Doorstep daddy (28 page)

_{"It must be old age," he muttered to himself. To Mark he said, "Men are idiots. It's a curse, kid. You have it. I have it. Jay has it. Maybe Tom Hanks doesn't have it, but he's the only one."}

_{"Ding-dong," Mark said aptly. "Want a cookie."}

_{He wasn't sure whether Mark was demanding or offering. "In a minute."}

_{He found the boys taking turns viewing the city from a pair of standing binoculars. Their aim, evidently, was to look through every viewer on the terrace. Richard wondered whether they would run out of coins or time
first. He silently bet on the latter. They were set to leave the building in about ten minutes. "Are the kids okay?"}

_{Richard whirled around at Callie's voice. Unfortunately she looked as though she'd spit out nails, instead of words. But she had asked
him.}

_{"Callie!" Mark shouted, leaning toward her with outstretched arms.}

_{She smiled and took him automatically. Her hands brushed Richard's arms during the exchange. His had brushed her breasts. He refused to think about it.}

_{"You didn't have to take him," Richard said.}

_{"I don't mind." She cuddled Mark to her.}

_{Richard frowned, something in the scene bothering him. Not jealousy. Heck, he'd be happy with jealousy. Suddenly he knew. "You took him because he wanted your attention."}

_{"Do you have a problem with that?" The way she eyed him, he knew he was on dangerous ground.}

_{"No, but you do."}

_{Her eyebrows shot up.}

_{"You're not putting your needs first when you need to." He swallowed. "Boy, I hope I'm explaining this right, because I have a feeling you're about to slug me."}

_{"I've been about to slug you since five this morning," she countered. "So what else is new? All right, tell me why I am not putting my needs first when I take Mark because he wants to be held by me. And don't tell me I'm not good enough now."}

_{"Hell, no," Richard exclaimed, realizing he'd opened something unexpected.}

_{"Hello, no!" Mark shouted.}

_{Richard chuckled. Callie even grinned. Then she sobered. Richard knew he was back in trouble. "I could
have held him, Callie. I was happy to. I'm capable of it, I think. You need to say no sometimes. That's all I meant."}

_{"You rope me into this trip without a thought to my needs and then worry about my holding Mark." She looked around. "Anybody see the irony here? Anybody? Anybody?"}

_{"I am sorry, and I apologized earlier for this. I would have taken responsibility for my failure today if you hadn't come. Jason would have gotten over it. I would have learned a lesson I wouldn't have forgotten. I might even have found a replacement and none of this would be happening."}

_{"In other words, you're saying I'm responsible for my being angry with you."}

_{He looked heavenward. "No, I'm saying you had every right to refuse this morning to chaperon. You have nothing to feel guilty about or pressured into doing. I tried to say this earlier. I did say it. Maybe I shouldn't have depended on you like I did in the beginning. Or brought the kids on dates. Or done things the way I did. I set you up today, and I was wrong."}

_{"You're mixing a lot of things in there."}

_{He smiled slightly. "Yeah, I am."}

_"Ding-dong."

_{"Thank you, Mark." The kid was right, Richard thought, although he felt better now that he'd said the things he needed to say to her. Maybe the romantic atmosphere helped.}

_{"I accept your apology for volunteering me without telling me first," Callie said. "I don't accept that I could have walked away from the job."}

_{"I'm still in trouble about that, then."}

_{"Absolutely. Now, can I hold Mark because I want to?" she asked.}

_{"Of course. But only because you want to." "I do."}

_{He drew in a deep breath. "Callie, about this morning -}

_{She raised a hand. "We've talked enough, okay?"}

_{They hadn't, but he recognized he was pressing her. But he did love her. He had no doubt. Just for her, just for moments like this when her goodness came through. "Okay."}

_{"I think I'll take Mark over to look down at the street. He'll like the cars being like tiny ants."}

_{Richard's stomach crawled. "You're doing this to punish me."}

_{She smiled. "You'll never know for sure, will you? Want to join us?" "No way."}

_{She smiled broadly. "I thought not."}

_{"You're no Meg Ryan, Callie."}

_{She laughed. "I'm just showing Mark the city, Richard. This is the trip of a lifetime for him. Me, too. Relax."}

_{He watched her take Mark to the fencing. Callie actually pressed her forehead against the chain link and pointed down at the cars on the streets. Perspiration trickled down his back. She was a wicked wicked woman. But she was speaking to him again.}

_{"Uncle Richard! Time to go," Jay called out.}

_{"Thank you," Richard murmured, sending up a prayer for his rescue.}

_{Chapter Thirteen}

_{"You're fired."}

_{Callie stared at her boss, stunned. He glared back, his weaselly expression triumphant. He'd always been fussy and curt with her, but she never realized before how much he personally disliked her. She wondered how long he'd been looking for an excuse to terminate her. At last she found her voice.}

_{"You can't fire me just because I took a day for personal business yesterday," she said. "I still have days left in - "}

_{"Oh, yes, I can. You've been out of the office too much lately, and the work's not getting done. I'm firing you for poor job performance."}

_{Callie felt her face burn as anger boiled up inside her. She refused to give it an outlet - and give this clown more ammunition. "I've done my work at home
and
kept up with my voice mail. There's very little behind here in the office - "}

_{"That's not the point You're out. Now."}

_{"Fine. I'm entitled to one month's severance, full unemployment and a hearing, because I'm filing a protest. You gave me a great evaluation on the last quarterly performance ratings, so there's bound to be a big ques
tion about your suddenly firing me." She leaned forward. "You don't know the half of what I do around here that covers your butt and makes you look good. Have fun, pal."}

_{She picked up her coat and purse and walked out the door, just as Lester Jones walked in.}

_{Callie opened the door wider to let the older man pass. "Come on in, Lester. It's so good to see you again. Now step right over to that gentleman, and I use the term loosely. He'll be happy to help you with whatever you need today."}

_{"Hey, Callie! Where you going?" Lester demanded.}

_{"I've been canned, as they say in the sardine world." She grinned, although she felt no amusement. "I'm off to see the job wizard."}

_{"You can't go. I'm finally back among the living, thanks to you," Lester said, looking bewildered rather than belligerent. "Got my notice yesterday that I'm back with my bank. Who's the idiot who fired you? That clown over there?''}

_{He pointed to Callie's former boss.}

_{Callie kissed Lester soundly on the cheek. "You're a terrific person, Lester. Take care."}

_{She raced out of the office. When she got in her car, her lip trembled. She refused to cry. That would give the idiot in there satisfaction - if he knew. Darn, she thought, dashing away a few escapee tears with the back of her hand. She couldn't give in just because her world was crashing all around her. Going with the kids on their trip yesterday had been the right thing to do; she would never feel otherwise. In fact, she'd had so much fun with the kids, she'd gone to bed last night reassessing her life in general and her convictions in particular. But with no
job, how would she pay for school and have a place to live and eat, too?}

_{She drove around for a while, aimlessly, just letting the fiasco of the morning sink in. As she did, an urge arose in her to go to Richard. Never had she needed a hug more, and she wanted it from him. How could she feel this way when it was her involvement with his family that had caused her to be away from her desk so much and given her boss this opening?}

_{But she did want to be held and to talk to Richard. She couldn't fight the need to confide in him, even when she was still angry with him for committing her to the trip and then forgetting to tell her. She was ready to half blame him for today, although she recognized that her boss would have found an opening somewhere else to remove her from the job. What happened wasn't Richard's fault; nor was her going on the trip yesterday. He was right - she had made the choice to go. Now she must live with the consequences of it. But above all else in their relationship, Richard had become a friend. A very good friend. That was why she needed to see him now.}

_{She pulled into Richard's driveway, already feeling better. Richard looked surprised when he answered the door.}

_{"Callie! What are you doing here?"}

_{He also looked disheveled. His hair was tousled and he wore a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut short, their raggedy edges fraying. Mark peeked out from around his legs, thumb in mouth.}

_{"Hi," she said. "Got any more school trips you might have forgotten to tell me about? I'm a free bird at the moment, so let's chaperon away."}

_{To her horror, tears began to roll down her face.}

_{''Callie!'' Richard exclaimed. Mark stared, round-eyed, at her.}

_{"Just leaky plumbing," she said, sniffing back more tears. "I'm sorry. I'll go."}

_{"No you won't." He took her arm and dragged her}
¹
_{into the house, shutting the door behind her.}

_{His arms enfolded her in a strong protective embrace. Callie melted against him and had herself a good little cry, simply because she couldn't remember the last time someone had held her for a good little cry. She couldn't remember a man ever doing it for her.}

_{Nothing felt more secure, more deep-down satisfying than to have a man's arms around her in compassion. She really needed this. All modern notions aside, it must hark back to the ancient pact between men and women when men shielded women and women nurtured children. Mark wrapped his little arms around her legs from behind and laid his head on the back of her thighs.}

_{"Callie have boo-boo," Mark said.}

_{Callie patted the little boy's head. "Just a little one. I'm okay, honey. Honest"}

_{"What happened?" Richard asked. "Did you have an accident? Did someone...die?"}

_{Callie laughed and hiccuped at the same time. "Nope. Even our friend Lester is back among the bank accounts. Nothing too tragic, although I feel like I got hit by a ten-ton truck. I got fired this morning."}

_{"What!" Richard held her at arm's length and gaped at her.}

_{She nodded and smiled. "Thanks for the hug. I needed it."}

_{"This is about yesterday, isn't it?" he said. "And all the other things you've done for me that have taken you away from your job. That son of a - "}

_{"Watch it," Callie interrupted, pointing to Mark who was gazing intently up at both of them.}

_{"Your boss can't get away with this. I'll get dressed, go down there and ream him out until he gives you the job back. Who does he think he is? Simon Legree?"}

_{"I believe that's the picture on the wall in his office," Callie said. "But you're not going down there. I'm calling the state offices and lodging a protest against him."}

_{"Good." Richard grinned. "It's also good to see you get some of your spunk back. I'll come and testify on your behalf. I'll get Lester to testify. He'll be great."}