Lovers, Losers, and Liars

"Delicious." He finished the chicken and washed his plate in the sink. "I'm going to read for a little while then go to bed. We're working on a roof in Porter tomorrow, so I got to get up extra early."

"All right, good night, Honey."

"Good night," he said, retreating to his room. Only a few weeks prior, he would have kissed her on the cheek and said he loved her before going to bed; he no longer did that.

That night, Anne was up all night worrying about possibly losing her son. He was her world and she had no idea how she would survive without him in her life. She wondered what would happen if she told Derek the truth... the whole truth, but what if Scott got wind of it, it could completely destroy her own relationship with him forever. It was about four in the morning when she finally decided it was too risky; the only alternative she could see was to keep trying to be the best mother she could be and hope for the best.

A couple of weeks later, Scott announced he and Sandy were going for another visit. This time they were going early in the morning so they could make a day of it. He said Derek wanted to take them downtown. Sandy had never been to any of the museums, so Derek asked her to pick one. When she picked the Field Museum, he made plans to spend the morning at Navy Pier, they'd stay long enough to have lunch, then head over to the museum. If time permitted, they'd walk over to the Buckingham Fountain.

Hearing their plans for the day made his mother green with envy. Many times in the past she had regretted the choices she made when she was married, but never more than she did then. She forced a smile and told Scott to drive carefully, then cried after he left.

Even after the great time they had last time, Scott was still a little apprehensive about spending the whole day with his dad. Sandy, on the other hand, was about as excited as a kid in a candy store. She'd only been to the "big city," as her folks called it, three times in her whole life, and they were just quick in-and-out trips. Her dad didn't know the city that well and was terrified of all the traffic.

This time when they pulled into Derek's drive, they parked next to his vehicle. It was in the garage the last time they were there. Both Scott and Sandy were impressed with the new Lincoln Aviator.

Derek greeted them at the door and had them come in for something to drink before taking off. After a quick pit stop to the bathroom, they all piled into the Aviator; Derek drove and Scott climbed in the back with Sandy. Neither of them had ever been in such an impressive vehicle before. Sandy was the first to say something.

"This is really a nice car, Mr. Haynes."

"I second that," Scott added.

"Thanks, I've only had it about three months, but so far I'm really happy with it. It's a plug-in hybrid. Believe it or not, it gets over fifty miles to a gallon of gas. With a full charge and a full tank, it has a range of over a thousand miles. I do quite a bit of travel in my business, so it's really nice not having to stop at gas stations so often. It's also comfortable to drive."

"Jesus," he heard Scott mumble. He found a radio station they all enjoyed and they rode downtown in style.

Both Sandy and Scott were in awe of Navy Pier. At first, they just wandered around, window shopping while slowly working their way along the pier until they reached the giant Ferris wheel. Derek surprised them, "Okay, you two, here are your tickets, I'll wait over there," he said, indicating an empty bench.

"You got us tickets?"

"Of course, Sandy. You can't come to Navy Pier and not ride on the Ferris wheel."

They thanked him and Scott took Sandy's hand, but she was a little reluctant. "I... I don't know, Scott. I've gone on the one at the county fair but this thing is huge."

"Oh, come on, Sandy, don't be scared; hundreds of people go on this thing every day. I want to see the view from up there."

"O... okay, but if I die, I'm coming back to haunt you," she joked, but in a shaky voice. He could almost taste her fear as they climbed inside the screened-in gondola. He put his arm around her as she cuddled up to him. Her body stiffened as the ride started with a small jerk, but by the second time around, Sandy had lost her fear and was enjoying the views. "Look, isn't that the Field Museum?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Oh, Scott, look over there; I wonder what that is?"

"I think it's Soldier Field where the Bears play football."

"Oh, God, Scott, this is so exciting. I hope we can come back sometime." He pulled her in a little tighter as she laid her head on his shoulder and fantasized about their future together.

It was about eleven thirty as they stepped from the ride and found Derek. "Are you guys getting hungry?"

Scott answered for both of them. "Yeah, kinda... "

"Good, follow me." They maneuvered their way through the crowd until they were standing at the edge of the pier next to a very large boat. The name on the side said, "The Odyssey."

While Sandy's mouth was still gaping open, Scott asked, "We're going to have lunch on a boat?"

"Yeah, it's a luncheon cruise. We'll be leaving the dock in about twenty minutes. You've already seen the city from the air, now you'll see it from the water while having lunch. They go out into the lake and all around. The whole trip takes about two hours. When we come back, we'll head over to the museum."

"This has to be the most beautiful city in the world," Sandy said as she stepped from the boat.

"Yeah," confirmed Scott.

"We have to get a move on," Derek said, "the museum closes at five."

By the time the museum closed its doors, both Scott and his dad chuckled every time Sandy said anything, because it was always the same... "Oh, Honey, look at this... and... Oh, wow!"

It had been a busy day and everyone was tired, but Sandy wanted to do one more thing. "Mr. Haynes, I know you're tired, but could we possibly walk over to that fountain we passed? I'd love to get a couple of pictures of Scott and me in front of it."

"No problem at all if you don't mind me taking one for myself."

On the way over, they found a hotdog vendor just before closing his cart. "Three with everything," Derek told him. "Take plenty of napkins, guys, you're going to need them."

The smell of the steamed foot-long dogs was mouth-watering as the young vendor piled on the condiments, everything but catsup of course, and last but not least, sauerkraut. "Here you go, Sir," he said as he took Derek's money. "three original Chicago-style hot dogs with all the fixings."

"Mmmm, mmmm, oh my God, this is delicious," Sandy exclaimed. They had just finished them when they arrived at Buckingham Fountain. Both the kids stood in awe as they watched the water's intricate dance. "Believe it or not," Derek told them, "when they first built this fountain in the nineteen-twenties, the controls for everything were in Atlanta, Georgia."

"You're kidding?" his son questioned him.

"Nope, that's the honest-to-God truth. A few years ago, they gave the fountain a face lift, and when they did, they moved the controls here, but for decades, the lights and the water was all controlled from there."

Derek took pictures with Sandy's phone, then took a couple more with his own.

On the way home, Derek got a little worried, "Scott, you're not too tired to drive home are you?"

"Are you kidding? I'm so pumped I probably won't even get to sleep tonight."

"Yeah, Mr. Haynes," Sandy added. "Thank you so much for today. It's been one of the most exciting days of my life. Wait till I tell my friends, they're going to be so jealous."

"I'm glad you both enjoyed yourselves," he replied. "Scott, do me a favor and just send me a quick email to let me know you got home okay, will you?"

Scott promised he would. Later that night, after receiving Scott's email, Derek sat in his favorite chair with two fingers of Johnny Walker Blue Label and smiled. As much as he hated his ex-wife, she did a great job of bringing up his son.

The next day you couldn't have pryed the smile from his face with a crowbar. Amy knew only one thing could produce a smile that wide, "See your son again over the weekend?"

"I spent all day yesterday with him and his girlfriend. They really are two great kids and they seem to get along great together."

"Having premonitions of being a grandfather?"

"Wouldn't that be something," he replied. "Hey, Amy, you think it's too early to buy a grandchild a car for its first birthday?" he joked.

"Just a little," she responded with a chuckle, after which, it was back to work.

Over the next couple of weeks, Scott and his dad communicated back and forth by email. It was generally just small talk, mostly coming from Scott's side as he'd inform his dad of daily events until Scott saw an opportunity.

"Hey, would it be okay for me to come over on Sunday?"

"Of course, will Sandy be with you?"

"No, she caught some kind of bug. Her parents took her to the doc's yesterday. He said she was contagious so she wants me to stay away until she's over it."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I hope it's nothing serious."

"No, he gave her some meds and said she should be fine in a few days. She sees so many people at work all the time, she probably caught it there."

"Well, you're welcome any time, Scott, you know that."

Scott didn't tell anyone he was going this time, not his mom, not Sandy... no one. He had questions and wanted to have a serious conversation with his dad. From the tone of the emails, Derek guessed there was an ulterior motive for the visit, especially since Sandy wouldn't be with him. He prayed it wouldn't be bad news.

When Scott pulled into his drive late that Sunday morning, Derek had no idea what to expect. He poured them both some lemonade before walking out to the deck and taking their seats. He waited for his son to speak first.

"You know, I don't even know what to call you. I've been avoiding calling you anything all this time."

"What do you want to call me?"

"Well, you are my dad, would you mind if I called you that?"

"Mind? Hell no, I don't mind; I'd be honored to have you call me Dad."

"Okay, good... can I ask a personal question?"

"Of course."

"It's pretty obvious you're not married, have you been—I mean after Mom?"

"No, I never re-married."

"Is that because of Mom... because of what she did?"

He really hated talking about his ex-wife but he wasn't about to dismiss his son's questions. "Partly," he said. "You read that newspaper article, but it didn't fully go into everything I was feeling back then. I was a real mess. I saw that therapist for a little over five years. If it hadn't been for him, I don't know that I would have survived.

"Anyway, when I finally got my head out of my ass, I had the sales rep job fall right into my lap. It was an unbelievable opportunity, but it took a lot of time and work in the beginning. By the time I felt I was ready for another relationship, I'd discovered something about myself... I was enjoying bachelor life. I was free to do what I wanted when I wanted. I dated... still do, but every time I'd start to get serious about somebody I'd think why? I'm enjoying my life just the way it is, why change?

"Now, who knows, I might meet someone some time and decide she's worth changing for, but so far that hasn't happened."

Scott sat there without saying a word for a few moments. He appeared to be deep in thought. "I, ah... Sandy and I have been dating for about three years. I always thought we'd get married, but I'm starting to have second thoughts.

"I mean, look what mom did to you; look what she did to me... she's lied to me my whole life and I never knew it. I mean, how can you tell someone is actually who you think they are?"

His son's torment was suddenly very clear. "Scott, I can't answer that. Some people can put on a facade and fool you, others change with time, but there are millions of people who are very happily married their entire lives. Amy, my secretary, and her husband will be celebrating their twenty-fifth anniversary this year and you never saw two people more in love with each other.

"There are two kinds of people in this world, Scott, those who are afraid to take a chance and those who are afraid but don't let it stop them. I have to think when life comes to an end, those who let fear hold them back must look in the rearview mirror and wonder what their life would have been like if they'd only taken more chances. Don't be one of those people, Scott. Do you love her?"

"Yeah... with all my heart. It... it's just that lately... I don't know, I just keep thinking of what mom did to you."

"Scott, there are no guarantees in this world. If you stand around and wait for one, life is going to pass you by. I enjoy my life, but it's certainly not for everyone. If and when I ever feel like taking the plunge again, I won't hesitate."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. If you love her and she loves you, and she does, I can see it in her eyes every time she looks at you, don't let fear of the unknown keep you from a life of happiness."

Again, Scott sat in silence and pondered his dad's words. "I guess you're right," he finally said, "I don't think I'm like you; I think I'd get lonely. Sometimes, before going to sleep, I lie in bed and dream about us being married and having kids. Then I get scared sometimes wondering what kind of a father I'd make."

"Scott, I know it's got to be hard to think about your mother lying to you all these years, but one thing I've noticed, she did a great job of raising you. You're kind, polite, responsible, hard-working, and you have a good head on your shoulders; I would lay odds you're going to be a great father."

"Yeah, you think so?"

"I know so."

On the way home, Scott thought about all the things his dad said and felt better than he had in weeks.

"Hi, Honey, where have you been; I was starting to get worried."

"I went to see Dad. I had some things I wanted to talk to him about." His words were like a dagger in her heart. "I'm going to my room and call Sandy to see how she's doing," he told her before disappearing behind his door.

His mother sat at the kitchen table feeling a myriad of emotions; regret, anger, sadness, fear... they were all there swimming around in her head. It was obvious that her precious son, the one person in her life that she truly loved, was pulling away and gravitating toward her ex. If only there were something she could do, but she couldn't think of anything.

Over the next few weeks, the relationship between Scott and his mother seemed to stabilize, it wasn't any better, but it wasn't any worse either. The relationship between he and his father, however, was improving exponentially; so was Anne's jealousy. She was feeling left out every time Scott and Sandy left for her ex's house. She'd give anything to be invited to one of their cookouts. She didn't think Scott would even ask his dad, but maybe Sandy?

A few days later, Sandy was over watching a rented movie in front of the TV with Scott. Anne was trying to catch her attention without alerting her son. When she finally caught Sandy's eye she nodded slightly toward the kitchen. Sandy had no idea what she was up to, but didn't like the cloak-and-dagger BS. Still, she told Scott she'd be right back and got up to see what her prospective mother-in-law wanted. As soon as Sandy entered the kitchen, Anne waved her over to the far corner and lowered her voice almost to a whisper.

"When are the two of you going to Derek's again?"

Sandy also kept her voice low. "I think we're going this Sunday. Scott hasn't said anything yet though... why?"

"You think you could put in a good word for me?" she pleaded. "I'd love to see Derek again and apologize to him in person."

"Ah, I doubt that's going to happen, Mrs. W; Derek doesn't even like to talk about you. I can't see him inviting you to his place."

"It wouldn't hurt to just ask him, would it? Just do it when Scott isn't around. I don't think he'd like it."

"Mrs. W, I'm not keeping anything from Scott, I won't do that."

"What are you two up to?"

Scott surprised both of them. "Your mother wants me to ask Derek if he'd invite her the next time we go to his house."

Scott glared at his mother, "Forget it, Mom. I wouldn't insult him by even asking."

"I just want to apologize to his face, that's all."

"Mom, your apologies don't mean a thing to him, not after what you did."

"All right, all right, it was just an idea."

"Yeah, well... I'm starting to feel like I have a real Dad. You're my mother and despite you lying to me and keeping me from him all this time, I still love you, but if you somehow screw up my relationship with him, I'll never talk to you again."

"Oh, Son, please don't say that, I couldn't bear that."

"Then stay away from Dad."

Two things came out of that exchange for Anne; one, her son was still very angry with her, and two, she couldn't count on Sandy as a trusted ally. She was feeling more alone than ever before.

Scott and Sandy did go to Derek's place that Sunday and had a great time as usual. Later that week, Scott received a call from Sandy during his lunch break. That was unusual; she rarely called him during the day. "Hi, Honey; what's up?"

"Hi, Scott," her voice sounded weak on the phone, almost like she'd been crying. He was immediately concerned.

"What's the matter, Honey?"

"Ah, I don't want to talk about it over the phone. Can you come over right after work? I have to talk to you."

"Sure, Honey, I'll take off right at five, but I'm in Porter again, it'll take me a little while to get there."

"Don't hurry, Scott, I don't want you getting into an accident. I'll be here when you get here."

"Okay, Hon, I'll see you then." He was really worried as he disconnected. He hadn't a clue as to what it was but something was wrong. When the clock struck five, he didn't even wait for the others, he simply yelled that he was taking off and jumped into his car.

He rang the doorbell when he got there and the first thing he noticed when Sandy opened the door was her bloodshot eyes; she'd definitely been crying. "Honey, what's wr..."

He was interrupted by the sound of her dad's voice. "Come on in, Scott, we're in the kitchen."

He looked at Sandy who just gestured for him to follow her. When they reached the kitchen, Scott was surprised to see his mom was there as well as both of his sweetheart's parents. "Okay, what's going on?"

"Sit down, Scott," her father told him.

"I don't want to sit down," he responded. "Somebody tell me what this is all about."

Everyone looked at Sandy. She looked up into his eyes. "Honey, I... I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? But..."

"Yes, I know, I'm on the pill. Honey, remember when I was sick a few weeks ago?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, the doctor never said anything and I didn't read that information sheet you get with meds, but evidently, those antibiotics he gave me can make birth control pills less effective."

He was still absorbing what she had said when her father spoke up again. "Your mother and us talked it over. Scott, we think the best thing is to abort the pregnancy. You two are too young to be parents and I read it's harder on the mother to give a baby up for adoption than it is to simply terminate it."

Scott inadvertently grabbed Sandy by the arms and looked into her eyes, "Is... is this what you want?"

"I... I guess it'd be for the best, Honey," she said with more tears flooding her eyes.

"It's illegal in Indiana, where're you going to go?"

Her dad chimed in again. "She'll go to her cousin's in Michigan and have it done there."

"I don't know, I got to think," Scott replied. "I gotta figure this out." As he turned and walked toward the door, he heard Sandy's dad call out to him, "There's nothing to figure out, Scott, she's going to have it done."