Jennifer suffered the ignominy of having Eric shove her head down between her knees. Feeling both stupid and a little panicked, she struggled to sit up, her hands pushing hard against the arms of her chair.
Eric’s warm hand kept a firm pressure on the back of her neck, refusing to yield.
“Give yourself a minute,” he told her. “Let the blood get back into your head before you try to get up.”
She gave in and let herself go limp. After a moment, the pressure of Eric’s hand let up a little. His thumb gently massaged the hollow at the base of her skull.
“Feel better?” he asked after a minute or so.
That was putting it mildly. His fingers on the nape of her neck felt so wonderfully relaxing and soothing, she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to move. No sooner had she thought this when the fingers disappeared, taking their warmth with them and leaving the back of her neck feeling as if a cold draft had just caressed it. Wrapping her own hand over the spot, Jennifer sat up, pushed her hair back off her face, and blinked hard in an effort to chase away the dozens of tiny lights that circled her head like a swarm of gnats. One by one, the lights blinked out.
“I’m okay.”
“You’re sure?” Eric eyed her warily, hands on hips, head cocked slightly to one side like a robin that’s just spied a worm in the earth.
“I’m sure.” She stood up. Slowly. She wasn’t that sure.
Eric cupped her elbow in his hand and led her from the room, signaling for Tanner to follow. Outside in the hallway he stopped, turned her toward him, and scanned her face closely, his hands gripping her shoulders.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Jennifer nodded.
“Okay then.” He let his hands drop and turned to look down at Tanner. “Take care of your mother for me, okay?”
Tanner straightened his shoulders and took on an expression of such solemn responsibility that Jennifer was both saddened and amused.
“I will,” Tanner said with great seriousness. Jennifer half expected him to whip off a snappy salute.
Eric looked back at Jennifer. His lips formed a smile, but his eyes showed only concern. “I’ll let you know the final results of his EEG as soon as Dr. Calutto gets back to me. In the meantime, if you need me, just call.”
“Thank you, Eric.”
His eyebrows shot up and the smile spread.
“What?” Jennifer asked self-consciously. “Did I say something funny?”
“That’s the first time you’ve called me Eric,” he said. “I kind of like it.”
Jennifer felt a blush surge up from her shoulders to her cheeks and gave a quick glance around to see if anyone had overheard. Convinced no one was paying her any attention, she looked back at Eric, feeling the warmth slowly recede into a glowing little ball somewhere in the middle of her chest.
“I have to get to my other patients,” Eric said. He gave her shoulder one last squeeze and turned to leave. “Remember,” he said over his shoulder. “Call me if you need anything.” With that he disappeared into another exam room, leaving Jennifer with an oddly hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She turned away and steered Tanner ahead of her toward the lobby. As they passed another exam room, the door opened and the elder Dr. Singleton stood in the doorway, his back toward the hall.
“See you next month, Brian,” he said to someone in the room. “I’m sure those vitamin shots will have you feeling much better by then. Call me if things get worse. And promise me you’ll continue with Dr. Andersen.” He turned, pulling the door closed behind him and smiling broadly when he saw Jennifer.
“Everything come out okay?” he asked.
“So far,” Jennifer told him. She looked down at Tanner and gasped. He was glaring at Dr. Singleton, his face screwed into a grimace of disgust, as if he had just swallowed a mouthful of Brussels sprouts – the vegetable he hated most.
“Tanner?” she said hesitantly. As if someone had thrown a switch, Tanner’s face relaxed and he turned to look at this mother.
“What?” he said, all innocence.
“Is there something wrong?”
Tanner looked up at Dr. Singleton, his face now devoid of expression. “You were lying,” he said simply.
Dr. Singleton laughed. “Was I now?” he said.
Tanner nodded. “You didn’t give that guy any vitamins,” he said.
“Well now, that’s true to an extent. What I gave him was some special medicine to treat his depression. But he doesn’t need to know the specifics. In fact, it might be more harmful to his psyche if he did.” As the doctor said this, the amused expression he had worn when he first came out of the room had evaporated, replaced by one of concern and annoyance. “It is certainly nothing for you to be concerned about, Tanner,” he said dismissively. Then he turned to Jennifer, shaking his head slightly. “Please,” he said, “take him to see Dr. Andersen. As soon as possible.” With that, he turned away and headed back down the hall.
Tanner watched his retreating back and said, “He doesn’t like me.”
Jennifer was stunned and more than a little embarrassed. She opened her mouth to chastise Tanner for his rude behavior, but he spoke up before she got a word out.
“I’m hungry,” he said, shifting his gaze to her as if nothing unusual had happened. “What’s for lunch?” He turned and walked back toward the reception area, leaving his bewildered mother to follow.
By the time they got into the car, the threatened thunderstorm had become a reality. The rain came down in sheets, sluicing down the windshield and flooding the roads as it ran off the dry, hard-packed clay. Menacing clouds, heavy with their armament of rain, darkened the sky. The wind howled and tore at everything in its path. This was the type of storm that occasionally gave birth to tornadoes, and Jennifer white-knuckled the steering wheel, her body hunched forward, trying to see through the onslaught of rain as the wipers made a feeble attempt to clear the glass. An occasional burst of lightning coursed through the sky, but rather than making visibility any better, it only complicated matters by temporarily blinding Jennifer.
Tanner, on the other hand, was quite unbothered by this example of Mother Nature’s fury. He kept his face glued to the side window, uttering an astonished “Cool!” or “Awesome!” at the pyrotechnic display.
Despite the fact that it was only 11:30 in the morning, the leaden light of the day made it feel like late evening. It took close to an hour to make the trip home, a jaunt that normally required just under thirty minutes. When Jennifer finally pulled up in front of the house she breathed a sigh of relief and stretched her arms and neck to relieve some of the tension in her aching muscles.
“I think we’re going to have to make a run for it,” she said to Tanner, staring out the windshield at the downpour. “I’ll race you.”
It was a common challenge, one that never failed to get a rise out of Tanner. But instead of plunging out of the car and dashing headlong for the porch as he usually did, he merely opened the car door, climbed out, and ambled slowly toward the house, getting drenched in the process. He didn’t even bother to close the car door.
Jennifer called after him but a loud boom of thunder drowned her out. Cursing, she reached across the seat and pulled the passenger door shut, then bolted out her own. By the time she caught up with Tanner, he was standing on the front porch thoroughly soaked, his hair plastered down around his face, his sneakers making little squishy bubbles as he danced in place.
“What is wrong with you?” she asked him as she fumbled with her house key.
“You better hurry.” This, uttered in an odd monotone, was in sharp contrast to his restless shifting. “The phone is going to ring.”
Jennifer stared at him, wondering what in the hell was going through his mind now, when she heard the shrill ring of the phone through the door. Her eyes grew wide as she watched her son’s face crack a smile.
“I told you,” Tanner said.
Jennifer threw the lock, ran inside, and grabbed the phone.
“Hello?” She watched Tanner close the front door. Scotch was there to greet him, her tail wagging.
“Jen? Is everything okay?”
“Oh, Evan.” Jennifer swiped at the rainwater that was running down her face from her hair. She tossed her keys and pocketbook onto the couch.
“I’ve been trying to call you all morning,” Evan said, his voice surly. “Where the hell have you been?”
His curt tone made her want to snap back at him, but she was simply too tired. “At the doctor’s, Evan. Tanner had a seizure last night after you left.”
“A seizure! For God’s sake, Jennifer! Why didn’t you call me?”
“Geez, Evan. I’m sorry I didn’t take time out from calling the ambulance to check in with you first,” she snapped, managing to summon up a small amount of irritation after all.
“Sorry.” Evan’s voice lightened up immediately. “I was just worried about you.”
Jennifer took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair, causing rivulets of cold water to snake down her back. “I’m sorry, too. It’s been a rough morning.”
“Is Tanner all right?”
“I don’t know, Evan.” She looked over at Tanner, saw he had turned on the TV and was watching cartoons stretched out on the floor on his stomach, his chin propped up on his palms. Scotch was stretched out alongside him. It was a scene she had seen many times before and the very normalcy of it relaxed her a little. “I can’t go into it right now,” she said, not wanting to discuss Tanner while he was within hearing distance.
“Well, look. I’ve got to get back in court. How about if I stop by later?”
Jennifer hesitated. On the one hand it would be nice to have someone else around, someone she could talk things over with. But right now she felt she needed to focus all of her attention on Tanner. And Evan had a way at times of demanding his own fair share of her time and attention. “Call me first, Evan,” she said.
There was a long silence on the other end and Jennifer suspected Evan was either angry or feeling sorry for himself. Finally he said, “Fine. I’ll call you when I’m done for the day.”
There was a click and Jennifer realized he had hung up. So, he had opted for anger. On any other day it would have bothered her enough that she would have been back on the phone, trying to make amends. But today she had neither the time nor the energy to worry about it. She replaced the phone on the table and with one last look at Tanner, headed out to the kitchen to fix them both some lunch.
Carny called around one and Jennifer filled her in on the latest: Tanner’s seizure, the trip to the hospital, and the morning’s trip to the doctor’s office. She left out the part about Tanner’s strange behavior, skirting around the issue by saying only that Tanner was acting a little odd. She wasn’t sure why she was holding back, though she supposed it might be because she needed more time to digest it all herself before anyone else started analyzing the situation and, with it, Tanner.
“Want some company?” Carny offered.
“Actually, no,” Jennifer said. “Tanner is looking sleepy and I’m hoping we can both lie down for a nap soon. Besides, it’s not fit for man or beast outside. How about if I call you later?”
“No problem,” Carny said. “I’m here if you need me. It takes more than a little ole thunder-boomer to keep me down.”
“Thanks, Carny.”
“Hey? What’s a best friend for?”
Jennifer curled up on the couch and watched Tanner watching cartoons from the floor. Just as she had hoped, his eyes eventually grew heavy. They closed for a few seconds, then abruptly opened. They closed again, a little longer this time, then open. On the third time, Tanner’s head bobbed, turned on its side, and he was out.
Jennifer got up and stood over him a moment, watching his chest rise and fall, barely able to hear the light whisper of his breathing. She thought about waking him so he could go up to his bed, but she was reluctant to disturb him. In the end she decided to leave him where he was and grabbed an afghan off the couch and threw it over him, partially covering Scotch as well. Then she unplugged the phone so it would not disturb them, and stretched out luxuriously on the couch. Within minutes, she too, was sound asleep.
She awoke feeling fuzzy-headed and disoriented. The room was pitch-dark and she rubbed her eyes and sat up, trying to get her bearings.
Something was wrong. She could feel it.
She leaned over, flipped on the lamp, and looked toward Tanner. He was gone. She stood quickly, felt her legs tremble and the room spin, and sat back down. After a few deep breaths, she tried again, more slowly this time.
“Tanner?”
She waited, closing her eyes to better concentrate on her hearing. Aside from the monotonous thrumming of the downpour outside, she heard nothing. She began a methodical search of the ground floor, room by room, flipping on lights as she went, and periodically calling out for Tanner. Satisfied that he was not on the first floor, she hurried toward the stairs, swallowing down a rising sense of panic. Her hand was on the rail, one foot poised above the first step, when a noise came, faint and far away. Unable to determine its source she froze, listening, eyes closed, waiting to hear it again. For an eternity she could hear nothing but the incessant tympani of the rain. And then the noise came again.
This time, she recognized it at once. It was the same eerie whining sound she had heard the night before and the knowledge got her heart to racing. Though muffled, she thought the sound had come from somewhere behind her, not upstairs. She whirled toward the center of the living room, rubbing her arms where goose bumps had pimpled her flesh.
Again she waited and when the sound finally came, she looked momentarily bewildered, for it seemed to be coming from beneath her. Then it clicked in. She ran to the kitchen and yanked open the door to the cellar. She hesitated, peering into the darkened maw and brushing her hand along the wall for the light switch.
The single bulb came on with seeming reluctance, reflecting dully off the large freezer chest that fronted the wall at the base of the stairs and casting a feeble light into the main body of the cellar. The room below formed a backward “L” shape off to the left, so that much of it was obscured from Jennifer’s view at the top of the stairs. She descended about halfway and bent down to peer through the rail. The main, larger part of the cellar spread out the length of the house, ending in a small, dirt-smeared window high up at the other end. The floor was concrete, the walls gray cinder block embellished with strings of cob webs. Though the basement was relatively dry, a strong musty smell permeated the air.
Jennifer shivered violently. The cellar had never been her favorite place. There were too many scurrying creatures hiding in the shadows and crevices: hairy spiders the size of half dollars, centipedes that moved with lightning speed, shiny-black water bugs with long, waving antennae, and the worst – cave crickets – hump-backed, spidery looking things with the heart-stopping habit of leaping incredible heights backwards.
Jennifer climbed down another few steps and glanced over at the washer and dryer, which sat along the wall about ten feet from the freezer. They were flanked by a set of white aluminum shelves that jutted out perpendicular to the wall. The shelves were covered with various items: laundry detergents, liquid bleach, dry bleach, water softeners, fabric softeners, stain removers, a collection of household cleaning agents, some miscellaneous articles of clothing, some towels that had been designated for rags, and a box of unmatched socks. The clutter effectively blocked out that portion of the room that extended beyond the shelves.
On the opposite wall was a doorway that led to a smaller room that housed the furnace, water heater, and emergency generator. Much of the main room was cluttered with boxes, old furniture, lawn equipment, and more shelving that held an assortment of tools, hardware, light bulbs, and other miscellany. There was no sign of Tanner.
Jennifer called out from the stairs. “Tanner?”
Scotch barked in response and Jennifer realized the sound was coming from the furnace room. She flew down the stairs and into the small room, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Tanner sitting on an old lawn chair in the middle of the room facing the furnace. The light from the main room barely penetrated this one, and Jennifer grabbed at the string that hung from a bare bulb in the ceiling overhead.
When the light revealed Tanner’s face, Jennifer’s relief was quickly forgotten. As she took in the blank hollows of his eyes and the slack lie of his features, panic rose again, bubbling up in her throat like a caustic liquid and settling into her legs like molten lead. She circled him once, slowly, like an animal marking its prey, trying to decide what to do. Scotch stood beside the chair, whining and nudging Tanner’s hand with her nose, her rising pitch matching the growing sense of urgency Jennifer felt herself. When Jennifer had completed her circle and was once again facing Tanner, she squatted, grabbed his arms, and shook him gently.
“Tanner?”
No response. Jennifer shook him a little harder; her voice rose in pitch.
“Tanner? Tanner, please! Snap out of it!”
Tanner mumbled something that Jennifer couldn’t quite make out.
“What?” she asked hopefully. “What is it, honey?”
Tanner’s next words came out frighteningly clear. “Stop the killing.”
The words chilled Jennifer and she shook him again. She was rewarded by a blink. She studied her son’s face. Did his eyes look more focused? Or was that mere wishful thinking on her part?
“Tanner?”
He looked at her then, his eyes coming into focus so suddenly it made Jennifer draw back. Then he blinked again – a slow, hard blink – and looked around the room, his expression one of confusion.
“Tanner? Can you hear me?” Jennifer watched him closely, petrified that he might have another seizure.
“It’s in the water,” Tanner said slowly, still gazing around the room with that bewildered expression.
Jennifer thought he must be babbling. She reached out and sandwiched his face in her palms. “Tanner! Can you hear me? Look at me!”
He grimaced as if in pain.
“Tanner, honey, can you hear me?”
Tanner looked her in the eye then and his face visibly relaxed. “I can hear you.”
Jennifer squeezed her eyes shut with relief. “What are you doing down here?” she asked him.
He looked around the room again. “I don’t know,” he said. “I guess Dad led me down here.”
Jennifer swallowed hard. This fixation he had with Tim was obviously getting worse. She recalled the name of the psychologist that Dr. Singleton had suggested and made a mental note to call him as soon as possible.
“Tanner, your dad is dead,” she said gently.
“I know that,” he said irritably. “Bioceutics had him killed.”
Jennifer let out a weary sigh. “Your father died in a car accident, Tanner,” she said slowly. “It was an unfortunate accident. A tire blew out on the car. But it was just an accident. Nobody killed ....”
Jennifer felt something slip inside her mind, sliding away just as she tried to grasp it. Her mind whirled, taking chase. There was something wrong, terribly wrong with what Tanner had just said. What was it? Something that bothered her. She struggled after it, knowing instinctively that she had to bring it back.
Then suddenly it hit her and she dropped from her haunches and sat hard on the floor, staring slack-jawed at Tanner. She racked her brain frantically, trying to remember all the times she had talked with Tanner about Tim.
Her next words came out whispered and cautious. “Tanner, how did you know the name of the company your dad worked for?”
“He told me.”
Jennifer felt an icy-cold hand of fear grip the back of her neck. She stared at the floor, her face carrying a blank stare not unlike the one Tanner had worn a few moments before.
“Mom?”
Jennifer looked up at her son, but didn’t answer right away. She was too terrified – terrified of what would come out of Tanner’s mouth next. “Yes?”
“I’m hungry.”
His answer was so absurdly normal, her sudden relief so extreme, she laughed. But it was a humorless sound. Without a word, she rose off the floor, took Tanner by the hand and went back upstairs to the kitchen with Scotch following close behind.
She sat Tanner down at the kitchen table and went over to the cupboard. She took down a can of ravioli, opened it, and dumped it into a bowl, focusing intently on each movement required, trying to block all other thoughts from her mind. Then she put the bowl in the microwave and set the timer for two minutes, counting down the numbers in her mind as she watched the digital display. When it was done, she set the bowl in front of Tanner, gave him a fork and a glass of milk.
“Be careful,” she warned him. “It’s hot.”
Tanner picked up the fork and dug in.
Jennifer leaned against the counter and watched him, the barrier in her mind crumbling. Unable to block out the thoughts any longer, they flooded in, filling her with a mindless terror – a fear that was darkly ominous, yet frustratingly vague. She had no idea what to do next, where to turn. Then she thought of Eric Singleton, of his kind smile, his warm and capable hands, his calming voice.
She went into the living room and picked up the phone to call his office. She was halfway through punching in the number when she realized the line was dead. A flash of lightning flickered through the window, followed by a roll of thunder that made the panes rattle. Panic wrapped around her again and she caught herself looking over her shoulder anxiously. This was stupid! She felt like she was trapped inside some low-budget horror flick. Then she remembered. She had unplugged the phone! With a nervous titter of relief, she found the cord, plugged it back in, and dialed the office number.
The phone rang about ten times before Jennifer looked at her watch. It was a few minutes after six. The office was probably closed. She was about to hang up when a woman’s voice answered.
“Dr. Singleton’s office. Can I help you?”
“Yes, this is Jennifer Bolton. Is Eric Singleton still there?”
“I think he’s already left, Mrs. Bolton. The office is closed. I was just about to switch the phones over to the answering service.”
“Please,” Jennifer pleaded. “I need to talk with him. It’s an emergency.” She felt a small stab of guilt at this stretching of the truth. Though she knew her situation was not a true medical emergency, it felt that way to her.
The woman on the other end hesitated, then gave an exasperated sigh and said, “Hold on a minute.”
Jennifer listened to a radio DJ offering free concert tickets to the ninth caller. Then a male voice came on the phone.
“Jennifer?”
“Oh, Eric! I’m so glad I caught you.” The relief she felt at just hearing his voice was so profound she burst into tears.
“What’s wrong?” Eric asked, his voice tinged with anxiety. “Is it Tanner?”
Jennifer nodded, unable to speak. When she realized what she was doing, she swallowed hard, trying to regain some control. “Yes,” she managed to choke out. “Oh, Eric, I’m so scared for him. I don’t know what to do.” She lost her barely maintained control and started to sob again.
“Tell me what happened,” Eric said, keeping his voice calm and soothing.
Jennifer tried, but the sobs had total control at this point and all she managed was a few blubbering noises.
“Never mind. Jennifer? Listen. I’m leaving the office now. I’ll come over to your house. Okay?”
Jennifer tried to answer again but her throat felt like it was closing off.
“Jennifer? Can you hear me? Are you there?”
She managed to mutter an “I’m here.”
“I have your address here on your file. Are you off of Highway 6?”
“Two miles ... past ... old mill house ... third right.” Her answer came out in hiccoughs; it was all she could manage. Apparently it was enough.
“I’ll be right over,” he said.
Jennifer heard a click and then after a few seconds, a dial tone. She hung up the phone and went to the bathroom to try and get herself back in order.
Twenty minutes after she had hung up, Jennifer heard the peal of the front door bell. She was surprised Eric had arrived so quickly and figured he must have broken all speed and safety limits getting there. Realizing what he had risked, she felt another twinge of guilt. She left Tanner in the kitchen, where he had finished off his ravioli and was now working on a rather large bowl of chocolate ice cream with hot fudge sauce.
Jennifer opened the front door and a soggy, dripping Eric stepped inside. He shrugged out of his raincoat and Jennifer took it from him, hanging it on a hook inside the living room closet.
“Where’s Tanner?” he asked, standing in the foyer, holding one of those little black doctor bags and dripping water into a small puddle at his feet.
“He’s in the kitchen eating,” Jennifer said.
Eric looked around, saw the entrance to the kitchen and headed in that direction.
Jennifer grabbed his arm. “Wait,” she said just above a whisper. “He’s okay right now. I need to talk with you.”
“Okay.” His face was grave as he gave her a quick once-over. “I hope you won’t take this the wrong way, but you look like hell,” he added.
Jennifer flashed him a weak smile. “Thanks,” she said running a self-conscious hand through her hair. She gestured toward the couch. “Please, sit down.”
Eric did as he was told and Jennifer settled down next to him. She filled him in on the events that had prompted her call. “The really strange part of all this is that Tanner said Bioceutics killed Tim.” She stared into Eric’s eyes. “Eric, I’ve never mentioned Bioceutics to him before.”
“Maybe you did and you just don’t remember it,” Eric suggested.
Jennifer shook her head vehemently. “No, I know I never mentioned it. I hated that damn place. Tim spent so much time there that it was a wonder we ever managed to have Tanner. I think he was at his happiest when he was ensconced inside that windowless, airtight laboratory of his. I can’t tell you how many nights I sat at home, dinner growing cold, waiting for a husband who never showed.”
“I’m sorry you went through that,” Eric said.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I knew what I was getting into long before I married Tim. Even our first dates, back when we were both in school, were marathon study sessions. And he had been at Bioceutics for three years when we got married, so it wasn’t like I didn’t know I was going to have to share him with his job. I just didn’t realize how much I would come to resent it.”
Jennifer paused, picking at her thumbnail. “You know,” she said, “in one respect, I do believe that Bioceutics killed Tim. They sucked him dry, taking everything he had and then some. When Tim died, I shut Bioceutics and everything associated with it out of my mind. I know I never mentioned the place to Tanner.”
“Maybe he heard it from someone else,” Eric said.
“Who? The only person he associates with who knew where Tim worked is my friend Carny. And she knows how I feel about the place. She would never mention it.”
Eric pondered the situation a few moments. “So, what are you saying, Jennifer? Do you think Tanner is actually talking to his father?”
Jennifer heard the skepticism in his voice. “I know, it sounds incredible, Eric. But it’s not just that. There’s all this other weird stuff. How did Tanner know who you were? And that you were adopted?”
“That was kind of strange,” Eric admitted thoughtfully. “But I just assumed he had overheard some gossip somewhere. You know, talk among the nurses at the hospital or something.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” Jennifer said. “But today when we got home, he said the phone was going to ring and then it did. I’m telling you, Eric. Something strange is going on.”
Eric rubbed his chin and stared off into space, deep in thought. “I don’t know what to suggest,” he said at last. “Why don’t I go take a look at Tanner just to make sure he’s okay?”
Jennifer nodded and stood up. Another wave of dizziness hit her and she reached out and grabbed Eric’s arm to steady herself.
“And right after I’m done with Tanner I’m going to take a look at you,” Eric said. “You really do look like shit.”
Jennifer laughed in spite of herself. “Gee, thanks a lot.”
Eric crooked his arm and placed her hand on his elbow. “Come on. Let’s go check out the young Kreskin.”
Tanner’s face lit up when he saw Eric. “Hi, Doc. Want some ice cream?”
Eric smiled a grimace. “No. Thanks anyway. Sweets aren’t my thing. I’m more of a meat and potatoes kind of person.” He patted his stomach. Tanner shrugged and shoveled in another spoonful while Eric took the chair next to him. “So how are you feeling since your test this morning?”
Tanner rubbed at the wheals along his hairline. “My head is still kinda sore. But that’s all.”
“Your mom tells me you were talking with your father again earlier.”
Tanner nodded, mouthing a huge spoonful of ice cream. A tiny string of fudge sauce draped over his lip and down his chin.
“Do you see your father when he talks to you?”
Tanner swallowed. “Nope. He just talks.” He tapped the side of his head. “Up here. In my head.”
“I see,” Eric said, pulling at his chin.
Tanner shoveled the last of the ice cream into his mouth, then set the spoon aside and proceeded to pick up the bowl and lick the inside of it.
“Obviously all this hasn’t affected your appetite any,” Eric said with a smile.
Tanner gave him a messy-mouthed grin, then turned to his mother. “Can I be excused?”
Jennifer looked questioningly at Eric.
“Sure,” Eric said. “Just promise me you won’t eat anything else for a while. I’m afraid you’ll explode!”
Tanner giggled and hopped out of his chair. Scotch immediately got up and stood next to him. “I promise,” Tanner said. He skipped out of the kitchen with Scotch close on his heels.
“Make sure you wash your hands,” Jennifer shouted after him. There was no response and she looked at Eric with a shrug and a smile.
“That dog is certainly devoted to him, isn’t he?” Eric observed.
“Yes. And he’s a she.”
“Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot.” He smiled sheepishly.
“Well?” Jennifer asked, taking the seat Tanner had just vacated.
Eric shrugged. “He looks fine.”
“Your father gave me the name of a psychologist and suggested I take Tanner as soon as possible.”
“Maybe that will help.” Eric said rather distractedly, tugging on his chin again and staring at a point just over Jennifer’s shoulder. “In the meantime, there’s something I want to check on, something that’s nagging at me.”
“About what?”
He looked at her, saw the pale color of her face, the dark circles beneath her eyes, and the frightened way she chewed on one corner of her lip. “Oh, just something from medical school. I can’t remember precisely. Don’t worry about that now.” He dismissed the subject with a wave of his hand, smiled, and said, “You don’t look so good.” The smile was teasing but his voice was serious. He opened his little black bag, took out a small white envelope, and slid it across the table toward her. “Here, these are mild sleeping pills. I want you to take one tonight so you can get some rest.”
Jennifer shook her head. “No, I can’t. What if Tanner has another seizure?”
He had expected that. “How about if I offer to stay up and watch him for you?”
“Stay up? Here?”
“Sure. Why not? I don’t have office hours tomorrow so it won’t hurt me. And I can use the time to catch up on my medical journals.”
“Oh, Eric. I don’t know if I can ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t ask. I offered. In fact, as your doctor I am ordering you to accept.”
Jennifer considered the offer, surprised at how much the idea appealed to her. It made her feel as if a heavy load had been lifted off her shoulders.
“Okay,” she said with a half-smile. Then, as the idea grew on her, “Yes, okay. And thank you.” Her relief was so complete, she felt overwhelmed with gratitude and affection. She stood up, went over to Eric and bent down to kiss his cheek. But just as her lips found their mark the front door crashed open and a booming voice yelled out her name, making her jump.
“Jennifer? Jennifer!”
She took a step back from Eric as Evan came crashing into the kitchen, his hair plastered to his skull, his normally immaculate suit wrinkled and soaked. “What in the hell is going on here? Jennifer?”
Jennifer had to stifle a giggle. Evan looked so comical with his usually kempt appearance now resembling that of a drowned rat, his face furiously red.
Evan’s scowl deepened. “Where the hell have you been?” he asked. “I’ve been trying to call all afternoon but no one answered the phone.” His voice was a tightly controlled mix of concern and anger. His blue eyes blazed. Then they shifted and he seemed to notice Eric’s presence for the first time. “Who the hell are you?” he asked gruffly.
“I’m sorry, Evan,” Jennifer said, crossing the room toward him. She gestured toward Eric. “This is Er ... Dr. Singleton.” Then she swept her hand toward Evan, “And this is Evan Reeves.”
The two men eyed each other closely for a second before Evan crossed the room with his hand extended. “Nice to meet you, Doctor,” he said with a tone of voice that made the statement doubtful.
Eric rose, shook hands with him, then sat back down.
“I hope you can help Tanner with this problem he’s having,” Evan said. He backed up and threw a possessive and decidedly damp arm across Jennifer’s shoulders. “The boy means the world to us.”
The two men stared, no glared at one another. Jennifer realized they were sizing one another up, like potential enemies preparing to meet in combat. It struck her as mildly amusing at first, but as the contest continued she began to feel irritated. She moved out from beneath Evan’s arm and walked over to the counter.
“Take off your coat,” she told Evan. “You’re soaked. I’ll fix some coffee.”
Her tactic worked as the two men broke eye contact and Evan shrugged out of his coat. “Thanks,” he muttered. “Coffee sounds good.” He carefully folded his coat and laid it neatly over the back of one of the chairs.
“I’m sorry you were worried,” Jennifer continued, trying to lighten the tension. “I unplugged the phone earlier this afternoon so Tanner and I could get some rest.”
“Where is Tanner?” Evan asked, his voice sounding suspicious, as if he thought maybe they had hog-tied the child and stashed him in the basement.
“He’s upstairs,” Jennifer said, pouring water into the coffee maker. “In fact, I should go and check on him.”
“I should get going,” Eric said, getting up from the table.
Jennifer felt her stomach drop. “Won’t you stay for a cup of coffee?” she asked, biting off the pleading “please” she had almost tagged on the end. She was torn. Part of her thought it would better if he did leave as it would relieve the obvious tension that existed between him and Evan. But another part of her wanted desperately for him to stay.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass.” He picked up his medical bag and headed toward the living room.
Jennifer escorted him to the door, took his coat off the hook in the closet, and handed it to him. “Do you have to go?” she asked him.
Eric frowned, started to say something, then bit it off. After a moment he said, “It looks like you’re in good hands here. I’m sure Evan won’t mind filling in as Tanner’s night watchman.”
Jennifer wasn’t sure, but she thought she detected a note of sarcasm in Eric’s tone.
“I’ll call you in the morning,” Eric said. Then, abruptly, he left.
When Jennifer turned around she found Evan framed in the kitchen doorway, watching. He walked over to her with his arms outstretched. “Are you okay?” he asked, pulling her into his chest and stroking her hair. “You look exhausted.”
“I am,” Jennifer admitted. “I’ve been afraid to sleep, wondering if Tanner will have another one of his spells during the night.”
“I’m sure he’ll be all right,” Evan said into her hair. “I’d offer to stay with you tonight and keep an eye on him but I have to be in court early in the morning.”
Jennifer felt like she wanted to cry. She swallowed hard instead. “How’s the case going?” she asked.
“Not well, actually,” Evan said, releasing her and leading her to the couch to sit down.
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, these things happen,” he said with a shrug. “You can’t win every case. The thing I hate most is that I’ll probably lose this one on emotion. The plaintiff is nothing but poor white trash with five kids she can’t support, yet she’s making this big deal about the loss of her childbearing abilities. The medical testimony has been mixed with one expert simply conflicting the other.” He draped an arm over her back and started drawing lazy circles on her shoulder with his finger.
“Actually, I think my client did botch the surgery, but I’m not sure it wasn’t the best thing for this woman. She doesn’t need another mouth to feed, and Lord knows the world doesn’t need another half-witted kid.”
“Evan!” Jennifer sat up abruptly, letting his arm fall down behind her. She turned to stare at him. “How can you talk like that? That woman may not have much, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love her children. And birth control would be just as effective without losing her ability to have children altogether.”
Evan had the good grace to look embarrassed. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. You know how I get a little crazy at this point in a trial, especially when I’m losing.”
Jennifer felt his hand settle onto her shoulder again and she stood abruptly. “I really should go and check on Tanner.”
Evan grabbed her hand and tried to pull her back down onto the couch. “Tanner’s fine,” he said. “But Evan could use a little attention.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her.
“Evan, I can’t.” She pulled her hand away. “I’m just too tired.”
He stood up and tilted her chin up toward his face. “Okay, but only if you promise me a rain check.”
Jennifer smiled weakly.
Evan brushed his lips against her cheek, then kissed two of his fingers and placed them against her lips. “I love you, Jennifer,” he said softly, his eyes smoldering.
It was the first time he had uttered the expression. Jennifer held her breath, waiting for the words to sink in, anticipating her reaction. She had thought about it often, imagining the moment, always responding with delight and excitement. Yet now that it had finally happened, all she felt was an overwhelming exhaustion. She had no energy left for any emotion, even love.
Evan gazed down into her eyes and she knew he was waiting for her to respond in kind. But the words wouldn’t come. She stood on her toes to kiss him, and said, “Good night, Evan.” Then she made her way upstairs to fix up the makeshift bed she had set up in the rocking chair next to Tanner’s window, leaving Evan to find his own way out.