Chapter 7 #2
Mom came into the kitchen, fixed their lunches and told them to wear warm coats.
Still, she seemed sad and didn’t say much more.
Usually she bubbled about the coming day.
They both hugged her goodbye, then they got on the bus.
Billy thought about her all the way to school.
By the time they got there, he had an idea.
When Tommy went to his classroom, Billy headed back out the door and left school while other kids were still coming in.
He cut through lawns to get to a nearby store.
Standing in the parking lot, he took out the phone his mom had given him to use in case of an emergency.
She also had him carry the Uber number to call for one if he ever needed to.
It seemed colder out, and he felt a little sick until the car came. When they arrived at Pace’s house, he got out and buzzed the gate. No answer. He kept buzzing until finally a man’s voice said, “Who are you?”
“I’m Ryder Pace’s son. I want to talk to him.”
“Son? Hell. Hold on a second.”
As he waited, Billy prayed that this was going to work.
* * *
Ryder was on the phone when Carter came into his office. He held his cell to his ear. “I’m sorry, Luke. Just a second.” He put his phone on mute. “What is it, Carter?”
“You have a visitor. He says he’s your son.”
“Son? I don’t have a son.”
“It’s a young boy’s voice. He sounds…scared. Want me to let him in and see what this is all about?”
“No, I’ll go.” Into the phone he said, “Sorry Luke. I have an emergency. I’ll be back in touch.”
He disconnected and headed out of the office wing. Once he got outside, he jogged to the first gate, then the second.
Holy Mother of God!
He buzzed open the gate and looked down at Billy Sullivan, who stood before him shivering and scared. “Billy, how did you get here?”
The boy didn’t answer. Instead, he launched himself at Ryder and pounded on his chest. “You bastard. What did you do to my mother?”
He grabbed for Billy’s arms. “Hold on, son. What do mean?”
“She’s sad all the time. She tiptoes around like she’s tryin’ to hold herself up. She never laughs.” Then he threw his arms around Ryder and hugged him. “Ryder, please. Fix this.”
* * *
Juliet rang the chimes to indicate the end of the session.
“Good class everybody.”
The group of ten women said their goodbyes, leaving Juliet alone in the room.
But when she went to roll up her mat, she was hit by a sharp pang of loss so strong she sank back down to the floor.
She’d lost Ryder. And the kids were sad in reaction to her mood.
Then there had been the bad news at the collective.
The results of the tests on the blood they found in the attic were inconclusive.
They were planning to send them to the Secret Service lab but Jeff didn’t hold out much hope. When were they going to catch a break?
She stared at the back of the room where Ryder had sat when he’d joined the class to blackmail her into a date. She remembered his sexy grin, how he looked in the expensive clothes and how he tried tree pose and downward dog.
She felt her eyes sting. No, No, she couldn’t cry.
She couldn’t or she’d never stop. Instead she bolted up and went to her private cupboard to get her long-sleeved shirt to put over her top and pants.
Then she picked up her phone and clicked into the messages.
“Mrs. Sullivan. This is principal Clark from Rockford Elementary. We’re calling about Billy’s absence from school today.
Tommy is here but Billy is not. Please call us back and verify that this is a legal absence. ”
Her heart thudded in her chest as she whipped open the door. And found Ryder, in a beautifully tailored navy suit, leaning against the wall facing her studio—with Billy in tow. For a few seconds, everybody froze. Then she asked, “What’s going on?”
“Billy came to see me. I thought I should bring him to you.”
Billy stood close to Ryder. “I’m sorry, Mom. I skipped school and took an Uber ‘cuz I had to see Ryder. You pretend you’re doin’ good but you’re not.” Here his eyes got teary.
“Why didn’t you talk to me about this, honey?”
“I wanted to talk to him.”
Finally she looked at Ryder.
He shrugged. “He said he wanted me to fix things between us.”
She knelt down in front of Billy and grasped him by the arms. “I’m sorry you felt you had to do all of this.” He threw himself at her and they hugged. “We’ll talk later. Right now, I want you to go to my office and wait for me. I’ll walk you there.”
“Talk to him, Mom, please.”
“I will.”
After she got him installed at her desk with some markers and paper, she went back to the yoga room. Inside, she found Ryder, his back to her, reading the posters on the walls. She noticed a very long rectangular package wrapped in brown paper at his feet. “Ryder?”
He turned around. The cool mask he’d worn with Billy was gone. Now he looked exhausted, angry and hurt all at once.
So she said gently, “I’m sorry about Billy coming to you.”
“He said you weren’t doing well. Neither am I, sweetheart.”
She wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Ryder.”
Ryder watched her for signs of willingness. Of forgiveness, of need, maybe. He saw none. So he’d risk it all. “Juliet, I don’t think I can make it without you in my life. I miss you. I need you in a way I’ve never needed anybody before.”
Her eyes moistened. “I-I can’t trust you.”
“I’ll earn your trust back.”
She said nothing. Just stared at him.
“Do you love me Juliet?”
“I loved Ryder. I don’t know Rice.”
“I am Ryder. The man you said you’d always love.”
“I—I don’t know.”
“Please, sweetheart. Give me another chance.” He crossed to her and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I won’t make any demands on you.”
Conflicting emotions flitted across her face.
“Please. I’m begging you.”
She bit her lip and her eyes were tumultuous. Finally, she sighed. “I don’t want to live without you either. But I don’t know how to…fix all this, as Billy said.”
“We’ll start slowly. We’ll date. I’ll show you I can be better. I’ll get your trust back, sweetheart.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Maybe this will help you decide.” He stepped back and lifted up the package at his feet. He set it on the shelf, tore off the paper and stood off to the side.
“Oh, my God.”
“I’ve been working on it for months.”
He’d painted her. Each of the four sections was of her in a different pose.
In the first, she facing was out, standing at his counter smiling—at him.
The second one was of her with the boys, on the floor playing a game.
She could see her grinning face and the backs of her sons’ heads.
Next was outside, her yard in the background, the wind blowing her hair every which way.
The last was her in bed. Sleeping. She was under the covers to her waist, wearing a nightgown.
Dear God in heaven, how could she resist something like this?
“Ryder. This is lovely.”
“It’s how I see you.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Please try giving me a chance.”
She hesitated. Clasped her hands in front of her. “All right,” she finally said. “One date.”
“Three.”
She almost smiled. “Two, and that’s my final offer.”
“I’ll take it.”
“When?”
“Tomorrow night. The kids are going to stay with Michael’s family for the weekend.”
“I’ll be there at 6.”
She nodded. And finally, the vise around his chest loosened.