Punchline

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Punchline Page 12

by Jacqueline Diamond


  FOR THE NEXT few days at work, it took all Belle’s energy just to read copy, deal with free-lancers and check over the magazine as it moved through the process of getting edited. Half the time, Tom in traffic had to remind her that she was due in a meeting, or hadn’t revised a caption.

  Fortunately, Sandra continued to take the lead on polishing their megamall presentation. Belle’s contribution consisted mostly of saying “sure” and “that’s terrific” and “what?”

  She tried to keep her thoughts from straying to Darryl, but it was difficult. She’d never imagined that lovemak-ing could be this creative. During the past week, they had initiated the kitchen, the hallway and the bathtub.

  He claimed to keep forgetting whether they’d done it before. She pretended to believe him.

  This couldn’t really be love, of course, not the kind that deepened and lasted through the years, Belle kept reminding herself. She knew better than to expect the impossible. But how many lives were touched by this kind of magic, even for a while?

  New Year’s Day, when they’d gone shopping, they hadn’t bought any bookshelves, but they’d had fun looking in windows and browsing through bookstores. Darryl could be a lot of fun, when he wasn’t driving her crazy.

  On the morning of January eighth, she awoke with the nervous sense that something important was about to happen. Then she remembered that she and Darryl would be going to the megamall today. Their presentations had, as Sandra’d predicted, both been scheduled for the same time.

  Staggering down the hall, she saw him standing in front of the spare bedroom, gazing into it. “Is something wrong?”

  “Do they make wallpaper with baseball players on it?” he asked.

  Belle could feel herself starting to bristle. “I told you, I’m painting the nursery purple.”

  He slanted her a grin that was much too alert for this hour of the morning. “I was thinking of a strip of wallpaper around the top.”

  “Tennis might be all right,” she said.

  “Really?” he asked. “You’re willing to consider a sports motif?”

  “As long as there are women players, too.” Belle yawned. “How can you worry about something like this today?”

  “The baby’s first impressions could be important,” Darryl said. “Hey, you’re not nervous, are you? About the presentations?”

  She rubbed a sleeper from her eye. “A little, I guess.” She wondered how he would react when he discovered that his theme had been one-upped.

  “What’s done is done,” Darryl told her. “We’ve got our presentations ready. Now it’s up to Ms. Lemos.”

  “You sound so blasé! she teased. “I’ll bet you’re a quivering lump of jelly inside.”

  “Yeah? Lump of jelly or not, I’ll bet I can get dressed before you can!”

  “No fair!” she protested as he disappeared into the spare bedroom, where he still kept his clothes even though he no longer slept there. When he failed to respond, Belle slogged the rest of the way to the bathroom.

  She emerged from the shower to find Darryl standing before her wearing a dark three-piece suit. He examined her body with interest “Is that how you’re going to the mall? It should make quite an impression.”

  “I’m illustrating our theme,” Belle retorted. “‘Just Us: Naked As Nature Intended.’“

  His hands cupped her breasts. “Now that will catch the public’s attention. It’s certainly caught mine.”

  She angled away, laughing. ‘Too bad we both have to get to the office.”

  His lips pursed speculatively. “You know, we’re expected to ride out to the desert with our colleagues, but we could drive home together. I know a romantic hotel where we could eat a leisurely lunch and have, well, a spectacular dessert.”

  “That sounds like a plan,” said Belle, and shooed him out.

  FROM THE ROAD, the High Desert Megamall appeared as an enormous array of linked buildings, sand-colored with hints of sunset pinks and greens. Darryl could hardly tell where it ended and the sky began.

  As he pulled into the unpaved parking lot, he was impressed by the sheer size of the place. By June, it would contain a thousand-seat concert hall, movie screens, arcades, a supermarket, seven major department stores and hundreds of shops, along with a hotel, a skating rink and enough restaurants to feed half of California.

  He hadn’t been entirely honest with Belle this morning. Although he tried to take a fatalistic attitude, Darryl cared very much about landing this account. He was tired of the peeling paint and stained curtains at his office, and the computer equipment needed an upgrade.

  On the other hand, he hoped she understood that this was just business. There was no reason this rivalry should interfere with the rapport the two of them had established.

  Just the thought of her made heat flood through his veins. It wasn’t just her sensuality but the spice of her personality that excited him. Something special hap- pened when two enemies became lovers, and he was sure it could only get better.

  Nearby, Elva’s Bronco halted and she retrieved some posters from her back seat. Greg emerged from the passenger side carrying a briefcase and, like the brave band of musketeers, the three of them marched toward double glass doors crisscrossed with masking tape.

  Inside, the sound of construction filled the vast arched space. Carpenters were at work everywhere, turning cavelike openings into shops.

  Skirting piles of sawdust and lumber, Darryl escorted his team to a private elevator, as per Mira’s directions. It carried them to the third-floor executive offices.

  They stepped into an office still lacking carpet and drapes. From the unusual layout and curving entryways, though, Darryl could see that the place would be impressive once it was finished.

  A secretary waved them into a conference room. A check of his watch showed them to be fifteen minutes early, and he was pleased to see that the Just Us team hadn’t arrived yet. Going first meant hitting the promotions director while she was fresh and, hopefully, more receptive.

  Mira popped in a moment later, her dark hair drawn back in a French twist. Shaking hands, she said, “Shall we get down to business?”

  On a series of easels, Elva set out her posters. Each illustrated the theme of “Adam Brings Eve Back to Paradise,” which would be presented through fashion shows ongoing during the opening weekend.

  One section of the mall would feature reggae music and a tropical garden motif; another, country music and sporting gear in an Alpine setting; and a third would present folk music, with merchandise for children displayed in a fairy-tale village. Each show, as depicted in the posters, included a disappointed-looking serpent hissing as Adam rehooked an apple to its tree.

  The key, in Darryl’s opinion, was the thematic reference to Adam and Eve. Its emphasis on masculine responsibility summarized all that was controversial and up-to-the-minute about the proposal and would make the mall stand out in consumers’ minds.

  “The point we’ll be making throughout our magazine over the next few months,” he said, “is that the nineties are the years of commitment. We’ll be encouraging men to reassert their importance in the family.”

  Mira studied the posters, but revealed nothing of her reaction. The absence of a response made him uneasy. If she had fallen in love with the presentation, she would surely be showing it by now.

  It was almost a relief to hear voices outside and realize the Just Us crew had landed. He could only hope that they’d come up with something so cozy and domestic that his offering would shine by comparison.

  Into the room breezed Sandra Duval, wearing a broadbrimmed hat covered with little hearts and cupids like a harbinger of Valentine’s Day. Belle and two of her staff members followed.

  They were all smiling. Perversely, Darryl couldn’t wait to see them get shot down. Misery loved company, he supposed.

  Then Janie Frakes’s grin disappeared as her eyes met Greg’s. The two glared briefly before averting their gazes. They must have strong feelings for ea
ch other to maintain a feud this long, Darryl mused.

  Sandra finished shaking hands with Ms. Lemos while her staff festooned the room with posters. The theme, “Just Us: Together into the Future,” was about what Darryl had expected. He definitely preferred “Naked As Nature Intended.”

  He wasn’t surprised by the manikin families pushing their babies through the mall. He was bored by the manikin wedding scene, although Mira studied it with interest.

  At the third panel, “Just Us Tonight!” Darryl squirmed. The men and women in sophisticated evening dress were poaching on About Town territory.

  He’d assumed all along that there would be an evening-wear fashion show but hadn’t thought to depict it. Before he could point this out, however, Sandra set up the last poster, “Just Us in Paradise.”

  The scene virtually duplicated Elva’s poster of a couple in swimsuits romancing each other in a tropical garden. Worse, the pair were playing catch with apples, as if to burlesque the whole Adam and Eve theme. Darryl could almost have sworn Belle had read his notes, except that he’d been careful not to take anything home with him.

  Mira nodded in appreciation as she regarded the display. Greg stared at it irritably. In Elva’s clenched teeth and narrowed eyes, Darryl saw a fury that matched his own.

  Sandra explained her theme in a breathless voice. The woman managed to lend an air of careless worldliness to everything she did, and today she was at her best.

  Darryl’s spirits plummeted. He couldn’t believe they might lose.

  “This is fascinating,” said Mira, which was more encouragement than she’d given About Town.

  Belle chewed on her lower lip. If she had won fair and square, she should be beaming. To Darryl’s critical gaze, she appeared downright guilty.

  Elva must have noticed the same thing. “They cheated,” she whispered in Darryl’s ear. “I don’t know how they did it, but they’ve been snooping. Well, they can’t get away with this.”

  “Wait a minute,” He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that. “What are you planning to—?”

  From her briefcase, Elva whipped a preliminary printout of the March issue, including the cover, and announced in her loudest voice, “Ms. Lemos, we’re going to be generating a lot of controversy with our March issue and we think the High Desert Megamall should take advantage of it, since it dovetails with our theme. Here’s an advance look at what I’m talking about.”

  As Mira accepted the pages, Sandra peeked over her shoulder. “’The Natural Superiority of Men As Parents,’ “she read, all wide-eyed innocence. “Oh, how interesting! Can men get pregnant now?”

  “May I have a look at that?” asked Belle as the marketing director finished scanning the printout.

  Darryl’s instincts screamed to yank the pages from Mira’s hands and flee, but he couldn’t do that. This was business.

  Besides, Belle would find out sooner or later. He’d simply been hoping it would be later.

  Mira, Sandra and Elva filled the air with chatter that might have been in Swahili for all Darryl cared. His attention was riveted on Belle.

  As she read the feature article, her face went white. He wondered which part offended her most, the fact that he’d lied to her or the sheer effrontery of his theme, and then realized that it made no difference.

  While writing it, he had been absorbed with the idea of doing justice to Jim and the other fathers. He had assumed that Belle would understand the need for exaggeration, as well as the inclusion of a few humorous details about her morning sickness and weight gain.

  Observing her shocked expression, he suddenly viewed the article from a different perspective. He had moved into Belle’s condo on false pretenses and spied on her most intimate behavior, then subjected her to public ridicule. Even though he hadn’t named her, plenty of people would guess the truth.

  A deep and unfamiliar sensation called shame spread through Darryl’s gut. He had hurt Belle and betrayed her confidence. At that moment, he would have given anything to go back in time and reverse his own actions.

  She said nothing. The silence, so unlike Belle, was disturbing.

  “I do find your magazine interesting, as well as both your presentations.” Mira studied both sets of poster-size drawings. “I have to admit, there are elements in each that appeal to me.”

  “But ours is the superior one, wouldn’t you agree?” said Sandra.

  Mira didn’t take the bait. “I had given some thought to linking up with a bridal magazine. You know the one, Flowers and Lace?”

  A chorus of indrawn breaths and murmurs of “Not that!” greeted this painful revelation.

  “But it is rather limiting,” the promotions director went on. “I’d like for your two magazines to get together on this. One appeals mostly to men, the other to women. I’d like to see a unified theme. Be sure to keep the wedding scene as a climax.”

  “We couldn’t possibly work together!” It was the first remark Belle had made since seeing the article.

  Her publisher favored the room with a vague smile, as if her editor must have been joking. “If we agree to do that, can we count on your approval?” she asked Mira. “We’ve already put in quite a few hours. We couldn’t possibly do any more work on speculation.”

  The woman was smarter than Darryl had given her credit for. While the rest of them stood around like stunned cattle, Sandra was closing the deal.

  Mira surveyed the posters. “Yes, all right. You both agree?”

  “Sure.” Darryl wasn’t sure where the voice came from, but it sounded like his.

  “Absolutely,” said Sandra.

  Belle stood motionless. He needed to talk with her, so he caught her arm and led her out of the conference room before she could protest.

  11

  BELLE SAID NOTHING all the way down in the elevator. It wasn’t until they approached his car that she spoke.

  “I’m not riding with you.”

  Darryl held the door open. “Would you rather have this conversation now or later?”

  After a moment’s hesitation, she got in the car. She still didn’t meet his gaze.

  He decided she might feel better if he left the first move to her. They had a two-hour drive, which would give her time to collect herself before broaching the subject.

  They were approaching the exit to the parking lot when she said, “You can move out this afternoon or tonight, whichever you prefer.”

  She couldn’t mean it. “Why don’t we wait until you calm down before we make any decisions?”

  “I am calm, regardless of what you may think of my hormonal state,” growled Belle. “You moved in to research your article. You’ve done that. Boy, have you done that! I would never have treated you that way, never!’“

  Her eyes glittered suspiciously. It hurt him to realize she was on the verge of tears. The damn article wasn’t worth it.

  “I just wasn’t thinking,” he said. “My focus was on fathers who’ve been deprived of their children.”

  “You said you were writing an article sympathetic to women,” Belle said grimly.

  “I’m sorry.” It sounded inadequate, but Darryl meant it. “Things have changed between us this past week. It was too late to stop the article. Surely you can give me a second chance.”

  “No,” she said.

  “No? That’s it?”

  “That’s it.”

  “What about the nursery?” He knew it wasn’t a key point, but he couldn’t think of anything else. “I was going to put up wallpaper.”

  “I’ll do it myself.”

  “You’re too short. It will snap down and roll you into a ball and they’ll find you three days later in convulsions from sugar withdrawal.” The freeway must be around here somewhere, but was it to the left or the right?

  “If you don’t move out, I’ll change the locks and you can claim your belongings at the Lost and Found,” she snapped. “Or maybe the animal shelter.”

  He took a blind guess and turned left. “Belle, I
know I invaded your privacy, and I’m sorry. I was beginning to think maybe the two of us had a future together. I still think so, if you’ll only be reasonable.”

  “Reasonable?” she said. “How can I be? Everybody who read your article knows that pregnant women make mountains out of molehills. We’re a seething mass of hysteria.”

  “I didn’t mean to make fun of you.” Gratefully, he noticed a freeway sign ahead. “I’m sorry this turned out so badly. Let’s at least agree to stay friends, for our baby’s sake.”

  She shook her head tightly. “I can manage alone, thank you.”

  Her words sent a chill through him. “I’m not going to fade into the sunset. I love that kid, Belle. You can’t throw me out of his life.”

  “Can’t I?” she retorted. “You’ve been playing at fatherhood. To you, this is all one big political point to make in your magazine.” Tears spilled over, but she ignored them. “You have no right to this child, Darryl Horak. I’m taking full responsibility.”

  He felt as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. In his sympathy for Jim and the fathers’ group, Darryl had never imagined that he might find himself shut out of his child’s life. “Whether you like it or not, this is my baby, too,” he said. “If you won’t share, I’m suing for custody.”

  The moment the words flew out, he regretted them. Yet how could he back off? He couldn’t force Belle to forgive him, but he wouldn’t allow her to deprive their child of a father.

  Her jaw dropped. When she clamped it shut an instant later, there was a steely determination in her jawline that he hadn’t seen before.

  He’d gone too far, Darryl realized. He didn’t intend to take the child away. He just wanted to stay close.

  “We can work this out,” he said. “Belle? Talk to me.”

  She pulled a tissue from her purse and blew her nose, but there were no more words all the way to Los Angeles.

  As they exited the freeway, Darryl said, “Let’s go home and talk. We shouldn’t leave things up in the air.”

 

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