Unbreakable (25 page)

“You’re not dying, Pops. Would you like some coffee?” Cory raised his eyebrows meaningfully at me.

“That’d be great. And we’ll be fine. Really.”

“Well… okay,” Cory said, and I could see how pleased he was, how relieved. “One coffee, one candy bar.” He stopped at the door. “Behave yourself.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Walter grumbled.

“I was talking to Alex.”

I made a face back and shooed him away.

“Smart ass, isn’t he?” Walter said, though there was a flicker of warmth in his eyes. “See what I’ve had to put up with all these years? How long have you been putting up with him?”

“Not long. A few weeks.” I shifted in my chair. I wasn’t about to dishonor Cory’s wishes but I couldn’t stay completely silent. “He saved my life.”

“That’s what his mother used to say,” Walter said, and turned his gaze to the window and back over the years at the same time. “She said he saved her life. Not literally, of course. His mother…she wanted some kind of meaning and he gave it to her. Don’t know what. That’s between the two of them, I suppose. Though she’s been dead a long while now.”

“How old was Cory when she died?” I asked softly.

“Hmmm, little older than Callie is now. Ten years? Cory clammed up when she passed. Didn’t talk for a whole month. Not one word.” Walter rubbed the silver stubble on his chin. “Yeah, that was some tough times. Cancer,” he spat the word. “No rhyme or reason to it, is there?”

“No, I guess not,” I said, and watched as the sharpness fled Walter Bishop’s eyes and he swiveled his watery gaze to me.

“Eh? Georgia? Do you love him yet?”

Something deep in my heart flinched at the question. “I’m not Georgia, Mr. Bishop. I’m Alex.”

“No? What’s it going to take?”

“I…”

“He sold the business, Georgia. Can you believe that? Just when things were getting good. And for what?”

I eased a breath, regained some composure. “He wanted to take care of you. To make sure you had the best.”

“Fool boy. He could have built it up into something great and instead he threw it down the toilet. Bishop Construction. New owners now, but they wanted that name, oh yes. The name was everything. Meant something solid. Reliable. Because it was
us
. The new people...they just put a chess piece on it so it made sense.” He shook his head. “Why did he do that? Sell our name like that?”

“He did it for you,” I said quietly.

“For me,” Walter said. “What have I got left? I’m fading away like a picture in the sun. He should’ve let me die.”

“You know he could never do that.”

He held my eye for a moment more and then lost his focus again, as if someone kept pulling the shades up and then dropping them down.
No rhyme or reason.

“You’re not Georgia. Who are you?”

I leaned forward, and took his hand in mine. “I’m alive because of your son. A few weeks ago, Cory saved the lives of fifty-three people. Including mine. He’s a hero.”

“A hero?” Walter snorted, but his eyes softened. “Yeah, that’s sounds about right. He’s a good boy. The best thing Vera and I ever did. The best.” He looked at me then, his expression sad, but he was still there, still with me. “He sold the business to take care of me.”

I nodded.

“So who’s taking care of him?”

I swallowed hard. “I am.”

“Yeah?” Walter Bishop leaned close, his eyes sharp and dark. “Do you love him yet?”

Cory returned with a Snickers bar and a coffee. “Here we go.” He stopped, eyeing the two of us. “Everything okay?”

Walter leaned forward in his chair. “What’s that? Snickers? Yeah, okay, that’ll do. Give it quick, before the KGB shows up and confiscates it.”

Cory bent to hand me a small coffee. His expression darkened with concern. “You okay?” he murmured. “He didn’t say anything inappropriate, did he?”

“No, no…”
I glanced at Walter. He was chewing his candy bar, his eyes still sharp as they watched me. My cell phone buzzed, startling me. It had been ages since I’d had a call, and I’d never been more grateful.

“Excuse me. I’ll just take this…”

I stepped into the hallway. “Abed? Hi. It’s nice to talk to you.”

“You too, Alex. You’re sorely missed here.”

“Thanks. That’s good to hear.”

“No, I mean that literally. Munro. He’s not happy with the new development. Christopher taking his case and all. He’s been calling the office nearly every hour, raising holy hell with Lawson and Dooney.”

“Is he?” I said, and I couldn’t help but feel the smallest measure of satisfaction.

“He is,” Abed said. “He wants you back on the case, pronto. And he’s not the only one. Everyone’s working overtime to keep your cases afloat. Dooney’s eating crow, if that’s any consolation.”

I grinned. “Maybe a little.”

“Keep your phone on and expect a call from them any minute now, begging to have you back.” Abed lowered his voice. “I’m only a lowly paralegal, but I could be a lowly paralegal to a brand new partner in the firm if she plays her cards right.”

“Is that so?”

“You can’t see it, but I’m winking conspiratorially at you.”

I laughed. “Thanks, Abed. I’ll take it under consideration.”

I hung up and waited for the old familiar thrill to race through me. The shark-smelling-blood-thrill Don Knight was always accusing me of chasing. Then Callie bounded up to me, her smile as bright as her golden hair.

“Nurse Pauline gave me a whole book of Hello Kitty stickers!”

“She did? You must have been a great helper!” I said.

“Oh yes. I always try to do my best.” She held out her hand to me.

“What? I…”

“Aren’t you coming back in?”

“Oh, right.” I dropped my cell phone into my bag so that I could put my hand in hers. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

#

We visited with Cory’s father for another hour, until he became too tired and needed a nap. Callie pecked her grandfather on the cheek and wrapped her little arms around his neck.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “Do good in school. Mind your mother.”

“I don’t
mind
her!” Callie laughed and skipped out to say goodbye to the nurses.

“Take care, Pops,” Cory said, patting his father on the shoulder. “See you next week.”

“We’ll see,” Walter grumbled. “Where’s Georgia? Skipped out again? I knew it. She always seemed like she had one foot out the door. Always.”

“Jesus, Pops…” Cory rubbed his face.

I slipped between them and clasped Walter’s hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bishop.”

He blinked up at me. “Eh? Who…? Oh, it’s you. You’re still here at least.” He pulled me close, so that only I could hear. “Take care of my boy, Alexandra. He’ll fight it, but do it anyway. Okay?”

“Okay,” I said, and before I could stop myself, I kissed his bristly cheek. “I promise.”

“What was that all about?” Cory asked as we headed toward the elevators.

“That,” I said, with a smile, “is between me and Walter.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep. None of your business, bub.”

He stopped and took my arm, and my smile slipped at the intense look that came over him, a look that was both warm and sweet, but hungry too. “What…?”

“I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I’ve never wanted to kiss you so badly in my life,” he breathed. He cupped my cheeks and I felt myself melting against him. “Sometimes, Alex, I wish…”
“What?” I whispered, my eyes searching his. “What do you wish?”

He swallowed. “That we were still in the bank.”

Callie called from the elevators, and he released me abruptly and looked away. Then the barest flicker of a smile touched his lips and he took my hand. “Come on. Time to go.”

#

Callie asked a million questions about the bungalow she’d be living at when it was Cory’s weekends to have her. “It’s by the beach? Really? How close? Can we walk or do we have to drive? Driving a car sucks because parking usually sucks. Is there really a hot tub? But not a pool, right? That’s okay. A hot tub sounds fun. Can I go in it? Tonight?”

“I haven’t fixed it yet, baby,” Cory said. “I wasn’t expecting to have you tonight.”

Callie pouted, but only until she thought of the next round of questions. Cory answered—and sometimes I did too, laughing. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and helped to dispel the thick tension between Cory and me.

Then Callie said, “Mommy says we only get to live at your beach house for a little bit. Is that true?”

Cory’s expression immediately darkened, like clouds passing over the sun. “Well, Callie…”

Callie barreled on. “Are you going to live with us, Alex?”

I avoided Cory’s eye. “Only until next Friday. Then you and your dad will have it all to yourselves.”

“Oh.” Callie frowned. “Why are you letting us live there? Don’t you like your house?”

“I do,” I said slowly. “But I have another one I’m going to live in.”

“That’s nice of you.” A silence, then, “Daddy doesn’t like people doing stuff for him.”

Cory laughed. “I’m right here, you know.”

“It’s girl talk, Daddy, don’t listen.” Callie turned to face me. “Mom thinks people only do nice things to get something back.”

“She’s right,” I said. “Sometimes. But other times, people do something nice because they want to
give
something back. Even if the recipient is a stubborn, proud lug-head who won’t let anyone thank them.”

She giggled. “She’s talking about you, Daddy.”

Cory smirked. “I gathered.”

Callie patted my hand. “I don’t mind if you live with us longer. If you want. We won’t mind, would we Daddy?”

“Well, I—”

“You smell nice, Alex,” Callie said abruptly. “Like…when you walk into one of those big stores at the mall. What’s it…? Macy’s! You smell like Macy’s.” She elbowed Cory. “Don’t you think she smells nice, Daddy?”

“I…yes,” Cory said, keeping his eyes on the road. “I do.”

“Good,” Callie said, settling in her seat between us. “That’s good.”

Alex

At the bungalow, Callie gasped when she saw her room, her big brown eyes taking it all in. “Oh my gosh, it’s so pretty! So, so pretty!”

And she was right. Cory had worked so fast, I could hardly believe how quickly he’d turned the junky-looking furniture we got at the swap meet into the room before us now. It was exactly like the sketch he’d drawn, with a white bed, desk and dresser, all painted to look shabby-chic but not at all cheap. The walls were a lovely lavender with one a pale green. It still needed a few touches and accessories, but already it looked beautiful.

Callie clapped her hands to her chest in awe. “This is really mine?”

“Uh, for a little bit, honey,” Cory said quietly. “I’m not going to be living here for too long.”

“Why not?” Callie demanded.

“Yeah, why not?” I murmured to him playfully.

But Cory wasn’t playing. “We just can’t.”

Callie bounced on her bed. “But it’s so nice. And quiet. At Mommy’s place the neighbors are always playing loud music and sometimes they shout bad words at each other. Same as at your old place, Daddy. This house is the nicest I’ve ever seen.”

Cory seemed at a loss. I held out my hand to Callie. “Come see the rest of the house. I’ll show you which bathroom is yours.”

“I have my
own
bathroom?” Callie slipped off the bed.

“Sort of.” I opened the door to the bathroom. “It’s usually for guests—”

“Because we’re guests,” Cory said.

“You don’t have to be,” I said in a low voice as Callie investigated the rest of the house. “You can stay as long as you like, you know.”

“I know I can,” Cory said. “But I won’t. It’s just…not a good idea.”

“But Callie—”

“Not for Callie,” Cory said. “For me.”

#

The following day—Wednesday— Cory took off work to go the beach with Callie. They’d invited me along but I declined to give them time alone together. After visiting with Cory’s father the day before, I felt I’d intruded quite enough into their lives, invited or not.

When it came time for Cory to drive Callie home late that afternoon, the little girl lingered at the door to her room. “I wish I could stay here longer. I slept really well in that bed. So nice and quiet.”

“You’ll be back soon enough,” Cory said. “In about a week and a half.”

“That’s a long time.” Callie heaved a sigh and shouldered her little duffel bag. “Will you be here when I come back?” she asked me.

“Uh, no sweetie. I’m…I won’t.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot.” Callie frowned, then motioned for me to get close. I knelt and Callie cupped a hand over my ear. “It’s Daddy’s birthday on Saturday,” she whispered. “He won’t ever tell you, but it is.”

“Is that so? How old is he going to be?” I whispered back.

“
Old
. He’s turning thirty. Promise me you’ll do something nice for him?”

I hugged the little girl tightly, surprised at how sorry I was to see her go. “I will,” I whispered back. “I promise.”

Cory stood over us, arms crossed, grinning his crooked grin. “What’s with all the secrets?”

“Nothing, Daddy. It’s girl talk. Don’t listen.” Callie held her littlest finger up solemnly. “Pinky swear?”

I linked my finger with Callie’s. “Pinky swear.”

The little girl beamed and skipped out the door, stopping at the front porch. “Come on, Daddy. We’re all set.”

“We are, huh?” Cory looked at me, eyebrows raised.

I shrugged innocently. “Girl talk.”

His smile slipped to something sad, or maybe resigned, as he turned to go. “I knew she’d love you.”