Chapter 34

I couldn’t believe it. The woman was deliberately figuring out ways to hurt me. If not her words then her influence with the children. I was being cut out of their lives. I knew the children, the twins for sure, wouldn’t actually realize it, or believe me if I pointed such out; but it was a dead-mortal-lead-pipe cinch that that was exactly what Abigail Cord was doing. Well fuck her and the wild ass of Borneo that she rode in on. My hate for her would never die. Oh no, it would indeed not ever die.

I looked over at my sleeping wife. She did not deserve my angst. She deserved a man who was focused on her and only her. I determined to do just that from now on. I no longer had a family in Phoenix. They could all rot for all I cared. Was I being selfish and bitter? Many would say that I was. But, all the hot brown stuff that had been dumped on me was finally making an impact. I couldn’t deal with it anymore. I might be ugly but I was still a human being and deserved to at least be respected, and I wasn’t and hadn’t been, nor ever would be by the—how did Mia phrase it, oh yes—the evil witch of the East.

She stirred. “Good morning Mister Bradshaw,” she said.

“And good morning to you, Missus Bradshaw. No big hurry, but we’re going out to breakfast,” I said.

“Sounds good,” she said. “Denny’s?”

“I’m good with that. So yes, Denny’s it is.”

The ride to the diner was quiet—at first. Then it was pregnant with meaning.

“We’re about to have a serious conversation. That about right,” said Rina.

“Yes,” I said, “very serious.”

“Boy oh boy, she really stung you didn’t she,” said Rina, it was not a question.

“Not so much her as her mother. Her mother is the one who put her up to it. It’s her mother that is cutting me out of her life, and would cut me out of all of their lives if she got the chance. Well, now she won’t have to work so hard at it. I’m giving her a clear field,” I said.

We pulled into the parking lot of the diner and three minutes later were sitting at a table toward the back of the place. Tables were better than booths for me; I didn’t have to muscle myself out of my chair.

Melanie, her name tag announced left us menus, a coffee pot, and cups to make use of the coffee pot. We perused the menus.

A few minutes later Melanie returned.

“The lumberjack,” said Rina.

“Me too,” I said. “Over medium on the eggs.” Rina nodded her agreement with me on the eggs. We always seemed to be able to read each other’s minds and agree on the same kinds of choices and things. She was twice the wife that Abigail ever was or could be. The best part was that I was certain that she would never leave me, and I sure as hell would never leave her.

We were hungry so, so far there was not a lot of conversation while we were actually chowing down. But then we were at the after breakfast coffee drinking stage.

“So husband mine, what’s next on the agenda?” said Rina.

“We move,” I said. “We move far enough away so that it becomes a problem for them to bother us which I am sure they would do if we stay here. I’m fed up with the woman and everything Cord.”

“You have any preference as to where this major choice in our physical venue might be?” she said.

“I was going to kinda ask you that question,” I said, “I mean do you have any preference we might want to consider?” I said.

“The coast,” she said. “Maybe we could get a place where we could kick back at the beach on a rare occasion. Whaddya think?”

“That sounds good to me. With both vehicles, we should be able to be packed up and ready to role in a day,” I said.

“Sounds good to me,” she said.

We’d no more than gotten home than we started the packing. We’d been renting not leasing, so leaving wasn’t going to be any big deal. I was getting the clothes packed up while she was down at Lowe’s getting boxes we would need for the kitchen stuff and et cetera. We’d be gone in the morning, the early morning.

“What the hell!” Abigail didn’t quite scream. “He did what, said what!”

“He was clearly hurt and upset. They just up and left as soon as I asked if he would be okay with Daddy walking me down the aisle,” said Mia.

“You told him he would still have a place of honor at your wedding right? I mean you made sure of that right?” She said.

“Mom, of course I did. I’m no idiot. I told him he would be at the front table with all of us, the family. But it didn’t make any difference. He looked kind of funny at first, and then started in about how he was always getting shit on and he was tired of it and he was leaving and didn’t want to see any of us again: his meaning my words,” said Mia.

“Oh my God. Shit, shit, shit!” said Abigail. “I was so sure that he would be agreeable being it is your day not his. I mean you guys were so close.”

“‘Were’ being the operative term: we aren’t anymore! He made the point that nobody had visited or contacted him in almost a year. And even so, he seemed to be okay about that at first, but then, well, not; I mean after I mentioned the walking down the aisle thing,” said Mia.

“Have you talked to your sister?” said Abigail.

“Not yet, she’s been out of town on some job for Daddy. I will be talking to her tomorrow or the next day. I don’t want to do this by phone, not even by phone,” said Mia, “Not this.” Her mother nodded.

“Mom, what if he doesn’t even come to my wedding I would feel just awful!

“Mort is actually thinking about trying to go to him and talk to him. Should I let him? I mean Mort...” said Mia.

“I don’t know, Mia. I guess maybe it wouldn’t hurt. But he, your dad, just has to realize that your daddy deserves to be the one walking you down the aisle,” said Abigail.