The Champagne Sisterhood

by Chris Keniston

  “What were you thinking?” she growled in Mark’s direction.

  Marcia burrowed into the crook of Anna’s neck and stuck her finger in her mouth. Judge Taylor stepped back behind closed doors, and Mark gawked silently at Anna and the baby.

  “Well, say something,” she snapped.

  “He was following the advice of legal counsel,” Sid spoke up, and good thing too, because Mark couldn’t seem to unglue his tongue from the roof of his mouth. Sid looked at the Prescotts and their attorney. “But I think we’ve made a point for the better guardian.”

  “It’s okay, precious.” Amanda smiled and held her arms out toward the little girl.

  Howard placed his hand on his wife’s arm and lowered it. “Later, dear. It won’t be long now.”

  The woman nodded. Her smile didn’t falter. Without another

  word, she and Howard turned and walked away.

  “We’ll be in touch.” Charles Emerson gave a curt nod and followed his clients.

  Mark turned to Sid. “Thanks. I think we’d better get out of here while the getting is good.” Placing a hand at the small of each woman’s back, he guided them away. “Let’s go, ladies.”

  Rushing to keep pace with Mark’s long stride, Anna still carried the little girl in her arms. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

  “As far away from here as I can get.” The second they stepped outside the doors, Mark took a long deep breath.

  “I’m sorry if I made things worse,” Anna apologized. “All I saw was that woman holding Marcia and the pained look on her little face. It reminded me of how she looked at me the first time I tried to hold her.”

  “And thank God she didn’t do it again.”

  “What?” Anna looked down at the snuggling baby and almost lost her footing on the steps. “Oh, my God.”

  “I know. About time she came around to her mama’s way of thinking.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Thank you, God. Anna cradled the quiet baby against her breast. Mark held the car door open. She hated to let go. She set the baby into the car seat, strapped her in, gave Marcia her favorite inchworm to gnaw on, and settled into the front seat.

  Kat kept her eyes on the baby. “Wait till we tell Erin. I don’t understand it, but the kid has great timing.”

  Mark nodded. “Whatever it is, I’m not questioning it. I’m just glad she picked today and not tomorrow to trust Anna.”

  “As much as I agree it’s a good thing for Marcia to like her guardian, I’m more excited that the judge saw her raising hell with the old bat and snuggling up to Anna. That has to be an ace in our favor.”

  Mark kept his eyes on the traffic. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  “Why not?” Anna asked.

  “I think when Sid is done mounting his evidence, we’ll win hands down.” He stole a glance in her direction. “What we need to do now is get something to eat. Then I’ll leave Marcia in your capable hands and get some time in at work. I’ve played hooky too much already.”

  “I say we make lunch special.” Kat rubbed her hands together. “Someplace fun. Celebrate Miss Preston’s change of heart. I wonder how old she’ll have to be before we can introduce her to green champagne?”

  “Twenty one,” Anna and Mark chorused.

  Kat flopped back against the seat, shaking her head. “Kill joys.”

  Burger Barn had to be a child’s dream come true and every parent’s nightmare. Children ran back and forth chanting what sounded frighteningly like battle cries and wielding french fries or other assorted finger foods like army flags.

  Like ants at a picnic, the little soldiers were everywhere. Mark, Kat and Anna seemed to be the only group with more adults than children.

  “So this is what I have to look forward to?” Anna looked up at the clear plastic tube ten feet in the air that sprawled the distance from one end of the play-yard to the other. Nose to butt, like a string of horses on a trail ride, children crawled through the narrow space on all fours. “Are you sure she likes it here?”

  “There’s a little ball pit for tiny tots. She loves it. Wait till you see her giggling away. It’ll melt your heart.” Mark pointed in the direction of a bright yellow structure to her left.

  “Hmm. We’ll have to see.” Absolutely nothing about the small net covered pit filled with large plastic balls of yellow red and blue reassured her.

  To her amazement, when they’d arrived at the Burger Barn and Mark pulled Marcia out of the car seat, she’d thrown her arms at Anna. Now she sat happily on Anna’s lap gumming a french fry, staring up at her from time to time, batting her big blue eyes and turning Anna’s aching heart into a puddle of warm goo.

  “What do you think changed her mind?” Kat picked at her chicken strips.

  “I have absolutely no idea.” Anna leaned over and kissed the top of Marcia’s head. Her short dark hair felt smooth as satin against her lips. How she wished Babs could be here.

  Breaking off another small piece of cheeseburger, Anna waited for Marcia to finish with her fry and held the morsel up to her. “I can’t believe she’s eaten so much. The burger’s almost all gone and half the fries.”

  “She’ll probably be like Babs. The metabolism of a small city. Eat anything she wants and still look great.” Kat bit off another piece of chicken.

  Marcia pushed Anna’s hand away and turned her head toward the ball pit.

  “Had enough, huh?”

  “I think she’s ready for some fun. Kids learn from their elders. I hear her aunt knows how to have a good time.” Kat raised a single brow.

  A broad grin bloomed on Anna’s face. “I’m not ready for the toddler escapades of Marcia Preston.”

  As though telling her aunt otherwise, Marcia squirmed, kicking her legs, doing her best to wiggle off Anna’s lap.

  “Either way, she’s ready to rock and roll.”

  With some reluctance, Anna placed Marcia inside the ball-filled tent. “You’re sure this is safe?” She looked over her shoulder at Mark, not quite willing to release her hold on the little girl who finally had let her get close.

  “Positive. She’ll get buried from time to time, but when she pops back up she’ll be giggling so hard it’ll be worth the wait.” Mark flipped his wrist and glanced at his watch.

  Anna took a deep breath and let the small child slide into the pit. Marcia sank like a lead baby. After a few seconds of tasting absolute terror at the thought of a smothered child, Anna relaxed when Marcia popped back up giggling loudly.

  If she was afraid to let the kid enjoy a small pit filled with plastic balls, how the heck was she supposed to teach the kid to be fearless? Oh Babs, are you sure about this?

  “You’re kidding?” Anna fumbled with the keys to the front door, balancing Marcia on one hip and the phone in her ear.

  “The final nail in the coffin,” Liz said proudly.

  “I can’t believe it.” Dropping her keys in her pocketbook, she plopped in the nearest chair and put the baby down on the floor. Kat sat across from her, listening intently.

  “Yup. I guess skimming from your own father isn’t the brightest of ideas when your big brother is a hot shot CPA.”

  “Apparently. Wow. I’m speechless.”

  “But still employed.” Liz giggled.

  “Thanks to you.”

  “All in a day’s work.”

  “Right.” Anna laughed. There was definitely not a doubt in her mind - this woman would definitely help hide the bodies. “Keep me posted if there are any problems with my new instructions. I’ve heard from Fontana’s. They’ll be able to expedite the order per our original stipulations with Giovanni. We’ll have to have it air freighted, but the line will arrive in time to distribute for the debut.”

  “Crisis averted.”

  “Profits will be down, but it could have been so much worse. I’m still working the deal with Discount Lots to unload all this garbage. At least that will soften the financial blow a little.”

  “Steve K
eller has been keeping a surprising low profile through all this. I think he knows you’re a shoo-in to replace Anderson and doesn’t want to piss you off. Any idea at all when you’ll be back?”

  “It’s not looking good. Keller may get his shot at VP after all. There’s no way I can take on Anderson’s job and still be here for the baby. This custody thing is making coming back to New York any time soon impossible, and telecommuting for a while is okay, but I can’t keep doing even this job long distance.”

  “I can live without a bigger office, but please don’t tell me I have to break in a new boss.” Liz’s teasing tone held a hint of fear.

  “I’m thinking it may come to that.” She closed her eyes. One problem solved and another created. Was this ever going to get easier? With Junior on the spot her reputation was no longer at risk, but needing to stay in California to fight a potentially long custody battle wasn’t going to do anything to help keep her job and pretty much shot her chance at promotion straight to hell.

  Gripping the coffee table with her tiny little fingers, Marcia happily circled the piece of furniture. Anna smiled. “I’d better go. I’ve got a lot of plans to work out.”

  “Whistle if you need anything.”

  “Will do. And Liz, I can’t say it enough - thanks.”

  Leaning forward, Kat moved the empty coffee cup Marcia had set her sights on to a nearby end table. “Did I understand they’re onto Junior?”

  “Oh yeah. Big time. It seems big brother has been suspicious of Junior for some time. While Liz was risking life and limb breaking and entering, he was presenting Daddy and the board with all the financial records he’d managed to piece together. Junior’s expenses were far outpacing his recorded income. Buying that estate in Briarcliff was the first tip off. Apparently Junior didn’t take out a mortgage.”

  Kat whistled. “Wow. He really has been skimming.”

  “For years. From what Liz could tell, Dad was hesitant to buy into it until more incriminating evidence mysteriously appeared in his email.”

  Kat burst out laughing. “I’m telling you, Liz is something else. Do they know she sent it?”

  “Doesn’t look that way. And Pam was escorted out of the building with an armed guard at her side. Wasn’t allowed to clean out her desk or anything.”

  “Pam?” Kat’s brow pleated in confusion.

  “Junior’s secretary and apparently, paramour and accomplice.”

  “Ooh, juicy. I think I see another book coming.”

  “Oh please, spare me.” Anna leaned forward and gently patted the back of Marcia’s hair.

  “Sorry. So where’s all this leave work?”

  “No one has said anything, but it’s only logical. If the Prescott’s have court ordered visitation privileges here in California, I can’t very well go back to New York to do my job.”

  “Lot’s of people commute cross country.”

  “I’m sure that will go over big with the courts during home inspections. Which is another problem. Whose home do they inspect? I don’t live here and even though Mom is champing at the bit to have the two of us move in with her, it’s simply isn’t practical.”

  “Well, what if I stick around while you go back to New York. You know four days here, three days there. My proposal for a series of articles on day trips from San Francisco was accepted. That can keep me busy for a while. It could be fun.”

  “I think the courts are looking for stable. Not fun.” Anna pushed away from the chair and sat on the floor near Marcia. “You heard what they said. Stable churchgoing couple, married for over thirty five years. Proven record of raising good citizens.”

  “If they don’t kill them first.”

  “We have yet to prove that. How will it look? Single, homeless, and abandoning my ward four days a week to keep my job.”

  “You won’t be abandoning her.”

  “And I won’t be providing stability either. Face it. My life really sucks.”

  “What about Mark?” Kat raised that one annoying eyebrow.

  This is why Anna never played poker. “What about him?”

  “Don’t hand me that. I saw the way you fell into his arms yesterday afternoon. That was no friendly hug. Both of you were practically glowing. I was surprised I didn’t wake up last night to find the house rocking.”

  “It’s not like that.” She felt the heat rising to her cheeks. After a few minutes with Mark in the hot tub she would be willing to bet her firstborn child that a hell of lot more than the house would be rocking when they tumbled into bed together.

  “Maybe you should tell me what it is then?”

  She picked up a ceramic souvenir from one of Babs and Tom’s vacations. “It’s complicated.”

  “That’s a cop out.”

  Damn, it was annoying to have a friend who knew you better than you knew yourself. “Is not.”

  “Look.” On a soft sigh, Kat scooted forward in her seat. “Harrison is out of the picture. At least promise me you’ll keep an open mind where Mark is concerned. There could be worse things in this world than hooking up with a gorgeous caring man who loves kids, especially this kid- and he cooks!”

  Yeah, shackled to a man willing to torture her with mind-blowing orgasms would definitely be a sacrifice. But as they say, What a way to go.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about your son?” Charles Emerson slammed a file on his desk. “I told you I needed to know everything.”

  “We told you the truth.” Howard lifted his chin, and looked his lawyer in the eye without faltering. “I was raised if you spare the rod you spoil the child. The good book is the word of God. If God said it, I believe it. We made some mistakes. Learned about wolves in sheep’s clothing. Listened to the false prophets. When we almost lost Tom I knew. I knew I’d perverted the truth.”

  Amanda turned an affectionate gaze on her husband and gave him an encouraging nod.

  “John chapter eight teaches ‘you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free’. I swore I’d never make that mistake again,” Howard continued. “Allen and I argued. He fell, hit his head. It was an accident.”

  Amanda turned her tear-filled eyes to the attorney and nodded. “Allen was a good boy.”

  Charles Emerson had learned to read people in the blink of an eye. He could instantly discern lies from the truth. When tears were from the heart or for his benefit. It’s why he made the big bucks. But he had no idea what to make of these people. They were either the most repentant of sinners or the best actors he’d ever seen, and damned if he knew which.

  Visitations. Mark should have told Sid about Howard and Amanda the day Barb died. He’d been a fool to think he could keep them from finding out about Marcia.

  Staring out into the back yard he shook his head at the memory of the older couple standing in the hall, cooing and smiling like ordinary loving grandparents. They weren’t fooling him. “Over my dead body will you set one foot near that baby,” he muttered under his breath.

  “You okay?” The sound of Anna’s voice startled him.

  He hadn’t heard the screen door. “Just thinking.”

  “You come out here a lot, don’t you?” She leaned over the railing beside him.

  The last thing he wanted to talk to Anna about now was Howard and Amanda Prescott. “Did you know I helped Tom build this deck?”

  She shook her head.

  “Our first joint venture.” He laughed, happy memories shoved aside his anger at the Prescotts. “We were so serious you’d think we were building the next San Francisco landmark. Barb would bring us lemonade, real lemonade, not that packaged or frozen stuff. Whenever Tom asked for a beer she’d shake her head and say, ‘Tipsy architects build tipsy decks’ and she’d pour him another glass.”

  “That’s my Suzy Homemaker.”

  “Yeah,” his voice trailed off wistfully. It was a few moments before he realized Anna was staring at him and not the view. “What?”

  “Trying to figure you out.”

  “Not much
to figure. Homegrown California boy. Fond of hearth, home and Mom’s apple pie.”

  “Old fashioned?”

  “A little. I grew up in a good home. Dad worked hard, Mom took care of us. When the youngest started school Mom got a part time job, but she still managed to be at every game, volunteer for every fundraiser, and have a hot meal on the table at the end of the day. There were definitely days, maybe years, when I would have gladly sold a sibling or two, but I wouldn’t trade them for all the gold in the world now. ” He smiled at the thought. “Anyhow, I thought that stuff died with her generation.”

  “Thought?”

  “Sometimes I’d come over here, watch Barb and Tom and think the American family is alive and well.”

  “It is. Sometimes it’s just a little different.” She glanced up at the stars and sighed.

  “I know. But I’m not sure different is for me.”

  “I’d have thought for sure a homegrown boy like yourself would have visions of beach babes and surf parties.”

  He laughed. “Sacramento is landlocked. There’s no surfing in my background, though as a kid I did have a few dreams involving Malibu, a long-legged blonde and a surfboard.”

  “So you were normal?” She smiled.

  “And horny.”

  “And what’s changed?” Her smile grew a little wider. Not the polite one that said nice to meet you, but the full-faced grin that made her eyes sparkle like the North Star.

  “Hey, unfair. I haven’t been eighteen for a long time. I can keep my hormones in check.”

  A soft shade of pink flushed her cheeks. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her blush before this.

  “Yeah, you can,” she said on a soft breath.

  It seemed like every living thing in the yard froze to hear his next words. The crickets ceased their chirping, the leaves in the trees stopped rustling, the bunnies sat stock still. A polite audience, patiently waiting.

  “About yesterday.” He reached for her hand, flipping it palm up, his thumb gently swirled, drawing slow lazy circles against the soft flesh. “Today has been a rough day for everyone. I don’t want you to think... to worry... I mean...I don’t expect anything.”