Devastation In a Small Town Pt. 02

By overwhelming popular demand, I politely offer up this short follow up to Devastation In a Small Town. And I sincerely hope that all may be forgiven. - MG

Devastation in a Small Town - Part 2

"Joel... can we stop at the next grocery store, please?"

I looked at the navigation on the dashboard and noticed the next town.

"Ahhh... sure, hon. But can we pass up the first one? That one's no good."

My wife Erin poked my shoulder. "I really need you to stop at the first one."

"Why? The next one is only an hour away!"

She looked at the navigation and huffed, "You're being ridiculous. She's not going to be lurking in the freezer section, Joel."

It had been five years since I discovered my wife Kelli in bed with her high school boyfriend in that town, and three years since our drawn-out divorce had been finalized.

I snorted. "It wouldn't surprise me at all."

Kelli had fought the divorce, insisting that she still loved me. She dragged me through marriage counseling and therapy with the promise that she would sign the papers if we at least tried to reconcile.

"Besides, what's so important that you need to stop right away?"

"Joel! My period started and I don't have anything with me."

"I thought women always carried that stuff."

Now she swatted my shoulder. "JOEL!!"

"Alright, alright. But in and out, okay?"

We pulled into the cracked, weedy parking lot of a cheap-looking, off-brand grocery store. I took a spot close to the door and sat, hands on the steering wheel and the motor running.

"You're not coming in with me?"

"I'd rather not."

Erin reached over, pushed the ignition switch to shut off the engine, and put her hand on mine.

"I thought you were past all of this, Joel." Her tone was patient but insistent. I was a bit damaged when our relationship started, and she knew why. "You can't be frightened of the ghosts of your past."

"She'd be less frightening as a ghost."

Erin rolled her eyes and opened her door but didn't get out.

"Joel?"

"Dammit," I grumbled and joined her as she got out.

We walked into the dimly lit store, and she asked the bored-looking checkout clerk where the feminine products were. She headed toward that aisle while I walked toward the flickering cold cases on the far wall to grab us some drinks for the rest of the drive.

I turned down the aisle and walked into a nightmare.

Kelli was right there. She was pushing a sparsely loaded cart, wearing a thin, ragged housedress. A dirty-looking toddler in a diaper and shirt was in the cart seats. A sullen-looking older boy of about ten in torn jeans and worn, dirty sneakers shuffled along beside her. She looked thin and tired.

"Shit," I hissed, immediately turning around and walking swiftly toward the front door.

"Joel?"

I didn't stop.

"JOEL?!?! Hang on a second."

I heard the cart's squeaky wheels rattle and speed up.

"I don't want to talk, Kelli," I called without turning around.

"PLEASE, Joel!"

I gritted my teeth and stopped.

I steeled myself and turned around as she pulled up in front of me.

"What?" I said curtly.

She suddenly looked unsure, her bloodshot eyes shifting nervously. Dark circles hung beneath them.

"I... just wanted to introduce my kids." She ruffled the blond mullet of the ten-year-old with a tired-looking smile. "This is Luke Jr. He's... uhm... visiting his daddy for the summer. LJ, say hello."

"Hulloh," he mumbled.

She lifted the toddler out of the cart seat and onto her hip. Her voice went sing-songy. "And this is baby Vern." She kissed the toddler's sticky cheek. "We named him after Daddy. He passed, you know."

Her father had died in the midst of our divorce, adding another three months to the process when she got a continuance to help out. I looked at her kids. "Hello, kids." Then I looked up at her. "There, I'm leaving now."

"God, Joel. You don't need to be an asshole."

That did it.

"Oh, I'M the asshole?!?" I shouted, but stopped myself. I didn't need this, so I lowered my voice. "Kelli, there's nothing to talk about, okay? We're divorced. I've moved on. You've moved on... obviously. My wife is here. So have a good life, okay?"

I turned and headed to the door. Behind me I heard:

"LJ, look after baby, okay? Mommy needs to talk to this nice man."

"Can I get some candy?"

"No, you can't get any candy, dammit! JOEL... WAIT!"

She intercepted me just outside the door, coming around in front of me and putting her hand on my chest.

"Joel, I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry. About all of it, really."

I stepped back and lost it. "I KNOW you're SORRY, Kelli. You said it after I found you in BED with LUKE! And in every one of those BULLSHIT counseling and therapy sessions. And when I filed for divorce. And when I had to get a fucking RESTRAINING order to stop you from CALLING me all the time. So YEAH, I GET IT! You're... FUCKING... SORRY!!!"

A worried female voice came from the door behind me. "Everything okay out here, Kelli? Do you want me to call the sheriff?"

She looked over my shoulder at whoever was talking. "No, Ellen, it's fine. Keep an eye on LJ and baby Vern for me, okay?"

The voice sounded suspicious but said, "Okay."

"I'm not giving you any more money, Kelli, if that's what this is about. The alimony stopped when you married Luke."

Kelli shook her head. "I don't need any money, Joel. We moved in with Momma and Bobby after Daddy passed. The farm is doing okay. I... oh, Joel." She put her face in her hands. "I messed up so bad. And I'm so very sorry."

It got worse.

"Joel?" It was Erin.

"Could you just go to the car, Erin, please?"

She came up alongside me and held out her left hand to Kelli, its large diamond wedding ring and gold Rolex glinting in the sun.

"Hi, you must be Kelli. I'm Erin, Joel's wife."

Kelli rubbed at her eyes and shook Erin's hand. "Hi. Sorry to bother you and Joel," she sniffed.

"No bother at all. I saw your lovely children. Very sweet." Erin put a proprietary hand on my shoulder. "Joel and I are planning on starting a family soon."

Kelli's smile was weak. "That's great."

There was an awkward beat before Erin said, "Joel, would you go wait in the car, please?"

"WHAT?? No! We're going..."

She squeezed my shoulder. "Joel, please."

I sighed, not wanting to get into it with Erin.

"Fine." I stalked to the car, fists clenched and teeth grinding.

I sat in the car and watched as Erin had a ten-minute conversation with Kelli. It looked like Erin passed something to Kelli before she kissed her cheek, patted her shoulder, and came to the car. Kelli was still standing there with her back to us, head down, her shoulders shaking lightly.

"What the hell was that all about?"

"Oh, nothing," she said, tossing her small grocery bag into the backseat and putting on her seatbelt. Her voice sounded oddly happy and satisfied.

"You gave her something."

"Uh-huh. I paid for her groceries, so I gave her the receipt and two hundred dollars."

"WHAT?!?! Jesus Christ, Erin, WHY would you DO that?"

She crossed her arms and looked straight ahead with a wickedly sharp smile.

"Because pity cuts deeper than anger."