The Last Don - Mario Puzo [185]
It was at this moment that Cross had the precise feeling of happiness he had had at the picnic. And it consisted of nothing more than the three of them linked together, holding hands. He was filled with wonder and horror at his sentimentality.
Finally they returned to the hotel. After Athena had helped Bethany to bed, she came into the sitting room of the suite, where Cross was waiting for her. They sat side by side on the lavender sofa holding hands.
“Lovers in Paris,” Athena said, smiling at him. “And we never got to sleep together in a French bed.”
“Are you worried about leaving Bethany here?” Cross asked.
“No,” Athena said. “She won’t miss us.”
“Five years,” Cross said, “is a long time. And you’re willing to give up five years and your profession?”
Athena got up from the sofa and walked up and down the room. She spoke passionately. “I glory in being able to do without acting. When I was a kid I dreamed of being a great heroine, Marie Antoinette going to the guillotine, Joan of Arc burning at the stake, Marie Curie saving mankind from some great disease. And of course, also giving up everything for the love of a great man, most ridiculous of all. I dreamed of living a heroic life and knew I’d surely go to Heaven. That I would be pure in mind and body. I detested the idea of doing anything that would compromise me, especially for money. I was determined that under no circumstance would I ever harm another human being. Everyone would love me, including myself. I knew I was smart, everyone told me I was beautiful, and I proved to be not only competent but talented.
“So what did I do? I fell in love with Boz Skannet. I slept with men not out of desire but to further my career. I gave life to a human being who may never love me or anyone. Then I very cleverly maneuver or request the murder of my husband. Not so subtly I ask, Who will murder this husband of mine who is such a threat to me now.” She pressed his hand. “And for this I thank you.”
Cross said to reassure her, “You didn’t do any of those things. It was just your destiny, as we say in my family. As for Skannet, he was a stone in your shoe, another family saying, so why shouldn’t you get rid of him?”
Athena kissed him briefly on the lips. “Now I have,” she said. “My knight errant. The only trouble is you don’t stop at killing dragons.”
“After five years, if the doctor says she can’t improve, then what?” Cross asked.
“I don’t care what anyone says,” Athena said. “There’s always hope. I’ll be with her the rest of my life.”
“And you won’t miss your work?” he asked.
“Of course I’ll miss it, and I’ll miss you,” Athena said. “But finally I’ll do what I believe is right, not just be a heroine in a movie.” Her voice was amused. Then she said with a flat tone, “I want her to love me, that’s all I want.”
They kissed each other good night and went into their separate bedrooms.
The next morning they took Bethany to the doctor’s office. Athena had a difficult time saying good-bye to her daughter. She hugged the girl and wept, but Bethany would have none of it. She pushed her mother away and got ready to repulse Cross, but he did not move to embrace her.
Cross was momentarily angry with Athena for being so helpless with her daughter. The doctor, observing this, said to Athena, “When you return, you will need a great deal of training to cope with this child.”
“I’ll be back as quickly as I can,” Athena said.
“You needn’t hurry,” the doctor said. “She lives in a world where time does not exist.”
On the plane back to L.A., Cross and Athena agreed that he would go on to Vegas and not accompany Athena to Malibu. There had only been one terrible moment on the whole trip. For a full half hour Athena had doubled over in her grief, wordlessly crying. Then she became calm.
When they parted Athena said to Cross, “I’m sorry we never got to make love in Paris.” But he understood she was being kind. That at this particular