Cynthia turned away, saying nothing but snuggling the white owl to her bosom. Dean, sensing she wished to be alone, returned to the living room. The guests, apparently taking advantage of the improving weather, had not returned. He turned on some music with weak intentions of continuing his sheriff reading but instead just sat there, finishing the last of the merlot. He was luxuriating in the quiet of the day listening to Mozart and trying unsuccessfully to get Martha off his mind when once again the phone rang. It was Cynthia's son, Randy.
"This is great timing," Dean said. "Your mother's had a bum day. She needs a pick-me-up."
"Yeah. Well, I'm not sure I'm going to give her one," the young man answered.
"What's wrong?"
Dean could hear Randy taking a deep breath. "Jen's going to have a baby."
Oh, shit was all Dean could think, but he willed the words to stay put. "That's great." He said it but he couldn't force the appropriate accompanying tone to sound enthusiastic. The words just lay there like road kill on a summer highway.
Randy quickly added, "We're going to get married." This time Dean was silent. That's great had already been used. Randy continued, "Ma's going to be . . . ." Dean could think of a litany of adjectives, including, but not limited to, upset, pissed, irate, enraged, livid, seething and certainly devastated.
"Maybe I'd better let you speak to her," Dean said cautiously.
"No!" came a too-quick response. "Look, David. You know she'll. . .be upset. Maybe you could. . .naw, I guess I have to be the one to tell her."
You've got that right, Dean thought remembering Cynthia's reaction to Billy Langstrom's similar situation-words he was certain she'd now wish she'd never spoken.
Jenny Calvia had been the love of Randy's life since high school. They were both great kids with a marvelous future. He felt Randy's pain as if it were his own.
"Just tell the truth, Randy. Sure, she's going to be shocked. This is a big deal. But it will all work out."
"Can you at least stay on the line?" Randy said, resignation in his voice. Dean reluctantly agreed. He took a deep breath and buzzed his wife to pick up.
Cynthia was super pleased to hear her son's voice, but her mood changed abruptly when he blurted out the news.
"Are you living with her?" Cynthia asked.
"Ma, don't make me say it, okay? Look. I love you. I know how you feel about stuff like that. Maybe I don't always agree with you, but that's okay, isn't it? I love Jen and she loves me. It's been like that since-God, junior high school-six, seven years! I didn't mean to get her pregnant but we're both happy it happened. Really." Then he added, "And we want our parents to feel the same way too."