Chapter 51 – [Friday, July 5, 2002]
It would take Mindi and Jen a long time to fully understand the implications of the court’s decision. Sally was obviously upset when she had picked them up from daycare Tuesday evening and she had tried to explain (perhaps prematurely) that Jordan wasn’t going to be living at the house anymore, but they both interpreted the information as something akin to what had already been taking place over the summer. Even though their sister had been gone for only a couple weeks, they had become accustomed to her absence and so in their minds, Sally’s announcement just meant ‘more of the same, but of course Jordan will come back at some point’. Sally had decided to drop the discussion rather than insisting on the finality of the court’s decision; because maybe she will end up coming back after all? Who knows?
All week, Sally’s frustration at being helpless in the situation showed. Every little inconvenience set her into into mini-rages. Every plan that didn’t quite go as anticipated threw her into whining and self-pity. Even her coworkers noticed how she carried her increased stress on her sleeves.
Jen and Mindi, being younger, had adapted to their Mom’s sensitivity and particularity over the previous months without really being aware of it. She had changed a lot since her reorientation to faith but without the maturity to think abstractly or process life outside of their connection to their Mom, as any children they simply absorbed the environment they found themselves within. It wasn’t as if Sally wasn’t loving either. She gave her girls hugs and kisses, she consistently offered nighttime stories and asked them about their days’ at childcare, and offered all kinds of other shows of affection. The odd thing was that although her language and behavior was filled with “God, Bible, church, love, grace, worship, Jesus, etc”, even when she became angry, it had such religious overtones that it sounded ‘good’ to the uninitiated despite its lack of health.
All of this was compounded by the fact that Sally saw herself as a moral and spiritual ‘giant’ among weaklings. In her eyes, she had uniquely been endowed with a painful ‘Biblical Job-like experience’ from God (though as a punishment) that had grown her into a woman with more authority and wisdom on life than anyone around. Essentially no one could give her instructions or advice that she hadn’t either ‘already thought of’ or ‘completely disagreed with’. She was her own frame of reference — and a force to be reckoned with.
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Jordan had had a fantastic week following the divorce hearing. Ted had taken off the remainder of it to search for a new apartment with her; as she had pointed out, the single room joint wouldn’t be adequate long term. In addition, they also went on a hunt for a simple new (used) car — both tasks she had enjoyed thoroughly. After a couple days of looking, they settled on a two bedroom place in the same neighborhood on Capitol Hill that wasn’t too far from where he had been before. Ted could walk to work if he wanted and if Jordan ended up in Public school, she’d be in an entirely different district than some of the kids who had come to know her at Camp White Pines that summer. The two would be able to move their stuff in the following Monday. In addition, Ted picked out an old ’93 Honda Accord off a sleazy used car dealer’s lot down the street. He hated dickering for cars and so had just paid the asking price since Jordan liked the after-market stereo that had been installed in it.
To top the week off with a cherry, Ted was able to procure for Jordan an ‘old’ used orange-colored Apple Clamshell laptop from the Hope Seattle office. It was one that one of the administrative assistants had used and she recently had received an upgraded newer model. Ted put a donation in toward the replacement and brought the ‘clunker’ home.
“A writer needs decent tools I’d say.” He had reasoned as he handed over the still rather valuable piece of hardware. Jordan had been ecstatic. She had seen the ‘cool’ laptops on many TV commercials over the couple of years since they had been released and she had known that they were far out of her parents’ household budget to buy new. It didn’t matter that the gift was now a couple years old, she felt like a superstar with the fancy machine that appeared to be not much beyond gently used.
Yet all of that wasn’t able to top her Dad’s continued willingness to ‘take care’ of her every night just as her Mom had once done. But in a way, his attention was even better as it was something she had longed for and missed out on for years before Sally had even begun the ritual. Somehow, having ‘Daddy’ looking after her in this way was something she needed in order for her world to be ‘right’.
Ted’s diapering duty had continued nightly since Jordan’s arrival back from camp the previous week and he had grown rather deft at folding, pulling, and taping the plastic puffy purple garments in just the right ways to obtain the best fit. He even was willing to put in an online order for a new case of diapers once they had cracked into her final bag. To Jordan’s delight, he had even said ‘yes’ to order a couple bags of other brands for her to try out — she had reasoned to him that perhaps the purple ones contributed to her rashes (for which she now cared for exclusively) and maybe others would be less sensitive on her skin. In truth, she had seen the others on the website she had discovered before going to camp and was curious about how they would feel. Too embarrassed to tell him the truth, he had happily ordered all that she requested and within a few days, she was trying out her first ‘Attends’ brand diapers as well as ‘Abena’ which she liked very much.
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On Friday morning the week of the divorce hearing and the day after Independence Day, the two found themselves out to breakfast once more at the French bakery that had become a favorite spot for each of them. Jordan was working on the edits to her story on her new computer and Ted was reading a book when none other than Mr. Johns walked up to their table, pulled up a chair, and sat down without so much as a hello.
The two were flabbergasted. Jordan hand’t seen her music teacher since the end of school and she hadn’t hardly talked to him other than her curt comments and rudeness in response to his repair attempts on their relationship. Mr. Johns didn’t smile, but rather looked as though he sat before the two of them for business.
What the hell? Why is he here? And how did he even find us here? We’re like in a totally different part of the city. He lives in Everett or something! What the heck?! Jordan didn’t understand how such a random appearance could even be possible.
“Hi Jordan. How’s your summer going?” he asked without seeming insight into any of the events and/or rumors at camp or without awareness that his appearance on Capitol Hill could be slightly odd.
“Um…interesting…I guess…” she replied feeling uncomfortable.
“Ted.” He looked over at the CEO of Hope Seattle and smiled politely.
“Tyler.” Ted smiled politely back.
“Well I’m not here to eat breakfast — although this is probably my favorite bakery in Seattle. Adrian and I come here all the time for ‘dates’, especially during the summer…I saw you guys here last week and I’m sorry to interrupt. But I have some important business to attend to with you Ted.” He talked loudly — wearing his emotions on his sleeves. Mr. Johns seemed strangely…arrogant…to Jordan. As though he knew he was guaranteed to win the lottery or something.
“You know Tyler, this isn’t the best tim——”
“Actually Ted. It is. You need to hear this. NOW.” He glared at the man who had obviously become his adversary.
Ted didn’t want to make a scene in the cafe, but he also didn’t want to secede power to Mr. Johns and appear weak in front of Jordan. Yet, without upping the ante, he decided there was no other real option. “Ok Tyler, I guess I can spare a couple minutes for you. Jordan? How about you go take a walk for a few minutes? Alright? Get some fresh—”
“No. Actually I want her to hear this Ted. She needs to know what the stakes are here.” He looked at Jordan with pity and perhaps even contempt both for the way she had judged him and also for ending up so close with her father, a man he considered to be not much better than the devil incarnate.
Feeling locked into a corner, Ted felt his anger boil to the surface and he replied, “K…” through gritted teeth.
“When we finish this meeting Ted, you will call up your lawyer and instruct him to drop the lawsuit against Anne Rodgers.” He said calmly and yet with sternness in his voice. It was a clear command and the line obviously had been rehearsed.
“What!?” they both said at the same moment, Ted in relief and Jordan in shame and fear. Ted had ended up going forward with the suit without Sally’s permission because she had been utterly unwilling to say more than two words with him before or after the divorce hearing. But this command was completely out of left field.
“You heard me. As soon as I leave this meeting, you will call up your lawyer and instruct him to drop the civil lawsuit you’ve filed against the medical assistant, Anne Rodgers.” He repeated again a little more firmly but equally as calm. Without a doubt, he had ammunition to back up his request.
Jordan felt terrified that her teacher knew all about the rumors and everything that had happened at camp for certain — and if he knew, everyone back home in Ballard knew — which meant that pretty much everyone at school knew! She broke into a cold sweat, not realizing the gravity of the implications in his demand.
“Now wait just a second here. What makes you think you have the right to come in here and start demand——” Ted began, asserting his authority.
“I do Ted. Oh believe me, I do.” He became even more calm. Tyler Johns appeared to love the poetry of the moment — the drama in the opportunity. His personality too had been gilded by the experience of succumbing to blackmail. The disillusionment he felt after losing his relationship with his most important student at school and seeing himself become a pawn in political church games had been harsh. Rather than backing off and quitting, Tyler Johns was ready to play hard ball. If that’s how the game is played, I’ll play it, he had decided before Anne Rodgers’ lawsuit had even arisen.
The moment sitting before Ted and Jordan was too sweet to touch for Tyler. He had played it out many times in his mind. Ted’s apparent shock in particular was gratifying. He repeated the command again, and added his zinger, “Ted, you will call off the lawsuit, or I will have you fired. Period. And I won’t back down this time.”
He glared at the father of three, sitting up straight, offering him his best impression of strength.
“First. Tyler.” Ted began, as if to diminish the man’s stature by using his first name, “What makes you think you could possibly have the votes to get the job done if you couldn’t get it done the last time? The company is stronger than it’s ever been. We have more employees and volunteers than ever. We’ve had our biggest year of served clients yet. They’ve already had a vote of confidence for me — why would the board ever entertain another? Over the past six months alone our role in the city has multiplied three times over. I’m the CEO, I’m behind all that! Why would they get rid of me? Second,” he continued before Tyler could answer the rhetorical question, “why in God’s name do you even care? This is a personal matter that doesn’t concern you and I have no idea how you even got information pertaining to it.”
“Oh. You are so incredibly wrong Ted. Wrong on both counts.” He twiddled his fingers for a beat before continuing. “But I’ll just let you in on the second. Anne Rodgers? She’s Mrs. Johns best friend. She was her maid of honor in our wedding. We went to grade school together and some of high school. She was part of the reason we moved up here in the first place, TED. We’re not letting her go through this out of your spite. That’s bullshit. If you get to make a mistake and keep your job, so does she. YOU’RE gonna let it go!” He paused for dramatic effect. “And I don’t really give a shit Ted — if you try to pull your nonsense on me again. If you try to blackmail me and threaten me through your little minions — I’ll have your ass one way or another. I GUARANTEE IT.”
Ted was shocked by his vitriol as was Jordan. She couldn’t hardly believe that (a) an intelligent woman like Mrs. Johns would be friends with an idiot like Anne Rodgers and (b) that Mr. Johns still really thought that her Dad was behind the blackmail plot the previous winter at all. Doesn’t he know the truth? Doesn’t he realize that Daddy had nothing to do with what Mr. Yates did? She thought, thinking back on the long process she had had to go through in order to free her father from guilt in her own mind.
“Listen Tyler, I didn’t blackmail you ok? It wasn’t my idea…it wasn’t in my—”
“Oh shut it Ted. Quit the charades alright?! Isn’t it time to fess up for once in your life? Once in your WHOLE LIFE? Stop trying to act like you had nothing to do with it. We ALL know the truth. TJ told us you put him up to it.”
Ted’s mind went to the businessman Mr. Yates. That bastard, he’s double crossed me to save his own ass. Fucking asshole!! Immediately he registered the implication of his change in position. If TJ is turning his back on me, he’ll lead the board to vote against me. Tyler isn’t as full of shit as I thought.
The shock on Ted’s face registered with Mr. Johns. “So you see Ted, I DO have the votes. And I’ll use ’em. Unless you drop the lawsuit. Think long and hard buddy. Long and hard. See ya Jordan. Have a good rest of the summer. Maybe I’ll see ya in class next year — then again, maybe I won’t.” He got up and walked off without another word.
Jordan was in complete shock — “What just happened Daddy? What is this? What are we gonna do?” Her mind raced, not at all comprehending the whole situation, let alone all the implications of what might or might happen given the various choices her Dad might take. The shift in her teacher caused her not to believe his allegations about his Dad’s truthfulness regarding the blackmail, but she was scared about what might happen to each of them if he really did get fired.
“This isn’t so good sweetie. Not so good. This is real political mud-slingin’…this is down and ugly and dirty. I’m sorry you had to sit through it.” He looked her in the eye with pain and embarrassment.
“Listen honey, I want you to know that I told you the truth before and I’m telling you the truth now…I didn’t have anything to do with the blackmail on your teacher alright? When Mr. Johns seemingly changed his mind and led the vote in favor of me keeping my job, I thought he was doing it to help me, not because he was being manipulated. I honestly — literally — had no idea. Yates is a shark and a liar. He’ll do anything to keep his influence.” Ted processed out loud as he seethed.
He continued, “So here’s where we’re left sweetie and I want you to give some input on this. If we go ahead with this case, I really might lose my job…in fact, I think it’s pretty likely. I mean, I think it’s probably the right thing that this Rodgers lady is held responsible for what she did to you. On the other hand, I’ve done some bad things, and I’ve ended up not having to deal with ALL the consequences (although now your mom and I are divorced and you and your sisters are suffering…and that’s pretty bad). But if we make sure Anne Rodgers is held accountable, it looks like I’ll have to go through some more pretty crappy stuff. And of course if I lose my job, you’ll have to go through some tough stuff too. It’s not gonna be easy sweetie.”
Jordan couldn’t help but think about the parallels between this new situation and the one Mr. Johns had been in the previous winter. She recalled the way she had reacted with such rage and disappointment after he told her that he hadn’t stuck up for what was right in following through with having her Dad fired for the affair with Melissa. At the time, she was so angry with her Dad that any suffering caused him seemed justified. Jordan had called Mr. Johns a weakling and a rubberneck, not willing to do anything he believed in if it caused a little discomfort.
Even though she was now on better terms with her Dad, she could see how the situation was very much the same, only with tables turned. Mr. Johns hadn’t done anything specifically to hurt her (until, sort of, that Friday morning) — but she knew she’d lose a great deal of respect for her Dad if he rolled over and behaved like he had done back in December. Fairly rapidly, sitting there in the French cafe on Broadway, she came to her firm decision.
“Stick the knife in and twist it Dad.” Her eyes were clear; she suddenly looked confident and calm.
“What?!” He said almost chuckling at her poetic and vengeance-tinged reply.
“Let’s keep the case and prosecute that hag. Who cares what happens? WE’LL be alright. God’ll take care of us one way or another. I think you should stand up for what’s right….Plus,” She smiled, “I want my Daddy to protect me. I want my Daddy to stand up for me. I want to know he’s got my back no matter what.”
He felt a powerful sense of righteous indignation rise up within him that he hadn’t experienced for quite a while. The things that had been done to his daughter were absolutely past the line and there was no excuse for anyone getting away with them — even if it cost him his job.
She’s right, he thought, I wanna be that Dad for her. I wanna be the one to stand up for her and protect her. If I’m not, who will be?