The sight of Kenny Wilkes in Kingsport scared Barbara to death. It had been two days since that man had darkened her door and she still didn’t know how he’d been able to track her down. She’d left him in the middle of the night while he was black out drunk. It was the first chance she’d had in years to escape him, so she took it. On her way to the bus depot, she happened to pick up a magazine which extolled the virtues of Kingsport along with its richest residents. Ever the chancer, Barbara knew that if she could work for the Montgomery family, she would be able to sleep with Charles Montgomery, IV, become his mistress, and bear his child. That was her plan. Everything was going to plan until Kenny Wilkes arrived with his dirty fingernails, unkempt hair, and breath smelling of cheap beer and even cheaper cigarettes. In another life, Kenny had been enough. In this life, he was everything Barbara loathed: He was free of ambition with no drive to better himself. On top of that, her mother had forced Barbara to marry Kenny when she was fifteen. Some people whispered Barbara’s mother (who was always in and out of jail) sold her daughter for six hundred dollars, a steady supply of pills, and a carton of cigarettes to a man who was forty years her senior. Barbara knew it was true; she wouldn’t admit it to anyone.
As Barbara sorted Alison Farrell Montgomery’s mail and invitations at her desk at the Montgomery Estate, Barbara did everything in her power to remain cool and collected. However, her thoughts kept going back to the man who was currently in her apartment and refusing to leave because he was her husband.
Husband.
The word alone made Barbara want to vomit. That man was her abuser. Her jailer. Her albatross. Barbara associated husbands with lithe, fit, beautiful men from romantic comedies, not extras from Deliverance.
“Barbara,” called Dane Hurley. “Ada is on her lunch break and I need for you to bring a lunch tray to the library.”
“But I’m…”
“Now,” Dane said firmly as he walked out of the room.
Barbara sighed, pulled herself together, collected the tray, and heaved it through the servant’s quarters to the glorious library. Even though she’d been forced to drop out of high school the semester before graduation by Kenny because “a woman’s place is two steps behind me”, Barbara loved books. Reading was her only escape from a world devoid of life, color, joy, and happiness. That was why she risked being in the library the day Ada warned her about getting above herself because she felt at peace for the first time in her life. First Kenny, now Ada. If it weren’t for other people, thought Barbara, she would be happy.
As she knocked on the door and walked into the library, Barbara nearly tripped when she saw Charles Montgomery, IV sitting near one of the large windows smoking a cigar. He looked up to see Barbara lingering in the doorway. “What do we have here?” he asked, quickly.
“Your lunch, Mr. Montgomery.” Barbara walked his lunch tray to the well-laid table near the fireplace.
Charles strode over to the table, picked up the silver dome, and eyed the lunch of grilled salmon, rustic vegetables, and a baked potato. “I don’t want this. Chef is losing his touch. Tell him I want a hamburger.”
Barbara quietly salivated at the luxurious meal as she placed the dome on the tray. “I’ll tell him, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Thank you.” Charles eyed Barbara carefully. “You’re new here.”
She stopped in her tracks. No one had ever spoken to her before. They barked orders at her, but they didn’t speak to her. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond, so she simply said, “Yes. I’ve been here for a few weeks.”
“Then I trust we’re treating you well.”
Barbara kept her head low. “Very well, sir.”
“Good.” Charles gave Barbara a low smile. Yes, he thought, this creature had something…interesting about her. “Do you have a name or did Dane strip it from you upon your employment here?”
“Barbara,” she said, lightly.
“You know who I am, so there’s no need for all of that. It’s been a pleasure to speak with you, Barbara.” With that, Charles turned his back to her as he continued to smoke his cigar.
Barbara couldn’t believe the twisted nature of her luck. First, Kenny had tracked her down to Kingsport for reasons he hadn’t told her and now she’d finally met Charles Montgomery, IV. Her heart raced with fury, coupled with excitement. Maybe, just maybe, thought Barbara, things would work out after all. They could have worked out before Kenny came to town and now…well, Barbara wasn’t too sure. After all of her hard work, Charles had taken notice of her. That meant more to her than anything. She knew that one day, she would reach her goal, but she had to get Kenny out of her life. Now.
As Barbara sat on her familiar stool as the chef prepared Charles’ hamburger, she began to think of how to get Kenny out of her life. She could divorce him, but that didn’t stop him from being a presence in her life. Barbara considered other options… Most were too extreme, but one…well, maybe that could work. Just maybe…
The chef called out for Barbara to take Charles his meal which only fueled her desire to finish the plan she’d crafted for herself months ago. However, once Barbara walked into the library, Charles was gone. It felt like an awful dream. She stood there unsure of what to do when her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. Even though she wasn’t supposed to look at it, she did. Kenny was texting her demanding to know when she’d be back, how much money she had, and what was for dinner. And there, in the middle of what felt like the worst moment of her life, Barbara decided that the best thing to do was rid Kenny from her life. She couldn’t risk getting Charles and losing him all the same. No. It was time to ensure everything she’d worked so hard for would come true…someday soon…
In our next installment, Eli defends his plan to Dylan…
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