Unhealthy Coping Mechanism

Chapter 14

After dropping Sam home, still wide-eyed and trembling from a bumpy ride full of screeching tires and brakes slammed moments before red lights, Harriet marched straight to Carol's.

Ryan stood outside the house, fidgeting with his tie as if it was a noose tightening around his neck. "I take it you heard?"

"Kind of hard not to." Harriet mopped sweat off her forehead. What right did Maryland have to still be this hot in November? The sun threatened to shrivel her into a raisin under its harsh glare as it blissfully ignored the fact it was fall.

"I figured." He quietly stared at his hands, thick-fingered paws that looked better suited to life on a farm than a desk job at an advertising firm. "Thanks a bunch for letting Frank handle Hershey's for me, by the way. I don't think I could have taken care of such a big client just now."

Harriet narrowed her eyes. "Oh, that was all Frank. If he wants to go prancing around Pennsylvania, that's up to him." Damn it, would it kill Carol to open the door already?

"Well, thank him for me then." He tightened his tie some more, pressing the crimson fabric up against his throat. "Sounds like he nailed it. Must be exciting to have your husband involved in a new product launch. Such a shame they have to film the reshoots so close to the holidays, though."

"Reshoots?" This was the first she'd heard of them, although she couldn't say she was too surprised. Frank's clients often had to keep things hush-hush so nobody would spoil the surprise of a new product hitting the market. Still, he couldn't possibly be going away again so soon, could he? "That can't be right. He hasn't said a peep about anything like that."

"Eh, maybe it was just a rumor. You know how weird these companies can be about last-minute tweaks." Ryan thumped his knuckles against the door like a rabbit trying to warn the rest of its warren about a circling hawk. "You about ready?" he called.

"Almost!"

After they spent a few more moments waiting in the sweltering heat, Peter swung the door open and dragged out his suitcase. The thing was almost as tall as he was, and he grunted as he struggled to shove the bursting bag toward his dad's car.

"Let me handle that for you, buddy." Ryan picked up the suitcase with a wince and waddled over to deposit it in his trunk. "I'll come pick up the rest in a couple days, but this should at least get us started. Got your toothbrush? Underwear?"

Peter nodded. Dark circles rimmed his eyes, and he kept fidgeting with the waistline of his pants. Had they always been this tight on him, Harriet wondered, or was that junk food diet packing on the pounds?

"How about your cat?"

Peter looked at his dad as if he'd asked if he wanted a neon pink hippopotamus for Christmas. "We don't have a cat."

"You do now! He's the biggest, fluffiest fella I could find, and he's all yours." He showed them a picture of the cat in question, a plump puff of whiteness with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as if he knew he was Ryan's ticket to making absolutely certain Peter didn't raise a fuss about his new living arrangements.

Peter tackled his dad with a hug. "What's his name?"

"You tell me." He ushered Peter into the car as a slew of cat names flew from his mouth. Harriet was especially partial to Marshmallow. That or Homewrecker.

Peter waved goodbye to Harriet as he and his dad drove off to his house. He looked weirdly happy for someone who was being ripped away from his mom.