Happy Hour (36 page)

Alyssa hadn’t told them that she’d anonymously sent Ian’s sister-—whose
name she’d learned was Jessica—a big basket filled with stuffed animals and
Barbie dolls. It didn’t feel right that this little girl, who by no fault of
her own, had to go through this. Again, she wished she could talk with her
mother and tell her how sorry she was, but would she really know what to say?
Probably not.

She closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat. Drifting into a light
sleep, she dreamed of Ian and of Darren. A man’s voice startled her awake.

“Alyssa?”

There stood Terrell. She had to still be dreaming. Her ex-fiancé could
not be standing there in front of her. “What? Why are you here?” She studied
him. He hadn’t changed at all, and her stomach sank at the sight of him. “How,
how are you?”

He sat down next to her. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

She sighed. There was no point in wasting words. He’d come here for
answers that she owed him. “You know about Ian?”

He nodded. “James told me everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you?” he asked.

“Because I loved you.” He faced her now and she could see the hurt that
she’d caused him still lingered deep inside of him. “I wanted to protect you.
How could I tell you about Ian or James? I wanted to tell you about Ian. I
planned to, the day after our party, but then I saw James, and…how could I? You
went on and on about being best friends since childhood. The man is like a
brother to you and when I saw him, I knew there was no way I could destroy
that.”

“You destroyed my heart instead. Don’t you know how much I loved you,
Alyssa? I would have supported you, stuck by you.”

“I was ashamed.”

He sighed. “I wish you told me. Not James.”

“What did he tell you exactly?”

“That you had a date nineteen years ago and he was probably more forceful
than he should have been with you, and that night you got pregnant with Ian and
he never saw you again until the night of our party. He never knew you had a
child until all of this happened.”

A little forceful
. “Yes.” That was all she could say. 

“I know he can get angry and I have to wonder how aggressive he was with
you.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. It’s in the past. The man has made his
amends. He told you. I’m sure he told his wife. Otherwise, his daughter
wouldn’t be here right now helping to save Ian.”

He nodded.

“How did she take it?”

“Olivia is a strong woman. He didn’t tell her that it was
you
and
I agree that she doesn’t need to know that, but she was angry. She’s a good
lady and she knows that Jessica donating the marrow could help this young man
live, and she knows that’s the right thing.”

“I wish I could thank her.”

“She’s a mother and I’m certain she knows how grateful you are.”

Alyssa nodded. “How about you? I don’t understand why James told you. I
promised him that I would not bother his family or friends. You didn’t have to
know.”

“Maybe he felt he owed me. It hurt bad when you took off. I was torn
apart, and maybe for him this was his way of asking for forgiveness.”

“
Can
you forgive him?”

“I don’t know yet,” he replied.

“Me?” she asked. “Can you forgive me?”

“I already have. That’s why I’m here. I’m getting married in a few weeks
to a nice woman, one who I care about and who loves me.”

“That’s wonderful,” Alyssa said and looked away.

Terrell paused for a moment. “I still love you,” he blurted out. “I want
you back. Please tell me that you still love me, please tell me there is a
chance…”

“Alyssa?”

Both Terrell and Alyssa looked up to see Darren standing there. “You
okay?” She nodded. “He’s in recovery. Charlie and I checked a minute ago. A
nurse was coming down to get you, but I told her I’d tell you. Charlie is going
to his room now to wait for him.” He eyed Terrell, who stood up. “You want to
go to the room and wait for him with us?”

“Yes. Of course. I’ll be right there. I’m going to the restroom first.”

“Want me to wait?”

“I’m fine.”

“Okay. You sure? I can wait,” Darren said.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. I really am.”

He nodded and headed off to Ian’s room.

“There’s no chance, is there?” Terrell asked.

She shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

He kissed her on the cheek and walked out.

Kat sat across from her dad, having a glass of wine and eating a late
lunch at the restaurant. They sat out on the trellis-covered patio with
grapevines and evening jasmine twining through. The dull heat of the day and
the wine made Kat a little sleepy. The mountains in the background shone golden
with the sun beating down on them. Even in the middle of a hot summer, Napa
Valley was one of the most beautiful places in the world. The smells of the
valley alone were heavenly as fruit and soil filled the air. Kat popped an
olive from a local grower into her mouth.

Jeremy was serving them and proud of it. Christian had promoted him to
server, and she’d watched Jeremy and Christian grow closer over the last month.
Brian was still in his cast and, even though Christian worked hard to take care
of him when Kat was in New Orleans to be with Alyssa, Brian still remained a
bit standoffish toward his stepdad. On the up side, Christian continued to keep
trying, so not all hope was lost.

“Kitty, we need to talk,” her father said.

She held up a hand, knowing this was coming, knowing he’d been sent to be
the peacemaker. “Mom put you up to this.”

“No she didn’t. I am doing this on my own and I need you to listen and
stop being so stubborn.” He frowned and the creases around his hazel eyes
deepened.

“Dad, there’s nothing to talk about.”

“That’s not true. I have stood by for years and watched you hurt, watched
your sister hurt, and let myself sulk and hurt while you took care of me and
everyone else. I moved out here knowing you’d be close by to take care of me.
For years I wasn’t much of a father or a husband.”

“Come on, Dad! What, is she brainwashing you to believe that? You were
the best dad in the world and the best husband. I don’t know what you’re
talking about.”

He took the bottle of chilled chardonnay from the ice bucket and refilled
his glass. “When your mother left, I was heartbroken, that’s true, and I didn’t
do right by you. You stepped in and did it all for me and Tammy, and I was
comfortable with that. But Kitty, I am a changed man. I’m no longer the man who
needs to be taken care of.”

“I know that.”

“I don’t think you do. There are some things in my past that I am not
proud of. Things that drove your mom away.”

“What are you talking about?”

Jeremy came by with a basket of bread. Kat shooed him away. “Not now,
Jer.”

“Your mother held the family together. I know I worked many hours to
provide, but she was the glue. I knew she wasn’t happy with all of the hours I
worked, and wasn’t there on time for certain events, or at all, on occasion.”

“You were working.”

“I know, but that was an excuse for me, too.”

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“I used my work as an excuse because I didn’t think I was worthy of such
a fine family. I felt the only way to hang on to your mother and you kids was
through providing a living.”

“Exactly. Dad, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Honey, I did.” He sighed and looked away from her for a few second
before continuing. “When you and your sister were in high school and so busy
with your own lives, your mom needed me, and I pushed her away because I didn’t
know how to be there for her. I had an affair, Kat.”

Her stomach tightened and her hands started shaking. She reached for her
wine. “What?”

“I did, and God bless your mother. She tried for years after that to move
forward with me, but it was too much for her and she finally left me.” Kat
couldn’t respond. “Her leaving wasn’t really her fault. She deserved better,
and if she hadn’t left, I wouldn’t be who I am today, and that is a pretty
happy old fart.”

“I am so confused.” She swallowed her wine, trying also to swallow back
all of the confusing thoughts rushing through her mind. What he told her
explained so much, but she didn’t know what to think, or where her allegiances
sat, or how to handle any of this. She was an adult. She should have known how
to handle this. “What about now? Now you’ve been forgiven and she comes back to
you, and it’s all fine?”

“Not entirely, but sort of. I know that time does heal. And time away
from one another has seemed to heal her and me. I love your mom. I always have
and I always will. If we wind up back together, that would be wonderful, and if
not, it’s not in the cards. But, honey, it’s not up to you to worry about us,
or take care of me and be angry at her. It’s not. I’m a big boy and she’s a big
girl and she loves you with all her heart and so do I. I think what I’m asking
here is for you to forgive both of us?”

“What am I supposed to do?” Kat looked heavenward.

“You’re supposed to deal with your own family. Love those kids when
they’re snots and act like you’re nothing but a pain in the ass. Love that
little girl, Amber, for being in your life. Love your husband, faults and all.
But most of all, love yourself. Love yourself, first, because you are
magnificent. You are a gift, Kat, and your family knows it. Whether they show
it or not, they know it. I know it. You need to know it and believe it.” He
took her hand and squeezed. “You are truly a gift, my girl.”

Damn! Now irritating tears blurred her vision and she quickly wiped them
away and let out a small laugh. Mix wine and sentiment and there go the
waterworks. She stood up and walked around the table, leaning over her dad.
“Thank you, Daddy.”

He stood and hugged her back. She spotted her mom at the hostess stand
and then pulled away from her dad and shook her head. She walked toward her
mom, who started to turn around. Kat grabbed her arm. Her mom turned back,
looking surprised. “Why don’t you come have a glass of wine with me and Dad?”

Her mom smiled and nodded.

***

The next morning Kat woke to soft knocking on her bedroom door. Christian
lifted his head. Amber stirred next to them. “Who the…?” Kat whispered, her
heart racing at the thought of an intruder. Jer had spent the night at a
buddy’s house and Brian was at the Sperm Donor’s. Intruders didn’t typically
announce their presence. Maybe Jeremy had been dropped off early for some reason.
To their surprise, Kat’s mother walked in, breakfast tray in hand. “Mom?”

“I know we’re still on shaky ground, Kitty, and I know you’re going to
think I am overstepping my bounds here, but I love you so much, and I love
Christian and this family, and the two of you need to be happy together.”

Kat sat up. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s all self explanatory,” her mom said. “Take your time. Amber, you
ready? Remember what Nanny V told you last night? That today was going to be
our day? Why don’t you wake on up now and we can get going.”

“Okay, Nanny V,” the sleepy little girl said and gave Kat and her dad a
hug. “Bye.”

“Bye?” Kat asked.

“Yes, bye-bye. Amber and I are going for a nature walk and then Pop-Pop
is going to pick us up and take us to lunch and the movies. Didn’t you say
Jeremy was staying at a friend’s last night and Brian at his dad’s?”

“Yes,” Kat replied.

“Good. Have fun.” She winked at them, set the tray down, and closed the
door. She opened it a minute later. “Sorry. Almost forgot the most important
items.” She set down a large gift box on their dresser.

“What in God’s name has she gone and done now?” Christian asked.

“Who knows? I’m kind of afraid.”

Christian clambered out of bed and walked over to where Venus had put the
tray and box on the dresser. Kat got up and grabbed the box. She pointed to the
tray. “Is that oysters on the half shell?”

“Sure is.”

“Champagne, too?”

“Yes, and lookie here,” he said, “chocolate covered strawberries.”

“I think there is a theme.”

“What’s in the box?”

They took the food and box back to the bed, where they opened the box.
“Only my mom.” Kat took out a book. “
Tantric Sex for Beginners
.”

“Let me see that.” He took it from her and flipped through the pages.
“How do they do that?” He showed her a page with two people facing each other,
appearing to be in each others’ laps seated Indian style. Kat turned the pages
from side to side.

“Impossible,” she said, and turned to the back page to see the author
photo. The author had long white hair and a braided beard set against his
crevice lined face. “Come on. This guy? Who would even have sex with this guy,
much less Indian style, funky sex? I wonder if he can even have sex. He looks
older than God.”

“What else is in there?” Christian asked pointing to the box.

Kat pulled out a blindfold, some honey nectar dusting powder with a
feather duster for the body, chocolate sauce, and a vibrator thingamajig called
The Tongue
. “I am so embarrassed,” Kat said.

“Have I told you lately how much I love your mother?” He poured her a
glass of champagne.

“I’m going to kill her.”

“Come on Kat. Let’s have some fun.” He tickled her leg with his free
hand.

“All right, let me see that book. Maybe I could learn something.”

After two more glasses of champagne and some of the driest reading ever,
Kat tossed the book aside and faced Christian. “Know what, honey, I don’t need
a book or aphrodisiacs, or dusting powder. I need you and that’s it.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “What do you say we play a game of spin
the bottle?”

“Now we’re talking.”