Letters From Al (12 page)

"All I know is you got a lot going for you right here, Maddy." His finger tapped the steering wheel impatiently and Maddy raised her eyebrows quickly from the landscape to Alec. "In the short time you've been here you've made friends, knocked me off my feet, acquired a home, and, well, kind of established yourself. You got to admit it's safer than that crazy city life you have."

"Hey, that crazy city life was my whole life up until now. My friends are there, too, Buffy, Skippy, Marie and, and even Larry, too, I guess. They're like family." Even though Maddy was unsure, she couldn't help feeling defensive.

"What about this Larry back in Chicago? Do I need to worry about him?" For an instant his mood sharpened.

"For your information, they are very, very good friends from college. Well, except for Larry. He came later. Skippy and Buffy and Marie and I grew up together, and stayed together. They're not any odder than your being friends with Terry, Bubba and Tim. And as for Larry, it's none of your business. And how dare you insult my friends without even knowing them." Her face felt as red as her hair.

"Okay, I see I stepped on your toes with that one. I meant to be funny. I'm sorry. But you have to admit it sounds a bit strange, I mean is this Skippy a guy or a girl? There's a peanut butter named Skippy."

"Alec McKay. It's a guy, a man. Skippy is just an old family nickname. His real name is Trevor Benson the Fourth and his parents gave him that name when he was a baby. Just who named Bubba, Bubba? The football team?" At his sudden startled look Maddy had to laugh, "There. I rest my case."

"Okay, okay, truce. Just like we can't pick our relatives, we can't change our friends' names to suit us. But really, Skippy?" Shaking his head in his effort to get the last word in, Alec chuckled and Maddy folded her arms stubbornly stifling a laugh. It was irritating how he made her laugh when she really didn't want to.

When he suggested they stop at a local bar called the "Watering Hole" she hesitated. It looked crowded, probably with all his friends.

"Come on. Let's see if you're as accepting of my friends as you say I should be with yours. They're all nice, really, you might even know some of them."

The place was in full swing. Maddy let Alec lead the way through the rollicking crowd. The smell of barbecue drifted lazily and the music was country and western, which she liked, all to the tune of clinking glasses and laughter. Everyone greeted her and her popular escort warmly. Begrudgingly she had to admit she felt more at ease than she'd thought she would.

Suddenly a loud bellow directed them to a corner table where the same bunch of guys sat that had stopped in front of her house this afternoon. Thirsty, Maddy took a big drink of the beer that someone had handed her, these were the guys who had seen Alec kiss her, only now they were accompanied by their wives and girlfriends. She took another drink. She was going to need it.

A pretty Blonde stood beside the table talking to Bubba, her face lit up when she saw Alec, but in the next instant she saw Maddy and her expression changed. Alec saw her about the same time and grinned, taking Maddy's hand and leading her through the boisterous crowd.

"Ah, Becky Snider's here, you, remember Becky, from school?"

"Becky, Becky Snider? No, I don't think so." Maddy was jostled into Alec by the unruly crowd.

"Yeah, well, it's Becky Roberts now. She's divorced. We've dated a little." Maddy stiffened and looked over at Becky who was laughing and visiting with the group while casting an eye in their direction.

"What exactly does 'kinda' dating someone, mean?" She asked, trying to stop and talk in the bustling crowd. Finally she stopped short. "Alec, I know how this works when you're 'kinda' dating, how could you do this? Get me out of here now, please."

"Maddy, listen, Becky and I are not going together, honest. If she was waiting for me tonight, it was her idea, not mine. The guys probably didn't tell her I had a date tonight, which I do sometimes. We all just meet up here some nights for a drink. Who's here is who's here. No formal invitations or dates. I swear. Besides, she was supposed to work tonight."

"Well, that certainly makes it okay. She must feel awful, and I feel like a definite third wheel." They were pushed together by the crowd and finally made their way over to the table.

"It's not like that, I tell you. Aw, come on. I want you to meet my friends." He whispered in her ear. "Even more, I wanted my friends to see what a classy woman, I fell for. Lady, if you can't tell, I really like you by now. I care, Maddy." He looked from his friends to her, his big, blue eyes as sure as each morning's sunrise. Once again, Maddy gave in.

"Thanks, Maddy. You won't be sorry."

"I hope not. Who do you think Becky will hit first, you or me?" Maddy said loud enough for him to hear. Alec just shook his head, finally finding a couple of open seats at the table.

"Hi, everyone, some of you already know Maddy, Madeline Morris, except for the girls. Well, maybe you did go to school with her. Anyway, everyone, this is Maddy."

"And you remember Becky Snider, Becky Roberts now?"

Alec nodded toward the Blonde watching them both intensely. Becky nodded and smiled, but said nothing. Maddy thought she looked a bit familiar.

The music started and some of the couples got up to dance. Becky chatted with Tim at the end of the table, still giving an occasional glance their way. Maddy couldn't tell if she was upset or not, just cool. Finally, she nudged Alec's leg under the table until he looked at her.

"You could ask Becky to dance, she looks as if she'd like to. It would be a nice gesture." Maddy whispered in Alec's ear.

"Are you going to be in Nielsen long, Maddy?" One of the girls asked the tired question innocently. Maddy wanted to answer honestly, took a deep breath and smiled.

"I really don't know yet. My great aunt left me her house, it's the big, two-story on Main." Slowly, easily they all began to get acquainted and Alec was right, they were really nice and she liked them, even Bubba.

When the song ended, Alec came back to the table and Becky began to dance with Tim. Alec squeezed in beside Maddy and reached for her hand under the table.

"That's was a nice thing to suggest, dancing with Becky, I mean."

"Underneath all that stubbornness and muscles is a nice man, too. I recognize that." Maddy answered, keeping her eyes on the dancers. "Maybe we should dance now."

"I'd like that even more."

He walked her out to the dance floor and she moved into his arms as if they were two pieces that fit together perfectly.

"Yes, Becky's nice. We'd only dated a couple times. She's still carrying a torch for her ex, anyway."

"I knew you'd have fun." He said and twirled her once more around the floor. A few minutes later, she excused herself to go to the ladies room.

"Oh man, that could be a recipe for disaster. But you already danced with Becky, was she okay about Maddy?" Bubba rolled his eyes in anticipation of what could happen in there.

Several girls were leaving as Maddy entered. Becky came in as Maddy applied fresh lipstick and brushed through her hair. Turning, Maddy leaned against the vanity, arms crossed casually, returning the stare.

"I'm sorry if my being here makes things uncomfortable for you." Maddy's tone was firm but sincere.

"Why should I be uncomfortable?" She finally looked away.

"Alec told me when we came in you two had been dating." Their eyes met in the mirror.

"So? We dated. It's a fact. But nothing serious came of it, at least not for him." She blotted her lipstick and shrugged, looking at Maddy in the mirror. “He’s still looking. At least he was.”

"Even so, I found myself in the same position a while back, and I know how it feels. I just wanted you to know I may not be here much longer."

"It doesn't matter if you're here or not. My ex-husband and I are going to try again for the kids' sake if nothing else. So please don't worry."

"Well, then, okay."

"It was nice of you to say that. Boy, it's kind of hard not to like you." Becky smiled and brushed her long, golden hair. "Really, don't worry about it, we had some fun but that's all."

"You're not just saying that?"

"No. Not that I wouldn't have wanted it to be more, but it just wasn't there for us, not like when he looks at you. That hasn't changed since high school, I can tell that already. It's like turning back the clock with you and him at the Homecoming Dance. Remember?" Becky chuckled and Maddy slowly smiled.

Maddy blushed as Becky tucked the brush in her purse and nodded knowingly at her.

"About his divorce..." Maddy hesitated to ask but couldn't help herself.

"He'll tell you when he's ready."

"Yes, I guess he will." Maddy said as she and Becky parted company. Suddenly the details of his divorce just didn't seem very important anymore.

Alec was watching for her. His eyes automatically went from one to the other. Becky just smiled and gave him a nod and disappeared in the crowd. Maddy looked at him calmly.

"So, I told you Becky was cool with things. Not to be nosy, but you were in there an awful long time."

"Oh, I was? I didn't notice." Maddy started back to the table with Alec following close behind.

"How did Becky act? I mean, she acted like everything was cool. Is that what she told you?"

"Yes, she did." Maddy acted distracted.

"So, what did you talk about?"

"Oh, just girl talk, marriages, divorces, relationships."

"You talked about all that, just now?" Alec shook his head in disbelief and frowned.

"Oh, that and more. Why?"

"Well, you know, I mean, you thought Becky was upset. I was pretty sure she wasn't. But, guys miss the point sometimes. You told me that an apparently I have missed it tonight."

"She's really a very nice person. And I do remember her from junior high now, and we had some of the same memories after all."

"Were they good ones, I hope." He held out her chair for her as she sat down.

Maddy thought for a moment, a slow smile spreading on her lips. Nodding, she looked at him with a new sense of clarity, "Yes, they were," she said, and she meant it.

Chapter
8

The phone was madly ringing when Maddy and Alec came in. Alec went to the kitchen and got the ice cream out while Maddy went to the phone in the hallway. Sitting on the stiff, wooden chair telephone stand she watched as Alec made his way around the kitchen getting spoons and bowls for their ice cream as she answered the call.

"Yes. Hello, Marie. How are you? How's everything at the apartment? Yes, what's not to be fine with two philodendrons and an answering machine?"

"Skippy and Buffy are really going to do it, they're really getting married? Isn't that wonderful! When? Where? Oh, you'll have to tell me all the details later."

"I really don't know, Marie, there's a lot to do yet. Besides, I still have vacation time left and I'm going to take it all since I didn't get the promotion." Maddy hated to hedge with her dear friend, but she could only look at Alec standing in the doorway and realize there was no comparison. He was right; it was just stuff in her life. She held the phone away from her ear, Alec could hear every word.

"Can't you just put the place up for sale and leave it in the hands of the realtor? You don't have to be there, do you, Maddy? You at least have it up for sale don't you?" Marie's voice was getting shrill.

"Well, no, not yet. I still have to go through my aunt's things. There's this darling little neighbor lady who insists everyone call her Aunt Polly, who's helping me."

"Aunt Polly? What did you do, fall into a Tom Sawyer time warp or something, Maddy?" The ridicule at Aunt Polly's expense wasn't funny and Maddy felt uncomfortable and terribly torn between her new friend and her old one. She continued the conversation half-heartedly.

"I guess things sound a unless you're here. But, she's very nice." She stood, unused to being tethered to a landline when she wanted to pace her frustration off. Marie could be frustrating sometimes.

Suddenly it dawned on Maddy that Marie was selfish. All their friendship, Marie had been the one who chose the movie, the restaurant, the party they would go to. Maddy knew it and didn't mind, then. It was just her friend's personality.

"Are there any good looking farm boys around there, Maddy?

I'll bet you're bored to tears out in the sticks." Marie hadn't even realized Maddy wasn't listening.

"Larry’s been asking about you? Did you hear me?"

"Yes, I heard, Marie, and I don't know why you'd think I care about where he is." Her snappish tone shocked Marie.

"Well, as a matter of fact, he said you haven't returned the ring and he thinks you're still engaged."

"The ring is on my entry table right where I left it with a note. I told him the engagement is off. We are not engaged and that's final. Okay? So don't bring up his name to me anymore. And, please make sure he gets the note if he asks again."