Decker said, 'She's my daughter... Rina's stepdaughter... not a blood relative.'
Dr Wallace said, 'So you'll watch your pop for me?'
Cindy nodded.
'Come along. Let's go help your mom.' Dr Wallace started her speed-walk. In the distance, Decker heard her ask what the boys' names were. He couldn't hear if they answered her. Either they were too far away or their voices were too weak.
Slowly, Decker lowered himself on to the couch. Marge sat at his right, Cindy at his left. She held his arm and kissed his bicep. Decker turned to her and tried out a smile.
'It'll be okay, Dad,' she said. 'Do you need anything?'
His initial reaction was nothing, but then he gave the matter some thought. 'Princess, would you mind getting me something to eat? I think there's a vending machine with fruit on the first floor. How about an apple and a banana?'
'Got it.' Cindy stood. 'Do you want anything, Marge?'
'An apple sounds great.'
'On the double.'
Cindy did a jog to the elevator. When she was out of sight, Decker slumped back on the couch and closed his eyes.
'Do you want some coffee, Pete?' Marge asked.
'Nothing, thanks.'
'What did the doctor say?'
'It's serious, Margie... I'm scared.'
He swabbed his wet cheeks with his fingers. She hugged his shoulder, but didn't speak. Decker was grateful for the silence.
It wasn't as if she was narcissistic or anything as psychologically disturbed as that. It was just that hers was a body worth looking at. Like admiring a work of art.
Because that was what she was - a work of art.
Stripped down naked, sweat glistening from smooth, bronzed skin, she regarded herself in the mirror. Perfect round, pronounced breasts because of the developed pecs underneath. The just rewards of really hard work. She's gained shape without gaining an ounce of fat. She patted her flat abdomen, did a couple of arm rolls, then ran through a couple of poses - all sleek, defined muscle.
Definitely, she had developed the definition - the cut!
She swiped her damp body with a thick white Turkish towel, then wrapped it around her trunk, eyes never leaving the mirror. Short wisps of downy-fine facial hair ran down her cheek parallel to her ear - peach-fuzz sideburns. It went with the territory. At least it was blond. Good thing, because her colouring was naturally dark.
She undipped her hair and black satin fell to her shoulders.
Exotic. That's what everyone had said about her. She was exotic-looking.
Again she studied her reflection in the silver glass.
In only a year, she had turned from a nothing into a something. From a tall, shapeless form to a Greek sculpture. But she was so much more than just a perfect body. With the discipline had come the control - real
control. Not the artificial kind that comes when the mind is altered by chemicals. Drugs that hide but don't cure. Now she was in control. Her mind was as disciplined as an army general's, as meticulously organized as a dictionary. She was master of her destiny. There was nothing she couldn't conquer, nothing she couldn't overcome.
Best of all, the voices had stopped.
The door opened and closed. In the mirror, she saw him coming at her. This time it was Eric. He was naked, his biceps like veined footballs. He duck-walked to her, his thighs so buffed they had rubbed the inner skin raw.
She didn't bother to turn around, just dropped on all fours.
He stood behind her, then dropped to his knees and slapped her rear.
'Are you ready for it, babe?'
'Ready, willing, and able.'
'You really want it?'
'I really want it.'
'Say it again.'
'I really want it!'
'Say it with convition!' Again, Eric slapped her ass, his leathery hand stinging her hide. 'I want to hear conviction!'
She smiled. She liked Eric. He was gentle.
'I said I really, really want it!'
'Get mean Tandy! I want to hear mean!'
'I really, really want it! Give it to me now, or I'll blow your toes off!'
Eric laughed. 'Blow my toes off?'
'One! At! A! Time!' she yelled. 'Give it to me, Eric!'
'I can't hear you!'
'Give it to me now!'
'Still can't hear you!'
'Give it to me!' she screamed, feeling the heat in her face.
'Still, still can't hear you!'
'GIVE IT TO ME, DAMMIT! GIVE IT TO ME NOW!'
'Atta girl, babe! Now that's conviction!'
She closed her eyes, then held her breath until she felt the quick thrust of the needle in her butt. Slowly, she blew out air, feeling the surge in her body.
In control.
She grinned.
Life was good!
It tasted like wet sand. Decker didn't know if it was the apple itself or his taste buds, but he ate it just to be polite. Cindy was worried about him, so he wanted to exhibit some normal behavior. As if doing routine things might suddenly turn the ordeal into something routine. His daughter and partner watched him chew. He became aware of the workings of his jaw, and it made his teeth hurt. He swallowed dryly and took his daughter's hand.
'Thanks, princess.'
Marge stood. 'You sit. I'll get you some coffee.'
Decker nodded. Passivity was a role he seldom played, but he couldn't summon enough strength to think on his own.
'This is the worst part, Daddy. The waiting.' Cindy hesitated a beat. 'Maybe I should check to see if the baby's been assigned to a nursery yet?'
'That would be great.'
'I'll be back in a minute.'
'Thanks, sweetheart.'
Marge came back with the coffee.
'She's a good kid, your daughter.'
'The best.'
'How was it having her for the summer?'
'Terrific. I think being needed has done wonders for her self-confidence. She's been an enormous help to Rina chese past couple of weeks... drove the boys all around. I'll be sorry to see her leave.'
'How did she like her first year away?'
'She liked Columbia enough to go back. I think she enjoyed herself.'
'The typical college experience, huh?'
'Yeah, complete with bouts of exhilaration and depression - usually one right after the other.'
'Does she have a major?'
'Not yet. But she mentioned something about criminal sciences or whatever they call it back there.'
'Wonder where that came from?'
'As long as it's not direct field work, I'm all for it.'
'Sexist.'
'Parentist. I wouldn't want my boys to be cops, either.' He ran his hand over his face. 'God, this is just hell What's keeping the others? How much blood could Rina possibly need? Maybe I should look for them.'
He started to rise, but Marge pushed him back.
'Don't spin your wheels, Pete. Stay here in case someone has some news for you.'
'I can't believe, this is happening.' Decker's stomach juices were an ocean of nausea. 'What's taking them so goddamn long?'
He bounced up and began to pace. Marge didn't try to stop him. At loose ends herself, she picked up a hospital magazine on parenting and absently flipped through the pages. All these pictures of smiling parents holding their newborn tykes. It made her feel very old and very single. She read an article on infant jaundice, learned more about the liver and bilirubin than she ever wanted to know. She had just about read the periodical cover to cover when Cindy returned, sporting a wide grin. Pete didn't even notice her. Too busy flattening the carpet nap.
'What's up kiddo?' Marge asked. 'God, she's huge!'
Decker stared at Cindy. It took him a moment to realize where he was. 'Who's huge?'
'Your daughter, Daddy. She's at least twice the size of any of the other kids in the nursery. And she's definitely the most alert - eyes wide open. You want to see her?'
'Now that sounds like a good idea,' Marge sai
d.
Decker shook his head. 'I don't want the others to come back and find me gone.'
'So, I'll wait here,' Marge said.
Decker shook his head. 'I just can't... not now. Not... feeling the way I do.'
'I understand, Daddy. I just wanted you to know how great she's doing.'
Decker felt tears in his eyes and rubbed them away. 'Thank you, princess. I appreciate it.'
Cindy stuck her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. 'You want to see her, Marge? She's in nursery J.'
'I think I should wait with your dad.'
'No, go ehead, Marge,' Decker said. 'Tell me she's beautiful.'
'She is beautiful,' Cindy said.
'No, Pete, I'll wait with you,' Marge said. 'Watch you run a track in the carpet.'
'It's better than punching out walls,' Decker said.
'Infinitely,' Marge said.
Cindy tapped her foot. 'Well, if I'm not needed, maybe I'll go back and visit the baby again. If the nurse'll let me
ar her. She's real weird!'
'In what way?' Marge asked.
'Actually, it was sort of my fault. I was so excited to see baby. She's right in the front of the window. I was playing with her, tapping on the glass. Then all of a sudden she started crying - all alone.' Cindy pouted. 'So I went inside the nursery and asked if, like, maybe someone could pick her up. For no reason, the nurse
started screaming at me that she wasn't anyone's personal nanny, and if I didn't leave instantly, I was going to infect all the babies. She made me feel like Typhoid Cindy. I wasn't even near them!'
'Nurses sometimes get a little territorial,' Marge said.
'Yeah, you should have heard her rant when I asked if I could hold my sister. She started interrogating me: just who was I and what was my business with the baby anyway.'
'They have to be cautious, Cindy.'
'Yeah, I know. That's why I figured if Dad came and said I was okay...' Cindy shrugged. 'It's not the right time. I'll just go back and play with her through the window... if Marie doesn't boot me away.'
'Marie's the nurse?'
'Ms Prune Face in white.'
'Ms Prune Face in white?'
Cindy said, 'The nurse who gave me a hard time about holding my sister.'
'What?' Decker said. 'When was this?'
'Just a moment ago.'
'Why'd she give you a hard time?'
'Because she's a weirdo.'
Marge said, 'Cindy went into the nursery without being suited up. The nurse might have overreacted a little.'
'I wasn't in the actual part where the babies were.'
'Cindy, please don't make waves,' Decker said. 'Not now, hon, okay?'
Cindy nodded and kissed her father's cheek. 'You really should see your new daughter, Daddy. She's beautiful -all pink and bundled. And she has a loud, healthy cry. I could hear it through the window.'
'Wonderful,' Marge muttered.
'Keep an eye on her for me,' Decker said. 'Just...'
'I know,' Cindy said. 'I'll keep it muzzled until we're all
back to normal. I can swim with that.'
Magda was carrying an armload of cellophane-wrapped snacks. Sammy was sandwiched between his brother and Stefan, his head resting against the old man's side. Stefan had his arm around Sam's waist. Sam's complexion was pasty; his gait was slow and clumsy. Decker ran over and swooped the boy in his arms.
'Good Lord, what's wrong?'
'I alone gave blood,' Sammy whispered. 'That's because I'm a manly, manly man.'
Decker smiled. Since his bar mitzvah, whenever there was a task requiring some physical strength, Sammy would always volunteer to do it, claiming that now he was a manly man. Decker placed his stepson on the couch.
'If you're Dracula, I already gave at the office,' Sammy said.
'Very funny.' Decker brushed chestnut-colored bands off the boy's forehead. 'What took you so long?'
'They wouldn't let him go for a half-hour,' Stefan said. 'I think they really didn't believe he was seventeen.'
'He isn't seventeen!' Decker heard the raw anxiety in his voice. 'Why'd you let him do it?'
'They had no choice,' Sammy said. 'I insisted.'
'Nu, the boy has a mind of his own,' Stefan said.
'He needs to eat things with sugar, Akiva,' said Magda. 'He don't drink. Tell him to drink.'
Decker propped up his son's head. 'Drink, Sammy.'
'I'm full.'
'Then eat cookie,' Magda insisted.
'It's not kosher,' Sammy pronounced.
'It's made with vegetable shortening—'
'It doesn't have hasgacha.'
Decker said, 'I don't care if it's made out of pig's feet, Sam, eat the damn cookie! Got it?'
'Yes, sir.' Sammy took the cookie and began to nibble on the edge. His face had suddenly regained a smidgen of color and he seemed calm. Decker wondered if his sudden stern command had given the kid a sense that he was in control.
Stefan said, 'We buy a pack of cards. Jake and I play poker. You want me to deal you in a round?'
'No thanks, Stefan,' Decker said.
'Then just we two play.' The old man looked at Jake. 'What do we use for betting, Yonkie? I have box of raisinettes.'
'Raisinettes are fine, Opah,' Jake answered.
Magda said, 'You don't hear anything, Akiva?'
Decker shook his head.
'Where's Cindy?'
'She went to visit the baby,' Marge said.
'The baby's in the nursery?' Magda said.
'Yeah. Would you like me to take you there?'
'That would be nice.'
Marge smiled to herself. Mrs Elias's words came out Tat vood be nice. Her accent, along with the coiffed blue-black hair, heavy gold rings, and expensive clothes, suggested something untouchable. Perhaps under other circumstancs, the woman would be aloof. But now she exuded an unmistakable warmth.
'Let's go,' Marge said.
Magda said, 'You feed Sammy, Akiva. Make sure he drinks.'
Decker said he would, noticing a gleam in his mother-in-law's eyes. She was excited about the baby and that was good. But his moment of relative quiescence was cut short by a figure draped in surgical greens coming through the double doors. The man's step was quick and determined. His feet shuffled against the carpet. He threw his hand behind his neck and undid his mask as he walked. Decker
recognized Dr Hendricks and felt his knees buckle. Marge grabbed his arm.
'Sit down, Pete. It's okay. She's okay. I can see it in his eyes.'
The doctor was close enough to have heard her and seemed surprised by her confidence. 'Yes, she's going to be fine.'
The full report was interrupted by a host of Baruch Hashems and mazel tovs, by hugs and tears and words of encouragement. The doctor waited until the excitement died down and then invited them to sit. The formality of his manner made Decker take note.
'What is it?' he asked.
Hendricks said, 'Rina lost blood and is still heavily sedated—'
'When can I see her?' Decker broke in.
'When she's out of Recovery. But she's going to be there for a while. I'm going to put her in an intensive care unit until I feel she's strong enough and her blood count is elevated. But I'm extremely pleased. She's doing remarkably considering.' Hendricks looked at Sammy. 'Last time I saw you in the flesh, you were six weeks old. I'd say there's been a little growth since then. Maybe not seventeen years' worth...'
Sammy smiled. Hendricks placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. 'You did a great service for your mother. She has an unusual blood type, and yours was as perfect a match as they come. You always hope your kids'll be there for you, and my boy, you sure were. You really should be proud of yourself.'
The boy looked at his lap and nodded gravely. Hendricks smiled at Jake. 'And you've changed a bit, too. Thanks for helping out too, Jacob.'
The younger boy smiled back. Hendricks looked at the dock, then at Mr and Mrs Elias. 'It's almost ten. Visiting
Faye Kellerman - Decker 06 - Grievous Sin Page 3
