Arms of an Angel (6 page)

“
Point given,” she conceded.
“So you just read all your notes…”

“
Not exactly. I look over
them or think about sessions. I try to come at them from all
different angles. I have to admit it’s quite a rush seeing the
light of change or realization come across someone. That’s when I
know I’ve truly helped them and they can continue on with normal
life.”

“
What is normal, Garrett?
Isn’t that a hegemonic reality? One man’s normal may be total chaos
and lunacy to another.”

“
You’re right, of course,
and that’s partly why I look for alternate ways of helping people
find the bridge. I enjoy it.”

“
So I suppose you always
wanted to be a psychologist?” she asked.

“
Actually, I wasn’t quite
sure what I wanted to be. I knew I liked helping people and getting
inside to see if I could figure out what made them tick. My parents
were great about helping me explore alternatives and understanding
where my passions lay then grasping hold of those passions to
fulfillment.”

Claire couldn’t help but feel his excitement.
She also felt a twinge of envy that he had been so nurtured by his
parents. She wondered what it would have been like had her dad
embraced her love of art and helped her pursue it. Her mom, of
course, loved everything she did and helped as much as she could -
so long as it didn’t ruffle Daddy’s feathers.

“
Of course, I also wanted to
be a gymnast,” he told her.

“
You’re joking!” She eyed
him. Surely he couldn’t be serious. “Garrett, I think you lie as
well as I do!”

He laughed. “Actually, I did take gymnastics
as a young boy and loved it, but… well… my height kind of got in
the way as I aged. I enjoyed horseback riding too. That old stables
on the far side of the river front. Dad and I used to go there
nearly every Saturday. He always loved horses.”

“
Is that why they moved to
the country” It seemed reasonable.

Garrett shook his head no. “That was his
dream, but…”

“
Dr. O’Bryan!” The excited
female voice cut him off.

“
Victoria. How nice to see
you. You look well. How are things going?” He stood and clasped
hands with the young woman around Claire’s age. She leaned in
forcing him to kiss her cheek to avoid an obvious snub.

Claire rolled her eyes. He shrugged, though
slight enough that only Claire detected it.

“
I’m splendid, Dr.
Dreadfully splendid. You know how it is for me.” She made a roller
coaster wave motion with her hand indicating life’s ups and downs.
“I probably shouldn’t have stopped seeing you,” she spoke in a more
quiet, conspiratorial tone. She put her hand to her mouth as though
she had an intimate secret then glanced for the first time at
Claire.

“
Hello, Tori.” Claire’s
voice was cool.

After a momentary loss of composure the other
woman regained herself. “Claire. Darling. What a surprise. I had no
idea you knew Dr. O’Bryan.”

“
A mutual shock,” Claire
glanced at Garrett who was assessing the situation with an air of
surprise himself. She bit her lip to keep from laughing so that she
might maintain her position of toying with poor Tori. How
transparent Garrett was to her. It was as if she could see
perfectly the thoughts inside his head. He was wondering whether he
should step in to diffuse any biting and clawing that might
accompany the hissing and raised backs. He waited.

“
So, I never realized you
did lunch appointments, Dr. Is that something new? What a novel
idea.” Tori tried to cover her disappointment.

“
Actually, Tori, darling,
I’m not a patient. I’m a
date
.”

Garrett closed his eyes as the words were
spoken by his beautiful companion who had just been handed the
perfect opening for a wounding bite.

Tori was stunned, her jaw slack with disdain
as she looked from Claire to Garrett and back again. Claire smiled
ever so very sweetly, then commenced to eating her salad again.

“
You… are… a … a work of
art, Claire Orion. You just have your finger in everybody’s pie,”
Tori fumed. “And you!” She turned to Garrett. “I’d have thought you
smart enough to know better.” She turned, nearly tripping in her
too-high heels and marched from the restaurant.

Claire continued to eat her salad without so
much as an ounce of remorse. “What?” She scrunched her shoulders.
Garrett had not stopped staring at her since Tori left.

“
You do realize you managed
to undo months of therapy in a matter of minutes, don’t you?” he
asked her.

“
Oh fooey! Tori Johansen
doesn’t need therapy. She’s nothing’ but a spoiled, rotten bi… bi,
ba, be, buh, buh bazillionaire heiress,” she fished for a
replacement word at his look of reproach. “What she really needs is
turned over someone’s knee and delivered a good, hard swat!” She
forcefully placed her fork down on her plate, pushed back slightly
from the table and crossed her arms over her chest.

Garrett shook his head, trying hard not to
laugh. “Opinions aren’t allowed in the world of psychology, you
know.” He smiled and she softened up a bit. “I do have to ask
because I’m dying of curiosity. You were the other woman in the
boyfriend incident, weren’t you?”

“
You’re not supposed to
discuss cases. Patient/doctor privilege or something,” she
dodged.

“
You were!”

Claire rolled her eyes. “I did her a favor
with that one. He was no good,” she glanced away and continued
under her breath, “in more ways than one.”

Garrett laughed. “You really are a work of
art,” he told her.

“
I like art. You?” she
teased as their meal continued with a light air.

“
You like movies?” Claire
asked as they talked. “You mentioned the old stables at the park.
What about the refurbished theater? They just happen to have a
Wednesday afternoon matinee…” she fished.

“
I forgot all about that old
place. What do they show?” He seemed genuinely
interested.

Claire smiled. She’d allowed him another easy
bridging of events. They were both pleased to find they shared an
interest in older movies and that two of the Grand Lady’s screens
were reserved for exactly that.

“…
but you’re not really
dressed for a stroll around the park and a trip to the theater,” he
commented on what seemed the obvious.

“
Oh, come on! Here, watch
this…” She pulled the clips from her hair and fluffed it about her
face and shoulders. She readjusted the neckline of her shirt as he
watched with gaping mouth, then stood to reposition her belt and
pull her leggings to expose more flesh. “Now all I need is a piece
of gum and everyone will think I’m one of the park
hookers.”

“
You really have no
restraint, do you?” He stood and reached for his wallet. ”And we
need to get out of here because everyone is staring.” He took her
arm and they began to walk toward the cashier.

Claire laughed then whispered, “You do know
what people do with hookers, don’t you? We could bypass the movies
all together.”

He shook his head. “You look perfect for the
park, Claire. Absolutely perfect.”

“
Put your wallet away then
before people think you’re getting ready to pay me off.”

“
But… the meal…”

“
Already taken care of,” she
continued in their whispered tones.

“
Thank you, Ms. Orion,” the
cashier called as she steered Garrett toward the door.

They secured Garrett’s car and drove the
short distance to the old theater to find it a good thing they’d
driven and foregone the stroll. The movie schedule had changed.
They had about fifteen minutes to spare.

“
Garrett?” Claire whispered
after they’d settled into their seats.

“
Hmm?” He leaned closer to
hear her.

“
How much time did you spend
mulling over Tori’s file?” she asked.

Garrett couldn’t suppress a soft chuckle.
“None. In fact, I quickly came to the same conclusion you did.”

“
What was that?” she giggled
knowingly but wanted to hear him say it anyway.

“
That she was a spoiled
little rich girl that needed a good old fashioned spanking. Not too
unlike another young lady I know that needs to quit paying for
everything. It’s getting a bit embarrassing.” He raised his brows
as he looked down his nose at her.

“
Oh! The Dr. doesn’t like
being a kept man?” she teased.

“
Careful now. Kept implies
commitment which we both know you’re highly allergic
to.”

She laughed again and wound her arm through
his as the lights dimmed. She laid her head against his shoulder
with the beginning of the movie and he kissed the top of her curly
haired head. She’d left it free though she’d repositioned the rest
of her attire. Park prostitute indeed, Garrett thought. Claire
Orion was lady through and through no matter whatever else she
tried to be.

Thus began their Sunday brunches and
Wednesday lunches with an occasional matinee and usually at least
one dinner a week thrown in. It was an easy, enjoyable
relationship. Garrett was always amazed with her wit and ability to
challenge him in thought and conversation. And in such a lovely
package to boot!

A good three months flew by before he
approached the subject of her making the Saturday trip with him to
his parents. He was met with immediate rejection and let it die
quickly. In those few months he’d already begun to think
futuristically, though he knew her feelings well enough not to push
it. For some reason, she openly admitted that she was unfit to play
the part of a proper wife. Garrett felt sure he could change her
view, in time. Until then, he’d proceed carefully and simply enjoy
being with her.

* * * * *

“
I’m not seeing anyone else,
Garrett,” she told him one day, rather out of the blue.

“
Me either,” he teased,
though his heart was overjoyed. He was glad she’d chosen to share
that bit of information with him. She could tell, though she really
couldn’t understand it. Commitment still remained an allusive part
of her vocabulary…at least, she thought it did. She wondered what
made Garrett stick around, considering he really seemed as if he’d
be the settling down type. Then again, his weekly trips to the
country…he obviously hadn’t managed to untie the bands of
childhood. Maybe the relationship fit him as well as it did her.
There was only one thing lacking as far as Claire was concerned.
She smiled, confident that too would change in time.

“
Will you come up?” she
whispered as he kissed her lips, cheek, neck. Her eyes fluttered
closed and then opened again. She was sure he’d say yes tonight.
His kisses and caresses had a sense of urgency she hadn’t felt
before. She was surprised when he pulled away and shook his
head.

“
I can’t, Claire.” There was
a hint of sadness in his reservation.

“
I don‘t understand.” Her
eyes pleaded. “Garrett… Please. I‘m not asking for forever… just
one night. You know I don’t want you to make me any promises. I
don’t want anything beyond what we have. I just want you to hold
me. Now, only now. Tonight.” Tears filled her eyes. “Why don’t you
want me?”

“
That’s just it, baby.” He
touched her cheek with the palm of his hand. “I do want you. But
one night isn’t enough. I need you to want this, to want me enough
to say we’ll try to make it last.”

Her lips quivered as she held them tightly
together. “Garrett, I can’t have children. I’ll never make a
suitable wife. I can’t be what I’m not. Don’t ask me for more than
I can give.”

“
Oh, Claire. Who ever told
you such a foolish thing?” Garrett wanted to laugh with glee but
held it in check because he knew she wouldn’t understand. So that’s
why she was holding out on him, why she refused to let their
relationship advance beyond casual dating and her continued request
for what he knew would spell the end because she wouldn’t let it
progress afterwards.

“
It’s why my dad took his
first mistress. After my mom had me… there were complications. He
blamed me for her inability to give him a son and, in his eyes, she
was no longer whole. And then it happened to me… I ruined his
chances for his bloodline to continue through grandchildren.” She
laughed bitterly. “Irony of ironies, he never fathered a child with
any of those women either. None of us measured up to his
expectations.” She was crying full out now. Garrett’s heart hurt
for her. He understood why his wanting her was so important. He
reached for her but she pulled away.

He didn’t pursue her.
Instead he told her quickly, “I don’t need another child, Claire.
What I need and want is
you
and for you to need and want me in return. Come to
my parent’s farm with me tomorrow, Claire. Please?”

She was already shaking her head. I’m not the
type you take home to meet Mum. Look at me, Garrett. I dress like a
high dollar hooker, carouse as I please, live for the moment…
entice innocent men into my bed.” She looked at him. “I’m not good
like you, Garrett.”

“
You’re wrong, Claire. Come
with me.”

“
No. I have to go. Goodbye,
Garrett.” She stepped from the car before he could protest. He
didn’t try to stop her even though his very being screamed for him
to do so. He knew she was not in a state of reasoning. She needed
time. He’d return in the morning and insist, even if it meant
dragging her kicking and screaming from her fancy home. He drove
off knowing it would be a long night.