“Well, first and foremost, Jon’s custody needs to be settled. I’m not going to be sorry. It’s my priority.”
“Understood, and I’m with you.”
“Once that’s behind us we’ll have to talk about…” Will looked at the bare studs that used to be walls, “where we live.” It was nice to watch Will squirm. He blinked away his curiosity and then continued, “I… I mean we can buy a house together,” he stumbled.
Etta tried to keep her polite smile from turning to a full on grin, “Yes?” She batted her eyes at him in anticipation.
“And when you’re ready…” He closed his eyes and held his breath before saying, “You are my friend and my lover, but I want you to be my life.”
“Your life?” Etta questioned.
“Yes, my life and my wife.” He looked relieved to have said it out loud.
“I see…” she looked sharply at him, “any idea why I’ve ripped the walls out of my house?”
“Jake tried to school me about that earlier today,” he answered.
“And how do you feel about living here in this house…our house. I can show you the blue prints. I’m adding kids’ rooms down here and a master upstairs with a bathroom, a great big one.” She could feel her own excitement surfacing.
“That’s it!” Will pushed the table away and fell to his knees between Etta’s legs, “I can’t take it for another minute.” His head fell into her lap and her hand instinctively lifted onto his head and stroked his hair, “Yes, put your hands on me.” He looked up into her face, “Love me, heal me,” he begged. Etta eased up and led Will to the bed, which was conveniently four feet away in the kitchen.
Waking the baby was not an option. Every sigh and passionate yelp had been tempered to purrs and whispers; a covert mission that was executed to perfection. Will’s fingers left a trail of chills as they ran from her shoulder to her elbow. The comfort of his body under her head was something she never wanted to be without again. Her first morning urge was to arouse Will and love him again. The amorous thought was quickly squelched by the sound of Jon Jon clapping his hands in the early morning dawn. Etta knew they only had moments before the quiet love spell they’d woven through the night would lead into a round of cheerios and bright light in the kitchen.
“He’s so good to play by himself.” Etta whispered.
“He’s only got about three minutes left in his repartee,” Will wiggled a little and Etta reluctantly released his shoulder.
“Oh, I don’t want to get up yet, Will, bring him in here with us.”
“I can do that.” It was too dark for Etta to see the amusement on his face as he pulled on his pants and headed for the crib.
She slipped on a shirt and opened up her arms for Jon’s running jump onto the bed, “Good morning, little man!” Etta brushed the wild blond hair from his eyes and kissed his scrapes as she tried to snuggled down with him in her arms, “How are you this morning?”
“Ma!” Jon jumped up and jammed his foot into her hip bone and fell onto her chest with a hollow thud. He lurched at Will, “Daddy.” Jon’s head landed exactly where Etta’s had been just moments before. He slapped his father’s bare chest then climbed onto his belly with his bare feet firmly in Will’s crotch.
“That’s not going to work, Buddy.” Will lifted him high into the air and jiggled him until he giggled loudly.
“Are you sure we should be so rough with him?” Etta worried.
“He looks okay to me, huh, Buddy? You okay this morning?”
“Ouwie,” Jon patted his forehead.
“You’re right, Wild Cat, I think yogurt and cereal. No wrestling.”
Jon balled up his chubby fist and pointed one finger at Will, “No, No, NO!”
“He told you!” Etta smiled over her shoulder as she pulled on a robe and headed for the kitchen.
~
“He calls you Ma already?” Paige asked.
“He calls all females Ma.” Etta answered humbly, pulling a cherry tomato from Paige’s salad and popping it into her mouth.
“He calls me Annie Paige. She looked up trying to access the memory, “Or something very close to Paige.” She set her fork down and said seriously, “I saw Mim in town yesterday with a man I didn’t recognize.”
“Isn’t small town life wonderful?” Etta smiled brightly, “Well, the way I hear it Tony, Will’s lawyer, took her out on the town yesterday.”
“I saw her from the other side of the street and I swear she looked like Jackie O with those huge glasses and her hands waving around telling a story. I smiled all the way home just thinking about it.”
“As long as I can remember, Auntie Mim has been alone. She’s traveled and had flings, I’m sure, but no one ever stuck when she came home… for us.”
“Sounds like it’s time for Mim to have a companion.” Paige looked out the window, “You know, I can’t imagine not having a man around. I think the longest dry spell of my adult life was nine weeks.” She looked back into Etta’s eyes, “Isn’t that just awful?”
“Sounds like you should be thankful.” Etta chuckled, “I’ve gone years. Our pool to draw from is a little shallow around here; I mean my brother’s quite a catch, but…”
“He is!” Paige looked at her ring shooting rainbows in the sunlight, “I can’t believe how happy I am, Etta… really, to the core kind of happy!”
“Yes, Sister, I do see it.”
“So, what are you and Will going to do? Did you tell him about your plans for the house and the shack out back?”
“Nope. He said he completely trusts me and to be honest, he’s too busy preparing for the court date.”
“You guys were busy!”
“It felt good. It’s exactly what we needed.” Etta said softly, “I don’t know when I’m going to see him next. I’m going to relax and wait the nightmare part of this out.” Etta looked at her watch and jumped, “Oh I’ve got a client in five minutes…I’ve got to run.” Paige watched Etta’s tied dyed skirt and silver strappy sandals flip flop their way out of the café and down the street to her office.
The titter of familiar laughter drifted out onto the sidewalk where Paige was dining. She strained to see through the reflection of the glass and saw Mim at a table, very cozy with a handsome Italian looking man. He gazed at Mim adoringly. Paige could practically hear the crackle of electricity from where she watched. Who was that man? She closed her eyes and sent a silent blessing for Mim’s happiness. Etta had impressed upon her the importance of thoughts as things and she wanted Mim to be the recipient of true love. Blessed be!
~
Tony’s dark brown eyes caught the light and reflected flecks of topaz, “Of course we’ve saved room for dessert!” he said joking to the waitress. “We’ve been here three hours,” he continued with a hearty bear laugh, “It’s almost time for dinner.” He squeezed Mim’s hand and asked, “How do you feel about a triple chocolate cake with an old vine French Bordeaux?”
Mim’s mouth watered just thinking about the decadent combination, “Sounds sinfully divine.”
“Well, my dear Emily,” he addressed the waitress again, “I feel a sin coming on!” he tapped the front of his shirt like WC Fields in an old black and white movie. The humor was not lost on Mim, she was absolutely charmed.
“You’re spoiling me,” she said, completely enjoying the delightful dance of flirting.
“Miriam, I haven’t had anyone to spoil in so long, please allow me this pleasure. And believe me, my dear,” he kissed her hand, “it is a pleasure of the highest degree.”
“I’m not sure how to act.” Mim looked at him through the blur of growing adoration.
“You’re doing just fine.” He nodded enthusiastically toward the waiter as he tasted the wine to be poured and made a toast, “Here’s to bringing the baby home to stay.”
“To Jon Jon.” Mim said wishfully.
CHAPTER 29
“Okay, so I’ve been screwing up,” Will said as he lifted a beer bottle to his lip
s. “But I’m trying to make it right.” Will shook off a thought, “Have you seen the plans for that house of Etta’s”
“Yes I have. She’s not happy unless she’s creating something.” Jake smiled with love for his sister’s antics.
“I know that feeling. I haven’t painted in over a year.” Will drained the bottle and shook his head no when Hardy offered him another, “Have to stay clear right now. Can you believe my Mom’s been out with Tony twice in two days?”
“I hope he’s a good guy…” Jake said protectively, “This is new to her.”
“I never got it; she’s never been in a relationship. She’s beautiful and charming and since she left my dad in Texas, there hasn’t been another man.”
“That we know of. Maybe she didn’t want any bad influences on you.”
“Oh, shit man, don’t get deep on me now…” Will shook his head, “I’ve got barnyard animals singing in my very near future!”
Jake slapped Will’s back, “I know that one first hand. He’s growing fast. I already see it. Try and let all the bullshit fall away and look at what’s real.”
Will threw a hug to Jake and then went home to have some playtime with Jon before he went down for the night.
In the car on his way to Jon, Will reflected on what it might feel like to be Etta in the situation. Not once had she asked him when she was going to see him again. She’d bought bedding and toys for Jon’s stays and even stocked the fridge for the baby. He hadn’t thanked her for all the sweet things she was doing or all the patience she had with him. Jake was right, he really was an asshole.
~
Etta stood in her own rubble assessing the work she’d accomplished. Eight hours of destruction and hours of clean up made for a long and tiring day. The workers took out the walls and put supportive pillars into place. The look was astonishing. In just one short week her tiny rooms, separated by walls had become one large living space. Of course, her bed was in the kitchen, which was going to be a problem. Paige had offered her a room in the mansion until she’d finished the demo but she didn’t want to be away from the progress, not even for a night. She didn’t want to be at Paige’s when Will decided to spend a night with her.
Etta had imagined it exactly as it was turning out, well, without all the dust. Lord, there was a lot of dust. She shook her hair out and spotted another nail on the floor. How was this ever going to be safe for the baby? Falling to her knees, she scoured the bare wood floor for anything that might be harmful if ingested.
“Great angle,” Etta jerked up to see Will with Jon in one arm and a pizza box in the other.
“MA!” Jon wiggled out of his father’s arms and ran to her.
“Hello, little man.” She kissed his forehead, “How are you tonight?”
“Daddy,” Jon pointed and clapped his hands, thrilled with both of them.
“You’re mighty precious, Jon.” Etta stood up to kiss Will, “Food… how did you know I’d be starving?”
“Remember when Mom added the rooms on to the back of the house?”
“Yes,” Etta remembered very well when Mim added on to her house to accommodate two teenagers who’d lost their whole world.
“She’d go all day and eat nothing until Addy brought dinner.”
Etta nodded, smiling at the memory of feeling so loved. “You know… not once did she make us feel like it was an imposition to bring us into your home. To her it was a great adventure, a wonderful extension of her family. I don’t remember her complaining one time.”
“You’ve had a great mentor.” Will looked at her knowingly, “And Etta… all of this,” he waved his hands around, “is not going unappreciated. I want you to know that.”
“I’m doing the same thing, aren’t I?” her smile slipped thinking about how much Mim had dedicated to them. How wonderful that they shared the same links to their past.
CHAPTER 30
“Will says you raised Etta and Jake when their parents died.” Tony looked deep into Mim’s face for her history.
“One my saddest days was seeing those children lost and alone in the front yard of their grandparent’s home, just babies.” She looked off into the street as she conjured up the memory, “Then the second saddest moment was realizing that I would never see my best friend again. Those children were the closest thing I was ever going to have to her in my life. I was there when Henri gave birth to Etta and I left for Texas when she was pregnant with Jake. They were so in love. Henri and Bob were the quintessential high school sweethearts.”
“Lucky kids to have you remembering their parents’ love like that.” Tony said. He put his arm around Mim’s shoulders as they walked down the street from the studio, “You cold?”
Mim shook her head then shrugged, “I guess so. It always creeps up on me, how much I miss them.”
He rubbed on her arm, then took his jacket off and draped it around her shoulders. Comforted by the warmth, she smiled, “That’s nice, thank you.”
“Where would you like to go, beautiful? I feel a long talk into the night coming on.”
“A fire actually sounds nice. People will think I’m crazy building a fire at my house in the middle of August.”
“I have the perfect place.” Tony guided her to his car.
“Oh, my goodness.” Mim added wickedly, “I can’t remember the last time I went to a man’s hotel room.”
“It’s my home away from home. I’ve got a gas fireplace. No shame in that.”
Tony led her across the bridge to a huge Victorian house he’d been renting a room in. Unlocking the door from the patio overlooking the little Deer Creek, he ushered her into his space. Mim immediately slipped her shoes off and slid onto the overstuffed sofa, tucking one foot under her butt. Tony draped a blanket over her lap and went into the kitchenette of his quaint guest suite.
“You’ll be warm in no time.” He returned handed her a glass of red wine and placing a cheese board on the wooden crate that served as a coffee table.
“This is so nice.” She sipped, “I didn’t know this place was rented out.” She watched him grab another glass and join her on the sofa.
“It normally isn’t. Will made the arrangements for me. I’ve only met the owner of this house one time. She’s an odd little woman, I can never remember her name.”
“I’ve seen her a couple of times.” Mim said, “She’s not very social. I think her name is Fanny or something like that.”
“She’s a writer.” Said Tony, “she doesn’t like noise or company and I told her we’d get along just fine.”
“I should have been more hospitable and introduced myself a few years back when she moved in…”
“You’re absolutely charming and hospitable, Mim, I felt welcome right away when I met you.”
“I think I had plans for you the minute you kissed my hand.” Mim said boldly.
“Tell me more…” his deep brown eyes shone with comfortable warmth.
Mim glanced over his face. His dark hair, disheveled by their walk curled to rest on his forehead and she pushed away the desire to reach over and smooth it back. Her eyes went back to Tony’s, “what would you like to know?”
“Well, how did someone so sweet and wonderful end up without a man in her life all this time?” He asked tentatively.
“Well, that’s the sweetest way of asking me why in the world I left a husband in Texas to come back here alone I’ve ever heard.” She held up a hand to stop his rebuttal.
“It’s my fault mostly.” She tried to shake off old regrets. They were so much a part of her now it would have been like missing an ear. She breathed in and the reasons for her life choices were crystal clear, “It’s a long story…”
“I’ve waited my whole life to hear it, Miriam.” Tony took a deep drink of his wine and settled back for the tale of Mim.
“We were inseparable; Addy, Della, Henri, (that’s Etta and Will’s mom) and me. By the time we were in high school all we could talk about was getting out of this crummy little
town. We heard about the world out there changing in every way. We read magazines and newspapers, so it had to be true, but Nevada City stayed the same. You know, the fifties were ending and the sixties were turbulent with the war… we were so fired up about what was going on. We seemed to be stranded here, suspended in time while the rest of the world kept turning. Our mothers still stayed home and wore aprons in the kitchen, for crying out loud.” Mim took another drink and let the memories take her.
“I was fifteen years old when I met him.” She closed her eyes and ushered the dreams of a young heart into her mind, “Patrick was the new kid at school. He came from Berkeley, which was the axis of the whole world to us at the time… so close and yet so different. Patrick showed up with a guitar over his shoulder, he was sensitive and poetic. His long hair and love beads made him an alien hippy who landed on the planet ‘Leave it to Beaver’. Just his presence seemed to insight a riot with all the girls at high school. I could sit for hours and listen to him talk about the world “out there”. I wanted to experience his point of view so badly. I wanted to see what he had seen. All the girls had a huge crush on him. I watched from a distance. He felt dangerous. My mother would have had a stroke if I’d brought him home as a date.” Mim laughed at the memory.
“I knew a couple of girls like that…” Tony said slyly.
“I guess it was because I hadn’t thrown myself at him that he turned to me as a friend. Our conversations became easy and funny. We spent most days together, after school. The other girls were so jealous even when I assure them we were just friends. Oh, but I did fall in love with him. I could listen to him talk about philosophy and the state of the world for days and never tire of it. He was funny, too. His sense of humor could lift me up on the darkest day. Pretty soon, I tried to get myself into situations where we’d be alone. I manipulated that poor boy into all kinds of situations where he had to kiss me a few times. We’d spend days together just walking and talking and laughing. He’d sing to me and write songs about love. When he sang to me I felt as if it was only for me. I thought he respected me too much to ‘go all the way’. With him I felt cherished. I knew we’d be together forever and have a family and a life.” Mim took a big swig of wine.
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