The Swim Team Ch. 05

"What do you mean?" Could it be that I was so wrapped up in my own grief that I failed to think about how Carrie's passing would affect her best friend so much that it wrecked her marriage? Was I that insensitive?

"Look, you remember how things were at college, right? The parties, the fun, the excitement?"

I nodded warily.

"Kelly and Carrie were unstoppable. They were dynamic. You and I were the lucky bastards that landed them and got to enjoy their passion for life."

I smiled at the poetic way he remembered Carrie. I felt a tightness in my chest.

"Once Kelly got pregnant, things were fine for a while. But then, after Linda had her scare, Kelly withdrew. Then Carrie died and Kelly shut down."

When the girls were around 11, just a year or so before Carrie died, Linda got sick and the doctors had no idea what was wrong with her. She had been admitted to the pediatric ICU for more than a week while they ran tests. Eventually she recovered, even though the doctors never found out why she was sick in the first place. Modern medicine at its finest.

"Barry, she and I haven't had sex in six months. And not because I didn't want to."

"From what I hear, that hasn't stopped you."

"Alright, fine," he shouted, waving his arm. "Yes, I had an affair. I had to. Kelly wouldn't touch me! It's like sex became something to avoid. She went back to her parent's church and began spouting all kinds of nonsense about purity at me."

"You never said anything..."

"What was I gonna say? You weren't hanging with us anymore. I don't hold it against you, bro. I know Carrie's death hit you hard and you had to take care of Brenda. So, no. I wasn't gonna dump it all on you. Besides, what was I gonna say? 'Hey, Barry. Could you ask Kelly to fuck me once in a while?'"

I couldn't think of anything to say to that. I do remember Kelly going back to church after Linda's illness, but I didn't think anything of it, and Carrie didn't seem to think it was a big deal. After Carrie died, I kind of stopped worrying about Kelly and Dennis. "Dude, I am sorry."

He waved his hand and paced toward the kitchen, where the counters were lined with more empty bottles. "Don't worry about it. What's done is done. And we're done." He pulled open the fridge. "Wanna beer?"

I knew I shouldn't. I still had to go to the office and I still needed to find some way of helping fund the season for the team, and I had to drive to do all of it, but then, one beer wouldn't hurt. Provided it was a real beer. "Real beer? Not that Stella shit?"

"Gotcha. One Sam Adams coming up."

He tossed the bottle to me, and I caught it one handed. It was just like we used to do back when we spent weekends knocking back cold ones back in college. After opening the bottle, I cocked my elbow, flipped the cap onto the pad of my thumb and with a flick of my finger, sent it flying back toward the kitchen trash. The cap ricocheted off the wall right into the plastic can. It was a party trick I learned in college.

"Still got it, Barry," Dennis mentioned after taking a long pull from his bottle.

I chuckled. At least I still got something. I took a swig of my beer as I tried to think of what to say. "Dennis, I don't know what's going on with Kelly. I haven't really talked to her, other than when Linda showed up at my house. Would you mind if I talked to her?"

"Why would I? It won't make any difference. You think I didn't try to talk to her about it? I even tried to get counseling, but all she would agree to was going to talk to her preacher. Hell, he was the reason she was like that in the first place. Why would I want to talk to him?"

"I see. So, what about this girl you were seeing? Linda thought you would be living with her."

He looked a bit surprised. "What? No."

Well, I was glad to hear that. At the very least, it would be bad form to move in with another woman before the divorce papers have even been filed.

"Besides, she dumped me when I told her I left Kelly. Seems she liked things casual and me being single would complicate things for her. Hell, I think she just didn't want a commitment. Kinda ironic isn't it?"

"How so?"

"I start having affairs just for sex, but then I fall for a girl who was having an affair with me just for sex, and she dumps me for wanting more than just sex."

"You could've kept things the way they were..."

"Yeah, I could have. But I was tired of the bullshit. Having to lie to Kelly and Linda. Having to make excuses. It was exhausting."

I could see how it would be. I could also see that there was nothing I could say that would make him reconsider. Obviously I needed to talk to Kelly. "Could you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Come by the house tonight and talk to Linda. She misses you. You don't have to talk about Kelly. But Linda needs her dad."

He was silent for a moment as he stared off through the window overlooking the clubs. "Yeah, I guess I can stop by for a bit." He looked at his beer as he swirled the bottle. "Will, uh, will Brenda be there?"

"Of course. She lives there."

"Right, of course. Sure. I'll stop by."

"Cool. We're eating at 7 if you want to have dinner with us. Linda would probably like that."

"Uhm, yeah. Sure. 7."

I let myself out, pausing briefly at the door. "7."

"Right."

For some reason, I got the feeling I didn't need to tell Linda he was coming. And why was he concerned with Brenda? I shook my head as I made my way to the elevator. Something wasn't fitting together here.

#

My meeting with the president of the school board and the district superintendent didn't go as well as I'd hoped. I met them in the superintendent's office. With hard wood paneling, gilded framed paintings adorning the walls, antique brass fixtures, and leather chairs, the office was kind of ostentatious considering the scarcity of money they purported to have in the district. Superintendent Lacey was dressed better than most Hollywood royalty, too. He was tall and fit with a full head of hair that was just beginning to gray at the temples. No doubt he wasn't pinching pennies, being the important man he obviously thought he was. He made sure to let me know several times how gracious he was being by meeting with me in the first place. I only managed to get the meeting because the CEO of my former firm was on the school board. The emergency board meeting had already been held, and the decision pretty much set in stone. They confirmed what Brenda relayed to me. Without the Landry endowment, there would be no funds for the swim team. The budget had been set with the expectation of the funds being released at the beginning of the quarter, and the shortfall was actually going to impact more than the swimming program. The board was already looking for emergency funds just to keep other programs running until the next fiscal year.

I did get a pledge that the district would allow the team to compete if they could secure their own funding, so if Brenda could raise the money, it would work. They also permitted me to use my pool for the team practice as long as it was in an unofficial capacity after school hours. They were worried about lawsuits. John Metherd, the board president, a short, thin, wiry man with a prominent nose, pulled me aside as I was leaving the office. I knew of Metherd but had never been formally introduced. He led me toward the elevator and pushed the button before speaking.

"Look, Mr. Brandford, I understand your situation. My oldest daughter is on the swim team, too. My youngest has been looking forward to joining next year. I know your Brenda is poised to earn some significant recognition for her talent and skill, especially considering that she's graduating this year."

"Well, thank you..." I sensed he had more to say, and I was content to wait for it.

"Look, this is highly irregular, but I know several business leaders in town. Perhaps we can help your daughter with her fundraising. I'd hate for my Lucy to miss out on following in her sister's footsteps if the program were to be permanently suspended."

I raised my eyebrows at that. Brenda would be thrilled to know she had backers in the business community. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. We stepped back as a very attractive brunette in a pencil skirt and ruffled blouse exited looking like she just stepped out of a glamor magazine. Since I hadn't been on a date in more than a month, she seized my undivided attention. She said hello to Metherd before casting her radiant blue eyes up and down my frame. I reciprocated, which drew a sly smile from her full lips. "Hello, Mist...I mean Diane," Metherd said as she stepped past him.

"John." She turned to face him. "Are you coming to the party this weekend?"

Methered seemed momentarily unnerved but recovered quickly. "Of course. Wouldn't miss it."

"Great." She looked at me again like a chef appraising a cut of beef. "Who's your friend?"

"My apologies. Diane West, this is Barry Brandford. Barry and I were just discussing the, uh, swim team issue."

"Right," she said with a nod. "Terrible thing, that. All the more reason for the party. John, why don't you bring Barry with you. I'm sure he could use a little fun."

John's eyes widened before he shrugged. "Sure. Whatever you wish, mi...I mean, Diane."

She cocked her eyebrow at him ever so slightly before giving me a smile that could thaw icebergs. She turned and walked away with a swing that belonged on a playground. "See you later, then."

Metherd and I both watched until the doors closed in front of us. "Uh..where were we?"

"Business leaders in town..." I prompted.

"Right. Of course. Now, you must understand many of them do business with Landry, so it would have to be done quietly. Like the district, they can't afford to jeopardize the money supply, if you get my meaning."

I did. After saying goodbye, I drove over to a couple of businesses I knew to put out feelers about the project with mixed results. This was going to be an uphill battle to be sure, but if Metherd was right, we could get it done. I went to my former office to finish the work I had promised and to talk with Joe, my former boss. He agreed to help as much as he could, which wasn't a hell of a lot, but it was better than nothing.

On my way home, I considered veering over to the Mitchell's house. I had to talk to someone who would make sense of the drama, and since Dennis didn't seem to know what happened with Kelly, I figured maybe she would shed some light. Then I thought better of it. It was already getting close to dinner time, and the girls would be expecting me back. I made a mental note to visit Kelly tomorrow. Perhaps she could help me understand what Dennis was talking about.

My granny's words rose unbidden from the depths of my memory. "Don't stick your nose in other people's business," she would say. "Especially marriages. That's the quickest way to get it bent out of shape." She also said it could end friendships. I could see that happening if things went south. Of course, I hadn't been close to either of them for almost six years, so what did I have to lose?

#

When I got home, the girls had already started making dinner. The smells from the kitchen told me that much. I dithered on whether or not to mention that Dennis might show up, but considering his state of mind, I kind of doubted he would. As I pondered, something was nudging my consciousness. Something was off. Something was different. It made me uncomfortable, and when I get uncomfortable, I start looking closer at things.

The house was clean as usual. Brenda always did a good job of picking up after herself and tending to her chores. I know enough to know that when most kids do their chores without nagging, they are trying to either butter up for a big ask, or cover up a big mistake. Brenda wasn't like that, unless she had always been like that and I've been falling for it hook line and sinker for years. I doubted that. I don't know if Linda helped her, since she was staying with us, but it seemed likely. Linda was a very conscientious girl, after all. No, the house looked fine.

I looked out the French doors at the pool. It seemed normal. No mess out there, the water surface rippled letting me know the filter was humming along fine. The patio furniture was in its place. No wet towels were cast about. No kids were gathering which would have been a violation of the rules on a school night. I turned around as Brenda came up from the kitchen.

"Oh!" She stopped short, her hand over her chest. "Hey Dad. You spooked me."

"Sorry, sweetie," I said. The reason for my odd feeling started to become clear. Brenda was dressed up. I blinked. She was wearing a dress. She hardly ever wore a dress. The last time I saw her in a dress was when she interviewed for her college application. This dress made that one look frumpy. This frock demonstrated in no uncertain terms that Brenda was a young woman. It hugged every curve and line of her body from her ample bosom along the flare of her hips to her well-toned legs. She even had makeup on. She is a girl, so she does wear makeup, but usually much more understated than what she was sporting this evening. She looked like she had a date. "Uhm, Brenda. Are you planning on going out tonight?"

"No," she answered without blinking. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, you look...well...uhm..."

"Oh this?" She held her arms out and turned around, showing off the slope of her buttocks, presented spectacularly by the drape of the dress. "I just felt like dressing up for dinner. We don't do this enough."

"Honey, we don't do this at all."

"Well, it's time we should."

At that time Linda made her appearance and my heart jumped making me audibly catch my breath. Linda's strawberry-blond curls had been beaten into submission with a straight iron and pulled to one side of her face, where it draped over her shoulder. She was wearing what I think they call a tube dress, it was off her shoulders and form-fitting. It took every fiber of my being to avoid looking at her ample breasts and devastating ass, no doubt made even more breath-taking in that dress. They both looked much more mature. If I didn't know any better, I would think them in their late twenties. I would also be trying to find an angle to hit on them. I blinked several times.

"Hi, Mr. B. Do you like our dresses?" She struck a perfect model's pose, her hip cocked out, knee flexed, up on her toe on that leg, hand on her hip. The pose just accentuated her figure and I felt myself stirring at the sight.

"They're lovely." Keep your eyes on her face I told myself. "Can I ask where they came from?" I leveled a look at my normally frugal daughter.

"We raided Bethany's closet today," Linda offered. "Of course, this may or may not be hers," she grinned. "There is an outside chance they're her mom's. Bethany borrows her clothes all the time." Both girls giggled.

"But her mom has such nice clothes," Brenda explained. "Bethany, too. Don't worry, we'll return them tomorrow."

"Or next week..." More giggling.

At least they were back to conspiring together, like the besties I had raised. Whatever tension between them seemed to have vanished. At least it looked like that. "Well, you both look beautiful. I feel honored that you would dress up for dinner. Speaking of which, what's on the menu?"

"Blackened chicken, spinach, and blue cheese salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing," Brenda announced sounding every bit like a chef announcing the evening special.

"That sounds as good as it smells, which is amazing. I hope you made enough, because I sure am hungry."

The girls giggled again. "It's almost ready. Would you like something to drink before we move to the dining room?"

The dining room? We haven't eaten in the dining room since, oh, six years ago. A touch of melancholy reared its head as I realized it was during Carrie's wake, but I shook it off. I wasn't going to let that ruin the evening Brenda planned for us. With a dubious mind, I stepped through to the dining room to see the table already set with three place settings, linen napkins, and lit candles. It had a sense of a romantic rendezvous, which made me wonder what the girls had planned.

Before I could spend too much time on it, the doorbell rang. I didn't know who it could be at first, since no one usually came around this late, but then it hit me. He came, after all. I left the girls at the table and crossed the room to the foyer.

"Dennis," I said as I opened the door. "Glad you could come. Please come in." I turned around and watched a series of emotions play on Linda's face. I saw shock, then a hint of a smile, then a narrowing of her eyes, then a quivering of her lower lip. She made an odd sound before darting into the kitchen, leaving Brenda in the dining room as Dennis and I moved into the room from the foyer.

"I, uh, almost didn't," he said. "For just that reason. I'd better go. She clearly doesn't want me here..."

"Nonsense," I caught his arm before he could move. "She's just surprised. I didn't get a chance to tell them you were coming. It's my fault. Brenda..." I turned to my daughter, but her face was a dark mask I'd never seen before. I'd heard of "resting bitch face" before, but there was no resting on hers. It was quite actively being bitchy. I'd never seen an expression that was at the same time blank and threatening. "Do we have enough for Dennis?"

She didn't respond.

"Brenda!" I stepped in front of her. "Do we have enough for one more?"

"Yes, dad," she said through clenched teeth as her eyes flinted back and forth between Dennis and me before she forced a smile. "We do. Let me just set another place."

As she turned and walked into the kitchen, one thought ran through my mind: What was her problem?

"I have scotch, if you'd like," I offered Dennis.

"Uhm, thanks, but no. I don't think, under the circumstances..."

"Right. I get it." I did, too. I also really wanted one to settle the nerves that flared with the girls' reaction to Dennis. Still, if my guest wasn't drinking, it would be rude for me to. "Beer?"

"Not the crap you drink," he tried a joke on for size. It fit. We both chuckled. Dennis had a pretentious taste, while I was a meat and potatoes man.

The girls brought out the food and set it on the table before returning to get drinks. Dennis and I took chairs adjacent to each other, leaving the opposite chair for the girls. Brenda sat opposite Dennis, while Linda was next to her. We sat in awkward silence for several moments, the only sound was the clinking of silverware on plates. Dennis didn't look up from his plate and the girls could only steal glances at each other. Neither would look at Dennis.

"So," my voice sounded much louder than I thought, "I had that talk with the District today."

"Oh, my God. I totally forgot." Brenda and Linda both perked up. "What'd they say? Can we have the funding?"

"Sadly, no," I began. "Hold on," I hastily added when they both drooped in their seats. "They did agree to allow the team to train here, at our pool, after school. And they did allow us to plan 'alternate funding.' So we're not shut down for good."

"Alternate funding?" Dennis furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about?"

I filled him in on the Landry situation and how the district dealt with it. To his credit, he was every bit as incensed as we were. "I have gotten a commitment from Joe to help sponsor the team, but it won't be enough by itself. We need more."

"Well, I'll ask my board to help. We were just discussing community involvement at our last leadership meeting."

Linda glanced at him; her face a confusing mask of mixed emotions.

"Well, that's a start. Now, girls," I leaned in. "You're not off the hook. You'll probably still need to raise some pretty good money on your own. Have you given that any thought? Maybe a car wash?"