Hey, Good Looking

by Fern Michaels

  Darby trotted behind the brisk little woman who suddenly looked more energetic, more alert, more hopeful.

  “Two more minutes and we can go down the hall. You just follow me like you belong to my family but I don’t know how that’s going to look since you’re white and I’m black.” Lila Williams chuckled richly to show what she thought of that. In spite of herself, Darby laughed.

  Mrs. Williams donned a hospital gown, a cap, a mask, and gloves. She let herself into her husband’s room. She motioned Darby to stand by the window.

  Tears streamed down Darby’s cheeks.C’mon, Russ, kick up that heartbeat. Don’t let this man down. C’mon, c’mon, give me a sign here. I need something, Russ. They’re going to toss me out of here soon, so let’s see what you can do. C’mon, Russ. You told me on your last physical the doctor said you had the heart of an athlete. Prove it!

  Through her tears she could see Mrs. Williams stroking her husband’s cheek. Then she saw Lionel open his eyes and smile at his wife. It was the most beautiful sight Darby had ever seen. Lila Williams said something to her husband, and he looked at the window. An even bigger smile raced across his face. Darby wiggled her fingers in a wave.Thanks, Russ.

  Darby turned and walked away. Out in the parking lot she sat in the Rover for a long time, Jason’s papers in her lap. From time to time a tear rolled down her cheek. It was over. There was no need now for her to visit or check on the other recipients. She could live and walk away with what she’d seen. She thought about Lionel Williams’s smile. Was it a sign from Russ? She didn’t know. Better to believe it was than not to believe. The dark clouds hovering over her were gone. Tomorrow the sun would be a little brighter.

  Deliberately or not, Bella Gunn had done a wonderful thing.I’m going to go on with my life, Russ, believing she didn’t know about your will. Wherever you are, I want you to rest easy. By the way, old buddy, no one is ever going to know about this, but me and you, and Mrs. Williams. Well, Ben, Jason, and Mickey, too, but not about this particular visit.

  Darby drove home, her shoulders straighter, her heart lighter. Willie hopped into the front seat and pawed her shoulder. Did he understand? Did he sense something? She would never know. That was all right, too.

  When Darby pulled the Rover into the alley, Ben ran from the house to greet her. Willie woofed happily as he leaped from the car and raced around the shoe. She stepped into Ben’s arms, a wide smile on her face. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “It’s really okay now.”

  Ben didn’t ask for explanations, there was no need. He kissed her, then picked her up and carried her over the threshold. A practice run for when they would truly be husband and wife.

  20

  The Baton Rouge Airport was teeming with the post-Thanksgiving crowds returning home. Ben, Darby, and Brandon Lautril stood at the security checkpoint waiting for the aunts and Dodo’s son and his family. Darby was so excited she thought she was going to explode. Ben was no better, constantly looking at his watch and asking what was taking so long. Brandon just looked like he was in a daze.

  Darby turned to Ben. “It just dawned on me, Ben, we’re waiting in the wrong place. They have to go through Customs. C’mon. They’re probably waiting for us.” She sprinted off, the two men following.

  Diddy came through first, then Ducky. Brandon moved fast and had Ducky in a bear hug in the blink of an eye. Then there was tiny Dodo, shepherding her son and his family toward them. She looked anxious and even frightened, but no more so than the cluster of people with her. “Dodo, over here,” Darby squealed as she ran to her aunt. Ben was right behind her.

  The kisses and the hugs were exuberant. Then it was time to meet the Japanese family. Her heart and her love were in Dodo’s eyes when she made the introductions. “This is my daughter-in-law, Hisa, and this ismy son, Kiyo.” Her voice was full of pride. “My grandsons, Koko, Kobe, and this little flower is named Gyn.” Dodo stood back while everyone bowed and smiled. Darby was having none of that. She threw out her arms, startling everyone by hugging and kissing them. “This is how we greet family in America,” she said, laughing, much to the startled family’s delight. Ben picked up Gyn and put her on his shoulders. She squealed with pleasure as the two small boys giggled behind their hands.

  They all spoke English but not fluently. Hisa, the mother, seemed exceptionally shy as she clung to her handsome husband.

  “This is all so wonderful, so very wonderful,” Darby babbled as she followed everyone to the exit, the baggage carts in the hands of a porter. “We brought three cars,” she said.

  “The house isn’t ready, is it?” Dodo asked hopefully.

  “Two more weeks,” Ben said. “Wait till you see it. It looks just like it did when we were growing up.” Gyn still on his shoulders, he looked over at Kiyo. A twinkle in his eyes, he said, “When will you be ready to go to work?”

  His own eyes twinkling, Kiyo responded smartly, “Tomorrow.”

  Ben smacked his hands together. “Sounds like a plan to me.” He looked around at the little group. “Darby and I thought you might all like to go to a Japanese restaurant for dinner.” He looked down at the two little boys. “Would you like that?”

  “Do they have hot dogs?” the older of the two asked shyly.

  “Spaghetti,” the younger boy said.

  “Ice cream!” Gyn squealed.

  “My family is more American than I realized,” Dodo said softly.

  “That means takeout. You all head home, and Darby and I will pick up everything.”

  Darby walked over to her aunt Diddy. She put her arms around her. “I missed you. Really missed you.”

  Diddy smiled. “You’re worried about me, aren’t you? Ducky has Brandon, Dodo has her family, you have Ben. I have three children, soon to be four, to raise now and fuss over. I couldn’t be happier.” The sadness in her eyes belied the statement.

  “I don’t know if you’re interested or not, but Marcus is back. He bought a condo in Willow Springs. He came by the house last week. He and Mary are friends. In fact, Mary is coming for Christmas. I invited them both. Marcus said she’s a different person these days, and that’s a wonderful thing. He and Ben were affectionate to one another. It’s a start, Diddy. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. He asked about you, Diddy. I told him a sumo wrestler had the hots for you, and you were thinking about sponsoring him. He laughed and laughed. He still has feelings for you, Diddy. Make your peace. Life is just too short. Look at all the years Dodo wasted because she was afraid to let us know about her family. Life is for the living. Russ always said that.”

  Diddy wiped at the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. “Did you…”

  “Yes, I contacted three of the recipients. I was satisfied and didn’t feel the need to see the others. It’s over now. The new year is coming up. We’re all going to start fresh. Our lives are just beginning again. It’s going to be so wonderful to have the kids in the shoe. I’ve been a decorating fool these past weeks, fixing up the bedrooms we used to sleep in at Dodo’s house. It’s time for a new generation to take over. Ben said we should all dedicate rooms to Dodo’s grandkids. You know, a room in every house like we had. Even Mary agreed, if you can believe that. It’s almost like a miracle, isn’t it, Diddy?”

  “Yes, child, it is. None of us would be here right now if it wasn’t for Russell’s passing. Russell is what brought us all together. All I’ve been doing is thinking about that for weeks and weeks.”

  “I know, boy, do I know. It’s time for you to go home now, Diddy, back to the shoe.” She linked arms with her aunt’s and led her out to the parking lot of the airport.

  Home.

  The most wonderful place on earth.

  Epilogue

  Darby woke with a start to find Willie sitting on the bed staring at her. She knew instantly what day it was and what lay ahead of her. Christmas Eve. She bounded out of bed, raced downstairs to let Willie out. She took a minute to stare at the huge Christmas tree Miguel and two of his nephews had
set up a week ago in the middle of the shoe. To her mind it was almost as big as the tree in Rockefeller Center. It was even decorated. At night it was one of the most glorious sights she’d ever seen.

  The shoe was quiet, everyone still asleep. Ben was living in the Gunn house, which would become their house on New Year’s Day, when they got married. Until then, they waved to one another from their respective porches. She went into a fit of laughter each time they did it. She looked forward to giving Ducky back her house so that she and Brandon could spend their six months here and the other six in New Orleans. They’d eloped to Las Vegas on the fifth of December. To avoid fanfare, Ducky had added.

  Their new Japanese family was now settled in across the way, and loving everything American. Grandma Dodo, happier than Darby’d ever seen her, hustled and bustled, driving the children to school, taking her new daughter-in-law for driving lessons and to the doctor and to the supermarket.

  She knew if she ran across the yard to Diddy’s house, she would find her aunt wearing her white apron cooking up a storm for tonight’s festive dinner. Darby also knew there would be a bounce in her aunt’s step because Marcus and Mary would be attending dinner.

  Willie ran into the house and followed Darby upstairs, where she showered, dressed, and was back downstairs in less than twenty minutes. She had something important to do that day. Something she’d been wanting to do for a very long time but just wasn’t ready. Today, she was ready. But before she took care of that little matter, she had something else to do. Something very important. She just hoped she could get out of the house and on the road before the others woke up.

  Darby made coffee, fed Willie. She looked at the clock. It was still early to make a house call, but she didn’t have any intention of actually visiting. Last night, actually in the middle of the night, she’d loaded up her car so no one would know what she was doing. This was a private matter, not to be shared.

  Little did she know every eye in the shoe was on her as she carried her basket and a tote bag out to the car. Willie hopped in, and they were off.

  It was ten minutes past nine in the morning when she made her last trip up to the Williamses’ front door. She tried to be quiet as she did her best to position the last of the gaily wrapped presents. She was huffing and puffing from the exertion and the weight of some of the boxes. She almost fainted when the door opened and Mrs. Williams, clad in her robe, greeted her as she bent down to pick up the morning paper. Willie inched forward to be petted.

  “I…I thought you might still be sleeping. I didn’t mean to wake you, Mrs. Williams.”

  “You didn’t. What is all this?” she asked, looking down at the gift-wrapped boxes at her feet. “Now, there was no call for you to do this,” she said, pointing to the pile of presents. “It’s pretty chilly out here. I just put some coffee on. Would you like a cup?”

  “I…I have to go…thank you but no. How is your husband?”

  “If you come in, you can see for yourself. He’s been fretting and stewing ever since he got home, wanting me to call you. I told him I couldn’t do that. Now that you’re here, it might make his Christmas all the more memorable if you speak with him. We weren’t sure we’d have a Christmas this year. You can bring the dog. Lionel loves animals.”

  Darby, her heart thundering in her chest, walked into the small living room, where Lionel Williams was sitting in what looked like a comfortable chair. It was probably his favorite chair, the chair he’d always sat in when he got home from work. Darby smiled, Lionel smiled, and Willie whined.

  “Merry Christmas, Mr. Williams,” was all Darby could think of to say.

  Lionel Williams’s voice was husky and low when he said, “Thank you.” He patted Willie, who was practically salivating at the attention he was getting from this stranger. Then he threw back his head and let loose with the most unholy sound Darby had ever heard in her life. She ran to him and swore later that the golden dog was crying, and she was babbling that Willie had been Russell’s dog. Her own eyes burned unbearably.He knows. Willie knows. She had to get out of there. The lump in her throat felt so big she thought she was going to choke to death.

  “Come, Willie. Time to go.” She managed to utter one more “Merry Christmas” as she bolted for the door. She turned back and thrust the tote bag into Mrs. Williams’s hands.

  “What’s this?” Mrs. Williams asked.

  Darby managed to smile. “Just a little something to help you have a good life. From Russ.”

  The little something turned out to be a check to tide the Williams family over for a few years and three full scholarships for the Williams children when it was time for them to go to college. The boxes to go under the tree were computers, Palm Pilots, prepaid cell phones, VCRs, and bicycles that only needed assembly. This, after all, was the electronic age. For Lionel, there was a sixty-inch plasma TV that would be delivered at noon. And for Mrs. Williams one of Diddy’s beautiful quilts, along with a monster gift certificate to Foley’s Department Store.

  “You did good, Russ,” Darby whispered to herself as she drove away.

  Ninety minutes later she was at the cemetery. She opened the door for Willie, who didn’t know what to make of these strange goings-on. He circled Darby and watched as she tugged the big basket of flowers from the backseat. It wasn’t a flower arrangement, though; it was a basket of freshly cut daisies.

  If she hadn’t been so intent on what she was about to do, she might have noticed the group of people standing off to the side of the gates. Even Willie didn’t seem to be aware of them.

  The ground was wet and cold, but Darby didn’t mind as she sat down and gathered the daisies to make her daisy chain. When it was finished, she started to cry. Hating herself for blubbering, she fished for a tissue in her pocket and blew lustily. She was on her knees by then, trying to loop the daisy chain over the wing of one of the angels on Russ’s headstone.

  It fell off.

  She replaced it with shaking fingers.

  It fell off again.

  Frowning, Darby worked her fingers around the sculpted wing. She wedged the delicate daisy chain tightly.

  It fell off again.

  Willie threw back his head and howled. Darby shivered when she picked up the daisy chain. For some reason it felt like it was glued to her fingers. She looked around, sniffing the air like Willie did. No breeze. Maybe she should just lay the daisy chain at the foot of the stone.

  In the blink of an eye, Willie had the chain in his teeth and was walking toward the little group who had gathered by the gate. Darby smiled as Ben led her family toward her. Willie stopped in front of Ben and dropped the daisy chain. Ben picked it up and put it around his neck.

  Darby ran to him. Ben reached for her, and whispered, “We arenever, ever, going to talk about this. Never, ever. Do you understand me, Darby?”

  “Willie knew. He knew all along. Every place we went, he knew. Damn it, Ben,he knew.”

  “It’s incredible, Darby, but somehow it still makes sense.”

  Darby looked around. They were all there, even Marcus and Mary. Dodo’s son and his family were smiling shyly. She was sure Dodo had explained what they were all doing there. The American way of saying sayonara.

  Everyone stood back to allow Marcus, Mary, and Ben their moment. At the last second, Marcus reached for Diddy’s hand to draw her alongside.

  “It’s as right as it’s ever going to be, family,” Darby said, walking away.

  An hour later the long caravan of cars reached the top of the Horseshoe. Everyone piled out to stare at the magnificent sight in front of them. The tree was so fragrant it was heady. The five pristine white houses gleamed with the miles of garland covering the banisters and columns on the verandas. Monster evergreen wreaths with huge, red-satin bows graced all the doors. Scarlet poinsettias lined the porches and steps. The gazebo sported more evergreens and satin bows. Even from where they were standing, Diddy’s Christmas Eve dinner permeated the air. And inside, under all the five Christmas tr
ees were bicycles, wagons, doll carriages, and baby dolls. There were games and puzzles and books, along with the requisite boxes of necessary but unwanted clothes. For Gyn, a special present. Darby’s old dollhouse, with a new coat of paint and a little remodeling, now looked like a Japanese dollhouse complete with black-lacquer furniture and a miniature pagoda serving as a front gate.

  Darby nudged Ben. Then she nudged him again.

  Wearing the daisy chain he swore he’d never take off, Ben approached his father and sister. “Merry Christmas, Dad. Merry Christmas, Mary.”

  Everyone beamed with pleasure, their smiles as bright and shiny as the star on top of the Christmas tree in the middle of the shoe.

  “Merry Christmas, everyone!” Darby shouted at the top of her lungs.And to you, Russ, wherever you are, for making this all possible.