A Marriage of Convenience

by Doreen Owens Malek

  "Hi, kid," he said, unsmiling, wiping his forehead with the back of his arm.

  "How long have you been out here?" Sharon asked.

  "Oh, an hour or so. I thought I'd make myself useful, kill some time before the big event. How are things inside?"

  "Loud."

  He nodded.“When's the wedding?''

  "Two o'clock."

  "Who's coming?"

  Sharon shrugged. "I really don't know. Some local people, friends of theirs, I guess."

  He didn't look pleased at the prospect. In fact, neither of the men in the house seemed particularly delighted by the proceedings.

  "Sharon, are you coming in for breakfast?" her father called from the doorway.

  Sharon looked at Tay. "What about you?" she said.

  “Not hungry,'' he answered, which, based on his behavior the previous night, she would have bet was a lie. Sharon turned and went back into the house.

  Rosa had arrived while Sharon was outside. She was a beautiful dark skinned woman in her late thirties, with waist-length hair. She nodded at Sharon when they were introduced and went back to cooking breakfast.

  Sharon joined Rae and her father at the table. They discussed the upcoming nuptials with varying degrees of enthusiasm throughout the meal, and by the time Sharon got up to put her plate in the sink, Tay was gone.

  He did not reappear for the rest of the morning, and around noon his mother started looking worried. Sharon went to her room to get ready. The tradespeople had all left and the house was curiously quiet, the calm before the storm. Sharon removed her dress from the closet and hung it on the back of the door. She examined herself in the cheval mirror, studying her shoulder length dark blonde hair, wide blue eyes and the slim legs revealed by her short robe. What did people see when they looked at her? A kid, Tay said, but was that really true? She sensed that this summer would forge a bridge between childhood and womanhood, and she felt poised on the brink of a new life.

  She made up carefully and donned the expensive dress her mother never would have approved—a strapless pale blue sheath with a cap sleeved bolero jacket. With the jacket, it was quite proper, without—the possibilities for impropriety seemed endless. She'd managed to keep the dress a secret because her mother had been pretending that the wedding wasn't happening, so inquiries about her daughter's attire for the event were inappropriate. Sharon added a pair of white sandals, pearls at her ears and throat, and she was ready.

  Some of the guests were arriving and Sharon's father introduced her to a few of them. When there was a lull in the conversation, he took her aside and whispered, "Honey, see if you can locate Tay. We're almost ready to do this thing and Rae can't find him."

  Sharon nodded, slipping out the back door as soon as she had a chance. Rosa, standing at the kitchen counter, glanced after her as she left.

  Cars were lining up on the driveway and the bustle of activity was increasing. Sharon bypassed it, going straight to the bunkhouse, which was empty. Tay's duffel bag was dumped on the floor, its contents spilling out, and the cot was rumpled. A razor in a mug was perched on one edge of the white porcelain sink in the tiny bathroom, and a damp towel was draped over the other. An empty hanger dangled from the doorknob, and the split paper bands from a dress shirt were scattered in the trash can. He must have dressed in his suit and vanished.

  Sharon strolled around the grounds a bit more, but Tay was nowhere to be found. Time was passing, and she went back to the house, signaling her father by shaking her head. He closed his eyes briefly, disengaged himself from a conversation, took Sharon's arm and ushered her out the door again.

  "I knew he would do something like this," Dan muttered. "We have to find him, Rae will be devastated if he doesn't stand up for us."

  They widened the circle of exploration, proceeding down the back path to the staff houses and the horse stalls. They encountered nothing but empty space until Dan unbarred the door of the last stable.

  Tay was sprawled in the hay, fully dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt and maroon figured tie. His eyes were closed.

  "Is he asleep?" Sharon asked anxiously, lifting her dress carefully out of the way and kneeling next to the inert man on the straw.

  "He's drunk," Sharon's father replied, pushing Tay to a sitting position and slapping his cheeks. A half empty bottle of bourbon rolled out from under him, dribbling dark liquid into the straw.

  "Why?" Sharon asked.

  Her father sighed. "I'm not sure, honey, but I can guess. He loved his dad a lot. He joined the army to get away when his father finally died after a long illness. Now, I don't think he can face his mother marrying someone else." He shook the younger man briskly, and Tay mumbled, his eyelids fluttering.

  "But he came here for the wedding,” Sharon protested. "And he likes you, I can tell."

  "He's trying, Sharon," Dan replied. "I know he wants his mother to be happy, but he's been through such a lot. I guess this was just a little too much for him." Dan propped Tay against the wall of the stall and his head lolled.

  "What has he been through?" Sharon asked, awed by the compassionate tone in her usually gruff father's voice.

  Dan glanced at her as if to determine whether she could handle the information he was about to impart.

  "He was in a prisoner-of-war camp in North Vietnam," Dan said flatly. "He was only a kid, a little older than you. I'm telling you this to help you understand, but I don't want you to mention it to him or anyone else, have you got that?"

  "Yes," Sharon murmured, swallowing. "But how could he think that doing this would help?" she inquired after a thoughtful pause.

  "He isn't thinking, baby, he's in a lot of pain. And not just about this wedding. Don't be fooled by that smart aleck exterior." He shook Tay again, and this time Tay came around, coughing and blinking.

  In the next instant Tay was on his feet and Dan was flung to the floor. Sharon jumped back, shocked, as Tay grabbed her, his eyes wild. She would never forget the strength of his grip, the expression on his face, as he struggled back to full consciousness.

  He released her the instant he realized what he was doing.

  "I'm sorry," he gasped in confusion. "I didn't mean to do that. Did I hurt you?"

  His hair was disheveled, littered with bits of hay, and his eyes were bloodshot. He had whiskey stains on his shirt and tie.

  Sharon shook her head, rubbing her bare arms where Tay's fingers had bruised the flesh.

  Her father struggled to his feet. He took Tay by the shoulders and said, "Take it easy, son. You're safe, among friends. We've got to get you straightened out before your mother sees you, okay?"

  Tay passed a shaking hand over his forehead and nodded dumbly. His eyes returned to Sharon and dropped. He walked unsteadily to the rough hewn wall a short distance away and stood with one hand flat against it, his head bent, silent.

  "Is he all right?" Sharon asked in an undertone.

  Her father nodded. "I think so. But if he's like that drunk, I'd hate to see the damage he could do when he's sober." He pushed back the sleeve of his jacket and glanced at his watch.

  "You go back, Dad," Sharon said quickly, making a decision. "They'll be looking for you, the minister will be here any minute. I'll take care of Tay. I'll get him together and we'll both be there on time."

  Dan looked relieved for a split second before his expression changed to concern. "Are you sure you can handle him?" he asked, looking worriedly from one young person to the other.

  "We'll be fine," Sharon said, kissing his cheek hurriedly. "Just help me get him to the bunkhouse and you can go ahead."

  They got on either side of Tay and walked him back to his cabin. Dan shoved Tay into the bathroom, and Sharon heard some thumping noises while her father got him undressed and into the shower. After a minute Dan emerged, looking slightly rumpled but pleased.

  "He's coming out of it, the cold water's doing the trick," Dan reported. "There's a hot plate in the corner and some instant coffee in the cabinet. Make hi
m a strong cup and help him get ready when he comes out. His suit is all right, but I'll have to send over a shirt and tie with Rosa. The shirt won't fit right but I don't think he has another one."

  "I'll look," Sharon said.

  "Good. Honey, thanks a lot. I'll see you back at the house." Her father fled, and Sharon emptied Tay's duffel bag on the floor. As predicted, it contained nothing but jeans and T-shirts. She was heating water for coffee when the bathroom door opened and Tay emerged, surrounded by a cloud of steam.

  “How are you feeling?'' Sharon asked.

  He thumbed his damp hair back from his face. "Foolish," he said shortly. He had a white towel wrapped around his hips. The thatch of dark hair on his chest narrowed into a line that disappeared beneath the terry cloth. His bare feet left wet footprints on the wooden floor.

  "I'm making you some coffee," Sharon said.

  "Thanks." He sat on the edge of the cot and put his head in his hands. He looked so defeated and alone that her heart went out to him.

  Sharon walked over and sat next to him. After a moment she put a tentative hand on his shoulder. His flesh was cool on the surface from the water, but warm underneath.

  He looked up, his dark lashes still tangled and wet from the shower.

  "I don't think I can face this," he whispered. The naked vulnerability in his expression took her by surprise; he seemed like a person who would keep such feelings to himself. But she had seen too much in the past hour to be fooled by false bravado and perhaps he knew that.

  "Yes, you can," she said quietly.

  "You really know your father's gone when you see your mother marrying somebody else," he muttered.

  "You miss him a lot, don't you?"

  He didn't answer.

  "I think I know how you're feeling," she said.

  He studied her intently. "You do?"

  She nodded. "It's hard for me to see my father marrying again, too. My parents never got along, but their divorce was still painful for me. Kids always have this fantasy of happy parents, happy family, you know? I guess I always hoped, in the back of my mind, that they would get back together and things would be different." She stopped and concluded, "It's hard for me to face this, too."

  He sighed brokenly, his gaze focused on the floor.

  "Let me bring you that coffee," Sharon said quickly, rising to get it. She handed him the cup and he downed half of it in one swallow.

  "You're pretty grown up for a little girl," he observed, looking at her.

  Sharon didn't reply.

  "I'm sorry you had to see this," he went on, shaking his head. "Sometimes I just can't seem to..." His voice trailed off into silence.

  "It's all right," Sharon said reassuringly. "Nobody knows but my father and me."

  "I'm such a jerk," he said, closing his eyes. "I really didn't want to ruin this for my mother."

  "You won't," Sharon said firmly. "There's still time. Now get dressed and we'll go."

  He nodded, swallowing the rest of the coffee, and rose, grabbing underwear and socks from the pile of clothes on the floor. He went back into the bathroom and emerged seconds later wearing his suit pants with the jacket over his arm.

  "No shirt," he announced grimly.

  As if in answer, a knock came at the door. Sharon opened it to admit Rosa, who took in the scene at a glance and raised her eyes heavenward.

  "Mr. Philips said to give you this," she declaimed, handing Sharon a folded shirt and tie.

  "Thank you," Sharon said, taking the bundle. She looked back at Tay. "Rosa, this is just…I mean, we're..."

  "I don't want to hear," Rosa said, holding up her hand and turning to pull the door closed behind her.

  "Smart woman," Tay said dryly. He took the shirt and slipped into it, buttoning it hastily. It hung on his slim frame and the collar was too big. He stuffed the loose folds into his pants and knotted the tie tightly under the collar.

  "How do I look?" he asked, putting on his jacket and turning to face Sharon.

  "Very handsome,'' She said truthfully.

  He came to her and took her face between his hands, kissing the tip of her nose briefly.

  "You're a sweet girl," he said. "A liar, but a sweet girl."

  She smiled at him.

  "Now let's get a move on before Rae sends out the National Guard," he said briskly.

  They ran back to the main house and entered just as the minister was arriving,

  "There you are!" Rae said as they walked into the living room. Her forced smile became genuine when she saw her son. She took his boutonniere from a box on the coffee table and fastened it to his lapel.

  "Look at you, your hair's still wet," she said, brushing back a lock of it as she stepped away from him.

  "Everything looks great," Tay said. The whole room was banked with flowers, the dining table ablaze with candles and loaded with food. The well dressed guests were milling about, drinks in hand.

  "It sure does," Sharon seconded. "And so do you." Rae was wearing a pale pink drop-waist shift with a chiffon skirt. She had several clusters of tiny tea roses in her hair.

  "Would you like a drink?" Rae said to her son.

  Tay looked at Sharon, who glanced away.

  "No, thanks," Tay said.

  "And you are so lovely in that dress," Rae said, turning to Sharon. "Let me see, where's your bouquet?" She located it and handed Sharon an arrangement of irises and carnations. "Blue and white, as requested."

  "Thank you."

  "Doesn't she look like a picture in that outfit?" Rae asked Tay.

  "She sure does," he said and walked away.

  The two women looked at each other.

  "Don't mind him," Rae said brightly. "He's just nervous. You'd think he was getting married."

  Sharon's father appeared, looking stressed, and said, "Come on, Rae, let's get this show on the road. Dr. Henley is getting antsy."

  Everyone assembled in the living room. The ceremony was mercifully short, and Tay said the right things at the right time. Afterward, during the flurry of congratulations, Tay sidled up to Sharon in the dining room and said, "We made it."

  "Yes, we did," she agreed, smiling.

  "Thanks to you," he added. "That's twice you took care of me in two days. Are you a ministering angel in disguise?"

  "Maybe," Sharon said mysteriously.

  "Then it's a bad disguise," Tay said, popping a Swedish meatball into his mouth. "You look too much like an angel in it."

  Charmed into silence, Sharon didn't know what to say. Before she could reply he was talking to somebody else.

  "How'd I do?" Sharon's father asked behind her.

  "You're a star," she said, kissing him.

  A friend of Dan's came over to be introduced, and by the time Sharon looked around for Tay, all that was visible was his back disappearing through the front door.

  He was following a young woman in a red dress.

  "Daddy?" Sharon said.

  Her father turned. "What, honey?"

  "Who was that girl in the red dress? She was standing next to the fireplace during the ceremony."

  "Oh, that was Josh Randall's daughter. He runs the local feed supply house. She works in the office."

  Sharon watched for the rest of the afternoon, but Tay did not return. Her father and Rae went to bed around midnight, after everyone had gone home, and Sharon did the same a few minutes later.

  She slept fitfully and awoke just before dawn.

  Tay's truck was still gone.

  For the next couple of weeks Sharon saw Tay around the ranch but rarely spoke to him. He would wink or gesture to her when he saw her, but his days were occupied with working under her father's supervision and he took his meals elsewhere.

  At night he would vanish. Rae said to her friends on the phone that she'd had reports he was patronizing the local bars and honky-tonks, an expression that Sharon had previously heard only in the movies. And on weekends, he would disappear from Friday evening until Monday morning.

&nbs
p; Sharon heard her father telling Rae to leave Tay alone, not to interfere, and her stepmother seemed to be taking that advice.

  Sharon's birthday came at the end of the month. Dan and Rae had a horse show in the afternoon, but they were planning to return to take Sharon out to dinner in the evening. They had made a reservation in a fancy Los Angeles restaurant and Sharon was planning to wear her blue dress.

  Sans jacket.

  She had been working on her tan, spending her afternoons by the pool. Her hair had lightened a shade and her skin had a healthy glow. Her father had remarked jokingly that it was a shame there were no suitable young men around to appreciate her California transformation.

  Sharon agreed.

  She was polishing her nails when the phone rang on the afternoon of her birthday.

  "Hello," Sharon said, picking up the receiver. It was Rosa's day off and anyway, she couldn't get used to having a housekeeper answer the phone.

  "Hi, sweetie, it's Rae. Listen, this auction is running much later than we thought it would, and the horse your father is waiting for is scheduled last. We're not going to make it back to take you out for dinner."

  "That's okay," Sharon said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

  "But I called Tay at the bunkhouse, and he's going to take you. I hope you don't mind."

  Sharon hesitated. That was certainly a switch.

  "God knows how I managed to find him, he's never there," Rae went on. "I already called the restaurant and changed the reservation from three to two people. It's for eight o'clock, so I told Tay you'd better leave by seven- thirty."

  "Fine," Sharon answered. What else could she say?

  "Thanks for being so understanding, sweetie, we'll make it up to you. Your father has something for you when we get home. Happy birthday and have a good time."

  "I will," Sharon said, hanging up. The prospect of spending an evening with Tay was a little unnerving. She tried to picture him in the ambience of the continental restaurant Rae had selected and couldn't do it.

  She went into the bathroom, turned on the taps in the tub and turned them off again when she remembered that she was supposed to call her mother. That esteemed lady would not phone her daughter, since she had no desire to converse with either her ex-husband or his new wife, and either one might answer the phone. So Sharon had the standing duty of calling her mother twice a week (on Dan's tab) to report in to the provost marshal.