Season of Passion (22 page)

Tygue, I said no!

You always say no. Besides, I don't care what you say!

Go to your room! There was a moment of fierce glaring between them and Tygue gave in first. It Was fortunate for him because his mother was in no mood to fool around. She had gotten in just after four in the morning. Tillie had left at six-thirty. And it was now only seven. Kate had had two and a half hours of sleep. This was not the day for Tygue to decide to give Bert a bath before school, with her best soap from Licia. Any other day, Kate would have laughed. Today, she wasn't laughing. And her head was still full of what had happened in L.A. She called Tygue back when breakfast was ready. Are you going to be reasonable now? But he said not a word as he sat down to his cereal. She drank her coffee in silence, and then suddenly she remembered something. It was in her suitcase. Ill be right back. It wasn't really the right time to give it to him, but maybe it was what they both needed. A silly moment. Of her spoiling him and his feeling loved. She had felt so lonely driving home last night. As though she had lost. But she had forced herself out. No one had sent her away. The whole thing was stupid. So what if the guy remembered a football player named Harper? Why did she have to leave like that? And she knew Stu would be angry at her. She had arranged for the hotel to deliver a message to him first thing in the morning: Was called home unexpectedly, please cancel magazine interview. Terribly sorry. Thank you for everything. Love, Kate. But he'd be mad anyway. She knew it. And she was angry at herself as well. And then with a soft whisper of pleasure she remembered the feel of Nick's hand when she'd said good-bye to him in the car.

What are you thinking about? You look silly. Tygue had wandered into her room and was watching her from the doorway, his bowl of cereal in his hand, tilting at a precarious angle.

Don't walk around with your breakfast And what do you mean, I look silly? That's not a nice thing to say. She sounded hurt, and he looked down into his bowl.

I'm sorry. He was still mad at her for leaving.

Go put that in the sink and come back here. He looked up at her and then vanished, clomping loudly along the floor. He was back in seconds with an expectant look on his freckled face. Wait till you see what I brought you. It was totally outrageous. She had found it in the children's shop at the hotel, and she had had to have it She had bought it at a scandalous price, but why not? He was the only son she had, and he was never going to have another outfit like this.

What is it? He looked suspiciously at the fancy dress box, and the pale blue curlicues of ribbon put him off.

Go ahead. It won't bite you She grinned to herself, thinking of the dusty blue velvet suit they'd had too. The idea of her son in that getup had made her laugh right there in the shop, much to the salesperson Honor. But blue velvet on a boy of six was pushing it. Tygue wouldn't have worn it at two. She watched him as, gingerly, he pulled off the ribbons, and then stared at the box for one brief moment before yanking off the lid, pushing aside the tissue paper, and then gasping as he saw it.

Oh, Mom! Oh! ' Mom! ' There were no words to describe what he felt, and tears burned her eyes as she watched him. They were still tears of fatigue and excitement, but they were tears of joy too. He pulled it out of the box and held it up. A miniature cowboy suit in leather and suede. There was a fringed vest, and chaps. A cowboy shirt, a belt, and a jacket. And when he tore off his clothes and tried it on, it fit him perfectly.

Well, hotshot? You look gorgeous. She beamed at him from her seat on the bed.

Oh, Mommy! She hadn't heard Mommy in a while. Only Mom. Now Mommy was saved for special occasions, when no one else was around to hear. He ran up to her in the little cowboy suit and threw his arms around her with a huge mushy kiss.

Am I forgiven? She hugged him close with a smile.

Tor what?

Going away. She cringed at the precedent she was setting, but her son was smarter than she was.

No, he said matter-of-factly, with a big smile. But I love the suit. And I love you best of all.

I love you best of all too. She sat down on the bed, and he piled into her lap. You should take that off. It's a little fancy for school, darling, isn't it?

Awww, Mommm ' please '

Okay, okay. She was too tired to argue. And then, unexpectedly, he looked up at her.

Did you have a good time?

Yes, I did. I was on TV, and I stayed in a big hotel, and I had lunch with some people, and went to a party with some other people.

It sounds terrible. She laughed and looked at him. Maybe he was right. Maybe it had been terrible. But she couldn't really make herself believe that. When are we going back to San Francisco?

Soon. We'll see. Do you want Tillie to take you down to the Adams place today, so you can ride in your new suit? He nodded vehemently, looking down at the vest with delight. I'll leave Tillie a note.

But the boy looked up in terror. Are you going away again?

Oh Tygue ' She held him tight. No, sweetheart. I'm just going to see ' to teach. Jesus. She had almost said it. To see Tom. She was exhausted. She was really too tired to drive up there too. But she felt that she had to. It had been days. I'll even try to come back early today, and we'll have a nice quiet dinner. Just us. Okay? He nodded warily, but the terror had left his eyes. I told you, silly. I'm not going to run off and leave you. Just because I'm gone for a day, or even a couple of days, doesn't mean I'm leaving you. Got that? He nodded, silent, his eyes huge. Good. And then the honking of his car pool threw them both into chaos. Lunch pail, books, hat, big kiss, squeeze, good-bye, gone. Kate sat in the kitchen for a moment, trying to summon enough energy to get her jacket and go. She was crazy to make the trip on two hours' sleep. But it was never the right time to go to Carmel anymore. There was always something else she wanted to do. She picked up her bag and her jacket, wrote a note for Tillie, and left as it started to rain.

The soft rain continued as she drove up to Carmel, and it pattered gently on the roof of the cottage as she visited with Tom. It was the kind of gentle summer rain that made her want to turn her face to the sky and run barefoot through the long summer grass, feeling twigs tickle her toes. She didn't do that though. She was too tired to do more than walk to the cottage and sit down. She had nothing much to tell him. She couldn't tell him about L.A., he wouldn't understand. But he was in a peaceful mood. The rain seemed to soothe him, and they sat hand in hand, side by side, he in his wheelchair, she in a cozy rocker, and she told him stories. They were the stories she had known as a child, the same ones she had told Tygue for years. Tom loved them too. And shortly after lunch, he fell asleep. The rhythm of the rain soothed them both and she had to jolt herself a few times to keep from falling asleep too. But once Tom had drifted off, she sat for a moment, watching his peaceful face, letting the rush of memory drift over her ' the thousand times she had seen that face asleep before, in other places, other days. It made her think of Cleveland, so long ago, and then unexpectedly of Nick Waterman. She didn't want to think of him here. This wasn't his place, it was Tom's. She kissed him gently on the forehead, ran a hand softly over his hair, put a finger to her lips as she looked up at Mr. Erhard, and tiptoed carefully from the room.

It was a long drive home. The roads were fairly deserted and she was anxious to get back, but she didn't dare drive as fast as she normally did. And eventually she had to open the windows and turn on the radio to keep awake. Twice she had to pull over to the side of the road to shake the cobwebs out of her head. She was pushing it and she knew it. She was tempted just to stay there and sleep for a while, but she knew Tillie would want to get home. It was Friday and there was always some member of her family coming for dinner, or the weekend. She only had another fifty miles to go, and she decided to make a run for it, as the thunder clapped and the lightning flashed, and the rain splashed in over the top of the window and washed her face. It made her smile as she felt it. It felt good just being back in her part of the world again. She didn't belong in L.A., but it had been fun for a visit, for a moment. And never again. What totally mad people. She let her mind drift back to the pink dressing room, the tension of the Red Room, and then the opulence of the party in Beverly Hills ' and then the feeling of Nick Waterman holding her as they waited for his car. She pushed that from her mind with the rest of it, and turned up the radio. L.A. was their world. Not hers.

She turned off at the familiar exit and followed the back road until she reached her driveway. There was a rainbow over the hills. And there was a car in her driveway. As she saw it her foot hit the brakes, hard, and she jolted forward. How' but how did ' where ' it was a dark-blue Ferrari, and Nick Waterman was standing in the driveway next to Tygue. Tillie waved sheepishly from the door. And with her heart pounding, Kate pulled slowly into the drive. The sound of the gravel startled them both and they turned to look at her. Tygue ran toward the car, waving, with a big grin of excitement, and Nick simply stood there and watched her, with that endless smile of his. She stopped the car and stared back. What could she say? And how had he found her? Weinberg, of course. That was easy. She should have been angry at Stu, and normally she would have been. But she wasn't. Suddenly all she wanted to do was laugh. She was so goddamn tired, all she could do was laugh. And Tygue was reaching into the car window and talking as fast as he could.

Hey, you, wait a minute, slow down. Wait till I get out of the car.' But the child certainly looked happy.

Did you know Nick was a football hero? And he worked in a rodeo?

Oh really? What had happened to him? When Weinberg had been there for only an hour, Tygue had instantly detested him. But Nick was a football hero and a rodeo star. Apparently, he had the touch. She stooped to kiss Tygue and looked across at Nick. He hadn't moved. He just stood there. She walked slowly toward him with a careful smile on her face. Her eyes looked tired, but there was still laughter in them, and the smile was turning into the mischievous one he remembered from lunch.

How was teaching?

Fine. Should I ask what you're doing here?

If you like. I came to see you. And Tygue.

She was standing in front of him now, and he looked down at her as though he wanted to kiss her, but Tygue and Bert were already underfoot.

You make a terrific detective.

You're not hard to find. Are you angry? For a moment, he looked worried.

I suppose I should be. At Stu, not at you. But she shrugged I'm so damn tired, I couldn't get mad at anybody if my life depended on it. He put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

You couldn't have gotten much sleep, Mrs. Harper. What time did you get home?

About four. She liked the feel of his arm around her. It was heavenly as they walked slowly back to the house. For a moment she worried about Tygue, but he didn't seem to notice. She couldn't understand how Nick had put the boy so quickly at ease.

Why did you leave like that?

I wanted to come home.

That badly? He still didn't believe her.

The party was over. Cinderella had been to the ball. And what was the point of spending the night in a strange hotel, when I could have been here?

He looked around and nodded. I see your point. But I didn't feel that way about it this morning when I called. I got this sinking feeling that ' that I'd never see you again. His face sobered as he remembered it, and they walked into the house. Weinberg was damn dose-mouthed about it too.

What changed his mind? Kate peeled off her damp raincoat. She was wearing jeans and a blue gingham shirt It was a far cry from the lady in the navy halter dress of the night before. Cinderella was just Cinderella again.

He changed his mind because I threatened never to play tennis with him again.

Now I know where his allegiance lies, not to mention his priorities. Kate looked at him and laughed. This was crazy. She had met him yesterday at lunch and now he was here? In her house? With Tygue leaping at his feet? Suddenly it all seemed ridiculous. She sat down in a chair and started to laugh, and she couldn't stop till tears ran down her face.

What's so funny? Nick looked blank.

Everything. You, Weinberg, me, that damn crazy party you took me to last night I can't even begin to sort out what's real and what isn't And then Nick started to laugh too, but now there was mischief in his face and he went to his briefcase. He hoped he had guessed right

What are you up to over there, Waterman?

Well, Kate he had his back to her, but there was humor in his voice and Tillie was smiling broadly as she watched the proceedings- ! know what you mean about not being able to sift what's real from what isn't, so ' to figure things out Kate was already grinning as she listened I thought I'd come up here once and for all and find out if you were really Cinderella, or just one of the ugly stepsisters. And with that he wheeled around, and produced a glass slipper, reposing on a gold-bordered red velvet cushion. It was a life-sized shoe, the best plastic made, and it had taken his secretary three hours to locate it through the prop department at Paramount. And now she was sitting there, in her blue jeans, laughing again.

Well, Cinderella, shall we give it a go? He walked over to where she sat, and she saw that the slipper was a high-heeled, pointed-toe number with a glass rosette. He kneeled at her feet while she broke into fresh whoops of laughter, as she stuck out the dainty red rubber boot she had worn in the rain.

Nick Waterman, you're crazy! But the entourage was loving it Tillie couldn't stop laughing, Tygue was hopping around like a flea, and even Bert was chasing and barking as though he knew what was going on. But the boot came off, the shoe slid on, and Nick sat back on his heels with a grin.

Cinderella, I presume. He couldn't help feeling victorious, and looking it. He had guessed exactly the right size.