by Lyle, Linda;
“What if she’s here and I’m overlooking her because I’m so picky?”
“God won’t let you overlook her, and being picky is not a bad thing. You deserve the best, and I’m not saying that just because I’m your mother. God wants the best for all his children.”
“I guess you’re right.” A sense of peace settled over him. He rose from his chair and hugged her. “You’re a real sharp cookie, you know that?”
“It’s about time someone noticed.” They both laughed. “Let’s join your father. He’s starting to look lonely.”
“Where is Alex anyway?” Scott glanced around the room.
“On the phone. Where else?”
❧
“Look, Carly, I told you not to call anymore. It’s over.” Alex hung up the phone with a little more force than was necessary. His patience was wearing thin, and he was an extremely patient man. He heard the sound of his mother’s voice and caught the end of their conversation. Remaining in the shadows, he waited till they went into the living room. It reminded him of another time when standing in the shadows he had heard his parent’s talking:
“I just don’t know what to do with Alex. He’s driving me crazy. Why can’t he be more like Scott? Scott never gives us any trouble.”
“I don’t know, dear. I just don’t know.”
From that moment on he had known that Scott was the favorite. No matter what he did, he couldn’t measure up to Scott. If Alex received high honors, Scott would get even higher honors. Whatever he did, Scott did it better. Eventually, he decided that being a rebel was the only thing he was better at than Scott. Being bad was his trademark, something of his very own. Now he had one more thing on Scott, and it was time for the unveiling. He moved toward the living room, his victory smile in place.
❧
“There you are, Alex. We were wondering where you had gotten off to,” his mother said. The smile didn’t escape her notice. “What’s up?”
“Why do you ask?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“You just look like you received good news.”
“Oh, you mean the phone call. No, that was a bit of unpleasantness, but that’s all over with now.” He settled into the chair like a cat who had just eaten a bowl of cream. He sat with his hands folded on his stomach, watching his father twitch with curiosity.
“Are you going to let us in on your little secret?” his father asked gruffly. Alex enjoyed baiting his father. Patience was the one virtue Alex had acquired over the years, and he knew how to use it to his advantage.
“Maybe. Then again I don’t want to speak too soon.”
“For heaven’s sake, Alex, quit talking in circles.” His father hit the arm of his chair in frustration. “Either say something or be quiet.”
“Now, dear, there’s no need to get upset.” There she went again, calming father down. How many times had she done that. These were the only times he felt his mother’s love. “Alex, is there something you want to tell us?” She gave him the “I’ve had enough” look.
“Well, it may be premature, but…” he paused for effect, “I may be going on a trip soon.”
“A trip? Where?” His mother looked puzzled.
“Down the aisle.” He watched in silent satisfaction as his words registered. His father and mother looked stunned, but Alex concentrated on Scott. “Well, Golden Boy, what do you think?”
“You’re getting married?” Scott couldn’t believe his ears. He must have misunderstood.
“That’s what I just said. Are you feeling well, little brother?” Alex tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice as he noted the red creeping up Scott’s neck.
“Who?”
“Elizabeth Jordan.” Alex waited for Scott’s reaction, savoring the moment.
“The Elizabeth Jordan that works at the firm?” his father asked.
“That’s the one.”
“But I thought…” She stopped in mid-sentence. Alex knew the rest, but he only smiled at her confusion. She glanced over at Scott whose face had gone from red to a pale shade of gray. “When did all this happen?”
“We’ve been going out for a couple of months now.”
“A couple of months? Alex, do you really know this girl? Are you sure?” His mother’s forehead wrinkled in concern.
“Yes, mother. I’m sure. I told her how I felt, and we decided she should take the holidays to think it over. Though I don’t foresee any problems.”
“So, she hasn’t said yes?” Scott finally managed to get out.
“Not exactly, but I’m sure she will.” Alex leaned back in his chair, the essence of calm assurance.
“Well, I…that’s wonderful, dear. We’re very happy for you.” She said the words, but Alex could tell her heart wasn’t in it. She was feeling sorry for Scott… He could see it in her eyes. “Isn’t that right, dear?” She nudged her husband, and he mumbled an incoherent agreement. Nothing ever suited him.
“Congratulations, Alex,” Scott managed. Alex saw him almost choke on the words. Triumph at long last.
“Thanks, Golden Boy. Well, I hate to eat and run, but I don’t want to miss Elizabeth’s call.” He stood and grabbed his coat from the back of the chair.
“Of course not, dear. Let us know when you hear something more.” She walked him to the door.
“I don’t feel right about this. Something’s wrong,” the elder McClintock muttered. “I don’t like it, not at all.”
❧
Scott made his excuses and headed toward home. His heart was still in his stomach where it had dropped after Alex’s announcement. Marriage? Alex was going to marry Elizabeth? His dinner turned to stone at the thought. He had imagined that Elizabeth was just another fling, but now she would be his sister-in-law. The thought hit him like a sledgehammer. Why was he so upset anyway? She wasn’t the kind of girl he wanted. Let Alex have her. Maybe it would straighten Alex out.
Back home, Scott opened the medicine cabinet, looking for some cure for the tightness in his chest or the rock in his stomach. He chalked it up to indigestion, but in his heart he knew that there was no cure for what ailed him.
sixteen
Elizabeth stumbled into her apartment, dumping mail all over the floor. She dropped the suitcases, closing and locking the door behind her, before stooping to gather the scattered mail. You’d think she’d been gone a month, instead of just a week. She flipped through the mail. Nothing urgent. She put it on the desk in the hallway and lugged her suitcase into the bedroom. There was nothing worse than unpacking. Staring at the suitcase, hands on hips, she decided that it could wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow. The thought sent her heart skipping. Tomorrow she would tell Alex her decision. She took a deep breath and looked in the mirror. What was her problem? The other girl refused to answer. She changed into a pair of loose sweats, grabbed a cup of hot tea and settled with her mail on the couch. She would be like Scarlett O’Hara—she wouldn’t think about it today.
❧
Alex arrived promptly at nine-thirty. Elizabeth looked ready on the outside, but inside she was a mess. Her heart beat double-time as she caught sight of him through the peephole. Steady girl, steady. She breathed a deep sigh and opened the door.
“Hi, Alex.”
“Hi, Alex. Is that all I get after a week away?” He stepped over the threshold and closed the door in one fluid move. Sweeping her into his arms, he held her tight and lowered his lips to hers. Moments later, she finally caught her breath.
“I guess I don’t have to ask if you missed me?” He chuckled and buried his face in her hair.
“Of course I missed you.” She cleared her throat and started to speak, but he held up a hand in protest. “Don’t say anything. When I propose officially, I want to do it right, so hold that thought—I hope it’s a good thought.” He smiled down at her, but the smile wavered at the corners.
“If you say so.” She enjoyed the fact that he was afraid she would say no. It gave her confidence. She took delight in ignoring his last comme
nt all together. Looking at her watch, she said, “We’d better hurry or we’ll be late.”
“All right. Let’s go.” He helped her into her coat and down the stairs. His hand encircling hers in a tight grip. It felt nice. It felt right.
❧
Sunday went by like any other normal Sunday, but Elizabeth couldn’t shake her nervousness. He dropped her off after dinner with a quick kiss on the cheek. True to his word, he didn’t mention anything about “the question.”
Monday, she found a mound of papers that looked more like a mountain. She was just sorting through the stack when Alex popped in looking a bit ruffled.
“Alex, what’re you doing down here so early in the morning?”
“Unfortunately, it’s to bring bad news.” His grim expression caused her heart to race.
“What’s wrong?” Her alarmed tone brought a sudden softening to his face. He pulled her close, gently pushing the hair away from her face.
“I didn’t mean to upset you. I just found out that I have to go out of town for a couple of days. It’s just business.”
She released the breath that had threatened to choke her only minutes ago. “Oh. I thought someone had died or something.” He laughed, releasing the tension.
“No. Nothing like that.” He paused and let his hand trace the curve of her chin. Her heart skipped, and she fought a sudden urge to run. “I just hate to leave you again so soon. Especially now.”
“Oh.” It was all she could think to say. She felt her nerves on edge and could feel her knees trembling. Was this the way love was supposed to feel? Of course it was, she chided herself. She was just nervous because it was her first real relationship. Everybody got scared.
“Hey. What are you thinking so hard about?”
She jerked back to the reality of Alex’s arms. “I’ll miss you.”
“Good. For a minute there I was afraid…well, never mind. I’ll only be gone a few days.” He touched her hair one more time. “I’ve got to go pack. I’ll call you later in the week.” He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips and then disappeared down the hall.
As soon as she saw him turn the corner, she closed the door and sank into her chair. Her knees were still trembling and her pulse was uneven. What a relief! Why was she relieved that he was gone? She was supposed to be in love. It was just the tension getting to her. It was just nerves. All women get nervous when a man proposes, right? Right. She pushed the thoughts aside and buried herself in her work.
❧
Alex moved silently down the hall like a panther stalking his prey. He entered the apartment building the essence of calm, but inside a river of rage was welling up. She had gone too far! The ringing of the doorbell signaled the beginning of round one.
“Alex, what a nice surprise!” Carly held the door open for him to enter.
“Cut the niceties, Carly! What do you want?” Each word was ground out until it sounded more like a command than a question.
“I just want what’s coming to me.”
“Exactly what do you think you have coming to you?”
“A little respect.”
“Respect?” Alex’s laugh was harsh.
“Don’t laugh at me!” Carly’s voice raised to that whine he found so annoying.
“What do you really want?” At his tone, she straightened up and threw off pretense.
“I suggest that you take a different tone of voice or your pretty little fiance might get a phone call telling her exactly what kind of business trip you were really on.” His eyebrows raised. “You didn’t think I knew about her, did you? What, do you think I’m stupid?”
“I guess I underestimated you, but don’t make the same mistake.” Then he grabbed her throat and held her face inches from his own. “Because if I ever hear from you again I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
He let her go, and she fell back on a chair, holding her throat. He threw a stack of bills on the table, straightened his tie, and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.
❧
Carly gathered the money together. Her face began to burn. What had happened to her? She looked at the bills in her hands and something inside her broke. Hot tears washed down her cheeks and a sob formed in her throat. She suddenly felt the need for a shower, but no matter how she scrubbed she couldn’t wash away the memories. Stumbling from the bathroom, she collapsed on her bed in sobs. “Oh, God, what have I become?”
seventeen
Alex called Elizabeth on Friday morning to say he would pick her up Saturday at six. She hung up the phone with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Her week had been peaceful and busy, filled with catching up on work left from the holidays and going out with the girls. It had been a long time since she had spent time with other women. Alex had taken up all her time and effort. What was she saying? If other people could hear her thoughts they would think Alex was a job or a hobby, not the man she was in love with. Are you really in love? The little voice deep inside echoed in her mind. She silenced it by calling Morgan to make lunch plans.
The rest of the day was filled with last-minute reports and cleanup. Then she was free for the weekend. She drug herself up the stairs to her townhouse and collapsed on the couch. She would have stayed there, but the growling of her stomach sent her in search of food. The cabinets were almost bare because she hadn’t been shopping since before the holidays. She groaned as she checked each cabinet and the refrigerator twice. A flier that was hanging on the refrigerator door by a small angel magnet caught her eye. It proclaimed “The best Chinese restaurant in town.” The magnet said, “You are what you eat.” She decided with a grin that she would be Chinese tonight. Squinting her eyes, she did an imitation of a geisha girl and then remembered that was Japanese. She had to get a grip on herself.
It was only a few blocks to the restaurant, so Elizabeth pulled her coat close around her chin and walked briskly. Looking up, she could just make out a few stars in the night sky. The rest were lost in the blaze of lights across the horizon. She sighed as she thought of the open skies of the country, and nights sitting on the patio staring at the unending sky. Tonight it felt good to be alone. The brisk air invigorated Elizabeth, and she soon found herself humming a song. The humming stopped abruptly when she saw who was coming out of the restaurant directly in front of her. Her heart began to pound and her face began to burn. She looked around for a place to hide, but it was too late. He had seen her, and they were coming her way.
“Hello, Elizabeth.”
“Hello, Scott and Claire, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s nice to see you again.” Claire smiled, oblivious to the tension.
“I hear congratulations might be in order.” Scott smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You seemed to have done the impossible.”
“And what is that?” she asked, unreasonably irritated by his tone.
“Taming my brother.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“You give yourself too little credit, but I don’t want to keep you from your dinner. I’m sure Alex will be here soon, and I need to get Claire in out of the cold.” He nodded good-bye and tucked Claire’s hand into the crook of his arm. Claire threw a good-bye over her shoulder, and then they were gone, leaving a breath of cold air from the open door. Elizabeth shivered, staring out into the night.
“Table for one.” Elizabeth jumped.
“Yes.” She followed the waiter through a maze of tables and sank gratefully into the booth. Her legs were suddenly weak and her appetite had disappeared. She hoped she wasn’t catching the flu. She ordered Egg Drop Soup, an eggroll, and fried rice. And when the food arrived had to force herself to swallow each bite.
The walk home was less than enjoyable. Sudden clouds had obscured the stars, and a bitter wind blew through the layers of her coat, all the way to her skin. By the time she reached the townhouse, she only wanted a hot bath and to go to bed. As she fell asleep, she saw Scott holding Claire’s hand, but then the image
blurred and the hand was hers.
❧
Elizabeth awoke dreading the day ahead. She spent the day restless and bored. Nothing could hold her attention. She looked at her Bible on the nightstand, but didn’t pick it up. That was where she had always gone for solace before, but today she rebelled against the thought. At three o’clock, she began preparations for the night ahead. She had this same feeling the night of the prom in high school, a mixture of excitement, nausea, and fear. She chose a red dress that was fitted to the waist and then flared in soft folds to her ankles. It was Alex’s favorite color. He always complimented her when she wore red. She turned in front of the mirror and was pleased by the way it flattered her figure. She spent extra time on her makeup, trying to get just the right shade of lipstick. Despite her early start, she was still fussing in front of the mirror when the doorbell rang.
She looked through the peephole and then took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. Then, with trembling fingers, she unlocked and opened the door.
“Hi.” The sight of him in a dark suit almost took her breath away. It looked like it was made especially for him. Knowing Alex that was extremely possible.
“Hi.” He looked her over from head to toe, and she blushed under his scrutiny. “You look gorgeous. My lady in red.” His smile of approval sent her spirits soaring.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She tried to sound sophisticated, but her voice sounded shaky at best.
“Maybe we should start a mutual admiration society. Let’s go and see if we can get any more members for our fan club.” He held out her coat.
“Where are we going anyway?” She asked as she buttoned up.
“That’s a surprise.” He pulled the door open and followed her out to the car. He put his hand under her elbow to help her down the stairs and held the car door open until she was settled. She revelled in the attention.
He drove to their favorite restaurant in Little Italy. The normally crowded restaurant seemed unnaturally quiet. Had they gone out of business? Her spirits dropped at the thought. But Alex didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. He got out of the car and came around to open her door.
