Call Me Lydia

by MaryAnn Myers

  Lydia turned and headed in that direction, took the stairs in stride, and was humming as she tapped on the door.

  Reed was alone. Thank goodness. She could relax. "Damn! I'm gone one day, and already you've taken over my office."

  Reed laughed. "You've been gone two. And don't worry, I don't like it here."

  "Yeah, but what about my parking space?"

  Reed laughed again. She was a breath of fresh air. One so pleasant, he forgot all about hating her these past few days for what she was doing to Tony.

  "Another day," she teased. "And you'd have it too."

  "All's fair!" Reed said. Then they both heard a noise from just down the hall, and the kidding stopped.

  It was Tony, coming back with the applicant he'd taken on a tour of the plant. Reed gave her an anxious look, warning her about the mood he was in, but it would seem an understate­ment when the door opened and he entered.

  "Well," Lydia said, with one glance. "I won't be getting in your way either. So if you'll excuse me…."

  She left quickly and, upstairs in her old office, phoned her father and Sharon, then went out to see if Jan had any messages.

  There were several. She sat down on the edge of the desk and sorted through them. "This one's interesting." It was from Philip. She read it out loud. "I have something primo worth gambling on. It's no sure thing, but it's a good bet. Call me."

  She smiled. She knew she'd like this guy. A note from the accountant was next. “You were right,” it read. “You're up to date with Uncle Sam. Call me when you get back.”

  Jan relayed news from Sylvia then. "A Mago check was cut last Monday, but everything now's on hold. And those five suppliers you had her call, the invoices had been paid on time and with the discount taken."

  Lydia sat there, just shaking her head. What a plan.

  "Oh, and Greg finally stopped calling. I didn't take down any messages. I didn't want anyone to see them, but he says he's not calling again, that you have to call him."

  Lydia sighed. If only she'd been sober the first time.

  "Now tell me about the retreat," Jan said, folding her hands together. "How was it?"

  "Well, considering I woke up every morning without a hangover...."

  Jan smiled. "You mean they don't let you drink there?"

  Lydia shook her head. "No, they do. I guess I just didn't feel like it."

  Jan nodded, and Lydia told her all about it. "I think I had to admit a few things to myself. Things that...." She trailed off, staring down the hall for a moment. "My mom's dead. She died of cancer. And my not going to the cemetery doesn't change that."

  Jan just listened.

  "But if Dad wants to go everyday, then fine, he should. Who am I to say otherwise?" She'd come to realize how alike their fears were. "It'd odd, you know. I've been going around afraid to admit she's dead, and Dad's afraid he'll forget she ever lived."

  Jan touched her arm affectionately. "What about Tony?"

  Lydia shook her head and stared off again, thinking about how badly she'd missed him. "That's up to him. I saw him before I left, and we talked. But then he got mad. And damned if he didn't tell me not to go. He didn't ask, Jan, he told me. He even said if I went, I wasn't coming back to him."

  "And so you went?"

  Lydia nodded, having already admitted to herself how stupid that was, and sighed. He didn't want her to go, she didn't want to go, and yet she went. "Well, I think I'll take a walk through the shop."

  She stopped by the boiler room first, just in case Bill was back, and surprised Ponytail. He was sitting at the desk with his legs propped, and seeing her, spilled coffee every­where as he scrambled to his feet.

  Lydia almost laughed. "Where's Bill?"

  "He...h-had to go out of town for something," he sputtered, blotting the coffee frantically. "He'll be back Mon­day."

  Lydia nodded and turning to leave, couldn't resist. "Aren't you supposed to be wearing a hat?"

  Ponytail gulped. "Yes."

  "Then get one on," she said, smiling to herself as she walked away. Her smile quickly disappeared as she rounded the corner. Tony had just pointed out the side entrance to the man he'd been interviewing and was coming down the main aisle toward her, appearing anything but pleased. He looked even worse when he glanced ahead and their eyes met.

  Lydia approached him anyway. "What? Was he that bad?"

  Tony shook his head, starting past her, and she reached for his arm. "Tony, can we talk?"

  He pulled away, glaring at her. "What did I say before you left?"

  "I know what you said."

  Tony walked on. "Then we don't have anything to talk about now, do we?"

  "I do! I have something to say!"

  Tony swung around. "Then say it! By all means, say it!"

  Lydia hesitated, people everywhere were staring at them. "Can we go upstairs?"

  Tony motioned for her to lead the way, following her, and upstairs in the conference room, ordered Reed to leave. "Now!" he said, when Reed seemed to be dragging his heels.

  Lydia walked over to the window as he gathered his things and left, and Tony closed the door and leaned back against it.

  Lydia turned then, but before she could say a word, he started. "Go ahead," he said. "Talk! You said you wanted to talk! Talk!"

  Lydia cringed. "Your attitude isn't making this any easier, you know."

  "My attitude?" He walked toward her. "My attitude?"

  This was senseless, he was just too angry, and realizing that now, she started past him, but he grabbed her arm, gripping it tight as he pulled her close. "Just what is it you want out of me now, Miss Lydia?"

  Lydia didn't even hesitate. "I want everything you've got."

  "You had it," Tony said through clenched teeth. "It wasn't good enough. You left anyway."

  "I told you I had to go. I was hoping you'd understand."

  Tony let go of her and backed up, shaking his head as he turned around, glancing at the ceiling in frustration. "Under­stand? No…I don't understand."

  Lydia stepped toward him and touched his shoulder. "I had no idea my going was...."

  Tony turned to face her. "How did you think I'd feel, Lydia? Tell me that. What did you expect?"

  Lydia shook her head. She didn't know. She just didn't expect this. "Wait a minute. Where do you think I went anyway?"

  Tony wouldn't answer her, but it was in his eyes. That and then some, and Lydia swallowed hard.

  "Well you were wrong," she said. "And just where was your trust, Tony? Huh? Tell me that. Where was your trust?"

  "Gone," was his reply, and Lydia walked out.

  * * *

  Taped to her purse when she got back upstairs was a note from Reed. "Come see me before you leave." So she did.

  "You okay?" he asked.

  Lydia nodded. "Or at least I thought I was."

  Reed sighed sympathetically. "He's been a bear. I've never seen him like this."

  Lydia rolled her eyes, agreeing, but didn't want to talk about it. "So what else happened while I was gone?"

  Reed just gazed at her for a moment. "Well, the biggest thing is Bolton. I'm waiting on some prints from them."

  "Bolton?"

  Reed smiled. "Oh, that's right, I didn't tell you. I played a hunch of my own when Bob was here and got a reaction. He stunk like a cornered rat, just like you said. Phew!"

  Lydia laughed. "And?"

  "And Bolton's the company he's been running that job for. I couldn't believe it. I played a hunch and it panned out."

  "Oh what a feeling, huh?"

  Reed nodded with exaggerated humbleness. "But let's not get too excited till I get my foot in the door. Prints are one thing, a job's another."

  Lydia smiled. "Thank you for pointing that out."

  Reed laughed. "God, I missed you!"

  Lydia sighed. It was nice to be missed. "So what else happened?"

  "Well, Julius Randall's been arrested, which has turned out to be quite interesting."

&
nbsp; "What do you mean?"

  "His part in it. Bob was just using him as a pawn, and with that pretty obvious now, I mean, what would Bob need him for if he had pulled it off, Julius is talking. Spilling his guts, Frank says. He's implicated three of our employees that he involved in his part. All but one, Tony had let go. Needless to say, that one's gone now too."

  "Tell me it wasn't the Bible reader?"

  Reed smiled. "It wasn't."

  "Good," Lydia said. "And now I think I'll go visit my dad. We'll start fresh in the morning."

  * * *

  John was expecting her arrival and even greeted her at the door. It was a pleasant surprise. "Where's Betty?" Lydia asked, hugging him.

  "I sent her and George to a movie."

  "A movie?" What a shock. She walked with him to the den. "How did you talk her into that?"

  John sat down, smiling. "I threatened not to eat," he said. "Do you know, I can't remember ever being alone in this house."

  Lydia smiled; he'd never wanted to be. "I've missed you, Dad."

  "When? At the airport today? Or at your getaway in Arizona this past weekend?"

  Lydia shook her head, smiling in wonder. How does he always know? "Both."

  John nodded, and just looked at her for a second. "So how are you, dear, really? The truth."

  "I'm fine. I really think I am."

  John smiled. "So am I, and that's according to authority. Dr. Granger says I'm doing very well."

  Lydia sat back. Moments like this had been a long time coming and were worth savoring.

  "I've been going into the plant for a while each day."

  "So what'd you think?"

  "I think I underestimated you."

  Lydia laughed. "I didn't do anything."

  John shook his head. He disagreed, and that was a proud father's right.

  "But by the way," Lydia said. "How did I get so much money? Philip says I have half a million or so."

  John shrugged. "Part of it is that eighty-four thousand dollars you were so keen to find. I took it as last year's salary. The rest, is just a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and some property revenue."

  "Plus this year's salary?"

  John smiled. "I've never taken any; I figured it was time."

  "Why? So you could give it all to me?"

  John nodded. "I thought I was going somewhere."

  Lydia studied his eyes; his smile was reassuring. He wasn't going anywhere. "Well," she said, "I plan on investing half and putting the rest of it back so we have some working capital."

  "If you need my help, you let me know."

  Lydia smiled, nodding, and stood up to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow. Tell Betty I was by."

  John said he would and walked her to the door. "I made a point of seeing Tony today." He paused purposely for her reaction, but there was none. "Tell me, dear, does he shave every day? He always looks like he needs a shave."

  Lydia laughed. "Normally, yes. Though I doubt he did today." He'd looked pretty rough.

  John smiled, but it was a sad smile. "Dear, what about Tony?"

  Lydia shook her head. She didn't know.

  She stopped at the store for some groceries on her way home, sampled just about everything as she put them away, then went for a swim. After that, drying off and hungry and about to fix herself a sandwich, she heard a knock at the door.

  She took a deep breath and even prayed to God, then went over to answer it, and stepped back as Tony walked in.

  "Okay," he said. "Where did you go?"

  Lydia smiled. "Does it matter?"

  Tony shut the door and pulled her close. "No, not any­more. But I'll tell you this, it's put me through hell the last couple of days."

  "I didn't do that on purpose," she said. "But I think I know exactly how you felt."

  Tony wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, his hands warm against her bare back. "What are you doing tonight?"

  "Whatever you want."

  "Good," he said, kissing her again. "Go get dressed."

  Lydia stepped back. "Dressed?"

  When Tony nodded, looking dead serious, she smiled. "Okay, but come with me," she said, running her eyes down over his turquoise shirt to his white jeans. "I've missed you."

  Tony shook his head. "No, later."

  Lydia traced her fingers across his clean-shaven face and backed up, slipping her bathing suit strap off her shoulder to entice him. "Can't I um...."

  Tony shook his head, smiling. "No, now go on. I'll wait for you out here."

  Lydia walked down the hall, laughing, and glanced back from the door. "Where are we going, so I know what to wear?"

  Tony's smile widened. She was so beautiful, so very beautiful, even with her hair wet. "We're going to get mar­ried," he said. "Wear something white."

  "Married?"

  “Yeah…married," Tony said, lowering his eyes and watch­ing her as she slowly took her top off. "It's not that far to the state line. We'll be back before you know it."

  Lydia went into the bedroom and peeked back out. "Are you sure you don't want to help me get dressed?"

  Tony drew a deep breath, shaking his head, but when she disappeared behind the door again, saying, "Last chance," he started across the room and was halfway down the hall before he stopped himself. "I'll wait for you outside."

  "Okay, but I'm not going in your car."

  "Why not? It was good enough for you the other day."

  "Yeah, but that was different. That was an emergency."

  Tony laughed, walking out, and in less than fifteen min­utes, Lydia was ready, dressed in a white sweater, white slacks and white shoes and feeling like a bride.

  She locked the patio doors, picked up her purse as she passed the coffee table, then locked the front door, and was just starting down the walk, when suddenly she stopped, staring wide-eyed with a big grin on her face.

  "We're going to get married on a motorcycle?"

  Tony smiled. "You like it?"

  "I love it!" Lydia said, walking all around it. "I've just never ridden on one before."

  Tony handed her a helmet and moved up so she could get on, then patted her hip, like he was tucking her in. "Keep your legs away from these," he said, motioning to the exhaust pipes.

  Lydia nodded in anticipation. "Have you always had this?"

  "No, I got it on the way over. I traded the car in on it."

  "Just now? Do you know how to drive it?"

  Tony laughed and jumped on the kick starter, revving the engine as he backed it up, and Lydia wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on real tight.

  "Thanks for getting rid of the car."

  "I figure you owe me big for that," Tony said.

  Lydia laughed. "And you're sure you know how to drive this?"

  Tony nodded and looked over his shoulder at her, smiling. "I know exactly what I'm doing, Lydia. Trust me."