“Please...please, I’m sorry for everything, but, please...”
“Krissy, be calm. Can you listen to me?”
“Okay,” she said tremulously.
“I’ll come to you. It’s going to take me a long time—I won’t be there before tomorrow. I can talk to you from the car, but it will be a long drive for me. And I’m going to have to tell your father that I’m coming.”
“Why do you have to?”
“Because I’m not your mother or even your stepmother. I’m nothing more than an ex-girlfriend involving myself in his family business.”
“But you took care of us for three years!”
Well, not quite that long, she thought. As for the caretaking, since she’d been totally unsuccessful, how would that give her any leverage in this situation? “He’s your father. I take it you’re at his house right now, not your mother’s?”
“I’m here. If you tell him, he might just make me go to that doctor right away.”
“Well, he can’t. If you think that’s about to happen, if you think you’re going to be forced to have a medical procedure against your will, you can call the police. I don’t know exactly what will happen, but you won’t have a procedure before I get there. But you have to stay calm, and you can’t lie to your father, do you understand?”
“But...”
“No, Krissy. If your father asks you, and I believe he will, you have to tell him the truth, that you called me and that I’m coming. Are we on the same page?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Ma’am? Well that was a switch. She must be truly desperate. “I’ll call you as I’m driving, just to check in with you.”
“Are you going to drive all night?” Krissy asked, her voice so small, so scared.
Adele wandered into the room, the baby snuggled against her shoulder. She frowned as she listened.
“Probably. I might have to stop somewhere for a little rest, but I’ll be there as soon as I can. Now, I’m going to call your father. I’m going to tell him I’m coming to see if I can help you. I don’t know how I’m going to help, but I will come. I’m sure you’ll hear from him.”
“He’s going to be so mad at me....”
“Well, that would be a first, now, wouldn’t it? Just stay calm and tell him you called me because you were scared, and I’m coming. Can you do that?”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll do that.”
“All right. I’m going to hang up so I can pack and make a couple of phone calls. Will you be all right now?”
“Yes. And...thank you, Peyton. I’m sorry, but thank you.”
“I want you to be calm because this is going to work out. I’m not sure how yet, but it will.”
“Okay,” she said.
Peyton disconnected and looked up at Adele, who was swaying in the bedroom doorway with the baby in her arms. “Did I hear what I think I heard?”
Peyton nodded. “Ted’s daughter. Begging me to come to Portland to help her because her parents are planning to force her to get an abortion.”
“And you’re going?”
“I’m going. She said a couple of things that could be melodrama or...or could be suicidal.”
“What can you do?”
“I have no idea. I think I can buy her twenty-four hours. Maybe forty-eight. Forcing a minor to have a surgical procedure is abuse. How the police handle that isn’t up to me. And her parents—Ted and Olivia—they’re pretty forceful people. But my biggest concern right now is that the girl definitely needs some kind of intervention before she does something crazy—like run away or kill herself or God knows....”
Peyton started putting her folded clothes into a suitcase.
“When are you going to be free of that loony bin?” Adele asked.
Peyton stopped what she was doing and went to Adele, taking the baby from her to hold her close for a moment, kissing that little head, inhaling the fresh powdery scent of her. Then she looked at her sister, her best friend. “It’s pretty sad that I’m the only one they have to reach out to, isn’t it? I mean, Ted’s a doctor and Olivia is a geologist with a post-graduate degree, they’re very successful, and apparently not a lick of sense between the two of them. And Krissy calls me? I swear, she hated me the whole time I was there. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t reach them. And yet when their parents should be getting them help, who do they call?” She shook her head sadly. “I could turn my back right now. No one would blame me. But I don’t think I could sleep at night if I didn’t at least try.”
“She’s fifteen, Peyton. Maybe it would be best if her parents won this struggle.”
“That’s just the point, Adele. There will be no winner.”
“But what’s your stake in it? Proving to Ted you’re right?”
“Ted?” she asked with a laugh. “Ted is so yesterday’s news! My stake in it might just be in my head. I was there for over two years, trying my damned hardest to make a difference in the lives of three spoiled rich kids who had no attention from their parents. They never once asked for my help. I prayed they’d ask me for help, for advice, for anything that would make it seem they wanted to be decent, civilized people, and it never happened. And I finally gave up. Now one of them asked me for help. I resent the hell out of it, to tell you the truth. But she’s fifteen, and I’m thirty-five. I can afford to give it a couple more days. It’ll help me sleep at night.”
Adele just smiled. “Oh, you are your father’s daughter.”
“How so?”
“Stubborn. Committed. Proud.”
“Foolish,” Peyton added, handing the baby back to Adele. “Papa has been foolish a time or two. But with grand flourish.”
“What do you want now?” Adele said, mimicking their father. “My pockets are empty! My wealth is under the dirt, my pears are hanging from the trees waiting to be picked before a freeze, my sheep are skinny, my chickens are too nervous to lay. You want something—you know where to find it!”
“Remember how we used to call him Paco Poor Mouth?” Peyton laughed. “He wouldn’t make it easy, would he?”
“But if anyone was really in trouble, he was there. You got nothing for wanting things easy, you got nothing for being lazy, but if the world turned on you and you had no one, just blink and Paco Lacoumette would bring an entire clan to your feet. Listen, Peyton, just remember one thing, okay?”
“What’s that, honey?”
“You’re only one person. And there’s only so much you can do.”
“Thank you, baby. I’ll remember. I’ll give it a shot. And then I’ll pass the baton and walk away. I promise.”
* * *
Peyton left right away. She spent the first hour of her drive thinking about what she was going to say to Ted, then once she was out of the Bay Area, she pulled off the road and called his cell. As she thought he might, he picked up right away. “Peyton,” he said. “I’m so glad to hear from you.”
“You might not be when you hear what I have to say. I’m headed to Portland from San Francisco. I’m driving. I’m coming because Krissy called me. She was close to hysterical and asked for my help.”
“And you’re coming. Thank God,” he said.
“Ted, whatever it is you think you’re going to do to that girl, just don’t. She’s unstable. She needs help. At least let me get there and talk with her, maybe find her a counselor or some professional therapy.”
“Everything will be all right if you’re coming,” he said, sounding greatly relieved. “You can talk some sense into her.”
“That’s not why I’m coming, Ted. I’m not coming to convince her she has to take any action she can’t live with. What she ultimately decides to do should be up to her. But she begged me to come, to help her, and I’m going to try. I have a long drive ahead, and I’ll reach out to a couple of people while I’m en route, see if I can get some leads on resources for her, for all of you.”
“You’ll stay at the house, of course.”
“Ted, I’m not coming back to you.
I’ll stay with Krissy for a night or two. She’s very needy right now.”
“She’ll be fine once you’re here. And you and I can work on a few of our issues.”
“Here’s what I need from you, Ted. Are you paying attention?”
“Anything, Peyton. I told you, I’ll do anything.”
“Okay, that’s a great start. I won’t get there until tomorrow. When you go home tonight I want you to tell Krissy that everything is going to be all right, that I’m on my way and you’re not angry. Do not confront any of your problems—leave it alone until I get there. Can you do that for me?”
“And then you’ll take care of it?”
Jesus, she thought. He is so dense. “I’m going to try to find her some professional help, but, no, I won’t be taking care of it.”
“But you’re coming back to me. You’ll stay. Once you’re here, I know you’ll stay.”
“I’m afraid that’s not in the cards. Now, will you promise to reassure your daughter? Will you?”
“If that’s what you want. Peyton, I’m very grateful, you must know that. And I think once we talk, we’ll be able to straighten some things out. I know I have a long way to go to get your trust back, but I’m willing to do anything.”
“Will you please just make sure Krissy doesn’t feel any more threatened? That’s all I want from you right now.”
“I will, if that’s what you want.”
“It’s what I want. Think of Krissy as a patient. A nervous, frightened, confused patient who needs the best, most charming bedside care and support you can give. It’s what you’re known for. Don’t argue with her, don’t try to convince her of anything, just be kind to her.”
“When will you be here?” he asked.
“I’m not completely sure. I think I’ll have to stop and get some rest. There’s no point in me arriving at midnight when everyone’s asleep. I’d rather have Krissy rest. And maybe it will be best if you’re not there when I arrive. I can talk to her alone.”
“But you’ll call me when you’re here?”
“Sure. I have to go now. I have driving to do.”
After they signed off, she thought, for the hundredth time, we have got to get that man a good hearing aid. He was a bad dream, that’s what he was. Just when she thought the nightmare was over, he was looming there, ready to invade her peace once more.
She got back on the road. She wanted to spend the night in Thunder Point. Ideally, she’d go to Scott, but if that wasn’t practical because of children or if he was working, she did have her duplex. At least she could see him before heading the rest of the way.
Since she knew there was no risk of a panic attack or argument during her next couple of conversations, she drove and made hands-free calls. Her first call was to Amy, her friend from Ted’s practice. She told her what she was struggling with.
“I know who it is, Peyton. Even though Lindsey isn’t working here anymore, she hasn’t been at all discreet. She couldn’t wait to spread the word that Ted’s home life is a disaster and that his daughter is pregnant. My sister works for a really great OB in the area, but don’t you have a sister-in-law who has volunteered on a crisis hotline or something like that?”
“Yes! How did I not think of that?” Peyton said. “George’s wife, Lori. She’s perfect. She knows everyone. She can get me a referral of some kind. She’d know exactly who to call.”
Peyton waited until she’d reached the halfway mark and was still six hours from Portland before stopping for gas and a bite to eat in the car. She bought herself a pretty sad-looking half sandwich, some jerky, some chocolate and some hot coffee and sat in her car behind the gas station’s mini-mart. It was six in the evening. She had no idea where Scott might be. He could be home, getting the kids dinner. Or he could be at the hospital. This was the call she’d been looking forward to, the one she thought would soothe and comfort her.
“Scott,” she said. “Where are you?”
“Just wrapping it up at the clinic,” he said. “I stayed to finish my charting and clean up a little, but I’m done now. Devon picked up the kids, and I’m headed to her house to scoop up mine. If I drag my feet a little, she might feed them.”
Peyton laughed, missing him. Missing the whole group. “Don’t be mean.”
“I’m on call tonight, so she might get stuck, anyway. And then there’s always payback. How’s it going?”
“Ah, yes, how’s it going. Well, there’s good news and bad news.”
“Lay it on me,” he said.
“Well, the good news is, I’ve left San Francisco a little early. The bad news is, I’m headed for Portland.”
“Portland? That wasn’t in your plans, was it?”
“Nope, I had a very abrupt change of plans. There’s a crisis—one of Ted’s kids called me—she’s in some trouble and I’m needed. I don’t know how much I can help, but I’m going to try. It’s serious or I wouldn’t bother. But I was wondering—”
“You’re going to Ted’s house?” he asked, sounding a little brittle.
“Well, that’s where his kids are.”
“I thought you had decided you’d done all you could for that family,” Scott said.
“And as it turns out, there might be one or two more things I can do. You have to believe me—I’m not doing this for Ted. It’s his daughter—she needs me right now.”
There was a long moment of silence. “Of course,” he said. “How long do you suppose she’ll need you?”
“Hey, you’re upset!” she said.
“I’m surprised,” he said. “You were very convincing when you said you were all done there. The kids hated you, you said. How much can you do for kids who hate you?”
“Don’t do this, Scott. I wouldn’t be going if I thought I was just being exploited by Ted or his kids. It turns out to be quite important. His pregnant daughter reached out to me.”
“And I suppose you’ll have quite a lot of discourse with Dr. Ramsdale while you’re there, helping his daughter.”
“I don’t give a crap about Ted, though I pity him! But at this moment I’m beginning to feel pretty sorry for you, too.”
“I’m sorry, Peyton,” he said. She could picture him rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “I’m reacting. I guess I’m disappointed.”
“Apology accepted,” she said, but it really stung.
“Maybe while you’re that far north you should take the time to check out that surgeon in Seattle.”
“What? What?” she asked twice.
“Peyton, I love you. But we both know I don’t have nearly as much to offer you as that Seattle surgeon does. Or as Ted does, for that matter.”
Peyton was stunned. God, he’s jealous. Of Ted. How ridiculous! But ridiculous or not, it was plain as paint—Scott was licking his wounds and had been since the day Ted had descended on them, driving his fancy car, calling the clinic a dump and not good enough for Peyton, acting like the hotshot he thought he was.
Peyton thought that, of all the people she knew, Scott would know what a real pauper was.
She was quiet. She could try to soothe him, reassure him that Ted had nothing she wanted, that all his glitter meant nothing to her. She could go to him, be there in two or three hours, have a heart-to-heart with him about what things really mattered to her, and ask him to try to understand.
Or not.
“All right, Scott, everyone’s entitled to be petty sometimes, so I’m going to just let that go. What I’m going to do is drive to Portland and see if I can help Ted’s daughter. I might spend the night with my parents since I’m that close, and then I’m going to come back to Thunder Point where I happen to live at the moment. We’re going to have a serious talk and get this issue completely resolved. When this crisis is behind me, we’re going to talk our crisis to death. I’d do that right now, but I’m tired, I have hours of driving ahead, I have a lot of other things to worry about and, frankly, you really pissed me off. But when our problem has been aired, we’ll
decide where we go from there.”
“That sounds reasonable,” he said.
“Tell me one thing, Scott,” she said. “Are you sure you still love me?”
He sighed into the phone. “I don’t think anything will ever change that.”
“Then after we finally get this sorted out, you’re going to feel really stupid.”
“It won’t be the first time,” he said.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” she said, clicking off.
She sat for a moment. She was really too tired to allow her emotions to overwhelm her, but he was breaking her heart. Did he have so little faith in her? Did he not know her at all? Couldn’t he look beyond the nice car or the ex-boyfriend with the even nicer car?
But the tears came, anyway. It just hurt so much that he was unsure of her.
She called the farm. “Mama? Hi. I’m on my way to Portland—I’m needed there. I’ve been driving, and I’m wondering—can I sneak into the house very late tonight and grab a few hours of sleep before going on to Portland? It will be midnight or so. I hope the dogs don’t start barking, but I’ll be as quiet as I can.”
“Of course, my Babette. Don’t worry about the dogs, they bark at the moon. Just come. What needs you in Portland?”
“One of Ted’s kids is in trouble and called me for help. I’ll tell you about it at breakfast. Thank you, Mama. I’m sure I’ll be very tired by the time I get there.”
“Is there nowhere else for you to stop, darling?”
Like Thunder Point? Peyton thought. “No, Mama. I’m coming straight home.”
Seventeen
When Peyton walked upstairs at the farmhouse, her mother met her in the hall. Corinne was wearing Paco’s robe over her pajamas. She turned on the hall light and, frowning, looked Peyton up and down. “You’re all right?” she asked.
“Just tired.”
“Sleep, then. We’ll talk in the morning.”
Peyton hadn’t even taken her suitcase out of the car. She stripped off her jeans and crawled into the bed that had been hers as a girl. It seemed that she’d closed her eyes for mere seconds when she was roused by the smell of coffee. She dragged herself out of bed, pulled on yesterday’s clothes, ran her fingers through her hair and went down to the kitchen. Paco looked up and gave her a slight frown of concern. “Trouble?” he asked.