Unwanted Company - Barbara Seranella (36 page)

"Hey, easy with that," Mace said.

"Watch this/' Asia said. She sat in an armchair
next to the door and pushed one of the white buttons set in brass on
the wall. A slight clunk was heard in the kitchen. Asia led Munch in
there and showed her where a number l had dropped into a slot.
"That's so the potter knows who wants something."

"The porter, dear," Caroline said.

"Cool," Munch said.

"And the piano," Asia said. "It really
works."

"
Wow," Munch said, memorizing every nuance
of expression on her beloved little girl's face. She bent down until
they were at eye level. "Honey, you know how we talked about how
some mommies grow babies in their tummies and some get their babies
from other ladies' tummies?"

"It's okay, Mom," Asia said. "I love
you no matter where you come from."
 
"
I
spoke to an attorney friend," Caroline said. "She's going
to pave the way for you to resolve your custody issue."

"Thanks," Munch said. Had ever the word
felt more inadequate?

Mace set Asia on one of the barstools and lifted the
bar top to let himself in behind the bar. "What can I get you,
ma'am?" he asked her.

Asia grinned, clearly in heaven. "A martini,"
she said.

"
One Shirley Temple coming right up," Mace
said. Munch moved closer to Caroline and spoke in a tone keyed out of
Asia's hearing range. "So what's next?"

"
For now the court has granted you guardianship.
The judge is convinced it would be detrimental to the minor involved
to break custody. They'll want to do a home study and a background
check. We'll write you letters of recommendation. Everything will
work out."

"
Anything I should be doing to get ready?"
Munch asked. "Do you have anything in writing that indicates
that you have the consent of the parents?"

"
You mean like a will or something?" Munch
asked.

"Social Services would accept a letter in
Jonathan Garillo's or Karen Parker's handwriting in lieu of a
formally witnessed document."

"I think I have something like that," Munch
said. "It just needs to say that me having Asia is what he
wanted, right?"

Finding such a document should be no trouble at all.

Caroline's mouth formed a half smile. "Yes, that
should do it." The two women embraced.

"All right, all right," Mace called out
from behind the bar top. "Enough with all that. I'm still taking
orders here." He addressed Munch. "What'll be? A Coke?"

"Coffee," she said, moving to the small
porter's kitchen. "I'll get it."

The cabinets were lined with snug-fitting shelves,
reminding her of the setup in her limo. She imagined that when a
train was in motion, it was much like a boat, and everything needed
to be secured to handle the sway and bumps of the track. She found a
kettle and filled it with water, then opened other cabinets until she
found instant coffee, creamer, sugar, and mugs.

"
How about you, Caroline?" Munch asked.

Caroline was sitting on the piano bench, watching the
play between Mace and Asia. "I'm fine," she said.

Munch filled a mug and brought it into the front room
of the Bella Donna. Mace turned to say something to her, and then his
face went ashen.

"What?" Munch asked, looking down at her
clothes, her chest, wondering what had caused his reaction. Then she
looked at the mug in her hand, noticing for the first time the name
printed across it: Digger. "Oh," she said. "I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to—"

But Mace cut her off with an upturned palm. "It's
all right," he said. "I, uh. I, just, uh." He clamped
his mouth shut and shook his head. When he spoke, his voice was
strangled. "Excuse me a minute." He stumbled out from
behind the bar, down the hallway toward the rear bedroom.

The women watched him stop, turn, then sink to his
knees in an upright fetal position. He covered his face, and a moment
later they heard the unmistakable sounds of a grown man sobbing.

"
Mommy?" Asia asked. I

"
Don't worry," Munch said. "It's
okay."

Caroline was already up and moving down the hallway.
Then she was beside her husband, cradling him, rocking him. After a
minute, Mace's arms opened to accept her.

Munch heard her murmur, "Finally."
 

EPILOGUE

That evening Munch saw a green four-door Buick sedan
drop Derek and Violet off in front of his building. Derek waved
good-bye with the sheaf of papers in his hand.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"
I cannot comment on that," he said.

"
What's got into you? "

"I've had an epiphany," he said. "I'm
going to become an FBI agent." He crossed the street to show her
the papers. They were application forms. "I'm going to need a
reference from someone in law enforcement. Do you think Mace St. John
would help me out?"

"I don't know. I think he's planning on taking a
week off from work. Maybe you can ask him when he gets back."

"
Hey," Derek said, "where's the limo?"

"
At the body shop." She didn't tell him
about the bundle of hundred-dollar bills Ellen had pressed on her at
the hospital. She hadn't asked Ellen where they came from. With
Ellen, it was sometimes better just not to know.

"What happened?" he asked.

"
Got in a little fender bender."

"
What about your friend?"

"
She needs a little work, too."

"But everything turned out okay, right?" he
asked.

"Yeah, I guess it did." From inside the
house, Munch heard the phone ringing. She ran inside to catch it. She
was trying to get Ellen a bed in a women's recovery house. They said
they would call if a space for Ellen opened. Whether she would stay
there was up to her.