| Barrington Hall Final chapters Part E |
| Wendy stood up when the door of the principals office opened. A little girl no more than 9 or 10 slipped through the door wiping tears from here eyes with one hand and rubbing her bottom with the other. “I do not want to have to speak to you again about this kind of behavior.” The little girl waited to be dismissed before making her escape down the hall. Wendy’s stomach tightened as Mark walked toward her. Even though she was a grown woman, his presence made her feel like a child. She had planned what she would say to him in the hours it took her to get to the school, but as he walked toward her, she wasn’t sure just what to say. Would she ever be able to make things right? “Hi, Dad! Wendy took a step toward him, not sure what to expect. “It’s been a long time since I heard those words and I’ve missed them.” he replied. Mark reached out and touched Wendy’s face. “look at how beautiful you are, all grown up and everything.” Mark took Wendy’s hand and led her into his office. She took a seat in the chair and Mark sat in the one right next to her. “I’m glad you called and decided to come, but if you came to ask me to forgive you, you’re going to have to work to get it!” Mark sounded colder than she expected. Wendy wasn’t even really sure what she expected. She thought maybe he would take one look at her, and everything would be alright, but now she knew that wasn’t true. “I came here because I need you to understand why I left, even if you Can’t forgive me!” Mark leaned forward and placed the point of his finger in the desk. “You left because you and Ricky did something you both knew you shouldn’t have. I don’t know where you were that night, but I know what kept you from getting back here. You both knew you had been discovered and neither one of you wanted to face it!” Wendy‘s voice raised. “What did we have to face, Dad? What?” Mark yelled. “The consequences, Wendy, and nothing more!” Wendy scooted forward in her chair. “We were 16 and 18, Dad. You act like he and I making love, was a crime. It was beautiful and I wasn’t going to face you and have that taken away from me by the sting of your belt! besides, how could you know for sure, what we were doing?” Mark stood up! “Of course I knew! You both disappeared for hours and no one could find you. I knew what you two were doing!” “And what was so wrong with what we did that night. It wasn’t the first night you know. We made love right here, in this building while you and mom slept!” Mark slammed his hand down onto the desk. “Is this what you came here to do? Tell me all of the times he defied me and did to you what I told him not to? I told him not to touch you!” Wendy stood up and faced her father “What do you want me to say, Dad. I‘m sorry I loved him and I‘m sorry we desired each other in such a way that even you couldn’t control? What did you want me to do, Dad? “That’s enough!” Mark yelled. “You know what? I don’t think this is about what I did at all. I think this is about the fact that it was Ricky I did it with. I think you always secretly hoped my feelings and desires for him would fade and I’d fall in love with someone else more acceptable to you.. Someone not so defiant and more submissive, but that’s what made me love him so much. He made me feel loved in a way that no one else could. Not even you, Dad.” Mark’s temples pulsed and his face grew warm. Before he could think about what he was doing, he reached out and slapped Wendy across the face. “That is enough!” Wendy sucked in her breathe and placed her hand on her cheek. Tears flooded her eyes then ran down. “Sit down!“ Mark ordered. Wendy slipped back into her seat like a defiant child getting the scolding of her life. Mark walked around his desk, then to the window. “All the time you were here, you did little things to earn yourself trouble, but they were little things, normal things. Ricky was a big thing and the key to your deliberate defiance of me.” He turned and faced Wendy. “ I accepted your friendship, I even embraced it. I never expected him to make it here until his 18th birthday, but when he did, I thought two years here without him would give you an opportunity to see someone else would come along. I wanted that to happen and that’s why I did everything I could to keep him from taking that away from you.” “Do you remember the day Ricky arrived, Dad? “No, I don’t.“ Mark replied. He wasn’t assigned to me, so I wasn’t there.” I was outside sitting under the tree when they took him out of that cop car. He was all scruffy looking. His sandy blonde hair was past his shoulders and all messed up. When he passed by me, his eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Mr. Parker had hold of him so tightly, that it had to have been very uncomfortable, but Ricky didn’t even care. He wasn’t crying or upset. He was determined and my heart leapt out of my chest and jumped into his. I knew the second he looked at me, we were going to be forever together. His eyes told me no matter what happened in his life, no one would break his spirit. That night down by the river when he realized we were in trouble, I saw a look in his eyes that I hadn’t seen before. All of his life here at this school he never wanted to be here, and this was never home for him. He stayed because I had his heart and he had mine. All of the beltings he took still didn’t break him, but that night on the river bank, I saw real fear. He told me about your talk with him and your threat, and that’s why I left. Ricky didn’t leave because he feared the beating you threatened him with, he took me away because of the beating he feared would be mine. Our hearts were one from the day he arrived. He gave me back my spirit and for the first time in my life I knew true love. I know you loved me, Dad, but Ricky stole my heart when I was eleven years old, so when the time was right, I went to him and it only completed what was meant to be forever.” “I don’t know what to say, Wendy. I saw something different than you. I saw a good, kind girl with a lot of potential, mixed up with a troubled boy destined for crime and jail. I spent all of those years watching you and keeping the two of you in check. I failed Ricky because I didn’t think he would make it. I didn’t try hard enough with him. I tried to guide him but I never expected him to stay here. I just didn’t. My only interest was keeping you from giving yourself to him only to have him disappear or be arrested and break your heart. I knew you cared about him deeply, but I never wanted you to feel the kind of pain you would have, and that’s why I threatened him with a beating. I hoped it would deter his desires until he left here. I did what I thought was right, but I guess I failed at that too. Tears ran down Wendy’s cheek. She leaned over and placed her head on Marks shoulder. Mark wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. I’m sorry I left like I did and I’m sorry things turned out the way they did between us. I didn’t want it to be like this,” Wendy cried. “I’m glad you came back. I don’t know if I accept the circumstances in which you left, but I guess I can understand them. “I’m sorry I put so much pressure on you and Ricky too. Maybe we can start from today and just let the past be the past.” Wendy looked up. “Having said that, I guess it’s ok to tell you that I’m pregnant?” Mark laughed “With a baby?” Wendy giggled. “God, I hope so!” “Congratulations,” Mark replied. Wendy sat up, reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet. She took out some pictures, scuffled through them, pulled one out and handed it to Mark. “This is Olivia, she’s four, Dad.” Wendy handed him another picture. “These are our twins, Graham and Griffin, they’re going to be three soon, and this little sweetie is our baby, Hannah and she is fourteen months old.” Mark reached over and touched Wendy stomach. “Five!” He sat there staring at the photos. “You two have been very busy!” Wendy laughed again. Richard works full time, is almost finished with college and has been offered a job as an animations designer for a studio in Hollywood. He’s a great dad and works really hard. I stay home with our kids and, well I enjoy every minute that I get with him. Mark held up the photos. “I can see that you do!” Wendy smiled! “Olivia’s four?” he asked. “I know what your thinking, Dad, and the answer is yes. She’s our river baby.” “You can stay for supper right? ”Mark asked “Yeah, Dad, I can stay for supper.” Mark smiled. “Good! Now let’s go find your mother so you can tell us all about you and Ricky, and these beautiful children.” |
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