Someone Else's Fairytale (14 page)

Kyra rolled her eyes. I wondered if this was what she didn't like about Jason, that he brought out her stepmother's silly side. Or maybe she just didn't like her stepmother either. It had to be hard. Jennifer couldn't be more than a dozen years older than Kyra.

After the desserts were cleared away, I excused myself to use the bathroom.

The restrooms had thick walled cubicles, tiled in
saltillo
tile.

When I stepped out of mine to wash my hands, I found Mrs. Vanderholt, Jason's mother, waiting by the door. I expected her to head into my empty stall, but instead she came to put her hand on my shoulder as I washed my hands in the sink. I looked up at her, surprised.

“Chloe, honey,” she said. “I don't know if you know this, but my husband and I used to both work in the DA's office.”

It felt like the temperature in the room dropped twenty degrees. So that's how Jason's parents knew who I was.

Mrs. Vanderholt saw the look on my face and said, “I'm sorry, dear. I didn't mean to put you on the spot.”

My throat was dry, so I could feel the walls of it rasping together as I swallowed.

Her expression, though, was all kindness and concern. “We didn't say anything to our kids, if you're worried about that.”

“I'm not protected anymore,” I whispered. “I don't think? Isn't my name in the public record now?”

“It doesn't matter. We know better than most what it's like to be defined by one thing in your life. We're the parents of Gladius, the hero of
New Light.”
Her eyes twinkled.

I let myself smile.

“I really am sorry to put you on the spot. It's just... you look fantastic, honey. Not even a limp.”

“Thanks.”

“So how are you?”

“I'm good.”

“It is just so good to see you.” Her eyes were moist. “All grown up, and very beautiful.”

I shied away from that remark, but I couldn't turn my head without catching our reflections in the round mirror on the wall in front of us. She gazed down at me like a proud mother and squeezed my shoulder.

“You know who else has applied to work at the DA's office?”

“No, who?”

“Beth. Your sister.”

“You know Beth?”

“We do. Lovely, lovely girl. Finishes her law degree at
University
of
Chicago
in the spring.”

I realized my hands were still sudsy. I rinsed them off and plucked a paper towel from the stack on the counter. “I don't keep in touch with any of the Winters,” I said.

“Well, who does? Your father's moved in with another woman.” She said this as if it was a recurring thing. “His wife is... well. She's had it rough, but is still his wife.”

I dried my hands slowly and deliberately.

“How is your mother?” she asked.

“Do you know her?”

“No. Which... this is a terrible question. Which one was she?”

“Started out as the student intern, ended up the receptionist.”

“Oh. Oh... see I didn't even know-” She shook her head. “Enough about that. Have I embarrassed you too much to go back out again?”

“No, it's fine.” I threw the towel away.

Mrs. Vanderholt swept me up into a hug. It came as such a surprise that I nearly tripped, but I managed to hug her back. She smelled like lotion and vanilla. It was a nice combination. “Sorry,” she said, when she released me. “Did I tell you I'm happy to see you all grown up and well?” She pushed the door open and motioned for me to precede her out.

Back at the table, everyone was clustered into a loose huddle, conferring. Jason turned as soon as I walked in and came over to me. “Can I drive you home?” he said. “The crowd's dispersed, they tell me.”

“Okay.” I wasn't sure where Jason was staying, but logic suggested that his parents and sister were in the
Northeast
Heights
. Their children all had gone or went to schools over there. My house wasn't quite on the way, but it wasn't too far out of the way either. Much more convenient than it would be for Steve.

Everyone was moving in the direction of the door. I picked up my take home box of leftovers off the table. “Can I pay for-”

“No,” said Jason. “All taken care of. Come on.”

“Well, thank you.”

He put his hand on my shoulder and guided me out through the side door, then left it there as we walked across the parking lot to his blue Prius. The way looked clear, until three girls stepped out from behind a parked car.

Instinctively, I moved away from him. He took his hand off my shoulder. “Hi,” he said.

The girls were high school age, and unable to say anything coherent in reply. Two giggled, one just shook and looked like she was going to cry. It was so strange.

“Having a nice night?” he said. He kept walking. They all turned to stare and continued to giggle. I followed a few paces behind him. As soon as we were past, one of them said, “He looks just like he did in
Danger Fields
.”

“I know, isn't he hot?” replied another.

A sniffle let me know that the shaking one had, in fact, started to cry.

Jason glanced back at them, nervously, as we approached his car. He opened the passenger side door for me, then got in the driver's side and started the engine. “Sorry about that,” he said.

“That happen to you a lot?” I asked.

He shrugged, non-committally. “Right after a movie comes out is when it's worst. But it won't last forever, you know? Just comes with the territory.” He put the car in reverse.

“So, thanks. Really,” I said. “Dinner was nice.”

“I'm glad you came. Kyra wasn't too mean?”

“She's fine.”

“My mother didn't give you the third degree in the bathroom?” We headed out of the parking lot and down the road.

“No. Huh-uh. Why?”

“I did tell her and Dad that you're a friend, but you know, I think they like you, so I'm sorry if she insinuated anything.”

“Nope.”

“Good. I'm proud of her.”

“So, are they both lawyers? Your parents?”

“Mmm-hmm. Like Steve said, it's the family trade. How'd you hear they were lawyers?”

“Your mom.”

“When'd she tell you that? In the bathroom?” He gave me an odd look.

“Yeah, I guess Beth's also a lawyer, or will be soon. She was telling me about her.”

“Huh, okay. And she didn't make you uncomfortable? Talking about the Winters?”

“Not at all. Your family is all very nice.”

“Yeah, I like them. I lucked out in the whole genetic lottery thing. Means I don't have deep childhood traumas to draw on when I act, but I'm cool with that.”

I laughed, even though I wasn't sure he meant to be funny.

His grin let me know I wasn't over the line. “I'm glad you met everyone.”

Since I'd already said they were nice, I couldn't think of a non-repetitive response. I gazed out the window instead. We'd stayed late, so it was pitch dark. This part of town didn't have streetlights. Beyond the glow of Jason's headlights was just a wall of black.

“Soooo,” he said.

“Hmmm?”

“About... yeah...”

I turned to him.

His hand fidgeted on the steering wheel. “Can I just ask something?”

“What?”

“If I say something in the next five minutes that offends you, can I get a take-back? Just, can we erase it from memory?”

“What are you planning to say?”

He glanced at me and then looked right back at the road. I noticed the car was alone. The road stretched off into blackness behind us. “I told everyone you're a friend, but I really want to kiss you good night.”

“Oh...”

“Yeah... Can I have a take-back?”

“No, it's fine... it's just... um...”

“Who is he?”

“What?”

“Or, make someone up. It's a male ego thing. Tell me there's someone else.”

“I... am going to the movies with my best friend tomorrow.”

“Is he better looking than I am?”

“He's not bad. We've been friends for years.”

“Oh. No surpassing that, then.” He glanced at me. It wasn't a lecherous look, but it was definitely a look.

In fact, it was a rather flattering look.

“Well,” he said, “I hope I didn't make you too uncomfortable just now.”

“It's fine.”

“Fine, like I can keep calling you and we're still friends fine?”

“Yes.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay. Good.”

“And I'd be okay with a hug tonight. That sound all right?”

“Yeah.” He didn't look at me, just smiled at the road ahead.

Usually, after a conversation like that, I would just cling to the door and count the miles until I was home and able to get out of the car, but this was different. Things really did seem okay between us. I couldn't, for the life of me, imagine kissing Jason, but I could definitely imagine talking to him some more.

When we pulled into my driveway, we both got out and I asked if he wanted to come in.

“Nah, it's late,” he said.

“Yeah, okay.” Perfect, I thought. I'd only asked him in because it was polite, but it was also past eleven. I held out my arms.

He didn't just hug me. He sort of enfolded me in an embrace. For a few moments I felt the rough stubble of his chin against my cheek, and his very muscular arms around my waist. He smelled like moisturizer, and lots of it. I rubbed his back before letting go. He was such a genuinely nice guy.

With a smile and a shy wave, he got back into his car and was gone.