A Weekend Getaway (9 page)

CHAPTER
EIGHT

At six p.m. Parker reminded
himself not to even think about checking e-mail because for once he couldn’t
stay late.

A soft knock came on his office
door and Tina, his new secretary peered in. “Are you still able to give me a
ride home? If not, I could call someone.” She was attractive, with shiny brown hair
and small eyes. She handled his schedule and incoming phone calls efficiently,
but she still acted timid around him. Did that mean he was intimidating? That
was great for business meetings like the one he’d just finished, but not so
great when it translated to someone he needed to be an extension of himself.

He grabbed his blazer off the
back of his Herman Miller chair and slid his arms into it. “No problem. It will
be nice to get home before dark for a change.”

“I hate to bother you. It’s just
that my car broke down on my lunch hour.”

He already knew this. “Tina,
this will be good. Give us a chance to get to know each other better.” Did that
sound like a come-on? Hopefully not. He prided himself on never treating his
female employees any differently than the men.

As they headed
out, he flipped the light off in his office. No need to waste electricity even
though they didn’t worry about the bills. He waved goodnight to the guard
stationed at the front door and escorted Tina to his Porsche SUV.

“Nice vehicle,”
she said, climbing in as he held open the glossy white door.

“It has amazing
traction control in the winter.” He settled in behind the wheel and started
driving through the lot. “Which way do you live?”

She pointed
left and he headed toward the pink sunset. He had a large window in his office
from which he had a great view of the setting sun, but only lately had he taken
the time to stop and enjoy it.

He glanced at
Tina who clutched the beige purse in her lap as if it were a life raft. This
ride would be a good opportunity to get her to loosen up. “Did you grow up
around here?” he asked.

“I was raised
on a farm about an hour south of here.”

“Always wanted
to move to the city?”

“It’s where the
jobs are.”

 
“There aren’t too many family-owned farms
around anymore. It’s a shame.”

She nodded. “I
agree.” He noticed the grip on her purse relax a little. “The land has been in
my family for generations. I have two brothers who run the place with my dad.
Unfortunately, I’m not much help. When I graduated from high school, I decided
to get an associate’s degree so I could work in an office.”

He tried to
remember her résumé. “You worked in insurance before coming to Mall Land, if I
remember correctly.”

“Yes. It was a
little too quiet for me. I’m looking forward to coordinating a busy schedule
like yours.”

“You won’t have
time to get bored, that’s for sure.”

She pointed up
ahead to the right. “Pull in here.”

Turning into an
apartment complex that appeared well-maintained, he parked then smiled at her.
“I’m glad we had this chance to chat.”

“I’m sorry for
inconveniencing you like this.” Again, she clutched the purse on her lap.

“No problem.
It’s practically on my way home.” Awkward silence filled the car.

A black Kia
blaring music pulled into the spot beside them. A young man with tattoos up and
down his arms swung the passenger door open, hitting Parker’s door. The driver got
out and headed for the stairwell with his friend.

Parker grabbed
his keys, scrambled out of his seat and followed them. “Excuse me, sir. You
just scratched my car.”

The tattooed
man stopped and looked at Parker, then at the SUV. “Whatever. You look like you
can afford insurance.” He and his buddy laughed.

Parker’s heart
sped up. “That’s not the point. Come back here and tell me your name.”

The man shook
his shaggy hair and kept walking.

“Hey!” Parker
shouted. “I said come back here!” The man’s attitude infuriated him. Parker
marched back over to his driver’s side door and inspected the damage. A little
black ding in the white paint. His sights landed on the Kia, and his hands
squeezed into fists, his keys digging into his palm.

Before he
realized what he was doing, he scraped his ignition key along the black Kia,
leaving a long, jagged mark. “I’m sure you have insurance, too!” His heart
slammed against his ribs, his body shook from the adrenaline rush. He stood
there, triumphant, alone in the parking lot.

Except for
Tina. Still trembling from the surge of hormones, he allowed his gaze to fall
on his assistant. Her tiny mouth hung open and her eyes showed horror.

He stared at
the keys in his hand. He studied the gash he’d left on the other vehicle. What
the hell was wrong with him?

He jerked open his
driver’s side door and landed in his leather seat. “I don’t know what got into
me. I can’t believe I just did that.” He struggled to even out his breathing.

Tina got out of
the car. “I’ve got to go.” Scurrying up the nearby staircase, she didn’t look
back.

“Shit!” He
slammed his palm against the steering wheel. He’d lost control and made a
complete ass of himself in front of an employee, no less. Taking a deep breath,
he tried to figure out what to do. The other guy was an ass first, he told
himself. But that didn’t excuse his barbaric behavior. He’d never lost his
temper like that. Not since sixth grade schoolyard fights, anyway. And that had
only been because the boys had called his dad a drunk. His dad wasn’t drunk.
His dad was sick.

Now Parker had
it, too, and this was the first sign. Losing his temper. Huntington’s could
cause anger flares. It messed with your brain, after all.

He pulled a
notepad out of his glove compartment and left a note on the Kia’s windshield
with his insurance information before settling back into his SUV and leaning
his head against the headrest. He couldn’t live like this. He couldn’t stand
knowing what was to come.

# # #

Beth rang the
bell to Ivy and Parker’s two-story glass house that overlooked Lake Michigan.
The neighborhood consisted of massive homes surrounded by sand on one side and
trees with amber and brown leaves on the other. Since it was dusk, porch lights
had just started turning on.

While she stood
there waiting, she berated herself for chickening out of telling Drew the whole
story. In a panic, she’d changed the topic and said that she needed him to pick
up Emma at daycare this afternoon so she could make this trip to see a
depressed friend. That was it. She could’ve spilled her guts, but she hadn’t.
It terrified her to think how he might react—that he might lose respect
for her. That knowing the truth, he might not want to ever tie the knot. He
might kick her out of his house and focus on being an uncle, which seemed to
give him a great deal of satisfaction. Maybe he wouldn’t ever want to be the
father of her children—especially now that Missy had another one on the
way. It occurred to her that she needed Drew more than he needed her.

Her knees
weakened and she gripped the doorframe.

At that moment,
Ivy opened the door with a stoic expression and hugged her. “Hi.” She led her
into a living room with cathedral ceilings where Billie Holiday’s voice floated
through the air, singing “Stormy Weather.”

The room had
modern décor with glass end tables and white carpet. Beth gestured toward a
rose-colored accent wall with a matching glass-tiled fireplace. “This is
beautiful. I love the way the light reflects off that wall.”

“Thank you.
It’s supposed to look like the inside of a seashell. I had the painters do five
coats until it was just the right shade.”

It was a good
thing Ivy married someone with money. Beth walked near the floor-to-ceiling
windows, enjoying the view. Outside, waves gently lapped at the deserted beach.
Driftwood and a forgotten umbrella dotted the sand. “Even when it’s cold, you
get to be at the lakeshore.”

“I’m very
lucky.” Ivy took a seat on the cream couch—furniture only appropriate for
a childless couple.

Beth sat down
next to her. “How’s Parker?”

Ivy waved her
hand. “He seems fine. But those books spooked me. Why would he have books about
suicide, unless...?”

Beth clasped
her hands together. She didn’t know how she could say what she needed to say.
Parker would no doubt resent her and Ivy probably would, too. But she owed it
to Parker, especially if he was suicidal, to tell him this. To finally come
clean and maybe give him a bit of hope. “Is Parker around?”

“He said he
wouldn’t work late, but as always, he’s not here.” Annoyance accented each
word.

Beth found his
tardiness both frustrating and relieving. On the hour drive here, she’d
rehearsed what she’d say in her head, but she feared his reaction. She tried to
picture different scenarios, yelling, smiling, understanding, but she knew odds
were on anger. Once again, she faltered. Was it too late to tell him? They’d
both missed their chance to impact their daughter’s life. Was it really
necessary to complicate things?

Inhaling, she
cleared her mind. Her rationalizations weren’t doing her any favors, of that
she was sure.

The rumble of a
garage door announced Parker’s arrival.

“Whose car is
that in the drive?” His voice echoed through the house. When he rushed into the
living room and saw Beth, his face relaxed. It even brightened a little. “Bethany.
What a nice surprise.”

Beth rose and
allowed Parker to pull her into a hug, though she felt Ivy’s gaze every moment
of it. Not so long ago, this man had tried to kiss Beth, complaining that his
marriage was falling apart. Looking around this luxurious house, it didn’t seem
possible that everything wasn’t perfect.

Ivy stood as
well. “I asked Beth to come by. I...I’m worried about you. Ever since you found
out about...” She licked her crimson lips. “I don’t want you to give up. Maybe
they’ll find a cure. Maybe you’ll prove them wrong.”

He shook his
head. “Is that what this is about? They’re not going to find a cure in time for
me, Ivy.”

“See? That’s
what I mean. I don’t know why you’re so negative all the time.”

“You don’t know
why I’m so negative?” Anger flashed across his face, and Beth shrunk back. She
hadn’t seen this side of him for a long time. “Huntington’s is a degenerative
disease. I’m going to lose control of my body and my mind. That’s not exactly
something I’m looking forward to. Just today I lost my temper and keyed
someone’s car. That’s not me. I don’t want that to be me.”

Ivy covered her
mouth with her hand. “Oh my gosh. What happened?”

He shook his
head. “This jerk dinged my vehicle first. It was stupid. The whole thing was
stupid.” His gaze fell on Beth. “I’m sorry, but I’m not really up for company
right now.” Then, he turned to Ivy. “I’m going for a walk. Need to clear my head.”

Beth and Ivy
watched him exit through the back door and climb down what looked like a
thousand wooden steps to the beach. Beth crossed her arms and pressed them
tightly against her body. She’d often been the mediator when he and Ivy fought
in college. They aired their grievances and sought her counsel. But in the end,
it seemed that they resolved all of their fights with sex.

Billie
Holiday’s voice faded out, paused, and then started singing “I’ll Be Seeing
You.”

Ivy looked at
her. “Maybe if you give him a few minutes to himself, then go out?”

Beth nodded.
She had to get this off her chest. Then she could drive away and never see
these people again. These people that used to be her friends. These people she
barely knew anymore.

She watched
Parker arrive at the bottom of the stairs, where he slipped off his shoes and
socks, then rolled up his pant legs. Carrying his shoes in one hand, he picked
up rocks and skipped them across the water with the other.

Finally, she
worked up her nerve and followed him outside. The wind tossed her hair with a
vengeance. It was always windy at Lake Michigan.

Parker caught
sight of her approaching. “I’m sorry. I had a bad day and I wasn’t expecting
company. When Ivy asked me to not work late, I thought maybe she’d have a
special dinner prepared or we’d do something just the two of us.”

It surprised Beth
that Ivy ever cooked, considering she could afford to hire someone. “That’s all
right.” She decided to keep her shoes on as she fell into step beside him. The
seagulls and waves created soothing background noise, but the anxiety inside
her head wouldn’t let her relax. Her worries irritated her like the sand that
had already found its way beneath her heel. “I did some research on
Huntington’s. It’s pretty bad, isn’t it?”

He nodded. “I
watched my dad’s limbs curl inward and jerk uncontrollably. I watched as he
lost the ability to walk, the ability to talk, but the worst part was that he
clearly was so frustrated with himself. He’d kick his wheelchair and yell. He’d
lash out at those that were taking care of him.” The water lapped at Parker’s feet.
“I don’t want Ivy to have to deal with that. I don’t want to pay some stranger
to deal with me either.”

“It sounds like
maybe it’s better not knowing.” Her secret got heavier. “You’re still in good
shape, though. That’s something.”

“Not for long. Today’s
episode with the Kia proved that. It happens slowly but surely.”

Beth took a
deep breath. “Remember when I asked you if you had a kid, would you tell them
about the disease?”

He nodded. “Kind
of a weird question, don’t you think? But yeah, I’d tell them.”

“You’re sure?”

“It would only
be fair. He or she would deserve to know that they have to grab life by the
horns. That they have to spend their healthy days to their fullest.”

She breathed in
the fishy air. “Well, then, I guess I have something to tell you. Remember that
night back in college...when you and Ivy had that big fight at your party and
everyone left?”