Page 95 of A Me and Him Thing
I can’t read Ren. He’s hiding his emotions, waiting to hear what his father has to say.
“I had business one day in Wilsonville. It’s just a ten-minute drive from here. I knew the kids were in school and preschool. I knew you were at Exodus, Ren. So I decided to stop by. Thought maybe I could take Allie to lunch or something. Or just say hello. Or help around the house a bit. Whatever she needed. I loved Allie as if she were my own daughter.”
Jack looks down at his hands, seemingly gathering strength.
“I knocked. I rang the doorbell. No one answered. I could hear loud music playing. Allie’s car was in the driveway. I felt a littleworried, wanted to make sure she was okay. I used my key and let myself in. What I witnessed knocked the wind right out of me.”
“What did you see?” Ren asks, his voice almost a whisper.
“I saw Curtis, wrapped up with Allie, on your couch and in your home. How can I put this politely? Let’s just say…they were in a state of undress.”
The silence in the room is so loud, my ears hurt.
Curtis? The lanky tween model who lives next door? I mean, he’s gorgeous, but he’s so young. Like statutory young. I shake my head, thinking of Ren, and only Ren. This is devastating news for him.
“What?” Ren says with disbelief. “That’s not possible.”
“I’m sorry, Ren. I never wanted you to know. I knew it would destroy you.” Jack sighs heavily.
Ren is made of stone. He reaches toward me, and we join hands. He has never initiated holding my hand, except when I was in the hospital and needed comfort. This is a moment when he needs comfort.
Susan starts to cry, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin.
Jack goes on. “Once I was inside, the music was almost deafening. When Allie saw me standing there in shock, she disentangled herself from Curtis. I averted my eyes as she grabbed her robe real quick. Curtis grabbed his pants and pulled them on, but he didn’t have the sense to leave. He put his arm around Allie and faced me with a defiant look. I’m not a fighting man, but I wanted to punch that kid in the face. Neither one of them was embarrassed or ashamed at all.”
“Allie and…Curtis? I don’t understand. He’s just a kid.” Ren’s voice is emotionless.
“He looks younger than he is. He’s around twenty-five or twenty-six. Young, yes, but not a kid at all. It’s a failure-to-launch situation. Too old to be living with his parents. Too youngto be seducing his married neighbor. Allie said, ‘How dare you just walk into my house uninvited?’ I’d never heard that tone of voice from her before. It took me back. Then, with venom in her voice, she said, ‘You might as well know everything, Jack. I love Curtis. I’m leaving Ren, and I’m taking the kids. I’m taking the house, and I’m taking Exodus. I’m taking Ren for everything I can get. He’s never here. It won’t be hard to prove neglect. That dumb restaurant is all he cares about. He won’t even notice we’re gone.’”
Susan gasps.
Ren is so still, he’s not even blinking. “I never even suspected.”
I remain silent, my heart breaking for Ren.
Jack goes on. “I said, ‘That restaurant is how Ren supports you and the kids. He’s been working night and day to make it a success. All so he can provide for his family. You fault him for that?’ Her answer shocked me.”
“What did she say?” Ren asks.
“She said, ‘Yes, I fault him for that! He’s forgotten we exist. Does he expect me to be stuck out here in the country with nothing to do but wait for him to grace us with his presence? Forget that! I want out.’”
“She wanted out?” Ren repeats blankly.
“She did. So I asked her if you already knew. I didn’t like her response. She said ‘No, I haven’t told him yet. And I think that’s mine to tell. I would appreciate it if you kept your big mouth shut and let me do the talking with Ren. He deserves to hear it from me.’”
Jack rubs his forehead as though he has a headache. “I remember saying, ‘Allie?’ I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth, the hatred and the disgust. It was as though I had never really known her.”
“No, that can’t be right,” Susan sobs.
“That’s what I thought. I actually wondered if Curtis was holding a gun to her back or something. Then she said, ‘I would like you to leave my home, Jack.’ So I did.”
“I wish you’d told me. I can’t believe you’ve held this in all this time.” Susan rubs Jack’s shoulder.
“There’s a reason I never said a word. After I left, I went to my car, and frankly, I wept like a baby. I’m not a man who cries easily. Allie was about to tear my son’s family apart, to tear out my son’s heart. I couldn’t process what I’d just seen and heard. I knew one thing for sure. I knew I was going to tell you everything, Ren. I knew you needed to be prepared, to lawyer up. I went home that night, physically ill. I hardly slept, knowing I needed to talk to you the next morning.”
“Why didn’t you?” Ren asks.
“That was the morning of Allie’s accident.”
