A Family Torn

Tom looked at Dr. Riddick. "Okay, doctor, how do we get her to see this wasn't her fault?"

"We're not going to be able to convince her of that, Tom, because in reality it is partially her fault. She knows that and nothing you or I say will convince her otherwise. As you mentioned already, you're not totally without blame either so it's also partially your faulty as well.

"The good news is you both acknowledge it and are willing to share in the responsibility. That's a giant step forward. You need to accept and understand your roles before you can forgive yourself and each other.

"Tom," he said, giving Angela a chance to recuperate a little, "last week, when Angela asked why you so readily dismissed her as a possible assistant, you gave two excuses, money and childcare for your daughter, only one of which was even relevant; I want to know the real reasons."

Tom could feel the guilt rising up from his gut. He knew what the doctor was asking. It was the same thing he thought about after the last session. It took a minute for him to think before answering.

"Yeah, you're right, I have a stake in this too, and I owe Angela an apology. I get very passionate about my work. So much so that evidently I can lose sight of my priorities. I didn't even realize that until last week." He turned to look at Angela. "I thought about what you said...how I acted about the job and I realized you were right. Somehow while I was building the business, it actually became more important than you. I'm ashamed of myself. That never should have happened and I am truly sorry."

The apology was nice but knowing she took a back seat to the studio wasn't a comforting thought for Angela. It just added to her feelings of inadequacy and she cried that much harder.

It was almost time for the session to end but the doctor didn't want to leave it like that. He knew how bad Angela felt and she needed something to cheer her up.

"Tom, Angela, I sometimes give out homework assignments at the end of a session..."

Once again, both Tom and Angela were astonished to find their hour was up.

"...and I have one for you two. It also includes Lana. Angela, I want you to come up with an idea for a special family portrait."

"What?" asked Tom.

Angela's comment was, "huh?"

"A family portrait...of all three of you. Tom, I assume your camera has a self-timer."

"Ah, yeah, I mean, well I have remote triggers. I can shoot from anywhere, but..."

"Good," said Dr. Raddick, interrupting Tom. "Do you work tomorrow?"

"Sunday?" No."

"Excellent, then I want the three of you to go down to your studio tomorrow and take a family portrait. Angela, I don't want to see the three of you sitting on the couch, looking into the camera. I want to see something spectacular, something unique. Can you do that?"

She actually had a smile on her face. "Yeah, I can do that." She turned toward Tom. "What about it? Can we do it?"

"Yeah," he said, getting excited about the idea himself. "Yeah, you're damn right we can do it."

"Okay then it's settled. Next week when you come in I want to see the best family portrait I've ever seen," announced the doctor. "Tom, you of course are responsible for actually taking the pictures but I want it to be Angela's idea...okay?"

"Yup," he answered with a smile.

Rarely were people all smiles when leaving his office but it did happen once in a while. This was one of those times.

"Are you going to follow me to mom and dad's to pick up Lana?" she asked on the way out to the parking lot.

It was his weekend with his daughter. "Yeah, I'll be right behind you."

This time Harry Eurbanic, his ex-father-in-law, was home as well as Lana's grandmother. They had a nice visit and told everyone about the doctor's photo challenge before Tom and Lana left.

Angela stayed behind to visit with her folks a little longer then drove home to start on her homework. Without Dayton it was the first time the house had been empty in a while but she was so preoccupied she didn't even notice. She grabbed several sheets of paper and a pencil and starting writing down ideas and making sketches.

It was still early spring in Chicago but the temperatures had been unseasonably warm. The water would still be cold, very cold, but she was feeling better than she had in a long time--maybe even a little crazy; at least that's what Tom and Lana were going to think when she told them of her idea.

She opened her laptop to 'Google Earth' and searched the lakefront until she found what she was looking for. Angela couldn't keep from grinning as she made out a list of what they would need.

It was almost nine o'clock by the time she called to tell Tom what to wear and to bring a change of clothes; she would bring extra clothes for Lana.

Everything sounded intriguing to Tom but he had second thoughts when she told him what time they had to meet. He made sure he ran it past Lana before agreeing. She was sitting next to him while he was talking. "Honey, your mom says we have to meet her at North Avenue Beach at five o'clock in the morning for that family portrait. I have no idea what she has in mind. Are you okay with that?"

She didn't even hesitate. "Yeah, dad, it'll be fun."

He wasn't too sure about that. Getting up at three-thirty on a Sunday morning wasn't exactly his idea of fun but what the hell. Try as he did to waggle it out of her, Angela would not divulge her idea. She only told him what she thought he'd need in the way of camera gear.

The following day it was still pitch dark when they met at the lakefront. Angela had done her research and knew the facilities had already been opened by the park service for the season. She had Lana change into the clothes and an old pair of sneakers she'd brought, then explained her idea for the shot.

"Let me get this straight. I set the camera up on the pier looking back toward the shoreline and the rocks. We climb up on the rocks and jump into the water?"

"Yeah," she enthusiastically confirmed. "I did all the research just like you would. The sun will come up right over there in just about an hour. I figured that'll give you enough time to set up the camera and the lights and everything. The water's only about three feet deep right there."

"Yeah, but it's cold, Angie."

"Aw, come on, dad, where's your sense of adventure?"

He looked at his smiling daughter. "You want to do this?"

"Yeah, I think it'll be a blast."

"Yeah, if we don't all end up with pneumonia," he mumbled. He looked at his ex. "Who's going to pay for my wireless camera trigger when it gets all wet and shorts out?"

"Oh, here," she said, pulling a plastic zip-lock bag from her purse.

He had to laugh. She'd thought of everything.

"Tom, if you can get the camera on kind of a low angle where it's shooting up a little bit, we can have the skyline behind us," Angela added. "I think it'll really look pretty with the sun shining off all the buildings."

Tom sighed. "Okay," he said with a shake of his head. "I think you're both nuts but if you're game I'm game." He went to work setting up for the shot. The timing was perfect. He was just finishing up as the sun came peeking through the skyline.

When they were all ready they climbed onto the large rocks and held hands with Lana in the middle. Tom held the plastic enclosed trigger to the camera in his other hand. "Okay, you guys. We have to get this right on the first take. I want everyone looking excited and pull your legs up as high as you can when you're in the air. I'm going to shoot when we're at the top of the jump. Everybody ready? On the count of three; one...two...THREE...

Everyone was still laughing and drying themselves off when Lana came up with an idea. "Hey dad, we still have to get breakfast, maybe mom can come with us. Then do you think we could go to your studio and see the picture on your computer?"

He glanced at his ex who had a hopeful look on her face. "Yeah, I guess we could do that. I really don't want to leave my gear in the car anyway. Why don't you meet us at the studio, Angela. I'll drop my stuff off and we can go to the restaurant in one car from there. This early on a Sunday morning, you'll be able to park right in front. When we get back I'll do a quick edit on the shot and make a couple of prints for you."

Angela was thrilled. The whole episode had been cathartic for her. She was happier than she'd been in years. Of course the guilt and sadness would return as soon as it was all over, but for now she just wanted to enjoy herself.

After breakfast they were all excited to see their family portrait. Back at the studio, Tom had already downloaded the file into the software when his cell phone rang. He looked at the display and saw it was detective Lobowski. Not knowing the reason for the call, he walked to the front of the building where he'd have some privacy in case it was bad news.

"Hello, detective, is something wrong?" he asked in a hush tone.

"No, no, Mr. Hayden. I just wanted to bring you up to date on the case, that's all."

"Whew," he sighed. "When I saw it was you, all kinds of things popped into my head. You hear about guys all the time getting out on some technicality."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you. Cooper will be arraigned at ten o'clock tomorrow morning. There's no reason for you to be there but I thought you'd like to know. He'll have a bail hearing at two..."

"You think he'll get out on bail?" Tom interrupted.

"No, I doubt it. He's going to appear before judge Wesson. She hates anything that deals with kids. Ms. James, she's the ADA you met, thinks Wesson will set bail at a quarter-mill. He'd have to come up with twenty five grand in cash to get out. Since he doesn't own a home or have any real assets I think he'll be in there for the duration."

That was great news for Tom.

"He still hasn't requested an attorney so she'll appoint one for him but so far I've been able to question him alone. I'm trying to get him to cop to it so Lana won't have to testify."

"O God, that would be wonderful," responded Tom.

"Well, don't get your hopes up too high but he does seem like he wants to confess. Sometimes guys just need to be prodded, you know. He's been talking, he just hasn't come out and admitted to molesting her yet. He did tell me he saw her two years ago at some company picnic you guys were at. He never forgot her and when he found out you and your ex were splitting up, he saw his chance. He's pretty smooth. He knows how to sweet talk a woman but he wasn't interested in your wife. He wanted Lana and knew the way to her was through Mrs. Hayden."

"Two years ago? Shit, she was only thirteen. He's one sick mother fucker," growled Tom. "Excuse my French."

That brought a chuckle from the seasoned cop. "That's okay, I've heard words like that before," he joked.

"So what's your gut feeling? You think he'll confess?"

"Yeah, I do. If I can get one more interview without some bleeding heart lawyer sitting next to him, I think I can get his statement on paper. He's such an arrogant bastard I think he wants to brag. I just have to push the right buttons."

"Well, if you can make that happen, detective, my whole family will be in your debt."

"Only doing my job, Mr. Hayden. Sometimes we get lucky and actually get the bad guys. It's what makes the job worth doing. I'll let you know if there are any more developments." They both said their goodbyes and hung up.

Tom didn't want to get Lana's hopes up but both she and her mother were curious so he did tell them there was a chance that Lana wouldn't have to testify.

He returned to his computer and made a few adjustments to the photo. He enhanced the colors in the sky a little and did just a little retouching to their faces. "There we go, how's that?" he asked, backing up his chair so Lana and Angela could get a closer look.

"Oh dad, that is soooo neat."

"Tom, that's amazing," replied his impressed ex.

"Hey, it was your idea," he said with a smile. "I'll make a few prints," he said, rolling his chair closer again so he could hit the print button.

"This was a really great idea," he told Angela as he handed her a half a dozen, eight by tens. "Next week I'll make a few sixteen by twenties and have them framed. I want one for in here, one for my apartment and I'll give you one for the house."

She thanked him profusely with a hug then said goodbye to Lana before getting in her car and making the drive back home. Angela was able to control herself until she reached the house, then burst out in tears. It had been such a wonderful morning. They had been a family again—if for only a few hours. Now she had to face reality again and reality was loneliness and regret.

The following week was pretty mundane for everyone but Tom. Cayla answered the phone shortly after opening on Wednesday and committed to a meeting later that afternoon.

"Who did he say he was?"

"He said his name was Carl Winslow. That's all he said," explained Cayla.

"He didn't say what it was about?"

"No—just that he and a couple of associates wanted to meet you here this afternoon."

It was two-o'clock on the dot when three men walked into Tom's studio and introduced themselves. Carl was definitely the lead man in the delegation. Tom escorted them back to his office.

"So, gentlemen, what can I do for you?"

"Tom, have you heard of Rhicter and Wright?"

Silly question, thought Tom. You couldn't be in his business for long and not know the name. "Yes, of course. It's an ad agency in New York"

"That's us," Carl quickly confirmed. "We've kept it pretty much under wraps before now but we're opening a branch here, in Chicago and we're interviewing photographers."

"I see," replied Tom. Rhicter and Wright was a big agency but if they were just interviewing photographers he wasn't getting too excited yet.

Carl continued. "Would it be possible for you to give us a tour of your studio, here?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, standing up. "Come with me." He showed them the two dressing rooms and shower before taking them into the shooting area. "I know it's not all that big but it's very well equipped. Everything I have is quality so I get consistent results," he told the three visitors.

After the twenty-five cent tour they congregated back in the office where Carl picked up the conversation again.

"Tom, I'll be honest with you. You've got a great reputation in the business. We've seen some of your work and it's top-notch. We're going to be dealing with three photographers in the area and we'd like you to be one of them."

Okay, this was starting to sound interesting. Tom's heart started beating just a little faster.

"We already have a pretty impressive local clientele waiting for us to open, which will be in about six months. My only concern is that it's just you and one assistant. Will you be able to handle the additional work?" Carl asked.

"Carl, Cayla is capable to handling the work of three," he praised, "but if I need more help I'll hire them."

"Excellent," said Carl as he and the others rose from their chairs.

Tom guessed the meeting was over as they all stretched out their hands to shake. They all exchanged business cards and one of the others gave Cayla more information they would need for billing and tax purposes.

When they were gone Tom and Cayla looked at each other. Jesus, Cayla, Rhicter and Wright is on a whole different playing field than the agencies we've been dealing with. They handle some of the biggest brands in the world."

"I know," she excitedly replied. "We'll have to drop some of our other clients...just keep the cream of the crop."

"No, we're not dropping anyone, Cayla. Some of those guys have been with me since I opened my doors; they've stayed loyal to me, I'm going to stay loyal to them. No, when the time comes I'll hire more help, that's all. We won't see much work from them until next year anyway. If it gets to where we can't handle things from here I'll find a place with more space but I won't drop anybody."

That following Friday Lana had another therapy session with Dr. Zarkowski. After a whole week of not having to be afraid, she was starting to relax a little, and once again, poured her heart out. She was embarrassed but was still able to go into some of the specifics and explain how dirty Dayton's touch made her feel.

Dr. Zarkowski admired the young lady for her strength. The horrific experience would obviously stay with her the rest of her life, but where it might literally destroy some, she was confident that Lana could handle it.

The following day Angela had a wrapped package in her hand when Tom met her in Dr. Raddick's outer office.

"Is that what I think it is?"

She nodded and smiled. "I bought a frame for it."

Before starting their therapy session, Angela made the presentation. "Dr. Raddick, this is for you," she said as she laid the gift on his desk.

"What's this?" he unwrapped it and held it up. "Wow, now this is a great family portrait," he said with a big smile. He brought the photo a little nearer to his face and studied it closer. "This really is amazing. How did you do this?" he asked, looking at Tom.

Tom looked at his proud ex. "You tell him," he said. "The whole thing was your idea." Tom sat back and listened to an excited Angela as she told the doctor just how everything was done. He was stunned at how well she described the way he set his lights and camera angle. She even explained how he fixed a rear light with a yellow filter and aimed it at their backs to enhance the glow from the sunrise.

At that point it wasn't clear who was more impressed, Tom or the doctor.

"Tom is a true professional," bragged Angela. "I knew he'd get a great shot. My biggest worry was whether I could convince him to jump into Lake Michigan. That water was cold."

The doctor looked at Tom who simply raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to one side with a silly grin. "Hey, anything for the shot," he said.

The doctor thanked them both for the gift and praised them for their ingenuity before delving into their regular session. "Tom, last week Angela was very candid about her feelings. I'd like to get that same candor from you. You said," he picked up his tablet and reviewed his notes, "the business actually became more important than your wife. I know it will be difficult for Angela but I want you to elaborate on that. How did that happen?"

"I don't really know," he said. "It...I don't know, it was a slow process. Angela used to show an interest in the studio. She used to ask questions and make comments and suggestions when I was still struggling to build it up. I really appreciated that. It was like we were partners—both sharing the same dream. Then she stopped asking questions. I'd still come home and tell her about things that happened but she stopped being interested. Then we started fighting. I didn't know it was because of Cayla.

"I should have paid more attention when she asked about the job. I don't know why I didn't. I'd already had a preconceived idea of the person I was going to hire. I just...I don't know...she was my wife, I never thought of us working together."

Angela was sniffling again as she listened. "I guess that's understandable," she whimpered. "I just wish you hadn't been callus about it. It was like you were mocking me for even suggesting it. It made me feel irrelevant, like I wasn't even worthy of consideration."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I never ever meant to make you feel like that. I loved you with all my heart. I don't know why I dismissed you like that."

They continued to express their feelings through the hour long session. Before they left, Raddick thanked them both again for the picture and said he would hang it on the wall in the outer office.

Things seemed like they settling down a little for everyone when Tom got a call from Audrey James, the Assistant District Attorney. She asked if he and Angela could come to her office. He checked with his ex and made an appointment.