by Joy Redmond
Tori blushed. “I’m nineteen – or at least I’ll be nineteen in a couple weeks.”
“Nineteen!” He acted just as shocked as she had been. “Well, little darlin’, you’ve got a lot to learn, and I’m just the man to teach you.”
Cody’s remark made Tori a bit nervous, and she considered telling him that she needed to go back to her own room to lie down. He headed toward the bathroom and called over his shoulder, “Hold on. I’ll get you something to get rid of that headache, once and for all.”
Maybe she was getting in over her head. Then again, why did she always assume that Cody had other things on his mind? She was being silly. Maybe Cody was right. He just might be the perfect mature man to teach her what she needed to know to grow up.
Cody soon returned with a glass of water and two green capsules. He held out the pills. “Open wide!”
Tori took a step back. “What are those? I don’t take anything I don’t recognize.”
“Would I give you something if I didn’t know what it was? I suffer with migraines, and my doctor prescribes these. Trust me, they work like a charm.”
“Well, what are they called?” Tori asked, still not sure about taking something that wasn’t prescribed for her.
“It’s Fiorinal,” he replied. “I always keep plenty on hand because when a migraine hits, I’m worthless.” Then he looked Tori in the eyes and added, “There’s something else you don’t know about me. I’m a pharmacist. I know more about medications than most doctors.”
Tori had apparently not only found the most handsome man on earth, but he was also a man with a profession. Handsome and rich – a good combination.
“Well, I guess you do know your stuff,” Tori said, washing the pills down with water, hoping they worked fast.
“Good girl.” He took her hand and led her back onto the balcony. Together they watched the red ball of fire disappear, and by the time the sun had sunk below the horizon, Tori’s headache was gone, and she felt delightfully euphoric.
Cody pulled her close. “Feel better?”
Tori smiled and looked up at his seductive grin. “Not only is the headache gone, I feel so, so – I don’t know how to describe it. Pure bliss?”
Cody nodded. “That’s great. I told you they’d help. Now let’s have a glass of wine.”
* * * *
The next thing Tori knew, it was morning. She rubbed her eyes. She was still in Cody’s room! She looked to her left and saw Cody lying in the bed beside her. “What’s going on here?” she cried.
Cody rolled over sleepily and smiled. “Morning, little darlin’.”
“What am I doing in your bed? I don’t remember falling asleep!”
“Hey, calm down. You fell asleep while we were sitting out on the balcony, so I carried you inside and put you to bed. And don’t worry – nothing happened. All we did was sleep.”
Tori had her doubts about that, but she said, “Well, thanks for taking care of me. I guess I had too much to drink. I’m not a drinker and my system isn’t used to it.” She raised the sheet and noticed that she was still wearing her bikini, which was reassuring. “I think I need to go get dressed,” she said, swinging her feet off the bed and heading for the door.
“Hold on!” Cody hopped up and sprinted past her. “I’ve got your room key. I’ll get your clothes. Be right back.”
He was out the door before Tori could protest, so she headed for the bathroom. Since she was still a little groggy, she was actually grateful that Cody was kind enough to fetch her belongings.
They spent the day much the same as they had the day before – walked on the beach, browsed the shops and lounged by the ocean with drinks.
For the next week their evening ritual was to gather on the balcony, a glass of wine in hand and watch the sun slide from view into a molten sea of crystalline water. It was heady stuff, and there were times when she wished it would never end.
One night, Cody gathered her into his arms, lovingly gazed into her eyes, and said, “I’ve only got a few more days left before I have to go back to work – but even one day without you in my arms will be agony.” He paused for a moment, as if trying to get his thoughts organized, then asked, “Tori, will you marry me?”
Tori was shocked and though she opened her mouth, no words came out. She shook her head slowly, searching for the right words. “I’m flattered, Cody,” she said, taking a deep breath before she continued. “We barely know each other. I’ve had a wonderful time and the thought of us parting hurts me, too, but–” The look in his eyes made her stop in mid-sentence. His body stiffened, his face reddened, and she felt an icy chill run through her body, so she quickly tried to soften her tone.
“I need time to think about this. I’ve got another headache coming on and I can feel my depression coming back. You see, I suffered a mental breakdown not too long ago–”
Before she could finish, he interrupted, “Well, I have just the thing for your depression. I have bouts of depression myself sometimes. In fact, I’ve got a fix for anything that ails you, baby. Trust me.”
As he turned and headed for the bathroom, Tori stood as if she had taken root, stunned, not knowing what to make of his sudden change of attitude and such aggressive behavior and anger that it had filled her with terror. By the time he reemerged from the bathroom, she had managed to write it off as just a case of bruised male ego.
Cody held out his hand. “Say the magic word and you get the prize!”
He was again playful, and his dazzling smile warmed her heart.
“Rumpelstiltskin!” she said with a laugh.
“Wrong!” He unfurled his hand to reveal several multi-colored pills as if they were candy. “But since I didn’t say you had three guesses, I’ll let you have them anyway.”
Tori stared at the pills. “What’s all that?”
“These, baby, are happy pills. You can choose one or all of them, but I promise they’ll take away all your cares.” He pointed to each capsule, one by one. “This one is Seconal – people call it a red devil. This one is Nembutal – a yellow jacket. This one is Valium – also known as a blue doll.” He picked up a black capsule. “This is commonly called a black beauty. My favorite.”
After he had finished describing each pill, Tori instinctively backed away. “I don’t think I want to take any of them, thanks.”
“Suit yourself,” he said, and popped one of the black capsules into his mouth, followed by a yellow one and a red one. “I’m just trying to help.”
Seeing him take several pills made her a little more at ease, so she said, “Well, I suppose you wouldn’t give me something that wasn’t safe. After all, you know your pills. Which one would you recommend?”
“Take a blue doll and a black beauty,” he said. “In a few minutes you’ll be calm and cool as a cucumber – and you won’t be depressed anymore. I promise.”
“I’ll need some water,” she said, accepting the two pills, anxious to get relief from the sudden tension making her head feel as if it were in a vise, and stop the blues before they made her cry. She hadn’t had a case of the boo-hoos since – she couldn’t remember the last time. But she never wanted to go through them again. Never!
“Be right back,” he said, heading to the bathroom. A moment later, he returned with a glass of water, and Tori swallowed the pills. Then he took her hand and led her to the balcony. “Let’s stand here and watch the sun go down.”
As they held each other, Tori felt a profound sense of peace wash over her and she felt more safe and secure than she’d felt for a long time. Maybe Cody was meant to be her knight in shining armor. It certainly felt that way at that moment.
They snuggled into a lounge chair and Cody whispered, “Are you starting to feel better?” He pushed her head onto his shoulder. “Just breathe deeply and go with the feeling,” he coaxed.
A few minutes later, Tori said, “Tell me more about yourself. What was your childhood like? Do you have a best friend?”
Cody gently r
ocked her as if she were a child. “You go first. I want to know everything there is to know about the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Okay.” For what seemed like hours, Tori described her childhood, vacations, family dinners, holidays, Grammy and Poppy’s farm – and especially how she and Jill were kindred spirits and couldn’t live without the other. She couldn’t seem to stop talking, but Cody didn’t seem to mind. He listened intently to the incredibly detailed picture Tori was painting for him.
After she had finally talked herself out, Cody said softly, but with his fist clenched and his jaw muscle tight, “It sounds like you had the kind of life I was robbed of.”
“I’m sorry. Am I boring you?”
“Not at all,” he said pleasantly. “Please continue.”
Tori started to tell him about Wes, but quickly caught herself. “I’m sorry. That’s not something you’d want to hear.”
“That’s okay, baby, let it all out.” He shifted her weight to his other leg.
Tori took a deep breath, then again started telling Cody about her and Wes’ sordid story, pausing often to wipe away her bitter tears.
When she had finished, Cody kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry you had a bad marriage and I’m truly sorry you lost your baby. But I can fix all the pain. I can be everything Wes wasn’t – and we can make as many babies as you want.” He paused for a moment before adding, “I’d like to give our son the kind of life I never had.”
Tori was surprised by his statement. He was talking as if she hadn’t turned down his proposal. He was acting as if they were going to get married and start a family. She needed to put a stop to that – without hurting him too much.
“Look, Cody,” she said, trying to be firm, but gentle. “We can stay in contact and visit each other from time to time, but my life is in Madison with my family and Jill – and I don’t even know where you’re from!”
He abruptly stood, and Tori almost fell on the floor. “Forget it, Tori! I guess I’m just not good enough for you. I wasn’t good enough for another woman either, and–” He paused a few seconds, and then threw up his hands. “What’s the use?” He stomped inside the hotel room and Tori heard the bathroom door slam.
“What’s wrong with that man? Great balls of fire!” she mumbled. She shrugged her shoulders. “You can get over it. Or not!” She strolled over to the bed, sat, picked up the phone, and said, “Yes, I need an outside line, please.”
She was startled when Cody’s hand reached over her shoulder, grabbed the receiver, and tore it from her hand.
“What in thunder are you doing?”
He put the receiver down and said sweetly, but firmly, “You don’t need to use the phone just yet. I’m going to take you to a Greek restaurant in Tarpon Springs. You haven’t eaten until you taste Greek food.”
“I don’t want Greek food or any other kind of food, you idiot! I want to call my family.”
Cody’s jaw clenched. “If we don’t get there before the rush, we’ll have to wait for hours. Come on Tori, don’t spoil this evening. You can call your family as soon as we get back.”
“No! I’m going to call my family now!” Before she could reach for the receiver, a sharp pain ran from the base of her skull all the way to her forehead. She grabbed her temples with trembling hands. Her heart raced and her mouth was dry as a bale of cotton. A wave of queasiness washed over. “I don’t feel very good,” Tori said, holding her face in her hands and leaning forward.
“Here, baby,” Cody said, holding out two more pills and a glass of water. “These will have you feeling better in no time.”
Tori dutifully swallowed the pills and Cody took her hand and led her out of the room. She followed like a well-trained dog.
As they drove up the coastline to Tarpon Springs, Tori craned her neck, looked around Cody’s head, and watched the activity in the ocean. Pelicans were diving for fish, and dolphins were doing flips. She pointed and cried, “Did you see that!”
The right corner of Cody’s lip curled into a devilish crook as he looked over at Tori, but he didn’t say a word.
He’s just too cute! Tori thought.
The next thing Tori knew it was morning. She couldn’t seem to get her eyes open, but she could again feel Cody lying in bed beside her, whispering as he gently kissed her cheek, “You’re so sweet and so beautiful!”
Tori reached up and touched his face, asking, “Is it morning already?”
“Morning, glory,” he answered.
“Did I fall asleep in your room again? I don’t even remember coming back from Tarpon Springs,” she said, rubbing her stinging eyes. “I was having a strange dream. I was in a courthouse, saying, “I, Tori, take you–” That’s when you woke me up. I must have been dreaming about my wedding to – never mind.”
“Are you sure you were dreaming? Cody asked, taking her left hand and gently kissing the back of it.
As Tori watched him kiss her hand, she gasped in horror. Then she sat up and shrieked, “What’s this?”
“I’d think you’d be able to tell – it’s a wedding band,” Cody said sweetly.
“What?” she cried, trying to pry it off her finger.
Cody grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard, and growled, “Don’t you know that it’s bad luck to take a wedding band off. I don’t ever want to see that ring off your finger! Do you understand?”
Tori fell back onto the pillow, her stomach churning. “What the hell is this, Cody? It had better be some kind of joke! Is Florida one of those get-married-quick states?”
“No, it takes three days,” he replied matter-of-factly.
“Three days?” she whispered. “Are you telling me I’ve somehow lost three days? How is that possible?” When Cody didn’t reply, she wailed, “You mean it’s true? I really can’t remember three whole days – including the day we supposedly got married? Holy canola and refried beans! There is no way I married you!” She rolled onto her stomach and her sobs built until they were loud wails.
“Well that’s a fine howdy-freaking-doody!” Cody said as he got out of bed, still ranting, “Great Granddaddy Longlegs! Sometimes you’re more trouble than you’re worth!”
He took his shorts off the chair back, reached into the pocket, and pulled out his happy-pill pouch. “Here, take these,” he said firmly, holding out several pills. “You’re lucky to have me as your husband – because nobody else would know exactly what you need to help you regain control of your sorry-ass life!”
Tori snatched the pills out of his hand, gave him a dirty look, and yelled, “Go to hell!”
In Tori’s heart, she knew Cody was right. She was a sick person and nobody else would put up with her. She was secretly grateful that he seemed genuinely concerned about her taking the proper medication – especially because her illness was precisely the reason Wes had forsaken her.
Cody watched her swallow the pills, and then began to chuckle.
Tori got out of bed, stood for a few seconds trying to gain her balance. She backhanded him in the stomach, and yelled, “Stop laughing, you rotten egg sucker!” She headed for the bathroom.
Cody was still laughing as she left the room, and in spite of her snit she began to laugh, too. As she stood in the shower, feeling the warm water wash over her body, she began to feel invigorated. Many thoughts raced through her mind. What would Wes think about her getting remarried so soon? What would her family and Jill think? She supposed they’d get used to it.
As she draped a towel around her and stepped out of the shower, the world looked much brighter. She was full of energy and ready to take on a new day. She even found herself saying her new name, Tori Baxter, aloud, just to hear the sound of it, and it didn’t sound half bad.
“Okay, I feel much better now. Are you ready to hit the beach?” she said as she emerged from the bathroom. There was no reply. Tori looked around the room, but Cody wasn’t there. Maybe he’d gone to get them some breakfast. She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten.
She decided to take the opportunity to call Jill while Cody was gone. When the desk clerk answered, she said, “Yes, I’d like an outside line, please.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” the clerk replied. “Since the occupant has checked out, you can’t use an outside line from there.”
“What are you talking about? My husband is the occupant! Do you think he’d just check out and leave me here?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but–”
Before the clerk had finished his sentence, Cody walked into the room, closed the door, and said, “Get dressed, baby, I’ve checked us out. We’re going home!”
“What?” she said, even more confused than before.
He rushed across the floor and tickled her in the ribs. “I said we’re going home – so get dressed.”
It took a second to register, but when her brain finally kicked in, she threw her arms around his neck and cried, “That sounds wonderful! Take me home!”
“Great! Now get your stuff together and we’ll be on our way!”
Tori rubbed her forehead. “Cody, did I get all my stuff out of my own room? I can’t remember. And I need to check out of that room, too.”
“I’ve taken care of it,” said Cody, lifting a suitcase and tossing it onto the bed. I took all your stuff out of the room days ago. Then I checked you out and paid your bill. Everything is taken care of, little darlin’. You don’t worry your little head about anything.”
“Well, thank you,” Tori said, her head spinning from the news. “It’s nice to have someone to take care of me.” Again, she was thankful that she had somebody that loved her enough to accept her for the mental mess she was.
A few minutes later, Tori was dressed, packed, and anxious to get up the road. She couldn’t wait to see her family and Jill.
Cody followed Tori in his car, and as she drove across the bay, she looked around and decided that although Florida was Paradise on earth, Madison was where she belonged.
When they got to the airport she turned in her rental, paid the bill, then turned toward Cody. “Let’s go home!” she said, raising her arms over her head as if she were proclaiming herself the winner of a boxing round.