Fat Fridays (28 page)

Upstairs, the nurses met Sukie and directed her to a scrub area where she could wash up. There, she slipped on a green gown over her clothes. The birthing rooms were at the end of the hall. Rob met her. Sukie entered a room to find Madeleine lying on a gurney, her feet in stirrups.

“How’re you doing, hon?” Sukie took Madeleine’s hand as another contraction hit her.

“Great,” Madeleine growled, crushing Sukie’s fingers. When she could get her breath, Madeleine gasped, “Wanted you to see this.”

“Thank you.” A look of affection passed between them.

Rob and Sukie worked in unison to help with Madeleine’s breathing exercises. 

After a short time, the doctor entered and checked her. “The baby’s crowning. I see lots of dark hair. Let’s find out what we have here.”

Madeleine bore down and let out a cry as the baby emerged.

“It’s a boy!” Rob’s eyes lit with excitement and filled with tears. “It’s our son, Jonathan.” He put his arms around Madeleine and murmured softly to her.

Sukie observed her beautiful, perfect grandson. He was flailing his arms and bellowing now. She stepped into the hallway to give Rob and Madeleine privacy, and wiped tears of joy from her face.

B
etsy dialed her son’s number and waited for Richie to pick up. He’d told her things were better between him and Sarah. She hoped they’d want some time to themselves so she could take the children. She’d missed Caitlin and Garrett like crazy. A new Disney movie was playing and Betsy was sure the kids would love it.

“Hello?”

At the sound of her daughter-in-law’s voice, Betsy’s heart sank. “Hello, Sarah.”

“What do you want?” Sarah snapped.

Caught off guard, Betsy gulped. “I called to offer to take the kids for this weekend so you and Richie can have some time alone. Just like I’ve done so many times before.”

“Not on your life,” said Sarah. Her voice rose. “Do you have any idea what an embarrassment you are to me? My friends know all about your...your perversion, and if you think I’d let you contaminate my children, you’re wrong!” Her shrillness hurt Betsy’s ears and her heart.

Finding it hard to breathe, Betsy fought to get words out. “Karen won’t be around this weekend and you know as well as I do, my being with Karen does not harm my grandchildren. I want to see my grandchildren. I want to spend time with them.” Tears stung her eyes.

“Sorry. You’ve made some bad choices lately. My children are not going to be part of them. Goodbye.” Sarah’s words, coated with ice, froze Betsy’s insides.

She collapsed in a kitchen chair, too stunned to do anything but sob as hot tears streamed down her face. She recalled all the times she’d tolerated Sarah’s obnoxious behavior for the sake of peace in the family. No more.

Anger took over. Betsy’s hands balled into fists. How dare Sarah do this to her!

###

B
etsy awoke feeling as if she’d run a ten-mile race in quicksand. Her eyes were swollen and her body dragged as she forced herself out of bed, showered and got ready for work. The loss of her grandchildren was like a drain on her soul, emptying her of life. 

At the office, Betsy automatically followed her daily routines, but her mind whirled in endless circles, reliving the blow of Sarah’s cruel words to her. Sarah knew damn well her children would be safe with her. Betsy had practically raised them herself so Sarah could go away on weekends and be needlessly pampered.

By early afternoon, Betsy had worked herself into such a state, she couldn’t sit still. She got up and knocked on her boss’s door. 

He looked up from his desk. “What is it, Betsy?”

Betsy swallowed the tears that threatened. “I need to leave early. Personal reasons.”

His concern apparent, he studied her a moment. “Sure. Leave any time you want. And, Betsy, let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

“Thanks.” Betsy went back to her desk, gathered her purse and hurried out the door.

Inside her car, she took a deep breath. Sarah was
not
going to destroy her relationship with her grandchildren. They were her flesh and blood!

Making her way to their school, Betsy pressed her foot down too hard on the accelerator and had to consciously slow the car. Easy does it, she reminded herself. She didn’t want to get arrested for speeding. That would ruin everything.

Betsy parked her car on a side street next to the school and gazed around, scouting for the best way to proceed. The school buses were already lined up in the school yard, their engines churning. A school bell rang. Children burst out of the building in groups and formed lines in front of the buses. Betsy searched eagerly for Caitlin and Garrett, but neither one was among the students. 

She hurried around to the front of the school, past cars lined up in the front circle. Garrett and Caitlin were standing together by the school’s entrance. Waving, Betsy called to them.

They saw her, and ran over to her.

Tears of joy blurred Betsy’s vision as they flung themselves into her arms. She hugged them hard. A high-pitched noise echoed in the air around them. It took a moment for Betsy to realize it was someone shrieking.

Sarah came running toward Betsy, her teeth bared. “Get away from my children!” Sarah pushed the children away and threw herself at Betsy.

Betsy teetered back on her heels and landed on the sidewalk with a painful grunt. Staring at the satisfied expression on her daughter-in-law’s face, Betsy’s self-control snapped.

“You...You...!” Betsy lunged at Sarah with a strength she didn’t know she had. They tumbled to the grass. Sarah screamed and kicked. A crowd of students and teachers gathered around them, but Betsy held on, all her anger and frustration spilling over. 

“Stop! Stop it now!” A uniformed resource officer rushed forward and grabbed each of them by the arm, and jerked them to their feet. Gasping for breath, Betsy stood facing Sarah.

Sarah glared at Betsy and turned to the office. “Officer, call the FBI. This woman was about to kidnap my children. I told her to stay away from them.”

“No, Sir, I was not. This...this...witch... won’t let me see my grandchildren.”

“Children, go to the car!” shouted Sarah. “Now!”

Wide-eyed, they hurried away, glancing back at Betsy.

“Go on about your business and leave these women alone,” the guard ordered the crowd. The circle of onlookers began to disperse.

While the guard was distracted, Sarah grabbed a lock of Betsy’s hair and pulled. “Leave my children alone.”

Betsy swung her fist back and hit Sarah as hard as she could. The blow caught Sarah on the side of the face.

“Oow!” Sarah put a hand to her red cheek and narrowed her eyes at Betsy. “Officer, arrest this woman!”

“Now, now, both of you calm down. You’re out of control. Let’s go inside and talk this over.”

“There’s nothing to talk over,” said Sarah. “I’m going to my children.” She turned on her heel and marched away as a Sheriff’s car rolled into the driveway, its red light flashing.

Betsy turned to leave, but the resource officer grabbed her elbow. “Stay right here.”

Bill Michaels left his car and walked over to them.

Betsy’s cheeks flooded with shame. She knew the sheriff from her community volunteer work and hated to have him see her like this—her dress torn, her hair a mess.

“Sorry, Betsy,” he said, “but I’m going to have to take you down to the office. We can sort things out there. The school called, said you were trespassing, and got into a fight.”

“But, Bill...”Betsy began, sickened by all that had happened. “She won’t let me see my grandchildren!”

He nodded. “Let’s go and allow the school to resume their business. We can talk about it on the way.”

“Please don’t do this to me,” Betsy said, panicking.

Giving her a sympathetic look, he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Betsy. Let’s go.”

He led Betsy to his patrol car. She slid into the back seat, as miserable and angry as she’d ever been. Caitlin and Garrett’s eyes were round with shock as they stared at her from the window of their car. Betsy gazed at them and swore she’d never forget this mortifying moment, all because of their mother’s narrow-mindedness. No, she wouldn’t forget what Sarah had done to her, not in a hundred years.

###

T
he sheriff’s office was in a one-story brick building a block off the town square. Bill parked the car, and helped Betsy out of it and into the building.

Inside his office, he listened to her story and quickly agreed it was little more than an ugly family feud.

“Would you like to call someone to come for you?” he gently asked, offering Betsy a tissue. He stood. “You can wait in one of the back offices for better privacy. I’m sorry about this, Betsy. I thought it best to get you away from the school to diffuse the situation. I was told your daughter-in-law wanted to call in the FBI. Having the Feds involved is the last thing we’d want. Trust me.”

Bill led Betsy to an office behind double doors, at the end of a long hallway. She knew she’d over-reacted to Sarah’s obnoxious behavior. But even now, if she came face to face with Sarah, she knew she wouldn’t be able to control her anger. Left alone, Betsy dialed Sukie’s number and asked for a ride.

“My God, Betsy! Are you all right? What happened?”

The words came tumbling out of Betsy’s mouth. “I had a terrible fight with Sarah. She told me I couldn’t see Caitlin and Garrett again. I was so mad and hurt, I decided to go to their school to see them. Sarah accused me of trying to kidnap them. It was awful. We ended up in a physical fight. She left and Bill made me come here to cool off.” Her voice quivered.  “Can you imagine what my grandchildren think? They saw me put into a patrol car and driven off. Caitlin’s eyes were round as could be. Garrett ducked down in the car as we drove past.”

“I’ll be right there,” said Sukie. “Take a deep breath. Somehow we’ll get all this straightened out.”

Feeling like a truant sitting in the principal’s office, Betsy waited for Sukie to arrive. She thought about calling Richie and decided against it.

Sukie arrived and gave Betsy a sympathetic look.

“I can’t believe she did this to me,” said Betsy. “I swear I hate her, Sukie.”

Sukie shook her head. “Take it easy. Remember, you don’t want to lose Richie. Be careful when you talk to him. He’s caught between the two of you.”

“Don’t I know it?” Betsy wouldn’t put it past Sarah to make him disown her.

“C’mon, let’s go home.” Sukie’s voice was full of understanding.

Feeling twenty years older, Betsy stood and grabbed her purse. A glance at her reflection in the only window in the office showed her a defeated woman. For that reason alone, she’d willingly assault Sarah all over again.

“Why don’t you come to my house for a while?” Sukie said gently.

“Thanks. I don’t want to be alone right now. Karen’s away.”

Betsy’s cell phone rang. Richie. She picked it up eagerly. He’d always been a good son. They shared many common traits. But before she could begin talking, he launched into a diatribe about her and Sarah fighting like seventh-graders, humiliating him and his children. “This has got to stop, Mom. Enough is enough.”

“But...” Betsy began, and realized he’d already hung up. She turned to Sukie, sick to her stomach. “He’s furious at me. Oh, crap! I’ve ruined everything.”

“Hold on!” said Sukie. “Give everybody time to settle down, including yourself. What you need right now is a hot cup of coffee or maybe some tea.”

“What I need right now, is a glass of wine. It’s got to be five o’clock somewhere.”

Sukie grinned. “As a matter of fact, it’s quarter to five right now.”

They got settled in the car and, exhausted, Betsy leaned back against the passenger seat and closed her eyes.

Sukie’s cell phone rang. She picked it up. “Hi, Tiffany. Betsy? As a matter of fact, she’s here with me now. We’re on our way to my house.” She paused. “Okay, great.”

Sukie hung up and turned to her. “That was Tiffany. Everyone in the group is coming to my house. They’re worried about you.”

Gratitude filled Betsy. Sarah wasn’t the only one who’d turned against her. Several women in the neighborhood club had looked the other way when she approached. And some people in her church refused to talk to her. She’d even been asked to resign from the greeting committee.

Rejection made Betsy more determined to be true to herself. All her life, she’d wondered what was wrong with her as she’d struggled to meet the expectations of others. When she and Karen had finally voiced their feelings for each other, Betsy felt as if she’d been given a gift—the gift of her true self, the one she’d hidden for so long. As painful as the situation was, Betsy couldn’t change who she was, not even to be near her grandchildren.

S
ukie went to work putting together snacks for the group. Betsy sat at the kitchen table, sipping a glass of Pinot Grigio, looking totally drained.

Sukie was chilled to the bone by Sarah’s actions. The sheriff had told her he considered it nothing more than a nasty family feud and that no formal charges had been made, but Sukie saw how destroyed Betsy looked. Her eyes were swollen and red-rimmed. More than that, her natural bubbling spirit was broken.

The doorbell chimed. Sukie went to answer it.

Standing on the front porch, Carol Ann peered over Lynn’s shoulder. Tiffany stood behind her. Sukie’s heart warmed at the sight of them. Their friendship worked because they each had issues to sort out, and sharing them made it easier and them stronger.

After greetings and hugs were exchanged, they poured themselves assorted drinks and gathered around the kitchen table. Sukie passed around cheese and crackers and carrot sticks with dip, set a bowl of nuts on the table and listened as Betsy told them the whole story.

The antique Ogee clock in the living room chimed six times. Tiffany jumped to her feet. “I’ve got to go. I told Beau I had to work late, but he’ll still be wondering why it took me so long to get home.”

“You didn’t tell him you were coming here?” Sukie asked Tiffany, walking her to the front door.