That Summer (18 page)

The television network that was broadcasting the event did an interview with John Ford and Liam outside of Someday Soon's stall. “They had to interview us,” Liam said. “After all, Buster
is
the Derby winner.”

The day flew by. As the time for the race drew near, Liam and I went back to our seats, where we were joined by Senator and Mrs. Wellington. Mrs. Wellington kissed her son. “Darling, I'm so excited for you.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Mrs. Wellington had been a beautiful woman, but years of drinking had taken their toll. She was still elegant, but her beauty was a thing of the past.

“I put a bet down on him, Liam,” the senator said. “At these odds, I could make a bit of money.”

“I hope you do,” Liam replied.

“Oh my God,” I said. “I forgot to bet!”

Liam laughed.

“Did you bet?” I asked him.

“I certainly did. And from what I gathered from my e-mail, every bettor in Virginia and Kentucky bet on him too.”

The Pimlico bugler, wearing a red cutaway jacket and black top hat, blew the call to the post. The horses began to parade past the grandstands and the U.S. Naval Academy Men's Glee Club in dress whites sang, “Maryland, My Maryland.”

I stood up on my toes, then back down again. I was so excited I couldn't keep still.

The senator said, “The track has been favoring the inside horses.” In fact, the winners of the last five races had all run on the rail. With the track biased for the rail, the inside horses, Honor Bright, Tango With Me and Long Johnnie would have an advantage over the rest of the horses that were coming from the outside.

“I know,” Liam replied. “John told Miles not to ride the rail. All of the other horses are going to try to cut in there and if Miles tries it too, he'll get caught in traffic. Better to stick to the outside, where he'll have running room.”

To encompass the race's full mile and three-sixteenths, the starting gate was set up just past the final turn. The horses would run past the finish line, around the track, and then come down the homestretch again.

The horses turned around and began to canter toward the starting gate.

“Someday Soon looks great,” I said to Liam. “He looks eager.”

The starter and the assistant starters began to load the horses into the gate. In less than three minutes, we would know the winner. I dug my nails into my palms. Then they were all in.

The gates opened and the horses sprang out.

Almost the entire field swerved in toward the rail, hoping to get the advantage of the track's bias. Miles Santos and Someday Soon stayed out, about five horses wide. Jorge Chavez on Kerry's Way careened across their path, speeding across six lanes from the ninth slot. At the front of the pack, Tango With Me, Long Johnnie and Honor Bright raced neck and neck, each of the excited horses resisting their jockey's attempt to rate them.

“My God, it's a stampede,” Liam said.

Someday Soon was ten horses back and five horses wide. Just in front of him was Pat Day on Mileaminute and on his outside was Gary Stevens on Point Taken. Holding that position, the horses flew past the parking lot on the other side of the chain-link fence.

The time for the first half-mile flashed on the tote board screen. “Jesus,” Liam said. “That's two seconds faster than the Derby.”

The pack passed the cement barns on the backside and Honor Bright took the lead. Someday Soon was still ten horses back, running in a threesome with Mileaminute and Point Taken

“He's got to get around those horses,” I said. “He can't stay stuck there too long.”

The field sped by another parking lot filled with yellow school buses. “This is where Santos should make his move,” Liam said. “He can't leave it any later than this.”

As they watched, Mileaminute swung a little wide, leaving an opening. Santos squeezed through and Someday Soon was free on the track, five horses wide and nine horses behind.

He started to move.

“He's coming!” I shouted. “Oh Liam, he's coming!”

Someday Soon passed Point Taken and then he started picking off the other horses: Tango With Me, who had fallen from the lead, then Kerry's Way, Always Yours and Sentinel Watch. He caught Long Johnnie and Zeus and Kimberly Dan. Then only Honor Bright was ahead of him.

“Come on, Buster!” I screamed. “You can do it, you can do it!”

Liam was shouting next to me, “Go, go, go!”

Ears flat, digging deep, on came Someday Soon. He caught Honor Bright two lengths before the wire and sailed across the finish line the winner.

“Oh my God, he did it. He did it! Buster is the winner!” I was jumping up and down, clapping my hands. Liam picked me up in his arms, taking me right off my feet.

“He did it, he did it, he did it!” He swung me around.

I put my hands on his shoulders to balance myself.

“Congratulations, Liam,” Senator Wellington said, holding out his hand. Liam had to put me down to shake it. Then he embraced his mother. A track official shouldered his way into the box and told us we should follow him down to the winner's circle.

Someday Soon had beaten fourteen horses for a chance to compete for the Triple Crown. Liam went over to him and patted his neck, then he buried his face in the black-eyed Susans on the victory blanket.

The Preakness presentation platform was filled with people. Senator and Mrs. Wellington were there as well as Miles Santos’ wife and Lorraine Ford. Charlsie Canty was interviewing Miles.

“Think you'll be favored in the Belmont?” someone from the press called to John Ford.

He shrugged. “We'll see.”

Above the winner's circle, a painter began painting the Wellington colors, royal blue and white, onto the weather-vane jockey.

Liam was interviewed on TV and then the senator, who was charming and congratulated his son, the owner. “Liam bred him and raised him and sent him to John Ford,” he said. “All of the congratulations are to go to him, not me.”

I thought it was quite decent of him to admit this and said as much to Liam.

“I suppose it was,” he admitted. “I like it that it's out in public, that I am the owner, not Wellington Farm.”

We went out to dinner with the Fords once again, but this time we were joined by Miles Santos and his wife as well as Senator and Mrs. Wellington.

The restaurant put us at a big round table and everyone ordered a drink. Liam ordered two bottles of wine for the table. When the drinks arrived, the senator poured me a glass of Chardonnay. Liam lifted his glass and said, “To Someday Soon.”

“To Someday Soon,” we all echoed.

Mrs. Wellington said, “Did you ever tell these people that I named that horse for you?”

Liam smiled. “That's right, Mom, you did.”

“Where did you get the idea from?” I asked.

“I was reading a book titled
Someday Soon
and I thought it would be a good name for a thoroughbred. I mentioned it to Liam when he told me he was looking for a name for Pennyroyal's colt. He liked it, and that's how Someday Soon got his name.”

“It's a great name,” I said. “It has presence.”

“It was good luck, you naming him, Mom. Maybe I'll have you name all of my horses in the future.”

Mrs. Wellington looked pleased. “I'd be happy to.”

“When I think of the names that some horses get stuck with,” John said.

We spent the next fifteen minutes recalling the most ridiculous names we could come up with as I finished my glass of wine.

The waiter came to take our order and I requested another glass of wine.

The mood at our table was euphoric. I couldn't remember being happier.

We ordered appetizers, then salads, and I had another glass of wine then another. The entree came and I had another glass of wine then another. I was feeling great.

Liam suddenly said, “How many glasses of wine have you had, Annie?”

I smiled at him. “Who knows?”

The senator said, “Leave her alone, Liam. She's having a good time.”

“I should have kept an eye on you,” Liam said.

“I don't need anyone to keep an eye on me, thank you. I am perfectly able to keep an eye on myself.” I spoke slowly and carefully because my mouth didn't feel completely reliable.

Lorraine Ford said, “She's not half as high as you and John were after the Kentucky Derby.”

“Thash right,” I said.

“She's not driving,” the senator said. “Leave her alone, Liam.”

“Thank you, shenator.”

Mrs. Wellington said calmly, “It's all right to drink on a happy occasion. It's drinking when things are bad that's the problem.”

Everyone at the table was silent. They knew they were hearing from an expert. Then Liam said, “All right, but no more, Annie.”

“I don't want any more,” I told him loftily.

The party continued and I was still feeling very happy. When we broke up to go home, I went with Liam to his car.

“Get in,” he said a little grimly as he held the door for me.

I got in.

He went around and got in behind the wheel.

I said, “I felt dizzy when I got up.”

“You had too much wine, Annie. You're drunk.”

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I have never been drunk in my life.”

“Well, you're drunk now. Just what I need. One woman in the family who drinks is enough.”

I blinked. “I'm not in your family.”

We pulled out into traffic. The dizziness I had experienced when I first stood up returned and all of the lights on the city street were blurred.

I said, “You know, maybe I did drink too much. Everything is blurry.”

He didn't reply, but when we got back to the hotel he led me into my room and said, “Are you going to be all right?”

The ride in the car had made me feel sick to my stomach. “I don't feel so good, Liam,” I said.

“Come on, Annie. Let's get you into bed.”

“Okay.” I sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him. He sighed. “Let's take off the jacket, okay? You don't want to sleep in that pretty dress.”

I nodded and my fingers fumbled with the buttons.

“Let me do it.” He came over and unbuttoned the jacket of my two-piece black dress. He slid the jacket off my shoulder. “Come on, now, give me your other arm.” I let him take the jacket off of me.

“Now the skirt,” he said. “Stand up.”

I stood up and he unbuttoned the skirt and slid it down my legs. “Sit down again,” he said and slid the skirt off over my feet.

I was wearing a bra, panties and a short half slip. Liam pulled the covers down on the bed then lifted me into his arms and carried me to the top of the bed. He laid me down, but he did not pull the covers up immediately. I looked up at him. “I'm sorry, Liam,” I said. “I'm sorry I drank too much. I was so happy.”

“Shh,” he said. “It's okay.” He sat down on the bed next to me. “You have such beautiful skin, Annie.”

He was looking at my breasts.

“You could kiss me,” I said.

“I suppose I could do that.” He leaned down and kissed me on the mouth, a gentle, loving kiss. I couldn't help the way I responded to him and he straightened up. I had scared him away.

“It's all right,” I said. “I'm drunk.”

“You are,” he agreed. He stood up and pulled the covers up over me. “Sleep it off, tiger. I'll see you in the morning.”

I managed to hold back the tears until after he had gone. Then I cried my eyes out. I really was quite drunk.

The next morning I woke with a horrendous headache. “Don't talk to me,” I said when Liam called to see if I was awake. “Whisper.”

“As bad as that, eh?”

“Yes.”

“Are you up to driving home?”

“If you do the driving,” I said.

“Okay.”

“I'm just going to make a pot of coffee in my room here and drink it. I don't want anything to eat.”

“Okay. I'll go down to the coffee shop and give you a buzz when I get back.”

“Okay.”

I took two Excedrin and drank three cups of coffee. I would have to make several pit stops on the way back to Virginia, but by the third cup I was starting to feel human again. When Liam came to pick me up, I was ready.

“You look white as a ghost,” he said.

“Why on earth do people drink? I feel horrible.”

“How did you ever come to drink so much wine? I told you that two glasses was your limit. You must have had twice that.”

“I don't know how many I had. I just kept refilling my glass. I was feeling so happy, Liam. You won the Preak-ness!”

“I was feeling pretty happy too, but I didn't get drunk.”

“You got drunk after the Derby. I know because I walked you home.”

“You didn't have to put me to bed.”

I blushed. “Let's not talk about last night. It was not one of my finest hours.”

“Okay. Let's talk about Buster.”

“He's a wonderful horse, Liam. I truly believe you have a great shot at the Belmont.”

“The Belmont is more his race than the Preakness. I kind of think we got through the hardest of the three races yesterday.”

“It's almost awesome— to think that you might have a Triple Crown winner.”

“I keep pinching myself to see if I'm awake and not dreaming all of this.”

“I know. Daddy would be so proud of you, Liam.”

“Buster was his boy. He always thought Buster was going to be something special. He told me to keep him, that he could be a Derby horse. I wish he could have lived to see this.”

“Something Special! What a great name. That could be the name of Pennyroyal's new foal.”

“I like it. I think I'll get Mom to name the Going West colt that you're working with. She sounded kind of proud that she had named Buster.”

“She did. She was great last night, Liam.”

“She was.”

“You know what's funny?”

“What?”

“When you see your mother and father together, they act like they're married.”

“Say that again?”

“I mean, you can sense that there's a bond between them. In spite of all his infidelities, I think they love each other.”

“You're a sentimental sap if you think that.”

“You don't have to get abusive.”

“You don't know what abusive is until you have heard my father in action.”

I had heard him in action, and Liam was right. But I was right too. There was a bond between the senator and his wife. I had sensed it yesterday at the racetrack and then again at the dinner. It might not be a healthy bond— in fact, it couldn't possibly be a healthy bond—but it was there.