Letter to Belinda (27 page)

“That is so unfair!” Audrey said.

“But that’s the way it is.”

They moved on to the Egyptian section, and saw huge behemoths of granite, and wondered how such huge statues were removed from Egypt, particularly back in the 1800’s, when huge lifting machines were not around.

“I’m surprised they didn’t try to bring a whole pyramid back here!” Drew said. He spoke too soon. They rounded the corner and saw three huge blocks of limestone. The sign said they were representative blocks from the biggest Pyramid at Giza. “I guess they’re going to bring it over piece at a time.”

In the middle of a large room, they saw a tour group gathered around a big rock. Drew inched into the crowd and listened to the guide, and came back excited. “Hey Dad, it’s the Rosetta Stone! Come look how big it is! I’ve heard about it, but I never knew it was that big!” As the tour group moved on, they were able to see how big it was.

“This was a valuable find, because the same text was written in three different languages. For the first time, linguists were able to figure out the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and another unknown language, because one of the three languages was Greek.”

From the Egyptian section, they went to the Central American Mayan displays, which was what Audrey was really interested in. She took them from display to display, telling them all about what they were seeing, without looking at the signs, because she already knew what everything was. Travis saw many relics that had been featured in National Geographic over the years, like sacrificial knives, and burial masks, and was thrilled to be seeing them in person.

In spite of there being so much to see that was of interest, Travis was easily burned out visiting museums. After awhile, everything started to look the same, and he knew it was time for him to go. It was almost 12:30 anyway, he was going to have to get to Piccadilly Circus by two. He took Drew and Audrey to the in-house sandwich bar, where he bought them lunch.

“How long is your book signing going to last, Dad?”

“I don’t know. That was one question I didn’t think to ask. I assume it will last a couple of hours. I should get back to the hotel by five or so. If you guys go somewhere before I get there, leave me a note in the room.”

“Okay, Dad. Are you leaving so soon?”

“Yeah, I need to be there a little early I guess, to get set up. By the time I ride the subway, I should be there by 1:30.”

“Well, have fun!”

“Yeah, right!”

As he left, Audrey commented, “Your Dad doesn’t seem as thrilled as I thought he would, about his book signing.”

“Well, the ones he did back home were a waste of time. He said he didn’t sell any more books than he already would have. Dad is not really a people-person.”

“Really?”

“At least that’s what my Mom says, and I guess she knows him better than I do.”

“Are you through eating?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Then let’s go check out the Aztec section!”

“What’s the difference between the Aztec and the Maya?”

“The Aztec were a lot more bloody! They sacrificed a thousand people in one day.”

“Cool, let’s go!”

19
 

B
ack home in Alabama, Janice got a phone call at 7:30 a.m. She jumped to answer it, because she thought it might be Travis calling from England. But she was disappointed with who it was.

“Hello?”

“Janice?”

“Yes, who is this?” she asked, though she had a pretty good idea.

“This is Penelope.”

“Oh.” Janice replied coldly. She started to just hang up on her. “I don’t have much to say to you, Penelope.”

“I don’t blame you. I was awful last week when I called you! I’m really sorry that I dragged you and Travis through all that mess.”

“So what do you want now?”

“I called to apologize, mostly. I do appreciate the fact that you were trying to help me, and I’m sorry I didn’t behave better.”

“Well, yeah.”

“You see, I was off my medication, and when I get off my meds, I get a little crazy.”

“You sure did! What kind of medication do you take?”

“I don’t know. I can’t pronounce those big words. All I know is that when I take them, they do me a lot of good.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that you are back to normal.”

“I got the feeling that you were mad at me when you left me at Logan’s.”

“Yes, I was very upset with you!”

“You had a right to be, but I’m better now.”

“Where are you living?”

“I went back to Vance. Yeah, I know I shouldn’t have left him to start with, but like I said, I was off my meds.”

“You said some pretty ugly things about Vance. Are you sure you want to go back to him?”

“I already have. Well, actually that’s not true. I am living in Vance’s house, but Vance is not here.”

“Where is he?”

“In the county jail, on drug trafficking charges. After that scene at your place, the cops raided his house and found the drugs, just like I said they would. He’s been in jail ever since.”

“So does Vance even know that you are staying at his house?”

“Probably not. But hey, it’s better than living on the street! When he gets out, . . .
if
he gets out, I’ll worry about that when the time comes. Until then, the power is on, and the bills have been paid, so why not live there? If I had asked him, he would probably agree. I’m like a house sitter, until he gets back.”

“If he gets back?”

“Yeah. The other reason I called was to see if you still have my Bible, and those other things I left in your car.”

“No, I don’t. When you left like you did, I didn’t know what to do with your things, so I chunked most of them out in the Logan’s parking lot!”

“Oh no! Even my family Bible?”

“Well, no, not your Bible, and a few other things, but only because I didn’t see them until I got home. I didn’t want any of your things here, because I didn’t want to see you here ever again.”

“So that means you still have them?”

“No, I said I didn’t want you here, so I took them to your dad’s house and left them.”

“You did what! I really wish you hadn’t done that! I don’t care about the clothes, but that Bible is a keepsake!”

“Sorry, but at the time, I was angry with you, and I didn’t want any of your things in my blazer, and that was the only thing I knew to do with them!”

“I’ve got to have my Bible! I have to get my Bible back!”

“Then just go over there and get it”

“I can’t do that! He won’t let me leave, if he catches me there!”

“Maybe Vance will go get it for you, when he gets out of jail?”

“Humph! Vance? Are you kidding? He is scared shitless of my Dad! But he ought to be. Dad has already threatened to kill him!”

“Do you think he really would?”

“Yes he would! He hates Vance! Dad would just love the chance to kill him with no witnesses around! He would say it was ‘self defense’!”

“Did your Dad really rape you?”

“Of course he did! Everything I told you before is true! And no, I don’t want to go to the police and press charges! It happened, it’s in the past, and that’s that! I hate that part of my life, but nothing I can do will ever change it! I hate that you took my Bible over there, because that means I’ll have to go get it!”

Janice started to ask, why bother? It was obvious that she had not read the Bible in many years, and certainly didn’t follow its teachings. Why take a risk, if it was useless anyway. She had to bite her tongue not to say it. Instead, she re-phrased it.

“Why not buy another Bible, and let him keep that one?”

“Sentimental reasons. That was my Mother’s Bible. When she died, my Dad locked me in my room, so I couldn’t run off. That was about the time he started raping me every day. Sometimes twice a day. In between the abuse, I found comfort in reading that Bible! Another Bible just wouldn’t be the same.”

I
would
think
THAT
Bible
would
bring
back
BAD
memories,
Janice thought.
Let’s
see
 
.
 
.
 
.
Penelope’s
mother
was
also
her
grandmother.
Her
mother
was
also
Bob’s
mother.
Penelope’s
daughter
is
also
her
Dad’s
daughter,
which
makes
her
daughter
also
her
sister
 
.
 
.
 
.
Who
would
WANT
a
sentimental
item
that
represented
this
sick,
perverted,
dysfunctional
family?
“I guess your Dad wants it for sentimental reasons too?”

“Probably.” There was silence over the phone, as Penelope considered this. Finally she said, “Well, I guess that just gives me all the more reason to go get it! He doesn’t need it like I do! But if he knows I need it, he’ll never give it back! If I had a car, I would drive down there and get it! But I don’t have a car. And Vance’s Yukon has been impounded by the cops. I don’t feel like confronting my Dad either!”

“Why do you have to confront him? Doesn’t he go to town sometimes?”

“Yes, but I don’t know when!”

“Does your Dad lock his house when he leaves?” She asked the question, because there were many residents of Arlington County who still did not lock their doors.

“Does he lock his house? He didn’t used to, except to lock me
in!
”

“Why don’t you go over there when he’s not home and get your Bible? He would probably never know it was gone.”

“Yes, I could do that, but I don’t have a car, remember? And I have no idea when he would not be home. I sure don’t want to go there while he’s home!”

“Why don’t you do something like this: Call him up on the phone and say something like, ‘Dad, I want to sit down and have a serious conversation with you, but it needs to be in public. Meet me at Bates Park at one o’clock.’ And at one o’clock, while he is at the park waiting on you, you will be at his house getting your Bible. Would that work?”

“It sounds like it might work. If you don’t mind taking me to his house to get it?”

“No, I don’t mind. I feel like it is my fault anyway, for taking it over there. But after I do this for you, we’ll call it even! Don’t call me with your problems ever again!”

“I promise, I won’t!”

“Okay, when do you want to do this?”

“How about this morning? Are you busy?”

“Not until this afternoon.”

“Then let’s do it this morning! I’ll call my Dad and tell him that I want to meet him at ten this morning. That’s an hour from now. If he agrees, I’ll call you back and tell you to come get me. We can wait at the Quick Stop Convenience Store, because it’s within sight of his driveway. We can see him when he leaves.”

“And after he leaves, I’ll sit out front and watch for you, in case he comes back for something. I’ll blow my horn to warn you.”

“Good, that will work. I’ll call him, and then call you right back.”

“Okay.”

Janice hung up and went to the kitchen to do a few dishes. She had just run the sink full of hot water, when Penelope called her back.

“It worked! He’s so eager to see me, that he wanted to go there right away. I told him I had a few things to do first, but I would be there by ten!”

“Good! And while he’s waiting at the park for you, we will be at his house getting your things! Goodness! I need to leave now, to come get you, don’t I? I’ll be right there!”

She hung up the phone, and went to get dressed to go out. Her heart was up-lifted, because she could help someone. She said she would never help Penelope again, but she couldn’t resist.

Penelope hung up the phone, and immediately began worrying that something could go very wrong. But the plan was set, so she was going through with it.

20
 

A
t nine o’clock, the same time Janice went to pick up Penelope, Miranda was leaving her house to pick up Lennie for his doctor’s appointment at UAB. She hated to leave her house while the tile guys were there to tile the inside of her swimming pool, but she had promised to take him.

Sitting in his driveway, she was impressed with how clean and dressed up he was, as he came out the front door. “Well, well, Mr. Kellerman, don’t we look nice?”

Lennie’s smile faded, and he replied, “I’m not
Mr.
Kellerman!
That was my Dad! I’m Lennie Kellerman.”

She forgot that he was sensitive to that. “Right, I forgot. You look nice, Lennie!”

“You look nice too, but then, you always do!”

“Why, thank you, Lennie!”

“And you smell okay too.”

“That’s good to know. Fasten your seat belt, we’re getting on the interstate to make better time. Did you bring the address for this clinic we’re going to?”

“Uh-huh. It’s right here.”

“Have you been there before?”

“No.”

“Okay, I know that part of town. We can find it easily.”

As she drove, Lennie rattled on and on about whatever popped into his head, during the 35 minute drive to Birmingham’s Southside.
He’s
just
like
an
8
year
old
kid,
Miranda thought. He talked about his pet turtles, his favorite TV shows, his favorite foods, his least favorite foods, the neighborhood dogs, a bird he saw catch a lizard, he was all over the map. He brought up nothing of mature content. Nothing that a normal 35 year old man would talk about while riding in a car with good looking 35 year old woman, which surprised Miranda. She was used to men slobbering all over themselves around her, but not Lennie. That just reinforced her suspicions that his level of retardation was quite extensive. He was a kid, mentally, and the sad part was, he would probably never advance beyond that level.