Kissed by an Angel

'I'm not worried about anything like that.'

'Then what's bugging you?'

'Two things, I guess,' he replied. 'One, I think you may be doing a lot out of guilt.'

'Guilt!' She pushed him back and sat up again.

'I think you've picked up your mother's attitude, that she and her family are responsible for Caroline's unhappiness.'

'We're not.'

'I know that. I just want to make sure you do-and that you're not trying to make it up to someone who is milking it for all it's worth.'

'You don't know what you're talking about,' Ivy said, pulling up tufts of grass. 'You really don't know what he's going through. You haven't been around Gregory. You-' 'I've been around him since first grade.'

'People can change from first grade.'

'I've known Eric for that long, too,' Tristan continued. 'They've done some pretty wild, even dangerous things together. And that's the other thing that worries me.'

'But Gregory wouldn't try stuff with my friends and me around,' Ivy insisted. 'He respects me, Tristan. This is just his way of reaching out, after the last three weeks.'

Tristan didn't look convinced.

'Please don't let this come between us,' she said.

He reached up for her face. 'I wouldn't let anything come between us. Not mountains, rivers, continents, war, floods-' 'Or dire death itself,' she said. 'So you did read Beth's latest story.'

'Gary ate it up.'

'Gary? You're kidding!'

'He kept the copy you gave me,' Tristan said, 'but I swore to him that I'd tell you I lost it.'

Ivy laughed and lay down close to Tristan, resting her head on his shoulder. 'You understand, then, why I said yes to Gregory.'

'No, but it's your choice,' he said. 'And that's that. So what are you doing next Saturday night?'

'What are you doing?' Ivy asked back.

'Dining at the Durney Inn.'

'The inn! Well, we must be earning big bucks giving swimming lessons this summer.'

'We're earning enough,' he said. 'You don't happen to know of a beautiful girl who likes to be treated to candlelight and French food, do you?'

'Yeah, I do.'

'Is she free that night?'

'Maybe. Does she get an appetizer?'

'Three, if she likes.'

'How about dessert?'

'Raspberry souffle. And kisses.'

'Kisses…'

'Well, that was fun,' Ivy remarked dryly.

'I was bored anyway,' Eric said.

'I wasn't,' Beth told them. She was the last one to leave the party at the campus sorority house that Saturday night. Borrowing paper from one of the sorority sisters, she had interviewed just about everyone there. When the other high-schoolers had been thrown out, she was invited to stay. Sigma Pi Nu was flattered that she would put them in a story.

'Eric, you're going to have to learn to keep your cool,' Gregory said, clearly irritated. He had been in the corner with some redhead (which had prompted Suzanne to go body to body with a bearded guy) when Eric decided to pick a fight with a giant wearing a varsity football shirt. Not smart.

Now Eric stood on the steps of a pillared building, staring up at a statue and cocking his head left and right, as if he were conversing with it.

Suzanne lay on her back on a stone bench in the college quad, laughing softly to herself, her bare knees up, her skirt fluttering back provocatively. Gregory eyed her.

Ivy turned away. She and Will were the only ones who hadn't been drinking. Will had seemed at home at the campus party scene, but restless. Perhaps the rumors at school were true: he had seen it all and nothing much impressed him.

Like Ivy, Will had been a newcomer in January. His father was a television producer in New York, however, which scored big points with the kids at school. Upon arrival, he had been immediately taken up by the fast crowd, but his silent manner kept everyone from getting a real fix on him. It was easy to imagine a lot of things about Will, and most people that Ivy knew imagined he was very cool.

'Where'sss your old man?' Eric suddenly shouted. He was still peering up at the statue on the steps. 'G.B., where's your old man?'

'That's my old man's old man,' Gregory replied.

Ivy realized then that it was a statue of Gregory's grandfather. Of course. They were in front of Baines Hall.

'Why isssn't your old man up there?'

Gregory sat down on a bench across from Suzanne. 'I guess because he's not dead yet.' He took a deep swig from a beer bottle.

'Then why isssn't your old lady up there? Huh?'

Gregory didn't reply. He took another long drink.

Eric frowned up at the statue. 'I miss her. I misssss old Caroline. You know I do.'

'I know,' Gregory said quietly.

'Ssso, let's put her up there.' He winked at Gregory.

Gregory didn't say anything, and Ivy went to stand behind him. She rested one hand lightly on Gregory's shoulder.

'I got Caroline right here in my pocket,' Eric said.

All of them watched as he patted and searched his shirt and pants. Finally he pulled out a bra. He held it up to his cheek. 'Still warm.'

Ivy laid her other hand on Gregory's shoulder. She could feel the tension in him.

Eric wrapped the bra around his arm and struggled to climb up on the statue.

'You're going to kill yourself,' Gregory told him.

'Like your mother,' said Eric.

Gregory made no response except to take another drink. Ivy turned his head away from Eric.

Gregory let his face rest against her then, and she felt him relax a little. Both Suzanne and Will watched the two of them, Suzanne with flashing eyes.

But Ivy stayed where she was while Eric put the bra on Judge Baines. Then she confiscated a few unopened beers and walked over to Suzanne. 'Gregory could use some hand-holding,' she said to her friend.

'Even after you and the redhead.'

Ivy ignored the comment. Suzanne also had had too much to drink.

Eric gave a sudden yelp, and they turned quickly to see him sliding off the statue. He landed in the gravel and rolled up like a snail. Will hurried over to him. Gregory laughed.

'Nothing broken but my brain,' Eric muttered as Will pulled him to his feet.

'I think we should get back to the car,' Will said coolly.

'But the party's just begun,' Gregory protested, rising to his feet. The alcohol was obviously kicking in. 'I haven't felt this good since who knows when.'

'I know when,' said Eric.

'The party will be over soon enough if the campus police catch us,' Will pointed out.

'My father's the prez,' said Gregory. 'He'll get us off the hook.'