Page 18 of Tusk's Fury

I cut myself some fruit and squeeze lemon into my ice water. Then I settle down and call Clara’s number.

She answers immediately. “Is it time yet?”

I rub my belly with my free hand. “Not yet. The midwife says any day now.”

“Can’t believe you’re about to pop.” There is a short pause, and she adds, “I still feel like shit for lying to Tusk.” Her voice is heavy with regret.

“It wasn’t your lie. It was mine. I lied to you, and you innocently repeated the lie. No one can hold you responsible. Besides, Tusk has enough kids to worry about. I don’t want my baby raised feeling like less than because I’m just some club girl he hooked up with.”

She hisses, “It’s not like that. He—”

“We promised not to talk about Tusk. I made my decision, and now I’m going to have to live with it. I can’t keep second-guessing myself when it comes to that man. It’s too stressful and not conducive to having a good pregnancy.” She told me all about the misunderstanding, but by then I’d made up my mind. I knew Tusk was fond of me, but if he’d thought I was old lady material, then he’d have done something about it—and I didn’t want to feel like a stop gap until he found someone who ticked all the boxes.

When I start to get wound up, she interjects, “Okay, I get where you’re coming from on that issue. We don’t have to talk about Tusk.”

“Being a million miles away from the Savage Legion is the best thing I could do for my baby. My child needs to grow up in a place where nobody knows about my past as a club girl. I don’t want them growing up with the stigma of their mother being a whore.”

Clara makes a disgruntled sound. “That’s such an ugly word. People don’t think like that anymore. We’re all just women. It doesn’t matter what we do with our personal lives.”

“My child has four half-siblings. Their mother didn’t like me before I ended up pregnant with Tusk’s child. Imagine what she’d tell her children if she found out?”

“She doesn’t get to have an opinion after cheating with my husband. It’s a rubber-and-glue situation.”

I can’t help but chuckle at hearing her use that childhood expression.

“Sometimes I forget that you’re a schoolteacher, Clara. How are the kids in your classroom doing this year?”

“We’re having serious staff shortages again. I ended up being moved to an elementary school. They gave me a classroom full of hyperactive kindergarteners. It’s all I can do to keep them from eating their own boogers all day.”

Somehow, the image she draws in my mind makes me laugh.

“You’re a funny lady.” I remember to ask about her anniversary. “Is Tex taking you someplace nice for your anniversary in a couple of months?”

There is a long pause, and she sheepishly admits, “It’s ten weeks out. I was thinking of asking him to buy two tickets to Alaska.”

I bolt upright in my seat. “Are you serious?”

“Would you like that?”

“Yeah, but you’d have to be really careful. Do you think Tex would rat me out to Tusk?”

She says cautiously, “I think that if I made him promise, he’d keep his promise.”

I feel tears welling up in my eyes. Being pregnant, everything makes me emotional. I’m a weak woman because, of course, I want to see my only real friend. Who wouldn’t?

I’m silent for a few moments as I weigh up the pros and cons. Neither my family nor the church knows I spent the last five years with the Savage Legion. Missing that link means they’d never be in a position to follow Clara and Tex to Alaska. That just leaves Tusk as a potential problem.

I clear my throat and tell Clara, “Look, you can visit. I’d love to see a friendly face. Just don’t tell Tex about my pregnancy. Let me tell my own lies this time.”

“So, you plan to lie to my husband?”

Her innocent question really drives home what a sheltered life she’s led—or maybe my life has just been wildly out of control by comparison.

“I’d love to be in a position to tell everyone in my life the truth. Unfortunately, I don’t have that luxury. I’m going to tell him whatever keeps him from feeling like he has to tell Tusk where I am.”

“Alright, I guess you have to do what you think is right for yourself. I’m sorry that you don’t feel like you have anyone you can trust.”

“I have one person I can trust. You. That’ll have to be enough for me right now.”

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