Addicted to Pearls (Revised) (Pearls Series) (11 page)

The next morning he picked up the answering machine and plugged it back in.  He didn’t realize for several days that the machine was broken and wasn’t recording messages.  Vic attended the funeral and threw himself into work to the point that his boss was telling him to go home night after night as he continued working well past quitting time.

Vic was not a nice man to be around for the next couple months.  He even tried dating, but that was a disaster.   The woman had been willing and he just couldn’t muster the urge.  He wasn’t going to try that again anytime soon. 

Vic’s Dad was worried about him and took him to lunch to talk.  “Son, have you thought that maybe
you’re
missing a certain young lady?” he asked him.  Vic suddenly knew his father was right, that he needed closure to figure out what these feelings for Tori were. He still didn’t think he wanted a permanent relationship with her but, he felt bad that she had been going through a hard time and he didn’t offer any support even if that support was just friendship.  So that night he tried to call her.  He was surprised when her number got him a recording saying the number being disconnected.  He called the courthouse in Claytonville the next day and was told she was no longer working there.  He tried
directory
assistance and got
nowhere
.  The following day he ran her name through the police system and came up with a blank as well.  Finally out of desperation, he called Chief Darius and asked him about her.   All the chief would say was that she had left town and that he hadn’t heard anything about where she was.  He did give him Tori’s mother’s name and phone number though. 

When Vic called Tori’s mother the woman just ranted at him about sinning and hung up, no help there.  At this point, Vic decided that Tori must have been starting over and didn’t want any ties to the past and that included him.  He decided he’d have to let her go.  He still dream
t
of her most nights and at times when his drinking went
too
far
,
he
c
ould admit to himself that he missed her and wished she was still in his life.

Tori finally found work as a convenience store clerk.  All that office experience and hard work didn’t amount to anything without a good reference.  The only office job she came close to getting was squashed when they called the c
ourt house
and they were told she was asked to resign for moral reasons.   Minimum wage wasn’t building her savings like she needed and the worry of finances was weighing heavily on her.   When she was six months along and starting to really show her boss noticed.  Tori was struggling to keep up with stocking and lifting like she had been and her boss began cutting her hours.   Then he cut her job completely when she only had a couple months left until she was due to have the baby.  Tori was told there were “cut backs” but she knew why she’d been fired.

The bright spot in Tori’s life was her child.  She was doing fairly well with the pregnancy and had done what she could to prepare for the inclusion of a new son in her life.   She had been so scared when she first learned she was having a boy.  With no brothers and a father that hadn’t been very involved in her life, she wasn’t sure she would know how to raise a child to be a strong
well-adjusted
man.  Tori read everything she could on raising children at the library wanting to be the best Mom she could be.  She began talking to her son, singing to him and telling him about everything.  He became not just her baby, but her best friend and confidant.  She knew that would have to stop at some point when he began to understand her, but for now she needed a friend and he was handy.  Through it all she was still happy.  Tori felt blessed about the baby and that she was now ‘among the living’ as she put it.

With only a month until delivery Tori did a tour of the hospital.  They needed all the final paperwork filled out and wanted to know who would be coming with her during the birth.  She was so embarrassed to have to tell them that there would be no one with her.  Tori just straightened her spine and lifted her head, refusing to be pitied.  When she was filling out the last of the paperwork the clerk asked her if she was going to want pain medication options.  Tori planned on having a natural birth but knew that many women changed their mind once they faced the pain of childbirth.  She nodded her head and then her heart sank when the clerk told her that she would have to pay another huge deposit.  She didn’t have that much to spare.  Her budget for the next few months was already stretched to the limit.   She told the clerk she would think about it and let her know in the next couple days.  The clerk understood and gave her a sad look putting the paperwork away.

Tori was sitting outside of the hospital in her car crying.   She wasn’t sure if she was more upset that she couldn’t afford pain drugs or just the fact that she was so worried about finances not only now but once her son was born.  What if he needed special medical care, how would she ever be able to afford that
?
  Tears were streaming down her face as she was sitting back in the
driver’s
seat of her car with the windows open for air.  She felt so helpless right then and the anguish was apparent to the young man that happened to walk in front of her car. 

He wasn’t one to generally talk to strangers but something about the pain he heard in this woman’s sobs drew him to the window.  He lightly knocked on the side of the car and Tori
looked over at Clint and her breath stopped.  He recognized her right away and squatted down so he could talk to her face to face.

“Hi Tori long time no see, what’s wrong” He asked?  That just made Tori cry harder and Clint wasn’t sure what to do at first.  He just patted her shoulder and made soothing noises, wishing he knew how to talk to crying women.   “Come on, maybe it will help to tell someone,” he told her.  Tori had wound down to a whimper and tears and just looked at this young man who vaguely looked like Vic.  When she could finally talk she told him “
E
verything is fine, I just got a little scared.  I know it‘s silly and that women have been having natural childbirth for centuries but just knowing I can’t afford the pain meds made me nervous.  My hormones are going crazy I guess.”

Clint’s expression was priceless.  “
You’re
pregnant?” Tori looked at him and without thinking said, “
O
h my God, Vic didn’t tell you?”   Clint was so shocked, he couldn’t believe that Vic had a baby on the way and hadn’t told him and he was guessing that his folks didn’t know either.

Clint was
immediately
angry at his brother.  He could see the fear and worry in this beautiful woman’s face.  No woman should have to worry about pain medication during birth and he was furious that his brother wasn’t taking care of this.  He opened the car door and engulfed Tori in a hug then gently pulled her from the car.  He was shocked to see her so heavy with child.  He didn’t know much about pregnant women but she looked big enough to be due any time. 

“Ok,
let’s
go talk to them and see if we can take care of this problem,”  Clint said, leading her back into the building.

Tori told him that there wasn’t anything they could do but Clint was insistent and the pair made their way back into the hospital.  Tori stopped by the restroom and did a quick repair job to her face splashing it with cold water and trying to hide the ravages of her crying jag.

When they approached the clerk, Tori gave her
an
apologetic smile as Clint asked what options there were and what could be done.  Tori wasn’t surprised when the clerk sadly told them there was nothing she could do.  Clint asked the clerk how much Tori needed. 
Tori was
appalled
when Clint pulled out his check book and wrote the clerk a check for the full amount of the deposit.  She put her hand on his arm “I can’t accept that, it‘s
too
much.”  Clint wouldn’t have it,

“
T
hat’s my niece or nephew your carrying and I’m going to make sure it’s Momma is relaxed and as comfortable as possible bringing him or her into this world.”

The generosity of his gesture was so touching to Tori that she started crying again and with a nod to the clerk, Clint led Tori out the building and to his Jeep.  Tori didn’t even argue when he opened the passenger door and helped her in.   They drove to a little café that Clint knew and he bought her lunch, the two talking about the baby.   Tori tried to hide how things were
from him.  But Clint was more perceptive than most men his age and could tell that she was struggling.  When they headed back to the hospital to get Tori’s car, Clint insisted on following her home to make sure she made it there ok. 

At Tori’s apartment Clint asked to come in for a drink of water.  He wanted to see the place and judge for himself.  He was pleased to see it was
bright and
clean but angry at how small it was.  Tori showed him the baby crib she had got at a yard sale and had repainted.  She was proud of what she did have and how prepared she was. He was thrilled when he saw all the blue clothes and Tori confirmed that he had a nephew on the way. 

“Tori I know this is sort of awkward but, can we be friends?  Would it be alright if I stopped in on a regular basis to visit and check on you and the baby?
”
  Tori was happy to have Clint’s friendship but she asked him not to tell Vic.  She didn’t want Vic getting angry at his brother.  Tori figured that if Vic didn’t want anything to do with her or their baby, th
e
n he wouldn’t be happy to find out that Clint was taking an interest.

The next week was so much nicer for Tori as she had someone who stopped by almost daily and visited with her.  Clint was interested in the baby and happy to be involved.  Often Clint would show up with some type of
take-out
food telling her that he hated to eat alone and they would share dinner watching television. 

It was still a bitter sweet time for Tori as Clint reminded her of Vic and often mentioned little tidbits of what was going on in Vic’s life.  Tori was concerned when she realized that Clint seemed to be angry with Vic. 

One evening when Clint and Tori were watching a movie at Tori’s apartment, Clint decided they needed a snack.  When he looked through the refrigerator and cupboards and found almost no food at all he became visibly upset.  “Damn it, this just isn’t right.” he grumbled as he sat back down near Tori.   “It’s ok, I was just tired the last couple days and didn’t feel like going to the store,” Tori hedged.  Really she was trying to eat healthy but couldn’t afford to have extras.  Clint wasn’t buying it and it was making him more and more angry at his brother.  He had tried to bring groceries to Tori but she was a proud woman and got defensive with him about it, so he just brought food for dinners which she seemed to be ok with.  Clint couldn’t understand how his brother could ignore this woman that he already felt close to like a sister and his nephew that he was so excited about.  Every day he was getting more frustrated with Vic and it was beginning to show with his family. 

When Clint’s family had a family barbeque, like they often did in the summers, Clint was quiet and sullen.  He wouldn’t speak to Vic at all.  “Son, what is wrong with you, what did your brother do that has you so upset?” Clint’s Mom asked him.  Clint looked over at Vic laughing and enjoying his family and thinking of Tori in that tiny apartment.  He knew she was happy but still scared about having and raising the baby on her own.  He had offered his help and friendship but was that going to be enough?  His frustration was so great that he just sort of blew up.  “I hate him, he’s not a man, he’s a bastard.”  Clint’s Mom was shocked, as were the others that heard him although they didn’t know who Clint was talking about.  Clint stood and
stalked to the gate and left the back yard going to the swing on the front porch.   As he sat there trying to understand how his brother
,
who
he so looked up to and admired
,
could be acting the way he was, his Mother sat down next to him.

“Son, whatever this is about, it’s tearing you up inside and you need to talk about it.  If not to me than to someone.  I can’t imagine what your brother could have done to upset you so much but it’s putting a strain on the family and especially on you.”   Clint knew his Mom was right but he wasn’t sure he wanted her to know the kind of man his brother had become.  But, maybe because of his age, he just didn’t know how to handle the situation and with a sigh began telling his Mom about Tori. 

Betty was wide eyed and silent as Clint explained the situation.  She gasped when Clint told her how Vic didn’t want to deal with Tori’s ‘little problem‘.  That didn’t sound like Vic at all.   He told her how frustrated he was about Tori’s living situation and how he’d found her sobbing outside the
hospital
that first day.  Tears were sliding down her face by the time he was done.  She shook her head and went into the house coming right back out with her purse and keys.  “Come on son, we have an errand to run,” she told her boy.  The solemn pair didn’t even tell the rest of the family they were leaving.   Clint didn’t argue, when his Mom told him she needed directions.

Tori was home and feeling very frustrated.  She had spilled a whole gallon of milk on the floor wasting it and
,
with her hormones so whacked, that sent her into a fit of tears.  Once she’d cleaned up the mess she’d had trouble getting to her feet she was feeling drained and listless.  The apartment was quiet and she felt so alone at times.  With a protective hand over her very large belly she whispered, “I will be so happy when you’re here and I’m not alone anymore, we are going to be so happy.  Poor
,
but happy.”  This of course made the tears fall again and that was when the
doorbell
rang.  Tori figured it was Clint as he was really the only person that visited and a peek through the peep hole confirmed it.  She opened the door a little but didn’t invite him in as she usually would.