Vegas Heat (30 page)

“It’s 72° in here. That’s warm. Very warm. Your face is flushed, the part that isn’t black-and-blue.” Fanny slithered around the back of the couch and leaned over. “For starters this is how it’s going to be ... are you listening, Ash?” She whispered in his ear.

“You can’t possibly do
that.”

“Really.”

“Yeah, really”

“When you’re ready, you whistle, okay?” Fanny said sitting down across from the couch. She fired up a cigarette and blew a perfect smoke ring. “Is it going down or staying up?”

“What do you think? How long is it going to take you to get out of that get-up?”

“Blink.”

She was on top of him as the afghan flew across the room. “Are you in the spirit of things now?”

“You said something about sizzling my socks off.”

“You want sizzle or you want a burn?” Fanny hissed in his ear, her hands everywhere.

“Burn me, baby, burn me.”

“First we have to build the fire.”

“You need to stoke a fire.

“No, no, that’s stroke. Just do it. Ahhh.”

“You let me know when you’re on fire, sweetie,” Fanny said.

“Now! I’m on fire now! This is good. This is
really
good. Ohhh, yeah, yeah, I’m blazing.”

“Are you an inferno yet?”

“Almost, oh, yeah. More kindling. Stoke that fire, baby. Do it, do it, do it!”

“Am I dead?” Ash asked, a long time later.

“Probably not, but you look it.”

“Where the hell did you learn
stuff
like that? What’d you do, take a seminar or something?”

“Or something,” Fanny said. “Aren’t you supposed to say, was it as good for you as it was for me?”

“I don’t have to ask, I know. Where’d you learn that... you know
that?”

“I don’t kiss and tell.” Fanny grinned.

“Do you know any other? You know ... different ... ah things?”

“Why do you want to know?” Fanny drawled.

“I just want to know. In case ...”

“In case what?”

“Just in case. That’s my answer.”

“Nah. That was my best shot,” Fanny laughed.

“It was a hell of a shot.”

Fanny laughed again. “I thought so. I couldn’t do it again if my life depended on it.”

“Me either.”

“You up for a fried egg sandwich?”

“Hell yes. You got any stray duds I can wear? It’s a real struggle to get dressed.”

“I still have my old flannel robe.”

“It’ll do.”

“I’ll meet you in the kitchen. Do you want a beer or hot cocoa?”

“Hot cocoa. It’s almost like old times, isn’t it, Fanny?”

“Almost.”

Over sandwiches and cocoa, Fanny and Ash talked nonstop. She showed him the report on Josh Coleman.

“You should take Billie and go see the family. Mom would want you to do that. Take pictures, do that whole thing. More family. It’s kind of wonderful if you stop and think about it.”

“Ash, Bess brought something to my attention tonight. I’ve been meaning to ask you about it for a long time and like Bess, I keep forgetting. Who do you write a check to every month for five thousand dollars? We need to know what to charge it against, and if you’re going to keep on doing it, maybe we should set up another account.”

When Ash didn’t respond, Fanny asked the question again. “Ash, did you hear me?”

“Fanny, please don’t ask me that. Let it be, okay?”

“I can’t do that, Ash, and you know why I can’t do it. Is it your supplier? Who? Why can’t you tell me? I won’t tell anyone if it’s a secret. You know you can trust me.”

“I know that, Fanny. I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to talk about it. Some things are better left alone.”

“Now you have me more curious than ever. I want to know, Ash.”

“It’s for my son.”

“Your
what?”

“You heard me. My son.”

“How did that happen?
When
did it happen?”

“In the usual way. I unzipped my pants and she took off her underwear. It never should have happened, but it did, and Jeff is the result. He’s finishing up his master’s. In May my obligation will be over.”

Stunned, Fanny could only stare at Ash as she tried to comprehend what he’d just said. When she did manage to find her tongue she said, “It’s not the obligation, it’s the act. That means you ... you fathered a child to someone else while we were married.”

“That’s what it means, Fanny. I could say I’m sorry from now till the end of time, and it won’t change a thing. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to hurt you. I took the responsibility It was a one-night stand. She was a nice girl, and I took advantage of her. That’s it. You and I are the only ones who know. Scratch that, I told Simon in a weak moment. I thought about telling the kids a few times, but our relationship was rocky at best. I provided everything I could for him and his mother. He’s not in my will. However, I set up a trust fund some years ago. He won’t want for anything. He knows the score. He calls me sir. Some things are better left alone.”

“I wish you had told me, Ash. Did you ever spend time with him? Were you ever a father to him?”

“No. His mother wanted it that way. I never forgot his birthday or Christmas.”

“Do they ... did you tell ... ?”

“No. I’m not someone in their daily lives. I’m a check once a month. Maybe it’s a blessing that things worked out the way they did. I was never husband or father material.”

“Ash, what about later?”

“Are you asking me if either one of them will make a claim once I’m gone?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m asking.”

“Everything was taken care of legally. If either the boy or his mother decided to renege on the arrangement, it would be tied up in the courts forever. The trust fund would revert to my estate. They aren’t greedy people, Fanny. They’re the kind of people you would like. Jeff’s mother bakes cookies. She gardens and sews. She works part-time in a gift store. Jeff is bookish, an honor student. I bought him a car for his twentieth birthday He’s a greedy kid. Selfish too. I bought them a little two-bedroom bungalow with a nice backyard. They keep the property up. It’s neat as a pin. It’s me that’s the louse.”

“I think I’m in shock. Should I know their names in case?”

“Only if you feel you want to do or say something at some point in time. My lawyers will handle it all. Her name is Margaret Lassiter. They didn’t take my name. The lawyers wanted it that way. I took care of it, Fanny”

“What if the kids ...”

“If that happens, you tell them what I told you.”

“Ash, it doesn’t seem right.”

“It is what it is. For whatever it’s worth, Fanny, I am sorry ”

“You know what, Ash? I believe you. In my wildest dreams I never thought something like tonight could happen. It almost seems like a dream.”

“Some dream, huh?”

Fanny nodded.

“Time to go downstairs and my other responsibility What time do you want to leave in the morning? By the way, I’m going to Atlantic City day after tomorrow.”

“Around nine if that’s okay with you. That’s good, Fanny Make the best deal you can. I had a good time tonight, Fanny. I guess there aren’t going to be any encores, huh?”

“Nope.”

“You sure you didn’t take some kind of seminar or go to one of those sex classes?”

“What do you think, Ash?”

“I think I’m getting out of here is what I think. See you in the morning.”

Fanny leaned against the door staring at nothing for a long time. She felt like she’d been kicked in the gut. Strangely enough, her stomach had taken the blow and was fine now. Was she numb, dumb,
and
stupid? Why wasn’t Ash’s declaration bothering her?
Because I’ve moved beyond all that.
Ash said he’d taken care of it, and she believed him. Ash’s son had nothing to do with her or her family. She had to believe that, too.

Just another day in the life of Fanny Thornton.

On the ride up the mountain, Fanny and Ash deferred to Jake and his chattering.

“How bad do you think I look, Fanny? If you were Sunny, would you be upset?”

“Some of the swelling has gone down, but you have more purple and yellow in your face. You probably should have gotten some stitches over your cheekbone. It’s an ugly gash.”

“It’s healing. What’s a scar in the scheme of things? What should I tell Sunny?”

“Would the truth upset her?”

Ash shrugged. “It’s a day-to-day thing with Sunny What might be okay yesterday won’t be okay today I’ll wing it.”

“We go fishing, Pop Pop?”

“Sure. How many fish are you going to catch today?”

“Six.”

“Are you going to tell Mommy you had a good time?”

Jake’s head bobbed up and down.

“Where’s the present you bought for Mommy? Do you have it in your bag?” Fanny asked.

“What did he buy?” Ash whispered.

“Two boxes of crayons and two coloring books. He wrapped them himself. He used three rolls of tape.” Ash roared with laughter.

“Ash, listen to me. I think maybe it was a mistake to bring the toys I bought him. Sunny might not like it. Why don’t you say you bought them?”

“We brought them with us because you spent a great deal of time and effort trying to find something Jake would like. He loves everything. You are his grandmother.”

“In name only, Ash.”

“I’m trying to change that.”

“Don’t jeopardize your relationship with Sunny over me, Ash. Promise me.”

“Okay. Hey, sport, we’re home. Toot the horn, Fanny.”

“Ash, no. Let me get out and into Bess’s car. You can toot the horn while we’re turning around. I don’t want a problem.”

“Bullshit!” Ash leaned over and gave the horn two sharp blasts.

“Do it again, Pop Pop.”

Ash obliged. Sunny appeared in the driveway. Fanny scrambled out of the seat so that Ash could maneuver his wheelchair onto the lift. She waited until he was on the ground and in control of his wheelchair before she climbed out. She reached for Jake and set him on the ground. “I’ll see you guys. Have a nice holiday Hello, Sunny.”

Sunny ignored her. She had eyes only for her father. “What happened to you?”

Ash drew in his breath. “Simon and I got into it. He didn’t look so hot when he walked away”

“Did you fight over Mom?”

“No. We fought a battle that’s been raging all our lives.”

As Sunny struggled to make sense of the words, Jake was straining and tugging to get his new toys out of the van. “Here’s a present, Mommy. I wrapped it. Is it pretty?”

“Where did you get the money, Jake? Who bought you all that stuff?”

“Her did,” Jake said, pointing to Fanny.

Fanny wished the earth would open up and swallow her whole.

“Give them back. Give her this, too,” Sunny said throwing her gift in Fanny’s direction. Jake started to wail.

“What did I tell you when you left?”

“For God’s sake, Sunny, he’s only three,” Ash said. “Do you think he remembers that mile-long list of instructions? Hell, I can’t remember it.”

Sunny reached for her son. He howled. “Want to go fishing with Pop Pop.”

“No fishing.” Sunny grabbed Jake by the ear and started to drag him up the driveway to the house.

Fanny was a whirlwind of movement. She had the little boy in her arms. She was eyeball-to-eyeball with her daughter. “Our problem has nothing to do with this little boy. I want you to remember that. If you forget it again, you will answer to me. Do you understand me, Sunny?”

Sunny’s face turned ugly. “You didn’t want him before. Now, when you have nothing else, he’s suddenly good enough for you. Wrong. Stay away from my son. Do you understand
me
, Mrs. Thornton ? Don’t think you can come up here and threaten me.”

“I wasn’t threatening you, Sunny. I made a promise to you. You know me. I’m a woman of my word. Remember that.

“Ash, I’m leaving now. This can’t be good for you. I wish there was something I could do. Take care of them. Call me if there’s anything I can do.”

“Don’t worry about us, Fanny Tyler is my ace in the hole if things get bad. Go home and water all those plants.”

Fanny bent over and kissed her husband full on the mouth. “That’s so you won’t forget last night.”

Ash laughed.

Sunny stared at her laughing parents through the kitchen window. She almost fainted with the rage rushing through her.

Fanny waved from the car window. “Hurry, Bess, I have to get away from here.”

She cried all the way down the mountain.

Fanny sat in the rental car as she contemplated the map that would take her to Cape May Why was she doing this? Because Ash asked her to do it, and she could deny him nothing even when she didn’t fully understand what it was she was doing. If she was lucky, she might be able to wind things down and take an evening plane out of Philadelphia and be home by midnight.

Ash had made it easy for her. The lots were clearly marked and the owner’s name, address, and phone number had been penciled in the margin of the map. Ash had told her to go to the owner’s home instead of calling. “When people are selling they want to see a face, not some fancy lawyer with a briefcase. Briefcases mean someone is going to get skinned. Just carry your purse and a couple of checks.”