Watching Glass Shatter Page 7

  In the early part of their marriage, Teddy and Sarah had struggled to connect. In time, Teddy became more than the mechanical and stoic man Sarah had married leading to emotional intimacy in their relationship. She'd begun to motivate Teddy to consider alternative options besides what his parents had instilled in him since childhood. Once Teddy had admitted his true passions, Sarah pushed him to talk to his father about the future of the firm. Teddy had planned to have that conversation, but Ben passed away and Teddy forcibly directed his attention back to the firm. His anger and arrogance reappeared more quickly than it had once dissipated, adding to the strain of his weakening marriage. Teddy hadn't realized his relationship declined at home, but Sarah knew she'd slipped further away each day that passed.

  Teddy pulled on his boxers, crossed the parquet floors, and called out, “Sarah, is that you?”

  Sarah confirmed and climbed the winding staircase to their bedroom in the south corner of their colonial-style house. She'd spent most of her shift walking the hospital floors, hitting at least twelve thousand steps per day on her Fitbit tracker. While Teddy couldn't care any less about exercise, Sarah's focus energized with every step she took. She'd been training to run the NYC Marathon that upcoming November, still bitter she'd missed the last one due to Teddy's work schedule canceling their trip.

  As she came around the stark white landing, Teddy, standing in his starched, checkered boxers, kissed his wife. “Good morning. How was your shift?” He bent his hands backward, enjoying their crackling noise.

  “I am exhausted, but the Abbotts finally gave birth to the triplets. It's pretty amazing what a woman's body can handle.” Sarah untied the drawstrings on her pants, letting them fall to the floor. Stepping out one leg at a time, each limb glided as though she danced a ballet when leaning forward. “By the way, your mother called me today.”

  “What did she call you for?” Teddy's voice held a gruff tone. He knew his mother distrusted and barely tolerated Sarah. It would be unusual for her to call at all, nonetheless at work.

  “She wants to spend a week with us for the Fourth of July. She asked me to take time off and mentioned you closed the office for a few days around the holiday. Why didn't you tell me?” Sarah fussed with the roses in the vase on her dresser twisting a few dried petals off the flowers with a bobbing tenacity.

  “I am closing the office. The courts are closed a few days, and my father's partners are taking their vacations. It seemed to me we'd have a light week. I forgot to tell you.”

  “They're your partners now, Teddy.” Sarah reminded him of burdens he preferred not to discuss, as she whipped her head around to face him. “Have you decided to tell her about selling your father's practice to Wittleton and Davis?”

  Sarah stripped off her blouse, leaving her in nothing but a pair of white cotton panties and a padded pink sports bra. She stepped toward the dresser and pulled out a box of crackers from the drawer snapping open the plastic packaging with nimble fingers.

  Teddy walked closer to her, his body flushed as he rubbed her neck with wishful hands. “No, I haven't decided yet what I want to do. I'm still processing my father's death. I can't disappoint her.”

  “It's not about disappointment. It's about choice.” Sarah's voice chirped at him as she pecked at a soda cracker. “Your father forgot to teach you how to be a friend, how to listen, how to love… You were never given the option as a child. But you're not a child anymore, Teddy.”

  “I couldn't do this for another thirty years. You've convinced me to focus on other parts of life it would seem I might enjoy. I wish I could have talked to my father before he died. Now I have to talk to my mother.” Teddy continued massaging her neck, sliding his fingers beneath the straps that left uneven marks as they pressed into her shoulders. Knowing her ticklish nature, he took caution to be gentle near her underarms.

  Sarah's shoulders relaxed as she hung her head lower. “We did much better at fixing us before everything happened. We need to get back to that. Taking over the firm won't let it happen.”

  “I know. I hear you. What did you tell my mother about spending time with her?” He lifted her bra and pushed her toward the bed.

  “I said yes. She's your mother. She lost her husband for heaven's sake. I couldn't say no, at least not without her hating me even more.” Sarah shrugged her brow, redirected his hands away, and followed it with a soft kiss on his lips. “Give me some sugar before you leave.”

  “Let's not talk about it right now.” He grabbed her neck and pushed his lips further on to hers.

  Sara pulled away. “Aren't you fixin' to get to work?”

  “Yes, in a few minutes. I have other things in mind to occupy our time.” Teddy pushed Sarah on the mattress while pulling down his boxers, standing naked before his wife. With pursed lips and a rising erection, he whispered to her. “Would you happen to have any idea of what I have in mind?”

  Sarah smiled. “Yes. If my momma were still alive, she'd tell you she could see your Christmas right now. But I'm done ovulating this month. I reckon we should save it?”

  They'd been trying for a year with no success, even narrowing the specific times they could have sex and for how long and in which positions. It had become more of a task to check off on a list rather than a romantic or loving exchange for Teddy. They'd wanted to have a baby for years, desperately clinging to the rocky pastures of their marriage, growing further apart with each failure. He'd spent too many nights listening to Sarah cry herself to sleep over hitting her forties, still not having children, watching the clock tick away, each second pricking his skin as a reminder of every futile attempt.

  “It would appear you win. How long do I have to wait?” His obnoxious voice growled while he pulled up his shorts. As he finished, he gripped his hands together and produced several loud pops in a row.

  “Probably on Sunday. I'm sorry.” Sarah pushed him back toward the closet to put on his clothes. “I'm still hoping to find other ways to get pregnant.”

  Teddy finished dressing, grabbed his briefcase, and left the bedroom. “Luck is on our side this time.”

  He descended the stairs into his office on the first floor where he drew open the curtains and switched on the overhead light. The room brightened with a white glow as he breathed in fresh paint wafting off his canvases. On the walls were his recent watercolor series focused on inclement weather changes. He'd been watching the impacts of all the strange storms in the area decimating trees and beaches, and he captured on canvas the various changes throughout the months. He admired the destruction as it energized him to know he could snatch it and manipulate it as he pleased in his artwork.

  On Sundays, while Sarah slept before heading to the hospital for her shift, he would set up his easel and supplies in the backyard and paint the changes as he interpreted them. He hoped to catch the sun begin its slow and colorful descent each evening, displaying a secret, beautiful danger lurking in the depths of the incoming moon. Art amplified his passion, not family law.

  He recalled the letter his father left behind at the reading of the will, assuming it had been connected to his future inheritance of the law practice. He'd been angry when his mother had subtly informed him she didn't have the wherewithal to talk about the letters at any point during the last few days. Teddy hadn't been able to accept her cavalier answers, as he called them, and kept pressing her to let him read both. Olivia begged him for a few more days to which he agreed without any understanding of the stammer in her voice, noting she could have the weekend and later telling her it contradicted his better judgment.

  As he shut the front door, he decided it was time for him to apply more pressure before delivering the decision to sell the law practice.

  Chapter 7 – Matt

  Matt had always been proud that his mother would tell everyone he'd been her perfect little boy during childhood. He had everything from looks to body, intelligence to friends, wit to charm—the proverbial golden child. And as he grew older, it became a priority to
ensure others saw him as meeting and exceeding high expectations, always on top and winning first prize. When he chose not to follow in the wake of his father's and older brother's golden legal pathways, and instead to seek an MBA in the finance world, Matt knew he'd saddled himself with an uphill climb and no option to plateau.

  Matt met Margaret while studying at business school. They married several months afterward and had three daughters—Melanie, Melissa, and Melinda—within the first five years. Margaret, a former runner-up in the Miss Connecticut pageant, maintained a strict beauty and exercise regimen, training at the gym at least four times per week. She styled her curly, golden hair weekly at the salon, wore bright and cheery makeup, and her outfits were immaculate despite having three young children who could often be a little messy. Matt still referred to Margaret as the beauty queen who stole his heart, while their relationship resembled the definition of pure love, including plans for a total of six children.

  As Matt glanced at the time on the TV, noticing many children's toys and books scattered around him on the floor, Margaret stood from the sofa. They finished watching a video on the new kindergarten school they'd chosen for their oldest daughter. After weeks of discussion and interviewing at seven different schools, they agreed on the Madison Academy, which turned out to be the most expensive of everything they'd visited. Matt still didn't believe there were any concerns with the public schools in their town, but Margaret usually got her way.

  “I know it's an expensive school, but it stands out as the best option for Melanie. It will give her the right education from the beginning, and she'll be safer than in the public system. I've heard nightmares from your mother about teachers with little experience and administrators who don't know how to do their jobs. We want the best for her, Matt.” Margaret placed both hands on her hips.

  Matt leaned forward on the edge of the couch to kiss his wife goodnight when he heard and felt the crush of Cheerios on the floor beneath his bare feet. “D'oh. I'll clean those later. Are you sure you don't want to get a puppy for the girls? Think of how much less cleaning you'd have to do.” He smiled and tilted his head, his dimples glowing somewhere between irresistible and adorable. “And yes, we made the right decision on the school. We'll find the money.” Though he searched for his most convincing voice, it came out somewhere between a pleading child and a gluttonous dieter. His feet continued to tap the floor with frenzy.

  “Won't the inheritance from your father pay for school? I can ask my parents if you are worried.”

  “No, we agreed you could be a stay-at-home mom until the girls are full-time in school. You don't need to talk to your parents, Margaret.”

  Although a tight situation, they'd planned to re-evaluate in the future if Margaret needed to get a job or if she had her hands full at home with the kids. Margaret met her end of the deal as his three daughters were well-behaved, intelligent, thoughtful, and affectionate. He couldn't renege on their deal this early, despite his rising fears.

  “Check Facebook before you go to bed. I took the sweetest photo of the girls at the mall today. Two hundred likes already!” Margaret cupped her hands around the back of his neck, pressed her lips against his, and kissed him goodnight. “Don't stay awake too late watching the game. You have a breakfast meeting with Teddy tomorrow to go through last month's books.”

  “Yes, we're meeting at the Club to talk through it. Teddy the Robot had no time during the week, so he pushed it until Saturday morning.” He stood and waved his hands in the air emulating the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz until he laughed so hard he fell back into the couch. “It'll be the first time he and I work together on the law practice finances. My dad never transitioned those pieces to Teddy before the car accident. I'm sure it'll be a fun meeting. Kind of like a root canal. That jerk can act so condescending.”

  “You're so cruel to your brother.” Margaret's spider-like eyelashes fluttered above her hopeful eyes. “I'm taking the girls to swimming lessons and dance class in the morning. Can you also write a check for the landscapers? They'll be here tomorrow, and I forgot to pay them last week.”

  “You betcha.” His left eye twitched a few times until his fingers pressed into it for relief. “My brother deserves it. He's been such an ass at work lately. I'm gonna put a whoopee cushion on his chair Monday morning.”

  “You're such a child sometimes, Matt. Do I have to punish you like I do the girls?” She tapped her fingers on the coffee table as she straightened a few magazines.

  “Yeah, punish me. I can suggest a few good ways.” He bent forward, shaking his head, and panting his tongue. “I'll come to bed shortly, just want to check out the game. Oh, I forgot. My mom called today to ask if it would be okay if she stayed with us for a few days in July. She wants to spend time with each of the crew to figure out her next steps.”

  Matt knew Margaret had little patience for her mother-in-law. Olivia often tried to tell Margaret how to raise the girls, accusing her daughter-in-law of being too flexible in her parenting approach. Matt always refused to choose a team. He told them both they had good ideas and wouldn't commit either way. It annoyed Margaret, but she told Matt she understood he had only chosen to be respectful of his mother to avoid a fight with her.

  Margaret pushed the rocking horse back into the corner and headed toward their bedroom down the hall. She stopped at the door, her nose and upper lips raised. “Sure, but we're leaving for Disney soon, so she needs to work around our vacation. How long will The Queen be here?”

  “Ha! No clue. I told her you were in charge and would sort it out.” He winked. “I know you don't always get along, but maybe things will change since my dad's gone. She does care for you.” Matt tried his best to persuade her, bringing forth his sure-fire win, puppy-dog eyes, and a set of pouty lips.

  Margaret sighed. “Okay, let's have her over on the Sunday before we leave, and she can head back home when we go to Florida. I guess I'll need to clean tomorrow. I can't let her find a single ounce of dust, or she'll tell you I'm a bad housekeeper.”

  Matt smiled. “You're a doll. I'll help you tomorrow night. And don't worry about everything looking perfect… remember, she'll be with Teddy and Sarah for a few days before she comes here. It'll be a vacation to spend time with you compared to her visit with the Robot and his little magnolia.”

  Margaret laughed. “I don't get it. I understand your mother might think Sarah and I took her sons away, but does she really want you guys to remain alone the rest of your lives?”

  “You know my mother. No one measures up for her boys. She hated Zach's ex-girlfriend… what's her name… Katerina… and encouraged him to lock her in the rehab facility. Ethan told me she convinced him to keep his girlfriend back in Boston rather than come to Connecticut for the funeral. That's probably why Cabbie hasn't ever brought around a girl. He's the smart one,” Matt quipped, with eyes squinting as he nodded his head.

  Margaret smirked and took the scrunchie out of her hair. “I suppose you're right. She has been generous with the girls and even sometimes with me. I wish she wouldn't be so stubborn and judgmental. And by the way, that's not why Cabbie… ugh, now you've got me saying it you little weasel… Caleb hasn't brought around a girl, Matt. I'm pretty sure he's got another reason.”

  Matt lifted a brow. “Well, you can spend quality time with my mother when she stays over next month. And as for Cabbie, no one ever knows with him. I barely get a text from him now and again. I'm kind of hoping Dad being gone will force Caleb to spend more time with us since he came back home for a few days. I miss my brother. Dad took him and me fishing every summer when we were young. Cabbie and I were so close. I don't know what happened.”

  “You haven't mentioned your dad all day. I can't imagine what you're going through… I'd be such a mess if I lost my father.” Margaret walked back toward her husband and crouched on the floor beside him, one hand on his knee.

  Matt considered his wife's question, realizing no one had asked about his mental state with everythin
g going on. Everything focused on helping his mother and keeping the law practice operational until he and Teddy talked through next steps. “I miss him, doll. I saw him every day at the office, and we'd spend time together on the weekends with my mother and the girls. I don't know what the future holds without him. Our team has lost its captain.”

  “You were close to your dad. We've given him three grandchildren… probably made him realize it was time to retire and spend the rest of his days with you monsters.” She rested her hand on his, tickling and rubbing his palm while slanting her eyes over her word choice. “Monsters. Ha.”

  “True. I should have spent more time with him talking about being a dad. He and I had so much in common. I could call him on the phone to ask a quick question, and he always knew the right words.”

  Matt thought back to the last time he'd talked with his father before the accident. His father had asked Matt to join him for a drink at the Club since Teddy was meeting with a client for the first time on his own. Ben didn't want to head home yet and hoped Matt could keep him company and keep his mind off Teddy's first meeting with their biggest client. Matt had declined to deal with a personal matter and regretted his decision, but he couldn't change it now.

  Margaret nodded and stood, her fingers lingering on his wrist. “He knew how much you loved him, Matt. I have total confidence in you to be a good father, just as he was, and those are big shoes to fill. I miss him, too. He always watched out for me even when your mother gave me the cold shoulder.”

  As Margaret walked down the hall to check on the girls, she yelled “Goodnight, hon” and headed to the bedroom, leaving Matt to question how his wife would survive a week with his mother. He knew at the root of the disdain lurked their similarities—neither one would ever acknowledge it. But he also valued his balls, planning never to tell either of them what he really thought.

  He'd also been concerned that his mother asked too many questions recently. She cornered him a few days after the funeral, mentioning his erratic obsession with fielding calls and text messages throughout the whole ordeal. Matt knew he hadn't looked well, especially when he wavered from high to low depending on the conversation and time of day. It was also peculiar for him to disappear during family conversations and get-togethers, or not regularly shave, even in the worst of circumstances. He'd hoped she thought it was just the grieving process and wouldn't delve any further into what else had been going on in his life.