Happy Hour (31 page)

A sadness and fear crept into his eyes. He slowly nodded. “Where is he
located?”

She gave him the doctor’s address. “The results will be back within
forty-eight hours. Where can you be reached?”

He handed her his card. “My cell phone.”

She took the card and walked out. Kat came rushing over from across the
street. She’d been waiting as promised and immediately hugged Alyssa. They
started walking silently and Alyssa finally spoke. “He’ll do it. He’ll have his
children tested.”

Kat hugged her again. “You did the right thing.”

“I did the only thing.”

Danielle didn’t like this one bit. She’d shown up at the Starbucks out of
curiosity because she thought Al might be trying to send Cassie back home.

He’d called her up and insisted they meet in person. What could be so
damn important that they couldn’t have discussed it over the phone? She shut
her eyes, hoping Cassie hadn’t done something stupid.

“You okay, Danielle?” It was Al.

She opened her eyes and nodded, looking up at the man she’d been married
to for twenty-one years and feeling almost as if she were seeing a stranger. It
wasn’t that he’d changed all that much. Yes, he’d put on about fifteen pounds,
his hair was grayer, and the lines on his forehead were more prominent.  “I’m
fine. Want to sit down. What has Cassie done?” she blurted.

He shook his head. “Nothing. This isn’t about her.”

“Oh. Good. Thank God,” she sighed. “What is this about then?”

“Hang on. I’m going to get a coffee. I’ll be right back.”

Maybe he wanted to discuss Shannon and the baby. Danielle hadn’t asked
Shannon if she’d told her dad about the baby’s condition. It wasn’t something
she cared to do, or felt it was her responsibility to do. Mark’s talk with her
out under that willow tree had stirred up some good old common sense. As hard
as it still was to simply let go and accept Shannon’s position, she was doing
it a little at a time, day by day, and she’d noticed their relationship
improving. Tonight they’d even planned to go out to dinner together and maybe
see a movie if Shannon wasn’t too tired.

Al sat back down, his large hands around the coffee cup—hands that held
her own for many years. But there was no more love between them, no more hate,
just nothing.

He didn’t say anything, his eyes shifting around the Starbucks.

“Al, you wanted to see me,” Danielle finally said. “What is it? You want
to talk about Shannon and the pregnancy?”

He nodded. “We probably should talk about that.”

“Okay.”

“What do you think?” he asked.

“I think it doesn’t matter a whole terrible lot what I think. Shannon is
an adult and she’s made a decision to have the baby,” Danielle replied.

“Without a father, though.”

“Without a father. Women do it all the time.” Danielle got the feeling
that Shannon had not told him about the baby’s condition. Seemed it was as hard
for her daughter to tell her parents as it was for Danielle to confide in her
friends about it.

“But what will she do? Do you know what her plans to finish school are,
or how she is going to support this baby? I’m not going to support her and the
baby because, as you said, she’s an adult now. She should have really thought
about what she was doing when she got pregnant.”

Al hadn’t changed under the magical powers of his younger bride. He was
still uptight, critical and anal. “People don’t typically think when they’re in
the throes of passion, now do they, Al?” She cocked her head to the side and
smirked.

He didn’t say anything.

“Shannon has been raised with good values, and I trust she’s going to be
fine.” Was she giving herself that speech, or her ex-husband? And was she
trying to prove she was the adult here, or did she really believe what she
said? She took another sip of peppermint tea and sat back, thinking for a
second. She did believe it. She’d raised her daughters well and now it was
their turn to test the waters of life on their own. All she could do was sit
back in the lifeboat, and hope they would fair the waters that lie ahead.
Danielle stared at her ex-husband who looked so completely uncomfortable
shifting back and forth in his seat. “Is that it, Al? Is that what you needed
to see me for? I am really busy with the festival details and my business, so I
need to be getting back.”

He reached for her hand and grabbed it as she started to stand. Surprised,
she looked at him. “I want to help with the festival. I have some ideas.”

She slowly sat back down. “Since when? Al, I’ve known you for twenty-five
years and I don’t remember a time where you ever showed an interest in charity
work, or festivals so I find it hard to believe you want to help with the
preparations for this.” She stared hard at him.

He reached for her hand again but she pulled away before he could grab
it. “I messed up, Danielle. I really screwed up.” He shook his head and looked
down.

“What? What do you mean?”

When he looked back up at her there were tears in his eyes. “I can’t do
this. I can’t. Stacey and the babies.” He brought a hand to his forehead. “I
made the biggest mistake I ever made by cheating on you and being with her.
She’s making me miserable. You and me, we had such a great marriage, and we’ve
had so many good times. We’ve raised two daughters together. We built a
company. And I screwed it all up. We did have it all, didn’t we? I’m so sorry.
Can you forgive me? Would you ever…?” He looked at her, his eyes pleading.

Oh, how pitiful.

Three and half years ago she might have said, “Come home and we’ll see a
counselor.” But now? Danielle stood up and grabbed her purse. “I forgive you,
Al. I did that a long time ago. Now go home to Stacey and your babies.”

“But can’t we talk about this?” he asked as she stepped away.

She turned back. “No. There is nothing to talk about. Go home and be a
husband, and be a father. You lost that right with me. Don’t make the same
mistake twice.”

Danielle walked out of the Starbucks. She should’ve felt like a million
bucks. She’d finally gotten what she’d wanted from Al: he was remorseful and
close to begging her to take him back. But instead of feeling elated, Danielle
felt sorry for Stacey, who now had to live with him.

Jamie held Dorothy’s hand as they walked down the hall of Vineyard
Escape. So far, so good. It was clean and bright, but not hospital-like. It did
appear to be more of an apartment or condo complex except that there were only
elderly people around, other than the staff, and a lot more wheelchairs.

“And this is our restaurant.” Their host, Samuel—an older, obviously gay
man— spread his arms wide and showed them a large, comfortable room filled with
booths and a few tables. It did look like a restaurant but all the meals were
included in the cost of living here. “Our residents can come in at any time of
the day and we have a full waitstaff waiting to serve them. There are many
wonderful selections on the menu.” Samuel snapped his fingers. “Theresa,
Theresa.” A young blonde woman looked up from behind a hostess stand. “Hi.
Could you please bring us a menu, doll?”

“As you can see, these are not cafeteria style plates. We serve gourmet
meals and even offer wine and beer for those residents who are allowed to
imbibe. And there are special menus for those with strict dietary needs. But
that isn’t the case with your mother, now is it?”

“No.” Jamie perused the menu and it all sounded wonderful.

“Also, whenever you or one of your other relatives would like to stop in
for a meal, we make it easy for you by charging it either on your monthly
statement, or giving you the option to pay at the time.”

Jamie nodded again. This place was not going to come cheap. Quality never
did. Dorothy looked approvingly at the restaurant but Jamie knew that
convincing her brother-in-law was going to be tough.

“Let me show you the apartments now,” Samuel said, “and then we’ll move
on to the spa.”

“Spa?” Jamie asked.

“Of course. Don’t you think that after years of taking care of people, of
working day in and day out, that a daily spa treatment should be in order? Your
mother deserves that much.”

“Yes, of course.” Shoot, Jamie wanted to move in.

“Alrighty then.” They went down a short hall and Samuel unlocked the door
to the apartment. It was quaint and nicely furnished and decorated. It held a
good-sized kitchen, family room, a bedroom, and bathroom.

“We don’t have stoves or ovens in the apartments. We can’t have anyone
burning down the house. Hence the restaurant, or of course there is always room
service. And each resident is assigned their own resident assistant and the
R.A. makes sure their residents are eating and are happy.” Samuel flipped his
hand.

“Who is this for?” Dorothy asked, leaning into Jamie.

“Maybe for you, Mom. Do you like it?”

Dorothy’s face screwed up in confusion. “It is nice, but I like living
with you and Nathan. That’s where Dean comes to visit me. And I really like
that little girl who sits by me and watches TV with me all the time.”

Jamie hugged her. “I know, Mom. Let’s look around some more, okay?”

“I guess so,” she replied, sounding worried.

Samuel escorted them to the spa. The place was like a resort complete
with manicurists and hairdressers.

“This is a nice place,” Dorothy said. “Am I getting my hair done here?”

Samuel glanced at Jamie. “That’s a wonderful idea, Mrs. Evans. Let me see
about an appointment.” Samuel walked over to the receptionist. They talked for
a moment and Jamie saw the woman nodding. Samuel came back. “Lorraine can see
you right now, as a matter of fact.” Samuel escorted Dorothy to the
hairdresser’s chair and Dorothy looked happy as a Cheshire cat. Who knew such a
simple pleasure like getting your hair done could bring so much joy?

“I’ll show you the rest of the spa and the pool area, then we can go on
back to my office where we can talk business.” He rubbed his hands together.

The rest of the place was as impressive. The spa was done up Spanish
style with arches and soft lighting. Classic guitar played on the speakers.
There were a dozen treatment rooms offering everything from body wraps,
massages to facials and acupuncture. Apparently you didn’t need to die to go to
heaven, you could just move into The Vineyard Escape. This place made getting
old look like fun.

But heavenly fun came with a price. As Jamie sat opposite Samuel in his
office listening to all of the benefits of living at The Vineyard Escape, her
eyes kept going back to that monthly expense of seven thousand dollars that
jumped off of the contract form.

“Keep in mind that the price includes twenty-four hour nursing staff, her
resident assistant, rent, two spa treatments a week, meals, and maid service.”

“Uh huh,” Jamie said, taking it all in. “Samuel, I’ll be honest with you.
I love this place and I would love to have my mother-in-law live here, but I
don’t have that kind of money. I…”

“Do you have any family members who could help you? We could allot her
only one treatment a week, but we do feel it is crucial for the happiness of
our residents to go to the spa at least weekly. They deserve to be happy in
their latter years and that is what we provide.”

“I appreciate that. I can talk to my brother-in-law and see, but I doubt
he’ll be willing to help me out with this.”

“He can come by and take a look at the facility. Why wouldn’t he want the
best for his mother?”

“I agree. Thank you.”

“Here’s my card and please can call if you have any questions. It’s been
a delight.”

“Should I pick her up at the spa?”

Samuel nodded. “I’ll escort you.”

Samuel walked her back down to the spa. The hairdresser was dousing
Dorothy’s new updo in hairspray. When she saw Jamie, she spun around in the
chair. “Look, honey. Look over there.” Dorothy nodded her head toward a
gentleman sitting two chairs down getting his haircut. “It’s Frank and he keeps
smiling at me. I
am
beginning to tire of Dean.”

Samuel looked at Jamie. “That’s Harry. Not Frank.”

Jamie shook her head vehemently. “No. No it’s not. That is Frank Sinatra
and we’ll take the apartment.”

***

The contracts on the house had been signed and Jamie had thirty days to
pack away a decade of memories, find a place to rent for herself and Maddie,
and to get Dorothy settled into her new home.

Tyler had been spending a lot of time with the two of them, and Maddie
had basically fallen in love with him. Jamie was still in lust, and the jury
was out as to whether or not she could, or would, fall in love with Tyler. He
was a great guy, handsome, had a lot to offer, and the sex—well, no-brainer
there. And she’d sort of gotten over feeling like she should be wearing a
Scarlet Letter. The problem for her was still the age thing. Say they did get
together—officially—for the long haul. She would age a lot faster than he
would,
and
men never seemed to age the way women did. Why was that? A
man could get all grey and be considered debonair, but on a woman it was just
plain old,
old
. And then Tyler would find a new woman, someone hot and
young. What a miserable thought. Maybe she should break it off with him before
that happened, before they got any closer. But she didn’t want to give up
riding, and she didn’t want Maddie to give up riding, and dammit, she really
didn’t want to give up Tyler. But she didn’t know if she could fall in love
with him, and Jamie wanted to fall in love.

Tonight Tyler was taking them all to dinner, including Dorothy, who
referred to him as John Wayne. He didn’t mind at all and actually enjoyed
humoring her. But before any fun time could be had, Jamie needed to see her
in-laws. They’d been ignoring her phone calls, her texts, her e-mails all
pleading for help with Dorothy. And she’d had enough. So today she had dropped
Maddie at the ranch, and was blazing her way toward the city where she planned
to drop in on David and Susan. This time she wasn’t leaving without getting
them to agree to pay for Dorothy’s care.