Chapter 6

Randal - Chapter 6

Randal sat at one end of the large conference table, his brother Tanner to his right and Laney to his left. Her father and stepmother sat on the other side of the table, but looked no less out of place for being side-by-side. Tanner had been with them when the frantic director had called. Mr. Patter wasn't used to being spoken to the way he had been. But once he was calmed down, Tanner suggested that he go, in the event they tried something else. The larger room was given to them, because Tanner asked for one that was as far from the public as they could get. Mr. Patter was more than happy to help out.

Tanner winked at Laney and started handing out paperwork. "This is the copy of the bill for the double funeral for the Zenicks. Also, you'll note that there is a fee for calling hours, as well as flowers for the caskets, that is there as well." He cleared his throat before continuing. "There wasn't an open casket for either of them. They were not found until six weeks after they passed, so it was better not to have a viewing. There were calling hours, but not an open viewing."

"Where are they buried? And why didn't someone wait on us to get here? Laney got here damned quick. You couldn't have waited a few more days?" Tanner said that due to the shape the bodies were in, there wasn't any way to hold off any longer. "All right, I can see that. Where are her things?"

"Things?" Tanner had a list of the items that were left in the house, but all of that had to be burned. He explained that to her. "There was nothing left. It had to be dealt with by a firm that deals in that sort of thing. As you can imagine, there was a very bad odor in the house that lingered in the things in the bedroom where they were found. I'm sorry."

"No pictures of her? You know, after they were found? How do I know that you even have the right person?" Randal squeezed Laney's hand when she looked as if she was going to speak. They'd been told not to speak unless spoken to. He thought that was going to be sooner rather than later, the way her dad kept staring at her.

"The coroner might have taken pictures during the autopsy, but we can't get a copy of those, I'm sorry. As for any pictures in the home, no, there was nothing left there that could be salvaged except a couch or chair, I think. The stove and refrigerator that belongs to the landlord, but I think once he has to go in and clean it up, those things will be taken out as well." Randal kept waiting for them to ask after Heather, but they seemed more interested in what they could get. "As for the floral arrangements that were sent to the funeral home, those too have been dealt with. The planters, which there were several, were sent to the local nursing home for those people to enjoy. Any other arrangements were also given to the local hospital to freshen up some rooms."

"You had no right to just give my daughter's things away. I want you to go and collect them back and give them to us." Tanner simply said no. "What do you mean, no? No, you're not going to go get them? Or no, we have no right to them? She was my little girl."

"Yes, she was. But the funeral and all the arrangements were made by someone else, and paid for too. Since there was no will other than a handwritten note about one or two things, nor any insurance, then someone had to pay for it. If you'd like, I can have someone send you a bill for half of what was taken care of. That way, I can make sure you are compensated for half of whatever flowers were given away."

"You fucking ass. I want my daughter's things. She's gone and I got nothing, not one thing to remember her by. And now you're trying to stick me with half the bill. What sort of monster are you, anyway? Who paid for this, anyway? I'd like to tell them thanks for nothing."

"I paid for it." No one spoke when Laney did. "My husband and I paid for everything. Also took care of some of their unpaid bills that had mounted up. They were using their food card for drugs, and there wasn't anything left for things like food and the electric bill. It's all taken care of."

"Husband?" Her dad stood, then sat back down. He looked at Randal, then back at Laney when neither of them said anything. "You're married? To this man? When did that take place? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what, Dad? That I met someone that is nothing like you and loves me? Or did you want to hear that I've fallen madly in love with someone and he's kind and good to me? So is his family, if you want to know. They're the nicest people I have ever been in contact with." He said that he was her family. "No, you stopped being my family the first time you were arrested for drunken conduct in a public setting. If you'll remember, that was the day you came to my school to get me out early so I could drive you to the store to get more booze. Right around the time that you hooked up with Rosemarie. Correct?"

Last night Laney had told Randal everything. How her father had met Rosemarie at a bar one night when he'd been there drowning his sorrows. Then not a week later, they were married, her dad told her, and they became a blended family. But she was the only one that hadn't blended. Laney had been the outcast from the first day, and she stayed that way. Joe and Chloe had provided the rest.

There were arrest records for all three of them, including Sally Anne. For some of them she'd only been a minor, but after a while they put her name with her parents' as trouble too. As soon as she was able, Laney had left home and had found her own way. Sally Anne had moved to Ohio, and her dad and Rosemarie had moved to Florida, where she said that she was glad they were, and not bothering her.

"Why do I care how this was paid or by who? I don't, in case anyone cares. I want to know where my daughter's things are that were given to her as gifts when she died." Laney said that there were none, just the flowers. "You expect me to believe that nobody sent a single meat tray, or even a little bit of cash to help out with the arrangements? I don't, in case you were wondering."

"I don't really care what you believe or not, Rosemarie. She's dead, along with her drug addict husband. What you might want to think about is how Heather is taking this. How she lived in that house for six weeks with their dead bodies rotting in the other room. That she had to go in there and take some cash from Clay's pocket so she could have food in her belly." Her father asked where she was now. "At our home. As far away from the two of you as I can make her."

"That's my granddaughter, and you'll bring her to me this minute. And I'm taking her back with me when I go too." Laney stood up and so did he as Rosemarie continued. Tanner stayed put, but he was watching the couple as closely as Randal was. "You think to keep her from me? My own granddaughter, when she needs me?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, that is exactly what I'm going to do. And we both know that she's no more your granddaughter than I'm your child. She's your little girl, my father's and yours." Rosemarie denied it. "Deny it all you want, but Sally Anne never had a child that lived past birth. She never was able to carry a child to term because of the way her body was poisoned by drugs. It's your child, and we have proof."

Rosemarie said that they had no such thing. And when a sheet of paper was laid before her, she picked it up then handed it to Lance. Until that moment, Randal had no idea that the woman couldn't read well, if at all.

"It's her birth certificate. It has both our names on it. And now that I look this over, I'm seeing that she might not be my child at all. Rosemarie, is that right?" Rosemarie told him that Heather might not be, but said that wasn't the point. "Then what is the point? Is she mine or not? I think, after all this time, I should know that. Not that it matters a hill of beans to me about her, but it would be nice to know what you did behind my back, don't you think?"

They left then. Laney had had enough, and he could feel her hurt. As they were leaving, he heard her father demanding again to be told if Heather was the father. Tanner said he'd finish up, but Randal wasn't sure what it would be about when Rosemarie was as single minded as he'd ever seen.

Laney left him there as she ran to the ladies' room and he waited. Mr. Patter came to stand with him.

"They're not nice people." He said that they were not. "I'm sorry to have called you in about this, Randal, but I didn't know what else to do. They were threatening me with the police. And even though we've done nothing wrong, you just don't want the police in front of a funeral home. Not the way tongues will wag about nothing."

"You did the right thing. Don't worry over it. My wife and I will deal with them if they threaten you again." He asked about Laney's first name. "Yes, that's her. I guess when we were here for the funeral we didn't mention that, and I'm sorry about that."

"They were so upset with me. Like I'd stolen all their worldly possessions. They didn't have any from what I'm to understand." Randal said that they didn't. "I hate to say this, but I cannot believe that your pretty young wife is related to those people. They were stealing the creamers that I put in my tea."

"I'm so sorry."

Laney came out of the bathroom then, a little pale, but he knew she was all right. He told her what Mr. Patter said. Laney told him she was sorry as well, and he told her not to worry. But he was glad that the funeral was over before they got here.

"Not to say that I did it on purpose, mind you, but I think they would have been a great deal of trouble anyway. They asked me for liquor, like I have some sort of license for something like that. I never. I just never." Laney nodded and told him that they were both drunks, and would be dealt with soon enough. "If you don't mind me saying, miss, I'd not let them near me again. I don't think they're right in the head. I'm sorry, but that's the way I feel about them."

"You don't have to worry about me, Mr. Patter. The Calhouns are taking very good care of me." Laney said she was ready and they headed for the door.

Randal could hear yelling from the general area of the room they'd just left with her parents there, and wondered how Tanner was holding up. Reaching out to him, he made sure he was going to be safe there with them before they left.

They're a trip, I'll tell you that. The mister is sort of in shock, I think. One, because we knew about the child and he didn't. And secondly, I think he's never seen his daughter in this sort of light before. Randal asked him what he meant. A grown up. Married grown up. He keeps saying things like she was pretty, and that she was all grown up. Do you know how long they'll be around before being arrested?

Anastasia said that it would be a couple of days. She wants them to get into trouble here. And there is no doubt whatsoever that they will. At least she will, even if it's to hit someone. They've been getting into things since they left home. Also, Chloe has been in touch with a couple of agencies down there, and they're sending someone here to issue some arrest records that are outstanding on them both. I forgot to tell you that this morning.

She told me, and sent me copies of what they were going to do. Is Laney all right? He said she'd been sick before, but he thought she was going to be fine. I cannot imagine what is going through her head right now. The poor thing. I'm going to call in the family when I get home—

The silence was scary, and Randal had a feeling that one or both of them had hit his brother. Tanner? He told him to wait a moment. Tanner, I'm coming up there. Are you all right?

Yes. I'm all right. But I think her father is having a heart attack. I've called 911.

Randal told Laney what was going on, and she didn't move out of the car that they'd been getting into.

"Do you think I should go back in?" He said it was up to her. "I can't believe how I feel right now, Randal. I just don't care."

"Understandable." He did understand too. More than she might think he did. "We can go on home and wait for a call, or follow the ambulance to the hospital. Whatever you want to do."

"Follow them. I think if I were to go in there now, Rosemarie would blame me for this. And it would get nasty." Randal thought she was correct in that. "If you don't mind, can you contact your family and let them know? Not Heather. She doesn't need to know any of this is going on, if we can help it."

Randal let his family know what had happened and what they were doing. His mom was upset that they'd treated her daughter that way, and Joe was spitting mad. Not at him or Laney, but at the Prices. His dad and grandda said they'd meet them at the hospital with Trent, as they were in town already. Randal thought that would make Laney feel better.

~*~

Laney wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She wasn't worried that he'd die. The doctor had assured her that it wasn't a heart attack, but simple heartburn. Plus a little stress on top of that. As they sat there waiting for some word on whether or not they were going to keep him, she thought of her father.

He'd been such a good man before her mom had died. Dad had told her once when she'd been called to send money that he'd been stifled with her mom. That he'd not been able to live until he'd met Rosemarie. Laney asked him if his reason for being able to live was to make her life miserable, and he'd laughed.

"You're miserable because you don't want to live. Do you see the correlation here? You're stifled too. But unlike me, you've kept on being that way instead of letting off steam. I'm having a good time. Can't you be happy for me?" She told him she couldn't. "See, that's what I'm trying to tell you. You're not living."

"Dad, I have a good job that I'm very good at. I have a roof over my head all the time, and I pay my bills when they come due." She'd not mentioned that she had a savings account, sure that they'd figure out a way to get to it too. "You're living on welfare, you don't have a job nor a decent place to live. And you're drinking a great deal."

"I get drunk too, a lot." She asked him why he'd do that. "Because I can. Don't you understand? When I was living with your mom I was a good man. I did everything I was supposed to do. And then when she died, it was as if my whole world was gone too. That I had nothing left in me. I wanted to die too."

"So did I, but I didn't go out and marry the first person that came along. I didn't drink myself into a stupor every night. Dad, you've been getting worse and worse since I left home. When will it stop?" He told her that he would be dead before he became a man that he didn't like. "So you didn't like being my father? Husband to my mom?"

"Honestly? No, I didn't like being any of those things."

She'd hung up on him then, and never called him back. Even when he called her, leaving messages that he was in trouble, or they needed money, she never called him back. And then after sending money to Sally Anne and seeing what she'd done with the cash, Laney washed her hands of all of them. She wasn't going to be a part of their downward trend, ever.

"Laney, the doctor is coming."

She stood up and waited for him. Randal stood with her, and she felt sorry for him. There was too much going on, and she hated that he was having to be a part of it. But he loved her, and that was what was getting her through.

"Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun, I'm the doctor taking care of your father. Doctor Burt Spencer. I wanted to tell you that he's doing fine now. We're going to keep him overnight, simply as a precaution. He's slightly dehydrated, and we're giving him some fluids. Also, Rosemarie, I think her name is, is insisting that he be put into a private room where he can have peace and quiet, and I've explained to her several times that it's not necessary. Nor is it covered under the cards that they have for another state." She asked him if that went over well. "Not really, but I'm made of sterner stuff. You should be warned, however, that she's looking for you. If you confront her here, we can treat any wounds that might be inflicted on her. I've been tempted since your dad was brought in."

"I can take her." He nodded and she asked him what had caused his trouble breathing. "Stress most likely. I'm to understand that he's lost his daughter?"

"I'm his daughter. It was his stepdaughter that passed away recently. Her and her husband died of a drug overdose." He said that made a difference in the information he could give her. "I don't understand."

"They're not married. You father and that woman. I just heard back from the hospital that had treated him before that there are no records of them being wed at all." She staggered a little, and he caught her when Randal did. "I'm sorry. I thought you might have known that."

"No. I mean, I thought all this time that they were married. And that he adopted my stepsister, Sally Anne." He said that there wasn't any record of that as well, and he'd had them check. "I see. So.... That does put a different light on things, doesn't it?"

"I'm sure it does for a lot of reasons. Not just medical, I'm afraid." The doctor laughed. "As I was saying, as his medical card doesn't cover private rooms, he won't be moved into one unless they can pay for it. And since Rosemarie stated that they have no funds, I can see where that's not going to happen."

"Thank you. I'll try and explain it to her when she finds me." He started away, then came back. "She asked you if I was paying the bill, didn't she?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. More like she said that I was to send you the billing. I think she has it in her head that your father is dying and it's all your fault. Also, Chloe is here, and she's taking her statement now, about how you caused this and you stole from her."

"Did she happen to mention what it is she thinks I stole from her?" He told her something about flowers and meat trays. "I'll take care of her." When he left them, Laney looked at Randal. "Are you still happy that we married? I'd be running for the hills about now."

He kissed her on the mouth and told her that this was simply a bump in the road. His dad said that they'd had worse and that she was a trooper. Leaning against Randal as he held her, she listened as TJ told her about the time he'd been on a walk and had seen a woman digging up a grave of her mother.

"Said that she'd been buried with her jewelry. Not her mom's mind, but hers. And that the funeral home had messed up in not taking it off her." Laney asked what had happened. "She was arrested, charged with all kinds of stuff, and come to find out, there wasn't any jewelry at all. She just wanted to go in and beat her mom up for not putting her in the will. Sorry people around now days, don't you think?"

"I do." Rosemarie could be heard coming down the hall before she got to them. "I'd like to handle this, if you don't mind. But don't leave me with her."

"I will never leave you. None of us will."

TJ and James said they had her back too, and she felt better. This was going to be a showdown, she just knew it. "Hello, Rosemarie."

"Don't you go acting all high and mighty to me, young lady. I know what you are. What are you going to do about this?" She asked what she was referring to. "This hospital bill. The fact that they have him in a room with a bunch of other sick people. The least you can do is fix it so that I can stay with him and have a bed. You are the cause of him having a heart attack anyways, and you know it. With all your rules and stealing our daughter's things."

"Dad is fine where he is. There was no heart attack, but only heartburn. He's stressed, but I think that has more to do with you than me." Rosemarie asked her what she had done. "Well, dragging him into your level of trouble for starters. Then there is the ride from Florida. I can well imagine that being with you for several hundred miles wasn't a walk in the park. Did you make him drive all the way, or did you take your turn at the wheel? And, this was a great surprise, but I know that you're not married, so don't expect to be getting any updates on his health from now on."

"You fucking cunt." Laney smiled at her. It felt good to be on the other end of her rage for a change by having the upper hand and people to support her. "You don't know fucking shit about us. You're the cause of all of this. Why, I'd bet any kind of money that you had something to do with the drugs that my daughter and her wonderful husband took."

"As I know you have no money, I'm not too terribly worried about any kinds of bets you'd be making. And if you want to know the truth, Sally Anne bought the drugs all on her own and shot up with him, so there goes her wife of the year award. Then there is the added fact that they did these things right there in the same house as your little girl. The one that you gave to the drug addicts for whatever reason."

She drew back again to hit her. This time it wasn't her that stopped her, but James. He stepped in front of her and growled low. There was fury there, and she'd not want to fuck with the man, no matter if he was sporting a lot of gray.

"In the event that you don't remember, this is my grandfather-in-law, James Calhoun. The other gentleman is my father-in-law, TJ. Better men than you've ever met, and good to me." She wrapped her arm around Randal's and smiled. "This is my husband, Randal. A man that I love more than myself. You wouldn't understand that, because you don't know how to love, to be kind, nor appreciative of what you have. I'm speaking of me. You have fucked me over enough, Rosemarie, and you don't want to try your shit on me anymore. I'm not that little girl that you locked in the closet with the lights off, and I'm certainly not the child that you tried to sell off to your friends when I was home alone with you."

"Do you hear yourself? All these lies you're telling, it's a wonder you're not struck down by a lightning bolt." She looked over at Randal. "You've made a major mistake by marrying her. I can tell you things about her that would curl your toes. She's a money grubbing monster that makes up stuff just to make herself look good. Or sad…I've not figured that out yet. But if you can, I'd just divorce her and never come back to her."

"Really? I love her. Very much, as a matter of fact. And I know things about you that will land your skinny ass in prison. And also, you should know that we're going to adopt Heather and raise her the way that she should be raised. By loving, non-addictive parents." She backed up from him when he started to get closer. "So, the next time you try and accuse her of something, you'd better be taking a long hard look at your own life. The shit that you've done, as well as what it's going to cost you now that you're caught. And you are caught, Rosemarie. Both of you are."

"I'm not afraid of you. Either of you." She lunged at Randal like she'd seen children do to try and intimidate other children. All he did was laugh. "You two are going to regret this. See if you don't. Now I'm going to go see my husband, and you aren't to come and bother him."

The nurse behind Rosemarie cleared her throat. She looked directly at her and smiled when Laney asked her if she could help. Nodding, she took a step closer to her and told her what was going on.

"Your father has requested to see you and your husband, Mrs. Calhoun. Also, it's been taken care of with visitors to him. Doctor Spencer said to tell you that if you have any more troubles," she looked pointedly at Rosemarie, "that you can give him a call and he'll call in the troops for you."

"I think we'll be fine, but tell him that I'll keep that in mind." Rosemarie asked what was going on. Instead of answering her, she smiled again and felt the power of it all the way to her heart. "None of your business, and stay the fuck out of my way or I'll turn you every which way but loose."

They left her standing there, the four of them headed to her dad's room. She had no idea what he wanted, or why he'd care to see her or Randal, but right now she needed a minute. Leaning against the wall outside his room, she thought she was going to be sick again. James started laughing and she joined him. It felt pretty damned good to have the upper hand in this.