Updrift (18 page)

“He’s right,” Carmen agreed. “Xanthe has ended wars, divided oceans, thwarted despots, and mended economic crises, all simultaneously.”

John’s expression became dry. “I don’t know if she’s ever engaged in marital counseling but she might be willing to do it for Carmen.”

Carmen winced. “Yeah, I hate to call in a favor for this. Let’s see what we can figure out, first.”

John agreed. “We’ll know more tomorrow.”

* * * *

The sun was high above the cottage when Kate asked how long he meant for them to stay in bed. “Aren’t you hungry? Dehydrated?”

“Nope.” Gabe buried his face in her neck.

He felt her astonishment as she responded to his fresh attempts at seduction. “Good lord. Are all the men in your world like this?”

“I don’t know.” He frowned. “I’ve never slept with any men from my world.”

“Ha. You’re funny. But really, how long does this go on?”

“Three days.” He tasted his way up her neck and behind her ear. “That’s how long a woman is fertile.”

He leaned away to extricate himself from the twisted covers, and Kate took advantage of his distraction to roll off the bed. She scooped her robe off the floor as she headed for the door, hurrying from the room before he could stop her. “I’m getting us some water,” she stated. “And some crackers or something.”

Gabe rose reluctantly and stretched before following her to the kitchen. He was dead tired but felt fantastic. As Kate filled two glasses with water, he stood behind her, held her hair to one side, and placed a series of kisses along her neck and shoulders. Chills coursed through her but she defended her quest for sustenance by stepping away, drinking her glass of water and firmly handing him his. She avoided looking him in the eye, which he intended to talk her into. Although maybe he should let her eat before bothering her again.

After gulping down all of her water, she rummaged through the cupboards, retrieving a bag of potato chips and opening it. To his surprise, she dropped it on the floor. He was officially fascinated. She went to the fridge.

“This is really entertaining,” he commented, leaning back against the counter. Kate didn’t answer him.

She fetched a tub of yogurt from the refrigerator door, grabbed a spoon from one of the drawers, and ducked down to sit on the floor, scooting her seat until she was next to the bag of chips. She opened her yogurt and spooned some into her mouth, closing her eyes with pleasure as she did. She ate a potato chip, sighed, and ate another.

Gabe sat on the floor too, grinning impishly as he grabbed Kate’s foot and dragged her, the bag of chips, and yogurt clutched possessively against her chest, toward him. She continued to eat, still keeping her gaze anywhere but on him. She slapped his hand away when he tried to undo her robe. “Oh, but this is fun,” he told her as he retrieved a potato chip from her stash.

“Kate, honey? Can I please have a bite of your yogurt?”

Slumping and reluctant, Kate finally caved and scooped a spoonful of yogurt into his mouth. As expected, her focus on lunch was undermined seconds after their eyes met. And despite her initial disapproval, he made sure she felt his devotion in the hopes she would forgive him. She smiled and looped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped her legs snugly around his waist. They abandoned lunch in favor of more lovemaking. They did not decamp back to the bedroom.

* * * *

Cara struggled with guilt over the deceit she’d perpetrated with her call to her sister. Consequently—and also because they arrived after midnight and she was tired—she fumbled with her keys to the front door of the Dana and Will’s home. She eventually got it open and ushered her makeshift rescue team inside.

John found Will’s note in the kitchen and pumped his fist after reading it. “There’s hope,” he announced triumphantly.

Carmen was more relieved than excited. “Which is good, since it means we didn’t come for nothing. But we need to snoop too.” Over the next few hours, Cara led an investigation through desk drawers and computer files for insight into the Fletchers’ life together.

After a thorough ransacking, the threesome convened in the living room to plot next steps. “Looks like all we have to do is kidnap Dana and brainwash her and her husband,” Carmen suggested, and Cara laughed.

“Such a bright pronouncement to do evil,” she chided. “But I’m all for it, of course.” John chuckled, yawned, and then stretched.

“I’m beat. We should turn in.”

Cara wound her arms around his waist. “Let’s go upstairs, and I’ll make sure everyone gets a bed.”

Dana was surprised to see all three of them, bleary-eyed and drinking coffee in her kitchen when she arrived the following afternoon. Cara was grateful she wasn’t mad at her for presuming to bring unapproved guests but she supposed her siren escorts had something to do with her lack of concern. Carmen went to Dana before she’d spoken a word, clasped her upper arm, and led her to a stool by the center island. John took Dana’s other hand, and Cara suppressed a laugh as she watched her sister relax and smile beatifically at her attendants. She knew first-hand what Dana was feeling.

“How wonderful of you all to come!” Dana exclaimed. “Cara, thank you ever so much for bringing them along!”

“Yeah. Well. About that—” Cara started to respond, but John cut her off.

“We’ve actually made plans for a surprise vacation for you and Will. And we’ll need you to call your offices to arrange for the time off.”

Dana’s smile faded. “But we didn’t fill out vacation request forms.”

Carmen removed one of her hands from Dana so she could punch a number on the phone, which she held to Dana’s ear. She positioned herself before her. “Repeat after me.”

“Will Fletcher’s office,” a voice answered on the other end of the line. Dana parroted Carmen’s exact words. “Hi, it’s Dana. I’m calling with some bad news, I’m afraid; Will’s been in an accident. He’s stable but I’m flying to Maine to be by him. I’m not sure when he’ll be back in the office.”

Cara heard a flurry of anxious questions from the other end of the line, and then John took the receiver. “Yes, this is Dr. Blake, and I’m sorry, but Dana isn’t able to talk. Would you please convey her information to Will’s superiors? I’m sure the Fletchers will be in touch as soon as possible.”

“You didn’t feel the need to mention you’re an
eye
doctor?” Cara teased after he’d hung up.

John’s glance was disparaging as he dialed Dana’s office for a repeat performance, after which Dana became upset. “Will didn’t really have an accident, did he?”

“Will’s just fine,” Cara assured her. “Let’s get going so you can see for yourself.”

In the car, Cara drove while John and Carmen sat with Dana between them in the back seat. John started questioning her. “How has Will been doing, Dana?”

“Oh, you know. He’s such an achiever. He works too much, but I don’t know how to get him to ease up.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “I think his masculinity depends on him doing well in his job.” She smiled widely at John. “And, of course, I worry about him.” She stared at her lap. “Really, it’s funny you bring it up, because I’ve never told this to another living soul but I think he might have a drinking problem.” Again, she smiled widely, this time to no one in particular. Cara rolled her eyes. John disguised his laughter as choking.

“Why do you think that is?” Carmen pressed.

Dana eyed her speculatively, still grinning. “You people!” she protested. “These are private matters! Oh well, you’ve always been so good to my poor, dear sister.” Cara harrumphed. “I feel just like telling you everything!”

“Tell us everything,” and “share everything,” John and Carmen said in unison.

“You know, we both were so ambitious when we were dating,” Dana confided. “I’m a little embarrassed, but Will reminded me of my dad, always talking about my goals and things I did at work. You guys won’t approve but success was everything to us.

“And I guess it still is,” she continued less certainly, “but it sure hasn’t been any fun the past few years. Can I tell you a secret?” Her question was sudden enough to make everyone in the car jump.

Carmen recovered first. “Go on.”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Dana checked over each shoulder, “but I’ve kind of had it with my job. It’s the same old thing day after day. The only reason I stay with it is so Will feels secure. Like maybe if he knows he can count on me, he won’t have to worry. Or drink so much.”

John was kind in his approach to what Cara knew was a difficult topic for her sister. “Did you and Will ever talk about having children?”

“Oh, that’s something we decided before we got married. We didn’t want to have kids in the way, you know.” Her bravado faded into sadness. “I sometimes regret that decision. I actually thought about
forgetting
to take my pill a couple of times, but that wouldn’t have been fair to Will. Plus, I’m in my forties now. I don’t know if it’s possible.” Both Carmen and John wrapped a hand around each of her wrists, and after a few seconds, Carmen used her free hand to unzip Dana’s overnight bag. She found the flat, round box of birth control pills, which she flicked out the car window. John chuckled quietly while Cara grinned hard into the rearview mirror.

Although she was tired from driving the entire way, Cara was pleased with the progress Carmen and John had made with her sister. And she’d been able to listen to all of it: the dissection of what had gone on in Dana’s house, the reasons behind Will’s despair…and she felt confident in a happier outcome. Also, Dana was exhausted from her inquisition, which left her out cold so the rest of them could discuss what to do when they got to Griffins Bay without inquiry from her.

“Unfortunately, Xanthe really would be the quickest means to our end,” Carmen lamented. “I don’t want to call her for this. But I will.”

Once in Griffins Bay, John and Cara dropped Carmen and Dana off at the Blakes’. “We’re going to pick up Everett, and then we’ll all swim out and meet you,” John told Carmen before he drove away. “Where’s the rendezvous?”

“Let’s meet Michael and Anna by the pier so we can pick up Will together. Then we’ll all make our way to Shaddox.”

*

In Childress, Cara went to collect Everett while John stayed home to pack. As he was finishing, he heard a knock at the door. He opened it to find Hank Gifford, the town sheriff, there in full uniform.

“Hi, John, sorry to bother you.”

“No problem, Hank.” He was a little alarmed. “What’s up?”

“Well, I’m wondering if you guys have heard from Kate in the past couple of days.” John reached with his senses to ascertain Hank’s specific worry and immediately felt sick. Was Kate in trouble?

“I haven’t but I can check with Cara when she gets back. Why?”

“A guy from the police department over in Griffins Bay called because they towed a car from the lot by the public beach. It’s Kate’s car.”

He almost laughed with relief. Kate’s car would be at the beach by the Blake house for one reason alone. He suppressed a grin.

“Ah. That makes sense. I forgot about this because she’s out on her own, now. But I believe she’d planned a boating trip with the Blakes. She must have left her car in the lot where she shouldn’t have. I’m sorry. She should have known better.”

Hank sagged against the doorframe as the tension ran out of him. “That’s the best news I could have hoped for. I was worried about a possible drowning.” He jerked his head as if to negate the thought.

“I don’t think so,” John assured him. “And I’m so sorry for the trouble. I’ll send someone over to the impound lot for the car, okay?”

“Good idea. But just so we know for sure, could you get a hold of Kate and let me know you’ve reached her?”

“No problem, Hank. I’m almost certain there’s no need to worry. But thanks for coming by.”

Cara squealed when he called and gave her the news. “Omigosh, I’ve got to call Carmen immediately. This is so great!”

When she reported back, she relayed Carmen’s suggestion they pay a mass visit to Shaddox, which she supported. John didn’t believe Gabe and Kate would welcome their company but Cara’s enthusiasm was infectious, and he agreed. “I’ll see if we can use the Mattegins place. Because something tells me the kids won’t want to share the cottage.” He and Cara giggled.

John knew how anxious Cara became when Everett swam these days, so he made sure she understood he had their son in hand on their way to Shaddox. “If he swims away, I’ll catch him. We’ll have an easier time since we’re going at night too, with no humans around to see him.” Everett, of course, loved the
fish game
more than any other and transformed well for his age. As expected, he changed from unstable toddler to agile swimmer in seconds. John had almost as much fun chasing his son as his son did running away.

The harsh light of the setting sun through the windows woke Kate from her nap. She peeked at Gabe, who was not so disturbed, and began inching out of the covers with the idea she might get in a shower. Gabe’s eyes opened a second later, however, and his unspoken request to stay by him had her crawling back in to snuggle. They stared quietly at each other for a while, the beat of Kate’s pulse failing, for once, to pierce their fatigue.

“We’re taking a break?”

“Yep. I’m shot.”

“At last!” She collapsed onto her pillow. “Don’t get me wrong—this has been the best time of my life—but I was beginning to think we’d never get out of bed again.”

“I like that idea better than exhausting ourselves with babies and medical school at Chapel Hill. That’s what we’re signed up for, by the way.”

“Let’s just keep it to one baby for a while, please. And you’re already enrolled?”

“I’m accepted at UNC Medical, which is where
we’re
going. I’m thinking family practice at the moment. We’re short family practice docs in our community—everywhere, really—and I like the opportunities that go with preventive care, before people get really sick.” He shifted to his side. “You might have twins, you know, so it could still be babies. There’s a pretty high incidence among couples like us.”

“You’d better go into psychiatry, then. Because I will want antidepressants. I remember when Everett was born, and even with a three-to-one ratio of adults-to-kid, we had all we could say grace over.”