couldn’t believe how far Anne had fallen.  She was behaving terribly.  He knew she was alone.  He even knew she hadn’t dated anyone in the six years since the divorce, but this was worse than he’d ever imagined.  She didn’t care at all anymore.  She was dressed terribly, her hair thrown on top of her head.  She’d gained at least forty or fifty pounds since the divorce, and there was no make-up on her face.  She used to care about her appearance.  Her hair was always fixed, one way or another, and her make-up was impeccable.  She’d never been thin, but her weight hadn’t deterred from her appeal.  Indeed, there had been times when he found her more attractive for her soft, round, curvaceous figure.  Was he to blame for her current disarray?  The kids mentioned how frustrating Anne had become, but Franklin shook it off as her being bitter, but maybe that wasn’t all it was.  She wasn’t just bitter, she was miserable and maybe even depressed.

             
Franklin left the Red Cross, ignoring the reception
ist
and the man who waited patiently at the desk to make an appointment to donate blood.  He didn’t know what to do.  He was no longer in love with Anne, but he didn’t want to see her this way either.  She was the mother of his children, the woman he spent twenty-two years of his life with, most of those year
s
happy and contented.  He’d only been unfaithful to her when it was clear she wouldn’t or couldn’t be intimate with him.  He needed companionship, someone to hold and that would hold him.  Anne had denied him for years and he was tired of being alone.  He hated feeling as though his urges were wrong.  Every time he tried to seduce Anne she would push him away as though he was a disgusting plate of vegetables.  If he even brushed up against her in bed she would squirm away, evading him.  There were times when she would even leave the bed to sleep on the couch in her desire to prevent the chance of intimacy.

             
Donna had been warm and welcoming.  Her house was always open to him.  She made cookies for him, and he’d often join her for dinner after clearing her driveway on winter evenings.  She was always gracious and friendly; willing to listen to whatever he had to say.  They would spend hours talking.  She was lonely and wanted a friend and he’d been desperate for intimacy for years.  Not just sex, though that was part of it, but for someone to speak with.  Anne rarely held a conversation with him, and it was at Donna’s house he found solace from Anne’s animosity.  He could still remember the first time he kissed Donna.  She’d slapped him so hard he thought his eye would pop from the socket.  She was sitting on the couch, listening to him talk about work, and she was so attentive to him that Franklin found it hard to resist kissing her.  He’d been quite contrite after she slapped him.

             
Donna was Anne’s friend, and refused to get romantically involved with Franklin.  It took him months to explain his marriage to her.  How they never touched and barely spoke.  How Anne refused his every caress and embrace.  He knew Donna longed for the closeness and affection that Anne scorned.  He even went so far as to explain his part in the miscarriage, something he never spoke of with anyone.  He explained how he’d killed the baby by accident, and that he could never forgive himself.  He didn’t even blame Anne for hating him.  Donna was sympathetic.  She comforted him, soothed him, but continued to refuse his advances.  It wasn’t until she saw how Anne treated him, like a second rate handyman, that she was willing to become involved.  As much as she wanted love, she thought Franklin was exaggerating things, or at least making Anne’s behavior seem worse than it really was. 

             
Franklin looked down the street.  Donna was waiting in the car for him, reading.  He watched her for a moment, her eyes flitting about the page, a slight smile on her face as she read.  Must be a good part in the book, he mused.  He had planned on coming alone, but when he told Donna what he wanted to do, she’d insisted on sitting in the car.  Anne had a tendency of making a scene, but if Donna was present she wouldn’t; possibly because Donna would defend Franklin, or maybe just because Anne was always too upset when she saw him with Donna to continue her tirade.

             
“How did it go?” Donna asked as Franklin climbed into the car.

             
“Terrible.  I think I made it worse,” he said, resting his head against the steering wheel.  He took a deep breath before looking at his wife.  He couldn’t believe he’d accused Anne of such a horrendous thing.

             
“I doubt it, honey.  What could you have possibly said that might make things worse?”  Donna smiled encouragingly.

             
“Well, I basically accused her of trying to cause Alex to miscarry,” Franklin said, not moving, just watching as Donna’s eyes grew large in surprise and disbelief.

             
Donna was silent, taken aback.  Franklin didn’t like to talk about the baby they lost.  They both blamed the miscarriage for the divorce.  It was an intensely sore spot for Anne, and Donna was aghast that Franklin would make such an accusation.  It seemed almost cruel to accuse Anne of something that she believed ruined her life and marriage.  “What did she say?” she asked, nearly whispering, thinking that there might be something of truth behind his remark, but not wanting to believe that Anne could be so malicious, either consciously or subconsciously.

             
“She yelled.  Told me to get the hell out, and that I had more experience in causing miscarriages.  She knows I like Alex; I defended her.  I know it will only make matters worse.  Anne will have even more reason to hate her.”  Franklin shook his head sadly.  He definitely hadn’t planned on making things worse.

             
Donna didn’t know what to say.  He knew Anne better than anyone.  “I’m sorry,” she said, not really certain what would help.

             
“I appreciate it, but I’m not the one that will suffer.  I shouldn’t have bothered; now Alex will have even more trouble with her.”  Franklin started the car.  He’d have to call Jason and tell him what happened.  When Jason called on Sunday, distraught, and then Alex called, crying, he’d felt like he had to help.  He couldn’t stand hearing the pain and frustration in their voices, and it had been nice to feel needed again.  With the kids all being adults, for the most part, he wasn’t needed as much anymore.  They were able to take care of themselves and their families, something he was immensely proud of, even if it did sometimes hurt when they no longer needed his help or guidance.  He flipped open his cell and pressed number five.

             
“Hello?”

             
“Hey Jason,” Franklin said.

             
“Dad, can you hold on a minute?” Jason said, putting him on hold for a few minutes.  Franklin looked at Donna, shrugging and miming that he was on hold.  When Jason came back on the line, he sounded relieved.  “Sorry, I just had to talk to a client.  What’s up?”

             
“I’m calling to apologize,” Franklin said instantly.  He might as well get it over with.  Jason would be a little upset, but he was taking things very well recently, maybe for Alex’s sake.

             
“What for?” Jason asked, confused.

             
“I went to see your mother today.  I was trying to get her to be reasonable about you and Alex, but I think I made it worse,” Franklin told him.