The Prodigal Daughter

The Prodigal Daughter - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dinner went fine. She told them that she graduated from UCLA with a business degree and she had worked for a prestigious company in LA. She was vice president of Public Relations, which was all true. That she had decided last week that she needed to start over, so she packed up her car and started driving. "It wasn't until I crossed the Florida state line that I knew I was coming home." She sighed.

Clearing the table after dinner, Ann took the plates to the kitchen and refused to let MaryBeth help her, "I am just going to bring the apple pie out." Ann said as she walked to the kitchen. MaryBeth suddenly heard a sound that stopped her heart. Her cell phone rang. She did not breath, she couldn't, her lungs would no longer work and she was sure she saw spots in her eyes indicating she was about to pass out. "I plugged your phone in, it was dead." Ann said from the kitchen. Afraid she would miss her call, Ann yelled, "I'll get it."

"No. Mama." MaryBeth said to late.

"Hello." She heard her mother say from the kitchen. "You mean Mary Elizabeth? Yes, she is here, just a minute."

"Baby, some man named Richard is on the phone for you."

"I'll take it in my room." MaryBeth said as she walked past her mother taking her phone from her mother's hand.

"Running home to Mommy and Daddy is it?" Richard said through the phone.

"I needed to get away, to think." MaryBeth said.

"You can't get away from me that easily. I know too many secrets and I have thousands of video tapes. How would Daddy like to see those?"

"Richard, you can't scare me. I know too many secrets about you and I have quiet a few video tapes and audio tapes myself." MaryBeth was not sure where her strength was coming from, but glad to have it with her right now. "If you think you can blackmail me, you need to think again. I know how things are done in the company and the FCC would love to get a phone call."

"Baby, don't do this." Richard pleaded. She had only ever heard him plead in the bedroom.

"I am not your BABY! But, he or she will be here in about six months!"

"So, you couldn't go through with it?"

"Kill the baby? Murder the baby? NO! I couldn't." MaryBeth took a long breath, "I never want to talk to you again!"

"And what am I supposed to do with Mr. Windham?"

"I don't care, sleep with him yourself!" And with that, she hung up the phone, turned it off and went to the bathroom to throw up again. This time, she 'accidentally' dropped the phone into the toilet as she flushed, "Oops! Gotta buy a new one!"

Joining her parents and Joey, she wasn't sure if they heard the whole conversation, but their faces wanted to ask a million questions.

"My boss...former boss." MaryBeth said, "He is stressing because a client is coming to town tomorrow and he doesn't know what to do."

"Ohhh" The faces around the table looked relieved.

"I was just thinking," Joey said. Why don't we go out tomorrow and I show you some of the new places around town. Maybe we will even drive to Crystal River and have lunch on the water."

"Crackers still open?" I asked.

"Yep."

One more day wouldn't hurt, would it? "Sure. I would love to."

Waking up Monday morning, MaryBeth ran to the bathroom. Her body was fighting itself something fierce. Her full bladder finally beat out her weak stomach. After taking a shower she felt much better. She went to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. Mama always made decaff, saying that, "Josh is too tightly strung for caffeine!" She popped a couple of pieces of toast in the toaster and went to find her parents. Joshua was in the office working on a project for church, she kissed him good morning. Her mother was on the porch reading her Bible, "Some things never change." MaryBeth said as she exited the house with her coffee and toast to sit at the table with her mother.