The Hesitant Hero (29 page)

“Well, Bax, I hope you knew what you were talking about,” Tyler said and took a quick deep breath.

Tyler passed beyond the hedge that shielded the tennis
court and saw Caroline dressed in a white tennis outfit running back and forth volleying with a tall bronze man with tawny hair and a grin on his face. Obviously the man was a much better player than Caroline. He was toying with her, and finally she missed a shot and said, “Shame on you, Bobby.”

“You’re doing fine, Caroline. A few more lessons and you’ll be ready for the big time.”

The young man ran forward, cleared the net with an athletic leap, and put his arm around her. She turned her face up and he kissed her lightly. “Now, about that backhand,” he said.

Tyler cleared his throat, and Caroline and the young man jerked their heads around. Shock and amazement swept across Caroline’s face. “Why . . . Tyler, you’re here!”

“I guess I am.” He walked across the court and saw that the man was observing him carefully. Caroline was clearly trying to regain her composure.

“I’m sorry I didn’t call first. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Oh, that’s fine. It doesn’t matter,” Caroline said. “Bobby, this is Tyler Winslow, an old friend of mine. Tyler, Robert Harper.”

Harper stuck his hand out and smiled. “Glad to know you, Winslow.”

“Good to meet you.” Tyler turned to Caroline and said, “I can come back at a more convenient time.”

Caroline’s face suddenly changed, and a determined look caused her to compress her mouth in a straight line. “No, this is fine. Tyler has been out of the country,” she told Robert. “I need to talk to him for a few minutes if that’s all right.”

“Why, sure.”

“We’ll go in the house. Bobby, would you have Eloise make us some drinks?”

“Sure thing. Good to meet you, Winslow.”

“Same here.” Tyler followed Caroline into the house, through the kitchen, and into the study.

“When did you get in?” Caroline asked after she closed the door.

“Just yesterday.”

“Sit down. I want to hear what you’ve been doing.”

Tyler took a chair, and Caroline seated herself across from him. “I don’t want to keep you from the game,” he said. “Have you known Harper long?”

“Oh, heavens yes! We were in school together, college that is. We dated a bit.” Her face grew slightly rosy. “We’ve been renewing an old acquaintance.” She crossed her legs. “I haven’t heard from you in so long I was starting to wonder about you. The news has been terrible. I thought maybe you were trapped somewhere in France. . . .”

“It’s kind of a long story, but I’ll cut out some of the details.” Tyler recounted his entire story and even told her about his relationship with Jolie. “So Jolie and I are sort of responsible for three youngsters.”

“This woman. Is she older—middle-aged?”

“No, she’s about your age.”

“Is she overweight, unattractive?”

Tyler was amused. From the moment he had seen Caroline kiss Robert, he knew that his basic problem was over, but Caroline would always be the same. She had found a bigger fish than poor Tyler Winslow, but still she couldn’t stand to lose.

“She’s a very beautiful young woman, highly educated. A doctor, as a matter of fact. I met her when she was working at the hospital right here in New York, by the campus. I don’t think I’ve ever known another woman with more courage.”

“Well”—Caroline’s tone was bitter—”it seems you’ve done very well for yourself.”

“I think you’ve done well too, Caroline. It’s pretty obvious that you and Bobby are more than just friends.”

She lifted her chin. “Yes, we are. When you stopped writing, I was very lonely and worried about you. So when I began
seeing Bobby, I realized you and I—” She stopped abruptly. “That is, I knew we couldn’t ever—”

“You’re right. We couldn’t.”

“Well, things have changed. I can tell you’re different, and you’re obviously in love with that woman, that doctor.”

“Jolie Vernay.”

“Whatever. But I might as well tell you, Tyler, that Robert and I have come to mean a great deal to each other.”

“I hope you’ll be very happy, Caroline. I think it’s great.”

“You’re not grieving over me much, are you?”

“I guess I’m grieving about as much as you are,” Tyler said with a grin. “Come on, Caroline, we had some good times together, but I would have made you miserable.”

She smiled. “I think you’re right, Tyler. I’m sorry I was so terrible about your girlfriend.”

“I’ll try to pay you back the money you gave me as soon as I can, but it may take a while.”

“No. Forget about that. Were you able to develop your skills as an artist over there?”

“Well, I found out that I can paint a little and I maybe could be good if I gave it all the time it needs. Only time will tell.”

“Keep in touch, Tyler,” she said as she stood. “I really would like for you to do well.”

“Thanks. I want you to do well too.”

She walked him to the front door. “Good-bye, Caroline.” He kissed her on the cheek, and she patted his shoulder. As he walked out of the house, he straightened up and took a deep breath of fresh air. The world seemed brighter somehow, the sun more brilliant and the flowers more colorful.

****

Jolie was walking through Central Park watching the antics of a pair of dogs that an older man was trying to walk. They were strong animals. She had never seen any like them before, and the man had his hands full.

He saw her watching and said, “They’re stronger than I am.”

“They’re very beautiful. What are they called?”

He noted her accent and smiled. “They’re dalmatians.”

The man was telling her how wonderful the dogs were when suddenly she heard her name called. She turned back and saw Tyler loping along the pathway waving his hand.

“Excuse me,” she said.

“Is that your young man?”

“I . . . don’t know. He may be.” She waited for Tyler to catch up while the man went on his way. Tyler came up to her, his cheeks flushed with the exercise.

“Caroline threw me out. Best day’s work she ever did!”

“What do you mean she threw you out?”

“Well, she didn’t really throw me out, but she had another fellow there who will be much more suited to her.” He laughed and took Jolie’s hand. “I had my speech all made up. I was going to try to be tactful and break it to her gently, but she beat me to it.” He went on to tell her about how he had seen them playing tennis and when he saw them kiss he knew his problem was over.

“So all the cords are cut with her?”

“Yes.” He put his arms around Jolie and drew her close. “You know what, Jolie Vernay?”

“What?”

“This is your lucky day!”

She laughed. “You are the most egotistical beast I’ve ever known!” She would have said more, but he drew her closer and kissed her thoroughly.

When he lifted his head, he said, “Well, I belong to you until you decide to dump me. I hope it’s when your hair is silver and I’ve lost all my teeth.”

“What are we going to do, Tyler?”

“We’re going to live together for fifty or sixty years and enjoy every second of it. We’re going to find a home for those kids, a good home where they can stay together. If we can’t,
I’ll ask you to marry me, and when you finally say yes, we’ll adopt them. If I can’t make a living painting, you can support us while I stay at home with the children. Or we could always go back and sponge off your mother and live in France for the rest of our lives.”

“That sounds wonderful to me. Come on, let’s go tell the children that no matter what, they’ll always be together.”

GILBERT MORRIS spent ten years as a pastor before becoming Professor of English at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas and earning a Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas. A prolific writer, he has had over 25 scholarly articles and 200 poems published in various periodicals and over the past years has had more than 180 novels published. His family includes three grown children, and he and his wife live in Gulf Shores, Alabama.