Chapter 59
59
DEAN WALKER’S APARTMENT, DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN
‘Easy does it. Mind the top step. That’s it. Nice and slow,’ Hayley said as they climbed the stairs to Dean’s apartment.
‘Will you quit talking like that or I’m going home,’ Oliver snapped.
‘Calm thoughts. You don’t want to stress yourself out.’
‘Hayley, I’m fine.’
‘You’re not fine. You’ve had needles in here and lines in there and lots of pills…’
‘Just another day in the life of a junkie.’
She slapped his arm.
‘Ow, that was one of the needle holes.’
‘Was it? Sorry… I’m so sorry. I’ll make you hot chocolate.’
‘Does Dean have any Scotch?’
‘You can’t have alcohol.’
‘Why not? I’ve used it to manage stress for a considerable number of years.’
Hayley pushed open the door to the living area. Angel and Dean were sat at the breakfast bar staring at them as they came in .
‘Hel-lo. You look like you were waiting for us,’ Hayley remarked.
‘We could hear you all the way from the bottom of the stairs,’ Dean said.
‘Are you all right?’ Angel asked, looking Oliver up and down. She hadn’t called him Mr Meanie and her expression was one of concern.
‘I’m fine. Your mom worries too much. She thought I was going to go back to my home and have a medical emergency.’
‘In the bath, with Scotch. I’d be freaking out about it all night. You’re much safer here where we can keep an eye on you.’
‘Did you know that a heart attack is the number one cause of death in the United States?’ Angel asked. Perhaps Hayley’s thinking that Angel was getting used to her relationship with Oliver had been premature.
‘Wow, that’s a statistic we could really do without right now,’ Hayley said quickly.
‘I did know that,’ Oliver replied. ‘But I haven’t had a heart attack so we’re all good here.’
‘There are also some studies that link the use of tablets and computers with heart attacks,’ Angel continued.
‘Dean, have you been letting her have unrestricted access to your laptop?’
‘Don’t blame me for what she knows,’ Dean said, holding his hands up.
‘I don’t think that’s true,’ Oliver said, holding Angel’s gaze. ‘But I’ve heard they can fry your brain and, if you play Rabbit Nation too long, you can go blind.’
A look of horror started to cross Angel’s face.
‘Then you grow big ears and fur and two long teeth,’ Oliver finished off. He was holding his own with her. This was good.
Angel scowled. ‘That’s not funny! ’
‘Gotcha!’ Hayley said, pointing at Angel.
Dean got down from his stool. ‘Shall I make some coffee?’
Oliver pulled a face at Hayley.
‘Actually, I was wondering if you had any whisky.’ She looked to Angel. ‘And no comments about alcoholism killing the people that don’t die from heart attacks.’
‘Oliver, would you like to read me a Christmas story?’ Angel asked, blinking her eyelashes and pouting.
Hayley stood at the door of Angel’s bedroom listening to Oliver read the ‘Alfie and the Toymaker’ story. Angel was grinning, shouting out Alfie’s dialogue and getting grumpy when Oliver didn’t read the words quite right. This was exactly the same as what she did with Hayley. Oliver was getting the whole, crazy, Angel Walker experience. It meant her daughter was definitely warming to him.
‘All right, I think that’s enough.’ Hayley entered the room. ‘The amount of time Oliver’s been in here it must be at least the fifth read-through.’
‘It’s the sixth, actually,’ Angel responded.
‘I’d lost count,’ Oliver answered.
‘OK, well it’s time to do some sleeping,’ Hayley said, pulling the duvet up over Angel as Oliver shifted off the bed.
‘Are you coming to the fundraiser tomorrow night?’ Angel asked, dragging the quilt back down and looking at Oliver.
‘Time for sleep, missy,’ Hayley interrupted.
‘I’m not sure,’ Oliver answered.
‘The room is going to look amazing. Mum’s coordinated all the colours perfectly, the menu is going to rock and there’s even a jazz band coming. And they’re using the logo I drew.’
‘You designed a logo?’ Oliver looked impressed.
‘It’s a—’ Angel began .
‘Shh, it’s supposed to be a surprise for tomorrow. You haven’t been telling everyone, have you?’ Hayley asked.
‘Only Uncle Dean… and my dad and maybe Vernon.’ Angel grinned. ‘And Randy but he doesn’t really count.’
‘Angel!’ Hayley exclaimed.
Oliver looked to Hayley then. ‘Can you give us a second?’
‘You’re kidding, right?’ She put her hands on her hips. ‘I leave you in here a second longer, she’s going to make you read that book again.’
‘I’ll take my chances.’
‘Why don’t you go and open some fizzy wine and some low-cholesterol snacks?’ Angel suggested.
‘What are you plotting?’ Hayley asked.
‘I just want to ask Angel something about Rabbit Nation. You’d be bored in a millisecond.’
‘You’re not wrong.’ She took a step towards the door. ‘Five minutes then I’m coming back in.’
Oliver waited for the door to close behind Hayley before he sat back down on Angel’s bed, a serious expression on his face.
‘This isn’t about Rabbit Nation, is it?’ Angel said, worry etched on her brow.
‘No, Angel, this is much more serious than that.’ He let out a sigh. ‘So… you know my brother, Ben…’ he began.
‘Your mum told us he was brilliant at just about everything.’
‘Yeah,’ Oliver replied. ‘He was.’
‘And you miss him.’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘And you won’t speak at the fundraiser because you’re afraid you might cry,’ Angel said bluntly .
Her words almost stole the breath from him. Children had no filter. They were truth tellers. He nodded his head. ‘Something like that.’ He cleared his throat. ‘But, after these last few days of spending time with your mom and our visit to the ice cream store my stomach is still bursting from, I’ve decided that I do want to speak.’ He sighed. ‘I owe it to a lot of people to talk about how a sudden death has affected the life of my family and the people around me and how we can try to live with it.’
He knew Hayley hadn’t told Angel about the heart condition. Looking at her now, so cute in her cat pyjamas, her hair tied in bunches, he couldn’t imagine wanting her to know anything that might break her heart.
Angel put her hand over his. ‘Yes, you do. And I can help you.’
He smiled. ‘I was hoping you were going to say that.’
‘But I have a condition,’ Angel said, tilting her head so her pigtails fell to one side.
‘How did I not guess that?’
‘You have to promise to dance with my mum at the party.’ Angel wore a deadpan expression. ‘Proper dancing, not just stepping from side to side. She likes Maroon 5.’
‘Yeah, I know that, although I think it’s only the lead singer she’s really interested in.’
‘Do you have any tattoos? Adam Levine has loads!’
‘Not yet. But it could be a look for the future.’ He smiled. ‘So… dancing. I guess, if that’s the price for your help then I can do that.’
‘Really?!’ Angel’s eyes lit up.
‘Did you think I was going to say no? I’m desperate here, Angel. And dancing with your mom is going to be fun.’
‘You haven’t seen her dance,’ Angel said, laughing. ‘OK, what do you need?’
‘I need to see that logo and the new slogan.’
‘You know it’s top secret, right? ’
‘I promise I won’t show another soul.’
Angel nodded then and reached for her sketch pad. As Oliver reached out for it, she held on tight, as if she wasn’t ready to let go. ‘Mum said you helped to find my dad.’
Oliver swallowed. He hadn’t been prepared for that and a tingling sensation started to creep over him. He finally nodded. ‘Yes, I did.’
Angel put down the pad and threw her arms around Oliver’s neck. She was clinging on so tight, he almost couldn’t breathe.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
Tears pricked his eyes at her show of affection and he hugged her close. ‘You’re welcome,’ he replied.
‘I thought you’d got lost.’ Hayley patted the orange, sequinned cushion next to her on the chenille sofa as Oliver came back into the living room. ‘You didn’t read that book again, did you?’
‘No, but she did show me her special dictionary.’ Oliver sat down.
‘I swear I am going to burn that thing.’
He smiled. ‘She’s one bright kid.’
‘Yes, she is,’ Hayley replied, pride in her tone. ‘So, what did you talk about?’
‘I can’t tell you that.’
‘I hate secrets!’
‘And apparently, you have a mustard allergy.’
‘It isn’t an allergy, it’s an intolerance and I hate intolerances so I ignore it. God, what else has she told you?’
‘You once lost your shoe on Brighton beach and you were chased by bees and donkeys on the very same day when you went for a picnic. ’
‘That’s the very last time I leave you two alone. Ever.’
Oliver laughed and Hayley smiled at the way his body reacted to it. After the day he’d had, it was nice to see him looking a little more relaxed. But there was an elephant in the room, prodding her hard with its tusks.
‘When will you find out?’
That had killed the laughter. She swallowed, regretful at her timing, but it had been on her mind all day. She knew her sentence needed no further explanation as she saw Oliver fall still.
‘It’s supposed to take weeks.’ He swallowed. ‘I paid to get it back in twenty-four hours.’
‘Tomorrow,’ Hayley said, the word dying on her breath.
‘Yeah, tomorrow’s a big day for us all.’ He put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
‘The fundraiser is nothing compared to you getting news that could change your life,’ Hayley said. This was happening. And it was all happening tomorrow. Now the answer was so close, it was terrifying her. She cared about him so much, more than she had cared about anyone. And knowing that, knowing how fast and hard she’d fallen only made it worse.
He shook his head, his fingers smoothing through her hair. ‘That isn’t true. Most of the people there tomorrow have all had their lives changed. They get out of bed every morning and there’s a giant hole in their hearts and their homes. We all get news that’s going to change our life at some time.’ He kissed her head. ‘Bet it was life-changing when you found out you were having Angel.’
‘Are you kidding?! I passed out in the doctor’s surgery and ate a whole bag of custard doughnuts.’
‘My point is proven.’
‘I’m still not going to be able to concentrate on food and décor and the trumpeter’s issue with the spotlights though,’ Hayley stated .
‘Yes you are, because I don’t want to see you tomorrow.’
‘What?’ She sat up straight, looking at him in shock.
‘I want you to focus on the fundraiser. You and my mom have worked so hard to make this night a success. All the tickets have been sold, it’s going to be the best and most profitable night the foundation has had. Tony has a date… and I’m going to be there.’
She couldn’t help the breath leaving her. ‘You’re coming.’
‘How could I not? Angel says you have a table magician.’
‘She hated that idea.’
‘Well, I love it and so will the mayor and the police commissioner.’
‘I hope so.’
‘So you have to promise me, no calling, no messaging, no thinking about anything but the fundraiser.’
Hayley screwed up her face. There was no way she was going to be able to do it. ‘I can’t.’
‘Promise me, Lois.’
She looked into his eyes and saw the need for her to give him this. Smothering him when he didn’t want it wasn’t going to change the outcome of the result. She just had to hope and pray for good news and let him bring it to her when he was ready.
‘Arrrrgh, I’m going to say this really quickly before I change my mind.’ She closed her eyes. ‘I promise.’
As the two words left her lips, his mouth was on hers, kissing an insistent path across her jawline and slipping down her neck. She giggled as his mouth touched a ticklish spot.
‘So,’ he whispered. ‘You know how you like a magician?’
‘Yes, Clark.’
He raised his head, his eyes dark and full of longing. ‘How about I make your clothes disappear?’
‘Why, Mr Drummond, is that a magic wand in your pants or are you just pleased to see me?’