Give Me a Reason (59 page)

Suddenly, the front door banged open and a little boy with
curly red hair ran inside. Two steps behind was Bernard, and offering everyone
a very quick “Merry Christmas,” he continued to chase his son into the lounge.

“I’m afraid that’s Myles,” Dorothy said with a snicker as she
picked up the infant carrier by her leg. “And this is Neville.”

“And I’m going to snatch him away from you right now, if
that’s all right,” Eleanor said returning to the group gathered by the door.

“Be my guest, Eleanor, but I warn you, he may be wet.”

“I’ll take my chances,” she said, taking the carrier from
Dorothy’s hand. “We’ll be in the lounge if you need us.”

“Right, well, he’s playing with my phone, so that should keep
him quiet for a few minutes,” Bernard said, coming back into the front hall.
Placing his coat in Laura’s outstretched hand, he smiled at Toni. “And how are
you doing today?”

“I’m okay.”

“Any problems breathing? Any coughing?”

“No, I feel fine.”

Cocking his head to the side, he glanced at Laura for a
moment, and when she nodded, he let out a breath. “Well, that’s good to hear.
You’re a very lucky woman, Toni.”

“Yes, I am,” Toni said, taking a step in his direction.
“I...I didn’t get a chance to thank you for all you did the other day. I’m
still a bit fuzzy on what actually happened, but Laura tells me you’re one of
the reasons I’m standing here today.” Holding out her hand, Toni said, “And I
just wanted to say thank you.”

Bernard’s face brightened to almost a blinding intensity as
he took her hand. “You are very welcome, Toni. Very, very welcome.” As the
handshake ended, he noticed the bandage peeking out from under the sleeve of
her shirt, and ever so gently, he touched the gauze. “I’d like to take a look
at that today, if you don’t mind.”

“Stop being so grabby, Bernard. We have all day for that,”
Dorothy said with a wave of her hand. “I don’t know about either of you, but I
could use a cup of coffee. Kitchen’s through here, isn’t it?” Not waiting for
an answer, she sashayed past everyone and disappeared through the doorway.

Smiling at his wife’s overt attempt at haughtiness, Bernard
shook his head. “I’d better go check on Myles.”

“I think I’ll join you,” Bill chimed in as he headed into the
lounge. “The way these two are talking, I seriously need to start getting used
to being around children.”

“Laura, could you come here for a moment?” Eleanor called
from the lounge.

“Sure,” Laura said. Stopping at Toni’s side, she touched her
hand. “You going to be okay if I leave you alone?”

“I’m fine. Go see what your mum wants. I’m going to get some
more coffee.”

“All right, sweetheart. Call me if you need me.”

Dorothy was just filling a cup when Toni came into the
kitchen, and offering it to Toni, she said, “I’m sorry about Bernard going all
doctor on you. He truly does mean well. As a matter of fact, between you and
me, ever since the other night he’s been a changed man.”

“How so?” Toni asked, taking the coffee.

“It’s been a long time since he’s actually had to
practice
medicine, but after what happened the other
day...well, let’s just say I wouldn’t be surprised if before too long he turns
in his executive office for a white coat and a stethoscope.”

For the first time, Toni noticed Dorothy’s appearance.
Clothes designed by men with hyphenated names had been replaced by a casual
dark green sweater over straight-legged jeans. Her red hair, that two days
earlier had been piled high atop her head, was now hanging down her back in a
ponytail, and instead of a dozen bracelets of gold jangling on her wrist, only
one small gold chain could be seen.

“How come I think that you’re okay with that?” Toni asked.

“Probably, because I am,” she said, taking a sip of coffee.
“Don’t get me wrong. I always enjoyed going to all the conferences and parties,
but after the other day, I started thinking about a few things. I’ve decided
that being a good mother is more important than being on the cover of society
magazines. I have no idea what made Ron the way he is, but I’m going to make
sure that
my
boys grow up knowing right from
wrong. I have no doubt that poor Myles is going to have a problem learning that
he no longer rules the household, but I think I have enough time to correct the
mistakes I’ve made with him.”

“Is he really that—”

Toni was interrupted by the three-year-old boy racing through
the kitchen. Circling the center island, he ran between her legs and then his
mother’s, all the while giggling and laughing as he held his father’s mobile in
his hand.

“Myles, give me back my phone,” Bernard demanded, running
into the kitchen.

“I thought you said he could play with it,” Dorothy said,
watching with amusement as her son darted past his father and ran through the
house.

“I forgot to lock the bloody keypad, and I’m fairly certain
he just called someone in Japan!” Bernard said before quickly running after his
son.

Both women laughed at the man’s predicament, and as Dorothy
refilled her coffee cup, Toni walked to the cooker and checked on the soup that
had been simmering all morning.

Leaning against the counter, Dorothy studied the woman for a
minute. “So, Peggy tells me that you and Laura plan to have children. Yes?”

Looking up, Toni smiled. “Yes, Laura wants children.”

“And how about you?”

“I want what Laura wants. I actually never thought about
having kids before…um…when I was younger, and honestly, I don’t know the first
thing about raising a child, but I’m willing to learn.”

“Well, I should warn you that when we were growing up, Laura
always said she wanted to have a house full of kids. Back then, I think the
magic number was six.”

Toni raised her eyes to Dorothy’s for only a second, but it
was enough to make Dorothy erupt into laughter. “Oh, you poor woman.”

Tickled by the woman’s reaction, Toni said, “Well, between
you and me, I’m hoping she’ll come to her senses.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Then I guess we’ll have six,” Toni said without missing a
beat. “Whatever Laura wants, whatever I can give her...I will.”

“Then how about giving me a kiss?” Laura asked from the
doorway.

Instantly, Toni’s face split into a grin, and placing the lid
back on the soup, she casually strolled over and kissed Laura tenderly on the
lips.

Rolling her eyes at the sight of the two women embracing,
Dorothy said, “I’ve accepted the fact that you’re gay, Laura, but could you
keep the snogging sessions to a minimum until I’ve had at least another two or
three cups of coffee?”

***

“Thanks for helping me make dessert,” Laura said, closing the
refrigerator door. “We tried to get everything done yesterday, but we ran out
of time.”

“No worries,” Dorothy said, tidying the counter. “A Christmas
without Crannachan just wouldn’t be Christmas.”

“I totally agree.”

“It’s a shame Alice won’t be here. It’s her favorite.”

Laura frowned, and after pausing for a moment, she asked,
“Dot, how’s she doing?”

“She’s actually doing okay, all things considered.”

“Has she heard from Ron?”

“No, not so much as a peep, and if he does try to contact
her, we’ll know it.”

“Why?”

“Because she had her mobile disconnected, and we’ve moved her
into our guest house. Since our property is gated, Ron would have to go through
us to see her...and we won’t allow that to happen. She’s absolutely terrified
of him, Laura, and since she can’t even go back to work because he could find
her there, this gives her a place to call her own and as much time as she needs
to get things sorted without having to worry about money or bills.”

“Oh, shit! I never even thought about her job. Dot, if
there’s anything I can do. If there’s anything she needs—”

“Laura, relax. You’re acting like you’re somehow responsible
for this and you’re not,” Dorothy said, placing her hands on her hips. “We all
love Alice and she’s not going to want for anything. I guarantee it. It’s just
going to take some time.”

“Yeah, I suppose, but she should be here. I just feel bad
that—”

“Trust me, Laura. She’s where she wants to be today, and if
she found out that you were moping about, she’d feel dreadful. Now please,
let’s just enjoy the day because that’s what Alice would want us to do. All
right?”

Thinking for a minute, Laura said, “Okay, but do you think
she’d mind if we called her later?”

“I was planning on it,” Dorothy said as she picked up her
coffee cup. Seeing the dregs that remained, she glanced at her watch and then
back at her cousin. “You know, Laura...it’s almost noon.”

Laura looked at the coffee pot and then at the bottles of
wine lined up on the counter. “Red or white?”

“White, I think. It’s still early,” Dorothy said, pouring
what remained of her coffee in the sink.

A few minutes later, with glasses of Chardonnay in hand, they
sat at the kitchen table. Sipping her wine, Dorothy watched as Laura’s eyes
drifted to the woman sitting outside on the patio smoking a cigarette.

“So, when exactly did you decide to take a walk on the wild
side?” Dorothy asked, breaking the silence.

“Sorry?”

Pointing out the window, Dorothy said, “I seem to remember
that you used to like them a bit more…well, masculine, shall we say.”

“Things change, I guess,” Laura said with a shrug.

“You go from straight to gay and all you can say is
things change
?”

“I fell in love with her, Dot. I didn’t plan it, it just
happened, but I’m happy. Actually, I’m beyond happy.”

“I can see that,” Dorothy said. Noticing the ring on Laura’s
finger, she said, “And that’s quite a marvelous ring you’ve got there.
Congratulations, by the way. Peggy told me.”

“Thanks.”

“I hope we’ll be invited.”

“Of course, but don’t expect anything lavish. It’s going to
be a small wedding.”

“You used to want a big one.”

“True, but I also used to want a man.”

“Good point,” Dorothy said, clinking her glass against
Laura’s before she took a sip. Glancing out the window at the woman sitting on
the bench, Dorothy said, “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Toni’s been through hell, hasn’t she?”

“Yeah, she has,” Laura said softly.

“Well, you know Bernard knows a lot of doctors—”

“Thanks, but she’s already seeing a doctor. My friend, Abby,
is a psychologist.”

“I was actually talking about plastic surgery. It could help
cover up some of those scars on her back.” Seeing Laura’s eyes widen, Dorothy
said, “I saw them the other day. Everyone did.”

“Oh, I forgot about that,” Laura said, slouching in her
chair.

Again, Dorothy’s eyes were drawn to Toni. She looked so
normal...so intact, like the only weight on her shoulders was from the jacket
she wore, but Dorothy had heard the story, and she had seen the scars. A vision
of the buckle flashed through her mind, and squeezing her eyes shut for a
second, she willed it away. “I can’t begin to imagine how she survived that,”
she said in a whisper.

The smallest of smiles appeared on Laura’s face. “She’s a lot
stronger than she appears at times...and quite stubborn.”

Knowing her cousin all too well, Dorothy let out a laugh.
“Oh, I’d love to be a fly on the wall of
your
house when you two get into a row.”

Before Laura could speak, the back door opened and Toni came
inside. Seeing the two women sitting at the table, she grinned. “Let me guess.
Swapping recipes?”

“No, we were talking about you if you must know,” Laura said,
getting to her feet to give Toni a quick peck on the cheek.

“An intriguing subject, am I?” Toni asked, looking at
Dorothy.

Pressing her tongue against the inside of her cheek, a
devilish look came into Dorothy’s eyes. “Well, we haven’t had time to get to
the really juicy parts, so I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

***

Less than an hour later, Nancy, Peggy, Stephen and their two
sons, Paul and Gavin, arrived. Unlike their out-of-control cousin, Myles, the
two little boys stood quietly at their parents’ sides as all the introductions
were made. Politely giving small kisses and hugs to everyone, when their father
suggested that they play in the lounge, they eagerly took his hand as he led
the way.

Waiting in the doorway, Peggy watched as Stephen and the boys
began assembling a new train set, and then catching the eyes of her sister and
cousin, she gestured toward the kitchen. A few minutes later, the three women
sat around the kitchen table enjoying a few minutes of quiet time.

As Dorothy refilled her wine, she glanced at Laura and unable
to contain herself any longer, she blurted, “So...what’s it like?”

Laura’s cheeks heated immediately. Looking back and forth
between her two cousins, their smiles said it all. “Please tell me you’re not
asking for details,” Laura groaned.

“Well, I’d ask you to draw us a picture, but after seeing
your attempt at artwork on those cards in the lounge, I doubt that would help,”
Dorothy said, sending a wink in her sister’s direction.

“Dorothy, stop, you’re embarrassing her,” Peggy said, trying
to hold back her grin. “Besides, from what Laura has told me, Toni’s been gay a
lot longer than her. If Laura doesn’t want to share, perhaps Toni will. I mean,
she probably knows lots of...um...
things
.
Don’t you think?”

The memory of Toni’s lesson in the bathtub came rushing back,
and sitting up straight, Laura blurted, “Oh, no, you don’t.”

Dorothy quickly glanced at her sister and winked. “Hit a
nerve, did we, Laura?”

“You two need to behave. I’ve never asked you to give me any
intimate details about your partners.”