MARIE ASKED, “HAVE you eaten anything? It’s important you keep up your strength for your continued recovery.” Her medical world peeking out. I loved it that she cared so much.
“No, but I’m okay.”
Her question was also in code. What she really wanted to know was whether I’d finished the job and had I found Emily Mosley. Whether we were finally going home. She wanted to know, yet she didn’t. The sadness in that final outcome would be a horrible end to an already horrible trip to the States. The same emotions had darkened my every waking moment since Dan Chulack walked through our door. I was helpless to change that outcome and needed to do something, anything to moderate that feeling of helplessness. I could no longer help Emily Mosley, but I could help someone else in dire need. All of a sudden that thought shadowed everything else.
“I’ll fix you an omelet with ham and cheese and a couple of crepes.”
I knew better than to argue with her about eating. I sat on the stool at the kitchen bar and watched her work her magic. She made the best omelets, fluffy and light as air, and crepes that would make the top chef in France bow in homage.
Waldo came over and sat next to my stool, looking up at me with those big brown eyes. I reached down to pat him on the head. The way his eyes followed my hand, I stopped midway and retracted my fingers before they disappeared down his gullet.
I looked back at Marie. “So, my mom took off?”
“Hmm. Drago’s out looking for her.”
I tried to ignore Waldo but could hear him breathing and slurp every now and again from too much slobber. I’d never had a problem with him before. It was that damn Kato talking smack … and Whitey had done the same thing. Transferred hysteria, that’s what it was, pure and simple.
I waited for Marie to say something else, to be angry that Mom had been disrespectful, leaving without a word, leaving after we’d opened our home to her. She’d taken up Helen’s “Hmm” response, one Marie copied from me, a dialogue tic passed around like a flu virus.
Marie started humming “Greensleeves” as she clanged the pans, clinked the bowls, and whisked the eggs. She paused her musical interlude. “You going to tell me what you’ve been doing while I do this?”
“We caught up to the guy we were looking for.”
“Did he tell you what you wanted to know?”
“Yes. We’ll be done tomorrow for sure, and on a plane for home the day after. So, you can start packing.”
She looked up. “That’s good.”
She didn’t say “that’s great,” or seem the least bit elated. She didn’t ask if I thought there was any chance at all for Emily. She already knew that answer. It’d been too long since the failed money exchange. There was no other possible reason why Emily had not already been returned.
But there was. Just the one.
And nobody wanted to say those words out loud.
I had to tell Marie about Dad’s request to bring Bea along to Costa Rica. The stink of it hung over the kitchen, a black cloud threatening at any moment to turn into a category-five hurricane. I couldn’t keep it from her. I watched her work, the way she moved, the way she kept her hair. She looked up and caught me. “What?”
“I love just looking at you, that’s all. I love your delicate hands, your cute little button nose, the color of your hair, your eyes. I love everything about you.”
She shot me her famous coy smile. “Oh, stop it.” She went back to cooking.
“Babe?”
She stopped fussing with the egg concoction in the saucepan and looked up at me.
“Dad called.”
She waited, neglecting the omelet.
I took a breath and let it out. “He wants us to bring Mom home to San Jose.”
“Hmm.” She went back to tending my breakfast.
“That’s it?”
“What do you mean, that’s it?”
“You’re not going to … you know, bite my head off?”
She smiled. “What? Now you think I’m a praying mantis or something?” She thought about it for a second. “The female only eats the male during mating. You want me to put this aside for now and we can go into the bedroom?” She couldn’t hold her solemn expression. The corner of her mouth let a smile peek out.
“No. No. I just thought that you wouldn’t think it was such a good idea, that’s all.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. But if that’s what your father wants, I think we should honor his wishes.”
She’d come to the same conclusion I had but had done it in an instant. Another reason why I loved her.
“I love you, babe.”
She deftly flipped the omelet in half. “Ditto.”
I was destined for “Dittos” until we stepped off the plane back in Costa Rica, where I would officially be forgiven for extending our stay in the States.
Waldo jumped up and ran to the hotel suite door. Seconds later it opened and in walked Drago. I did feel better having Waldo around to protect Marie; he might even be better than Kato.
Drago wrestled with Waldo. Waldo growled and played rough. They rolled around on the floor until they both tired of the game. Drago took the stool next to me just as Marie finished putting two crepes on a plate with the omelet. My mouth watered. She set it in front of Drago. “Thanks, Mrs. J.” He took a fork and dug in.
“Hey,” I said. “What am I, chopped liver? I thought I needed my strength for recuperation.”
“Lately, Karl’s been here more than you have. To the victor go the spoils.”
Drago smiled while he chewed. Marie leaned as far as she could and patted Drago’s hand. Did it on purpose to get my goat. Then she started making more food for me.
Drago paused. “Sorry, bro, about losing your moms.”
“Wasn’t your fault.”
In between chews Drago said, “I went looking. Couldn’t find her. Looked all over. Checked with some friends, put it out on my network. They’ll be watching out for her. I’ll get a call soon, you wait and see if I don’t.”
“It’s not your fault. Who would’ve thought she’d take off like that? She was safe here and she knew it.”
He dropped one of the crepes. Waldo caught it in midair and gulped it down. “Thanks for being understanding, bro, but I screwed up, I know I did. I’ll fix it, count on it.”
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s take a ride.”
He crammed the remaining half of the omelet in his mouth as he nodded and stood.
Marie pointed a loaded spatula. “You should get some sleep, Bruno, you need your rest. You overdo it, you’ll find yourself back in the hospital.”
I held up my hand. “Take it easy, Kemosabe. I’m just going to ride around with Drago, looking for an old woman in a wheelchair. No big deal. We’ll be back in a jiff.” I used Drago’s word on purpose, the one he’d used earlier.
Drago slid off the stool but hesitated, looking at Marie for permission to go outside and play.
She nodded.
Drago said, “I’ll leave my partner here to take care of you. We won’t be long.” He said something to Waldo in German. Waldo watched Drago carefully until Drago finished talking, then went over by the door to the suite and lay down. Drago had just activated a muscle-covered fur and fang land mine. Enter at your own peril.