Page 11 of Last Call (Open Tab #5)

“Sure. I think everyone has at some point,” Andi replied. “Not for the same reasons. You and Fallon sometimes use humor as a defense. I’m not suggesting you should stop your banter.”

“But?”

“Look at how you both reacted to the idea of Pete or Dale having kids.”

“No. I reacted to the thought of either being the father of Fallon’s kids. That’s different. Dale and Marge are about to have a kid.”

Andi sighed. “You’ve made a fair number of comments about Dale becoming a dad.”

“Because he married Marge! No one saw that coming.”

“Maybe they should have.”

“It’s Pete and Dale. They’re like brothers to Fallon,” Billie said. “It’s just strange to think of either of them being the father of her kids. That’s all.”

“Dean is her brother. You don’t find that strange.”

“I’m not explaining this the right way,” Billie said.

“It would be weird, I think. That’s all.

Dale was in love with her for years. And Pete?

Come on. I love Pete. But he’s Pete. And as far as Pete and Beth?

Well, he’s just—Pete. Beth has traveled all over the world.

And yes, she’s educated and articulate. Pete has been here. They just seem like opposites.”

“Appearances are deceiving,” Andi offered. “Because we perceive them through our experiences.”

“Pete is interested in sports, beer, and cars. Beth is interested in…”

“Pete,” Andi said.

“Okay. It just seems weird to me—like a mismatch. Do you really think Beth wants to talk about carburetors at the dinner table?”

“I think you’re underestimating them both.

Pete has always loved cars. I remember him bringing his Matchbox to school.

He had a hot rod lunchbox. That doesn’t mean cars were his only interest. You don’t have the same view of Pete and Dale as I do.

You were still in middle school when we graduated from high school. Pete worked for everything he has.”

“I know Pete works hard.”

“He’s also a walking encyclopedia.”

“About cars,” Billie said.

“No. About almost anything—if you asked him. I don’t think he was ever tested, but I’d bet this house he has eidetic memory.”

“Seriously?”

“I am serious,” Andi said. “He used to help me study for history tests. I was terrible at memorizing dates and names. I could write an essay, but ask me to complete multiple-choice tests full of dates? I was lucky to get a C. Pete was an ace. He helped me ace more than one history test. He was rebuilding cars and engines by the time he was in the eighth grade. Do you know why he’s been so successful with his shop? ”

Bille shrugged.

“He’s had customers since high school. Pete offered to work on anyone’s car for a few bucks and the cost of parts.”

“I had no idea he was doing it for that long.”

“No. Why would you? Pete earned straight A’s in school and was a first-rate athlete. He could have easily gone to college and become an engineer who designed cars.” Andi sighed.

“Andi? Did something happen to Pete?”

“It’s not my story to tell, Billie. It’s Pete’s.”

“You can’t tell me ?”

Andi sighed again. Pete had been one of Andi’s closest friends in school.

There were many aspects of his life that few people in town were aware of.

She doubted Fallon knew about Pete’s childhood.

Ida did. She was confident that some of the older generation had an idea of what Pete endured in high school.

There had likely been murmurs at the Middle Ground and the Biddy’s Bible Brigade meetings.

When it came to Andi’s classmates, most people assumed Pete was the typical high school boy who cared more about cars and friends than his studies.

“Andi?”

“Pete probably would have been valedictorian if things had gone differently for him.”

Billie didn’t mean to show her surprise, but her jaw dropped.

Andi chuckled. “See? You do have an opinion about Pete’s intelligence.”

“No. You have to admit, Pete doesn’t portray himself as a brainiac.”

“I don’t think Pete ever portrayed himself that way,” Andi said. “In fact, I doubt most of the people we went to school with had a clue how good his grades were. Pete’s never been braggadocios, and he’s always been quiet—friendly, but quiet.”

“True.”

“Pete’s dad lost his job in Enosburg when we were sophomores. I know it was hard on their family. Hard. Marge was four years behind us. I didn’t know it at the time, but Pete’s father started drinking. He wasn’t a friendly drunk.”

Billy cringed.

“Anyway,” Andi continued. “Dale’s father got him a job at the paper mill in Bellows Falls. I think he hoped it would solve two problems: get Mr. McCann out of the house and restore the family income.”

“Why do I get the feeling it didn’t work out that way?”

“It accomplished the first part,” Andi replied. “By the middle of our junior year, Pete’s dad had all but disappeared. Everyone assumed he was working down in Rockingham. Let’s just say, Pete’s mom didn’t see any benefit from his work .”

“Shit.”

“Mm. Then the shit hit the fan. Mrs. McCann was diagnosed with breast cancer.”

“What?” Billie asked.

“See? People don’t know nearly as much about each other in this town as they think they do.”

“But Mrs. McCann just passed away a couple of years ago,” Billie said.

“You can thank Pete for the fact that she made it through—Pete and Ida.”

“Ida?”

“Mm-hm. Delia McCann was not one for accepting handouts,” Andi said.

“She needed transportation to get to Burlington for her treatment. Ida had an old Ford that wasn’t running.

She sold it to Pete for ten dollars. Pete fixed it for his mom.

That’s how he started fixing cars for people.

There were many times when his mother was too sick to drive herself to Burlington.

Pete would do it. I’m not sure how he managed to graduate.

He missed a lot of classes. I even wrote a couple of his English papers. ”

“I had no idea,” Billie said. “Fallon doesn’t know?”

“I’m sure she knows a little. Ida and Delia were close. I doubt she knows the extent of things.”

“Why wouldn’t Pete tell Fallon? They’re so close.”

“They weren’t close back then. And I’d he wants to protect his mom. She was such a sweet lady, Billie. She was also proud.”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“And I’m sure he wanted to protect Marge. He’s still protective of her,” Andi said.

“Do you think he and Beth are going to get together?”

Andi finally smiled. “I think they’re already together .”

“Seriously?”

“I don’t know if they’re sleeping together,” Andi said. “Beth lights up when he’s around. Pete can hold his own in any conversation. He’s successful and hard-working. And while he may not be my type…”

Billie grinned.

“Mm. Or yours,” Andi added. “He’s a good-looking man.”

“Pete?”

Andi rolled her eyes. “Yes. Pete. But I think Beth is drawn to him because he’s kind, Billie. Pete is one of the gentlest people I’ve ever known. And he’s generous—to a fault at times. You’re right. He isn’t like Dean.”

“You don’t like Dean much, do you?”

“I don’t like the way he hurt the people I love.

I know Dean differently than you or Fallon.

He’s always been confident—maybe a better word would be cocky.

He was close to Pete once, too. He didn’t stick by Pete when everything blew up.

He bailed. I know he loves Fallon, but Dean has always cared about his image. Pete isn’t that way.”

Billie smiled. “I need you to hear me. I’m sorry if anything I’ve said, whether it was to you or at Murphy’s, made you think for one second that I see you as less in any way. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”

“I know,” Andi said. “I do know. We all have chips on our shoulders. Some are heavier than others. People thought of me as the dutiful wife for a long time—the dutiful, dopey wife who let her husband get away with cheating on her.”

“I think we all project what we feel onto others at times,” Billie said.

“I always assumed people viewed me as an outsider because that’s how I felt.

Some of it came from knowing I was a lesbian and not having anyone besides Fallon to talk to about it.

Mostly, it came from dealing with my family.

I don’t know, Andi. No one knew what went on in my house—not really.

It’s like what you just told me about Pete.

You know how the rumor mill is around here.

I guess I feared everyone knew everything about me.

They didn’t know much at all. I think Fallon felt similarly, for different reasons.

And I don’t know anyone who viewed you as dopey—dutiful, maybe.

And I don’t think they saw you in a negative light.

I understand why you might feel they did.

People couldn’t understand why Jake would cheat on you,” Billie said.

“I was far from perfect in that marriage.”

“I’m sure that’s true. Jake told you himself that his infidelities weren’t because of any of your imperfections .”

“That’s true. And I believe him. But we all have questions that linger. What if I’d been willing to travel with him more? What if I’d pressed him about his affairs? Why didn’t I?” Andi asked.

“Do you have regrets?”

“No. Not at all. I have questions. Everyone asks questions about the past—plays the “what if” game. It may seem pointless. Those questions are one way we examine ourselves to ensure we don’t make the same mistakes.”

Billie remained amazed by Andi’s wisdom.

Andi wasn’t afraid to look in the mirror or hold herself accountable.

She knew how to stand her ground and how to apologize.

Something had triggered Andi’s earlier reaction.

Billie suspected it was about more than how people in Whiskey Springs might perceive her.

She took a deep breath and held it for a moment.

“Andi?”

“Yes?”

“I might be wrong; you think Riley wants Jacob to act as their donor, don’t you?”

Andi smiled.

“How do you feel about that—honestly?” Billie asked.

“It isn’t my decision.”

“No, but it affects you.”