CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

 

RANDI WAS busy preparing an invoice when her phone rang.  It was a number she hadn’t seen in a long, long while.  She wondered what Tim’s next bombshell would be and was surprised to hear Miriam’s voice.

       “I wanted to thank you for a wonderful visit the other day.  Your boys are just adorable.  I enjoyed watching them play soccer with Trevor and the other gentleman.  I’m sorry, I’m not good with remembering names.  Tim is always fussing at me about that.”

Randi laughed.  “That’s okay.  That was Rafe.  He has ten nieces and nephews so he’s used to playing with the boys.  I think he also coached some a few years ago.  This was before he met Brina.”

“I’m sorry we couldn’t stay for the tour of Spicer Meadows.  I would have liked that.  I’m sure it is very beautiful.”

“Maybe another time.  I’m glad you were able to make the trip to visit with us.”  Randi didn’t say she was just as glad it was over.  “The boys haven’t stopped talking about you two,” she lied.

Miriam laughed.  “You know, I don’t get out as much anymore.  All those tests and treatments tired me so much.  Being depressed didn’t help much either.  I’ve also been having headaches, but I don’t mean to bore you with my problems.  I just wanted to thank you for a nice visit.”

“Maybe now that the tests are over, you can enjoy life again,” Randi tried to be chipper. “You and Tim can start making plans.  Go out more.”

“Oh, he still goes out.  Almost every night he has a meeting or function he needs to go to.”

“And he doesn’t ask you to go with him?”

“Oh, no.  He says I would be bored to tears.  And after all the testing and disappointments, he said I should take my time, stay at home more.”

Randi was concerned.  When she was married to him, he always nagged her to go out with him.  He stopped when she got pregnant.  She wondered if Tim was drinking again?  “Miriam, is Tim okay when he gets home from these meetings? He used to drink a little too much but said he had quit.  He hasn’t started again, has he?”

“Well, most of the time when he gets home I’m already in bed. Although he did say that these meetings and events are often boring and he sometimes needs a drink to get through them.”

“But, you’ve never been around him when he comes home?  When he drinks?”

“No.  Randi, you have me worried.  If you don’t mind my asking, why did you and Tim divorce?  Was his drinking a part of it?”

How much should she tell Miriam, she wondered?  “I, uh, I guess you could say we drifted apart.  He spent most of his time away in meetings and when I fell,”

Randi heard Miriam gasp.  “You fell?”

“Yes.  I was pregnant with the boys and spent over a month in the hospital.  Like I said, I guess we just drifted apart.”  How do you tell a man’s wife that he abused his first wife?

“I’m so sorry. I’m glad it didn’t affect your pregnancy.  You know, Tim wants to run for governor and realizes he needs to improve his relationship with your boys.  That’s why he wants to share custody.”

“I can’t deny Tim that right but I also have to think about my boys.  They are very important to me.  I’m sure they would love to get to know their father better.  Let’s hope we have a smooth transition and the two of you can have them for extended amounts of time.”

“Yes.  Me too.  And I hope we can keep in touch.”

“You’re welcome to call me on your cell phone anytime.”

“I let Tim talk me out of keeping my cell phone after we got married.  Said I would get all sorts of calls by being married to him.  Did you have that problem?  Did you have a cell phone?”

“Yes.  I did then, and still do.  I need it for my business.”  Randi was concerned that Tim might be isolating Miriam for some reason. 

“Miriam?” she asked.  “Would you do something for me?  Would you please get a cell phone?  Now that you are getting more active, I think you’ll enjoy having it again.  You can call your friends and meet them.  Plus, you never know when you might need one for an emergency. You don’t even have to tell Tim if you don’t want, that’s up to you.  But I really hope you will get one.  And you’re more than welcome to call me anytime.  We don’t have to tell Tim about any of this.”

“That is so sweet of you, Randi.  I’ll think about it and when I get one, you will be my first call.  Thank you.”

 

Randi stopped by the wine shop before she had to pick up the boys from school.  She and Marcie sat in the tasting room.  She always enjoyed being in the tasting room.  It had a homey feeling.  The bar was large enough that small groups could stand around it while they sampled her wines.  Pictures of vineyards behind and on either side of the bar made you feel like you were in the middle of wine country.  A wine barrel with artificial grapes draped over the top stood in a corner.  Next to the barrel was a small electric heater that always gave her the warm cozy feeling.  Regardless of weather, Marcie always had the flames reflecting.

Marcie had offered her a sample of a pinot grigio she was thinking about adding to her selection of wines.  “Did you watch Miriam much this weekend?”

“Not really, I watched the snake more.  The boys were all over him trying to play and it was obvious he preferred being somewhere else.”

Randi smiled.  “You noticed it too?  That’s why Trevor distracted them with the soccer ball.”

“Miriam seems nice enough,” Marcie said.  “Why are you asking?”

“She just called me.  To thank me for the invitation this weekend.  The more we talked, the more I worry about her.  Marcie, she doesn’t have a cell phone.  She let Tim talk her out of it.  Who doesn’t have a cell phone these days?  I’m worried she might be having the same abuse problems I had and he is trying to keep her isolated.”

“Well, now that you mention it, I did notice her flinch a couple times.  Remember when she asked Sandy what kind of ice cream he liked.  I mean, what kid doesn’t like ice cream?  Tim glared at her and she flinched like she was worried she said the wrong thing.”  She raised her glass to examine the color of the wine.  “Now that I think about it, Ginny said she saw him grab her wrist and squeezed it.  Do you really think he might be abusing Miriam?”

“I’m not sure.  She’s not around him when he’s drinking because he doesn’t take her to his social events.  She is usually in bed so she’s not exposed to his temper.  But it could be a matter of time before something triggers him.  I worry for her and for Scott and Sandy. I don’t want them hurt.”

“Maybe she’s aware but doesn’t want to admit it.”

“Well, she did ask why we divorced and I had to tell her.  Nothing specific, only that we drifted apart.  And then I ended up telling her about falling down the stairs.”

“What did she say?”

“She was shocked.  Sorry.  Tim apparently hasn’t told her.  That’s when I suggested she get a cell phone.  Hinted that she didn’t even have to tell Tim about it.”

“Do you think she’ll get one?”

“Have no idea.  I hope so.  Maybe I’ll ask Harriet how her interview with them went.  She may have picked up on things.”

“Good idea.  Now, I’m more interested in your plans for your up-coming weekend with Trevor?”

Randi shook her head.  “It’ll be a working weekend, remember.”

“Doesn’t mean you won’t be able to enjoy one another.”

“We’re staying with his sister.  Can’t do too much when other people are around.”

“Really?  Huh.  I could have sworn I overheard Trevor tell Pete that his sister was going to be in France with her husband for the next two weeks.”

 

“So, is your sister excited that we’re coming to visit this weekend?”  The boys had asked to stop by the firehouse on their way home from school and were helping Josh and Clay put tools away.

Trevor frowned.  “Who said Susan was going to be there?”

“You did.  Didn’t you?”  She lowered her voice.  “You said your sister had a house there.”

“Yes, but I didn’t say she would be there.”

“Trevor, I know you said she would be there.  I’m self-conscious as it is going away with you but now to learn that Susan won’t be there, I’m worried.  I don’t want people getting the wrong idea and I’m not sure I want to just take over someone’s house while they’re away.”

“We won’t be taking over.  We’ll be working, remember.  Besides, she has a pool and I’ve missed my evening laps.”  He leaned closer to her ear.  “It’ll give me another chance to see you in your bikini.”

Randi punched him.  “You’ve never seen me in my bathing suit.”

“Oh, but I have.”  He smiled down at her.  “Remember when your father invited me to dinner that first night?  He was talking to me in my office when he invited me.  I saw you playing with the boys.  That’s when he told me you were his daughter.  I’d already met you earlier, remember, and there was no way I was going to turn down a dinner with the lady in unit thirty-eight.”

Randi felt her cheeks blush.

“So, don’t forget to pack your lavender bikini.  Took my breath away when I saw you get out of that hot tub.”  He chuckled when her mouth fell open.

“Trevor,” she exclaimed a little too loudly.  All the boys looked their way.

Trevor smiled, spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.  “All I said is you deserve a night off.  I have to head back to Snowridge for a few days and just thought I’d bring a pizza by before leaving.”

“Yay, pizza,” Scott and Sandy cheered.

 

Trevor stopped by the garage before heading back to Snowridge.  It was late but he’d helped Randi put the boys to bed and snuck a few kisses after assuring her that Susan was excited about them staying at the house.

Now, he wanted to talk to Hal.  Even stopped and picked up another pizza for the old man.

“Nothing exciting has been going on around the job site during the day.  How about the nights?” Trevor asked.

Hal bit into a slice of pizza.  “Quiet at night too.  Didn’t I see you drive by the other night?”

“Yeah.  Thought I saw something but it turned out to be nothing.”

“But it was something.” Hal said. “I saw you drive back around so I figured I’d keep an eye out.  Sure enough, a few minutes after you left, a shadow stepped out of the bushes.  I couldn’t see who it was but I watched him try to unlock the back door.  Guess it’s a good thing you changed the locks.  Didn’t get a chance to sneak up on him though.  When he couldn’t get in, he didn’t hang around long.”

“Well, it couldn’t have been one of the boys.  They were there when Aaron and I changed the locks.”

“No, this one was taller.  Lankier.”

“Haven’t seen him since?”

Hal nodded. “Been watching, but all has been quiet the past couple days.  Are you sure you want me to keep watching?”

“Yes.  Unless you need to be somewhere else.  We’re almost finished the job and I don’t want anything else to happen.  I’m heading back to Snowridge for a few days then I need to go to Atlanta this weekend.  I’ll feel better knowing you’re keeping an eye on things.  But if anything happens, don’t hesitate to call me.”