Night Deposit

It wasn't so much good or bad, just different. I was sure, though, had we gone to a more mainstream place, the stares would have soon driven us away.

"Vince, I suppose you're wondering why I'm at Bank of America, now?"

I nodded my head and took another bite of my taco.

"I couldn't work there, stay there... any more. Aside from the obvious problems, most of the women working there are... they're sleeping around."

She had my undivided attention, then. "Most?" I nervously asked.

"Even the... even the married ones."

It was the nicest punch to the gut I've ever gotten. My hand shook so much I had to put my beer down before I broke another bottle.

"I'm so sorry, Vince." Her sad face said it all. It had been one thing to guess, to hope against hope that it wasn't true or at least a one-time fling, a stupid adventure we might be able to get past but sleeping around brought everything to a whole new level.

"You know who?" I did but I didn't want to know.

"One is Jerry Estandia and..."

"One?" My lunch, fueled by the beer, was working its way back up my throat. I put up my palm to her and went to the restroom as fast as I could.

By the time I got back, my food was cold and my beer was warm. For the most part, except for that firs taco, her food laid untouched.

"I'm sorry, Mary, I just..."

"It's OK, Vince. It shows you're human and you love your wife."

"Yeah, well..." I wanted another beer but thought better of it. "Thanks, Mary. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to tell me.

"Do you want anything else?" I looked for the girl.

"No, I'm not that hungry."

"Say, why don't we start over." I saw she didn't quite understand so I just continued. "Hi, I'm Vince and you sure are pretty." I reached across the table and shook her hand as a very genuine smile appeared on her face.

"Hi, I'm Mary and I'm glad to meet you. Come here often?"

We both laughed and for the rest of the afternoon we ate and told each other our life stories. I glossed over Nancy's erratic behavior as much as I could but Mary had spent the last ten months standing beside her.

I found out she lived in a small apartment in Lennox and walked four blocks each way to ride the bus. That was when a crazy idea popped in my head.

"C'mon," I said as I threw down a twenty, took her arm and we left.

I drove her over to my... well, Mandy's apartment. "There's this girl, Amanda; she's Alisa's daughter. I've let her have the back bedroom. I'd like to show you the place, if you don't mind. Maybe, you'd like it."

I showed her the place and asked her if she'd like to share the apartment with Mandy. For a moment, it seemed like she expected I wanted something in return but then she grinned.

"How much is this going to cost me?"

"Nothing... well, maybe have lunch with me once in a while?" I laughed. I really laughed for the first in God knows how long. Why, though, did I feel that way, then? I had no real idea but didn't care. "So, you'll take it?" I was acting like one of my love-struck football players when a cute cheerleader finally noticed him.

"Yes, thank you so much. But, what about..."

"Your stuff? I'll get some guys to go with you. When do you want to move?"

"Last month?"

"You'll need a car, there are no busses running around here. Let me take care of that. Wait a sec'."

I called my maintenance supervisor and explained what I wanted.

"They'll be here about an hour from now, or so. Steve's the boss. He'll have a set of keys for you. I'm going to take care of getting you a car today but I've got to get a move on before the DMV closes. I'll see you later, tonight." As I said that, I realized how it sounded but as I started to apologize, she just smiled.

"I'll hold you to that, Vince."

Ever since I took the 'Vette to my brother's house, I kept the pink in my wallet. I made it to the DMV with minutes to spare and stated the car's plates had been stolen and needed new ones. Simple and done... I drove over and changed the plates and talked to my brother, giving him Nancy's set of car keys.

I drove the '57 over to pick up Nancy. "Pizza?" I asked cheerfully, feeling better than in a long time.

"Thanks, Anthony's?" She was smiling and her posture was better.

"Sure, great!" I recognized the shift in her personality immediately. The girl I thought I had married had returned. I smiled at her, even happier than before, but I didn't know how long it would last. Sometimes her bad personality would only last a week or so, sometimes several months. The rest of the time she was normal, or at least what by then I accepted as normal.

This was the first time, though, that an affair had entered into our rollercoaster relationship... as far as I knew. I refused to think there were others, but... I tried so hard not to go there.

We had a wonderful dinner, just like when we were dating, talking about everything under the sun except that and then we went home. While she changed her clothes, I called my brother to take the car to Mary.

Sadly, by the time Thursday's morning sun streamed through the bedroom windows, my sweetheart had left and her evil, slutty twin had returned in her place.

The night before she had remarked how nicely the Chevy was but as I took her to work she did nothing but complain and ask when she would get another car... another 'Vette. I tried to ignore it but just couldn't.

Driving to the doctor's office Friday, I honestly feared what the test results were.

"Well, Vince, good news and bad news."

"Doc, just tell me, all right?" I hated people who did that and I could tell right away he was angry with me.

"Yes, you did have gonorrhea and it should be cleared up by now..." He left that hanging in the air.

"Can you give me another shot, then?" I didn't want to tell him that I stupidly made love to my wife.

"What are you not telling me, Vince?" His face told me he knew something, although what, I didn't know at the time.

"Fine, wait here." He came back shortly and gave me the shot, not too nicely. "Now, listen, Vince... stay away from whoever it was. Have you had relations with your wife?"

I decided to take the hit. "No... maybe... yes, damn it... now, what?"

"Well, you're going to have to tell her and have her come in. Anything else?"

I shook my head 'no.' I could tell he was disappointed in me and probably thought I had used one of the women from Imperial Highway. I loved Nancy, enough, still, that I didn't want him to think of her as a slut.

Well, that went well, I sarcastically said to myself as I aimlessly drove to the beach. The weather was crazy that time of year, raining one day and two days later, eighty degrees.

I walked down to the sand, sat above the high water line and stared out to the Pacific.

Saturday, April 4th, went by in a forgotten blur. I have no recollection of anything that took place that day except that I know I spent most of it on the patio or in the garage just staring out the window to the street. I knew that Monday was coming and it weighed heavily on my heart.

Sunday, it was a very quiet in the house. I had woken at five, as usual and taken a shower. I was tempted to take the edge off my morning arousal but decided against it. I was in no mood for anything even remotely like sex.

After dressing, this time in a light green shirt and tan slacks, I went into the kitchen and prepared breakfast. Two eggs, sunny-side up, a little toast with jelly and a glass of orange juice... I hoped I wouldn't end up with an upset stomach like I did after all those brownies that hellish Friday night.

I had hoped the smell of the food would have brought her to the table but she was still asleep. I watched her lying on the bed; her rhythmic breathing the only thing breaking the peaceful quiet of the room. I thought about how much that sound had meant to me each night when I would lie awake trying to solve some problem in my head. Was it really all over?

I shook my head in sadness and walked into the living room to read the morning paper.

A little after eight o'clock, she woke, showered and dressed. I got up and went into the kitchen to fix her something. Even though she said she didn't want anything, when I put the eggs down, she ate them as if it were her last meal.

I was demoralized. I had been hoping she would say something, anything at all, even if it was only to ask about the missing sports car.

After breakfast, Nancy started doing small, unnecessary tasks to keep away from me. For most of the morning, she was dusting, vacuuming the same hallway rug over and over and running the dishwasher over and over.

I sat on the sofa still reading the morning Examiner. As usual, I had started with the comics and then read the latest sports news. I spent extra time looking at Jiggs and Maggie. The writers must have watching Nancy and me.

At some point, I knew she would broach the subject of the Monday night birthday party. That didn't bother me at all. I had come to terms with her actions during the early morning when I stared at the ceiling for what seemed endless hours trying to discover where I had gone wrong... what I had done wrong.

Throughout those five years, I had no idea why her behavior was so erratic.

Looking forward to seeing how she would try to not have me there, I waited for her to make her choice... that was, of course, assuming there actually was going to be a party, Monday.

I was halfway convinced there was no party, at all, but when I thought about her conversation on the phone...

I sadly realized that if that were indeed what would happen, my heart would be broken for the last time.

"Are you feeling well, honey? You seem awful quiet this morning."

"I may be coming down with something, I don't know. Maybe I'll stay home tomorrow and rest up." She looked warily at me.

"That's a good idea. You look a bit peaked. Would you like me to make you some hot chocolate or something? We've got marshmallows, the little ones you like."

"Uh, no, Vince, I think I'll just go lie down." She got up from the kitchen table and returned to the bedroom.

I knew I was playing a dangerous game of 'cat and mouse' with my wife... dangerous for her. Why she had decided to have an affair was beyond me. Except for Friday nights, I was always home before she was.

Maybe she took me for granted, seeing how I was always putting her wishes and desires first. I had given her the best of everything I could afford.

That Daytona blue convertible was proof enough of that.

More importantly, I had given her my love, both physically and emotionally. I remembered our wedding night disaster. It had taken some time before we were intimate as man and wife and I had been patient with her, trying my best to calm whatever fears she must have had.

I had learned how to cope with her mood swings over the years. This behavior, however, was really pushing my patience and as angry and sad as I was, I still wasn't prepared to kick her to the curb. I was hoping against all hope that this could be worked out somehow.

Maybe, just maybe, there had been nothing worse than whatever it was I had found on her dress, although as I sat there thinking, that would have been enough to almost justify something violent on my part, much worse than last night.

I wasn't afraid of violence. My time in the Army had cured whatever fears I might have had of that. I just didn't think it was proper to hit a woman... at least, until now.

I heard the tapping on the patio cover and noticed it was starting to rain again. I hated this late winter -- early spring weather. Aside from washing away the smog for a few days, it just made the streets dangerous. Southern Californians did not know how to drive in the rain and probably never would. It just didn't rain that much, but when it did...

Nancy spent most of the day on the bed and only came out when I called her to dinner. The spaghetti was good, hot and fast and kept my interest for the few minutes it took to cook.

She went to bed without a kiss for me, saying something about being 'contagious,' maybe. I wasn't in any mood to kiss her, anyway and let the slight pass without comment, knowing what tomorrow would bring.

Monday morning, she was a new woman, smiling and talkative. I didn't know if it was a mood swing or not until she started talking.

"Vince, I've been thinking. Maybe it would be all right to go to the party. I'm feeling a lot better and I can get a ride with one of the girls and she can bring me home."

There it was. I knew it was coming and yet, there it was. Damn, there it was.

Struggling to keep my emotions hidden, I said, "That's great, honey, I'm glad you're feeling better. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, just let me get my purse."

I wondered which purse she was going to use since her usual one was still locked away at my brother's house. She eventually came out of the bedroom with another purse I had never seen before, a very chic black one.

It was clear to me that she was once again very unhappy riding in my old '57 Chevy but, for once, didn't say anything. I wasn't embarrassed, though; it was a good car and well maintained, especially with its royal blue paint. It just wasn't her 'Vette.

There were several things I wanted to accomplish during the day and then, an hour before she was to leave the savings and loan, I would arrive, tell her I was waiting for her and sit down where I could watch her actions. Then, in my plan, we would buy the woman a birthday gift.

"I'll see you tonight, Vince, but don't wait up if you don't want to." Once again, there was no kiss even though she seemed in as good a mood as I'd ever seen her.

She slammed the door on the Chevy, rattling the door glass. I hated that and she knew I hated that. Her passive-aggressive attitude was someday going to get her into physical trouble... maybe not with me, but definitely with somebody... well, probably with me.

I watched as she walked into the building, not once turning around to even see if I was still there let alone wave 'bye,' as had been her custom whenever I had taken her to work.

I checked my watch. It was a quarter to nine. She was so wrapped up in herself; she didn't even notice I would have been an hour late, if not more, to work.

I drove over to the Hawthorne apartments to do my weekly walk-around. I had been neglecting my duties as the owner because of everything that had been happening with my wife and knew the business investments would get away from me if I kept that up.

I was happy to see that the maintenance crew was hard at work painting the exterior. It occurred to me that it was five years since it was last done. My God, I thought, how time can pass you by while you're trapped looking at the minutiae of daily problems.

I thought about asking Mary to lunch again, but considered that might not be a very good idea, especially since I needed time to have the antibiotics cure the VD that I had picked up from my wife.

At 4:30, I was back at the savings and loan. Walking in, I quickly spotted Nancy behind the counter, talking to another teller. I went around the corner, walked back to the escrow department to Alisa's office and knocked on her door jamb.

"Vince, dear... come in, come in. How is my Amanda doing? She told me that you were very helpful today with her boxes... and... you took her to lunch. Quite a busy morning for you, I see."

"Alisa, there's nothing going on between Mandy and me, and nothing will be going on, I swear."

"Mandy, is it? Well, looks like you're her friend. She only lets close friends call her that."

Then she became serious. "What's going on with Nancy?"

I looked around and closed the door behind me. "Well, it's like this..." I related what happened all day Saturday and then what happened Saturday night that led into Sunday morning. "We were pretty much quiet the rest of the weekend and she stayed in our... I mean, the bedroom most of the day.

"However, last night she said she was too sick to attend tonight's party when I told her I could take her there. Then, this morning, she thinks she's convinced me to let her go with another teller here.

"So, I thought I'd come down here early and tell her I'm available, anyways. It should be interesting, I think."

Alisa gave me a little smile. "Vince, you're devious. Almost as devious as she thinks she is, I think."

"Why's that?"

"Vince, I've been doing some better listening now that I'm sort of involved with you again. As you can imagine, I'm over here, they're over there and I'm a little older than that crowd. Her 'friend' is Delores Hall... the two of them have become as thick as thieves. Delores is what you would call as 'loose.'

"What are you planning on doing, now?" The tone in her voice told me she was frightened.

"Delores, huh? I thought so. Same thing. I'm going to wait until it's just about closing time and then surprise the little... my wife. Want to watch?"

"I'll watch but from the front of the bank. I don't want to give away my situation with you. You might need me again, you know."

"Fine... it's about another ten minutes, right? If you don't mind, I'll just sit here with you until the doors are locked. Will that cause you any problems?"

"No, not at all... you're just here discussing a possible loan on a new property, how's that?"

I settled into the very comfortable, dark leather chair. "Thanks... thanks for all your help. And, you know, the other day at the Mexican place, I'm sorry about my reaction... it's just so..."

"Different?" She gave me a 'Mona Lisa' smile.

"That's a good word. Different... let's go with that. About Mandy, though... she's a..."

"Little whorish? I know but there's not a lot I can do about it."

"I was just going to say 'she's a wonderful girl'."

"You and I have reconnected a bit, I think, but she's still my daughter."

"So?" I sat there nervously, playing with a glass paperweight I took from the desk, and wondering what her reaction would be with me.

"So, I'm saying she's my daughter and even if she is as bad as Delores, I still try to love her. It's not easy and I can't... I won't make any excuses for her behavior. Most people, hell, almost all people will say that I'm no better.

"I'm telling you right now, Vince, stay away from her. She'll only mess with your head and make you feel worse afterwards. And, Vince, right now, you need a clear head because of Nancy.

"Vince, stop playing that and listen to me. You hear me, Vince? I'm not speaking as her mother, Vince, I'm speaking as your friend. Leave her alone... stay as far away from her bed as you can."

Well, that was interesting, I thought. That Saturday, she wanted me to move in with Mandy. I wondered what had changed between the two of them. At least I knew where momma was coming from.

There was a knock on her door and it opened. "Miss Green, we're locking up, now."

"Thank you, Mr. Canton. I'm in here with a customer. I'll bring him out when we're done."

"OK." He wandered off and I closed the door.

"If necessary, I'll take him out, later." She turned to me, a worried look on her face. "Well?"

"Well, what? OH! I just sorta zoned out there for a moment. Sorry." I looked up at the ceiling. "I guess it's show time, then," I said, rising from my chair.

The employees' lounge was upstairs and overlooked the lobby. Still in Alisa's office, we heard several voices, including Nancy's, move noisily up the stairs. I got up and Alisa joined me walking out to the building's lobby. Standing near the back door opening to the parking lot, I watched as she went to the tellers' windows where she could signal me when my wife came downstairs.

The sound of laughter grew as people returned to the main floor. Alisa nodded her head slightly. If I wasn't looking for it, I would have missed it; around the corner came Nancy wearing a short dark orange skirt and what I guessed was a light yellow silk blouse. As nice as her clothes were, I had never seen them before, but then, I had never seen the dress from Friday night, either.