| General Fiction posted May 2, 2016 | Chapters: |
2 3 -4- 4... 
|
  |
The investigation continues and William is coming home.
A chapter in the book Buttons
William is coming home
by jusylee72
Joe
Strange things are happening.
I have always been so awkward with women. Lately, that is going away. I think it was the look in the waitresses eye when I took her. I am powerful. I even have a sense of humor. I'm not as ugly as I always thought I was.
I am more confident. I am starting to take an interest in how I dress. I wear dockers now, button-down shirts, expensive shoes. In the past, I would go to a barber and shave off all my hair. Now I let my hair grow. I went to a salon for the first time in my life. When I updated my style the compliments started coming my way.
At work, management is finally realizing what a gifted artist I am. My new boss loved another one of my designs. He asked me if I am interested in a promotion. In the past, I wouldn't have known what to say. Now my confidence is growing. Boldly I told him, "Hell Yes". I used my growing vocabulary to convince him how loyal I am to the company. I made up a story on the spot. "This company could possibly grow into an international coporation. With employees like you and me, Mr. Williams, we can explore the future."
I am on my way up.
I noticed a couple of the female workers are starting to talk to me in the lunchroom. Daily I am practicing responding to them. One of them laughed at a small joke I made. Another hinted that she was available Saturday night if I wanted to get together. Not yet, maybe soon. I'm still getting used to the new me.
Who would have guessed that a few well-deserved revenge murders would change me into a popular man?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary and Elizabeth
"Start with Elizabeth." Delaney liked giving orders. "Find out what happened to her back then. See if she is still in the area. Make an appointment with her as soon as possible."
Finding Elizabeth was easy. Her Grandparents still lived in the neighborhood by the School.
The initial phone call was touching.
"Mary," Elizabeth said, "Of course I remember you. You sang so wonderfully when we were at school."
"Yes, I did hear about Father MacMurphy. No, I wouldn't mind talking to you about it."
Elizabeth was a teacher now. "School ends at 3:30 could you meet me in my classroom about four O'clock?"
Mary arrived about ten minutes early.
Elizabeth's third-grade classroom was inviting.
- Large bulletin boards with hand-colored creations from 8-year-old students lined the room. -
- Bright posters with sight words decorated the back of the room.
- A reading corner with a bean bag seemed to invite the students to read.
- Jars of pencils on her desk with happy face stickers just in case a student needed one.
- Another corner had math manipulates to help visualize equations.
There were tiny desks in straight rows, so empty in the afternoon. Each child's name proudly displayed in the right corner.
There were pictures of Elizabeth's husband and children proudly displayed on the desk.
Elizabeth was stamping happy faces on worksheets when Mary walked in. She stood up, walked to Mary and hugged her.
"I was so surprised to hear that you were investigating this murder. I heard about it on the news several weeks ago. I would like to tell you that I shed a few tears over it. The truth is I was happy. I know it's a sin, but I am glad he is dead."
They talked about her last day at school. "My parents were so upset." She lovingly spoke of her parents and how they supported her through the next few months.
"Mary, why did we allow people to treat us like that? What was their power over us? How did we get there in the first place? That was the most painful and humiliating day of my life."
She was eager to tell her story.
"I was lucky, I had parents who truly believe in the Catholic religion but they also trusted and loved me. I ran home about 4:30. Mom usually got home around 5:30. Dad around 6. I honestly didn't know how to feel. I had hiked up my skirt to be shorter. I wanted the boys to notice me, but not in the way Father Mac Murphy thought."
"I still remember his hateful words.'
"Men can't control themselves when they see women flaunting their bodies." He kept repeating.
"I truly had no Idea what he meant."
"He slammed down the ruler again and again. I wanted to jump but I had been trained that if you sit still they won't do it again. I had no idea how wrong I was."
"Slut."
Slam.
"Whore."
Slam.
"Opening your legs?"
"I didn't even know what that meant. I was waiting for my first kiss."
Slam.
"As soon as I could, I ran home. I washed my wounds. I put ice on them. I was crying uncontrollably when Mama came in.
"Darling what is wrong?"
"I had two broken fingers and the rest were ugly, swelling and turning purple and yellow. I tried and tried to tell her what had happened, but I kept saying I'm sorry, I pulled up my skirt. I am sinful."
It wasn't until my Father came home that I truly was able to tell the story. I thought Dad would be mad at me. His reaction shocked me. "How dare that excuse for a man touch my daughter." He wanted to go to the school at that moment.
But Mama knew better. "We are taking her to the hospital."
"The nurses treated me gently. The X-rays showed severe trauma but they bandaged them. They gave me something for the pain and at least for that night I slept.
"The next day, Mama and Papa took me out of school. They filed a lawsuit. I didn't know what that was either. We moved to another suburb. I actually went to public school and enjoyed it."
"At one point I noticed that my Parents had more money than usual. I had no idea it was "Catholic Shut Up Money" but my parents told me I was going to college."
"And I did."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary and William
William was coming home.
Mary was walking out of her interview with Elizabeth when she got the text message.
It was detailed.
- Pick me up at the airport on August 18th at 7:00 p.m.
- I have accepted a contract for us both with the Houston Light Opera.
- You will be playing Micaela in Carmen.
- I am bringing with me a talented young contralto who has accepted the role of Carmen.
- We will be putting her up at our house until we leave for Houston in September.
- Have the house spotless. The guest room must have new sheets, new curtains.
- Ask for help decorating it. You know decorating has never been your strength.
See you soon,
William
She knew what had happened.
The first year the school put up with his rants. After all, he was an amazing conductor and geniuses were often temperamental. By the second year, people refused to work with him. She was sure he was asked to leave.
The young artist he was bringing with him probably had amazing talent. She would already be his lover. In the beginning, he was always charming. He would expect Mary to be welcoming. He would expect her to be naive. He would have no idea she knew the truth.
The role of Micaela in Carmen is a part Mary always wanted to sing. "Je dis que rien ne mepouvante" is a hauntingly beautiful aria, one of the most well known in Opera. Ironically, it is a prayer Micaela sings in the forest. She is asking God for the courage to face the woman, Carmen, who has taken away the love of her life.
Mary began singing the prayer in her mind. So melodious, so comforting.
She had a little more than two weeks to decide what to do. Her thoughts turned to the stage.
'I've never been on the professional stage without my husband's constant demands and criticisms. He kept me on edge, always nervous. I never truly sang from the heart. I simply ran interference for him. I was the peacekeeper between our employers and William's ego. Why did I allow this for so long?'
In college, Mary sang the prayer at her senior recital. The audience was in tears. Now when people heard her sing they thought it was pretty, technically correct. William's constant criticism had taken the life out of her performances. Mary longed to sing with her entire soul. She wanted William's voice out of her head. She wanted to sing and dance in the rain. She wanted to laugh and enjoy life. She did not want William to come back.
Two weeks to decide who she was now.
Joe
Strange things are happening.
I have always been so awkward with women. Lately, that is going away. I think it was the look in the waitresses eye when I took her. I am powerful. I even have a sense of humor. I'm not as ugly as I always thought I was.
I am more confident. I am starting to take an interest in how I dress. I wear dockers now, button-down shirts, expensive shoes. In the past, I would go to a barber and shave off all my hair. Now I let my hair grow. I went to a salon for the first time in my life. When I updated my style the compliments started coming my way.
At work, management is finally realizing what a gifted artist I am. My new boss loved another one of my designs. He asked me if I am interested in a promotion. In the past, I wouldn't have known what to say. Now my confidence is growing. Boldly I told him, "Hell Yes". I used my growing vocabulary to convince him how loyal I am to the company. I made up a story on the spot. "This company could possibly grow into an international coporation. With employees like you and me, Mr. Williams, we can explore the future."
I am on my way up.
I noticed a couple of the female workers are starting to talk to me in the lunchroom. Daily I am practicing responding to them. One of them laughed at a small joke I made. Another hinted that she was available Saturday night if I wanted to get together. Not yet, maybe soon. I'm still getting used to the new me.
Who would have guessed that a few well-deserved revenge murders would change me into a popular man?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary and Elizabeth
"Start with Elizabeth." Delaney liked giving orders. "Find out what happened to her back then. See if she is still in the area. Make an appointment with her as soon as possible."
Finding Elizabeth was easy. Her Grandparents still lived in the neighborhood by the School.
The initial phone call was touching.
"Mary," Elizabeth said, "Of course I remember you. You sang so wonderfully when we were at school."
"Yes, I did hear about Father MacMurphy. No, I wouldn't mind talking to you about it."
Elizabeth was a teacher now. "School ends at 3:30 could you meet me in my classroom about four O'clock?"
Mary arrived about ten minutes early.
Elizabeth's third-grade classroom was inviting.
- Large bulletin boards with hand-colored creations from 8-year-old students lined the room. -
- Bright posters with sight words decorated the back of the room.
- A reading corner with a bean bag seemed to invite the students to read.
- Jars of pencils on her desk with happy face stickers just in case a student needed one.
- Another corner had math manipulates to help visualize equations.
There were tiny desks in straight rows, so empty in the afternoon. Each child's name proudly displayed in the right corner.
There were pictures of Elizabeth's husband and children proudly displayed on the desk.
Elizabeth was stamping happy faces on worksheets when Mary walked in. She stood up, walked to Mary and hugged her.
"I was so surprised to hear that you were investigating this murder. I heard about it on the news several weeks ago. I would like to tell you that I shed a few tears over it. The truth is I was happy. I know it's a sin, but I am glad he is dead."
They talked about her last day at school. "My parents were so upset." She lovingly spoke of her parents and how they supported her through the next few months.
"Mary, why did we allow people to treat us like that? What was their power over us? How did we get there in the first place? That was the most painful and humiliating day of my life."
She was eager to tell her story.
"I was lucky, I had parents who truly believe in the Catholic religion but they also trusted and loved me. I ran home about 4:30. Mom usually got home around 5:30. Dad around 6. I honestly didn't know how to feel. I had hiked up my skirt to be shorter. I wanted the boys to notice me, but not in the way Father Mac Murphy thought."
"I still remember his hateful words.'
"Men can't control themselves when they see women flaunting their bodies." He kept repeating.
"I truly had no Idea what he meant."
"He slammed down the ruler again and again. I wanted to jump but I had been trained that if you sit still they won't do it again. I had no idea how wrong I was."
"Slut."
Slam.
"Whore."
Slam.
"Opening your legs?"
"I didn't even know what that meant. I was waiting for my first kiss."
Slam.
"As soon as I could, I ran home. I washed my wounds. I put ice on them. I was crying uncontrollably when Mama came in.
"Darling what is wrong?"
"I had two broken fingers and the rest were ugly, swelling and turning purple and yellow. I tried and tried to tell her what had happened, but I kept saying I'm sorry, I pulled up my skirt. I am sinful."
It wasn't until my Father came home that I truly was able to tell the story. I thought Dad would be mad at me. His reaction shocked me. "How dare that excuse for a man touch my daughter." He wanted to go to the school at that moment.
But Mama knew better. "We are taking her to the hospital."
"The nurses treated me gently. The X-rays showed severe trauma but they bandaged them. They gave me something for the pain and at least for that night I slept.
"The next day, Mama and Papa took me out of school. They filed a lawsuit. I didn't know what that was either. We moved to another suburb. I actually went to public school and enjoyed it."
"At one point I noticed that my Parents had more money than usual. I had no idea it was "Catholic Shut Up Money" but my parents told me I was going to college."
"And I did."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary and William
William was coming home.
Mary was walking out of her interview with Elizabeth when she got the text message.
It was detailed.
- Pick me up at the airport on August 18th at 7:00 p.m.
- I have accepted a contract for us both with the Houston Light Opera.
- You will be playing Micaela in Carmen.
- I am bringing with me a talented young contralto who has accepted the role of Carmen.
- We will be putting her up at our house until we leave for Houston in September.
- Have the house spotless. The guest room must have new sheets, new curtains.
- Ask for help decorating it. You know decorating has never been your strength.
See you soon,
William
She knew what had happened.
The first year the school put up with his rants. After all, he was an amazing conductor and geniuses were often temperamental. By the second year, people refused to work with him. She was sure he was asked to leave.
The young artist he was bringing with him probably had amazing talent. She would already be his lover. In the beginning, he was always charming. He would expect Mary to be welcoming. He would expect her to be naive. He would have no idea she knew the truth.
The role of Micaela in Carmen is a part Mary always wanted to sing. "Je dis que rien ne mepouvante" is a hauntingly beautiful aria, one of the most well known in Opera. Ironically, it is a prayer Micaela sings in the forest. She is asking God for the courage to face the woman, Carmen, who has taken away the love of her life.
Mary began singing the prayer in her mind. So melodious, so comforting.
She had a little more than two weeks to decide what to do. Her thoughts turned to the stage.
'I've never been on the professional stage without my husband's constant demands and criticisms. He kept me on edge, always nervous. I never truly sang from the heart. I simply ran interference for him. I was the peacekeeper between our employers and William's ego. Why did I allow this for so long?'
In college, Mary sang the prayer at her senior recital. The audience was in tears. Now when people heard her sing they thought it was pretty, technically correct. William's constant criticism had taken the life out of her performances. Mary longed to sing with her entire soul. She wanted William's voice out of her head. She wanted to sing and dance in the rain. She wanted to laugh and enjoy life. She did not want William to come back.
Two weeks to decide who she was now.
Strange things are happening.
I have always been so awkward with women. Lately, that is going away. I think it was the look in the waitresses eye when I took her. I am powerful. I even have a sense of humor. I'm not as ugly as I always thought I was.
I am more confident. I am starting to take an interest in how I dress. I wear dockers now, button-down shirts, expensive shoes. In the past, I would go to a barber and shave off all my hair. Now I let my hair grow. I went to a salon for the first time in my life. When I updated my style the compliments started coming my way.
At work, management is finally realizing what a gifted artist I am. My new boss loved another one of my designs. He asked me if I am interested in a promotion. In the past, I wouldn't have known what to say. Now my confidence is growing. Boldly I told him, "Hell Yes". I used my growing vocabulary to convince him how loyal I am to the company. I made up a story on the spot. "This company could possibly grow into an international coporation. With employees like you and me, Mr. Williams, we can explore the future."
I am on my way up.
I noticed a couple of the female workers are starting to talk to me in the lunchroom. Daily I am practicing responding to them. One of them laughed at a small joke I made. Another hinted that she was available Saturday night if I wanted to get together. Not yet, maybe soon. I'm still getting used to the new me.
Who would have guessed that a few well-deserved revenge murders would change me into a popular man?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary and Elizabeth
"Start with Elizabeth." Delaney liked giving orders. "Find out what happened to her back then. See if she is still in the area. Make an appointment with her as soon as possible."
Finding Elizabeth was easy. Her Grandparents still lived in the neighborhood by the School.
The initial phone call was touching.
"Mary," Elizabeth said, "Of course I remember you. You sang so wonderfully when we were at school."
"Yes, I did hear about Father MacMurphy. No, I wouldn't mind talking to you about it."
Elizabeth was a teacher now. "School ends at 3:30 could you meet me in my classroom about four O'clock?"
Mary arrived about ten minutes early.
Elizabeth's third-grade classroom was inviting.
- Large bulletin boards with hand-colored creations from 8-year-old students lined the room. -
- Bright posters with sight words decorated the back of the room.
- A reading corner with a bean bag seemed to invite the students to read.
- Jars of pencils on her desk with happy face stickers just in case a student needed one.
- Another corner had math manipulates to help visualize equations.
There were tiny desks in straight rows, so empty in the afternoon. Each child's name proudly displayed in the right corner.
There were pictures of Elizabeth's husband and children proudly displayed on the desk.
Elizabeth was stamping happy faces on worksheets when Mary walked in. She stood up, walked to Mary and hugged her.
"I was so surprised to hear that you were investigating this murder. I heard about it on the news several weeks ago. I would like to tell you that I shed a few tears over it. The truth is I was happy. I know it's a sin, but I am glad he is dead."
They talked about her last day at school. "My parents were so upset." She lovingly spoke of her parents and how they supported her through the next few months.
"Mary, why did we allow people to treat us like that? What was their power over us? How did we get there in the first place? That was the most painful and humiliating day of my life."
She was eager to tell her story.
"I was lucky, I had parents who truly believe in the Catholic religion but they also trusted and loved me. I ran home about 4:30. Mom usually got home around 5:30. Dad around 6. I honestly didn't know how to feel. I had hiked up my skirt to be shorter. I wanted the boys to notice me, but not in the way Father Mac Murphy thought."
"I still remember his hateful words.'
"Men can't control themselves when they see women flaunting their bodies." He kept repeating.
"I truly had no Idea what he meant."
"He slammed down the ruler again and again. I wanted to jump but I had been trained that if you sit still they won't do it again. I had no idea how wrong I was."
"Slut."
Slam.
"Whore."
Slam.
"Opening your legs?"
"I didn't even know what that meant. I was waiting for my first kiss."
Slam.
"As soon as I could, I ran home. I washed my wounds. I put ice on them. I was crying uncontrollably when Mama came in.
"Darling what is wrong?"
"I had two broken fingers and the rest were ugly, swelling and turning purple and yellow. I tried and tried to tell her what had happened, but I kept saying I'm sorry, I pulled up my skirt. I am sinful."
It wasn't until my Father came home that I truly was able to tell the story. I thought Dad would be mad at me. His reaction shocked me. "How dare that excuse for a man touch my daughter." He wanted to go to the school at that moment.
But Mama knew better. "We are taking her to the hospital."
"The nurses treated me gently. The X-rays showed severe trauma but they bandaged them. They gave me something for the pain and at least for that night I slept.
"The next day, Mama and Papa took me out of school. They filed a lawsuit. I didn't know what that was either. We moved to another suburb. I actually went to public school and enjoyed it."
"At one point I noticed that my Parents had more money than usual. I had no idea it was "Catholic Shut Up Money" but my parents told me I was going to college."
"And I did."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mary and William
William was coming home.
Mary was walking out of her interview with Elizabeth when she got the text message.
It was detailed.
- Pick me up at the airport on August 18th at 7:00 p.m.
- I have accepted a contract for us both with the Houston Light Opera.
- You will be playing Micaela in Carmen.
- I am bringing with me a talented young contralto who has accepted the role of Carmen.
- We will be putting her up at our house until we leave for Houston in September.
- Have the house spotless. The guest room must have new sheets, new curtains.
- Ask for help decorating it. You know decorating has never been your strength.
See you soon,
William
She knew what had happened.
The first year the school put up with his rants. After all, he was an amazing conductor and geniuses were often temperamental. By the second year, people refused to work with him. She was sure he was asked to leave.
The young artist he was bringing with him probably had amazing talent. She would already be his lover. In the beginning, he was always charming. He would expect Mary to be welcoming. He would expect her to be naive. He would have no idea she knew the truth.
The role of Micaela in Carmen is a part Mary always wanted to sing. "Je dis que rien ne mepouvante" is a hauntingly beautiful aria, one of the most well known in Opera. Ironically, it is a prayer Micaela sings in the forest. She is asking God for the courage to face the woman, Carmen, who has taken away the love of her life.
Mary began singing the prayer in her mind. So melodious, so comforting.
She had a little more than two weeks to decide what to do. Her thoughts turned to the stage.
'I've never been on the professional stage without my husband's constant demands and criticisms. He kept me on edge, always nervous. I never truly sang from the heart. I simply ran interference for him. I was the peacekeeper between our employers and William's ego. Why did I allow this for so long?'
In college, Mary sang the prayer at her senior recital. The audience was in tears. Now when people heard her sing they thought it was pretty, technically correct. William's constant criticism had taken the life out of her performances. Mary longed to sing with her entire soul. She wanted William's voice out of her head. She wanted to sing and dance in the rain. She wanted to laugh and enjoy life. She did not want William to come back.
Two weeks to decide who she was now.
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