Menu for Romance (28 page)

Nausea churned Major’s empty stomach. “Meredith?”

“You’re awake?” Her figure materialized out of the darkness and came over to the bed.

“Was that—were you just talking to my mother?”

A neutral expression masked her face. “I was. I had to go out to Beausoleil Pointe Center last night because she had an episode when you didn’t show up to see her.”

He groaned.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me about her?”

“How am I supposed to explain her? ‘Oh, by the way, I have a crazy mother’?” Anger came to his defense against the tears forming in Meredith’s eyes. “I learned a long time ago that if I didn’t want people wondering when I was going to lose my mind, I couldn’t tell them about Ma.”

Meredith was silent for a while. “I’m trying to see this from your point of view, but I can only come up with two explanations of why you basically lied to me about your mother—either you don’t trust me, or you’re ashamed of her.”

He was ashamed all right—of himself. “Mere, you don’t understand....”

“Then help me to understand. I’ve known you, worked beside you, for eight years.
Eight years.
And unless I’m remembering incorrectly, a couple of weeks ago, you told me you love me. Yet the next day, when I tried to ask you about your family again, you shut me down, putting me off once again. Were you ever going to tell me?”

He sighed. This was exactly why he hadn’t told her. “Last night, over dinner. I was going to tell you then.”

“If you didn’t chicken out first.”

Her words cut like his sharpest knife. She knew him too well. But he’d been right about her, as well. “All I can say is, I’m sorry. This is exactly why I’ve been trying to keep away from you, to stop myself from falling in love with you. Because I knew once you found out about her, you wouldn’t want to have anything to do with either of us. I mean, you’re the one who told me you didn’t want to take the time to deal with training a puppy. How would you possibly want to take the time to deal with my schizophrenic mother?”

Meredith stood silent for a long time. The only indication she hadn’t turned to a statue was her deep, ragged breathing.

He fought the guilt that tried to drown him over the words that had just come out of his mouth. He’d only lashed out at her because he was angry with himself. But he was doing this for her protection. In the long run, she’d thank him for saving her from his fate.

“I’m sorry you feel that way. I think your mother is a lovely woman who has done the best she can do while fighting a terrible affliction, and she’s someone I would be proud to know better.” Meredith took a few more gulping breaths.

He couldn’t look at her anymore, couldn’t bear to see the hurt in her eyes—those beautiful eyes he loved so much.
Never apologize.... It’s a sign of weakness.
And he had to be strong if he was going to let her walk away.

She cleared her throat, but her voice remained heavy with emotion when she spoke again. “I’ll let Mom and Dad know it’ll be awhile before you’re able to return to work. When you are ready, let me know, and we’ll discuss your duties and what you can and can’t do until you’re on your feet again.”

Turning her back on him, she returned to the chair in the corner of the room to gather up her things. “Forbes is planning to come out after work tonight. You should arrange with him about getting a ride home when you’re released.” She flipped the strap of her briefcase over her shoulder and came back to his bedside.

The words of apology, of begging her forgiveness, of pleading with her to stay, nearly tore his throat asunder. He clenched his teeth together to keep from speaking. He had to let her walk away.

She held his phone out toward him. “Call your mother. She’s worried about you.”

Meredith fought fatigue the remainder of the day—and angry tears every time someone stopped by her office to find out how Major was doing. Her only saving grace was the amount of work she needed to do to make sure Easter in the Park and the Easter brunch at Lafitte’s Landing went off without a hitch on Sunday.

Around three o’clock, she was startled out of a stupor by a knock. Steven LeBlanc stood in the doorway, a Styrofoam box in his hands.

He cleared his throat. “When I talked to Chef earlier about what I’ll need to do for Sunday, he told me I should bring you a boxed lunch this afternoon.”

The lump of emotion that she’d fought all day tightened into a fist in her throat. “Thanks.” She met him halfway across the office to take the box then waved him toward one of the guest chairs facing her desk. She put the box in the small fridge in her credenza and tried to compose herself before she turned back around.

Taking a deep breath, she clasped her hands on top of the pile of paperwork on her desktop and smiled at Major’s second in command. “Where are we since we talked this morning?”

“Jana was able to get all the servers she’ll need for the number of RSVPs we have. I got with Orly and arranged for the steam tables to be taken over to Lafitte’s. I double-checked with all the food vendors to make sure we’re still on track for everything to be delivered tomorrow—to Lafitte’s. And the pastry chefs guaranteed me that they have everything they’ll need to make the doughnuts and stuff for the event in the park.”

“I’ve also talked with Orly,” Meredith noted, “and he’s arranged for drivers to transport the food out to the park early Sunday morning. Are there some kitchen porters on the schedule to help with loading and unloading and setup once it all gets there?”

“Yes.”

“Thanks for stepping up and handling everything, Steven. I guess it’s good practice for when Major leaves to start his restaurant, huh?” Meredith shivered. She might be mad at him right now, but that didn’t keep her from wanting to continue working with him.

“But he’s not—” Steven shook his head. “He told me he’d turned down your parents’ offer to start a restaurant.”

Did she need more proof of Major’s distrust of her? “Oh. That’s interesting.” Her phone rang. “I guess that’s all. I’ll call you if I have any other questions.”

She waited to pick up the phone until Steven left. “Facilities and Events. This is Meredith.”

“Hey, Mere. It’s me.”

“Hey, Jenn. What’s up?”

“I just heard about Major’s accident. Is he okay?”

Meredith ground the heel of her hand into her forehead, trying to will away the dull, throbbing headache. “He had to have surgery on a compound fracture in his left leg last night, and he has a couple of cracked ribs and some bumps and bruises.”

“Whoa. Sounds rough. He’s still in the hospital?”

“Until tomorrow or Saturday. I’m not sure which.”

“I guess you’ll be spending your evening out there tonight instead of coming for family dinner?”

She hadn’t thought about today’s being Thursday. “Actually, I’ve got a ton of work to do for this weekend, and then I’m going home to crash. I didn’t really get any sleep last night.”

“Let me know what day Major is released, and I’ll send some meals over for him.”

“Forbes is going to take care of getting him home from the hospital.”

Jenn didn’t say anything for a long time. “What’s going on?”

“It’s—it’s private. I can’t talk about it.” But she needed to talk to someone. Why did Anne have to be gone for ten more days?

“Look, I know I’m just your younger sister, and that you’ve always chosen to confide in Anne about these things; but I
am
your sister, and I am a grown-up who can keep things confidential.”

Before she could think twice, Meredith blurted out everything that had happened yesterday—from the dinner-that-wasn’t, to meeting Major’s mother, to Major’s reaction this morning when he learned she’d discovered his secret.

“I had no idea.” Jenn whistled. “It’s pretty rotten that he didn’t tell you a long time ago.”

“It’s not rotten. He was just protecting himself, I’m sure.” With several hours’ distance from their encounter, Meredith’s anger began to abate.

“There’s protecting yourself, and then there’s flat-out lying.”

Jenn’s vehement defense of her brought Meredith’s first real smile of the day. “You know, I’ve replayed every conversation I’ve tried to have with him about his family, and he’s never actually lied to me. He’s always just hedged, changed the subject, or told me part of the truth.”

“You’re going to stick up for him?”

The image of Major lying there in the hospital bed, bruised, scratched, and utterly distraught brought Meredith around full circle. “I love him, Jenn. Yeah, I’m upset that he didn’t trust me enough to tell me the whole truth, but it’s something we can work through.”

“I still think he’s a jerk for not telling you.”

“Let me ask you this: Do you tell the guys you date everything about our family when you start dating them?” Meredith picked up a pen and started doodling in the margin of her notepad.

“Are you kidding me? If I told guys I’m one of eight kids, they’d immediately think that all I want is to marry them as fast as I can and start popping out babies.” She paused. “Oh. I see what you mean.”

“Major said he learned a long time ago not to tell people about his mother, or they thought he might have problems, too. I imagine that some of the people that happened with were women he dated. I’ve heard that some forms of mental illness are genetic.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard, too. Hold on.” A rustling sound followed by tapping came through Jenn’s end of the line. “What did you say his mom has? Paranoia?”

“Schizophrenia.”

“Hold on.” More clicks. “How do you spell that?”

Meredith spelled it for her.

“Okay, this Web site—which shows that it was written by a panel of psychiatrists—says that there’s only a 10 percent chance that a child can inherit schizophrenia from a parent with the disease ... condition.” Jenn paused for a long time.

The lull gave Meredith time to think—and to listen to her heart. Her shoulder muscles began to relax; her head stopped throbbing.

“It says here that if someone has schizophrenia, they start having problems by their teens or early twenties. So Major’s, like,
way
past the age for you to be worried about him having it.”

Meredith laughed. “That was never really a concern for me.”

“Just the lying part.”

“Right—even though he didn’t lie to me.” She tapped her pen against her chin. “The truth of the matter is that I love him. I’ve loved him for a very long time. I’m not going to let something as simple as the fact his mother is ... a little different from ours, scare me off.”

Major looked up from the old copy of
Gourmet
magazine one of the nurses had scrounged up for him. “Hey, Forbes.”

Dressed in his expensive suit, Forbes looked every inch the lawyer. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better now that most of the anesthesia has worn off.”

Forbes shrugged out of his coat and started loosening his tie. “Pain?”

“Some. Actually, my ribs hurt worse than my leg right now. But they tell me that won’t last long.” Using his arms for leverage, Major pushed himself into a more upright position—and grunted at the pain that wrapped around his chest.

“Have they told you yet when they’re going to release you?”

“Tomorrow morning, if all goes well.”

Forbes pulled one of the visitor’s chairs closer to the bed. “You’re going to come stay with me until you’re up and about.”

“No, I can’t—”

“How long have we been friends?” Forbes removed his cufflinks and rolled his sleeves up to mid-forearm.

“Since high school.” Major narrowed his eyes, pretty sure he knew where this was going.

“More than twenty years. And in all that time have you ever known me to back down or not do something I say I’m going to do?”

“No. But in all that time have you ever known me to rely on anyone but myself?”

“No, but I’ve always thought you should every once in a while.” Forbes waved his hand dismissively. “Besides, the doctors have already told you that you shouldn’t be home alone until you can get along on crutches by yourself, haven’t they?”

“Let me guess—you talked to the doctor before you came in here.”

“Fraternity brother.”

Major rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll come stay. But you can’t make me like it.”

Forbes’s booming laugh filled the room. “I won’t try to make you. Did you ever get in touch with your health insurance company this afternoon?”

Major told him everything he’d managed to do since their earlier phone conversation. “What I want to know is how am I supposed to get the ambulance, emergency room visit, and surgery preapproved? I mean, come on!”

Brows raised, Forbes leaned forward. “Are they refusing coverage?”

“No, I just had to go over the head of the gal who answered the phone and talk to someone who wasn’t just reading off a script.”

“If you have any more trouble with them, just tell them your lawyer will be calling.” He relaxed again.

“I will. Now, I’m tired of wallowing in my own issues. Tell me about an interesting case you’re working on or something. I’ve spent too much time in my own head today.”

Forbes obliged. Major zoned out a bit, listening to the ramifications of some statute or other that was keeping Mairee and Lawson from moving forward with getting the area around the old warehouse district declared eminent domain, or something to that effect.

“Your dad told me that the groundbreaking had been pushed back six months. Is that why?” Major readjusted his pillow.

“Yes. Apparently some of the property owners out there are putting up a fight.”

“I thought you didn’t represent your parents—that everything for B-G was handled by one of the senior partners.”

“I don’t. But I keep up with everything that’s going on—because my folks expect me to know about it. Speaking of, Dad told me you turned down the restaurant deal.”

Major told him about his mother’s accident the night of the Hearts to HEARTS banquet. “It made me realize that as long as my mother’s around, I’ll never be free to do something like that.”

Forbes crossed his arms, his expression hardening. “Did you ever tell Meredith about your mother?”

And here they were—on the very subject Major had hoped wouldn’t come up tonight. But if he was going to be staying with Meredith’s brother, he’d have to tell him sooner or later. “I was going to tell her last night. I cooked dinner for her at her house but was running out to the Pointe to see Ma when I got in the accident. Apparently Ma had an episode when I didn’t show up. Meredith answered my phone and went out to try to get Ma to calm down.”

“I see.” Forbes’s jaw worked back and forth. “I would imagine she was pretty upset finding out that way.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t want anything to do with me again.”

A flicker of anger twitched Forbes’s expression. “Once again, you’re underestimating my sister.”

“You didn’t see how mad she was.”

“I don’t have to. I know her ... better than you do.”

Anger—at himself, at Meredith, at Forbes, at Ma—boiled in Major’s chest. “Look, I appreciate your concern for Meredith. I really do. But this isn’t any of your business. It’s between me and Meredith and no one else.”

“If you had a sister, you’d understand why I can’t let this go, why it is my responsibility to make sure she isn’t hurt.”

“Like it was your responsibility to get George Laurence to lie to Anne for weeks about his real identity?” Sure, it was a low blow, but Major wasn’t going to be the only one in this room being accused of not treating someone fairly.

“You don’t know anything about what happened. Besides, that’s a totally different situation.” Forbes raked his fingers through his hair. “I think the real issue here isn’t Meredith. It’s you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean you’re a coward.” Forbes stood, posture stiff.

Major tried to push himself into a straighter position and ignored the sharp pain in his side. “I beg your pardon?”

“You never told Meredith about your mother because you’re a coward—you were afraid that if you told her, she might not love you anymore just because of your mother’s condition.”

No words came to mind with which Major could defend himself.

“I’ve known you, watched you, listened to you talk about your mother for more than half our lives. The truth is that you’re ashamed of her. You didn’t keep her a secret from everyone—especially Meredith—because you were protecting her from them. You kept her a secret because you’re embarrassed by her condition, mortified that someone might think that you’re the same way she is.”

Guilt pelted Major like hot grease splattering from a fryer.

“If that’s the way you truly feel, you are not the kind of man I want my sister spending the rest of her life with.” Forbes gathered his coat and tie and started toward the door.

Through the overwhelming pressure in his chest, Major caught his breath. “Wait.”

Forbes stopped, arms crossed. “Well?”

“You—you’re right. I am embarrassed by my mother. I always have been. But you don’t understand what it was like growing up with a mom who might throw a tantrum in the middle of Sears with everyone watching. You don’t know what it’s like to be called out of Algebra class and told that your mother set fire to your apartment and she’s being taken to the state mental hospital and you’re being put into foster care. You don’t know what it’s been like to have every woman you’ve ever dated break up with you as soon as they find out about your mom because they’re too scared to listen to the facts and find out that I’m
not
going to be like her.”

Forbes came back around the bed and sat down.

“You don’t know what it’s like to give up everything—football, New York, the restaurant, Meredith—because she’s had another breakdown, set another fire, had another episode. I’ve had to live with that my whole life, have had to deal with it with no help from anyone else for thirty-eight years. And I’m tired of it.”