Family Affairs Chapter 3

“Michael, I’m worried about the boys. It’s pretty stormy and they’re probably worried about us.” Ms. Kennedy said as she stared out of the window of Michael’s Buick.

“Don’t worry Virginia, I’m sure the boys are fine. We could stop and you could call them. Would that make you feel better?” Michael had been there during the court hearings and knew the real reason she was so worried.

“No, I’ll be fine. I swear I treat him like he’s a little child. I’m sure he hates me by now; I baby him too much.”

“You’re just worried about him. That’s understandable after what you two have been through. He seems like a strong boy. A little quiet, but I’m sure he’s just fine.” Michael saw an AMOCO station sign up ahead and decided he would stop there.

“I know, but Vince and Jeff weren’t home, they don’t know what he went through and they don’t cut him any slack. I feel really guilty when they pick on him. I only had them on the weekends and he usually left Carry alone while his brothers were there. Carry doesn’t want them to know about what was going on. We agreed to that a long time ago, but I really wish they would be nicer to him.”

“You can’t blame yourself for what happened and you can’t blame the boys for being boys. Carry’s still in therapy for what happened, right?”

“Yes, but he won’t talk to the therapist. He’ll talk to him about trivial stuff, but not what happened. He won’t even talk to me anymore. He just bottles it up inside.”

“He could feel ashamed about what happened. It can’t be easy for him, not even after five years.”

“He’s never even told me all that happened to him. All I know is what I saw before I started the divorce. He wouldn’t let me press charges. He just wanted out of the house… Oh God I can’t believe I was so blind that I didn’t see what was happening…”

“Virginia, you were a working mother and going to college, you can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

“I just wish he’d open up to me… Open up to anybody. He doesn’t go out with kids his own age. He doesn’t go out with anyone. He just comes home from school and either goes walking by himself or hides up in his room with his books.” She paused for a few moments. “Have you ever seen Carry lose his temper?”

“No, I can’t say that I’ve ever even seen him even slightly angered.”

“He has a punching bag in the basement. I swear he didn’t even realize I was in the room when I saw him hit that thing. I actually became afraid of him for a moment. I mean, I know he wouldn’t hurt a flea, but when I saw him hit that punching bag, I’m surprised that he didn’t break it.”

“You can’t blame the boy for being angry.” Michael pulled into the gas station, but kept the engine running.

“I know, but every now and then I’ll hear him raise his voice and it scares me. Dr. Martinez says that it’s his way of venting. He says that Carry’s main fear is that he’ll wind up like his father. He’s so worried about losing his temper. Sometimes I worry; I can see his father in him. I swear it scares me as much as it scares him.”

For a few moments Michael and Virginia sat just listening to the rain drop on the roof of the car, and the steady hum of the engine.

“He’s been through a lot. Not every kid is abused and then kidnapped. Does he still keep in touch with that other boy?”

“No. He went into foster care. Carry was so angry with me when I told him that I couldn’t take him in. He was too much like his father, though. He was so troublesome. He and Carry kept in touch for a while, but then the letters stopped coming. Last I heard was that he had moved from foster home to foster home for most of his life. His postages are from mostly lower Florida, but then he was in Georgia for a while, after that they stopped. When the letters stopped coming; that’s when Carry hit rock bottom.”

“I’m here for you and the boys Virginia; no matter what. You were my first love, and you always will be.”

“Oh, God I’m treating you like my shrink. I’ll be fine… I think I’m going to call the boys. I’ll ask them if they shut the stove off or something.”

“Okay. We’ll go in and get some coffee and you can call them.”

Michael and Virginia got out of the car went into the station. The wind had picked up and the rain had started to come down much faster.

“You call the boys and I’ll get us some coffee, okay?” Michael offered.

“Yeah, that’ll be fine.” Virginia dialed the number on her cell phone as Michael proceeded to the back counter. It rang several times and finally the answering machine picked it up.

“Hi, you have reached Virginia, Jeff, Vince, and Carry, we can’t get to the phone right now, so please leave a message at the tone.”

The fact that the boys didn’t answer the phone concerned her. “Carry? Steven? If you guys are home, pick up the phone. We’re running a little late because of the storm. We should be home in a couple hours. If plans change we’ll let you know. Love you, bye.” Virginia hung up the phone.

“Everything okay?” Michael asked as he handed Virginia her coffee.

Virginia took her coffee and sipped it. “The boys didn’t pick up the phone. That’s not like Carry. He knows how I worry.”

“Don’t worry; maybe they went out to get a movie or something… If this storm doesn’t lighten up soon, we might be stuck out here.”

Virginia tentatively sipped her coffee but did not respond to Michael.

“Don’t worry, the boys are fine.”

“I don’t know. Carry usually won’t go out during storms. I explicitly told him to stay at home. I can’t think of any reason he’d go out in weather like this.”

“We’re pretty far down the coast. It may not be as bad up there as it is down here.”

“You’re right, maybe I’m just paranoid. The boys are fine. If anything had gone wrong, they would have called.”

Ominously, her cell phone rang. “Hello?”

“Virginia? It’s Jack. Our flight’s been canceled ‘cuz of the storm. It’s pretty rough up here.” Jack was a little staticy, but clear enough.

“Jack, how were the boys when you left? We couldn’t get a hold of them. They didn’t pick up the phone.”

“A little quiet, but fine. That’s just what I called for. We rescheduled our flight for tomorrow morning. Is it okay if I crash at your place?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Could you check on the boys and have them call me back on my cell?”

“Vee, you always were paranoid, but yeah. I’ll check on ‘em and I’ll even have ‘em call you back.”

“Thanks Jack. If you need a blanket or pillow, they’re in the new linen closet, just have the boys show you where they are. The weather is really wicked down here, so we might not be able to make it home tonight.”

“You got it Vee. Don’t worry about the boys. I’m sure they’re fine.”

“Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“If something is wrong, I want you to call me okay? Don’t let me worry.”

“You got it Vee. See ya.”

“Well?” Michael asked.

Virginia shut off the phone, and sipped her coffee. “Their flight’s been canceled due to the weather and he wanted to know if he could stay at the house. He said he’d have Carry and Steven call me when he and the boys got there.”

“See, everything’s fine. We’ll see if we can make it to the next town, and if not we’ll stay at a motel. Jack’s there so if anything’s wrong, he’ll take care of it.”

“But why would the boys go out in a storm like this? They know better.”

“I don’t know Virginia, but I’m sure that the boys are fine. Are you ready to head out?”

“Yeah. We’ll get farther if we leave now. I just wish I could believe that everything really was okay.”

“Excuse me folks,” the gas station attendant shyly stepped forward, “but I really don’t think you want to be leaving just now. They said on the radio, that we’re under a hurricane warning. They said that people really should stay where they are in case of an evacuation.” She looked around nervously, “but if you both need a place to stay, my grandma has an inn that I’m headed to…”

“Well Virg, I don’t think we have much of a choice here.” Michael decided to leave this one up to Virginia.

“Thank you very much, you’re very kind. We’ll follow you to the inn.” Virginia was intrigued by the young girl’s hospitality. She couldn’t help but feel as if she knew her from somewhere.

“My name’s Leah McRoberts. If you give me just a few minutes to lock up the station I’ll have you both on your way to a comfy bed and some hot food.” Leah’s blue eyes shone with a kindness that few would ever understand or appreciate.

Michael turned to the window just in time to see a tree uproot in the wind and fall onto his Buick. “Jesus H. Christ, my car!” Michael ran outside, and into a torrent of wind and rain. The roof of the car had been smashed completely in. “Damn it!”

Virginia ran outside to Michael. “It’s okay. Once the storm’s over we’ll find an auto shop and call the insurance company. Leah’s already offered to take us in her car.”

Michael stood quietly, stunned by the shock of his car. “Fiberglass is better my ass; I just bought this car.”

“Come on, the storm’s getting worse. We really should get to shelter.” Virginia wrapped her arm around Michael and led him to Leah’s awaiting car. “I’m going to phone Jack and let him know that we won’t be home tonight.”

Michael reluctantly got into the back seat of Leah’s car with Virginia. He looked and saw Leah’s eyes in the rearview mirror. She smiled timidly as if to apologize for something that what wasn’t even her fault. Michael could not help but smile back. Something about her was very familiar. He could swear that he knew her from somewhere.

Virginia dialed the number on her cell phone and let it ring a few times. “God I hope they’re home by now.”

Vince picked up the phone. “Hello?”

Virginia let out a sigh of relief. “Vince, oh thank God you’re home. Are Carry and Steven there?”

“Uh, mom, dad wants to talk to you.” Vince tried to hide the worry in his voice, but he faltered.

“Vince, what’s wrong? Is Carry hurt? Vince, answer me.”

“Dad wants to talk to you mom.”

Virginia heard Vince hand the phone over to someone. “Jack, I’m really worried. What’s wrong?”

“Vee, where are you?” Jack had a stern tone that he only had when something was seriously wrong.

“Um… I don’t know; give me a second. Miss, where are we?”

“Right now we’re about 45 miles outside Ankona.” Leah looked worriedly at Virginia.

“About 45 miles outside Ankona. Jack, tell me what’s wrong, are Carry or Steven hurt?”

“Calm down Vee. Where are you guys headed?”

“Where headed to an Inn because of the storm. Damn it stop playing twenty questions with me and tell me what the hell is wrong!”

“Vee, calm down. I don’t know how to say this, but…”

The realization of what was happening hit Virginia before Jack could even tell her what was wrong. “Jack, he has Carry doesn’t he? Jack, I swear, don’t lie to me.”

“Vee, we have everything under control. We have the police here, but there’s not much they can do until the hurricane warning is no longer in effect. Both the boys are gone…”

“Did he leave a note? Any hint as to where he took the boys?”

“Vee, why don’t we wait until you’ve calmed down a bit…”

“Jack you’ve always told me straight. Don’t go flat on me now. I don’t care how hard it is for you to tell me what’s going on; I want to know what that note says.” Jack sighed but remained silent. “Jack, please, what did the note say?”

Jack sighed again heavily. “It said that he took both of the boys away from the shore…”

“Jack, please don’t drag this out. What else did it say?”

Jack paused. He knew that what he was about to say to Virginia was the worse thing in the world that a parent could ever hear. “He said he’d see you soon.”