(rough) Cheney moved Kali and the boys out to his place, thinking that a new neighborhood and new surroundings would help them. Instead, the boys began to find reasons to stay in town in the evenings. At first, Cheney didn’t mind. He enjoyed Kali’s company, and they had a lot to keep them occupied. But things went south when the conflicts between Cheney and the boys began to escalate. Kali drove a school bus. Cheney was impressed. Not only could she command the outsized vehicle with skill and dexterity, she also controlled her passengers. Her voice carried, and the kids who rode with her knew she meant business. Cheney couldnt sometimes help but wonder, though, why Kali couldnt carry the same authority with her own sons. After a year or so of being married, Cheney had become used to the snide remarks and insolent ways of her three boys. But his being used to them did not mean he would settle for being used by them. And he tried to tell Kali this one night after he came home, yet again, to a dirty house and fighting boys. He drew her aside and told her in no uncertain terms that he thought perhaps David, who was a year older than Benjamin, could get a job and contribute to the family income. He also suggested that Daren and Doug could pitch in around the house, keep their rooms clean, maybe cook dinner or at least pick up after themselves. Kali blinked her eyes and said slowly,”We’ll see.” David, instead of getting a job, got a girlfriend who had an apartment in town. Cheney was actually relieved the day he moved his belongings out. Now it was just Kali, her younger two sons, Cheney, and Ben. And the house still seemed quite a bit too small. Kali wasn’t much of a shopper. She tended to purchase groceries on whims rather than by lists. The cabinets were stuffed with chips and cookies. The refrigerator contained milk that was often expired, sliced fake cheese, and frozen pizzas. While Cheney wasn’t exactly into healthy eating, he had lived with his mother and with Jackie long enough to know that normal families didn’t subsist on just junk food. His attempts to correct the matter were met with the same derision and disdain as his attempts to curb the boys’ mouths and insolence. Cheney soon gave up, defeated, and began to look forward to eating lunch at work. It was the one time of day he could enjoy a fresh salad without being made fun of. Several years into their marriage, Kali came home from the bus route and checked the mail. She came into the house waving an envelope excitedly. It was a letter from the Dunfrey Trucking Company. She had been selected as the firm’s first female driver. She would be hauling locally in a panel truck to start. Her driving skills and her ability to banter with the owner of the company had landed her a full time job. Cheney gave her a congratulatory kiss and asked if she’d like to go out to dinner to celebrate. She suggested they go out for drinks instead. Kali proudly donned her uniform each morning for the next several years. She came home at night tired, her shoulders aching and hands calloused. She was tough as nails, Cheney thought. A big girl with a big truck. She made friends with the other drivers. They accepted her and eventually welcomed her into their ranks. Cheney had no idea, though, just how accepting a few of Kali’s co-workers actually were. He knew she was spending time with her friends after work. It wasn’t uncommon for the drivers to meet up for a drink or two on Friday nights at Slick’s, a hole-in-the-wall where broken beer bottles filled the parking lot and peanut hulls filled the floor. Gradually the Friday nights turned into Saturday mornings. Kali came home later and later, and offered fewer explanations of her whereabouts. Cheney decided that she was experiencing real freedom for the first time in her life, and he didn’t want to take away her new-found confidence. So he allowed her to continue. One day while he was working, however, he answered a phone call that changed his entire life. “Are you married to Kali Duval?” He didn’t recognize the female voice on the other end of the phone. “Yes,” he replied, not at all sure what was happening. “Who wants to know, and why?” “Your wife is seeing my husband,” came the reply. “And I will put a stop to it if you don’t.”
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 02:02:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015