Beth comes into my office with a river of tears flowing from her red and puffy eyes.
Beth is almost panicking as she says, “Oh, Cara. What have we done? Why were we so stupid? I honestly can’t imagine what I was thinking.”
I remind her, “Did you forget about him and Pearls so easily?”
Beth gets an idea, “We should call his parents.”
I rain on her parade, “I already have. He’s not with them.” Beth looks like she is ready to shatter into pieces.
I set her at ease, “It’s OK. Winnie knows he will be there in two days. She thinks Peter went to see Jim first.”
Beth is suspicious, “There is something else you aren’t telling me. How does Winnie know he will be there in two days? That’s pretty specific for someone that doesn’t know where her son is.”
I didn’t want to give this info, but she is in bad shape, “Two days from now is the one-year anniversary of his wife and child’s death. She didn’t say it, but I would put money on him showing up at their gravesite.”
Beth adds, “I bet we find Jim and Helen there as well. They love that man.”
After a minute of thinking, Beth asks, “Am I going by myself, or are you coming with me?”
Cara thinks, “Oh wow. That’s quite the question. If I don’t go with her, he will marry Beth, and I will lose him forever. If I go with, we continue to share him, and I allow him to flirt with other women. Was it him, or was it more Pearls? He didn’t apologize. He didn’t try to mend our relationship. I didn’t try either. Why?
“Oh wow, I don’t love him. He’s good in bed, but I can’t say I would do anything for him. He’s handsome and fun with a huge heart. I enjoy my time with him. I can see it now; Beth is in love with him. She worked closely with him, and he’s helping her profession and solve her largest issue, the lack of employees.”
Cara smiles at her friend, “Get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, I want you to drive to Kansas City and find your man.”
Beth froze at Cara’s words. She’s holding her breath!
Cara helps her, “I just now realized that you love him more than I do. I love him, and he’s lots of fun, but it’s not like you. BREATHE!”
Beth breaks out of her hold and jumps at Cara with both arms wide. She is all out bawling like a child. Her hold on Cara is strong; her emotions are running wild.
Cara offer support, “Obituaries don’t list the cemetery; you must call Winnie. She may not know the grave location, but I bet you see them enter if you get there early. He will be there a long time. Look for his car, a big expensive car, or a limo.
“Wrap up your day, assign a replacement, and make your call. I will go talk to that arrogant prick of a surgeon we got. He’s pissing people off left and right. Jinni is afraid for his life.”
We all hug again, and we both walk out of my office. Cara has to teach a man to stop acting like a child, and Beth is off to save the man she loves. Cara hates her life.
+++++
Helen’s point of view:
I’m questioning my husband, “Why is Peter coming here? How does he even know which house we’re at?”
My husband is looking mighty uncomfortable, “Something happened in Ness City. Peter won’t talk about it.”
I comment, “Big surprise there.”
Jim continues, “Yeah. He has two women that want him, or so I thought. Something happened, though, and he’s been slowly going downhill. I was close to flying out there to get to the bottom of it. As you heard, a few minutes ago, he called me to say he was coming over. He didn’t ask.”
I’m shocked, “Really? Peter? He TOLD you he was stopping by. Oh my, this is bad. He has to be the kindest, most considerate person I’ve ever met.”
Jim almost looks sick, “He wants to give me something, and then he will be on his way. What can he give me?”
My husband is blind at the time, “What’s the only thing he owns that you don’t?” He’s still clueless. “Rights to his courseware.”
Jim is stunned, “Why would he do that? That makes no sense.”
Must I explain everything?
I ask, “How long have you known him?”
Jim knows this answer, “The better part of a year.”
I lead him to the answer, “You’re nearing the one-year anniversary of your friendship. That means that something traumatic, something else in his life, is also near a one-year anniversary.”
The tears in his eyes tell me that he now understands completely.
Jim asks me, “What would I do without you?”
I laugh at him, “You would be a failed minor league baseball player, divorced, and paying child support to a woman that cheated on you. You’re working as a small company manager with a career going nowhere. You picked a hell of a night to ask me out. I was rebounding and dated you because you were cute and had no idea who I was.”
The doorbell rings. Our butler answers the door and escorts Peter to us in our huge living room. I don’t want to offer him wine. That’s the last thing he needs. My God, he looks like he’s about to fall to pieces in front of us.
I tell Larry, “Tell Kim that Peter will be joining us for dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow. Pack us for a week please and we need the bus tomorrow. Clear our schedules; we’re in vacation mode starting immediately. Peter will need a massage tonight; get Sasha. Thank you, Larry.”
I tell Peter, “We’ll take you there tomorrow. You, my friend, are in no condition to drive. Now explain to us what’s going on with your life. How did you get to this point? Where exactly are we going?”
Peter is still in shock that she knows everything. Is she reading my mind?
+++++
Beth’s point of view:
I had dinner, did the dishes, and am all packed.
I sit down with a glass of white wine and dial Peter’s mother. His mother seems rather amused at hearing from me.
Winnie happily says, “Hello, my dear; I’ve expected your call. I will text you our address.”
I am bewildered, “What? Wait. Huh?”
Winnie continues due to my inability to form a coherent sentence, “I talked to Cara yesterday. She was just a bit less clueless than you are. I expected one to call back for the cemetery name and address, if not both of you. Since my husband and I will be doing the same thing, we might as well all go together and support him on his terrible day. I expect he won’t be alone.
“Since he wasn’t caught in the DUI trap on the highway, he went to see Jim first. Knowing Peter, he wanted to sign over all rights, so his legacy continues.” I am crying now. I know the implications of why he wants to sign over the rights. “Oh, stop crying. There is no way Helen lets him do that. I fully expect the three of them to stop by the gravesite.
“She loves him for saving her life. She will see it as her duty to save him. They will be with him all the way. We will be there for moral support and show him that he’s still loved. Is Cara coming, or will it only be you?”
I sniffle before answering, “Just me. In this last month, I guess we figured out who really loves him. I think she wanted to come with, but she’s staying back to help Peter see clearly, who loves him the most. In a way, Ariel helped find Peter a bride. I AM going to marry that man.”
I can hear Winnie crying now as she says, “I can’t tell you how happy that makes me feel. He needs it simple. Two women would have made his life a whole lot harder. Anyways. Stop by anytime tomorrow. We’ll take you out for dinner, maybe some shopping, and you can stay here with us. We’ll put you in his old room. Then the next day, we’ll stake out the cemetery.”