A Mother Scorned

Bernice wrinkled the edges of the newspaper in disgust.  Thad Dunkirk, who had no classes that day, thus had spent the night at Bernice’s condo in Scardale, looked up, his eyes wide behind rather thick glasses.  “Did you see this article?” she asked him.

Since she had commandeered the paper, he was skimming an article in the latest issue of “German History,” written by a colleague in Durham, who had no idea what he was talking about.  Already in his mind Thad was formulating a letter to the editor in reply.  He didn’t want to make it too damning, but certainly he must show this fellow practitioner of the dead liberal arts the error of his ways.  So in short, the answer was he hadn’t seen the article to which Bernice was referring.

“If you’ll recall, formerly upstanding member of the community Will Stanton received a fifteen-year sentence for fraud.  To my immense embarrassment, my only son accompanied Lily Stanton to the sentencing hearing while she spoke on her father’s behalf.  Of course, Stanton was a good father to her.  He supported her with other people’s money.  I was so afraid Frank would get up and say something too, but he had the good sense to keep quiet.  Why he even went is beyond me.”

“Aren’t they living together?”

“Isn’t everyone living together?  What does that mean anymore?”

“Well—that they’re fond of one another and she wanted him there for moral support?”  He frowned.  “Aren’t they getting married?  At some point?”

“Can you imagine what my friends will say to that?  I lost money. They lost money.”

Thad closed the journal.  Looking at her sternly, he said, “Bernice, you were divorced at the time, and your ex-husband was dead when the embezzlement was discovered.  You’ve told me how lucky you were that you got his life insurance.  So this should not impact you at all.  He was sentenced.  That’s the end of it.”

“No—Thad.  That’s not the end of it.  Instead of going right away to prison, he’s out on appeal.  His lawyers are claiming that fifteen years is a life sentence for him so he should be able to explore every channel before he’s committed to the fate he so richly deserves.  And where’s he getting the money to pay these lawyers, I’d like to know?”

“So, in America we let justice take its course.”

“What if that course is so slow that when Frank and Lily get married, as they allegedly plan to do, Will Stanton comes  to the wedding!  And gives her away!  Walks her down the aisle in front of everyone!  Think of the photographs!”

Thad tried not to roll his eyes.  “Bernice—“

“Don’t we know each other well enough that you can call me Bernie?”

“To me, Bernie is a boy’s name so I shall call you Bernice.”  He paused.  Then he said in a soft, regretful voice, “I remember holding you in my arms while you wept over Eden’s wedding.  That’s after you spent an hour screaming about what an ungrateful wretch she was.”  He held up his hand.  “No.  Don’t try to stop me.  You heard from Riley that Eden held the wedding the way she did because she was tired of all the infighting and the bickering, and she just wanted to get married surrounded by love.  Now.  You have two other children.  Riley is newly engaged.  Frank has made his intentions clear in regards to Lily Stanton.  It behooves you to be accepting and loving, to sit back and enjoy.  Not to put your two cents’ worth into the mix.”

Scrunching the newspaper, Bernice considered her reply.  Oh, how she would love to scream at him and tell him he knew nothing about children or parenting, as he never had any, therefore never was a parent.  But—oh, but—  She knew he regretted not having children, and she didn’t want to hurt him.  Also, she didn’t want to lose him. At her stage in life, where would she find another?  She let her blood pressure settle and then said, “Harsh words, Thad.  But—I will concede you have a point.”

He nodded. “None of your children is a child anymore.”

“To a mother they’re always children.”

“But now instead of steering them on the path you’ve chosen for them, it’s time to listen to what they want, give advice if they ask for it, and be there when they need you.”

“Thank you, Ann Landers.”

Smiling he said, “Maybe I have a knack for this.”

“No.  You don’t.”  She pushed herself back from the kitchen table.  “Let’s do something this morning before I have to go to work and you have to head back to your place.”

“Pickle ball?  If we can get a court?”

“Darling, in pickle ball, you have to return a serve, not just stand there and wait until the ball comes to you and then flinch in case it hits you in the balls.  Let’s drive into the country and take a short walk around the lake.  My soul needs soothing.”  She stopped for another thought.  “And then, I think if you’re free this weekend, you and I should plan a visit to Massachusetts.”

“Where your son lives?  Isn’t that short notice?”

“Short notice?  Honey, this woman isn’t giving them any notice at all."