by Gail Sattler
Maria moved closer. “He keeps looking at you.”
“I know.” She kept looking at him, too.
Maria’s voice lowered to a whisper. “He likes you, you know.”
Not really knowing how to respond, all Lacey did was nod.
“Randy has such a kind heart. All of us tend to watch out for him. He lived with us for a while, you know.”
Suddenly Maria had all of Lacey’s attention. “He’s mentioned that to me. He said your mother taught him a lot about cooking.”
Maria sighed. “Yes, Mama has quite a heart for poor Randy. Maybe I’m saying more than I should, but Randy’s parents left him alone so much—more than they should have, Mama always used to remind us. They traveled a lot and when they were gone, Randy stayed with us.”
“Didn’t he have relatives to stay with?”
“No. The few relatives he had seemed very old. Even his parents were a lot older than Mama and Papa. Mama always insisted he stay with us so he wouldn’t be so sad.”
Hearing the wistful tone of Maria’s voice instantly made Lacey feel sad for Randy. “He never talks about his parents.” Not that she told him much about her parents, either. “What did Randy’s parents do that they had to travel so much?”
“I’m not really sure. All we knew was that they were self-employed. Often they were gone for months at a time, and sometimes it sounded more like vacations than business. Once they were gone for six months. That’s a long time for a kid. Mama insisted Randy stay with us so he wouldn’t miss school.”
Lacey’s head spun. “I can’t imagine having seven children in the house at once.”
“Our house was busy. But everyone had a job to do, including Randy.” Maria turned to look at Randy, who was filling up his glass from one of the bottles from another table. He raised his head just as Lacey looked at him, making eye contact. He winked, blew her a kiss, then grinned ear to ear.
Maria giggled. “I told you he likes you.” She leaned closer. “My sisters and I, even though we’re younger than Bob, we always thought Randy was so handsome! And those eyes!”
Lacey couldn’t stop her blush. The unique blue of Randy’s eyes was what had prompted her to buy the dress she was now wearing—it was the same color as Randy’s heart-stopping eyes. Then once she had the dress, it was only natural to buy accessories in the same color.
She turned again to watch Randy, but this time he wasn’t watching her. He had turned around and was starting to walk back toward the head table. On his way, he bumped into someone. Randy said something, they both laughed, Randy bowed melodramatically and then continued on his way.
“It sure is crowded in here,” Lacey said, compelled to make some kind of excuse for him.
“Yes. After we invited everyone, Georgette’s family decided to come at the last minute, so the room is filled to the capacity of the permit.”
“Who did the decorating? It’s lovely. I meant to tell you earlier.”
“My sisters and a few of our friends. Randy made all the banners on his computer. Didn’t he do a good job? He’s so creative.”
Lacey gritted her teeth. Ever since she’d met Randy, everyone continually sang his praises, and now even Bob’s sister was doing it. Just once she thought someone could say something slightly negative about him, but no one ever did. But then, instead of agreeing, Lacey knew she would probably defend him, which was even worse.
Randy picked up something at the table, then turned around, making a path directly for her. He had almost made it when another guest stopped him to talk.
The longer they spoke, the louder Randy’s laugh became.
He swayed on his feet, laughed a little more, then turned around and again refilled his glass.
“Well,” Lacey said under her breath. “He certainly seems to be having a lot of fun tonight.”
Maria’s head tilted to one side. “Maybe, but something seems different about him. He’s not usually so…loud. Or maybe it’s my imagination. I don’t know.”
Lacey had just been thinking the same thing. “Maybe I’ll go talk to him. Excuse me.”
She hadn’t taken more than three steps, when someone whom she didn’t recognize stopped her. “I know I’ve seen you somewhere before,” the woman said. “You work at the mall, don’t you?”
She glanced toward Randy. This time, when they made eye contact, he started to make kissy motions with his lips at her. He nudged the man he was standing beside, pointing to her. The man nodded, reached for one of the bottles from the nearest table and topped up Randy’s glass.
Randy raised the glass to his lips.
Lacey narrowed her eyes and stared at the table nearest to him. Randy was acting stranger than usual. She was too far away to tell which bottle Randy was drinking from, but the bright colors on the label of the bottle remaining on the table didn’t seem to be the wine bottle.
She glared at Randy, watching him as took a sip.
Randy’s eyes widened when he noticed that she was watching. He sputtered into the glass, then swiped the back of his hand over his mouth.
Busted.
She’d seen enough of Eric sneaking booze at their house when he thought Susan wasn’t watching. She knew all the signs, and she also knew that the more intoxicated Eric became, the less subtle he was when he saw that he’d been caught. Now, in the same way, she’d startled Randy.
His words from the beginning of the evening echoed through her head. He’d told her not to worry, but she had worried, and rightly so.
What she feared would happen, had happened.
Randy thunked his glass onto the nearest table, turned around and hurried to the doorway leading to the hall. No one else was coming in as he was going out, but he didn’t make it all the way through the door. Randy walked into the doorframe. He bounced back and shook his head, swaying on his feet as he pressed his fingers to his temples. He shook his head, then aimed himself carefully through the center of the doorway, staggered through and disappeared down the hall.
It was all Lacey needed to see, but something deep inside of her wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt.
She strode to the glass that he’d left on the table, picked it up and sniffed it.
The sharp odor of alcohol wafted up at her.
Her stomach clenched.
He’d asked her to trust him. Just like her mother had trusted her father, which was the catalyst that led to her father’s drunk-driving accident where he’d killed himself, followed by the loss of everything else they held dear until all they had between the three of them was each other. Because her father had promised to use restraint, and her mother had trusted him.
Lacey didn’t know if she wanted to throw up, or cry.
But whatever she did, she wasn’t going to do it here.
She walked straight to the table where she’d been sitting, retrieved her sweater and purse and made her way to the door.
Maria stopped her before she could escape. “Lacey? Where are you going?”
“I really can’t stay. Thank you for inviting me.”
“It wasn’t me who invited you, it was Randy. Where is Randy? Does he know you’re leaving? Don’t you want to talk to him?”
Lacey gulped, barely managing to fight back the burn in the back of her eyes.
“No. I don’t.” Not now. Not ever again. “Goodbye, Maria. It was nice meeting you.”
Lacey walked away without allowing Maria to respond.
She didn’t know how she got home, or how she managed to make it home without crying, but the second she closed her apartment door behind her, the tears she’d been holding back could no longer be restrained. As she cried, she wished Susan could be there for her, just like she’d been for Susan, so many times. Susan was the only one she knew who could understand. Lacey had comforted her sister so many times as Susan cried over Eric. While Lacey had always sympathized, until now she had never adequately imagined the soul-wrenching pain of the betrayal.
He’d promised. She’d wan
ted to trust him.
And now, just like her sister, she’d been reduced to a pile of mush, sobbing her eyes out because she’d believed that Randy would keep his word. Yet at the same time, it was exactly what Susan had done with Eric, and continued to do, time and time again, only to be disappointed, time and time again.
Lacey couldn’t live like that. By allowing Randy into her life she’d let him break down her defenses—she’d let her heart override her head, and now she was no better off than Susan, except for the fact that she wasn’t married to Randy.
And she would never be married to Randy.
A fresh flood of tears burst out. For a while she’d actually imagined what it would be like to be married to Randy. He made her laugh, but now all she could do was cry, and she hated herself for it.
Randy blinked to help focus his vision. “What do you mean, she left?”
Maria pointed to the door. “She just picked up her stuff and left. She said she didn’t want to talk to you. What did you do?”
Randy’s head swam. “I didn’t do anything.”
Just to make sure that Lacey hadn’t seen what he was planning to do and ran off, Randy reached into the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket. He remembered leaving the brochure at the head table, and he remembered that he wanted to go get it before Lacey saw it, but now he couldn’t remember if he actually had recovered it. He reached up to pat the inside breast pocket of his jacket, but his hand missed its mark and he smacked himself on the side of his chin.
Maria tilted her head. “What’s the matter with you?”
Slowly and carefully he reached into the pocket. The brochure of engagement rings he’d picked up from the jeweler’s was still in there after all, along with the Valentine card he’d managed to find out of season, that he was going to give to Lacey as a declaration of his love. “Nothing. My coordination’s just a little off.” And his head was swimming, but the headache and nausea were at a level he could handle and still talk to people coherently, even if he was having trouble concentrating.
Adrian appeared at his side. “I just saw Lacey in the parking lot. She got into her car and drove away.”
Randy sighed. “I know.”
Adrian pulled him to the side. “Excuse us, Maria. I need to talk to Randy alone. You know. Guy stuff.”
Maria smiled, satisfied, and walked away.
“What’s the matter with you? I saw you walk into the door frame a few minutes ago, and then you ran into the washroom faster than you’ve ever moved on the basketball court. Are you feeling sick?”
“I had a migraine coming on, so instead of going home, I took one of those new meds my doctor gave me. My coordination’s off a little more than usual.” He rubbed his chin where he’d just smacked himself. “But at least I got to take my meds before I got sick this time.”
“Then why were you running?”
Randy grinned, proud of himself for his ingenuity. “I’m usually very careful to always pour my own drinks, but I let someone else top up my glass, and he poured wine into it. I spit it out, but I didn’t want the taste in my mouth, so I went to go brush my teeth.”
“Brush your teeth? Here? You’ve got a toothbrush in your pocket?”
He smiled brightly, knowing his teeth were white and shiny, and sparkling clean as any toothpaste commercial. “Yeah. I bought one of those small fold-up, travel kinds. It even comes with a small tube of toothpaste. I was planning on, uh, well, never mind.” He sighed, and all the joy seeped out of him. He was planning on getting up close and personal with Lacey tonight, to propose to her on bended knee, and he wanted everything to be perfect, including clean and minty fresh breath. Not only were things not going perfect, they weren’t even going well.
He stared at the doorway. “She’s gone. I don’t know what happened. I barely even talked to her all night. Do you think she’s mad because she thinks I’m ignoring her?”
Adrian shook his head. “You’re crazy. You’re carrying a toothbrush, but you didn’t bring anything for your allergies…” Adrian’s voice trailed off, and his brows knotted. “Wait a minute. Did you just say you took something for a migraine?”
Randy pressed his fingers into his temples. “Yeah. But I feel better. Except I feel more spaced-out than usual after I take my meds.” He didn’t tell Adrian that the side effects of the strong medication that made him feel loopy at the best of times were getting worse and worse as time went on. “It must be the new prescription. I’m going to have to go back to the old kind, even though they’re more expensive.”
“Did you forget about the stuff I gave you at the park for your allergies?”
“Of course not, but no one has ever seen me when I’m down with a migraine and I want to keep it that way.” He especially didn’t want Lacey to ever see him like that. Over the years he’d spent too many hours lying on the bathroom floor with the dry heaves, feeling like his head was going to explode. That was why he spent the extra money on a very luxurious plush mat for the bathroom.
“Randy?”
“Oops. Sorry. I was thinking about something else.”
“You’re acting really strange.”
“I’m feeling kind of strange, too. But I’m still handsome in this monkey suit.”
“You’re getting worse. Maybe you should go lie down. Or better yet, everything’s almost over. You should go home.”
“But I have to help clean up.”
“In your condition, I think you’d be more a hazard than a help. Go home.”
“I don’t want to go home.”
“Randy…”
As Randy looked at his friend, his vision blurred briefly. He concentrated to refocus. “I don’t want to go home without Lacey. I have to find her before midnight, before I turn into a pumpkin.”
Adrian grabbed his arm. “That does it.” Adrian turned to the side. “Paul, can you come here for a minute?”
“What?”
“We’ve got to find someone to take Randy home.”
“Okay. Fine,” Randy grumbled. He reached into his breast pocket for his keys, but they weren’t there. He reached into one pants’ pocket, then the other before he finally found them. He saluted, and valiantly handed his keys to Adrian. “See. I’m smart enough to know I shouldn’t be driving. It says so right on the bottle. I always read the labels, even though I’m not allergic to peanuts.”
Adrian returned the keys. “That’s fine to not drive, but how do you think you’re going to get into your apartment without your keys?”
“Oops. I never thought of that.”
Adrian sighed. “You’re not thinking much about anything right now.” Adrian turned to Paul. “I changed my mind. I don’t think it’s a good idea to let him go home alone. I think I’ll take him to my place, and he can camp out on my couch for the night.”
“Good idea,” Paul said.
“But I have to see Lacey! I can’t let the sun go down on her anger.”
“You shouldn’t let the sun go down on your anger.”
“But I’m not angry. Lacey’s angry.”
“We don’t know for sure that she’s angry. But we do know that you should go lie down. Why don’t you go sit over there? Everyone’s starting to leave. Then we’ll clean up and you come home with me.”
“No. I have to go to talk to Lacey.” Randy shook his head; except when he stopped shaking his head, the movement didn’t stop. His vision blurred even worse than the first time. He started to lose his balance, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He felt himself going down, out of control, just like at the duck pond. The landing had been soft then, because he’d landed in the water. Randy didn’t want to drown today, either, so he held his breath.
Adrian and Paul held him, each hanging on to one arm to steady him until he could stand on his own.
“Thanks. You guys saved my life. Did you feel that earthquake?”
“Next he’s going to say the sky is falling,” Paul grumbled.
Randy looked up. “Then I have
to find Lacey really fast, before she gets hurt.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Adrian said. “By the way, have you got fifty dollars I can borrow?”
Randy patted all his pockets. “Nope. I don’t have any money. I didn’t bring my wallet.”
“You brought a toothbrush, but you didn’t bring your wallet?”
“Toothbrush?” Paul asked. “That’s different. Even for you.”
“All I needed was my driver’s license. The toothbrush pack and my wallet made a big lump in my pocket, and I needed the toothbrush more than I needed the money. I’m sorry. I can’t even write you a check.”
Paul turned to Adrian and reached for his own wallet. “I don’t think I have that much on me. What do you need it for?”
“I don’t need it. I just wanted to make sure Randy didn’t have any money on him, so he couldn’t sneak off and take a cab home.” Adrian guided Randy to a chair. “Stay here until I come and get you. Better yet, put your head down and have a nap.”
Randy did as he was told, but the second Adrian and Paul weren’t looking, Randy took off and ran out the door, this time being very careful and putting both hands on the door frame as he passed through the center.
He ran through the parking lot, straight for his car.
Randy knew he was in no shape to drive, but he had something in his car that he didn’t have in his pocket.
He couldn’t take a cab with no money, but he had an ashtray full of coins that would be more than enough to take the bus.
Even though he hadn’t taken a bus for years, today he had to take the chance that he’d be okay, and that he’d make it all the way to Lacey’s apartment. Before the sun went down on her anger, he had to tell her how much he loved her.
Chapter Eleven
Lacey stood on the balcony, looking in the direction of Randy’s church, where Bob’s wedding had been.
It was a wonderful group of people, but she would never go back there again.