STOLEN
A Novella by K’Anne Meinel
SmashWords Edition
Published by:
K’Anne Meinel on Smashwords
Copyright © K’Anne Meinel December 2011
STOLEN
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Michael was sitting in our living room looking around and waiting for the girls. They were characteristically behind in their last minute packing. Shelia had tried to get them ready the night before but girls being girls had procrastinated. Sheila hadn’t wanted Michael to even come into our dream house and yet there he sat on the sofa drinking it all in, from the antiques I had collected over the years to the new furniture Sheila and I had chosen together. She could see he was envious as she returned from hurrying the girls along. I sat in the alcove out of the way but watching him and her interact. He hadn’t noticed me when she let him in and I stayed quiet as she asked him to sit down. Annoyed that she had to let him in and let him see this little part of the house she hoped I wouldn’t say anything to antagonize him.
This trip, this equal sharing of the girls had been a long time coming. Shelia lived in Wisconsin with the girls since last June with me and now here it was the following March and their winter vacation. It sucked but he did have visitation rights. Shelia tried for six months to get him to take them or them to go to him but at Christmas Shelia given up, one thing or another had worked to screw up vacation plans. He’d accused Sheila of manipulating things to her own benefit to screw up HIS plans continually. He wasn’t going to allow it to continue. With their two weeks of vacation he’d insisted on coming to get them. Nothing the girls had said or tried to do had stopped this visitation. He’d come to get them to take them back with him to New York for the entire two weeks.
When we had heard his final plans the girls had come up with all sorts of whining and arguments. They DIDN’T want to go with him in no uncertain terms but Shelia had to play the bad guy and insist it was only fair. Even though they hadn’t seen him in eight months they still didn’t care to. They enjoyed their life now here in our combined home and he had made things so terrible towards the end of Sheila’s marriage that that was all they seemed to remember. Wendy was willing to give it a try but then that was Wendy, she was easy going. Danielle had put her foot down saying she wouldn’t go. Shelia ended up yelling and slapping her for her obstinacy. Finally, reluctantly, they had said they’d go and behave.
Michael had rented a car to come get them from the airport. There really had been no point as she could have taken them to the airport and put them on a plane but he’d insisted. He said he wanted to SEE where HIS children lived. Giving him directions from the airport had been like pulling teeth. Shelia hated it but the courts allowed him visitation rights even if Shelia had gotten custody. When he drove along the fence line he slowed down as our home came into sight. He was already annoyed as he got out of the cheap car rental in front of the house. We’d had an early spring and the place looked picturesque. The horses in the pasture, the flowers in front of the new house, the rose garden on the side, the Expedition and Suburban parked in the circular paved driveway. He was grinding his teeth seeing it all. It was obvious a lot of money had gone into this place. He knew from the kids that I had had it built.
He hadn’t been there five minutes when he said “So this is what you whored for is it?” he indicated the house around him with a hand gesture.
Seething I rose from my hidden spot in the alcove and said “Get the HELL out of MY house!”
Startled he stood up and turned around. He hadn’t seen me sitting there and I surprised him with my words.
Trying to calm me Sheila shook her head discretely but he saw the gesture.
“Oh, so the dike can speak for herself?” he asked.
“OK, that’s it, get the HELL out of my house. I won’t allow him to speak that way to anyone IN it!” I was angry, Sheila could see almost from across the room the way my eyes were flashing.
“What? It’s not HER house too?” he said it in his derisive and sneering tone.
“Yes, it is OUR house; however I DON’T have to listen to your asinine comments. Either you leave NOW and wait for the girls in your car or I will see that you leave SHORTLY!” I didn’t shout I didn’t have to; the menace in my voice spoke volumes.
He laughed and said “Yea, I bet a dike like you could take me.”
“No, she probably would only hurt you very badly, but I could beat the shit out of you and cause you serious harm.” A new voice from the dining room was heard. We all spun towards it as my 6’ tall son came into the room holding a sandwich. He looked pissed. I’d always taught the boys to stick up for family and evidently he’d heard enough. “I suggest you leave out the front door or I’ll help you out, you have five seconds.” Kurt told him conversationally.
Michael went to bluster his way out of this situation but then Evan walked around Kurt to see what was going on. Evan wasn’t quite as tall as Kurt yet but he was packed solidly like a football player. As much as Michael felt he could talk his way out of this he thought it wiser to retreat. Gathering his dignity about him he headed for the front door intending to slam it but the catch on it wouldn’t allow it and closed gently behind him.
It happened so fast that Sheila and I were left there in surprise. The surprise turned to delight as he left. I was furious and it took a few moments to calm down. Looking at the boys I thanked them and they both turned and headed through the dining room back to the kitchen where they had been eating.
“You shouldn’t have done that” she told me.
“I won’t allow him to abuse anyone in this household; I’ve told you that before. I’ve told HIM that before. That’s why he’s so polite on the phone these days.” I laughed. He’d gotten angry quite a few times over the last months when if his tone wasn’t cordial I informed him of his lack of manners and then hung up on him. If he called back and was equally nasty I again would hang up on him. This would continue until he learned his manners. Once it had taken six calls as he became more determined and I became more adamant that he learn his manners but since then he attempted to behave himself where I was concerned. Shelia had an earful a few times herself over it and had entertained the idea of taking a leaf out of my book and treating him the same.