“For God’s sake, why would you do that, Rosie?”
“Because I was a gutless wonder back then. Because I enabled him to continue to be who he is. I bought and paid for a husband, Vickie, then I chopped him off at the knees when I finally had enough. Was that fair? At the time, I thought so. I wanted him to feel the pain I was feeling. You know what, Vickie, it wasn’t pain I was feeling, it was humiliation. Gut-level humiliation. Each of us has to take responsibility for our actions. If we don’t, we never learn. I don’t want to lose what I’ve struggled for so hard these past five months.
“You aren’t saying anything, Vickie.”
“He broke into your house, stole four thousand dollars and your jewelry, not to mention Luna Mae’s money. And he stole Jack’s gun. He has a gun, Rosie. Are you forgetting all that?”
“No, I’m not forgetting it. Unfortunately, we can’t prove any of it. Now, if this were a perfect world, I would ask him to go away, relocate with enough money to live out his life. Since it isn’t a perfect world, that is not going to happen, and I have to think of something else. The fact that Kent wants to talk to me has to mean he’s about at the end of his rope. I think he might be looking to strike some kind of deal. Stop and think about it, Vickie. I’m in the catbird seat right now. I’m the one in control. He knows that, and he knows I know it. Great bargaining position from where I’m standing. I’ll call him later. Let him sweat for a while.”
“I don’t trust him,” Vickie grumbled. She looked around. “These flowers and plants are dying. Luna Mae would have a fit if she could see how you’re neglecting her plants.”
Rosie looked around at the yellowing leaves of the plants. “Was that just to have something to say, or did you mean it?”
“Both,” Vickie snapped. “Do you have anything to eat?”
“Nothing you would like. Want to go out for some pizza and a beer? Once in a while it’s okay to break the rules.”
Vickie threw back her head and laughed. “Oh yeah!”
“Then let’s do it! Maybe two beers!”
“Attagirl,” Vickie said happily. “What about Jack?”
“He won’t be over till he closes the gym. Around nine or nine-thirty. That gives us three whole hours for eating, drinking, and girl talk. Let’s walk, though. I don’t like having even one beer and driving.”
“Fine with me.” Vickie locked her arm with Rosie’s. Together, they left the house and literally skipped down the street, young girls again with no worries.
Kent felt like an errant schoolboy when he stood before Jason Maloy. “It’s slow, Jason. You know no one is looking for a house before Christmas. If you can’t see your way clear to giving me the time off, then I’ll have to resign. This triathlon is very important to me. You know what my life has been like these past five months. I need to get back on track. Five weeks, that’s all I’m asking, Jason. Oh, yes, one other thing. Would you be interested in sponsoring me? It’s for a good cause, and it’s good publicity. I think I can win it, Jason.”
Maloy pretended to think. It was true, it would be good publicity. Business was slow this time of year, so Bliss was right about that, too. Still, he hated doing favors for his jackass employee. He stroked his chin like he couldn’t make up his mind. “What exactly will this cost me in terms of dollars, Bliss?”
“The thousand dollars to the purse, which goes to charity. Every sponsor has to donate a thousand dollars. A pair of running shoes for me, and an outfit. We all have to wear the same thing for the races. I don’t know the cost yet, and it has to be purchased through the gym. Plus two hundred bucks a week for me until the race. You can deduct it from my next commission check.
“Jack Silver is throwing a Thanksgiving dinner at his house out on River Road after the triathlon. Everyone who participates is invited, and the press will be there. Like I said, good publicity for the agency.”
“How confident are you of winning, Bliss?”
“I’ve been training for some time now, and I think I have a better than average shot of coming in first. To date, according to the posting at the gym, there are 225 entries. The newspaper is saying this is the biggest turnout since the gym’s first race.”
Maloy had read the same newspaper article, so he knew Kent wasn’t putting him on. “Okay, Bliss, it’s a deal.” Maloy turned around so he wouldn’t have to shake hands with his salesman. The bottom line was the guy made his skin crawl.
No one was more surprised than Kent when his cell phone rang at five-thirty. He said hello and waited. Rosalie’s voice came over the wire, cool and aloof. “If you want to talk to me, come by the house at seven o’clock.” The moment Kent got his wits about him and said, “Okay,” the connection was broken.
Rosalie Gardener Bliss had an attitude.
Kent spent the next twenty minutes practicing looking humble in the agency lavatory’s mirror. He filled the rest of his time diddling around and doing a crossword puzzle until it was time to leave. He allowed himself an extra ten minutes for the short trip to the house in which he’d once lived.
His heart was thundering in his chest when he climbed out of the car. He’d shaved for the second time that day at four-thirty because he had a date later with Hillary. He was dressed in casual slacks with a white shirt whose sleeves were rolled up just enough to show off his Rolex and his lingering tan.
He’d turned himself around by eating decent food and getting nine solid hours of sleep a night. The strenuous exercise regimen he’d put himself on gave him the glow of fitness and good health. He was still juggling Heather and Hillary, but he was in control, and that pleased him also.
When he saw her coming down the front steps he couldn’t believe his eyes. His first reaction was that he’d pulled into the wrong driveway. He actually looked over his shoulder at both houses next door. The creature walking toward him wasravishing.
All Kent could do was stare at his wife, his mouth hanging open. He finally found his tongue and said with all honesty, “Rosalie, I didn’t recognize you. You lookgreat.”
“Is that another way of saying I’m not fat and I no longer smell?”
Kent had the good sense to look embarrassed. He also had enough sense to clamp his mouth shut.
This is one of those defining moments in life that will never be forgotten,Rosie thought as she walked over to where Kent was standing.
She’d taken pains with her appearance tonight because she was going out to dinner with Jack at a new restaurant in town. She wore lined, white linen slacks and an electric blue sleeveless silk top. A slender silky chain with a gold medallion on the end and a gold belt were her only accessories. High-heeled sandals made her appear taller than she was. Jack said she looked tall and willowy. That had been the single most wonderful compliment she’d ever received in her life. She’d almost swooned when he’d carried it a step further and said she looked sexy.
“So, what do you want to talk to me about,Mr. Bliss?” Rosie drawled.
“I’ll get right to the point, Rosalie. Look, I know you have the winning Wonderball ticket. I know it in my head, in my gut, and in my heart. You don’t want to share it with me, and if I was standing in your shoes, I wouldn’t want to share it with me either. The past is past, Rosalie, we can’t change it. What I want to do is make a deal with you. I heard the guys talking at the gym, Jack Silver to be specific. He thinks you’re going to win the race next month. Aside from me, the rest of the guys and gals are a bunch of slugs. They’ll be lucky if they finish the footrace. If I win, we split the ticket. If you win, it’s all yours. We can draw up an official agreement.”
“You’re assuming I have the winning ticket, Kent. What if I don’t have it?”
“I know you have it. You know what else, that kid Bobby knows you have it. His parents know you have it. I’ve talked to all three of them. They’re taking the position you’re going back on your word. The father wants to file a suit against you. I talked him out of it. You don’t need that kind of bad publicity. Hell, it could r
uin that nice little business you have. All that money, and you’re trying to deny some poor kid who pumped gas all summer the education you promised him. Jack Silver isn’t going to think very much of you when he finds that out, now is he? This town won’t think very much of you either if the kid’s parents file a lawsuit.
“I went one step further, Rosalie. I got in touch with the Wonderball’s legal department, and if a lawsuit is filed, that’s when they can run the numbers off that particular machine and it will show that all five of your tickets were bought within seconds of each other. Somehow, you managed to throw in a bogus one. The machine will also show the time at which you bought the tickets. See what I’m talking about here?”
Rosie felt her insides start to crumble. She could see what he was talking about all right. One of Luna Mae’s ditties popped into her mind. She’d always cautioned her when it came to Kent. Never let him see you sweat, baby. It was right up there with always look your best and wear your good underwear when you fight, and never let a man tower over you in an argument.
“Let’s say I agree with you, just for the sake of argument. I’m not admitting I have the winning ticket, so make sure you understand that. What do you say to this, Kent? Let’s say you win, which you probably will because you’re a guy and in good shape. Would you agree to donating 75 percent of your half to charities and good causes? If I win, I can do whatever I want with the money, and you get nothing.”
“It’s something to think about,” Kent said carefully as he tried to keep the elation out of his voice. He needed a calculator.
“I’ll tell you what,” Rosie purred, “I’ll call my lawyer in the morning and have him call your lawyer to set up a meeting for the four of us. Mind you, I am not admitting I have the winning ticket, so let’s be clear on that. Are we clear on it, Kent?”
“Crystal.”
Rosie looked down at her watch. “We’re adjourned.”
“Rosalie, wait a minute.” Kent shuffled his feet, then blurted out, “Can I kiss you?”
Rosie didn’t know if she should laugh or cry. For three long years she’d yearned and hungered to hear those words. Now, when she finally heard them, they were just words. She fixed her gaze on the man she’d lived with for three years. “Do you know what the wordkiss stands for, Kent?” When there was no reply, she said,“K eepI tS impleS tupid.”
Rosie carried the vision of her husband’s stunned, baffled look with her as she turned and, without another word, walked up the steps and into the house. The moment the door closed behind her, she leaned against it and closed her eyes.What in the name of God did I just do?
18
What a beautiful restaurant, Rosie thought as she followed the hostess to a table with a magnificent view of the river and the boats sailing lazily to their docks for the evening. The decor was nautical and yet whimsical, with fishermen’s nets, captain’s wheels, and pictures of children catching fish. Supposedly the food, especially the catch of the day, was mouthwatering. Captain Tom’s was the third in a chain of what the owner hoped would be seven restaurants spread across the South.
“Best view in the house,” Jack said as he sat down across from her. “I do like a table with a real tablecloth and real napkins. How about you? You look preoccupied. Is something wrong, Rosie?”
She wanted to tell him. She probably should tell him. She was never good at keeping secrets. Instead, she smiled, and said, “No, why do you ask?”
Jack shrugged. “I’m pretty good at picking up on moods. Guess it goes with the territory. You look…stressed. Did I ever tell you what my mother used to do when she got bent out of shape? She swore that it worked.”
Rosie leaned across the table and reached for Jack’s hand. She smiled again, her entire face lighting up. She loved it when Jack shared things from his past with her. “Tell me.”
“My mother would go to the open-air market and buy a watermelon. She lugged it home, cut it up, and took out all the seeds, one by one. She said it was a mindless thing to do, and by the time she was finished, whatever stress she was feeling would be gone. My father finally got the hang of it and had watermelons delivered to the house. Sometimes, it would take two watermelons to relieve her stress. Like the time I fell out of the oak tree in the backyard and sent the clothes she’d just hung out to dry into the mud. The clothesline broke my fall. I bawled my head off because Mom was more interested in the laundry than me. At least that’s what I thought at the time. That was what my dad called atwofer. Then, Mom would make me and dad eat the watermelon. To this day, I hate watermelon, and so does my dad. We’ll buy a couple on the way home, and I’ll show you how to do it.”
Rosie leaned back and laughed till her sides hurt. “Okay,” she managed to say. She was going to add this to the Memory Book that she was keeping on Jack. Someday, when they were old, she’d show it to him, and they’d hug and smile at one another. Memories, at least some of them, were wonderful.
“Do you want to talk aboutit, Rosie?”
It.Rosie fixed her gaze on a picture of a sailboat with children hoisting the sail behind Jack’s chair. “No. Not now. I’m fine, really. Let’s talk about the triathlon. The local papers are giving you a lot of press. Vickie is sponsoring me through Nature’s Decorations. I bet this is going to be your best year yet.” She was talking way too fast, proof that something was bothering her. Obviously, she needed a watermelon.
“Looks that way. I’m betting on you.”
Rosie’s heart fluttered in her chest. “What if I don’t win, Jack?”
“Then you don’t win. The winning isn’t important. It’s how you play the game, Rosie. This is all about good health, fitness, building self-confidence, giving to others, and doing the best you can do. I don’t give two hoots if you come in last. You’re doing it, and you’re doing it for all the right reasons.”
But am I doing it for all the right reasons?Rosie’s insides started to shake. She nodded because she didn’t trust herself to speak.
“Have you heard from Luna Mae, Rosie?”
Rosie worked her tongue from side to side. “No, and I’m worried. It’s not like Luna Mae either. I’m just hoping nothing is wrong. She usually calls once a week, and I haven’t heard from her in three weeks. I’ve been calling every day, and I wrote, too, but so far she hasn’t responded. I keep telling myself she went off on a trip with Curly What’s-his-name, and she’ll get in touch when she returns.”
“I’m sure that’s exactly what happened. Let’s give her another week, and if you don’t hear anything, I’ll fly out to Indianapolis and check on her.”
Rosie’s eyes filled. This man sitting across from her had to be the dearest, sweetest, kindest man she’d ever met. She offered up a tremulous smile.
“So, what looks good to you?” Jack asked as he opened the menu.
“The smashed potatoes with garlic and chives,” Rosie replied, laughing. “Do you think if I have that, and the pecan-crusted salmon they will even each other out? Plus a salad of course. I’m also going to have those bananas that are coated in crushed pecans and then set on fire in rum and butter.”
“We’ll have to walk home, Rosie, to work it off,” Jack laughed.
Rosie sipped at her wine. It was good. She took a second sip before she said, “I don’t care. Once in a while you have to break the rules. Otherwise, there’s no point to having rules.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more. Listen, Rosie, I…I want to…talk to you about something.”
Rosie could feel her heart start to sink in her chest.Please, God, she prayed,don’t let him say something I can’t handle. Please, God. She struggled to work a smile onto her face. The smile was to encourage Jack to keep talking. It felt like her heart was sinking further when it appeared Jack had trouble meeting her eyes.
“Rosie, you know how I feel about you, don’t you?”
Until a minute ago, she thought she knew. Nodding seemed to be her safest bet. Her mind raced.How can I run out of here and still keep my dignity i
f he says something I can’t handle? Where’s the damn exit?
“I never thought I could…feel…want…I bought this,” Jack said, fishing in his pants pocket. He withdrew a small jeweler’s box. “I guess this is kind of stupid on my part because you aren’t free. I saw it and bought it. It’s a…what it is…is a ring that I want to give you when you’re free. Doyawannaseeit?”
Rosie swayed dizzily in the chair. She reached out to grasp the ends of the table. “Uh-huh.”
Jack slid the small box across the table. Rosie reached for the box and, with shaking hands, opened it. Nestled in a small bed of black velvet was the most exquisite marquise-cut diamond ring she’d ever seen in her life. She wasn’t going to have to use the exit after all. Her eyes started to burn from what she was seeing and feeling. She wanted to say something, but she couldn’t make her tongue work. Her mouth felt like it was full of peanut butter. This had to be the most wonderful moment of her life.
“Do…do you like it? When the time is right, will you…will you wear it?”
“Oh, yes, yes, yes. It’s beautiful, Jack,” she whispered.
Jack beamed. “Why are we whispering?” Jack whispered.
Rosie continued to whisper. “Because…because it’s a hushed moment. The kind you want to remember forever and ever.” She fought with herself not to take the ring out of the box and put it on. It was the same feeling she’d had about Martha’s swing. The time wasn’t right. It was that simple. She slid the box back across the table and watched, her heart in her eyes when Jack pocketed the box.
“We aren’t crazy, are we?” Jack asked.
“Boy, I hope not. The minute I’m free, the very second the judge says the word, I want you to put that ring on my finger. Promise.”
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