Chapter 94

"Ahem."

Jill and I broke apart. She slid her hand down my arm and took hold of my hand. John was standing in the kitchen, holding Wanda's hand.

"Hi, John." "Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, both of you. Am I interrupting something?"

"That's OK, Daddy. We can pick up where we left off later."

Wanda tugged his sleeve.

"Look at the rose Jack got her."

"Hmm. That's very attractive. When are we going to eat?"

"I've got it all ready. I just need to finish setting the table."

"Come on, Wanda. You knew when I was coming home."

"I'm sorry, Dear. It will only be a minute."

Jill let go of my hand.

"Come on, Wanda. I'll give you a hand with the table."

"Thanks, Jill. Could you get some silverware?"

The majority of the work was done already. In fact, the silverware was the only thing missing. While Jill took care of that, Wanda got the meatloaf on a platter and put some mashed potatoes she'd made in a bowl. Jill and I carried them out to the table while she got some gravy off the stove and put it in a gravy boat.

John had been sitting at the table since this whole circus began. Wanda went over to him and picked up the meatloaf, finding out how thick a slice he wanted and then cutting it and carefully putting it on his plate. She then got the mashed potatoes and scooped some onto his plate, making sure he got just the right amount.

"Careful, don't get any on the meatloaf."

"Yes, Dear. Sorry, Dear."

He took his fork and made a depression in the middle of his potatoes. Wanda scooped gravy into it, taking care to only get it on the potatoes.

Once John was served, the rest of us passed the various dishes around and served ourselves. I noticed that both women were quiet, concentrating on eating.

"There are lumps in these potatoes."

"I don't see how. I had them in the mixer for over five minutes."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No, Dear. Sorry, Dear. Would you like something else?"

"I've got this. Just be more careful next time."

"I'm sorry. Is everything else all right?"

"What's with this gravy? Is it canned?"

"Daddy, you can't make gravy from meatloaf."

"Jillian, if I wanted your input, I'd ask you for it."

I was about to say something when I felt her hand on my leg. She moved her head slightly to the side when I looked at her.

"I'm sorry, Daddy."

I noticed that John didn't seem to have any problem eating the food he was criticizing so much. Twice he sat up and put his hands in his lap. Wanda immediately stopped eating, got up, asked him what he wanted and served it to him. Twice she got up and took his empty glass out to the water cooler in the kitchen and filled it.

"Would you like some coffee now, Dear?"

"When did you make coffee?"

"I put it on just before you got home."

"Wanda, I like my coffee fresh."

"I'm sorry, Dear. I didn't think. I'll make some fresh coffee now. It will only take a few minutes."

"Oh, never mind. I'll make do with what you made."

"Jack, we need to get going. I need to go to the campus bookstore before class starts."

"Can't you guys stay for desert?"

"Sorry, Wanda. We really can't tonight. Thanks for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow after school."

She kissed her father on the cheek. He seemed bothered that she interrupted his eating to do so.

We were almost out the front door when she said, "Oh, my rose," and ran back into the kitchen.

She came out a few seconds later clutching it to her chest.

We drove in silence for a couple of minutes before Jill spoke.

"Did you notice anything different about Daddy?"

"You mean the way he treated the help?"

For a split second, she looked like she was going to come back at me, then she dropped her eyes and said "Yes."

"Jill, did he ever treat you like that?"

"No. But he probably had a bad day."

"You mean he never had a bad day before when you made dinner?"

"No. He had bad days."

"And did he treat you like that?"

"No. But I don't know what to do about it."

"I don't know that there's anything you can do about it. It seems to be the way your father is with her. And she seems used to it. She was practically running around that room trying to please your father."

"Maybe I should talk to her."

"Are you ready to take responsibility if what you say makes her leave him?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Jill, she's a big girl. She wasn't tricked into his bed. It looks like she's willing to be treated that way so she can be accepted by your father. Do you think he would hurt her?"

"Daddy? Never."

"Don't speak so quickly. Unless Wanda has absolutely no feelings, she had to be hurt by the way she was humiliated in front of us today. I bet you would have said that could never happen before you saw it for yourself tonight."

"You're right. I still feel like I should do something."

"Well, you'll be over there helping her make dinner tomorrow. You can talk to her if you want. But don't be surprised if she fights you if you criticize him for what he's doing."