High School Reunion...Or Not

Jill and Mack had been sweethearts ever since their senior year in high school. They had grown up together. They were from the same neighborhood. However, until senior year they couldn’t stand each other. They had skipped their prom, due to a lack of finances, but they had driven by and seen the goings on. They got married straight out of high school.

         Today was just like any other. Mack was at work, and Jill was home cleaning the house. She went out to check the mail, and that was what changed everything. There was an invitation in the mail to their high school reunion.

         Jill had felt for a while that her life was unfulfilling. She hadn’t accomplished anything that she had dreamed of doing. Mack had a dead end job at a gas station, and she was a housewife. She was supposed to have been a school teacher, and Mack was supposed to have owned his own business by now.

         They also had no children, although they had tried and lost several times. Jill decided that she wouldn’t tell Mack about the invitation. She happened to know that the committee hosting the reunion was composed of very successful people.

         Mack got home and asked about the mail. Jill was very careful not to mention the reunion invitation. Mack was less than thrilled about all of the mail being bills, but Jill felt he would have been even less thrilled with the invitation being among them.

         Jill tossed the invitation in the garbage the next morning and sort of forgot about it. Two weeks later, she received a reminder in the mail that she had not as of yet confirmed her attendance at the reunion. She scoffed and thought that she still wasn’t going to confirm. 

         Mack came home late that evening. He was tired and drunk. He was also a bit angry. Jill asked him what was wrong. Mack informed her that one of the bigwigs they had graduated high school with had been by the garage that day. She wanted to know why they hadn’t confirmed that they would be attending the reunion.

         Jill attempted to explain to Mack her reasons for not only not confirming, but for not telling him about it, but he didn’t want to hear any of it. He was pissed off as hell. In Mack’s mind, Jill was ashamed of him and of their lives together. No amount of talking could convince him otherwise.

         The next morning, Jill once more attempted to talk to Mack, but he just walked out the door. He didn’t even kiss her goodbye. Jill went down to the gas station to bring Mack lunch and try to talk to him, but they told her that Mack hadn’t shown up to work that morning. Jill was beside herself. She went home, and attempted to call his cell phone, but it just rang and rang.

         Jill finally decided that she would go ahead and confirm the invitation. Once that was done, she texted Mack and told him that she had committed them to go to the reunion. She followed that up with another text begging him to please come home. She received no response.

         The next morning, Mack still wasn’t home. Now Jill was in a panic. He hadn’t called, he hadn’t answered her texts. Likewise, he once more had not shown up for work again. He had never done anything like this before. She decided to try and call his cell one more time. Still no answer.

         Jill made a call to the police department. They placed her on hold. Fifteen minutes later, she had had enough. She grabbed her purse and keys and headed to the door. She was gripping the knob when her phone rang.

         She let go of the knob and answered her phone. The man on the other end began by telling her he didn’t know if she would remember him. He was in town for their high school reunion. He was a lawyer, and was representing Mack. 

         Mack had apparently gotten into a drunken brawl and beat a guy with a baseball bat. The man was in pretty bad shape, and they didn’t know if he was going to make it. Mack was in police custody and there was no bail set.

         Jill was in shock. Wayne, the attorney, told her that Lindsey, who was a doctor, was also in town and that Jill may want to call her. Jill asked about visiting Mack, and Wayne told her he would see what he could set up.

         Feeling like she was moving in slow motion, Jill hung up, then dialed the number that Wayne had given her for Lindsey. Lindsey wasn’t just a doctor. She was a world famous doctor who was requested all over the world. Jill wasn’t sure that she would help the likes of her and Mack, but she had nowhere else to turn.

         Her hands were shaking when Lindsey answered the phone. Jill explained what had happened. Lindsey said that from what she remembered of Mack, she wasn’t much surprised. This really ticked Jill off, but she tried to keep her cool because she knew she needed Lindsey’s help.

         Lindsey agreed to take a look at the young man that Mack had beaten so severely. She agreed to call Jill back when she knew more.

         Jill waited by the phone, pacing a track in the carpet and the kitchen linoleum. Finally, the phone rang. It was Wayne. No visitation. Mack was listed as dangerous and uncooperative. Jill began crying. Wayne said he could at least get Mack a message.

         When the phone rang the next time, it was Lindsey. The young man would pull through, but it would be a long recovery time. Lindsey was making a report to the police in the hopes of getting Jill some visitation time with Mack.

         It was the next morning before Jill heard any more news. Wayne called, telling her that he had a couple of pieces of good news. One was that Jill could not only visit Mack, she could come and pick him up. The man that was assaulted had regained consciousness and was talking. Mack was not the person that had assaulted him. Mack was the person that attempted to save him. With all the commotion, Mack ended up with the bat in his hand and the police nabbed him for the attacker. 

         Jill and Mack strolled into the reunion one week later. When they entered, everyone applauded for Mack. He was deemed a hero in all of their eyes, and Jill was beyond proud of her man and their life. While they were dancing, Jill whispered into Mack’s ear and he smiled. She was pregnant, and farther along than she had ever made it before.