systems, and then they’d be fine. Until it was time to get packed up and wait for Susan to pick them up. Then they’d start acting uneasy. Even uptight. I’m convinced they were afraid their mom would find out that they’d had a good time.”
“So what did Tom do?”
“He told the boys they were welcome any time they wanted. He didn’t want to force them to see him. He didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable, like they had to see him, and then be preoccupied with wondering about what their mom might think. He told Susan the same thing, but added that he was sick and tired of her making them feel bad about seeing him. He didn’t want to put them through it any more.”
“Oh, my,” Pam groaned. “How did she react?”
“Not well. And it’s been like a train wreck ever since. Every time Tom’s tried to see them, like being a chaperone on a school trip, or going to a soccer game, she’d either keep the kids at home or make a scene in public saying that he planned to kidnap them. Recently, he’s just thrown in the towel.”
****
Tom debated what he should do about Susan’s latest demand. She’d made it earlier that morning via a telephone call, and then hung up in her typical take-no-prisoners way. Walking the length of his property with the two dogs in tow, it occurred to him that maybe it could be made to work in his favor. Uncharacteristically, she had been avoiding him for the past several months. No nasty messages left at his office or on his answering machine at home. No new accusations about him whispered via the town grapevine. Nothing.
He threw a stick for the dogs to fetch. Maybe Susan had realized that if she kept making demands on him, she was opening the door for him to take court action to see their sons. But she could have just been distracted, setting her sights on making someone else miserable. Whether the victim was a new man in her life or someone she viewed as an enemy, either way it directed her focus away from him. Which was good. He didn’t want any contact with her. If it weren’t for the boys, he’d block all the memories, including the pain and mistakes, from his mind entirely. He bent to remove the stick from Rusty’s mouth and threw it again.
Yet, what if Susan was up to something? Knowing her like he did, Tom suspected the latter. And it wasn’t more child support. The zoning board meeting was scheduled for two weeks from now. She had a lot riding on getting approval for her project. Was this recent demand used to induce him to withdraw his objection and his project? Well, she was definitely barking up the wrong tree there, but at least the lines of communication were open now. Fuzzy static, but open. Maybe he should take the opportunity to make some demands of his own?
Then again, could Susan’s sudden attention have something to do with Pam’s return? Did it really bother her that he and Pam were resuming their relationship? Her sudden appearance at the restaurant Thursday night was out of character. Could she have broken into Pam’s hotel room and left that message to try to scare here away? And then followed it up with that call to her in Boston? Would Susan really go that far? And if so, why? And if it wasn’t her, then who was it?
Tom’s cell phone rang, interrupting his train of thought. He looked at the number glowing on the caller ID and smiled.
“Hey gorgeous. What’s up?”
“Just wanted to let you know we’re on our way home.”
Hearing her voice, a warm, comforting feeling washed over him. Pam was coming home. In a few weeks, it would be their home. Did he pop the question too soon? The answer depends on who you ask. But to him, it was a long time overdue.
“Stay safe. I’ll be here waiting.”
Ending the call, he heard the words, “God has a timetable for everything.”
Tom blinked. Hey. Where did that come from? It just popped into his head! Never mind. He already knew the answer. How many times, growing up, did he hear his mom say that? He remembered begging her to count the days left before Christmas. Or until school was out for the year. Be patient, she’d say.
Tom felt Delilah trying to get his attention again by hitting his leg with the stick. Bending down,