Once Upon a Project (28 page)

Chapter 46

 

“O
h, it's good to be home again,” Grace said as she did a full-body stretch. “I can't remember the last time I walked on the weekends.”

“Believe it or not, I've been walking while you were away,” Pat said.

“I believe it. You look good. Your chest even looks like it's gone down a little. You'd better be careful with that. Andy might not like it.”

“I haven't seen Andy since I've been back.”

Grace's head jerked. “You haven't seen him? But what happened?”

“I'll tell you about it while we're walking. Let's go.”

Grace quickly tied her shoelace. She stuck a twenty in the pocket of her shorts and grabbed her keys and sun visor. “All right, I'm ready.”

They'd barely gotten to the sidewalk when Pat began. “I guess I should have told you about it sooner, but I didn't want to talk about it. Everything was going so well, and I was fool enough to think it could last. I should have known better. My relationships
never
last.”

“Pat, what the hell happened?”

“The Saturday before we left. He had me come over and meet his daughters.”

Grace drew in her breath. “Don't tell me that they—”

“No, they were fine. One of them even asked for advice about a black kid at school she's got a crush on. The problem was that Andy brought us to dinner at Nirvana.”

“So what? I would have been tickled if I had a chance to show off my new boyfriend to my old one, even years later. Ricky didn't have any problem bringing that wife of his to the Soul Queen, did he?”

“That's not the point, Grace. I'm not into all that kid stuff, showing off. Anyway, Ricky was there. He was stopping by the diners' tables to chat, and when he saw me with Andy and Andy's daughters he looked like he'd seen Martians sitting there.”

“He doesn't know your dating habits, Pat. It had to come as a shock to him, because of your father putting his foot down.”

“I know that. But the whole situation made me uncomfortable. Andy commented on it afterward. He said I showed too much nervousness for Ricky to be someone who meant nothing to me.”

Grace groaned. She'd always felt that Pat still harbored feelings for Ricky. “And I'll bet you denied it.”

“Of course I denied it. Ricky and I ended a long time ago, Grace.”

“And you've never gotten over it. Don't deny it, Pat. You might not admit it to yourself, but it shows.”

“Shows how?”

Grace didn't have to think for long. “There was that time a couple of months ago when you met that girl Stephanie at the pub. She mentioned that she and I had eaten dinner at Nirvana, and you pounced on me like a mouse on a hunk of cheese, asking me if Ricky had been there, and if he'd asked about you, even though I'd already said that it happened years ago. You know that he's remarried now and that it couldn't possibly make any difference, but still you insisted upon knowing every detail. Details I couldn't even remember.”

“I was just curious. What's wrong with that?”

“I'll tell you what's wrong with it, Pat. I didn't see it as curiosity; I saw it as a woman who hasn't been able to move on, even after thirty years. I'm sure Andy saw your reaction the same way. Maybe instead of denying it to Andy you should have admitted you still have a soft spot for him. You could have told him that you were just caught off guard at seeing your old boyfriend and you felt a little weird. He could live with that if you assured him he's the only man in your life. Having Ricky come between the most promising relationship you've had in years would be a real shame.”

“I think it's too late for that. He's the one who dismissed us when we got back to his house after dinner. He said something along the lines of it being just as well I was going away for nearly two weeks. In other words, he wanted to make the break more gradual.”

“But you've been back nearly a month. You haven't heard from him?”

“No. And I'm not calling him, either.”

“Pat, you sound like a little kid. You were wrong, and if you admit it, you might still be able to salvage your relationship.”

“It's too late, Grace.”

Grace sighed. Pat looked so resigned. This was silly. Did she really think she'd be able to meet another man like Andy just like that? He might well be her last chance. Grace wished she could talk Pat into reversing her decision not to contact Andy and admit that she hadn't been truthful about her feelings for him, that she had realized how asinine it was.

Suddenly a way to accomplish this occurred to Grace, but she wasn't sure it would be the right thing to do. It involved confessing something she never wanted Pat to know, and she didn't know if she was really willing to live with the consequences.

She decided to think on it while they walked. It wasn't the type of thing she could discuss with Pat while they were on the street, anyway.

 

 

By the time they wrapped up their three-mile walk and were back at Grace's condo, Grace had decided to go for it. If she didn't speak up, Pat and Andy might not ever get back together. She'd become convinced that the two of them belonged together. Pat had never looked as happy as she had since she started dating him. Maybe it wasn't meant for them to grow old together, but Pat simply couldn't afford to walk away from a perfectly good man just out of stubbornness and denial.

Grace knew that coming clean might mean the end of her friendship with Pat. She hoped her confession would help Pat see how foolish she'd been where Ricky was concerned. Surely trying to get Pat back with Andy was the right thing to do.

Pat sat on the edge of an upholstered chair, mindful of her sweaty body. She sipped the last of the raspberry smoothie they stopped to get in the home stretch. “That hit the spot.”

“Yeah, it felt good to walk again.”

“So what are you doing the rest of the day? I guess you're going out with Eric.”

“No.” Grace decided to share her news. “I broke up with him.”

“You didn't! When did this happen?”

“Between the time I got home from the cruise and my trip to São Paolo, I called to tell him I couldn't see him because I had to travel for work. He accused me of making everything up just to try to get rid of him.”

“But that was a serious situation your company had down there.”

“Of course it was. But Eric doesn't understand about things like that, Pat. We had some words about it, and the next day I decided to break it off. I wanted to do it in person, but after I got back I didn't see the point, so I called him and told him.”

“How'd he take it?”

“Not well,” Grace admitted. “He said he should have known that, and I quote, ‘a rich bitch like me would get tired of him,' and he said that the next time I'm horny I'd better use my fingers before I call him again.”

Pat made a face. “That was low-down, but it's what I'd expect from him.”

“It convinced me I'd done the right thing. He was becoming really frustrated with my job, making nasty comments all over the place, things like that.” She didn't tell Pat that Eric had begun to give her physical pain during sex, like he was punishing her for being successful. “But back to you and Andy and Ricky . . .”

Pat sighed. “I thought we finished talking about that.”

“Pat, I've got to tell you something. I'm pretty sure you're going to be angry at me, but it's one of those for-your-own-good things.”

Pat smiled. “Why do I suddenly feel like I'm ten years old again, and my mother is about to teach me a lesson?”

“Seriously, Pat. It has to do with Ricky.” Pat's expression changed immediately, as Grace had known it would. “After Stephanie and I had dinner at Nirvana, he called me. He was in the midst of a divorce, and I was already divorced.”

“Wait a minute, Grace. You said before that you were still married to Danny when you went to Nirvana.”

Grace cursed under her breath. She'd forgotten about that. She just needed to put a stop to all these lies. It all happened such a long time ago. Surely it couldn't matter now. And if it did . . . Well, she'd have to learn to live with it.

“No, I was divorced,” she said. “I remember, because I'd just moved into my condo. I gave him my card at the restaurant. We got together one night, and one thing led to another—”

Pat jumped to her feet. “My God, you had an affair! With
Ricky? My
Ricky?”

Grace forced her breathing to remain even. She had to struggle, for Pat had suddenly gone as green as the Chicago River on St. Patrick's Day.

“You had an affair,” Pat repeated in an accusatory tone, “even though you knew how I felt about him.”

“Pat, this happened a long time ago, but even then it had been more than twenty years since you and Ricky broke up. You'd made no move to get back together with him. The man was hurting, and so was I.”

“You could have told me about it. If I'd known he was hurting, I would have gone to him. But you didn't, and I know why. The minute he told you he was getting divorced you decided you wanted him for yourself.” Pat shook her head. “Just like you and Douglas Valentine when he was in the NBA, after Susan dumped him. You knew he'd been her boyfriend, her first love, but you went after him anyway, just because you saw dollar signs.”

Grace drew in her breath. “Who told you that?”

“Never mind who told me. I just know that if he'd been interested, you would have unloaded poor Jimmy like last year's capri pants, even though he and Douglas were friends. Why be poor and live on the South Side of Chicago when you could be living in luxury with an NBA player?”

“I'm not going there, Pat. This is about you and Andy. I hoped that my telling you this would make you realize how silly it is to hang on to something you lost a long time ago. Ricky has been married twice. He's moved on, and you're getting all tongue-tied, concerned because he might get the wrong impression from you showing up at Nirvana with your date. If that isn't pining for somebody, I don't know what is. No wonder Andy's feelings were hurt. Now,
there's
a man who truly cares about you, Pat. Letting him go would be a mistake.”

“I'm leaving.” Pat picked up her shoulder bag from the floor in front of the coffee table. “I can't even stand to look at you, Grace. You're supposed to be my best friend, and you tell me that you slept with the one man I ever truly loved.” She spun around and ran toward the door, letting it slam shut behind her as she exited.

Grace leaned forward, her hands cradling her forehead. Then she dropped her hands and sank back into the sofa cushions. “
That
went well,” she said aloud.

Chapter 47

 

E
ver since Franklin's diagnosis Elyse had gone into panic mode whenever he felt less than chipper. If he complained of having a headache, she wondered about brain metastasis. If he had indigestion, she wondered about his stomach. She'd been wrong, and eventually she'd learned to calm down.

But three weeks ago, when he'd left his office early and told her he just didn't feel well, she had bad vibes. She'd insisted he see the doctor and he'd undergone a battery of tests.

On the way to the appointment with Dr. LeBlond, Franklin insisted that it wasn't necessary to tell anyone, at least not right away, if the news was bad . . . But they both knew in their hearts that it would be. Once they sat down in Dr. LeBlond's office, he told them that Franklin's cancer had returned, this time having spread to his liver, stomach, and bone.

Franklin asked about the prognosis.

“It's what we call ‘guarded,'” the physician replied.

“Well,
that
doesn't sound very promising,” Franklin pointed out, and Elyse picked up on the sharpness to his tone.

“I'm afraid it isn't. We have to talk about treatment.”

“No treatment,” Franklin said. “I went through hell that last time, and it only helped me for three and a half lousy months.”

“Franklin!” Elyse exclaimed.

“I'm sorry, baby. I know I should have shared this with you, but I knew it would only upset you. Besides, I hoped it wouldn't come up again this soon. I can't go through that again. What are the odds that it'll really prolong my life by any substantial length—and I'm not talking three months here—anyway?”

They both looked at Dr. LeBlond, whose solemn expression only served to prove Franklin's point.

For a horrifying moment Franklin seemed to shrivel before her eyes, slumping in his chair. Then he straightened up and calmly said, “I guess that's that.”

Nevertheless, Elyse tried to change his mind the moment they left the doctor's office. Only when he looked her directly in the eye and said quietly, “Elyse, my mind's made up,” did she know that he really meant it.

She felt numb. Franklin, her husband of twenty-six years, was going to die. How could she tell Todd and Brontë? And what about Frankie and Rebecca?

This time there would be no rebound. She could tell just by looking at Franklin. He'd been either listless or visibly uncomfortable since the day he'd left work at two o'clock. He hadn't been back, and she knew he would never return.

Things would be different in another way, too. Franklin
would
have a caregiver, whether he wanted one or not. If the way he looked was any indication, Elyse couldn't imagine him objecting. She'd talk to her boss about cutting back on her hours. Even a few hours would give her more time to spend with Franklin, especially while the sitter became acclimated. A sitter would do for now. She'd bring in home hospice as a supplement when the time came. And if any of them knew what was good for them, they wouldn't question her judgment.
She
was calling the shots, damn it. Franklin would be comfortable and well cared for, and that was all that mattered.

 

 

Elyse opened the bedroom door a few inches, then closed it when she saw Franklin sleeping peacefully. She returned to the living room, walking like a zombie. But strangely, she couldn't cry. The tears just wouldn't come.

Just as Elyse had when he was first diagnosed, she wished she could talk to one of her friends, but there was no one to talk to. She and Kevin had whittled down to no contact at all, and her girlfriends all had a lot on their plates. Susan was adapting to being back in the workforce part-time and was busy with her family on the weekends . . . or so she said. She'd begged off the last two times Elyse suggested they meet for lunch, leading Elyse to suspect she had something else on her mind. At any rate, Elyse wasn't going to ask her again. If Susan really wanted to keep in touch, let
her
make a move.

Grace had broken up with Eric Wade and seemed a little broken in spirit, like she'd given up on ever finding the right man. And Pat had made up with Andy after having a big fight about, of all things, Ricky Suárez. Ironically, Grace had been the catalyst for getting them back together by confessing that she'd had a secret affair with Ricky after both their divorces. Grace's confession helped Pat realize how foolish she'd been to carry a torch for Ricky all these years and that she shouldn't let the best thing that had happened to her in years get away. Andy loved Pat, and she loved him. But she had yet to introduce him to her parents, and Elyse knew she was frightened.

Elyse knew from talking with both women that Grace had apologized to Pat and they'd formed a truce, but only on the surface. They hadn't even seen each other since making up.

Elyse saw on her calendar that they were all supposed to meet for dinner next Saturday, the first get-together for the Twenty-Two Club since the reunion; and she wondered who would be the first to cancel. Too bad. One should really never leave bad feelings to fester. You never knew what the future might hold for you. Did Franklin have any olive branches to offer? she wondered. And what would
she
do if she was told she was going to die? Was there anyone she would want to make peace with?

A childhood memory flashed through her brain.
Yes,
she thought,
there was.