In reply to Jake’s query about the kids, Rachel said, “Oh, they’re fine. My wife’s taking them to Florida for spring break.”
“You can’t go?”
“Not with one of my crew out on maternity leave and the other ready to drop any day. That’s okay, though. With the kids out of the house, Rachel gets to play more.”
As the two of them shared a chuckle, out of the corner of her eye, Lilly caught a wig coming off, so she turned her head just far enough to make sure Rachel was decent. And then farther.
“Lilly, meet Ron,” Jake said.
Ron was using a wet wipe to clean off makeup with one hand as he stuck his other over the seat for a handshake.
“Hi, how are you? Hope you don’t mind me changing back here, but I have to be back in male mode before I get home. I haven’t told the kids yet.”
“Ah,” Lilly said, realizing the voice should have been her first clue. After leaving Ron at his BMW, she said, “So that’s who left the underpants behind.”
“Nah, not those big white things. Rachel’s into silky, sexy string bikinis and thongs.”
“And you know this, how?”
“We were in the same fraternity. Ron and I.”
“For transvestites?”
“No!” The shocked look on his face was priceless. “Oh, ha-ha, very funny. And he’s a cross-dresser, not a transvestite.”
“There’s a difference?”
“Sure. Well, maybe it’s a geographical thing, I don’t know. But he says most cross-dressers are heterosexual.”
“Still sounds like a liberal bunch of guys you went to college with.”
“They didn’t know. Man, somebody raided Ron’s dresser once and found all those panties—” He laughed to himself, shaking his head in admiration, absentmindedly rubbing Mooch behind the ears. “He had us all convinced they were trophies. I believed him until I picked up Rachel a few months ago and recognized her. Him. Oh damn, she forgot her watch.”
“You could’ve warned me.”
“And miss the look on your face when you found out I am open-minded?”
“It’s not the same thing. You can see and hear Ron. Or Rachel. Whomever. I want you to open your mind to the possibility of things you can’t see and hear.”
He snorted. “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen.”
———
On Wednesday morning Lilly was tidying the kitchen, already dressed in a slim skirt and tailored blouse, just about ready to leave, when the door flew open. A young woman ran in—had to be a Murdoch sister from the dark hair and navy eyes. She was wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, bouncy pony tail, and an attitude.
“I’m Jodie.” No smile was forthcoming. “I just stopped by for Mom’s Jell-O mold.”
Lilly smiled to herself, understanding Jake’s sisters’ curiosity. He was their baby brother, and every day when one of them touched base via cell phone, she was right there.
Jodie winced. “Or was I supposed to pick up a purse?”
Lilly grinned, glad Jodie was the nervous one. “That’s what Jillian came for.”
“Ooh. Caught.” She didn’t seem upset about it, either, as she brushed her long bangs aside and anchored one fist to her hip. “Well then, I might as well say it. Jake says we can’t give you a hard time, that you didn’t have anything to do with his business folding.”
“That’s right, but—”
“Well. You might not have taken it, but then… you’re still the one who has the money, aren’t you?”
“Look, I understand.” She really did. She’d like to know if Jodie was more open-minded than Jake, so she put on a kettle of water, hoping to defuse the situation and get to know her a little better. “You want to talk about it over a cup of tea?”
“No.”
She set out two mugs anyway. “I know this probably doesn’t mean much because you don’t really know me, but I promise Jake’ll have it all back, every dime, in a few months.”
Jodie cocked her head and studied Lilly, much the same as Jake would. “He shouldn’t have to wait.”
“I know. And if I were you, I’d be just as protective.”
“Hmpf.” Jodie opened a cabinet, borrowed the first bowl she laid her hands on, then banged out of the kitchen, head high.
Out the window over the sink, Lilly watched Jodie gun her pickup truck down the drive and said, “Boy, I wish I had a sister like that.”
Lilly found Jake keyboarding away as if there were no tomorrow. He was in his office, which basically was just a desk and a tall halogen lamp in a corner of the basement.
“Ready when you are,” she said.
The man could type like there was no tomorrow. “Hey, good news. I’m online with Gary right now, in Silicon Valley. He used to work for me.”
“Something important?”
“Something big, don’t know when I’ll be done.”
No “Do you mind?”
No “Take the car and go without me.”
In fact, no more attention whatsoever. Already, he was off in another world. Lilly understood how important it was to him to pay off the family loan to the Marquettes. Her mission wouldn’t be any worse off for waiting a few hours.
The robotic vacuum was rolling its way through the first level of the house, so Lilly moved the schefflera to a better light situation and shook off its dead leaves. Jake’s robot didn’t just do a random pattern, it also zeroed in on debris.
She lined up a new insurance agent by phone and made sure that project was under way. When the debt was paid, Jake’s sisters would forgive her. Maybe they’d even think of her fondly when they held her son.
An hour flew by with other calls, setting her schedule for another week to come, researching more programs. There were so many, and they weren’t getting any help with her stuck at home all day, so she looked in on Jake again to see if he had reached a stopping point.
“Hey, Jake…”
He said, “Mm,” but she knew it was automatic, and he didn’t really hear her.
“I need your keys.”
When he unsnapped them from his belt and handed them over without question or complaint, she knew he was somewhere far, far away. She could leave with the taxi—her appointments were in familiar areas of the county—but he wouldn’t like it.
“Jake!” He finally looked up at her and blinked, so she pointed at the monitor and asked, “What’s so interesting?”
“Oh, uh, I’m waiting for Gary to do his thing, and while I’m waiting on him, I thought, since we were talking yesterday about believing in things we can’t see, I’d knock out a program.”
“For?” It was a cue for him to finish the thought, which he did. But she didn’t like the answer.
“For analyzing the data from the multimeter next time I hook it up to your bracelet.”
“Nuh-uh. Those zaps hurt. That last one in the kitchen? It’s the very last one I ever expect to get, thank you very much.”
“It’s the only way you’ll convince me.”
“Hm.” She might have to reconsider. “Wavelengths and stuff?”
He shrugged, meaning whatever, so she didn’t have to suffer through the long version. He also did a double take and snatched his keys back, then tugged her fingers to his lips and kissed them tenderly—if a bit absently in a cute, professorial sort of way.
Within seconds, he was back on the computer and totally oblivious when Lilly leaned close and said, “Unless you know the wavelength of an angel, it won’t work.”
Around midnight, Jake realized the entire day had flown by. Gary reported that he’d schmoozed his way through the party all right. In fact he’d been in the right place at the right time, and upon hearing raves over Jake’s automated home system, had bulldozed his way right past handing out business cards to setting up appointments for the following week.
With luck, the online marathon would result in upgrades that would knock the socks off even the most jaded Silicon Valley techies, the ones who thought they were alrea
dy ahead of the curve. Ha! If they only knew.
With luck, he could be back in business within the month.
Was it too soon to propose to Lilly? He loved her, even if he didn’t always understand her. He wanted her with him this time. He’d wanted her last time, too, but this time she was his to ask. Big difference.
Lilly by his side, the opportunity to make big bucks and pay off his debts just around the corner—yes sir, things were looking up.
He didn’t remember eating, but there was a paper plate in front of him, so Lilly must have managed something. He was hungry now, but he’d agreed to a two-hour break so he and Gary could catch some z’s, not eat. Sustenance could come later.
He found Lilly in bed, or he should say all over the bed. She was sprawled diagonally across the queen-sized mattress, leaving no room for him. Not that that would stop him. He stripped off his clothes, picked the largest empty spot he could find, and eased right in, dragging her bodily up alongside him until they both fit. By then she was awake, and he didn’t get his two hours.
Nor did he mind.
When Lilly awoke to an empty bed on Thursday, she donned one of Jake’s business shirts, buttoned two buttons, and headed straight for the basement. As expected, she found him online, clicking away on the keyboard.
“Gary again?”
“Big. Really big. If I move to the Bay Area, will you go with me?”
“Just try leaving without me.”
“Great.” The clicking never even slowed.
“You want breakfast?”
He grunted, which probably would tick off most women, but he’d spent so much time driving her around, doing what she needed to do, that she didn’t begrudge him his time now.
With the long shirttails skimming her thighs, Lilly darted around the kitchen, setting out bacon, eggs, and butter. Jake never seemed to hate cooking. Maybe she should give it a go—just this once. Otherwise they were going to starve, because she didn’t know any places nearby that delivered breakfast.
She preheated the Foreman for the bacon while she did what she enjoyed in a kitchen, setting out plates and utensils and cups and everything else two starving people needed. She managed to close a drawer on a finger, which slowed her down quite a bit because the excessive pain— counterpoint to the extreme pleasures she got from food and sex—necessitated a few minutes of icing.
“Well, goodmornin’, sugar.”
She whirled around to find Susannah standing just inside the back door, grinning at Lilly’s partially buttoned shirt with approval.
“I know it’s warmed up a bit, but you’ll still catch a chill dressed like that.”
Lilly’s fingers flew upward, poking buttons through what she hoped were corresponding holes. “I, uh, wasn’t expecting anyone.”
“Yes, I see that. Oh, don’t mind me, hon. I’m just dropping off some mail that was left in my box by mistake.”
“Excuse me,” Lilly said. “I’ll go put some clothes on.”
“Oh now, don’t you bother. I’ve known Jake since the day he was born, and it does this old woman a world of good to see that his heart’s finally healed. I was worried about him, don’t you know? All broken up after Angie walked out. This was before you married Brady, so I don’t suppose you knew her. Sweet girl, that one. Poor as a church mouse. Misguided notions of love, but her intentions were good, I suppose.”
It was none of Lilly’s business, really. She shouldn’t ask.
“Why’d she leave him?”
“Well, she felt she had to, I guess. She probably thought it was only fair, though if she had asked any one of us, we would have told her better. Oh my, Jake was a wreck after she left. Drinking and staying out all night. Why, sometimes he wouldn’t come home for days on end. His poor mother didn’t know what to do with him. Even his father was at a loss, and you’d think men would know about what other men go through at a time like that, wouldn’t you?”
“But—”
“Brady Marquette was your husband, wasn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t have much nice to say about that family. But if it hadn’t been for Brady, I’m not sure Jake would be here today. I think the drinking would have done him in before too long. Drying him out and sending him to the West Coast was the best thing for him, and then—Oh my, listen to me going on and you standing there missing your husband. Well, sugar, I guess one way to look at it is that Brady saved Jake’s life—for you.” She looked rather pleased at that rosy conclusion.
“Susannah…”
“Yes, sugar?”
“Why did Angie leave Jake?”
“Why, don’t you know?”
Struck mute, Lilly shook her head, somehow knowing this was going to change her life.
Saddened, Susannah sank into a chair, as if the weight of the world were upon her in having to break this to Jake’s new love. “In her mind, I think she felt she didn’t have much choice in the matter. Oh, we didn’t know this at the time, you see, but Angie’s mother ran into the Murdochs later, and she told them. Angie thought leaving sooner would be easier on Jake than later—so he would remember her the way she was.”
“Susannah—”
“You see, she knew she was dying.”
18
Betsy, if you’re there, pick up.”
Cell phone in hand, Lilly sped along county streets in Jake’s taxi. To hell with her appointments. She was no longer interested in Christian Women for Emergency Relief or a program to promote diversity awareness. She’d thrown on jeans and an old T-shirt, and forgotten to comb her hair. So what?
Taking back streets, feeling as if she were driving a big yellow target, she nervously avoided traffic in hopes that nothing bad would happen to the taxi. Geez, give her an airplane over a car any day.
She hadn’t asked for the keys; didn’t have to this time. She’d found them on Jake’s dresser. So now she was a car thief. If John recalled her today, would she get into heaven?
Who the hell cares?
She had more important matters troubling her. More important than wondering what that gross crunch was on the mat beneath her sandals. More important than Mooch curled up on the passenger seat, twitching his tail, blinking at her in a very feline message to deal with it, both the crunch and her messed-up life.
So… Angie had left Jake, and he’d gone off the deep end. He loved her now. When it was time for her to die, whether today or tomorrow or in a few months, it’d hit him just as hard, maybe more so. She was afraid he’d self-destruct all over again. This time Brady wouldn’t be around to rescue him. If he survived physically, he’d be twice-burned. Other women might regard him as high risk, or he might be afraid to commit himself ever again, either of which meant he’d never have the kids he so deserved.
Did she have nine months left to prepare him, to break down his system of nonbelief in anything, to show him that there was a world beyond what he could analyze? Or merely a few days?
She needed to know, needed to prepare for the inevitable, but there was one factor she couldn’t work her mind around. Was she pregnant yet? How much time did she have?
If she was, should she leave now so she wouldn’t fuel Jake’s love with her presence day after day, every day? But leaving was what Angie had done, and look where that had gotten him. Damned if she did, damned if she didn’t.
If she wasn’t, she couldn’t leave him yet, because John would rescind her earthly privileges and she’d die again right away, and Jake—the stubborn, opinionated, close-minded jackass—so wasn’t ready.
Knowing whether she was pregnant would clue her in to her next step. When the time came, she’d have to give Jake the only safety valve she had any control over. She’d have to make him leave her.
In the drugstore, she circumvented the feminine aisle twice. One of the ladies from her tennis club was there. Lilly didn’t need tongues to start wagging over why she was looking at home pregnancy tests just months after burying her husband. News like that would end up on
her mother’s doorstep, even in Death Valley.
She speed dialed Betsy again. “Pick up, it’s an emergency.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m standing here in the store looking at about a dozen pregnancy tests. Which one do I buy?”
“Are you late?”
“How would I know?”
“Oh yeah, I forgot. Well, could you have gotten pregnant in the last week?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s a waste of money.”
“What?” She whined without shame. “Why?”
“Well, someone forgot their high school biology.”
“You’re assuming I learned it in the first place.”
“And you and Brady never…”
“I always thought when the time was right, it’d happen.”
Betsy sighed, but she also took pity on her. “Okay, listen up, here goes. Unless they have quicker tests than I know about, it takes a week for a fertilized egg to reach your uterus, and then your body starts producing whatever it is that the test detects. Not before. So you could be pregnant and still get a negative.”
“Shit, I’m screwed.”
Betsy chuckled. “So I gathered.”
Lilly groaned, wondering whether to hang up on her best friend. “Hold on, I’ve got another call. Jake’s probably wondering where his taxi is.” She clicked over, eager to hear him, as always, in spite of the fact that he’d undoubtedly read her the riot act. “Hello?”
“Lilly, dear.”
“Donna,” she said without a hint of warmth. She’d rather get yelled at.
“Have you decided to come home yet?”
Lilly snickered. “Get real.”
“In light of the situation, we feel it’s our responsibility to protect your assets.”
“Well, it’s not. Forget it.”
Lilly started to click back to Betsy, until Donna said, “So we’re taking steps,” which made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning we’ll put pressure on Jake until you come home.”
“Tell you what, Donna.” Lilly took a moment, as if really putting thought into a compromise. “I’ll come home on my birthday.”
A Date on Cloud Nine Page 22
