Chapter 10

Evan and Harriet Cannon sat at a concrete picnic table at a rest stop - in the shade, fortunately. A hot breeze washed over them, kicking up alkaline dust from time to time. They were close enough to Vegas the dirt appeared more white than tan. The barren landscape seemed so desolate, untouched by nutrients, like Harriet's mood. When she noticed most of the flush to her husband's angry face had dissipated, she took his hand in hers and said, "You know we could be wrong, Evan."

"I know. If I had proof I'd jerk Carrie out of that loft so fast her head would swim."

"And what would you do with Darrin?"

"Beat the crap out of him."

"Beautiful! Sometimes you have the sensitivity of a rock, Evan," she said sarcastically as she pulled her hand from his. "So your solution to this potentially life-altering problem is to bodily jerk your daughter out of the loft and tear into your son physically. Surely you jest."

He turned to her with an intense look, staring at her for a few seconds. "What would you do?"

"What WE do depends on the circumstances, and I do mean WE, not me alone or you alone. We'll decide what to do, and we'll stand together on this, Evan. Let me ask you a question. If our kids are involved sexually, which of them do you blame?"

"Without question, Darrin."

"Why?"

"He's older and should know better." He looked at his wife as if she were stupid.

She ignored the look and stated, "Age shouldn't be the criteria used to judge them? Why should Darrin know better than Carrie? Did we teach him better than Carrie? And don't tell me Carrie is too young to know right from wrong. We probably taught her more about proper morals than we did Darrin. And she's not your little girl anymore. She's a consenting adult, Evan. They both are. So get off the age kick. Discounting age, whom do you blame?"

"Darrin, damn it!"

"I disagree. If they're involved, I'd be willing to bet - in fact, I'll give you ten to one odds - that Carrie seduced Darrin, not the other way around. Wanna bet? Ten bucks for a hundred."

"I'm not a gambler," he grumbled. She had won every bet he had ever agreed to make with her.

"If she did the seducing, not Darrin, will you still blame your son?"

"Yes, damn it, and don't ask me why, except I believe age and gender are relevant."

"Uh-uh, you just can't see your little girl at fault regardless of the circumstances. In your eyes, Carrie can do no wrong. You favor your daughter over your son, Evan. You always have, and you're often not very subtle about your preference. Let's look at the ramifications of your solution, the first part of your solution, that is. I strongly discourage you from the second part of your scenario involving violent behavior toward your son. Frankly, Evan, if you try to beat the crap out of Darrin, using your words, you'd only get away with it to a point, and God help you after that point is crossed. Once Darrin starts to fight back, I'd give his youth and strength the edge." She took a big breath. "The ramifications of your solution depend on how strongly they feel about each other. If they're sexually involved but not in love, we might be able to jerk Carrie out of the loft, as you put it, and get away with it. We'd probably lose the love of our son, but we might be able to keep our daughter's love, but if they are in love, as I suspect, we'd lose both of them. At the first opportunity, Carrie would merely run away, meet up with Darrin somewhere, and the two of them would most likely disappear. We'd never see either of them again. Do you agree or disagree with my assessment?"

He grimaced. He knew she was right but hated to admit it. He did favor Carrie, but then Harriet favored Darrin. He's her little boy, and Carrie is my little girl. And the not-so-little boy is probably fucking the not-so-little girl. Christ! What a can of worms!

"Okay, so my solution sucks. What do you suggest we do about the problem?"

"Before we do anything, I think we need to define the problem. First, we need some proof they're in fact sexually involved. And with the security devices you installed in their home, it's not likely we'll catch them naked in bed together. We can make accusations, but if they deny being involved, what can we do? Not a lot. By the way, I'm with you all the way about insisting that Carrie moves into a dormitory room when she starts school. If they're involved sexually but not in love, the problem could take care of itself with the move. Frankly, I wouldn't be at all unhappy if Carrie fell in love with a nice college boy and married him right away. On the other hand, if Darrin and Carrie are truly in love, we wouldn't be able to move Carrie out of that loft with a forklift. A third possibility exists, Evan, and you're not going to like this one. Carrie could be in love with Darrin, but he might not be in love with her."

"Why can't it be the other way around, too?" Evan asked.

"It can, but it's not nearly as likely. Carrie has always been in love with the idea of love. Darrin, on the other hand, like most males, puts love a far distant second or third or even lower priority to other important elements of his life, like career, for instance. Anyway, if Carrie is in love, but Darrin isn't, we'll need his help to separate them. In fact, if they're not in love with each other, Darrin will still be the key, and we certainly won't be able to get him on our side if you resort to fisticuffs."

"So, you think a solution is possible if they're not in love or if only one of them is in love. Correct?"

"Yes."

"What happens if they're both in love?"

"We're fucked."

His eyes widened with shock. Harriet never used the "F" word indiscriminately, so she was definitely serious. "What do you mean?"

"I don't have a solution if they're deeply in love. If they're truly in love, they'll tell us and the rest of the world to take a flying leap, and there's not much we can do except turn them into the authorities, and if you do that, Evan, I swear, I'll leave you. I love you. You're the love of my life, but if you alert the authorities to our children's incestuous behavior, I'll never speak to you again."

"Jesus, Harriet! What have I ever done to make you think I'd do something so drastic to our kids? I love them as much as you, damn it! I won't have you even thinking I would do something like that! Take it back!"

She bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I know you love them, but I also know you have a hair-trigger temper. Sometimes you go off half-cocked. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. So our plan of action this trip is to find out if they're sexually involved, and if they are, whether they're seriously in love with each other or just playing around."

"Yeah."

"Furthermore, if they're not both truly in love, our goal is to separate them, preferably now but certainly no later than when Carrie starts college."

"Yes."

"If Carrie is in love, but Darrin isn't, then we'll enlist Darrin's help to stop the relationship. What do we do in the unlikely event that Darrin is in love, but Carrie isn't? Enlist Carrie's help to stop the relationship?"

"Yes."

"And if they're deeply in love with each other, what do we do?"

"I haven't the slightest idea, and what's more, if I know my kids, and I do, if they're sexually involved at all, they will be deeply, irrevocably in love with each other, and that's what worries me."

"Fuck!"

"Yeah. Let's get on down the road. There was a method to my madness when I pushed you to leave so early. I want to surprise them by arriving way early. I want to see the sheets on Darrin's bed and Carrie's soiled panties in the laundry basket before Carrie has a chance to take them to the Laundromat to eliminate the evidence. I want to see if she's been sleeping in the sweatbox she calls a room. And while we're in Vegas, let's work together to keep them off balance so they can't work together to deceive us. We'll divide and conquer. If you see an iota of guilt in either of them, zero in and take advantage of it. I'll do the same. Remember, they'll deny any incestuous involvement, especially Carrie. She's the more accomplished liar of the two. Our goal is to wear them down and get one of them to admit their incestuous behavior, that is, if what we believe is true. There's still a chance they're not sexually involved, but if we give them the benefit of the doubt, we'll never know for sure and won't be able to do anything about it."

"Jesus! Remind me never to cheat on you, Harriet. I wouldn't have a chance."

"You've got it, buster." With a wide grin, she leaned and kissed him. "I love you, you know. Whatever you do, I'll back you. You're my husband, and I love you. I ask only one thing. Whatever decision you make, whatever action you take, please consider the whole of our family. The four of us are family, Evan. You and me, Darrin and Carrie, we're family, damn it! And we'll always be family."

"What are you doing?" Darrin asked as Carrie started to strip his bed.

Carrie grinned. "Destroying evidence. The sheets are covered with pecker and pussy tracks, and as suspicious as Mom is, she's devious enough to look for such things. The parents will be here in a couple of hours, and I need to go to the Laundromat before they arrive. If we make a little money tomorrow night, let's consider buying a washer and dryer."

"We'll see. Carrie, I've been meaning to tell you, but I waited because I didn't want to pop your balloon over the insurance settlement. Be careful what you spend. You'll have to pay taxes on the $90,000 award, which will no doubt eat up a good chunk of the cash portion of the settlement."

"Hah! It's a good thing I'm the money manager around here and will be handling our taxes. I checked with the IRS on the Internet. I received only compensatory damages, not punitive damages, and only punitive damages are taxable."

"Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes."

He smiled and gave her a salute. "Great! I'm happy for you, and yes, go ahead and buy a washer and dryer, if you want. I'm going to work. After the parents arrive, they'll kill my concentration."

"Okay. What about dinner? I haven't prepared anything. Let's take Mom and Dad out. They like Chinese."

"Sounds good."

He turned and left the room, and Carrie stuffed the sheets in a pillowcase. Rushing around, she gathered up the other dirty laundry, deciding she might as well wash everything. Tossing the dirty clothes in the back of the car, she dashed back up the stairs to get the soap, softener and bleach.

"Bye, lover," she hollered as she started the car and pushed the garage door opener. "I'll be back in about an hour."

He waved and she backed out of the studio.

"Say, isn't that Darrin's car?" Harriet said turning around in the seat.

"I didn't notice."

"Yes, it looks like Darrin's car," Harriet said. "Turn around."

"Why? We're almost to their place now."

"I think it turned into a Laundromat, the one Carrie uses to wash their clothes."

"Oh, okay. Damn, I can't change lanes right now. I'll have to go through this light when it turns green. I'll get in the left lane after the light and turn back as soon as I can."

Harriet kept glancing back. If they couldn't turn back soon, it would be too late. Carrie would have all the clothes in the machines. The light changed, and Evan gunned the car, but the vehicle on his left kept pace, which forced Evan to slow down to change lanes. The delay caused him to miss the only turn around point before the next light. Harriet groaned.

"We're too late, damn it. Okay, lets go to the studio. They aren't expecting us for two more hours. We'll surprise Darrin, and I'll go nosing around the loft while you keep him busy. Okay?"

"Shall we synchronize our watches?" Evan asked with a grin.

Who the hell can that be, Darrin asked himself. Irritated by the interruption, he threw the brush in his hand into a can of solvent. The doorbell rang again as he wiped his hands on a paint-splattered rag.

"Keep your pants on," he yelled as he strode to the door. "Mom, Dad, you're early!" he exclaimed after he threw open the door. "Come in! Come in."

"Give your old mom a hug, son," Harriet said and held out her arms.

"Let me get this smock off first, or you'll have paint all over your pretty dress." He hurriedly removed the smock and gave her a hug and kiss. He shook his father's hand. "You just missed Carrie. She went to the Laundromat. I'll give her a call and let her know you're here. We have cell phones now. Radical, huh? Mom, take Dad upstairs. We have soft drinks and beer. Take your choice. Let me clean up down here, and I'll be right with you."

He's nervous as a whore in church, Harriet thought. Good.

"Go ahead, Harriet," Evan said. "I'll stay with Darrin. I want to see his paintings. It looks like he's working on a bunch of them."

"Okay. Cola or beer?" she asked.

"Beer," Darrin and his father said simultaneously.

Harriet chuckled. "I don't know why I asked."

Darrin picked up the cell phone and pushed speed-dial number one. "Carrie, the folks are here. You must have passed them on the way to the Laundromat."

"Damn! I didn't strip my bed. I thought I had time to do the laundry and make your bed before they arrived. Don't let Mom upstairs until I get home."

"Sorry, no can do."

"She's already up in the loft, isn't she?"

"Yep."

Carrie groaned audibly. "Remember, bro, deny, deny, deny, and for hell sakes don't look guilty. I'll be there as soon as I can, but I'll be gone at least a half-hour, maybe a little longer. I love you."

"I... yeah. See you soon, sis." Damn, I almost slipped, Darrin thought. Deception is a bitch. "Mom, Carrie says hi," Darrin yelled up the stairs. "She'll be here as soon as the laundry is finished."

"Okay," Harriet yelled back. It was time to snoop. She hurried to Darrin's bedroom. Surprise, surprise, the bed is stripped, she thought sardonically. She examined the mattress pad. Lot's of stains, but nothing she could point to as recent or damning. Kneeling, she looked under the bed. Nothing. Opening the closet door, she looked for signs of Carrie's clothes mixed with Darrin's.

They're being careful - very careful. They shared the bathroom, so she didn't expect to find anything damning there and went directly to Carrie's room. Hot! So hot she started to sweat as soon as she entered the room. Then she realized Darrin's room had been cool. She returned to his room and noted the window air conditioning unit. They've got to be sleeping together in here, she decided.

Suddenly, she knew without a doubt they were sleeping together! Darrin's bed was stripped, but Carrie's bed was made. If Carrie slept in her room, she'd be washing those sheets, too! Returning to Carrie's room, she looked for signs of recent habitation that would dispel her suspicions. She pulled back the bed. The sheets were clean and fresh. After remaking the bed, she looked in the closet. Carrie's clothes were there, hanging neatly, and her robe was on a hook on the backside of the door. The dirty clothesbasket on the floor of her closet was empty. Nothing. Nothing except the made-up bed. Not proof positive, but certainly damning. She debated whether to approach Darrin or Carrie to ask why his sheets were being washed and not hers. Carrie, she decided. Darrin would merely shrug. He doesn't have anything to do with the laundry.

She strode from the room, grabbed two beers and a cola from the refrigerator, and carried them down the stairs. The men were standing in front of a huge painting.

"Honey, come and see this painting. It's really something," Evan said when he spied her.

What's this? Evan is praising his son's art. That's got to be a first. When she joined the men, she glanced up at the painting and gasped. "My God, Darrin, it's magnificent!"

"I call it LOVE."

She stood and gawked, forgetting to give the men their beers. Darrin relieved her of their burden without her realizing he had taken them from her. She pointed. "That's you when you were a boy, and that's Carrie."

"Yes, they represent the love between a brother and sister."

"Yes," Harriet muttered.

"Look up there, honey," Evan said after taking a big gulp of beer from the can. "Can you see us? It's a scene from years ago, but it's us, our family."

Harriet smiled. "Yes, I see."

"The two of you represent love between a husband and a wife with a family," Darrin said proudly.

"Oh, my God, there's my mother and father!" Harriet exclaimed. "They look just like they did on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. I have a photo of the event in an album at home."

"They represent mature love, Mom," Darrin said. "I went to that party. I was just a boy, but I remembered thinking how much in love they were at the time, which surprised me. As a boy, I didn't realize love transcended time, not until I watched them and saw how much affection they truly felt for each other. I made a mental note of the scene at the time and pulled it up from my memories for this painting."

"And there I am with Carrie, when she was a newborn!" Harriet exclaimed again. "And there you are, Darrin, with your father playing catch."

"Parental love," Darrin commented.

Harriet reached and took his hand without taking her eyes off the painting. "It's beyond magnificent, Darrin."

"It's not finished. I'll be working on it for another month or two, but I'm very pleased with it."

"You should be." She turned to her husband. "Admit it, Evan. Your son is an artistic genius."

He grinned. "I never said he wasn't. My gripe has always been his inability to make any money with his art, but it looks like that's about to change. Check out the rest of paintings, honey. This is the best of the bunch, but they're all good. I like the one he calls RAGE. I understand anger, and he sure has captured the emotion with that painting. Just looking at it pisses me off."

Harriet couldn't take her eyes off LOVE. "In a minute, Evan. This painting will make you famous, Darrin."

"That's what Carrie said, which didn't please me. I enjoy my anonymity. It let's me work and create without a lot of hoopla. A little money wouldn't hurt, as Dad just pointed out, but the last thing I want is fame."

I understand, son, Harriet thought. Your anonymity lets you live with your sister as if you were man and wife. If you become famous, your incestuous relationship will become public knowledge. Damn it, my son and daughter are in love, deeply, gut-wrenchingly in love. This painting says it all. Darrin could not have created it without being deeply in love.

She suddenly felt so sad she wanted to cry. In fact, her eyes became shiny with tears. She glanced at her husband. Each gave the other a little nod. Yes, he knew, too. They had lived with each other and loved each other for so many years they knew each other's thoughts much of the time. Evan looked as sad as she felt.