Blame it on the Stars (The Blame Game) (25 page)

From the doorway she heard
, “Well, if it isn’t the little mother-to-be.”

Catlin turned to see Dana standing
by the door.

“
How’s it going,
mommy?
” The girl sneered.

“
Dana, sit down. You’re already on the detention list. Don’t make it worse.”

“
You know what you can do with your detention list?” Dana spouted back at her.

“
If you’re going to take this attitude, you may as well just leave.” Catlin stepped closer to Dana and smelled something. It had been a few years, but Catlin recognized the odor of marijuana. She looked into the girl’s eyes, and saw they were beet red. “Oh Dana.” She sighed. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.” She took Dana’s arm and started to lead her to the door.

Dana
growled and shoved Catlin hard.

Catlin fell back into the blackboard. Two guys from the class jumped up and grabbed Dana, and another two helped Catlin steady herself.

“Are you okay?” one of them asked her.

Catlin nodded.
“Thanks.” She turned to the two holding Dana. “Can you help me get her to the office, please?”

“
Don’t touch me!” Dana squirmed. “Let go of me!”

Catlin stepped up to
her. “Dana, stop it!”

“
Don’t tell me what to do!” Dana screamed at Catlin. “You’re always telling me what to do and I’m sick of it! Well, you can just go get fucked! Oh, I guess you already have!” She collapsed in a fit of giggles.

No one in the class was laughing. Catlin looked at them.
“Can you sit quietly for a few minutes, please? I need to take care of this.”

The class
members nodded numbly, obviously too surprised to act up.

“
Let’s go.” Catlin motioned to the boys holding Dana’s arms. Dana was still giggling, and allowed herself to be led into the teacher’s lounge.

They deposited her on the couch. Dana crossed her arms and closed her eyes.

“Wow,” one of them said “She’s really high on something.”

“
I’m afraid you’re right.” Catlin agreed. “Would you get Mr. Turner before you go back to class please?”

They nodded, and left.

“Thanks!” Catlin called after them.

Frank rushed into the lounge.
“What’s going on here? Catlin, are you all right?”

“
Yeah.” She nodded, and rubbed her arms. “But I think Dana’s been smoking the loco-weed.” She stepped forward and patted the girl’s cheek.

Dana opened her eyes. When she saw Catlin she lunged for her
.

Frank shoved her back on the couch.
“Good Lord, girl. You reek. I must say I’m very surprised at you, Dana Naughton.”

Dana closed her eyes again.

“Just stay there and behave,” Frank said. “I’m going to call your father.”

“
No!” Dana screeched. “Call my mother! She’s at home!”

Frank looked at Catlin.
“My class is unattended,” she said quietly.

He nodded.
“I’ll send someone in.” He left the lounge, and when he came back, Steve was with him.

“Dana, what’s going on here?” Steve sat down next to his daughter.

“
Oh, Daddy!” she sobbed, and fell into his arms. “Catlin won’t leave me alone! She picks on me, she harasses me—I just can’t take it anymore!”

Steve looked up at Catlin questioningly.

Catlin fumed inside. She mustered the steeliest voice she could. “If you’re ever going to believe me, now’s the time. This child has been loud and verbally abusive to me for a week. I knew what she was going through, and I tried to give her some time and space. But today, well, I’ve just about had it.”

Steve looked at Dana
. “Is this true?”

Dana sobbed louder into his chest.

Catlin continued. “I don’t care if you believe me or not. I’ve got twenty witnesses to back me up. I didn’t go flying into that blackboard all by myself.”

Steve looked at Catlin in disbelief
. “She hit you?”

“
You’re damn right she hit me. Right before she told me, in front of God and everybody, to go get fucked. Look at her, Steve! It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the child is stoned!”

Steve
’s face fell. He looked at his daughter. “Dana, stop it. Quit crying. I want some answers.”

“
Steve.” Frank stepped in. “I don’t have to tell you how serious this is. I’m very upset by Dana’s conduct today.”

“
We all are.” Catlin said to Steve.

Steve looked at Dana again.
“I can’t believe you. The grass is bad enough. It’s not only stupid, it’s illegal. But to strike a teacher...”

“
It was just
Catlin
!” Dana said disgustedly. She looked at her father seriously. “Dad, she’s pregnant!”

“
So that’s a reason to hit her?” he yelled. “Jesus Christ, Dana!” Steve stood and paced around the room.

“
Don’t you know what that means?” Dana asked her father.

Catlin inhaled. Had Dana figured things out?

Steve sighed and put his hands on his hips. “Dana, what are you talking about?”

“
She’s pregnant...and she just got married. She was sleeping with him before they got married!”

Steve looked at her
“And...?”

“
Daddy!” Dana shook her head.

Steve looked at the ceiling, then back at Dana.
“Okay, she sinned; she’ll probably go to hell. But it’s not your problem. And it’s certainly no reason to hit her.”

Dana pouted and shut her eyes again. Steve looked at Frank.
“What happens now?”

Frank replied
, “She
should
be given the boot. Either of the offenses she committed today is grounds for expulsion.” He looked at Catlin. “We do seem to have extenuating circumstances here. What do you think?”

Catlin shook her head.
“I don’t know. Maybe suspension.”

Frank nodded.
“Definitely suspension. A week. We’ll let you know what else when we’ve had time to think about this.”

“
Go ahead, kick me out!” Dana waved her arms. “I don’t want to be here anyway!”

“
Dana, be quiet.” Steve ordered. He looked at Catlin. “Are you okay?”

She rubbed her arms.
“I guess. This is very upsetting.”

“
Yeah.” Steve looked from her back to Dana.

Catlin said
, “Did you know she hasn’t been in first hour for six days?”

Steve looked at Catlin.
“Six days?”

She nodded.
“She said her mother excused her absence. Well, I don’t. She’s off the yearbook staff, as far as I’m concerned.”

Dana sprung up off the couch.
“You can’t do that!”

Frank
said, “Yes, she can. She’s your teacher.”

Dana lunged at Catlin and started waving her fists.
“I hate you! I hate you!”

Steve grabbed her, and held her arms. Dana continued to scream at Catlin.
“I don’t want you to be my teacher! I wanted you to be my mother!” She stopped and looked Catlin squarely in the face. “How come you’re so anxious to become everyone else’s mother, but not mine? I wanted you—” she broke down sobbing. “I loved you!” Steve pulled his daughter into his arms and tried to quiet her.

Catlin wanted to reach out to Dana, but couldn
’t. She turned away and hugged her arms to herself.

Dana had exhausted herself. She was completely quiet.

Frank said to her, “Why don’t you come with me and we’ll get you a glass of water? Your dad can pick you up in my office in a few minutes.”

Steve looked at Frank.
“Thank you.”

Frank led Dana out. Steve shut the door to the lounge, and turned to face Catlin.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”

She looked at him.
“I’m sorry about this, Steve. The kids sure are taking it hard.”

“
And why wouldn’t they? One minute we’re planning a life, and the next minute it’s all thrown up in the air, and landing as a different kind of life.”

“
Shit happens,” was all she could think of to say.

Steve took a step toward her.
“I was going to come and see you today anyway, before my daughter went into global thermonuclear meltdown.”

She smiled.
“Can I imagine why?”

“
Oh, I think you can. So I guess we’ve figured out why you were so sick last month.”

She turned away.
“That was just stress.”

He put his hand on her arm
. “How pregnant are you, Catlin?”

She answered without looking at him.
“Just barely. I only found out recently myself.”

“
Pregnant enough for People Magazine to get the scoop.”

“
Speculation,” she said “They don’t know everything.”

“
Neither do I. I want to know how pregnant you are.”

She turned to face him.
“Why, do you and your wife want to adopt my baby?”

“
Not what I was thinking.”

“
Well, you think too much. My husband and I are having a child. And we’re very happy about it.”

Steve looked at her left hand,
and picked it up. “That is one big rock, Mrs. Prescott.”

She shrugged
, and tried to pull her hand away.

He held on tight.

“Can I have my hand back, please?”

Gazing into her eyes, h
e let go. “I’d like a straight answer from you, and then if you want, I’ll leave you alone.”

“
No you won’t.” She looked at him. “You’ll never leave me alone. A part of you will always be with me.”

His eyes flashed just before h
e pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

Catlin
pounded his chest with her fists a couple times, without much force behind the movement. She quickly gave in and dropped the pretense of putting up a fight. Her arms encircled his neck and she kissed him hungrily.

After a
solid minute, he reluctantly pulled away. “I want you to tell me who the father of your baby is,” he whispered.

“
Nick.”

“
Why don’t I believe you?”

“
Because you think I’m a liar.” She kissed him passionately one last time. “God, I’ve missed that.” She looked into his eyes, then dragged herself away. In the distance they could hear the school bell ringing.

Steve cleared his throat, and paced around the room.
“So, is this how you want to leave it?”

“
It’s a done deal, Steve. Nick and I are married. You and
Barb
are back together.”

He smiled.
“You really hate her, don’t you?”

“
Hate
. Yes. Hate is not too strong a word.” Catlin nodded.

T
he lounge door flew open and Jetta rushed in. She looked at Steve, then Catlin. “I heard you had trouble. Are you okay?”

“
I’m fine, Jetta. Thanks, hon.”

Jetta looked from Catlin to Steve and back
one more time before turning and walking into the hallway.

Steve cleared his throat.
“I’d better get Dana home. Sure you’re okay?”

“
Yeah. Thanks for coming.” She turned away so she wouldn’t have to watch him leave.

Jetta came back in after Steve walked out.
“What was that all about?” she asked Catlin.

Catlin inhaled and turned to face
her friend. “That was good-bye. Just good-bye.”

Chapter Seventeen

Chris
was bubbling when he came to Catlin’s classroom after school. He waved a copy of People Magazine at Catlin. “Did you see this?”

“
Yes.” She ruffled his hair. She hadn’t told him about the baby yet. She wondered how he would take it.

“
Josh says we’re celebrities.” He looked at the picture. “Isn’t it cool?”

“
Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”

“
Josh says we’re gonna have a baby. Are we?”

“
Well, yes, we are, honey.” She hadn’t wanted him to find out this way.

“
Cool,” he repeated. “Josh’s mom had a baby. He says it’s pretty neat, but they cry a lot.”

Catlin chuckled.
“I guess they do.”

Chris
thought about it. “Mom, where are we gonna put the baby? In the front room with me?”

She laughed out loud.
“We will have moved long before the baby gets here. You and I are going to pick out a place that we love. We’ll have a room for you, and a room for the baby.”

“
And a room for you and dad.”

“
Yeah. Big enough for our whole family.”

“
Cool!” Chris grinned from ear to ear.

Catlin tried to reach Nick by phone that night, but he never returned her call. She was interested in knowing how the picture got to People
Magazine. Something deep down told her she didn’t really want to know.

Dana was gone from school for the rest of the week. Frank and Catlin decided not to take further action against her, provided nothing like that happened again.

Catlin’s classes went smoothly. The students liked her, and were supportive of her. She hoped the parents would be, as well, once the word had spread.

Nick finally called at the end of the week.

“I left you a bunch of messages.” She tried not to sound accusing.

“
We’ve been so busy. Plus, the time zone thing. I can never remember what time it is anywhere.”

“
Do they have People Magazine over there?”

“
Yeah. It was a good picture, wasn’t it?”

“
Nick!” she exclaimed “I’m still catching hell for it. I thought we weren’t going to tell anyone about the baby for a while.”

“
I’m sorry, honey. It’s good P.R. The agency likes to get us all the exposure they can.”

Catlin
twirled a piece of her hair around her finger. “So I’m good P.R.? Is that why you married me, really?”

“
Catlin, I’m tired and I don’t want to get into this shit. You know why we got married. It benefited you more than me.”

“
Not if I lose my job, which still might happen.”

“
Can I talk to Chris, please? I need to say hi, and then go.”

“
Yeah.” Anger coursed through her veins, but she tried to reel it in. “Chris, it’s your dad.”

He
grabbed the phone happily, and Catlin walked off. She went in her bedroom and looked in the mirror. Pulling her shirt up, she studied her body profile. Her stomach was starting to grow.

She went through her closet, tossing aside all the clothes she couldn
’t wear. There were a few that still fit, and she hung them in front. She’d have to do some shopping before long. In the back of the closet she spotted Steve’s sweater. Pulling it out, she slipped it on over her shirt. She lay down on the bed and cried for a few minutes, until she heard Chris get off the phone. She tried to dry her eyes as he bounded into her room.

“
Dad sounds good!” He flopped on the bed next to her.

“
Yeah.” She smiled, fighting a negative comment.
Oh, my sweet boy. If you only knew
.

None of this was his fault. She
’d never take anything out on either of her children, regardless what their fathers did.

“
What are you doing?”

“
I was trying on clothes.”

“
Oh.” He looked at her. “I like the sweater.”

“
Me too.”

Dana returned to school the next week a much subdued person. Catlin didn’t know what Steve had said to her or David, for that matter, but they were both on their best behavior. As each day passed she allowed herself to breathe a little easier.

January turned to February. The passage of time eased the aching Catlin felt for Steve every night when she lay alone in her bed. She got to the point of thinking about him only two or three times a day, rather than fifty.

Her belly
grew rounder. She was thin to begin with; and didn’t really show for a long time. But at almost five months along, she was definitely showing. The baby moved and kicked inside her almost constantly. She and Chris talked to the baby, and sang songs. They read together most nights, having worked their way through the seven Narnia Chronicles and partway through the Harry Potter series.

It promised to be an early spring. The weather at the end of February was more like May, so they spent a lot of time outside.
Chris played on the playground after school each day, giving Catlin time to finish up her work.

They talked to Nick occasionally. He seemed distant to Catlin, but she decided it was probably because there was an ocean between them. She held good hopes that it would all be fine when he got home in a month. She
’d even started house hunting. Nick didn’t want to live in the city, and there were some beautiful places out by the lake. She put some energy into that, hoping to find a place to rent by the time he got back.

The school term was also going well. Catlin had settled into an unspoken understanding with the Naughton children. They didn
’t speak to each other unless it was class-related, and then it was brief, and civil. Catlin made it through parent-teacher conferences by printing out David and Dana’s grade sheets and giving them to Jetta, who passed them on. Fortunately, both kids were “A” students. Catlin would have hated to get into an argument about their grades.

Catlin and Chris decorated their house with streamers, balloons, and a big ‘Welcome Home’ banner, on the sunny March day that Nick was to arrive home. The band was flying into Kansas City that morning, and Nick would be in Marshall by early evening. Chris was bursting with excitement to see his father. Catlin tried to feel the same way, but was very nervous.

By ten p
.m. Chris was falling asleep. Catlin tucked him in, promising to wake him when Nick arrived. She paced around the room for a while, and finally decided to call Craig at his house. Maybe he could tell her what time Nick left.

Nick answered the phone.

“What are you doing there? I thought you’d be here by now.”

“
Our plane was delayed. We just got here a little while ago.”

“
Chris was going nuts! Why didn’t you call?”

“
I told you, I just got here. I can’t help the God-damned delay,” he snapped.

She was taken aback.
“I know that.”

“
I’m sorry I jumped on you,” he muttered. “I’m tired as hell. I just want to get some sleep.”

“
Maybe you should get some rest before you try to drive here,” she said slowly.

“
I’m going to. I’ve got a few things to take care of; I should be there by Friday.”

“
Friday!” she exclaimed “That’s three more days! Chris will be heartbroken.”

“
Dammit Catlin, get off my ass. I’m beat. I’ve got a few things to do, and then I’ll see you this weekend. Tell the boy I’ll call him tomorrow.”

“
Well, okay,” she stammered, as she heard the phone click on the other end. Something was not right.

It was nine o’clock Friday night when Nick rolled in. Chris was in his arms before Nick was even through the door.

“
I missed you!” Chris hugged his neck.

“
I missed you too, boy.” Nick ruffled his son’s hair. “I see you got a haircut. Your mom talk you into that?”

Chris
smiled. “Maybe a little.”

Nick nodded.
“Well, it looks good.” He looked at Catlin. “You look good, too. Big.”

“
Well, thanks,” she chuckled nervously.

Nick gave Catlin a quick peck on the cheek, and turned back to
Chris. “Help me bring in my stuff. I
may
have gotten something for you.”

“
All right!” Chris hollered, and they went out to Nick’s car. They came back with two bags.

“
Is that all you have?” Catlin asked.

He nodded, and started unpacking one bag. It was full of souvenirs for
Chris, and a few for Catlin. There was one teddy bear for the baby. Catlin watched as Nick unpacked the bag, and told Chris stories from the road. Chris was thrilled, but she knew something wasn’t right.
Why would Nick just bring one small bag for himself if he was planning on staying?

She didn
’t say anything, just let Nick and Chris have that time. It was almost eleven-thirty when Chris finally nodded off, against his will. Nick tucked in his son, and looked at his wife. “I’m beat. I’m going to turn in, too.”

“
I think we need to talk,” Catlin said softly.

Nick waved his hand at her and walked into the bedroom.
“Tomorrow, okay?”

She could hear him getting ready for bed,
and sighing as he climbed in. She stayed in the front room, curled up on the sofa, for hours.

Saturday, Chris went to Josh’s house to play. Catlin talked Nick into driving out to the lake and looking at the house she’d rented. It was vacant, and the owners were anxious to get a tenant, so she’d already signed the lease. “I hope you like it as much as I do. I really didn’t want to make a decision until you got home, but these people wouldn’t wait.”

He looked around, not saying much.

Catlin felt the need to ramble on. “I don’t like the roads getting out here. Spillway Road is a curvy mess. But I just love the house…” She trailed off, staring at him.

Nick sighed.
“Catlin, you need to find a place that will make you happy.”

She smiled nervously. She
’d been on pins and needles since he arrived, and now was no different. “Well, I like this place. See, it has a fireplace, and a double garage. There are four bedrooms, which is plenty of space. If you like, you can use the extra room as an office or something. Whatever you want.”

Nick inhaled and finally blurted out
, “I’m not moving to Marshall.”

“
What do you mean?” She was confused.

“
Just what I said. I can’t move here. My work is centered out of Kansas City. That’s where I want to be.”

She turned and looked out the window.
“Well, I had never considered leaving Marshall. I really love it here. But if you think we need to be in Kansas City—”

He cut her off.
“Catlin, I said
I
need to be in Kansas City. You can stay in Marshall.”

She turned to face him. Tears
welled in her eyes. “But what about Chris? I can’t lose him again! I won’t live two hours away from him! I need him in my life.”

“
You can have Chris,” Nick said simply.

She looked at him questioningly.
“What?”

Nick turned so he was now looking out the window.
“That’s what this was all about anyway. I made a mistake, Catlin. I never should have taken him.” He faced her. “You don’t know what it’s been like, trying to raise a kid and build a band at the same time. My life has been hell.”

She was shocked. He had never given her any indication that life with
Chris was stressing him out.

He laughed bitterly.
“My parents helped out when he was small, but once he got older, well, you know my mother. Would you want to live with her? Chris hated it. We fought about it all the time. If it hadn’t been for Craig, I don’t know what I would have done.”

Catlin nodded
. “He was always a good friend to you.”

Nick looked at her.
“It was more than that, Catlin.”

Realization dawned in her as she figured out that Nick and Craig were lovers.
“Oh my God!” She paced around the room. “How could I not see it? The signs were everywhere!” She picked up an empty cardboard box and threw it at him. “So why the fuck did you have to ruin my life? I would have taken Chris and left you alone.”

Nick shrugged
. “You needed me. You needed to be married.”