Blame it on the Stars (The Blame Game) (8 page)

Catlin felt lousy in school the next day. She was looking over some yearbook layouts when Dana walked in sheepishly. “Hi, Miss M.,” she said quietly.

“
Hi Dana. How are you doing?”

“
I’m okay. I’m sorry about yesterday.”

“
Me too. Did you make up with your dad before he left?”

The girl
nodded. “We cleared things up last night. We’re okay. How about you guys?”

Catlin shook her head.
“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Dana looked around to make sure n
o one else was there. “Catlin, Daddy’s sorry. He overreacted. I thought he said he was going to talk to you.”

Catlin shrugged.
“I was a little angry, myself. I think we can use a cooling off period.”

Dana shook her head, and Clint Stewart walked in.

“Good morning, beautiful ladies.” He bowed to them. “What a delightful way to start each day, viewing the countenances of—”

“
Clint,” Catlin interrupted.

It was apparently enough said.
Smiling, he walked to the back of the room.

Dana looked at Catlin
and whispered, “Did you know he asked me out?”

“
Clint?” Catlin raised her brows.

Dana nodded and whispered
, “Daddy freaked because Clint’s a senior. But he’s letting me go.”

“
Cool. Clint’s a good kid.” She handed Dana the layouts she had been looking at. “Why don’t you see if he can help you with these?”

In the teacher’s lounge after school, Catlin and Jetta were getting ready for a teacher’s meeting. She told Jetta about the events of Sunday afternoon and her argument with Steve.

Jetta thought the
Stooges part was hysterically funny.

Catlin shook her head.
“Maybe I can laugh about it someday, but not yet.”

Jetta squeezed Catlin shoulders
, and Catlin just sat there, trying not to let the tears escape from her eyes and run down her face.

Catlin’s phone rang at nine-o-clock that evening. She didn’t answer it. She went to bed and cried herself to sleep.

When she went into the lounge for her planning period on Wednesday, the school secretary called to her on the intercom. “Catlin! Delivery for you.” She walked around the corner to the office and saw a dozen roses.

She
read the card and smiled slowly.

“I may have overreacted.”
was all it said.

She thought about answering the phone when it rang that night, but she didn’t.

On their lunch break the next day, Catlin and Jetta were looking through a magazine when the secretary buzzed the intercom again. “Catlin, your dentist’s office is on line two.”

“
Oh great,” Catlin muttered sarcastically, and reached for the phone. “I have an appointment next week. I suppose they’re calling to reschedule it.” She picked up the phone and punched line two. “This is Catlin McCall.”

“
You don’t seem to have phone service at home anymore,” Steve said to her.

“
This is not my dentist.” She looked at Jetta and waggled her eyebrows.

“
No, but please don’t hang up. It
is
important.”

“
I’m not hanging up.”

“
Did you get the flowers?”

“
I did. I wasn’t sure who sent them, though.”

He chuckled softly.
“Lots of people overreacting in your life these days?”

“
Way too many to count.”

“
I’ll be home tomorrow. I’d like to see you.”

“
I have plans,” she lied.

He chuckled at her.
“You’re not going to make this easy, are you? Saturday, then?”

“
I might be free on Saturday. What exactly am I accepting?”

“
I’d like to take you to dinner.”

“
To break up with me? Because you can do that right now and save the price of dinner.”

He laughed outright.
“I’m not breaking up with you. But I’d rather not talk about it over the phone. Can I pick you up at six?”

“
I suppose.”

“
I’ll look forward to it.”

“
See you then,” she replied, trying not to get her hopes up by looking forward to anything.

He arrived at six-o-clock sharp, as she knew he would. Catlin opened the door, forcing herself to remain stoic.

He had a dozen roses, and a bottle of water.
“In case your hair is on fire.”

She laughed, and took a step back so he could come in.
“Thank you.” She took the flowers.

He set the bottle down on the table.
“You look beautiful. I’ve missed you so much.”

She gazed into his eyes.
“Have you figured things out, then?”

He shook his head.
“I had nothing to figure out. I’ve known I wanted you since the minute I laid eyes on you. And I still feel that way.”

“
But, Barbara...” she trailed off.

Steve took the flowers from her hands, and laid them on the table. He held her hands in his.
“Barbara and I were through before I met you. Do you honestly think I would have started something with you if I still had feelings for her?”

“
So I worried all week for nothing?”

“
Serves you right. Next time maybe you’ll answer the phone when I call.”

She flew into his arms and hugged him tightly. He picked her up, and squeezed with all his might.

When he set her down, Catlin took a step back, and looked into his eyes. “Sunday was horrible, Steve. I never want to argue like that again.”

“
Oh, we’re going to argue. You know we are. But you’re right, that was bad. We’ll do it better next time.”

She snuggled up next to him.
“I hope next time is... not for a long, long time.”

He lifted her chin and kissed her. Tears were streaming down her face as she whispered
“I wasn’t sure we’d ever be like this again.”

He brushed the tears away.
“You really were thinking the worst, weren’t you?”

She nodded.
“I went through three boxes of tissues.”

He laughed, and hugged her to him.
“Go dry your eyes. I’m taking you out.”

“
Steve,” she touched his chest. “Let’s stay in. I don’t care about dinner. I just want to be alone with you.”

“
We have all night to be alone. David and Dana are spending the night with friends. I’m staying here tonight.”

She smiled up at him, and hugged his neck tightly.
“That sounds good. I missed you, too. But I don’t really want to go out. Can’t we stay in?

“
I had something I wanted to tell you, over candlelight and dancing.”

She was loosening his tie.
“Something you can’t tell me over pizza and sex?”

He chuckled as Catlin unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands over his chest.
“No, I guess that might be the perfect time to tell you.” He let Catlin pull him into the bedroom and they were all over each other, clothes flying.

Catlin worked herself underneath him, and moaned as he
entered her. “Oh my God, did I ever miss you…” She clutched at his back.

Steve slowed to a gentle
rhythm and put his mouth next to her ear. “I just wanted to tell you that I love you, Catlin. I love you more than I could have ever thought possible.”

She grinned at him and whooped
, “Thank you, Jesus!”

Steve laughed and Catlin wrapped her legs tightly around his back.
“Well, come on, show me how much you love me.” She rocked her hips back and forth, and he obliged.

Much later, when Catlin was almost asleep in Steve’s arms, he whispered it again. “I love you.”

She squeezed her arms around him
and smiled.

Catlin was making breakfast the next morning when Steve came out of the shower. “Good morning.” He kissed her gently.

“
Mmm, good morning to you. Last night was great.”

“
Yeah, it was.” He let her go long enough to slip into his clothes. “Hey, I need to talk to you about something.” He pulled up two chairs to the kitchen table.

“
Oh God, I can’t stand anymore talking,” she moaned. “I think I’m out of tissue.”

“
This isn’t bad,” he assured her. “I just want to make sure you understand where things are between us. Because I
do
love you. And I respect you too much to keep you guessing.”

“
Okay,” she said slowly.

He took her hand.
“I’d like to continue to see you, with the idea of marriage somewhere down the road.”

“
Oh Steve.” She kissed him.

“
But we have a few hurdles to jump between here and there. Namely, my kids and my divorce. I am going ahead with the divorce, by the way, and Barbara has agreed not to fight it.”

“
That’s wonderful!”

“
It’s still going to be sticky. We just have to take things slow.”

She nodded.
“I can. I can do whatever it takes to spend my life with you.”

He kissed the back of her hand.
“Does that mean you’re ready to start working on the kids? I mean, Dana is not a big problem. She likes you, she just has, shall we say,
issues
.”

She chuckled.
“I think Dana and I are going to get along just fine. Now David, he’s another story.”

“
I talked to David. I talked to them both, in fact, and told them where things stood. David is not happy about the divorce, but what kid would be? He has promised me, though, to try to be nice to you, and get to know you.”

“
I like the sound of that.”

Steve shook his head.
“Mind you, I said
try
. He is an ornery little cuss.”

She moved behind him and started rubbing his shoulders. She spoke softly into his ear
“Are you just realizing that?”

He smiled over his shoulder at her.
“I guess maybe I am.”

Catlin threw her hear back and shouted
“Hallelujah! The first step to recovery is realizing you have a problem.”

Steve laughed, and
reached for her hand. He planted a little kiss on it, and then sighed as she continued the massage.

“
I thought last night would have taken care of this tension!” She rubbed the kinks out of his neck.

“
That feels great,” he told her. “I’ll do you next.”

She leaned forward
, pressing her breasts into his back. “After you do me, will you give me a massage, too?”

Steve roared with laughter,
and pulled her into his lap.

Chapter Seven

Catlin
’s phone rang on Halloween at nine o’clock. She looked at the Caller ID before she answered seductively, “I’m here all alone, just thinking about you.”

Steve
’s voice came back to her, “What are you wearing?”

“
Nothing,” she teased “It’s very hot in here.”

“
How hot could it be with you there by yourself?”

“
Well, I’m thinking of you...so it’s getting very hot...”

“
Okay.” His voice changed back to matter-of-fact. “So you have the fireplace stoked up too much, and you’re wearing sweats, big thick socks, and that fuzzy white robe.”

She grinned.
“Is this a picture phone, or are you developing your psychic abilities?”

“
No, I think I know you pretty well is all.”

“
Well, you’re right. I was just trying to turn you on a little.”

“
I’m on when I hear your voice, baby. You know the song, all revved up and no place to go. Western Kansas hasn’t gotten any more exciting, even on Halloween. My only saving grace was your trading cars with me for the week.”

She laughed. “
How
is
my car?”

“
We are both fine. I trust you can say the same?”

“
Sure, we’re fine too. The Beemer should be out of the body shop by the time you get back.”

“
Ha ha.” Steve replied sarcastically. “Well, hey, I’ve been a busy boy making plans for this weekend.”

“
Oh yeah? Anything that includes me, a bottle of baby oil or a hot tub?”

“
Well, I’m sure we can work those in. Bur first we need to go to Topeka on Saturday and pick up some supplies I’m getting from their newspaper.”

“
Oh, wow,” she deadpanned. “Now that sounds like too much fun.”

“
Hey, the weekend gets better. Barbara is going to meet us there—”

“
Oh my God, you’re right!” Catlin squealed. “The weekend is getting better! Maybe we can all go out clubbing or bar hopping together!”

Steve suppressed his chuckle to speak again
, “If you would zip it long enough for me to finish, please.”

“
Zipping it.”

“
Barbara is going to take the kids overnight, and she’ll bring them home Sunday. So all I have to do is meet her at the Hilton, drop the kids, and the rest of the weekend is ours. Just you and me. You know—hot tub, baby oil...”

“
Swimmin’ pool, movie stars! Hot damn!”

“
I thought you’d like it. The first part will be painless, and we won’t stay long.”

“
Okay, okay. I can go along with that. As long as I get to suck your toes in the hot tub all night long.”

Steve laughed out loud.
“How long do you think it would take me to get back home with the Jag? I bet I could be there in minutes, not hours.”

She was laughing, too.
“Nah, get some sleep. Get rested up. Saturday will be here before you know it.”

“
So how was your Halloween?”

“
A big ol’ party with me and a bowl of Snickers. I had a few trick-or-treaters, but not nearly enough to eat all the candy I bought.”

“
Hmm, Snickers you say? Save me one.”

“
It’s a little late for that. Sorry.”

He laughed again.
“Okay, so that’s how it’s going to be. I see now.”

S
he chuckled. “My students were sure jazzed for Halloween today. I think some of them have plans to make a little mischief in the old town of Marshall tonight.”

“
Surely not.” Steve pretended to be shocked.

She laughed.
“Did you call David tonight? He may be one of them.”

“
Actually, David is not feeling well. I just talked to him a few minutes ago. He’s heading for bed.”

“
Sure he is.”

“
No, really, he is. He has a wicked cough. Now Dana, she’s at a girlfriend’s house, doing
homework
she says. That part I’m not so sure about. But I’m not too worried.”

“
Nah,” she agreed. “Dana’s got a good head on her shoulders.”

“
Yeah. Well, I do have something I need to discuss with you. Is now as good a time as any?”

“
I suppose. Is this bad?”

“
Not
real
bad,” he hedged. “I talked to my lawyer today. He’s trying to get a court date for the divorce on the judge’s docket. You know, the kids are going to have to testify as to which parent they want to live with.”

“
You’re not worried, are you? There’s no question they want to be with you.”

“
No, it’s not that. It’s just that the first available date is December 22.”

“
Oh. Merry Christmas, huh?”

“
Yeah. I can’t do that to them, Catlin. It’s not right.”

“
I understand. So what’s the next available date?”

“
February.”

“
So take February. It doesn’t matter.”

“
I thought it did matter.”

“
Not really, Steve. I mean, it’s not like we’re holding up any plans because of it.”

“
Aren’t we?”

“
None that I’m aware of.”

He groaned into the phone.
“I really thought an engagement ring would make a nice Christmas present for you. But I can’t do that in good conscience, before my divorce comes through.”

She laughed.
“Oh, but you can sleep with me, and that doesn’t bother your conscience any?”

“
Catlin,” he moaned again “Please don’t do this to me. I’m just trying to do the right thing.”

“
I’m teasing, darling. You’re jumping the gun on that engagement ring, anyway. You need to be a free man for a while after your divorce, play the field and all.”

“
Oh, I don’t think so. I’m happy with my little spot in the field.”

She chuckled. They talked for a while longer,
and then called it a night. Catlin was finally falling asleep when her phone rang again. She groped for the receiver, looking at the clock at the same time. Eleven p.m. “Hello,” she answered hoarsely.

“
Miss McCall? Is that you? It’s Clint...oh shit, no—don’t do that—Miss McCall?”

“
Clint?” Catlin sat up, wide awake. “What’s wrong?”

“
Oh Jesus, I’m in trouble Miss McCall.”

“
Clint, calm down. What’s wrong?”

“
Dana—”

“
What’s wrong with Dana?”
Catlin almost shouted into the phone.

“
Oh shit. We were at a party. She’s really, really drunk. I don’t know what to do.”

“
Drunk? Damn it Clint, what were you thinking? Dana’s supposed to be studying with a girlfriend.” Catlin’s mind raced at one hundred miles per hour, figuring out what to do.

“
It was an accident. Someone put grain alcohol in the punch and Dana didn’t know it.”

“
Where are you?”

“
We’re at a frat house,” he said quietly.

“
A frat house
!” Catlin screeched. “Oh my God, Clint! How much worse can this story get?”

“
Well, it gets worse. Dana’s in bad shape. I can’t take her home like this. Please, you have to help me.”

“
Tell me where you are, and I’ll come get you.”

“
I could drive her to you.”

“
Have you been drinking Clint?”

“
I had a couple,” he admitted.

“
Then tell me where you are, and I will come get you,” Catlin repeated firmly.

“
1725 Oakdale. My truck is out front.”

“
Stay there. Keep Dana there. Is she okay?”

“
Sort of. She’s throwing up right now.”

“
Oh, shit.” Catlin muttered as she threw her clothes on. “Clint, I’m on my way.” She hung up the phone, and slipped into some loafers, then grabbed a jacket and her keys. In the garage, she spotted Steve’s car. “Shit!” she muttered again, and found a bucket and some old towels. She didn’t need Dana getting sick in the BMW.

Oakdale was in the heart of the college district. Catlin knew the fraternities and sororities that housed the Greek members were supposed to be alcohol free, but she also knew sometimes they weren
’t. She graduated from this college, and she remembered frat parties. Her mind was still racing, trying to figure out what to do, but it kept coming back to “Oh, shit.” She turned on to Oakdale, and started checking house numbers. In the seventeen hundred block, she spotted Clint’s truck. Clint and Dana were sitting in the yard. Catlin pulled up behind them, and got out.

“
Man, you scared me,” Clint jumped. “What are you doing in her dad’s car?”

Catlin shook her head.
“Never mind. ‘What are you doing here?’ is the more pressing question.” She looked at bruised his face. “And what the hell happened to you?”

Clint shook his head at her.
“I’ll tell you everything, but we have to get Dana out of here. Can we just go, please?”

Catlin looked at Dana, who by this time was lying in the grass.
Her shirt was torn and she reeked of beer and vomit. “Dana? Are you awake?”

The girl opened her eyes.
“Hi Mommy.”

Catlin rolled her eyes.
“Oh Christ. This is going to be fun, isn’t it?” She reached down for Dana, and tried to lift her under the arms. “Help me out here, Clint.”

They got Dana to her feet, and half-carried, half-dragged her to the car. Catlin spread out the towels, and sat Dana on them.
She seat belted the girl into the back seat, and shoved the bucket on her lap. “Don’t you dare throw up in this car.”

Dana looked around
“Daddy? Is Daddy here?”

“
I wish!” Catlin muttered, and slammed the car door. “You better sit back there with her,” she told Clint, and he went around and got in the other side. “You’ll have to pick up your truck tomorrow.”

“
My folks are not going to understand that.”

Catlin
started driving and looked at him in the rearview mirror. “Your folks are the least of my problems right now. What am I supposed to do with
her
?”

Clint leaned forward
. “Please, can’t you take her to your place and clean her up? If she goes home like that, I’m dead.”

“
You might be dead anyway, kid. What the hell happened tonight? And start at the beginning, like how Dana’s evening studying with a girlfriend turned into...
this
?”

Dana stirred at the sound of her name.
“Oh no, I think I’m gonna be sick...” she moaned.

“
Use that God-damned bucket!” Catlin yelled at them, and pulled into her driveway.

Dana managed to hit the bucket, and when she was through, Catlin and Clint dragged her into Catlin
’s place. “Straight to the bathroom!” Catlin instructed, and they laid Dana in the dry bathtub with the bucket.

Catlin sighed, and sat on the closed toilet.
“Well, Clint?” she asked expectantly.

He leaned against the wall.
“We wanted to go out tonight, but Dana thought her housekeeper wouldn’t let her. She’s pretty strict, I guess.”

Catlin nodded, not really knowing. She still had never met Teresa, at Steve
’s insistence.

“
So Dana told her she was studying at a girlfriend’s house. And I picked her up.”

“
And the frat party was whose idea?” Catlin coaxed his story.

“
Mine,” he admitted. “Some guys from school were going. You remember Doug Henderson and Alfie Carter? They graduated last year, and they’re in this frat.”

Catlin nodded.
“Charming company, Clint.”

“
It started out harmless enough. The guys were playing video games and drinking some beer. I didn’t know someone had made a grain alcohol punch upstairs. I guess the girls were hanging out up there, since they didn’t want to play video games.”

“
So you left Dana alone?”