Come Pour the Wine (25 page)

“It’s all paradise, I take it.”

“And more.”

Should she ask? No. “Are you busy this weekend?”

“No, nothing special.”

“In that case, Nat and I would love to have you come out and see the old homestead. Stay for the weekend.”

Janet paused. “Gee, Kit, I promised Bill’s mother …”

“For Sunday dinner, right?”

“Right.”

“Listen, sweetie, I’ve warned you before and I’ll do it only one more time. Don’t let her hook into you, Janet.”

“She doesn’t really. To tell the truth, she’s been great, and she loves seeing Bill. She’s an old lady, Kit. One day a week doesn’t seem too much to give her a little happiness.”

“You’re a pushover, Janet. No use trying to reform you. So what’s the answer?”

Janet hesitated. She very much wanted to visit Kit. Still …

“Let me talk to her and I’ll get back to you.”

“You do that, Florence Nightingale.”

Janet had butterflies in her stomach when she called her mother-in-law … “It’s sort of a housewarming at Kit’s, mother …

A heavy silence. “Well,” Violet finally said, “if you think it’s more impor—I mean, I wouldn’t want to stand in your way … not for the world, you know that, Janet. I did plan a sort of rather special day but … Alice’s daughter Gwen is getting ready for her coming out and I … well, never mind, you go and have a good time, and for heaven’s sake
don’t
worry about us …”

There was no rancor in Violet’s tone but when Janet hung up she felt terribly guilty. Why, she wasn’t exactly sure. Maybe because Violet had been
nice
about it … ?

Violet … sweet Violet …

At dinner she told Bill, “Darling, Kit wants us to spend the weekend with them, but I spoke to your mother and it seems she’s doing something special for Gwen, sort of a precoming out party, I gather.”

“I see. And you’ve having all kinds of problems deciding between Long Island and Westchester?”

“Something like that … yes.”

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s Westchester. My mother’s not having a big shindig. I know all her little old tricks. She’s got it down to such subtlety that you’re in the palm of her hand before you know it. From now on I’m going to make the ground rules. We’ll go when we feel like it. She has Harriet and Gordon for company and the others are usually around to entertain her on weekends.”

“You should call her, Bill … more often. She’s getting old and I don’t want you to have any regrets later on, to feel you neglected her.”

He smiled and shook his head. “How did I get so lucky. You’re some kind of angel—”

“I wasn’t such an angel last night.”

“Yes, you were. Later, anyway. Well, not exactly an angel. Sort of half and half.”

“And what do you mean by that?”

“Half angel, half sex cat. And all for me … I love both.”

“You know, I think I’m blushing. Somehow I never think of myself as
sexy
—”

“That’s why it ends up so good. You don’t think, you just let it happen naturally.”

Kit and Nat had made the move to Westchester in near record time, having hired movers even before they took title to the house so they could get settled as quickly as possible after the twins were born. There were still packing crates throughout the house, but Kit had already dragged out enough things to make the place begin to look like a home. Janet knew it would be no time at all before Kit had it looking as if it came straight out of the inspiration of the best interior designer in the business. The furnishings were country antiques, things that Kit and Nat had found during their trip to England. Knowing Kit, Janet thought, she’d probably had Nat up at dawn, honeymoon or no, depleting the English countryside. They had found the perfect fabrics, china and crystal, and every detail, right down to the silver vaults, was testimony to Kit’s taste.

The house was Tudor, one hundred and fifty years old, situated on three acres of lush green lawn. The nine bedrooms were spacious and sunny; Janet especially adored the old marble washstands and the fireplaces.

For all its veneer of wealth, this was a house that its new owners would use not as a showplace but as a home to be loved and lived in, Janet thought as she lingered in the nursery.

Bill watched her face, seeing the longing as she looked down at Deborah through the netting surrounding the cradle. Well, he had to admit—if only to himself for now—that he was as taken with the twins as she was. Soon, he thought. I’ll tell her soon….

By four that afternoon, Nat’s parents arrived with so many presents that it looked like Christmas and Chanukah all rolled into one. Charles and a now pregnant Carol arrived a short time later, and after cocktails they all moved into the dining room.

Dinner was marvelous. Kit had engaged a cook while in England, and the woman had brought her recipes along with her baggage.

“She’s great … how did you manage to lure her away from king and country?” Janet asked.

“Coin of the U.S. realm, I guess … I predict she’ll be here three or four years at the most, make her bundle and go back to Devon-by-the-Sea.”

Later they retired to the enormous living room. The four women sat at one end, planning a shower for Carol’s baby, while the men sat at the other end, going over the minor stuff, such as stocks and bonds and the price of oil. But Bill’s interest was really focused on more personal matters tonight.

“How does the commuting affect you, Nat? Doesn’t it make for a pretty long day?”

“Not really. I gave up going into the market early. Who needs it? Listen, the best time of my life is now. I’m going to have breakfast with my wife in the morning and take the time to be with my kids. That’s what life’s about. I’m going on thirty-four already, and I want to enjoy every cotton pickin’ minute. You put it off today, you never make it up tomorrow. There’s no price tag on some things … those kids upstairs aren’t traded on the stock exchange.”

Janet sat close to Bill on the drive back to the city.

“Wasn’t it a terrific weekend, darling?”

“One of the best I’ve ever had. But you know why?”

“Why?”

“On account of you,
us …
You know something else? When I looked across the room at you and realized you were my wife, I had the most incredible feeling—”

“In what way?”

“That we belonged together. Like the perfect meshing of gears.”

“‘Gears’? … well, all right, the image isn’t so romantic but I’ll accept the sentiment … also, I happen to love you very much, Mr. McNeil.”

“It’s mutual, Mrs. McNeil.”

He drove the rest of the way with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding tight to hers….

Bill had just finished undressing that night when Janet came out of the bathroom. He took her hands in his and stood looking down at her. “The time, Mrs. McNeil, is now.”

“What? What time … ?” But suddenly she knew, and had the grace to say nothing, to let it be his moment.

“We’re going to make a baby. Isn’t that the phrase?”

Her eyes appropriately widened.

“And I want it understood that this has nothing to do with that fight we had the other night … No, you didn’t convince me or intimidate me, and seeing the twins this weekend had nothing to do with my decision. I made up my mind long before that.
I
want a child … I want to have something that’s part of us. You’re going to be the mother of my son and he’s going to grow up to thank me …”

He really did want a baby … and that
was
a surprise. She kissed him over and over again. All over …

T
HEY WERE ON THE
balcony, looking out over the city and the bridge beyond, when he asked, “What’s your pleasure for your birthday, honey? It’s three weeks away but I thought you’d like to celebrate it with your folks or maybe fly to Mexico. You’re only going to be twenty-two once, you know.”

“I know, almost over the hill.”

“True, but you didn’t answer my question. We need to make reservations if we’re going anywhere—”

“You know what I’d really like? To give a party at our home. I think it’s about time.”

“You’re sure?”

“I’m double sure.”

The next day the first person she called was Violet—who was of the opinion that
she
should be the one to give Janet a party.

Janet thanked her, and then thanked her again, and finally said, “It’s an old French custom, handed down from my grand-mother, that the one celebrating her birthday should give it—”

“Well, I’m not up on French customs and I never heard of anything so … quaint, but if that’s what you want …”

“It is. Bill and I can’t wait to see you.”

Betsy was just as surprised as her mother had been that Janet would throw her own birthday party, but she accepted readily. Alice accepted with no comment on the custom and Harriet was openly delighted. Kit, of course, needed no explanation. She’d be there with all bells on. Nat’s mother thanked Janet for including them, and Carol said she and Charles wouldn’t miss it. A clean sweep. Almost.

When she placed the call to her parents she was not going to take no for an answer. “Mother, there isn’t going to be an epidemic in Kansas just because daddy goes away for a week. And I want Effie to come too.”

“It will be easier to get your father than her.”

“Let me talk to her.”

“Hold on.” Janet waited.

“Yes, Janet,” Effie said in her usual crisp manner.

“You’re coming to New York with mother and dad for my birthday. And this is one time, Effie, you’re not going to have the last word.”

“Don’t be impertinent, young lady, and of course I’m coming. Do you think I’d miss your twenty-second birthday after all I went through?”

“I love you, Effie.”

“Of course you do. Now here’s your mother.”

From that moment on Janet was busy with the preparations of her first dinner party.

“What do you think, Bill? Since there will be eighteen of us, should we have one long table, or two round? Which would be the most intimate?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re no help at all.”

“Well, I’ll help in other ways.” He was standing close behind her, his hands moving over her breasts and his lips grazing her neck.

“Don’t distract me. I’m
thinking …
”

“Oh, let me distract you.”

“You’re not serious about this at all.”

“Of course I am,” he said, kissing her as he turned her to face him and drew the zipper of her robe slowly downward.

After consulting with Kit, she decided on one table rather than two, and the catering company delivered it along with gilt Vienna chairs. This was the first time she would be using her wedding gifts. The most prized among them was a fine Limoges service for twenty-four, that and the magnificent Baccarat crystal candelabras and matching epergne and the heavy lace cloth, which had been wedding presents from one generation to the next going back to her great-grandmother’s time. They would be handed down to her daughter, Janet thought … and suddenly she found herself about to cry.

Bill walked in just then and saw her wiping at her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just so incredibly happy, darling.”

“And so naturally you’re crying.” He shook his head and pulled her to him. “Now let’s stop all this happy crying or your folks will think I beat you. Better go put some powder on your nose. We have to pick them up at the airport in forty-five minutes.

The morning of her birthday she was awakened by a kiss from Bill.

“That’s probably the best early morning birthday gift I’ll ever get,” she said, reaching out to him.

“No question,” he said, placing a breakfast tray over her legs. “I’m not exactly what you call a great chef, but accept the thought. It’s better than the eggs, I assure you.”

“Oh, Bill, you’re a fraud. I’ll never tell, but you’re more sentimental than I am.”

“No, birthday girl, you get the Nobel Prize for that….”

At exactly eleven in the morning the caterer came with her assistants, followed shortly thereafter by the florist and housekeeper. Everything was sailing along smoothly, Janet thought as she put on a pink silk dress and left the apartment to meet Bill, her parents and Effie for lunch.

Bill was late, and while they waited for him they chatted over cocktails in the dimly lit restaurant. This, Janet knew, was a day she would long remember. She had Bill and her family around her, and the evening to come would seal the contentment she felt, would allow her to share it with those who meant most to her.

Bill rushed in, apologizing for being late and explaining he’d been tied up in a conference.

Martha laughed. “Don’t apologize, Bill. Your father-in-law certainly doesn’t. He’s stood me up so often that when he
is
on time I get suspicious.”

“I can understand that, mother. Daddy’s not a bad-looking old gent,” Janet said, giving him a wink.

Her mother gave an exaggerated sigh and put on a look of forbearance. “Well, dear, it’s the risk a woman takes when she marries a handsome brute like your father, or Bill.”

Bill and Dr. Stevens exchanged amused glances. “I suspect the ladies are putting us on,” Dr. Stevens said, “not that I don’t love every word of it. Now, let’s order something to toast the birthday girl.”

Bill signaled the sommelier and ordered a bottle of Mumm’s.

After they had toasted Janet’s health, Dr. Stevens shook his head and looked at Janet fondly, but the humor she saw in his eyes made her wonder what he was up to. “Twenty-two years old already … Seems like yesterday I was pacing the floor waiting for you to …”

Janet smiled at what she knew was coming.

“James, dear, you weren’t pacing.” This from her mother.

“I wasn’t?”

“No, Janet was three hours old when you came rushing down the hall into my room dressed in your surgical garb.”

“You even remember that, do you?”

“I certainly do. You stayed with me for about five minutes, then rushed out to answer a page.”

“Is that what I did?”

After so many years together, her parents knew exactly which buttons to push for which response, but it was a game they played with a good-natured seriousness, as if making fun of themselves at the same time they were reaffirming all they had shared over the years.