Family Ties Read online

  “Are you kidding? I’m in law school. I have no money and no job. I live off what’s left of an insurance policy my parents left me, and it’s almost gone. My aunt helps me out. How do you think I’m going to support a child, or even take care of one? I’m years away from making a decent living, and you can hardly support the kids you have. What’s our life going to be like with a baby? What will your kids think? I can’t finish law school and support you and a kid. And we’re not even married. This is an accident. A mistake. This isn’t a baby. It’s a disaster. It’s a tragedy for both of us, and it would be for the kid. You have to have an abortion or give it up for adoption,” he said, his face right up against hers. “We have no other choice!”

  “Those aren’t options,” she spat back at him. “We can get married. You can get a job. I’m not giving up our baby, and I’m warning you, if you try to make me, I’ll kill the baby and myself!”

  “Stop threatening me!” he roared at her with the full measure of his fury and frustration. She was destroying his life. One stupid mistake was going to demolish everything he had struggled for and built. It wasn’t fair.

  “I’m having this baby,” she said quietly, suddenly in total control. “You can do whatever you want, but I’m having our child.” He nodded at her. He had gotten the message loud and clear.

  “I need to think,” he said just as quietly, and walked out. He slammed the door behind him and ran down the stairs into the cold air.

  Upstairs, in the apartment, after he left, Pattie sat on the couch and smiled.

  Chapter 16

  Nobody heard from Ted for the next few days. He didn’t call Pattie or show up at her place. He didn’t take her calls or answer her texts. He never thanked Annie for dinner, which was unusual for him, and it worried her. She knew that he was in a delicate situation with an unstable woman, although she knew nothing of the pregnancy. But Annie didn’t want to hound him, so she waited to hear from him. And finally after three days of total silence, he called his sister Liz. She was surprised to hear his voice, and he sounded terrible. She knew instantly that something was seriously wrong.

  “Can I see you for lunch?” he asked her in a hoarse croak. He had been hiding out in his apartment for three days and drinking too much.

  “Sure,” Lizzie answered immediately.

  He picked her up at her office at noon, and they went to a salad bar nearby. She picked at her lettuce without dressing, and Ted ate nothing at all. He told her about Pattie, that she was pregnant, and he didn’t know what to do.

  “She won’t have an abortion, or give it up for adoption, and she says if I do anything other than congratulate her, she’ll kill herself and the baby. I don’t want a baby, Lizzie. I’m a child myself. Or I feel like one anyway. I’m not old enough to have kids. I was such a fucking fool,” he said, and his sister smiled ruefully.

  “That seems to be the operative word. Can you reason with her at all?” He shook his head and looked dismal.

  “She was threatening suicide even before she got pregnant. She said that if I ever leave her, she’d kill herself. Now she’ll kill herself and the baby.”

  “She needs therapy. Badly. Teddy, she’s blackmailing you. That’s what this is. You can’t force her not to have the baby. And I guess you’d have to pay her some support for the baby. But she can’t force you to be with her and participate if that’s not what you want too.”

  “I can’t just walk out on her. It’s my kid too. If she won’t get rid of it, then I have to be there and carry the load with her.”

  “That’s not fair to you,” Liz said firmly. She hated what this woman was doing to her brother.

  “I have a responsibility here. To both of them. Whether I like it or not.”

  “Are you in love with her?” Liz was watching him closely, wondering what he’d say.

  “I don’t know. She drives me insane. I get near her and my body goes nuts. She’s like a drug. I don’t know if that’s love.”

  “It sounds like sex addiction to me. She probably did that to you on purpose to keep you hooked.”

  “Well, I’m paying a hell of a price for it. A kid is forever. I can’t let her kill herself, Liz.”

  “I don’t think she will. People who threaten usually don’t. She wants you to stick around.”

  “I have no other choice.” He looked so innocent as he said it, and so sad.

  “What are you going to tell Annie?” Lizzie wondered aloud.

  “Nothing right now. She’d go crazy.”

  “Maybe not. She has a cool head in a crisis. And she’ll figure it out sooner or later. You can’t hide a kid forever.”

  “I’ll have to drop out of law school after this semester.” Liz hated to see him do that, and she knew how much it meant to him. It was his dream, and he had worked so hard for it till now.

  “Don’t do anything yet. Besides, you never know, she could have a miscarriage. At her age, that’s a higher risk.”

  “I hope I get that lucky.” He felt guilty as he said it, but he didn’t want a child. He was totally clear on that. “I haven’t talked to her since she told me.”

  “She knows she’s got you by the throat.” It was an age-old way to catch a man, and she had. Lizzie hated her for it and wished there was something she could do to help her brother. But there was nothing anyone could do right now. Except give him moral support. The rest was in Pattie’s hands. And God’s.

  Ted called Pattie that night. It was the first time he had spoken to her in three days. And all she did was sob when he called. He felt terrible and tried to comfort her on the phone, and she begged him to come over. He felt as though he had to, so he dressed and went over to her apartment. She was calm when he got there and very loving. She begged him to go to bed with her and just hold her, and then she started to arouse him. He didn’t want to make love to her, it seemed so wrong right now, given everything he was feeling. But as she held him and caressed him, she overcame his objections, and he wound up making love to her anyway. It was tender and sweet and passionate, and she clung to him afterward and talked about their baby. It made him want to cry.

  They made love again, as they always did, and when Ted left the next morning, he felt beaten. Pattie had won. The baby had won. And he was the loser in all this. And that morning before he left, she asked him about getting married. He said he didn’t want to. She said it wasn’t fair to the baby to have it out of wedlock. She was a decent woman, and she’d been married when she had the others. All he could do was say he would think about it. He didn’t want her threatening suicide again. He didn’t have the strength to deal with it. And he was starting classes again that day. He could hardly think straight as he walked to the law school with his head down. He wanted a bolt of lightning to come down and kill him. It would have been so much simpler. The last thing he wanted was a baby. And Pattie called him incessantly between classes. She wanted constant reassurance. All he could think of, as he went to the library to work on his computer, was that it felt like someone had ripped his guts out and flushed his life down the toilet. She sent him an e-mail while he was at the library, and he promised to be there for dinner.

  * * *

  By the end of the week, Annie hadn’t heard from Ted or Tom Jefferson, either. Tom had promised to call her about dinner, and she never heard from him after his Sunday-night dinner with her family at the apartment. She wondered if it had unnerved him. His silence spoke volumes, and she didn’t want to pursue him.

  It was another week later when he called her from Hong Kong and apologized for not calling sooner.

  “I’m so sorry. I had no phone service or e-mail. I’ve been in a southern province of China for ten days. I just got to Hong Kong. They sent me on a story. It’s been a wild-goose chase.” She was so relieved to hear from him that she sounded ebullient on the phone.

  “I thought we’d scared you off.”

  “Don’t be silly. They sent me off the next morning, and I didn’t have time to call you. Somet
imes my life gets a little crazy.” It was what had cost him his marriage. His ex-wife had wanted a full-time husband at home, and he was never going to be that person. He wanted Annie to know that now, right from the beginning, or even before anything started.

  “Don’t worry, my life gets pretty crazy too. Although I don’t wind up in China or Hong Kong. When are you coming back?”

  “Hopefully tomorrow or the next day. How about dinner on Saturday night?”

  “I’d love it.” She told him then that she hadn’t heard from Ted since that dinner either, and she was worried about him.

  “Maybe he’s having love troubles.”

  “I suspect you’re right. And I think he just started classes. I just worry about that woman he’s involved with.” It was comforting to share her concerns with Tom.

  “There’s nothing you can do about it,” Tom reminded her. “He has to work it out for himself.”

  “I know. He’s such an innocent though. And I don’t trust that woman. She’s almost as old as I am.”

  “It’ll be a good lesson for him,” Tom said calmly.

  “If he survives it.”

  “He will. We all do. We pay a price for our mistakes, and we learn the lessons. Sometimes at a high price. I knew I was marrying the wrong woman when I got married. I went through with it anyway, and it just got worse over time. At least you were spared that.”

  “I’ve made my share of mistakes too,” Annie admitted. Maybe living like a nun was one of them. But she couldn’t have handled more than she had on her plate. Dealing with three kids at her age had been enough. And now she was comfortable with her monastic life.

  “You look like you’ve done okay to me. That’s a great family you raised. Your sister would be proud of you.” It brought tears to her eyes when he said it.

  He told her about China then, and the story he was covering. There was a new prime minister, and he had gone over to do an interview with him, about his foreign policies and a trade commission he was setting up. It struck her that Tom led a very grown-up life and was at the hub of world events. She was trying to get contractors to come in on time, and moving walls around to keep her clients happy. Her world was a lot smaller than his. But she loved what she did. It had given her great satisfaction for years. She had always secretly hoped that Kate would get interested in architecture too, and she could have formed a partnership with her in later years, but her artistic talents had found other avenues.

  Tom promised to call her as soon as he got back to New York, and he confirmed their dinner date on Saturday night. He said he’d figure out where on the way home and make the reservation. She liked the way he took charge of things and made plans on his own. She didn’t have to do it for him. It was a relief not to be the one carrying the whole load. That was new for her.

  Annie was in much better spirits after she heard from Tom. And she finally reached Ted. He said he was just busy with classes, but he sounded terrible and she didn’t believe him when he said he was fine. He didn’t sound it. She called Liz then, who insisted she knew nothing. She hated lying to Annie, but it was up to Ted to tell her that Pattie was pregnant, and he didn’t have the courage, and there was plenty of time. Pattie was barely more than a month pregnant. She had told him the baby was due in September. He didn’t even want to think about it now. And she was talking marriage now a lot of the time. He had never been so miserable in his life, except when he lost his parents.

  Liz called him every day to see how he was, and she hated the way he sounded. He admitted to her that he was in despair and felt trapped. The fetus growing in Pattie’s belly had ruined his life, or was going to the instant it was born. It already had. And Pattie was on top of the world now. She was having his baby, and she owned him for life. All she did was thank him for making her so happy, and she wanted to have sex with him all the time. He no longer called it making love. It wasn’t. It was just raw sex, and Pattie got her way every time. He didn’t want to upset her, so he did whatever she asked. He tried to be gentle with her so as not to hurt the baby, but she insisted that everything they did was fine. He had begun to wish that he had never met her. And he was having very dark thoughts. He was drinking a lot, and he told Lizzie several times that he wished he were dead. She didn’t think that Pattie would ever kill herself, but she was worried about Ted. Liz had said nothing to Annie, but she was beginning to think she should. If he didn’t feel better soon, she would have no other choice.

  Liz was startled a few days later when Annie called her. She sounded serious, and she said she wanted Liz’s advice. Liz was desperately afraid that she was going to ask about Ted. But instead she admitted to Liz that Tom had invited her on a real date. He was taking her to dinner, and she had nothing to wear. Liz smiled when she heard the nervous, girlish tone in her aunt’s voice. It was sweet.

  They discussed where she might be going to dinner, and what kind of impression she wanted to make on Tom. She said that all her good clothes were appropriate for client meetings, but she didn’t own anything sexy that might appeal to a man.

  “How sexy? Plunging neckline? Short skirt?” Liz asked practically, and Annie laughed.

  “I didn’t say I want to get arrested. I said I want to look attractive on a date.”

  “Okay. Pretty ruffled blouse. Maybe Chanel. Short but decent skirt. Pretty fur jacket. I can lend you one of mine. Your hair down framing your face. Nothing hard. Everything soft, feminine, pretty.” She brought over several garment bags of things to choose from that night. She had six bags stuffed to the gills, and Annie picked a beautiful organdy blouse and a black lace skirt. Both were elegant but sexy. And she was still on crutches and had to wear flat shoes, so Liz had brought her a pair of satin flats with rhinestone buckles in the right size. She’d had her assistant pick them up. And she lent her a short black mink jacket that Annie had admired for years. She was all set!

  Annie looked lovely on Saturday night when Tom picked her up. Katie had helped her dress and did her makeup for her and told her to wear her hair down. She felt like a high school kid going to her first prom when Tom rang the doorbell. He was wearing a black cashmere jacket and slacks, with an open, beautifully tailored shirt. He said he was jet-lagged but he didn’t look it, and he admired everything Annie had on. He loved her looks and the way she was dressed. He noticed it all.

  “Where is everyone, by the way?” Tom asked, looking around. The apartment was deserted and silent.

  “Out. Katie and Paul are at a movie. Lizzie is away for the weekend, and Ted’s busy with school. I hardly hear from him anymore. I don’t know what’s going on. I hope he’s okay and getting a little space from that woman.”

  “He’ll figure it out,” Tom reassured her, as they left the apartment and took a cab to the restaurant. It was uptown and very chic. Everyone knew Tom, and he introduced her to half a dozen people who stopped at their table. And the headwaiter made a big fuss over them both. It was fun being out with him. With his face on the news every night, he was universally known, respected, and greatly admired.

  Over dinner, Annie told him about the houses she was currently working on, and he told her all about China. For the first time, Annie talked about something other than the kids. She felt like she was out on a real date with him. And when he took her home, he walked her to her door, and she invited him in for a drink. He looked at her ruefully and stifled a yawn. He said he’d had a great time, but the time change was catching up with him, and he was afraid he’d fall asleep.

  “Let’s do it again soon,” he said. It sounded like a good idea to her too.

  “I had a wonderful time,” she said, as she thanked him, and he smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

  “So did I. I’ll call you next week, unless they send me halfway around the world again.” He had mentioned that he had to go to London soon. It sounded like fun to her.

  Tom left her at the door to the apartment and watched her as she went in. As she walked into the living room, Paul and Katie were sitt
ing on the couch, watching a DVD. And Annie noticed that they looked secretive when she came in. She wondered what they were up to and assumed they’d had sex in Katie’s room while she was out. Katie had never asked Annie if Paul could spend the night, because Paul said he felt awkward about it, and neither of them was sure how Annie would react. None of Katie’s boyfriends had ever stayed there before. Liz and Ted had never brought anyone home for the night either. And Paul was very circumspect.

  Annie was still floating from the evening with Tom when she went to her own room and carefully took off her new clothes. They had been a big success. It was a whole different look for her. And Liz had promised to find some other things for her to wear on future dates with Tom.

  Annie was still smiling the next morning as she read the Sunday paper. She was thinking about Tom when Katie walked in. She bustled around the kitchen for a while, and then she sat down at the kitchen table and faced her aunt.

  “I have something to tell you,” Kate said quietly, and Annie looked at her in shock.

  “Oh my God, you’re pregnant … ,” Annie said as Kate looked at her and shook her head.

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Thank God,” Annie said, looking relieved. She wasn’t ready for that.

  “I’m going to take a trip with Paul,” Katie said firmly, bracing herself for what would come next. “We’ve been talking about it for a while.”

  “To where?” Annie asked with interest. She wasn’t shocked that they wanted to go away with each other. They were old enough.

  “We’re going to Tehran,” Katie said, looking Annie in the eye. There was a deafening silence in the kitchen.

  “No, you’re not,” Annie said, without hesitating for a second.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “That’s out of the question. I won’t allow it. It could be dangerous for you, and it’s too far away. That’s not going to happen,” Annie said firmly. “I don’t mind your traveling with him, but not to someplace that could be awkward for you.”