Truth Be Told (30 page)

G
race barely breathed as they waited at the bottom of the escalator. From the moment she and Conner had been driven through the LAX gateway, she had planted a smile on her face. Her lips were still spread wide, even though her cheeks were beginning to ache.

Conner squeezed Grace's hand, but she didn't look his way. Her eyes were waiting for Pilar and Solomon. Finally, she saw them at the top of the moving stairs.

Solomon spotted them, said quick words to his mother, then ran down the escalator into Conner's arms. As she watched her husband with his son, the pain eased from Grace's cheeks.

“How're you, buddy?” Conner laughed.

“Fine. I loved the airplane.” Solomon beamed, then turned to Pilar who had just made her way over to them.

She seemed to have shrunk, although Grace could tell that it was really the way Pilar slumped over the cane that she now walked with.

“We requested a wheelchair,” Conner said.

Pilar waved the cane. “I didn't need it. I feel much stronger.” She turned to Grace. “How are you?” Pilar smiled as if she weren't balancing herself on a walking stick or dying from AIDS. She took Grace's hand, and Grace noticed the strength of her handshake.

After a moment, Grace pulled Pilar into her arms, feeling more bones than flesh in their hug. There were tears in Pilar's eyes when she pulled away.

“I'm so happy to be in California again,” Solomon said.

Grace looked at the boy, his eyes wide. But she saw more than excitement inside the windows to his soul. A sense that his words were needed to crack the sadness that threatened to conquer them in the middle of the Delta terminal.

Grace smiled. “We're happy that you're here, Solomon.”

He nodded, then entwined his fingers with hers.

Grace glanced at his hand, small and strong. When she looked up, her eyes met Pilar's as Solomon took his mother's hand. He walked between them, a bridge uniting.

Conner led them to baggage claim and a bench where Pilar sat while Conner turned to the luggage carousel.

“Honey, I'll call the driver,” Grace said.

He hugged her before she stepped outside. “I love you,” he said.

After Grace called, she waited at the curb, ready to direct their driver. Her head filled with the events of the past weeks, running forward like a silent movie. At the center of each frame, Pilar stood, making Grace shake her head. She wanted to rid her mind of the composite of sentiments that accompanied every thought of Solomon's mother.

She signaled the driver and watched him ease the Town Car to the curb. Minutes later, Conner helped the hired driver load the car. Then he returned to the terminal for Pilar and Solomon. A minute later, they were maneuvering out of the airport.

“Those trees are much taller than the ones in New York,” Solomon said.

“They're palm trees.”

Conner pointed to the hotels on Century and then other sights from the freeway. “Are you hungry?” Conner asked his son.

“Yes, sir,” Solomon exclaimed.

Pilar said, “I'm a bit tired. But you can take Solomon somewhere.”

“Let's just pick up something,” Grace suggested and Conner agreed.

“I want to see the beach,” Solomon said.

“You'll be able to see the beach from your apartment. Your bedroom window faces the ocean.”

“Wow.”

Grace looked at Solomon and he grinned. She returned his smile, but stared at him, wondering what was inside this young man. From the beginning, she sensed something. In the timing of his actions, in the words he spoke, it was as if he was aware of things they didn't know. He was wiser than all of them. She guessed disease did that to children—robbed dreams but granted wisdom.

This time, Grace took Solomon's hand, and his smile widened. They held onto each other until the car stopped in front of the Greenwich Apartments. Grace had suggested a month-to-month furnished executive suite complete with appliances, linen, cookware, dishes, and silverware. Conner had agreed because the apartments were only five minutes down the hill from their home.

Conner unlocked the front door of apartment G105, and Solomon ran to the windows, drawn by the lure of the beach that could be seen the moment they stepped inside.

“Wow,” Solomon exclaimed, running from room to room.

Grace could tell from Pilar's smile that she shared her son's sentiments. But she had only enough strength to sit on the couch and enjoy the view from there.

“Conner, Grace, this is beautiful.”

Grace sat next to her. “We want you to be comfortable.”

Conner slid the balcony door open, and the breeze escorted in the ocean's fragrance.

“Wow,” Solomon said, joining Conner on the terrace.

Grace and Pilar watched father and son. And Grace was surprised by the joy that filled her.

“Can we go to the beach?” Solomon asked.

Conner glanced back into the living room, and Grace gave him a slight nod. “Okay, but not for too long. We want to get you and your mother settled in. We can pick up some hamburgers or something down there.”

Solomon kissed Pilar, then ran to the door with Conner following behind.

The moment the door was closed, Pilar said, “Grace, I appreciate everything that you're doing.”

“You're welcome.”

Pilar smiled and then looked away. “I don't want to be too much trouble.”

“You're not.”

“I can imagine what this has done to your family.”

“You can't.”

Pilar looked up. Surprise stretched her face.

Grace said, “There is no doubt, Pilar, this has been difficult. But Conner and I have a good marriage, and with God, we'll make it through.”

Pilar nodded.

Grace continued, “I want you to know that we're going to help you. And we're going to take care of Solomon.”

She nodded again. “That's all I want.” She paused. “This is a lot to put on a young boy.”

Grace touched Pilar's hand. “I know, but Pilar, Solomon has you.” She paused. “And he has me.”

Pilar lifted arms that looked as if they were sure to break and hugged Grace. Then she frowned when the doorbell rang.

Grace looked at her watch. “That could be the nurse.”

When Grace opened the door, all three stood outside.

“We ran into Virginia,” Conner said, his hands filled with bags.

Grace motioned for the nurse to come inside. “Good to see you again.” She introduced Virginia to Pilar, then stood back as the nurse sat down with Pilar.

While they spoke, Conner took Solomon into his bedroom, and Grace went onto the balcony. But though her eyes enjoyed the ocean's waves, her ears stayed focused on the conversation inside. As she listened, she knew she and Conner had made the right choice. Virginia was experienced and knowledgeable, and her interaction with Pilar made Grace feel comfortable. Almost thirty minutes passed before Grace heard Solomon and Conner, and she stepped back into the apartment.

“It would be good for Ms. Cruise to lie down,” Virginia said. “It's already been a long day.”

Grace turned to Conner. They hadn't made plans for what was next. When he was silent, Grace asked, “Pilar, would you like Solomon to come with us?”

Solomon answered before Pilar could. “I want to stay with my mom.”

“That's a good idea, buddy.” Conner hunched down and hugged his son. “We'll see you later.”

Grace smiled at Solomon and curved her fingers into a wave. But when she turned to the door, he ran to her. His arms circled her waist and she bent over, holding him.

“I'll see you later too,” he said once he pulled away.

He poured new emotions into her heart. Grace didn't need to look at Conner to know that similar affections tugged at his center. They held hands as they walked through the hallway into the street, both silent with their thoughts. They'd been spinning in this storm for weeks, but now their feelings didn't seem as important as what awaited the two people they'd left in the apartment.

As they approached the Suburban they'd parked near the apartment earlier, Grace's steps slowed.

“What's wrong?” Conner asked, then followed her gaze.

Across the street, a woman dressed in a navy man-tailored suit with a red tie leaned against a black convertible BMW.

Conner said, “That's Sara Spears.”

Grace kept moving, but even as Conner held the car door for her, she kept her eyes on Sara.

“Do you think she followed us?” Conner asked when he got into the car. Before Grace could answer, he said, “I'm going to find out.” He started the ignition and twisted the steering wheel to make a U-turn, but Grace stopped him.

“She wants a confrontation. We just need to go home.”

The tightness in his jaw told her he didn't agree, but he acquiesced.

Sara waved as they drove away, and Conner watched through the rear mirror until she was no longer in sight.

“Maybe we should warn Pilar,” Conner said.

“What would we say? Sara can haunt any corner she wants.”

“What is her problem?”

“I'm a Christian holding a public office. That's all she needs.”

“There are lots of Christians …”

“Yes, but someone in a higher office might crush her. Sara knows what she's doing.” Grace paused. “She thinks she's picking on someone her own size.”

But thinking is her first mistake,
Grace said to herself.

Grace walked back into the bedroom just as Conner put down the phone.

“Are the girls in bed?” he asked.

She nodded. “Amber is. She's excited about meeting Solomon tomorrow, so she'll be awake for awhile. Now Jayde …” She didn't need to finish. “Did you speak to Solomon?”

He shook his head. “Solomon was taking a bath.”

Grace looked at the clock. “I'm sorry you didn't get to say good night to him, even though you've spoken to him at least five times since we got home.” She chuckled.

“Do you think it's too much?” he asked seriously.

She caressed his face. “No. It's what Solomon needs.”

The telephone rang, and they stared at each other for a moment before they laughed. “Solomon,” they said together.

“Let me say good-night first,” Grace said picking up the phone. “Hi.” She was still chuckling.

“Grace?”

Her face stiffened. “How did you get my number?”

Conner's smile dropped when he saw her frown.

“I'm a reporter.”

“Sara, do not call my home. You know where I work.” She slammed the phone back into the receiver. “Can you believe that?”

The phone rang again before Conner could respond. “I'll get it,” he growled.

Grace shook her head and answered the phone without saying hello.

“Fair enough; I won't call your house again,” Sara said, as if their conversation had not been interrupted. “But since I have you on the phone, we need to know if you've made a decision about the Education Committee.”

Grace pressed her lips together, hoping that would bridle what flared inside. “Sara, take your offer and …” She left the sentence for Sara to finish. “And if I ever see you following me or anyone else in my family, you'll regret it.”

“That sounds like a threat from a Christian. Can I quote you, Grace?”

“Do whatever you want, Sara. But you don't want me as an enemy.”

Sara chuckled. “I'll give you a few more days to make a decision about the interview I requested.”

Grace hung up the telephone.

G
race had wondered all day if they should have this dinner at Pilar's apartment. Now as she leaned against the front door and watched Conner help Pilar, she doubted their decision to bring Pilar to their home. Pilar struggled to stand, then took cautious steps across the walkway. She was too weak for this trip. But Grace knew that Pilar's beyond-valiant effort was to be by her son's side when he first came into the house that would become his home.

“Mommy, is that them?”

“Yes, sweetie,” she said without turning.

Grace put her arm around Amber's shoulders and glanced at the stairs. She didn't expect to see Jayde. Her oldest child would have to be dragged down.

“Welcome to our home,” Grace said, stepping aside so that Pilar could enter. They hugged.

“Hello,” Amber said, swinging her pigtails and reminding everyone that she was there.

“Is this beautiful young lady Amber?”

Amber tilted her head. “How did you know my name?”

Pilar said, “I know a lot about you. Your mom and dad told me you were pretty, but they didn't tell me just how pretty you were.”

“Thank you,” Amber said, but she was already looking beyond Pilar.

Conner had one arm around Solomon, and Amber walked toward them. She extended her hand. “Hi, my name is Amber.” She held a solemn smile.

“My name is Solomon.” They shook hands, and the adults chuckled.

“Let's sit down,” Grace said.

Amber said, “Do you want to see my room, Solomon?”

His eyes were big as he looked at Conner. But Grace said, “Amber, let's do that after dinner.”

Amber nodded. Anything would work for her. “Okay. Can we go into the family room so I can show Solomon our big-screen TV?”

Conner laughed. “Yes.”

Grace breathed, relieved as she followed Conner and Pilar, then Amber and Solomon down the steps to the family room. She wanted to keep everyone, especially Solomon, away from Jayde, at least for the moment.

“You have a beautiful home, Grace.” Pilar smiled as she lowered herself onto the couch while Amber showed Solomon the remote for the nine hundred channel television.

“Thank you.” Grace's eyes roamed to the stairs.

Pilar asked, “Where's Jayde?”

Conner and Grace exchanged glances.

After a pause, Grace said, “I'll get her.”

She dreaded every step as she moved toward Jayde's room. She knocked on the door once, and then went inside. Jayde was at her computer, flipping solitaire cards. “They're here, honey.”

Jayde clicked off her computer and faced her mother. “I don't want to go down there, Mom.”

Grace folded her arms. “We don't have time for this. You're going to come downstairs and act like the polite young lady you were raised to be.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Mommy, why are you mad at me, and you're not mad at Daddy?”

Grace sighed. There were not enough words to explain this to a teenager—and especially not to a daughter whose hero had betrayed them both. She put her arms around Jayde. “Being disappointed with people you love is a part of life. So I understand how you feel.”

“You do?”

Grace nodded. “When your father first told me about Solomon, I was upset. But I realized I couldn't stay angry forever. So I started thinking about the best way to get over it.”

Jayde looked at Grace, eager for her wisdom.

“So I just asked God.”

“And what did He say?” Jayde looked at Grace as if God had given her a written personal message.

“He said not to sin.”

She twisted on the bed to face her mother. “I'm not sinning,” she said, defending herself. Then she added in a weaker tone, “Am I?”

Grace shrugged. “You have to decide that, but …” She paused. “God told us to forgive. If God can forgive your father, then we sure can.”

“That's so hard.”

“How difficult do you think it is for God when He has to forgive you all day long?” Jayde looked at her, and Grace smiled. “And me too. God spends a lot of time forgiving me.”

Jayde closed her eyes as if she was mulling over her mother's words.

“Solomon is a very nice boy. You'll like him.”

Jayde twisted the ring on her finger. “Is his mother here?”

Grace nodded.

“Aren't you mad at her?”

Grace couldn't begin to utter the thoughts she'd had about Pilar. “I'm not anymore” was as honest as she could be.

Grace stood and held out her hand. “So, whaddaya say? Let's go downstairs and show these people a couple of special Monroe women.”

Jayde took her mother's hand and they went down into the den together.

No matter how hard they tried to pretend, this wasn't a normal family gathering.

Conner sat at one end of the table, while Grace sat at the other. In between, Pilar sat next to Jayde, with Amber across next to Solomon.

Tension thickened the air, although Amber and Solomon didn't notice. While the new fast friends chatted through dinner, sharing stories about school and their hobbies, the rest of the conversation did not flow. It wasn't just Jayde's obvious displeasure that strained their dialogue; it was Grace's own unsettled feelings. One moment, Pilar was the harlot who had tried to steal her husband. But seconds later, she was the dying mother in need of sympathy.

“So, Jayde, you're fifteen,” Pilar said, reducing the dinner chat to information gathering. That was all that was left.

“Yes.”

Grace sighed as she looked at Pilar. For the moment, she was the mother again.

“I understand you're doing well in school.”

Jayde shrugged.

Conner said, “Jayde's a straight A student and a star tennis player.”

Jayde glared at her father, and Grace knew the talk she'd had with her daughter an hour before was long gone from her thoughts.

The dinner talk continued with devised questions and strained answers until Conner mercifully asked Pilar if she would like to see the rest of the house.

Grace almost jumped from her seat. “That's a good idea, honey. You and Amber can show Pilar and Solomon. Jayde and I will clean up.”

Jayde rolled her eyes.

“I'll help you,” Solomon said eagerly.

“We don't need your help.” Jayde cringed under the stare of the three pairs of adult eyes and added, “I can help my mother by myself.” Though her words were softer, her tone was not.

She deserves a slap for that one, Grace thought, as she glanced at Solomon. His permanent smile disappeared, but only for a moment. Amber took his hand and led him from the room. Conner and Pilar followed.

When they were alone, Grace whipped toward Jayde. “I don't care how angry you are,” she hissed. “If you ever talk to anyone like that again, you're going to have to call the police on me.”

Before Jayde could protest, Grace picked up her plate and stomped into the kitchen. In silence, Grace and Jayde scrapped the cream gold-trimmed china, placing the pieces in the dishwasher. When Jayde stacked the last of the catering trays on the counter, she asked, “May I go to my room now?”

Grace stood at the sink with her back to Jayde. “Please do.”

Jayde began to walk away, then stopped. “I'm sorry.”

Grace didn't respond. She didn't move until she heard her daughter's steps fade on the stairs. Then she sank into a chair.

Jayde had been a terror, but she was more upset with herself. The dinner should have been smoother, but no one knew how to handle this. The only hope was that next time would be better.

Grace went into the foyer just as Conner was helping Pilar down the stairs.

“Would you like some coffee?” Grace asked.

Pilar smiled but shook her head. “I can't believe how tired I've been getting,” she said. “I don't want to end such a wonderful evening, but would you mind?”

“Of course not,” Grace said, then paused, hoping she hadn't responded too quickly. “Where are Solomon and Amber?”

“Upstairs,” Conner said.

“I'll get them.”

As Conner led Pilar into the living room, Grace paused in front of Jayde's closed door, then continued to Amber's. But the conversation inside the room made her stop.

“I'm glad I have a brother.”

“I'm glad to have a sister.” Grace heard Solomon's smile. He added softly, “I have two sisters.”

“I don't think Jayde likes you,” Amber said.

Grace wanted to rush into the room, hold Solomon, and assure him that he was loved. But she held her place, pressed against the hallway wall.

“She doesn't know me, so she can't not like me.” Grace smiled. “I think it's just the circumstances.”

Grace pushed toward the door.

Amber asked, “What does that mean?”

“Jayde was surprised to find out about me.”

Grace frowned, wondering if Pilar had told him that, but suspecting Solomon had come up with this on his own.

“I thought you were a good surprise.”

“Jayde might not like surprises.” He paused. “And she's a teenager too. My friend Benji told me that teenagers are crazy.”

Grace wanted to laugh at Solomon's seriousness.

“Really?” Amber asked as if Solomon had spoken a scientific truism. “How does he know?”

“He has a sister who's a teenager.”

“Oh.” Amber's exclamation gave Solomon's friend the status of an expert. “Sometimes Jayde acts kind of crazy But she's really okay.”

There was silence for a moment.

Amber said, “I'll tell her how nice you are.”

“You can, but she'll find out for herself.”

Grace stepped into the room. “Solomon, it's time for you to go home.”

Amber and Solomon were kneeling at her bed, shoulder to shoulder, friends sharing secrets. It was so simple to them.

Amber said, “I wish you could stay longer.” Then she asked, “When are you coming to live with us?”

Solomon looked at Grace, and she put her arm around his shoulders.

“We don't know yet, Amber.” Grace took her daughter's hand. “Let's go so you can say good-night to Ms. Pilar.”

As they passed Jayde's room, Amber said, “We should tell Jayde you're leaving.”

“I don't think so,” Grace said, and tightened her arm around Solomon. “Let's leave her alone. You know how crazy teenagers can be.”

They giggled as they went down the stairs, but Grace's laughter stopped halfway down. Conner and Pilar stood under the living room's arch, side by side, the way she and Conner had the day they renewed their vows.

Grace's eyes narrowed. The harlot had returned.

“Well,” Grace began when she got to the bottom of the stairs, keeping her eyes away from the arch. “I'm glad you came over tonight.”

Pilar stepped closer. “Thank you.” Pilar took her hand. “For everything.”

The mother replaced the harlot, and Grace squeezed Pilar's hand. “We'll see you tomorrow.”

Conner kissed Grace. “I'll be right back.”

Solomon walked toward the door, but before he stepped outside, he turned around and hugged Amber. “It was nice meeting you.”

Amber giggled.

Solomon turned to Grace, and when she opened her arms, he fell into her embrace. Like he belonged inside her arms. Grace kissed the top of his head. Then he followed Conner and Pilar.

With Amber by her side, Grace watched until her husband's car disappeared into the night with Pilar and their child.