Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Do you think that he'll stop stressing?" Dusty was so glad that someone had come to talk to him about anything other than how he was doing. He was actually feeling pretty good now that he could get up and around more. And the food that his brother brought him certainly hit the spot. Locke told him that he'd more than likely stress more for a while. "Yes, I can see that. He'd be waiting for the other shoes to drop. Remember that lady who was forever late on her newspaper payment? Turns out that she was saving money by having dog food for her meals because it was cheaper. I'm happy that we've never gotten that bad. But I'm sure that it was tempting at times."

"It was. I told him that we'd wipe the slate clean as of now. He could continue to use the pastures until I found something else to use the land for. Then I told him that I wasn't looking into anything, so it was a safe bet that he'd be just fine for as long as he wanted. He cried, Dusty. Cried and hugged me several times before I got him to stop. I think that his oldest thought that I was coming down on his dad because he came back to the table and glared at me for the longest time."

Dusty was happy that Locke suggested that they walk the halls. He'd been doing that so much that he was sure that he was wearing a rut in the floor. But he was getting better all the time and the doctor said that his muscles were healing just the way that he had hoped they would. He was never going to lift a piece of furniture again, not without help, anyway.

"I get to go home tomorrow. Can you come get me? I can't drive just yet." Something had been bothering him for a few days now. "What did I do that was so bad? I mean, I did hurt myself when I fell, but I think that I was able to work for another four hours. It wasn't until the next day that I hurt really badly. The doctor didn't tell you anything that you're supposed to tell me about later, did he?"

"No. He only said that you tore up your back by falling on tense muscles. Sometimes, it's the simplest things that take us under. Do you remember that guy who kicked his safe? What was his name?" He told his brother. "That's right. The whiskey man. He was upset that he couldn't get the safe open and kicked the safe, injuring his toe. That went septic, and he died."

"Are you saying that to make me feel better? Because you're not. I mean, damn, you need to work on your bedside manner if you're going to be a doctor." They both laughed, and Dusty was thrilled that it didn't hurt as much as it usually did when he had done that even a day before. "When are you and Alex going to have kids? I did hear that the little ones of William and Gilda stayed with you for a while. Are you going to take them in?"

"They have an aunt that is just thrilled to death to have them. They seemed to know who she was, too. She's taking them back to Florida with her as soon as they're cleared. Rita has brightened up so much since her parents aren't around her anymore. Did I tell you that I got a call from William the other day? He left a message with the service telling me that I need to come and bail him out." Dusty asked him what he had wanted. "He'd only just realized that he's related to me by marriage. He is blown away that Alex doesn't look like his wife. I think of him saying that every time I think of him. Christ, what an idiot."

Sitting down in the dining area, Locke went up to get them something to munch on. The food here wasn't too bad, but it was the place, not the food, that he was getting sick of. He laughed when his brother brought back four pieces of pie and some carrots. He asked him what that was about.

"They balance things out. Alex has it in her head that we don't eat very well. She's right, we don't, but she said that we'd not make a good example for anyone if we're forever eating out. Again, she is right, but I love being able to see her eyes light up when we go out, and I see that there is something on the menu that she loves." He asked his brother who they were trying to show off to. "Our kids. We've talked about that at great length here over the last few days. I don't care what we have, but she has it in her head that I want a little girl. I do, but she thinks that with all the men in my life, I need someone else to again, balance things out. I would love to see Alex fat with our child. It causes tingles to go down my spine when I think about it."

"My god, you're a sap." They both laughed as they finished off two slices of pie each and then ate the carrots. "Are you eating the carrots last so you don't have pie breath?"

"What the hell is pie breath? And yes, that's exactly what I'm doing. However, I want to point out that she's at a dinner meeting with the board of directors of the library where they're going to try to get us to part with our money and build a new wing in the library. I don't know when the last time it was that I was in the library. Even this one, I'm sure that I've never checked out a book or anything." Dusty told him that he didn't think any of them had either. "I wonder if there are many people that use the place anymore. It's a shame. I know that Martha loved the library."

"That's what you should do." He looked confused, so Dusty explained. "You should donate some money to the library. All of us will have a new wing put in, which is the Martha Grable rooms. Have a stipulation on it that says that it's for new computers, which we'll provide so that people can go there that might not have access to the internet at home."

"You think they'll do that?" Dusty said that he wouldn't know unless he asked. "I'll call Alex now. See if she is game to bring it up."

While Locke spoke to Alex, he got up to put their dishes in the bin. There was a woman sitting all by herself, and he made his way to her to see if she was all right. He could hear her crying the closer he got to her. Asking her if he could join her, she looked up at him with the saddest face he'd ever seen.

"Whatever it is, it can be fixed." She asked him how did he know what she was upset about. "I don't, but I don't like seeing a pretty lady cry."

He handed her some napkins that were on the table. She didn't seem to mind that he sat with her, and he waited for her to finish blowing her nose to talk to him. Looking at his brother when he said his name, he said that Alex wanted him to come to the meeting too and did he mind.

"No, go ahead. I'm just having a talk with…" He looked at the woman. "You're name is?"

"Amanda Landry. I know who you two are. You'd have to be dead—never mind. I know who you are. My husband is Fred Landry. He's here."

Nodding, she watched Locke as he left them there. He waited for her to speak, not wanting to upset her any more than she already was. When she started talking without any prompt from him, his heart broke for her.

"My husband is going to die. It's not like we didn't expect it. He's had cancer several times since we've been married. But he always beat it back. This time, the doctor said that it's in his bloodstream and is all over his body. I'm not ready to be a widow just yet. I have three growing children that are going to need their father. What am I supposed to do?" He asked her what she wanted to do. She looked at him oddly. "I mean, do you want to prolong his living with cancer? I'm sure that the doctor gave you options. Is this something that the two of you need to talk about? Like end of life arrangements."

"I don't really want to think about it." He just nodded. "You think that I'm not dealing with this well and should be willing to do what you tell me. While in my head I know that's what I'm supposed to do, I'm not ready to give up on him right now."

"Understandable. I wouldn't either. But you have time to do what he wants, and that's important." She told him that her husband wanted her to just let him go. "Then you should do everything in your power to make that happen for him. At least, that's what I would do. For him."

"That means that I'm admitting that the end is near, as you put it." Dusty asked how long the doctors gave her husband. "A month, but he said he'd expect him to go sooner. He's given up, I think."

"Yes, I can see that as well. Can he have a conversation with you? Do you, and this is what I do for a living, do you have all his paperwork lined up? Do you have things in your name so that there isn't any trouble with it when he does pass? Who's name is the house in? Will you be able to make the payment until the insurance pays? Is there insurance?" She just stared at him. "I'm sorry. I'm overstepping myself here. I'll leave you to grief. And I'm extremely sorry that I—"

"I didn't think about any of that. I think that we should have done some of this sooner. Is there a way that I can get this done? And he is able to have a conversation with me. He just tires easily." Pulling out his notepad, he handed it to her with his pen. She started writing things down as he asked her to look into them. "Does he have a will?"

"Yes, we both do. After the first scare, we decided to get one drawn up. But it's old. Our kids weren't here yet, and we didn't go in and change things around afterwards. Also, we've made arrangements to have his body cremated so that when I pass, I can be with him. Does that sound stupid?" He asked her if it made her happy, and when she agreed with him, Dusty told her then it wasn't stupid. "Thank you for this. My mother-in-law thinks that by us talking about this, it means I've given up on him. It's not that, but every time I bring it up to him, she butts in. He's going to die. I know that. I knew it before, but it's better—I can't thank you enough for your help. I know that I have things that I have to do, and I will. Whether his mom wants me to or not."

"You have the authority to have her put out of the room if you wish. Being his wife, you have more say over things than she does now. I would do that. Not only to show her that you're in charge, but it might help you when he's gone to establish that you have a backbone, and she'd better realize that." She said that she's hated her since the first time that he took her to meet the family. "Like I said, you need to establish who's in charge and how much you're going to allow her say in things. That will be about the children too. You'll want to make sure that they're well cared for, even if you leave the kids with a relative you can trust. I don't know whether she'd do this or not, but you want to make sure that she has no reason to take them from you."

"I have thought of that. She's been making comments about the fact that I'm going to need someone to help with them and that I should allow her to move in with us. That's not going to happen." He asked her if she'd told her that. "No. But I will now."

After sitting with her for an hour, Dusty could tell that she was feeling a good deal stronger than she'd been before. Telling her which forms she had to have and a notary to validate things, he told her the name of a good attorney that she could use. He didn't tell her about his brothers, making sure that if anyone had seen them together, they'd not make it out to be more sinister than it really was.

Going back to his room, Dusty felt better than he had in a long time. Even before Martha had passed away. He felt useful again. A feeling that he liked a great deal more than he had feeling like a useless fifth wheel. He wrote down some of the things that he wanted to take care of, and he heard from his brother almost as soon as he was going to sleep.

"They didn't go for it. At least not today. And Alex told them off when they tried to pressure her into being on the board. Likely, they thought that if she was there, they could con her to turn over money. So thank you for that." Dusty asked Locke if he thought that she was ever going to be on the board. "No. I don't think she wants that. Even the hospital is asking her to join. They never bothered us about that sort of thing. Why her?"

"They figure that she's a woman, and it will be easier to tap into her maternal instincts." He laughed with Locke after begging him not to say a word to Alex about what he'd said. "I would hate to get to feeling better only to have her coming into the hospital and knocking me around. She'd do it, too."

"No doubt about it. How did it go with that young woman you were talking to?" Dusty told him everything that was going on with her. "That really sucks. I'm really glad that you were able to help her out. I have some of those forms here, but I think you should let her get them from the guy that you recommended. She's going to need a good attorney if her mother-in-law gets nasty."

"Yeah, I think that you're right on that. But she does have a backbone. She just has to remember that when talking to her." After getting off the phone with his brother, he laid in the bed.

It just occurred to him that he was exhausted. And a real kind of exhaustion that he'd gotten from working. Tomorrow, he was going home, and he was going to continue to walk and take things easy. He never wanted to hurt as badly as he did when he'd hurt himself. Going to sleep, he knew that he had a big day tomorrow and couldn't wait to get his life in gear.

~*~

As soon as he had his brother in the car, they were headed to his office. Locke thought that his brother should rest a bit before assuming work because he felt duty-bound to help Amanda, but he needed to care for himself more.

"I know that you're somewhat disappointed that I'm not going to be staying with you and Alex, but this is something that I have to do. The thing is, for the first time in a while, I'm glad to be an attorney." Locke asked Dusty why now. "I don't know. It's just that I feel like, and not just helping Amanda, but I could make a living or not doing this for people with an imminent dying spouse or loved one. Can you imagine how much peace of mind that would be to someone? I know that you and Martha had things all set up for when she passed. This is much the same thing. Only in larger form. I loved helping her."

"Then I'm not upset and worried about you." He knew that Dusty was staring at him. Just knowing that he was under scrutiny by his younger brother had him a little uneasy. "I have a wife now. And I can't even begin to explain to you how much more I worry about what I'm doing and how it will affect Alex. I feel less…well, I feel less foolish. I find that I don't want to take chances like I used to do. Understand?"

"You're saying that you've matured." Locke said that was right. "I don't know if you realize this or not, but she's made all of us feel a bit less foolish since she's been around. Alex makes us all want to be someone that she can and will be proud of. That sounds sappy but that's just it. When I was telling Alex about Amanda, she told me several times that I was a good person. Martha told me that all the time, but for some reason, it just feels better coming from Alex."

He laughed as they pulled into the driveway of the Landry home. Neither of them got out of the car just then but watched the fight that was going on in the yard. Dusty got out first and made his way to the two women who looked mightily close to coming to blows. Locke took his time, waiting to see if his brother needed his help before jumping in. It looked as if he had everything under control when he finally got to the three of them.

"What are you doing airing your trouble in the yard?" It was Amanda who looked around first. Locke looked as well when she frowned. All the neighbors were standing in their yards with their cell phones out recording them. "Why don't we take this elsewhere and talk this over like adults?"

"I would love that, but she has refused me access to this home that I bought and paid for with my own money." Locke asked whose name was on the deed. "Well, her name is there now. She took my son's name off and put hers there. Like I wanted her to have it after he passes. If he passes. For which she seems to be in a big hurry for anyway. She just can't wait to get her hands on my son's money that she's going to have him killed off the first moment that—"

"That's enough." They both turned to Dusty when he spoke so harshly to the two women. "I don't know a great deal about Mrs. Landry here, but I don't believe for a moment that she's trying to kill off her husband. And what a cruel way to have your husband or son passing if he were to hear the two of you out here bickering like a couple of children. Either take this someplace else before the police are called or go your separate ways."

"What makes you so much in charge, young man?" It was Amanda who answered her mother-in-law about why Dusty was taking charge. "Your friend? When did you make this so-called friend? While my son was on his deathbed?"

"I'm going into the house to finish feeding my children. If you so much as step a foot into this house or his hospital room, I'll have you arrested. I have warned you several times, Margaret, that I have this under control." When the younger woman turned and went into the house, Margaret turned to look at Dusty. Locke decided that he, too, had things under control and left him to it.

"She won't allow me to see my dying son. She's killing me by not letting me see him. Does she know this?" Dusty asked the elder Landry if she knew why. "She just wants to pull the plug on him so that he'll die quicker. I should sue her for trying to kill off my son. That's what I'm going to—"

"And what do you think that will accomplish for you? Not seeing your grandchildren? Do you think that when this is all over—your son is going to die soon, and you're just making it harder on her than it is on you? Do you not realize what this is costing her to go at this alone? To grant her husband his dying wish? What will you do then, Margaret? How will you soothe your grief without the last family that you have?" She just stared at him. "There is no court in the land that will allow you to make decisions on your married son's behalf at this stage in his life. His children have more control than you do at this moment, and you are, all on your own, going to cut yourself out of their lives as if you were never there. Is that what you want?"

"I want my son to live." As she sobbed, Dusty held onto the elderly woman, talking to her, whispering in her ear things that Locke couldn't hear. Moving around, the two of them, after giving his brother a pat on the shoulder, he went into the house where Amanda went. The kids were still sitting at the table, and their mother was nowhere to be found. He asked the oldest child, who seemed to be about seven or eight, where they were going today.

"Nursery school so momma can take a nap. She's very tired. Can you help me with my homework? Momma was, but then that woman came here and started yelling at her. Grandma has been yelling at my momma since Daddy got sick. I don't want her to come here no more." Helping the little girl with her math homework, he finished up the pancakes that had been burning on the stove. Starting over, he was glad that the batter was all mixed up, and all he had to do was fry them up.

While he was in the middle of cleaning up the kitchen, the neighbor came to pick up the kids and take them to nursery school. He asked her if she could tell him where they were going. It bothered him that the woman taking the children couldn't remember the name of the school. So, being somewhat overly protective of the children that he'd gotten to know over funny-shaped pancakes, Locke told the woman that there was a change in plans and that he'd been asked to watch them. If he'd not been looking right at her, he would have missed the flash of anger on her face. That took his fear of what was going on up a few notches.

"Oh. Well, I was going to take them for the day to the school. I wish I could remember the name of the place. Anyway, I can just take them. There isn't any point in you having to change your plans. I'll take them." She seemed overly insistent that they were going with her. Instead of allowing a stranger to take them, as she was physically pulling them out the door when he stopped her, he let her know that he and his wife were going to take care of them and help around the house for Amanda. "You don't understand how we do things around here. I'm going to take them for the day and watch over them for Marg—for Amanda. Now, just get out of the way, sir, or I'm calling the police."

"Call them. I think that's an excellent idea for us all to be on the right page. Then, that way, if you're lying, I can have you arrested for trying to take these little ones from their mom. She doesn't need that on top of all the other things that she's dealing with. Don't you think?" She looked at him so pissed, not even bothering to hide her anger this time, that he could feel the heat of her rage. "Call the police, and in the meantime, I'm going to go into the back yard with them and have some fun. You can show yourself out if you think that you're going to get even a foot near these kids. And if you believe that I'm kidding you, you just go ahead and try to take any of them. I will protect them with your life if I have to. Get out of here while you still can."

Mandy, the little girl with the math issues, stood behind him. He so wanted to ask her if she knew this supposed neighbor, but he was afraid he'd made a fool of himself by refusing to let them go with the woman. But Mandy, seemingly a great deal like her mother, stepped around him, holding still on his pant leg, and spoke to the woman. While she was brave, he thought, she wasn't stupid enough to think that she'd win out over an adult. Smart girl, this one. He held onto the infant while things were starting to take a bad turn that he knew he could easily end up in prison over. He only hoped that Amanda and especially his own wife would visit him in prison, where he was terrified that he was going to end up before the end of the day. Christ, sometimes he hated being able to think like a criminal all the time.

"My momma didn't say that to you, you big wiener head. I heard her telling you to back off this morning when you were here taking us out of our beds. How did you get into our house anyway?" Locke put his hand on the little girl's head while she continued to tell on her. "You just want to take us on account of my grandma paying you off to take us. I saw her in your yard last night, so I listened to what she was telling you." Mandy looked up at him. "Grandma Landry gave her a lot of money to take us so that grandma could have a—I don't remember. But it sounded like she was just going to take us right out of our beds."

Locke blindly reached for the phone and dialed 911 to call the police without taking his eyes off the neighbor. When the woman started to leave, Alex came in the door behind her, and Locke asked her to keep the woman there. Thankfully, Dusty entered from the door, too, and held her to the wall while he and Mandy told them what was going on.

The police cruiser must have been on the street because before he was able to hang up, they were coming in the back door with their guns out. He was slightly freaked out by how quickly they came to the rescue. Even more freaked out that the woman wasn't a neighbor to Amanda at all but to Margaret, the grandma.

"She's keeping the children from their grandmother. Can you believe that? Do you have any idea what is going to happen? She's killing off her husband so that she can leave the country and take these babies away." Mandy told the police that it was a lie. They were only going to nursery school. "Not now, you dummy, but after your father is gone. Did your mom tell you that she's killing off—"

Thankfully, the police knew Dusty, or he might well have been arrested too. As it was, he only slapped the woman across the face and told her that the children didn't need to hear their lies. Amanda had to be taken to the hospital as soon as Margaret came into the house with a ball bat. Christ, this family was more screwed up than any he'd been around in a while.