Second Time Around (24 page)

“Count on it.”

This wasn’t over.

ELEVEN

The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the L
ORD
.

Proverbs 16:33

Bangor—1958

Dina placed a stack of three files before him. “You seem very tense today, Mr. Stancowsky.”

He put down his pencil and rubbed his forehead. Before he could even open his eyes, she was behind him, kneading his shoulders.

“This is what you need. My brothers used to say I give the best back rubs.”

It wasn’t bad. He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy it. For such a small woman, she had strong hands. He wondered if Millie was good at back rubs…

“Well, what have we here?”

David’s eyes shot open. Millie stood in the doorway. Dina pulled her hands away, but none too fast. She retrieved a letter from the desk and walked toward the door, but it was blocked by Millie.

“May I get by, please?” Dina asked.

Millie glared at her, not moving an inch.

“Millie, let her pass.” He hoped he wasn’t blushing.

She stepped to the side. “Oh, I think your secretary knows all about passes.”

Dina left the room and Millie started to close the door behind her.

“Leave it open. I have nothing to hide.”

She pushed it open, raising her hands. “Fine. Let your girlfriend hear.”

“Jealousy does not become you, Millie.”

“And infidelity does not become you.”

This was ridiculous. “Sit down.”

“I prefer to stand.”

What had happened to his old Millie?

“Why did you ask me here, David?” she asked, standing behind a chair. “I have to get to the gift shop. You mentioned some kind of opportunity?”

He sat back, trying to focus. “I thought it would be nice if we had a dinner party for a few of Mariner’s biggest accounts. At my place. With you acting as hostess.”

“Why don’t you have it at our house? After all, my father
is
still the president of the company.”

He didn’t like the challenge in her tone but decided to ignore it. For now. “I’ve talked this over with Ray, and he agrees that my idea would be a good first step to establish the two of us as a team.”

She laughed. “Us? A team?”

“You? Cook?”

That shut her up. But when she turned to leave, he was afraid he’d gone too far. He really needed her to cooperate in this for the good of the business. He hurried after her, taking hold of her upper arms. “Millie, please. I’m sorry.”

She looked down, her head shaking back and forth. “You want a perfect wife, David. You deserve a perfect wife. I just don’t think I’m her.”

He pulled her close, enveloping her. “Don’t say that. We’ll work on the menu for the dinner together. That’s why I asked you to come over.” He led her back to her chair. “We’ll work on it together.”

Millie had been no help with the menu, just sitting there like a zombie. He’d finally told her to go to the hospital and he’d bring the menu by over lunch—for her approval.

She was impossible to understand. One minute she chastised him for making all the decisions, and the next—when he asked for her input—she threw everything back in his lap.

He sat with a legal pad before him. He knew the kind of food he’d like for the dinner, but the difficulty was choosing something that was impressive
and
that Millie could make. If Rhonda had done her job and taught her daughter to cook, he wouldn’t be in this mess.

He looked up when Dina appeared at the door. “Yes, Miss Edmonds?”

She stepped into the office. “I just wanted to apologize for causing any conflict between you and your fiancée.”

He flipped her concern away with a hand. “Don’t worry about it.”

She nodded once but did not leave. “You look pensive,” she said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Actually…
“Are you a good cook?”

She looked almost pretty when she smiled. “An excellent cook, sir.”

“How are you at planning executive dinners?”

When David came into the hospital gift shop, Millie was helping a man buy a vase of carnations. A mother and a little girl were looking at the stuffed animals. The girl sang a song and made a teddy bear dance. She was adorable in a plaid dress under a red wool coat. While he was waiting for Millie, he moved close. “Your bear is a good dancer,” he told her.

She looked up at him with the most amazing brown eyes.
Their
children would have such eyes…

“Thank you,” she said.

The mother, who was wearing a beret that reminded David of the ones beatniks wore, chimed in. “All Nessa’s animals are very talented.”

“Nessa?”

“Vanessa.”

He smiled down at her. “What a pretty name. How old are you?”

With some work, the girl held up four fingers.

“My, my. Four years old. You’re a big girl.”

She nodded.

He noticed Millie watching him. Good. She would see how good he was with children. “Millie, come meet this darling child.”

She came out from behind the counter. “May I help you?” she asked the woman.

“We’re visiting from Atlanta. My sister just had a baby, and we—”

A perfect opening. David dove in. He put an arm around Millie’s shoulders, speaking to the mother. “This is my fiancée. We hope to have our own babies as soon as possible.”

He was shocked when she shrugged his arm away. “Children are a long way off.”

David looked at the woman, who seemed to be studying Millie’s face. Why was Millie intent on embarrassing him today?

But instead of being on his side, the woman put a hand on Millie’s arm. “Here’s my philosophy on such things: Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”

“Pardon me?” David said.

He saw Millie’s eyes brighten. “I like that,” she told the woman. She looked down at the little girl, who was taking it all in, and put a hand on her head. “I do love children. But I’m in no hurry. The time has to be right.” She glanced at David.

The subject had gotten out of hand. David pulled out the menu he and Dina had created for the dinner. “Can we go to lunch? I’d like to go over this.”

“If you’ll excuse us?” Millie stepped away from the customer. “That was rude.”

“Don’t talk to me about rude. How dare you act like you don’t want my children?”

Millie kept her voice low. “That’s not what I said. But the woman’s comment was a good one. ‘Just because you can—’”

He’d had enough. He shoved the menu against her chest. “Forget lunch. I’m not hungry. Look at the menu and bring it back to the office with any changes.”
If you dare make any.

He walked out before she could object.

Decatur—1976

Vanessa flushed the toilet and sat back on her haunches. The tile of her mother’s bathroom floor was cold on her bare feet.

A tap on the door. “You okay, Nessa?”

No, I’m not okay! I’m pregnant!
“I’m fine,” she said.

“I’ll get you some crackers and Fresca. That’ll make you feel better.”

She hated Fresca.

She scooted back against the wall, letting her head be cushioned by the orange bath towel hanging from a bar. Last night had been so nice, she’d actually forgotten she was pregnant. Yet it hadn’t been without its own crises. She’d learned that her father had secret girlfriends, he had been unfaithful when he’d been married to her mother, and he’d been the one to kick her out of their lives. Those three revelations were enough to mess up any person’s life, much less waking up only to race to the bathroom to barf.

What was with morning sickness anyway? What purpose did it serve?

It
reminds you what a fool you were to sleep with Bruce, that you’ve totally screwed up your life.

Then she remembered it was Saturday—she wasn’t home, at her father’s. She couldn’t remember the last time she hadn’t gone home for the weekend.
He’ll make me feel so guilty.

Her mother interrupted her thoughts. “I have those crackers, Nessa. Come out and greet the world.”

A few cuss words came to mind, but she kept them to herself. She got to her feet and opened the door.

Mother held out a saltine. “You look awful.”

She grabbed the cracker and shoved it in her mouth as she headed for the living room. “I gotta go.”

Her mother trailed after her. “But it’s Saturday. You don’t have class. I thought we’d spend the day together.”

Vanessa folded the crocheted afghan that had kept her warm on the couch. “Thanks for the offer, but no thanks.”

“But Harry and I were thinking of going to a movie—that
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock.
We’d love to have you join us.”

“It’s ‘Cuckoo’s Nest,’ but no thanks.” She sat on the edge of a cushion to put on her sandals.

“I’ll call you later and we can do dinner.”

She grabbed her purse and made for the door. “I won’t be here.”

Her mother strong-armed the door, preventing her from opening it. “Where will you be?”

It was easier just to tell the truth. “I know you don’t approve, but I need to go into Atlanta. Daddy’s having a dinner party tonight. He wants me to be hostess.”

“But you’re a college student with your own life. He shouldn’t expect—”

“It’s okay. I want to do it.”

“You baby him. He’s a big boy.”

“He needs me.”

Her mother shook her head. “Are you going to tell him about seeing me?”

“No!” She hadn’t meant to be so adamant. “At least I don’t think so.”

“You should, Nessa. It would be a big step.”

“I don’t know…”

Her mother sighed deeply. “There you go, choosing him again.”

“I’m not choosing—”

“Sure you are.” She stepped away from the door, giving Vanessa access. “I should have known you’d go running back to your old life. I despise the control he has over you, the way he uses guilt to manipulate you.”

“He doesn’t manipulate me. But I made a commitment to help and I need to follow through.” Her father’s past words haunted her:
“You’re weak in that department, Vanessa. You have a tendency to fall short, to bow out of the final goal.”

Mother opened the door. “Whatever. Go ahead.”

Although Vanessa didn’t feel up to arguing, there was no way she could leave. She closed the door. “What’s got into you? You take care of me last night, but this morning you’re all over me.”

“I thought we were starting something here—you and me. I didn’t think you’d run back to the status quo so quickly. I thought at this point in your life you might choose me. Choose us.”

“It’s not about choosing.”

“Of course it is. Life’s about choosing. When we divorced, when the judge asked your opinion, you chose your father because he always gave in to you, bailed you out of every trouble you had, then made you feel guilty if you didn’t pay him back with undying servitude. You didn’t choose me because I’m independent and strong, and I’d make you work for your dreams. Life isn’t worth much without work, Nessa. A life without work makes dreams null and void.”