Chapter 3: Changes

John sat quiet in the wheelchair and waited for Peggy to push him down to the hospital's front exit. For the six days he was bedridden, Peggy was his visitor and his nurse. After a quick stop at the business desk, John rode the wheelchair to the front door and stood. "Let's get out of here," he told Peggy.

Steve caught up with John as Peggy led him toward his parked truck. "I'll meet you at your house," the lawyer said and walked away.

"What was that all about?" Peggy asked.

John looked at the lawyer's retreating back. "Damn if I know. It's probably more trouble." He sighed and walked at a slow pace where Peggy led.

The trip from the hospital back to the apartment was in silence. John thought hard about what to do next. No more beatings, ever, he vowed to himself. He began to concentrate on how to make that vow real.

Steve was already parked out front by the time Peggy parked the truck and helped John out. He got out of his car and followed John inside the apartment. Peggy hovered around John as he eased himself down into his recliner. "Would you like a beer?" she asked.

"Nurse Peggy, you have great ideas. Bring Steve one as well." He eased back into a more comfortable position.

"John, my daughter has come up missing. Of course, the San Diego police department is less than helpful. There has been no note, no ransom demands, nothing."

"Yes?' John looked hard at Steve. "What does this have to do with me?" John had a sinking feeling he knew where this was going.

"I told her about the close relationship between you, Kathy, Tony and Elaine. Her mother has begun to make noises about our relationship. She is not aware Elaine and the kids have left. She may try to contact you."

Steve looked at the floor. "Because there has been no ransom demands, I am hopeful she has run away. Her mother has been making threats and noises about a divorce. She works for State Senator Prigg. Christine does not wish to live with her mother, of course."

"Well, what does your wife say about it all?" John knew there was more that what Steve had divulged so far.

"She has a whole new group of friends. I believe they are a part of the bunch that has been after you and me. There is no proof, just a hint here and there."

Peggy had brought the beers in and listened to the conversation. "He's screwing his daughter." Her voice had a flat sound.

"Wait," John cautioned her. Steve looked ready to bolt out the door. "Let's discuss this.

"Anyone who rapes a young girl should be hung by his nuts until they fall off." The feral look on her face frightened Steve.

"What is your problem?" John stared hard at her. "You accuse this man of rape and you don't even know him. "What gives?"

"My father raped me for ten years. My mother pretended it did not happen. I ran away and got more messed up." She began to cry.

John's cell phone began to play "I Love You Truly." He unclipped it from his belt and said, "What?"

"Dad, it's me," Kathy's voice sounded strange.

"Oh Christ, what's wrong? Are you all okay?"

Her voice had a strangled sound to it. "No, nothing is wrong." She giggled.

"We tried to call you and nobody answered. Are you okay? I worry about you, you know."

"I was in the hospital again. That last beating messed me up inside. I have to take it easy for a while. Where are you?"

John looked at Peggy. "It's my daughter." He turned his attention back to the phone.

"Who were you talking to, Daddy? Do you have a girlfriend with you?" She sounded curious, rather than jealous.

"That was nurse Peggy. Your mom ordered her for me, remember?"

"Ah Dad, Mom wants to send us home if it's safe. She wants to stay up here and sort things out. That's what she calls it. Tony and I are pissed because we call it cheating on you."

"What exactly is going on?" The sinking feeling returned to John's stomach.

"We ended up here in the mountains at a private resort. Everyone goes around naked and this one guy has a giant cock and he and Mom are..." Kathy's voice choked up.

"Dad," Tony's voice came over the phone. "Mom has turned slut and that bastard wants Kathy and I threatened to stab him and cut his cock off if he tried to stick it in her. He's a freak!"

"Tony, where in hell are you?" John became scared for Tony and Kathy. Because of the way Elaine had reacted to the continued violence, John had an idea she was about to run away and try to hide from the real world.

"We're in the Santa Cruz Mountains, not far from San Jose."

"Where is your mother right now?" John tried to keep the tension out of his voice.

"She's with the freak. They haven't got up yet."

"Are they in the motor home?" John started to think hard.

"Naw, they're in his cabin. They smoked something heavy last night and haven't come out yet this morning.

"Tony, is the motor home leveled?"

"Mom parked it and that's all that was done." The anger in Tony's voice caused it to quaver.

"How much fuel is in the two tanks?" John let himself hope.

"I had Mom stop for diesel just before she got lost and we ended up here. We're almost topped off."

John thought hard. "Do you have any idea where the nearest highway is?"

"Yeah, State Seventeen is not far from the resort entrance. What do you want us to do?"

"Are the keys in the ignition?"

"Yes. You want us to take off?" Tony sounded excited.

"Do you know the way to the coast?"

"It's west of here. I can find it." Tony sounded confident.

John thought hard. "Son, take off right now, Get yourselves lined out for the old Highway 101 and head south. If anyone tries to stop you from leaving that place, run over them and keep going."

"Dad, what about Mom?" Tony sounded hesitant.

"Leave her there. I need you out of there before I can do anything for her. Leave now and call me when you get to Watsonville." John took a deep breath and ordered, "Now go." Tony disconnected.

John started to re-clip his phone when it announced another incoming call. "Hello?"

A young woman's voice asked, "Is this John?"

"Yes, and you are?" He had no idea whose voice this was.

"My name is Christine and I need help." He could hear the fear in her voice.

"Where are you, Christine?" John spoke louder than usual. He wanted Steve to hear him.

"I'm in a store near the Coronado Bridge. I slipped away while Mother is up in the Senator's office. She locked me in the car." The panic seemed to subside as she talked to John.

"Call a cab and come here. I'll pay the fare."

"If you see Daddy, tell him Mama has a lot of money." She sounded sad and lost.

Steve grabbed the phone from John. "Chris, where are you?" He listened to the reply. "Do as John said. You have his address? Good. Get a cab and come to John. He will help you."

Peggy looked back and forth between the two men. "Just what in hell is going on here? I am about to call the cops." Her eyes blazed with an emotion beyond hate.

John usually quiet and easy voice hardened. "Shut the hell up. You have no idea what you are talking about. Too bad you had a slime father."

His features became harder. "My daughter went through years of hell and was afraid to tell me her uncle took her any way he wanted to for over three years before I found out about it. She was afraid to tell me because my wife's brother told her he would kill me if she ever said anything."

"Ah, John, maybe we should discuss this some other time." Steve looked worried.

John refused to calm down. "Nurse Peggy," he made the affectionate nick name an epithet, " get the stuff I bought you, tell me how much I owe you and I'll pay you. Get your ass on down the road. Call whomsoever you damned well please. However, you will not threaten this man, not in my house."

Her face paled as she heard the anger in John's voice. "I'm sorry, but I thought he admitted he had raped his daughter."

John thought a moment. He looked at Peggy and made a decision. "On the other hand, you may stick around and meet Steve's supposedly raped daughter and learn something."

He thought a moment more and added, "Hopefully, my kids will be here some time tomorrow. You might ask them how they feel about me. Tony is fifteen and the most levelheaded young man I ever knew. Kathy is barely eleven and has more sense than most grown women. Make up your mind."

"I'm sorry, I got some buttons pushed and I couldn't handle the pushing. Please John, I'm sorry."

"Welcome back, Nurse Peggy." He smiled and looked at Steve. "Take my credit card and please go shopping for a few groceries." John's normally soft voice soothed her.

"Better get more beer," Steve told her. The relief in his voice seemed almost palpable.

Peggy tried to make amends with Steve by joking. "Here I spent all that time in school, studied hard and now all I get to do is make beer runs for a lawyer."

Steve smiled his forgiveness. "Just make certain you get premium beer."

John was puzzled by Peggy's reactions and attitude changes. To John it seemed almost as if hidden switches were thrown at odd moments. "Jenny, wait a second." He waited until she turned toward him to continue.

"What?" she asked.

"Did your father beat you or force you?"

"Oh my god no." Her eyes grew big and round." Daddy never even spanked me when I was bad."

"Peggy, something is wrong with this picture. You went off at Steve and then at me. You say your dad raped you for all those years and yet he never laid a hand on you. What's the deal?"

"Doctor Vander Graf..."

"Hold it right there." Steve's voice cut through whatever Peggy started to say. "Are you talking about Wilma Vander Graf?"

Peggy nodded and said a meek, "Yes."

"Now just so there won't be any mistake, we are talking about Wilma "All Men Are Rapists" Vander Graf?"

"I think so." Peggy stood quiet. Her chin touched her ample chest. She looked up at Steve. John thought she looked like a little girl waiting to be punished.

"One question, did your father ever fuck you?" Steve's eyes blazed with anger.

"Of course not." Peggy appeared to be insulted anyone could even think such a thing.

"Go do your shopping. We shall have a good talk when you get back. We all need to talk. You just reminded me of something."

Outside, a car door slammed and startled them. Steve jerked his head toward the front window, saw a cab in the driveway and rushed to the door. "Chris!" he called.

He went outside, paid the cab driver and led a pretty, young woman in her mid teens back inside the apartment. Her sun streaked blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her body still had some adolescent chubbiness. John saw a cute teen on the verge of becoming a cute adult woman.

Loving pride filled Steve's voice as he introduced her. "This is my daughter Christine."

"Hi, I'm John." The young woman nodded and turned to hug her father.

Steve told his daughter, "We were just about to discuss one of your favorite lesbians, "Doctor Vander Graf."