Jane Goes Batty

Jessica said. “You need to start thinking big.”

“We’ll start tomorrow. Let’s have lunch and brainstorm.”

Jane shuddered. She hated that word—brainstorm. It was one of those ghastly made-up words that tended to be used by people in unfortunate professions such as advertising. Next she’ll say she wants to throw ideas around.

“We can throw ideas around,” Jessica said on cue. “See what sticks.”

“What a delightful image,” said Jane. “I can’t imagine anything more invigorating than throwing around sticky ideas.”

“I knew we could work this out,” Jessica said, standing up. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You’re leaving?” Jane said hopefully.

“No,” said Jessica. “I’m going to talk to someone else. That handsome man over there. I’m sure he’ll have something interesting to say.”

Jane looked and saw that Jessica was talking about Byron, who was standing on the lawn chatting with Chloe. From the smile on his face, Jane could tell that he was flirting with the young woman. Jessica’s arrival was sure to annoy him. As her editor slinked away, Jane thought, I should tell him to seduce her and drain her. But she’d probably give him food poisoning.

“She seems … intense,” said Lucy. She started to sit in the chair Jessica had vacated, looked at it, then switched to the one Cecilia had formerly occupied.

“Let’s talk about something pleasant,” Jane said. “How do you like Ben Cohen? The two of you seemed to be hitting it off.”

“He’s very nice,” said Lucy.

Jane couldn’t help but notice the sparks still emanating from Lucy’s body. They were less plentiful now, but glittered brightly around Lucy’s head. Seeing them raised Jane’s spirits and erased some of the darkness Jessica had brought with her.

“Maybe you should ask him out,” Jane suggested.

“Really?” said Lucy. “Wouldn’t that be a little weird? I mean, he’s a rabbi.”

“Rabbis don’t date?” Jane asked.

Lucy raised her eyebrows. “I never really thought about it,” she said. “Most of the rabbis I’ve met have been old and, well, not so attractive.”

“He is handsome, isn’t he?” Jane said.

Lucy giggled. “He really is,” she said. “Have you seen his eyes?” She placed her hand over her heart. “They’re gorgeous.”

Jane laughed. A yard full of movie stars and she goes for the rabbi, she thought. It was typical of her friend. She was always looking for what was inside people, regardless of the package in which it came. It was one of Lucy’s many admirable traits.

“Ask him,” she said.

“Maybe I will,” said Lucy. “But enough about me. What’s up with you and Walter?”

Jane’s mood darkened. She took a deep breath. “I don’t know,” she said. She hadn’t told Lucy the details of her lunch the day before, and although she had tried to hide her feelings she was sure that Lucy had sensed something was wrong.

“He asked me to marry him,” she said.

“Again?” Lucy said. “Let me guess—you said no again.”

“Don’t lecture me,” said Jane.

“I’m not going to lecture you,” Lucy said. “You’re a big girl, and you can make your own decisions.” She was quiet for a moment. “But I will say that you’re an idiot.”

“I said no lectures.”

“It’s not a lecture,” Lucy argued. “It’s a statement of fact. Walter is the best thing in your life. Besides me, of course.”

“Of course,” Jane agreed. “But there’s the whole—”

“Vampire thing,” said Lucy, groaning. “I know. That’s always the excuse.”

“I think it’s a fairly sound one,” Jane said.

“I handled the news, didn’t I?” said Lucy.

Jane nodded. “Yes. But you’re an unusually accepting person.”

“And Walter isn’t?” said Lucy. “How will you know unless you try?”

“What will I do if he isn’t?” Jane asked. “Leave town? I can hardly stay here once I’ve told him I’m one of the undead. He’d think I was mad. And can you imagine what would happen if he told anyone else? There’s simply too much to lose.”

“Yes,” Lucy said. “But there’s even more to gain.”

Jane said nothing. She knew Lucy was right. But that didn’t make her any less afraid. The idea of having to start over somewhere new, become someone new, terrified her. After so many years she had finally found a place to call home. Was it worth risking all of that for something that might work out?

She just didn’t know.

“I’m not going to say another word about it,” Lucy told her. “Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”

“No, you won’t,” said Jane, not unkindly. “You’ll make me feel guilty about not doing what you want me to.”

“Nobody can make you feel guilty except yourself,” Lucy replied. “Remember that.”

Jane did know it. She also knew that despite what she said, Lucy would indeed try to make her feel guilty. She thinks she knows what’s right for me. And maybe she does. Cassie always did.

Would she too tell Jane to risk everything on a chance at love?

You know she would, she told herself.

“I’m going to go see what Rabbi Ben Cohen thinks about the work of Bernard Malamud,” Lucy said, getting up. “And maybe then I’ll ask him what he thinks about the possibility of having dinner with me.”

“That’s an excellent idea,” said Jane. “I’m just going to sit here and make myself feel guilty for a little longer.”

“You do that,” Lucy told her. “I’ll send Byron out to keep you company.”

“Oh, good,” said Jane. “I can’t imagine anything more cheering.”

Lucy smiled. “I’m always happy to help,” she said.

“Away with you,” said Jane, flapping a hand at her. “Leave an old woman in peace.”

Lucy walked off in search of Ben. Jane, left alone, leaned back in her chair. She shut her eyes and listened to the sounds of the party. The many different voices tumbled around in her head, forming a whirlwind of sound. She allowed herself to be surrounded by it so that it blocked out everything—her irritation at Jessica, her fears about Walter, her disappointment in herself. It was all swallowed up by the meaningless roar of idle chitchat.

Exhaustion overtook her, and, surrounded by her own party, she fell asleep.

Chapter 14

Julia Baxter reached into her pocket and withdrew a small plastic container of the kind generally used to hold prescriptions. Twisting the top off, she tipped the bottle and several round tablets poured out onto her outstretched palm. They were pastel in color—yellow, pink, blue, and orange. Julia popped them all into her mouth at once. Her teeth made a grinding sound as she closed her eyes and chewed.

She held the bottle out to Jane. “Do you want some?”

Jane shook her head. “I don’t think so. But thank you.”

Julia opened her eyes. “Good call. They’re terrible.” She put the cap back on the bottle and stuffed it back into her pants pocket.

“What are they, exactly?” Jane asked. She assumed they were drugs of some kind—something exotic from the wonderland of Hollywood.

“Gerrit’s Satellite Wafers,” said Julia. “Candy from the fifties. When I was a kid we used to get them at the