Unfinished Business

by Nora Roberts

  Color rose in Loretta’s cheeks. “Yes, actually, under the dress. I have, ah… My camisole has little blue ribbons down the front. I suppose you think I’m foolish buying fancy lingerie.”

  “No, I don’t.” Vanessa touched her mother’s arm, and was surprised by the quick impulse she had to hug her. Instead, she stepped back. “That leaves borrowed.”

  “Well, I—”

  “Here.” Vanessa unclasped the thin gold braided bracelet she wore. “Take this, and you’ll be all set.” She peeked out the window again. “Oh, here comes Doc Tucker and the rest of them.” With a laugh, she waved. “They look like a parade. Go into the music room until I can hustle them outside.”

  “Van.” Loretta was still standing, holding the bracelet in her hand. “Thank you.”

  Vanessa waited until her mother was out of sight before opening the door. Mass confusion entered. Joanie was arguing with Brady about the proper way to pin a boutonniere. Jack claimed his wife had tied his tie so tight that he couldn’t breathe, much less talk. Ham paced the length of the house and back again before Vanessa could nudge him outside.

  “You brought the dog,” Vanessa said, staring at Kong, who had a red carnation pinned jauntily to his collar.

  “He’s family,” Brady claimed. “I couldn’t hurt his feelings.”

  “Maybe a leash?” she suggested.

  “Don’t be insulting.”

  “He’s sniffing at Reverend Taylor’s shoes.”

  “With any luck, that’s all he’ll do to Reverend Taylor’s shoes.” He turned back to her as she stifled a giggle. “You were right.”

  “About what?”

  “You can look better.”

  She was wearing a thin, summery dress with yards of skirt in a bold floral print. Its snug contrasting bodice was a rich teal blue, with a bandeau collar that left the curve of her shoulders bare. The gold rope around her neck, and her braided earrings, matched the bracelet she had given Loretta.

  “So can you.” In a natural movement, she reached up to straighten the knot in the dark blue tie he was wearing with an oyster-colored suit. “I guess we’re all set.”

  “We’re still missing something.”

  She looked around quickly. The baskets of flowers were in place. Joanie was brushing imaginary dust off her father’s sleeve while Reverend Taylor cooed over Lara and tried to avoid Kong. The wedding bells were twirling slowly in the light breeze.

  “What?”

  “The bride.”

  “Oh, Lord. I forgot. I’ll go get her.” Turning, Vanessa raced into the house. She found Loretta in the music room, sitting on the piano stool taking long, deep breaths. “Are you ready?”

  She took one more. “Yes.” Rising, she walked through the house. But at the back door she paused and groped for Vanessa’s hand. Together they crossed the lawn. With each step, Ham’s smile grew wider, her mother’s hand steadier. They stopped in front of the minister. Vanessa released her mother’s hand, stepped back and took Brady’s.

  “Dearly beloved…” the minister began.

  She watched her mother marry under the shade of the maple with paper wedding bells swaying.

  “You may kiss the bride,” the minister intoned. A cheer went up from neighboring yards where people had gathered. The camera clicked as Ham brought Loretta close for a long, full-bodied kiss that brought on more whistles and shouts.

  “Nice job,” Brady said as he embraced his father.

  Vanessa put her confused emotions on hold and turned to hug her mother. “Best wishes, Mrs. Tucker.”

  “Oh, Van.”

  “No crying yet. We’ve still got lots of pictures to take.”

  With a squeal, Joanie launched herself at them both. “Oh, I’m so happy.” She plucked Lara from Jack’s arms. “Give your grandma a kiss.”

  “Grandma,” Loretta whispered, and with a watery laugh she swung Lara into her arms. “Grandma.”

  Brady laid an arm over Vanessa’s shoulders. “How do you feel, Aunt Van?”

  “Amazed.” She laughed up at him as Mrs. Driscoll’s grandson’s brother-in-law scurried around snapping pictures. “Let’s go pour the champagne.”

  Two hours later, she was in the Tucker backyard, hauling a tray of hamburger patties to the grill.

  “I thought your father always did the honors,” she said to Brady.

  “He passed his spatula down to me.” He had his suit coat off now, his sleeves rolled up and his tie off. Smoke billowed up from the grill as meat sizzled. He flipped a patty expertly.

  “You do that very well.”

  “You should see me with a scalpel.”

  “I’ll pass, thanks.” She shifted to avoid being mowed down by two running boys. “The picnic’s just like I remember. Crowded, noisy and chaotic.”

  People milled around in the yard, in the house, even spilled out along the sidewalks. Some sat at the long picnic tables or on the grass. Babies were passed from hand to hand. The old sat in the shade waving at flies as they gossiped and reminisced. The young ran in the sunshine.

  Someone had brought a huge portable stereo. Music poured from the rear corner of the yard, where a group of teenagers had gathered to flirt.

  “We’d have been there just a few years back,” Brady commented.

  “You mean you’re too old to hang around a boom box now?”

  “No. But they think I am. Now I’m Dr. Tucker—as opposed to my father, who’s Doc Tucker—and that automatically labels me an adult.” He skewered a hot dog. “It’s hell growing up.”

  “Being dignified,” she added as he popped it into a bun and slathered on mustard.

  “Setting an example for the younger generation. Say ‘ah,’” he told her, then shoved the hot dog in her mouth.

  She chewed and swallowed in self-defense. “Maintaining a certain decorum.”

  “Yeah. You’ve got mustard on your mouth. Here.” He grabbed her hand before she could wipe it off. “I’ll take care of it.” He leaned down and slid the tip of his tongue over the corner of her mouth. “Very tasty,” he decided, then nipped lightly at her bottom lip.

  “You’re going to burn your burgers,” she murmured.

  “Quiet. I’m setting an example for the younger generation.”

  Even as she chuckled, he covered her mouth fully with his, lengthening the kiss, deepening it, drawing it out, until she forgot she was surrounded by people. And so did he.

  When he released her, she lifted a hand to her spinning head and tried to find her voice.

  “Just like old times,” someone shouted.

  “Better,” Brady said quietly, and would have pulled her close again, but for a tap on his shoulder.

  “Let that girl go and behave yourself, Brady Tucker.” Violet Driscoll shook her head at the pair of them. “You’ve got hungry people here. If you want to smooch with your girl, you just wait till later.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Never had a lick of sense.” She winked at Vanessa as she started back to the shade. “But he’s a handsome so-and-so.”

  “She’s right.” Vanessa tossed back her hair.

  “I’m a handsome so-and-so?”

  “No, you’ve never had a lick of sense.”

  “Hey!” he called after her. “Where are you going?”

  Vanessa shot him a long, teasing look over her shoulder and kept walking.

  It was like old times, Vanessa thought as she stopped to talk to high school friends and watched children race and shout and gobble down food. Faces had aged, babies had been born, but the mood was the same. There was the smell of good food, the sounds of laughter and of a cranky baby being lulled to sleep. She heard arguments over the Orioles’ chances for a pennant this year, talk about summer plans and gardening tips.

  She could smell the early roses blooming and see the tangle of morning glories on the trellis next door.

  When Brady found her again, she was sitting on the grass with Lara.

  “What’re you doing?”


  “Playing with my niece.” They both lifted their heads to smile at him.

  Something shifted inside him. Something fast and unexpected. And something inevitable, he realized. Seeing her smiling up at him, a child’s head on her shoulder, sunlight pouring over her skin. How could he have known he’d been waiting, almost his entire life, for a moment like this? But the child should be his, he thought. Vanessa and the child should be his.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked.

  “No.” He brought himself back with a long, steadying breath. “Why?”

  “The way you were staring at me.”

  He sat beside her, touched a hand to her hair. “I’m still in love with you, Vanessa. And I don’t know what the hell to do about it.”

  She stared. Even if she could have latched on to the dozens of emotions swirling through her, she couldn’t have put any into words. It wasn’t a boy she was looking at now. He was a man, and what he had spoken had been said deliberately. Now he was waiting for her to move, toward him or away. But she couldn’t move at all.

  Lara bounced in her lap and squealed, shattering the silence. “Brady, I—”

  “There you are.” Joanie dropped down beside them. “Whoops,” she said as the tension got through to her. “I’m sorry. I guess it’s bad timing.”

  “Go away, Joanie,” Brady told her. “Far away.”

  “I’d already be gone, since you’ve asked so nicely, but the limo’s here. People are already heading around front to stare at it. I think it’s time to see the newlyweds off.”

  “You’re right.” Almost using Lara as a shield, Vanessa scrambled to her feet. “We don’t want them to miss their plane.” She braced herself and looked at Brady again. “You’ve got the tickets?”

  “Yeah, I got them.” Before she could skirt around him, he cupped her chin in his hand. “We’ve still got unfinished business, Van.”

  “I know.” She was grateful her voice could sound so calm when her insides were knotted. “Like Joanie said, it’s bad timing.” With Lara on her hip, she hurried off to find her mother.

  “What’s all this about a limo?” Ham demanded as Joanie began unrolling his pushed-up sleeves. “Did somebody die?”

  “Nope.” Joanie fastened the button on his cuff. “You and your new wife are going on a little trip.”

  “A trip?” Loretta repeated, as Vanessa handed her her purse.

  “When newlyweds take a trip,” Brady explained, “it’s called a honeymoon.”

  “But I’ve got patients all next week.”

  “No, you don’t.” With Brady and Jack on either side of Ham, and Vanessa and Joanie flanking Loretta, they led the baffled bride and groom to the front of the house.

  “Oh, my” was all Loretta could say as she spotted the gleaming white stretch limo.

  “Your plane leaves at six.” Brady took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to his father. “Vaya con Dios.”

  “What is all this?” Ham demanded. Vanessa noted with a chuckle that old shoes and cans were already being tied to the bumper. “My schedule—”

  “Is cleared.” Brady gave Ham a slap on the back. “See you in a couple weeks.”

  “A couple weeks?” His eyebrows shot up. “Where the hell are we going?”

  “South of the border,” Joanie chimed in, and gave her father a hard, smacking kiss. “Don’t drink the water.”

  “Mexico?” Loretta’s eyes widened. “Are we going to Mexico? But how can we— The shop. We haven’t any luggage.”

  “The shop’s closed,” Vanessa told her. “And your luggage is in the trunk.” She kissed Loretta on each cheek. “Have a good time.”

  “In the trunk?” Her baffled smile widened. “My blue silk blouse?”

  “Among other things.”

  “You all did this.” Despite the persistent photographer, Loretta began to cry. “All of you.”

  “Guilty.” Brady gave her a huge hug. “Bye, Mom.”

  “You’re a sneaky bunch.” Ham had to take out his handkerchief. “Well, Loretta, I guess we’ve got ourselves a honeymoon.”

  “Not if you miss your plane.” Joanie, always ready to worry, began to push them toward the limo. “Don’t sit in the sun too long. It’s much more intense down there. Oh, and whatever you buy, make sure you shop around and bargain first. You can change your money at the hotel—there’s a phrase book in the carry-on. And if you need—”

  “Say goodbye, Joanie,” Jack told her.

  “Oh, shoot.” She rubbed her knuckles under her damp eyes. “Bye. Wave bye-bye, Lara.”

  “Oh, Ham. Gardenias.” Loretta began to weep again.

  With shouts and waves from the entire town, the limo began to cruise sedately down Main Street, followed by the clang and thump of cans and shoes, and an escort of running children.

  “There they go,” Joanie managed, burying her face in Jack’s shoulder. He patted her hair.

  “It’s okay, honey. Kids have to leave home sometime. Come on, I’ll get you some potato salad.” He grinned at Brady as he led her away.

  Vanessa cleared the lump in her throat. “That was quite a send-off.”

  “I want to talk to you. We can go to your house or mine.”

  “I think we should wait until—”

  “We’ve already waited too long.”

  Panicked, she looked around. How was it that they were alone again so quickly? “The party— You have guests.”

  “Nobody’ll miss us.” With a hand on her arm, he turned toward his car.

  “Dr. Tucker, Dr. Tucker!” Annie Crampton was racing around the corner of the house. “Come quick! Something’s wrong with my grandpa!”

  He moved quickly. By the time Vanessa reached the backyard, he was already kneeling beside the old man, loosening his collar.

  “Pain,” the old man said. “In my chest…can’t breathe.”

  “I got Dad’s bag,” Joanie said as she passed it to Brady. “Ambulance is coming.”

  Brady just nodded. “Take it easy, Mr. Benson.” He took a small bottle and a syringe out of the bag. “I want you to stay calm.” He continued to talk as he worked, calming and soothing with his voice. “Joanie, get his file,” he murmured.

  Feeling helpless, Vanessa put an arm around Annie’s shoulders and drew her back. “Come on, Annie.”

  “Is Grandpa going to die?”

  “Dr. Tucker’s taking care of him. He’s a very good doctor.”

  “He takes care of my mom.” She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “He’s going to deliver the baby and all, but Grandpa, he’s real old. He fell down. He just got all funny-looking and fell down.”

  “Dr. Tucker was right here.” She stroked Annie’s flyaway hair. “If he was going to get sick, it was the best place for it. When he’s better, you can play your new song for him.”

  “The Madonna song?”

  “That’s right.” She heard the wail of am ambulance. “They’re coming to take him to the hospital.”

  “Will Dr. Tucker go with him?”

  “I’m sure he will.” She watched as the attendants hurried out with a stretcher. Brady spoke to them briskly, giving instructions. She saw him put his hands on Annie’s mother’s shoulders, speaking slowly, calmly, while she looked up at him with trust and tears in her eyes. When Brady started after the stretcher, Vanessa gave Annie a last squeeze.