A Reason To Stay (8 page)

She mechanically took her cases inside and stood in the entryway, waiting for the next command. Her brain was overloaded with too much for further cognitive skills to engage.

“Just carry your stuff to the bedroom to the left at the top of the stairs. I’m going to give them a quick bath and put them to bed.”

Elise carried a few at a time. She felt for the light switch on the wall and turned it on. Melanie had made up the guest room for her sister’s visit. Laura Ashley wallpaper clung to the walls and matched the bedspread with precision. A cute lamp sat on the bed stand. A bedroom right out of the catalog of
Pretty in Pink
. She was always more domesticated than Elise. Maybe because she welcomed overnight guests and Elise never did. How could two sisters who grew up in the same house be so different?

She unpacked a few things in the empty drawers of the dresser and laid back on the bed before closing her eyes. She drifted off a few minutes before Melanie appeared at the door.

“Is everything okay?” She stood there with the front of her shirt half wet from her daughter’s bathtub splashing antics.

“You have a beautiful home, Melanie. This room is so cute.”

“Thanks. I’ve been working on it for a while. I don’t have much spare time between my schedule at the hospital and the kids’ functions. But the weekends I don’t have them, I fill the void by decorating.”

“Didn’t you say you have a boyfriend?”

Melanie plopped down next to her on the bed. The smell of soap wafted in the air. “He’s so sexy and manly. You’re going to love him. His name is Jacob.”

Elise stopped still in her tracks. “Please, don’t tell me it’s Jacob Milford. Ben’s best friend?”

“Elise, don’t go crazy.” She held up her hands as if someone yelled it was a stick-up. “We’ve been dating seriously for about a month, and besides that, we’ve been friends forever. I think I’m really crazy about him.” She rolled over, propping herself up on her elbow, and kicked off her shoes.

“Seriously, for a month? What, are you planning to get married if it goes to six weeks? How are the kids about it?” She kicked her shoes off and folded a pillow underneath her for support.

“They seem fine. They know him, you know. And they know their daddy and I aren’t getting back together. It’s all good. And if it goes to six weeks I might need you back for a bachelorette shower and to hold my flowers.” She tousled Elise’s hair and laughed out loud.

“Six weeks? Are you kidding me? I can’t even commit to moving in with a guy after nine months. But if you like him then that’s great, Mel. I hope it works out this time.” She didn’t know what happened to her first marriage and she wasn’t about to ask.

“You never did like commitment, dear sister. I had hoped age would have taken care of that for you.” Elise said nothing. How could aging help a problem that she couldn’t even identify.

“Well, I’m bushed. I guess I’ll go to bed. If you need anything, I’m in the last room at the end of the hall. The bathroom is two doors down on your right. There’s towels and wash clothes in the linen closet behind the door. I hope you sleep well.” Melanie stood up, stretched, and smiled before leaving the charming little room.

Elise rose from the bed and called out to her sister, who was halfway down the hall. “What time do they wake up?”

Melanie laughed. “They usually get up around six thirty.”

“Yay, that’s three thirty, California time.” She banged her head on the door frame. She’d better get to sleep and fast. The next day waited for no one.

CHAPTER SEVEN

And Then It Happened

Whoever said the best way to wake up was with a triple shot of espresso didn’t have a four- and six-year-old jumping on their bed, screaming at the top of their lungs. In between the squeals, Elise heard the springs of the bed and felt her stomach tossing with memories of teriyaki chicken and rice.

“I give up,” Elise said, with a note of defeat in her tone. “I’m awake. Now be good little boys and girls and go downstairs and wait for Auntie Elise to follow.”

After she heard their little feet scamper halfway down the hallway, Elise dove back under her blankets. “I promise I’m coming. Just go.” Her voice was muffled from the three layers on top of her.

Eventually, she dragged her sorry, sleepy body out of bed and stomped toward the door. She could never be accused as the early bird in any situation. Was there anyone to call to take care of those kids while she slept a few more hours? Did Janine like flying, and was this covered in her secretarial duties? Knowing the answer to those questions, she went downstairs to find where Melanie stored the massive amounts of caffeine it took to get up this early with screaming hooligans.

Mason and Faith waited at the table, banging their hands, demanding food and drink. “I’m new here, okay?” Elise opened the cabinets, yawning and looking for any clue of what to feed them. Wasn’t there an instruction sheet? Who did Melanie think she was, anyway? When they were younger, Elise learned to swim in order to lifeguard for the summer, just to get out of babysitting for extra money.

“Mason, what do you all usually eat?” She gave up looking and went right to the source.

He looked in the air, then grinned. “Bacon, Skittles, and lots of Dr. Pepper.”

With one very sleepy eyebrow raised, Elise knew she would never get an honest answer out of him. She opened the pantry door and finally found the boxes of cereal. After grabbing the one she’d most likely agree to eat herself, she pulled down two bowls and poured out the marshmallow and grain mixture. After filling them with milk and tossing two spoons their way, she continued her search for coffee.

“Does your mother drink coffee or what?” She looked at both of them, her breathing becoming rapid and her tone sounding more desperate as the seconds ticked by.

“No coffee here,” Faith said, dripping milk on her chin.

Elise handed her a napkin and looked around for a coffee pot. Not one in sight. How did the girl manage with these kids and no straight caffeine in sight? Like a heroin addict without a fix, she threw open the fridge and tossed the head of lettuce and bag of grapes aside. Her eyes sharpened on a Coke. She popped it open, not even waiting for the bubbles to settle before placing her lips on the edge. She squinted as it burned all the way down. After a modest belch, she wiped her mouth and looked sideways to the children who watched her like a cartoon on television.

“So, I’m thinking we can go somewhere for lunch.” Somewhere that had Columbian beans.

“Yay,” they both cheered with smiles bigger than their faces. Faith almost knocked over her bowl, raising her hands over her head.

It was settled, then. Elise would watch them for a few hours with one steady eye as the other eye took a cat nap, and then they’d head out for someone else to prepare them lunch. She figured on the diner downtown, the one that made pies daily. After the coffee revived her, she could imagine what her taste buds would feel, as they sat beneath the frothy meringue and swam in the sheer goodness of coconut flavor, before it slipped down her throat.

“Let’s not waste time on getting ready for lunch,” Elise declared, her mind caught in the gutter of sugar and caffeinated beverage.

“But Aunt Elise, we’re eating breakfast,” Mason said with a scrunched face and a rainbow shape stuck to his top lip.

“Fine, finish up and we’ll find something to do until then.”

For the next few hours, the kids tore about the house, chasing and running around. Elise managed to get ready and find clothes for them to wear. She called and checked on her mom before leaving the house. Aunt Hildie was already there.

“Do you need me to come over?” She hoped she could eat first. She couldn’t fake tuna sandwich delight. Not when her tongue and stomach had been promised pie.

“Elise, your sister got me ready this morning. I’ve taken my pills and Hildie and I are watching the Hallmark movie channel. Just take the kids and have fun today. Call me about dinner. We’ll decide what to do, then.”

Easy enough about her mother. Now, the small people. “Hey guys, get to the door. We’re going to eat lunch and if you’re really super good, I’ll take you to the park afterward.”

Mason and Faith hooped and hollered as they fell to the ground, pushing their little feet into their tennis shoes. Elise tied Faith’s shoes and they locked up the house and headed for the car. Mason was fidgeting from the dirty socks Elise had found on the stairs and handed him to wear. She couldn’t be held up with searching for any more of their belongings or contraband. It’d already taken five minutes to find Faith’s little pony with the white spot on it. The dark brown one Elise found under the sofa was stupid and couldn’t come in place of Bonnie.

Elise hoisted Faith into her car seat and Mason strapped himself in like a big boy. She put the oversized key in the ignition and hopes for the day dashed as it grinded and moaned. Elise turned the key again. It chugged one last time and died.

“Kick it hard,” Mason said from the back seat. “Mommy kicks it hard. It’ll start.”

Elise kicked at it and pushed the pedal down and gave it another turn. Slowly, the groans and chugs melded together for a slow-spirited start. Elise let out enough air to inflate a tiny pool. That wouldn’t have been good to be stuck in a house where there was no food being prepared and no beans being brewed. She’d rationed out just enough energy left that was needed to get downtown to the diner and order the feast that danced like sugar plums in her head.

Finding her way around seemed to be second nature. With no wrong turns, they were in front of the diner. She spotted a space near the entrance and plunged nose-first for the parallel parking spot. Oh, how she missed the ease of her compact car. She turned the vehicle off, saying a small prayer it would start up again when it came time to leave. After she safely had the hands of her two children for the day, they made their way for coffee, hot food, and pie.

Bells on the door rang out as she pushed it open. It seemed they had beat the lunch crowd and had their pick of the booths. The smell of coffee hit her nose like marijuana to a bloodhound. She found a table toward the back, next to the counter bar seating, and headed toward it. Somewhere not in the spotlight of voyeuristic patrons walking outside by the large window. She wanted no witnesses for the amount of pie she planned to devour when all the chicken and gravy had been successfully sopped up by the flaky biscuit. The kids jumped on the springy vinyl seats and squealed with delight. Did Melanie ever take them out?

The waitress came right over. “My gracious! Elise Newton, is that you?”

Amanda Dewberry hadn’t changed since high school. She still sported a short bob haircut the color of platinum blond. It didn’t match her chocolate eyes and brows then and it didn’t now.

“Hi, Amanda. It’s good to see you.” Elise put the ketchup bottle down that Mason was beating the salt shaker with, pretending one was the villain and the other a good guy.

“I see you’re back for a visit. My goodness, how long has it been?”

“I’m not sure.” She took the sugar packets from Faith and stuffed them back in the container. “Can I get a large coffee? Black. And the fried chicken and gravy? I hope that still comes with a biscuit. Oh, and a slice of coconut meringue pie.” Elise folded her hands in front of her and smiled, happy with her selection.

Amanda waited, her eyes ping ponging from the little girl to the little boy.

“Oh, my gosh. Right. What do you all want?” She hid her embarrassment quite well at forgetting to order for the kids.

“I want cake,” Faith declared.

“Me, too,” said Mason. “Chocolate.”

“Just give them an order of chicken fingers, I guess,” Elise said after scanning the laminated menu on the table.

“And to drink?” Amanda asked, clearly amused from the show at table one.

Elise looked at the children questionably. “Juice of whatever sort, I guess.”

“I’m ‘lergic to apple juice,” Faith informed her.

Elise was ready to wave her white flag and pack up for California and the things she did know. With a huff of exasperated air, she said, “I guess Sprite is safe.”

“I’ll be right back.” She walked off, shaking her head and ripping the slip from her order pad.

Elise huddled down close to the table’s surface, as though she was getting ready to go over a game plan with her teammates. “If we do all right here, I will take you to the park.” She waited to see their little heads nod in agreement. “But if you don’t, we will go and sit with Grandma and Aunt Hildie and I’ll make you eat tuna!”

They screamed as Elise put her hands over their mouths. And then it happened.

The bells on that door rang, screaming for her to look up. It was him. Oh, shit. Her bodily functions locked as her eyes narrowed in on his dark tanned skin and incredibly wide, white smile. Like looking through the end of a paper towel roll, targeting on small pieces, she found that dimple on his left cheek. Her muscles, thoughts, nerve endings...they were all shutting down. Although her eyes seemed unable to close, along with her gaping mouth.

Mason dropped the pepper shaker and snapped Elise from her trance. Her mouth closed and her eyes refreshed from a quick blink. Would it be obvious to play a game of eating under the table? Ben walked in after the cute blonde in her lacy white top that contrasted with her perfectly tanned body. He hadn’t changed, only had become more attractive. Manlier. He’d taken off his cowboy hat the moment his feet stepped inside the establishment. Elise’s heart received the message her brain was sending and sent a jolt of adrenaline through her body. It made her tingle as heat rose to the surface of her face. This was it.

He saw her. Their eyes settled on one another like magnets. He ushered his Barbie to one of the front booths and bent over, telling her something. His face was turned so Elise couldn’t attempt lip reading. After he sat his hat down on the seat, he turned and walked toward Elise. She licked her very dry mouth to prevent her lips from sticking to her teeth. Where in the hell was Amanda with her coffee? Or the escape hatch to this place?

He reached her table. What was protocol? Was she to stand and hug him? Smile, say hello, and stay seated? What was expected when seeing the guy you left and subsequently could not move forward in life because of?

Her shaky legs supported her as she stood, leaning in with a one-armed hug, her body on auto-pilot. He smelled so good that she had to close her eyes to fully appreciate it. Like a good wine that tickled your nose and made you wait with anticipation for a drink. Her cheek touched his neck. It was warm, making her want to curl closer. They moved apart. It took three seconds flat and it was over.

“Daddy,” yelled Faith.

“Hey, guys.” He glanced down at them before settling his eyes on Elise. “Hi, Elise. It’s good to see you.”

“Hi, Ben. It’s good to see you, too.” She sat down and Amanda waited beside him, holding a tray of drinks.

Ben moved to the side and waited. “I see you two are catching up.” Amanda was the town’s biggest newspaper contributor. She just didn’t get paid for it.

“Not really. He’s just checking on Mason and Faith.” Elise didn’t want to give the illusion to anyone that she and Ben were ‘talking’ again.

Amanda put the drinks down and left, unable to get any juicy information from the table that fell silent while she was there.

“I see you’re here with someone. I’m sure she’s feeling a little weird sitting by herself.” Elise looked over and saw Blondie staring in her direction. She pretended not to stare as she opened Faith’s straw.

He turned around and checked his date. “She’ll be all right.” He looked at the kids who were both vying for his attention, tugging at him to sit down. “Are you all going to be good for Elise today?”

“Yes, Daddy. But why can’t you eat lunch with us?” asked Mason.

“I came with a friend. But maybe I’ll see you later.” His tone was low. Lower than theirs. Maybe it would catch on with his children to be quieter than they had been. Elise wasn’t used to traveling with a two-member circus.

Ben focused his attention on Elise. “If you need anything, let me know.”

That was a loaded proposition. “Melanie gets off later. I promise to keep them alive until then.” She forced a smile to her lips and hoped her shaking knee was safely hidden under the Formica tabletop.

“All right. I’ll see you all later.”

He walked back to the table to probably answer a million questions about who was with his children and why they hugged. Elise could spot an insecure girl thirty paces away. And the way she touched Ben when he sat down told her that one didn’t let him stray too far.

Luckily it wasn’t long before the food arrived. Amanda seemed disappointed to see Ben had retreated to his own side of the restaurant. It wasn’t two seconds after Elise opened their pouches of honey mustard that Faith had to go the bathroom. “Honey, can’t you wait? I’m starving and I just need a few bites.”

“I’ll go poop in my pants. I promise.” She jiggled back and forth, holding her belly with a squeamish look on her face.

“You better take her. She’ll do it in her pants, if you don’t,” Mason warned, sticking a salty French fry in his mouth.

Elise flung her napkin on the table, letting out a groan. “Come on, then.” She looked at Mason. “You, too. I can’t leave you. Melanie would kill me if I left you anywhere by yourself.”