Misunderstandings
Saturday, July 13, 2002
"You did it all?" Amanda said.
"Mowed the grass, pruned the bushes and did all of the weeding," Lee
said, stretching one arm as he walked back into the house. "And all
before lunchtime."
"Whatever were you thinking?" Amanda said. "It's awfully hot out
there-it's already in the mid-eighties."
"Amanda I was just fine," Lee said. "I drank plenty of water."
"That's good, but still on a day like this you must have worked up
quite a sweat, Stetson" Amanda said. "Wish I could be there with you
instead of here at this PTA Bazaar."
"Me too," Lee said, his smile widening as he thought of the
possibilities. "Still there's always this evening-we could take a bath
together-not to mention other things, Mrs. Stetson. How does that
sound?"
"Mmmm... That sounds good.I'm going to hold you to that," Amanda said.
"How's Jenna?"
"Upstairs, resting her leg and watching some old movies that Dotty
lent her," Lee said. "I was thinking that after I shower I could go
out and get her something nice for lunch-she's probably bored and sick
to death of soup and sandwiches."
"Good idea," Amanda said. "I'll be seeing you later, Lee-love you."
"I love you too," Lee said. "See you later, Amanda." He flipped the
cell phone close and put it on the counter.
SMK SMK SMK SMK
After a brief shower Lee changed into a t-shirt and pair of jeans. He
grabbed his wallet and his keys and decided to make a run over to
Jason's Deli-Jenna really loved their pasta salad and he could even
get her a fudge sundae for desert. He was about to let Jenna know he
was leaving when his daughter's voice stopped him cold in his tracks.
"Oh Lisa it was so romantic," she said. Romantic? Through his
daughter's half-open door Lee could see Jenna lying on her bed, her
leg propped up and covered with an ice pack. She was holding the
cordless phone to her ear, a smile on her lips while she was talking.
"You just wouldn't believe, Lisa," Jenna was saying. "Seriously-like
a movie or something you read in books. No I can't tell you everything
he did-it's way too embarrassing, you know?"
Everything he did? Lee thought. Everything who did? Part of him was
tempted to burst in and demand an answer-find out who this `he' was.
Instead he made his way downstairs and carefully picked up the
landline extension.
"Jenna come on-tell me already," Lisa's voice said. "You're making me
crazy."
"Okay," Jenna said. "Well I was being held prisoner up in this room-I
guess it was like a bell tower."
"Now why did I know it'd be a bell tower?" Lisa said.
"Lisa is this your story or mine?" Jenna said. "Anyway, the bad guy
was about to kill me-I don't know- strangle me or something. All I
know is that I was really scared."
Lee's knuckles were turning white, his hands growing numb as he
clutched the receiver.
"Then what?" Lisa asked.
"He broke the door down and came in," Jenna said. "He was so angry
when he saw the bad guy about to strangle me that he punched him out."
"Who?" Lisa said. "Paul Davidson?"
Paul Davidson? Lee remembered the kid who had telephoned-wanting to
take Jenna to the movies. Maybe he hadn't told him to back off
strongly enough, Lee thought. But Jenna's reply to that question
really threw Lee for a loop.
"Paul?" Jenna said. "Are you kidding? Paul's just a kid-he couldn't
punch out the kitchen sink. It was Cary. Why would you think it was
Paul?"
Who was Cary? Lee tried to think back on all the school functions that
he'd attended-there were a lot of names but he couldn't remember a
Cary at all.
"Um, maybe because you and Paul are the same age?" Lisa said. "If
he's a kid so are you."
"Well last night I wasn't," Jenna said. "Last night I was a full-grown
woman. Now will you let me finish?"
Lisa's sigh was audible. "Whatever. So tell me what Cary did."
"Well he untied my hands-I forgot to tell you that my hands were tied,
right? So he untied them and then kissed my hands and wrists. And
then he swept me up in his arms and kissed me right on the lips and
said `Oh Jenna darling, I love you so much'."
"And then?" Lisa said.
"And then everything went black and I woke up," Jenna said. "So- what
do you think?"
"I think you've been watching too many of those old movies lately,"
Lisa said. "Nobody today would ever say `Oh Jenna, darling." And I
Googled Cary Grant-he's been dead for over 15 years and he's old
enough to be your great grandpa."
"It was my dream, Lisa," Jenna said. "I guess you just aren't a
romantic like I am."
Cary Grant. That was who Cary was. Lee carefully replaced the receiver
and then let out all of the breath he'd been holding. He ran a shaky
hand through his hair, plopping down into a nearby chair.
After that he started to laugh.
The End
Author's Chapter Notes:
*The usual disclaimers apply. This story is set a few days after my
previous story. I hope you enjoy it :)*
previous story. I hope you enjoy it :)*