The Four Seasons (31 page)

Afterward, when they could talk, they talked for hours.

“W
HERE HAVE YOU BEEN
!” Rose was wrapped in her fleece robe, her long red hair framing a face pink with fury.

Jilly sheepishly slunk into the room and closed the door behind her. She couldn't meet her sister's eyes, convinced that the past hours of lovemaking were imprinted on her face. She looked at the mirror, the sink, the bed, anywhere but Rose's face.

“I'm sorry, I know I should have called. I lost track of time.”

“That's not good enough! I was worried sick. I was about ready to call the police.”

Jilly spun around and stared in disbelief. Rose was yelling at her! She was hopping mad, pacing like a bantam and shouting at the top of her lungs.

“You can be pretty insensitive, do you know that, Jilly? When you want something, you just go get it and damn what happens to anyone else. Did you even stop to think how worried I'd be? Or Birdie?”

Jilly was so shocked by the sight of Rose losing her temper that she didn't answer the questions.

“Did you?”

“Did I what?”

“Oh, Jilly…” Rose threw up her hands.

Jilly let out a long, hard sigh. “What's the big explosion for? I was out. No big deal.”

Rose was slightly calmer now, relieved just to see Jilly alive. She tried to speak evenly but the tremor was still in her voice. “You don't go walking out alone late at night, upset, and come back four hours later without a word.”

Jilly almost laughed. “I'm forty-three years old. I don't need to be told I have a curfew. This is how I've always lived my life. I go out when I want and come back when I want. Frankly, I only came back at all so you wouldn't worry, and I promise you—” she pointed her finger at Rose “—it was the ultimate sacrifice. I'm sorry if you were worried, but I didn't ask you to be my nursemaid.”

Rose drew herself up, closed her robe around her neck and delivered a long, hard look.

“I'm sorry, Rose,” Jilly said right away. “I didn't mean it like that.” Jilly rubbed her forehead. In her heart she knew Rose had reason for worry and decided a little groveling was in order. “I'm not used to having people care where I am,” she said in a gentler voice. “I'll try to be more thoughtful in the future. Okay?”

Rose's shoulders lowered and she tucked her hands in her pockets. “I guess I'm not used to living with independent people. I shouldn't have jumped down your throat.”

The door opened and Birdie came in, her robe billowing, her short red hair flat on one side where she'd been lying down. But her eyes were blazing. “You took ten years off my life!” she shouted. “And frankly, I don't have ten years I care to give.” Then she wrapped her arms around Jilly and squeezed
her tight. “We thought you'd been eaten by bears. Or worse.” Pulling away she added, “I could kill you myself.”

She stepped back and looked into Jilly's face. Her blue eyes narrowed as she studied with a mother's eyes Jilly's damp hair, her chapped lips, the faint glow to her skin. Birdie's lips pursed with speculation. “Jogging, I suppose?”

Jilly knew that Birdie had figured out what she'd been up to. She took off her coat, feeling a flush just recalling Rajiv's tan, slender fingers doing each button of her blouse. “Yep. Nothing like it.”

“Mmm-hmm. In those shoes?”

Jilly looked down at her bare feet in the light leather shoes. Her socks were in her coat pocket. “Well, power walking.”

“I've never known anyone to smell quite so fresh and sweet after a four-hour jog.”

Jilly tossed her coat over the chair, then faced Birdie, her lips twitching. “It's that sweet mountain air.”

Birdie laughed and shook her head. “You're being careful, aren't you?” she said in all seriousness, then blushed when Jilly snorted a laugh. “Okay, I'm sounding like the mother again. I'm just worried.”

“It's not that. I just got the third degree from my roommate.” She looked over at Rose and smirked. “You should've heard her. What a temper! Who knew?”

Birdie swung her head around to look at Rose, who was standing with her shoulders back. “That was Rose doing all that hollering?”

“Felt pretty good, too,” Rose replied with a jaunty lift of her chin. “Better get used to it.”

Jilly burst out laughing, leaning against Birdie for support.

“We've created a monster,” Birdie said between laughs.

“In your own image,” Jilly retorted, jabbing Birdie in the ribs.

“Very funny.”

“Whoa, back up a minute,” Rose said. Then her features changed as understanding dawned. “Jilly…you and Rajiv Patel?”

Jilly renewed her laughter against Birdie's shoulder. Birdie only rolled her eyes. Rose shook her head incredulously. “I thought we were only kidding when we teased you about the attraction.”

“Be happy for me,” Jilly said, turning her head, revealing the grin of happiness that she felt down to her toes.

“It's nice to see at least one of the Season sisters having a little fun,” Birdie said, sitting down on the mattress with a flop.

“You and Rajiv…” Rose sat beside Birdie, still trying to digest the information.

“No offense girls, but let's not get too comfortable,” Jilly said with a yawn. “I'm exhausted. I just want to crawl under the covers and sleep. Tomorrow I intend to start bright and early searching those addresses.”

“Well, well, well, you're in a better mood than when you left,” Birdie said, slowly rising. “Eager to start the search again, are we?” Her face lit up with relief. “Whatever it is that he's offering, can I have some?”

“Not on your life,” Jilly replied as she unbuttoned her blouse. “This one is strictly hands off.” She started to sing in time to popping her buttons, “God bless the mister that comes between me and my sister. God bless the sister that comes between me and my man.”

“That good, is he?” Birdie said with a smirk.

“Better.”

“Don't tell me,” Birdie said with a sorry shake of her head. “Given my situation, it would be too cruel.”

“Well, you can tell me,” Rose said, sidling closer. “I'm not too shy to admit I could use some coaching.”

“Why?” Jilly stopped her fingers and cast her a suspicious look. “Any news from the front?”

Rose's face lit up. “He wrote back. And he said he'd wait to meet me. That I'm worth the wait.”

Birdie let out a whoop.

“Oh, I'm so glad,” Jilly said, wrapping her arms around Rose in a hug. Then close to her ear she whispered, “Just don't wait too long. Trust me on this one.”

Birdie joined the circle. “For every season, there is a turn, or something like that. Go for it, Rose. It's your turn.”

 

The following morning, Rajiv reluctantly agreed to join them for breakfast at The Country Diner. He seemed very stiff and uncomfortable as he took his seat beside Jilly and politely smiled at the other patrons of the restaurant, who stared at him as though they'd seen a ghost.

“You don't get out much, do you?” Jilly asked under her breath.

He didn't reply. Rather, he fixed his attention on the menu.

“Well, look who's finally shown up,” Maude said in her usual bellicose manner. “We'd begun to wonder if anyone really lived up there at the motel at all.”

He seemed intent on the menu. “I've been busy,” he said with a quick, tense smile.

“Larry's my name.” The old man came forward to shake his hand. “Welcome.”

“Rajiv Patel,” he replied, taking his hand.

“We nicknamed you Heathcliff,” Larry said with a quick laugh. When Rajiv raised his brows, he added, “Seeing as how you didn't socialize much.”

“Heathcliff is far too romantic for my nature, I'm afraid.”

“Oh, I don't know,” Jilly said with a laugh. “I guess that makes me Cathy.”

Rajiv turned her way and she could tell by his amused expression that he liked the analogy. They all relaxed and ordered a hearty breakfast, eager to get started on the day's search.

“It's back to the grindstone, I'm afraid,” said Rose. She made no secret that she couldn't stand being cooped up in the cramped building the county called a public library. “At least we only have one name to search this time.”

“What information do you have now?” asked Rajiv.

“We have the adoptive parents' names and address at the time of the adoption. But that address is twenty-six years old. We'll have to go to the library to search the directories.”

“Their name is Parker. There'll be a gazillion Parkers in the directories. Why couldn't it have been one of those long, strange names with multiple consonants?”

“But why go to the library?” Rajiv asked.

His question was met with blank stares.

“Where else do you suggest?” asked Jilly, unsure of where he was headed.

“I have a software program that is a national phone directory. It matches names and addresses. We could start with Wisconsin, then go through the states one by one geographically or alphabetically, whichever you prefer. And we could work out of my office. It would be much easier that way.”

Jilly leaned across her chair to wrap her arms around him, delivering a sound kiss. “What a guy,” she said with a broad smile, enjoying every second of the stunned look of surprise on proper Rajiv's face—and on the faces of her sisters.

 

Rose wasn't blind to the bloom in Jilly's cheeks or the spring in her step. Watching her with Rajiv made Rose aware of the
emptiness in her own life. The little, discreet signs of affection affected her the most: Rajiv resting his hand on Jilly's shoulder as he leaned over to look at the computer monitor while she searched, tucking a tendril behind her ear, Jilly absently leaning against him. Rose caught Jilly's sighs and Rajiv's fierce glance of possession when he wasn't aware anyone was looking.

Rose desperately wanted a man to feel that way about her, to look at her with such desire. Oh, she wanted romance in her life. She wanted the hearts and flowers, the whispered words of love, the hand-holding, the gazing at a moon together, and ultimately, the commitment. She wanted a child of her own.

She hadn't known this about herself until this search for Spring. She'd been so preoccupied for so many years caring for Merry that she never contemplated wanting another child to care for. But now, watching Jilly getting in touch with her own maternal instincts, she knew she wanted to experience that for herself.

No one can do this for you
, Jilly had said.

It's your turn
, said Birdie.

Emboldened by new goals, she laid her fingers on the keyboard and began to type.