Terms (The Experiments Book 3) (14 page)

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jake said. “I’m fine.” He reached into the cooler. “And, were out. I’m gonna go get some more.” Jake stood, and walked in the house.

Chuck followed.

Jake was pulling beers from the fridge. “You plan on drinking much more?” he asked. “How many should I bring?”

“Jake.” Chuck stepped to him. “You’re not OK with this. The island thing … Rickie will be there in a day or two.”

“I know.” Jake said.

“It’s more. Talk to me.”

Jake exhaled. “I’m trying.”

“Understandable.”

“My wife was unfaithful. Some of that was her own doing, a lot was induced by Caldwell. In any case, she was unfaithful. I have dealt with that. I am over that.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Jake nodded assuredly. “One hundred percent.”

“The babies?”

“Chuck, I want to be a father. I really want to be a father. The babies … despite how they came to be are a precious gift.”

“So it’s not Cal’s infidelity. It’s not the fact that a pregnancy resulted from that. It has to be Billy.”

“Bingo.” Jake opened a beer. “I really thought … I thought I could handle him still being in the picture. I thought I could handle it. I’m trying. He’s the biological father to the babies, and he will be a part of their lives. An uncle … but part. But does he have to be such a part of Cal’s life. It’s not like it was a one night stand fling. The guy is in love with her. And knowing my wife, there had to be an attraction for her to cheat on me.”

“Makes sense.”

“On the island, during the experiment, we couldn’t let it break the team. We also had to depend on each other, so we had to put it all aside, and act all honky dory,” Jake said. “I like Bill, don’t get me wrong. He has good guy qualities. But, we’re not on the island anymore. He’s a good guy I wish my wife would stay away from.”

“So get him out of the picture.”

“How?”

“I’m not talking about the kids. I’m talking about with Cal. Jake; I may be overstepping my boundaries. But, out of respect for you, and your marriage, she should distance herself from him. Really distance herself from him.”

“Can I ask that of her?” Jake questioned.

Chuck responded strongly. “Yes. Yes. You can. You have every right.”

“But isn’t that showing my mistrust?”

“Jake, she broke that trust once. No one is saying she’ll break it again. But she should want to stay away from him. You have this powder fluff pregnancy research happening. Where Caldwell conveniently put Billy there at the same time. Fine. Nothing right now, you can do about it. But after …” Chuck fluttered his lips. “Talk to her. You don’t have to be … how did you put it … honky dory? Island’s done. Iso-Stasis finished. Experiment is over.”

Jake chuckled sarcastically, and soft. “With Caldwell pulling so many shots. I have to wonder. Is it?” he took a long drink with a serious look. “Is the experiment really over?”

***

Has he returned yet?

Not yet.

Somehow Cal didn’t believe it and went to Billy’s room three times. Nothing. No Billy. Cal waited patiently, she had dinner in her room, and was able to watch the movie the research study provided her. Stan stopped by to check on her, invited her to take a walk, but Cal declined. She was tired and, really did want to visit with Billy when he was available.

The movie ended, and she grabbed her phone. She walked to her balcony, looked below at the women seated around the fire. Their laughter emanated up to her. What were they laughing about? Chatting? It was reminiscent of the first Iso stasis when Cal didn’t want to get to know anyone. But that was a lifetime ago and a lot had changed. A lot of love came back into her life and she started to like people again.

An inkling, just an inkling of her looked forward to the first full meeting in the morning.

It was probably time to call Jake, but last she spoke to him, Chuck was coming over, and she didn’t want to disturb that. Just as she was about to contemplate that call, her phone rang.

She smiled as the caller’s identity was displayed.

“Rickie,” she answered upbeat. “I thought you had a date.”

“I did. Went well. She had to work the night shift. How are you Cal-Babe?”

“Lonely. I miss you.”

“Ah, I miss you too. A couple more days and you’ll be floating in a sea of the Rickie Meister company.”

“I can’t wait. Tomorrow is the day huh?”

“Yep.” Rickie replied. “I’m going to the White House.”

“I’m so proud of you and excited. Will you say hi to the president for me.”

“Cal-Babe I will tell him all about you.”

“Thanks, Rickie.”

“Oh! Dude!”

“What?”

“Check this out. Rachel, if she becomes my new babe a licous. Cal-Babe, she works the night shift at the Wal-Mart. Just the time we like to go. We can get a discount.”

“No, way.” Cal smiled. “You didn’t tell Jake, did you?’

Rickie didn’t answer.

“Rickie, Jake hates me shopping at Wal-Mart.”

“I know. I mentioned the discount; I thought it would help the Sarge with the Wal-Mart issue. But no. We still have to do the secret shopping trips and hide the bags.”

“Can you imagine if he ever found out we bought his underwear there? He’d have a fit.”

Rickie laughed. “Sarge is tough about image.”

“Sarge is tough about everything. How is he?”

“Drunk.”

“Drunk? Jake? Really?”

“Chuck is here.” Rickie said. “All they do is bitch and drink.”

“What are they bitching about.”

“Billy.”

Cal drew silent.

“Cal-Babe?”

“Why are they bitching about Billy?”

“Well, just so you know, the Sarge isn’t really saying much. It’s Chuck doing all the talking. He thinks Sarge should put his foot down on the Cal-Babe and Billy bond leaving it pretty much to just a bambino connection.”

“Is that so?” Cal asked. “Does Jake want that?”

“Don’t know. If you were here you’d see me shrug. But, I would wait until the Sarge talks to you. I mean it could be like some beer ball blasting happening.”

“True.”

“You OK?”

“Um sure, sure. I had to watch a really lame movie tonight and take notes. Then some nurse came in here to do my blood pressure to see if it affected me. Just still out of sorts over that.”

“Have you spoken to Billy?” Rickie asked.

“Not yet. I don’t know what happened to him.” Cal said. “It’s getting late.”

“You gonna go to sleep?”

“No, I think I’ll walk on the beach. Can you tell the Sarge I’ll call him when I get back.”

“I’ll try,” Rickie replied. “But he’s already toasted now. He may be too drunk to talk later.”

“I’ll take my chance.” Cal giggled. “And Rickie, if I don’t speak to you tomorrow. Good luck with the presidential dinner.”

“I’ll record it.”

“Excellent.”

Cal said her good night to Rickie. The beach did look inviting, and Cal decided that was what she would do. Take a walk.

She had something to think about. Mostly she was wondering two things. One, what was going through Jake’s mind about Bill, and two, where was Billy?

September 4
th

Jake called within minutes of Cal’s conversation with Rickie. He didn’t sound drunk, but he didn’t sound completely sober either. He said nothing about Billy, or his conversation with Chuck. It was a sweet conversation, short, but sweet. Cal ended it with commenting that she wanted to take a walk.

She hadn’t realized it yet, but other than the testing, Cal imprisoned herself in her own room.

By the time Cal had changed into beach appropriate attire. Something warm, and sand friendly, it was late, and the other ladies had turned in. Assured it was safe to walk alone, Cal did.

Not long after her walk began she spotted Billy …. Walking down the beach to her.

Walking.

Her enthusiasm was overwhelming and she ran as fast as she could to greet him. She supposed, her pummeling knocked him off balance, but he didn’t fall.

Caldwell delivered a temporary leg to Billy that he had learned to use all night. He wanted to greet Cal standing on two feet, not from a wheelchair.

He looked great to her. The Billy that went to the island. The Billy before he fell victim to the experiment.

They walked for a short while until his thigh began to hurt and then they returned to her room where they continued to talk about anything and nothing until the sun began to peek over the horizon.

Old friends.

But the whole time, Cal held in the back of her mind, the fact that Jake would not approve.

They parted ways, and Cal fell fast asleep. She probably wouldn’t have chatted so late and so much had she known that she would be woken in just two hours. A seven AM wake up for an eight AM start.

She had to join the others for breakfast and that would be her first face to face with them all. They were all there, and seemingly on friendly terms. All of them introducing themselves to Cal when she walked into the well maintained and beautifully decorated dining room.

“We heard so much about you from Stan.”

“We wish you would have joined us last night.”

“You weren’t sick were you?”

The questions pelted her and her reception was a lot better than she anticipated. The women were genuinely nice, and though she still felt somewhat like an outsider, Cal tried to interject into the breakfast conversation as much as she could.

But it was idle conversation at best. They were actually instructed to keep it that way. They would go over specific questions at the gathering circle before they were divided up into groups.

Groups of two, where they would be placed in a cozy chair, stuck in front of a movie while fetal heart monitors were attached to their bellies.

Cal only hoped that the movie she viewed was going to be much better than the one she had watched the night before.

After breakfast they were brought into a lounge, soft music played, Cal figured that had something to do with it. Four tiny tables were placed together with swivel lounge chairs.

Instructions were give, “Ladies, gather round. Get comfortable while we set up for you.” The testing manager said. Where was Stan?, Cal wondered “I want all of you to go down your personal lives. Lives as they are now. Who you are married to, how far along you are, etc. Please take a moment to do so.” The manger began to leave. “Oh, and yes, before I forget. There’s an entire chocolate cream pie in it for the woman who can be the first to tell me what the common factor is between you. Other than pregnancy. Be back shortly.”

Common factor.

Cal had to admit; she probably would have gotten it easier had she taken the time to listen to the women. But her mind was searching. She wanted that Chocolate pie. A whole pie, Jake would have a fit.

Cal smiled at that.

She eliminated the obvious. It wasn’t that they were all married, because two of them weren’t. Same age? No. One was in her forties, one as young as twenty-one. All previous mothers? Cal had to disregard that. It had to be something. Most of them were getting ready to hit their third trimester, but it couldn’t be that.

Cal had to be the one to guess. She had to be. It was a challenge and since being with Jake, her hatred of losing was even stronger.

She had to tell herself to listen.

“I’ve been married twelve years to a wonderful man. This is a our first baby …” Blah, blah blah.

Next was similar.

It was the third mother that gave Cal the answer. It was obvious, because it would be the unspoken denominator. The woman six months pregnant had been divorced for three months.

In a ‘eureka!’ style, Cal sprang to her feet. “I got it!”

They looked at her.

“I got it. I think. I got it, Yeah, I got it.” She hurried to the door and opened it. “I got it.”

The teasing manager came in. “You have the common factor?”

“Yep” Cal nodded proudly.

“What is it?”

“Tell me if I’m wrong, but … we all cheated on our husbands and got pregnant to the other man?”

Silence

“Is it?”

“You got it.”

“Yes!” Cal clenched her fist. “I’ll wait for that pie until later.”

The tester closed the door and walked out.

Cal gloated, but she gloated in a sea of shocked faces.

Marla, one of the oldest of the group spoke up. “We all cheated and got pregnant. That is bizarre.”

Another woman said, “What’s even more bizarre is why that was important.”

Yet, another replied. “Stress. We’re all facing stress.”

“How?” One asked.

Cal spoke up, “I think I know how. We all cheated right. Let’s see a show of hands … how many of us eight have seen the father of our babies on this island.” Cal slowly lifted her hand, and soon so did everyone else. “Bingo.”

It started to make sense to Cal. To her it wasn’t just a pampered pregnancy study, it was a pampered pregnancy study Caldwell style, and she knew right then and there she was going to enjoy it and the little surprises even more.

***

The dripping white glaze, melted with perfection over the fresh baked cinnamon bun. Greg was ecstatic and even rushed back to his desk to enjoy it in private and while it was still warm.

The cafeteria had outdone themselves.

Coffee steaming, fresh with cream-not half and half, Greg laid out a napkin across his desk and one on his lap.

“This is going to be good,” he said out loud, plotting his plan of ingestion attack.

Like a child he widened his hands in a hover over the baked pastry, wondering how to dive in first. Fingers just touching, the intercom made him jump.

“Dr. Haynes.”

“Shit.” Greg licked his fingers, and then lifted the receiver. “Yes.”

“Stan on line one.”

“Thanks,”  Greg pressed the corresponding line. “Stan. What’s up? I’m just about to enjoy my cinnamon bun.”

“From the cafeteria?”

“Yep. Just baked.”

“Lucky dog,” Stan said. “We had seafood omelets.”

“I’m sure you called for another matter other than what food you and I are eating.”

“I did. We presented the group with the connection quiz. Asking them to determine which common factor they all shared. We didn’t think they’d get it for a day or two, after all, the common factor they shared is embarrassing.”

“Cal got it, didn’t she?” Greg asked.

“She got it. Within six minutes.”

Greg smiled. “Good. Good. A little early but good. Jake is aware now that Billy is walking?”

“Not yet. She hasn’t called him yet this morning. We’ve had her busy.”

“OK, hopefully that information will emerge soon. But if she doesn’t share that right away, give Rickie a call, a friend to friend call, let him know about Billy, then go as planned.”

“Monitor her cell and room calls?” Stan asked.

“Yep, and the second she starts talking about the common factor … cut her off. In fact. Every once and a while cut her connection just to piss off Graison.”

“Got it. And I’ll call Rickie. Enjoy your bun.”

“I will.” Greg hung up the phone. He looked at the length of call it was under two minutes. After telling his secretary he didn’t want to be disturbed, he brought his face close to his tasty treat, felt the warmth, smiled, and prepared to indulge.

***

The John Wayne film marathon ran just until five thirty AM, and Rickie was still perched in front of the TV in amazement when Jake came down the steps and instructed him to go to bed.

The ‘Sarge’ really wasn’t impressed with Rickie’s new heroic discovery.

“But, Sarge, like this guys should get more credit,” Rickie said.

“He’s John Wayne, Rickie, Christ.”

“Yeah, Sarge, so like why isn’t he more famous?”

“I just told you he’s John Wayne, He is huge. Or was huge.”

“Sarge, he can’t be that huge if I haven’t heard of him. You think there’s stuff about him on the Internet.”

“I would venture to say so. Go to bed.”

“But like, I’m not tired.”

“But you have a big day tomorrow. Set your alarm and get an early start. I’ll leave you a list. Don’t make me come back home and wake you up.”

“I’m still stuck on this John Wayne guy.”

“Be stuck on him another time.” Jake told him. “Go to bed.”

“Sarge, do you realize how much like …”

“Rickie!”

“Fine,” Rickie pouted, “I’ll go to bed. And here I was about to pay you a huge complement.”

Rickie went to bed, he set his alarm too, like the Sarge had instructed, he figured he could catch a nap before heading to the Whitehouse. But his head buzzed with John Wayne thoughts, Rickie was enamored. So much so, that he made a mental note to try to find one of those really cool non perfect cowboy hats for the Sarge. If the Sarge didn’t want it Rickie was going to christen himself the new John Wayne, and start a campaign to make sure everyone knew who the Master of the Western was.

The alarm went off. Rickie didn’t wake. He didn’t hear anything until …

“Rise and shine bright boy.” Jake blasted. “I told you I didn’t want to have to come home to make sure you were up.”

Rickie grumbled. He laid on his stomach, lifted his head, peeked at the alarm, and closed his eyes.

“Rickie!”

“Sarge, like you’re interrupting the babe fest of my dream. Five more minutes.”

“It’s nearly ten AM, I already had to readjust your agenda for today. Now …” Jake reached for the covers and whipped them from Rickie. As soon as he saw Rickie’s bare bottom, he threw the covers back over him. “Why are you nude?”

“Why are you dressed?”

With a grunt, Jake walked over and placed a sheet of paper on the night stand. “Here is your agenda. I gave you some time to stop for a coffee, but other than that, stick to it. Every single stop on this list knows you are to arrive. Stick to the agenda, and you’ll be back at my office. We can do your work out, then grab a late lunch..”

“OK. OK.”

“Now, Rickie.”

“I’m not Cal-Babe.”

“No you are not. Which means, I can kick your ass.”

Jake had left, and Rickie fought to stay awake. He managed to take a peek at the agenda. It was workable. He wanted to hit the video store and the cowboy hat store, so he figured if he got a jump on it, did the Sarge’s stuff real fast, he’d get to do his shopping as well.

It was a John Wayne day, and he kept that in mind. That was his goal. That was Rickie’s inspiration.

The race was on, and Rickie had the Sarge agenda in hand. First stop was for Rickie to get something presentable to wear for the Whitehouse. Sarge had picked out Williamson’s, an upscale clothing store. Rickie knew they had a ‘youthful’ section, and he was confident he’d find something. After all, he had the Sarge’s credit card and a keep fashion sense,

‘Rickie,” the note read “third floor, young man’s department, see Chrystal. She will help you out’

Third floor, Rickie spotted the young man’s department. He peered at the sign, “That’s me.” He snickered at his own wit, peered about and stopped when something caught his eye, “Dude,” he went over to the shiny blue shirts. “Dude.”

Her voice was pleasant, and she took the tactful approach, by coming around the rack so as not to frighten Rickie who was engrossed in the shiny shirts.

“Excuse me,” she said. “Can I help you?”

“Don’t know, babe, like I’m supposed to be meeting someone.”

“Who?” she asked.

Rickie opened the sheet. “My dad said I am to me …” he paused. “Chee-Rye-stall.”

“Cheeryestall?”

“Yeah.”

“You mean Chrystal?”

“Huh?” Rickie asked.

“Are you here for Chrystal?”

“No, babe, I’m here for clothes. I’m supposed to meet Chee-Rye-Stal.”