HARMONY

Part 9 "I'm not coming home"

Michelle dialed again and again, but Steve's phone kept going right to voice mail. She hung up, but called back to leave a message. "Honey," she started, "I'm on my way home, the meetings ran a little late, but I understand you're upset. We'll sort it out tonight. I'm really sorry. And the kids are texting me crazy messages. Have you talked to them? Call me."

Next she tried Drew. "Mom! Where've you been?"

"Conference," she answered. "Where's your car?"

"Claire stole it, but the police found her." Then he added. "Bitch."

"Andrew! Watch your mouth!" She accelerated to 80 and tried to untangle the night. "Okay, Claire took your car and now the police---have her?"

Drew laughed into the phone. "I wish. I wish they'd keep her in some dungeon somewhere."

"Stop it! Where is she and where's your father?"

"I called dad and left ten messages and he hasn't called back. And Claire's at Sophia's.

Michelle pulled off the 5 freeway and sped up Crown Valley. She rubbed her temples with her thumb and forefinger, trying to do her Dr. Oz breathing exercise. "Okay, I'm going to pick up Claire and tell your dad to call me when he gets home."

"Ya sure."

"And Drew," she added. "Don't be so angry."

He hung up.

A few minutes later, she pulled into the curving brick driveway of Sophia's home. Checking her neck again, she smoothed her hair and blouse. She felt like the smell of sex hovered like a giant scarlet A.

Jim opened the door wearing a turquoise bathrobe over his matching plaid pajamas. The blue accentuated his gorgeous eyes and thick black hair. He greeted her with a warm smile and genuine hug. "The criminals," he said with chuckle, "are having ice cream in the den."

Michelle followed him down the hall.

"Get in the car," Michelle barked.

"Don't you even want to hear how much of a dick Drew is?" Claire protested as she drove her spoon into the gallon of mint chocolate chip.

"No," she answered. "Just get in the car."

Peter came down the curved marble stair case, tying his matching powder blue bathrobe and stood in the hallway next to Jim. "Everything okay?"

Spinning around, "you know they stole a car, right?" she said. Even though Peter and Jim always looked to her like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, they didn't seem to grasp the situation tonight.

They nodded.

"I think that's a problem," Michelle said.

"Thank God, no one was hurt," Jim said.

"Shot or taken to jail," Peter added.

Michelle furrowed her brow and tilted her head. "Shot or taken to jail?"

"Ya," they answered in unison.

"We got there right as the police had them cuffed and were taking them into the squad car," Jim added.

"Cuffed?" Michelle said as she turned to Claire. "You were cuffed?"

Claire licked the last of the chocolate off the spoon. "Ya, just like on Cops."

"Please, just get in the car." Michelle turned to Jim and Peter. "Thank you for helping the girls out. I can assure you Claire will be grounded, and I am so sorry she dragged Sophia into this I will tell you—"

Reaching out his hand, Jim took Michelle's and then patted the top with the other. "There, there. We all make mistakes."

She felt his steel blue eyes land right on her neck. She pulled her hand away. "Of course we do," she said.

***

Rolled up in a ball on the corner of the stage, Steve rocked with his head in his hands. What happened to my life? Who am I? What do I even do? 

Vance touched his shoulder. "There's some woman," he said. "Says she's Darcy and she's leaving in two minutes if you don't get your sorry ass in her car."

"What if I don't go home?"

Vance stood straight up, crossed his tattooed arms and looked at Steve. "What if the queen had balls, she'd be king," he said. "Guess you need to look between your legs."

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