The Doctor and the War Widow (12 page)

Troxler shot her a look that was all ice and pure hatred. When she saw the bishop’s hard stare, she fell silent.

Bonura stared at Harley. “Yes, we’ve had several complaints about Ms. Troxler. They will be addressed.”

Sr. Elizabeth coughed softly. “We’re not here to address Ms. Troxler’s behavior, Bishop. It’s Harley who has engaged in unbecoming conduct with a man whose faith is at war with Christianity.”

The bishop stared at her. “Enough.” His voice echoed through the room. A pitcher of water vibrated on the table. He paused a few moments and then let his mouth twitch into a hard smile that held no humor. “Well, we certainly wouldn’t want to do anything to damage ecumenical cooperation, would we, Sister?” He glared at the tiny nun. “I also don’t want this coming up to any equal opportunities board, either. The issue may come up in the lifestyle policy, of course, but you were wrong to dismiss someone over frivolous allegations.” Bishop Bonura removed his glasses and stared narrowly at Harley. “In the event you marry this man, you should marry by a priest. The lifestyle policy requires that you do so. Any employee must be living a Catholic lifestyle.” He placed the glasses firmly against the bridge of his nose and glanced at the other documents stacked before him. “However, the pope himself takes a dim view of bigotry and intolerance. The administration and any parents involved were out of line.”

Harley swallowed before answering and blinked hard. “As I’ve said, I don’t want my job back, Bishop Bonura. Besides, I don’t think marriage is in my future any time soon.”

“I see.” The bishop gazed at her with what Harley thought was pity. He was silent for a long time and then quickly looked at his notes. “Let’s move past this unpleasantness. I see no reason to prolong a frivolous and time-consuming meeting.”

Sr. Elizabeth glared at him. “There’s still the matter of the books.”

“Well, what about them?” Bishop Bonura removed his glasses, turning his icy gaze on the nun.

“Some of the books are questionable.” Sr. Elizabeth writhed under the man’s close scrutiny. Her stubby hands clasped a coffee cup.

“The superintendent and I have read them. They’re very well-written.” His lips twitched into a sincere smile. He turned to Sr. Elizabeth. “Besides, she’s not teaching them in class or itching to have them placed on the summer reading list. She didn’t even publicize this writing career. Someone else brought it to your attention. For the superintendent and me, the case is closed. Ms. Michel, er, Mrs. Gaiennie, may return to the classroom if she so wishes, but I don’t think that was her purpose in coming here today.” He turned his attention to Harley. “I’m right, aren’t I? You have no intention of going back to St. Cyprian’s.”

Harley felt her cheeks heat. She’d misjudged the man. “No, sir, I don’t. I just wanted to expose the bigotry in the administration and the alumni. Frankly, I didn’t think you or the superintendent would help me.”

“I have work to do.” Sr. Elizabeth waddled out of the room, slamming the door.

Troxler struggled out of her seat and then strode after the nun as her heels pounded the floor.

The bishop waited for the nun to leave and then stared at Harley. “Why were you so sure I’d judge you? You say people have judged you, but you were ready to judge the superintendent and me. She’s been judged harshly in the past, just like you. Like you, she had hard decisions to make.”

Harley swallowed hard. “I remember when she was a great class room teacher. I thought she’d become a suit like—”

“Like me?” The bishop removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Tell me, why did we go through this farce? You obviously don’t want to return to teaching.”

“I hate hypocrisy, and my dear former classmates embody that concept. Sr. Elizabeth smeared someone I respect.”

“I think you more than respect him.” He rose and offered her his hand. “Good luck, Harley.”

“Thank you for supporting me, Bishop.” Harley clasped his hand and smiled with genuine appreciation.

The next morning, Harley sat at on her front porch with a cup of coffee and a used copy of
How the Irish Saved Civilization
. The book was part of her research for Grace O’Malley, and she was fascinated with the lives of the early Celts. Since she was a child, Harley had loved tales of people who had endured persecution and survived. Since Katrina, her fascination had grown, and she saw a definite correlation between the resilience of the early Celts and the residents of New Orleans. New Orleanians, like the ancient Celts, had suffered but carried on. Why in hell was Sr. Elizabeth a Celt? Apparently, St. Patrick hadn’t run all of the snakes out of Ireland.

The black Lexus pulled into Harley’s driveway and came to an abrupt halt. At first, Harley thought someone had missed a street and was using her driveway to turn around. To her surprise, Melissa Saltaformaggio emerged from the driver’s seat and sprinted toward her. Nico stood beside Harley, a low growl emanating from deep within his throat. Harley ran a gentle hand along this neck, leaned close to him, and whispered softly, “I know, boy. I don’t like her, either.”

To Harley’s surprise, Melissa’s eyes were blood red, and dark eyeliner stained her cheeks. The girl raised a fist to her mouth as sobs racked her rotund body. The kid would have been pretty if she weren’t shaped like a squat avocado. As a girl, Mary Ann had been beautiful. Neither of her daughters compared to her in looks, and she was molding them into catty, tattling women. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Michel.”

Harley saw the girl as a little gossip and tool of her mother, but in spite of her distrust, she pitied the child. Something awful had happened to distress the poor kid so badly. “Melissa, come sit by me.” Harley patted the swing. “Can I get you something to drink?”

The girl sniffled and shook her head. She murmured so softly that Harley barely heard her response. “No, ma’am.”

“What’s happened?” Harley turned to the weeping girl. Melissa’s body shook, and she struggled to control her breathing. “Take some deep breaths.” Harley smiled slightly at Melissa. She clutched Nico’s collar but released it when she felt the dog relax. He moved toward the sobbing girl and wagged his tail. “He’s a big teddy bear, and he’s showing he cares.” Harley arched her eyebrows and smiled as the girl timidly reached for Nico. “You can pet him. He’s very gentle. I tell people he’s some tough guy, but I only do that to make people think I have a big protector. He’s a marshmallow.”

Melissa grinned and stroked Nico’s fur. The dog let his tail thump enthusiastically on the porch. “I really am sorry.” She averted Harley’s gaze. “My mom made me tell Ms. Troxler.”

“About what?” Harley gently cupped the girl’s face in her hands and forced Melissa to meet her gaze.

Melissa’s lips trembled. “She made me tell Sr. Elizabeth and Troxler that I saw you with your friend in the morning. You know, on that day.” The girl swallowed hard before continuing and looked down. “I also told them about your books.” Melissa pulled free from Harley and looked away. “We found the website listed under your pen name. I told my mom. She made me go to Troxler.” The girl looked down. “She came with me.”

Harley smiled ruefully. “I bet she did.” She rose and disappeared in the house, leaving the girl to pet Nico while she searched her bathroom cabinet for a box of tissues.

“Why does she hate you so much?” The girl turned a tear-stained gaze in Harley’s direction when she reappeared.

“I dated your father once.” Harley smiled and handed her the box of tissue. She added quickly, “Only once, by the way. Your mother took the whole thing much more seriously than David or I did. They weren’t even dating at the time. He was my escort to a dance, but she seems to remember all of this vividly.”

Melissa stared straight ahead. Her voice was flat. “He’s leaving her.” She turned briefly to Harley and then looked down. “My dad. He told her today.” The girl visibly swallowed and pushed the hair behind her ears. “Actually, one of my mom’s friends saw him with another woman and told her. They really had it out last night.” Melissa dissolved into tears.

Harley’s heart contracted with pity. Hating the girl would be easy. She’d existed as her mother’s little snitch, but Harley empathized with the kid’s desolation. Melissa also didn’t possess the good looks that had made Mary Ann attractive in her youth. The girl’s hair was a mousy brown. She was too heavy for her short, stubby frame, and her voice was like a cat’s nighttime screeching. It must be hard being a squat child when your mother was a duplicitous, perfectly sculpted doll. Besides, Harley wasn’t surprised that a self-centered asshole like Mary Ann would use her kids as pawns in bringing someone else down. She uttered the words she believed were lies. “None of this is your fault, Melissa. This is between your parents. They still love you and your sister.”

Melissa petted Nico, not looking at Harley. “They said such hateful things to each other. My mom started to drink before my dad came home.” She stared at a small sparrow perched on the porch railings. Tears glided down her face. “Mom accused him of always sleeping with sluts.” The girl ran her tongue over her lips and hesitated. “She even used your name.”

Harley laughed softly and shook her head. Did Mary Ann’s jealousy know no bounds? Harley wondered why she didn’t feel angry and realized it was because Mary Ann was too pathetic a person on whom to waste an honest emotion, but she couldn’t tell the girl something so cruel. She placed a light hand on Melissa’s shoulder. “Your mother was angry.”

Melissa turned to Harley. “She’s always angry. Besides, he turned mean, too. Dad told her he’d only married her because . . .” The girl’s voice trailed off. Hard sobs racked her body. “He said he only married her because she was pregnant with Mallory.”

Jesus
, Harley thought.
What a thing for the kid to hear!
“Melissa, he was angry, too.”

“Yeah, I know.” The girl gazed at the street. A Mercedes glided to a stop by Harley’s house and David emerged. “Fuck no,” Melissa said softly.

Harley cursed under her breath. How had these people inserted her into the soap opera of their lives? White, hot anger coursed through her veins as David swaggered up her steps. He and his crazy wife had set about to ruin her life. Their guilt-ridden and miserable daughter used her as a sounding board, and now, a family drama was about to commence on her property. How had she gotten so damned lucky? She shot him a narrow gaze. “I guess you’ve come for your daughter?”

The man smiled at her as if nothing had transpired. His gaze bore into his daughter as he spoke. “That’s right. I hope she hasn’t kept you from anything.”

Harley wondered if he imagined his daughter had told her nothing of his domestic woes. No, she decided the man was simply obtuse and smiled wryly at him. “Why, no. Nico and I are sitting here like old people. Melissa has kept us company.”

“Glad to hear it.” David nodded to her and sent an appraising glance up her form. Without looking at Melissa, he said, “Get in the car, honey.”

The girl shot a sullen look in his direction. “No, thanks. Besides, I have my own car. Didn’t you notice?”

“Your mother wants you home.” David ignored her surly tone.

“Since when do you care—?”

“Melissa, I need to talk to your dad for a second, okay.” Harley gave the girl a meaningful look.

“Okay, I’ll go home.” Melissa pulled herself up from the swing, pushed past David, and headed to her car. She disappeared behind the wheel, backed out of the driveway, and sped up the street.

“Next time you two fight, you might want to do it in a more private place.” Harley arched her eyebrows.

“Not going to be a next time.” David smiled broadly at her.

“So you are leaving Mary Ann and her dad’s money.” Harley couldn’t resist the jab.

“Don’t need her daddy’s money or position. I can ride in Rex with or without them.” He winked at her. “I might be asking you out for a drink.”

Harley cringed. His gaze made her feel dirty. Without responding to his invitation, she asked, “Why does Mary Ann hate me so much?”

“You’re beautiful.”

“So is she.”

“You always had focus. You went to college and got that degree. Mary Ann let me knock her up. She had to go back later. You were the little Puritan.” He leered at her. “With everyone except John, of course.”

Harley wanted to leap from the swing and pounce on him, pummeling him with her fists. Instead, she rose slowly and traversed the distance to him. Nico, obviously sensing her discomfort, edged closer to Harley. Harley could feel the fur on the back of his neck stand on end. Moving close to David, she said in a deadly whisper, “My relationship with John wasn’t like that. You and that dimwit you married could have taken a lesson from us.”

“What about your new man, Harley?” David lightly touched her cheek with a hand that was too soft. “Could we take a lesson from you and your Arab?”

“He’s Egyptian, you moron.” Harley stepped away from him, repulsed. His breath reeked of alcohol. She experienced the same sensation while visiting the reptile cage at the zoo. “And yes, he could teach you something about being a man.” She cast a cruel glance in the direction of his manhood. “I’m sure he could teach you a lot about satisfying a woman.”

David made a sudden move toward her, and Nico growled, positioning himself between Harley and her would-be assailant. He glanced at the dog and then at Harley. Tipping an imaginary hat to her, David sauntered down the steps, almost stumbling as he approached his car. As he opened the driver’s side, he called after to her. “She hates you because I told her we were lovers as kids.”

Harley shook her head as David drove away. She wasn’t surprised. The lengths to which petty people would stoop never surprised her. Yes, she would see the man who had always treated her with respect. Harley needed to feel his arms around her, but she was afraid it was too late.