Sweet Surrender Page 8

  “Here. Doc is on the line.” Beth held out the phone to her.

  “Pierce, did you want Beth at the office on Sundays?” She glared at Beth. She hadn’t thought that the child would call him.

  “Only if someone was in the office, which is rare. Why? Does Beth want to go in?”

  “Yes, but it’s not going to happen today. I have a lot of work.”

  “Mom,” Beth snarled. “I don’t need you to babysit me.”

  “You can work in my office. I do have some things that I can do there, also,” Pierce offered.

  Haley knew better than to think that she would be able to work with Pierce in the same office. She would never look at him the same way again. Nothing he wore would erase the enticing image of his almost-naked body, lean and buffed.

  “Fine, I’ll meet you there.” What should have been a lazy afternoon in ratty pants and a big T-shirt had changed to slacks and a blouse.

  “Thank you so much, Mom. You’re the greatest.”

  “Yeah, I’m the greatest pushover. Eat your lunch and then we’ll go.”

  Beth sat at the table and nibbled at her lunch of carrots and celery. Haley debated whether to make a fuss about the skimpy, unbalanced meal. They’d had a few days of relative calm without the emotional swings that she’d come to expect from Beth. At least she was eating.

  Haley gathered her work and packed it in her briefcase. She supposed that this was the new version of quality time. They used to sit, huddled together, on the couch in their family room watching a movie, reading a book or playing board games. Now she was lucky to spend a few moments in the same room with her daughter.

  The day was overcast. Beth was quiet as they drove to Pierce’s office. Haley hoped the rain would hold off until they returned home. She peered up at the thick, gray clouds. Any blue sky that managed to peek through would be short-lived. Haley turned on the radio for any information on the day’s weather and to add a bit of background noise to the somber drive. Now that Beth had gotten her way, she was silent, staring out of the window.

  “How’s school? Seems like things are settling down.” At least no other business owner had placed an emergency call about her daughter’s latest passion, Haley thought.

  “Fine, I guess.”

  “I think that it’s more than fine. You don’t complain about the homework. You’ve gone to the movies a couple times with your friends. You haven’t talked about your friends at the old neighborhood.” Beth looked at her as if she’d grown two heads.

  “Mom, please. I don’t fit in. Sure I get invited. But most places you won’t let me go. I have a babysitter as if I’m a little kid. I’m the only one of my friends with day care. It only takes one time when I’m hanging out with people to know that we’re not on the same wavelength.”

  “It’s been less than six months. Don’t you think that you’re being hard on yourself? If I recall, I do allow you to go out. Now you’re mad at me because I need to know the details of where you’ll be? That’s called good parenting.” Haley kept her voice even, although her defenses had shot up.

  “I’m letting you know that you’re being overprotective. When your life doesn’t go as planned, you’ll probably uproot me and move from here, too. I know the doc is interested in you. One day he might not be anymore. Then, once again, I’ll be the one dragging around behind you.”

  “Where is this coming from? Two minutes ago, you were begging me to do something for you. Now you’re overstepping your bounds and talking to me with no respect.” Haley pulled over and parked in a gas-station lot. “I’m not going to demand an apology. But let’s get something straight.” Haley spoke slowly, enunciating each word. She had to calm down. This was her thirteen-year-old daughter. Opening the car door and telling her to get out was not an option, however tempting.

  “I am overprotective, as you call it, because there are dangers out here. I can’t shield you from everything, but I can take the upper hand and keep tabs on your whereabouts. As your mother, I do have a say in where and when you should go. I don’t always agree with the liberties that your friends have, but I’m not their parent. I’m yours. When you make poor judgments like you did with Pierce’s property, I have no choice but to come down hard on you. You’ve got to earn my trust again.” She took a deep breath, searching Beth’s face for a break in her petulant frown. “And I thought that you didn’t have a problem with me seeing Pierce. I’m very considerate of not mixing our times together too much. I don’t know where that will go, but I’m enjoying his company now.” Haley took a moment to pull herself together. Her hands shook slightly. She had to take a couple deep breaths to focus on what she was doing. Should she turn the car around and head home?

  Her daughter’s accusation that she’d run and would always run sliced through her like an annoying paper cut. To the naked eye, it seemed like a small remark buried among other unsavory remarks. But the perception stung, its venom resonating through her entire system. She’d hoped that time would heal whatever ailed them, individually and as a family unit. It appeared that time had run out and now she’d have to step up and do something.

  Haley turned the key in the ignition. She turned up the music and resumed driving toward Pierce’s office. She looked with a critical eye at the older homes that lined the street. They all had the white picket fences, U.S. flags waving from the porches, windows and even doors open. People walked their dogs. Some were in-line skating. Kids played with each other as they ran around in the public playground. She had yearned for this type of nostalgia in her wholesome community and she thought she had found it here.

  “This is home. I’m sorry that you’re missing out while you’re in your adjustment period. But one day when you’re not too angry with me, look at everything and the people around you. You’ll see that you can make home wherever you are.” Haley didn’t know how or why they could go from a decent conversation, sharing laughs, to contempt. Beth had a knack for delivering her words with matter-of-fact indifference, but lately her reaction dripped with attitude that seemed hateful.

  “As you say, this is my home whether I like it or not, right?” Beth glared at her.

  “Sometimes a parent has to do what is right for the child.”

  “Thought I had two parents.”

  Haley felt her anger rise. “I’m not trying to erase your father. When I say that I want a fresh start, it does not mean that I’m erasing our past as a family. But you’ve got to look forward to new, exciting things, situations, even friends that you will meet here. This small city has everything that we need without the hassles of a big-city life. Give it a chance, give me a chance. I know that you will make friends, good ones.” Haley didn’t miss Beth’s rolling of her eyes.

  “Dad said that if I wanted to I could stay with him to see if I liked it.” Beth looked down in her lap. Each fingernail had a different color. She wore several rubber bands of similar colors around her wrist.

  “When did you talk to him?” Haley kept her expression neutral. She congratulated herself that she could stop for the red traffic light and put on her signal to turn while discussing Vernon.

  Once she had settled in, she’d let Vernon’s lawyer know where they were and how she could be reached.

  “Dad called this morning on my cell phone. He was on travel for his job.”

  “Cell phone?” She didn’t recall buying a cell phone.

  “Daddy sent it to me in the mail. Don’t worry, you don’t have to pay for it.”

  Haley pulled into the parking lot. She didn’t see any sign of Pierce. Only one car was in the lot and it was at the far end of the property. They must have beat him here, which worked out fine for this conversation.

  “Is having us live so far from our first home making it expensive for Dad to keep in touch with me?”

  “I don’t know your father’s finances. When it’s time for you to visit, I will get you there.”

  “I miss him.”

  “I know it must be hard,” Haley answered wi
th care. She wasn’t going to sink to the lowest level to talk about Vernon’s shortcomings. So far, she’d tried to keep their lives at status quo. Maybe Beth needed to see the hard realities of being a single parent a few times to make her more appreciative.

  “You don’t know how hard it is. Grandmom and Granddad are still married. So how could you know? Uncle Theo and Stan aren’t married,” Beth said.

  “When I had you, I forgot about the unhappy times in my marriage because you were my special gift. But I couldn’t overcome the difficulties singlehandedly.” She raised Beth’s chin. They had similar eye coloring, along with other physical features. “Beth, I want you to know that I’m doing the best I can to make a better life for you and me. I don’t mind talking to you, but let’s do just that—talk, not fight.” She kissed her daughter’s cheek and felt the dampness of her tears. “Do you want to go home? I’ll make the excuse to Pierce.”

  Beth didn’t look up from her lap. Her hands were meekly clasped. “I promised Doc that I’d finish by this week. Plus he could have been really mean about messing up his fence.” Beth wiped her face. Haley dug in her pocketbook and handed Beth a tissue.

  “How much of the mural do you have left?”

  “Doc hired a painter to help me finish it.”

  “Talk about being a pushover. I hope you told him thank you.” Haley knew that Pierce hadn’t done it to get on Beth’s good side. He had a kind heart and did what he was impelled to do. Still, she was shocked by his generosity.

  “I thanked him. I really like Doc. I didn’t want to…” Beth said.

  “Thank you for being honest. I like him, too.”

  Just then Pierce pulled into the space next to them. He offered them a wide grin and waved. His playful attitude raised both their spirits as they got out of the car and exchanged friendly greetings.

  “Look, Beth, I’ll talk to your father and see what we can work out. I don’t want you to linger over this stuff. Enjoy school, make friends, have fun,” Haley said softly before pulling her daughter into a hug.

  “You’re so corny, Mom. I love you.”

  “Yeah, well, eat something for heaven’s sake. All I feel is bones.”

  Haley walked hand in hand with Beth on one side and Pierce on the other. If she measured today’s conversation as a milestone, she wasn’t sure how much ground she’d covered, but at this moment, they all appeared to be happy.

  Beth got underway with her wall. A large canvas drop cloth protected the carpet and furniture. An opaque plastic sheet hung from scaffolding shielded the wall from view. Haley tried to get a preview, but Beth forbade her. She’d have to wait until the unveiling.

  Haley had to admit she felt proud that her daughter had a passion that brought her fulfillment. If painting was what it took to keep a smile on Beth’s face, Haley would raid the craft stores for paints, brushes and anything else that the salesperson wanted to sell her.

  Feeling a little more settled, she now could delve into her work. She followed Pierce to the offices in the back of the building. He showed her an empty office next to his, equipped with a desk and credenza.

  “It’s awfully quiet back here.” Haley set down her laptop. The waiting room seemed far away.

  “Believe me, it’s buzzing around here during business hours. Sometimes I come back here for a little peace and quiet.” He leaned casually against the door frame.

  “You got a haircut. Looks good,” Haley complimented, admiring his tapered sides, clean and sharp. The last time she’d seen or talked to Pierce was last week when he’d fielded Beth’s question about his feet. The grand finale of their lovefest still brought a chuckle to her lips.

  “Coffee? I could start the machine,” he offered.

  “Thanks, but I’ll pass. How about sodas? Iced tea, maybe?”

  “Sure,” he said. He walked away. Then she heard his footsteps return and he popped his head in the doorway. “You okay? Not that I expect you to show the same laugh-out loud hilarity at my psychological bedroom hang-ups. But you looked pensive a few minutes ago. Beth barely looked at me when she came in. Want to talk?”

  Haley didn’t talk about Vernon with Pierce. She wasn’t ready to do that. She shook her head. “Please understand….”

  “No problem. As usual I want to jump right in to fix the problem. After dealing with my sisters, you’d think I’d learn.” He laughed.

  “You are so fantastic that I could hug you.” She raised her hand to stop his advance. “Not now…Beth.” With her daughter’s obvious insecurity and confusion about her father, and Haley’s relationship with Pierce, the last thing Beth needed was to catch Haley and Pierce smooching. Pierce nodded. He was in a profession where it was important to keep emotional distance and keep his feelings private. She couldn’t tell if he was offended.

  “I’ll get your drink.” In less than a minute, he returned with the soda. “You can get access to the Internet using dial-up. I’m next door if you need me.”

  Pierce’s departure made her feel lonely in the small, bare office. Being able to sit and work without interruptions was good, but she couldn’t concentrate knowing that Pierce was next door.

  Her cursor blinked on the screen waiting for her input. Either she forced her mind to crank out the information that her boss needed, or she’d be up all night struggling to meet her deadline. She’d have to log on to the Internet to gain access to her company’s database. Critical information for one section resided in the common folder on the company’s network.

  Haley worked steadily, gulping down her iced tea and chewing a tasteless, sugar-free gum. Beth popped in her head for vending-machine money. Haley didn’t look up, waving her in the direction of her pocketbook. Even Pierce tried to get her attention about another soft drink. She nodded, but didn’t allow her fingers to slow down. She had the conclusion to write and then she could send this report to her boss, Strayer, and a few other department heads.

  Ever since she had landed Thadeus Bedford as a client, Strayer had sung her praises. She was becoming his go-to person. At first, the honor had only come when another employee was out or unavailable. But her response time and follow-up had raised her above a few peers. Haley enjoyed someone respecting her talent and worth. Though she had had to skip a few family moments because of work, it had been worth it. She would make up the time with Beth, Haley promised. And being appreciated at work gave Haley’s self-confidence a much needed boost.

  An e-mail notice popped onto her screen. Haley didn’t recognize the sender. The subject line stated: Thinking of You. Intrigued, but leery that the mail was an intro to an X-rated site, Haley clicked open the note.

  Didn’t want anything. Simply making sure that you’re thinking about me. I can’t stop thinking of you. Looking forward to connecting the dots.

  Love to also think about you. Can’t wait for you to connect the dots. Where oh where will that be?

  Haley remembered Pierce taking his finger and tracing the moles around her body. He had counted three and had been on the hunt for more. She crossed her legs, recalling that one was on her inner thigh, another on her left breast and another on her neck near her jaw. Pierce had sucked each spot, claiming he wanted to leave his own beauty mark.

  Part 2—a continuation was part of my plan, all along. My place. Next Friday. We’ll start at the driving range. Eat dinner at the country club. Settle in for the night at my place.

  P.S. Laura said okay to look after Beth. They’re going to have a slumber party.

  Can’t wait. :-)

  Haley leaned back in the chair, feeling wicked at the rush of excitement and giddy anticipation for the weekend.

  The morning started off as any other morning. Haley added a light cover of foundation and would finish up with her favorite reddish-brown lip color. Since she had completed the reports and e-mailed back to her job, her mind was relaxed.

  Beth had already left for school. She hadn’t yelled goodbye as she’d headed out the door, but Haley had heard the front door close. H
aley had looked out the window in Beth’s room to catch a glimpse of her daughter turning the corner at the end of the street.

  When Haley moved away from the window, she glanced around the room. She couldn’t get on Beth’s case about having a messy room. Her daughter had everything in its place. The bed was neatly made. Beth had even dusted the shelves. Haley made a mental note to compliment Beth for keeping her room shipshape.

  However, Beth had left the radio on. The volume had been turned down, but the DJ’s voice still filled the room. Haley turned up the radio, listening to the exchange between the DJ and his partner. The jokes were off-color, a sign of the times, and then a hip-hop song blasted the air. Another time, she may have changed stations to a mellow music program, but today she could bear the floor-shaking, head-throbbing beat, especially since she returned to her bedroom. The distance helped soften the bass.

  In front of the bathroom mirror, her head bopped and her feet tapped. She added a light coating of eye shadow. Why not? Ever since Pierce had invited her on a date for Friday, she’d been counting down the days.

  She set down her makeup and paused, listening. Her phone was definitely ringing. Haley picked up the phone, sensing that this couldn’t be good. She tried to fasten her earring while she pressed the phone to her other ear. “Yes,” she answered, not holding back her impatience.

  “This is the vice principal, Fiona Wilkes, at Hampton Mews Middle School. I’d like to speak to Beth Sanders’s parent.”

  “This is Haley Sanders, her mother.” Haley placed a weary hand across her brow. “What’s the matter with Beth?” she prompted.

  “We ran the morning attendance report and she is listed as absent. We make routine, random calls to verify the absences.”

  “Beth is not here. Do you have her listed for any other absences?”

  “No, Ms. Sanders.”

  “I’ll be in touch with the school once I learn her whereabouts.” Haley finished the phone call, barely able to talk or listen to anything further the vice principal had to say.

  She dropped her pocketbook onto a side table, next to the keys. She punched in the numbers to her work. Briefly she told her assistant that she would be late. Then she placed another call.