The Happiest Season by Rosemarie Naramore Page B

crossing the room to answer.  He’d promised Maggie he’d help
lay sod today, and he hated to let her down.  But he couldn’t let down his
sergeant either.
    He answered the phone.  “Hello.”
    To his surprise and horror, Kim was on the line.  Her voice
was icy cold when she spoke.  “I don’t know what game you’re playing at, John,
but…”
    He was taken aback.  She hadn’t called him at his place in
months—not since she’d threatened to take him for everything he was worth back
when they were haggling over the value of the house and their shared
possessions.  They’d worked out an agreement in which she was to pay him half
the value of the equity in their home.  Since they’d made a sizeable down
payment on the new construction originally, and had been paying the mortgage
for years since, he was entitled to a tidy amount of cash. 
    Unfortunately, Kim had conveniently enlisted a friend to
determine the “market” value of the home and the friend had devalued it to the tune
of thousands of dollars.  He’d fought her, of course, but she hadn’t made
things easy—ranting and railing at every turn.
    “John, are you going to answer me?  What are you playing
at?”
    “What are you talking about?” he asked tiredly.
    “You know very well what you’re doing,” she said.
    “Kim, I don’t have a clue what you’re referring to, and I
have to go now.”  He was about to hang up when he heard a sudden
uncharacteristic, pleading tone in her voice.
    “Wait!  Listen, please.  The truth is…”  He thought he heard
a catch in her voice.  “I miss you too, Johnny.”
    He felt as if he’d been clubbed on the head.  It was the
last thing he’d expected her to say.  But the truth was, he could honestly say,
he didn’t return the sentiment.  He no longer missed her, having realized of
late that he never really had.  What he had missed was the ‘idea’ of her and
the many plans he’d had for a future together.  He missed what could have been,
should have been, rather than what was.  In retrospect, he’d come to see that
they just hadn’t been well-matched.
    When he didn’t respond, she gave a sad, brittle laugh.  “I
know.  You don’t believe me.  I behaved terribly and I know it.”  She was
silent for a moment, apparently gathering her thoughts.  “I made a mistake,
John.  I know it now.”
    “A mistake?”
    “Yes.”
    “I … don’t know what you want me to say,” he admitted.  He
suspected he knew where this was leading, but then, Kim was unpredictable on a
good day.
    “Tell me you miss me too.”  She gave a laugh, this time
confident and perhaps a little smug.  “I know you do.  John, really.  Stalking
me?  If I didn’t know you so well, I might even be a little … alarmed.  Though
I suppose, on some level, it is kind of flattering…”
    “ Stalking you ?” he said loudly.  “Kim, I haven’t been
stalking you or anyone.”
    “John…”  She gave a low chuckle.  “Don’t you see?  I
understand now—why you didn’t fight me on the divorce.  I wasn’t the only one
to strayed, was I?  But I can forgive you.”  She laughed easily.  “Actually,
your having a child…well, while admittedly shocking…will actually make things …
easier for us.  Don’t you see?”
    “Kim, what are you talking about?”  And then he realized—she
was talking about Rickey.  Because the little boy was dark and resembled him
somewhat, she had jumped to some outlandish conclusions. 
    He was actually offended that she thought him capable of
infidelity.  He’d never cheated on anyone and didn’t intend to start.  He heard
the sound of a distant voice in the background.
     “Oh, John, I have to go…” she whispered, as if she didn’t
want someone to hear.  “We’ll have to talk this out later.” 
     “Kim, I…”
    Click.
    He dropped down onto the edge of the bed and stared at the
phone in his hand.  Kim had certainly jumped to some conclusions