The Riches of Mercy (21 page)

"Again," Meredith said.

By the eighth step, they were getting the hang of it. On the walkway, Natalie leaned over the railing and panted with relief. Meredith kept her hand on Natalie's back.

Merritt and Beau ran past them and back down to the beach.

"No throwing sand in anyone's eyes. Especially people you don't know," Meredith said.

"This might have been more trouble than it was worth."

"That's what the ocean's all about, isn't it? Come on. We get to go down now."

"Oh, no."

"Come on." Meredith took her elbow.

Natalie let herself be dragged along. The ocean lay before her, greenish and calm, with a hazy horizon and a paler, golden sky above. She grinned, moving forward with greater ease until the tide itself came into view, rolling onto the sand, leaving its wet imprint, trying again. Higher and higher.

People bobbed in the surf, specks even at this proximity. The beach was sparsely populated with families and umbrellas and kids. There was a volleyball net down the beach and farther the curve of the land, jutting out to sea, creating a destination.

Down the beach the other way was the pier, which went a long way out into the water, farther than anyone could swim. In the haze, it seemed to shimmer.

"Smells like fish at the end," Meredith said.

"It seems so romantic from here."

"So does the water, until it gets up your nose and stings your eyes and your bathing suit is soaked with sand and you get stung by a jellyfish."

"Were you always like this?"

"I'm a nurse. It's all about applying pragmatism to foolish notions."

"Did you bring me here just to force me to exercise?"

"That's why I brought your physical therapist."

"I don't care what you say, it's beautiful. I wonder--" Her throat got choked up, and she swallowed hard to regain her voice. "I wonder if it would have been this beautiful, six weeks ago."

"Of course it would have," Meredith said. She put her hand on Natalie's back. "You would have seen it at night, with the moon and the stars reflecting on the water, and the lights of the pier, and the comforting darkness and the deafening sound of the waves that could almost swallow you up, but the hotel lights in the distance remind you that at the long, invisible cord connects you to the world, there are still other people."

"Now who's romantic," Natalie said. A tear escaped her eye and rolled down her nose. She turned to Meredith.

Meredith met her eyes, and they gazed at each other rather than the ocean until Beau yelled.

"One step at a time," Meredith said.

Natalie turned back to the descending staircase. She gripped the railing with her hand, and leaned forward bravely. Then she paused. "Which foot do I start on?"

"Reach out your good leg." Meredith went down two steps, and then said, "Put your hand on my shoulder."

Natalie did so, and took the first step. She nearly toppled over, but Meredith caught her by the waist and held her until she regained her balance.

"Good," Meredith said, looking flushed and a little frightened. "Maybe we could--"

"Excuse me ladies."

At the bottom of a staircase was a tall, dark man wearing only swim trunks. "I mean no offense, but I would be happy to help--if I can," he said.

Natalie opened her mouth, but Meredith shushed her.

"Would you mind carrying her down the stairs? She's a bit heavy for me."

Natalie opened her mouth again.

"I'd be happy to." He trotted up the stairs and before Natalie could protest, he'd stopped at roughly chest level, and wrapped one arm around her legs, propelling him against her shoulder. She hung down his back.

"Really, this isn't necessary," she said.

He was already backing down the stairs, very carefully, and holding on only to her good leg, letting the other dangle as it would. Her shoulder strained, but the trip was short, and he planted her on the sand easily.

"Um. Thank you," she said.

Meredith offered him a drink. He declined and jogged off down the beach.

"Nice guy," Meredith said.

Natalie looked agape at her.

"Take off your shoes," Meredith said.

Too in shock to argue, Natalie numbly kicked off her flip-flops. The sand under bare feet sent warmth from her toes to her ankles. She wriggled her toes and sank down into the sand.

Meredith bent easily and picked up her flip-flops. Natalie took them.

"Want your walker?" Meredith asked.

The boys parked it about fifty feet down the beach, along with a blanket and cooler and chairs they abandoned in favor of chasing a seagull.

"Hope they don't catch the poor bird," Meredith said.

"I think I can manage. Natalie straightened up. "If you'll--"

Meredith glanced away from the boys and back at her.

"Help?" Natalie asked.

Meredith slipped her arm around Natalie's waist. "Of course."

"This was a good idea."

A breeze blew across them, bringing with it salt and a faintly fishy smell.

"Wait until you see it at night."

# #

Chapter Twenty-Four

For lunch, they went into town. Natalie was getting better at climbing up the walkway from the sheer panic she'd be stranded. The boys had played in the surf and with strangers' dogs and with the Frisbee and then made it through lunch. Now they were asleep in the back of the station wagon. The dash clock read one o'clock, but sun-stroked and exhausted, Natalie felt like she'd been at the beach all week.

"What's next?" Natalie asked. "Are we going home?"

"We're staying at a condo overnight. It's a surprise. It's near the beach, but not 'on' the beach. Still, it's near the coastal waterway. The boys will love it."

They'd gone over the bridge and back to the mainland where the restaurants were and weren't going back the way they came. Natalie furrowed her brow.

"Trust me," Meredith said.

"Oh, I trust you." She glanced out the window. Another bridge, another neighborhood of stilt-houses and palm trees and scrub grass, and then they were pulling into a concrete driveway and pulling up under the stilts.

"Is this safe?" Natalie asked.

"Well, if the flood comes it'll wash away the car. But we'll be fine."

Natalie got out of the car and glanced at the house. It seemed grand and looming. Then the side door opened and Jake came running down to see them.

"Hey!"

"This is Jake's place?"

"It is," Jake said. "My partner's a banker, you know. Investment. Though with the ocean washing away, I think he's cra-zy. And the mortgage is killing us. You wouldn't believe. So! Happy homecoming."

Natalie accepted his hug, and then he went to scoop up a sleeping Beau while Meredith grabbed Merritt. Merritt protested and dug his fingers into Meredith's shoulder.

"Can I help?" Natalie asked.

"I think your job is to get up the stairs."

"Geez. I'm calling the ADA about this whole place."

"I'll come get you in a sec," Jake said. He bounded upstairs with Beau.

Meredith grinned and followed him more slowly.

Natalie glared and inwardly cursed at the stairs, but they remained stalwart. She took the railing.

Jake came back with a crutch. "How come you don't have a crutch?"

"Because my shoulder's doing all it can to hold onto my arm."

Meredith disappeared inside.

"Take the railing with your bad arm."

"Jake."

"It's just for balance. Come on."

Natalie switched sides, and then let Jake foist the crutch under her undamaged armpit. He adjusted the height, and then adjusted again.

"It's on the wrong side, really. But you'll have to adjust. Now lean your weight on the crutch and put your good foot on the step."

She did so as carefully as she could, but she still swayed to the side. Jake caught her. "Balance, see? Good. Now, up."

She pushed herself up using her crutch, and forward, putting her weight on her good leg. The technique was, she admitted, sturdier than what she'd been doing. With practice, it could probably be faster. If she didn't topple backwards down the stairs. When she reached the top step and opened the door, a blast of cold air greeted her. She closed her eyes and offered her face to the breeze.

"Daniel's out buying steaks," Jake said.

The living room was decorated in wicker, and the furnishings and walls were white with grey tile.

"There's four bedrooms. One has bunk beds, that's where the boys will be. You two get the one on the far end, I hope you don't mind sharing, but it's the nicest room. There's a television. Oh, and we have wireless."

"I have truly returned to civilization," Natalie said.

"I have wireless," Meredith called from the kitchen.

"But you don't have a beach."

Jake grinned.

Meredith brought Natalie iced tea and complimented her crutch. "I bet I can read your mind."

"Oh?"

"You," Meredith said, taking her free hand. "Want to take a nap."

"I do. More than anything, I do. I'll pay you."

Jake giggled.

Meredith tugged her hand. "Come on. Sorry, Jake. We'll visit later."

"Girl, I see you at work."

"Thanks, Jake."

He went to the kitchen for a beer. "I'll be on the porch. I'll distract the boys when they wake up."

"Should be in about a half hour, when all the chicken wears off." Meredith glared at Natalie.

"Chicken's healthy."

"Bless your heart," Meredith said.

Natalie chuckled.

The bedroom held a queen-sized bed taking up nearly the entire room. An alcove at the far end contained a large mirror and two doorways on either side.

"We get our own bathroom, at least. Is this all right?"

"Seems like my room. I thought you didn't have any friends."

"This is for you, Natalie. Jake likes you."

"Merry."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Or think about it?"

"Either way. Nat, please."

"Okay."

"Anyway." Meredith went to study herself in the mirror. "We probably shouldn't be doing that so much, you know. The boys might get confused."

"Merry--" Natalie hobbled over with her crutch and stood behind Meredith. "It's fine. It doesn't bother me."

"Me either. That's what bothers me."

Natalie frowned.

"It's not you. I like your company." Meredith patted her side.

"A little too much?"

Meredith's expression softened. She put her hands on the edge of the counter. "A little too much."

Natalie nodded. She hobbled to the bed and sat down, carefully leaning her crutch against it. "No one's ever cared about me before."

"I find that hard to believe, Natalya Ivans."

They had just had this exchange about Jake. "You're probably right. I--I haven't really been paying attention."

Meredith came to the bed and put her hands on Natalie's shoulders. "You've healed. I'm glad. You're going to be okay. And you're going to love being back home."

Natalie didn't say anything. She thought of the woman in front of her, and the boys and the sleeping girl and her friend outside the door, and how much she wanted to pretend she was a guest, just someone to show the sights, she didn't actually belong.

Natalie put her arms around Meredith's waist and rested her forehead against Meredith's torso, and prayed, 'Please, God, don't let her pull away.'

Meredith hugged her back. She settled her chin onto the top of Natalie's head.

"I'm not leaving," Natalie said.

Meredith pulled away and sat next to her. "I've got a lot of problems."

"Don't we all?"

Meredith grinned.

Natalie held her gaze and reached up to touch her chin. Meredith took Natalie's hand. She pressed it to her cheek.

Natalie swallowed. She broke the gaze and scooted back on the bed until she could lie flat on her back. She reached for Meredith's hand, and Meredith gave it, moving up to sit against the headboard.

"Aren't you tired?" Natalie asked.

Meredith shook her head. "I'll watch you sleep."

"Okay."

Natalie closed her eyes.

#

Natalie woke up alone. And stiff.

The clock on the VCR read 4:30 but the afternoon sun made it seem like noon. She heard voices. She spent the next five minutes getting up and then hobbled out into the living room. The voices came from the deck, so she went out there, and saw a tall, tanned man in shorts and a Bermuda shirt standing over a grill.

The smell of steak made her mouth water.

"I'm Daniel. I hope you like steak," he said.

"I do when it smells like that. I'm Natalie."

"Heard all about you. How are you feeling?"

She hobbled closer. "I feel great. Fantastic."

"Glad to hear it."

She nodded. "Nice place you have here."

"I like it. Course, I'm from Waxhaw. Jake thinks it's nothing special."

"Not true," Jake said from a lounge chair. He lifted his head. "You want a drink, Natalie?"

"I'm good. Where's Merry?"

"She's down with the kids, fishing. Lean over the railing and you can see her."

Natalie crept to the railing and peered down at the muddy creek making up an inlet. The boys each held long reeds in their hands, and they were giggling and pushing each other. Meredith sat on the bank, watching them and a little girl, who was digging a hole in the bank.

"Have a seat," Jake said.

Natalie sat in the nearest deck chair and blinked against the angle of the sun.

"Jake says you're a lawyer," Daniel said.

"I am."

"Here to help Merry?"

"I'd like to. Working on how."

Daniel nodded.

"He's so happy he has another smart person to talk to," Jake said.

"I ain't that bright," Daniel said. "Just ask Jake. But at least I vote Republican."

"He does. He doesn't ever want us to get married," Jake said.

"'Course not. Republicans need mistresses. So much more fun. Don't I buy you pretty things?"

Jake sighed and gazed in the direction of the ocean. "You sure do."

Natalie glanced in Meredith's direction.

"Oh, just try it with her. I dare you," Jake said. "The woman has a mind of her own."