Fairytales by Cynthia Freeman Read Free Book Online Page B

family again.
    Things really began to sail along for Dominic. I have to admit no one worked harder than he did. Those first few years he was almost like a mechanical man, wound up. Runnin’ here, runnin’ there, in such a big hurry. He didn’t really have to, not with the income I had comin’ in from all the inheritance my poor sainted Daddy left me. That was just about the saddest time in my life and the first time I left Dominic and the babies to fly home for that awful agonizin’ event. It’s just not to be believed, the things one can endure. In my state of bereavement, mingled with all the pain, I was never more angry with Dominic because he wouldn’t leave that damned practice to go back with me … he would have, but reluctantly. Why? Because he was smack in the middle of the biggest trial he’d had up to then and had the nerve to say there was no one to replace him. “No one to replace you,” I said lettin’ him know how hurt I was, “why, who do you think you are? No one is irreplaceable. Presidents and kings die and the country goes on and you’ve got one lousy case and can’t leave it when my Daddy is laid out in his coffin?” He bit his lip and said, “Alright Catherine, I’ll leave … I’ll go, if that’s what you want.” “No, sir … you’re not gonna put me in a position of blamin’ me in the future for your losin’ that case as I know you will. I don’t want you to come … I wouldn’t have you come now.” Well, I made that mournful trek back alone. And I stayed with Mama for three weeks … I will say this, Dominic called just about every night, and like most women, I’m sure I was cold and remote and downright nasty the first week. Maybe, a little less so the next, and by the end of that third week, I was so lonesome for Dominic and those sweet darlin’ babies of mine, I really couldn’t wait to fly back into Dominic’s arms when he asked in a sad and soulful way, “When do you think you’re coming home, Catherine.” Of course, I wasn’t about to let him know my desires were greater than his, so holdin’ back, tryin’ to give the impression of reserved consideration that I was makin’ a great sacrifice, I answered, “Soon as I get things straightened out for Mama. After all, you’ve got the babies for comfort and your family who, I’m sure, are hoverin’ about seein’ that things are in order.” “Please, Catherine … please, darling, I know you’re under a great strain, and I don’t want you to be upset more than you are, but my family are not here. The help are managing more than efficiently. I know you’re still hurt and angry at me for not going home with you and I can’t say I blame you and I apologize as I have before. As I’ve said before, nothing would have kept me from going with you under different circumstances, but this case was so terribly important to us … will you just try and understand?” “For us?” “Yes … for us, for our future.” “But I already have a future. My Daddy left me more income property than I’ll ever be able to spend … won’t you try and understand?” There was silence on the phone for a long time, but I could hear Dominic’s breathin’. “Dominic … are you there?” Softly, he answered, “Yes, I’m here.” “Well?” “Catherine, this is not the time nor the place to discuss this … and besides we’ve been through it so many times before.” “Then let’s go through it one more time … tell the truth, so help you God … just like you make those people swear that get up on the stand with a Bible in their hand … why do you refuse to share with me what I got? Is it that damned male ego surfacin’ again?” “Okay, Catherine, you just won’t let it alone, will you … alright, I will not take your money and feel like a pimp. I’m a man … a proud Sicilian who’s still got all those peasant corpuscles running through my veins. My father made it on his own and supported his wife and family