Just Beyond the Curve (8 page)

When the tour bus pulled up in front of Misty Rivers’
Austin home, Danny Floyd was watching from his pickup down the
street. His hatred soared, when Judy stepped off the bus. He could
tell she was several months pregnant with John’s child.

Misty stood in the doorway of her house and watched
the members of the band unload John and Judy’s gear and carry it
into the house and Judy’s bedroom. She tried unsuccessfully to
contain her tears of happiness for her daughter. When she saw she
was going to be a grandma the dam broke and her tears flowed. She
ran to the bus and grabbed her swollen daughter in her arms, kissed
her, then turned to her son-in-law and kissed him full on the
mouth. John stood shocked speechless, watching the two women in his
life walk back to the house whispering conspiratorially.

“Thanks for your help, boys,” John said when the last
of his gear was taken inside the house and the band members
returned.

They shook John’s hand then got back on the bus.
They, like John and Judy, were exhausted and ready for a break.

When the bus was out of sight John turned and went
into the house. He found Misty and Judy in Judy’s bedroom turning
the bed back and talking. He turned from the doorway hearing Misty
ask Judy, “So, have you chosen a name yet?”

He looked in on Billy and smiled. Billy was sleeping
the sleep of exhausted youth. He seemed to have not grown an inch
in the six months John and Judy had been gone. Well, John thought,
enjoy your childhood while you can, little man. It’ll be gone
before you know it.

When John went down the hall from Judy’s bedroom,
Judy told Misty, “Misty if it’s a girl and Billy if it’s a
boy.”

“Hopefully,” Misty said facetiously, “it’ll be
smarter than it’s daddy.”

“Momma, behave!” Judy scolded. “John is smart enough.
He’s made us rich. He paid your house off and put money in the bank
for you. I don’t understand why you don’t like him.”

“I like John just fine,” Misty said honestly. “He’s
just not real smart, that’s all.”

“He loves me and I love him,” Judy stated firmly.
“That’s all that matters to me. He’s so sweet and thoughtful. You
wouldn’t believe how his momma treated him. He was raised in
virtual isolation from the world. He was home taught until he
started high school.”

“That explains a lot,” Misty said.

“His momma loved him as much as you love me and
Billy, Momma,” Judy said.

“I don’t doubt that,” Misty replied tiredly. “Maybe
she wasn’t so smart either. Well, I’m going back to bed, now. We’ll
talk tomorrow.”

“Her whole world was John’s daddy,” Judy told Misty.
“When he was killed something inside her died, too. And she pined
for him until she died. That is true love and devotion, don’t you
think?”

“Obsession, more like it,” Misty replied.

“We’re going to Wimberley tomorrow,” Judy said
changing the subject. “John wants to check on his house.”

“Would you mind if me and Billy tag along?” Misty
asked, stopping in the doorway. “Billy worships John, you know.
He’d be disappointed not to get to spend some time with him.”

“That’ll be fine, Momma,” Judy said seriously, then
smiled sweetly. “We’ll see you in the morning,” she promised.

Misty smiled and went out the door.

Judy sat on the edge of the bed, then lay back
rubbing her bulging stomach. She closed her eyes and smiled
dreamily. “You’ll be perfect Little One,” she whispered. “Just like
your daddy!”

“You sure make it hard on me,” John said, sitting on
the bed beside her, then laid his hand on her stomach. “Now I have
to be perfect, too!”

“You’re close enough to perfect for me,” Judy said
with a smile. “Come to bed, there’s a storm brewin’ down
south.”

“I just love a good storm!” John said, quickly
undressing and climbing into bed beside her. He gathered her into
his arms and held her tightly, kissing her passionately as his
desire soared.

Just outside the window Danny sat listening, crying
softly and rubbing the side of his head with the .45 automatic.
“But, I loved you Judy! I loved you first!” he moaned
miserably.

*****

The following morning John sat alone at the kitchen
table. In front of him were eight glasses with different beverages
for each one; from milk to Kool-Aid, water to coffee, soda to tea.
He sipped each one slowly then seemed to consider if it was the one
he really wanted to drink. Unable to decide he reached for another
glass and sipped it slowly while watching a local news station on
the small TV on the counter.

“Thirsty?” Misty asked him with an aggravated look,
from the doorway.

John looked up with an undecided expression. “I have
this driving thirst for something,” he answered. “I don’t know
what, though. Ever been like that?”

Misty poured herself a cup of coffee and took a seat
across from John. She studied him seriously, then said,
“Occasionally. More often than I care for.”

“Ever considered living in the country?” he asked,
seeming to change the subject like changing drinks.

“For what?” she asked, then sipped her coffee.

“Freedom. Openness. Clean air?” he said. “A number of
reasons. Billy could have a dog. A horse...Something to be
responsible for.”

“So I’m not doin’ good enough to suit you, Mister
Superstar?” Misty asked angrily, reaching for a cigarette.

“It’s not that, Misty,” John replied, failing to see
her building anger. “You’re doing fine with Billy...”

“Glad you approve!” she said sarcastically.

“I’m just sayin’, a boy needs a pet and freedom from
the bad influences in a town like Austin. A boy needs
responsibility and a place to have it.”

“I was raised here in Austin,” she said defensively.
“I turned out all right.”

“Have you listened closely to the news lately,
Misty?” he asked, indicating the little TV “Times are changin’.
From what I’ve seen this morning, everything in a big city is a bad
influence! Crime, drugs, gangs, police abuse...”

“What would I do in the country, John?” she demanded,
knowing what he was saying was true.

“Relax, raise Billy. Help raise the baby. Be there
for Judy. Be there for me. I’m not real smart, you know,” he said,
the last with a smile.

“I hadn’t noticed,” she smirked sarcastically.

“It’s true,” John said, completely missing Misty’s
sarcasm. “The only really smart thing I ever done was marry Judy. I
love her more every time I see her. She’s my obsession like my
father was my mom’s!”

“So, you’re over trying to make your folks proud?”
she asked.

“I done all I could, Misty,” he said. “Now, it’s
about my family and fans. We have a child coming soon.”

“I think you’ve made them proud as peacocks, John,”
she admitted, her eyes growing glassy with emotion. She was
realizing that she really did love this young man who loved her
daughter to distraction.

“You didn’t wake me up when you got here last night!”
Billy accused, coming through the kitchen door with youthful
exuberance. He crossed to John quickly for a hug.

“I looked in on you,” John said squeezing him hard.
“You were sleeping so peacefully I didn’t want to disturb you. A
young man needs his rest, you know.”

“Billy, what do you think about living in the
country?” Misty asked seriously.

“Aaaawesome!” Billy exclaimed. “When do we move? Can
I have a horse? Can I have a dog?”

“You two been talkin’ behind my back?”

“No.” John said at the same time Billy said, “No.
Will we have some cows and a barn I can play in? You are so
awesome,” he continued looking over at John. “Danny is so jealous.
He’s been gone a lot though. They say Endless went Platnum! And
Love Struck went gold! You’re a mega-superstar! They say you’re
even being considered for Entertainer Of The Year! I’m so proud of
you I could bust! So’s Momma and Judy! You’re our hero!”

John quickly covered his tearing eyes with his hands.
Billy looked up guiltily, “I’m sorry, John,” he apologized. “I
didn’t mean nothin’, honest!” He began to look worried. Then Judy
entered the room and crossed to John. She glared at Misty and
Billy, “You two leave him alone! He’s having a hard enough time
without ya’ll bothering him constantly! He’s under a lot of
pressure! Just leave him alone and let him relax!”

Billy stood and hugged John and kissed him on the
cheek. John hugged him back with his free arm and kissed his cheek
gently. “No, I’m fine,” he said. “I’m just happier than I ever
remember being; that I’ve made you all proud of me, too. Now I know
Momma and Daddy are too.”

“You’re a wonder, that’s for sure,” Misty said with a
smile.

“You’re not mad at me no more?” Billy asked.

“I’d never be mad at you, Billy,” John said
seriously, awestruck that Billy thought he was mad at him. “You’re
my hero!”

“Really?” Billy asked surprised.

“Really,” John assured him with another hug.

“Anyone considered breakfast,” Judy asked seriously,
looking from glass to glass on the table. “I’m caving in!”

“You’re gettin fat!” Billy accused with a grin. “How
can you be cavin’ in? Looks like you’re cavin’ out, if anything!
What’d you do to her John?”

Everyone laughed except Billy. He looked from face to
face wondering what he said that was so funny. Finally, he began to
grin innocently because they were laughing.

“Let’s go to a restaurant,” John suggested. “We can
go to Wimberley from there.”

“Sounds good,” Misty and Judy agreed at the same
time.

Out front, Danny Floyd walked past the house. He
glared at the door, then the windows as he walked along planning
his revenge.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Danny had been watching from down the street. He saw
the Rivers and Travis families leave. When they were out of sight
around the corner and had been gone for ten minutes he came out of
hiding and walked down the sidewalk to their driveway. He walked up
the driveway and around the side of the house to the back door.

At the back door he used silver duct tape to tape up
a window pane, then broke it out with a handy brick; it made hardly
any noise. He slipped latex gloves on, then reached through the
opening and unlocked the door, pushed it open and entered with a
large smile of satisfaction.

As he went through the kitchen he laughed maniacally.
He stopped and looked at a picture of the Rivers family hanging on
the wall. He lifted it off gently, then slammed it hard on the
floor, shattering the glass front. He lifted the picture and tore
it to shreds. He knew Judy was smirking at
him
!

He returned to the kitchen and looked through the
drawers and cabinets. Under the sink he found a hammer and smiled
with satisfaction. He returned through the house and broke
everything he could strike with the hammer. He broke lamps, the
stereo, the television, pictures; the coffee table then went down
the hall knocking holes in the walls and ripping the sheetrock to
shreds between the studs.

He entered Billy’s bedroom and demolished it. Then he
took his vengeance out on Misty’s room. He stripped naked, lay on
her bed and masturbated with a pair of her dirty panties. After a
while he knew Misty’s scent was not what he really lusted after. He
wanted Judy’s!

He lunged off the bed and went down the hallway. In
one hand he carried Misty’s panties and the hammer, in the other he
held his erection. In the bedroom he searched through the dresser
drawers looking for the object of his desire. He found nothing!

He went into the bathroom and searched through the
dirty clothes hamper. He struck gold! He found a pair she had worn
the night before. They were
fresh
and the scent was
strong
. He held them to his nose and inhaled deeply. He ran
to the bed and lying across it he inhaled deeply and stroked
himself until his mind and body exploded at the same time. He
screamed with the pleasure of the release, then moaned miserably
with the loneliness of his lost love.

Then his anger overcame him once again and he
scrambled off the bed and began destroying everything he could with
the hammer. If it could be broken, he broke it with glee.

In the closet he found the two guitars in their cases
and the folders of music. As badly as he wanted to he could not
bring himself to damage the beautiful guitars or the music. He
stroked them lovingly, strummed them gently, affectionately.

With the music he made on the beautiful Martin D-10
the beast of anger calmed and receded into submission. He laid the
guitar back in its case, took the folders of music and left the
room. As he went through the house he surveyed the destruction he
had caused and felt no remorse; they owed him much more than this
simple two hours of destructive pleasure! And he planned to collect
every gram they owed him. He returned to Misty’s room and got
dressed, then spent a few minutes looking at the folders of
music.

“Glory be, Danny Wayne Floyd!” he whispered softly
looking through the sheets of music. “Look what you done went and
found! A gold mine for sure! Today’s your lucky day for sure,
boy!”

*****

The drive to Wimberley was slow and pleasurable. John
drove, since he had made an effort and gotten his driver’s license
before starting the tour.

He drove slowly through San Marcos and went west on
Ranch Road 12.

At the Wimberley turn off he made the right and as if
following in his father’s tracks he rounded the curve that had
claimed his life some twenty years earlier.

“Awesome!” Billy gasped, staring out the window and
down into the valley below. “Looks like twin volcanoes down
there!”

John didn’t mention that this was the curve where his
father had lost his life; he didn’t want to take away from Billy’s
pleasure by tainting it with his pain and misery. Instead he drove
on through Wimberley and out to his house. He made the left off the
highway and rolled slowly down the driveway to the forlorn house
where he had lived his entire life up until a year ago. He parked
in front and turned the engine off, then opened the door and got
out. He stood looking around letting memories wash over him as they
would.