High-Caliber Concealer (18 page)

“I’m just trying to figure out why she’s
dressed like A Long Hot Summer,” said Jenny. “That’s a little
outside the norm.”

“I’m helping Grandma,” said Nikki.

“What a fantastic dress. But what on earth
are you helping her with?” asked Ellen, poking her head around the
seat to inspect Nikki’s dress.

“My mother fancies herself an amateur
photographer,” said Nell, sounding embarrassed. “I’m sure this is
one of her projects.”

“Yes,” said Nikki. “Yesterday I was Clara
Bow. You should see all the vintage clothes Grandma dug out of the
attic.”

“Really? Can we try them on?” Jane loved
vintage almost as much as she loved goth.

“Sure,” said Nikki. “I’m sure Grandma will
be happy to have another model. Maybe we can find you some sort of
40s pinup thing to wear.”

“This is so much better than Cancun!” Jane
clapped her hands ecstatically and Jenny rolled her eyes.

“Oh, it’s definitely not better than
Cancun,” said Nell, looking apprehensive. “It’s really just a farm.
Not very big or very exciting even.”

“It’s better than Cancun for Jane,” said
Nikki.

“She doesn’t like happy places or drinks
with umbrellas in them,” said Jenny bitterly.

“Not even the ones with extra fruit?” Nell
was confused.

“If I’m going to drink alcohol, I like it to
taste like alcohol,” said Jane. “Besides, Jenny, with your health
kick lately, I can’t figure out why you’re drinking anyway.”

“That’s why you add the fruit,” said Nell.
“It’s practically a health food!”

“Thank you, Nell. I’m glad someone
understands. Nikki, she stayed in her room on her computer for most
of the three days we were there.”

“Jane, I’m not sure you’re grasping how to
properly Cancun,” said Nikki.

“That’s what Jenny said, but I don’t think
I’m obligated to Cancun the same way other people do. And it’s not
like I didn’t do stuff. I did stuff. I went on a nighttime fishing
cruise. I caught fish. I’m not entirely sure what kind of fish, but
it was very exciting. I went to a museum about the Mayans. And I
took a guitar lesson from a Mariachi musician.”

“You see?” said Jenny. “She’s hopelessly
cultural.”

Nikki clucked sympathetically. “Well, we’ve
known that about her for years now. I really think you should stop
trying to broaden her horizons at this point. Ellen, didn’t your
daughters mind that you left early?”

“Possibly,” said Ellen, leaning forward
against the car seat to make conversation. “But I think they may
also have been a little glad. I overheard Martina tell George that
I wasn’t a very relaxing grandmother, and that she remembered me
being a lot less strenuous when she was a child.”

“That’s a terrible thing to say,” said Nell,
her eyes widening. “What did you do?”

“Oh, nothing. There wasn’t anything to do
really, and besides it’s true. I was about fifty pounds heavier
when they were young. I feel bad actually. I was the mom who would
buy a tub of icing and a bag of cookies and make ‘homemade’ Oreos.
How any of us made it out of their formative years without diabetes
is a miracle. It wasn’t until my husband died that I took up
exercise. But as a result, the girls are a bit soft and I think
they find me rather tiring. The grandkids love me though, and
really, sowing generational discord is what brings joy to a
grandparent’s heart.”

“That sounds like something my mother would
agree with,” said Nell, glancing at Nikki. Nikki, who was
concentrating on making a turn, couldn’t tell if Nell’s expression
was angry or guilty.

“Probably,” agreed Nikki. “Although, if I
ever have kids, I expect you’ll do the same thing. Probably with
more bribery though.”

“What do you mean if?” demanded Nell. “There
better be grandkids in my future. Are things not going well with
Z’ev? Where is he, by the way? When do I get to meet him?”

“Things are fine with Z’ev. He’s on
assignment. And never if I can help it.”

“Your jokes aren’t funny,” said Nell. “What
was that, Jenny?”

The conversation in the back of the car was
already moving off of Z’ev and onto a local news story they’d seen
at the airport.

“Hey mom, can you call Grandma and tell her
we’re bringing the girls with us?”

“I already did while we were waiting for
you,” said Nell. “You really ought to make more of an effort to be
on time, Nikki. Otherwise people will think you’re rude.”

Nikki ignored the comment, since on the
scale of annoying things her mother was going to say today, sliding
in one about being late was barely going to tip the meter.

The rest of the drive was peppered by
observations of the countryside, embarrassing childhood stories,
and a circular discussion over whether or not bartenders expected
their patrons to actually eat the fruit in drinks. Nikki pulled to
a stop in front of the house and breathed a sigh of relief. Peg
came out to the car and welcomed everyone, except Nikki.

“Sorry, sweetie, but with this many people I
need you to pop back to town and pick up a few more items for
dinner.”

“Jane wants to see the clothes from the
attic. Jenny will want to go swimming in the pond. And Ellen will
be happy to help with dinner as long as it’s not baking,” said
Nikki, taking the grocery list with a sigh.

“Easiest house guests ever then,” said
Peg.

Nikki waved and got back in the car. An hour
later, she finished loading the groceries in the car and slammed
the back hatch, ready to finally be done with the day, when her
phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number with a 360 area code and
Nikki picked it up with a frown.

“Hello?”

“Babe? Awesome. I was afraid you wouldn’t
pick up.”

“Z’ev?” Her heart rate went up and she
couldn’t keep the little squeal of excitement from her voice. “Are
you back in the States?”

“Yeah. Actually,” he paused to clear his
throat and Nikki was instantly suspicious. “I checked my messages
on the flight back over and I heard that you were going to be in
Washington State.”

“Yes?” Nikki couldn’t figure out where this
was going.

“Well, I was hitching a ride with the DEA
and they had a flight that was already going to Washington. So I
rented a car in Spokane and drove up. I’m in a motel near this
weird little bar called the Kessel Run. Uh, I hope that’s OK.”

“I’m not going back into the grocery store.
It depresses me.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Forget it. I just have to call
Grandma and make sure we can add another for dinner without me
driving all the way back into town.”

“Another?”

“My grandma called my mom and made her fly
out. And apparently the girls weren’t enjoying their vacations, so
they decided to come crash mine.”

Z’ev snorted in laughter.

“So there’s a house full of people and
Grandma made me drive back to the grocery store and I’m starting to
really hate the grocery store. Let me call her and make sure we
don’t need to go back in and then I’ll come get you.”

“This is cool. I’m excited to meet your
family.”

“Yeah, you won’t be as excited after you
meet them.”

“Stop being so down on your mom.”

“Stop being so positive about my mom,”
snapped Nikki.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to like your mom
without permission.”

Nikki laughed and climbed in the car. “She
drives me so crazy. I was in the car with her for an hour and a
half and I already want to kill her. It’s like she just looks for
ways to undermine me.”

“It’s good the girls are there then. They’ll
keep you from stabbing her in the eye.”

“I hope so. I’m glad you’re here too. I
really want to see you. Although, now that I’m thinking of it,
there might not be any room for you at the house.”

“I can’t stay in your room?”

“Umm… no? I’m fairly certain Grandma would
shit a brick rather than let unmarried people stay in the same room
together.”

“She does know we live together, right?”

“Yes, but that happens in another state. And
the reality that exists in the State of California doesn’t apply to
the rest of the world. Also, you’d be a bit difficult to wedge in
with all the clothes.”

“I’m not even going to inquire about the
last statement.”

“Probably just as well. Give me about twenty
minutes and I’ll meet you at the hotel.”

“I’m over at the bar actually. I bumped into
your friend Donny Fernandez.”

“Don’t let him get you into trouble,” said
Nikki.

“You’re going to be here in twenty minutes
right? How much trouble can he get me into in twenty minutes?”

“You’d be surprised. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” he said.

Peg had been about as happy to have Z’ev
visit as Nikki had expected. She could hear Nell jumping up and
down in the background. But Peg had only said, “Hmm, sure, I
guess.”

Nikki pulled up at the Kessel Run and
spotted Z’ev’s rental car, a green four-door Camry, the world’s
most boring car. Clyde was behind the bar again. This time the
place was busier and the Harrison Ford cut-out had been pushed up
against the wall. Clyde was navigating the room with a tray full of
food held high.

“Hey, Nikki,” said Clyde, with a brief nod
as he edged past her.

“Hey.” She scanned the room looking for
Z’ev.

“If you’re looking for that big guy,” Clyde
said, coming back the other way, tray empty. “I think he went out
back with Donny Fernandez.”

“Thanks,” said Nikki, walking further into
the bar, past the restrooms and the open door to the sweltering
kitchen. She could hear the sounds of men’s voices, but couldn’t
tell if they were excited or angry. Nikki quickened her pace, the
stiff cotton of her sundress making swishing noises against her
skin, and pushed through the swinging wooden screen door out onto
the back porch.

They were all off the porch, some kneeling,
some standing over a flat spot in the grass. Most were Mexican and
they all spoke Spanish. Nikki spotted Donny, and recognized Carlos
and Rey-Rey Vallejo. Z’ev was kneeling and there was a substantial
pile of money on the ground. They were shooting craps and Nikki
watched this entirely masculine form of entertainment with
interest. Girls, as a group, just didn’t go out back to shoot
dice.

Nikki wound one arm around a porch post and
leaned against it, pausing to admire Z’ev. He’d been someplace
sunny. He was tanner than when he’d left LA. He was strutting a
ghetto look in a white tank-top and jeans, too. His watch wasn’t
gold, but it did have the heavy expensive look that was required
for any truly macho guy. To really pull it off, he should have had
more jewelry, but Nikki knew that he didn’t ever wear any. He
probably wouldn’t have worn the watch either, except that it was
company issue. But it was his attitude that was putting the act
over and Nikki could see that in the circle of men there wasn’t a
single person who doubted Z’ev’s street cred. He really was good at
this sort of thing.

It was Donny who acknowledged her first,
although she wouldn’t have bet that Z’ev didn’t know she was
there.

“Hola
, Nikki,” said
Donny with a head jerk and a smile.

“Hola
. I thought
you liked me. Are you trying to get my boyfriend in trouble?” Nikki
replied.

“Trouble? What trouble?” asked Donny
spreading his hands upward in a too-innocent shrug.

“Aw, come on, baby,” said Z’ev. “You worry
too much.” They held eye contact for a moment and Nikki found
herself short of breath. He really had been away too long.

Nikki readjusted her position, leaning her
elbows on the porch railing which she knew displayed her cleavage
to an advantage.

“You’d better watch yourself,” she replied.
“I went to school with some of these guys and they’ll take your
lunch money faster than spit.” She nodded toward Carlos and
Rey-Rey. Z’ev gave them a questioning look and they both nodded
unrepentantly.

“Well, you’d better give me some luck then,”
he said falling back and walking over to the porch. “Blow on my
dice.”

“Blow on your own dice,” she replied tartly.
That got a laugh and some comments from the other gamblers.

“You just don’t like it when I gamble.” He
was whining for the audience.

“No,” corrected Nikki. “I just don’t like it
when you lose.”

“Well, if you don’t give me any luck, what
do you expect? Come on. You know you want to.”

He held out his palm and rattled the purple
dice around with clicking sound. Nikki didn’t move, but her eyes
twinkled.

“No? Well, OK.”

He started to pull the dice away and Nikki’s
hand shot out, grabbing his wrist. Not taking her eyes off his
face, she brought his hand to just below her mouth and blew gently
over the dice. There was a silence from the men. No one thought
that was funny. Z’ev grinned his all too charming smile that still
made Nikki’s stomach do back-flips, and knelt down. There was a
flurry of betting. Z’ev took one more glance up at her and winked.
Then he threw the dice.

The clear, purple cubes bounced across the
money, reflecting sunlight from the golden rays of the setting sun.
One rolled gently to a stop showing five dots. The other ricocheted
off a shoe and spun to a halt, clearly displaying two small white
dots. There was a groan from the men who had bet against Z’ev. Z’ev
held his hands up and looked around triumphantly and began to
gather up his winnings.

“Te amo,
” he said
kissing his fingertips at Nikki.

“Oh,
te amo, te
amo,
” Nikki repeated mockingly. “Now that he wins the
money.”

The crowd laughed.

“Well, baby,” said Z’ev plaintively and
paused. They all turned to look at him, standing there in his
muscles and money. “Of course.”