No Plans for Love (32 page)

Jan had invited her to have supper with them before Lisa went back to college and Sherry agreed. But she waited until seven o'clock to walk over. She wanted to talk to the whole family about what she should do. She needed to seek the advice of older, wiser heads.

They were already seated at the table eating when she got there. "I tried to call but there was no answer," Mark said. "I guessed you were on the way over."

Sherry took off her black and white checked blazer and hung it over the back of the chair before sitting down. "The reason I called this meeting..."

Everyone laughed but Sherry. "Mom called. She wants me to put the house up for her bail."

"No!" said Mark, Frank and Jan. Frank continued, "That leaves you open to losing everything you've got left if she decides to take off."

"What has she ever done for you?" Mark demanded.

Sherry's eyes swam with tears as she gazed at him and whispered, "She gave me life. She didn't have to. She was single and my father couldn't marry her because he was already married. She could have had an abortion, but she didn't. She gave birth to me and she kept me."

"You still can't put your house up for bail. You stand to lose too much."

"What can I do?"

"Impromptu meeting of the board of directors of Blakely Farm Inc." Frank said. "Does our bank account have enough to pay Alison's bail?" Frank looked across the table at his wife.

"We might," Jan replied. "What do you have in mind?"

"We'll get Alison out of jail but there have to be stipulations so she can't jump bail and run."

"I see which way the wind blows," Lisa cut in. "Sherry gets all teary eyed and whimpers around and everyone jumps to help her. I for one will not vote to give one red cent of bail money."

"Anybody else have any thoughts?" Frank asked.

"I think we should help Sherry," Jan said. "She only has one mother even if she isn't the best person in the world. I hope if I'm ever in trouble my daughter would be willing to come to my aid."

"Oh, Mom. You'd never do anything like she did," Lisa said.

"We don't know what will come our way before our lives are over. I could die in my sleep tonight."

Frank looked at his son. "Mark?"

Mark sat gazing across the table at his sister."What Sherry wants."

"Sherry, do you want us to help get your mother out of jail?" Frank asked her.

"Yes," she answered softly. "I'll pay you all back one day. If my bank account ever thaws out."

"I'll call Turner in the morning," Jan promised.

"Vote," Frank said. "Yeas?"

Frank, Mark and Jan raised their hands. "Nay!" Lisa said sharply.

"Three to one vote. Yeas have it."

Lisa jumped up. "I'm leaving! I won't have any part of this." She faced Sherry. "You're just using my brother to get what you want," she accused and stomped out the door.

Troy stood up to follow her. "Sit down and eat your supper, Troy. She isn't going anywhere. You have your truck keys in your pocket, don't you?"

"Yeah." With a grin Troy sat back down. Frank got up and went outside. They could hear him and Lisa yelling at each other but couldn't discern the words.

Frank brought Lisa back  holding her by the back of her neck. "Set yourself down there and eat your supper. We don't waste good food around here."

"I'm sorry," Sherry said softly. "I didn't mean to cause a split in the family." She stood up to go.

Mark stood up to stop her.  "You need to eat."

"If I eat when I'm upset I'll get sick. I'll eat later after I calm down. Please don't be late. I don't feel like being alone."

He kissed her. "I'll be over as soon as I eat."

****

"Call me as soon as you know how much?" Jan handed her husband a blank check with only her signature. It was from Blakely Farm Inc. and would require Frank's signature, too, before it was legal.

He folded the check and put it in his shirt pocket. "I've got to get those milkers washed. Kiss me."

Jan kissed him. "Umm, you taste good," he said.

 "It's the toothpaste." She kissed him again and went out to her SUV.  Frank went to the milk house.  He was up to his elbows in water when Mark walked in. "I'm going to take your truck. You can drive mine. Here are my keys."

"My hands are wet. Put them in my pocket. I've got to get done here and get over for Sherry. I hope we aren't making a big mistake here. Anything involving Alison is iffy."

Sherry was waiting in the kitchen. "Did you eat breakfast?" he asked her. He didn't want her fainting on him. On the other hand he didn't want her to get sick because of her nerves.

"I had a breakfast bar and some milk." She turned the conversation to the hearing. "I wrote everything down that Mom must comply with before I'll take her in. She has to understand this isn't a free ride. Let's go."

Sherry was quiet as they traveled south on Route 322 toward Lewistown. But Frank noticed her tense demeanor. "It's going to be all right, Sherry."

"It has to be. One way or another. We only have so much control over our lives because there are other people involved."

"I'm glad you finally realize you can't plan your future exactly. Sometimes you have to go with the flow. This is one of those times." He reached over to take her hand. "I told you I'd be here for you. Count on it."

She gave him a fond smile. "I'll get through it. I'm not sure what adjustments I must make. I told Mark to give me some time with Mom. He isn't happy about it but he'll survive. He and Mom just don't get along. But she's the only mom I got."

They were a little early. The only person in the courtroom was a gray haired man at the defendant's table. Sherry walked up and introduced herself. "I'm Alison's daughter."

"The one whose house she wrecked? I'm her attorney, Kenneth Wright."

"I'm the only daughter she has." She went on to explain her reason for being there. She took a folded sheet of paper from the blazer pocket. "These are the conditions she must meet for us to pay her bail and for me to take her in."

He glanced over the list. "I don't agree with the requirement that she plead guilty to the charges. That's an impingement of her rights to a trial."

"Okay. Let's say that's negotiable. We can work around that. But the others must be met. I know Mom and I'm not giving her a chance to leave me holding the bag. I don't have a job so I can't afford to support her. She needs to get work and pay her own way."

The sheriff escorted Alison into the courtroom. She came right to Sherry. "I knew you wouldn't let me down, baby," she said as she hugged her.

"You have to follow my rules, Mom. I'm not going to let you off easy this time." Sherry turned and walked back to Frank who sat two rows behind the table.

After the preliminaries of the case were dispensed with, Sherry was called to the stand by Mr. Wright. He got right down to the meat of the matter. "Miss Winnette, in order to be released on bail, your mother must have a place of residence. Are you willing to allow her to live with you?"

"I am."

The judge looked puzzled. "Miss Winnette, you are the victim in this case. You want to allow Alison Winnette to live with you?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Why?"

Sherry took a moment to collect her thoughts. Then she looked the judge in the eye. "She's the only mom I got."

"I see. Mr. Wright, you may sit down. I'll ask the questions here. Miss Winnette..."

"Please call me Sherry. Mom is also a Miss Winnette."

"Very well, Sherry. I want to be certain that you realize the position this puts you in."

"I do, Your Honor. This isn't a get-out-of-jail-free offer. There are conditions Mom must meet. I wanted to insist that she plead guilty but her lawyer said that is a violation of her right to have a trial. So I'll go on to the next. She must be under house arrest and wear a GPS ankle bracelet so I can keep her where she belongs. She must get a job to support herself.

"I am unable to work right now and my bank account is still frozen because of what she's done. She must follow my rules. It is my house. In addition, I expect her to replace the items she destroyed. Mark Blakely is going to replace my windows but she must pay him back."

"You sound like a young lady who knows where she's going in life. Miss Alison Winnette, are you willing to agree to your daughter's conditions?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Fine. Bail is set at twenty thousand dollars. I am going to waive that and release you in the custody of your daughter. If you step out of line, you will be right back in jail. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Your Honor, I have a question. It's about this case but not this hearing."

"Go ahead."

"The police have my purse with my checkbook and driver's license. And my bank account is still frozen. Can you do anything about that?"

"I can order the police to release those belongings and for your bank account to become available to you. Anything else?"

"No. Thank you, Your Honor. For everything. May I leave the stand now?"

"Yes, you may. Miss Winnette, I hope you realize what a fine daughter you have. Whatever possessed you to do what you did?"

"I was mad beyond reason."

The judge just raised his eyebrows."It will take some time to do the paperwork but it should be ready by one o'clock. Sheriff, take Alison Winnette to your office and fit her with a GPS bracelet. And keep her there until I tell you to release her."

"May I go with Mom?"

"Yes."

Frank stood up. "I'm going to find a rest room. Then I'm going to McDonald's. What would you ladies like for lunch?"

"A chicken salad," Alison said.

"A cheeseburger, fries and a milk shake," Sherry ordered.

When Frank got to the parking lot, he took the time to call his wife. "That girl has a silver tongue," he reported. "She had that judge eating out of her hand. Alison will be released into Sherry's custody. You can use this check for something else."

They ate their lunch in the sheriff's office while a female deputy fitted a GPS bracelet around Alison's ankle. "I must know what route you will take home. Call it a test tracking."

Frank swallowed a bite of his cheeseburger and answered, "Route 322 north."

"I want to stop at the dollar store so Mom can apply for work," Sherry cut in. "And we need to stop at the bank for Mom's car."

Frank showed the deputy on a county map where Sherry lived. "I'll see that they get there safely. After that it's up to them."

At one o'clock the judge's secretary called down for them to go up to the judge's chambers for the paperwork. Alison signed an agreement to follow Sherry's conditions. "I won't plead guilty though."

"There will be a hearing on Wednesday at one o'clock for you to enter a plea," the secretary said. "The judge will meet with your attorney and the district attorney to see if an agreement can be reached. I'm sure your attorney will be in touch."

As soon as they were out on the street, Alison began, "You had that judge wrapped around your little finger, sweetie. You could have gotten him to drop the charges."

"Shut up, Mom. I'm not trying to get you off the hook nor was I trying to wrap the judge around my finger. I was telling the truth and don't you forget it. You signed an agreement to abide by my rules. You better walk the line or you'll be right back in there. I'm not in the mood to put up with any bull."

Frank's cell vibrated while he was waiting in the parking lot at the dollar store. He took it out and looked at who was calling. "Hello, Mark."

"I've been trying to call you since noon. Your phone's been off."

"I know it. I was at the courthouse. That girl of yours should become a lawyer. She got Alison out without paying a penny in bail. Alison's in Sherry's custody and Sherry's not in a mood to take any bull from her. She told her off good and proper on the way up 322. The kid's got potential."

"That means Alison will be living with her. For how long?"

"I don't know. Probably forever."

"Oh, no! I'm not putting up with her the rest of her life."

"You and Sherry are going to have to work that out between you. Leave me out of it. Here they come now. Sherry made Alison go into the dollar store and apply for work. We have to go by the bank for Alison's car. The judge issued an order for Sherry's purse and keys to be returned. I'll talk to you later."

Frank called Jan from the bank parking lot to let her know they were getting Alison's car. "I didn't want you to report it stolen."

"I'll be right out. I need to talk to Sherry." In a few minutes she came out the back door. "Sherry, your bank account has been unfrozen. Now you can write checks or withdraw money."

"Thanks, Jan."

"Don't thank me. Thank the judge."

"I already did. He was real nice to me."

Alison was already in her car. "If you're coming with me, come on. I have to go to the bathroom."

"I think you'll want this." Frank took the garage door remote from the dash of Mark's truck.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything." She put the remote in the blazer pocket. As soon as she got in her mother's car, she gave it to her. "Better take care of it so it doesn't get lost."

"How'd you get it?"

"Jan took it out of your car on Friday."

"What else did she take?"

"My guitar."

Mitzi greeted Sherry, mewing for attention. "So, you have a kitten now," Alison said as she followed her daughter into the breezeway.

"A stray. She's been good company." Sherry opened the door to the kitchen and Mitzi ran in ahead of her.

Alison looked around. "Things have changed. You have a fridge. Do I hear the furnace running?"

"You do." Sherry turned to face her mother. "The people you have been ridiculing are the ones who have stepped forward to help. Frank had a blank check in his pocket this morning ready to pay your bail. The heating oil bill went to Blakely Farm. Frank and Mark hauled the refrigerator that was given to me by one of the bank employees where Jan is manager. Mark bought the groceries because my bank account was frozen. Think about that. I'm going to the bathroom upstairs."