Fools Rush in(62)

CHAPTER TWENTY

OF COURSE, THE NEXT DAY, I was wracked with guilt. Had I been, perhaps, a teeny bit hard on Sam? One of us Barnes girls already had the role of harpy-shrew…if nothing else, I was the nice sister. Granted, I had been mad, but that last thing I’d said, about not being my brother-in-law anymore…ooh, yes, I had indeed been too harsh. Wicked harsh.

I remembered when I’d come home from college for Sam’s graduation from the police academy. I had been trying to look uncaring and French, wearing the all-black uniform and heavy eyeliner that we college students imagined was a statement of intellect and cynicism. When Sam, dressed in his uniform for the first time, had come over to me, I’d said something stupid like, “Well, I guess the world’s a safer place now.” And he’d just smiled down at me, ignoring my pissy attitude, and answered, “I’ll always look out for you, Millie.”

That memory had me grabbing the phone. His machine picked up. “Sam, hi…um, I guess I maybe overreacted a little bit yesterday, kind of bit your head off a little…oh, Sam, I’m really sorry. Please forgive me. Pretty please.” I started to hang up, then thought better of it. “It’s Millie, by the way. Call me. I’m at the clinic. Bye.”

He didn’t call me back and by the time I got home, I fretted about, tidying up, brushing my dog. The air was hot and dry, and I didn’t feel like a run. It was Friday, and at this moment, I had no weekend plans…. Joe and I were not at the point yet where we automatically did everything together. Joe. The thought of him brought an automatic, if not quite heartfelt, smile to my face. Things were going great, completely in accordance with the plan. As Katie had noticed the other night, he really did seem eager to be with me, something definitely different from what I had observed over the years.

And yet there was something missing, though what it was remained unclear. As I folded my meager load of laundry, I wondered if I would ever confess all my stalking and plotting to Joe. No, probably not. I had made a jerk out of myself far too many times over him, and the fact that he remained unaware of this was a definite plus.

Joe and I had fun together—he was mellow and sweet—but what was lacking, exactly? Maybe it was that I didn’t know him any better now than I had five years ago. Maybe it was that our relationship seemed to consist of hanging out and sex…nothing deeper. Not yet, anyway. Where was that hidden side of Joe, that heroic, helpful, humble part that I’d seen so many times? That was the Joe I really loved.

It’s only been a couple of weeks, I told myself. Sensing my gloomy state of mind, Digger came over and stared at me adoringly, his whip-like tail slicing the air. He nudged my thigh with his nose until I relented and petted him.

“You’re such a good pup,” I said. “What do you think about Joe? Huh, Digger? He’s a good doggy, isn’t he?” Digger seemed to agree.

Once again, I glanced at the phone. Why hadn’t Sam called me? He must be furious, I thought, mentally cringing. Making Sam angry—or hurting his feelings—caused acid to churn in my stomach.

“I think Sam should call me, don’t you?” I asked Digger. I swear he nodded.

I flopped onto the couch. Laundry folded, house clean. Looked like I was on my own tonight. Rubbing Digger’s tummy with my foot, I considered my options. Cook? Nah. Eat out? Nah. Not on a Friday night on Fourth of July weekend on the Cape. What was Sam doing? Had he gotten my message yet?

At that very moment, the phone rang. “Be Sam!” I commanded before picking up. “Hello?”

“Aunt Millie, it’s Danny,” my nephew stated needlessly.

“Hi, honey,” I said.

“Can you come over? Right now?”

“What’s the matter?” I demanded, fear shooting through me.

“Everything’s okay…I just need some help, and my dad’s not here.”

“Are you hurt?” I thought I heard a strangled cough.

“No, no, Aunt Mil. I’m fine.” Something thumped in the background. “I just need you to come over real quick. It’s not something for the phone. Can you come?”

“Of course, Danny. I’m on my way.”

What could be the problem? I wondered as I zipped down Route 6. He had definitely sounded odd. Something with Trish? I neatly passed a lumbering New York Hummer that took up a lane and a half and flew down to the rotary and onto Bridge Road. Turning onto Danny’s street, I glanced at the house. Didn’t look like anyone was home. I yanked up the emergency brake, ran up the steps and opened the front door.

“Danny?” I called.

“Surprise!”

I leaped back in terror, my bladder loosening dangerously, my heart rising to my throat, hands fluttering protectively in front of me. Oh, Christ! It was—

“Happy birthday to you,” someone began, and then everybody joined it. My face burned and I slumped against the door.

Jesus. A surprise party. For me!

There were my parents, singing away, right at the front of the crowd. Danny, the deceitful nephew. Katie. Her boys. Her parents. Oh, Lord, there was Joe! And Jill and Mr. Doyle and Sienna and even Dr. Bala with a stunning woman whose exotic beauty marked her as his wife. Dr. Whitaker smiled and nodded hello. The Robinsons, my parents’ next-door neighbors and lifelong friends. A woman I didn’t know, curly blondish hair, smiling eyes. Ethel, Sam’s obscenity-spewing, chain-smoking partner. There was Sarah, Danny’s girlfriend. Oh God, Janette, my best friend from residency, all the way from Bean Town, and her longtime boyfriend, Zach. Chris from the Barnacle. Curtis and Mitch! Hooray!