Happy Hour (29 page)

Alyssa laughed.

“I’m guessing you need to talk. What’s so heavy on your mind that you had
to turn all Betty-Crocker-on-steroids on me?”

Alyssa plunked down at Kat’s kitchen table. “It’s heavy.”

“What isn’t heavy?”

“Right. You know how you were saying that Amber is kind of like the glue
around here for the family? Well, Ian has become the glue for my heart. And
when I found out I wasn’t a match for the bone marrow, I knew I had to do
something. I had to look into every possibility. I called the father. Actually,
Darren, who is Ian’s uncle, did it for me.”

“What did Darren say?”

“Darren told him that he had a child with a woman eighteen years ago and
then explained the medical situation.”

“What did the guy do?”

“There’s more to it.”

“What do you mean?”

Alyssa closed her eyes for a second. “Ian’s father date-raped me.”

“Alyssa!”     

“He did and I told Darren this. He was the first person that I ever told.
Darren didn’t let on that he knew, though, when he made the call.”

“That must have been so difficult for him. And for you.”

“It was. But I think that the father handled it the only way he could.”

“What happened?”

“It took Darren some convincing on his part, but he got him to agree to
be tested. Of course, the father is demanding a paternity test. Darren told him
that they’d pay for that and they could go from there after the results came
back.”

“And did they?”

“It was rushed through and it came back positive. I was a virgin when it
happened, so no surprise there.”

“I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through and how you’ve dealt with
this all of these years by yourself.”

“It hasn’t been easy, but it’s helped to have friends like you.”

“All the same, you should have told me, told us, we could have been there
for you.”

“I couldn’t. I was ashamed, and I thought if I buried it deep enough that
I could leave it there and forget about it. I was wrong. The father’s blood
tests came back and he wasn’t a match. But the doctors are saying that Ian’s
best chance is if he has any siblings, and he does, Kat. James—the father—has
six other children.”

Kat reached for Alyssa’s hand. “What are you going to do?”

She sighed heavily. “I’m going to go to New Orleans and confront him. He
has to have his kids tested. He has to see if one of them is a match.”

“How do you think he’ll respond?”

Alyssa looked down. “I can’t even think about that right now. All I can
think about is helping Ian get well.”

“Ian’s family knows everything?”

“Darren obviously knows, and Charlie has been told that we called the
father. It was Charlie who phoned me today and said that he wasn’t a match. I
told him I’d be in contact with the father to ask him to have his other
children tested. I’m flying out the day after tomorrow.”

Kat squeezed her hand. “I’m going with you.”

“No. No. You have your family and your restaurant. You can’t go.”

“My mother is here. She can help with the kids and I’ve only been working
at the restaurant part time anyway these days. You’ve done so much alone,
Alyssa. Let me be there for you. Please.”

Alyssa nodded. “Thank you.”

***

The Fourth of July party was in full swing and Kat was beside herself.
She’d had no choice but to invite her father. He’d called and asked what their
plans were, and she’d invited him. What else could she have done? She’d warned
him about her mom.

He insisted it would be fine, saying, “That chapter of my life is closed,
and I think your mother and I can be perfectly cordial toward one another.”

Hopefully that would be the case because Kat had watched her mother eye
her father nervously for the last hour. He’d stayed on one side of the pool,
drinking his Tom Collins and chatting with Danielle and Mark. Shannon had come
along with them, too, looking huge and uncomfortable. And Cassie had surprised
all of them by showing up on her own. Kat noticed that her dad looked a little
extra spiffy. He’d worn a Tommy Bahama shirt that Kat and the family had given
him on his birthday, a pair of khaki shorts (with the shirt tucked in no less
and a belt—not typical for her dad), and instead of his usual socks and tennis
shoes, he had on flip-flops, which even Kat had to admit gave him a bit of an
edge on the coolness factor. Plus if she didn’t know better, Kat could’ve sworn
he may have used some Grecian Formula because his normally almost-all-silver
head of hair looked less silver today.

Kat’s mother sat at the other end of the pool at another table, drinking
strawberry daiquiris and chatting with Jamie, who had brought Maddie and
Dorothy. Dorothy thought that she was at Lucille Ball’s house and she kept
referring to Kat as “Lucy,” even though Danielle was the redhead.

“Lucy, darling, would you bring me one of those wonderful drinks this
nice lady is having.” Dorothy pointed to Kat’s mother.

Venus winked at her and stood up. “I think I’ll make my way over and say
hello to your father.”

“Mom, do you think that’s a good idea?”

“Yes, I do. Go get this lovely woman a drink, Kitty.”

Kat eyed Jamie. Maddie and Amber were splashing around in the pool having
a great time. “Mom, stay right here and we’ll be back with your drink,” Jamie
said.

Christian walked by with a beer in hand. “What do you think? A half-hour
and I’ll have the guys help me dig out the pig?”

“Perfect.” Kat patted him on the shoulder. “Can you keep watch for a sec?
Jamie is going to help me in the kitchen.” She nodded her head toward Dorothy.

“Love to,” he replied.

“Rock, darling, did you bring your partner today?” Dorothy asked, as
Christian sat down next to her.

Christian almost spit out his beer. “Not today, Love.”

Jamie and Kat laughed all the way back to the kitchen. A minute later,
Danielle joined them. Alyssa had stopped by briefly, having to run to catch a
plane to L.A. to spend the holiday with Ian and his family. She and Kat would
meet in New Orleans the next evening.

“What’s the powwow all about?” Danielle asked.

“My mother is going over to talk to my father. This could end the party
right here,” Kat said. “I need to make up some more daiquiris. Dorothy wants
one.”

Danielle peeked outside. “Your father is shaking her hand.”

“That’s civil,” Kat replied.

“I’d say so,” Jamie said.

Kat went to the fridge and sliced some more cheese, and placed it on a
plate with crackers and salami. “Maybe I’m freaking out over nothing.”

“I think so,” Danielle said, as she started another pitcher of daiquiris.

“I’m sure she’ll bore him with some kind of technique that teaches him
how to achieve his dreams.” Kat turned to Danielle, trying to forget that her
divorced parents were having a conversation that could easily turn into a
fight. “I like Mark.”

“Me too,” Jamie said.

“Good, because so do I. He’s great. I mean, he is really great. We’re
having fun together and I haven’t felt so comfortable with a man ever. Not even
after twenty-one years with Al.”

“He could be
the one
,” Jamie said.

“Slow down. Way down. We’re hanging out, taking it slow. Don’t be rushing
me to the altar.” Then she smiled. “But if things keep going this way, who
knows?” She shrugged. “Speaking of men, where is Tyler? We were hoping you’d
bring him.”

“The ranch is having a hoedown. He wanted to come with me and meet
everyone, but he’s in charge there. I’ll probably stop by the ranch when I
leave here, but it’s hard with Dorothy.” She frowned.

“You okay, J?” Danielle asked.

She bit her lower lip. “I quit my job.”

“What?” Kat asked.

Danielle looked at her.

She told them all about Evan’s restructuring nightmare. “I can’t work for
someone like that. Not in good conscience. I can’t. So, I quit.”

“What are you going to do?” Kat asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, actually. I also put the house up for sale.”

Danielle hugged her. “It’ll be okay.”

Jamie pulled away. “It has to be. Right? Sunday, I’m taking Dorothy over
to that Vineyard Escape. I hear it’s a great retirement community, but I have
to go and talk to my brother-in-law again. He’s such a cheapskate but I know I
can’t afford a retirement community. Sure, I can get another job, but Maddie
and I are going to have to downsize quite a bit.”

“I might have a temporary job for you,” Danielle said.

“I don’t need a handout, but thank you.”

“No, I’m serious. The Harvest Festival is sneaking up a little too quick
for comfort. I’m supposed to have people lined up to do a television spot for a
commercial. I’m terrible in front of the camera, and you know so much about
wine.”

“You’re a winemaker,” Jamie replied.

“I know but what I mean is that you have knowledge not just about wines,
but about foods, and beauty treatments, and all sorts of interesting things.
You could help me write the spot and if you
star
in it, there’s a
thousand dollars in it for you. I know it’s not much, but it’ll help with
moving costs, I’m sure.”

“You should do it, J,” Kat said. “You’re super photogenic. Do it! You
never know what might come out of it.”

“You’d be helping me out,” Danielle pleaded.

“Fine. Yes. The money will help with the move. I’ve actually already had
an offer on the house.”

They finished making the pitcher of daiquiris and took one back to
Dorothy.

“Good timing, ladies. I have to go dig out a pig.” Christian kissed
Dorothy on the cheek.

“Always the gentleman. Such a shame you’re gay,” Dorothy said.

“It really is.” Kat winked at him. She glanced over to see what was going
on between her parents. Her mother was polishing off her drink and her dad was
now in the pool laughing. Kat sighed, relieved.

Christian was getting Brian and Jeremy out of the pool to help with the
pig, and Mark got up to join them. The women followed, curious to see the
action. What action it was! Men, heaving and hoeing, grunting and slaving away.
The women went to work, putting out the side dishes, plating the shredded pork
onto platters, and setting everything up buffet style.

Food, fun, friends on the Fourth. Nothing better.

Jamie wanted to leave so that she could make a quick stop to see Tyler,
but Maddie and Amber had been having so much fun that neither one wanted the
other to go.

“Can Amber spend the night, Mommy?” Maddie asked.

Kat frowned, knowing then that she wouldn’t see Amber for a few days. She
would be leaving for New Orleans in the morning and Amber’s mom would be
picking her up and still have her even after Kat returned.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Christian said.

“Thank you, Daddy.” Amber threw her arms around Christian and then Kat.
“Thank you Mommy Kat.” Her heart melted yet again.

She put some things together for Amber and sent her off. She hated to see
her go, even if it was with Jamie. It was the same feeling she’d had for years
every time the Sperm Donor
would pick up the boys—a combination of fear
and a slight sense of loneliness.

Some of the guests had left already and Kat scanned the area for her mom
and dad and Jeremy, but couldn’t find them. Christian took her hand. “I get you
all to myself tonight.”

She smiled, thinking all she wanted to do was climb into her bed and get
some sleep. After putting on a big party, and now having to still finish
packing, the last thing she had on her mind was romance.

The sun started to set, so everyone climbed up to the top of the hill
behind the house to watch the fireworks. Kat and Christian sat with Danielle
and Mark.

“Was Cassie in the movie room with the other kids?” Kat asked.

“I don’t know. Come to think of it, the last I saw her, she was back in
the pool swimming after dinner.”

“So was Jer,” Christian said.

Danielle and Kat eyed each other.

“They were awfully flirty with each other,” Kat said.

“I noticed,” Danielle replied.

“Brian?” Kat called out.

“Yeah?” He was a few feet away sitting with one his pals from school.

“Did you see where your brother went?”

“I dunno. I think he’s still swimming.”

The fireworks started with a display of gold shooting up through the air.
Oohs and aahs echoed from onlookers as spirals of color blasted out and danced
in the night sky. For those fifteen minutes, all Kat could think about, (and
probably Danielle, too), was what their two teens might be up to.

The fireworks ended and people started their hike down the mountain.

Danielle leaned into Kat. “You thinking what I’m thinking about our
kids?”

“Only that they could be getting it on with each other anywhere within a
few-mile radius?”

“Pretty much.”

Brian trotted past them while his friend threw him a football. “Careful,
Bri, you could trip and …,” Before Kat finished the sentence it was too late.
Brian tripped, fell, and tumbled partially down the hill. Kat screamed out and
tried running after him the best she could. Christian beat her to him.

Christian knelt down next to Brian who was moaning. “Okay, son, hang on,
hang on a minute here.”

Brian cried out. “It hurts!”

“What hurts? Tell me what hurts,” Christian said calmly.

“My leg. My leg, it’s killing me.”

One of their friends handed Christian a flashlight and he shined it on Brian’s
leg. Kat gasped.

Mark bent down and took the flashlight from Christian. “Let me take a
quick look, and then we’re going to get you down the hill and go from there,
deal?”

Brian’s body shook. Kat’s mind spun. Mark shone the light in Brian’s eyes
and then over his body. He turned to Christian. “You get on one side and I’ll
get on the other and let’s get him down the hill.”