The Bad Son (Suddenly a Parent)
Page 14
His eyes narrowed. “Did Liz call you?” Beau thought it strange that Caleb would show up out of the blue.
Caleb frowned. “No. Should she…?” Caleb zeroed in on his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He didn’t feel like talking, not even to Caleb.
Caleb removed his hat and took a seat. “Really? You look a little peaked. Are you ill?”
Beau sighed. “What are you doing here?”
“Had a deposition of a witness in Dallas this morning, so I stopped by Mom and Dad’s for a visit on the way home. They said they haven’t seen you in a while and they’re worried. What’s going on?”
“I’ve been busy and I wished everyone would stop worrying about me. I’m a grown man—I do not require constant supervision.”
“Whoa. That bad, huh?”
“Go home, Caleb.”
Caleb made a church steeple with his fingers, eyeing Beau. “Let’s go over to the park and throw some hoops.”
“I’m busy.”
“Mmm. You can either come or I’m going to sit here and bug the crap out of you. Your choice.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
“Get in the mood.” Caleb stood. “Remember when I was a kid and something bad would happen and I’d clam up?”
“Yeah. You kept everything inside.”
“And you’re doing that now.”
“Go home, Caleb.”
“You’re a firm believer in talking. There were times, like when Josie was engaged to someone else, when you made me talk and all I wanted to do was smack you in the face.”
“So?” Beau knew exactly were this was leading.
Caleb placed his palms on the desk and leaned in close. “We’re going to shoot some hoops and you’re going to talk or I’m going to smack you. Either way I’m not leaving you here looking as if you’ve lost everything that matters to you.”
Ten minutes later Beau found himself sitting on the asphalt looking up at the basketball hoop. The park wasn’t far from where they grew up and they’d come here many times as kids to play.
“You know, Caleb,” Beau said, staring at the hoop, “we need a ball to shoot hoops.”
“Yeah.” Caleb grinned. “Minor detail, but I’ve taken care of it.”
Beau didn’t ask how. He really didn’t care.
“The park seems the same, doesn’t it?” Caleb mused.
Beau looked around. The basketball and tennis courts were the same, except there was new asphalt. The pool house farther to the right had been completely redone, as had the baseball field that could be seen through the trees. The park benches and swings seemed untouched.
“A part of our childhood,” he murmured. “I can’t remember all the times I had to come and get you because you weren’t supposed to be in the park after dark.”
“Yeah, then we’d shoot some hoops before going home to a home-cooked meal.”
“Mmm. We had a good life,” Beau said, feeling some of the tension in him easing.
“Even if Joe McCain was our father.”
Beau glanced at his brother. “Because we’re survivors.”
“Yeah.” Caleb nodded. “So what’s wrong?”
Beau removed his tie and jacket, laying them beside him. He stared at his cowboy boots. Caleb got him to wearing the boots and he liked them. They were comfortable. Some days he wore suits to work, but most of the time he wore jeans, shirt and tie, boots and a jacket, like today. He brushed a speck of dust from the toes.
“Do you think I’m bad?”
“What?”
“Joe called me the bad son. I think about that a lot.”
He could feel Caleb’s eyes on him. “If there was a book with people’s names in it, beside Beau McCain would be the word good—good to the core.” Caleb paused. “Why would you even think that?”
“Because sometimes I feel bad.” He swallowed hard. “Macy and I are over—for good this time.” There, he’d said it out loud and it hurt just like he knew it would. “I want to go to her and shake her and when I have those feelings I…”
“Beau, that’s because you’re hurt. You would never hurt Macy or anyone, and I speak from experience. I gave you plenty of opportunities as a kid. Not once have you ever hit me in anger. We horsed around a lot.”
“Yeah.” Beau felt more tension ease inside him. “I don’t know why I’m feeling this way.”
“Because you’re Beau, trying to make life better for everyone.”
“But I can’t seem to do that for myself.”
There was silence for a moment.
“What happened with Macy?” Caleb finally asked.
Beau told him about Macy’s baby and all the heartache.
“Damn. I never knew she had a child, but I remember her sister dying. I must have been around five or six. I remember Mom helping all she could and I remember Macy crying and crying.”
“The sister had a heart defect just like Macy’s daughter. It’s genetic and Macy blames herself for the death of her daughter. She had to watch her die and evidently the baby suffered.”
“And now Macy won’t allow herself to love again?”
“That’s about it. I tried to tell her that I don’t need kids, but she can’t seem to hear me.”
“When Macy and I were kids, she always made me play dolls before we could play cops and robbers or race cars. She’d put dresses on her dogs, too. She always wanted lots of kids.”
“Yeah.” Beau gazed at a mother pushing a stroller to the swing set. Another little boy was already on the swings. “You and Macy played together a lot as kids,” he said. “I’m surprised you didn’t fall for each other.”
“Nah. Macy and I were always friends. The chemistry wasn’t there.”
“Funny how that works.”
“Mmm. I though Josie would fall for Eli since he was the Ranger who rescued her, but she said she never saw Eli in that way. And boy, am I grateful.”
Beau smiled, but it didn’t reach his heart. It seemed to be frozen.
After a moment, Caleb said, “I’m sorry, Beau. For you and Macy.”
“I know, and thanks for dragging me…” His voice trailed away as he saw Jake’s truck pull up to the curb. He got out with a basketball in his hand. He now knew how Caleb had taken care of the ball problem. His gaze swung to Caleb. “Reinforcements, huh?”
Caleb only grinned.
Jake bounced the ball to Beau. “Get off your asses, little brothers. Let’s play ball.”
Beau caught the ball and leaped to his feet, the quick movement releasing the rest of the pent-up tension. Caleb removed his hat, gun and badge. Jake sailed his hat into the grass and caught the ball as Beau threw it to him. He jumped and made a basket. They shuffled around the court, laughed and tried to outdo each other.
Beau leaped and made a basket.
“Damn, Beau. You’ve been practicing?”
Beau swung around to see Eli and Tuck standing there. Caleb had called all the brothers. They must have been in the area to have gotten here so quickly.
“And you’ve beefed up,” Eli added, removing his hat and gun, as did Tuck. Beau threw him the ball and Eli jumped and made a three-pointer.
Beau caught the rebound and bounced the ball. “You think you’re the only one who can do that? Watch.” He turned, sending the ball sailing through the hoop. “Bam. Three points,” he yelled. “Oh, yeah.”
They horsed around until they all had trouble breathing and their feet ached from playing in their cowboy boots. Sinking to the asphalt they sat in a circle. Beau told them the story he’d told Caleb, and it felt good to talk.
“That’s rough,” Jake said. “Having kids, I can see her point of view.”
Beau wiped sweat from his forehead. “I can, too. I just wished she’d believe me when I say I don’t need kids.”
There was a long pause.
“Are you sure about that?” Jake asked.
“Yes. I’m sure. Without Macy, I don’t have much of a life.”
“I’m forty-two and I’ve given it more time than I care to remember.”
“Then start dating other women. It will give you a different perspective.” Eli thought for a minute. “And I have the perfect woman. There’s a sister who spends entirely too much time at my house. Ask Grace out. She’s an attorney. You’re an attorney, so you have a lot in common.”
“Now why would you inflict cruel and unusual punishment on him?” Tuck asked.
They all laughed.
“I like Grace,” Beau said. “But I’m just not ready.” And he didn’t know if he ever would be. That was the problem.
The sun sank slowly in the western sky, blanketing the park in a yellow glow. Sitting there with his brothers around him Beau knew he was going to be okay. He was a survivor, as he’d told Caleb, and he had great family support. He’d survive Macy. He just wasn’t sure how yet.
MACY’S DAYS PASSED in a steady blur. She kept busy. The trip to Houston went very well. Zoë was doing better every day and Macy wanted to share the news with Beau, but refrained from calling him. She thought about him constantly. She probably would never be able to stop that. She’d adjust.
Zoë had gained two pounds and was taking her bottle without a problem. Macy’s thoughts were now on going back to work. She hadn’t heard from her mother so she assumed she wasn’t coming for a visit. Mrs. Pruett was all set to care for Zoë at night.
She’d hoped to have heard from Delia by now. But there’d been no word—not even a postcard. As the days stretched on, Macy wondered if she planned to come back at all.
The doorbell rang and she went to answer it. Zoë was awake and staring transfixed at the mobile in the playpen. She yanked open the door and her mouth fell open. Her mother stood there with her husband—a mother she hardly recognized.
In tight stretch capris, a halter top and high heel shoes, Irene’s reddish-blonde hair was piled atop her head and long earrings dangled from her ears.
“Mom?”
“It’s me. Hi, sugar.”
Sugar? Her mother never called her sugar.
Irene hugged her in a cloud of expensive perfume. She waved a hand filled with rings and a dangly bracelet. “You remember Perry.”
“Yes,” she replied in a daze. “How are you?”
“Super peachy.” Perry winked. With blond hair, blue eyes, bulging muscles and a killer tan he reminded her of a pampered trainer somewhere on the California coast.
Perry set down a suitcase and Macy wondered if they planned to stay with her. Having her mother and her boy toy in the upstairs bedroom was not appealing.
“Where’s that baby?” Irene asked, and Macy noticed she didn’t say grandbaby.
Zoë was in plain sight so she didn’t think she needed to point her out.
“There she is.” Her mother gazed at Zoë. “My, my, Macy. She looks just like you did as a baby.”
“You think so?”
“Yes. Definitely.”
“I really must be going,” Perry said.
“Oh, darlin’.” Her mother tottered over and wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll miss you.”
“If you need to go, Mom, I have a neighbor who will watch Zoë.”
“No, sugar. I’m staying. You’ve had to deal with this all alone. I can help for a couple of days.” She kissed Perry. “Perry’s going to visit his brother in Fort Worth.” Wiping lipstick from his mouth, Irene added, “You be good now.”
After Perry left, her mother kicked off her shoes and removed her jewelry.
Macy watched this stranger who was her mother. “Who are you?”
Irene flopped onto the sofa. “Don’t be silly. I’m your mother.”
“Not the mother I remember. She wore loose-fitting slacks and blouses and hardly any makeup or jewelry. Now you have your body on display and your breasts are about to kiss sunshine.”
“I’m young and happy.”
“You’re fifty-five years old.”
Irene got up. “I don’t want to argue with you. I want to hold this gorgeous baby.”
Macy let it go, knowing Ted had hurt Irene terribly. If Perry made her happy then Macy would keep her mouth shut. She just hated her mother looking like a tramp.
As they were getting ready for bed, Macy realized that she hadn’t spent any time alone with her mother in years. With Zoë asleep in her crib, they sat on the sofa drinking tea. Macy noticed her mother putting something in hers and she didn’t pry. But the last time she’d visited her mother she saw that she was drinking more than usual. Staying young came at a price.
“Have you heard from Delia?” Irene asked.
“No. Have you?”
Irene shook her head. “I thought she would have come back by now.”
“Me, too.”
Irene took a swallow of the tea. “Who knows what goes through her mind? I certainly never did.”
“You and Dad argued a lot about Delia.”
“Oh, yeah. He wanted to discipline her and I wouldn’t let him.”
“Why?”
“It’s hard to explain. Discipline never seemed to help. Delia just needed to stay on her meds.” Irene took the clip out of her hair and ran her fingers through it. Macy noticed there was no gray and the red was brighter.
She brought her thoughts back to what Irene had said. Macy had certainly heard that before. “I saw Dad.”
Irene’s head jerked toward her. “Really? How is he with the new Mrs. Randall?”
“He looks lean and fit.” It was the truth.
Irene took a big gulp of tea. “He was always a good-looking man.”
“Yeah,” Macy agreed. “We talked some and he said he wasn’t having an affair with Nina when he left.”
“And you believed him?”
Macy looked directly at her. “Yes.”
Irene turned away.
“Mom, what happened to end your marriage? I was already out of college and working so I don’t know all the details.”
Irene walked into the kitchen to refill her glass. “It happened so long ago and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” With the glass in her hand, she came back. “I’m a little tired after the long drive. Think I’ll have an early night.”
“I’m staying up. I’ll sleep some in the morning so I can get back into my routine of working nights.”
“If you’re asleep, I’ll take care of Zoë.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Irene took a couple of steps and stopped. “Where’s Beau?”
“What?”
“Beau. He was helping you with Zoë. Where is he?”
“He’s not helping me anymore.”
“Why?”
Macy picked up the remote control and realized her hand was shaking. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
Irene shrugged and went to bed.
Where was Beau? She didn’t have a clue. She hadn’t seen him in days, not even a glimpse. She missed him more than she thought possible. Why was this so hard? She kept telling herself that she’d done the right thing, but deep inside the pain was about to kill her.
How much more could she take?
CHAPTER TWELVE
MACY SLEPT UNTIL NOON, and Irene and Zoë were getting to know each other. Lucky and Lefty stayed in her room, wary of the new visitor.
She dressed and took the dogs for a walk. Freckles lay on the step waiting for them. When she returned, her mother had lunch waiting. It was nice to be pampered, but she noticed her mother ate very little.
“How about ice cream for dessert?” she asked. “I have rocky road and pecan praline.”
“Please! It goes straight to my hips. At my age I have to watch what I eat.”
“Why? You’ve never been overweight.”
“I have a very young husband and if I want to keep him, I have to watch my diet and stay in shape.”
Macy watched her mother for a moment. “Why did you marry Perry?”
“For the sex.”
Macy gasped and couldn’t stop the stain that colored her cheeks. She didn’t expect her mother to be so honest or blunt.
“And of course the companionship. It’s hell being alone.”
She regained her composure. “But you have nothing in common. He rebuilds motors and is into motorcycle racing. You have a degree in business and worked in a bank for a number of years.”
“That’s what makes the relationship exciting. He’s good to me and we have fun. He makes me feel young.”
She kept watching her mother and noticed the lines on her face weren’t so pronounced. Had she had something done? “Your face looks different.”
“BOTOX, sugar.”
“I never realized that getting older bothered you so much.”
“It didn’t until your father walked out, then I felt like a used-up hag.”
“Mom.”
Irene carried dishes to the sink. “Don’t lecture me. I should be lecturing you. Where’s Beau? You two were inseparable.”
The doorbell rang, preventing her from answering. She opened the door to a man she’d never seen before.
“Macy Randall,” he asked.
“Yes.”
He handed her some papers and quickly left.
“Who was that?” her mother called.
“I don’t know.” She ripped open the envelope and scanned the document. “Oh, no.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a court order for a DNA test on Zoë.”
“What?”
“That’s what it says.”
Her mother came to look over her shoulder. “That’s odd. Who wants the test done?”
Macy read the names and they meant nothing to her. “Clifford and Myrna Wallston.”
“Do you have any idea who they might be?”
“No, but evidently someone who thinks they’re related to Zoë.” She thought for a minute. “Caleb was doing some investigating and found Delia was involved with a married man. This must be him and his wife. No. Wait. I thought Beau said he was killed or murdered or something. I wish I could remember his name.”
“Call Beau. He can tell you how to deal with this.”
She whirled around. “I’m not calling Beau.”
“Macy, don’t be stubborn. He can help.”