Sati (9 page)

'I didn't think so,'Lori said.' She doesn't seem your type.'

I had to smile.'D id you like her?'

Lori wrinkled her nose.' She's nice and all that. She's got great hair. But I've seen better. I don't know why she thinks she's God.'

'I seeyourpoint'

'Totellyou the truth, I think it's pretty immature ofFred to treat her the way he does. He practically wors hips her,'

'She does have a lot of charm.'

'Yeah, but I don't see you bowing to her. You're a real mature person, Mr Winters.'She grinned mischiev-ously, and there was a light year of difference between her grin and Sati's.' You remember that time we were alone together in the car, when We had that fantastic talk?'

'I remember.'

'I kept wanting to ask you something. But I was too embarrassed.'

'Some things are better left unsaid.'

'Mr Winters, do you think I'm pretty?'

Suddenly, my intestines decided to practise a knot I'd learned in Boy Scouts. The pain was so intense I
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dropped the clothes I was holding and grabbed my abdomen withbo th hands.' God,'I whispered.

'What's the matter?'Loricried, hugging my side and squashing her bosom into my ribs.'I s it something I said?'

'I think I'm going to throw up,'I breathed, clamping down on my stomach.

'I wasn't trying to come on to you. Please don't tell Fred. There's nothing between us any more, but I don't want him thinking I'd sleep with you behind his back before your divorce is final. Can I get you a drink of water, Mr Winters?'

'I'll be back in a minute,'I moaned.' Stay here and guard my underwear.'

Upstairs, the entire gang was jammed in the kitchen making cookies. Timmy waslicking the icing knife, grossing everyone out. The thick smell of dough was not what my guts needed. I stumbled towards Sati and touched her arm.

'All right,'I said.' Use your powers right now and don't give me any excuses. Why am I sick?'

Satilooked up.' Fred,use your powers right now and tell Michael why he's sick.'

'You drank spoiled milk,'Fred said.

'Huh?'I said.

'When we madethe cookies in my place yesterday, I forgot to putthe carton of milk away,'Fred explained.' It was a hot day. Sitting out for so long must have ruined it.'

'But how did it get in my icebox?'I asked.

'When Sati was helping me deliver the papers this morn-ing, she said she'd be making more cookies tills afternoon in your apartment. When we finished the route, I took what stuff I had and jammed it in your refrigerator.'

'But why did you put spoiled milk where I would drink it?'I cried.

'I didn't know it was spoiled, Mike,'Fred said.' We only discovered it just now.'He pulled a carton from my garbage bag.'H ere it is if you want to smell it. It stinks.'

'No, I don't want to smell it,'I shouted, shoving the carton away. Despite my condition, my memory was work-ing extremely well. I remembered how Sati had stared at her glass when I had poured her milk during breakfastI also remembered that it had tasted funny.' You knew,'I accused her.

She nodded.'I know everything.'

'But why didn't you stop me?'

'I told you I should gett he milk. You didn't listen to me. Had I fetched the milk, I would have chosenthe carton I used to makethe pancakes. That milk was fine.'

I bent over with cramps.'I supposethis is all a lesson to teach me to listen to you inthe future?'I said
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bitterly.

'Michael,'Sati said.' The only lesson I can think of here is to smell your food before you swallow it'

I tried to straighten. Ifthe pancakes hadn't been so delicious and her company so distracting, I'm sure I would have noticedthe smell, never mindthe bad taste.'B ut why didn'tyou get sick?'I demanded.' I saw you drinkthe same milk.'

Satileaned against my kitchen counter and pittedher belly affectionately.' My tummy works better than yours. I can almost drink poison.'

I closed my eyes, taking slowdeep breaths.'W hat advice does the Almighty have for me now?'I asked.

'Go into the bathroom,'Sati said simply.' Stick your finger down your throat,and throw up.'

SEVEN

The community room in the bank was cosy, with thirty plush chairs and brown carpet deep enough to perform gymnastics on. One wallwas solid window and drapes. A striking wallpaper depicting a rusty desert landscape coveredtheother three. The wallpaper was made up of vivid blown-up photographs,not artistic sketches. I thought it appropriate considering where Sati said she had been born. All of five days ago.

When I arrived for the evening meeting, I was feel-ing much better. My illness had been as brief as it had been intense. The vomiting had worked wonders. Half the chairs were already occupied and I hesitated to take one for fear there would not be enough. I didn't mind sitting on the floor again. I decided it might even be safer. If I got as settled as I had the previous night,I figured I'd have nothing to fall out of.

There were familiar faces from yesterday. The young couple and the mother and teenaged daughter were already present. The four sat with a small group they obviously knew. The only person I saw who could have been considered unusual was a Hare Krishna. He stood in the back. But even he wasn't wearing the traditional saffron gown. It was his haircut that identified him. Plus he had thick black glasses.

I don't knowwhy it is, but every Hare Krishna I've ever seen wears thick glasses. Maybe their diet has something to do with it I understand they eat tons of sugar — the kind of food Sati was so eager to have us consume. Her plate of cherry-topped cookies was sitting up fronton a table, beside her sheet-draped chair. As before,there was also a vase of flowers,although this one appeared to have been ordered from the florist. It held a variety of flowers besides roses.

Timmy, Mary and Nick had arrived before I did. Nkk had with him a sketch of Satihe'd been working on most of the afternoon. I assumed he intended to add detail to it during the meeting. As always, his technique was excellent. Mary appeared especially excited about the picture, hug-ging his arm as she spoke in his ear about his great talent. I felt a stab ofenvy. They looked so happy together.

David arrived a couple of minutes after me. His mood was upbeat.' Any new developments?'he asked, as we huddled in one corner.

'Satiturned milk to vinegar this afternoon, but other than that, she kept her godhood under her hat.'

'What?'

'Nothing,'I said.' Timmy and I did have a philosophical discussion with her - the meaning of life and all
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that. I think it would be safe to say she could hold her own against Plato. It will be interesting to see how she handles strangers'q uestions.'

'She's going to take questions?'David asked.

'She implied this afternoon that she would.'

'Great. What's this I hear about Hutchinson's arthritis getting better?"

I waved my hand.' I haven't talked to her myself about it,but even Sad seems to pass it off as unimportan t.'

David considered for a moment That was his way. He always thought through the implications of every-thing before he did anything. That was probably why hewas rich.' My sources didn't turn up anything on anyone named Sati,'he saidfi nally.

'Who are your sources?'I asked.

'Some people I know.'

Secretiveness was another of his characteristics. He disliked telling you where he got his haircut.

'I'm not surprised, if allthey were using to track her was the name Sati,'I said.

David nodded.' We should probably get a picture of her.'He turned towards the chairs.' Let's talk after this is over.'

'Fine.'

Fred andLori came in next.Loriwasn'tthe least bits hy in my presence. Was she so stupid that she didn't see how dangerous itwas to make apassat a boyfriend's buddy? No, she didn't care if Fred found out.

She didn't care about Fred. She was a superficial person. Yet I didn't wonder why he was in love with her. I was in no position to think such thoughts.

'Feeling better?'Lori asked sweetly.

'Yes,'I said.

Fred snorted.' Lori tells me you almost barfed in her face.'

Lori turned red.'I never said that! Fred, tell Mr Winters I never saidthat!"

'I did almost barf in your face, Lori,'I said, before asking Fred. 'Where's Sati? I thought you were bringing her?'

'She wanted to walk.'

'Are you serious? The apartment's two miles from here.'

Fred shrugged.' She left a while ago. She'll be here soon."He pulled onLori 's hand." Come on, I want to sit up front.'

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'I want to sit by the door,'Lori said. From listening to Fred, I knew Lori was stubborn, andthat he almost always let her have her own way. I was, therefore, pleased withwhat he said next.

'Suityourself,'he said. He letgo of her and walked to the front Lori appeared momentarily startled but recovered nicely.

'Where are you sitting, Mr Winters?'she asked.

'On the floor. Could you excuse me a moment?'

Linda and Jenny had just arrived. Timmy was another of my daughter's favourites. Alteraquick kiss on my cheek,Jenny hurried to visit with him. Being a liberated woman, her mother wasn't worried about contamination. I ushered Linda out of the room on to the pavement.

'Why did youtell Satiyou were bringing Jenny over and then nevers how up?'1 asked.

'I changed my mind,'Linda said.' I have that right,you know.'

'Why didn't you call?'

'I didn't suppose Satiwould be sitting around waiting for us.'

It was true that Sati had not asked where they were. Yet, to my mind, that didn't makeany difference.'

You sounded awfully frantic this morning,'I said.' What happened?'

'Nothing. The usual. She woke up in the middle of the night crying. She was still upset this morning. But then, as the day went on, she started to cheer up. And I started to ask myself if it was such a good idea for her to be talking to Sati.'

'Idon't seewhy not. Sati is a lot nicer than your teachers and psychologists.'

'Your hostility towards my teachers is getting old,'Linda said.' Besides, none of them think they're God.'

That was a hard point to argue.' Then why did you bring Jenny tonight?'I asked.

Linda frowned.' Shetoldme if I didn't,she would never speak to Dick again.'

I laughed.

Back inside, the chairs were filling up quickly. Linda and 1 were about to plop down on the floor when Mrs Hutchinson and a stranger entered. I was surprised when she introduced him as the minister of their church. Young and blond,with freckles splashed across his handsome face, he looked more like a surfer off the beach. Yet his dress was conservative, a dark suit and a choker of a red tie. He was carrying a flat black briefcase.

'Mr Winters, pleased to meet you,'he said, crushing my fingers with his powerful handshake.' I understand you've been hosting our guest of honour?'

'She sleeps on my couch,'I said.

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'Reverend Green has been given a thorough account of what has been going on,"Mrs Hutchinson said.

'How are your hands?'I asked.

She glanced down at them,answered slowly,' They're feeling better today, thank you.'

'I'm glad,'I said.

Before I could explore the matter further, her eyes focused or^Timmy. Pushing her glasses back on her nose, she stalked towards him.'Whyaren'tyouhomeinbed?' shestarted.'There's a chill in the night air that can go straightinto your chest. Didn't I tell you...'

Mrs Hutchinson disapproved of homosexuality. Fortu-nately, that didn't keep her from taking care of Ti mmy. Three months ago he'd caught a flu bug that had been going around, and with an immune system already de-pressed, his fever had spiked up to 105 degrees. If Mrs Hutchinson hadn't been regularly checking up on him, he probably would have died of dehydration. He'd been too weak to get out of bed to get a glass of water.

Reverend Green caught my eye.'I 've been looking for-ward to this all day.'He glanced around.' Is she here?'

'You'll know when she gets here,'I said.

'What's she like?'Reverend Green asked.

'I try to describe her to people and I have the hardest time,'I said.' You'll just have to meet her.'

'But you seem taken by her,'he said.

'Why do you say that?'

'For one, you let her stay atyour place,'Reverend Green said.'For another, you're telling people about her. I only preach about someone I really believe in. How about you,Mike?'

Somehow the context in which he used my first name did not seem as friendly as,say, when Sati used it I did not mind. I wasn't going to get into an argument with himo ver what I believedo r disbelieved.Ididn't know whatI believed or disbelieved. If nothing else, Sati hadalready taught me that one thing. Still Iw as pretty damn sure she wasn't God.

'I like variety in the company 1 keep,'I told the reverend.

He wasn't given a chance to respond. A bright blonde head suddenly flashed in the doorway.E very head in the room turned at once.

It was a curious fact that she never looked exactly the same to me. Now her appearance seemed a contradiction in terms.She looked stunning, yet in no way glamorous. Her manner suggested complete authority, and total innocence. As always, her hair hung loose and curly - I doubted she everc ombed it.

She walked easily, apparently in no hurry,but it wasn't as if she moved slowly. Quite the opposite; she looked very energetic. The green dress she wore was medium length, tied at the waist with a narrow yellow silk sash that had been knotted off-centre so that the ends hung around her left hip. It must have been one of those Mary had given to her. The colours suited her.

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