Until I Die Again [On The Way To Heaven] (Soul Change Novel) (18 page)

Hallie packed up the suitcase with her new clothes, then tidied the room up. It was still about an hour before dinner time, and almost twenty-four hours before her plane left. She headed downstairs to find something to snack on.

When she passed the family room, a voice called out, “Hello!”

Hallie peeked her head in and found Theresa stretched out on the brown couch. When she hesitated, Theresa waved her in.

“Are you looking for something to eat?”

Hallie gave her a small smile. “Well, yes. I was just going to see what I could fix.”

Theresa gave her the friendliest smile she had ever seen. “Don’t worry yourself.” She tilted her head toward the kitchen. “Elena! Fix Hallie something nice for dinner. Maybe some veal parmigiana.”

“Thank you.” She wasn’t sure how to interpret this new side of her mother-in-law. Had she finally made Theresa see how different she was from the former Hallie? “I’m glad I got to see you before I leave. I wanted to thank you for letting me stay here.”

Theresa sat up and clasped her hands together. “You’re leaving? When?”

“Tomorrow evening.”

“I hope Jamie made it clear that you are welcome to stay here longer if you wish.”

“He did. That is very kind of both of you, but it won’t be necessary. I’ve already made my plans.”

“So where are you off to? France, maybe?”

Hallie’s heart quickened. To tell the truth or not? Always the truth. “I’m going to Caterina.”

Theresa’s eyes frosted over, and she leaned her elbow on the arm rest. She looked as relaxed as a cat. “Now that’s interesting. To pick up your things, no doubt. You left in quite a hurry last time.”

Hallie’s hands clenched in her lap, and she flattened them out against her thighs. “I’m planning to stay there. For a while.”

Under Theresa’s scrutinizing eyes, Hallie shrank, but she refused to be intimidated by the little spitfire who had loved Jamie longer than any other woman in the world. They were both on the same side, but her mother-in-law would never see it that way. Silence hung around them like fog, and when Hallie decided to get up and leave, Theresa finally spoke.

“What is it that you want, Hallie? It’s certainly not my son, that’s been apparent for some time. Is it money? What would make you leave him and never return?”

Hallie swallowed audibly, and the blood drained from her face. “Are you bribing me to leave Jamie?”

“Yes. Divorce my son, ask for nothing from him, and I’ll give you five hundred thousand dollars cash and a condominium we own in San Diego. If the divorce goes to court, your ugly past will gain you little sympathy from the judge, you know.”

Hallie tried not to flinch at the number she was offering. Still, she couldn’t help respect the woman reclined opposite her. “You must love your son very much, Mrs. DiBarto.”

“Yes, I do. I want him to be happy again. You are incapable of doing that,” she said, grinding the words in. Then her expression softened slightly. “He loves you.” She drew the words out reluctantly, like a sigh. “I can still see the fire in his eyes that burned for you long ago. It’s clouded with pain, hurt. Anger. But it’s there, and I hate it. And I hate you for putting it there. A man shouldn’t love a woman that much. Especially a man like Jamie. Especially a woman like you. He loves with abandon, always has. You.” Her lips turned up. “You love for what it brings you. Then you get bored and go onto other things. And people.”

Hallie swallowed hard, finding her throat parched. How could she defend herself when she had been an awful person? But she had one thing to go on. She had seen the video tapes.

“I didn’t marry Jamie for what he could give me. I married him because I was in love with him. You can’t deny that you didn’t see love in my eyes.”

The woman looked only a bit disconcerted. “What was doesn’t matter. Can you tell me that you’re in love with him now?”

“Yes, I can. I am very much in love with your son.”

That threw her off, but Hallie tried to keep the satisfaction from showing. Could the woman see the glow of love that burned in her eyes? It was there, if only a tiny flame now. But it held promise of growth, and the more time she spent with Jamie the closer she grew to him.

Finally, Theresa rose to her feet. “Don’t lie to me. I have seen you in action, Hallie Parker. And a woman who acts like that with another man does not love her husband. I know that. Jamie knows that. I want you out of his life, and I’m prepared to pay you for it. Tell me, do you even see how you have made him suffer?”?

Damn, the woman had her. “Yes, I do…”

“Well, at least you’re being honest now. Don’t make him suffer further by dragging your misdeeds through court. You think about my offer. And I suggest you not take it to Jamie, for I’ll deny ever bringing it up. And who do you think he’ll believe, after all you’ve done to him?”

Hallie tightened her lips, holding back words of defense. It wasn’t fair to take the blame for sins she didn’t commit. But things would change. She lived here now.

“I won’t go to Jamie with your offer. Nor will I accept it. I’m his wife, not his girlfriend, so when you address me, call me by my real name: Hallie DiBarto.”

Theresa flinched but held her determined expression. “You’d be better off with the money. You’ve already lost him.”

Panic tightened Hallie’s throat. “What do you mean?”

Theresa smiled, obviously feeling as if she had gained a foothold on victory. “Why do you think he turns away from you? Why do you think he refused to let you return to Caterina with him? He’s in love with someone else.”

Panic gripped her, now moving down to her heart. “With someone else? But you said you saw love in his eyes.”

“Maybe so, but you’ll never be able to overcome the past. Renee works at Caterina, and though I’ve not met her yet, I hear she is beautiful, loving, and very much in love with Jamie. With her he has the chance you never gave him. If you really love him, you’ll let him go.”

Hallie couldn’t hide the disappointment she felt in those words. With their past, how could she compete with someone who worked with him, who promised a better future? Someone he was already in love with? Theresa’s expression was free of smugness when she walked over and placed her cool hand on Hallie’s arm.

“Let him go. I’m offering you enough money to start over. Take it and go. You have nothing to lose.”

Thoughts ran rampant through her mind, giving up Jamie, him with another woman, Theresa’s offer. Had he been running away from her when he’d left for Caterina, or running to Renee?

She stood. “You’re wrong. I have a lot to lose.”

She walked up the stairs, grabbed her suitcase, and left. She had so wanted to win her scornful mother-in-law over, but Hallie-of-the-past had made that virtually impossible. Hallie-of-the-present hadn’t helped the situation either. But she wasn’t going to take a pay-off to leave her husband. She had a lot of bad actions to make up for, many ridges to smooth over and hurts to soothe. If she couldn’t win Jamie back to his wife’s heart, then she would walk away and leave him to heal alone. Or to heal with Renee. Without taking any pay-offs. No amount of money was worth giving up that chance.

She threw the suitcase into the car, pulled out of the garage, and drove off into the sunset.

CHAPTER 9

From the window of the airplane, the isle of Constantine looked like an emerald set in the middle of a huge, sparkling aquarium. Hallie pressed her forehead against the plastic window, her heart beating a staccato. Jamie was down there somewhere. And he didn’t want her company. The excited voices from the other ten passengers filled the plane, but their talk of island adventures seemed far away from her own thoughts. Peace. Jamie had said he wanted peace with her, so maybe he wouldn’t have her thrown off the island.

The early morning sun glinted off the water and made her squint, reminding her of how tired she should be. A long flight to Miami, Florida, then the flight to Montego Bay, yet another layover in that tiny airport before the flight taking her to Constantine. She should be tired, but she wasn’t. Every fiber was buzzing, crackling with electricity. If only she knew Jamie better, then she could guess his reaction when he saw her.

The plane landed on a small strip with only one jarring bump. She was the last one off the plane, gathering her courage as well as her carry-on. The rest of her luggage, the flight attendant announced, would be delivered to the lobby where a porter would take it to her room. Only she didn’t have a room. Caterina was booked. The travel agent had warned Hallie against showing up without a reservation, advising her to wait the extra two weeks before a room opened up. Hallie booked the flight anyway. California or Constantine, she had no place to stay.

Warm, moist wind embraced her when she stepped outside the plane. An orange golf cart sped her to the lobby a short distance away. A steel-drum band played in the open air bar next to the reservation desk. Two black women in flowery dresses approached the newly arriving guests with glasses of fruit punch and welcomes.

“Ah, Mrs. D,” one said to her with a large, white smile. “It is nice to see you back.”

“Thank you,” Hallie said, a little disconcerted. Since
she
had never been there before, she hadn’t thought about anyone knowing her, anyone except Jamie. She had even considered checking in with the registration desk to see if there were any cancellations. How silly. She was the owner’s wife, and these people knew her well. Her heart dropped a few inches. They knew the old Hallie, and probably felt as warm toward her as anyone else who liked Jamie did. They put on a good show, anyway.

“Any liquor in those, Ruby?” Hallie asked, reading the woman’s nametag.

“No, ma’am. These here drinks be for everyone, including the wee ones.” Ruby placed a plump hand on Hallie’s shoulder. “You had a long flight, poor t’ing. But you look good, after what happened to you. Go see Juicy. He fix you right up.”

“Who’s Juicy?”

Ruby laughed, deep and hearty. “Oh yeah, I heard you lost your memory a little. He be the big bartender man ‘round here. I think he work down by the pool today.”

“Okay, thanks. Uh, do you know where Jamie is?”

Ruby’s black brows drew together, and she put her hands on her wide hips. “You mean dat man not even show up to meet his wife after she be in the hospital an’ everyt’ing?” Her eyes searched the foliage and walkways around the lobby.

“Well, actually, he doesn’t know I’m coming.” Hallie left it at that, not wanting to explain further.

“Oh. Hm.” She shrugged. “I never know where dat man be. If he be somewhere two minutes before, he not there now. I can go find him if you like?”

“No, no that’s all right. I’ll find him.”

“Do you have luggage, Mrs. D? I’ll have Bailey take it to the house.”

“Yes, this and that piece sitting over there. Thanks, Ruby.”

“No problem. Now you go see Juicy.”

With that, Ruby was off to help the other woman with the rest of the guests. Hallie soaked in the music, fresh air and warm atmosphere. So Jamie had chosen paradise for home, she thought with a smile. It was relaxed, friendly. No wonder the old Hallie had upset his ways so much.

She followed a winding path past crisp white bungalows and foliage that made her mind reel with its beauty and fragrances. The sound of children splashing in the water led her to a huge pool that sparkled like diamonds in the sunshine. On one side was a rocky waterfall, and on the other was the bar, catering to swimmers as well as those on dry land. In between those two, the pool became narrow enough to allow a wooden bridge to cross over.

She searched the area for Jamie before stepping out into the open. She wanted their reunion to be, well, perfect. And private. It wouldn’t be long before someone mentioned her presence to him, so it would have to be soon. Hopefully after she had a drink to calm her jumbled nerves.

“Hello, Mrs. D!” a voice called as soon as she neared the chickee hut with palm fronds for a roof. “‘Tis good to see you, lady, truly it is!”

She slid into one of the swinging chairs and smiled at Juicy. He was short, in his mid-fifties with a sprinkling of white curly hair on his dark-skinned head. His one gold tooth made his smile all that much more dazzling. He took her in with a curious smile.

“It is?”

He nodded, his light brown eyes wide and sparkling. “The bossman,” he whispered, “him be downright ornery since he came back without you.”

She grinned. “You think he…missed me?”

“Yah, I think so. You got to stay ‘round here more often.”

“Well, maybe I will, Juicy. Maybe I will.”

Unless Jamie booted her out on her behind. As much as she wanted to believe that he missed her, she didn’t want to be lured into a false sense of security. After all, he had refused to let her come with him to Caterina in the first place.

Juicy studied her, and she felt transparent. Then he leaned forward and whispered, “Dat thing dat happened in your brain. It changed you.”

Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“Everybody has an aura around them,” he explained, illustrating with his hands. “Yours was blue before, cool and sad, all tangled up. No, you couldn’t see it with the eye, but some can feel it. Now, Mrs. D, yours be pink, warm and friendly.”

She sat under his scrutiny, wondering if he would accuse her of being someone else. An imposter. But he touched her hand. “Welcome to Caterina.”

When he turned away to fix a drink for someone who had been waiting on the pool side, she exhaled the long breath she had been holding. How could he tell? Most importantly, would he tell anyone? Jamie would throw them both off the island at such a preposterous idea. Or send them both to the Sharp Rehabilitation Center.

A few minutes later, Juicy placed a pink frozen drink in front of her. “This be a very special drink your husband make up.”

She sipped through the straw, holding the sweet mixture in her mouth for a moment before swallowing. “This is delicious. What is it?”

Juicy smiled in a soft way. “It be called Hallie’s Comet.”

She flushed, but her grin held. “He made this up for me?”