need to buy a new tea kettle, I wouldn’t mind having the old one. Or an iron. Actually, the ones you’re using now probably used to be mine so, I’m just saying, if you get new ones, I’d be happy to drop by and pick up the discards. It would save you bringing them here. I can’t carry anything too big on my motorcycle, but small appliances and blankets would be great. You wouldn’t believe how cold that trailer gets in the winter.” I smiled bravely up at her.
She was too smart to take the bait. She was thinking fast, but before she could move or speak, I upped the ante.
“Listen, Andrea. When you were my legal aid lawyer, I thought we were becoming friends. Sure, I was a little surprised when I found out later you and Mike were, well, better friends — even before he told me he wanted a divorce — but I know you gave me the best legal counsel possible. I don’t believe for a minute there was any conflict of interest on your part.” I let my voice break a little. “It wasn’t your fault I wound up with nothing but fifty acres of swamp south of town. And, I’m serious, if you have anything you don’t need any more, give me a call and I might be able to take if off your hands. Here, I’ll give you my cell number.”
Andrea turned and walked out the door, her head held high.
I gazed after her, forlornly waving a piece of paper in the air, the receipt Holly had just given me. When the door closed, I pulled some change out of my purse and handed two loonies to Holly. “Here, this is for the towels. Is it enough?”
Holly pushed my hand away. She said, “Are you kidding, Bliss? I should give you your twenty dollars back, just for the entertainment.”
“Thanks, Holly. I hope, if anybody asks, you can truthfully say I never made any threats or accused Andrea of being unprofessional.”
“I remember every word, Bliss, and you have nothing to worry about. Have you heard that Mike is going to run in the next election? He’s really reaching for the stars, isn’t he? If he wins, he’ll be one of the youngest Members of Parliament in history.”
“Oh, he’ll win.” I rammed the towels into the bag on top of the canned goods. “With Andrea’s father grooming him, he’s a shoo-in. Next stop, 24 Sussex Drive.”
“He’d sell our oil rights to the States … or our water. I hope somebody stops him.”
“Maybe somebody will.” I wrestled the bags toward the door and waved at Holly with one free finger.
As I reached the alley between the library and the video store next door, Andrea stepped out of the shadows and blocked my way.
Surprised, I let go of the bags and they slipped to the ground. Darn, I hated dented cans, but perhaps it was just as well my hands were free. Andrea had six inches and at least fifty pounds on me, and by the flush high up on her cheeks, she was pissed. I looked around. No witnesses.
Arms crossed over her chest, Andrea leaned toward me. “Mike told me how you threatened him, trying to extort money. That could be construed as blackmail, and you could wind up with legal problems. Take my advice, as your former lawyer. Stay out of our way, or you’ll think a juggernaut ran over you.”
Adrenaline flowed, making my heart race and my body ready to do battle. I tried to damp it down to keep the oxygen in my brain. This fight required wits, not muscle.
“I don’t know what you mean, Andrea. As Mike probably told you, I gave him a figure I thought was a fair share of the estate we accumulated during our marriage. I’d be more than happy to give back the fifty acres in exchange.”
“You signed off all rights to any other properties at the time of the divorce. We owe you nothing.”
“Well, at the time I thought my lawyer was looking after my interests. I didn’t realize she was sleeping with my husband. Did you know I registered a complaint with the Law Society of Upper Canada?”
Andrea snorted. “Of course I know. They contacted me. How did that go for you?”
“Not so well. They sent me a nice letter saying they would look into the matter, then a couple of months later another letter arrived dismissing the complaint, but telling me I had the option of suing you. Anyhow, there will always be a record of the complaint, with your name on it. It would be such a shame if that came out during Mike’s campaign.”
“Do you really think we’d let that happen? We could make you look like a total nutcase.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Andrea. The ex-wife of the Liberal candidate is living in a trailer, working several minimum-wage jobs, buying food and clothes from the second-hand store.” I nudged the bags with my toe. “Why, I could supply pictures of me in my overalls, raking up the cemetery, or cleaning houses. Goodness me, whatever would the voters think? Let alone the party officials. They might consider Mike a risk they don’t want to take. I told Mike all this, but he’s a stubborn guy.”
“Mike offered you money, but you refused to take it. How does that look?”
“You mean yesterday’s offer at Tim Hortons? I don’t believe there were any witnesses to that offer. The amount on the cheque was an insult, and expecting me to sign a waiver means you underestimate me. You can tell Mike to shove both the cheque and the waiver so far up his ass he’ll need surgery to retrieve them. I believe I forgot to suggest that to him.”
“Mike and I are deeply committed to one another. We have a brilliant future, and we won’t let you spoil things for us. This is your last warning.”
I held up my hands. “Hey, I’m not planning to interfere with your future. I just want what’s fair, and you know what that is. Think about it, and I’m sure you and your true love will do the right thing.”
I bent down and picked up my shopping, relieved when Andrea didn’t swing her brown Louis Vuitton bag down on my head.
“Andrea, don’t get your hopes up about becoming the wife of the prime minister of this nation. Once Mike gets to the first rung and feels he can do without your father’s connections, he’ll dump you without a backward glance. He’ll marry some pretty little blonde who will give him a couple of cute little blond children to grace his Christmas card photo. Don’t kid yourself; Mike is only thirty-two and you’re, what, forty? You may be in love, but to him you’re only a means to an end.”
I took five minutes to unpack the bags and resettle the items in the saddlebags of the Savage after watching Andrea march away. After that, I felt calm enough to finish off the afternoon scanning out books for patrons. Dougal called twice to make sure I was going to measure Glory’s Titan and report my findings before I went home.
The Liquor Store was my first stop after work. Bypassing the Vintages section where I shopped during my marriage, I checked out the Ontario reds and chose a Niagara merlot that cost twelve-ninety-five. A slight splurge, but well-deserved. Next, I bought a copy of the Lockport Sentinel.
Now, I had wine to drink and something to read while eating the canned beans. Or maybe I’d have the stew, or even the Chef Boyardee. With a can opener and a microwave, any option was possible.
The wind had picked up during the day so the short drive to Glory’s was even less pleasurable than the morning’s run. The skirt ballooned and flapped, but at least my road rash got a good airing.
Pan answered my ring, but instead of inviting me in, he stepped out and closed the door quietly. He looked at my outfit, started to say something,
