Love Triangle 5

Peter started his new job on Monday as planned, and his new boss soon came to love him just as much as his teachers always had in school. In the evenings, he helped Veronica and her family as much as he could with finding a new apartment and getting all the stuff they'd had to buy to replace the stuff they'd lost in the fire into their new apartment. As a result, he was never there when his mother called him in the evenings.

Saturday morning she called him at eight o'clock in the morning. He was sound asleep when the ringing telephone awakened him.

"Yeah?" he mumbled sleepily.

"Is that any way to talk to your mother, Peter?"

"Sorry, Mom. It's just that I've had a really exhausting week. I started a new job Monday, plus I've been helping out a friend whose family's apartment just burned down."

"A new job? What are you doing?"

"I'm working in the accounting department of a department store. The pay's great, and the people are really nice, too."

"That's my boy! I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you, and your father will be, too, when I tell him."

"Yeah. OK." Peter yawned mightily. "Well, I gotta go now."

"Just a minute. What's this about your friend who's family's apartment burned down? Is that the same one that's been in the news?"

"Yes, Mom. Remember Veronica Ganz? It's her family."

"Oh, I hope you're not mixed up with her again." Mrs. Wedemeyer's voice sounded distinctly disapproving. "That would be just about the biggest mistake you could make."

"I'm not sure what you mean by 'mixed up', but we're friends, and right now her family needs my help."

"This isn't the girl you've been dating, is it?"

"What if it is? I'm a grown man, Mom. I can make my own decisions now."

"I'm really disappointed in you, Peter. I thought you knew better than to do this. Well, if you ever come to your senses, I know several lovely girls who'd really like to meet you."

"OK, Mom. Well, I really do have to go now. I need some rest."

Peter went back to sleep and slept until just past noon. When he awakened he was famished. He made himself a big breakfast, then took a shower and left for Veronica's family's new apartment, where he found Veronica and Spencer carrying big boxes full of household items inside while Mary Jane, who'd just been released from the hospital, sat on the sofa watching them.

"Why don't you take this into the kitchen and I'll go look for the rest of the silverware," Veronica said to her sister.

"How come I always have to do everything?" Mary Jane whined, taking the box. "Spencer doesn't have to do half as much as I do, and I'm the one who's hurt!"

"Sorry I'm late," Peter said.

"Peter!" Veronica exclaimed, noticing him for the first time. "Oh, no, that's all right! You've already done so much for us as it is..." She went to her friend and embraced him.

"Is everyone all right?" he asked, glancing at Mary Jane.

"I'd be doing a lot better if I didn't have to do so much work around here," Mary Jane complained.

"You don't do any more work than the rest of us do," Spencer said to her.

"What can I do to help?" asked Peter.

"Thank you, but I think we've just about got it all under control," Veronica told him. "Why don't you tell me about your new job? We haven't really had a chance to talk at all this week, have we?"

They visited for awhile, and Peter ended up inviting Veronica to have dinner with him at his apartment. They were in the middle of their meal when, to Peter's chagrin, his mother arrived. Peter reluctantly opened the door and let her in.

"Hello, Mrs. Wedemeyer," Veronica said politely.

"Oh, I didn't realize you had company," Mrs. Wedemeyer said. "I could just come back another time."

"No, that's all right," said Peter. "We're almost finished. Have a seat."

"I heard the dreadful news about the fire," Peter's mother said to Veronica.

"At least we're all still alive, and Mary Jane is just about recovered from her injuries," Veronica replied. "That's what's important."

Mrs. Wedemeyer waited until they'd finished the meal and cleaned up, then grabbed her son's arm.

"Please excuse us for a minute, Veronica," she said, pasting on a fake smile. "I have something very important to discuss with Peter."

"Veronica's my guest," Peter said evenly. "Anything you have to say in front of me, you can say in front of her too."

"I'll just go," said Veronica. "I don't want to be the cause of any trouble."

"No, please..." Peter began.

"It's all right, really. I'll just talk to you tomorrow, OK?" She grabbed her things and was gone before Peter could protest.