The Throwbacks (45 page)

In another minute they pulled into the mall parking lot, and Grace found a spot right near the main entrance.

“We have to do this fast.”

“What’s the rush? I thought you were taking the day off from work.”

“We need to get back and run through the punch list for David’s townhouse. We need to make sure it’s ready for him to move back in tonight,” Grace said.

“Oh, that’s all.” Pixie bounced from the car and slammed the door. “You’re positive he’s worth all this trouble?”

“I already had the office call him and tell him it would be ready,” Grace confessed. It was an impulse when she was in the throes of the initial rumbles of the earthquake—in her haste to get it all over with. She came around the car, grabbed her friend by the hand and sort of ran, like a person runs in heels, leaning dangerously forward like a sprinter in slow-mo. They blew through the door and past some carts to stop in front of the directory for only a moment.

“You haven’t really given up on him, have you?” Pixie stared at her with accusation in her eyes.

Grace stood. The words were too raw for her shaky status of steadiness. She was speechless, and Pixie squinted even more, if that was possible.

“Come on. I know exactly where the pet store is in here.” It was Pixie’s turn to drag her along while she recovered from her stupor.

The thought made Grace tremble, so she shoved it aside as they arrived in front of the windows displaying the most adorable puppies she’d ever seen. Or so they seemed because she happened to be in a mood to appreciate adorable puppies at the moment.

“There!” She spotted a miniature version of Noodles bouncing and yapping in the corner.

“Looks like Noodles, but it seems a little more, aah, obnoxious wouldn’t be too strong a word,” Pixie said as Grace grabbed her friend by the elbow and pulled her inside the store.

“That’s unfair. Of course she’s excited to see us. She senses that we’re here to buy her—you know—that doggie-sixth-sense they have.”

“Grace, that’s about sensing earthquakes and tornadoes, not about sensing some lunatic chick charging in to buy a dog for a lughead.”

“Shh.” Grace gave Pixie a mock-threatening look, but her grin leaked out and that was a huge improvement over the leaking tears. She’d survived her first aftershock. The puppy cure was working its magic and it wasn’t even going to be her puppy. She was giddy by the time they found a sales clerk.

“I want that little white fluff-ball in the front window.”

The clerk looked past her shoulder to where she pointed and nodded with a surprised look. “You’d like to take him out and play with him?”

“No, I’d like to buy him—it’s a him?” She had a second’s hesitation. She’d rather get a girl puppy. She took another deep breath.

“Yeah, he’s a him. You want to buy him—just like that?”

“Yes, I’ll take him.” She beamed a smile, confident she’d made a brilliant decision and David would—eventually—be happy with his puppy. She vibrated with tension, anticipating David’s surprise. The store clerk looked at her like she was a lunatic.

“Don’t you want to know how much the dog costs?” The clerk’s voice rose with skepticism.

“Just get the dog out of the window and wrap it up. Can’t you tell we’re in a hurry?” Pixie folded her arms, scowled and started tapping one foot.

“Okay. That’ll be a thousand bucks.” The clerk smirked.

Grace didn’t need a mirror to feel herself turn white.

“Nice try, dog store clerk. Do you want to charge us the correct price or do I call the manager?” Pixie said.

“All right, all right. Six-fifty. Plus tax.” The clerk went to the window, and after a short scuffle, grabbed their puppy and brought him out.

Grace reached out her arms and the clerk pushed the puppy into them. After running around for the necessary accessories, including a manly doggy-coat, all bagged up for Pixie to carry, they did their almost-running-in-high-heels routine out of the store and all the way back to the car.

Grace knew better than to slow down for a second. Re-thinking it would ruin her plan. She shuddered with fear as she pulled the car door closed behind her.

D
AVID’S cell phone rang as he left Mabel’s. He breathed the crisp autumn air deeply, finally arriving at his long forgotten townhouse. He opened the front door reluctantly, since the noise of workers could be heard from outside.

Pixie stood there with her hands on her hips, looking up directing two white-overalled workmen while they installed his drapes.

“Is it safe to enter?” he called out to her. He knew she’d catch his double meaning. He was hopeful that Grace would not be there—he needed the right moment to talk to her and in his experience, any moments that included her Pixie friend were not right for long, heartfelt discussions.

Pixie spun around and failed to give him her usual quirk of a smile. She stomped toward him. “What do you mean by that?” She squinted. “You can move back in any time you want. We’ll be finished here by the end of the day.” Then she walked to his kitchen counter, newly bedecked with matching-cushion barstools in a fetching forest green, which picked up the hues in the colorful wool rug underlying a tremendous dining table adjacent to the kitchen area and sharing the huge, formerly cavernous space with the living area. She picked up an envelope and shoved it at him as she walked by.

“Your bill. Pay it promptly,” she snarled. Her bared teeth startled him. It was harsh treatment even from her, but he could offer no explanation or excuse that would justify to her why he’d broken her friend’s heart. He needed to talk to Grace first.

She called, “I’m out of here,” toward the general area of the hallway to his bedroom and left with a resounding thud of the door behind her. There must be some workmen in his bedroom. He’d have to come back later, after dinner back at Mabel’s.

Before he left, David looked around at the exquisitely appointed space. He walked toward the white-painted architectural columns of the fireplace, with its new mantle and brickwork, and peered into the new library-office space that Grace had created for him. It looked as inviting and warm as she was. He couldn’t bring himself to go into that room. He felt horrified at how he’d treated her that morning. He stood and looked at it through the doublewide doorway fitted with pocket doors. That morning he’d behaved no better than a cold hard statue of a man. He realized he’d be lucky if she didn’t spit on him, let alone listen to him beg her to be part of his life.

He turned away and checked his watch. It was almost five, but he decided he needed to act now. It was close to the dinner hour at Mabel’s, and he knew Grace would be there. It was time to climb all the way out on that emotional limb. He turned on his heel, let himself out the door, shutting it securely behind, and strode at a brisk pace toward the jewelers building on Washington Street.

Grace heard the door close and wondered who had come in. Her heart thudded loud and hard at the thought that it could be David. She scooped up the dog from his papers and rushed from the bathroom out to the living area.

The room was empty. Had he been there and left? The puppy, who she thought of as Nibbles, squirmed in her arms and she laughed at him. “You’re going to be a dickens of a dog for poor David to control. You are an adorable handful!” Of course she realized that David would name his own puppy and had no idea what name he might choose.

The thought caused another shudder of emptiness.

Her cell phone rang and the instant shrillness of possibilities made her vibrate. She grabbed it from a pocket inside her bag.

“Hello?”

“This is Dan—O’Keefe—the Chief of Police…”

“Oh.” She let out her breath, but only for a millisecond. “Oh
no
! I forgot all about the statement!”

“You guessed it. How about if I meet you at Mabel’s now—within the next ten minutes—if that’s doable—and I’ll take your statement there. I need to get the report to the attorney general’s office by first thing in the morning at the latest,” Dan said.

“I’ll be there.” Grace squeezed Nibbles in close and headed for the door. She couldn’t wait here any longer for David. She’d have to show him his newly decorated home another time—she had no idea when. As for surprising him with his Nibbles, it looked like she’d be doing that at dinner with Mabel. A major shudder passed through her as she closed the door behind her.

David smiled as he pushed through the door and strode into the hallway leading to dozens of high quality jewelry shops—all specializing in diamonds. He felt like he was on the mission of his life, but calm. Afterward, when he walked back out to the street, bustling with rush-hour people and cars, he looked at his watch again, pleased that it had taken only a short time. He’d apparently subconsciously known exactly what he would buy for this occasion.

Other than the fact that he was strolling down Tremont Street back toward Beacon Hill at twilight on a glorious fall evening, having accomplished so much more than purchasing a surprise gift, there was no reason that David should grin and nod at every scurrying stranger.

Grace stumbled to Mabel’s back door, juggling Nibbles and three bags filled with the doggy accessories they’d bought. She couldn’t believe Pixie had left David’s townhouse in such a hurry, leaving her with all this stuff. As she turned the key in the door, it was pulled open and a rush of warm cider and cinnamon-scented air wafted out to embrace her and drag her inside. The feeling of family, that elusive belonging, surrounded her as she breathed deep, stepping into the kitchen. The weight on her heart lifted a small but gratifying amount, and she knew this was what she’d always been looking for.