Chapter Twenty-One

Annie called first thing the next morning. “Wanda’s in the hospital.”

“Is she okay? What happened?”

“Larry said she fainted yesterday while doing the dishes. They’re running a whole bunch of tests to see what’s wrong.”

“Oh my God,” Nicole said, feeling her own problems pale in comparison. “She has been complaining about not feeling well.”

“I know. Her husband was a wreck when I spoke with him. Poor guy.”

“Can we see her?”

“Visiting hours are until 8:30. I figured we can have our ladies’ night out in Wanda’s room at the hospital.”

“Well, it was her turn to choose,” Nicole said lamely.

Annie sighed. “What a choice, huh? I’ll let Paulina know and we’ll meet you there.”

****

Nicole met Wanda’s husband, Larry, for the first time inside Wanda’s hospital room. He was lanky, with a receding hairline, and muted green eyes that reminded Nicole of pistachio ice cream. You could tell by his doting expression that Wanda was the center of his universe.

“How are you feeling, Wanda?” Nicole asked, handing Larry a bouquet of hot pink Gerbera daisies to put in water.

“Doctors say I have Type 2 diabetes. At least it’s not cancer or a brain tumor, thank the Lord.”

She nodded, taking a seat next to Annie. “With some lifestyle changes, you can actually keep it at bay.”

“See, honey, I told you,” Larry said.

Wanda rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, lifestyle changes.”

Larry gave Annie and Nicole a pleading look. “Please tell her that she needs to change a few bad habits so I can have her around for years to come? You know how stubborn she can be.”

“And how,” Annie said.

“I’ll leave you girls to talk while I check on the kids,” Larry said. “Do you need anything before I go, sweetheart?”

Wanda shook her head. “I’m fine.”

“I think you aged the poor man ten years,” Annie said after Larry had gone.

“He won’t leave my side for a minute. I think he’s afraid I might drop dead or something.”

“You must have given him quite a scare,” Nicole said. “Didn’t he find you on the kitchen floor!”

Wanda looked away, her eyes glistening. “I know I scared him. Not to mention the kids. What was I thinking?”

Annie handed her a tissue. “You weren’t. You fainted.”

“No, I meant at Wil’s party. I made a complete idiot of myself by drinking too much. I’ve done nothing lately but complain about what I had, or didn’t have at home when it turns out I have exactly what I want.” She blew her nose into the tissue. “It’s just that you both looked so happy with your new men. I missed those feelings, that excitement when you first fall in love. But what Larry and I have is a solid history, and you can’t replace that. He’s my life.”

“Of course he is,” Annie told her.

Nicole suddenly remembered Wanda’s psychic statement. “Variety’s the spice of life, but sugar holds it together.”

“Huh?” Wanda said.

Annie waved her hands excitedly. “Sugar has to do with your diabetes, and if you hadn’t wound up in the hospital, you might not have had that epiphany.”

Wanda broke down in tears.

“It’s a good thing, honey,” Annie said, coming around to hug her.

“I know. I’m crying because I’m happy.” Wanda sniffed loudly and then said, “Okay, I’m done. Enough of this mushy shit. Tell me what I missed this past week.”

Annie and Nicole looked at each other and smiled devilishly.

“What? What did I miss?” Wanda said.

“We saw Paulina out on a date,” Nicole said.

“You’re kidding. Was he as stunning as she is?”

“Actually,” Annie said, “he was a she.”

Wanda’s eyes became huge. “Paulina’s dating a transvestite?”

Annie rolled her eyes. “No, Paulina’s dating a girl.”

It took a moment for it to register with Wanda. She cupped her hand to her mouth and screamed, “No!”

Nicole shushed her. “Yes, but I don’t think she wants us to know, so don’t say anything, okay?”

“Okay,” Wanda giggled. “But how long—?”

Paulina suddenly rushed in. “Sorry, I’m late. There was an accident on the freeway.” She threw her purse down and hugged Wanda. “Have the doctors told you anything yet?”

“Turns out I’m diabetic.”

Paulina pulled a chair closer to Wanda’s bed and sat down. “One of my clients just found out she was diabetic, but with some lifestyle changes—”

“That’s what I told her,” Nicole said.

Paulina nodded. “—you can learn to manage it, even reverse it. In fact, I know—”

“I can’t believe you’re a lesbian and you didn’t tell us,” Wanda blurted out.

“So much for not saying anything,” Annie said.

There was silence. Paulina said, “How long have you all known?”

“We saw you last Friday with Sonia,” Annie said.

Wanda gasped. “You didn’t tell me you saw her with Wil’s lesbian ex-girlfriend.”

“Wil saw us, too? Has he spoken with her about it?” Paulina asked Nicole.

“I don’t know. We’re not together anymore.”

“Since when?”

“Since he caught me going on a dinner date with Ben.”

“Who the hell is Ben?” Wanda wanted to know.

“This guy I forced Nicole to go out with so I could sell a house,” Annie explained. “This is all my fault. Did you tell him that?”

Nicole shrugged. “I didn’t get a chance to. He made it clear he was just with me for the sex, and that it was time to graze younger pastures.”

Paulina snorted. “What a load of shit. The guy’s crazy about you.”

“Can’t you explain to him that it was a misunderstanding?” Annie said.

Wanda studied Nicole closely. “Isn’t Josh coming home tomorrow?”

Nicole instantly perked up. “Yes, he is.”

“It was only supposed to be a summer fling anyway. Isn’t that what you said, Nic?”

“Something like that,” Nicole mumbled.

Annie gave Nicole a look that let her know the two of them would be discussing this later. “I have some good news,” she announced. “Rick asked me to marry him and I accepted.”

The three of them let out whoops so loud the nurse rushed in to tell them to keep it down. After getting every last detail of Rick’s proposal, Wanda said, “I’m out of commission for a week and look how much has happened.”

Annie cleared her throat. “We still want to know why you felt you couldn’t tell us you were gay, Paulina.”

“I didn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable around me.”

“We love you. We certainly wouldn’t judge you,” Annie said.

“What about when you’re spread-eagled on my table and I’m waxing you. Wouldn’t that feel awkward?”

They considered that image for a minute. Wanda said, “You’d know where everything is better than most.”

“Doesn’t bother me,” Nicole said, laughing.

Paulina breathed a sigh of relief. “What a load off. By the way, I’ve been going by Pauline now for months. Paulina always felt too frilly to me.”

“You sure you wouldn’t prefer Paul?” Wanda said, in a deep manly voice.

Larry poked his head inside the room. “The nurse said to tell you visiting hours are over.”

They picked up their things to leave, and each of them kissed Wanda on the cheek. “I’ll be out of here tomorrow,” she said.

“I’m sorry to hear about you and Wil,” Paulina told Nicole on the way out. “He seemed like one of the good guys.”

“Easy come, easy go,” Nicole said, her voice portraying an easiness she didn’t feel.

Nicole congratulated Annie again. “I’m so happy for you.”

Annie gave her a radiant smile. “And I’m so happy. I just wish things had worked out between you and Wil.”

“Don’t give it another thought. I’m not,” Nicole lied. “I have better things to think about. Like my son coming home tomorrow.”

****

It was only supposed to be a summer fling. Hadn’t Nicole been adamant about that to everyone she knew? So then why was she missing Wil so much? All Nicole could see in her mind was the hurt look on Wil’s face when he had realized she was going out on a date with Ben. She hadn’t wanted to end things like that.

How had she been planning on ending things? Last she recalled she hadn’t really given it much thought. Maybe Nicole should be thanking Ben for making a tough job easier.

With Josh coming home she had no time for a boyfriend anyway. Her nights were no longer going to be free, and she certainly wouldn’t be thinking about sex while Josh was around, so really, she and Wil had to end when they did. Nicole just wished they hadn’t ended on such a bad note. Wil certainly didn’t deserve being lied to. Or to think she had been cheating on him.

She checked her watch and saw it was time to pick Josh up from the airport. Soon she’d be able to hug his little body and cover his head with kisses. Nicole couldn’t believe she had actually survived an entire six weeks without seeing her son. She hoped she never had to again.

****

Nicole and Josh watched a movie that night snuggled up together on the couch. She couldn’t stop touching him, caressing his shiny hair, kissing his bony little shoulder. As always, he made a big production of wiping off her kisses.

“Mom!”

“I can’t help it. I missed you.”

He seemed older to her, and definitely more grown-up and independent, which she supposed was a good thing—except for the fact that he was acting like a carbon copy of his father. It was bad enough Stephen never had to deal with any of the mundane aspects of raising a child, but to hear Josh say he wanted to be just like his dad when he grew up made Nicole feel like she needed to breathe deeply into a paper bag.

“What did you do while I was gone, Mom?” Josh asked.

“Oh, a little of this, a little of that. I worked mostly.”

“Dad said that was your problem.”

“Your father said what was my problem?” It was difficult to get the words out through clenched teeth.

“He said all you did was work, and that if you got a boyfriend you might be more relaxed.”

Nicole counted to three, remembering the promise she made to herself to never badmouth Stephen in front of Josh.

“Do you think that’s true, Josh?”

“Yeah and no. I don’t think you work all the time, but maybe you would be happier if you had a boyfriend, because I see how happy Dad is with Chrissy.”

Ugh. “Well, it’s nice to know I have your blessing should I ever want to be as deliriously happy as your father.”

Josh smiled up at her. The sarcasm was not lost on him.

Once we get into a routine, everything will be back the way it was before there was any talk of boyfriends.

School, homework, sports, work, cleaning, and much more fun than before thrown in to the mix. Nicole had no problem with incorporating more fun into their lives. She was the queen of fun. Fun was her middle name.

****

Cut his losses and move on. That was what Wil planned on doing. His head had been screwed on wrong these last six weeks. He’d never had to pursue a woman the way he had with Nicole. And he sure as hell had never had a woman two-time him.

A deceitful challenge was all she had been, even if he hadn’t seen her for that at first. He was usually a pretty good judge of character, and once he knew a person could be trusted, he was able to let his guard down with them. He had trusted Nicole, with his business, his family, and his heart.

What had he been thinking? He hadn’t been. He’d been overcome with passion. And making love. God, he could spend hours making love to her, kissing her, tasting her.

Move on, he told himself again. Women come and go, but your business is here to stay. Now go act in the company’s best interests.

Wil arrived at McGraw Advertising early Monday morning. He wanted to be there before Nicole, so he could feel like he had the upper hand. There was no doubt she was going to be unhappy over the turn of events, but it was her own fault for betraying him.

He stood off to one side of the waiting room, dreading having to see her, yet at the same time craving it. When Nicole walked in to the office, his heart lurched at the sight of her. He silently cursed himself for being so weak.

Pez greeted her with a tiny sombrero on his head.

“Should I call you Pezito now?” she said, crouching to pet him.

“That’s cute. I like that,” Eric said, coming up behind Nicole.

Wil remained in the background without making his presence known to her.

“I take it things between you and Carmen have been going well?”

“Extremely,” Eric said, smiling shyly. “Listen, Nic, we need to talk about Wil’s campaign.”

The grin disappeared from her face. “I wanted to let you know that I am one hundred and ten percent devoted to his campaign, even though due to a recent turn of events we’re—”

Eric held up his hand to stop her. “Not together anymore. Yes, I know.”

“Oh. I guess Carmen must have told you. Anyway, I promise it won’t be a problem for Wil and I to work together. I am completely dedicated to this account.”

Eric shifted on his feet, looking extremely uncomfortable. “You’re off the account, Nicole.”

Renee came up beside Wil and smiled knowingly at him. She was about to go toward Nicole, but he put out his arm to stop her.

“How could you take me off it without talking to me first, Eric?”

“I didn’t take you off it, Nic—”

“I did,” Wil said, choosing that moment to walk in to the front room with Renee by his side. “I decided to let Renee finish things up for me.”

Nicole’s eyes flashed with anger. “But I did all the work on your account. Hell, I’m in the campaign.”

Renee stepped forward. “Wil decided he needed a more objective approach.”

“Did he now?” Nicole said.

“Purely a business decision,” Wil said, trying hard to keep his expression neutral.

Nicole looked helplessly over at Eric who simply shrugged his shoulders.

Renee said, “I have a meeting today with a company that makes orthopedic shoes. I’d be happy to let you take it, Nicole.”

Nicole looked into Wil’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Finally she said, “Sorry, Renee, but sloppy seconds aren’t my style.”

****

All Nicole wanted to do was wrap her arms around Josh for some much-needed comfort. Josh had been at a friend’s house all day while she was at work, and when Nicole arrived to pick him up, he asked to spend the night.

“Please, Mom,” he begged. “Ryan’s got this new game for his X-Box and we’ve been trying to pass this level all day.”

“You’ll be back here tomorrow, Josh. You can play it then.”

“But we’ll lose momentum!”

“My mom said it was okay,” Ryan said.

Their pleading eyes looking up at her was more than she could bear, so off she went, to spend the night alone at home. As Nicole was walking back from getting her mail, out came Carmen from her garage to take Lola for a walk.

That’s just great. Can this day get any worse?

When Lola saw Nicole, she ran to her like Nicole was a giant dog biscuit dripping with bacon grease. After a few moments of petting Lola, Nicole stood and said hello to Carmen.

“Hello, Nicole,” she said.

That was it. There was nowhere to go from there. “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Nicole,” Carmen said, snapping on Lola’s leash and continuing on her way.

Nicole slunk away to her condo, replaying her horrendous day over and over in her mind. As mad as she was at Wil, she was even madder at herself for wishing he were there, with his arms around her, doing something silly to make her laugh. She missed his touch, his smile, his metaphors.

He had every right to be furious with her. She had made a fool out of him.

So why hadn’t she told him the truth and begged for his mercy?

Nicole racked her brain for answers. She came up with two reasons why she and Wil could never work. Their age difference was just too great, and Nicole didn’t know how to balance being a mother with being a woman. She was afraid one would take away from the other, and being less of a mother to Josh in any way was not acceptable. She and Stephen had screwed up Josh’s life enough with their divorce, and for that, Nicole still felt guilty. If she had to become an overcompensating mom and forgo men, so be it. Even if it meant only having sex with inanimate objects for the rest of her life.