Broken Build (32 page)

“Mall, Christmas shopping, you know, holiday cheer.”

* * *

Jen stepped out of the shower and strapped on her ankle brace. She stood on it with her full weight, registering only a slight twinge. She pulled on a pair of old jeans and a bulky sweater, one her father had left behind.

The phone rang. Praveena’s cheerful voice greeted her. “I heard you’re home again. Do you need anything?”

“Actually, I need a rental car.”

“I’ll be right over. I’ve missed you. What happened to your car? Did it get shot up?”

“No, Mr. Jewell’s rich friend took it to the body shop. She’ll pick it up tomorrow, but I can’t just sit around.”

“Let’s go shopping then.”

“Great. Afterwards, I want to visit an old friend.” Not that she knew Vera very well, but she was Rey and Rodrigo’s sister, and way back, Rodrigo had introduced them and she’d seen her a few times with Rey. Perhaps Vera knew what Rodrigo had been up to. She’d drop by and apologize for missing Rey’s funeral.

Fifteen minutes later, Praveena picked up Jen, and they were on their way to the mall.

“I feel so out of it without my laptop,” Jen said. “And I need to buy a few necessities. Everything you packed is still at Mr. Jewell’s. Look what I’m wearing.”

Praveena giggled. “Holey jeans are always in style, but that fisherman sweater… it’s way oversized.”

“My father’s. So, how’s the build doing?”

“Everything’s going great.” Praveena idled behind the long line of cars waiting to enter the mall. “We haven’t hit any glitches. Satish has been watching the management console.”

Jen breathed relief. “I’ve been in jail, can you believe it?”

“Was it horrible?” She pulled into a parking space. “Oh, look… isn’t that Mr. Jewell?”

“Where?” Jen glanced where Praveena pointed and sunk into the seat. “Can you park somewhere else?”

“We’re lucky to snag this spot. Let’s wait for him to leave. He looks so funny with a buzz cut.” Praveena giggled.

Jen pulled the sweater over her head. “What’s he doing here?”

“It’s a public place, besides everyone knows he spent the night at your place.”

“W-what?”

“It’s in Nick the SnotOgler’s Blog. You haven’t seen the video? Mr. Jewell punched Nick in the nose.”

“What? Dave’s been fighting? Why?”

“Nick says you’re a horrible driver and you mowed down Dave’s wife.”

A shockwave smashed Jen’s chest. Her phone sang Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Into You.”

Praveena looked at the screen. “Hey, Mr. Jewell’s calling you. He’s standing over there looking this way.”

Jen waved frantically. “Don’t answer it.”

“What’s the matter? Did you have a fight?” The voicemail jingle sounded.

Jen put her head on her knees. When Jocelyn was hit, she had been the one who called the police. But she had run off before they arrived. Abby had been screaming, and her only thought was to get her away from the broken body that had been her mother.

* * *

Dave glanced at the Honda that pulled into the spot two cars from him. Praveena and Jen were inside. He headed over, but Jen slumped into the seat and refused to look over, even when Praveena pointed him out. He had been wrong to offer her sex when she wanted love. He’d buy her something special, a gift, so she’d know beyond a doubt how he felt about her. His chest tightened. Was he ready for such a leap?

He left a voicemail. “Let me know when I can drop your things off. Maybe we can have dinner?”

Dave ended the call and looked over his shoulder. No one had stalked him so far. He stepped out of the parking garage and wandered around the Christmas displays inside the mall. His mother had always set up the tree the Monday after Thanksgiving. She’d make wreathes of bay leaves, holly, juniper berries and, of course, mistletoe. Christmas used to be a happy season for Dave. But, no longer. Abby had not even spent her first Christmas with him. Born in March and kidnapped in November.

A long line snaked around the center of the mall where Santa sat. Parents pushed strollers and held onto excited children still innocent enough to believe in fairy tales and dreams come true. A group of Asian children waited their turn, the little boys wearing suits and the girls in velvet dresses. One girl was taller than the rest. How old was she? Hard to tell. Her hair wasn’t quite as black as the others. Dave angled around to get a better look. Her eyes were round. The adults taking pictures were all Asian. Could she be Abby?

It was the girl’s turn. She swept her wavy hair back as Santa put her in his lap. She smiled, her bow-shaped mouth achingly like Jocelyn’s. Dave moved closer.

An irate parent said, “Line’s back there.”

“Oh, sorry. I was just waiting for them.”

The man stared hard at Dave, his blue eyes bulging. Dave shrank under his gaze and backed up, pretending to look at the gaily wrapped presents and the glittery reindeer display. An Asian woman took pictures of the girl and Santa. After her turn was over, she and the girl walked toward the man who accosted Dave.

Dave cringed when the man whispered to the woman and pointed at him. Both of them grabbed the girl, one with each hand, and led her away. Shit. The man approached a uniformed security guard.

Dave slipped through the crowd and crossed the train tracks, barely missing being hit by the Holiday Express full of laughing children. His eyes focused on the guard, he ducked in the nearest store and hid behind a rack of red lingerie with white trimmed fur lining.

“Sir, may I help you?” A twiggy woman waved a crimson fingernail at him.

“I was just looking.” Dave backed into a headless mannequin wearing nothing but a silky scarf with a glittering thong.

The saleslady pursued him. “Lingerie, or slinky dress?”

Dave gulped, not quite seeing Jen wear the fur-lined camisole. “Dress.”

“Size?”

He shrugged. “I’ll know when I see it.”

She held up a red dress that was little more than strips of cloth criss-crossing the chest area with laddered ties down the sides. He had to get out of here. With his luck, Jen would walk in and get the wrong idea. “I’ll take it.”

“Good choice.” The saleslady rang up the exorbitant price, and Dave tucked the dress in a pink and red striped Victoria’s Secret shopping bag. Holding it behind him, he escaped the store. He turned in the opposite direction from the Santa line, his heartbeat pounding lest the blue-eyed man spotted him.

After visiting a few high-end shops, he settled on his purchase. He had just exited the store when a child’s cry drew his attention. A little girl pounded on a pair of closed elevator doors. Dave looked at the rising glass elevator. A frantic woman was slapping on the glass. He grabbed the girl’s hand and waved to the woman, trying to assure her he’d hold onto her and wait for her to come down.

A uniformed security guard eyed him and strode over, his hand over a stun-gun. “Is there a problem here?”

“No. See? She’s coming down.” He pointed to the elevator which began its descent.

The girl jumped up and down. “Tia, Tia!”

The woman waved back. The girl was probably not Abby. She looked entirely Filipino. The door opened and the woman ran toward Dave. “Emily, what did Tia tell you about holding hands?”

The woman knelt and kissed the girl. She raised her head to glance at Dave, her face right in front of the Victoria’s Secret bag. “Thank you for holding onto her. She was with me one moment and then the door closed.”

Dave squatted down to their level and moved the bag behind his back. “Glad I could help.”

The woman offered her hand. “I’m Vera and this is my niece, Emily. Emily, say thank you to the nice man. Your name?”

He took her hand. “Dave.”

“Thank you.” Emily piped in.

The woman smiled and hugged Emily.

Dave glanced at his cell. “Well, it was nice meeting you.”

Vera looked teasingly at his shopping bag. “Girlfriend or wife?”

The answer caught in his throat. “Maybe, neither.”

“Ah, I get it. It’s for your mother. Or maybe a sister, or cousin. Have you had lunch?”

“I wanna cinnamon roll,” Emily said.

“After lunch, sweetie. Let’s ask Mr. Dave to have lunch with us since he saved you from being lost.”

Emily tugged Dave’s hand. “I want a hot dog on a stick.”

Dave chuckled. “How’d you guess? My favorite.”

They headed back up the elevator to the third floor. Emily insisted on holding both Dave’s and Vera’s hands. “See, I’m holding hands with two grown-ups. I’m safe now.”

He swung Emily’s hand as she skipped between them. A lump rose in his throat. Was this how it would have felt to hold Abby’s hand? To have her running and jumping next to him? To hear her happy voice squeal with delight?

“So, what do you do?” Vera asked Dave.

He looked around. No cell phone cameras were trained on him. “Let’s just say I’m in stealth mode.”

“Oh, a mystery man. You know, I love mysteries.” Vera gave him a sidelong glance.

She stood close to him while they ordered and pulled out her wallet to pay. Dave pushed a twenty at the cashier, but Vera shook her head and pouted.

Dave bent and whispered in her ear. “It’s for Emily.”

He carried the tray to a small table and pulled a chair for Vera. Then he picked up Emily and placed her on a chair. The familiar pressure under his ribs tugged his heart. What would it be like to hold his little girl and take her to the park, ride on a roller coaster with her screaming in his ear? Or having her kiss him and say, ‘Good night, Daddy.’

Emily bounced up and down. “Tia, where’s my cinnamon roll?”

Vera unwrapped the hot dog on the stick. “Later, pumpkins.”

“Ah…” Emily gave Dave a pleading look.

“I’ll get them,” Dave volunteered. “Do you want anything? A coffee?”

“Oh, you don’t have to. She needs to learn patience. I’ll—” She looked toward the cinnamon roll stand but made no move, probably hesitant to leave Dave alone with her niece.

Dave stood. “Let me get them, serious.”

“Oh, I couldn’t.” Vera opened her purse and took out her wallet again.

Dave pressed her hand. “My treat, for Emily?”

Vera blushed. Her gaze moved from Dave’s hand to his face. “Then I owe you a home cooked dinner. You haven’t lived until you try my
pancit malabon
.”

“Oysters or shrimp?” Dave loved the Filipino noodle dish filled with a potpourri of delectable tidbits.

“Both.” She raised an eyebrow. “So, you’re not a
pancit
virgin?”

“Throw in the
turon,
and you’re on.”

Jocelyn made a wicked
turon,
a fried banana dessert filled with a burnt sugar coating like
crème brulee
. She’d always surprise him with the filling, whether rolled in jackfruit, coconut, mango, or even cream cheese.

Vera made a sucking sound. “For you, I’ll make them extra thick and creamy.”

“My cinnamon rolls,” Emily whined.

“Just a minute, cupcake.” Vera grabbed Dave’s cell from his other hand. “I’ll call myself so you’ll have my number.”

“Sure.” He hurried to the cinnamon roll stand.

At the front of the line, a cell phone played Jennifer Lopez’s ringtone.

Chapter 32

Jen’s phone sang “I’m Into You,” and Dave’s number flashed on the screen. She hurriedly answered it to cut off the music while the teenage boy behind her snickered. Praveena moved to the front of the line and put in their order.

A woman’s voice spoke, “Oops, sorry. I must have hit redial.”

“Sure, no problem.” Jen ended the call. He certainly hadn’t wasted any time. She wouldn’t put out and less than twelve hours later, he found another girlfriend.

Praveena handed her a latte. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She sipped a little too fast, burning her tongue. “My ankle’s sore. Let’s get the rental car.”

Why did she believe she was special? He had sounded so sincere when all he wanted was sex. Dave may be a lost soul, but let someone else rescue him. All that mattered now was Abby.

“Hey, Jen!” A female voice chirped. “Over here.”

Vera Custodio waved from a table in the food court. Out of the corner of her eye, Jen spied Dave carrying a tray. He stopped in midstride and looked from Jen to Vera. A little girl ran up to Dave. “My cinnamon roll.”

Vera bounced from her seat and approached. Jen turned so quickly she almost tripped Praveena. Hot coffee splattered her hand. Vera tugged her. “Come sit with us. I found some of your things while cleaning Rey’s room.”

Prickles frizzed over Jen’s shoulders. Why would her things be in Rey’s room? She followed Vera to the table with Praveena in tow. Jen steeled herself. Dave was not the right kind of man for her, no matter how much he made her heart sizzle.

Dave kept his eyes on the little girl. He set the tray in front of her and sat across from her. They played a game of picking the cinnamon dust off the roll and dabbing it on the tip of the tongue. Fine, she’d pretend she didn’t know him either. She hoped Praveena would follow on cue.

“Oh, Vera,” Jen said. “This is Praveena.”

Vera gave Praveena a finger wave. “My niece, Emily, and the mystery man, Dave.”

Praveena’s eyes widened briefly, but she gave nothing away in her quick smile.

“Dave, this is Jen,” Vera said. “She was my brother’s girlfriend.”

Dave stopped playing with the cinnamon roll. His eyes darted toward her, and he nodded.

Jen waved, unable to decipher his poker face. “Nice to meet you.”

A red and pink Victoria’s Secret bag sat under his chair. Jen ground the insides of her cheeks. Buying Vera lingerie already? Asshole.

Vera pulled chairs from a nearby table, seemingly oblivious to the awkwardness. She put her hand on Dave’s shoulder and gave him the phone. “My number’s on the top. You free tonight?”

“No, sorry. How about I call you?” Dave slid the phone into his pocket.

Vera leaned forward and licked her lips. “You sure? Fresh oysters have limited shelf life.”

“I’ll take a rain check.”

Vera swiveled toward Jen. “You wanna come over? Bring your friend.”

Jen looked at Praveena. “Do you have to work?”