The Christmas Wedding - James Patterson [19]
Gaby didn’t laugh. She didn’t even smile.
Then Mike finally said, “No. I’m not frightened. I’m not frightened at all. I know that’s crazy. I should be shaking with fear. But I’m not. This sickness has brought me closer to Lizzie than I’ve been in years. It’s shown me that Tallulah is the most wonderful girl in the world. They don’t need me at my own store, but I still get some income from the place. I’ve grown to like the physiotherapy they put me through after the chemo. So, like I said, it’s crazy, but I’m not frightened.”
Gaby grabbed Mike’s clothing from the chair. Another woman would have carried the pile of clothes to him. But not Gaby. She took the pants and the socks and the shirt and the sweater, rolled them into a ball, and threw it at Mike.
“Thanks for answering my question, Mike. It was a wonderful answer. You’re a wonderful guy.”
“It was the truth,” he said. “Now, by the way, you said you’d answer my question if I answered yours.”
“Sure, but I can’t even remember your question.”
“It was ‘Who are you going to marry?’” he said with a completely straight face.
In a high, squeaky, funny voice Gaby said, “I…don’t…think…so.”
“Damn,” Mike said.
“Do you want me to help you get dressed?” Gaby asked.
“You just want to see me naked,” Mike said.
“Yeah, that’s always been a dream of mine.”
“Anyway, I’ve got underwear on.” He lifted the front of his gown to prove it.
“Well, if you’re not even naked, then I definitely don’t want to help,” Gaby said. “Where’s the fun in that?”
As they laughed, Tom and Lizzie walked in.
“What are you two up to?” Tom asked.
But they didn’t stop laughing.
Lizzie walked over to her husband and kissed him on his completely bald head.
“You look much better, Mike,” Lizzie said.
He kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks, sweetheart.”
And for just a second her eyes met Mike’s eyes, and for just a second they both smiled. And for just a second there was a feeling of hope.
Chapter 23
CLAIRE AND HANK
WHERE THE HELL IS Hank? Claire’s heart was pounding, and she was feeling like a complete fool. She didn’t know where he was, only where he was supposed to be. In the headmaster’s office with her.
“Will Hank be joining us, Claire?”
“He’ll be here any minute. He knows he has to be here. Sorry, Paul.”
Hank hadn’t called. He had probably forgotten that they were meeting with Paul Lussen, headmaster at Oceanside Prep, to discuss the school’s “extraordinary” problems with their son Gus.
Where the hell is he? Claire’s heart was beating even harder, and her head was starting to ache.
Claire had reminded Hank this morning. Twice. He’d snapped at her the second time: “I’m not an imbecile, Claire. Contrary to some people’s opinion.”
“I have another appointment in half an hour. You know how crazy my schedule is just before winter break,” Paul said.
She knew. After all, she was the after-school tutor to four students at Oceanside. She knew all the teachers here and they knew her. And Gus.
“Ordinarily I’d say we should reschedule, but there are extraordinary issues surrounding Gus’s future that just can’t wait any longer,” said Paul.
There was that word again. Extraordinary.
Where the hell is Hank? This is unacceptable.
“Well,” she said, “I guess we can start. I can bring Hank up to speed later.”
Paul was a huge supporter of Claire’s and her tutoring. But things went even deeper than that. He was also a good friend, so good a friend that he was, in fact, Gus’s godfather.
Today Paul was all business. And it made Claire sad that she was sitting opposite a rather stern headmaster instead of the charming, funny friend who had rocked Gus to sleep when he was little.
Paul opened a folder on his desk. Gus’s folder.
“It’s hard to know where to begin,” he said. Then he looked down at the papers. “I take that back. Actually, Gus’s record is so…unfortunate…that I could begin just about anywhere on these pages. So that’s what I’ll do.”
He read out loud: “September fourteenth. Gus Donoghue and Alex Frahm are seen urinating in the drinking fountain at the school practice field