Sintown Chronicles II: Through Bedroom Windows (77 page)

“You have some saved up for Annie. We can tap that until we get on our feet."

She pushed him away and shook her head. “That's Annie's money. I won't touch it."

He eased off the mattress and stood in front of his bedroom window, gazing into the distance.

“You have a great butt,” she said.

“So do you, Shell.” He turned and looked at her for several seconds before continuing. “There's the insurance."

“What insurance?"

“Sam's life insurance, Shell. Five million dollars."

“Boyd! What are you suggesting?"

“It was just a thought. Forget it."

Shelly kicked off the sheet and slipped to the edge of the bed. “I'd better get out of here before you talk me into something horrible. Besides, I told the Borders I'd pick Annie up by five."

Sam slammed the door behind him and glared at Shelly, slouching on the sofa and wearing a filthy tee shirt over panties.

“I work my ass off all day and come home to a nasty house, a woman who hasn't even combed her hair and not given a thought to starting dinner.” He stomped over to the sofa, slapped the box of chocolates from her hands and shouted, “Can't you find anything better to do all day than watch TV and stuff yourself with candy?"

She leaped to her feet and slapped him. “How was your day, Asshole?"

His face turned red and he lifted his hand as if to strike her.

“You hit me, you bastard, and I'll leave your ass so fast it'll make your stupid-looking head spin."

“Damn, Shelly,” he said as he started picking up sections of the daily newspaper from the floor, “the least you could do is straighten up a little."

“I told you it would be like this, but you wouldn't listen. The only fucking thing I promised to do was hump you, and I've done that."

“Sure you have, but what happened to Delilah Delight? You lie there like a damn corpse and don't even try to participate. When I reach for you at night, you jerk away from me. I guess you get enough from the guy who visits you once or twice a week. Do you dress up for him, Shelly?"

“What the hell are you talking about?"

“Do you think the Nickels haven't told me about the gray Ford that shows up from time to time while I'm at work?"

“I told you at the beginning that ours would not be a monogamous relationship. Sam, you suck in bed. I have my needs."

“And I have mine. Cleaning up after you is not one of them."

“Shit, you bastard. You can't blame it all on me. What happened to the romance, Sam? You haven't even taken Annie and me to the pool in four weeks."

“Why should I? So you can screw the Dollars’ butler? Yeah. I found out who he is. Is that who comes to see you, Slut? Is that who you're screwing in my bed?"

“I told you I broke it off with Ron, and I did. Tomorrow's Saturday. Take Annie and me to the pool, Sam. Hell, I'll even agree to take the twins with us."

“How can I? I have to spend the weekend cleaning up this pigsty, washing your damn clothes and doing the yard work. Go do something to yourself. I'm too tired to cook tonight. We'll eat at the Korner Kafe."

“Why don't you just pick us up a pizza?"

“Because I'm tired of pizza!” he shouted. “Where's Annie? She's probably a mess too. You don't even look after her anymore."

“I don't know where she is—outside someplace."

He clinched his fists. “You don't know where she is? What kind of a damn mother are you?” He stormed through the kitchen and out the backdoor.

Shelly waited until Sam was snoring and slipped out of bed. She reached for her robe, padded down to the room they were now using as a study, snapped on her Macintosh and clicked on Boyd's email address.

It's three in the morning, Boyd, and again I can't sleep. I can't stand much more of this. I hate the bastard. He's gone back on his promises. He's trying to make a damn housewife out of me. Tonight he raped me. I fought him but, like you, he's much stronger than I am. He rammed the damn thing inside me without a condom and laughed at me when he ejaculated. You slap me around sometimes but you've never done it without a rubber—at least not since Annie was born. I almost wish I did have AIDS or something so I could have the satisfaction of giving it to him. I douched for an hour but I'm still not sure I'm clean. My pussy still smells like fish.

Can you believe it? The bastard forced me to go to church with him this morning—said it was good for Annie. There I sat with all the other hypocrites in Dot. One funny thing happened, though. Tim Dollar sings in the choir. Sandy and some guy I've never seen before sat on the pew beside us. She wore one of those extra short miniskirts she likes so much. So help me Boyd, she sat on the guy's hand through the whole sermon. Several times, she made strange little noises. I think his fingers brought her off right there in church! Can you believe it? I was so curious that when the service was over I checked her out. Her hose were soaked right down to her knees. It was hilarious!

Speaking of being soaked, I need you so bad, Boyd. I'm coming to see you tomorrow. If you have a broad in your apartment, save some for me and kick her out by noon. I'll pick up a bucket of chicken on the way. At least the bastard hasn't taken his credit card away from me yet.

I love you, Boyd. We must figure something out.

“Boyd,” Shelly said as she buttoned her blouse, “I hate to eat and run but the Borders are going somewhere this afternoon. I have to pick Annie up by four and I need to make a trip to the grocery store before that."

“Let Sammy do the shopping, baby. We haven't touched the chicken you brought."

He tried to unbutton her top button and she playfully slapped away his hand. “You know what we ate for lunch. It's a hell of a lot better than cold chicken."

“Baby, you just got here. You and your beloved husband can go shopping tonight."

She shook her head. “He's changed, Boyd. He has something up his sleeve and I'm not sure I want to find out what it is. He left a grocery list on the kitchen table this morning and wrote that he expects me to do the shopping before he gets home from work."

She looked into Boyd's eyes and saw the hunger. “Baby,” she said, throwing her arms around him. “Let's do it."

“You mean it?"

She nodded. “It's worth the risk. I can't stand any more of this."

He stepped back. “We'll have to plan carefully. Murder is a capital offense you know. We don't want to be caught."

“Hell, Boyd. I wasn't talking about that. Let's run away—go to Florida and start a new life together. I can rush home, throw a few things in a bag, get Annie and be back here in a couple of hours."

“Money, baby, money!” he reminded her.

“I still have the five thousand Rita paid me the night she fired me. That'll last a while."

“Not enough. Not near enough. Look, I've been thinking. It's such an easy thing to do. You leave the backdoor open. I'll slip in, steal a few things, blow the bastard's head off and slap you around a little to make it look real. Shell, that way we get the house, the insurance and anything else Sammy boy owns."

She backed up to the apartment door. “You've lost your fucking mind!"

“Damn, Shell,” he said, trying to smile, “don't you know when I'm kidding?"

“Where the hell were you this afternoon?” Sam asked as he stepped out of his shorts.

“You know where I was, Sam,” Shelly replied, slipping a nightgown over her head. “I was at the damn grocery store."

“That took an hour at most. I called several times and there was no answer."

She picked up a magazine and propped up on her side of the double bed. “I must have been outside."

“No you weren't. About three-thirty I called the Borders to see if you were over there. They said you dropped Annie off at eleven and had not yet come home. Where were you?"

“What did you want?” she asked, opening the magazine.

“Where the hell were you?” he shouted.

“Keep your voice down. You'll wake Annie. If you must know, I was with Annie's father."

“That bastard? That's who you're sleeping with now?"

“Keep it down, damn it. You said you want to adopt Annie. The lawyer told us it would be a piece of cake if the father agrees. I talked with Boyd about it today."

“What did he say?"

“He said for you to kiss his ass."

“I'm going to take a quick shower,” Sam mumbled as he pulled the robe over his naked body.

Shelly replied absently, “Suit yourself."

He stepped into the bathroom and immediately returned, eyes flashing. “Get in here!” he ordered.

She looked up as he approached. “What's wrong with you?"

“You left a damn ring in the Whirl Pool."

“Get a life, Asshole. I did the damn shopping for you and even straightened up the house a little. Did I hear a thank you? Not one damn word!"

“When you use my Whirl Pool you leave it clean. Now get in here."

“
Your
Whirl Pool? I thought the big man gave half of everything to his adoring bride."

“Clean the damn Whirl Pool."

“Clean it yourself."

He reached for her, but she stopped him with an index finger in his chest. “I've warned you once. You lay a hand on me and I'm out of here."

“I don't think so, Slut. You pretend you don't love Annie, but the truth is, she's the most important thing in the world to you. One word from me to the authorities and they will declare you an unfit mother. I may not wind up with her, but, by God, they'll take her away from you."

He grabbed her arm. She yanked away and tumbled to the opposite side of the bed. He lunged for her as she leaped to the floor. He sprang from the bed and cornered her, placing his right hand on her throat and pinning her against the wall. “Clean the damn Whirl Pool,” he repeated through clenched teeth.

“Shit.” She pushed past him and headed for the bathroom.

Boyd,

It is again three o'clock in the morning—Tuesday, I guess it is. The asshole is snoring loud enough to wake the neighborhood, and, as usual, I can't sleep. Tonight he threatened to take Annie away from me. I know I've said it before, but this time I mean it. I can't take any more. The one thing that keeps me going is the dream of holding you in my arms every night. If you have the guts, let's do it—but not here. I don't want Annie anywhere close when it happens. We must come up with a better plan.

“Eggs okay?"

Shelly nodded. “A little runny but they're okay."

Sam sipped his coffee and stared at the cleavage her loosely closed robe revealed. “I'm sorry,” he said.

“About what?"

“The way I acted yesterday. Shelly, I've been under a lot of pressure at work. One mechanic quit last week and another is out with an injury."

“At least you have a job."

“I talked with the boss yesterday. They don't usually hire two people from the same family, but they need a secretary badly. I told him you are out of work right now and are good on a computer. He said he'd give you a shot at the job if you're interested."

She refilled her cup and topped his off. “What does it pay?"

“Minimum wage to start."

She laughed sarcastically. “A babysitter would cost more than I would make, Sam. What's the point?"

“I suppose you're right. I just thought it would give us more time together."

“Yeah, that's exactly what we need—more time to get on each other's nerves."

“Honey, we haven't given this marriage thing a chance. We need time together to get to know each other."

“I think our problem is that we spend too much time together."

“I have two weeks of vacation coming. Let's go away someplace for a delayed honeymoon."

“I thought you were shorthanded at work."

He nodded as he chewed the last bite of toast. “Oscar should be back by Monday and yesterday they hired a new guy—excuse me—gal."

“They hired a female mechanic?"

He smiled. “Next thing you know we'll have a female president.” He picked up their empty plates and stacked them in the sink. “How about it, Shelly? We'll go wherever you like—just you, me and Annie."

“I'm not interested in going anywhere with you, Sam. I have no desire to get to know you better. I made you one promise—only one—and I've kept it.” She moved behind him and pressed her body close to his back. “You did have one valid point last night. In the future I'll participate and pretend to enjoy it. You have time for a quickie this morning?"

“Save it for your boyfriends,” he mumbled.

Boyd,

I never did get to sleep last night. I ate breakfast with the bastard. Now the creep wants me to take a job as a secretary. I can just picture myself sitting in front of a computer, my hair in a bun with a pencil stuck in it. He was so pissed off with me when I turned thumbs down on a delayed honeymoon that I thought he was going to hit me. Help me, Boyd. I'm sinking fast. Help me—please!

Shell

Shell,

We have three options. We can take off for parts unknown, using Annie's funds. We can do what is necessary to collect Sam's life insurance. We can continue with things as they are. It's your choice. Make it. Be very careful before you chose the second option. Once we start down that road, there's no turning back. If that's the option you select, the honeymoon thing might work to our advantage. Where does Sam want to go? Is there any way you can leave Annie with a sitter for a few days?

Shelly spent the morning reading fairytales to Annie and was delighted when Leora Borders offered to take Annie and the twins swimming. There has to be another option, she thought as she tossed a magazine on the floor.

She sat at Sam's desk and dialed the Dollars’ number.

“Yo?” a male voice answered.

“Uh, this is Shelly Brooks—uh, Pond. May I speak to Mrs. Dollar please?"

The voice chuckled. “Hi, Shelly. This is Tim. Not used to the married name yet?"

Shelly laughed nervously. “No, and I'm not sure I ever will be. I should have kept my maiden name. That's one of many things I did wrong. Is Sandy in?"