Episode 5 Understanding Connie

Robert and some of his family go to a cabin for the weekend with a friend of Jeannies who seems to have a split personality.

At the end of summer in 1980, Fifteen year old Robert's family is trying to get used to the divorce of mom and dad. Robert and his five siblings have all dealt with this development differently. Some blame dad for being too adventurous or too quick to spend money.  Some blame mom for being overly responsible, or too much of a stick in the mud.  But, the bottom line is that this family is now broken and will never recover.

Robert's mom Jeannie worries about what to do now. She has no plans of getting involved with anyone. She wants to establish a new normal though, and wants her kids to feel like things will be ok long term.  She mainly wants the stress from her marriage to end, and to start living without someone in her life who just doesn't make her happy.  

Shortly after Jeannie and Mel's divorce, a younger woman at Jeannie's work takes an interest in her.  Connie feels sorry for Jeannie since she now is a single mother with five kids at home- four of them being teenagers.  Connie asks Jeannie if she, and at least some of her kids, would like to spend a weekend at Connie's lake cabin with her and her husband. Jeannie agrees, thinking it would be something fun and different for the family to do. 

The weekend at the cabin comes, and Robert, along with his younger brother and older sister, are impressed with how nice the cabin is. The cabin is on a big lake, and Connie shows the kids and Jeannie the dock where everyone can fish from when they want.  Connie and her husband John have a speedboat, and there are hiking trails, bicycles available, and a store that features snacks and several arcade machines.   

Connie is in her late twenties and works with Jeannie at the county library. Her husband is an owner of a construction business, and they have no children. When Robert and his family arrive at the cabin John is still away working on a project. 

"Are you guy's fishermen?"  Connie asks Robert and Chris his younger brother.  After confirming this, Connie goes to the store nearby and buys a small plastic container of nightcrawlers for the boys. They are looking forward to getting their lines in the water. The boys have been fishing with their father many times.

Robert notices that Connie seems to stand close to him while speaking, and she has a habit of touching his arm or shoulder as well. This makes him feel uncomfortable. He wonders if she treats others this way.  

After Robert and Chris spend a few hours fishing at the end of the dock they are excited. They catch three decent sized fish. Three Northern Pikes.  "We caught dinner!"  When Robert and Chris string up the fish and start returning to the cabin they notice Connie waiting for them in the driveway. She is smiling. The boys excitedly explain how they caught several fish and show them off to her. "Great job guys!" Chris, who is 12, then runs off with the fish to show his mom in the cabin. After Chris leaves Connie's demeanor changes. 

She glares angrily at Robert, "Do you know what you did?" 

Robert is confused and asks cautiously, "Wha - what did I do"?   

"You wasted most of the worms! You never put the cap back on the container and they all crawled out."  Connie is furious.  "What a waste of money! Are you gonna pay me back for this?"

Robert goes from being ecstatic about catching several fish to feeling fear and confusion in about a second. He has no idea that anyone could get so angry over a small container of worms that costs less than two dollars.

Before Robert can apologize or say anything to Connie, he notices she strangely doesn't appear angry anymore. She seems amused.  A small grin appears on her face as she throws herself into Robert with all of her might.  Robert is five foot ten, and weighs about 150 lbs. Connie as an adult is much smaller.  

Nevertheless, Connie is able to knock Robert down onto the grass just off the pathway.  She then climbs on top of him and holds him down with both hands.  She says quietly with a hiss, "I invited your family here to our cabin for you guys to get out of your house and enjoy yourselves, and you can't even show me any courtesy?"    

Robert can't speak. He knows Connie is an odd woman, but he didn't expect this. Connie says, "You don't like this do you?"    

"No, I don't."  Robert answers. "Sorry about the worms."

Connie laughs at him mockingly. "It's not about the worm, young man!"  She then quickly gets off Robert and heads back to the house.

Connie gets off Robert at the right time.  For her, not for him. Robert starts to lose control during this confrontation. His eyes start to change from blue to black.  He is getting the other familiar body changes that would very soon accompany an eruption in his timid personality, to a more aggressive, intense, strongman. But Connie moves off of him and back toward the house without even noticing a whole different Robert. Robert breathes relief that he isn't pushed to  lose control and hurt Connie.

Later that evening, when everyone is sitting down for dinner, Robert notices that Connie is doing nearly all the talking.  Robert's older sister Beth and his mother are bantering back and forth with her. They are really enjoying each other. Robert doesn't say a word.  Connie is excitedly talking about how everyone is invited to go swimming the next morning at the beach on the other side of the lake.   It's a better beach with docks, lifeguards, and a snack cart!

Then Connie announces that her husband John will be joining them the following afternoon. Robert wonders if that will mean a change in her behavior toward him, or if things will get worse. Connie doesn't make any eye contact with Robert all evening. 

That night, when Robert and Chris start to get settled in one of the bedrooms, Connie walks into the room without knocking. Connie is wearing only a small nightshirt and she asks if the boys need anything. Robert can't help but notice that Connie is an attractive woman. Her look is curly blonde, slender and delicate, her face seems almost angelic. Beautiful but crazy Robert muses.

In the middle of the night Robert wakes when he thinks he hears something.  As he opens his eyes and tries to focus, he sees someone quickly leaving the bedroom. He can't tell who it is. Robert never asks anyone if they were in his and Chris' room overnight. But Robert isn't able to get back to sleep afterward. He realizes that Connie had probably been standing there in the dark watching him sleep.  What does she want from me?

The next morning right after breakfast Connie directs everyone to get ready for the beach.  "We"ll be there for several hours, so grab everything you'll need. It's a beautiful day. We gotta go!" 

After arriving at the beach Robert decides to spend some time with his older sister Beth. She and him are good friends and Robert wants to know what Beth thinks of how things are going. He trusts her and wants her to be an ally. He hasn't had any chance to talk to her yet, but he doesn't want to complain about Connie since he realizes Beth and Connie get along well. 

The last thing Robert wants to hear from Beth is:  "I think Connie's great. She's so much fun. I hope we can come back again next summer!"   Robert thinks,  "Great! I thought my big sister was smarter than that."

Everyone uses the changing rooms near the beach to change into their swimsuits.  Robert can't help but notice that Connie wears a floral colored two piece bikini. She seems to stand out among everyone. He wants to avoid any drama with her so he tries to avoid her gaze. But every time he looks over at her she is looking at him. 

Beth is a year older than Robert, very tall as well, and self confident. Robert feels comfortable around his big sister and wants to stay near her. When Beth gets up to get a refill of her soft drink Robert knows that Connie will probably come over and say something to him. Indeed, she is in his ear right after Beth leaves.   

"So." Connie begins.  “You sure seem attached to your big sister. It's a little creepy isn't it?  There are other people here Robert."  Robert notices Connie's intense expression. He is hoping that the next 24 hours will go by quickly. He wants to just go home right now.   

But Connie continues her attack on him.  "Are you too afraid of me to even talk to me?"  Connie then starts to laugh and says,  "You really are a little boy aren't you?"

Robert starts to feel his head throb a bit, his throat gets tight, and his arms start to feel powerful.  His voice now changes, and his countenance becomes that of someone different. He suddenly says to Connie in a calm, yet cold way, "You think I'm afraid of you b***h? Are you freaking crazy?"

Connie is speechless.  

"Maybe it's a good thing your old man is coming home soon. You might need him to protect you.  From me."  Robert is seething with barely controlled rage.  

Connie can only answer this with,  "Who are you?"

Robert mocks her question, "Who am I?  I'm little Robert."

Connie quickly walks away.

The group soon after gets loaded back up into Connie's van.  They then return to the cabin a few hours later.  A calmed Robert wonders what Connie's husband will be like.  

John doesn't arrive until dinner time about 6 pm.  There are uncomfortable introductions, dinner together, and then John quickly disappears into his bedroom in front of a movie.  Robert notices that John is indifferent toward everyone, and that Connie acts like a totally different person when he is around.  

Thankfully, the next day Sunday comes and it is time to leave.  Robert is given an awkward hug from Connie before getting into the car. He is relieved. The drive home though was filled with expressions of joy and thankfulness from Robert's family about how great Connie is and how much fun the weekend was. Mom says, “Let’s do this again next year.”  

The next year Robert asks his dad to spend that weekend with him instead.  They go to a baseball game, hang out, have pizza and play a game of catch.  Robert tells his dad he loves him each day at least once.  

Author's Note

Connie is not an endearing character-thats clear. But please comment on what you think of her. Why does she seem so interested in a very young man? People do things for a reason.

Reviews

[Muse]

To answer your question. Connie is interested in Robert's Dad, but see's Robert as threat. Or she is a Pedo? And if it's #2, she is using fear and bullying tactics to get Robert to submit.

My critique, once again, the transition for me was a bit rough at the end, or it felt hurried to fast forward another year.


Thankfully, the next day Sunday comes and it is time to leave. Robert is given an awkward hug from Connie before getting into the car. He is relieved. The drive home though was filled with expressions of joy and thankfulness from Robert's family about how great Connie is and how much fun the weekend was. “Let’s do this again next year.” Connie demands.


The next year Robert asks his dad to spend that weekend with him instead. They go to a baseball ballgame, hang out, have pizza and play a game of catch.

Maybe transition with something: After the awkward cabin visit, Robert thought of ways to avoid it. When the following year finally rolled around. Connie did not get her wish. Robert asks his dad to spend the weekend with him instead.

Above is just a small example of a transition into the future with out those speed bumps I keep hitting.

I was also thinking that Connie could be a narcissist. She knows that Robert is a confused teenaged boy. And while she may not be interested in him in a pedo kind of way. She likes knowing that Robert is checking her out. Lol just sayin....

[Ballpark Frank]

I never actually thought of Connie being interested in Roberts father. But I never really thought of Connie as being a pedophile either. I guess I was going after Connie as a controlling psycho who wanted to push a young man into making a move on her-which she would reject. Her feelings of rejection felt from her husband's indifference caused this.

[Ballpark Frank]

Thank you so much for your time spent. I know you're a very busy person.

[Muse]

Lol I was right about Connie being a narcissistic then.

[Ballpark Frank]

Yes. And a bully too.

[Ballpark Frank]

Thanks again my friend for your excellent insight and helpful feedback.

[Coffeeprincess]

Your book is so good… I can't wait to see how Robert keeps changing.

[Ballpark Frank]

Thank you. I love chapter 5. I wanted to see how readers responded to Connie. She's fictional, but she is a bit unhinged.

[Coffeeprincess]

Well, it was a disturbing chapter. She's a psycho.

[Samuel Dickens]

Wow. That Connie is weird... and a bit frightening. This sends my mind racing to the past, trying to make comparisons. If Robert was anything like me, he would only have been interested in girls of his age, so his angry reaction to her seems appropriate. I think there was one older girl in my past that may have wanted to jump my 16 year-old bones, but she only dropped hints. If she had jumped on me like Connie did Robert, my brain may have turned thinking duties over to another anatomical member. Connie's strange shifts in demeanor are very troubling. Indeed, what is her motivation? A very good chapter.

[Ballpark Frank]

Thank you Sam for the excellent review. I wanted Connie to be complicated and I may have succeeded.

[emmajoygreen]

Had to think of an answer to the above because its content is 'something else' or if you like, not what I was expecting at all. Robert looks like a young man even tho' young. Connie is perhaps, only perhaps, bored with life, her husband, doubtful about herself as a woman.. all or more. If she chanced behaving like that with a grown man rather than a lad, she knows surely, that could fall into a big and dangerous situation. So, the moo is chancing her luck with a lad. What do I think of her: she's a dangerous woman perhaps 'pathetic' but it could have her tried and found guilty. This is not an excuse but is she hormonal? Or is she daring herself, so ignorant that she doesn't care a darn but wants some fun, Is she mentally unstable or indifferent, out for a game? In all honesty, I don't know. But she is playing with fire.. for both Robert and self. I see extreme danger ahead. Connie must be stopped,

[Ballpark Frank]

Thank you Emma! I loved writing this because I wanted it to be an open ending situation.

[emmajoygreen]

If I could have ignored this part, I would have done so.

[Ballpark Frank]

I think I understand. This is a delicate, although fictional, situation. Too many have sad experiences with this stuff. I felt this episode was necessary to justify Robert's later actions.

[emmajoygreen]

Put another way: your writing was so on the button, it hit home - which, of course, is what you wanted.

[Ballpark Frank]

That means a lot Emma. Thanks for the hi 5.

[Sara Mercury]

She is a female pedophile. She wants to defile a teenage boy. How disgustingly foul. That's abuse.

[Ballpark Frank]

Very true. I wanted to paint her as a bullying narcissist.

[AYVID N]

Wow...she fills me with revulsion.
I can understand most vices but this b***h preys on boys.
Some people are worse than animals and should be shot through their heads.
Your story is compellingly written because it evinced strong disgust in me.
Hats off to Robert though. Now I know he can handle anything in the big, bad, universe.
Kudos to the coolest kid on earth.

[Ballpark Frank]

Wow
Thanks Divya. What a wonderful review. I'm so glad this story made you feel something. I was hoping for that!

[AYVID N]

It did and I hope you keep adding the chapters. You're welcome Frankie.

[Fictional Fabricator]

Hmm I'm curious why the husband seemed to be distant towards the family. Great chapter I was curious to see how far Connie would take her strange behavior since she seems to not possess any boundaries

[Ballpark Frank]

Ah, thank you for your insights here . I'm sorry that I somehow missed this comment entirely. Take care.

[Jennifer]

That Connie person has something wrong with her. She made me feel uneasy; I could feel that awkwardness through the chapter.

[Ballpark Frank]

I'm so glad! I wanted really bad for her to be an abusive sociopath. Thanks!

[Azifwecare]

I think I've read this one before, it is familiar to me. Anyways.. that Connie lady. I'd punch her in the throat if I could, 😂. I wonder what Roberts mom would say if she knew what Connie had been up to with Robert. That female is a piece of work

[Ballpark Frank]

Yes. I posted it before but I made it more a part of that book now. I edited it a lot. Connie is a psychotic bully. No doubt. I wanted her to appear that way anywAy. Thanks!