Double Trouble (33 page)

“Cool!”

“That’s not fair!” Jimmy argued.

“It’s more than fair,” James retorted. “You’re very lucky that the storeowner didn’t want to press charges. He didn’t have to be so understanding.”

“I’m going to do every job
first
,” Johnny said, sticking out his tongue at his brother. “And by the time you’ve paid for yours, I’ll have enough money to buy a
new
one and you’ll have to start over again.”

“Fine! Then I won’t let you play with this one!”

“I think -” James said firmly “- you could negotiate an agreement here, among yourselves.”

“I’ll rent it to you,” Jimmy suggested.

“Kid’s born to be a lawyer,” I muttered.

James fixed his attention on Jimmy, as if he hadn’t heard me. “No, you will not. You will share. If you don’t share, then I’ll take it away completely.”

They ate in silence, Jimmy scowling at his father.

“Aren’t you feeling lucky?” I asked the boy with the attitude.

“I don’t
think
so,” he muttered, adding an eye roll for emphasis.

James gave the kid a hard look and on some inexplicable impulse I leapt in where angels would clearly fear to tread. “Don’t you have spring break?”

“It’s over.” Jimmy kicked the table leg. “And we didn’t even go to the beach, like Mom promised.” He was working it for all it was worth. “All my friends got a tan and where was I? Not scuba diving, like Mom promised, nooooo, I was packing boxes and now I’ll be taking out the garbage for twenty-five effing cents.”

“Hold it right there,” James started to get to his feet, but I lifted one hand.

I did my best Cruella de Ville voice. “Give him to me.” I smiled as if Jimmy would make a tasty lunch and the kid inched away, uncertain what to expect. His bravado faded. Ah, he was still young and tender and his talk was a thin veneer. I smiled wider and he folded his arms across his chest.

He looked worried. I like that.

“You sure?” James asked, glancing between the two of us.

“I’m sure. A week from Saturday will do nicely.”

“I’m not sure!” Jimmy said with a last try at defiance.

I laughed, my best evil-empress-with-plans-for-world-domination laugh. The kid bolted. I popped another piece of pizza into the nuke, well pleased with myself.

“I want to learn to play, too,” Johnny shouted, looked to his dad for approval to leave the table, then bolted at James’ nod. The boys settled into meaty bickering about who would play when. James left them to work it out themselves.

Frankly, it reassured me that they seemed to have some issues with each other. It’s just not natural for siblings to adore each other. And a little competition prepares them for the real world.

James started to clean up. I picked up plates and glasses, as the boys disappeared into Jimmy’s room to figure out the nuances of the game. Periodic bellows of outrage gave assurance that they were alive and not fatally wounded.

“I’m surprised that you leapt in to volunteer,” James said. “I thought you’d be just about done with all this family stuff.”

“My warm-fuzzy tolerance has been exceeded,” I agreed, though I hadn’t really thought much about it until now. I checked surreptitiously for hives, or at least I thought I was discreet, but after finding none, I found James smiling as he watched me.

“Fatal dose?” he asked with undisguised amusement.

“I must be working up a resistance.”

“As long as it’s not an immunity.”

I heaved a heroic sigh. “I do owe you, after all, for sending you in to the reptile lady’s shop without fair warning.”

James’ smile flashed. He glanced toward Jimmy’s room, then stepped closer. “I forgot. Good thing someone’s keeping track.” He had a gleam in his eye, as if he had been thinking of other terms of reparation.

So was I. My pulse took a predictable leap, but I had to cover what I’d come to do. “Before we get to the bonus round, I’ve been looking at care options for my dad and they all stink. You said you had an idea and I’m listening.”

James leaned his hip against the counter right beside mine. “I was thinking he could move in here.”

“Here?”

“Yeah. I could evict the crown prince from his lair...” he gestured to the room Jimmy had claimed and I shook my head.

“Good luck.”

James looked grim. “It’ll happen, for a good cause. There’s a bathroom back here that your dad could have for his own and another room there that he could use as his own living room when he wanted to escape us. He wouldn’t have to get rid of much furniture, he’d have his own stuff, he’d have everything on one floor, company when he wanted it and privacy when he didn’t.”

I was startled by the generosity of this offer. “There’s no money for him to pay rent, you know. If he sold the house, he’ll have some money from that...”

“But it should be invested in case he gets sick. I don’t want his money, Maralys.” James folded his arms across his chest, clearly prepared to fight me on this. “I think we’re close enough to his neighborhood that he could keep his doctors and still meet up with his pals. It wouldn’t be that big of a change for him.”

“No, it wouldn’t.” I looked around the space, seeing what a terrific idea it was. Then I did the math. “Daycare,” I said flatly, looking at James.

“It’s true that this could be mutually beneficial. Another set of eyes would be welcome. The boys are getting old enough that they could look out for your father, and I’d feel better knowing that he was looking out for them.”

“Planning to run away from home?”

“Planning to get a job, Maralys.” He plucked a series of envelopes off the windowsill. They were of fine stationary, clearly business letters. They were hand-addressed in James’ hand-writing but just with the name of the recipient.

Resumes.

“Can’t you apply electronically?”

He smiled. “We lawyers tend to be a bit old-fashioned, or at least I am. I like good stationery. I like the look and the feel of an elegantly presented resume. It’s about networking, too. I’m delivering them all in person, having lunch here and there, making contact with friends and acquaintances.”

“Any nibbles?”

“There are always prospects. I’d like to find something that’s a little less demanding, but having your father here would definitely ease my mind. I think it would be good for him to have more than his own company, too. Do you think he would like it?”

“I think he’d love it.” It was true. “The boys are the center of his universe. Are you sure that you want him here?”

James’ smile widened. “He and I don’t have the same kind of relationship that you two do. I like your father and I respect him. I think we’d get along just fine.”

“And if not, you can each retreat to your own caves.”

“Something like that.” He eyed me, genuinely uncertain. “Does this make sense, Maralys, or is it a stupid idea? Am I muddling or solving?”

How could I resist that? I reached up and eased his frown away with my fingertip. “I think you’re becoming a great dad, James. I admire that you’re trying to do it your own way. You’re right, having my father around would be good for everyone. He was a pretty good dad, a different kind of dad from yours, and could give you both support and suggestions.”

“A good dad? Despite the way you two fight now?”

I smiled now. “We’re too much the same and we both know it. And I’ve done my share of provoking him.”

He feigned shock. “Not you?”

I punched his shoulder playfully. “I’m not that bad.”

“No, you’re not. Your heart’s in the right place, Maralys.” He looked toward Jimmy’s room and I saw the cogs start to turn again. “Give me a few minutes to get the bike back together and I’ll give you a ride home. The boys probably can’t burn the place down in half an hour.”

“Don’t count on it. I’ll snag a cab.” A lie—I’d take the bus as it was cheaper, but what James didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

He didn’t tend to believe me though. “NO. It’s getting too late.”

I liked his concern. I liked it a lot. It made me shiver a bit. It had been a long time since anyone worried very much about me, and I was getting used to James’ concern. There is something to be said for Cave Man protecting his vulnerable babe, even if I don’t buy the women-are-by-nature-vulnerable premise.

I caught the back of his neck in my hand and stretched up to kiss him quickly. James caught his breath, surprised, so I did it again. This time, he leaned into the kiss, wrapping his arm around my waist. Talk about great stuff. Forget pizza—I could live off this man’s kisses.

Which must have been why I said what I did. It was bold, even for me.

“You’re a smart guy, James,” I whispered. “Your kids go to school. You’re unemployed. I work nights. You know where I live. And like you said, I owe you.” I kissed him again, did a little tongue fandango that put a rise in his Levis, then sailed out the door.

My heart was pounding and my skin was tingling. I ran to the closest M stop and wasn’t even out of breath when I got there.

I felt
alive
. Tonight I’d write some hot*hot*hot code. Guaranteed.

----

Subject: lurking

Dear Aunt Mary -

Is it rude to lurk in a chat room or on a list serve without contributing, or even admitting that you’re there? My pals say it’s wrong, I think it’s interesting. Who’s right?

Listening Lee

----

Subject: lurking before you leap.

Dear Lee -

Oh, what big ears you have!
=8-o

Since every ’net chat room or list serve has its own dialect and tolerance of plain speak, it’s always prudent to lurk before you leap in with a contribution. You are within your rights to simply listen and learn, however it’s rude - if not illegal - to repeat whatever you “hear” or observe. Many groups (like your friends) won’t appreciate your silence, especially if intimacies are being traded.

When in doubt, check with the moderator or list serve owner as to the rules governing the group and/or their expectations of members.

On the other side of the coin, you can never be sure who will read your post in such a situation. As a general rule, if you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, or if it isn’t something you would want an acquaintance to know about you, don’t post it to a list serve or chat room.

Play nice, boys and girls, and we’ll all have a better time.

0:-)

Aunt Mary, who has evidently been sainted for her generous dispensation of kindly wisdom

***

Uncertain? Confused? Ask Aunt Mary!

Your one stop shop for netiquette and advice:

http://www.ask-aunt-mary.com

----

S
o, I can’t say that I was shocked when the elevator ground to life the following Friday and stopped at my floor. I mean, I invited the guy.

I turned in my chair and watched while James stepped out of the elevator. He was suited up in fine style, looking impeccably European in a suit of grayed green wool. French cuffs on the cream shirt, small gold cufflinks and a brassy gold tie. His raincoat was a London Fog, painfully predictable, but nice enough. He was the power lawyer once more, in charge of his universe.

He made me a bit nervous, reminded me of how he turned things to his advantage over and over again in the courtroom. I’d hoped for the jeans, as I felt more a part of the same universe when he dressed down. This look made me edgy, aware of all the dark tunnels to unknown destinations as well as the dead ends of the labyrinth.

Somewhere, a minotaur bellowed.

“You look expensive,” I ventured.

He smiled fleetingly. “That was the point.”

“How goes the hunt?”

His gaze flicked to the screen, then back to me. “I need to talk to you. Got a minute?”

It wasn’t an answer and it wasn’t why I’d hoped he’d come, but I nodded anyway. James came across the loft, not wasting any time on technicalities. He looked remarkably stressed, more so the closer he got. He sat down in my other office chair, balanced his elbows on his knees and took a good look at me. I looked back, striving to appear indifferent to his presence when every cell in my body was on full alert.

I was, in case you’re interested, wearing a pair of old jeans that are the most comfortable things I own and a huge faded red sweatshirt that I had always loved and Neil had conveniently forgotten. Maybe because I had hidden it from him when he started packing. That man had no ability to hunt. In these days, it was holding together by will alone, because it had been washed so many times.

And now I faced a consummate hunter, the very look of him making me salivate. There’s something to be said for being in a predator’s sights, at least for the adrenaline thrill of it. I wished that I had had the foresight to wear my little La Perla black lace under wire number, but no. I was swinging free.

“What’s up?” I asked.

Typically, James didn’t mince words. “I’ve been offered a job, and I don’t know whether to take it.”

“Money is always welcome.”

“True enough.” That half-smile flickered and faded. James got to his feet and paced off the length of the loft. It was a lot of space and it took him a while, but not long enough that his restlessness eased. He looked, to my amazement, indecisive.

“So, what kind of horrible job is this?”

“It’s not the job.”

“Crap pay?”

“Nope. Pay’s fine.” He shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and stared at the glass block windows. He must have been watching the patterns shift, because you sure couldn’t see out of them.

“You’re worried about the boys?”

“Some. I think I could telecommute a bit, but it would still be a change, even with your dad around.” We’d worked the details out mid-week, as my father was amenable to the idea and his doc liked it a lot. Dad was checking out of the place with the pastel walls tomorrow and James was taking the K to do the deed.

Sadly, with boys, patient and driver, there was no left room for me. Boo hoo. You know that broke my heart, to miss out on the dirty, uh, duty, work.

“Look. I don’t have all day to play twenty questions.” I got up and marched toward James. “I don’t even know why you’re here. Spit it out and let me get back to work.”