"Yes, in a way it is, but it’s a hard, dangerous way to make a living. The romance of the lure of the sea is mostly fantasy. Not many people fish for their livelihood if they have other options."
Catherine just nodded, spending a moment trying to imagine how vast the differences were between her family and Ryan’s, and how ill-equipped her family members would be to live a life of manual labor. For just a moment she let her imagination wander and realized that Ryan’s working-class family would be just as ill-equipped to live a life of leisure. I wonder who would acclimate quicker? she mused.
After a few moments, Caitlin began to stir, indicating her readiness to begin her usual enthusiastic activities. After a brief discussion, they decided to all go down to the pool together rather than heading back to the park, the adults reasoning that they would have much shorter lines after the majority of the families had left for the day.
Caitlin, of course, wore her new Mickey suit, and when they were ready they slogged all of their gear down to the pool. Catherine wore a very becoming straw hat and a plain but very attractive white sundress, appearing to all to be a young mother carrying her adorable baby.
The new Neverland pool had opened earlier in the summer, and it was obviously the place to be on this warm afternoon. The hotel complex held two other pools, but they were both shunned by the patrons who wanted to sample the more elaborate play area.
The irregularly shaped pool area was quite large. A lengthy water slide was tucked into a tall group of boulders, and Jamie rolled her eyes when she realized that her partner would likely be on the slide all afternoon.
They managed to find three lounge chairs in the shade of a grouping of small palm trees planted in giant containers. They had all applied sun block to each other before they left the room, but just to make sure she was protected, Ryan tugged a long sleeved T-shirt onto the baby after allowing the official photographer to snap a few shots of her posing in her new suit. The tot also had on her new yellow hat, giving extra warmth to her already sunny face.
After Caitlin was settled, Ryan handed the baby to her motherin-law so she could remove her own clothing. The sun was behind Ryan’s back, and as she grinned down at Caitlin she pulled off her T-shirt, completely exposing her body to Catherine’s gaze for the first time. She wore her usual suit, which consisted of a tight white sports bra and navy blue high-cut bottoms. But there was nothing usual about the way the suit clung to every curve, highlighting the generous swell of her breasts as well as the graceful curve of her hips.
Catherine tried to avoid staring, but she was not having an easy time of it. After Ryan kicked off her shorts, she stood up tall and began to stretch her arms in a windmill motion, loosening them up before she stressed them. As Catherine stole another glance she was stunned to see that even though the bulk of the sun was obscured by Ryan’s body, the rays radiated around her like a golden aura. Her powerful and remarkably feminine body was displayed beautifully by the gleaming sunlight, and the thought crossed Catherine’s mind that the scene reminded her of the birth of Venus.
The older woman was still staring when Ryan extended her hands and said, "Want me to take her?"
"Huh?" Catherine gaped, not sure of the question.
"Want me to take the baby?" Ryan answered patiently, recognizing the look for exactly what it was.
Catherine extended her arms, blinking slowly as Ryan grinned and took the baby into the pool. Turning to look at her daughter with a totally blank face, Catherine shook her head to clear it. Jamie smiled over and remarked, "Don’t you wonder why I ever let her out of the house?"
Catherine mutely nodded as she looked toward the pool to order her thoughts. But that didn’t help a bit, since Ryan was cavorting in the pool with the baby, displaying her flawless body as she moved about gracefully in the water. Catherine finally managed to get out, "I...I...don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman who looks like that."
Jamie spent a moment looking at Ryan from her mother’s frame of reference. She decided that most of her mother’s friends looked exactly alike. Most of them were small, under 5’6" or so, and all of them were thin. But when Jamie really thought about it, she realized that they were not just thin, they were emaciated. She knew that her mother weighed less than 100 pounds, and she guessed that her friends were the same. Many of them belonged to a gym or had one at home, but even though their bodies were toned, none of them had an ounce of noticeable muscle on them.
"Those muscles," Catherine mumbled. As she said that, it dawned on Jamie that her mother’s gaping had less to do with Ryan’s looks than with her sturdy body.
"Well, part of it is just great genes, but she also has had to look great to have credibility as a personal trainer. I can only assume she’ll get in even better shape by playing volleyball. At least I hope she will," she admitted with a chuckle. "I hate to be so shallow, but that is too valuable a natural resource to waste!"
"I should say so," Catherine agreed weakly, never taking her eyes off the remarkably well-built young woman playing in the pool.
Jamie hopped into the water to join her companion, sidling up to her with a chuckle. "Mother’s mouth is still hanging open, Honey. Maybe you should have worn a T-shirt."
Ryan smiled as she acknowledged, "I saw the look. I’d forgotten that she’d never really seen me before. I guess I’m not the normal Hillsborough matron, huh?"
"No, I think you could safely say that most of her friends don’t resemble you in any way."
"Maybe we should move down there and I’ll set up my personal training business. Your mom could send all of her friends—I’d have a built-in client base."
"Mother is doing great at accepting us, Honey, but let’s not get loony!"
After they had played in the water for a while, Ryan grew too hungry to continue. Catherine called over a waiter and insisted that Ryan order something. She finally relented and got a chocolate malt to tide her over. When it was delivered, Catherine looked at Ryan with envy as she confessed, "I don’t think I’ve had a chocolate malt since I was a child."
Ryan gave her a puzzled glance as she casually inquired, "Why not?"
"Goodness, Ryan, there must be 1000 calories in that!" she laughed, as though that explained everything.
Ryan held up the Styrofoam cup and regarded it carefully. She pursed her lips and shook her head as she said, "No…this one is more like 1500 calories. There was a lot of whipped cream on top that I stirred in."
"That’s more than I consume in a day!" Catherine scoffed. "Much more, as a matter of fact!"
Ryan’s eyes grew wide as she managed to reply, "No wonder you’re just skin and bones! You can’t enjoy life on a starvation diet!"
"But it’s what I’m used to," she insisted, a little defensively.
"That’s probably because your metabolism has slowed down so much. It thinks you’re being starved, and it slows down to conserve resources." She regarded Catherine for a few minutes as she made her offer, "Would you be interested in working out with me? I could help kick your metabolism into gear so you could eat like normal people and help you put some muscle on."
"Is it really necessary to have visible muscles?" she asked tentatively, not wanting to insult either of her companions.
"You don’t need as much as I do since you wouldn’t want to compete in sports, but having muscle really helps as you age. It keeps you much younger looking and helps prevent osteoporosis."
"Okay, Ryan," she said decisively, "you’re on. Where do we start?"
"We start by you helping me drink this malt," she said with a smile as she held the cup out.
Catherine looked reticent but she gamely accepted and took a long swallow. "Oh my God," she moaned as she closed her eyes in pleasure, "I had forgotten how good ice cream could taste."
"Stick with me, Catherine. I’ll reintroduce you to every guilty pleasure you’ve denied yourself," she said confidently as she gave her a one-armed hug.
Boy, will Jim ever throw a fit when he hears t
his, both women thought silently.
Thus refreshed, they resumed their games until the sun was fully behind the hotel and the air began to chill slightly. Even though she was cold, Caitlin had no desire to leave her little paradise. When she began to wail, Ryan wrapped her in a big towel and carried her around the pool to spread the sound out over the entire population. Jamie got up and offered a bottle, but Ryan declined, saying, "I don’t think she’s hungry, and I hate to comfort her only through food. She needs to know that she can get over her heartaches on her own."
After ten solid minutes of screaming Ryan finally realized that she was torturing the child by walking around the pool area—keeping the object of Caitlin’s desire right in front of her. Signaling to Jamie, she left the pool and wandered around, finally happening upon a two-story water feature.
A long, winding set of stairs led to a walkway that was below grade, with a large waterfall breaking all around. The noise was intense, just intense enough that Caitlin’s cries couldn’t be heard by the other guests. Now the baby wanted to be released so that she could get into the waterfall, and Ryan had no doubt that she would do so if she let her. Dear Lord, please don’t make our kids as wild as Caitlin. She just has no fear! Pausing for a minute she had to acknowledge, How do you think Da felt trying to keep control of you, huh?
It took another fifteen minutes of constant wailing for Caitlin to finally cry herself out, and by this time Ryan’s head was throbbing. Her companions had abandoned the pool, and as they passed it, Caitlin let out another few pathetic moans, kicking frantically to be released, but Ryan held firm, knowing that the baby had to learn that sometimes she couldn’t have what she wanted.
Caitlin threw herself at Jamie as the blonde opened the door. The little face was still red and streaked with tears, her breathing still choked from emotion. Jamie gave Ryan a concerned look as the baby turned her face from Ryan, refusing to even look at the traitor. "Boy, she’s really pissed off," she marveled.
"Oh yeah," Ryan agreed. "She’s not on my top ten list at the moment either," she admitted. "Mind if I take a nap? My head’s about to explode."
"Go right ahead, Honey. We’ll watch her." As Ryan trudged into their room, Jamie asked, "Do you have anything you’d like to do for dinner, Honey? We probably need to make reservations."
"No noise, no kids," Ryan decreed, closing the door firmly behind her.
"Well, that should be easy to find at Disneyland," Jamie smiled at her mother. "Any ideas?"
"Of course, Honey. I’m full of ideas."
PART FIVE
"You know," Catherine said as she rocked Caitlin in her arms, "it makes me feel better to see that even Ryan has her moments when the baby is too much for her."
"It hasn’t happened since I’ve known her," Jamie revealed, "but then, we’ve never had her for this long, either. Annie is even more patient than Ryan, and she’s told me that sometimes she wants to put her in her crib and close the door for a few hours. I think this is really good for us," she said reflectively. "I’d been thinking that it might be nice to have a baby next year, but this is making me re-think that."
Catherine’s eyes fluttered closed, and before she could censor herself she said, "Oh, Jamie, please don’t do that."
"Don’t do what, have a child, or wait?" Jamie asked confusedly.
Catherine shook her head briskly, angry with herself for butting into her daughter’s business. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t try to force my opinions on you, Honey."
"No, Mom, I want your opinion. This is important," she urged.
Catherine took a deep breath, trying to decide how much of her feelings to reveal. "I ah…I don’t think it’s wise to have a child so soon, Honey."
"I know it was hard for you, Mom," Jamie acknowledged, " but things will be easier for us. We’ve got a really good support system with Ryan’s family, and I know you’ll be there for us."
Catherine nodded, smiling fondly at her daughter for knowing that she would support her in any way possible. "I’m sure you’re right, Dear. I’m just being silly."
There was a long, uncomfortable silence as Jamie tried to discern the hidden cause of her mother’s concern. She finally turned to her and asked, "You’re not worried about the baby part, are you?" she asked.
The silence continued for a few more moments. "Not entirely," Catherine admitted.
"What is it, Mom? Come on, level with me."
Catherine shook her head, not wanting to be drawn into this discussion. "Jamie, I spoke out of turn. I have my own projections that I’m putting onto you, and it’s not fair. I’m sure you and Ryan will do what’s right for you."
Not buying the brush-off, Jamie persisted. "Why won’t you be honest with me, Mom? I thought we trusted each other?"
She was clearly hurt, and Catherine once again regretted bringing up the subject. "All right, Dear. I uh…I don’t know how to say this delicately, so I’ll just say it." She took a deep breath, and looked down at the baby, seemingly afraid to meet her daughter’s eyes. "You’ve told me that Ryan’s been with a lot of other women."
"Yeah," Jamie said, puzzled at the direction of the conversation.
"I think it might be a good idea to see how she adjusts to monogamy before you decide to have children together."
All at once, it all became clear to Jamie. She knew why her parents treated each other so coolly; she knew why her mother could be gone for months at a time without any qualms; she knew why she never saw her parents kiss or display any physical affection. All of these thoughts flashed in her mind so quickly that her face twitched and contorted as she was bombarded with the images.
Catherine saw the tumult on her daughter’s face and misinterpreted it. "I’m sorry for saying that, Jamie. I certainly don’t think badly of Ryan. I just…I’ve seen so many of my friends…"
Jamie cut her off, looking at her with deep compassion. "When was the first time?" she asked softly.
"The first time?" Catherine asked, not understanding the question.
"When did Daddy start having affairs?" she asked again, making her question plainer.
Catherine blanched, clutching at the neckline of her dress with a shaking hand. "I didn’t say that to imply…," she began, but her determined daughter cut her off again.
"It’s obvious, Mom. I should have seen it years ago. When did it start?" Her voice was quiet but firm, and Catherine could feel the love and support pouring from her daughter, encouraging her to speak the truth.
Strangely, at the last minute she pulled back and said, "Jamie, every marriage has problems, and we’ve had our share. I just don’t think it wise to burden you with them. Please let us have our secrets."
"It’s okay, Mom," she urged. "It’s obvious that Daddy’s been unfaithful. Please tell me."
She was really pleading now, but Catherine held her ground. She knew that Jamie and her father had a difficult road ahead, and she had no intention of making that path any more arduous than it had to be. Jamie could have her suspicions, but Catherine was not going to be the one to confirm them to her daughter. "No, Honey," she said gently. "Both of us have made mistakes in our marriage. We’ve hurt each other deeply. But that doesn’t give me the right to talk about him behind his back. I made a vow that I would honor our relationship, Honey, and talking about things like this is not very honorable."
Jamie nodded, perversely pleased that her mother would not reveal their troubles. She knew in her soul that her father had been unfaithful—she could see it written in the bold emotions that flashed across her mother’s face—but she was filled with new respect for the woman for keeping his secrets. "I won’t ask again," she said softly. Rising from her chair she crouched down in front of her mother and leveled her gaze. "Thank you for never letting me see the trouble you were having. It was awfully nice to grow up in an intact family."
"You’ve always been our first concern, Jamie," Catherine said honestly, wrapping her free arm around her daughter.
"Do you have someone yo
u can confide in, Mom?" she asked softly, not able to bear her mother dealing with her hurts alone.
"$200 an hour buys a very good listener," Catherine joked, some of her normal wry humor returning to her voice.
Ryan emerged from their room at seven, her sleep-creased face and nearly-shut eyes speaking volumes of her very recent awakening. She stood in the doorway scratching her head, looking like she didn’t know what direction to travel in.
"Come here, Love," Jamie urged, patting the cushion next to her. Catherine was sitting on the floor with the baby, both of them intently watching The Little Mermaid on the Disney Channel. Ryan shuffled over to the couch, her feet never leaving the carpet. Folding her long frame onto the available space, she draped her legs over the arm of the sofa, resting her head in Jamie’s lap.
As skillful fingers began to rub her scalp Ryan warned, "I’ll be out in moments if you keep that up."
"That’s fine," Jamie urged. "Go back to sleep, Sweetheart. We’re having dinner delivered. Sleep ‘til it gets here."
Without a word of protest, the broad chest began to rise and fall slowly, closed eyes darting rapidly under long-lashed lids.
A quiet rap on the door caused Ryan’s eyes to pop open a half-hour later. Alert blue orbs scanned the room, fixing everyone’s position as Catherine got up to answer. Ryan sat up as the door opened to a man carrying two large grocery bags.
Turning to her partner, Ryan asked, " ‘Webvan.com’ down here? Without a computer?"
"No, Honey," Jamie said. "We had to do this the old-fashioned way. Via the telephone."
The man set the bags on the table, happily accepting the money that Catherine handed him. He counted it aloud as he moved to the door, turning to give her a pleasant smile as he determined how much his tip was. "Call any time!" he said brightly.
"What was that all about?" Ryan asked, going to the bags to watch Catherine unpack.
"We thought it would be nice to have dinner brought to us," Catherine informed her. "So I asked the concierge for the name of the best grocery store in Orange County. I spoke with the manager of the store, we made the arrangements, he called a cab, and here we are."
Getaway - SF7 Page 10
