Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [25]
“Are you okay, Annie? You sound like you’ve been crying.”
“Actually, Tom, I’m probably drunk. I’m not sure why that is. Then again, maybe I do know, and I just don’t want to deal with it.”
“Are you by yourself, Annie?”
“Yes. I bought this beautiful old house, but I don’t have much furniture. I do have a Christmas tree. Jane is seeing someone. We don’t see too much of each other after work anymore. Elmo is fending off two ladies who are hot on his tail, and he loves every minute of it.”
“Guess you’re feeling kind of shortchanged, huh?”
“Kind of. All I do is work. I did meet a professor, but he canceled out on three different dates, so yeah, I’m alone. I might get some goldfish. Remember when we had gerbils, Tom?”
“Yeah, one day we had one and the next day we had twenty-three or was that hamsters?”
“Who cares. We had them. Ya know, Tom, sometimes Mom has a spark and she remembers me. Then I cry and blow the whole moment. I hope she remembers you.”
Tom’s voice was husky. “Yeah, let’s hope so. Can I bring you anything from sunny California?”
“I thought you said you didn’t have any money.”
“I don’t, but I still have a charge card. Name it.”
“Just yourself, Tom. We can go shopping when you get here and buy Mom some stuff for Christmas. Remember how she always loved the wrappings better than the presents. What’d you do with the money from the sale of the house, Tom?”
“Paid Dad’s medical bills. There were two mortgages. I paid those off. Mom’s condition hit around then. More medical bills. I have all the records, Annie. I would never snow you on that.”
“I never liked your shitty wife,” Annie said, uncorking a second bottle of wine. “You were too good for her. I like your kids, though. Do you think I’ll ever have kids, Tom?”
“Not at the rate you’re going. We’ll have to do something about that.”
“Yes, let’s do something about that. Somebody without any deep, dark secrets. I hate people who have secrets.”
“Are you trying in your own inimitable way to tell me you have a deep, dark secret?”
“Me? Sorry. No secrets here. Do you have any?”
“I was going to keep my divorce from you, so I guess I don’t, now that I told you. You probably should go to bed, Annie.”
“Why is that, Tom?”
“So you’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when it’s time to pick me up instead of being hungover. Is that a good enough reason?”
“The best,” Annie hiccuped. “What’s it like to be really happy, Tom?”
“How about if I tell you tomorrow when you pick me up. Unplug your tree lights and go to bed. Will you promise me to do that?”
“Sure, Tom.”
“Good girl. I’ll say good night then.”
Annie corked the wine bottle and dutifully turned off the Christmas tree lights. She thought about her old cat Flossie as she made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. It had always been her job to let the cat out before going to bed.
Tomorrow she was definitely going to get some goldfish.
Annie waited impatiently, her head throbbing, for her brother to walk through the gate. When she saw him she ran, her arms outstretched. “I’m so glad you came, Tom. This is going to be such a good Christmas. I’m going to cook a big turkey with all the trimmings. Do you have baggage?”
“A ton of it and something special for you. I took vacation time.”
“That’s great. How long?”
“Do you think you can put up with me for a whole month? I thought maybe I could help out a little. I owe you, Annie.”
“I can use all the help I can get if you’re serious. I can even offer you a job if you want one. We’re going to open two shops near the Clemson campus. I’d love to turn one over to you. Both actually. You won’t be making what you made in California, but the cost of living here is less. We’re going big-time here. That means health benefits, a profit-sharing plan, all the coffee and tuna you want.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Really, Tom?”
“Really, Annie.”
“What about the kids?”
“Mona is playing hardball. She wants alimony and astronomical child support. I might as well tell you, she has a boyfriend. That’s what started the whole thing. But,