Things Remembered (23 page)

“I'll just keep at her until I wear her down. There's no way I'm going to let her die alone.”

“She wouldn't be alone.”

“Then with some stranger.”

Karla gave up. “I'm going to pick up the turkey after lunch. You want to come with me? We could stop by to say hi to Susan on the way.”

“As long as we're not gone too long.” Heather moved things around in the refrigerator to make room for the food she'd brought with her. She gave Karla a cat-that-ate-the-canary look. “While we're fixing lunch, why don't you tell me about Mark?”

“How—Never mind, I know. Anna told you about him.”

“Nope. Susan did.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you, but there's nothing to tell. He's a nice guy. We went out a couple of times. That's it.”

“That's not what Susan says.”

Karla hated knowing she was being talked about. “All right, I'll bite. What did Susan say?”

“That sparks flew the minute you met and that you're perfect for each other.”

“I know you would like nothing better than to see me safely married off, but saying it doesn't make it so, Heather. There were no sparks before, during, or after.” Not exactly the truth, but better than fueling her sister's matchmaking fire.

“You're telling me you feel nothing for this guy and you still went to bed with him?”

Karla let out a gasp of protest. “Who said anything about going to bed?”

“You did. Isn't that what you meant about the before, during, after part?”

“Wrong interpretation. I meant when we met.” Karla took plates out of the cupboard, added silverware and napkins, and headed for the dining room.

Heather followed with bread and the deli platter she'd found in the refrigerator. “Should we set a place for Grace?”

“She can take care of herself when she comes in. I don't want Anna to have to look at an empty seat all through lunch.”

“I take it you two have already had a run-in? Isn't that my job?”

“When did she become so self-centered?”

Heather gave Karla a disbelieving look. “When wasn't she? What surprises me is that you've finally noticed.”

“I'm back,” came a call from the hallway. “Where is everybody?”

“Speak of the devil,” Heather said. To Grace she called, “We're in here.”

Grace appeared in the arched doorway. “Oh, my God, you look wonderful,” she squealed. “You should stay pregnant all the time.” She rounded the table and threw her arms around Heather. “Where's Bill? And those incredible nephews of mine? I can't wait to see them.”

Grace's enthusiasm was contagious. “You're looking pretty good yourself. I love that sweater. Where did you get it?”

“At this fabulous little shop on Rodeo Drive. It's my favorite place in the whole world.” She caught Karla staring at her. “Of course I mostly just look. The only time I get to buy anything is if it's on sale.”

“Nice save,” Karla said.

“Would you tell her to stop being such a grump?” Grace said to Heather. “I thought we came here to have fun.”

“Karla,” Heather said, “stop being such a grump.”

Karla laughed despite herself. If she didn't snap out of her foul mood, she was going to ruin the holiday for everyone, Anna included. “Tell us one of your stories, Grace.”

She needed no further encouragement and clapped her hands the way she had since she was a little girl and too excited about something to hold it inside. “You're not going to believe this one. It's soooo wonderful. You both know Robert Sandkey, right?”

Karla nodded, Heather didn't.

“He's the one who starred in
Westerley's Companion?
Ring a bell?” She waited. “
Stalker Past Midnight?
”

“Okay, I got him. He's the short guy that looks seven feet tall on the screen.”

“That's him. Anyway, he's been making this movie in New Mexico, and you probably don't know this, but he has this huge reputation for joking around on the set, always pulling pranks on people, and no one has ever been able to get him back because he figures out what they're up to before they even get started. He also has this huge appetite for women, has a new one every day like dessert after dinner. So the crew hired this absolutely gorgeous female impersonator and had him change places with the woman who was supposed to show up at Bob's trailer for ‘lunch,' so to speak. Anyway, they all stood around waiting for Bob to come unglued when he found out the woman was a man, but nothing happened. An hour later Bob is standing at his door dressed in nothing but his shorts telling the guy good-bye. It turns out he didn't find out it was a guy because he hasn't been having sex with the women who come there, he's been having them help him with his lines. He didn't want anyone to know he's dyslexic.”

“That's such a sad story,” Heather said. “I feel sorry for him.”

“Wait, wait—I've got another one. It's even better.”

Karla felt herself being pulled in by Grace's infectious charm. Perhaps it wasn't possible for any one person to have it all. Maybe to captivate people you gave up being responsible, to exhibit startling beauty in its best light required a self-awareness that forced you to give up being aware of others. And maybe, instead of trying to make Grace into something she wasn't or could never be, Karla would have to learn to appreciate her for what she was.

Chapter

17

K
arla resisted the temptation to tell Grace to turn down the radio that she'd brought into the kitchen from the bedroom. Twice already that morning Karla had been accused of relapsing into her bossy older sister routine, and it was only nine-thirty. She told herself she was only looking out for Anna, trying to keep a modicum of control over the bedlam that surrounded them, but Anna seemed more rejuvenated than exhausted by all the activity. Up since seven, she'd divided her time between the kitchen, where Karla, Heather, and Grace were preparing Thanksgiving dinner, and the living room, where Bill and Jason and Jamie were making table decorations.

“How small do you want these pieces of corn bread?” Grace asked Karla.

“I don't know. Ask Grandma.” Karla finished dicing the onions and added them to the celery and butter and spices already bubbling in the heavy skillet on the stove.

Heather finished cleaning the turkey and put it on the counter to stuff. “If we don't get the dressing in this bird pretty soon, it's not going to be ready until tomorrow.”

Karla scraped the last of the onions from the cutting board into the pan and took it to the sink to wash. She had on yesterday's clothes, her hair was held back with a plastic clip, and she smelled like an onion. “As soon as we get this thing into the oven, I'm staking claim to the bathroom.”

“Would you mind if I go first?” Grace said. “I'll be quick.”

“That'll be a first,” Heather said. She noticed something outside and leaned as far forward as her stomach would allow to look out the window. “Someone's here.”

Grace and Karla looked, too. Grace let out an appreciative whistle, Karla groaned.

“Oh, no . . .” Karla grabbed the clip in her hair and tossed it on the counter. “What's he doing here?” She wiped her hands on her jeans and tucked in her shirt. By then Mark and Cindy were on the front porch.

Heather's eyes widened. “
That's
Mark Taylor? He's really cute, Karla.”

“Cute, hell,” Grace said. “He's gorgeous.”

“Shut up,” Karla said, her voice low. “He'll hear you.”

Heather eased open the window to listen when Bill answered Mark's knock.

“Hi, I'm Mark Taylor. Is Karla here?”

“Yeah, hang on a minute,” Bill said. The screen door squeaked as it opened. “Come on inside. I'll get her for you.”

Grace reached over to finger-comb Karla's hair. She made several attempts before she frowned and shrugged and pinched Karla's cheeks. “Sorry, it's the best I can do.”

“He's just a friend,” Karla insisted, trying to make her voice casual.

“And Ryan Gosling is just an actor,” Grace fired back.

“Karla . . .” Bill appeared in the doorway. “There's someone here to see you.”

“Go for it,” Heather whispered, putting her hand at the small of Karla's back and giving her a nudge forward.

“If you don't, I will,” Grace added.

Karla sent them both threatening looks. “Thanks,” she said to Bill. “I'll be right there.”

“This reminds me of the time we waited up to see if that guy who took Karla to the prom was going to kiss her good night,” Heather said to Grace.

“What a loser he was,” Grace added. “The creep didn't even walk her to the door.”

“Thanks for reminding me.” Karla tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, took a deep breath, and put on a smile that she hoped would convince him she was glad he'd come.

His eyes lit up with their own smile when he saw her. “Cindy made something for Anna at school yesterday and I told her we could stop by to drop it off.”

“I think she's in the living room,” Karla said to Cindy. “Should I get her for you, or would you like to take it to her in there?”

“In there,” Cindy said.

Cindy hesitated when she saw Jamie and Jason. Karla introduced them and watched as the boys took this stranger's measure. Whatever their criteria, Cindy met it. In less than a minute Karla saw the fundamental basics of friendship form as the boys openly included Cindy in their circle.

Anna took her time looking at her present, examining it carefully, noting the careful construction, the colorful patterns, until finally she announced with obvious pleasure at her discovery that the papier-mâché turkey was the perfect decoration for the table. She had Cindy put the lopsided piece of art in front of the flower arrangement. “So I can look at it while I'm eating,” she said.

“We're making napkin rings,” Jamie said. “Wanna help?”

“Can I, Dad?” Cindy asked.

“For a few minutes. That is, if it's all right with Mrs. Olsen.”

“We could use your help with the leaves,” she said to Cindy. “We were just getting ready to glue them on.”

When Cindy was settled at the table, Mark turned to Karla.

“Come outside with me for a minute?”

Because she couldn't think of a reason not to, she went with him. They walked across the yard, their feet rustling the leaves Karla had meant to rake before everyone came. Finches abandoned the feeders at the sounds they made and took refuge in the trees where they watched and waited until the bravest or most foolish returned and the others followed.

The cool morning would soon yield to the sun. Sweaters and jackets would be discarded and children would be sent outside to play. But for now they were alone.

“I wasn't expecting you,” Karla said, consciously keeping herself from reaching up to adjust hair that only a shower and blow-dryer would help.

“I wanted to apologize in person for canceling out on you all week and to find out when you're leaving.”

“Sunday—and no apology needed.” Heather and Grace were right. Mark was an amazing-looking man. His hair fell across his forehead in the way that made advertising models look sexy and a little wild. Only with Mark it wasn't from the artifice of hours in front of a mirror—he drove with his window down and used his fingers for a comb. His lean build she credited more to missed meals than diet, his muscles from wrestling eighty-pound dogs off and on examining tables. His incredible blue eyes, like Grace's, were genetic. But his personality, the part that most appealed to her, was all his own.

“What about Saturday evening? Have any plans?”

“No—but I think I should spend my last night here with Anna.”

“Friday?”

“Heather and Bill will still be here.”

“Well, when are you coming back, then?”

“I don't know.”

He reached for her hand. “I want to see you again. If not here, then in Solvang.”

“To what point, Mark? We're really better off leaving things the way they are.”

“I've thought about this—a lot, as a matter of fact. And I've decided complications don't bother me.”

“They do me.” She eased her hand out of his. “As much as I like you, anything more is impossible.”

“Anna warned me you were stubborn.”

“You've been talking to Anna about me?”

“Only in the most general terms.” He smiled ruefully. “I must have impressed her with my winning ways, because she's given me a hell of a lot more encouragement than you are now.”

“Then I guess the only thing left for me to do is step out of the way and leave the path open for you two.”

“Nice comeback. But it's going to take a hell of a lot more than that to dissuade me.”