Saving Toby

by Suzanne McKenna Link

  Her eyes opened wider. “Oh! Take her some place nice.”

  “I was thinking that café place on Main Street,” I said.

  “That’s a good place. Oh, Marie mentioned there’s going to be a concert in the park that night. You should look into it,” she added. “Try to make a good impression—wear something nice. No jeans and absolutely no tee shirts.” She wagged her finger at me. “And bring her some flowers. She likes flowers.”

  I laughed. “Have you been stockpiling tips in hopes we’d hit it off?”

  “I got the impression, quite early on, that you liked our Claudia. I only hoped she felt the same.”

  What could I say? I couldn’t hide anything from her.

  When I didn’t respond, Julia tilted her head. “Well, look at you! You’re speechless,” she giggled. “You must like her a lot.”

  My neck felt prickly, and I tugged at my shirt collar.

  “I don’t know where this is going to go. I’m probably in over my head.” I played with the spoon next to my mug, suddenly not able to be still. “I have to go over and meet her father before I take her out Saturday. More than likely, I’ll mess that up.”

  Julia’s lips tightened. Claudia had said he’d been to see her. For a tense moment, I wondered if Mr. Chiametti had said something to her, but then, I realized she was worried about me meeting him, too. My mother knew this wasn’t going to be easy for me.

  “Mr. Chiametti is a stern man, but only because he wants the best for Claudia. You’ll be fine. Remember, be polite. Shake his hand. Call him sir.”

  “He’s going to hate me. I mean, I’m not bringing much to the table. She’s the one who has it all together,” I unleashed my biggest fear to Julia. “I’m not sure I can pull this off.”

  “Toby, you can do this, and you will,” she said firmly, and she touched my face. “Life is throwing you an opportunity with a special young lady. You need to reach out and grab onto it, with both hands.” Leaning back, she pointed a finger at me. “That said, you treat her like a lady and be respectful. Then her father will see what a good boy you are.” She beamed, and her voice softened. “No. He’ll see the good man you are.”

  I was amazed at her faith. I shook my head and got up to stack the breakfast dishes.

  “Thanks, Ma,” I said and smiled. “But I am not going to her house carrying flowers.”

  “Alright,” she said. “How about balloons or candy?”

  I raised my eyebrows at her. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “What?” she asked. “Is that frowned upon these days?”

  “In this century, all we bring on a date is a cell phone, credit card, and condoms.”

  “Tobias Michael Faye! You’re not too old to be spanked.”

  I couldn’t breathe I was laughing so hard. She swatted my leg, and though it didn’t hurt, I said, “Ouch,” just to satisfy her.

  “Behave yourself,” she warned, but her stern face kept slipping. A smile lay underneath.

  “Yes, Mother,” I said leaning over to give her a hug. She touched my hair and pressed her head against mine.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  Closing my eyes, I nodded. “I know.”

  Releasing her, I brought the dishes to the sink. Julia was being all pushy about this date. She only got like that when she really wanted something for me. I didn’t usually talk to Julia about girls; I could see she really wanted Claudia and me to work out.

  So did I.

  To break the tension, I said, “I’m going to try to do something with the hedges out in front of the house. They look bad.”

  Her face brightened.

  I pulled out the hedge trimmer and some yard tools and thought about meeting Claudia’s father for the first time.

  Part of me wished Claudia was like other girls who didn’t need to have me meet their parents. She was different, so principled about stuff. Strange, but I kind of liked that about her.

  Talk about principled! Still a virgin. Christ, I’d been dreaming of getting into a body tangle with her for half my twenty-one years. No need for Trojans on our dates. At least for now. But, I was sure of one thing: I would be her first. Until then, there were many other, interesting things we could do.

  As I trimmed the hedges, I imagined how happy Claudia would be when she saw it. Then, I laughed at myself. All for a girl. It was as if she had punched holes in my world, and all the bad stuff that had happened and the crap that I’d done in the past were being filtered out. I already felt different. I was on a new path. Maybe she was what I’d been searching for—the piece that would finally make it all come together for me.

  17. Claudia

  Now that classes were over and I’d had the last of my final exams on Friday, I could give my attention to other things.

  Like what I was going to wear on my date out with Toby.

  I planned a post exam celebratory shopping expedition with April.

  It had been a long, stressful week, but thankfully Mrs. Faye had been doing well and had been fine with me taking both Monday and Wednesday off to study. She said she was feeling so good, in fact, I could take Friday afternoon after my exams, too.

  April and I drove up to the Smithhaven Mall, on the north shore. As we browsed outfits for me to wear Saturday night, I brought her up-to-date on my college drama.

  “I found several other colleges with my gerontology major, but deciphering financial aid requirements is mind-boggling. Apparently, while I live as a dependant, I’m not eligible for much. My parents’ income bracket puts me out of any need-based funding.” I scanned a rack of brightly colored dresses. “Basically, if I want to go away to finish my degree, I either have to declare myself an independent or cough up a load of dough.”

  “Sorry, fresh out of loads of dough,” April said, and held up a red-sequined mini dress.

  “Trashy,” I shook my head.

  “I don’t think it’s that bad.” April shrugged and put it back on the rack.

  “So, I don’t have much other choice than to stay put. I just hope my father and I can come to some sort of agreement. He has to back off.”

  “Chica, some dads have a hard time letting their little girls grow up. Insist on some compromises. You can totally handle another two years with your dad,” she said very simply and nodded towards the back of the store. “Come on. I have a bunch of dresses for you to try on.”

  I followed her into the fitting rooms. As I tried on the assortment of outfits, she commented on them—that’s okay, I like the neckline on that one, but the color is yuck… until I put on a fitted, chocolate halter-dress.

  Her eyes lit up, and she shouted, “That’s the one!”

  Pulled taut, the bodice hugged my curves and was gathered underneath the bust line, held in place by a large wood ring embellishment.

  April stood next to me and looked at my reflection in the mirror. “It’s so flirty and sexy. And, look at the girls, up high and proud,” she gushed. The way the halter top was fashioned, it pushed everything up while at the same time the low-cut neckline allowed a generous amount of cleavage to show.

  “I love this dress,” I said, turning this way and that to admire it from different angles. The free-flowing skirt ended just above the knee and gently swished back and forth with my movement. The soft cotton mix caressed my legs. It was a simple summer dress I was sure most girls wouldn’t worry about wearing. But it was not my typical style.

  Doubts began to creep in. “I can’t buy it.”

  “You have to! Toby won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.” For April the decision was made.

  “It’s his hands I’m more concerned with,” I sighed, and unhooked the strap from behind my neck. “It’s too sexy for a first date.”

  “Wear the dress. It’ll be a good way to gauge how Toby feels about you.” April pushed my hands away to refasten the strap. “If no matter what you say, he’s all hands, you drop him in a hot minute. But if he looks at you and you can see all the nasty, delicious th
ings he wants to do to you in his eyes, and he’s able to keep his hands to himself, it means he’s a keeper.”

  “You mean, if I choose to keep him,” I added.

  “You got that right,” she smiled.

  “Who would have thought one little dress could wield so much power?” I laughed. I admired my reflection once more. “As much as I like this dress, I’m afraid I’ll feel self-conscious all night. And my dad, he’ll hate it.”

  “Wait a sec,” April said and left the dressing room. She came back moments later with a silkscreen scarf in several shades of cream and taupe and wrapped it around my neck. She arranged it over my exposed cleavage, making the outfit tastefully modest.

  “After the lickfest the other night, I can’t guarantee your safety once you remove it, but your father shouldn’t have any complaints.”

  When I got home, I hung my new dress where I could see it from my bed. I was nervous, but I hoped to show Dad that despite what he knew about people’s history, it didn’t necessarily predict their destiny. That regardless of what happened with his father and his brother, Toby was not going to end up like them.

  I wanted Dad to see Toby as I saw him: funny and kind. The good Faye.

  * * *

  My father was doing paperwork in his office when I got home from my normal Saturday shift at Sterling.

  Over the course of the day, I reflected that USC, or any away-college for that matter, might be beyond reach, but I still needed to assert my independence in other ways. Tonight it would be about what I did with my time and who I dated, but after this, there were other areas of contention I would get to, all in good time.

  I charged right in.

  “Dad, I’m going out with someone tonight, and I asked him to come over to meet you.”

  Prior to this, we’d barely spoken. I twiddled my thumbs, waiting for him to respond.

  He put down his pen and leaned back in his seat as if he were preparing himself for bad news.

  “So I’m finally going to meet the younger Faye kid?”

  “How’d you know?”

  “It’s a reasonable conclusion considering how much time you’ve been spending at that house.” He shuffled through some papers before looking back up at me. “With your attitude lately, I suppose I should be grateful that you’re telling me about this at all.”

  “It’s been a tough few days with all my finals. I just want to have a fun night out. Will you meet him?”

  “By all means. I look forward to it,” Dad commented, suspiciously upbeat.

  I had to get ready, so there was no time to hash out whether or not he really meant it. Given my father’s obvious disdain for any male Faye, and Toby’s aversion to anything police related, as much as I tried, I couldn’t imagine the two getting along.

  I finished my makeup and hair, strategically adjusted the scarf the way April had done in the store. When I heard Toby’s Jeep pull up out front, I rushed downstairs to answer the door before he rang the doorbell. I wanted to greet him before my dad got at him.

  “So this is what casa de Chiametti looks like. Nice place,” he said, glancing around the spacious front room and modern kitchen. “I opted out of a bulletproof vest, but I hope I look presentable enough to meet the old man.”

  He was dressed in a pair of stylish black slacks and a soft short-sleeved, white collared shirt that set off his tan and contrasted with his blue-grey eyes. Almost clean-shaven, his facial hair was trimmed down to a goatee that outlined his mouth. The look was very appealing and the shave cream lingered on his skin.

  God, he smelled great.

  “Whether he’s impressed or not, I approve,” I touched his smooth cheek. It felt like silk.

  “You like?” Toby pressed his hand over mine and smiled. “I went to the barber, got a shave and everything. Just for you.”

  We eyed each other. A flutter rippled through my stomach. He leaned forward to kiss me, but then we heard footsteps. Toby popped his head up. He stepped back just before Dad sauntered in looking like a gunslinger out of a western movie. I noticed him appraise my dress, and I was glad for the scarf.

  His scrutiny shifted to Toby as I introduced them.

  Toby shook my father’s hand. I glanced from one to the other nervously assessing them. My father, with his disciplined, military background and police training, stood ramrod straight while Toby stood with a casual stance, his hands pushed deep into his pants pockets. As his gaze slipped to the floor, I realized how uncomfortable he must be.

  Dad said, “Before I let you take my daughter out tonight, I’d like to speak to you, alone in my office.”

  “Dad, no.”

  “If he wants to take you out, he’ll spend a couple of minutes with me,” Dad told me, sternly, before turning to Toby. “Alright?”

  Toby nodded and followed my father. I watched, helpless and uneasy as the door shut behind them.

  I waited several minutes, drumming my fingers nervously on the counter. The door finally opened, and Toby came out followed by my father. He smiled tightly as he came to my side.

  “Ready?” he asked quietly.

  I nodded and picked up my bag, prepared to leave.

  “One last thing, Toby.” Dad’s words stopped us. “I see you’re driving a Jeep. My daughter is in a dress. Perhaps it would be best to take her car tonight.”

  “I’m fine,” I started to say.

  “The car will be easier for you,” Toby said calmly, agreeing with my father.

  “Okay, fine.” I pulled out my keys.

  My father seemed satisfied. “You two have a nice time tonight and not too late.”

  Toby nodded, and I kissed my father’s cheek before we left the house.

  “I didn’t know he was going to do that,” I said, as we made our way to my reliable silver Camry. The weather was warm and muggy, but being outside was still a relief.

  “Can I still drive?” Toby asked. I handed him my car keys, and he walked to the passenger door to open it for me. I paused, and he just shook his head. “That was a first.”

  “Was it bad?” I hesitated before getting in the car, trying to get a read on his mood.

  “No, it was great. We had a few beers, a couple of laughs. He’s quite the joker.”

  “Yeah, right.” With a huff, I slid into the seat. He shut the door and went around to the driver’s seat. He had to adjust everything, the seat, mirrors and steering wheel to fit his long legs.

  “Seriously, what did he say?”

  “He asked me if I was involved in that attack,” he said, navigating his way out of my neighborhood. Worry was etched in his grimace, and I searched his profile for some kind of clue of what he was thinking.

  “And you’re not,” I said carefully. “But you know something about it. I see how it upsets you. You know, my dad could actually help with something like that.”

  He braked for the traffic light to turn left on Main Street and shook his head. “Your dad would help me right into a pair of handcuffs.”

  “Come on, my father isn’t that bad.”

  “Maybe, but he’s not a fan of mine,” Toby said, his tone markedly cool. “But then again, we never expected him to be.”

  I lived so close to town, it was only a few moments before Toby pulled my car into a parking spot along Main Street. He got out and came around to my door. I swiveled in my seat, showing a little more leg than I’d intended.

  A wolf whistle pierced the air. Toby and I both turned to see, about thirty feet away, Devlin and Ray staring at us.

  With his hands cupped around his mouth, Devlin yelled, “Hey, beautiful, why don’t you come over here and let me show you what a real man has to offer?” He grabbed himself between the legs.

  I cringed. “He’s disgusting.”

  Toby’s face tightened, and his nostrils flared. Putting his back to me, he subtly arched his shoulders as if he were preparing to do battle.

  Before the situation spiraled out of control, I lurched forward, grabbed his hand, and pulled
hard. Toby snapped around and squinted at me, his whole stance emanating menace.

  “If you respond to that, this date is over,” I warned.

  I saw the conflict play out on his face. Quickly looking for a way to pull him back, I fingered the knot on my scarf.

  “And, I’m really insulted.” Taking a breath, I slowly pulled the scarf off. “I bought this dress for our date, and you haven’t even mentioned it.”

  His eyes darted down at my cleavage, and the moment became so charged, I don’t think either of us drew a breath. He sagged against my car, the tension visibly leaving him. Slowly, he turned his attention back to me, and I made myself stay still as he openly admired the generous allotment of skin the dress left exposed.

  “Whoa,” he murmured.

  Reaching for my hand, the corners of his mouth tipped up. “I’m sorry. You look absolutely smoking hot in that dress, and there’s not a chance this date is ending before it’s actually started.”

  Exactly the response I wanted. I caught him throw one last glance over his shoulder before he put an arm around my waist and drew me towards the restaurant.

  18. Toby

  I took Claudia to dinner at Café Raphael. It was the same restaurant that I took Julia to on her birthday each year. My mother liked the old world decor, that the wait staff wore matching black vests over crisp white shirts, and that they piped in soft, classical music overhead. It was one of the better, more upscale places on Main Street. I liked it because, though it was nice, it wasn’t too stuffy, and the food was great.

  Claudia sat across the candlelit table from me looking killer in a dress that showed off a whole lot more than I’d ever seen of her. She blushed when I hurried the busboy away from the table. He’d been eyeing her as he refilled our water glasses for the twentieth time. I just wanted to be alone with her, but once we were, it was a struggle to keep my own eyes from drifting downwards.

  “I’m sorry,” I apologized again. “I can’t believe I didn’t tell you at the house how amazing you look.”

  “You were nervous about meeting my dad. I understand,” she said.