Getting By Ch. 02

Cynthia stopped in the doorway and Peter watched as a flush rose up her neck. Her eyes glinted and her face worked itself into a scowl of anger. Before Peter could fully grasp what he saw she went on the offensive. She said, "My God! It's almost one p.m. and you're not even dressed. Why are you even home? Did you miss your golf game today? You know how hard I had to work to get you set up to play golf with your group on Saturday mornings. Did you even think about your obligation to them before you decided to lounge around the house in your drunken stupor? I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

As soon as she stopped talking Cynthia stomped past Peter and headed upstairs almost at a run. She was out of sight before he fully took in her dress. She was in a short skirt and almost translucent blouse. It had been obvious she had no bra on and the blouse was not fully buttoned. Peter thought he had seen red marks on the part of her breast he saw when she had rushed past him. He sat down at the kitchen table for a moment while he thought about what he had seen. He still felt like crap and his head was fuzzy so it took him a while to comprehend what he had seen and what Cynthia had said.

With a sinking feeling in his stomach Peter stood and took off up the stairs following Cynthia. When he arrived at their bedroom he found her already in the bathroom and the door closed. That alone was strange because they normally didn't close the door when one of them was in the bathroom. He frowned when he realized there had been several times over the last few months when Cynthia had closed the bathroom door while she was inside.

Peter tried to open the door only to find it locked. That really didn't make any sense and it angered him as well. He jiggled the door. Cynthia snarled, "Get away from here asshole. After the way you acted last night it'll be a long time before you get in the shower with me again. I've never been so embarrassed in my life."

"Cynthia what the hell's going on here? What's the matter with you lately?"

"Nothing's the matter with me Peter. You're the one with a problem here. You ignore your social obligations, you treat me like shit, you take Jerrod's side against your own daughter then you think you can come in here and maul me? Not likely buster. Now just get your ass out of here while I clean up and dress. Don't forget to set up the bar. Remember we have guests coming this evening."

"Where have you been Cynthia? Why didn't you or Winona leave a note at least?"

"I don't have to answer to you for every second of my time Peter but if you must know some of our friends from the club and I helped Winona move the things she had left at Jerrod's apartment back to her apartment. We did that while you were sleeping off your drunk too I might add. Afterward we had a nice meal at the club then I came home." Cynthia giggled then said, "And you should see the text message Winona is going to send the little asshole breaking up with him. It is precious. I wish I could be there to see his face when he gets it."

Pete slowly walked from the room and returned to his office. He once again sat in his desk chair. He swiveled it around to face his credenza and picked up his bottle of 18 year old Glenlivet. He poured a tumbler full then swiveled back to once again put his feet on his desk and lean back. He was contemplating this new development when Cynthia came storming into his office.

Cynthia stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. Her face was red with her anger. She screeched, "Damn you Peter what's gotten into you? I tell you to get things ready for our guests and I find you in here swilling booze again? I suppose you're going to get drunk and embarrass me again this evening aren't you?"

Pete sat glaring at Cynthia for a moment then said, "No I'm not going to get drunk again and if you get embarrassed this evening I believe it will be your fault just as it was last night. Besides we have over two hours before I have to dress to meet your guests." Pete looked at Cynthia a moment then continued, "Besides, I thought this was to be a catered garden party so why would I need to set up my bar. Also if we're going to be outside all evening in this heat why are you wearing those clothes. That blouse is heavier by far than the one you wore this morning and looks hot as hell."

Cynthia flushed once more and hissed, "What I wear or don't wear isn't the issue here Peter. I think I look good in this outfit and I want to impress OUR guests. Besides, you have no right to dictate what I choose to wear." She turned and stomped from the room. Pete did not see Cynthia again until he moved from the office to get dressed for her party. She was in the living room talking on the phone. He stood in the door for a moment and she glared at him before turning her back and continuing her conversation in a quieter voice.

Pete did not know who had been invited to the party and didn't really care too much. That is he didn't care until he saw who was attending. Saul and two of the other worse womanizers from the club were there. In his opinion they were paying way too much attention to Cynthia again also. Winona was there with her old boyfriend who he was sure had become her new boyfriend once more. There were a few others from the club and, thankfully even a couple of people he could call his friends too.

Along about 8 p.m. Pete headed into the house to go to the bathroom. When he came back outside he heard Cynthia talking to one of her closest friends. She said, "Honestly I don't know why I put up with his crap any longer. Saul is a much nicer man and dances divinely. He is more cultured and comes from a much better family than Peter does." Cynthia laughed and continued, "I did manage to have a private conversation with him for a few minutes when we had lunch at the club after we helped Winona move her things out of Jerrod's condo. He is such a great conversationalist and he seems to know everyone that is anyone in the City. I wish Peter was more like him. He is more refined than Peter could ever hope to be though. Saul realized the importance of coming from a good family and belonging to the right organizations. He has even offered to speak for Winona with some friends of his to see if she can get a better job. I have had to fight Peter tooth and nail to get him to join the right clubs and organizations then go to their meetings. Saul even knows what a disappointment it is for me having a son that ran off to the Navy after high school. God, I'm so embarrassed. He's nothing but a common enlisted man!"

Patty smiled and said, "I understand Cynthia. It looks like that old saying holds true in your case—like father, like son. You're going through much the same things I had to when I had to dump my first husband several years ago. Our position requires us to be active in many organizations and socialize with our peers. My first husband was just like your Peter. He just did not understand and refused to meet his obligations." Patty looked around the yard and then continued, "Well, I need to get back to my ole ball and chain now. He's looking upset again and seems to be looking for me. Honestly, just because I made one little mistake he thinks I'm off in a corner hiding with some man every time he misses me at one of these parties now. Maybe you can find some time to talk to Saul and us again before the evening is over. I'll see you again before we leave."

Pete stood and listened to Cynthia and Patty in shock. He wasn't really sure what he had heard but if it was what he thought it was his marriage was in very serious trouble. He knew for a fact that Cynthia wasn't happy with him any longer. Somewhere along the line she had lost all respect for him. He had known for some time she was ashamed of their son Randy for being an enlisted man in the Navy. Now it almost sounded as if she was having an affair with Saul. Pete decided he needed to get more information as soon as he could. In the meantime he turned to his office to begin damage control. He moved investments, changed passwords and otherwise made his finances as secure as he could from a wife he no longer trusted. Once again he was glad internet banking was now possible.

Things were cool around the house for Pete during the next week. Cynthia took every opportunity to snipe at Pete to remind him she was upset. Pete found himself doing and saying things he knew would bother her just to twist the knife even more. One thing he began doing was call her Cindy as he had while they were growing up and first married. He smiled to himself every time he saw her face twist in anger when he did that. On Wednesday he came home to find her once again gone. She returned just before 9 p.m. and went straight to the bathroom from the garage without any explanation or apology for her absence or failure to leave a note or call him. Pete followed her and once again found himself locked out of the bathroom.

Thursday morning Pete looked at Cindy across the breakfast table and said, "I'm going home to see the folks this weekend. I want to leave about noon Friday. I'll pack my own bag and leave it by the door so I can pick it up when I come by to get you."

Cindy looked over at Pete and glared at him before saying, "NO. We won't be going home this weekend or any other for a long time. You know we always go to the club Saturday night and you have a standing golf game Saturday morning. We have standing reservations and obligations on Saturday."

Pete looked at Cindy and sat his coffee cup down. He said, "Look, it's been almost six months since I saw the folks. I want to see them again. Talking on the phone just isn't the same. Besides I want to go fishing and relax along the river for a while. I need to relax and so do you."

"I said NO. We don't have time to go half way across the state to visit our parents. We'll see them during the holidays like we usually do."

Pete sat in sorrow for a moment then rose and walked out into the garage without saying anything else. He quickly got into his truck and drove into town to work. That evening when he got home he packed his suitcase with clothes for the weekend and put it into his F150. Cindy was once again gone who knows where. When he closed the truck door he looked at it and gently ran his hand down the front fender. He smiled and felt himself relax slightly. He loved that truck. It was almost new, a 2013 Super Crew 4X4 Platinum edition in candy apple red or whatever Ford called that color that year. Cindy had apoplexy when he had traded his 2012 BMW for it. She had ordered him to return it to the lot. She said it was unseemly for a bank President to drive around in a damn truck.

Pete now just ignored her references to him being President of the bank. No matter how hard he tried he could not get her to admit he was only the Manager of the main Bank for his company in the City and County of St. Louis, Mo. He worked for a national banking chain and the President of the company, the President of the Bank was way higher in the organization than he was. To Cynthia since he was the head man in St. Louis he was the President.

Friday morning Pete rose early and was out of the house before Cindy got to the kitchen. He stopped on the way to work and had his favorite breakfast at IHOP. While he ate he looked around at all the people eating. Cindy hated to eat at IHOP because she said the wrong class of people ate there. When she went out to eat it had to be a very upscale restaurant. Now Pete had nothing against many of the restaurants Cindy wanted to eat at. They had good if fancy food. He didn't particularly like to pay the prices they charged but occasionally he was ok with that. He did hate the pretentious snobs that frequented those eateries however. He felt more at home at a mom and pop café or the IHOP.

At ten a.m. that morning Pete pushed back from his desk. He straightened the few remaining papers on it and decided he had done enough. He walked out his office door and stopped at his secretary's desk. Pete smiled down at her and said, "Well Penny I'm outta here. If something comes up that Joel can't handle or can't be put off until Monday call my cell. I'm going home to Van Buren for the weekend. We have spotty cell service at home so you may not be able to reach me at all though unless you call my parent's house. Their number should be in my rolodex."

About a quarter to one Pete pulled into the parking lot at Lamberts Restaurant in Sikeston, MO. He sat and looked at the still packed parking lot and the wood front building. He remembered coming here when he was small and the restaurant was half the size it was now. He smiled at the memories he had of their family fun trying to catch the "throwed rolls". He debated driving on to Van Buren without eating. He really wanted one of their meals but he didn't really want to have to stand in line for a table. Finally he decided he would go in. When Cindy was with him she absolutely refused to stop at Lamberts because it was so full of people she called 'trashy'. To Pete they were just regular folks and tourists but Cindy felt she was above slumming with them as she put it.

Pete walked into the building and joined the end of the line. He felt lucky because just after he got in line a tour bus unloaded its passengers and they joined the line. The young man greeting customers told him it would only be about fifteen minutes before he could be seated. Finally Pete was led to his table. Almost before he read the menu the servers were coming around delivering the extras Lamberts was known for. He got a serving of fried Okra, some brown beans and fried potatoes and, of course, one of the famous "throwed rolls".

Pete was almost full from eating the extras before he received his order from the cute waitress. He had ordered fried catfish and found himself almost bouncing in his seat in anticipation while he was waiting on the meal. This would be the first time he had eaten some real 'down home' cooking in almost three years except for the two holiday meals they had with his parents. Just looking at the plates of good food on other tables had his mouth watering. Pete missed this kind of food. He listened to the people at tables near him talking. Many of them were tourists but a couple of the tables were locals out for a meal. He immersed himself in their dialect and overheard conversation. The things they talked about were totally different from conversations overheard in the city.

People in rural America were more worried about weather and good crops than they were about the latest fashion or newest fad electronic device. If they talked about vehicles it was usually trucks or farm machinery. To Pete these were the real people, the salt of the earth and he missed them. He wondered when and how Cindy had lost her way and how she had been seduced away from the core values she had grown up with.

Finally Pete pushed back from the table with a sigh that was almost a groan. He was stuffed, almost sick from eating so much. He was also fully sated and more satisfied with the taste of the meal than he was at the restaurants Cindy insisted they frequent in St. Louis. The $40 or $60 dollars a plate he paid there purchased only a fraction of the food he had eaten at Lamberts and normally left him unsatisfied. He also felt cheated paying that much for a small plate of food. He smiled and left a $4 tip for the $14 meal he had just finished.

Just before two p.m. Pete drove out of the parking lot and turned his truck toward Van Buren and his family farm along the Current river. When Pete got to Van Buren he drove down the main drag. He came to one of the local hang outs and pulled into the parking lot. Pete had changed into some old jeans and a shirt before he left the bank so felt right at home when he entered the building. The bartender watched Pete walk across the floor and yelled at him after he was seated. "What'll it be?"

Pete leaned back in the booth and said without looking, "Dos Equis Lager please."

The bartender reached into the cooler, picked up his beer and opened it. Just this little exchange showed how citified Pete was though. He never even considered they might not stock the imported beer. The bartender walked around the corner of the bar and up to Pete's table. She sat the beer in front of him and started to turn to walk back to her normal place behind the bar. She stopped and looked at Pete again then said, "Pete Youngblood is that you?"

Pete looked up at the woman in surprise. She looked familiar but he couldn't place her. She was in old faded jeans with frayed cuffs and a couple of small holes in the legs. Her unrestrained breasts wobbled inside a stained threadbare white T-Shirt with "SHHH My Boyfriend Thinks These are Real" printed on it. He could see her nipples poking into the shirt. She had a tired worn look and pale complexion. Her hair was cut just below her ears. It was dull and dirty blond in color. Like many people she carried twenty or thirty pounds too much weight. Her fingers were stained from the smoke of the unfiltered cigarettes he saw her smoking.

Pete said, "Yeah I'm Pete Youngblood. I'm sorry. I really can't remember you though."

The bartender smiled and said, "I'm not surprised. I'm not really that memorable but we went to school together. I was two years behind you. We rode different busses too but my folks lived a couple miles from you all."

Pete frowned and thought back to the families living near him when he grew up. There were three that had girls near his age but only one of the families was on a different school bus route. That family had three girls and he just didn't know their ages or remember what they looked like or even their names. He finally said, "Well, I still can't remember your name but I think your last name was Fulkerson. I'm sorry."

The woman looked around the bar. The two other customers still had nearly full bottles. She sat in the seat across from Pete and said, "My first name's Ginnie. Virginia Fulkerson. So how ya been Pete? Didn't you marry Cindy Streeter? Is she with you?"

"Yeah, I married Cindy. She is home in St. Louis. She couldn't make it down this weekend so I came alone to see the folks. I needed to get away to think and relax. I just can't seem to do that in St. Louis."

Ginnie smiled and said, "Yeah, know what ya mean. When I got outta school I did like most all the other kids and left for the big city. Got married, found out he was a cheating asshole and got divorced real quick. We lived in Sikeston though. Never made it to St. Louis. I hated the town and couldn't find a decent job so I come back home. This job's not such a much but I live with Ma still and work here days. We get by and at least I'm home. How about you?"

Pete looked around him and took in the plain room and old Formica topped tables. The floor was still made of the old yellow pine tongue and groove flooring used just after the turn of the century. There was a dirty dingy look to the old building. For some reason he just said, "Oh, about the same. I got out of college and we stayed in town. I work in a bank now."

Pete and Ginnie visited for several minutes as she caught him up on local gossip and filled him in on what some of his friends and acquaintances were doing. Business began picking up and she had to return to her spot behind the bar. At 4 p.m. a waitress came on duty. She also recognized Pete. They played catch up between her trips around the tables to check on other customers.

Just after 5 p.m. three rowdy middle aged men came stomping into the bar. They were laughing and ragging on each other as they entered. They each yelled a greeting to both the waitress and to Ginnie then turned to look for a table. One of the men stopped and looked at Pete. His face broke out in a large grin and he rushed to the table.