Sociopath? by Vicki Williams Page A

had been a problem, I hope I would
have moved to resolve it but it didn’t seem like there were any
problems. At least, no principal has ever called me about either
one of you. And I know what your record is in sports, Rafe. I know
you’re considered a star in football and baseball and
basketball.
    I know other things about you too, Rafe. Like
how often you have a girl up at the Cabin. I thought your brothers
and sisters were a lusty bunch, but it appears that you get the
trophy in that area.
    I know that you had an affair with Mrs.
Keating next door. I almost wondered if I shouldn’t step in at that
point but if anyone ever seemed as if he could take care of
himself, it was you, so I held off and soon I knew it was over.
    The rumors about Bobby Kelly caused me some
concern but then nothing more seemed to come of it.
    I know you ride that stallion like a maniac
and that you’ve been taking the boat out for years and that you go
way too fast and way too far. I didn’t do anything about that
either because I judged you to be a risk taker, not a reckless one,
but one who calculates the odds and decides what chances are worth
taking. I figured that was your innate nature and I probably
couldn’t do anything to change it and I probably wouldn’t want to
even if I could.
    I know how much you’ve sacrificed to take
care of your sister, Rafe, and that we let you do it because we no
longer wanted to make our own sacrifices as parents. I know how
close you two are, probably too close. I hope you’ve calculated
those risks too, Rafe. I hope you never hurt her because the way
she idolizes you, it would be so very easy for you to do.
    So, anyway, the upshot of all this is that
I’m going to buy you the car you want, Rafe. Was I right about it
being the Corvette?”
    His father had rendered him speechless so he
just nodded his head yes.
    “Do you have anything you want to add to this
conversation, Son?”
    “No, Dad.”
    “Then you’d better get your jacket so we can
go visit some dealerships. Oh, and by the way, Rafe…”
    “What, Dad?”
    “I’ll pay the requisite number of tickets but
I do have a limit.”
    *
    He came home, exultant, behind the wheel of
the ice blue Corvette. Of course, he drove slowly and carefully
because Renny was right behind him in his black Mercedes. He didn’t
go anywhere else that day. He had always been one who enjoyed
anticipation, letting excitement build until when you finally
reached your goal, it was almost like having a climax. He had the
capacity to postpone gratification, patient as a spider in its web.
So he let the car sit in its spot in the garage, not even looking
at it again. And the next morning was Sunday and that meant church.
Personally, he didn’t believe in a single thing the church tried to
teach him. In fact, he thought all religion was a bunch of
superstitious bullshit but going to church was the rent his parents
charged any of their children who still lived at home. If you
wanted to stay at Heron Point, you went to church every Sunday. End
of discussion. He didn’t mind that much. He usually just sat there
in the Vincennes pew at St James’ and thought his own thoughts,
letting the priest’s words go in one ear and out the other, moving
up and down in his seat, something he’d done so often, he could do
it by rote. One good thing about their parents having lost interest
in them was that they’d never insisted that he or Lane go to
confession. Thank God (or whoever!) Wouldn’t that have been a
fucking nightmare? He could have lied to Father O’Reilly without a
qualm, of course, but he wasn’t so sure about Lane. He smiled to
himself. As much as she loved him, he wasn’t quite sure he could
win when God was on the other side.
    After mass was over, the folks said they were
going into Baltimore to shop and eat so the kids were on their own.
Rafe told them he’d take Laney out to lunch in his new car, which
he did. He stuck to the speed limit when she was with him