Winds of Heaven (4 page)

“I know I’m a woman, Gram. Ask Suzette.”

There was a deafening silence.

“You love to torment me with your lesbianism, don’t you? And while we’re on the topic, if you insist on this lifestyle, can you please find a nice woman? One with an IQ above that of a turnip?”

“Now, Gram. Suzette plays the cello.”

“So? She’s an idiot savant.”

Casey rolled her eyes as she pulled into the underground parking. “I’m at Roger’s office.”

“What have you done?”

“Nothing. I’ll pick you up at seven. I love you.”

“Hmm. You’re still not getting my money. I love you, too, dear.”

Casey laughed and closed the phone. In the back of her mind, she wondered if she were in trouble; it was the guilt-ridden Irish in her. She stepped out of the elevator as it reached the eighth floor.

“Casey Bennett to see Roger the Dodger,” she said with a wink. The young secretary blushed and laughed along.

“Must you flirt with my secretary?” Roger’s voice called out of the office.

Casey laughed and walked in. “No, but sometimes it’s necessary.” She sat and stretched her long denim-clad legs out in front of her. She absently twirled her sunglasses as she brushed a thick lock of hair off her forehead.

“Well? Is somebody suing me, Roger?”

“You sound serious.” He then mumbled, “If Casey Bennett could be serious.”

“I heard that.” She wagged a finger in his direction. “You sound like my grandmother.”

“Meredith is well, I hope.” Roger opened the manila envelope. “And I have no idea if someone is suing you. You must have a guilty conscience.” He ignored Casey’s laughter. “The letter of introduction states you’re part of someone’s will. One Julie Bridges.” He looked up over his glasses.

Casey stopped twirling her glasses and frowned deeply. She sat forward and took the offered letter.

“I take it you knew her?”

“Knew her? Yes. I knew her,” Casey said slowly as she swallowed with difficulty, her heart pounding in her ears. She gingerly opened the letter.

Dear Case,

It’s been five years, hasn’t it? Sorry to be writing you like this, but there isn’t any other way.

Long story short? I found out I have bone cancer, and by the time you’re reading this, well... It sounds like something out of the movies you write the music for.

Anyway, I have a big problem. The last time I talked to you, I told you about this wonderful woman I met and fell in love with, remember? Liz Kennedy. Well, she fell for me, go figure. We started a family; you know how much I wanted one.

You know, you were right all those years ago. I wasn’t ready for a family. You told me I was in love with the idea of a family but could never face the responsibility. You were right.

Liz wanted a family, as well, she’s a great mom. We’ve got one daughter, Skye, a great little girl, though she doesn’t know me very well. I’m still working for the airline and gone a good deal of the time. For that, I will always be sorry. I missed the time with Skye. Now I’ll miss everything.

I’ve screwed up with this. Liz tried so hard to plan a life for us and I just didn’t see anything coming. I’m afraid I left the poor woman with a child and one on the way. She’s due in December.

Please, please help her. She knows about you. She just needs someone to help her until the baby comes and she can get back on her feet.

I figure you’re about the only one I have left that I haven’t pissed off. Even Liz was going to leave me a few times.

You loved me once. I know I’m pulling out all the stops and I have no right to ask, and you have no obligation to me. But I’m begging you to watch out for them. I’ve got no one else, Casey.

Julie

Casey sat there stunned. Roger came around and sat on the edge of the desk. “Casey, as your lawyer, may I?” he asked gently, and Casey, as if in a trance, handed him the letter.

Roger read it, then read it again. He looked up at Casey, who was staring at the ground scowling.

“Well,” he folded the letter, “what are you going to do?”

Casey shot an angry look at her lawyer and friend. “Do?” she bellowed and stood, pacing back and forth. “Nothing. Julie left me five years ago because she wanted kids. Well, you read the letter…and I was right. She fucked up and now has a woman with one kid and another due to pop any day. Fuck!”

Roger winced but let her go on her tirade. “Casey,” he started. She glared at him. Roger took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I haven’t seen you this irate since, well, the incident at Orchestra Hall comes to mind. The poor violinist cried for a week,” he said and smiled slightly. “That wasn’t a nice thing to do to poor Donald.”

For an instant, Casey relaxed and smiled slightly. She did indeed make the poor guy cry. He was a lousy violinist. In the next instant, she was angry again. “Fuck!” she said angrily. “And now, she goes and dies,” she cried out and sat down, burying her face in her hands.

“She obviously knew she could turn to you.”

Casey snorted. “Well, she was wrong. What do I know about kids? Look at my life,” she said slowly, trying to explain.

Roger laughed at her sarcasm.

“I’m single. I like being single. Yes, I’m gay and I like the freedom of a physical relationship that does not demand the second date involve a U-Haul. I live in the woods on a lake. And do you know why I live in the woods on a lake?”

“Not to steal a title from the movie, but to be... Far from the Madding Crowd,” Roger answered obediently.

“Yes. That’s right.”

“She’s pregnant with nowhere to go.”

Casey stood and frowned in confusion. “How the hell do you know she has nowhere to go?”

He walked around, took out the letter of introduction, and handed it to her. Casey read it aloud. “Dear Mr. Blah—that’s you. I’m Mr. Harris—that’s him...” She scanned the letter, then came to it. She read it and her shoulders slumped. “Fuck. No money, no place...Fuck me.” She flopped down into the chair. “No.”

“Casey,” Roger insisted. “She’s almost in her third trimester.”

“Then when she graduates, I’ll throw her a party.”

“That means she’s due to give birth in December,” he said dryly.
 

Casey blinked. “Oh,” she said stupidly and threw her hands up. “There, you see? I don’t know
nothin
’ about
birthin
’ no babies,” she exclaimed dramatically.

Roger said nothing but gave her the fatherly glare Casey just loved to get. She saw the look and sat back down.

“Casey Eleanor Bennett.”

“Here it comes.”

“I’ve known you since you were, well, a young woman. All your life, you’ve been able to live as you please. You’re confident, out of the closet, and you don’t care who knows it. You’re talented and beautiful—”

“I like it so far, but I’m afraid the other shoe is about to fall and kick me right in the ass on the way down,” she grumbled and rubbed her temples.

“I’ve seen you do great things with your music. Seen you help all those kids when you didn’t think anyone knew. But you can be the most arrogant, obnoxious, self-indulgent, wayward snot I’ve ever met,” he said firmly. Casey raised an eyebrow as he continued, “You need this woman. You need her badly because one of these days, Casey Bennett, you’re going to wake up alone and lonely. You’re halfway there now.”

“I’m only forty,” she said in a logical voice.

“I give up.” He tossed down his pen. “If you can’t see the importance of this…”

Casey grimaced and took a deep breath. “Fine, give me her number—”

“I-I already called her attorney last night. He put her on the morning bus. She’ll arrive at the Greyhound station in Rhinelander in two days. I offered her the plane fare, but it seems Ms. Kennedy is a proud woman. This will be difficult for her, as well, Casey.” He gave her a sick grin.

She glared at him and loomed over his desk.

“Now, Casey. You’re doing a great thing here. Y-you know it,” he said and leaned back. “Don’t let that legendary temper get the better of you.”

Casey sported a feral grin. “Yes, and I don’t regret throwing that musician’s music stand out the window. The musician was lucky he didn’t follow it.”

Roger smiled weakly and quickly hid behind the protection of his glasses.

Casey stopped and took a deep angry breath. She then put on her sunglasses and stretched her neck from side to side.

Roger heard the vertebrae crack in alignment and winced slightly. “Y-you could use a rubdown,” he offered, smiling, and Casey glared at him. “If you need anything, call me or Trish. She’s had both my kids.” He waved off Casey’s odd glance. “You know what I mean.”

“Good day, Roger. I will definitely keep in touch,” she said through clenched teeth and stormed out of his office, leaving the door open.

His secretary poked her head in.

“Betty? I need a drink.”

Casey swam lap after lap in the pool at her gym. Fuck me. Kids? A mother? What in the hell am I supposed to do about this? she thought.

Twenty minutes later, she stopped, out of breath. She stood in the shallow water, ripped off her goggles, and angrily threw them across the pool. Heads turned, and people watched as she easily hoisted herself out of the pool and picked up her towel.

Even the sauna didn’t help. Casey sat there naked, a sheet partially covering her long tanned body. She took a deep breath as she remembered Julie Bridges.

They were together for almost four years. Casey was happy and content. Julie worked for the airlines and was gone a good deal of the time. That was probably why Casey was happy and content. However, she loved Julie more than she ever loved anyone, and that was saying something for Casey Bennett.

Then Julie dropped the bomb about kids. Casey tried to understand. However, it just wasn’t for her. A child should have a mother and a father or at least a married couple, gay or straight. Julie wanted it and left Casey because of it. That was five years earlier. Since then, Casey went back to her old ways of casual partners, satisfying sex, and nothing long term.

Well, I’ll help this Liz Kennedy and her family. I’ll let her stay at the cabin and I’ll stay in the city, she thought. “Shit. I hate the city.”
 

She then thought perhaps this Liz might like the apartment. No. A little kid on the tenth floor? Hell, that just begged for a 911 call. She could just see the little rug rat hanging from the balcony.

“Shit,” she cursed rudely and headed for the shower.

Chapter 3

Meredith Casey looked in the mirror and touched the silver hair at her temples. “Not bad for a seventy-nine-year-old,” she whispered to her reflection and continued, “and having a daughter at eighteen and a granddaughter at thirty-nine.” She glanced at the clock on the mantel. It was precisely 7:15. She sipped her martini and shook her head. “Idiot child. If she calls me with some lamebrain excuse…” When the doorbell rang, she called out, “It’s open.”

Casey walked in sporting a deep frown. “You have to lock your door, Gram. Good grief.”

“I live in a good neighborhood. Besides, I have a pistol.” She laughed and noticed her granddaughter did not join her. Casey walked into the living room and flounced on the couch. “What’s the matter?” she asked. “You did do something wrong, didn’t you?”