Cascade (15 page)

“
Do you think I’ll be all right in
my motorized chair or should I get the lighter one?” Honey
asked.

“
Whatever you feel most
comfortable using,” Valerie said. “Did Heather do your make
up?”

Honey nodded.

“
She does an amazing job,” Valerie
said.

Valerie gave Aden the flowers and vase. She
kissed his cheek again.

“
Off you go,” Valerie
said.

“
Good luck, man,” Mike
said.

Mike shook Aden’s hand. MJ patted Aden’s back
as he went up the stairs. He heard Valerie laugh and Honey say that
they were leaving. By the time he reached Jill and Jacob’s loft,
the Castle was silent. Everyone was out for the night. Except Aden,
Sandy and Jill.

Jill opened the door before he
knocked.

~~~~~~~~

Friday evening — 6:10
P.M.

Denver Zoo

“
Holy crap, that man is fine.”
Tanesha whispered to Heather.

Heather had pointed out Tres to Tanesha. Tres
and his brother, Enrique, were deep in conversation with
Jacob.

“
You think he’s here for
you?”

“
I doubt it,” Heather said. “He
looks like he and Jacob have business.”

“
Can we go ahead?” Nash asked
Heather.

“
Yes, but stay together,” Heather
said.

Nash and Noelle ran forward to look at the
light spectacle. Every year, the Denver Zoo created animals and
sculptures out of tiny colored lights. In the misting snow, the Zoo
was a fairyland of vibrant color in the dark winter
night.

“
Heather, do you know Tres? His
brother Enrique?” Jacob’s smile told her he knew exactly how well
Heather knew Tres. “This is Blane’s wife, Heather Lipson and her
friend Tanesha.”

“
Nice to meet you,” Tanesha said.
“I’ve heard so much about you.”

Enrique raised an eyebrow to Tanesha. She
confirmed his eyebrow with a nod. Heather took Enrique’s hand to
shake it. He kissed her hand. Heather giggled.

“
It’s nice to finally meet you,”
Enrique said.

Unsure of herself, Heather smiled. Tres shook
Tanesha’s hand in greeting. The adults followed the children
through the Zoo.

“
When is your baby due?” Enrique
asked.

“
Our baby is due in March,” Blane
said. He kissed Heather’s cheek and placed his hand on her belly to
greet the baby. “Sorry, I’m late.”

Enrique shifted to let Blane stand next to
Heather. Blane looked from Heather to Enrique. Blane furrowed his
brow then shrugged.

“
The lights are very pretty,
aren’t they?” Megan, Jill’s oldest sister, asked. “Hi
Blane.”

“
Gorgeous,” Tanesha said. “I
haven’t been to the Zoolights in … well, ever. I’ve only seen them
from City Park.”

“
I haven’t either,” Heather and
Blane said in unison. They laughed.

“
These animated ones are amazing,”
Tanesha stopped in front of a monkey created out of tiny pink
lights. The monkey was swinging in the tree. “That’s some special
talent.”

“
Have you seen the Zoolights
before?” Blane asked Tres and Enrique.

Enrique shook his head.

“
I came last year on a date from
hell,” Tres said. “It was traumatic.”

“
What happened?” Megan’s partner,
Tim, asked.

“
I’d rather not discuss it.” Tres
gave a dramatic sniff. “Some things are better left in the
past.”

They laughed.

“
They’re feeding the seals!” Katy
squealed. “Come on!”

~~~~~~~~

Friday night — 6:17 P.M.

The Castle

Jill and Sandy were seated on a couch facing
the front windows. The gas fireplace cast a dancing light on them.
After polite small talk, Jill poured red wine for herself and
Sandy. She got some sparkling water for Aden and sat next to Sandy
on the couch. Aden sat in an armchair next to the couch. They
stared out into the night. Realizing he couldn’t see Sandy’s face,
Aden moved the arm chair until it was across from the couch.
Uncomfortable, they sat looking at their wine glasses.

“
This is weird,” Sandy said. “I’m
sorry. I’m sure you’re wondering what’s going on.”

Aden nodded.

“
Seth asked me to talk to you. He
told me if I didn’t tell you, he would,” Sandy said. “I couldn’t
bear that.”

“
I don’t understand why Jill is
here,” Aden said. “If you have something to say, why not just say
it?”

“
I know,” Sandy said. “Jill’s here
for me, not for you. I need her… help.”

Sandy looked at Jill and Jill hugged
her.

“
Are you worried I’ll attack you
or…”

“
No,” Sandy said. “I’m worried I
won’t be able to do it.”

Sandy’s face reflected the mixture of feelings
she felt – sadness, anger, fear and the black numbness that went
with this entire episode.

“
Maybe you should start at the
beginning,” Jill said.

Sandy glanced at Jill. The friend’s eyes held
until Sandy nodded.

“
My father left …” Sandy
started.

“
When you were a baby,” Aden
completed her statement. “Sandy what is this about?”

“
My father. Me.” Sandy’s eyes
begged Jill for help. “My father is my biological father. My
step-dad was my real dad.”

“
Sandy’s father never had any money,” Jill said. “Because he
just walked out, the courts assigned him child support
and
alimony.”

“
They always do that,” Aden
said.

“
Yeah, well, he didn’t believe he
should have to pay it...”

~~~~~~~~

Friday night—– 7:15 P.M.

Denver Zoo

Feeling out of sync with Blane’s world,
Enrique walked behind them. With the kids up ahead, the adults
laughed and talked. The very air had a festive feel that left
everyone a little giddy. Heather stopped at a vendor where Blane
bought her some hot chocolate. When Enrique caught up, Blane
offered to get him some.

Such a simple gesture. Yet, very Blane.
Enrique smiled and Blane ordered for him.

A small girl, Jacob’s daughter, ran up to
Blane. A little boy stopped right next to her. She hopped on one
foot then another until Blane noticed her. Laughing, Blane picked
her up so she could see the menu. Without thinking, Enrique picked
up the boy. It had been a decade since he held a warm bundle in his
arms. The little boy wanted a brownie. Laughing at the vibrant
children, Enrique set the boy down. The child grabbed his brownie
then ran off to share it with his little friend. Blane smiled at
Enrique and gave Heather her hot chocolate.

A little teenage boy asked Blane to explain to
him what a ‘whore’ was. In this simple question, Enrique saw how
full Blane’s world had become. When Enrique had been the center of
Blane’s world, Blane would have melted in the face of the
question.

Tonight Blane laughed. He repeated the
question to his wife and her friend. The three had a heated
discussion about what the word meant. Their conversation spilled
over to the other adults. Tres got involved. Jacob expressed an
opinion. With a glint of irony dancing in his eyes, Blane asked
Enrique. Enrique felt the wise eyes of Blane’s wife and her friend
watching to see what he would say.

“
Sometimes people feel very
insecure. When they feel insecure, they lash out at other people
who seem to have it all.” Nervous, Enrique paused to catch his
breath. “It’s a horrible, destructive term used to belittle great
people, make them feel small, as small as the person who says the
word.”

It was the warmth from Blane’s wife’s smile
allowed Enrique to take the next breath. He felt as if he’d passed
a test or won an award in her beautiful smile. Blane turned to the
boy. While Enrique calmed himself, Blane and the child worked
through the last of the boy’s confusion.

Jealous? Was he jealous? He’d expected to be
insane with jealousy. This little pregnant girl had snared his
Blane. She held his hand, laughed at his jokes, and at the end of
the night she would go home with him.

Gazing in the distorted Zoo restroom mirror,
he felt a little like the Grinch whose heart grew two sizes that
day.

Blane was happy. Everything about him echoed a
depth of happiness that Enrique had never seen in Blane before.
Something inside Enrique loosened or let go. He wanted Blane to be
happy. If this girl made him happy, that’s what Enrique wanted for
Blane. Enrique let out a breath.

And, in this moment, Enrique knew something
he’s avoided for years. Enrique loved Blane deeply, wholly and
without question. He would never love another being as much as he
loved Blane.

What was he going to do?

~~~~~~~~

Friday night — 7:35 P.M.

The Castle

Aden’s face had become so pale. His lips were
set in a grim line. His eyes were round and dark.

“
What are you thinking?” Sandy
asked.

“
This is the most horrible thing
I’ve ever heard,” Aden said.

“
Listen, it’s not Sandy’s fault,”
Jill said. “She didn’t have a choice! What was she going
to…”

“
I know, Jill. I know,” Aden said.
“I know.”

“
Oh,” Sandy and Jill said in
unison.

“
If there’s more, I’d like it if
you would tell me, Sandy,” Aden said.

“
There’s a lot more,” Sandy
said.

Jill opened another bottle of wine. She
refilled their glasses and brought Aden another bottle of sparkling
water.

“
I have some crackers and cheese.
Would you like some?” Jill asked.

“
Sure,” Sandy said.

Aden took Sandy’s hands while Jill was in the
kitchen. He kissed her lips then stroked her hair. Steeled for this
entire conversation, Sandy could only give him a slight smile. Jill
returned with some fancy crackers and cheeses. She set it down.
Feeling Aden and Sandy’s eyes, Jill laughed.

“
Should I get the Pringles? I have
a secret stash. Around here, they tend to eat only this fancy
crap,” Jill said. “What do you say – sour cream and onion or
barbeque?”

“
Both?” Aden asked.

Jill laughed. She returned with a couple tubes
of Pringles. Settling in next to Sandy, they were ready to begin
again.

“
I was eight the first time…”
Sandy started.

~~~~~~~~

Friday night — 7:45 P.M.
Denver Zoo

When Heather came out of the bathroom, Enrique
and Blane were talking, just talking. They were far enough away
that Heather couldn’t hear what they were saying. Tanesha touched
Heather’s hand to slow them down. The women stood watching Enrique
and Blane.

Although Enrique and Blane never touched, they
seemed deeply connected. Blane would raise his eyebrows and Enrique
would laugh. Speaking rapid Spanish, Enrique would fire off a
statement and Blane would laugh. The men went back and forth in an
intimate dance of conversation. Tanesha nudged Heather and they
walked to the men.

Blane looked up when she was close. He kissed
her cheek as he always did and greeted the baby with a hand on her
belly. Taking her hand, he was one hundred percent available for
Heather. Tanesha made a joke and Enrique laughed.

Walking to the next light exhibit, Blane’s
hand in hers, Heather realized something she would never, ever
forget.

Enrique and Blane belonged
together.

The thought made her smile.

~~~~~~~~
Friday night— 8:00 P.M.

The Castle

“
That’s how I met my Dad. My
step-dad,” Sandy said. “He was assigned to work with Vice. They set
up an appointment with me. My Dad came in and…”

Sandy fell silent. Her grief over losing her
Dad and how he’d saved her made it unbearable to
continue.

“
He paid for Sandy for a whole
day,” Jill said. “He took Sandy to the Zoo, the Museum of Nature
and Science and stuff like that. He bought her clothes. That’s how
he met Sandy’s Mom. He and Sandy’s Mom met and never were apart
until he died.”

“
Your Dad knew about all of this
and did nothing?” Aden’s tone echoed his grief and
helplessness.

“
He arrested my father on some
charge,” Sandy said. “Taxes, I think. He was arrested the very next
day. My father’s been in jail all this time. He did every single
year of his time, then all of his parole. He finished up last year
sometime. According to Seth, he started this Internet business the
day he was done with all of that.”

“
Sandy’s Dad took care of
everything,” Jill said. “He made it so Sandy never ever had to see
her father again. He even…”