TRICKY TRIANGLE

CHAPTER 13

MAY 1986 to MAY 1987

“Oh, hey Dawn,” Ed said into the telephone. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, not much,” Dawn replied. Ed could tell her voice sounded strained. “Just having a baby?”

“Oh my! Are you and Hal at the hospital?”

“No, I’m at home, and Hal’s fishing with some guys from work.”

“Fishing in this storm?”

“It was sunny when he left.”

“But the baby isn’t due for a couple weeks.”

“Tell that to our daughter.”

Dawn calling the baby “our daughter” caused Ed to pause and relish the inclusiveness.

“Look, are you coming to take me to the hospital? Or what!” Dawn barked.

“I’m on my way,” Ed replied. “I’ll be there in less than ten.”

Hal was too late to see his wife’s daughter arrive into the world. But the man who impregnated her wasn’t. Ed sat on Dawn’s bed and grinned at the baby he had made with his best friend’s wife. His arm rested on the pillow just above her head. Dawn’s hair was still matted with sweat as she smiled lovingly at her little girl.

Once again, Hal had caught his best friend in bed with his wife. The pair hadn’t spotted him peeking through the doorway, and he stood still watching them. In a strange way, he felt more jealous now than he did the morning he discovered them in bed together, not long after this child was conceived.

“Did you and Hal decide what you are gonna name her?” He heard Ed ask.

“We were thinking about Jennifer, after my mother, and June for her middle name,” Dawn replied. “But seeing how it was hailing when I waited for you to pick me up, I want to name her Hailey. Hailey May, since she didn’t come in June as expected. As long as Hal agrees.”

“Hailey Storm, born right after a hailstorm,” Ed chuckled. “How fitting, I don’t see why he wouldn’t agree.”

Their words made him feel included, and also helped him resist fighting the green eyed monster. He took hold of the camera around his neck, aiming it at Dawn, Ed, and baby Hailey. He snapped off a shot, the click and the flash bulb causing them to look. Ed hopped off of the bed as if caught doing something inappropriate. Dawn smiled happily, although wearily, at her husband.

“Sit back down, Ed,” Hal said as he went to the other side of the bed. Both men sat down at the same time, and then Hal kissed his wife.

“Isn’t she beautiful?” Ed said.

“They both are,” Hal replied. “Sorry I wasn’t here.”

“She did come a bit early,” Dawn said. “Thankfully, Eddie was available.”

“Yes,” Hal responded reluctantly, yet with a smile. “There must be something about  stormy weather that makes babies come early.”

A nurse came in and checked on baby and mother. Before she left, Hal asked her to take a picture of the three of them. She wore a puzzled frown as she complied, and Hal thought about saying sarcastically that both he and Ed were the baby’s fathers.

In the weeks following Hailey’s birth, Uncle Ed didn’t miss a day coming over to see his daughter. There were times Hal regretted being so accepting of his wife’s one time paramour. But after weeks turned to months, the duel fathering began to seem normal. Hal learned to not only accept, but enjoy Ed’s role in their daughter’s life.

Then nine months after Hailey was born, a house directly across the street from the Storm residence came up for sale, and Ed bought it. Hal, feeling this was too close for comfort, had renewed feelings of an intruder in their family. Ed, a former detective, perceived his friend’s feelings and kept his distance for a time. But then Hal, catching Ed having a cigarette on his backyard deck, changed everything.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Hal scolded in a joking manner. “I thought you quit before Hailey was born?”

Ed chuckled, took one more drag, and dropped the cigarette into an empty beer bottle. “I did.”

“So I see.”

“I really did for almost a year. But about a week ago, I just, I don’t know…”

“You don’t know what?”

“Anymore, I just feel like a fifth wheel when I’m over at your house. I mean, I love Hailey to pieces, but she’s also a reminder of my sin and how I’ve been an interloper in your marriage. Yet you’ve handled it with class, dignity, and Christian charity.”

Hal felt sorry for his friend, yet he also felt encouraged by his mention of sin and Christian charity. Ever since Ed returned from Vietnam, he had expressed an attitude of atheism. “So that’s why you haven’t been around for the last several days?”

Ed shrugged and lit another cigarette.

“Eddie, I wouldn’t be here right now if I thought you were an interloper. You’re not just some random guy that seduced my wife. You guys had a bond over Wendy. Before your, as you called it, sin, I was witnessing Dawn become infatuated with erotic novels, drinking wine, and dressing sexy. Even knowing this, I stood by and let her get close to you.”

“That’s my point,” Ed said. “You’d have reason not to trust some random guy your wife started hanging out with. But me, you should have been able to trust.”

“Some random guy wouldn’t be showing the contrition that you have, and are right now.”

Ed took a drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke tumble out of his mouth as he talked. “I appreciate your sentiment, but still… Let me ask you something. If it had been some random guy instead of me, would you have still forgiven Dawn?”

“Yes.”

“What about him?”

Hal sighed. “Eddie, I don’t like hypotheticals. How can I know if I’d forgive a fictional guy over fictional circumstances.”

“Fair point.”

“But another point is that I love both you and Dawn. That helped with not only forgiving, but going forward.”

“I love you too, man,” Ed said with a croak. Hal gave him a light punch on the shoulder. Then both men felt awkward with the emotion of the moment.

“I feel like we’re in a sappy commercial or something,” Hal said, and they both laughed. Then Hal continued. “Does it bother you being Uncle Eddie, instead of Daddy?”

“Yes and no,” Ed replied. “I mean, of course, I’d like her to know me as dad. But I also want to abide by Dawn’s wishes in keeping Hailey’s parentage a secret. I completely understand why she would be embarrassed. Shoot, I don’t even want it known that I slept with my best friend’s wife.”

Hal had a brief flashback of seeing his wife in bed with Ed, their clothes strewn about the floor, and the sleezy smell of alcohol and stale cigarette smoke. “Look, Eddie, I’ve never been a rearview mirror type of guy. I believe in not only looking forward, but moving forward.”

“That’s just it,” Ed said. “It’s hard to move forward when… Because I…”

“Because you what?”

“I have a confession.”

“Yeah?”

“I love Dawn.”

“I know, I loved Wendy.”

“Yeah,” Ed said, sighed, and then winced. “But you didn’t have a baby by Wendy.”

Hal didn’t feel any resentment because he felt truly bad for his friend for loving a woman he couldn’t have. He had always felt a strange satisfaction sharing his wife with his close friend after he lost Wendy. It seemed like such a contradiction with his occasional bouts of jealousy.  “Is that what’s been keeping you away then?”

“I don’t know,” Ed sighed, pulling out another cigarette.

“Slow down, man!” Hal barked.

“Huh?”

“What, are you trying to make up for lost time after not smoking for a year?”

Ed snorted a laugh and slid the cigarette back in the pack. “Habits man, you do them without thinking. I’m not gonna lie, I missed smoking last year.”

“It’s not healthy to desire things we shouldn’t have,” Hal told him.

Ed wondered if he had a double meaning with his statement. Hal instantly realized that it could have sounded like he meant his wife with his words. “Why don’t you come over for supper tonight, you’ll set Dawn’s mind at ease. Remember, we’re moving forward. Little Hailey makes us all family.”

“Alright,” Ed said, forcing a smile. He truly appreciated Hal’s generosity and loved him for it. On the other hand, upon saying it made them all family, Ed felt like replying sarcastically that he was gonna be Uncle Eddie to his own daughter.

Why were there so many yins and yang’s in life? That day and night with Dawn was amazing, especially when they unintentionally made a baby. Then the aftermath of guilt was awful and still lingered. Yet Hailey was beautiful, a miracle, despite being conceived in sin. He had to be in her life, no matter what the role. He would be the best uncle that ever existed.

“Great, I’ll let Dawn know you’re coming. See ya at six.”

“I’ll be there, and thanks Hal. I can’t imagine having a better friend.”

Hal slapped his back and walked away. As soon as he was out of sight, Ed pulled a cigarette from the pack. He might not be able to have the woman he desired, but what about a habit he desired. He lit the coffin nail, took a long drag, and inhaled deeply.

(DESTINY’S BIBLE STUDY NOTES AND QUOTES)

(The LIFE and MINISTRY of JESUS #26)

Peace Be Still (See Matthew 8:23-34, Mark 4:35-41 and 5:1-20, Luke 8:22-39)

Absorbed in their efforts to save themselves, the disciples had forgotten that Jesus was on board.

In Jesus was their only hope. In their helplessness and despair they cried, “Master, Master!” The dense darkness hid Him from their sight. Suddenly a flash of lightning pierces the darkness, and they see Jesus lying asleep, undisturbed by the tumult.

“Lord save us, we perish!” Never did a soul utter that cry unheeded.

When Jesus was awakened to meet the storm, he was in perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in word or look, for no fear was in His heart.

As Jesus rested in His Father’s care, so we are to rest in the care of our Savior.

How often the disciples experience is ours. When the tempest of temptation gather, and the fierce lightnings flash, and the waves sweep over us, we battle with the storm alone, forgetting there is One who can help us. We trust to our own strength till our hope is lost, and we are ready to perish.

But if we have the Savior in our hearts, there is no need of fear. Living faith in the Redeemer will smooth the sea of life, and will deliver us from danger in the way that He knows is best.

The people of Gergesa had before them the living evidence of Christ’s power and mercy. They saw the men who had been restored to reason; but they were so fearful of endangering their earthly interests that He who had vanquished the prince of darkness before their eyes was treated as an intruder, and the Gift of heaven was turned from their doors.

It is in working to spread the good news of salvation that we are brought near to the Savior.

The encounter with the demoniacs at Gergesa had a lesson for the disciples. It showed the depths of degradation to which Satan is seeking to drag the whole human race, and the mission of Christ to set men free from his power.

Satan’s influence is constantly exerted upon men to distract the senses, control the mind for evil, and incite to violence and crime. He weakens the body, darkens the intellect, and debases the soul.

Before humanity and angels Satan has been revealed as man’s enemy and destroyer. Christ, as man’s friend and deliverer. His spirit will develop in people all that will ennoble the character and dignify the nature.

The only safeguard against Satan’s power  is found in the presence of Jesus.