In Sickness and in Death (2 page)

“No!” Brian was flustered. Why did he always feel so defensive? Of course, Adrienne had suggested the idea, but he didn’t have to let Bill know that. “You know the crazy hours she works. I just think she should have something that she can rely on when she needs it.”

Bill shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

They walked in silence until they got to the tiny café tucked away between mammoth office buildings. The prices were reasonable, they offered a variety of dishes and the food was good. Brian had his usual club salad while Bill chowed down on a burger and fries.

“So, what kind of car you looking for?” Bill asked around a bite of burger.

“Oh, nothing in particular, really. I just want to get something that won’t take a notion to stop in the middle of traffic or not start unless it’s in the mood.”

“I’d like to have one of those really hot sports cars,” Bill said wistfully. “If I could just afford it.”

Brian laughed. “Well, maybe one of these days you’ll be able to get one.” He shoved away his salad bowl and glanced at Bill’s empty plate. “You ready?”

A few minutes later, they stepped into the dealer’s showroom. Brian headed straight for the conservative line of Malibu and the sportier-looking Monte Carlo while Bill wandered over to where a Corvette was on display. He was exploring the various options and comparing prices when Bill called out to him. “Hey, man, come here and take a look at this.”

He crossed the showroom to where Bill stood, his eyes shining. “Isn’t she a beauty?”

he enthused. “Can’t you just imagine opening her up out on the open road? I’d give my right arm for a car like that.”

Brian laughed and nodded toward the console. “You’d have a hard time driving a stick with no right arm.”

“Oh, you know what I mean. Look at her.”

“I’m looking, I’m looking.” It was so easy to imagine driving this car, zipping along the highway, its low profile hugging the curves and having all the power of that big engine at his command. Hadn’t he dreamed of that very experience almost all of his life?

“You know,” he said somewhat dreamily, “I’ve always wished I had one.”

“So!”

“So, what?”

“So, you’re looking for a new car. You’ve always wanted a Corvette, right?” Brian nodded. “So, why not spend a little more and get what you really want?”

Brian slowly shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s not very practical.”

“Practical? Who cares? You gotta live! You can’t always be practical.” Bill opened the driver’s door. “Get in. See what it feels like.”

Reluctantly, Brian slid behind the wheel. He gazed at the cockpit-like dash and ran his hand over the leather upholstery. Somehow, the steering wheel just felt right in his hands. He shoved in the clutch and moved the shift lever. It was all so smooth, so sleek. He sighed. “How much is this one?”

Bill scrutinized the sticker. “A little over seventy-seven.”

Brian frowned. “That’s nearly twice what the others are.”

“Yeah, but the
feel
of it! You think you’d get the same feeling from—” he waved his hand across the showroom floor, “—one of those others?”

Brian sighed. “Probably not.”

“Of course not.”

A beaming salesman approached them. “Quite a beaut, isn’t she?”

“Sure is,” Brian answered.

“Would you like to take one out for a drive?”

“I’d love to,” Brian said, as he reluctantly climbed out from behind the wheel. “But, unfortunately, right now we’ve got to get back to work. Maybe I can stop by this evening.”

“Sure, sure. We’ll be open until nine.”

That afternoon, Brian had a hard time concentrating on learning about his new job. Instead, his mind kept drifting to fantasies of how it would feel to drive the Corvette. He could just picture he and Adrienne driving along a country road in the springtime with soft breezes wafting the scent of a multitude of wild flowers. But in his mind’s eye, the top was removed from the coupe and the wind blew freely through their hair as they laughed with joy. Yes, Adrienne would much prefer the convertible to the coupe he had been inspecting. When he went back to the showroom, he’d find out the price of the convertible and ask the salesman if he could take it out for a test drive. When Brian re-entered the dealer’s showroom, he walked directly to the turntable where a shiny red Corvette convertible was now showcased. His eyes shone as he stepped up to it. It sported the same luxurious interior as had the coupe, but it was
so
much better. Adrienne would much prefer its long, low lines, of that he was sure. He checked out the sticker and whistled between his teeth. Ten thousand more than the coupe! But, if he were going to spring for the car of his dreams, he might as well do it up right. He couldn’t wait to see the look on Adrienne’s face when she saw it. By the time he got into the car with the salesman, he knew that his mind was already made up. He would have this car!

A couple of hours later, Brian pulled into the parking area of the apartment building. He jumped out of the car and took the stairs two at a time. “Adrienne,” he called as he burst into the apartment.

The silence that greeted him was mystifying. With a puzzled frown he went to the phone. The message light was flashing. Anxiously, he punched the play button. After a couple of telemarketer calls and a hang-up, Adrienne’s voice came over the speaker.

“Brian, we’ve had a case come up that’s going to keep me for a while. I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn’t worry.”

He picked up the phone and punched in the number for the hospital. “Is Adrienne still there?” he asked when he’d been connected to the appropriate floor.

“Yes, she is,” the voice answered. “But, she’s with a patient. Can I give her a message?”

“Tell her that Brian called. I’ll come by and pick her up. I’ll be there in about a halfhour.”

Brian pulled into the hospital parking lot and found a spot near the front entrance. Getting out of the Corvette, he stood a moment looking down at it, a smile of pleasure on his face. He could hardly wait to see Adrienne’s reaction. She was bound to be surprised, but would she also be as pleased as he hoped?

He strode up the front steps and across the lobby to the elevators. Taking a car to the fifth floor, he got out and went directly to the nurses’ station. There was Adrienne, standing, with her back toward him, talking with one of the other nurses. Just the look of her, beautiful in her neat uniform of light green made him proud that he could call her his girl. He walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hi.”

She turned with a smile. “Hi, yourself. I was surprised to hear that you were picking me up.”

He shrugged. “Well, I knew you would have already missed your carpool and I didn’t want to worry about you having a ride.”

“It would’ve been okay. Dr. Patrowski said he’d drop me off on his way home.”

“I’m here now, so he won’t have to worry about it. You ready to go?”

“Just let me get my bag.” She went behind the counter and retrieved her purse. “Night, all,” she said, with a wave at the other nurses.

Brian was silent as they took the elevator to the lobby. He was afraid that, if he spoke, he would somehow give away his surprise. They exited the building and descended the steps.

Adrienne paused on the walkway and surveyed the parking lot with a puzzled frown on her face.

Brian took her elbow and steered her toward the passenger’s side of the Corvette. When he stopped beside it and reached for the door handle, she whirled to face him. Her eyes were wide. “Yours?” Her voice cracked into a croak. He smiled and nodded.

“Is this some kind of a joke?”

He shook his head.

“You
bought
this?”

When he again nodded, she let out a squeal and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Brian, it’s
beautiful
!”

He smiled and opened the door. “I thought you’d like it.”

“Like it?” She slid into the seat and ran her hand over the upholstery. “I love it!”

“We shouldn’t have to worry about getting stranded anywhere – at least, not for a long while.”

Over the next few weeks as Brian adjusted to the demands of his new job, he would often spend his evenings unwinding behind the wheel of the Corvette. He loved exploring the countryside, zipping around the many curves that the back roads offered and feeling the warm spring air blowing through his hair. When Adrienne was working the day shift, she would accompany him. Although Brian didn’t understand it, she much preferred cruising the city streets. One evening as they returned to the apartment, Adrienne looked up at the building and sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Brian asked as he pulled into his parking space.

“Oh,” she said wistfully, “I was just thinking what a shame it is for this beautiful car—

” she reached out and patted the dash, “—to be associated with this old run-down apartment building.”

“It’s not run-down. It may be a bit old, but it’s not run-down.”

“Well, it sure looks it beside this beautiful car. Besides,” she continued, “I wish we could find a better place. I don’t like this neighborhood, especially when I work the evening shift.”

“But we’ve never had any trouble.”

“Yeah, but you’re not the one who has to be out late at night. Why, just the other evening, there was this gang of hoodlums lounging around the entrance. I was scared to death to even walk by them. I didn’t know what they might do.”

“They didn’t try anything, did they?”

“No, but what if they had?”

“Did they even say anything to you?”

“That’s beside the point. I was
scared
! Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Of course it does, honey.” He sighed. “Well, maybe we could
look
at some other places.”

She turned to him with a bright smile. “Thank you. I’ll do some checking tomorrow.”

The next evening, Brian was late arriving home from the office.

“Where in the world have you been?” Adrienne demanded as soon as he walked through the door.

He shrugged. “I got tied up in a meeting. Why?”

“I had it all set up for us to go and see three apartments this evening. When you didn’t show up, I had to call all of them and cancel.”

“Sorry,” he said, crossing the room and putting his arms around her. “If you had checked with me first, I’d have told you I would probably be late and we needed to schedule it for some other evening. We had some prospective suppliers in today going over what we’re going to need and they have to fly out in the morning.”

“Well, will you be able to make it tomorrow?” There was a note of sarcasm in her voice.

Brian frowned as he thought about his schedule for the next day and then he sighed. “I suppose. Go ahead and set it up, I’ll make sure I leave on time.”

“Good. I certainly hope this new job isn’t going to tie up
all
your evenings.”

“It shouldn’t, but it
will
happen once in a while. That just goes with the job.” He walked toward the bedroom. “I’m going to shower and change. You want to call in and order a pizza?”

A while later Brian padded into the dinette, barefoot and bare-chested, to find the pizza sitting on the table. He went to the refrigerator, took out a beer and held it up toward Adrienne. “Want one?”

“Sure,” she replied. “Nothing goes quite so well with pizza as a cold beer.”

He smiled. “A woman after my own heart.”

They were just sitting down when the phone rang. Brian reached for it and discovered his mother on the other end of the line.

“Brian, darling,” she said. “How have you been?”

“Oh, pretty well. Been kinda busy with the new job and all.”

“You got a new job! A promotion?”

Brian felt a blush rising to his cheeks. “Yeah,” he said modestly. “A couple-level jump.”

“Why, Brian, that’s
wonderful
. Congratulations!”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Your father would have been so proud.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. You know, he always wanted better for you than what he had been able to do. So, are you celebrating?”

“No, we did that the night I got the word. Adrienne and I were just sitting down to a pizza.”

“Well, dear, I’ll let you go before it gets cold.”

“Okay, Mom.”

“Again, congratulations. Call me sometime, okay?”

“Okay, Mom. I will. Take care of yourself.”

Brian hung up the phone and sat down at the table. Adrienne looked over at him.

“Your mom I take it,” she said. Brian nodded. “What did she have to say about your new job?”

“Oh, just congratulations, and she told me how proud my dad would have been.”

Adrienne nodded firmly. “And rightfully so.”

“Mom’s the one I’m proud of. When dad died and she was left with three kids to support, she worked in an office and studied real estate on the side. She got her license and really made a go of it. Of course, she always did like houses.” He chuckled. “She used to drag us kids around to every open house she could find.”

Vivian Forrester slowly hung up the phone, a happy smile gracing her face. She was very proud of her only son. He was smart and had grown into a hard-working man with practical ideas. There was no telling how far he could go. He might even be a company president, or a CEO, one day. He so much reminded her of her husband, Frank, who was suddenly taken from her at a much too young age. Even though that had been years ago, she still missed Frank, even though she had been forced by his passing to become much more independent. She sighed deeply. She loved all of her children equally, but Brian just seemed closer to her.

“Of course,” she smiled wryly. “The girls getting married and moving so far away might have something to do with that.” But Brian had so far stayed in town and for that she was thankful. “Not too sure of that Adrienne though.”

Sometimes she had a really strange feeling with Adrienne, but Brian seemed to be crazy about the girl and she only wanted him to be happy, so she’d just have to accept his choice.

She picked up the phone to call her canasta partner.
Might as well get caught up on all
the news
, she thought as she punched in the number.