Fanny removed her makeup, changed into her nightgown, and crept into bed. Tomorrow was day seven. Tomorrow she would be a free woman. Suddenly she sat up, bolted from the bed to race to the dresser where the small pocket calendar leaned against the lamp. Her mind raced. Tomorrow was day seven. Day seven in the United States. Day seven here in Asia was half-over. Hong Kong was twelve hours ahead of US time. Her divorce hearing was scheduled for 9:00 A.M. on the morning of the seventh day. Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, she was already divorced! She was free to go to Simon. Now. This minute.
Later, she had no memory of putting on her robe and slippers, no memory of opening her door, no memory of walking down the hall, five doors away, to Simon's room, no memory of knocking on his door. When the door opened, she stared at Simon for a fuU minute. "Hong Kong is twelve hours ahead of the United States. Simon, Vmjree."
Fanny's feet left the floor as Simon yanked her into the room. His voice was hoarse when he said, "How did that slip by us?"
"Simon . . ."
"Shhh," he said, kissing her.
"Oh, my, do that again. I liked that."
"You should see what else I can do. That was just a teaser," Simon murmured.
Fanny nibbled on Simon's ear, her tongue tickhng the inside. "You should see what else I can do. That was my teaser," Fanny said.
"I can be out of these pajama bottoms in a heartbeat," Simon S2iid.
Fanny's nightgown was on the floor and she was in the bed before Simon had his left leg out of his pajama bottom.
"There's a lot to be said for speed," Simon grinned.
Simon looked at her naked body with the eye of a lover and a connoisseur. "You're beautiful," he whispered.
"You talk too much. Come here, I want to feel you next to me. I want to feel all of you against all of me."
He knelt over her for a long moment, his eyes drinking in the sight of the long, sweeping lines of her body. His gaze traveled up the length of her thighs to the perfection of her molded breasts. The blaze in his loins raced to his head, making him light-headed, knowing a deep, aching desire. Fanny held out her arms to him, and with a sound close to a moan, he lay down next to her, entwining himself around her. His arms drew her close.
Fanny's head was swimming with exhilaration. Her body was ready, arching, needing, wanting, eager for his touch. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew Simon would be slow and artful. He would give and take and finally, claim her for his own. And when he was deep inside her, then he would take her, joining her to himself
Their mouths touched, his tongue spearing into the warm wetness of her mouth. His arms wrapped around her, anchoring her body to his while her senses soared and took flight. Her world, upside-down, focused only on those places covered by his hands and lips.
She moved to cup his face in her hands. She kissed his mouth, his chin, his ears, her tongue trailing kisses down his chest, down, down, down. She felt herself being moved, felt his lips on hers, forcing her to arch her back, her head moving back and forth on the pillow as though to negate the exquisite demand of her sensuality. Their lips met, lingered, tasted, and met again. She felt a prisoner, loving the feeling.
His hands grasped her hips, drawing her against him, filling her with himself, knowing his own needs, demanding she fulfill them. Her breathing was as ragged as his own, his chest heaving to the same rhythm as hers. He moved within her, rhythmically, insistently, rocking against her, forcing her to tighten herself around him, bringing each of them closer to their sunburst climax, where each of them would surrender to the other.
Gasping and panting, Simon covered her body with his own, quieting her shudders, calming her spasms. When he finally withdrew from her, he cradled her to him. He whispered words only lovers knew until they slept in each other's arms.
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22
Fanny sucked a long noodle through her pursed lips at the same time Simon did. It was a silly thing, but both of them laughed and did it again.
All their shopping had been done, the gifts and mementos packed in two large trunks. Their visit to the Silk City had been accomplished. They'd had half of the silks sent direcdy to BilHe Coleman in Texas, the other half to Sunny's Togs in Las Vegas.
They headed for a small park they'd found by accident. Simon carried a string bag with a blanket, cheese, apples and Coca-Cola. Fanny carried a book and a day-old copy of the Wall Street Journal. Together they spread the blanket and then removed their shoes. Both of them rolled over on their stomachs with the easy familiarity of a couple in love. They spoke quiedy, softly to one another so as not to disturb the many young people studying under the trees.
"We haven't made any kind of a plan," Simon said. "I need to know, Fanny, was this just a vacation to you? Are we going home to . . . what? I hve in New York. You live in Nevada. How are we going to handle that?"
"I don't know, Simon. This has been so perfect I've tried not to think about it. Inevitably when you make a plan, things start to go awry. I don't want anything to go wrong."
"We're talking about the rest of our lives. You're free. I'm free. What are we going to do about it?"
"What would you like to do?"
"Marry you of course."
"Simon, it's too soon. I've only been divorced a few weeks. I don't want to . . . rush into anything. I'm thinking about the kids too. It would bother me tremendously for them to think you and I were having an affair while I was still married to their father. I realize they aren't kids any longer, they're adults, but even adults have a problem when their parents get divorced. You should be able to relate to all of this, Simon. How did you feel when your mother and Devin . .. when they started keeping . . . company, for want of a better word?"
"My parents had a very strange style, Fanny. Dad was one place, Mom was someplace else. We got together on holidays. I accepted it because I didn't know any other way. I knew it wasn't normal because I had friends who had normal families, like Jerry. I had already enlisted when Mom and Devin got together. Jerry wrote and told me what was going on. Mom kind of talked around it in her letters. I really liked Devin. He could make Mom smile, make her eyes sparkle. Dad could never do that. Your kids are no different than I was. They'll accept me. I think they like me as much as I like them."
"They more than like you. They adore you. You're their father's brother. That's the difference. They don't think of you and me in romantic terms."
Simon rolled over onto his back, his hands laced behind his head. "Are you saying you won't marry me because of the kids?"
"For now. I can go to New York twice a month. You can come to Nevada twice a month. We'll see each other every weekend. It will only be for a litde while. Simon, I worked so hard to keep my family together, I can't take the chance ... I won't take the chance that something could go wrong. You can't just walk away from a business that has taken you all your life to build. I would never ask you to do that. Please, tell me you understand."
Simon leaned over on his side, his chin propped in the palm of his hand. He stared at the woman next to him, the woman who had given him such happiness over the past month. He felt like crying. "I do understand, but, Fanny, I need something I can look forward to, something to hang on to."
"Oh, Simon, oh, Simon, you're looking at me the way Devin looked at your mother. Oh, Simon. Thank you, thank you." She was in his arms, smothering his face with kisses. "I do love you. So much I can't imagine my life without you in it. Be patient with me. We'll make it work."
"I don't think I could live without you," Simon whispered.
"Don't say that, Simon. Don't ever say that to me again. Promise me, swear to me you'll never say that. Devin said that to your mother and then he shot himself." Her voice was almost hysterical, her nails digging into the fleshy part of his upper arms.
"I swear, I promise. It's okay, shhh, it's all right. They were just words, Fanny. I would never take my own life. Not in a million years. Let's just lie here and compose a song about the two of us, a song we'U hir
e Dusty Springfield to sing for us the day we get married."
Fanny rolled over and laughed. The bad moment was over.
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Fanny walked through the door of Sunrise, aware of the silence that surrounded her. For the past month her ears had been full of strange sounds in a strange land. The silence that now engulfed her made her heart pound in her chest. She missed Simon. Her heart started to ache the moment he walked away from her, toward his plane. The only thing she wanted to do was to go inside, pick up the phone, and call him, but she couldn't do that for five more hours. Her shoulders slumping, Fanny shouldered her way inside to the shouts of, "Surprise! Surprise!" Stunned, she stared around at her family and friends. A huge banner stretched across the dining room arch read WELCOME HOME! A smile worked its way around the comers of her mouth. . , until she saw Ash shoulder his way through the small knot of people.
"Welcome home, Fanny! It's good to see you! You look gorgeous. Tired, but gorgeous."
"Ash! What are you doing here?" she managed to ask. Guilt set-ded over her like a shroud.
"The kids invited me. You won't beheve the time the five of us have had this past month. It was like opening up an umbrella, Fanny. We told each other all kinds of things. Everything just came out, we dealt with it, and now we're all good fiiends. We want to include you," he whispered.
The shroud of guilt tightened. "How nice." She wanted to run to the studio and lock the door. She pulled herself together, instead, and tried to smile. "Chue's bringing in the trunks."
"We'll talk later. Sunny made her peanut butter, jelly, banana, amd marshmallow sandwiches. Just a small welcome from aU of us to show you how much you mean to everyone. We all really did miss you. We tried calling Simon this week, but his office said he was on a business trip. Oh, well, his loss," Ash lauded.
"Boy, did I miss you, Mom. Tyler's coming any minute now. He's always late. Dad likes him, Mom. Dad spread the peanut butter on the bread. He was right at home in the kitchen. Mom, he turned over a new leaf, he's been so good," Sunny said brighdy.
Fanny fought the urge to slap her daughter's face. What was hap-f)ening here?
"How was it, Fanny?" Bess asked, hugging her.
"It was wonderful. Now, this. My God, Bess, what's been going on?"
"I tried to stop this little get-together but my excuses sounded lame, even to my own ears. It's my understanding, from your two daughters, that your husband, now that you're divorced, has seen the error of his ways, and is intent on courting you in the hopes of getting you to remarry him. Not one of them has a clue about Simon, Fanny, so be careful."
"This can't be happening. No. This is wrong. I won't allow this. I absolutely will not."
"Fanny, the kids . . . they want this. Be careful of what you say and how you say it. Kids can turn on you in the blink of an eye."
"It just might come to that, Bess. Thanks for warning me."
The shroud of guilt tightened another notch. Surely, God, in his infinite wisdom, wouldn't make her choose between her family and Simon. Or, would He?
Fanny steeled herself to get through the next hour, sickened at the way her children hovered over their father, patting him on the back. Sunny kissing Ash's cheek from time to time, Billie smiling tighdy. Their light, teasing banter, that didn't include her, brought an angry flush to her cheeks. She had to get through this. She would get through this. She almost yelped in sheer joy when Bess said, "Party's over, Fanny is dead on her feet. She needs to go to bed and get over her jet lag. C'mon, everyone, party's over. Gather up your presents and head down the mountain."
"Sure. Mom, how about if we all come up this weekend? We haven't had a picnic in a long time. Dad said he'll bring the ants. Is that funny or what?"
"I'll call you. Thanks for the party."
"Mom, what's wrong, you look . . . strange," Sunny said, v/rap-ping her mother in her arms.
Fanny stiffened. "What could possibly be wrong?" Look at me, do I look happy? Are you blind? Can't you see what this party with your father has done to me? Open your eyes and look at me.
"I guess you're just tired. Tomorrow you'll be fine. I'll call you."
Guess what, Sunriy, I won't be answering the phone. I take betrayal very seriously.
"Oh, Mom, I'm so happy. Things are going great between Tyler and me. And now we have a chance to be a real family again. Isn't it wonderful? Dad told me I had really good ideas about the casino and that he's looking forward to working with me. The twins are switching up too, Mom. We aren't leaving you in a bind or anything. Bess and Bilhe have it all under control."
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Fanny shook off her daughter's aims. She wanted to cry, to scream at her children. Don't you get it? He wants your inheritance! TTiafs what this is all about and you're buying into it.
"WTiat about you, BilHe?" Fanny asked her youngest daughter.
Billie hugged her mother. She whispered, "It's a crock. Mom. The two of them can't see it, but I can. I pretended for a little while to see which way it was going to go. Now I know. I'm sorry it had to be today on your first day home. Mom, don't answer the phone tomorrow or the day after, and scratch the picnic."
"Okay, honey. I'll call you and we'U talk, okay?"
"Take it easy, Mom." Fanny nodded.
"Thanks for the robe. Mom," Birch said.
"Yeah, me too. Mom," Sage said. He hugged her, whispering in her ear the same way Billie had done. "Sometimes the eye fools you, Mom. Seeing isn't always believing. If you're counting, the score is two, two."
"Good-bye everybody," Fanny said as she neady sidestepped Ash's outstretched arms.
"Good-bye, Mrs. Thornton," Tyler Ford called from the doorway, his ey^ puzzled at her cool behavior toward her family.
Fanny walked through the house toward the kitchen and out the back door, where she followed the path to her studio.
Her sanctuary.
She put on a pot of coffee to perk while she showered. Dressed in her old, tattered robe, she curled into one of the big red chairs, the clock on the table near her drafting table direcdy in her line of vision. She nibbled on crunchy pretzels she didn't want and drank cup after cup of strong black coffee. The hands on the Big Ben clock moved torturously slowly.
At ten o'clock eastern time, Feuiny picked up the phone to dial Simon's number. She started to cry the moment she heard his voice. "Simon . . . Simon . . . I. . . Oh, Simon . . ."
"Okay, we've established that I'm Simon. Take a deep breath, honey. Whatever it is, we'U make it right, hrtyou all right? I had a god-awful flight, turbulence all the way. My stomach is still heaving. You didn't answer my question, Fzuiny."
"I'm fine. I need to talk, Simon, and I need you to listen. Let me ramble on until I wind down, okay? I need to do this." Simon mumbled something unintelligible.
Fanny's words tumbled out so fast, Simon had a hard time following the runaway conversation. "Sage said if I was counting, the
score was two, two. Do you believe this, Simon, because I can't. I know what Ash is doing. Obviously, Billie and Sage know also. He wants the money in the trust. That's what this is all about. I wanted to slap Sunny's face; I would have too, but Bess stopped me. Birch made me sick the way he fawned over his father. Do you hear how I sound, Simon? I'm so ashamed of these feelings. Maybe today was just the wrong day. It hit me in the face the minute I saw Ash. It went downhill after that. I don't know what to do."
"When you don't know what to do, the best course of action is to do nothing. You can ride this out. You've been through worse than diis. If you want, I can be on the next plane out of here and be there by morning."
"No, that isn't necessary. Talking to you has helped a lot. Who am I to demand my children ignore their father? They were so happy, Simon. I wish you could have seen Birch and Sunny. It was like someone gift-wrapped the moon and the stars for them. At some point, when things don't go his way. Ash is going to turn on them. I can feel it in every bone in my body. What happens then?"
"You'll be there for them, Fanny, the way you're always there for them. They're all grown-up now. They aren't little kids any longer."
"There aren't Band-Aids big enough to cover the wounds Ash is going to inflict. I feel like they're standing on a cliff, ready to go over, and I can't stop them. It's terrible to feel helpless. I don't expect you to understand, Simon, you aren't a mother."
"I'm not a mother or a father, but I understand. Whatever happens, Fanny, we'll deal with it. Please, don't torture yourself. Sometimes you just have to stand back and let life take care of life."
"I'm going to say good night, Simon. There are no words to tell you how much I love you."
"And I love you more. I'll call you tomorrow, Fanny. Sleep well."
"I don't plan on answering the phone tomorrow. I'll caU you after dinner."
"You can't hide or bury your head where this is concerned, Fanny."
"Just for a few days, Simon. Good night."
The following morning, as soon as the offices of Sunny's Togs opened, Fanny called Bess to leave a message for her children. "Write this down verbatim, Bess. There is no room in my schedule for a picnic this weekend. Furthermore, your father violated the agreement we had never to set foot on Sunrise property. I resent the liberties you took upon yourselves in bringing your father to the
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mountain. Please do not do it again. When I want you to come to Sunrise, I'll invite you. Until that time, please respect my privacy."
"This is pretty . . . harsh, Fanny. Are you sure you want me to give this to Sunny? I don't want you to regret it later on."
"I rather doubt that I will. Ash is setting them up to get control of their money. How can I tell them that? First of all, they wouldn't beheve me. They want to believe in their father, they need to believe in him, and Ash knows that. That doesn't mean /have to faD into line. WTiat kind of monster would throw his ex-wife into the pot? Sal-lie was right, Bess, your firstborn will break your heart. In the end I don't think it matters what order a child is bom in. Any one of them can break your heart. I have to get to work. Let's have lunch one day next week. Give my regards to John." She was trembling all over when she hung up the phone. She picked it up again, listened for the dial tone, then laid the receiver on the small table near her drafting table. The phone would be silent for the rest of the day.
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