'Tis the Season: A Collection of Mimi's Christmas Books (65 page)

Harry joined in. “I like pizza too.” And that got the two pizza lovers sharing which ones they liked the best. If Layla and her grandfather hadn’t kept the conversational ball rolling, the evening would’ve been a complete fiasco.

Even Mari didn’t seem to have any of the earlier vivacity until Jesse went along with her reminiscing, and then she sparkled.

For Belle, the time couldn’t go by fast enough. As she picked at each course, she tried to focus on Layla’s conversation. Soon even Layla wound down and Belle used it as a reason to excuse herself.

“I’ve done most of the clean-up, it’s just putting the dishes in the dishwasher and I’ll leave that part with you Jesse. I’ve already moved Layla’s and my stuff over to the other place and brought Father and Marilyn’s luggage here. It’s in the front hall.”

Harry frowned at her. “You want us to stay here now?”

“It’s for the best. That way Marilyn and Jesse can catch up on old times and I can settle Layla down in her own bed.”

A sulky expression flooded Yaya’s face. “No Mama. I don’t wanna go home. And I don’t wanna go to bed.”

“Too bad, muffin. You can have a bath. I’ll read you your favorite “T’was the Night Before Christmas” book. Then lights out. You’re tired, and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. It’ll be a long day for you.” Honesty had to be faced as she heard her own words: it would be a long day for her more so than Yaya.

A sob escaped as Layla started to fuss. “I wanna stay with Jesse and… and Gwampa.” Her words were followed by another sob. When she read the stubborn look on Belle’s face, she let loose with the wails. “I don’t wanna go to bed.” The last words were roared in her don’t-mess-with-me voice.

Belle, who knew that the nonsense had to be stopped before Yaya got carried away, lifted her out of her chair. “Tomorrow you can play with Grampa. Now it’s time for bed. Say good-night to everyone.”

Respecting the note in Belle’s tone, Layla sniffed, wrapped her arms around her mom’s neck and murmured, “G’night.”

Jesse looked around at Mari’s expression and saw something that annoyed him. “Belle is a wonderful mother. She was right you know. Layla needs to have an early night.”

“Oh, I totally agree. It’s just that I’ve never been in close proximity with a child before. I mean, I’ve been forced to listen to many brats in restaurants and periodically on plane trips. To tell the truth, that type of behavior totally turned me off little kids. Now seeing how special Layla is and the way Belle handles her, I’m realizing there are methods to deal with the little devils.”

Jesse answered with a smile in his voice. “No doubt about it. Munchkins are a handful. When they dig their little claws into your heart, trust me, they can take you to heaven or hell. Either way, you’ll find the trip one you’d never want to miss.”

After saying his piece, Jesse noticed the look that passed between father and daughter. “Did I say something wrong?”

Harry answered, his face lit up with enjoyment at an inside joke. “Not at all. You said exactly what she needed to hear, didn’t he Marilyn?”

She hesitated before nodding and agreeing. “It’s a lot to consider. You two go and get acquainted. I’ll tidy up here and join you for a nightcap in a little while.”

Harry pushed his chair back and caught Jesse’s confusion. “Let’s leave this young woman alone. She has some very serious thinking to do.”

Chapter Thirty-seven

Jesse settled Harry with a nightcap and joined him on the couch.

“Can I ask you a question about Belle, Jesse?”

“What do you want to know?”

“She seems a bit under the weather. And I noticed she didn’t eat nearly as much as the rest of us. She wouldn’t have any perogies or bread, not even some of the apple pie she made for dessert. I’m a bit concerned.”

Filtering through how much he could safely tell Harry without crossing boundaries, Jesse took a sip of his drink and put it on the table. “Recently, Belle couldn’t keep any food down at all. Then we found out that she has the same symptoms as a person with Celiac disease which means she must have a completely gluten-free diet. You might have noticed that she prepared her food on a different counter. As long as she takes extreme care, her sickness seems to be under control. In the last week, she’s gained a lot of energy—and some of her lost weight.”

Harry leaned forward and listened carefully to Jesse’s explanation. “This Celiac, can it be cured?”

“I don’t believe so. Other than having to take added vitamins, watch her nutrition and use common sense, Belle is perfectly fine and can live a normal, healthy life.”

Harry smoothed his mustache with shaking fingers. “You seem to know a lot about the ailment.”

“I’ve been reading up on it. The mother of one of my workers’ also passed on some information. She’s involved in a study at the university and has had Celiac for a number of years.” Jesse saw the older man relax, seemingly satisfied that his daughter would be fine.

“Now it’s my turn to ask you a question.” Jesse watched the other man’s reaction and noticed how he stiffened slightly. Jesse added words that might take away his discomfort. After all, Harry was a guest in his home—technically his sister’s home, but since he was in charge, it was up to him to play host. “If I’m prying, you can tell me it’s none of my business.”

“Shoot! If I can answer, I will.”

“What’s up with Mari and her husband? One minute, the lady’s giving me the come-on like we’re kids again, and the next minute, she’s radiating so much pain that she looks like she’ll explode. She says they’re divorced. You say no?”

Harry spoke, scorn obvious in his tone. “They’re separated and the divorce will be final on the 28th.”

“Did she leave him?”

“Yes.” Harry hesitated and then continued. “Considering my daughter is a top litigator, she can be quite dense when it comes to men.”

“Why? What happened?”

While Jesse watched, Harry sorted through his conscience, deciding what he could say without breaking any confidences. Jesse respected that and didn’t push. Finally, after smoothing his mustache a number of times, Harry checked the kitchen door and then spoke in a low voice. “Steve wanted children.”

Jesse waited for more but it wasn’t forthcoming. “And…”

“And Marilyn didn’t.”

“So…?”

“He pushed too hard and she left.”

The kitchen door closed making the two men jump. “What are you two hatching?” Mari’s playfulness sounded as fake as a bad actress in a third rate movie.

“Nothing, dear.” Harry put his empty glass on the table, stood then stretched. “If you show me where my things are and the room you want me to use, I’ll be saying good-night.”

In a no time, Jesse sorted him out and returned the livingroom to find Mari had lowered the lights and filled their glasses. Soft music now played in the background. The setting perfectly arranged for seduction.

“Come and sit, Jesse. I’ve been looking forward to getting you alone so we can catch up on old times.”

Apprehensive, like a man would feel if told he had to stick his hand in a snake-pit full of venomous critters, Jesse picked up his glass and went to move to the chair.

“No here, beside me. I need to talk with you.”

Stubbornly, he sat in the chair and leaned toward her. “I can hear very well from here.”

If Mari only knew that all he wanted was to go to Belle’s place, she might not look so pleased for his company.

In his imagination, he fantasized about how he’d force his way inside and beg Belle to listen to him. Just thinking about the conflict made his stomach tighten. Maybe he’d just whimper like Sam did when he wanted her to pick him up and she’d take pity on him. His nonsense made him smile and Mari, misunderstanding, smiled back with delight.

“It’s nice being together again, isn’t it Jess?”

Her calling him by the shortened version of his name instantly transported him to a past where pain and sorrow had been his two best friends. “I missed you when you left, Mari. For a long time, I missed you.”

Getting comfy, she leaned back and tucked her legs under her. “I missed you too.”

She spoke softly but they were just words, no depth, no passion, only empty words. Maybe she’d missed him to begin with, but she’d moved on. Found a career. Got married.

While he’d hung on to their early romance like a lovesick fool, willing to let the world go by so he could exist in his ridiculous dreams, she’d lost no time in finding a man to take his place.

Shaking away the remorse, knowing he’d spent enough hours and emotion on a love affair that only existed in his head, he decided to be blunt. End this farce of her pretense. She didn’t care about him. Oh maybe as an old friend, maybe she even kept sweet memories tucked away of their young love, but now she belonged to someone else.

“Tell me about your husband.”

Mari stiffened, uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. First running her finger around the rim of the glass, she finally took a sip. She took another and then cupped the glass and looked at its contents as if it held the mysteries of the universe. With her head still down, she finally answered. “You mean ex-husband.”

“Don’t quibble.”

She laughed and tried teasing, her gaze taunting him, willing him to play along. “I’d forgotten your habit of sweeping away the bullshit. Cutting to the chase.”

“And I’d forgotten your habit of using bad language for shock tactics.”

Giggling, she sipped again and rested back against the couch. “You’d like Steve. He has many of your qualities. He’s possessive and funny and very smart.”

“Hummm, sounds like the kind of guy you don’t easily throw away.”

“It wasn’t… easy.” Mari mocked the last word. “We want different things. I care about him, so I decided to let him go so he could find someone who can give him what he wants.”

“How altruistic of you. Break a guy’s heart and tell him you’re doing it for his own good.” Jesse shook his head. “You women are something else. Ever think that maybe Steve has a right to make his own decisions?”

“He made it.” She lowered her voice and continued. “We were fighting and I’d frustrated him but he’d reached an impasse I couldn’t handle.” Her voice rose again, full of anger and anguish and shock. “In fact he gave me an ultimatum. Have his baby or leave.”

“Huh? Thought you told me he was smart?”

“Not so much.”

“You gonna give in?” Horrified, Jesse watched Mari’s chin begin to quiver.

“I wasn’t planning on it until today. Now that I’ve spent time with Belle and Layla, I’m kind of… ahhh messed up.” Her sobs started out quite low. As soon as he slid onto the couch and gathered her into his arms, she broke.

“You love him, Mari. So give the guy a break. Have his baby and be happy.” He sheltered her with his chest and used his hand to pat her back comfortingly.

She struggled to answer and her woeful words made him hate himself for being so blasé about the matter.

“I just… can’t.”

Thinking fast, he wondered if maybe she had a medical problem. “You mean you can’t or you won’t?”

“You’ll laugh if I tell you.”

“Scout’s honor, I won’t even grin.”

“I – I’m scared.”

“Of… of the pain?”

“Of course not!” Her disgust at his absurd questioning overshadowed her crying for a few minutes. She sniffed and continued. “I’m afraid I’ll be a horrible mother. What do I know about babies? Or kids for that matter? I’m a lawyer. I like to fight battles in a courtroom. I’ve never even been in a nursery, or for that matter, held a baby.”

“Have you told him about your fears?”

“I couldn’t. He’d think me a fool and I couldn’t bear that.”

Her crying had slowed to sniffles and his back pats had changed to rubs. Her head, buried against his chest, made it impossible for him to see her face. Jesse could only guess by the sound of her voice how difficult it would be for her to confess about fearing anything.

After all, as youngsters, she’d been the one thrilled over any reckless kind of activity. He’d always held back from pure common sense but her ‘hell-bent for adventure’ attitude had often made his eyes cross and his heart end up in his throat.

He used that image now to his advantage. “Marilyn Krude? Frightened of something? That’s not the girl I remember. She’d conquer anything.” He teased gently, hoping to make her feel better.