Come Fly With Me (62 page)

"Sorry
about
my
Dad,
he
can
pretty
be
intense.
He
doesn't
mean
to
be
intimidating.
He
just
is."

"Kaitlin,
sweetie,
you
don't
have
to
apologize
for
your
Dad—he's
a
busy
man.
Now,
I
have
a
great
idea.
There's
still
plenty
of
snow
left
over
from
the
storm
in
the
front
courtyard.
How
about
we
build
the
first
snowman
of
the
season?"

"Sounds
great.
Do
you
think
that's
allowed,
aren't
there
some
rules
about
these
kinds
of
th
ings
?"

"Rules?
We
are
not
followers,
my
dear—we
are
leaders.
Rules
be
damned.
Any
old
fart
that
has
a
problem
with
our
snowman
had
better
see
me
about
it."

Kaitlin
giggled,
"I
guess
that
would
be
my
Dad...some
kids
from
our
building
built
a
snowman
yesterday,
and
he
had
the
doorman
knock
it
down."

Allison
let
out
a
dramatic
gasp,
"Really,
and
did
you
happen
to
be
one
of
those
kids?"

Her
eyes
sparkled
merrily
as
she
nodded.

"Maybe
your
father
forgot
how
much
fun
snow
can
be."

They
spent
the
better
part
of
the
next
hour
constructing
a
rather
drunk-looking
snowman
and
had
a
splendid
time
doing
it.
Several
times
Allison
glanced
at
Kaitlin
as
she
was
immersed
in
her
task
and
was
glad
for
her
company.
Kaitlin
seemed
to
be
getting
more
comfortable
with
her
and
the
child
beneath
the
shell
was
starting
to
emerge.

"My
toes
are
numb,"
Allison
said,
"Let's
go
inside
and
warm
up.
I
happen
to
have
some
marshmallows
and
graham
crackers.
How
do
you
feel
about
s'mores?"

"They're
only
s'mores
if
you
have
chocolate,"
Kaitlin
said.

"I'm
pretty
sure
I
have
some
chocolate
lurking
somewhere
in
the
kitchen."

The
time
flew
by
and
a
couple
of
hours
later
Michael
came
by
to
pick
up
Kaitlin.

"Thank
you
Allison,"
she
said.
"I
had
a
lot
of
fun."

"I'm
glad,
so
did
I."

Michael
Essex
watched
the
exchange
wordlessly
and
nodded
at
Allison,
"You
might
want
to
tell
the
super
that
some
kids
built
a
ghastly-looking
snowman
in
the
front
courtyard.
There
seems
to
be
an
epidemic
of
them
in
the
city
this
week."

Kaitlin's
eyes
went
wide
as
she
covered
her
mouth
with
her
gloved
hand.

"See
you
next
time,"
Allison
called
after
them
as
they
walked
toward
the
steps.
She
wished
for
Kaitlin's
sake
that
her
father
would
learn
how
to
chill.
She
was
a
darling
of
a
girl
and
Michael
Essex
had
no
idea
whatsoever
about
how
to
raise
her
in
the
next
phase
of
her
life.

Allison
entered
the
sumptuous
Grand
Ballroom
of
the
Pierre
Hotel
and
headed
to
the
front
looking
for
Kenyon's
table.
She
spotted
Mrs.
James
in
a
glorious
caftan
of
her
own
design
and
smiled
inwardly
at
what
Ken's
reaction
must
have
been
when
his
mother
showed
up
wearing
it
to
this
very
formal
affair.

"Mrs.
James,
what
a
pleasure
it
is
to
meet
you
again,"
Allison
said
as
she
walked
up
to
the
woman
with
the
smiling
eyes
who
had
come
to
see
her
only
child
receive
the
prestigious
Pritzker
Prize.

"Allison,
don't
you
look
radiant!
Thank
you
for
coming—Kenyon
is
out
on
the
floor
hobnobbing."

"Of
course
I
came.
Kenyon
is
my
dear
friend,
and
I'm
so
thrilled
that
his
incredible
talent
is
being
recognized
by
the
industry.
Is
Mr.
James
coming?"

"I
don't
think
he
could
pull
himself
away
from
whatever
waitress
he
is
bestowing
his
affection
upon
at
the
moment
to
come
here.
Getting
rid
of
that
man
is
the
best
present
I
ever
gave
myself.
Ah,
there's
my
son,
now."

Kenyon
walked
up
to
Allison
and
gave
her
a
hug
as
he
whispered
in
her
ear,
"Save
me.
Do
you
think
if
I
feigned
amnesia,
she
would
leave?
All
she's
talking
about
is
how
thrilled
she
is
that
she
divorced
my
Dad—two
years
ago."
He
pulled
back
and
looked
at
her,
"Damn,
you
look
fine.
Your
hair—very
dramatic
like
that,
all
pulled
off
your
face.
And
the
cranberry
silk
dress,
I
like...I
really
like."