I hated the rain. I sat in the cab of my work truck, watching it hammer the windshield and listening to it pound the roof. It wasn’t a gentle summer shower. It was a gully washer, the kind that turned parking lots into shallow lakes.
The AC unit on the Heritage Cottage Buffet would just have to wait. There was no way I was climbing onto that roof in this weather. Hell, I wasn’t even supposed to be here. Wednesdays were my day in Allentown.
But this was an emergency, and I was the best man for the job. Or rather, nobody else wanted to drive this far for a routine service contract. The Heritage Cottage was part of the York Holiday House Motel, one of those older places with outside entrances and cheap rates. I think more people used the restaurant than the rooms.
I watched the guests checking out through the rain-streaked windshield. The maids huddled under the canopy, trying to stay dry. It was a long, boring wait. Then a beige VW convertible pulled into a close parking spot.
I couldn’t make out the license plate from across the lot, but my stomach dropped. It looked just like my wife’s bug. Amanda and I had been married almost twenty years. We had two daughters: Colleen, eighteen and about to start at Kutztown University, and Brenda, just sixteen and in full goth rebellion mode.
Opposites in every way. I didn’t really meet Amanda until after high school. School had been rough for me. I had a terrible stutter as long as I could remember, and the teenage angst that came with it was awful.
I became withdrawn, sullen. I spoke only when necessary, and then in as few words as possible. My teachers were told never to call on me. Most of my classmates figured I was slow.
I never felt that way. I knew when I was being taken advantage of, and a couple of times I resorted to physical means to stop the harassment. It always seemed to work. I was halfway through a technical course in air conditioning repair when I met Amanda.
She was a waitress at the diner. For over a month, all I did was order, eat, and leave with a generous tip. She was always polite, always pleasant. I felt comfortable around her.
It took a lot of courage, but I eventually asked her out. She accepted readily. She never minded that I let her do the talking, and she was careful never to mention my stutter. We dated for months before things got serious.
It was obvious the first time that I had no experience, but she was understanding and got us through it without too much embarrassment. I never mentioned it, but I got the feeling she had done it all before. I figured that was her business. We had a small civil ceremony right after I finished tech school.
I had a full-time job waiting, better pay than I expected. Amanda worked at the diner until she got pregnant with Colleen. After that, she was a full-time wife and mom. We weren’t rich, but we were comfortable.
Life was good. I kept trying to read the tag number on the Beetle, but the rain made it impossible. A silver Mercedes parked alongside it. A man got out with an umbrella, coordinating the move like he’d done it a hundred times.
He walked to the VW and opened the driver’s door. I felt a knot in my stomach as Amanda got out and joined arms with him. They half-ran, half-walked to the motel canopy, laughing as he closed the umbrella and pulled a room key from his coat pocket. I sat in the parking lot for over two hours.
The rain stopped, but I didn’t care. I got out of the truck just long enough to walk over to the Mercedes and pull the registration from the glove box. They finally came out of the room, still laughing, and walked back to their cars. Before Amanda got into the VW, she gave her gentleman friend a quick kiss on the cheek.
The kind a wife gives her husband, not her lover. She never noticed my truck across the lot. She was oblivious to everything but her companion. I was crying as I watched them both leave.
I never fixed the air conditioner at the buffet. It took less than an hour to get back to the shop. The boss was upset I hadn’t finished the job, but that turned to utter disappointment when I told him I was quitting. He didn’t argue or ask for an explanation.
At the bank, I cashed my severance check and withdrew all but six thousand dollars from our accounts. The savings account was supposed to go toward the new house. The money market account held the girls’ college fund. Now they were both empty.
I realized Brenda was never going to college anyway. The only thing lower than her grades was her attitude. I drove to Kutztown and paid Colleen’s tuition in full for all four years. It was close enough to home that she wouldn’t need dorm fees or a meal plan.
A small pang of guilt passed quickly. Amanda was home when I arrived. I took my wet boots off at the front door, as always. “John, what are you doing home at this time?
” she asked, coming out of the kitchen. “I thought you were supposed to be in Allentown all day. ”
I walked past her toward the bedroom, smiled, and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. The same kind she had given her lover three hours earlier.
She looked perplexed that I didn’t answer. I had my first bag half-packed when she entered the bedroom. “John, what the hell is going on? What are you doing?
”
I kept packing. Just underwear, shoes, and work clothes. “Are you going to answer me? What happened?
Just because you had a bad day doesn’t mean you leave. I’m your wife. You’re supposed to share things with me. ”
I paused and looked her way.
She knew not to interrupt or rush my speech. “I did not work in Allentown today. ”
No hesitation. No stammering.
A simple sentence, delivered perfectly. She stood there waiting for me to continue. I finished packing, then paused again. “I worked in York today.
”
Another short, simple phrase. Slow and cool. As I got my shoes from the closet, I noticed my wife quietly leave the room. She was sitting on the living room couch as I walked toward the front door.
I stopped long enough to pull on my boots. I glanced back one last time. Her eyes were wet, but she wasn’t crying. She offered no explanation, no apology.
I walked out. I was just outside of Hagerstown when my cell phone rang. It was Colleen. “Hi, Dad.
Where are you? ”
“Hagerstown. ”
“Mom told us you left. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.
”
“I’m fine. ”
“Dad, is there anything I can do? Any way I can help? ”
“No.
”
It’s hard to have a long conversation when words don’t come smoothly. There were a million things I wanted to say to my daughter but couldn’t. “Mom told Brenda and me what happened,” she said. “She wasn’t very specific, but we both knew for a while now.
I’m not pleased it happened, but I’m glad you finally found out. ”
“You and Brenda knew about it for about three years now. ”
“I feel foolish. ”
“Don’t, Dad.
Don’t do that to yourself. You’re a good father and a good husband. Don’t ever think otherwise. ”
I didn’t answer.
My stomach was churning. It was too much to take in at once. “Dad? Dad, are you there?
Are you okay? ”
“I’ll be fine. By the way, I paid your tuition at school. ”
“I don’t care about that.
I care about you. ”
“Thanks, honey. I have to go now. ”
I turned the phone off without giving her a chance to say anything else.
I had supper at a Cracker Barrel in Harrisonburg when I noticed a small ad for a facility maintenance manager with an emphasis on air conditioning and heating. After a quick phone call, I had an interview the next morning. I’d never actually interviewed for any job before, and my speech impediment didn’t help my confidence. But if I got it, fine.
If not, nothing lost. Oakbrook Meadows was a small, church-affiliated retirement home. It was old, with buildings that looked like they’d been added onto several times. A hodgepodge that desperately needed help.
“Good morning. You must be Mr. Tyson. My name is Don Watson.
Do you mind if I call you John? ”
“That’s fine. ”
For the next thirty minutes, Don gave me a complete history lesson. It was a nonprofit with money problems.
Over a hundred retired people lived there as long as they could function. When they got too sick to take care of themselves, they were relegated to a state-run facility by law. The expense of outsourcing repairs was taxing their budget to the point of closing. Hiring a full-time maintenance superintendent was a last-ditch effort.
The salary was really bad, but they threw in a small apartment in the basement of the main building and meals in the community dining room. It took me three days to make the apartment livable. The meals were good and convenient. There was a fully equipped workshop with manuals and spare parts.
Air conditioning and heating weren’t a problem, but dishwashers, ranges, and walk-in refrigeration units were new to me. Plumbing baffled me, but I pushed through. It only took a few weeks to settle into a routine. During the day, I took care of business.
At night, I made my new home livable. I kept my cell phone charged but turned off. I had a facility phone for work and an old Windows 7 computer for tracking maintenance. Dawn was happy with my work, and I was happy with the situation.
Three months passed without incident. I kept my phone off, and no one called except the one person who mattered. I decided to call Colleen on her birthday. “Colleen, it’s Dad.
”
“Dad, how great to hear from you! You had your phone turned off. Where are you? What are you doing?
I was worried about you. ”
“Slow down. One question at a time. I’m fine.
I got a job and a place to live. ”
“How are you doing? ”
“School is good. I’m in a dorm with two other girls.
I went on the meal plan. I have a part-time job at a sandwich shop near campus. ”
“Do you need anything? ”
“No, I’m fine.
”
“Is everything else okay? ”
“No, not really. Mom is very depressed. She told Brenda and me what happened.
I don’t think she’s sorry for what she did, but she’s sorry she got caught. She got a job at a diner, but I don’t think she’s making enough to keep the house. She sold all your tools and stuff from the garage, and now she’s selling off furniture. She said she was going to the bank about the mortgage.
I think she’s going to let the house go back. ”
“That’s a shame. It was a nice house. ”
“Oh, by the way, Brenda is gone.
In case you didn’t know, you’re not Brenda’s biological father. It’s some guy from Gettysburg named Samuelson. I think he’s the guy she was meeting the day you found out. In any case, Brenda left and sent a postcard from San Francisco.
”
“It seems I’m the cause of a lot of misery. ”
“No, you’re not, Dad. Mom brought this all on herself. ”
“Colleen, give me your address.
I’ll send you a power of attorney so it will be easier for your mother to get rid of the house. ”
Soon, I became friends with the other employees and several of the residents. Ivy James soon became a regular at my lunch table. She was in charge of the facility laundry.
She was about forty, not a raving beauty but not a dog either. She was single, never married, and lived with her parents. What set her apart was that she was deaf. I found myself spending more and more time with Ivy.
She had a small notepad on a strap around her neck for when she needed it, but she could read lips quite well. And for some reason, I didn’t stutter when I was with her. I didn’t even have to say the words. I could just mouth them.
Our relationship took another step when she invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her family. Her parents and sister weren’t hearing impaired, but her mother and sister were both proficient in sign language. They quickly picked up on my stutter and steered conversations so I could minimize speaking but still feel included. It was a good experience.
Ivy and I grew closer. The Virginia School for the Deaf was thirty minutes away in Staunton, and I enrolled in an evening sign language class. I didn’t tell Ivy, but she figured it out when I started paying more attention to her signing. When I finally told her, she was beaming and offered to stay late to help me with my homework.
I was told it would take about two years to become accomplished enough for a simple conversation, but I was motivated. Every day, the pain of losing my marriage diminished. Colleen called and told me she was coming down for Christmas. She didn’t ask.
She told me. How could I refuse? Oakbrook Meadows had a few guest rooms, so I reserved one. I was anxious about her meeting Ivy, but I didn’t need to be.
As soon as Colleen realized Ivy was deaf, she started signing. She wasn’t great, but good enough that they could converse at length without me. Colleen had taken two courses in high school and gotten advanced placement in college. She’d already decided to major in special education.
We spent most of the Christmas vacation with Ivy and her parents. I was a bit embarrassed when I got a mistletoe kiss from Ivy, but Colleen seemed to enjoy my discomfort. Before leaving, Colleen mentioned that she thought Amanda was still in touch with Jeff Samuelson. She could tell from little hints and things Amanda accidentally said.
Colleen got the feeling Amanda was planning for something to happen in the future. Two weeks later, I was served divorce papers. She didn’t ask for a thing. I signed everything and sent it back to her lawyer.
But one thing bothered me. I was pissed. She’d used me, taken advantage of me, and then discarded me when she no longer needed me. That wasn’t right.
I know I left her, and I opened that door. But it still wasn’t right. I was happy with my new life, and normally I should have accepted my good fortune and moved on. I couldn’t.
Ivy didn’t gloat when I told her about the divorce, but it was obvious her spirits lifted. My nights were sleepless, dwelling on the fact that I was used. My pride was destroyed. She screwed around, and I was the one who got hurt.
I needed closure. Monday, six in the morning. I was having coffee at a diner in Gettysburg, waiting for Jeff Samuelson to go to work. He left at seven, just as I finished my coffee.
I dressed up a bit because I didn’t want to make Mrs. Samuelson uncomfortable. I had no idea what I was going to say as I rang the bell. “Yes?
Can I help you? ”
“Mrs. Samuelson, my name is John Tyson. I was hoping I could get a minute of your time.
”
“Are you selling something? I don’t think we’d be interested. ”
“No, ma’am. It’s a personal matter concerning your husband and my wife.
”
She stood silent in deep thought. I couldn’t tell if she’d ask me to leave or invite me in. “Your wife’s name wouldn’t happen to be Amanda, would it? ”
“Yes, ma’am.
”
“Please come in, Mr. Tyson. We do indeed have to talk. ”
Marie Samuelson and I spent the next two hours together.
When I left, I wasn’t sure if I felt better or worse. She had suspected something for years but could never prove it. She was calm and stoic until I told her about Brenda. Her whole demeanor changed.
That was when I knew it was time to leave. When I got back, I told Ivy everything. I couldn’t start a relationship with her if there were secrets. She seemed to understand and took extra time to console me.
Things returned to normal. Ivy and I started looking at houses. We were too old to start a family, but Ivy was interested in foster care or adoption. We found out our chances of adopting hearing-disabled children were pretty good.
The people in Staunton would be happy to help. Then the phone rang in the middle of the night. It was Colleen. “Dad, I wasn’t expecting to call you.
I’m at the Baptist hospital in York. Mom has been shot. She’s okay, but I felt I should call you. ”
“What the hell happened?
”
“What I can piece together: Mom and Mr. Samuelson were having supper at the Cracker Barrel when Mrs. Samuelson came in and emptied a . 22 revolver at them.
All shots missed except one that just nicked Mom in the right arm. It wasn’t serious, but it needed medical attention. They’re going to release her in a couple of hours. What happened to the boyfriend?
He didn’t get a scratch, but he disappeared before the cops even got there. He just left Mom stranded. Mrs. Samuelson sat in a chair and quietly waited for the police.
”
“I guess there’s no reason for me to come up there. ”
“No, I’ll have her home by the time you’d arrive. Oh, I forgot to mention—Mom is really pissed that her boyfriend ran out on her. I’ve never seen her that mad.
”
“Thanks for the call, by the way. Keep some time open at the beginning of April. Your dad is going to get married. ”
“Congratulations.
I’ll definitely be there. And I won’t tell Mom. It would really crush her right now. ”
I hung up and thought I’d better tell Ivy about the upcoming wedding.
Thus ends the saga of a quiet, cool man. He bought a house and moved in with his new bride. They adopted three kids and fostered several more. Colleen got a teaching job at the Virginia School for the Deaf and married a year later.
I continued on at Oakbrook Meadows, but Ivy did not. Amanda is still working at the diner. Jeff Samuelson was never seen again.
