Gray Wolf's Woman

by Peggy Webb

  It had to do with Josie’s bewilderment as he described the young Pippa. To her it had simply been gibberish. She was ten, an age when people stayed in their pigeonholes, and Pippa’s pigeonhole was “Mom,” a sedate woman with headaches and asthma, who told her when to go to bed and often said no. Luke’s memories of the bright, beautiful peacock who laughed and squabbled and lived only for the moment when she could fly into his arms would have no meaning for her.

  That young girl was fast slipping away. Pippa herself didn’t seem to remember much about her. It was only in his own heart that she still lived, flaming with joy and life and making the world a thrilling place.

  But he, too, had changed. What had he said on the boat that afternoon? That their blazing sexual harmony had mattered less, in the long term, than the fact that their minds were in tune. He, Luke Danton, superstud extraordinary, had actually said that.

  And meant it. Scary!

  It was the sort of thing boring Frank might have said, and that alarmed Luke more than anything. It meant he was growing old.

  Or up?

  He rubbed his eyes, wishing he hadn’t start thinking. It made him feel like a bear fending off a swarm of bees, and gave him a headache.

  The program went on at eight o’clock in the evening. By five the entire family was in place, consisting of Mom, Pop, Zak and his girlfriend, Becky and her boyfriend. Half an hour later Claudia arrived bearing vintage champagne, and the party was complete.

  Luke had outdone himself with supper, preparing one main course and a host of small savories that could be eaten at any time. Josie, who liked nothing better than to be her father’s assistant, scurried about performing her tasks efficiently and glowing when she won a word of praise from the boss.

  Luke smiled at Pippa, but he didn’t ask her to help. She wondered if this was because he was at ease with his daughter in his kitchen as he was with nobody else. Or was he keeping a distance because of last night? It was hard to tell because his manner was friendly, if preoccupied.

  By 7:45 the curtains were drawn over the picture window, the VCR was set to record, and everyone was settled in the main room. With a flourish Luke switched on the television, and they sat in an agony of impatience while the last program finished and the ads dragged by.

  “This is it,” Luke declared confidently.

  But another advertisement came on, and everybody booed. Then the program started, and they all sat in awed silence, the only sound being a long, ecstatic sigh from Josie. When it was over they applauded, and Luke ceremonially presented his daughter with the video.

  “I’ll have it copied to the European video system before you leave,” he said. “But this one’s in case you wanted to see it again before then.”

  “Leave!” Mom said, outraged. “What’s this talk of leaving?”

  “We’re only here for a week,” Pippa explained, “and it’ll soon be over.”

  There was a general outcry. She coped with it as best she could, but as soon as possible she escaped into the kitchen. Her breath was coming in short gasps, and she felt faint.

  Claudia found her there a few moments later. “Are you all right?” she asked solicitously.

  “Yes, fine. Just a touch of asthma, it gets me sometimes. I was a bit nervous about coming to Los Angeles—everyone’s heard of the smog.”

  “Sure. Although this part of L.A. is one of the cleanest. Very little air pollution around here.”

  “Well, I guess I’m just unusually susceptible.” Pippa smiled valiantly. “Let’s go back to the others.”

  Pippa could recall vacations as a child when the week ahead had seemed to stretch to infinity and had gone on doing so until the halfway mark. But once that was passed every day sped by like lightning.

  Now it was the same. After the night of the program the few remaining days blurred into each other, and only odd moments stood out: Josie and Luke investigating the Web site that was deluged with complimentary e-mails following the broadcast; Josie being swept off to Disneyland again by Luke’s parents. She’d stayed at home resting that morning, joining Luke at his first restaurant for lunch. He’d dined her royally, given her the grand tour of the kitchens and attended to her comfort and pleasure. But there was a shadow in his manner that hadn’t been there before, and her heart sank as she understood. He had accepted her decision and would let her go with only a little regret. It was Josie he would keep in touch with, Josie he would visit and invite to visit him. And that was how she had wanted it.

  The other moment that lived in her memory was a late afternoon, when she’d gone out onto the balcony to watch for Luke and Josie, who were out in the water, enjoying a final romp before the day ended. The sun was setting, casting a flood of gold over the sea and the sand, throwing the figures into silhouette. There was Luke, in the water up to his waist. As Pippa watched, he ducked down far enough for Josie to clamber onto his shoulders. Reaching over his head and behind he grasped her by the hips and raised her high, while she stretched out her arms and her legs, as though flying. He began to turn around and around. Josie’s head was back, and even from this distance Pippa could see that she was ecstatic.

  Then the whole thing collapsed. Luke took a big jump and tossed Josie forward so that she landed in the water at the same time as he crashed back into it himself. For a moment they were drowned in spray. Then they both came up, laughing—no, Pippa amended…giggling. Both of them. A pair of mad things, as her mother used to say.

  That’s just how a father and daughter ought to be, she thought. A pair of mad things. Happy just to be together. And in the years ahead—

  Suddenly she felt as though she’d crashed against a wall made of black ice—the years ahead—which she would probably know nothing about. And with a passionate intensity that was painful, she wished she could be there for them. She wanted to see Luke at his daughter’s graduation, proud to bursting. She wanted to see him take her up the aisle on his arm and wipe his eyes as another man led her away.

  She wanted the funny things, too: Luke, outside a maternity ward muttering, “I’m a grandfather. She can’t do this to me!” But then being struck dumb at the sight of the little scrap, and perhaps calling it Josie by mistake, because that was when he would really care about the years he’d missed.

  It would happen. Whatever the big occasions of Josie’s life, Luke would be there. She had made sure of that. But she might never know. And suddenly the scene blurred. She couldn’t see anymore. Turning, she blundered back inside.

  Luke and Josie returned to find the house empty. She’d gone for a walk, she told them when she returned. Just a walk, and she was fine. No, honestly. Fine.

  The last two days, the last day, the last hours on the beach with Luke and his mom and dad and Zak and Claudia. Nobody wanted to be left out. Pippa couldn’t remember when she’d last been so totally surrounded by kindness and affection.

  Several times she surprised a puzzled look in Josie’s eyes, and once the child said, “Mommy, are you and Daddy going to get back together?”

  “No, darling.”

  “But you love each other.”

  “We’re very fond of each other, but only as friends now.”

  “But—”

  “Darling, leave it there, please. And don’t say anything to Daddy. One day you’ll understand.”

  And Josie had come as close as she ever had to sulking. “I hate it when you say that.”

  That brief conversation had been more of a strain on Pippa than she wanted to admit. She knew that from now on—whatever happened—she could be sure Luke would insist on being Josie’s father. But nothing else had gone according to plan. She’d meant to establish friendly relations with Luke, but not to let herself fall in love with him again. Now she saw how unrealistic that had been. After all this time, she still couldn’t be near him without her heart warming to him, and she ought to have known that, she thought ruefully.

  She’d come to the brink of falling in love with him again, but only the brin
k, she assured herself. There was still time to recover, when there was a safe distance between them. But what really troubled her was the fact that she still hadn’t told him the real reason she’d come here. She’d always imagined that the chance would present itself and she would seize it.

  But somehow the time had never quite been right, and now it was the last day, the last few moments. “Have we got all your bags, Pippa? What about that one?” Packing the last few things away, a tight fit. A look around the kitchen, imprinting it on her memory. Luke, watching her, half smiling, half baffled, almost the same frown in his eyes as in Josie’s.

  They went to the airport in procession. Claudia drove the first car, with Luke and Pippa and Zak. His mom, dad and Becky brought up the rear with Josie, all caroling songs at the top of their voices.

  “You’ve got a bit of time,” Dad announced once Pippa had checked in and seen the bags on their way. “How about a chocolate sundae?”

  “Please, Mommy,” Josie begged, seeing caution on her mother’s face.

  Zak put his hand on her shoulder. “C’mon, little one.”

  Here was her moment alone with Luke, and now she wished she’d never had it. For she’d been through this before, the last few minutes before departure, telling herself to keep a stiff upper lip just a little longer, not to let him suspect that her heart was breaking. That time he’d been the one going away.

  “Well,” she said brightly, “this is it.”

  “Yes, I guess it—” Suddenly Luke grasped her arm. “Come with me,” he said firmly. “We have to talk.”

  He drew her firmly around a corner so that they were out of sight of the others. “This is all wrong,” he said. “I can’t let it happen.”

  “Luke—what?”

  “You can’t go. I won’t let you. No, listen—” he interrupted her before she could say a word. “Don’t you see, this is what happened before—when I left England? And I shouldn’t have gone. I was crazy about you, and I walked away from it, but I shouldn’t have. Pippa, didn’t you feel that at the time? I can’t believe you didn’t.”

  “I—you—it was your decision to go. You didn’t have to.”

  “I know. My decision. But it was the wrong one, for both of us. It wouldn’t have taken much to make me stay. But you were so matter-of-fact, joking about me flirting with other women on the plane. I couldn’t tell what you felt, if anything. We’d been so much to each other, and you waved me off with a laugh.”

  She could only stare at him, dumbstruck.

  “Pippa, I never told you this, but when I reached the departure lounge I came to a dead halt. My feet wouldn’t go any farther. I didn’t want to get on that plane.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “It was wrong for me to go then, and it’s wrong for you to go now. I won’t let you go, Pippa. It’s no use arguing. No!” He slapped his forehead. “No, that’s all wrong. I’m making a mess of this.” He was talking very fast. “I just want you to stay for another week—or two—so that I can persuade you. Yes, that’s better. Persuade. That’s what I should have said to start with.”

  “You’re babbling.”

  “Am I? Yes, I am. You know why? Because if I stop talking you’ll give me an answer and I’m afraid of it. Just another two weeks—or three—”

  “But—”

  “You can’t go like this. It’s too soon. Josie doesn’t want to go. She wants to stay here and move into Disneyland with Dad. I don’t want you to go. Mom and Dad don’t want you to go. Pippa, please say you don’t want to go.”

  “Luke—”

  “No, wait a minute, don’t rush to answer. Stop and think about it. If you just stay a little longer, three weeks—or maybe four—”

  She couldn’t speak for happiness. This was what she had dreamed of years ago, Luke begging, pleading with her to stay with him. It had happened at last. But it was all wrong. It had come too late, and now she must tell him what she’d ducked out of telling him before.

  “Darling—”

  “Say it again. Let me hear you call me darling.”

  “Darling Luke, please—there’s something I—”

  “Just one more week, Pippa, and I swear I won’t ask for more—well, maybe two. We have so much to talk about, and it can’t be done at a distance.”

  Happy as she was, she knew a little spurt of anger. It had been done at a distance when it suited him. “There’s the phone, and the e-mail—” she began to say.

  “But it’s different now, don’t you know that? Something started to happen between us—I know you’re denying it, and maybe I know why, but give me a chance. Don’t throw away what we could have.”

  Pippa stared, hardly able to believe her ears, while the spurt of anger leaped higher. It was different now that he wanted it to be different.

  Stop it, said an inner voice. It doesn’t matter anymore, and you can’t quarrel with him here and now.

  But the old, pugnacious Pippa reared her head, yelling, I can quarrel with him anyplace and anytime I like.

  “This is the first call for British Airways Flight 1083, Los Angeles to London Heathrow…”

  He seized her arms. “You’re not taking that plane.”

  “You bet I’m not,” she said slowly. “You’re right. There are things to say, and I’m going to stay right here and say them.”

  His heart leaped. He’d won. Of course he had. He always did. But there was something in her eyes that made him uneasy. It should have been the light of love. It looked more like the light of battle. Being Luke, he brushed it aside to be worried about later.

  He took her hand firmly, and they returned to the café. Everyone stopped and looked up at them eagerly. “Who’s going to get their bags off the flight?” Luke asked, and a cheer went up.

  Josie cast herself wildly against Pippa. “Thank you, Mommy!” Then against Luke, who held her tight.

  Zak went off to recover the bags. Luke’s mother seized Pippa’s hand and pulled her down beside her.

  “We’ve had this wonderful idea,” she said. “Why don’t you let Josie stay with us for a while?”

  “No, I’m sorry,” Pippa said at once. “That’s out of the question.”

  They stared at her, everyone taken aback.

  “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to be rude. Of course I know you’ll take wonderful care of her. It’s just that she’s never been out of my sight before.”

  But very soon, you may be out of each other’s sight forever. Put the thought aside. Don’t look at it. But bind her tightly to those who love her.

  “Please, Mommy,” Josie begged. “Grandpa says we’ll go to Disneyland every day.”

  “He’s never had an excuse as good as this before,” his wife put in.

  “Well,” Pippa said helplessly, “I guess maybe…a few days—”

  This cheer was even louder than the other, making passersby cover their ears.

  “When Zak brings the baggage, we’ll just load Josie’s things in our car and head for home,” Luke’s dad declared.

  “You mean now?” Pippa asked.

  “Guess there’s no time like the present.”

  “Guess there isn’t, at that,” Pippa said, dazed. She felt as though she’d been squashed by a friendly but determined juggernaut. They were all in it. Except perhaps Claudia.

  And a few minutes later even that illusion was destroyed.

  “Hey, this isn’t the way back to Manhattan Beach,” Pippa said, looking around her, puzzled.

  They were in Claudia’s car and she was driving them home, so she’d claimed. “I thought we’d do a little detour,” she said airily over her shoulder.

  “How big a detour?”

  “Montecito, just southeast of Santa Barbara. I have a little house there, and while Josie stays with Luke’s family, you’ll stay with me.”

  “But—”

  “You’ll love it, Pippa. The air is cooler and cleaner than Los Angeles. That’ll suit you better.”

  Pippa whirled on Luke who
was sitting beside her in the back seat.

  “Don’t look at me,” he said with suspicious innocence. “I’ve been kidnapped, too.”

  “There’s kidnapping,” Pippa said emphatically, “and kidnapping!”

  “Darn! I was afraid you’d spot that one.”

  “Luke, you can’t just sweep me off like that.”

  His face was full of wicked fun. “I’m not. She is.”

  “But—”

  He slipped both arms about her, drawing her back onto the seat beside him. “Why don’t you just lie back and enjoy it?”

  She couldn’t struggle anymore. He was irresistible, thank goodness! And why should she even think of struggling against something she so passionately wanted? Pippa slid down into the seat and gave herself up to Luke’s embrace.

  She spared a last conscience-stricken thought for Claudia, reduced to playing gooseberry in her own car. But from somewhere in the distance she heard a delighted chuckle and guessed Claudia had peeked in her rearview mirror.

  They drove for nearly two hours. Then they were climbing into the hills, and, as Claudia had promised, she could feel the air growing cooler and fresher. She took a long breath of pure physical joy. In the distance the ocean sparkled. Above, the sky gleamed an impossible blue.

  Suddenly Claudia took a turn that had been invisible. Another mile, driving amidst lush vegetation, and her house came into view. Pippa stared, openmouthed. Luke had said that Claudia’s wealth came from oil, and now she knew it must be true.

  The house was a low, rambling Spanish-style edifice—white walls, red tile roof. For a while it came and went between the trees, but then suddenly the trees cleared and it was before them like a vision.

  Claudia stopped the car, tooting cheerfully, and bringing two men and two women bustling out of the house. “Sonia, Catalina, Ruiz and Alfonso,” she said. “They look after the house and garden.”