Beauty and the Beast (29 page)

“I didn’t ask what you were doing.
Sheeeesh
.” She flipped to the next page. “I should add a few rabid German shepards. That would sit right with you.”

“My water ninja knows her man.”

“The plane ride was nice. I don’t usually like those tiny wannabe planes.”

“I’ll beg your pardon. A 757 is not a wannabe plane.”

She giggled. “I still can’t believe you borrowed an entire plane and pilots for this little trip. You and your buddies have way too much money.”

He maneuvered the rental SUV onto her parents’ private lane. “Keep it up, water ninja, and I’ll drop you out of the ‘wannabe’ plane.”

She placed her pencil and eraser in her pouch and set it on the floor with her sketchpad, then fumbled with her teal veil. “The moment of truth has arrived yet again. I could have sworn the moment was only supposed to come along once.”

He watched as she weaved the veil between her fingers. “If it’s any consolation, I’m nervous also. Uncle Nathan’s my role model. In a way, I’m afraid to imagine what could have him acting so out of sorts.”

He pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition. Five minutes later, they were still sitting in the SUV, the house was still white with black shingles, the lawn was still neatly manicured, and Nefertiti was still staring into nothingness.

“Do you have your key?”

She jerked out of her trance. “Excuse me?”

“It’s only four, they may not be home. I was asking if you have the key.”

“Oh, oh, yeah.” She quickly looped the veil on her ears. “They have a keyless lock. Just hit the right combination, and you don’t go to jail.”

“Then let’s do this.”

Nefertiti stopped at each giant sunflower and marigold that lined the sidewalk as if she were the judge at a flower show. He knew she was stalling, but didn’t rush her.

“Man, the sunflowers must be at least eight feet tall this year.” She sat on the bottom porch step.

“Remember when Auntie Vic and I lived in that little flat on the west side of Chicago and you gave her sunflower seedlings for Easter?” He chuckled. “That summer kids were walking by with their heads pointed to the sky asking what those huge flowers were.”

He was glad she’d selected one of the thinner veils to wear. Though the material camouflaged her scars, her smile came shining through. “Well, sunflowers weren’t that popular back then. I think they were just more shocked that any flowers grew so large.”

“You want to go out back and chase the goats?” His comment was rewarded with a full belly laugh, but there was sadness in the laugh. He drew her into his arms, and soon felt the moisture of her tears soak through his shirt.

“It’s all right, baby.” He gently rocked her. “It’s all right.”

She sniffed and sucked in the tears. “I’ve got to stop this. These are my parents. They love me.”

“You’re right, they love you.”

“Then why am I afraid?”

“The unknown is scary, water ninja.”

“How did you become so wise, fire ninja?”

He had a smart comment to say, but forgot it instantly when she brushed the veil to the side and her lips touched his. The kiss was light, yet potent. He cupped her butt in his hands. “I think we’d best go in before we give a show out here.”

“Ummm, I love a good show.”

“Get your ol’ fast tail up them steps, gal.”

They tripped up the stairs, still laughing as he rang the bell.

All laughter came to a stop when May Townes opened the door. Her eyes grew large and mouth opened wide. “What… what are you doing here?” She stumbled back.

Bruce didn’t need a clear view of Nefertiti’s face to know her mother’s initial reaction had hurt her.

“I mean. Come in, come in.” She latched onto Nefertiti and hugged her. “My baby’s home.”

Bruce heard the genuine care and love in May’s voice, but Nefertiti had turned into a statue. May was obviously just shocked to see them, which made sense to Bruce.

“Where’s my love?” He held his arms out wide.

“Look at you. As handsome as ever.” She hugged him. “You brought my baby home.” She pulled his face down to her level and kissed him on the cheek. “You’ve always been such a good boy.”

Nefertiti hadn’t moved from her spot. He couldn’t tell if her veil was darkened from fresh tears or the ones she’d shed on the porch. May took Nefertiti by the hands and gazed into her eyes. Both women were the same height and build. Looking at May, Bruce could see Nefertiti twenty-five years from now.

“Baby,” she said softly. “Why are you wearing that thing on your face?”

Nefertiti lowered her gaze from her mother’s face to the floor. “The way you reacted when you opened the door is the answer.”

“Oh no, baby.” May slipped her hand under the veil and caressed Nefertiti’s cheek. “It’s been thirty-nine days since I saw my baby laid up in a hospital. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Then why do you and Daddy treat me as if I have the plague? Daddy won’t even talk to me on the phone.” Nefertiti turned from her mother’s touch into Bruce’s arms.

May led the way into the living area to the Navajo print couch. The arched doorways, muted pumpkin coloring, and Southwestern décor of the interior of the house didn’t seem to match the country exterior, but Bruce like it.

“Sit with me. I have some serious explaining to do.” May patted the cushion beside her.

Apprehension accompanied Nefertiti’s every step, but Bruce was glad she made them.

May touched Nefertiti’s ear, then unhooked the veil. “Why has my beautiful baby covered herself?”

Nefertiti stared at the pattern on the couch between herself and her mother. “You’re just saying that because you think I want to hear it.”

“I say it because I believe it.” She removed the veil and tossed it behind her. “Don’t ever wear that thing in this house again.”

“Why are you doing this? Why are you acting like I’m the one who can’t deal with my scars?”

Shoulders squared, May took Nefertiti’s hands into her own. “I owe you an apology. I didn’t mean to give you the impression that we didn’t want to see you. I’ve handled this whole situation all wrong, and… And once I realized I’d taken the wrong path, I couldn’t find my way back.”

Bruce stood silently and watched the scene unfold. The more May stroked Nefertiti’s hands and spoke softly, the more relaxed Nefertiti had become. He catalogued this technique for later use.

“What’s going on, Mama?”

May’s cheeks puffed out as she released a labored breath. “Your daddy had a breakdown and is in a private institution.”

“What?” Nefertiti jumped up, but her mother pulled her back down.

Bruce quickly approached and began massaging Nefertiti’s shoulders. “Allow Auntie to finish.”

“I’d been so worried about you. You’re my only baby… I… I wasn’t keeping a close enough eye on your father. I should have seen it coming. Then…” She looked away. “I’m sorry, baby, but he was talking out of his head. He said he’d hunt down the bastard who hurt his baby and make him pay.”

“Damn! Uncle Nathan was about to wreck the set.” Though Bruce knew he should be appalled by Nathan’s behavior, he couldn’t help feeling a type of awe. His uncle had had the guts or been nuts enough to plan on doing what Bruce had felt like doing.

May turned a stern eye on Bruce.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “That just slipped out.”

“He wasn’t thinking rationally,” May continued. “I just thank God I rode back to Victoria’s with him after they took your bandages off. He kept rambling about blowing them all to hell. I didn’t know if he had explosives hidden somewhere or not.”

Nefertiti drew her hands to her mouth. “Oh my poor daddy.”

“We never made it to Victoria’s. Instead, he drove home. I was horrified and scared. We’d been driving hours, and he still hadn’t calmed down. He stormed into the house, and I knew he was going for his hunting rifles. I had no choice but to call the police and have him committed.”

“Oh, Mama, please tell me he didn’t have a shoot-out with the cops.”

May folded her trembling hands in her lap. “When I saw him pulling his rifles out of the trunk, I thought we’d both be dead by morning. But I couldn’t allow him to kill Lord knows how many. After that night, no one can tell me there is no God.”

“Wow,” was all Bruce could manage to say.

“What happened when the police arrived?” Nefertiti asked.

“I’d told them not to come with sirens blazing, and they assured me they knew how to handle these types of situations. One of the officers was a young woman with your complexion, height, and build. She even had her hair in one of those awful banana clips you love so much. Your father was so out of it, he thought she was you. He dropped the guns he was holding and ran to his baby.

“God kept the officers from raising their guns. You know Nathan’s a big man. That young woman had to be scared witless. He picked her up and told her he’d make everything okay.”

Bruce came back to his senses. “How did they get him to the hospital?”

“The young woman, Officer Plum, is one smart cookie. She pretended she was you and said she was scared and needed her daddy to take her to the hospital.”

“Why didn’t you tell me what was going on, Mama?” Nefertiti nervously ran her hands along her thighs. “I actually thought you guys didn’t love me anymore.”

“Baby.” She hugged her daughter. “We could never stop loving you. I’m so sorry we hurt you.”

“But why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Your father didn’t want you to know. At first I thought he’d change his mind, but the days quickly turned into a week. The next thing I knew, a month had passed.”

“I don’t get it. I want to be there for him.”

“You have to understand that your father only wants you to see him as your hero. One minute he’s in a rage, the next he’s crying. Some days he’s laughing, others he’s plotting murder. He’s gotten a lot better, but he’s not ready to come home. And time… He doesn’t realize it’s been thirty-nine days since we last saw you.” She sighed. “I should have told you. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t bring myself to say the words.”

“I’m going to visit him.”

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, darling.”

“He needs to see that I’m all right. And I need to see him. Come on. You know he wouldn’t hurt me. Day forty will not come without my seeing my father.”

“Slow your roll, water ninja. This isn’t about him harming you; this is about his pride.”

“Pride?” Nefertiti flicked her left wrist as if a fly had landed nearby. “He wouldn’t let pride keep us apart.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Bruce chuckled. “He’s a man, of course he’ll let pride interfere, then add onto the pride his illness. He isn’t thinking straight.”

“I can’t wait on him to get over this pride thing and think straight again. I’m here, he’s here, I say we do this.”

“Then I’m speaking with him first.”

“Whatever, Bruce, but I’m seeing him today. When are visiting hours over, Mama?”

May glanced at her watch. “We still have a little over three hours.”