Streamline (6 page)

The phone rang, and James picked it up, his eyes still on the computer screen. “Commander Scott.”

“James, I’m worried about Leo.”

His eyes clouded with resentment. “Mary, I told you never to call me at work.”

“Well, you completely ignore me at home, so you don’t leave me much choice.”

James sighed. Her endless complaints about him being aloof over the holidays only made him want to avoid her more. “Okay, why are you worried?”

She paused. “Leo’s acting weird. He’s tired all the time, and…grumpy. He seems really down.”

“What do you want
me
to do about it? I’m kind of busy here, Mary.”

“I don’t know! I just want to talk about it — talk about our son.” He could hear an edge in her voice. “You’re past due for your next Oxy dose, I see.”

“Screw you, James.”

When she hung up on him, he stared at the phone for a full ten seconds. Who the hell did she think she was?

After a few moments, his rage shifted into loss and regret. It hadn’t always been like this. The accident had changed everything.

Immediately the image of Petty Officer Lisa Ramirez filled his mind, and he steeled himself against the stinging memories from six years before. Somewhere between two careers and two boys, his love life with Mary had lost its spark. James’s charisma and engaging hazel eyes drew women to him like a magnet. He couldn’t be blamed for that, could he?

One of those women had been his office assistant, Petty Officer Ramirez. Her dark Latina features stood in al uring contrast to Mary’s fair skin, and James had begun manipulating Lisa into a sexual relationship from day one of her assignment to his unit. He hadn’t yet become a seasoned pro at infidelity, however, and Mary had sensed betrayal.

After work one night, he’d whistled happily on his way to visit Lisa’s apartment. But not long after he arrived, he looked up from Lisa’s sofa to find Mary in the doorway, her silhouette framed by the sunlight streaming in the open doorway.

“Our marriage is
over!”
she’d screamed in a voice strangled by shock and hurt. Then she’d turned and sprinted away from the apartment.

“Mary!” James had slid on his uniform pants and turned to Ramirez. “You breathe a word of this to anyone and your career’s
over
, got it?”

James didn’t wait for her response and tore after his wife. But his frantic search of Pensacola streets failed to locate her.

Hours later, he pulled into his family’s driveway and found eleven-year-old Leo immediately at his car.

“Mom’s been in an accident!”

At the hospital, the awful waiting began. Finally a surgeon emerged, and James’s knees almost buckled at his grave expression.

“Mrs. Scott has multiple leg fractures and lacerations, a lower back injury, and blunt head trauma,” the surgeon explained. “She’s in a coma, and…she may not make it. If you’re a religious family, I suggest you start praying now.”

James had collapsed into a waiting room chair, moaning softly.

“Not again. Not again,” he begged.

Another fatal car accident was his fault. His parents had been killed in a car crash on the way to his basketball game when he was eleven years old. Now Mary’s blinding hurt from his betrayal had caused this accident, nothing else.

His younger son sobbed next to him in the hospital waiting room, and James had grabbed Leo in a fierce, suffocating hug. He vowed never to let Leo feel the pain he felt. He was determined to raise a good man — a man better than his father.

The soft bell of an incoming email drew his focus back to the computer screen. James tried to read the itinerary for his upcoming trip, but the details swam before his eyes. Leo
had
to succeed. He was the family’s only hope.

Five days after Audrey’s return from Chicago, it was carbo-loading time: the night before the North Florida Invitational.

Leo, Audrey, Elaine, and Alex munched salad while awaiting their pasta, the main event, at The Olive Garden. The ravenous swimmers ignored their waitress’s disapproving looks each time she brought a new basket of breadsticks. They were currently on their fourth.

Leo watched Alex brush breadcrumbs off his chest and laughed at his T-shirt:
I wish my lawn was emo so it could cut itself
.

“So, Mr. Cranky…” Elaine fixed a stare on Leo. “What puts you in such a good mood tonight?”

Leo grinned. “Cold-hearted Sadist left town for a week, and life is good.”

Audrey tilted her head. “I thought you called your dad Cruel SOB?”

“Those terms are interchangeable.” Leo winked. “It’s all CS.”

“When you said CS I always thought you meant Commander Scott,” said Alex, suddenly piecing it together. “But I like these much better.” He grinned. “I’ll personally
really
miss Cocky Sucker’s menacing stares at tomorrow’s meet. Who can I thank for making him leave?”

“His CO ordered him to go to California or something. Who really cares?” Leo raised his ice water. “I’d like to propose a toast to the seniors.”

They giggled and raised their glasses. When Leo noticed Audrey’s stare, and he tried to stop the trembling in his hand.
Time for another
pill.

“Here’s to our wives and girlfriends,” Leo said with a laugh. “May they never meet!”

Snickers enveloped the table.

“Seriously, though, going into our last invite, I want to thank you guys for always being there. Four long years — I couldn’t have made it without you. Friendship is the best kind of ship.”

“Aw, that was so sweet!” Elaine said, smiling.

Leo put down his glass, turned to Audrey, and cupped her chin in his hand as he gave her a peck on the lips.

Alex groaned. “Get a room!”

Leo laughed, and Elaine was so amused she brought a forkful of lettuce to her mouth and missed, causing a salad cascade back onto her plate.

Alex appeared mortified. “You can’t take my hag anywhere.” As the waitress scurried past their table, Alex’s breathy voice rang out again. “Excuse me! Can we get more breadsticks?” The waitress scowled.

“So, I think I’ll get a tattoo!” Elaine suddenly burst out.

“Laney!” Alex bobbed up and down in his chair. “You have to let me design it for you.”

“My dad would kill me if I got a tattoo,” Leo mused.

“My dad too,” Audrey said. “He hates tattoos.” An uncomfortable silence settled over the table at the mention of Denny Rose.

The waitress arrived with their entrees and seemed perplexed by the sudden decrease in volume.

Leo frowned as he watched Audrey stare at her steaming plate.

She hadn’t yet picked up her fork.

“But wouldn’t tats give your dad street cred with the other cons?” Alex asked.

Leo’s pasta-laden fork paused in midair as he waited for Audrey’s reaction.

Her brown eyes looked startled, then a smile crept across her face. “
Street cred
, Alex? Where’d you hear that one — your extensive gangsta rap collection?”

Alex bristled. “I know some rap.”

Elaine laughed. “Lady Gaga isn’t a rapper!” While Elaine and Alex argued the relative merits of the singer’s costumes, Leo squeezed Audrey’s hand. A few minutes later, Alex’s imitation of Lady Gaga made Elaine spew chewed-up ravioli all over her plate. Audrey smiled at Leo, and he felt warmth spread through his chest. Friendship
was
the best kind of ship.

The next morning Mary had the house to herself. Some mothers would cherish a few moments alone, but for her it was nothing new, given James’s busy work schedule and Leo’s school and swimming demands. Truthfully, even when her boys were home she still felt lonely. James treated her with icy disregard, and now Leo avoided her too, holing himself up in his room.

At least the mood in the house had lightened since James left for California. When Leo had returned from his pasta dinner last night, Mary had capitalized on her husband’s absence by trying to get to the bottom of his mood swings. He’d met her pointed questions with uncomfortable silences or a stock “I don’t know, ma’am,” which frustrated her to no end. She’d finally given up so he could sleep before his meet, and he was away in Tallahassee now, but she was still determined to discover what was going on.

Mary cranked up the radio and began to clean the kitchen. It took forever to complete household tasks now, but music helped the time go by faster. One break-up song after another played, underlin-ing her bitter feelings for James.

Like so many things, it used to be different. She remembered her pride watching James teach seven-year-old Jason how to play basketball on their driveway. He could be a demanding and impatient teacher, but Jason was a quick learner who’d do anything to please his dad. Two-year-old Leo had toddled around the perimeter of the driveway, gleefully retrieving the basketball when it rolled his way.

James had laughed when Mary finally offered Leo another toy so he’d relinquish the basketball.

A knock on the front door drew her back to the present, and startled her as well. “Just a minute!” she called, manipulating her canes toward the foyer.

Mary opened the door and inhaled sharply when she saw her son on the front porch.

He had flowers in his hand and a nervous smile. When Jason left he’d been just an eighteen-year-old boy — now he was a twenty-two-year-old man, his muscular frame fil ed out and his face wizened beyond his years.

“The prodigal son returns,” she gasped.

Jason wrapped his arms around her. “Happy birthday, Mom.” Mary felt tears spring to her eyes as she melted into her older son’s arms. “But my birthday’s not for another five days,” she protested.

His deep-blue eyes twinkled. “Well, consider these flowers a belated gift for the past three birthdays I’ve missed.”

“I’ve missed your birthdays too, Jase.” She managed a sad smile.

“Please, come in.”

Jason shut the door and followed her into the family room.

Before they sat, Mary asked, “Would you like something to drink? What can I get you?”

“Mom, please sit down. I’ll get us some drinks.” As Jason rummaged in the fridge, Mary called, “There are some beers on the top shelf, if you want one.” He returned a few moments later and set two lemonades on the coffee table.

She sniffed. “I don’t know you, Jason. I don’t even know what you like these days. Do you drink beer?”

“C’mon, Mom. It’s still morning.” He sounded embarrassed.

“How long have you been in Florida?”

“Took the redeye from Seattle and arrived this morning. I came straight here after visiting Tony. That lazy bum was still sleeping! I had to rouse him out of bed.”

“Well, it
is
Saturday. You must be tired.”

“I got some sleep on the plane. It’s okay. How’s your rehab coming along? Any progress with your legs?” Mary looked down at her twisted limbs. “I don’t do physical therapy anymore. All I can do is take pain meds. This is as good as it gets.”

Jason nodded. “So…what’s this I hear about Dad’s lieutenant commander getting murdered?”

“It happened last July,” she said softly. “Denny murdered Bill.”

“Denny?” Jason’s jaw dropped. “Denny Rose?”

“Yes. He’s serving a life sentence. The whole thing’s so dread-ful — especially since Leo’s dating Audrey.”

“Whoa. Did Dad have to talk to the police or anything?”

“Yes, Bill and Denny were both at our house for a July fourth barbecue the night Bill was murdered. Your father felt awful — he had to tell the police that Denny fell off the wagon that night. The police found him passed out in the woods behind Bill’s home. They arrested him, then court martialed him.” Jason was silent for a few moments. “How’s Leo doing?”

“Fine,” Mary responded immediately. Then she frowned and shook her head. “No, he’s
not
fine. Something’s wrong, Jase. His swimming times are horrible, he’s not doing well in school, and I feel like he’s a stranger to me.”

Jason nodded grimly, not looking the least bit surprised.

“But enough about us. What’ve you been doing the past four years?” Mary prodded gently.

Jason hesitated.

With an uncomfortable silence between them, Mary sighed. Why did the Scott men refuse to let her in? She hated chasing them.

“Mom, I want to tell you all about me. I do,” Jason finally said.

“But first we need to talk about Leo. He’s in trouble.”

Leo clenched his teeth as he swam laps back in his team’s home pool.

He’d
so
been hoping to swim better in the meet earlier today, but he’d once again hit a wall of apathy and fatigue. He hadn’t even looked at his times. He was so far behind his competitors — guys he formerly dusted in the sprint events — that there was no need to check the clock. The whole thing was hopeless.
He
was hopeless.

His coach had seemed infected by the same apathy, and he hadn’t even bothered to yell at Leo following his horrendous swims. Instead, Matt focused on the swimmers having a good meet, which kept him busy. The Pensacola Panthers won the girls’ meet and finished second in the boys’ competition, and Leo tried not to let his sulking contami-nate the exhilaration. He even managed to drum up a warm smile following Audrey’s best time this season in her 200 individual medley.