Look Both Ways by Joan Early Read Free Book Online Page B

shoulder.
    “What put that frown on your face? The meeting at Sealand or the one at the church?” Rev. Cartwright Sr. asked.
    “Both.”
    “I don’t know what transpired at Sealand, but I know why Clyde Otis is so fired up. He’s a skunk, and simply put, he aims to turn the spotlight on himself by any means available to him. He’s always been that way. He still wants my pulpit, and it’s eating him up that you got it. If he had bat brains, he would recognize his own shortcomings. The church voted him down because they knew he couldn’t stand up. He’s a weasel.”
    Will listened to the sounds of home. His mother in the kitchen. His father watching the news and offering his usual support. It was the only part of his life that felt right.
    “He as much as accused me of being the weasel because I advised against legal action. On top of that, I went down to Sealand and made matters worse. I can’t seem to have a good exchange with Miss Cross, and I did try,” he said, rubbing his chin. “I don’t know what it was today. It was as if she was trying to say something without actually admitting wrongdoing. I antagonized her, and that’s not what I wanted to do.”
    “You want to ask her out, so why don’t you?”
    “That’s not even a thought right now. She can’t stand the sight of me. I’ll keep trying to make this right, but I’m afraid Otis will act out of his own selfishness and initiate legal action. I don’t want that for the people involved, or for her.”
    He heard his mother setting the table. “Come on, Pop, I’ll help you into the kitchen. Or do you prefer to use the walker?”
    “Since you’re standing with me, I’ll try the walker.” Using his son’s arm, he pulled himself up from the chair and grasped the rubber-covered handles. “I feel like I dumped my problems on you when I had this stroke. Don’t let Clyde or this situation get you down.”
    Will put an arm around his father’s shoulder and guided him into the kitchen. Mrs. Cartwright brought filled glasses of lemonade to the table.
    “What did crazy Clyde do now?” she asked.
    “Same crazy stuff he’s always done to get attention. I knew he’d make things hard for Willie.”
    “Don’t worry about me, Pop. I can handle Clyde Otis.”
    “You shouldn’t have to. He’s a self-centered braggart.” Rev. Cartwright Sr. elaborated, looking at his wife, “I’ve always known he was a crook, but your mother didn’t. She even dated him back before we married. I suspect that’s the reason he’s been carrying a grudge all these years. He is angry because I married her and he didn’t.”
    Mrs. Cartwright grunted her disagreement, saying, “I didn’t date Clyde Otis. I went to the movies with a group of my friends and he happened to be in the group.” She placed a comforting hand on her son’s arm. “Can I get you a glass of wine?”
    “I must look pretty bedraggled if you’re offering me wine, Mom. I’m fine with the tea.”
    “Looks like you’ve had a hard day. You need to relax.” She sat next to her husband and looked across the table at her son. “How did your meeting with the mortgage company go?”
    “Awful,” Will answered. He could not stop thinking of Susan Cross. He had sat in his car after their heated discussion and tried to collect his thoughts. His vivid memory of her body didn’t help. He was ashamed and frustrated. “I’m trying to keep peace here, but I went down to that company and spoke out of mind, not my heart.”
    “You’ve got that backwards, son.” His father spoke matter-of-factly. “Your heart did the talking. Your mouth just didn’t say the right things.”
    * * *
    The rest of Susan’s week was filled with associating names with faces. She used her special mnemonic system to remember who did what, but the task proved to be more taxing than she had imagined. Her catalogue of who’s who in the Canton office was miniscule compared to the staff roster for the Houston office. There