Call Me Lydia

by MaryAnn Myers

  George looked grateful for that.

  "But you do realize we have to get him to stop?"

  George nodded sadly, and after he left, Lydia went inside for another drink. The phone rang as she was coming back out, and she hesitated answering it, but it kept ringing.

  "Hello..."

  "It's me," Sharon said.

  "Oh really? Then who am I?"

  Sharon laughed. "Whoa, don't you sound on your way!"

  "I think I'm already there."

  "Damn! I hate it when you party without me."

  "I'm not partying, I'm wallowing. Besides, you're not supposed to drink. It's bad for the baby."

  "Speaking of the baby, guess who just called?"

  Brian…who else? "What did he have to say?"

  "That he loves me and that he wants to talk to me. He's picking me up in about an hour. We're going to dinner."

  A lump formed in Lydia's throat. "Call me and let me know how it goes. Okay?"

  "I will," Sharon said, pausing. "God, Lydia, I hope he wants this baby."

  "He must," Lydia assured her. "Why else would he call?"

  "I don't know." Sharon's voice cracked. "But wish me luck, okay?"

  "You got it." Lydia hung up, dabbing at her eyes, and walked over and turned the television on. There wasn't anything worth watching, though, so she turned it off. Then the phone rang again, and thinking it was Sharon calling right back, she was surprised to hear, "Lydia, this is Tony."

  "Tony?" She pulled the phone away, looked down into the receiver, then put it back to her ear. "It doesn't sound like you."

  "Trust me, it is."

  "Okay…so it is. Now what?"

  "I need your help."

  "My help?" She had to be dreaming.

  "Are you all right?"

  "I'm fine. Honest to God and Betty's sweet Jesus."

  Tony sighed, that seemingly said it all.

  "So what do you need?" Lydia asked, standing up straighter to prove her sobriety.

  "I need you to bail me out. I've been arrested."

  "Arrested? What the hell did you do?"

  Tony sighed again. "Would you just come down here and bail me out?"

  "Sure," she said, as flip as can be. "Why not? I trust you."

  "Lydia, come on. I'll explain when you get here. And hurry, I need to get back to the shop."

  Lydia hesitated. "Oh great! My car's all wet."

  "Who gives a shit," Tony said, dragging the words out through clenched teeth. "Just get down here!"

  "Okay, okay. You don't have to yell at me, for God's sake. Where are you?"

  "At the county jail. Do you know where it's at?"

  "Sure…I was just there yesterday. And the day before, and the day before that."

  "It's downtown on the corner of Main and River."

  This had to be a dream, a nightmare. "Oh no! I just thought of something."

  "What?"

  "I don't think I have any money."

  "No money? A millionaire debutante like you?"

  "Nice article, wasn't it? Only my favorite color is green."

  "Lydia...."

  "All right, all right! How much do I need?"

  "Fifteen hundred."

  "Will they take a credit card?"

  "Lydia…."

  "Okay, okay. I'm on my way."

  She hung up and phoned her father.

  "You need what, when?"

  "Fifteen hundred dollars, and I need it right now."

  "What for, dear?"

  "One of our employees was arrested, and I need to bail him out."

  "Is that wise?"

  "I don't know." Lydia paused, giving it some thought. "No, I do know. Yes...it's wise."

  "Then I'll have it ready for you."

  "Uh...Dad, do you think you can have George bring it over? I'm going to need him to drive me. My car's wet and the room's spinning a little."

  John chuckled in spite of the way he felt about her drinking. At least she knew when not to drive. "I'll have him come right over."

  "Thanks, Dad. I love you!"

  "I love you, too. But, Lydia, dear, I do wish you wouldn't drink so much."

  "I quit smoking," Lydia said and then wondered if she had. "I think."

  "Well that's a start," John said. She was such a joy to him. "Have I told you how good it is to have you back?"

  "Yes, but that's okay, you can say it again."

  "You're the most important...."

  "Dad?"

  "I'm sorry, dear. I know how you hate it when I get so...so...melancholy."

  "Melancholy I can handle," Lydia said. "It's morbid I have trouble with."

  John laughed softly. "I'll send George on his way."

  Lydia hung up and ran into the bedroom, stubbed her toe on the dresser, hopped around cussing while rummaging through the drawers for the sweater she wanted, then grabbed some panties and a pair of slacks, and once dressed, went to look in the mirror.

  "Oh my God! I would've died!"

  She'd forgotten her bra, of all things. The sweater was up and over in a flash so she could put one on. Then she did her hair and makeup, and just like clockwork, when she was ready, George pulled into the driveway. She pointed south and hopped into the back seat. "To the county jail, George!" she said, feeling as giddy as a teenager going on her first date. "It's on Main and River. Or Vine and River. I forget."

  George laughed. There was never a dull moment when Miss Lydia was around. "Don't worry, I'll find it."

  Lydia smiled, sitting back and resting her head, and before she knew it, she'd dozed off. George woke her when they arrived.

  "Here you go, Miss Lydia," he said, handing her an envelope. Inside the building, she was directed to an office at the end of the hall, where she had to fill out several forms. The money was counted, then she was given a receipt and told to go back down the hall and wait.

  Even mellow, she wasn't any good at waiting. She paced back and forth for what turned into over an hour and was stopping once again at the water fountain for a drink when Tony walked toward her. She straightened up with her hand to her mouth.

  There was something different about him. His beard was dark, and his hair was a little mussed. But that wasn't it. It was his eyes. There was a look in them she hadn't seen before.

  He took her by the arm, motioning to the door, and was quiet until they got outside. "I didn't want to stay in there any longer than necessary," he said, glancing over his shoulder.

  Before she could even reply, his eyes took on a more familiar look.

  She smiled. "George is waiting over there."

  "George?" He looked at her. "Who the hell's George?"

  "My dad's valet...butler, whatever. He does it all."

  Tony nodded, and as they started down the walk, he noticed a shiny gray limousine and realized it was waiting for them. He stopped dead. Leave it to her. "Oh Jesus...."

  Lydia laughed and tugged at his arm. "I told you my car was wet. Come on."

  George got out to open the door for them and shook Tony's hand warmly when introduced, then closed the door and walked around to the front of the car. "George and his wife Betty are like family," Lydia whis­pered. "But we humor them and let them think they're working."

  Tony smiled.

  "So where to?" George asked, getting in behind the wheel.

  "To the plant," Lydia and Tony said at the same time, which had them looking at each other and laughing a little. Then they grew quiet.

  "I really appreciate this, Lydia."

  "Don't mention it. I kinda like having you in my debt. Though I would like to know why you were arrested."

  Tony motioned to George, and Lydia nodded, letting him know it was okay to talk. Still, he hesitated, just looking at her, and Lydia reached over and did something she'd been wanting to do since the first time she laid eyes on him; she pushed his hair off his forehead.

  Tony smiled and smoothed back the sides. "I look pretty bad, huh?"

  Lydia shook her head.
Not at all.

  "They don't exactly give you time to...."

  "Tony, please."

  He sighed. "I got arrested for trespassing."

  "Trespassing? Where?"

  "Take a guess," he said.

  Lydia didn't have to. "The plant next door? What did you go back there for?"

  "I was set up," he said, looking out his window and shaking his head. "I still can't believe I fell for it."

  She couldn't either; he seemed so skeptical about every­thing. "What happened?"

  "I got a call around five-thirty saying the offer - the one I was approached about - would be made clearer."

  "And they wanted you to meet them next door?"

  Tony nodded.

  "Wasn't the security guard there?"

  "No. Nobody was there. Not at first at least. Then bigger than life, around the corner come two cops. The rest you know."

  "Couldn't you have explained or gotten out of it somehow?"

  Tony raised an eyebrow. "With my record?"

  Lydia sat back and looked out her window. "Do you know who called you?"

  "No, but I'm sure as hell going to find out."

  Lydia stared at him. That wasn't said lightly, the way most people would say it. It was said positively and without a doubt.

  "You're scaring me again, Tony. You really are."

  "I'm sorry, Lydia," he said. "But we're in this now." He looked into her eyes, wanting to touch her, wanting to hold her. "And I am going to get to the bottom of it."

  Lydia rested her head back and sighed. This whole thing was scaring her. Scaring her to the point of needing a drink, a cigarette, food.

  "Have you eaten?" she asked.

  He shook his head.

  "Are you hungry? Do you want to stop somewhere?"

  Tony smiled. "No, I don't want to take the time. I want to get back to the shop."

  George glanced over his shoulder. "How 'bouts McDonald's? We can stop on the way."

  Tony's eyes widened. "In this?"

  "Wouldn't be the first time. Right, Miss Lydia?"

  "No, and it does sound good," she said. "Only I don't have any cash. I gave my last hundred to the wino."

  Tony laughed from the way she'd said that and reached for his wallet. But what wasn't funny was her wanting him to know how much she'd paid the wino, and that he took to heart. She was scared.

  George pulled into the drive-thru lane, ordering a milkshake for himself, burgers, fries, and Cokes for them. They ate on the way and arrived at the plant just after ten.

  "What time are you coming in tomorrow?" Tony asked, reaching for the door handle.

  "Early," Lydia said. "I still have to get some things ready before I can meet with the accoun­tant."

  Tony smiled, looking into her eyes, and hesitated. "I almost didn't call you. I was afraid you might not come."

  "Why not? It was me who got you into this."

  "Maybe," Tony said, getting out and looking back before closing the door. "But you didn't know that then."

  * * *

  The following morning, acting on a whim, Lydia pulled into the lot parallel with the building next door to see if the trucks were still at the loading dock. They weren't, which was even more puzzling than before, and she wanted Tony to know. She stopped in the cafeteria for coffee and then set out to find him. He was by the drill presses.

  "The steel's gone from next door," she whispered, getting him to walk with her.

  "I know," he said, lowering his eyes down every part of her and raising them slowly, as intimately as if they were lovers. "I heard them unloading it around eleven-thirty last night."

  "I don't get it, do you?"

  He shook his head.

  "I mean, why unload material at a plant that's closed?"

  He smiled. "I don't know. But I'll bet if we figure that out, the rest will fall into place."

  When they stopped at the end of the aisle, Lydia gazed up at him. "Then that's what I'm going to do. I'm going upstairs to figure it out, and I'm not coming down till I do."

  Tony smiled. "Good. That'll save me having to worry about where you're at or what you're up to now."

  Lydia laughed, shaking her head, and that's when she noticed practically everyone in the shop watching them.

  "Well, uh...I'll see you later."

  She phoned Jan from the conference room. "Good morn­ing!"

  "I sure hope so," was Jan's rather hesitant reply.

  Lydia rolled her eyes and sighed, just when things were starting to take a turn. "What's wrong?"

  "Well, first of all, your father has a doctor's appointment this afternoon at one-thirty."

  "Okay...." Lydia said, anticipating the bomb yet to come. "What else?"

  "I've done something that...." Jan cleared her throat ner­vously, her voice getting higher. "I just hope you won't be angry with me."

  "Jan, please! Come on! Just spit it out! The only thing that will make me angry is this!"

  "I'm sorry. All right."

  Lydia swallowed.

  "Mr. Armato called here yesterday, late... after you'd gone.''

  "And?"

  "At first he just asked what time you left. Then he asked if you'd left to go meet Greg."

  Lydia sat back.

  "And before I knew it, I was telling him that you didn't want Greg to come and that you'd stopped him."

  Of course, Lydia thought. Otherwise he would never have called me.

  "He asked for your number, and I told him it was unlisted, but he said it was urgent."

  "Is that it?"

  "Yes. Please don't be angry with me. I asked if Mr. Reed could be of help, but he said no and was going to hang up. I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry."

  "Don't be. You did the right thing. It was urgent, and I'm glad he got a hold of me."

  Jan let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I hardly slept last night. And then there was Mr. Reed's mood this morn­ing..."

  "Why? What's wrong with him?"

  Jan hesitated, torn between loyalties. "Well, he was here when I arrived, which was unusual. But his mood was even odder."

  "How so?"

  "He was cross. And that's not like him."

  "I'll buzz him and see what's up," Lydia said, and buzz him she did, though cross wasn't exactly the word she'd use to describe his mood.

  "Whoa," she said. "Who rattled your cage?"

  Silence.

  "You want to talk about it?"

  "No, but I think we have to. I'll be right down."

  Lydia went to the cafeteria for another cup of coffee, thinking she might need one. Reed was waiting for her when she returned.

  "It's about Tony," he said, before she'd even sat down.

  "If this is some of that same old bullshit," she warned him. "I don't want to hear it."

  Reed's face reddened. "It's not."

  Lydia sat down. "All right. What then?"

  "He was in jail last night," Reed said.

  "That's what this is about?"

  "Yes. Isn't that enough?"

  Lydia studied his eyes. "How'd you find out?"

  "He told me this morning when I came in."

  "So what's the problem then? Why are you taking it so personally?"

  "I don't know. I just am." Reed stared off sadly, shaking his head. "I guess I feel let down. I hired him, remember."

  Lydia sipped her coffee. "Didn't he tell you why he was in jail? Or how he got out?"

  "No. I pissed him off and he walked away."

  Lydia studied him more closely, sensing now what both­ered him most. "I thought you two were supposed to be friends," she said.

  Reed lowered his eyes. "So did I."

  That confirmed it. They sat there in silence for a moment. Then Lydia picked up the phone and paged Tony. "We're going to get this settled once and for all."

  Reed objected, which had Lydia all but ordering him to stay, and when Tony came up about five minutes later, he required the same persuasion.

  "I don
't have time for this," he said, standing in the doorway.

  "Then make time!" Lydia said. "Because until this thing between you two is settled, it's going to continue to get in the way of what's really important here."

  Tony's eyes flickered and then inflamed. "What's really important?" He slammed the door shut and walked across the room. "Now that's funny, since I don't see where I have a problem with what's really important."

  Lydia cringed, wishing she'd had the foresight to have started this out a little differently, because with that, Reed was on his feet and in Tony's face.

  "Then why get yourself arrested? With everything at stake, why now?"

  "I don't know! Because it seemed like the thing to do?"

  Lydia rushed over and got between them, pushing against Reed's chest with her hands, and Tony with her body. "I think you should let Tony explain why he was in jail last night."

  Before Reed could even respond, Tony objected. "I don't have to explain anything to him!"

  "Yes, you do!" Lydia insisted, turning to him now. "Be­cause this is stupid! You two are fighting over nothing!"

  Tony stepped back. "Over nothing?" This was good. If she could read minds, she' d have to know they were fighting over her. "Over nothing?"

  "Yes," she said. "And leave me out of it."

  Tony looked at her, then shifted his weight and looked at her again. She could read minds. She knew what he was thinking. "Do you need to see my eyes to do that?" he asked, waving his hand in front of his face.

  "No." Lydia shook her head. "You don't even have to be in the same room."

  He smiled. "What's a safe distance?"

  "For you?" Oh God - his eyes - they possessed her. "None."

  Reed cleared his throat. "Excuse me. I hate to be a bore about this, but uh...."

  Tony looked at him. "I got arrested for trespassing at the plant next door," he said and turned back to Lydia. "Can you really read my mind?"

  "Some..." she said, though actually she hadn't read him at all.

  "Why were you at the plant next door?" Reed asked.

  "I got a call late in the day saying someone would meet me there and make good on that offer to stay out of the way."

  Reed sat down and stared off, massaging the bridge of his nose, his head throbbing. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. But in my defense, I did have a little help."

  Lydia and Tony both turned, asking, "What do you mean?" then looked at each other and smiled.