Read Online An Absence of Principal by Jimmy Patterson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jimmy Patterson
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Britton wanted him in the house even less than Angela did. It was what pained him most, knowing his kids seemed to hate him, too.
Doggett scooped up a few personal items in his at-home work area, grabbed a couple of books and tucked a Bible in his briefcase, just in case he decided to get right with Jesus during his little layover away from the family. It wasn’t likely he would ever crack open the Good Book, but it never hurt to bring it along in case he had himself a little God moment.
Doggett never considered himself much of a religious man but occasionally he did have lapses in his imperfect self that let a little of the Lord’s light in. He never could tell when that might happen again, which is why he would often tote his Bible along for the ride just in case the spirit struck him.
It took Doggett a couple of trips to load all his belongings into his car. There were no offers of help from the children and certainly none from Angela. When he bid them goodbye, the three of them sat together, teary eyed in the family room in front of an old sit-com, something they stared at blankly to try to ease their collective pain. They said nothing. They didn’t look his way as he walked down the hall and out the front door for the last time.
As he pulled out of the driveway he thought about what he had done to his family. And to himself. He wondered how he would recover. He knew Angela and the kids would. They would have each other and they could bond together during this ordeal. He had no one. Well, almost no one.
A variety of plants hung from the rafters on the porch of the first-floor apartment that Shanna Riley called home. It was just her and Snuggles, her Chihuahua. Doggett hated the name Snuggles, but even more so when it was applied to a yapping little Chihuahua.
Doggett walked slowly up to Shanna’s front door and rang the bell.
“Ben? What a surprise. A pleasant surprise. You OK?” Shanna asked.
“Angela found out about us,” he said. He walked inside Shanna’s front door. “It didn’t take much. When Tawny picked up your phone call that sent Angela on her little fact-finding mission. She found all our emails.”
“I’m sorry, Ben. I feel horrible. And embarrassed. I never wanted this to happen,” Shanna said.
“The phone call alone I could have explained away, but I’ve been gone too much lately, and what’s weird is all those times I’ve been away have had nothing to do with us being together,” Doggett said. “And the emails. The emails are what killed the whole thing. I doubt there’s even a chance to put anything back together with Angela after she’s read all that was in the emails. It would take an amazing woman to be able to forgive that.”
Doggett shivered with disgust thinking about his wife’s reaction to the often suggestive language used in the communiqués between him and Shanna.
Doggett didn’t know why he came to Shanna. Habit, maybe. Or perhaps he knew she was the only person in the world today that would have anything to do with him. Her place was probably the last place he needed to be now. Yet it also felt like the only place he had to go. So he let himself stay. And Shanna didn’t discourage him from being there. At her young age, and with her reliance on him as both a partner and the father-figure she’d never had, she wasn’t about to let him leave now. Not in his darkest hour. She reached over and caressed his cheek and told him again how sorry she was. Her soft touch would lead to a warm embrace and a deep kiss to soothe his soul. What came next neither of them had the self-discipline or desire to keep from happening. Not now.
The two of them would fall asleep in each other’s arms that night, and for several nights thereafter. Doggett felt dirty and despicable on one hand. Their daily dalliances were all that kept him from total despair, but after awhile, he would find that even a physical relationship with his mistress turned his stomach. He grew more and
Doggett scooped up a few personal items in his at-home work area, grabbed a couple of books and tucked a Bible in his briefcase, just in case he decided to get right with Jesus during his little layover away from the family. It wasn’t likely he would ever crack open the Good Book, but it never hurt to bring it along in case he had himself a little God moment.
Doggett never considered himself much of a religious man but occasionally he did have lapses in his imperfect self that let a little of the Lord’s light in. He never could tell when that might happen again, which is why he would often tote his Bible along for the ride just in case the spirit struck him.
It took Doggett a couple of trips to load all his belongings into his car. There were no offers of help from the children and certainly none from Angela. When he bid them goodbye, the three of them sat together, teary eyed in the family room in front of an old sit-com, something they stared at blankly to try to ease their collective pain. They said nothing. They didn’t look his way as he walked down the hall and out the front door for the last time.
As he pulled out of the driveway he thought about what he had done to his family. And to himself. He wondered how he would recover. He knew Angela and the kids would. They would have each other and they could bond together during this ordeal. He had no one. Well, almost no one.
A variety of plants hung from the rafters on the porch of the first-floor apartment that Shanna Riley called home. It was just her and Snuggles, her Chihuahua. Doggett hated the name Snuggles, but even more so when it was applied to a yapping little Chihuahua.
Doggett walked slowly up to Shanna’s front door and rang the bell.
“Ben? What a surprise. A pleasant surprise. You OK?” Shanna asked.
“Angela found out about us,” he said. He walked inside Shanna’s front door. “It didn’t take much. When Tawny picked up your phone call that sent Angela on her little fact-finding mission. She found all our emails.”
“I’m sorry, Ben. I feel horrible. And embarrassed. I never wanted this to happen,” Shanna said.
“The phone call alone I could have explained away, but I’ve been gone too much lately, and what’s weird is all those times I’ve been away have had nothing to do with us being together,” Doggett said. “And the emails. The emails are what killed the whole thing. I doubt there’s even a chance to put anything back together with Angela after she’s read all that was in the emails. It would take an amazing woman to be able to forgive that.”
Doggett shivered with disgust thinking about his wife’s reaction to the often suggestive language used in the communiqués between him and Shanna.
Doggett didn’t know why he came to Shanna. Habit, maybe. Or perhaps he knew she was the only person in the world today that would have anything to do with him. Her place was probably the last place he needed to be now. Yet it also felt like the only place he had to go. So he let himself stay. And Shanna didn’t discourage him from being there. At her young age, and with her reliance on him as both a partner and the father-figure she’d never had, she wasn’t about to let him leave now. Not in his darkest hour. She reached over and caressed his cheek and told him again how sorry she was. Her soft touch would lead to a warm embrace and a deep kiss to soothe his soul. What came next neither of them had the self-discipline or desire to keep from happening. Not now.
The two of them would fall asleep in each other’s arms that night, and for several nights thereafter. Doggett felt dirty and despicable on one hand. Their daily dalliances were all that kept him from total despair, but after awhile, he would find that even a physical relationship with his mistress turned his stomach. He grew more and
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