Approaching Menace (20 page)

She had been waiting, just like he had. But those other people kept surrounding her and getting in their way.

Trembling in anticipation, the man stepped down from the sand hill.
Don’t worry,
Josie. This one is only for practice, to keep me from rushing out after you in front of all the others. But I have plans. Very shortly, I will grab you.

* * *

The grass remained damp the next afternoon. Morning showers had sprinkled across before moving toward Pensacola. Josie noticed moisture when she sat, but the seat of her jeans had already gotten wet, and the grass smelled sweet. She remained on the ground with the poster she worked on propped against a sheet of plywood.

Having Andrew near made her confidant of being able to accomplish what she’d started. His support and lighthearted spirit bolstered her courage to locate more donors.

“Hey,” he called, “no loafing allowed. How about getting me a wrench?”

She smiled and looked up, but he was hidden with his head sunken somewhere behind her car. “Loafing is good for the soul,” she said. “Haven’t you heard? It’s food for the gods.”

A greasy hand reached out. “I know one little goddess who might have food, but no car. Unless she gets me a wrench.”

Josie hopped up. At his open toolbox, she grinned. She purposely grabbed a crowbar and placed it in his outstretched hand.

“Uh uh.” Andrew shoved the tool out again.

“Let’s see.” Josie rummaged through his toolbox. “Here you go.” She couldn’t stop from laughing. She gave him a screwdriver.

“Ah, this.” His head emerged from its hiding place, motioning the screwdriver toward her.

She smirked and handed him the wrench.

“Thanks.” He grinned and attacked the problem.

Josie wanted to continue playing. She enjoyed the diversion from the concerns of the last days. She also knew her car had developed more problems and needed his attention or she would not be able to get anywhere.

Forcing herself to leave him alone, she returned to the ground. “Wait until you see the wad of money I’ll be sending with you tomorrow,” she told him. “The donor account is really filling up.”

When he didn’t reply, she continued. “I still can’t believe it. Mrs. Allen, suggesting I ask her husband. And he and those others gave all that money for TV advertisement.” The idea overwhelmed her. “Andrew, it’s great.”

He slammed her car’s trunk. Stepping toward her, he held out arms covered with grime. “I know something else that’s great, too. So I’ll take my payment now. In trade.”

She laughed. “Not until your armor gets cleaned.”

He took menacing steps. “I’m good enough for your car, but not for you? We’ll see about that.” He reached for her, and Josie darted to the steps and ran into the kitchen.

He came inside and eyed Josie standing on the opposite side of the table. “No table is too big for me to get around,” he said, going toward her.

She pulled a chair out to block his path.

“I fixed your motor and the lock on your door. Now I’m going to fix you.” He leaned to the right and then shifted toward the left.

She released a little shriek and let him chase her to the den.

“Gotcha!” Andrew grabbed her from behind when she put on the brakes.

Josie pushed his hand aside.

Seated at her sewing machine, Colin grinned at them. With his favorite red jersey on his lap, he used a needle and black thread to whip stitches around the outside of a shoulder seam.

She took the shirt from him.

Colin frowned. “Hey, I’m fixing a hole.”

“Not with black thread, and not on the outside. I’ll fix it on my machine.”

“I was doing all right.”

Andrew touched the shirt, which had black threads dripping in loose loops from atop the red knit fabric. “Great job, dude.”

He ignored Josie’s harsh look and gave Colin the jersey. “Mr. Allen might want to hire you, and that would give your sister competition.” Andrew winked. “I’ll bet that’s her problem.”

Josie felt her face flush with heat.

With a hand on the rear of her waist, Andrew guided her through the kitchen and outside, calling back to Colin, “Some sisters are just jealous, right?”

“Right!” Colin yelled.

Outside, Josie pulled away. “What was that?”

“You need to let the kid do for himself, Josie. It’s time to back off.”

“But everybody’s backed off. Our dad. Our mom, who keeps returning to some place in her head. And did you notice Colin’s arms? They’ve started pocking. We can’t get all the uric acid off anymore.” She folded her hands across her face and pressed her fingertips against her dampening closed eyes.

Andrew clasped her shoulders. “What’s wrong with black thread?”

His hands had a slight calming effect. “Maybe I’m asking for too much, just like Sylvie with her appearance and our house. And our dad.”

Andrew let her go while she continued. “Daddy wanted perfection. When things weren’t, he went away. He always came back, until this last time, when he discovered his son would never be flawless.”

Andrew lowered his face to hers. “So now Josie is the parent. And her dreams seem gone, too.”

Guilt and selfishness washed through her. She hadn’t meant to complain.

Andrew’s eyes looked almost navy. “Josie, yes, you’re the one who has to hook that child to a machine three times every week and take care of most of his needs.” When Andrew’s head pulled back, the sun’s glint gave his irises an aqua hue. “But couldn’t you cut Colin some slack?”

“Slack? Yes, I want to. More than anything, I want to let him be a child. I want him to run and jump and roughhouse with other children.” She could always bring up a picture of Colin scrambling with other kids and eating and drinking anything he wanted.

But would slack help him survive?

“Andrew.” Colin came hopping down the stairs. He wore his jersey with the black threads loose and hanging. “What y’all doing?”

“Just talking. Hey, good job with the shirt.”

“Thanks.” Colin went to the motorcycle. “Anybody feel like taking me for a ride?”

“Sure, hop on.”

“Yes!” Colin grabbed the extra helmet and strapped it on. Andrew pulled on his and flipped a leg over his seat. Shimmying up behind, Colin cast a smirk at Josie. He turned his face forward. Andrew gunned the motor, and they spun a short loop around in the side yard. They tore down the driveway to the street.

“Be careful!” Josie called and saw Andrew glance back, probably frowning.

Anger swelled inside her. Andrew made her seem such a cad. She was enraged with herself since the idea occurred that maybe she had become just that.

Colin had full-time needs, but he didn’t want them to be. He only wanted to be a kid like the others. He wasn’t. And he might never be.

Josie threw up her hands. “And I have to be concerned about black thread!”

Plumes from bushes swayed in the back yard, Josie noticed when she turned to go up the steps to her house. But she didn’t care or look closely, for she was wiping away tears.

* * *

On Monday, Ye Bridal Shoppe bustled with enthusiasm. A future bride with her parents and four friends all tried to make selections. The din of their voices filtered into Josie’s cubbyhole but did not deter her attention from her client. Up on the circular stand she had Tabatha Dirkson keeping herself erect so that her hem could be marked.

“How’s it look?” Tabatha asked Josie’s image in the mirrors.

“You are absolutely gorgeous. I love Victorian. This is the ultimate gown for you.” Josie stared at Tabatha’s reflection. The young woman stood five ten, and with her russet hair swept high on the back of her head, she could have belonged to British royalty.

“I love these high necklines.” Tabatha ran a finger along hers. “This makes me look pure, don’t you think?”

Josie stuck the last pin in her hem and backed up to admire. “You are the picture of innocence.”

Tabatha stepped down, turning for Josie to unzip her. “Yeah, I ought to fool my mom, huh?” Snickering, she went to the room where she’d left her jeans.

Josie returned her pins and cushion to the machine. “Leave your gown with Eve, okay?”

“Sure will,” Tabatha called from behind a mint green curtain.

“I should have it finished by Thursday.” On her way out, Josie saw Eve busy with customers. Josie pointed to the clock when Eve glanced at her, and the older woman nodded.

Josie strode out the door. She bumped into Otis Babineaux. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said.

He gripped her arm. “Is someone chasing you, Josie?”

His voice held a gravelly quality, and Josie realized she hadn’t heard it often. She also realized his gaze slipped along her knit dress. “No, I’ve, I have an appointment.”

Releasing her arm, he stepped back. “I see.” Otis Babineaux’s thick brows knitted toward each other, and Josie smelled cologne tinged with citrus. As always, he wore a suit of the highest quality. His hand went to his bow tie, and she noticed his manicured nails. He wore a wide wedding band. His hair had its weekly cut. He looked like the perfect businessman.

Still, Josie felt caught in the space near him. She took steps back, shifted her eyes to see other people parking and then looked toward his face. With a nod, she strode away to her car.

By the time she had Colin at Dr. Hagger’s office and he’d been examined, all thoughts of apprehension had been replaced. Josie clapped her hands together. “I can’t believe it. He’ll be like all the other boys again!”

The doctor raised a hand. “But that only means
if. If
a donor becomes available. And
if
he doesn’t reject it. Now that Colin’s lungs are clear, a transplant becomes a possibility, that’s all.”

“Doc, it will happen!” She smacked a kiss on Colin’s cheek. He wiped it off and attempted a frown, but Josie’s excitement was contagious. Colin knew what being on “the list” meant. His dimples deepened with his spreading smile.

He tugged his jersey down over his head, and Josie grinned at the black threads.

“Sometimes people have to wait for years,” Dr. Hagger reminded, “and then even if they get one, there can be problems.”

Ignoring the caution, Josie gripped Colin’s shoulders. “How about that, buddy? Football, all of it. And swimming.”

“And junk food! Yeah!” Colin’s fists flailed the air.

When they strode out the room, Josie didn’t miss the concerned look on Dr. Hagger’s face. But this was a winning moment. She chose to ignore his caution.

Chapter 14

“Hey Josie,” Colin said once they got under way in her car, “I don’t feel like going back to school. C’mon, let’s go home. Or to get a burger!”

She was tempted. “I could celebrate right now, too.” A shield of caution descended. “But you’ve already missed so much school.”

“Aw.”

“And you might need to miss a lot more days once your kidney comes in.” She squeezed his arm and then realized how her statement sounded. Did she think one kidney had just been ordered for delivery to her brother? She let his arm go.

Colin hunkered down against the far door.

Driving down Provost Street and turning on Mulberry, Josie had second thoughts.
Let go
, her mind said.
Throw all caution to the wind
.

But she could not.

Once they reached the school, Colin tried again. “Look.” He pointed to the empty yard surrounding the brick building. “Everybody’s inside. We only have three more classes left.” His voice rose to a whine. “Please, Josie. I love you.”

She smiled. The last statement hadn’t been easy for him to say. “I love you, too, and aren’t you lucky? Only three classes left.”

He yanked his school bag from the floorboard and flung it and himself out the door. As always, Josie was sad to see him unhappy. But this time while she watched him glance back with a frown, she was certain returning him to school was the right thing to do.

To make it up to him, she’d take him out to dinner soon.

Back at work, she spied both her bosses in their offices. Josie found Eve and Mrs. Banto without customers and told them the good news. A pinched expression left Eve’s face. She appeared truly happy to hear Colin’s coughing had lightened and his respiratory problems finally improved.

Josie became so caught up with her uplifted spirit that, while she adjusted Tabatha’s hem, she found herself humming. The sound of people coming and going and the doorbell’s chime made her glance up from time to time, and when she found someone looking at her, she made eye contact and smiled. Her mind painted scenes of her brother. She could see him as a whole person, not weary or connected to a machine. His skin looked perfect.

She stuck pins in the nylon net underskirt and envisioned Colin tackling and being tackled by buddies. After working up a good sweat, he’d jump into a pool of glistening water.

Josie sat on the sidelines in that picture, watching him. And she wasn’t worried. She leaned back in a lounge chair, sipping a drink—a margarita maybe—and all of the worry lines she’d been seeing in the mirror were erased. Her eyes, like her body, relaxed.

She would have to drive Colin to the doctor’s office often at first since they’d have to watch for early signs of rejection. He would need many precious pills to help prevent his body from fighting off the foreign organ. All of that meant much more time and money would be spent.

No problem, except for trying to keep Sylvie’s spending in tow.

“Are you staying until dark, Josie?”

Eve stood near Josie’s cubbyhole. “I’ve been showing gowns to women who wanted to look at every blasted thing we have, and they finally left and said they’d think about it. But it’s late.”

Surprised to discover it was forty-five minutes past closing time, Josie was also amazed to find she’d almost finished the hem. “I didn’t even notice today go by.”

“I wish I’d enjoy work so much I’d forget to go home,” Eve said.

Josie sang with the radio during her drive home, pleased to notice the sun still bright during the late afternoon. She parked at home and emerged from the garage.

Sylvie swooped down the back steps looking gaunt. “Where have you been?”

“What happened?”