LETHAL OBSESSION (30 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

      Rick
was lighting the candles for dinner. Ellen checked the lasagna just as the door
bell rang.

"I'll
get it, Hon." Rick opened the door and smiled.  "Right on time, you
two."

      Holding
hands, Martha and Shawn walked into the chalet. Ellen came to greet them while
wiping her hands on a dish towel and gave them both a hug.  "I'm so glad
you could make it.  Where are the boys?"

      "They're
coming," said Shawn.  "The great battle of the dragons can't be
interrupted I guess."                    

      Just
then the kids came walking slowly to the door, eyes focused on their hand held
videos.

      "Okay
boys,” said Dad.  “Put it away for now. It's time to connect with real
people."

      "Yes
Sir," they mumbled in unison.

      "This
is Dr. Carrington and Mrs. Anderson.  This is Timothy and Warren."

      "Nice
to meet you, Sir, Ma'am."  Sedately the boys shook hands with Rick and
Ellen.

      Ellen
knew what they really wanted was to pull those video games out of their
pockets.  She was impressed with their impeccable manners, but they were
children after all.

      "Timothy,
Warren, would you like to see my back yard?"

      "Yes,
Ma'am," they said with enthusiasm. 

      She
led them out the sliding glass doors to the pool area as their eyes popped. The
heated pool was surrounded by a cloud of steam from the chilly mountain air.

      "Wow,"
said Warren.  "You have an infinity pool and its heated.”

      “Yeah,"
said Tim. "That is so cool. Can we swim in it?"

      "You'll
have to ask your dad but I don't see why not as long as you can swim good.”

      “Oh
we swim real good,” said Warren.

      “I
happen to have some swim trunks in the changing room that just might fit
you."

      "Right
on, that would be super.  Let's tell Dad."

      They
all sat down to dinner as a relaxed, happy family.  Juanita was helping to
serve the lasagna, salad, and grilled vegetables.

      After
dinner, it was just getting dark on this spring evening.  The adults had moved
to the living room and the boys were doing cannon balls in the pool. Their
whoops and hollers had the grown-ups smiling.

      "Martha,
can you talk about your visit with Gene?" said Ellen.

      Martha
looked at Shawn as he took her hand and kissed it, encouraging her.

      "Shawn
already knows."  She looked down at her hands then to her brother and
Ellen.  "Gene and I talked.  It was polite and stilted but at least he
showed up.  I forgave him for everything and he suggested I get on with my
life, that things would not be the same between us.  I’m not sure what he meant
by that.  He seemed depressed but that's understandable.  I guess I'm
torn."  Martha looked at Shawn.

      The
love in her eyes was so blatant, Ellen felt like crying.  She was in limbo and
it just wasn't fair.  Martha could not think divorce no matter how in love she
was. It didn't matter the atrocities committed that got Gene in jail.  Martha
would not desert him and she couldn't move forward with Shawn either. 

      Suddenly
Ellen knew what she had to do. This was something between her and Gene. It was
time for her to have a serious talk with him.

      Gene
looked at the guard in shock.  "Who did you say was here?"

      "Mrs.
Ellen Anderson."

      Gene
shook his head as his heart pounded.  Even after all that has happened, she
still had this profound effect on him.  Would it ever go away?

      He
wondered why she came alone, and what she wanted to say to him.  A part of him
wanted to run and hide.  Another part of him wanted to feast his eyes on this
exquisite woman just one more time. 

She
probably hated his guts at this point. But she was here which meant she had
something important to say to him. "I wish to see my visitor, Guard."

      When
Ellen saw Gene escorted out, she went to the window and picked up the phone.

Gene
sat down and stared. God, she was so beautiful. So close and yet so far away,
he wished he could touch her. Gene picked up the phone.

      "Hello
Ellen."                                                        

      "Hi
Gene."  She gave him that thousand watt smile and his heart turned over. He
felt happier at this moment looking at her than any other time since he got
here. "You have helped me in the past and I need your help again."

      Of
all the things for Ellen to say to him, he never expected that. "Okay, I’d
like to but I'm a little tied up as you can see."

      "You
can still do this where you are, and I want you to promise me that what I say to
you will be kept strictly confidential. I don't want Martha to know I've been
here."

      Gene
wrinkled his brow wondering where she was going with this. It sounded awfully
mysterious considering how close Ellen was to Martha. "Okay, I
promise."

      "Martha
has fallen in love with a wonderful man who returns her love."

      Gene
knew he had a look of incredibility on his face.  "Really!" Once
again this was the last thing he expected Ellen to say.

      "He's
an ordained Anglican Priest from England who I’ve hired as our spiritual
advisor for the shelter.  He's divorced with two young sons. They go to church
together and I believe he wishes to marry Martha."

      "I
don't know what to say, Ellen."

      "Say
you will do a very loving thing for your wife and give her a divorce. Martha
will never leave you, Gene.  It's not her way.  She will stay married to you even
if you don't love her, even if you cheat on her.  And you and I both know she
deserves much better than that."

      "I
do love her, Ellen.  Why couldn't she tell me she wants out?"

      “Gene,
Martha couldn’t tell you because she loves you too much to hurt you like
that." Gene continued to gaze at Ellen totally at a loss for words. "I
can remember a time you were willing to divorce Martha so you could be with
me."

      "Yes,
and I still would if I thought you would have me."

      "At
that time I told you no. Now I'm telling you yes. Do it, not for me, but for
her, so Martha can have a chance at life with a loving man who will truly cherish
her."

      "I'll
think about it."

      "Don't
wait too long, Gene. This is your chance to do the most loving and unselfish
thing you could possibly do for a woman who has devoted her whole life to
you."

      Ellen
got up from the chair and hung up.

      "Wait,
don't go."  Gene still ached to look at her.

      She
turned back and picked up the phone. "I'll know your decision when Martha
is served with divorce papers.  Good-bye, Gene."

      Ellen
walked away as Gene, with his hands on the glass, watched her go. If only, if
only.  With a heavy heart he turned away from the glass and summoned the guard.   

      Martha
came into Ellen's office a week later, her face suffused with sorrow and
shock.  "I was just served divorce papers."

      Without
a word Ellen got up to embrace her friend and just let her cry. In her mind she
said, Thank you, Gene. 

      "I
never thought Gene would do this to me.  Why do you think this happened, Ellen?"

      "I
think this happened because the man you are supposed to be with has finally
come, a man with whom you can share your soul.  You know you couldn't do that
with Gene."

      "But
Gene has no way of knowing about Shawn."

      "Martha,"
Ellen held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Think about it. Even
when Gene gets out of prison, after all that has happened, is there any
marriage left to salvage?"

      "I
don't think so."

      "Gene
must've known that.  Dwelling on the past is pointless.  Nobody knows that any
better than me.  Looking to the future is where hope lies.  This is what we
both need to do."                                                 "You're
right."  Martha smiled.  "I always feel better after talking to you,
my wonderful friend."

Ellen
smiled. "I'm glad."

      "What's
the big surprise, Mom?  You're dressed like you're going on a date." 

Eugene
bent his tall, lanky body to peruse the contents of the fridge.

      "Eugene,
I know you're hungry but I'm serving a nice dinner in just a few minutes, can't
you wait?"

      "Yeah,
I guess.  So who is this mystery guest?  You've only been divorced a week. 
Don't tell me you're dating already." 

      "That
isn't your concern, Eugene." 

      Martha's
heart was ready to pop out of her chest, she was so nervous.  She wanted her
son to like Shawn.

      "The
guy coming to dinner, is this the preacher you work with?"

      "Yes
it is."

      The
doorbell rang and Martha hurried to answer it as her son wandered in behind
her. Shawn, so handsome in his suit, handed her a dozen red roses.

      "They're
beautiful, Shawn, thank you.  Come in and meet my son.  Eugene, this is Shawn
Cobblederry."

      "Hi."

      "It
is very nice to meet you, Eugene.  Your mother has spoken very highly of
you."

      "Nice
to meet you too, Sir."

      The
three enjoyed a delicious southern dinner of fried chicken, corn on the cob,
green beans with ham hock, and homemade, fluffy, buttermilk biscuits.                                  

      “Martha
I’m already aware you are an excellent chef but I promise you this is the
tastiest dinner I have ever eaten. At the risk of seeming piggish, I would
enjoy a second serving of everything.”

      “Eat
as much as you want Shawn and feel free to take some home for you and the boys
to have later.  But you need to leave room for desert.  I have fixed my special
chocolate pecan pie ala mode.”

      “Ah,”
Shawn put his arm across his face.  “I may have died and gone to heaven.”

After
dinner, Eugene and Shawn sat in the living room while Martha tidied up the
kitchen.

      Shawn,
being raised very proper, knew what he wanted to say to this young college man,
but the words were difficult coming.  So far their conversation continued
rather stilted. Finally Shawn cleared his throat to work up some much needed
courage.    “Eugene, there is something I wish to say.  I’m afraid it is of a
serious nature."                                       

      "Okay."                                                       

      "I
wish you to know that I love your mother very much."  The words came out
in a rush.  Shawn felt his face heat up.  "What I mean to say is this. I wish
to ask for Martha's hand in marriage and I want to ask your permission for the
privilege."          

      Now
it was Eugene's turn to get embarrassed. "Really?"  His voice came
out in a croak.  "Gosh, I’ve never had anybody ask my permission for anything.
I don't think that's my place"

      "It
is your place because you mean the world to your mother, and I want to spend
the rest of my life making her happy. So you see I do need your
permission."           

      "Well,
okay then, you got it."                      

      "What
are you men talking about in here?"  Martha came in wiping her hands on a
towel.                         

      "Sit
here and I will tell you," said Shawn.  As soon as Martha was sitting, he
went down on one knee in front of her.  He looked over at Eugene and winked.            

      "Shawn?"                                                  

      Taking
Martha's hand, he said. "I have just asked your son permission for your
hand in marriage, now I am asking you.  Marry me Martha and make me the
happiest man in the world."            

      "Oh
Shawn," she grabbed him around the neck and they both nearly toppled to
the floor with fits of laughter.                                                   

      The
June twenty-fifth, the anniversary of Mark’s passing was celebrated with a
quiet ceremony at the crash site.  After a year, nature had healed so much of
the scorched earth, it was impossible to see that a plane had actually gone
down there.           

      Ellen
and Rick together with their best friends, Martha and Shawn, visited the site. 
Ellen had a special wreath made with Mark’s favorite flowers. The fragrant,
multi-colored carnations tickled her nose as she walked onto the hallowed
ground where her love had died. 

      Ellen
carefully laid the wreath on the ground, put her hand to her lips and touched
the grass inside the wreath. Rick came up behind wrapping his arms around her
in a loving embrace.  Together these four people stood silently, thinking of
how much their lives have changed in just a single year. And then they each
counted their blessings.