by Nancy Hopper
"You know, come to think of it, I still don’t have a clue what that last reveal was all about.” he frowned. “And it had to be bad, to drive her out of hiding and onto television. She's a very private person. You must know more about that, than I do. You did tape the show?”
"Did I tape it?" Jerome scoffed. "I've watched little else but these crazy talk shows, trying to make some sense out of what was going on."
"Play it for me." Tim insisted, pushing his dinner plate away.
His mother started to object, but Jerome silenced her with a look. He got up from the table, and put the tape on, for Tim to watch. Then, he left his son alone, and went back to his dinner.
They could see Tim sitting in the chair in the living room, from their vantage point at the dining table. They saw incredible pain mirrored in his eyes as he watched Tasha go through hell for him on that television show.
The tape started with a clip of Pattie confronting Tasha about Deming, at the restaurant with Rick. Then it went on, to the Norm Nielsen interview.
When it was over, Tim just dropped his head in his hands and silently wept. His heart was broken in two. To hear about what Deming Smith had done to her; to see her talk about her father, about Deming Smith, about Gary, and about him ... for her to share publicly what she truly would rather have died to keep from exposing to a single living soul ... Tim knew that there was no greater proof of her love. He was simply undone.
Jerome held his wife's hand; and as they watched Timothy, they began to understand a little bit more. Precious little, but enough. It was baffling that their fine son, who had always seemed to be so together – so in charge of things, could be in the middle of such messes!
Yet, looking at him, they knew not to interfere. There was nothing they could do. Timothy was in love, and it was obviously not an easy road that he was on. But they knew that they would not have the intimate visit with their son that they had so hoped for. Tim would not likely be 'quite himself', for some time to come.
Finally, he went back to them; and sat silently at the dinner table. He lifted his head, and tried to go on explaining to them.
“And then – to find out she was married to Gary … our Gary,” he specified, “almost broke my heart. They had two of the sweetest little kids you ever saw. They look just like him.” He said, brokenly.
“Then once when I called Tasha, she told me … told me that he spoke of me. Asked her to give me his blessing. Almost as if he knew I was going to come along later, and find her, and …” Tim got up and left the table, before the tears overtook him completely.
His parents looked at one another. "What do you mean, 'our Gary'? Jerome asked skeptically.
Tim shook his head and sighed. "My friend, Gary Taylor. From college? That great guy I brought home on holidays a lot. He helped Tasha get saved, and married her when she was twenty. He died … of cancer, about four years ago."
Tim's mother gasped, and tears began to flow. "No. Oh, no." she objected. “No, no, no!”
"Timmy, we never made that connection. We never knew what happened to Gary, after college. We knew you still kept in touch from time to time, but... "
"Yeah. I know." Tim acknowledged. "Well; I believe with all my heart that God wants me to marry his sweet widow, and raise up those two kids; I'd do it for Gary, even if I didn't love Tasha. But I do. I do, so much."
Tim's parents just searched his eyes, more puzzled and worried than ever.
The next day, Tim slept until about eleven. Then he rousted Dana out of bed. "Come on, take me for a walk around the lake." He insisted. He managed to get her there, and he was careful to be quiet and unobtrusive. She didn't seem to object to him being there, but there wasn't a lot of enthusiasm to speak of, either.
Finally, Tim shoved his hands in his pockets, and shot her a teasing look. "So, why didn't you tell me you were seeing Rick?" he asked gently.
To his relief, Dana shrugged. "He didn't think you'd approve. He said we should keep it to ourselves."
Tim considered it thoughtfully. "Actually, until a short time ago, I probably would have been all right with it. I trusted him implicitly." He admitted.
Tears filled Dana's eyes. "So did I."
Tim sighed. "Punkin', listen. I'm not going to throw any stones. You know, it's not so easy to see the reason to do the right things, when you're head over heels in love. I've had a bit of trouble keeping my own head on straight. Believe me, it's gone south several times, and left me reeling."
Dana shot him a disbelieving look. "You?"
"Me. So while I'm very sorry it happened, I understand a lot more than you might think. Just look at the situation I let Pattie Danniels catch me in. The only thing I'm sorry for, is that people ended up getting hurt. Honey, I can't believe he did this to you."
"Me, either. When you called, Tim, it was like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from."
"Well, you know what? The worst is behind you, now. And even though this may be the last thing you want to hear right now, I guarantee you that you are going to fall in love again, and get married, and have a family of your own."
"I don't know." She denied quickly.
Tim laughed. "I do. No man in his right mind would let you get away from him. Somebody is going to come along who is going to insist that you belong to him. Wait and see."
Dana rolled her eyes. "I don't think I need that."
He laughed at her. "You will. You will, honey. Give it a little time. Just don't be thinking that Rick Snyder was the only man alive. There's a whole bunch of guys with eyes for you."
Dana blushed, and punched Tim in the arm. "Cut it out." She said. She had a smile playing around the corners of her lips.
"Remember Cathy Williams?" he reminded her wryly. "I thought sure she was the only woman I'd ever love. When she dumped me, I thought I was going to die. I was so devastated I was sure I could never even stand to go to bed with another woman. I was certain I'd be going through my whole life, all alone. I probably would have, if God hadn't used Tasha to knock me on my ear. And I can't even imagine how wretched I'd be now, if I'd married Cathy all those years ago." He snorted.
Dana rolled her eyes. "Tim, she never would have dumped you, if you hadn't gotten saved. Nobody's ever done to you what Rick did to me."
"You haven't been on this last roller coaster with me." He argued. "Honey, this girl wanted no part of me. I have been to hell and back."
Dana just gave him a sour, antagonistic look, and set her jaw. "I suppose she didn't want Rick, either."
Tim raised his eyebrows and looked at his feet. "No. No, she didn't want him, either. She didn't want anybody, Dana."
Dana looked him over, as if considering him in a different light for the first time. "So you really think there's some dashing man who can push Rick out of my heart, huh?"
"Only you can push him out of your heart, honey. Don't ever look to another man to do that. It's going to be up to you. I think that what he's done ought to tell you a thing or two about his level of commitment, though. Dana, I wish it weren't so. But, I saw it with my own eyes. I heard him, every word he said."
Dana covered her eyes with a hand. Tim could see that she was trembling. "Tell me what he said to her."
"Honey, what good would that do? It wouldn't make it any easier. I wish I could change it. I wish I didn't have to have this conversation with you. Dana, but it could have been a lot worse. What if you'd married him, and had three kids before you found out he can’t leave other women alone?"
Dana sighed, and wiped away tears. "I know." She admitted. "Believe me, that has occurred to me. Don't worry, Timothy, I'm not going to see him anymore. It just scares me that I trusted him so implicitly, and I didn't even know him."
Tim chewed his lip thoughtfully. "Well, Dana. I guess I didn't really know him, either. You know, it's probably partly the circumstances. Tasha was in a world of distress when I sent Rick up there. She was devastated, and then when Pattie confronted Tasha publicly with the Deming Smith thing, Rick was t
he only one she could talk to about it. You know, the damsel in distress thing just may have been too much for him. It was not your average circumstance. And Tasha? Well, let's just say that she's not your average woman." He shook his head ruefully, and gave his sister a meaningful look. "She drove me straight to my knees in about three days. She took my heart, and I haven't seen it since."
"You weren't engaged to someone else." Dana pointed out bitterly.
"No, and I'm sure glad I wasn't." He admitted ruefully. "Once she got a hold on me, I wouldn't good for anything else. But anyway -- if any woman could tempt a man, believe me, Tasha could. She doesn't do anything she shouldn't do; she's just gorgeous, and sweet, and lovely."
"Tim, how can you be so sure that she didn't let Rick think he had a chance? You guys were not exactly engaged or anything, were you?"
Tim shrugged. "No." He answered carefully. "We weren't. But we had an understanding. Honey, it would take me weeks to explain to you how I can know for sure about her." He took her hand and held it tightly. "But, she's not the kind of woman who comes on to men. I mean, this gorgeous woman lives in a famous ski resort in Salt Lake. All the ski patrol guys drool when she goes by. She's got men that would sell their souls to have a go at her; you can see it in their eyes when they look at her. And yet for over three years, she never went out on a date."
"To get close to her, I just about had to pull out her teeth and hair. And then, I had to hang onto her ears to keep her from shaking me off. She had no intention of ever looking at another man, after her husband died. She had him solidly enthroned and enshrined in her heart, and she worshiped his very memory. She wanted nothing to do with me, or anybody else. She had just shut herself away from the world.”
He grinned. “In the resort town, they called her the Ice Queen. Not unkindly; it's just that all the men have tried, and none of them could get beyond a little bit of unsatisfactory small talk. She wasn't on the market; and she wasn't going to go on, either. They think I’m some kind of god because I conquered the Ice Queen."
He looked at Dana with love in his eyes. "And if I ever had a doubt about her -- which I didn't -- I had to walk into that television studio, and find Rick all over her. He had his arms around her, he was kissing her. She kicked him in the shin! And then, she slapped his face so hard, I wouldn't have been a bit surprised if she'd broken his neck."
Dana just stared at him. He knew it was hard for her to imagine such a scene. It had been hard for him to believe when he'd seen it for himself.
"I really hope that you'll be able to give her a chance, Dana. I can only imagine what this has been like for you; but it really wasn't Tasha's fault. If you have to look to someone, it was my fault. I never should have thrown them together, that way."
"Timmy, tell me what he said to her. I have to know."
Tim looked at her with misery in his eyes. "Don't make me do that, Punkin'. It was hard enough on me."
"Tell me, Tim. It's the only way I can get through it, and be sure. I have to know the truth, so I can be sure I'm making the right decision."
Tim looked at his feet; then looked at her again, regretfully. "He told her that he was crazy about her. He told her that there was no chance that she could be with me, after all the publicity. He begged her to slip away right then, and marry him. He wanted to elope right then and there. When she refused, he tried to convince her that it was all she could do; that she needed him to protect her from the press. That he was her only real choice. When I told him to leave, he asked me to step outside. Tasha had to threaten to call the police, before he'd go. The last thing he said was that … she was worth it."
Dana looked at him with incredulous eyes, and just blinked dazedly. Tim caught her as she swayed. She held onto him, and her eyes filled with tears. Then, she looked away as though she couldn't quite fathom it.
"I'm sorry. It was against my better judgment to tell you."
"No. No, Tim, I really needed to know the truth. It's all right. I wanted to hear it. Now, I know for sure."
Tim took her home, but he was still not sure that she was going to be able to handle it.
They were both dismayed t o see Rick Snyder's truck parked in the driveway of his parents' home. Dana looked up at him with tragic pain in her eyes. "Well, speak of the devil. I'm glad we had that talk today, Tim." she said tightly. "Thank you for telling me the truth. Now I won't be tempted to listen to his lies, anymore."
"Can you deal with it, Dana?" he asked gently.
"Oh, yes. I really just want to get this over with."
"All right." Tim agreed worriedly. "You just let me know if you want him to leave."
"You stay with me, Tim. I don't want to be alone with him." She begged.
Tim just nodded. "Whatever you want." He agreed.
Their mother met them at the front door. "I made him wait in the kitchen. I told him that if you didn't want to see him, he'd have to go right out the back. It's up to you, honey."
"Thanks, Mom. Tim and I will see him together." She said calmly.
Rick came into the living room to find Dana sitting in an armchair, and Tim standing by the fireplace.
"Well. Hello, Tim." Rick said, appearing none too pleased to see him.
“Rick." Tim acknowledged. His eyes were blank, and there was a clear warning indicated by his presence.
"Will you leave us?" he asked Tim very politely.
"No, Rick. I've asked Tim to stay." Dana informed him coolly.
Rick turned angry eyes to Dana. "Dana, why? What has he told you?" he demanded.
"That's not important. What is it that you came to say?" Dana asked, with a quiet strength that surprised Tim.
Rick looked from one to the other, and licked his lips. "You haven't been in the office. You haven't been at your apartment. I was concerned, Dana. I'm sure you must know that Tim and I had an argument, but what has that got to do with us?"
Dana smiled grimly. "If I had been in that television studio, Rick, I believe I would have had an argument with you, too." She answered him.
Rick laughed derisively. "You know, Tim isn't exactly firing all eight cylinders these days, when it comes to that female. There are two sides to every story."
"Let's hear yours." Dana suggested.
Rick shot an uneasy look at Tim. He couldn't read Dana at all, which was disconcerting. She'd always been so devoted. "Sure, Dana. But let's talk alone. I can't bare my heart to you with Conan the Barbarian standing over there. He couldn't possibly understand how we feel."
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way about my brother. That is going to make it a bit rough, because he's the only one who can tell me if you’re being honest. And he’s feeling a little bit protective right now, and I'm feeling like I need that from him. So you're either going to have to deal with both of us, or leave. You see, we Rains are a package deal. When you decided to argue with Tim, you also chose to argue with me. I think you owe my brother an apology, as the first order of business."
Rick rolled his eyes. "Dana, the whole thing got blown way out of proportion. Really. The girl got hysterical, and I was stupid enough to try to comfort her. Tim came in at the wrong time, and he jumped to the wrong conclusion. That's all."
"Can you define 'comfort' for me, Rick?" Dana asked quietly, knowing that Tim was clenching his teeth, to keep still.
Rick looked insulted. "I just hugged her. I suggested that we leave. I kissed her cheek. You know, nothing that would seem inappropriate to a normal person. Tim is, you know, he's very jealous where this girl is concerned, Dana. He just overreacted, that's all. I've forgiven him for it. I know he can't help himself."
Dana saw the muscle along Tim's jaw tighten, and gave him a look. "Rick, did you kiss her?" Dana asked tiredly.
"I don't recall kissing her. Things got very confused when Tim showed up, though." Rick answered defensively.
Dana looked at him sadly. "Rick, I would feel so much better, if you could tell me the truth. Isn't it true that you asked her to marry you?"
<
br /> Rick blushed beet red. "Look, Dana. I have told you things got way out of hand. Way out of proportion! It was just one of those things. I was trying to tell Tim about us! About you and I getting married -- not me and that girl! Come on, Dana! I don't want to marry any girl I barely know! I love you, and nobody else.”
He crossed his arms defensively. "I guess the bottom line is, do you trust me? Or, are you going to believe Tim? He's a lovesick fool with no judgment or perspective! He has to make this my fault, so that his precious little girlfriend won't look bad to the family. Are you going to throw me away, just because Tim misunderstood everything? Because he's upset with me?"
"Tim is my brother. I have trusted him all my life. He’s always been honest, and patient, and kind. To everybody, Rick. If he’s done with you, he has good reason. He has no reason to lie." Dana retorted calmly.
"Sure, he does! He's trying to protect his little sex kitten! Can't you see that she's nothing but a loose, come-on whore? Didn't you see the pictures? Dana, isn't it enough that she's ruined Timothy's ministry? Does she have to tear us apart, too? Look at this thing straight!"
Dana jumped up in alarm, and went to Tim's side. He practically had steam rolling out of his ears. “Rick, that’s enough! Don’t you dare try to make this about her!”
Rick looked at Tim with gleaming eyes, and laughed wickedly. "I feel for you, you poor, stupid sucker." He told him triumphantly. "You're going to spend your whole life trying to keep that little viper out of other men's beds. You think she's so sweet and innocent! Well, let me tell you something, buddy. She's hotter than a six-shooter; and if you're fool enough to marry her, she's going to ruin you again, and again! She came into your room wearing that skimpy little gown, looking to take you down!”
His eyes burned malevolently. "Do you really think you're the only one she came on to, with that routine? She takes whoever she chooses, with her hot little Paris nighties! She confessed to me that she’s been through the beds of a couple dozen high rollers. It's what she does for fun. We ought to be honored by the fact that she went after us, Tim." Rick accused slyly. He laughed wickedly. "And, after all. She's real good, isn't she? Such a tasty little squeeze."
