“All of it.” I meant it. I wanted it all. The good, the bad, the ugly, her body.
She leaned back and laughed, exposing her neck. An unnerving desire to run my tongue up its entire length overtook me.
“I’m a trained therapist. We like pointed questions with answers.”
“Well, good thing we’re not rushing, because like I said, I want to hear all of it.”
Bill slipped fresh drinks in front of us, and she took a gulp of her wine.
“Only child, Dad was an accountant until shit happened, Mom was a schoolteacher. Mostly bland and boring childhood in Pittsburgh. Went here for undergrad and back to Pitt for grad school. Mary and I’ve known one another all our lives. She’s been my family.”
“Parents still around?”
“My mom’s in a home. Dementia. My dad passed about six years ago. He had problems, mental stuff, lost his job, was pretty much a burden on my mom, so it was for the best. I forgot to mention I was a later-in-life baby. That’s why there’s only me.”
“Did you ever want a big family?”
Christ, I kept fucking up. “I always dreamed of having brothers and sisters.” I tried to take the focus back, but it didn’t help.
“Yeah, I pictured it. Once, I should say. I did at one point, but it wasn’t meant to be. How about you? You ever think having a big family some day?” Candles flickered on the mantel, lighting her from behind, her face glowing from the wine.
“Yeah, to help on the farm. It’s not easy doing all those chores by yourself.”
“I can imagine. After David left, I loved Abby too much to ever really move on in my love life or have more kids. Now it’s just me.” She looked down at her wineglass, the stem twisting in her fingers.
“Hey, and me.”
“For the moment.”
I took her hand in mine. “For as long as it’s meant to be.”
“Look at you,pretty young thing, giving me sweet nothings.”
“Whatever I have to do to get you to smile like that…”
“Oh God, stop with the lines. I’m smiling, okay?”
“I like the view.” Tipping forward, I grazed her ear with my lips. “I like it very much.” Settling back, I added, “You feel me?”
“You just winked.” It came out with a husky laugh.
“I most certainly did, young lady.”
“I guess, if I’m being honest, I’d just like closure. If I knew why they blew up the stadium or who did it, but it’s all been a big dead-end. Then I could maybe move on.”
My hand reached over and entwined with hers. I knew this wasn’t easy for her.
“If I understood the reasoning, even if it doesn’t make sense why I don’t have my beautiful Abby anymore. You know…they caught two students who set it in motion for a quick buck?”
I nodded and allowed her time to go on.
“But they took their own lives, and it sort of ended. The money never went to their accounts. They were taken like the fools they were. After that, the big guns went back to wherever they came from, leaving the local authorities lost. It was such a neat crime, no leads, no witnesses. All roads led back to the pair who offed themselves.”
“I get it.” I squeezed her hand. “My mom, she up and left, no clues, no contact. I’m here looking for her, chasing ghosts, like you said. You were right. Pathetic, I guess, but I get it.”
“I know I’ve been stuck, stagnant, or whatever you want to call it. Mary’s been after me, but she couldn’t ever quite shake me out of my funk.”
“Leave that to me. Time to dust off the cobwebs…”
“Hey now, I was just about to say how refreshing this was, breaking out. No reason to start talking about my cobwebs.”
“I’m up for the challenge, Richards.” I leaned close, making sure my words were only for her. “I was speaking about parts I’m betting are a little out of use, but magnificent nonetheless.”
“Here you two go.” Saved by Bill and the appetizers.
After that, with good food, another drink, the candles still flickering around us, we moved on to easier conversation.
