Kisses in the Rain (14 page)

Nick and Davey had already left for Juneau by the time the information arrived, and Martha had called her mother immediately to discuss it.

"As I recall," Martha's mother said, "the little boy in my class was highly intelligent. They'd tried everything to get him to talk, but nothing worked. He seemed like a very sad little boy, and it took us a while to get to the bottom of it. Who would think that a house fire when the boy was a baby was responsible for his not saying a word until he got professional help!"

"Your description of your student sounds a lot like Davey," Martha said. "Davey's a sad little boy, too."

"Your friend Nick—doesn't he have any idea what's wrong with Davey?"

"Unfortunately, no," said Martha. "That's why he's taken Davey to Juneau for an expert opinion."

"Has Davey been subjected to any traumatic experiences? Any serious family problems or anything like that?"

"I'm not sure," Martha said. No one would know that except Nick, and if Nick knew, he wasn't telling.

"I know it's not a laughing matter, Martha, but your sister Roxie brought both kids over to the house today, and we couldn't help wishing for some peace and quiet! How those children can carry on!" And then Georgine Rose proceeded to brag about her darling grandchildren, which only made Martha despair more. Hearing about other children's noisy exploits only made her more aware of Davey's problem.

She had made absolutely no headway in getting to know Davey. Nick had brought him over to her house one day, and although Davey had finally eaten the peanut butter and jelly sandwich Martha offered, and although he had settled down agreeably in front of her TV to watch a video, he'd barely acknowledged that Martha was there. He had seemed well aware of his surroundings, brightening considerably when Martha and Nick took him to the park. But Martha felt no closer to Davey than she had when she first met him, and she knew this was starting to upset Nick.

"You've been so nice to Davey," Nick said, cuddling her close on the night before he left. "Davey couldn't ask for any more consideration."

Indeed. On that particular day, Martha had set aside what she was doing and put off filling out orders for supplies from Sidney because Davey and Nick were there. She'd even made a quick trip to the grocery store in the rain so she'd have peanut butter for Davey because he liked it. She'd given one hundred percent and had received no response from Davey. Not that she expected anything, knowing how Davey was. But it would have been nice to have some encouragement.

Sometimes she wanted to hold him in her arms, and a couple of times she had. At those times Davey had only sagged against her unresponsively, as though he hadn't even known she was there. Finally Martha reached a new understanding of Nick's frustration. She'd felt the same hopelessness over Davey herself.

Right now it felt good to be away from the Bagel Barn, even for a few minutes. The breeze off the Narrows freshened, bringing with it the scent of brine. Formerly a landlocked midwesterner, Martha had developed a firm affection for the sea; she loved its fragrance, its wildlife, its scenery, and its mercurial nature. The sea was impulsive, as she was. She couldn't imagine living inland again. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to. San Francisco would soon be her permanent home.

This thought reminded her that she hadn't yet emailed the weekly supply order to Sidney. She wondered if Sidney would notice that she was ordering the same number of bagels this week but less lox.

Martha was ordering less lox because the Alaskan salmon, which she now bought in quantity from Nick's store, was so popular. It wasn't unusual, even with her well-fed cruise passengers, for customers to try one bagel heaped high with alder-smoked Alaska salmon and then return for another. Sales were brisk, in part because Martha had taken the responsibility for serving bagels with Alaska salmon but also because Randy was such a good salesman.

She never regretted hiring Randy. He had a likable, outgoing personality, and he was always urging customers to try this or that for the first time. He was so jolly and pleasant that the customers usually tried what he recommended. Sometimes they'd return with a friend or a fellow passenger and say, "He wants one of those bagels with the Alaskan salmon, too."

It was Randy who had started offering a daily special priced twenty percent off the regular price. Randy had discovered that cruise passengers, after paying top dollar to sail on a luxury liner such as the
Trondheim,
loved the idea of finding a bargain in Alaska, which was generally considered an expensive place to visit. Most Alaskan prices reflected the expense of shipping all supplies in by sea or air. Today's sablefish special had been Randy's idea, and as with all their specials he had lettered a neat but noticeable sign and tacked it on the side of the Bagel Barn so that tourists coming up the ramp of the dock would know right away that the Bagel Barn offered a bargain.

At the moment, Randy was toasting and serving bagels as well as brewing tea, pouring soft drinks and handling money. A line formed to the right of the Bagel Barn. Martha had better stop shirking her duties and give poor Randy the help he needed.

She glanced at her watch. It was three o'clock. Only two more hours before Nick and Davey returned from Juneau.

Her spirits lifting, Martha hurried back to the Bagel Barn, where she put on the silly red-and-white apron and attacked her work with renewed vigor. Two hours wasn't long to wait; two hours was nothing compared to the five days that Nick had already been away.

* * *

Martha went to meet Nick and Davey at the ferry terminal, where she spent an anxious hour pacing the floor because their scheduled flight was late.

Nick, carrying Davey with one arm and with a small suitcase in the other hand, hove into sight immediately after the ferry docked. He wore a dashing felt outback hat and towered over the other passengers. Martha's heart swelled at the sight of him; she had missed him incredibly.

Nick set Davey down and swept Martha into his arms. "Dear Cheechako," he said, the words coming easily to his lips. He had noticed happy tears glistening on her eyelashes in the moment before he embraced her, and the sight of them had so overwhelmed him with emotion that he felt a bit teary himself. He hadn't believed how much he had missed her quick humor and her pleasant disposition all the time he'd been away. He felt amazingly lucky to have her in his life.

She pulled slightly apart from him. Her gray eyes sparkled; her lips were slightly parted and moist. He wanted to kiss her again, but Davey was silently and insistently tugging at the bottom of his coat.

"I have food at my place," Martha offered quickly.

"Davey and I are invited to Dan and Stella's for dinner," Nick said.

Martha didn't reply, but she looked crestfallen.

"I'm sure you'd be invited too, if they knew you'd like to come."

She'd hoped to have Nick to herself. Nick and Davey, that is.

"I don't know," she said doubtfully.

Nick realized then that Martha had planned for his return, that she probably had a complete dinner waiting. He should have told her earlier that he and Davey were invited to eat with his brother and his family tonight. He simply wasn't used to including Martha automatically in the day-to-day details of his life.

"Hey," he said, tipping her chin up so he could look into her troubled eyes. "I'll call Stella and beg off. Okay?"

"I don't want to interfere with family plans." She seemed so disappointed.

"Don't be silly," Nick said. "Stella told me she wasn't planning anything special. She was having a big chicken casserole and Davey and I were invited to eat it if we could make it. And our plane was an hour late, so they've probably started eating already."

Martha smiled. Suddenly everything was all right again. "My car's over there," she said, and after a quick call to Stella, Nick took Davey by the hand and followed her.

"Good. And Stella's okay with this?"

"Sure. She's curious about what I found out, but I'll fill her in later."

Martha served a mouthwatering meal of king crab legs and wild rice, fresh broccoli and carrots. Davey ate well and then sat down to work an easy jigsaw puzzle that Martha had ordered online for him. Martha and Nick sat down on the couch to catch up.

"The psychiatrist, Dr. Whitmer, tested Davey," Nick told her, keeping his voice low so Davey couldn't hear. "But he wants to give him more tests in two weeks. We'll be going back to Juneau then."

"I missed you," she said, her heart in her throat. "I wish you didn't have to go away again so soon."

Nick's face was momentarily clouded with sadness. "I missed you, too. But this was something I had to do. You understand, don't you?"

"Of course." She reached for his hand.

At the table where he was working the puzzle, oblivious to their conversation, Davey yawned and scrubbed at his eyes with both fists.

"He's tired," Nick said. "Aren't you, Davey?"

Davey nodded. His eyes were heavy and thick-lidded.

"Why don't you let him lie down on my bed?" Martha suggested.

"Good idea," Nick replied, and he lifted the unprotesting Davey in his arms and carried him into Martha's bedroom. She brought a warm comforter from the closet and together they billowed it up and over the boy, tucking it in on both sides.

Davey closed his eyes immediately. His thick black eyelashes curved against plump cheeks; his chest rose and fell evenly with each breath. He was such a beautiful little boy, Martha thought. He looked so healthy. Looking at him now, no one would ever guess that he was a child with a problem.

Nick bent over and brushed Davey's forehead with his lips. In the dim light from the hall, Martha saw the crease of worry in Nick's forehead. Her heart went out to him. Nick was so conscientious. He tried so hard. He desperately wanted Davey to be normal, and he was afraid that Davey never would be.

"Come on," she said, folding her hand in his, and together they went out of the room and closed the door.

"I brought you something," Nick said suddenly when they were back in her living room. He produced a small square package.

Martha pulled off the gilt wrapping and opened the box. Inside was a wide carved ivory bracelet. The series of carvings on the curved sides of the bracelet depicted animal motifs that she had learned to associate with Alaskan Native art. A polar bear stood on its hind legs. An Eskimo paddled a kayak. A caribou picked its way through a landscape of wildflowers.

"The bracelet's made of walrus ivory by a Native Alaskan," Nick said. "I thought you'd like it."

"It's so pretty, Nick," Martha said, captivated by the pictures and the workmanship.

"Let me do the honors," Nick said, slipping the bracelet on her arm and raising her hand to kiss her fingers. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, then nuzzled her cheek.

"It'll be something to remind me of Alaska once I've gone home," she said. Her voice quavered, and Nick's embrace loosened in surprise. Martha couldn't believe she had startled him with her statement about going home. She had never led him to think that she planned to stay in Ketchikan. Going back to the Lower Forty-eight was inevitable.

"Martha," he began uneasily.

She turned in his arms until she faced him. "Shhh," she whispered against his cheek. "Some things are better left unsaid."

He folded her in his arms, but she sensed the tension in his muscles. It was too soon, she thought with regret. Why had she brought up a subject that was better off ignored? It must be that their unavoidable separation was on her mind more than ever now that she knew how much she hated being apart from him. She rested her head against his chest, drawing comfort from the strong, steady sound of his heartbeat.

After a moment he said, "Let's sit down. We need to talk about this. We'll have to face it sooner or later." He led her to the couch and pulled her down beside him. He held both her hands fast in his as he turned toward her.

"I've never made any secret of the fact that I'm going back to San Francisco," she began haltingly.

"And I haven't made any secret of the fact that I'm crazy in love with you." His voice remained quiet, but there was something commanding in his tone. He released one hand and cupped her cheek in his palm. "In love with you," he repeated, in case there was some remote chance that she hadn't comprehended.

"I have an agreement with Sidney," Martha said, fighting to regain her composure. "It's the chance of a lifetime to get in on the bottom floor of a business."

"I can appreciate that," Nick said slowly, though he wondered if she might change her priorities.

"Can you?" Martha asked, her eyes searching his. "You were able to expand an existing family business in order to get where you are today. I didn't have that opportunity, although I might have if things had been different."

"What do you mean, 'different'?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, Nick, I don't know that it's important to tell you about it."

He discerned from the restrained tone of her voice that she was becoming agitated, from that and the way her fingertips twitched within the clasp of his hands, but he wanted her to go on talking. He wanted to be a good listener for her, just as she had been for him.