Chapter 8
Fiona smiled at Finn when he walked into her house the next morning at seven a.m. He had to fill her in about the bomb and he was dreading it.
“Hey, buddy.” She got up from the table and kissed him on the cheek. “Good to see you again.”
“You, too, sweetie.” He crossed to the coffee pot and poured a cup. “Want some?”
“Nope. I’m over my quota by a lot.”
When he joined her, she asked, “Why are you here at practically the crack of dawn? The kids aren’t even up.”
“So you’ll see I’m not hurt.” He dropped down across from her. “A bomb exploded in our collective early this morning. No one was injured, but we’re closed for a while. I didn’t want you to see it on the news.”
She bit her lip.
“Try not to worry. The police are on it.”
She grasped his hands. “Finn, we’re talking about a bomb! Anyone in her right mind would be worried. Aren’t you?”
“I guess I am.”
“Tell me more about it. What did the police say, do they suspect anybody?”
He told her what they knew.
“I’m exhausted because I hardly got any sleep last night and I have to go to the headquarters today at ten.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “I’m also strung out because of Elise.”
“How does she figure in this?”
“Not in this.” He told her about Elise’s spontaneous visit.
“Who were you with?”
“Carlyn Smith. Remember we dated on and off for a year then she met someone else. She called me when that ended.”
“Are you…interested in her?”
“I’m trying to be.”
“You still refuse to let the woman you really care about back into your life?”
“I did, kind of did, I guess.”
“What happened?”
He told her about his spontaneous visit and where they ended up.
“And you saw Carlyn after you did that?”
“Yeah. I was trying to get over Elise.”
“You do realize how awful that is, don’t you? It’s cheating…like Tim.”
“I guess it is, though we didn’t sleep together.”
“Maybe it’s not as bad.”
“And now I’m reeling over the bomb, too.”
She grabbed his hand. “I can tell.”
He focused on her. “How’s everything here?”
“Complicated.”
“I’ll bet.”
“Tim wants to come back. Try again.”
“Are you considering it?”
“I’m trying to, but I can’t get the images of him with another woman out of my mind.”
“Then take your time.”
“I’m afraid if I don’t let him come back right away, he’ll turn to her permanently.”
“If he does, then you’ll know it’s truly over.”
“Oh, hell.” She put her hands on her head.
“Fi. I’m so sorry. Do you want your marriage to continue?”
“What I want is for this never to have happened. I want my life back!”
“And?”
“I’m so furious at him all I want to do is scream.”
“As you should be. I’m pissed at him, too. Is he seeing the kids?”
“Yes, he’s picking them up at ten.”
“Then how’s this for a plan? Why don’t we do something together today after I go to the precinct and go home to take a nap?”
“I’d like to spend the day with you. Thanks, buddy.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you later.”
* * *
Elise sat in her condo and stared out at the woods.
Coffee perked, a scent she normally liked but today, it made her queasy.
Probably from lack of sleep. Hell. She couldn’t catch more than four hours at a time.
Despite the smell, she got up and poured herself a cup and added some International Delight.
She brought it to the sliding windows and took a sip, staring blindly at the outdoors again.
Oh, God! Oh, damn. Slamming the cup onto the counter, she bolted from the kitchen to the small bathroom off of the hallway and made it to the toilet just in time again.
Where she retched her guts out. When she was done, she sank back onto the floor and leaned against the wall. She was too weak to move.
After some time, she heard the doorbell ring. It wasn’t even eight o’clock. She managed to get to her feet and go out to the door.
And found Finn standing on the other side. “Hi, I came…Are you all right? You look sick.”
“I’m, um, not feeling well.”
He stepped inside and slid his arm around her shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you seated.”
But as he escorted her to the couch, she slapped her hand over her mouth, broke away from him and rushed out of the room. He followed her and held back her hair while she vomited once again.
“Go ahead, sweetheart, it’s okay.”
When she finished, he poured her a glass of water, let her rinse her mouth, and helped her back to the couch. She fell onto it. He went to the kitchen, wet a dish cloth and brought it back to her. He sat next to where she stretched out and bathed her face. Her eyes closed. “That feels wonderful.”
He kept it up until the cloth turned warm.
“I feel better.” She studied him. “Why are you here? You weren’t very happy to see me when I came to your house last week.”
“I know. I’m sorry about all that.”
“Don’t be. It opened my eyes to the reality of our relationship. So, why’d you come?”
“Elise, early this morning, a bomb went off at the Harmony Healing.”
Her face blanched even more.
He rushed on to say, “No one was hurt and the police are on this. A full-scale investigation has been launched. But I didn’t want you to see it on the news.”
“The cops should have done that after you were attacked.”
“They chalked that up to robbery. But they’re taking this seriously. Somebody wanted to do the collective harm.”
“Who would want that?”
“Could be a fanatic who doesn’t believe in alternative medicine. A militia guy who sees our practices as blasphemy. More likely though, somebody has it out for one of us. I have to go to the police station to be interviewed right after I leave here.”
“I’m sorry, Finn.”
He cocked his head. “Did you catch a bug, Elise? Is that why you don’t feel well?”
“I could have. I filmed a scene where I had to jump into the canal.”
“Seriously? You didn’t have a stunt double?”
“I didn’t want one. Maybe it was unwise. I got caught in some pond weeds under that water. But I got out quickly enough. Still, I might have picked something up.”
“Do you have to go into work today?”
“This afternoon. They want the three o’clock light. I’ll check in with the movie doctor on set.”
“You should rest until then.”
“I will.”
“I’d offer to come back and check on you, but Fiona’s having a rough time and I said I’d spend the rest of the day with her.”
“You made it clear with your words and by seeing another woman that you’re not serious about me.”
“I was serious about you. I still am. But we can’t be together.”
She watched his face go from concern to sadness. And it made her mad. “Don’t you dare do that, Finn! Don’t look sad. You were the one who stopped anything more between us.”
“I can still be sad about it.”
“Not in front of me. I’d like you to leave.”
“I will. Rest today.”
“Just go.”
When he walked out the door, Elise burst into tears.
Then she got sick to her stomach again.
* * *
After he met with the police, and before his meeting with Heath at Kirkland Security, Oliver drove—reluctantly—to his mother’s house.
The news of the bombing had been on TV and he had to tell Rosalina Ricardi that her son was in danger.
If only she’d be of some support for him…
but she’d make this all about her, as she always did.
He pulled up to the small house in a westside suburb of Rockford. Each time he came here, he wondered how he’d ever become somewhat normal after growing up in this repressive home.
Entering the house, he called out, “Mama, I’m here.”
Soon, this small woman in her trademark housedress came into view. “Ah, my boy.”
“Hi, Mama.” He gave her a warm hug. She smelled like talcum powder.
“Did you come for a visit?” Her rheumy eyes widened. “What’s wrong?”
“I have to tell you something. Let’s sit at the kitchen table.” The Formica topped furniture was where all important talks happened. “I’ll have some coffee.” He knew better than to try to pour it himself.
She mixed it with cream, too, then filled her cup and sat.
As soon as she did, he blurted out, “Our new offices at the Harmony Healing Collective were bombed early this morning.”
His mother made the sign of the cross. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”
“The police are investigating and I’m sure they’ll find the perpetrator.
I didn’t want you to see it on the news-which she rarely turned on—or hear it from a neighbor.
” Which was more likely. “And one of my colleagues and I have an appointment this afternoon to hire a professional security guard at our place.”
She lifted her chin and shook her head. “You must move back home with me now.”
“What? No, Mama. I’m not moving home. There’s no evidence that we’re in danger as individuals.”
She slapped her palm over her chest. “Oh, no, my heart. It is palpitating.”
This was one of her favorite tactics to manipulate him. “Just take some deep breaths.”
She scowled when she realized he wasn’t buying this.
“Have you closed this place, the collective?”
“Yes. And since I didn’t lease my studio on Main Street again, I’m off for a few days.”
“Spend them with your mother.”
“I’m sorry I can’t.” He glanced at the clock. “But I’ll stay for a bit. Is there anything I can do for you?”
She got up, went to a kitchen drawer, and pulled out a pad. She handed it to him.
He read, “For Oliver to do,” followed by twenty entries. This was all he needed on his plate. He took a deep breath. Dear God, give me strength.
* * *
Elise came into work at three and still couldn’t stop thinking about Finn. But her obsession affected her work and the reshoots weren’t going smoothly.
“Let’s do one more take,” John had said. There was a hint of frustration in his voice and she didn’t blame him.
The scene took place on a hilltop in Rockford. Her character had absconded up there to clear her head. Elise sat on a log, focused on the camera then put her head in her hands and cried. The tears were not crocodile ones.
She managed a passable performance of her dialogue.
“Cut.” John seemed happier. “That’s it for today. I’d like to treat all of you for dinner after we go back to the set.”