“What’s wrong?”
“He’s…well, he’s not well. ” Sarah lowered her voice. “Remember what I told you—the dreams and all? It’s gotten so much worse lately. I have a call into his doctor. ”
“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry. Is this because of the blight and all? Or the older stuff? From…when we were kids?” She didn’t want to say much more with Connie standing close by, but Sarah caught the drift.
“I—think so. ” She paused. “He’s told me this morning Mandy has been following him around. ”
Val echoed softly. “I know…Crow told me a little, but—”
“He said that she’s been trying to get him to kill himself. The medication’s not helping. I’m so scared, Val. I’ve…sent for an ambulance. ” Sarah was starting to cry now. “He’s falling apart. I can see it happening but I can’t do anything for him. ”
“Hey! Listen to me, Sarah,” Val said, putting some steel in her voice. “Believe me when I tell you that you don’t want to break down right now. Later, but not right now. This is going to sound re
ally harsh, but suck it up because you can’t let him see you fall apart. Not now, not until he’s under care. You hear me?”
Val could almost hear Sarah take a steadying breath. “Right. Right…but…shit!”
“Sure, get mad, honey, that’s good, it’ll help—but stay focused. ”
Sarah gave a funny little laugh. “God, I wish I had your strength, Val. ”
“Honey, I don’t even have my strength. It’s all smoke and mirrors. ”
“Bullshit,” Sarah said, but she sounded like she was standing on firmer ground.
“Should I come over? I can be there in fifteen minutes. ” Then she caught sight of the look on Connie’s face. “Connie’s with me. We can both come. Get some girl power going. ”
“No,” she said sharply, “but if they want him to check into the hospital could you come over there later, sit with me for a bit? Can I ask that?”
“Sure. Call me once you know what’s happening and I’ll scoot on over. Me and Connie. Crow should be back soon, too. We’ll all come over. ”
“He keeps asking for Crow. ”
“Yeah, I know, but Crow’s out of touch right now, but he should be back soon. Look, you get him ready and we’ll all see you later. And…Sarah? I love you. Both of you. Tell Terry that he’s not alone. ”
“Thanks, Val, I’ll tell him,” Sarah said, and hung up.
Val closed her phone and looked at Connie, then told her the bones of the conversation.
“That poor man,” Connie said in a motherly way, but her eyes were nearly vacant. After a moment they started walking again, taking the long way around that would bring them up past the barn and then back to the house.
I think I’m over the edge, Val, I think I’m gone. There had been such pain, such terrible fear in Terry’s voice as he said it. Such awful conviction that the observation was true. “Damn…” she said softly.
(2)
Just as Sarah set down the phone there was the sound of a blow and shattering glass from upstairs. “Terry!” She tore out of the kitchen, raced up the stairs, and burst into the bedroom just as Terry Wolfe brought the golf club down on the glass of a framed Warhol litho. The head of the sand wedge chopped noisily through glass and matboard and took the top of John Lennon’s head clean off. Sarah skidded to a halt by the edge of the bed, turning away to dodge the spray of little glass needles.
Terry turned a face toward her that was a snarling mask of animal rage.
(3)
Mike Sweeney got home just before seven, well before his curfew. He walked his bike around back and chained it up by the garage door, then went inside.
“That you, Mikey? You’re home early. Want some dinner?” Her voice floated from the living room, which was dark except for the blue flicker of the TV. There was already a gin slur to her speech.
Mike stood in the hallway, not wanting to go into the living room, not wanting to see his mother drunk, though nowadays she almost always was. He turned toward the stairs, calling over his shoulder. “I’m not hungry. I’m gonna go study. ”
“It’s Friday!”