Chapter 22

Jackie opened the door and stuck her head inside. "Theresa, there's a call for you."

Agitated, Theresa responded, "I'll call them back, whoever it is."

"Theresa," Jackie said in an almost frightened voice, "it's Tim, your Ex."

Theresa had been looking at me during this conversation, but at the mention of his name, her head whipped around.

"What does he want? He knows better than to call here!"

"Let's go find out," my father said, as he stood.

"But..." Theresa said, faltering.

"Has he called here before, I mean any time recently?" my father asked.

"No. Never. He knows better," Theresa responded.

"Then there is probably a very good reason he's calling now. Don't you think you need to find out?" my father responded as he put out his hand.

They walked out of the room and down to the nurse's station. It was not a place for a private conversation, but Theresa didn't want any such conversation with him anyway.

She picked up the phone and punched the line on hold.

"You know better than to call me at work," were Theresa's first words.

Tim responded to her with, "Your daughter came to visit me after school."

Theresa sat down. She normally would have chastised him for the 'your daughter' bit, but...

"What did she want?" Theresa asked warily.

Her mind suddenly filled with thoughts of her daughter going to live with him. Or worse, of trying to get the two of them married when she was fourteen, even if that made no sense whatsoever.

"Theresa," he said, "I'm only being civil right now, because she told me that you had nothing to do with this."

"With her seeing you? I had no idea. You know I work all day on Tuesdays. Do you think I sent her to you? Why on earth would I have done that?"

"Why indeed. Do you know what she asked me?"

"No clue, but I bet your going to tell me."

"She asked if I ... Damn it!"

Theresa was a bit puzzled. It almost sounded like he was getting choked up.

Curiosity got the better of her and so she asked softly, "What did she ask?"

"She asked me if I ever wanted her."

Theresa's mouth dropped open.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes," Theresa got out. "I'm sorry, Tim. I had no idea."

"She also asked me if I ever loved you."

"Oh, God. What's gotten into her," Theresa wondered out loud.

"Maybe that boyfriend she said she had. Do you know about that?"

"Tim, I think I'd better have a long talk with her and find out what is going on. I'll call you back when I know why she did this. I hope you don't think I set her up for this. As much as ... Tim, I wouldn't stoop that low. What she said had to have hurt. I'm sorry."

"Theresa, thank you for saying that. I think I need to hang up now."

"I'll call you."

"Ok."

Theresa set down the phone and looked up into the eyes of the man who walked her down to the nurse's station. He had only heard one side of the conversation, but that was enough.

"Do you need to take a break, and walk it off?"