Newton Neighbors (New England Trilogy) (29 page)

He came over and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “I know, honey, and I know you love a pretty house, full of kids and laughter.”

She snorted a laugh. “Well, everybody loves laughter, but the kids? They can be trouble.”

He pulled back and looked at her. “Oh, everything okay?”

Cathi didn’t know what he was talking about. She shrugged and nodded. “Yes, of course. Now, tell me about Rick. Did you get any more news from him?”

Michael sighed and shook his head. He pulled out one of the dining room chairs and sat while he talked. It irked Cathi, but she let it slip in the interest of keeping him in a good mood. She needed him happy. Things were moving much faster than she’d expected. She had to tell him about the offer on the house soon.

“I had no idea there was any trouble between them. They looked great together at that party last month, didn’t they?”

“Yes. I don’t think they’re breaking up or anything like that, Michael. Maria’s just at the end of her rope with the kids. He’s working too hard, and she can’t keep it all together. She needed to get away and he wouldn’t go, so she took off with the kids. If you ask me, she’s crying out for help. He should be following her down there, not coming here for dinner.”

“Are you kidding?” He looked surprised. “What the hell has he done wrong? The guy is heading up one of the biggest marketing campaigns in the US this year, and she expects him to head to the sun? Hello. It’s a miracle he gets home at all.”

“Michael, you know I’ve spoken with her. She hasn’t gone off with another guy. She’s taken the kids to her mother’s. It’s not a party for her either.”

Michael shook his head and looked frustrated. “All she has to do is keep the house together like you do. It’s not that big of a deal, is it? I mean, they have a great house in a nice neighborhood. Cody’s even at school all day, for God’s sake. What’s her problem?”
 

Cathi was stunned at her husband’s insensitivity. Michael tended to be empathetic and understood women needed love and room to grow. They needed support—and not just financial—because kids could drain the lifeblood out of their mothers. It was up to men to nurture their wives. That was possibly even more important than bringing home the bucks. How was she going to convince him they needed to move house if he was in such a chauvinistic frame of mind? She felt her eyes water. The last thing she wanted to do was fight with him. Not after all this work. She had achieved so much without bothering him. Now all she needed was his approval for the next part of her plan and they could move up and on—together.

“Ah hell, I’ve upset you, baby.” He rose from the chair and came over to hug her again.
 

“I’m sorry,” she said, sounding shaky. “I don’t want anything to happen to Maria and Rick. I love those guys.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine.” He stroked her hair. “Don’t worry about them. Maybe a little time apart is just what they need. But, please, promise me you won’t stress yourself about them.” He studied her face, his own the picture of concern.

She couldn’t help but smile. “You’re a perfect husband.”
 

“And don’t you forget it.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

Just then the doorbell rang. “That’ll be him now. I hope he’s okay—crazy that he was even working today. Working on Thanksgiving? That’s just not American!” Michael headed out to the front door to greet Rick.

Cathi turned her attention back to the table. It was probably her best Thanksgiving setting ever. She had spent a small fortune on new decorations, but wasn’t it worth it? She headed to the kitchen to check on her turkey. The roast potatoes were coming along well. They would be crispy and brown in another half hour.

 
Cathi referred to her timetable, which was stuck to the fridge door with a magnet. She checked the time on her nautical kitchen clock. Everything was synchronized to absolute precision. That was what made such an ambitious meal possible. Nothing was left to chance. She could hear her kids laughing and playing with Rick in the hall. For a moment her mind moved from the job at hand to her friend in Puerto Rico. It had been a heck of a shock when Maria returned her call. All cool, calm, and collected, she had informed Cathi she had gone home to her mother with the kids.
 

At first, Cathi had thought her friend was joking. Maria had never done anything like that before. Sure, she was a hotheaded woman and life was never dull when Maria was around, but she’d never actually run away before. Over the last decade, Cathi’s best friend had been quite levelheaded. This was a new development.
 

Maria had explained she needed to get away and Rick couldn’t take the time off, so she had gone by herself with the kids. She’d expressed a hope her husband might follow, but Cathi didn’t have the nerve to say she doubted that would happen.

“Cathi.” Rick arrived into the kitchen with Michael right behind. “So this is where it’s all happening. Everything smells so good.” He kissed her on the cheek, and she stopped her fussing for a moment to give him a little extra attention.

“Rick, how are you?”

He shrugged and glanced around the kitchen rather than at her. “Oh, you know, same ol’, same ol’. Hey, thanks for asking me over. It would have been a microwave dinner otherwise.”

Michael poured the wine. “You won’t believe the amount of work this girl has gone to.” He nodded toward Cathi. “Wait till you see the dining room table. You must be one special guest, Rick. I never get this kind of treatment.”

Cathi snapped her head up, mouth open, ready to defend herself, but then Michael winked at her and she knew he was playing with her. “It’s Thanksgiving,” she said instead. “We have to make it special.”

Stacy, the youngest in the family, followed the men into the kitchen. “Where’s Cody and Alice?”
 

Cathi kicked herself for not warning her nine-year-old not to mention the missing family, but Rick seemed fine with it. “They’ve gone with Maria to visit their cousins in Puerto Rico. It’s sunny there and a nice place to be right now.” He looked out of the kitchen window at the snow-covered ground. “I think it was a good idea,” he said, sounding a little glum.

Michael walked over and gave him a glass of red wine. “Maybe next year we’ll all go down there for Thanksgiving.”
 

Rick’s smile was tinged by his sad eyes.

“Hey, cool.” Stacy’s eyes lit up at the suggestion and skipped out of the room.
 

“Don’t I get a glass of wine?” Cathi tapped the base of her empty wine glass with a French-manicured nail.

“Oh, sorry, honey. Do you want one?”

“Of course I do.” What was he thinking? He knew she liked her wine as much as he did. She studied Rick again while Michael got her a glass of red.
 

“So you’re okay with Maria and the kids being in Puerto Rico?” she asked.

He was back to looking out the window. “Hey, what can I say? She’s gone. I was—no, I
am
mad as hell with her for being so damn impetuous. We hadn’t even discussed it. I called her Tuesday night and left a ton of messages, and she hasn’t even called back. I’m not calling again. She can come home when she wants to.”

Cathi shivered. The tone in his voice was so different from the one he had just used with Stacy. How good he was at acting cool when he wasn’t. He was furious. She felt for Maria. This was a big deal. Michael gave her a glass of red wine. She looked at it and then at him. Why was he only giving her half a glass? She didn’t say anything because Rick was talking again.

“Did you know about this, Cathi?”

“Me? Heck, no. I knew she was finding it hard that you were working so hard, but to be honest, I think she was a bit depressed, too.”

Rick’s head snapped around. “What?”

“Um, yeah. I haven’t seen her for a few weeks, but you know we talk all the time on the phone. Now that I think about it, perhaps she wasn’t her usual happy self. Damn it, I should’ve been there for her.”

“Hey, it’s not your fault,” Rick said in a soft tone.

“When did you last see her?” Michael asked.

Cathi didn’t want to tell the men about her visit to the house for sale on Crystal Lake Lane so she was vague. “We had a coffee together one morning a few weeks ago. She’d been out running. I think she was trying to lose a few pounds before her big birthday in the spring.”

“Maria? Running?” Rick looked surprised. “She’s not into running. She’s never gone for a run in her life.”

“Oh yes she did. She was just coming back on that day I stopped by.”

Rick looked upset. “I had no idea.” He took a big drink of wine. “And you think she’s trying to get in shape before her fortieth?”

“I guess. Look, Rick, I don’t know. Why don’t you go visit her and talk all of this out?”

His demeanor changed. “No way. She’s the one who left me. I made a million calls. She can damn well come back to me. I’ve done enough chasing.”

It wasn’t the response Cathi had been hoping for. She finished her tiny glass of red wine and checked the clock. It was time to take the turkey out so it could rest for thirty minutes.

“Michael, any chance of some more wine?” She gave him a flirty grin and opened the oven door.

“You sure?” His face was drenched with concern.

“Uh, yeah,” she said. “That first glass was mouthwash sized. What’s wrong? Are we on rations?” She pouted and arched her eyebrows to tease him. Then she poked at the massive bird in the hot oven.

“Cathi, this is crazy. You have to tell me.” He glanced at Rick and then to the door. “The girls are out of earshot. We have to talk about this, and here, give me that.” He sounded impatient and pulled the oven mitts from her. “You shouldn’t be carrying heavy things anymore.” Michael nudged her out of the way and took over the job of moving the turkey.

She gave a confused laugh. “What are you talking about, Michael? What am I supposed to tell you? I can’t drink? I can’t lift heavy things? What is it?”

“You’re pregnant!” he said in exasperation, sounding like he was, at last, releasing a secret that had been bursting to get out.
Or was it the exertion of carrying an enormous stuffed turkey
, she wondered fleetingly. Her mind raced, but she didn’t speak. He thought she was pregnant? Where in the world did he get that crazy notion?

With the bird settled safe on the countertop, Michael faced his wife. “Cathi, I’m sorry I stole your thunder, and I’m sorry I was snooping, but I found all the information about decorating a baby nursery. I’ve seen how tired you’ve been in the last few weeks. Isn’t that always the case?” He gave a soft smile like he was remembering the last time she’d been pregnant. “So yes, I already know. I’m sure it must be a heck of a shock for you because we’d agreed we were finished. But I think, heck, it’s a miracle—a God-given miracle. I’m thrilled.” He glanced at Rick, who was watching the whole situation unfold with his mouth wide open in shock.

“You think I’m pregnant?” she whispered the words while her mind tried to catch up. She looked to Rick.

Michael remained focused on his wife. “Am I wrong?” He gave her a lopsided grin and held his arms out to embrace her.

She looked at him and smiled. He looked so happy. Then she remembered something her mother used to say:
A new baby means a new house
.
 

This could be the miracle she had been praying for. Was this the way she’d get her wish? Cathi made a monumental decision in a microsecond. She shook her head and beamed at her husband. “No, Michael, you’re not wrong,” she said and rushed into his arms.

His red wine was set aside, and Rick opened the champagne Michael had been hiding in the fridge. Of course, she just sipped a tiny amount of champagne. She had to watch her health now. More importantly, she had to stay sober to focus on what the hell she had just done. How in the heck had she ended up here?

Cathi wasn’t allowed to serve her fabulous Thanksgiving meal—the men took over with the help of the girls. Michael suggested it was too soon to tell the children and they should keep it quiet for a few more weeks. Cathi absolutely agreed. It would be a mistake for the children to hear about it.
 

While everybody else fussed over getting the food to the table, Cathi was sent to the living room to sit down with her feet up. It was her first chance to think about her predicament. She hadn’t meant to lie. It just slipped out. Michael seemed to want it so much, and even Rick looked like he wanted good news. She sipped a glass of ice water and thought about what she had accidently agreed to.
 

It wasn’t all her fault. What the heck had Michael been doing snooping through her stuff, and why had he dropped it on her like that? She hadn’t planned on this massive deception. Damn it, her highest aspiration for the afternoon was a nice Thanksgiving meal, but everything had gone way out of control. She should have said he was mistaken, but something in her mind had skipped ahead.
 

If he thought she was pregnant, maybe he would be easier to manipulate on the whole buying a new house thing. Yes, it was a big lie, but she would just pretend to miscarry in a few weeks. At first he would be upset, but he would get over it. Women had miscarriages all the time. They were a fact of life. It just might be a factor to help her convince him to move.