Chapter 49

Sue's Story

I woke up from my nap to hear Les making love in her room. My daughter is like me in that respect: she's very vocal. My immediate thought was that somehow Wes had woken up and they were in her room making love.

I went into the hallway and looked around the doorway. Nancy was kneeling on the floor, her hand moving up and down between Les' legs. Les was actually up off the bed, putting her weight on her head and feet as she urged Nancy to keep doing what she was doing. When she grabbed Nancy's hand and clamped her legs together I left them alone.

I looked in on Wes. He was still belted into the chair. Sam had his head tilted back, a plastic trash bag covering his cast at the shoulders. She had a couple of old blankets on the floor. She had just finished shampooing his hair and was trying to clean it up using a washcloth. She wet the cloth, got up as much suds as she could, rinsed off and repeated. It was going to take forever.

I had a coffee cup in my room from this morning. I took it in to Sam and picked up the bucket. I was able to hold the bucket under his head while she poured water on his head, wiping it off with her other hand. Being in an easy chair and a cast made it difficult, but we finally got him rinsed off. Sam took a towel and dried him as best she could, then got a comb and combed his hair. The shave and haircut made all the difference in the world. My son looked 100% better.

By this time it was obvious that Les had made her goal. She finally quieted down and I heard Nancy go into the bathroom and run some water in the sink. I was looking in on Les when Nancy squeezed by. She had a wet washcloth. She wiped off Les's face, then cleaned her between her legs. Sam had come over to see what was happening. Nancy asked us both to give her a hand.

We got Les stood up, took off the sheet Nancy had been massaging her on and put on a new nightgown. Les was very little help, her body was definitely relaxed. We got her into bed and she was asleep before we left the room.

Sam got us into Wes's room and we managed to get him up from the chair and into bed. Nancy made sure his IV was OK and took his pee bottle into the bathroom and emptied it.

When she was done, I invited the two of them downstairs for a snack. Nancy seemed apprehensive until I told her I appreciated how she went beyond the call of duty to make sure that Les was taken care of. I told her I was going to tell Jeff that she was doing a fantastic job without being too specific. She seemed to relax and even smiled.

The three of us talked a while. Sam eventually looked at the clock.

"Gee, it's 6:30. I didn't realize it was this late. I told my Mom I'd make an appearance for dinner. She said she'll feed Jaz and send him home closer to bedtime." She kissed both of us and took off.

"I had no idea I spent so long with Les. Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?"

"No Nancy. I'm fine. I don't think Leslie will want dinner, she'll probably sleep all night through. That cake will be enough for me. I'll just take it easy and see you tomorrow."

Nancy couldn't have been gone for more than 10 minutes when I heard a knock at the front door. I figured it was her, so I was surprised to see my husband at the door.

"Hello, Jim. What can I do for you?"

"Sue, we've got to talk. Can I come in?"

"Sure." I opened the screen door and let him pass. He was carrying a briefcase in his right hand.

"How are the kids?"

"Les has been home since Saturday, Wes came home today. Wes is still in his coma and Les went to sleep about a half hour ago. You can see them but both of them will be dead to the world."

"Maybe before I go. Could we sit down and talk? Maybe have a cup of coffee or something?"

We went into the kitchen. I took the cover off the remaining cake and showed it to him.

"Yes, please."

I cut him a piece of cake, put the coffee on and sat down across from him.

"Uhm, this cake is good. You always were a good cook."

"You didn't come over here to tell me that, Jim."

"Sue, this is hard on me. You've made it clear you want to end a sixteen year relationship."

I started to say something and he held up his hand.

"I know, I know. I'm the reason it's ending. I'm the one who screwed up. I realize that and I'm willing to take responsibility for it."

He pulled the briefcase up to the table and he opened it. He pulled out a manila folder full of legal papers.

"These are divorce papers. There's the actual request for a divorce, a child care agreement until the kids are 18 and an alimony agreement until you marry again. The title for your car is included as well as a quitclaim deed for the house, and a check to pay off the house and pay the taxes and insurance for the next two years. You get half the bank accounts plus the money for the house. You can keep the money in the bank and continue with the house payments or you can pay it all off. If you sign, we can have the papers filed in Reno by Friday. We'll be officially divorced in six weeks."

The coffee was ready. And I wasn't either. Something was fishy here. I got up and took my time fixing coffee for us both.

I sat back down. "How do I know you're going to keep up your end of the bargain?"

He showed me the forms, all signed and notarized stating the amounts of child care and alimony, with yearly adjustments for inflation. Both forms had paragraphs at the bottom, signed and attested, that if he defaulted on any of the payments for more than 90 days, I had the right to go directly to his employer and garnish his wages until he was caught up. And if he defaulted a second time for more than 90 days, I had the option of making the garnishment permanent.

"I don't see anything about health insurance. I need you to provide the insurance you've presently got for the kids until they're 18 and for me until I marry."

"OK, I can do that. I can have my lawyer work it out and bring a form over for you to sign tomorrow night."

"Why the rush, Jim?"

"Well, I heard you're interested in this doctor fellow so I decided I'd step out of the way. No sense in staying around somewhere I'm not wanted."

"Jim, I'm not one of your bimbos. You know damn well you never do anything unless it's in your self interest. Why do you want a six week divorce?"

"I have my reasons." He was starting to squirm.

"What would you say if I decided to have my lawyer take a couple of weeks to look this over? And then we filed in California and waited six months?"

"Come on, Sue. I've given you everything you want. I'll take care of the insurance. Let's just get it over with."

"It's got to have something to do with that bimbo you've been messing around with. Why would she be digging in the spurs to get you divorced so quickly. Not that you're getting scared, making you go to Reno would probably make it worse. Why would she be in a hurry to get married? Your little Bimbo wouldn't have a daddy with a shotgun, would she?"

"Damn it Sue, her name's Teresa, not Bimbo. No, she doesn't have a father with a shotgun. Yes, she's going to have my baby. What's wrong with me getting married as soon as I can so the kid doesn't have to go through hell? Is it really going to bother you to be divorced in six weeks instead of six months?"

"No, Jim, it's not. I just want the truth. Everything looks fine. Have you got a list of all the different things here I can show somebody?"

"I don't want to have to wait two weeks for you to play around with the papers."

"You won't have to. If everything is as good as you say it is and you bring the health insurance agreement tomorrow, I'll sign the lot of them. But like you said, we are ending a 16 year relationship. I have the right and the obligation to myself and my kids to make sure that all of this is on the up and up. We're all going to have to live with this agreement for a long time."

"I swear, everything is just what you asked for. Go ahead and check it over. I just want to be able to give the signed papers to my lawyer by Thursday."

He left the summary form with me and put the rest of the papers back in his briefcase. We really didn't have any more to say, so he made his excuses and left after making sure I'd be home the following evening. He didn't ask to see the kids.

I looked at the clock. Quarter to eight. I was just cleaning up when there was a knock at the front door. Now what?

I pulled the door open, ready to charge at my husband. It wasn't my husband at the door, it was an old man. He looked familiar but I couldn't place him. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You don't remember me. My name's Donald Johnson. We ate dinner together when my wife was in the hospital."

"Oh you poor man. Please excuse me. I'm the one who should be sorry, Mr. Johnson. Of course I remember you. Won't you come in?"

He came in and I offered him a seat on the couch.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you. I went to the hospital to visit your children and was told by Dr Bradley that they were both home. He's the one who told me where you live. I hope you don't mind."