Flight to Love

by Curry, Edna

Bells rang, and she laughed. “I always thought that hearing bells ringing was just something some writer made up,” she murmured into his mouth.

  Chapter 12

  Jodi squirmed uncomfortably in the bucket seat of Bob’s new sports car. Bob was, as usual, driving with only one finger on the steering wheel. His other arm rested on the open window as they hurtled down the freeway, well over the speed limit.

  “Bob, are you sure this is such a good idea?” Jodi pushed her windblown long dark hair back from her face.

  “Will you quit grousing, Jodi? I told you that I’d figure out a way to find Mom, and I did. I know she said not to, but I just want to make sure she’s really okay.”

  “But what if she’s mad when we show up in Mankato? What good will this do? Maybe she just wants to be alone for a while.”

  “I told you I need to talk to her. I’ve got a surprise.”

  “Yeah, right. You probably just want to borrow some money from her again.” Jodi muttered under her breath. “How do I always get roped into going along with your schemes?” she asked, raising her voice to be heard over the loud music playing on the radio. “I could have been shopping at the mall with Sylvia.”

  Bob just grinned, and concentrated on weaving in and out of traffic.

  “You’re gonna get a speeding ticket if you’re not careful,” Jodi warned.

  “Don’t be such a worry- wart.”

  “Somebody has to worry, you sure don’t,” she returned. “Besides, what makes you think she’s at Gram’s house? As far as I know, nobody’s gone there for ages. It’s probably full of cobwebs and spiders.”

  “I called Uncle Sammy and asked him.”

  Jodi was incredulous. “He told you she was there?”

  “No, he claims he doesn’t know. But when I suggested Gram’s house, he denied it.”

  “And?”

  Bob grinned. “So, that tells me I guessed right. I could hear it in his voice. You’ll see.”

  Jodi raised an incredulous eyebrow, and closed her eyes against the nerve-wracking sight of Bob’s driving habits.

  “Are you sure you even remember how to find the house? We haven’t been there for years.”

  “I have built in direction radar. Once I’ve been somewhere, I can always find my way back. Unlike some girl I know,” Bob bragged, sending a disparaging glance at his sister.

  Jodi ignored that with a sniff. Although she supposed he was better at remembering directions than she was, he didn’t need to make such a big deal out of it. She tried a change of subject. “So what’s the big surprise? Did you win the lottery or something?”

  “Ha! I should be so lucky. Wait and see. I’ll tell you both at the same time.”

  “Something to do with your job?” Jodi guessed.

  “You’re just wasting your time. I’m not telling you before Mom. So you’ll have to wait ‘til we get there.”

  Jodi shot him a dirty look and closed her eyes again. They still had an hour to go, and she could see that Bob was not about to spoil his surprise and tell her why they were making the trip, no matter how much she pestered him. And he talked about her and her mother’s love of drama.

  When at last they arrived all in one piece, Jodi unfastened her seat belt with a big sigh of relief.

  “See, what did I tell you?” Bob crowed, pointing with a long forefinger. “There’s her car.”

  Jodi stared, and then nodded. “Well, at least that proves you found the right house.”

  But Bob was already out of the car. He slammed the door and strode up the sidewalk, his long legs covering the distance before Jodi had even stepped out.

  Bob punched the doorbell, then swung open the front door, and stepped inside, yelling, “Ma! Where are you?”

  Then he stopped in shock, as the disheveled couple on the couch sprang apart guiltily. Bob’s voice dropped to a questioning squeak. “Ma?”

  Trace and Lisa stood up in consternation.

  Lisa’s hands automatically straightened her sweatshirt and hair as she stared in shock at her son. “Bob!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

  “Uh. Looking for you.” Bob’s face was now as red as his hair, and the look on his face could only be described as incredulous. Jodi appeared behind him, and her look was no less so.

  If Lisa hadn’t been so embarrassed and angry, she would have laughed at the comical expressions on their faces. Instead, she glared at them, her face fiery.

  She swallowed hard and turned to Trace, who was staring at Bob and Jodi. Trying to speak in a normal voice, she said, “Tracer Marsley is my next door neighbor. Trace, these are my children, Bob and Jodi. Who, by the way,” she said with a meaningful glance at them, and a desperate attempt at regaining her dignity, “know better than to walk into someone’s home without knocking.” The three acknowledged each other with cautious nods and stares.

  “I’m sorry,” Bob said, glancing at his mother. The expression on his face was now genuinely contrite. “I didn’t think. I mean, I never had to knock at home.”

  Lisa drew an angry breath, and decided it was long past time to set her son straight on this matter. “This is not your home, Bob, it is my home. And I expect you to act like it in the future.”

  Jodi tossed her brother an angry glance. “See? I told you she was gonna be mad.”

  Bob shifted from one foot to the other, glaring back at Jodi. “Well, how was I to know she’d be making out with some guy? I didn’t even know she knew anyone in Mankato.”

  “Trace and I have known each other since we were teenagers,” she said angrily. Which wasn’t strictly true, of course, since they hadn’t seen or talked to each other since then. “How did you find me anyway?”

  When Bob just looked sullenly at the floor, refusing to answer his mother, Jodi said, “From Uncle Sammy.”

  “Sam told you? But he promised not to. Wait’ll I see him.”

  “He didn’t tell me, Ma, I guessed,” Bob said quickly, evidently not wanting to get his uncle in trouble.

  Trace stood silent through this exchange, his glance flitting from one to the other. What was going on here? Why was Lisa so angry? Granted, she was embarrassed, but it wasn’t as though they’d actually been making love or anything. She was a little disheveled, but that certainly didn’t explain her attitude. What did she mean by, ‘How did you find me?’ Why should children have to find their own mother?

  “Would anyone like to explain what’s going on here?” he asked.

  Jodi stood silent, her face stiff and pink with embarrassment.

  Bob shrugged, his lower lip stubbornly curled. “Ask Ma. It was her idea to run off and hide from us.”

  Trace saw Lisa flinch. Her face whitened and her lips tightened. He wanted to reach out and put his arms around her, but didn’t dare do so in front of these two. Things were obviously tense enough, and it wasn’t hard to see they resented him. But what did Bob mean by, ‘run off and hide?’

  “I wasn’t hiding,” Lisa declared.

  Bob’s mouth twisted in a sneer. “Well, what do you call it?”

  “I was just trying to force you to grow up and stand on your own big feet. I have a right to a life of my own, too, you know.”

  “With this guy, I suppose.”

  “Who I see is my own business.”

  Oh, oh, Trace thought. So now I’m in the middle.

  He’d played this game a dozen times with Sandra and her parents, and he certainly didn’t need to play it again with Lisa’s children. Besides, it had been a very long weekend already and he needed to get home for some shut eye. “Perhaps I’d better leave. I’ll see you later, Lisa.” Trace left with a nod at Bob and Jodi. Bob’s angry voice followed him down the sidewalk.

  “Daddy would be shocked,” Bob said grimly.

  Lisa swallowed and her eyes filled with tears. “That’s really hitting below the belt, Bob. Your father is dead and life has to go on.”

  Bob tried another tack. “I thought you’d be glad to see us.”


  “I am. I’m glad to see you’re both looking well. But you just don’t understand. I need some time to myself. I’m trying to build a new life for myself here.”

  Bob ran an angry hand through his unruly red hair. “And it obviously no longer includes us. Come on, Jodi, let’s get out of here.” He spun on one foot and walked out.

  Jodi sent her mother an apologetic look. “Sorry, Mom. Bye.”

  “I’ll call you,” Lisa called after them, but the door had slammed and she was alone.

  Couldn’t she ever do anything right? Now both of them were angry, and Trace was upset with her too. She could hardly blame him. Her relationship with her children was impossible to explain, even to herself.

  ***

  Bob and Jodi were a long way down the road before Jodi dared to speak. “So what was the big surprise? Why didn’t you tell it to her?”

  “She doesn’t want to know.”

  “I do, though.”

  Bob’s bushy red eyebrows dipped downward and he sent her an angry glare. “Put a sock in it.”

  Jodi shrugged and tried not to comment as Bob drove aggressively through the rush hour traffic. She closed her eyes and prayed they would make it back to St. Cloud all in one piece. At last they were out on the open freeway and traffic thinned, so she could relax.

  She was almost asleep when Bob growled, “Don’t you care that she’s pushing us away?”

  Jodi sat up and stared at him. “Not really. I mean, I know she still loves us. And I can understand she needs some space. I feel the same way, sometimes. I have days when I just don’t want to do anything with the rest of the family. Don’t you?”

  Bob’s eyebrows dipped in a scowl. “Well, sure, but this way, I feel rejected.”

  Jodi grinned. “I’ll bet that’s a new one for the handsome Romeo, eh?”

  He let up on the gas. “You want to walk the rest of the way back to St. Cloud?”

  “Okay, okay, I take it back.” Jodi leaned back and closed her eyes again. Her mind flew back to the scene with her mother and she hoped she was right. Her mother did still love them as always, didn’t she? This had to be just a temporary need for solitude. But the cold lump of fear stayed in her heart. She wished she felt as confident as she’d pretended to Bob. She was a grown up now, she reminded herself. She didn’t need her mother.

  Jodi thought about how nice it had been to know her mother was there when she wanted to talk. Now, when she didn’t want to be contacted, it felt as though her mother really wasn’t there for her.

  Bob dropped Jodi off at her apartment with only a grunted goodbye. He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw her walk up the steps into the building, then turned the corner and headed back to Annette’s apartment.

  Annette was waiting anxiously for his return and saw him drive up.

  “Well?” she asked as she opened the door for him, raising her lips for a kiss. She was barefoot and wearing a tee shirt that advertised the state lottery. “What did your mother say? Will she help me plan the wedding? Did she like the idea? Or was she mad?”

  Bob kissed Annette thoroughly, then pushed away and flopped down on her worn green sofa. He shrugged and swung his long legs over the end.

  “Bob! Answer me.” Annette stood over him, a frown marring her pretty blonde brow and her arms akimbo.

  He met her flashing green eyes for a moment, and then looked away. “I never told her.”

  “Never told her? But you drove all the way down there just to tell her, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah, I know, but you don’t understand. We interrupted her making out with a guy I didn’t even know about, but she says she’s known for years. We started arguing about me finding her after she told me not to, and…and, well, I just got mad and walked out.”

  “Thanks a lot! That’s a big help.”

  Bob groaned and agreed with a nod of his head.

  “Didn’t you even tell her about your new job? Or about moving to Rochester and the new apartment we found there?”

  “No. She didn’t give me a chance. And I really don’t think she cares. She just wants us to leave her alone.”

  Annette’s lips trembled. “So now what? No wedding? I quit my job just to move to a new town with you. Besides that, I’m pregnant, remember?”

  “I remember, Annette,” Bob said contritely. “I told you I’d take care of you no matter what, didn’t I? Even before we made love the first time?” Bob eyed her pouting face. Would she abandon him, too?

  “Sure. But I was hoping for a nice wedding, especially since I don’t have any family myself. You know, a white dress and your family around, and all that.”

  Bob sat up straight, staring at Annette’s big green eyes filled with tears. “Come on, Annette. You know I can’t stand it when you cry.”

  She sniffed. “I can’t help it.”

  “We can still have a nice wedding. I tell you what, let’s do it right away. We can drive to Las Vegas tonight and be married tomorrow. I’ve heard there’s no waiting period for the license there. We can have a few days for a honeymoon and still get moved to Rochester next weekend.”

  She stepped closer and asked, “Can I buy a real wedding dress there? And a bridal corsage?”

  “I’m sure you can. They’ve got everything for a real wedding; they do it all the time. By next weekend we’ll be man and wife, and all settled in our own apartment in time to start my new job. You know I love you, don’t you?”

  Bob reached out and pulled her down on the sofa on top of him. He kissed her again, sliding a hand inside her blouse and squeezing her breast. She squealed in delight as he raised her up and pushed her blouse and bra out of the way, then pulled her to his mouth, so that he could tease and suckle her nipples.

  “Bob!” She slid off him and pulled away, but he followed, and they both ended up on the soft carpet. He trapped her under him and wrapped his legs around hers, then nuzzled her again. Trailing kisses up and down her neck and then back to her breasts, he took turns teasing first one, then the other until her blouse was wet. She squirmed and wriggled in delight under him.

  “What? You didn’t answer me. Is that a good idea or what?”

  “Mmm. Okay. But it’s pretty far to Las Vegas. We won’t make it yet tonight.”

  “So what?” He began unbuttoning her blouse to rid himself of the barrier to what he wanted. “There are motels along the way. We’ll start the honeymoon early.”

  Annette giggled, as he finished unbuttoning her blouse and slipped it off her arms, keeping her breast in his mouth as much as possible while he did so.

  She gasped and tried to wriggle free, saying, “I have to pack.”

  “In a minute. Feel this?” He moved her hand down to the hard bulge in his pants, then slipped his own hand inside her panties, and slid one rough finger inside her to test her readiness. The warm moisture there encouraged him, and he pushed the panties down out of his way. “You have to take care of that first.”

  Annette laughed again, and unzipped his pants, more than happy to comply.

  They were at least an hour late leaving for Las Vegas.

  ***

  Lisa stared at the closed door after Bob and Jodi had left.

  Then, bursting into tears, she sank down on the sofa where she and Trace had been so close to making love just a short time ago.

  Why did I react that way to my own children? Why couldn’t I have just carried on a sensible, sane conversation with them, like any other adults who would drop in for a short visit? Because that’s the problem, I’m still scared to death they won’t leave after a short time, that I’ll be responsible for them again, forever.

  She sighed, dejectedly. Baby jumped up onto the couch and rubbed her soft fur against Lisa’s arm, cuddling against her as if to comfort her. Lisa stroked Baby’s fur absently. She remembered a cat much like this one which they’d had when Bob was in kindergarten. It had been his pride and joy, and he’d gone to sleep with it cradled under his arm every night for several years. He’d been
such a sweet and loving little boy. How had everything gone so wrong between them?

  The doorbell jangled again and she jumped, wiping the tears away nervously. Had Bob and Jodi returned?

  But it was Trace, looking uncertain and apologetic.

  “I forgot my jacket and to pick up Baby,” he said.

  “Of course. Come in.” She closed the door and tried a smile. “I’m sorry you had to witness that scene with my kids.”

  “You’ve been crying.” He reached out and wiped a stray tear from her jaw.

  Her smile was wry. “More from frustration than anything else. Would you like some tea?”

  “Only if you would.”

  She nodded and led the way to the kitchen where she put the kettle on to boil.

  He sat down at the table warily, and said, “I’m listening if you want to talk about it.”

  Suddenly, all the hiding and secrecy seemed silly. This was her best friend, Trace, ready to listen.

  “I suppose you are wondering what that was all about,” she said ruefully, sitting down across from him.

  “The parts I heard don’t make much sense,” he agreed cautiously.

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I’ve got time.”

  So she began at the beginning, telling him all about the old ‘white elephant’ of a house her husband’s family had left them saddled with, her struggle to keep it up while Bill was ill, and the huge financial problems which it and his medical bills had caused them. Then she told him Bob and Jodi had moved back home to help and comfort her before their father’s death but their stay had become an unwelcome burden later, adding to her troubles until she’d felt close to a breakdown.

  “So you gave them permission to move back at first?”

  “Yes. We needed each other at the time. I thought they’d stay only a short time until Bill died and everything got back to normal, you know?”

  “But they got too comfortable, and wouldn’t leave, right?”

  She nodded, grimly. The tea kettle whistled and she got up to pour the water over the tea bags. She carried the teapot to the table and sat down again. “At first I think I was just too busy grieving to notice what was happening. I mean, I was turning into a maid with no life of my own anymore. Then I asked them to find apartments, and they just kept putting it off, on one excuse or another. You know, not enough money, too many payments, etc.”