The Happiness Hog

Blue

He plucked the phone off its charger on the second ring. He saw the caller ID so he waited a moment-breathed deeply once, then twice. When he finally hit the button he was maybe a little more composed, but still riled.

"Hello", he said flatly.

"Hi Blue. It's Janie."

"Hi Jane."

The phone went silent for a second or two as Jane wavered a bit and tried to decide which way to go.

"Is Sarah there?"

Blue was looking out the front window beyond the porch where the dust had just finished settling from his wife's fishtailing gravel-spitting exit from the driveway. He looked at the gleaming black truck and wondered if any of the stones had chipped the finish.

"Blue?" came the voice from the receiver.

"No. She's not here."

"Do you know where she went?"

"No. I do not."

The line went back to silence, but Janie couldn't stand that for too long.

"I don't suppose you know when she'll be back?" she asked with a slight snip in her voice.

"No. I do not."

"Blue, did you do something?" Then a little louder, "Did you do something to her?"

"What goes on between a husband and wife stays between them."

"Blue..."

He gave her nothing.

"Blue...did you spank her?"

He looked at the bath brush that was still laying at the end of the couch where he had tossed it afterward. The cushions were askew and the throw pillows were scattered about on the floor. He had already righted the coffee table which had been kicked over.

"It is san-cro-sanct."

"What?"

"What goes on between a husband and a wife."

"What's that mean?"

"That it's none of your business."

"Blue, you are so...."

"She'll tell you whatever she's going to tell you. But that's between you and her. You'll get nothing from me. "

She stopped and sighed. She knew from twenty years of experience that trying to get Blue Dawson to say or do anything that he didn't want to, was a waste of time. Plus, he was right, it was none of her business.

"All right, Blue" she said, resigned. "Have it your way. But when she gets in would you have her call me?" She no sooner had those words out than she saw Sarah's red Mustang pull into the yard.

"I'll do that", he said though she really wasn't listening anymore.

"Good bye, then." She said making sure to give away nothing in her voice.

Sarah pulled into the yard, parked next to the trailer and stepped out. There was no porch on the front of Janie's place so she just stepped up the three steps onto a small platform. Janie got to the door just as her friend was reaching for the knob. "I saw you pull up", she said. She could see that even through the sunglasses Sarah's eyes were red and her face was mottled.

"Come in honey, come in. You alright?"

"Oh yeah", she said stepping into the small living room which looked at the moment to be doubling as Janie's bedroom. "I had to get out of there for a bit. Didn't want him to see me cry. Where's your truck? I almost didn't stop."