Unexpectedly, Milo - Matthew Dicks [52]
“Milo, just watch the goddamn tapes. Save all this other nonsense for later. If she doesn’t say her name by the end of the last tape, then you can start looking on the Internet.”
Edith’s advice made sense, but part of Milo had hoped to discover Freckles’s identity by watching as little of the tapes as possible. The footage was becoming more personal with each recorded minute, especially since she had decided to keep the recordings for herself. This decision, combined with her growing comfort with the camera, had led to her revelation about Sherry Ferroni and her act of childhood cruelty. Milo was hoping to avoid any more personal moments like these, out of respect for Freckles’s privacy, but Edith was probably right. If he wanted to return the camera and the tapes to their owner, his best chance would be to finish watching the tapes.
Besides, a part of Milo found comfort in Freckles’s admissions of imperfections. He wished that he had the courage to do the same.
“You’re right, Edith. I’ll go home and watch the tapes tonight.”
“Good. And call that wife of yours too. Don’t forget that she’s more important than your video girl, okay?”
He wondered if this was still true but said, “Of course. Do you think I’m losing my mind?”
“No. But sometimes I wonder if you don’t have a crush on this girl, Milo. You’ve got a look in your eye when you talk about her that I don’t much like.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t even know the girl. How could I have feelings for a complete stranger?”
“I don’t know, but just keep it that way. At least until you have this Christine business settled, one way or the other. Okay, my boy?”
Milo smiled. “You bet. Now tell me: Do you feel ready for your book club tonight?”
“As ready as I can be. They all speak so fast, and Charles makes me so nervous. Just stares at me with a blank face when I’m speaking. I can’t tell what he’s thinking. I wish I were twenty years younger. My mind was so much sharper back then.”
“Edith, you’re smarter than people half your age.”
“That’s nice to say, but you know it isn’t true; otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Don’t get old, Milo. It’s not nice. Old age is the last dirty trick.”
Milo returned the rake to the closet and left as Edith was starting to roll curlers in her gray hair. Her notebook was propped against the mirror, and she was frantically reviewing her notes from their book discussion as she worked. She had more than three hours before her guests arrived, but she was still worried that there wouldn’t be enough time to pull herself together.
Of all his clients, Milo loved Edith Marchand the most.
The idea to surprise Christine with flowers occurred to Milo as he exited Route 9 in Newington on his way home. Though “99 Luftballons” had begun to consume his thoughts during his visit with Edith, the sign for Central Connecticut State University, surrounded by flowers that had just begun to bloom, had given Milo the idea to surprise his wife with a bouquet. Though there was an outside chance that the gesture might be perceived as overkill, he thought it was more likely that Christine would receive the flowers with excitement and appreciation. It had been at least a year, and probably more, since Milo had sent roses to his wife, and perhaps this was the kind of gesture that Dr. Teagan had meant when he suggested that they begin dating.
His plan was to purchase flowers and drive them over to the house, handing them off in person on the front stoop or leaving them on the dining room table for his wife to find when she arrived home. Christine was often volunteering with the Red Cross on the weekend, so many Sunday afternoons were spent in gymnasiums, malls, and town halls, ensuring that these events went off without a hitch. Whether or not she was home didn’t matter much to Milo, since the flowers would be a surprise either way.
Even though Milo had moved out of the house, he had kept his house key on his key ring, so he let himself in after pulling into the driveway