Wheels of Steel, Book 2 (46 page)

Maybe it was PMS, but that was supposed to be before, not during. Well he would just try not to piss her off. Tomorrow was Friday and he wanted to blow off therapy and the Omicron party except that he knew Robin would be disappointed if he didn’t see Raymond. And he didn’t want to see Raymond. That information that his father had told him still weighed heavy on his mind. What if Raymond was the one that had been telling his mother his secrets; like about him walking? He was so happy that winter break was close.

After school Robin dropped Jason off at the studio but had no intentions of staying around while they worked. It would be their first time making music with Akita Tom and she didn’t want to be a distraction. Belinda seemed to feel the same way, but Amberly didn’t seem to realize this as she made plans to hang out with the guys.

Robin drove home annoyed that Amberly was so blatant with her continued crush on her boyfriend. She had just walked into her apartment when the phone rang. It was Belinda.

“I made the appointment. It’s Saturday. That way neither of us would have to miss classes.”

Robin was silent for a long time before she managed to speak. “But…I thought, I mean, aren’t you and Peter getting along better?”

“Robin, I already explained that this has nothing to do with me and Peter’s relationship. Yeah, being with him feels good. But this is just me…enjoying the time we have together until one of us reverts back to asshole mode.”

“And he still doesn’t know?”

“Nope.”

Robin scratched her forehead. “What time Saturday?”

“Nine am.”

“Where is this place?”

“Not too far from where I live.”

“Well…ok. I’ll be at your place at 8:30.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Robin, I know that you don’t want to do this, so I really appreciate it.”

“That’s not it, Belinda. I just want you to make the right decision for you AND Peter.”

“Don’t tell him, then. And he’ll never know. And that will be the right decision.”

Robin closed her eyes. “See you at lunch tomorrow.”

Chapter 27

Friday started out bad and got worse. Jason wouldn’t get out of bed and Robin had to threaten to douse him in cold water. He grumbled and snapped at her and she grumbled and snapped back. He had a seizure in the morning, a seizure during class and then another before they left the school.

“That is too many seizures, Jason! Something’s wrong.”

“I’m just tired, Babe. That’s all. I’ll be able to catch up on my sleep this weekend.” They drove to a Bob Evan’s restaurant because Robin insisted that he eat a nutritious meal.

“Oh, I made that CD for your mom while I was in the studio last night. I want you to give it to her Sunday. I’m going to be too busy to go along to church with you two.” She hid a frown and didn’t voice her displeasure. “Oh my god, I can’t believe how fast everything works in a real studio!” He began telling her about the equipment and how great it was to work with Tom. He and Peter referred to Akita Tom as just Tom, now. He described the music that they had come up with and how they just jammed out and everything that they did sounded better than anything he’d ever done before, even their practice beats!

After lunch he finally quieted down. He looked at her. “My Dad told me something weird. Not sure how to take it.” Then he told her what his Dad had said about his mother and Raymond.

“Why would your father lie? It has to be the truth.”

“Why would he do any of the things that he’s done? Because he’s a fucking loser.”

“Are you going to ask Raymond about it?”

“Fuck yeah, I am.”

“And what if he tells you yes?”

Jason didn’t respond.

Once inside the rehab facility, he didn’t hit the lockers to change, but waited for Raymond outside of his office.

“Hey, my man…why aren’t you dressed? How’s your legs?” Ray asked in rapid succession as he greeted the two of them.

Jason slapped his hand as he normally would, but his face held a grim look. Once the door was closed Raymond gave him a serious look. “What’s wrong, Red?”

“Are you fucking my Mom?”

Robin did a face palm, not even able to look at Raymond or Jason. But when Raymond didn’t respond she had no choice but to look.

“What the hell are you talking about, Jason?! Who told you that?”

Jason frowned. “Raymond, please don’t lie to me. Are you…or have you?”

Raymond was shaking his head, he seemed at a loss for words. Finally he looked at the ceiling. “Yeah. I…your mom and I had a BRIEF thing.”

Jason appeared to hyperventilate. “What???” He put his hands on his knees until he could catch his breath. “Why?” He asked in a small voice. “Man, I thought we were friends, Ray.”

“We are, Jason! Dude, I’ve been your friend since you were sixteen years old-”

“Man, is that why she knows all of my secrets?”

“No! It’s not like that-”

“So you never told her anything about me?”

“It’s not like you think-”

“Well, what is it like?!”

Raymond looked miserable. He began to pace. “Your Mom and I met years ago, before I was ever your physical therapist. She was in a CP support group that had come to a conference that was hosted by this facility. It was on therapeutic techniques. Because you used to be able to walk and then you stopped, I became really interested in your case, but she already had a therapist for you and she was happy with her.

“Your Mom was smart, attractive, older and once I got to know her and she got to know me…we had a thing.”

Jason stared at him. “Was she still married to my Dad?”

Raymond paused. “Yes she was. I mean the relationship was essentially over…”

“And he found out about it?”

“He didn’t find out until long after it had ended. By that time I was working with you. She had fired your other therapist and I was glad to take the case. I thought I could help you to walk again! That’s what your Mom really wanted me to do for you…at least initially. She changed her mind later, but I never did!”

Raymond’s expression seemed to appeal to Jason, but Jason didn’t react at all. With a sigh he resumed the story. “Your mom and I were talking about how it would be a bad idea to…start anything again and your father heard enough to put two and two together. He was already broke up with your Mom by that time-”

Jason was shaking his head. “My Dad had stopped coming to see me long before you came around.”

Raymond looked away miserably. “He wasn’t coming to see you, Jason. He was coming to see your Mom.”

Jason contemplated his words. Then he ran his hands through his hair and Robin hated to see him in so much anguish. “Raymond, one last thing, did you tell my Mom that I was walking?”

“No. I never told her your secrets Jason. Your Mom and I were on different pages. I wanted you walking and she wanted you not to bash your brains out in an epileptic fit. She wanted you safe. I don’t blame her for that. The things that I told your Mom had to do with how…you and her got along. I never told your secrets. I only gave her my opinion on how she babied you and didn’t allow you to grow.”

Jason held up his hand to stop him and then he rubbed his face. He took a deep breath and Robin thought for a moment that he was about to seize but he didn’t.

“Raymond, I don’t think I can come see you anymore.”

Raymond looked down and shook his head. “Jason…”

“You’re fired.” Jason wheeled out of the room. Robin couldn’t even look at the therapist as she followed Jason out of the office. He had seemed so calm so the fact that he’d fired his good friend was at odds to his reaction. He didn’t even seem mad. But he did seem hurt.

“Jason, are you okay?”

“Let’s just get out of here.”

He didn’t speak to her as they drove home. There were a million things that she wanted to say; like how much Raymond cared about him, and that he was going into a cast and getting surgery and he needed Raymond more than ever! She wanted to tell him not to throw away his friendship, but she didn’t want to hurt him more then he already was hurting so she just kept quiet.

The concert wasn’t until eleven so that left Peter and Jason plenty of time to work with Tom in the studio. She dropped him off and went home to nap so that she’d be well rested for another college party.

They met the others at the Omicron house and it was sheer madness. There was barely enough room to enter the house, let alone space enough to set up the equipment. No one had fun being jostled around in a hot smelly room and so during a brief intermission the girls informed them that they were leaving. Even Amberly had no desire to stay after being knocked down more than once. Jason assured Robin that he would get a ride home with Peter and would probably crash for most of the day until it was time to head to the studio.

This meant that Saturday looked like it was open for Belinda and Robin to complete their task.

***

Robin had bad nightmares and woke up not remembering them and not the least bit rested. At seven thirty her phone rang and it was Belinda reminding her of their appointment.

“I’ll be there.”

“Okay.” But Belinda didn’t hang up.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah!” And then the phone went dead.

Robin sat there on the edge of her bed for a five full minutes before she pressed the numbers to Peter’s phone. Earlier she had gone through Jason’s phone for the number. It rang so long that for a minute she thought that she’d messed up by waiting too late and that he wouldn’t answer and then the abortion would actually take place without him knowing. But then the phone picked up and his groggy voice was there.

“H’lo?”

Please god…let this be the right thing to do… “Peter. This is Robin.”

“Robin? What’s wrong?” He suddenly sounded a lot more alert.

“It’s about Belinda.”

“Yeah?”

She paused. “She didn’t want me to tell you this, and maybe she’s right…I don’t know anymore. But something tells me that you should know. Belinda is…going to have an abortion.”

There was no sound for a long time. Robin heard rustling of sheets and then she heard Peter speaking and the sound of a muffled woman’s sleepy response.

Robin covered her face in disappointment. Jesus. Peter was such a dog. She clicked end on the phone and then angrily tossed it on her bed as she went to the bathroom to shower. When she returned from the bathroom the phone was shrilling. Angrily she picked it up.

“Yeah.”

“Robin! Jesus why did you hang up?!”

Robin pressed on the speaker phone and tossed it onto her bed not caring if he could hear her or not. “I hung up because I made a mistake. Belinda knows you better then I apparently gave her credit for.” She said as she angrily dried off. “I thought you really loved her. I thought you were just too stubborn to admit it. But you slept with her one night and you have some stranger in your bed the next!”

“But, I do love Belinda. I do!”

“You have a strange way of showing it.”

“Okay…I know! Just because I don’t want a relationship with one person doesn’t mean that I don’t really care about her. Dude…why didn’t she tell me that she was pregnant?”

Robin pulled on a hoodie. “Why should she?” She picked up the phone. “I gotta go.”

“Where are you going?!”

“I told you. She’s having an abortion and I’m taking her. I did what I said I’d do and that was to tell you. That’s all you deserve, Peter.” She hung up and turned her phone off so that if it rang again it would just go to voice mail.

After pulling on shoes she stepped out into the cold morning air. The clouds blocked the sun. It was an ugly day. When she got to Belinda’s house Belinda was sitting quietly on the rickety porch as she had before. This time when Robin pulled up to the curb she didn’t bound down the stairs in excitement. She climbed into the passenger seat and then buckled up.

“Peter called me.” She mumbled.

“Yeah. I figured he would.”