CHOICES #Wattys2016 #Hidden Gems

Chapter 11

Vincent changed course and paced slowly back up the street, kicking at the autumn leaves gathering on the sidewalk. He turned once more with a small flourish, determined to take life by the throat and give it a good shaking. The man had moved forward, once again in his way, and Vincent saw the man's foot slip off the curb, arms flailing to keep balance, resembling an effort to fly—which he did—straight down the street on the front of the bus.

The bus screeched to halt and Vincent ran to where the man lay crumpled under the front bumper. He reached in and felt for a pulse on the man's neck. He had seen this a million times on TV but he wasn't sure if he felt anything or not. The driver scrunched down beside him, white-faced.

"Is he alright?"

"I don't know, I don't think so."

"Oh, God!" The driver sank back onto the road and held his head.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault. I saw the whole thing. He slipped off the curb on those wet leaves. You didn't have a chance to stop or turn."

A passenger had called 911 and shortly an EMS truck rolled up, followed by a transit authority car. The police arrived seconds later, and the scene was one of busy people moving here and there, questions and statements taken and the victim covered and loaded into the EMS van.

Vincent was released as a witness and he returned home instead of continuing to work. He had seen first hand how quickly fortunes could change and he realized that he had sabotaged his own good fortune with one silly act, a moment of, 'what the hell' that made his life turn from an unappreciated good to a highly regrettable rotten. On the way, he rehearsed an apology for his wife and he was prepared to confess his transgression, which had been the root of that morning's argument whether they admitted it or not. Vincent was truly repentant and desperately wanted his wife to take him back to the way things used to be.

Marie turned in surprise when he came in and her face darkened.

"I'm not going in today so I'll have to call the office. Give me a minute; I want to talk with you." He didn't give her a chance to respond and went straight to the phone. A minute later he was standing by the kitchen counter explaining why he was back home. Marie's face softened as she listened to the terrible news of the accident.

"There's another reason I didn't go in, Marie. I want to confess to a stupid mistake, one you've already guessed."

She set her jaw and crossed her arms.

"I did have a- a very brief fling with that woman at work. It was nothing beyond the weakness of the moment, I swear. It happened at work and it was- it was more than stupid, it was idiotic. And learning who she was just added to my disgrace and humiliation. I can only say how sorry I am, Marie... truthfully. I am ashamed and sorry to have betrayed you like that."

She stood staring at him, a tear wandering down her flushed face. The silence descended like a huge cloud filling every space in the room. Vincent was afraid to move or speak; he just looked at his wife with pleading eyes. It seemed like hours before anyone broke the silence and it was Marie who spoke first. She straightened her shoulders and wiped her face with her apron.

"Why would you do something like that, Vincent? Am I not woman enough for you anymore?

"No, Marie, no. It has nothing to do with that, it was a stupid impulse. Nothing more."

"And what if you get these impulses again sometime? Another apology?"

"It won't happen, you have my word."

"I thought I had your word at the altar."

The shot hit home and Vincent felt a physical pain. She was right and he knew it, but he vowed that it would not happen again... ever. They spent another hour discussing things and gradually the barbs blunted and the promises took root. In the end, Vincent took her in his arms and thanked her. They kissed and then they both cried.

At the dinner table the topic was the accident Vincent had seen and the two kids seemed oblivious to the mild tension still hanging between their parents. Tina was applying for a position at the same company her father had worked at and that was discussed in detail. Vincent wasn't thrilled but he was outvoted and advised that he was not to be a pest in any way if she was hired.

Alec was moving on to college and wanted to study electronics; Marie told him that tuition might be a bit of a hardship but Vincent said he would find the funds somewhere and that Alec was to concentrate on his education and leave the finances to him. Their world seemed to have reassembled satisfactorily and Vincent went to bed counting his lucky stars.

The lucky stars didn't last long. When Vincent learned that in her new job, Tina would be working with Lori, he told Marie his fears and they decided to sit her down and have a long, revealing talk. Vincent wasn't thrilled but he also wasn't going to let anything happen to his daughter.

Tina was visibly upset over Vincent's confession but with her mother right there to support him she accepted that things had been resolved and they were moving on. She also paid close attention to Vincent's information about Lori and her mother and promised to steer clear when possible and not get involved.

******

Ginny McRae tilted the glass back and swallowed nearly half a glass of her neat vodka. She banged the glass on the table and glared at her daughter.

"Some seductress you are."

"I did what you asked and he went for it. I can't help it if his wife doesn't care." Lori chewed a nail and pouted.

"When I was your age men were crawling behind me for notice."

"I know what they were crawling for, and you gave it to all of them, including my wonderful father."

"Snotty little bitch! If it weren't for me you wouldn't have gotten that job in the first place. And as for your father, if anyone is a crawler, it's him."

"Yeah, and now I've got your reputation as well as your name... and I'll be lucky to still have the job after this." Lori complained. "And as for you getting me the job, the fact that I was Benny Lindstrom's illegitimate daughter nearly put the kybosh on that. It was my talent for design that got me that job... and now you've managed to screw that up as well."

Ginny lit a cigarette and blew smoke at the ceiling. "Well I've got another bit of news for you, daughter dear. Vincent's daughter is applying for a job and she is also into design. This would even be a better opportunity to screw him over. You could become her friend and introduce her to your lifestyle."

Lori took a cigarette from her mother's pack and lit it. "That would certainly be a lot easier than getting her father in trouble." Her previous reluctance vanished in a flash.

"Go for it, Lori. Get the little bitch so hooked she won't remember her name or her own father."

"Speaking of fathers, where's Benny?"

"Who knows. Who cares." Ginny dragged on her cigarette and coughed harshly. "The bastard is probably with his wife, he has to be with her some time."

"I thought he was coming here tonight."

"He will; he always comes for me."

"You are gross, you know that."

"Just you do what we talked about and I'll worry about me."