Accident - A Novel Part 20

"Going to the hospital."

"I'll come have breakfast with you, and take you there." She nodded, and he kissed her one more time, and then tore himself from her arms and forced himself to walk to his car. But he ran back for one more kiss as they both laughed, and then finally he went home. And true to his word, he was back at eight-thirty in the morning. She hadn't really thought he'd meant it. She had picked up Andy and taken him to school. She was doing laundry and singing to herself when Trygve arrived. And instantly, she found herself smiling.

"Good morning, my love," he said, coming through the door with an armload of flowers. He was the most romantic man she'd ever known, and the kindest. "Ready for breakfast?" But they never made it to the kitchen. He started kissing her again, and five minutes later they were in her bed, still unmade from the night before, and just as inviting.

"Do you think we'll ever get anything done from now on?" he asked, lying on his side, admiring her for the thousandth time that morning.

"I doubt it. I'll have to give up doing murals."

"I'll forget writing." But their schedules were so flexible, their lives so free, their hunger for each other so enormous, it was fun to realize how much time they had to indulge it. "Do they have day care at Andy's school?" he continued to tease, and then kissed her again. But this time she chased him out of bed. It was eleven o'clock and she had to go see Allie. Now that she had started to show some improvement, however small, Page didn't want to miss a moment with her.

He stayed with her at the hospital for the first hour, and then went home to work, and to check on Chloe.

"What about tonight?" he asked hopefully, and she grinned at him in the ICU, and shook her head.

"Andy will be home."

"Tomorrow?" he persisted.

"He'll be out with Brad for the day," she giggled mischievously, and the nurse smiled. It was nice to see something pleasant happen for a change.

"Perfect," he said in answer to her announcement that Andy was spending Sat.u.r.day afternoon with Brad. "Lunch? Caviar? An omelet?"

She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear so no one would hear them. "How about a peanut b.u.t.ter sandwich and a roll in the hay?" She laughed and he smiled wickedly at her.

"Excellent, my dear, I'll arrange it at once. Chunky or plain?"

"You're crazy!" she said.

"I love you," he answered, as he kissed her and left the ICU. It was utterly mad but she loved him too, and as Page turned her attention to Allie's lifeless form, she couldn't stop smiling.

CHAPTER 16.

Brad told Andy about Stephanie on a Sat.u.r.day in June. He had introduced them to each other over lunch, at Prego's on Union Street in the city. Andy looked her over suspiciously, and she chatted uneasily with him. She was wearing tight white jeans and a red T-s.h.i.+rt. And even he would have had to admit that she was pretty, with long dark hair and big green eyes, but it was obvious that Andy didn't like her from the moment he met her. He spoke to her in a surly tone, and he was rude to her several times over lunch, saying unflattering things to her, immediately followed by high praise of his mother's looks and virtues.

"Andy," his father frowned at him over dessert, "I want you to apologize to Stephanie." He glowered at him, and Andy stuck out his chin and pretended not to listen.

"I'm not going to," he said in dark tones to his ice cream.

"You've been very rude to her. You just told her that her nose is too big." Brad would have smiled at the offense, except that he could see that Stephanie was clearly insulted. She had no children of her own, and she was not amused by him. She didn't think he was cute, she thought he was a rude little boy, and thought that Brad should probably give him a good spanking. He was a brat, and had been horrible to her during the entire lunch. He had also told her that her pants were too tight, and her chest was too small. He had announced in no uncertain terms that his mother had a much better figure, was smarter, nicer, a good cook, and Stephanie probably couldn't cook anyway, and she'd painted a mural for his school that everybody admired. He'd gone on and on, singing his mother's praises, and pointing out all of Stephanie's flaws, both real and imagined. What he had done too, without knowing it, was point out that Stephanie knew nothing about kids, and had a very limited sense of humor.

"I hate her," Andy growled just barely audibly, staring at the table.

"In that case," Stephanie answered him this time before Brad could. "We won't take you out to lunch again. We may not even take you out on Sat.u.r.days if you hate us," she said spitefully, and Brad looked uncomfortable. He wanted to support her, but he needed to support Andy too, as long as he behaved himself within reason.

"Of course we'll take you out on Sat.u.r.days," Brad said calmly, looking at each of them, and trying to reach out for Andy's hand to rea.s.sure him. He knew how frightened and upset he was, but he also wanted him to get to like Stephanie. It meant a lot to him, and if they started a war with each other, things weren't going to be easy. "I'll always see you on Sat.u.r.days, and weekends, and whenever else I can. But it would be more fun if the three of us could be together."

"No, it wouldn't," Andy said, looking at him, and acting as though Stephanie had already vanished. "Why do we have to take her her?"

Stephanie fumed, but Brad answered. "Because I like her. She's my friend. You like to take your friends places too. It's more fun that way."

"Why can't I bring Mom?" Mainly because that wouldn't be fun at the moment. But Brad didn't say that.

"You know how difficult that is right now. You didn't like it when we fought. And Stephanie and I don't fight. We're good friends, and we have lots of fun. We could go to movies, and baseball games, and the beach, and do all kinds of things."

Andy looked her over contemptuously. "I'll bet she doesn't know anything about baseball."

"Then we'll teach her," Brad said calmly, looking at both of them. They looked equally miserable, angry, and unhappy. He was forcing things, and it was not going well, and he knew it. Maybe it would be easier to just leave it for a while, and go out with him alone again. But sooner or later he would have to get used to her. They had been talking about marriage again, and Stephanie was determined that he either make a commitment to her, or end the relations.h.i.+p. After more than ten months, and seeing him through the end of his marriage to Page, she felt as though she'd been patient enough. And now she wanted to know if Brad was going to come up with the goods. If not, she wanted to stop seeing him, and explore other avenues, none of which pleased Brad, after all he'd been through, he didn't want to lose her. She was almost a security blanket for him now, she was his buffer against the loneliness he felt without Page, or Allyson, or Andy. And he loved her too, but their affair had not been the easiest of late, with all the trauma he'd been through, and now Andy wasn't making things easier for them. Life was definitely not simple.

"I want you two to give this a chance." He looked at both of them. "For my sake. I love you both. And I want you to be friends. Deal? Will you try?" he asked them both, as though they were the same age, and from the petulant look on Stephanie's face, he could almost believe she was the same age as Andy.

"Okay," said Andy grudgingly, glancing over at her with a look of hatred.

"You'd better behave yourself," she snapped at him, and Brad almost groaned as he paid the check and gave Andy the candies that had come with it.

"Stop it, you two!"

It was a h.e.l.lish afternoon. They went down to the Marina green, and walked along the beach in almost total silence. Stephanie said she was cold and wanted to go home. Andy said absolutely nothing, and only answered when his father spoke to him. He said nothing to Stephanie at all, until he was forced to say good-bye to her, when they dropped her off at her apartment. They stopped at Brad's briefly on the way home, and when he went to the bathroom, Andy noticed some of her things on the sink, and a pink terrycloth bathrobe on the back of the bathroom door, which only depressed him further.

"You really weren't nice to her," Brad said gently on the way home. "That's not fair. She means a lot to me, and she really wants to like you."

"No, she doesn't. She was mean to me right from the beginning. She hates me. I know it."

"She does not not hate you. She's not used to kids, and you probably scare her a little bit. Give her a chance." Brad was almost begging. It had been a hideous afternoon, and he knew he was going to get an earful from Stephanie as soon as he got back to the city. hate you. She's not used to kids, and you probably scare her a little bit. Give her a chance." Brad was almost begging. It had been a hideous afternoon, and he knew he was going to get an earful from Stephanie as soon as he got back to the city.

"Allie's going to hate her too," Andy said confidently, and the words tore at Brad's heart. He was no longer sure that Allie would ever love or hate anyone again. In spite of her recent movements, there had been no real improvement.

"I don't think Allie would hate her," Brad said more to make conversation with him.

"And so would Mom. Besides, she's too skinny and she's stupid."

"She is not stupid." Brad found himself defending her. "She went to Stanford, she has a good job, and she's a very bright girl. You really don't know her."

"So what, she's dumb, and I hate her." They had come full circle, and Brad tried to distract him by talking about other things on the way home, but Andy seemed not to want to talk. He just sat quietly and stared out the window.

Brad dropped him off at the house, and waved at Page as he drove off. He was tempted to stop and talk, but decided that would just be too difficult. He wasn't in the mood, and he was anxious to get back to Stephanie and rea.s.sure her. He knew how upset she would be about how rude Andy had been, she was childish about things like that sometimes, and he knew he'd have to make it up to her. He just hoped that eventually they'd get used to each other. If not, things were going to be very rough for him in the meantime.

Andy was very quiet with Page when he came home, and she noticed it immediately.

"Something wrong?" she asked as she tucked him into bed that night. He had scarcely said a word to her all through dinner. Usually he raved about whatever it was he had done with his father. "You feel okay?" She felt his neck and his back but he wasn't hot. He was very cool, but his eyes looked worried, as his head rested on his pillow.

"Yeah." He looked as though he was on the verge of tears and she didn't want to leave him. "Dad said ... I can't tell you." He didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"Did you two get in some kind of argument today?" Maybe Andy had done something really dangerous and Brad had swatted him on the behind, but it wasn't like him. But Andy only shook his head and continued to look unhappy.

But after a few minutes, he couldn't contain himself anymore, and he started to cry as he lay there.

"Oh sweetheart," she said, and held him close to her as she lay next to him on the bed. "You know Daddy loves you, whatever he said to you today."

"Yeah ...but ..." he choked on the words as he clung to her "...he has a girlfriend. girlfriend. Her name is Stephanie," he said miserably. It was out now. He had told her, and she smiled through her own tears as she held him. Her name is Stephanie," he said miserably. It was out now. He had told her, and she smiled through her own tears as she held him.

"I know. It's okay. I know all about her."

"Have you seen her?" he asked, looking amazed as he pulled away from her, but his mother shook her head, thinking how sweet he looked as he lay there.

"No, I haven't. Have you?"

"At lunch. She was terrible. She's skinny and dumb and ugly, and she hates me."

"I'm sure she doesn't. She's probably scared of you, and wants to make a good impression."

"Well, I hated her. And Dad says I have have to try to like her." It was serious then, Page thought to herself. If he was pressing Andy on her, maybe they were planning to get married. She felt a tug at her heart at the thought, but knew that, like Andy, she'd have to get used to the idea that Stephanie was part of Brad's life now, perhaps forever. "Why don't you just try?" Page said gently. "She may be nicer than you think when you get to know her. She must have something good about her, if Dad likes her." to try to like her." It was serious then, Page thought to herself. If he was pressing Andy on her, maybe they were planning to get married. She felt a tug at her heart at the thought, but knew that, like Andy, she'd have to get used to the idea that Stephanie was part of Brad's life now, perhaps forever. "Why don't you just try?" Page said gently. "She may be nicer than you think when you get to know her. She must have something good about her, if Dad likes her."

"No, she doesn't," he said, and wiped his eyes. "I hate her." And then, with worried eyes, he asked her a question.

"Do you think Daddy will ever come back to us?" he asked anxiously. That was what it was all about. Stephanie was a threat to Brad's safe return to Andy's mother.

"I don't know," Page said honestly. "I don't think so."

"But if he marries her, he can't can't come back to you." He looked at Page miserably. "I come back to you." He looked at Page miserably. "I hate hate her." her."

"No you don't. You don't really know her. And Dad's not marrying her yet. I think you're worrying too much." But she also knew he wasn't wrong. They probably would get married.

"They're going to Europe this summer. That means he won't take us on vacation." He didn't understand that Brad wouldn't have taken them on vacation now anyway. But it irked her to hear that Brad was taking Stephanie to Europe. He had never taken her, and she had wanted to go for years. She hadn't been since before she married Brad, with her parents.

"We shouldn't leave Allie anyway," Page said quietly. "Does Daddy want to take you with him?" He hadn't said anything to her, but maybe he would eventually. But Andy just shook his head.

"They're going alone. For a month." Page nodded as she listened. He had his own life now, and they had theirs. And she had Trygve.

"Let's not worry about it now, okay? Daddy loves you very much, and so do I. And I'll bet his friend is really very nice, and you'll get to like her."

He growled a little bit about it again as she tucked him in, and the next day he was still grouchy over breakfast. To him, the threat of Stephanie meant only one thing: Brad was not coming back to him, or his mother. And then he looked up from breakfast suddenly and asked Page a question that tore at her heart. She had to turn away so he wouldn't see her crying.

"What are we going to tell Allie about Dad? When she wakes up I mean? How will we tell her?" Page looked out the window and blew her nose as she struggled for an answer. If only one day they'd have a chance to talk to Allie.

"We'll figure something out by then."

"Maybe Stephanie will die' die' he said angrily, and Page almost laughed when she turned around to face him. He was so emphatic, he was almost comical. She chased him out to the garden then, and her mother called a few minutes later. he said angrily, and Page almost laughed when she turned around to face him. He was so emphatic, he was almost comical. She chased him out to the garden then, and her mother called a few minutes later.

She had nothing new to say except that Alexis had developed a frightful ulcer. It didn't surprise Page at all. It was something that happened to anorexics. From starving themselves their stomach acids began eating through their stomach. But of course her mother said it was because Alexis was naturally nervous.

Her mother seemed surprised when Page explained again that Brad was no longer there. It was as though Page had never told her. As usual, she refused to accept what Page was saying to her, and they hung up a few minutes later.

She said something to Trygve about it that afternoon, about how dysfunctional her family had been, and it was hard for him to understand it. His parents were normal to the point of being boring.

"You're lucky," she said comfortably.

They sat together talking and touching hands, and wis.h.i.+ng they could kiss as they sat on his front lawn, within clear view of their children.

Bjorn and Andy were playing ball, and Andy was throwing left-handed. His cast was going to come off soon. And Chloe was sitting in a wheelchair, next to Jamie Applegate, poring over some homework.

"Brad introduced him to Stephanie yesterday," she told Trygve as they watched them.

"How did he take it?"

"Not very well. But I wouldn't expect him to. She's a big threat to him. It means it's really over. He said he hated her." She grinned mischievously. "It must have been a great lunch."

"I think kids always have dreams of their parents getting back together." He smiled at her. "I know even mine still secretly think that Dana will come back home and we'll get back together again."

"Would you want her to?" she asked with a look of interest, and he leaned close to her and smiled.

"G.o.d, no. I'd leave town ...with you in my suitcase."

"Good." She smiled back at him and their hands touched briefly.

The two families spent a happy afternoon, and Page and Trygve cooked dinner for them. Chloe set the table from her wheelchair and did what ever she could, and Bjorn and Andy cleaned up afterward. They were a good team and they had a great time together. Chloe seemed to fill Andy's longing for his older sister. Nick was coming home in a few days again too. He had a summer job in Tiburon, at the tennis club, and they were excited about him coming home from college. The only one missing would be Allie.

After dinner, they were sitting in the dining room, talking about her, when Chloe said how much she missed her, and how much she still hoped she'd wake up from her coma. They all wished for that, and it still wasn't too late. But two months was a long time. In another month, the outlook would dim further. Dr. Hammerman still seemed to feel that if she didn't come out of it within three months of the accident, perhaps she never would. It was something Page tried not to think about, but late at night, as she lay in bed, she was haunted by the fear that Allyson might spend the rest of her life in a coma.

"I saw Mrs. Chapman yesterday," Page said quietly. "At Safeway. The poor woman looked awful. She just looked kind of gray, as though all the life had gone out of her." Trygve nodded, thinking of what it would be like. He couldn't even imagine it, and didn't want to. Phillip would have graduated a few days before. And at graduation, there had been a moment of silence for him.

Chloe's eyes filled with tears, and she turned away, thinking of that night, as she often did. Bits of it had come back to her. She had even gone to the therapy group with Jamie because she had a lot of guilt about talking Allie into going with her. That night had changed so much for so many.

Trygve suggested a game of Monopoly then, and the young people played ardently, wheeling and dealing and cheating when they could, squealing with amus.e.m.e.nt and ama.s.sing paper fortunes, while Page and Trygve quietly went upstairs to sit in his study. He put his arms around her there, and kissed her as he'd been longing to all afternoon. He was aching to spend more time with her, to have her spend the night with him, to go away with him. There were a thousand things he wanted to do with her. But he knew it was too soon. He knew Page couldn't leave Allyson right now, and he had his own hands full with his children.

"Do you suppose we'll ever get any time away from them?" he asked with a rueful grin as he held her. "Maybe even for a weekend?"

"It would be nice, wouldn't it?" she dreamed. She liked the idea of Lake Tahoe with him too, but she just didn't feel right leaving Allie. Spending her days at the ICU was her whole life now. She felt badly for Andy too, there was so much she wanted to do with him, that he needed now that Brad was gone, but Allie came first. That was just the way it was for the moment. They all had to wait their turn, including Page herself, and they knew it.

She hated to leave Trygve that night. She loved spending time with him, and the days when they meshed their families were particularly happy. Andy looked a lot happier than he had the night before when she had put him to bed, and he stared at her with a silent question.

"What's up? Did you have a good time today?" she asked on the way home.

"A great time. Chloe beat us at Monopoly, but she cheated. Bjorn says she always does." Andy grinned. "So does Allie." Page smiled at the mention of her. It would have been so nice to see her playing Monopoly. So nice if she could have.

"Bjorn says his dad likes you," Andy said, looking noncommittal.

"What makes him say that?" She didn't comment one way or the other, but her heart was pounding faster as she watched Andy's face. She wanted him to like him. Just as Brad wanted him to like Stephanie, but he didn't.

"He just does. He says he's watched you guys a lot, he thinks you're really nice, and he says his dad says you're really pretty and fun to be with. He says you kissed him once, on the lips. Did you?" It was not an accusation, it was more a question. After the shock of Stephanie the day before, this was a whole new world for him, and he was examining the landscape. But it was a whole new world for her too, and she wasn't sure how much to tell him. Just exactly how much of the truth did she owe him?

"Maybe when I said good-bye to him, something like that. But yes, I like him."