“A person must grieve at her own pace,” Alana said.
“You didn’t have all the facts,” Toni said, her dark eyes appealing to Alana for sympathy. “Our only concern was for your well-being.”
“What facts?” Alana asked, looking from Margery to Toni. “Exactly how did you acquire these ‘facts’?”
Margery and Toni looked at one another.
“Well, don’t be silent now,” Alana said, her voice taking on the imperious tone Margery was known for. “Spill it.”
They did. However, they were talking so fast, their words so closely juxtaposed to each other’s, that Alana found the narrative difficult to follow.
“You remember you came to me crying about Michael’s many excuses. You said you were certain he was cheating...” Margery intoned.
“So we called a friend of a friend who recommended a private detective,” Toni said, picking up the ball. “This detective, Dean Ray, Joe Bob...” Flustered, she looked to Margery for elucidation.
“Robert Dean,” Margery provided. “He went by Bob Dean. Anyway, Mr. Dean found out that Michael was seeing Karen Robinson.”
There were tears in her eyes when she turned to clasp one of Alana’s hands in hers. “That’s not all, my love.”
“There is a child,” Toni spoke up, seeing that Margery was about to collapse into tears. “Mr. Dean was able to obtain a copy of the child’s birth certificate. Michael is named as the father.”
Momentarily shocked into inactivity, Alana simply stared into space. Then she realized she was holding her breath and began sucking in lungs full. It felt as though the room was closing in on her. Breaking Margery’s grip on her hand, she ran blindly toward the door.
Daniel blocked her exit. She almost made him lose his balance when she collided with him, but he was a big man and outweighed her by at least seventy pounds.
His strong arms went around her and held her in a vise of steel. Looking over at Toni and Margery, who were holding on to one another, he said, “Phone Nico and tell him to get over here.”
* * *
When all the players were assembled in the study, Daniel rose from his place beside Alana, allowing Nico to take over for him. Fixing Margery with a look of compassion, he began:
“From what I’ve been able to glean about this situation, you, Margery, were trying to prevent Alana, whom you love as you would a daughter, from being hurt.”
Margery nodded vigorously. A fresh tear rolled down her mascara-streaked face.
“And you, Toni,” Daniel continued, “acted as an accomplice because, as we all know, you two stick together like glue. And then there was the matter of the promise you made to Connie all those years ago...”
“A promise?” Alana said, leaning forward.
Her eyes were dry. She figured she’d shed enough tears over Michael to fill the Pacific Ocean. She was cried out.
Toni informed her about the promise three eighteen-year-old girls had made to each other thirty years ago, her voice breaking with emotion.
“We meant well,” Toni said, near the end. “I’m afraid we sometimes do foolish things in the name of love.”
“Yes, we do,” Daniel said, looking lovingly into Margery’s eyes. He turned his attention back to Alana. “What your dead husband did to you will never be fully explained. But what these three did: the hiding of secrets, well, they did out of love. Toni and Margery, as your surrogate mothers, and Nico, as the man who loves you more than your husband ever did.” He smiled at Nico. “I hope I’m not embarrassing you, my man.”
With his arms wrapped protectively around Alana, Nico looked into her beautiful face. “Not in the least,” he said, smiling at her.
Alana reached up and gently touched his cheek, her eyes meeting his. “I love you too,” she said, her voice a whisper.
Daniel felt his throat tighten as he witnessed this spectacle. True love. Such an elusive thing.
Margery and Toni were hugging each other, tears streaming down their faces.
Daniel walked over to them and took each of them by a hand. “Shall we give them a little privacy?” he suggested.
Alone, Nico pulled Alana more fully into his embrace. She rested her head on his broad chest, listening to the strong, steady rhythm of his heartbeat. She was finally at peace in her soul. It was over. Everything she needed to know about Michael had been disclosed. She could catalog him along with every other mistake she’d ever made in her lifetime: in the dark recesses of her memory bank.
They sat on the couch, not speaking, for a long while. Then, Nico broke the silence with, “Say it once more.”
Lifting her head to place her mouth over his, Alana kissed him soundly. Parting, she smiled at him. “I love you.”
Nico grinned, his downward-sloping, velvety brown bedroom eyes taking on a passionate light. He bent his head and taking her lower lip between his teeth, gently pulled on it. Then he covered her mouth with his, her lips parted and their tongues danced seductively until they fell back into Margery’s overstuffed, ivory-colored couch, oblivious to everything except one another.
Chapter 7
Karen felt her palms grow damp with moisture as she watched Alana Calloway cross the crowded restaurant, making her way to her table. Alana was smartly attired in a dark copper-toned Donna Karan pantsuit and flats to match. Her thick, dark hair was flawlessly done in an upswept style, one lock falling over the right side of her high-cheekboned face. To Karen, she looked as though she’d just stepped off the cover of Essence.
What further unnerved her was how Alana had made a beeline for her once she’d entered the restaurant. Had Nicholas Setera’s description of her been that detailed?
“Hello,” Alana said, standing next to her. “You must be Karen.”
Karen got to her feet and hastily shook Alana’s proffered hand. “Yes,” she replied, nervously looking around them. “How did you know?”
Alana laughed shortly as she sat down opposite Karen’s chair. “In case I was held up, I asked John to seat you at my favorite table.”
“Oh,” Karen said as she settled back into her chair.
Alana decided that Nico had been correct in his estimation of Karen Robinson’s appearance. Perhaps three inches shorter than Alana’s five-seven, Karen was trim, almost to the point of being reed thin. Her dark brown eyes were almond-shaped and at the moment held an expression of apprehension in them. Her face was heart-shaped and quite pretty in spite of her lack of makeup. She wore her black hair in a short fashion that was shorn close on the sides.
Face to face with the other woman, Alana thought. The experience wasn’t what she imagined it would be. Karen Robinson didn’t look like a cold-hearted man stealer to her. Under different circumstances, Karen was probably someone she’d choose for a friend.
“Would you like to order something?” Alana asked.
“No, no,” Karen hurriedly replied. “I couldn’t eat a thing.” Her stomach growled. She’d missed breakfast.
“Well I could,” Alana said, motioning to a passing waiter. “Oh, David!”
Seeing Alana, David stopped in his tracks, a tray of drinks suspended in the air as easily as if it was attached to his wrist.
“Gotcha, Alana. I’ll be right there.”
He continued to another table in his station, deposited the drinks in front of the patrons with a flourish, and turned to head back to Alana’s table.
After a quick buss to Alana’s cheek, he grinned at her, his green eyes shining in his California-suntanned face. He absently smoothed his blond ponytail back.
“Girl, you look good enough to be on the menu,” he said, his smile bringing out the dimple in his left cheek. “Vesta keeping you busy?”
“As ever,” Alana told him. “David, Karen.”
“Hello, Karen. You look wonderful, too. First time here?”
“Yes,” Karen said shyly, unwilling to be more forthcoming.
“Well then, may I suggest the crabmeat salad? It’s fresh, it’s fine, it’s d
ivine.”
“I’ll take it,” Alana replied at once. She’d had a craving for crabmeat since last night when she’d missed out on Bree’s crab boil. She and Nico had gone to her apartment where they’d spent most of the night talking.
“Okay,” Karen acquiesced.
“And what would you like to drink?” David asked, order pad poised to take down their requests.
“A cola?” Karen timidly said.
“Are you asking me or telling me?” David joked.
“Lay off, you rascal,” Alana warned him good-naturedly. “She’ll take a cola and I’ll have iced tea. Go do your job, or I’ll hire you away from John, then you’ll really be sorry.”
“Slave driver!” David retorted, grinning at her.
David went to get their salads, and Alana smiled at Karen. “Don’t mind him. He was just trying to include you in our usual give and take. You see, this was my first gig after graduating from the California Culinary Academy. I was here for over a year, working under the head chef. I got to know several of the staff quite well. David remains my favorite.”
Karen knew she must appear simpleminded, sitting there like an idiot with little to say, but she felt so out of place, it was difficult to think.
Sensing her discomfort, Alana reached across the small, round table and placed her hand atop Karen’s.
“I meant what I wrote to you in that note, Karen. I’m not here to heap blame on you. Truly.”
Their eyes met and they smiled at one another.
Alana removed her hand and sat up straight in her chair. “I thought we could sort of compare notes, try to piece together the secret life of Michael Calloway. Starting with when each of us met him.” She paused, clearing her throat. “I met Michael in ninety-four. June, I think it was. Two friends of mine and I were out dancing at a club here in San Francisco. He walked over to our table and introduced himself. The next night we had our first date.”
Karen’s demeanor experienced a metamorphosis as she leaned forward. Her eyes were no longer timid. They were somewhat angry.
“I met the b...him in ninety-three,” she said, her tone barely under control. “In December. I remember because Christmas was just around the corner. He gave me a gold bracelet for Christmas.”
A little surprised by this revelation, but not completely nonplussed, Alana pursed her lips and said, “Mmm...huh.” She had come there to get answers to her questions and no matter what Karen Robinson said, she was going to listen.
“We met in a club in Oakland,” Karen said. “He liked to dance.”
“I would say that’s an understatement,” Alana remarked dryly.
They looked at one another and laughed uproariously at the absurdity of it all. They’d both met him while out dancing.
Bringing their salads and drinks, David smiled pleasantly.
“Now that’s more like it,” he said approvingly. “Enjoy your lunches, ladies.” He left them to their meals.
“Oh, God,” Alana said, coming down from her laughing jag and wiping the corners of her eyes with the white cloth napkin provided for Le Petite Café’s customers. “I wonder how many other women he picked up in clubs.”
“You think he had time for more than two?” Karen asked, dabbing at her tears with her napkin as well.
“No,” Alana said, looking at Karen. “I mean he was already seeing you, and then he meets me, courts me, and convinces me to marry him all in the course of three months.”
“You married him after three months?”
“I’d never been in love before. I led a rather sheltered life. I went to an all-girl high school in New York. Then my parents were killed, and I moved here to live with my aunt. I attended California State, then found my true calling: the culinary arts. My mind was totally on getting ahead. Then I met Michael, and he blew me away.”
“Me, too,” Karen agreed. “I was struggling to get through my first year of college when we met. I came from the projects. In Michael, I saw my way out.”
“He seemed so sincere,” Alana said, sighing. “I never doubted he loved me. Not until the end.”
“Me, either,” Karen said. “And the thing is, I avoided men whom I thought to be bad influences: drug dealers, men with no direction. Then to be deceived by him. I was mad as hell when after I got pregnant, he made it plain to me that he had no intention of marrying me. But, as it turned out, my son has been a blessing. He’s the only thing I don’t regret.”
Nodding sympathetically, Alana took a sip of her iced tea.
“What kind of father was he? Michael always raved about what a great father he’d be. He never knew his own father, you know.”
“I have to give credit where credit is due,” Karen said magnanimously. “He paid the hospital bill and he provided for Michael’s needs. I didn’t have to hassle him about that.” She laughed. “The only time he appeared really happy was when he was holding Michael. The last few months he was alive, he was like a man possessed. Now that I know about you, I can see why.”
“Yes, I noticed that as well,” Alana told her, meeting her gaze. “It couldn’t have been easy for him. Juggling work, two women. Providing for his son. I almost feel sorry for him.”
“Almost,” Karen put in. “But not quite.”
She sat up straight in her chair and regarded Alana with clear, determined eyes. “I know he’s dead and we’ll never know why he did what he did, but why do you think he married you instead of me?”
Alana didn’t reply right away. Since learning of Karen’s existence, she had assumed Michael had met her after their marriage. However, if what Karen said was true, he’d known the other woman at least five months before they’d met. Did Michael love her more? Was that the reason he’d married her?
Unfortunately, only Michael could answer that question. She recalled the last dream she’d had of him. “Remember me fondly,” he’d implored.
“Who knows why he chose to marry me?” Alana said at last. “I think maybe he was in love with us both and couldn’t decide whom to give up. But it seems to me that if he’d been forced to make a decision, he would’ve chosen you. You gave birth to his child. Michael never got over being abandoned by his father. I can’t imagine his doing the same thing to his son.”
“But he lied to me about everything,” Karen said, unwilling to attribute such a noble trait to Michael. “It’s true enough, he loved his child. However, I think he would have gone on deceiving everyone if he’d lived.” She tossed the napkin she’d been nervously twirling between her fingers on to the table. “I should have known he was married by the way he behaved. I don’t know why I was so blind.”
“You loved him,” Alana said simply. “We didn’t want to believe the worst. It would have destroyed our perfect illusions.”
Nodding, Karen smiled. “You’re right. I wanted to believe he’d break down and marry me someday. I’d given him a beautiful child. If I could simply be patient, maybe he would eventually do the right thing.”
Alana’s gaze was steady as she smiled at Karen. “Whatever you do, Karen, don’t give up on finding someone who will truly love you. Sometimes finding him is as easy as turning around and looking at the person standing next to you.”
“You’re talking about Detective Setera, aren’t you?”
Alana laughed. “Nico said you were smart.”
“It doesn’t take a genius to see that he cares for you a great deal. The way he stood by your side the day Michael was laid to rest. His tracking me down so that you would have a sense of closure. You’re a lucky woman, Alana.”
“I am,” Alana agreed.
She bent down and picked up her purse. She rummaged through it for a moment, coming out of it with a long manila envelope. She handed it to Karen. “I feel like passing a little of my luck along.”
Karen appeared reluctant to accept the envelope. She looked at it as though Alana was offering her a bomb.
Laughing, Alana placed the envelope on the tabletop. “I promise you, it won’t explod
e.”
Karen gingerly touched the envelope, then picked it up. Pulling up the flap, which wasn’t glued on, she opened it and removed the contents. Her eyes grew larger with shock and disbelief. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed. “Oh my God!”
“Consider it Michael’s inheritance from his father,” Alana said, a contented smile on her lips. “That is the full amount of Michael’s death benefit...”
“But you don’t even know for a certainty that Michael is really his son...” Karen protested.
“I am certain,” Alana assured her. She looked directly into Karen’s eyes. “I know what I’m doing, Karen.”
She didn’t want to go into how Margery and Toni had acquired a copy of Karen’s son’s birth certificate. For one thing, the story was too long to get into at the moment and for another, she was sure the detective, Bob Dean, had employed illegal practices to obtain the document.
“This is too much,” Karen said, her eyes misty. “You don’t even know me. What if I’m a disreputable person and I use this for selfish purposes?”
Alana set about eating her crabmeat salad. Between mouthfuls, she said, “You’re the mother of his child. You deserve that money. Do whatever you wish with it. It was only sitting in the bank earning interest.”
Karen stared at the cashier’s check. She had never seen so many zeros in her life. She could finish college, put a down payment on a house. Send Michael to a good college when the time came. For once in her life, she wouldn’t have to live from paycheck to paycheck. She felt as if she’d just won the lottery.
“This isn’t some kind of mean-spirited joke?” she said. “You’re actually giving me nearly a hundred thousand dollars?” She leaned forward, looking into Alana’s eyes. “I don’t know what to make of you. Are you crazy? Why? Why would you do this?”
Sighing, Alana placed her fork on the tabletop and drank some of the iced tea. With both elbows on the tabletop, she rested her chin in her palms. She smiled slowly.
“That check represents the last of Michael Calloway,” she said. “He’s gone from my life forever.”
Valentine's Fantasy: When Valentines CollideTo Love Again Page 24
