Free EXONERATION (INTERFERENCE) by Kimberly Schwartzmiller Page B

bothering you anymore.”
    “What did you do?”
    “He got what he deserved. Let’s go home Rebecca!” Parker said, pulling on my arm.
    I looked at my father and then my husband. They both looked guilty but neither of them would say anything.  I looked at my mother. “MOM?” She looked as confused as I was.
    “I want to know what you did!” I looked at them both.
    “Don’t look at me like I’m a criminal. He’s the thief!” Parker said.
    “What did you do?”
    “NOTHING!”
    “Pumpkin…”
    “Don’t call me that! Tell me what you did?” I was yelling now.
    “Rebecca, calm down. All we did was tell you a little lie to protect you,” Parker said.
    “What lie?”
    “We knew where he was…at first,” my father said.
    “What?”
    “We knew he was arrested. We just didn’t want to upset you.”
    “Upset me? I was beyond upset! I love…loved him!”
    “Yes, I know, and we didn’t want you throwing your life away waiting for a man in prison!”
    “We? Who’s we? And, it was my life! It should have been my decision.”
    My father glanced at Parker, looking very guilty.
    I turned to face my husband and said, “What did you have to do with this?”
    “I told your father about the thievery, that’s all.”
    “But, how did you know? What did you have to do with it?”
    “I didn’t have anything to do with it. What do you think Rebecca?”
    “I’m not sure what to think anymore. How would you know anything about it?” I asked.
    “I told you, I didn’t have anything to do with it. I just heard that he’d been caught stealing…and I wanted to protect you!”
    “You’re lying. There’s something you’re not telling me!”
    “No, I’m not. Your dad offered him the money, Rebecca! He took it! I found out he was stealing and I told your dad. Of course, he denied it! He said he was borrowing it…likely story. He was caught stealing…on tape, Rebecca! We were only protecting you! But, he’s a thief…and he took a pay off! A pay off to leave you and never come back!”
    I stared at them both, not sure what to say or believe. “I’m going to get Shannon and then I’m going home!”
    “Rebecca, we have to talk!” Parker said, following after me.
    “I think you said enough.”
    I walked away, grabbing Shannon and heading to the car. I pulled out my set of keys and buckled Shannon in and got in the drivers’ seat. Parker followed after me. “I’m going home Parker. Since you’re so tight with my Dad, you can sleep with him, tonight!”
    I slammed the car door and drove off.
    My parents dropped him off about an hour later, no doubt having spent that hour planning how they were going to get me to believe more lies.
    The house was cold when I got home, but it was a lot colder for Parker. I refused to speak to him and when he showed up at my door, I shoved a chair under the doorknob and told him to leave me alone. I cuddled in bed with my daughter and told her I was playing a game with Daddy. She thought it was fun, and she talked excitedly about going to the clinic the next day to work with Shane.
    “Mommy, why do Daddy and Grandpa hate Shane?”
    I looked at her and said, “They don’t…just go to sleep now, okay?”
    “They were mad at him. Daddy said you knew he was back. Back from where?”
    “I um, I wanted to talk to you about…Shane.”
    “What about him?”
    “You like him, right? He’s good to you…nice?”
    “He’s great! We had so much fun at the park. He pushed me on the swings and we fed the ducks bird food. He said people feed the ducks bread, but it’s not good for them, so he brought bird food, or duck food to give them good trients,” she grinned.
    “That’s nutrients , and yes I’m sure he’s right about that. Um, well, I sort of…knew Shane…a long time ago. We were…friends.”
    “Was he your boyfriend?”
    I nodded. 
    “Is that why Daddy doesn’t like him?”
    “Um, that’s part of it.”
    “Oh. Well, I like him. He’s nice and