Believe Me, It's You

by S. A. Cook

  He told her how surreal it was the first time a mob formed around him spontaneously, while he was walking down the street in New York, on his way to the movies with a friend from home. He recounted the excitement turning into panic when he realized he was going to need help getting out of the mob. Cops had eventually come, and escorted them back to their hotel. That's when he realized his life wouldn't be the same.

  “Can you go to the movies, if you plan it out and take Teddy?” Eva asked.

  “No, I mean, I guess I could try, but I'd just end up ruining it for everyone if I was recognized,” he said, looking at his fingernails. “Are you concerned? You know, that you and I won't get to do things like that together?”

  “No, not really. I never thought about it,” she said.

  “Well, I guess you should, Eva,” he said. “It's not always easy. I mean, you're a big secret now, and I think we should keep it that way for as long as possible. Because it's a Pandora's Box. Once it's out, there's not going to be any going back. I'm used to it. And I understand it's a trade-off for all the great things I get in return. It's going to be different for you, though. You didn't ask for the craziness.”

  She thought about what he said. So far, she had been able to stand back and let him endure any attention and fame, good and bad. She hadn't really considered the focus being on her. Could she handle that?

  “I know I don't fully understand what I'm getting into, Dylan,” she said. “I just can't imagine going back to the way things were before you. I can't imagine not being with you.”

  “I promise I'm going to do all I can to protect you and keep you out of the limelight, when you don't want it,” he said. “I'll do my best.”

  “I know you will,” she said. “But I feel like we're in this cocoon together. And it's going to blow wide open any day.”

  “Try not to worry about it too much,” he said. “You can drive yourself crazy, believe me. We just have to live our lives and keep it private. As much as we can.” He leaned over and kissed her.

  “Don't worry,” he said.

  They finished the rough draft and Eva emailed the file to Calvin and the publisher by 4. Teddy picked Dylan up and took him to the dealership to get the rental car. While they were gone, Eva took the opportunity to call Sarah and let her know where she'd be for the holiday.

  “Eva, I'm so happy for you,” Sarah said. “You deserve it. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving. When was the last time you had a good Thanksgiving?”

  “Oh, before my mother died, I guess,” she said, thinking way back to find a time. Her Thanksgivings with Paul had been stressful, to say the least. They always went to Paul's parents' house. They had been anything but warm and inviting to Eva. They thought Paul had “married down” when he married her. This was more than just a suspicion of Eva's. He'd told her before their wedding they had told him as much.

  That aside, it wasn't much fun for her, because she didn't know most of his family very well. They had a hundred inside jokes she didn't get. They dropped names she didn't know, and talked about subjects she found extremely boring, like politics and finances. She was always relieved to leave. Unfortunately, Paul liked staying until Sunday. He golfed with his Lake Forest friends and left her home alone, watching television while his family more or less ignored her.

  She hung up with Sarah and called Marta to wish her happy Thanksgiving. She promised Marta she'd eventually get to meet Dylan, and silently promised herself she'd introduce her to Teddy.

  Dylan rang the buzzer and she let him up.

  “I had to circle three times before I found a spot,” he said. “I got a DVD from Teddy's nephew.”

  “Sorry about the parking situation. I don't pay for a spot in the building anymore. What's the point?” she said.

  “Want to be bad and get a pizza?”

  “Yeah,” he laughed.

  “What's so funny?” she said, laughing.

  “I love the fact that eating pizza qualifies as being bad to you,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

  “I guess I'm pretty tame, huh?” she said.

  “Stay that way,” he said.

  They ate in the living room while they watched the movie from Teddy's nephew. It was a James Bond movie, and Eva couldn't follow it. Dylan had to explain why James Bond was chasing a woman in a yellow evening gown.

  “You're hopeless,” he laughed.

  “I'm sorry!” she said.

  “Don't worry,” he said. “Just go to sleep and I'll tell you the whole story later on.”

  She stretched out on the sofa, her feet in his lap and slept through the rest of the movie.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  They got up early Thanksgiving morning and packed their bags. They were coming back Saturday, so Eva didn't need much. Dylan shoved all the clothes she'd washed for him into his bag and took their things down to the car. Eva locked up behind him. There was snow in the forecast so, to Eva's relief, he'd rented a black Range Rover. They climbed in and started the three hour drive to Indianapolis. They were lucky and traffic was light.

  Eva loved glancing over at Dylan and watching him drive. She had no idea why. It just gave her pleasure to see his beautiful profile, so relaxed and enjoying something as simple as driving a car.

  “Can I ask you something, Eva? And don't freak out, okay?” he said, keeping his eyes on the road.

  “What?” she said, a little worried.

  “You can say no. It's just a thought,” he said. “But I was thinking maybe you'd like to move to L.A. and stay with me. You could keep your apartment here. We could use it. You could come back anytime and visit your friends. We could get away from the craziness of L.A. and drive to my grandparents for visits. It's just an idea.”

  “Maybe,” she said. “I want to get my divorce over with first, okay? Then I can think more clearly. I'm not saying no, okay?”

  “Okay,” he said. He kept quiet for awhile and she wondered if she'd hurt his feelings.

  “I'm sorry I can't just say yes to you, Dylan,” she said. “I wish I could.”

  “It's okay,” he said. “I know you like to take things slowly. You haven't let me down yet.”

  “I hope not,” she said. “It's not that I don't want to do all the same things you want to do. It's not that I don't want to say yes. I just don't always trust my own judgment. I love you, though.” She turned to look at him.

  “I love you, too,” he said. “We've got time. I don't mean to rush you.”

  They pulled into his grandparents' driveway before noon. Eva was surprised at what a modest, normal house they had. It was a little ranch with an attached garage.

  “Is this the house you grew up in?” she asked Dylan.

  “Yep. I've offered to get them a new house, but they like this one,” he said. “I'm glad. I can't imagine any other house feeling as much like home as this one.”

  Eva was nervous walking up the sidewalk. Before Dylan could knock, the door swung open and a little woman with gray hair and a polyester pantsuit put her arms around Dylan and gave him a long hug. He smiled and then laughed, as she didn't let go of him.

  “Grandma, let me go. I want you to meet Eva,” he said.

  “Oh, sweetie, let me hug you,” she said, turning her attention to Eva, giving her an equally long hug. “Dylan, she's so pretty! Come on in out of the cold and meet my husband. He's down in the basement fooling with his fishing stuff. I don't know why he has to fool with that stuff on Thanksgiving. Uncle Tommy's on his way. Aunt Ellen took the kids over to her family's house, but they'll be here later for dessert.”

  They followed her into the house and Dylan's grandpa came up the basement stairs.

  “There he is,” he gave Dylan a hug and patted him on the shoulder. “How are you doing, Son? You look good.”

  “Eva's been fattening me up for the tour,” he said. “Grandpa, this is Eva.”

  “I thought you just finished a tour. How are you, young lady?” he said, patting her on the shoulder.
<
br />   “Fine, Sir,” she said, smiling. “We had a good drive.”

  “Good, good. No traffic?” he asked.

  “No, Sir,” she said.

  “You call me Grandpa,” he said. “Katy, who does this girl look like to you?”

  “Oh, Carl. You know who she looks like,” she said, smiling at Eva.

  “Who, Grandma?” Dylan asked, taking a candy from a dish on the coffee table and handing one to Eva. His grandma walked across the living room and took a picture from the mantle. She brought it over to Dylan and handed it to him. Eva watched as he looked at the picture and then up at her.

  “Is this my Mom?” he asked his Grandma.

  “Yes, Honey. That's her at the beach when we went to the Dunes. She was 19 when that was taken,” she said. She took the picture from Dylan's hand and showed it to Eva.

  “You look a lot like my daughter,” she said. Eva looked at the picture.

  “I do,” she said. “She's prettier.”

  “Everyone's pretty when they're 19 and at the beach,” Grandma said. “You look like her.”

  “She does, doesn't she?” Carl said. He walked out of the room and Dylan sat on the arm of the couch.

  “He still misses her,” Katy said. “We all do, especially on the holidays.” Eva felt sad for them and awkward, like her resemblance had made them sad.

  “You do look a little like my mother, Eva,” Dylan said. “You're both pretty and kind.” He kissed her cheek.

  “Can I help with anything, Mrs. Moore?” Eva asked.

  “No, Honey. I'll ask you to help me put things on the table a little later, but sit and relax for a while. Dylan, I put your girlfriend in your old room. You'll have to sleep in the sewing room.”

  Dylan looked at Eva and smiled.

  “Okay, Grandma,” he said. He picked up their bags and carried them to her room and his, giving Eva a tour of the small house.

  “So this is your old room, huh?” she looked around at the walls, still covered with posters of basketball players Eva didn't recognize and a poster of Tupac Shakur.

  “Yep, this is it. Hasn't changed much,” he said, lying down on the twin bed. “Except I'm too big for the bed now.”

  “I hope I fit,” she laughed.

  “You will. You're short,” he said. “And don't complain. If I'm sleeping in Grandma's sewing room, that means I'm on Grandpa's old army cot.”

  “I'm not complaining,” she said. “I like sleeping in your old bed.”

  “Yeah, when I was a horny little 14 year old I never could have imagined,” he said. “a woman like you would be sleeping here one day.”

  “Unfortunately, I'll be sleeping here alone,” she said.

  “It's weird having you here with me,” Dylan said.

  “Do I really look like your mom, Dylan?” she asked.

  “I don't know, a little. I remember her looking much older than you,” he said. “After the drinking. I remember her crying a lot. I guess they remember her differently.”

  “I like them,” she said. “I really like being here.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Eva helped Katy with the food while Dylan set the table. His grandma thanked him and sent him into the living room to watch television with his grandpa and Uncle Tommy, then she went around the table rearranging everything he'd done.

  “He tried,” she laughed. “You can put that here, sweetie.” She took a large bowl of mashed potatoes from Eva and sat them down. They worked together until everything was on the table. Katy walked into the living room and summoned everyone to the table. It was just the five of them-Eva, Dylan, Grandma, Grandpa and Dylan's Uncle Tommy.

  Grandpa said a brief blessing and they all began passing food around the table.

  “Grandma's a great cook,” Dylan said, piling more food onto his plate than Eva had seen him eat since she'd known him. “Eva's a good cook, too.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “I haven't attained greatness yet, though.”

  “Do you cook Thanksgiving dinner, usually?” Grandma asked Eva.

  “No, I never have,” she said. “I've been lucky enough to be a guest.”

  “Oh, you'll have your turn one day,” she smiled at Eva. “Enjoy not cooking as long as possible. Tommy, look at Eva and tell me who she looks like.”

  Tommy looked up at Eva and smiled, then looked back at his plate.

  “She looks a lot like Catherine,” he said. “You look like my sister Catherine.”

  “That's what your dad and I said,” Grandma said. “Dylan doesn't see it, though.”

  “Well, Dylan was little. She changed a lot,” Tommy said. “She looks like Cathy did before she met Dylan's dad.”

  “Well, we're not going to bring that up at Thanksgiving,” Grandma said.

  “You brought it up, Mom,” Tommy said.

  “I brought up my daughter,” she said. “It's the holidays. We should remember her.”

  “I know, Mom,” Tommy said.

  “When are the kids coming?” Dylan asked Tommy.

  “Ellen's got them over at her parents' house for dinner, then they're coming for dessert,” Tommy said. “Probably in an hour or so. They sure have missed you.”

  “I've missed them. It's been four months since I've seen them,” Dylan said. “I missed seeing them on my birthday.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that,” Tommy said. “October was the only month I could get time off, and I promised to take them all to Orlando. Your grandma says you went out with the old gang and tied one on.”

  “I don't want to talk about it,” Dylan said, looking down at his plate and trying not to grin. Eva looked at him and smiled.

  “That's what I heard, too,” she said.

  “I've been working hard,” he said. “My tolerance for alcohol is low.”

  “Well, that's how it should be,” Grandma said. “Alcohol is to be drunk in moderation.”

  “I know, Gram,” Dylan said.

  They finished eating and everyone moved into the living room. Eva and Dylan cleaned up the table and put the dishes in the dishwasher. Dylan was standing at the sink, rinsing dishes and handing them to Eva. The doorbell rang as they were putting the last of the leftovers into the refrigerator.

  Two boys ran into the kitchen and grabbed Dylan.

  “Dylan!” they were both talking at the same time. Dylan smiled and grabbed up the littlest. The other had him around his legs and wouldn't let him walk.

  “Dylan, I told my new friend Kyle you were famous, and he didn't believe me!” the bigger boy said.

  “We can take a picture,” Dylan said. “And then you can show him.”

  “Okay! When?” he said.

  “Later on,” Dylan put down the littlest boy and picked up the other, kissing his cheek. “This is Eva.” He pointed at Eva. The boys said hi and then ignored her, preferring to pepper Dylan with a thousand questions and making him promise to play video games with them later.

  “Hi, you must be Eva.” A woman came into the kitchen and picked the boys' coats up from the floor, where they had deposited them.

  “Yes,” she said. “Are you Ellen?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I'm Dylan's aunt. It's so nice to meet you.” Like everyone else, she was warm and friendly to Eva. It was all so different from Thanksgiving with Paul's family. These people were more like her own family. They all seemed to like her.

  She sat down in the living room with everyone. Ellen insisted she should relax while she and Tommy brought pie out for everyone, and made some coffee. Eva loved watching Dylan rolling around the floor with his little cousins. They loved him and it was obvious he adored them. He never seemed to get tired of their attention or lose his patience with them.

  After Tommy, Ellen, and the boys left, she stretched out on the floor, next to Dylan. She realized how tired she was. They watched the end of a movie Grandma had put on for the kids, and then she stood up and excused herself, hugging Grandma and Grandpa.

  “I'll get you settled,” Grandma sai
d, following her into the bedroom. “There are extra blankets right outside in this linen closet if you get cold.” She pulled down the covers and turned the little light on next to Dylan's old bed.

  “I used to tuck Dylan in every night,” she said. “Even after he was in middle school. Not soon after that, he left me and went to L.A. It sure does make me happy when he comes back for a visit.”

  “It must have been really hard, with him out there at such a young age,” Eva said.

  “I missed him so much. I thought I'd die. I worried, too,” she said. “Especially when Tommy had to leave him out there. I'm glad he has a nice girl. He needs someone whose always going to be on his side. Calvin's been good to him, but he's got his own interests.”

  “I'm on his side,” she said. “Don't worry.”

  She finished getting ready for bed and crawled under the covers. Dylan came in and sat on the edge of the bed.

  “How is it?” he asked. “Is the mattress as hard as I remember?”

  “It's soft, actually,” she said. “Maybe they got a new one.”

  He leaned over and kissed her lips.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “I love you, too,” she said. “Your family's so nice.” Dylan smiled.

  “I know,” he said. “Goodnight.”

  She couldn't help looking around the room, wondering how Dylan must have felt when his mother left him here. And how he ever survived her death. He was so young. She imagined him discovering his love of music, developing his talent-all in this little boy's room. She drifted off to sleep, feeling happy about her decision to love him so much.

  Chapter Forty

  They spent the day Friday watching old movies on tv and helping Dylan's grandma put up her Christmas tree and decorate it.

  “You're coming for Christmas, aren't you?” she asked Dylan. “You can come, can't you Eva?”

  “Yeah, Grandma. I haven't really talked to Eva about Christmas yet, but I hope we can come,” Dylan said, looking at Eva.