Now & Forever 3 - Blind love (25 page)

“I guess you don’t want me to go?” She put down the
hairbrush.

“I don’t.” He kissed her head.

“What about the opportunity for my career?” She squirmed
around to face him.

“You gave up dancing three years ago, why?”

“It was hard work and often exhausting. Lots of rehearsals. I
couldn’t drink or party and still perform. I made a mistake and chose a bad
path. I’d have been better off staying until I was too old, about the age I am
now.”

“Did you sleep with a lot of men when you were partying?”
Peter took the brush and ran it through her hair.

“Don’t change the subject. We were talking about dance.”

“You said dance didn’t leave you time for a private life.
What about us? Would you have time for me if you were dancing?”

“Not a lot.” She straightened up.

“And you’re still going to go? I thought you said you loved
me?” He continued brushing her hair.

“I do. But I should at least try out.”

“You can’t do that without considering the possibility of
getting chosen. You can’t go in without a back-up plan.” He put the brush down.

“I should have a back-up plan.”

“How about teaching and living with me in South Africa?”

“Maybe.” She adverted her gaze from his.

He turned away as a dark mood engulfed him. Lara reached for
him.

“Don’t go to New York. Stay here with me,” Peter said,
kissing her neck.

“Dancing is what I do, bear,” she said, closing her eyes. “I
probably won’t get chosen anyway. Let’s not worry about it now. Let’s make
love,” she whispered. before the phone rang. Lara picked up her cell phone and
walked into the kitchen.

“Who was that?” Peter asked when she came back, standing up
and stretching.

“Andres. My audition is set for December twenty-first. Come
on.” Lara tugged on his hand, leading him to the bedroom.

Chapter Sixteen

Across town at Johnny and Rebecca Novacek’s
house

Thanksgiving was four days away. Rebecca planned the family
celebration with Jakub’s help.

“I suppose Johnny and I are going to have to start getting up
and taking care of our own kids in the morning,” Rebecca said, smiling at
Jakub.

Johnny was out collecting rent.

“Maybe.” Jakub blushed and nodded.

“Is she pretty?” Rebecca opened another cabinet, searching
for something.

His face reddened more and he smiled shyly.

“Yes.”

“I’d like to meet her sometime.” Rebecca scribbled two more
items down on the list.

“Maybe.” Jakub didn’t know how long Marcia might be in his
life.

”Here’s the list.” Rebecca gave Jakub the shopping list for
Thanksgiving. Nika’s youngest brother lived nearby with his wife and teenage
child and they were coming for the celebration.

“Would you like to invite your
pritelkyne
to have Thanksgiving dinner with us?”

“I don’t think. Thank you, Rebecca.”

“Why?”

“She will be at hospital with…with…someone to take care of.”

“It’s not my tenant, Mrs. Wilton, is it?” Johnny tossed off
as he came through the door. “She’s married. Are you sleeping with a married
woman whose husband is dying?” Johnny took off his coat, eyeing his father.

“Oy! None of your business, Johnny.” Jakub strode out of the
room.

“Johnny!” Rebecca said.

“I know, I know. Respect.”

“If he wasn’t living with us, we wouldn’t know any of this.
Don’t pry into his life…or judge him, either.”

“You’re right. I know. But I don’t want him to get into
trouble.”

“Maybe you don’t want him to find happiness with someone and
leave us?” She rested her hands on her hips.

“Maybe. If I can’t make love to you in the morning, I’m going
to get grouchy, Rebecca.” He took her in his arms and kissed her.

“Maybe it isn’t fair we can make love in the morning and he
can’t?” She softened against him.

“He’s an old man. He had his time, with my mother. Now it’s
my time.” Johnny ran his hands up and down her sides.

Rebecca laughed.

“So you think I’m old man? Too old for young woman? I don’t
think and she don’t think,” Jakub said, returning to the kitchen.

“Papa, I didn’t mean…” Johnny let go of his wife.

“You did mean. I’m still a man.”

“But Mrs. Wilton, Papa…she’s…”

“She’s living same thing I live with your mama. I help her.”

“Yeah, Papa, you help her…you help her into bed!”

“You show disrespect!” Jakub’s hands clenched at his sides.

“How can I show respect, Papa, when you’re sleeping with a
married woman?”

“It’s not like that. She needs me. We not hurt anybody.”

“What does her husband say?” Johnny cocked his eyebrow.

“He doesn’t know.” Jakub shook his head slightly.

“Are you sure about that?”

“I suspect he does not know.”

“Did you sleep with another woman when Mama was dying?”
Johnny stepped closer to his father.

“No.”

“Did you?” he asked, pulling on his father’s sleeve.

“No! I had no one. I was alone. Nika wish…Nika wish…none of
your business. What do you know about dying? What do you know about living with
dying person? What do you know about love?” Jakub’s voice rose.

“I don’t sleep with other men’s wives,” Johnny spat out at
his father.

“You judge me? You judge her? You don’t know anything. No
talk anymore.” Jakub stormed out of the kitchen.

The atmosphere at Johnny’s house became strained. Johnny had
not spoken to his father since their fight. Jakub was away from the house as
much as he could be. He spent every night with Marcia. They watched football
games, ate together and made love. Marcia started to put on some weight because
Jakub was taking good care of her.

Jakub needed money, so he did some odd jobs for another
landlord, painting apartments and fixing things and stayed away from Johnny’s
other houses. He brought food to Marcia’s house. They cooked together, Jakub
teaching Marcia how to cook Czech style and Marcia teaching Jakub about
American cuisine.

* * * *

Marcia got the call on Thanksgiving morning. Jay was dead. It
seemed to her he was hanging on to make sure she was taken care of. Marcia was
numb. She called Jay’s mother, the funeral home and her sister. Then she went
in the bathroom and threw up.

* * * *

Thanksgiving dinner at the Novacek house was festive except
for Jakub avoiding Johnny and Johnny avoiding his father. Jakub played with his
twin grandchildren, Annabeth and Joey. They missed their grandfather so at
Thanksgiving they took every opportunity to climb into his lap and steal his
attention.

During the meal, the phone rang.

“Leave it, Johnny. It’s Thanksgiving. Who could be calling?”
Rebecca said.

When the answering machine picked it up, Jakub recognized
Marcia’s voice. He ran for the phone and picked it up before she hung up. He
spoke in a low tone.

“I have to go. I’m sorry,” he announced, picking up his plate
and taking it to the kitchen.

“Why, is there a married woman who needs your…assistance?”
Johnny asked in a snide tone.

“A widow,” Jakub said, closing the door behind him.

* * * *

Marcia answered Jakub’s knock and was instantly in his arms,
crying. She didn’t know if she wanted it to all be over for Jay or to hold on
to him forever, watching him disintegrate before her eyes. She was dazed, she
didn’t know which end was up. He held her tightly and let her cry, while he
stroked her head.

“We don’t have much time. They’ll be here soon.” Marcia dried
her eyes.

“Who?” Jakub eased her down into a chair.

“Jay’s family. You shouldn’t be here. They wouldn’t understand.”
Marcia pulled a hanky out of her pocket to dry her eyes.

“Understand what? We are friends.” He shrugged.

“We are lovers, Jake. They won’t understand.”

“What do I do?”

“Go home. Wait for my call.”

* * * *

Jakub did as she asked.

When he returned to Johnny’s house, the meal was over.

“Back already? What happened? She toss you out?”

Jakub looked at his son with angry eyes and walked out.
Rebecca threw the sponge into the sink and put her hand on her hip. “If you
keep this up, he’ll leave us.”

“Maybe he should.”

* * * *

The family descended on Marcia within an hour of each other,
telling her what to do and making arrangements. Her sister and sister-in-law
barged into her bedroom and began cleaning out Jay’s clothes.

“We should bag everything for the Salvation Army,” Anne said,
opening the closet door and grabbing a fistful of hangers.

Stephanie, Marcia’s sister, took down an old suitcase.

“Don’t take that one, the clasp is broken,” Marcia said.

“It looks fine to me,” Stephanie replied.

Jake must have fixed
it.

“Anne, Stephanie, wait, wait. I can do that,” Marcia pleaded.

“Why should you have to do that? That’s why you have family.”
Anne smiled at Marcia.

“Don’t throw that away,” Marcia said.

“I understand how you feel, but it’s best to make a clean break.”
Anne patted Marcia’s arm.

Marcia put her hand on her sister-in-law’s shoulder.

“Wait. This isn’t Jay’s. It’s too big,” Anne said, holding
hangers with Jakub’s clothes on them in her hand. She looked at Marcia.
Stephanie stopped and looked too.

“Whose clothes are these?” Anne asked.

Marcia was silent, but red crept up her neck. She folded her
arms across her chest.

“Whose clothes are these?” Anne repeated the question.

“Did you have an affair…while Jay was dying?” Her face turned
a ghostly white.

“Those clothes are none of your business. Please leave my
bedroom.” Marcia shoved the clothes back in the closet.

Anne and Stephanie went downstairs in silence. Marcia stayed
upstairs as long as possible. When she finally felt ready to face them, the
buzzing of voices quieted as she descended the stairs.

Anne had her coat on. “I can’t be in a room with the woman
who cheated on my dying brother.”

Mark, Jay’s cousin, looked at Marcia with accusation in his
eyes.

“I’ll be back for the funeral,” Jay’s mother said, getting up
and going to the door.

Marcia’s head was swimming. After the door slammed, she
turned to her sister.

“What do we need to do for the funeral?” Stephanie asked.

“I’m not sorry. I needed Jake. I still need him. Jay knew and
he was happy I wasn’t alone. He begged me to find someone. And I did. I’m sorry
if this offends you, Steph. None of you know what’s it’s like to watch the love
of your life die over five years. And where was everyone? Not here…but Jake
was.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Stephanie took Marcia in her arms for a hug.

Marcia picked up her cell phone and dialed. She spoke briefly
to Jake then hung up.

“Can I stay here and handle…things?”
 
Stephanie sank down into a chair.

“Sure. I could use the help.”

In ten minutes, the front door opened up.

“Stephanie, this is Jake. Jake, my sister.”

Chapter Seventeen

At the Caldwell house

Thanksgiving was one of Callie’s favorite holidays. Every
year she celebrated with Danny and Eliza. They’d fill up their table with
students who had to stick around school. This year she was more excited than
usual as she’d been looking forward to celebrating with Sam and Peter. One
night about two weeks before the holiday when they were in bed, Mac broached
the subject.

“I know how you are about holidays and Thanksgiving is almost
here.” Mac rolled onto his side.

“This is the first year we will have real family with us.”

“With a murder charge hanging over my head, I don’t want to
have a big celebration at our house. Couldn’t we be the four of us, like any
other day? Maybe watch a movie with the kids?”

“You don’t want to celebrate Thanksgiving?” Callie sat up.

“I know it’s selfish of me, but with everything in my life
threatened…I guess I don’t feel very thankful right now.” Mac avoided her gaze.

“If that’s what you want I guess I could miss it this year. I
love you.”

“I love you too, baby.”

Callie was disappointed to miss the holiday, but she didn’t
let it show. He switched off the light. She pulled Mac’s arms around her and
closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come easily, which it rarely did these
days.

* * * *

The square envelope with something stiff inside arrived a
week before Thanksgiving. It felt like an invitation to Callie and she saved it
to open when Mac, Jason and Kitty were seated at the dinner table.

“This came today,” she said.

“Can I open it?” Jason asked.

“How about we let Daddy open it, Jace. He’s been kind of sad
lately.”

“Okay, Mom.” Jason sat back in his chair.

Callie handed the large envelope to Mac and he raised an
eyebrow at her.

“I have no idea what this is,” she lied.

Mac ripped open the fancy envelope. Inside was a handmade
invitation for each member of their family to have Thanksgiving dinner at Eliza
and Danny’s house. It read,

We are thankful to have you in our lives.
Please celebrate this giving of thanks with us on Thanksgiving Day at our
house.