1632

'This girl of yours? Has she got a father to walk her down the aisle?'

Jeff's face fell. 'I'm not sure, Mr. Hudson. But I don't-I don't think so. If I understood something she said, I think her dad was murdered a couple of years ago.'

Hudson winced. 'Jesus,' he muttered, 'I don't even want to think what that poor girl's been through.'

'No, you don't,' said Melissa forcefully. 'Trust me on this one, Willie Ray. You don't.'

Hudson rose and walked over to Jeff. 'Well, then. Jeff, you tell this girl of yours that-if she wants-I'd be more than happy to take her father's place at the wedding.'

Jeff's face was suddenly eager. 'Would you, Mr. Hudson? Everybody in town's known you their whole lives. Oh, that'd be great! I'll have to ask Gretchen, of course.' He looked back at Larry. 'You still got the dictionary?' Larry held it up.

The laughter in the room drew Jeff's eyes. 'What's so funny?' The laughter got louder.

'This has got to be a record,' chuckled Ferrara. 'Meet a girl and propose in one day, maybe. But using a dictionary?'

Jeff flushed. Willie Ray patted him on the shoulder. 'Ignore that lout, boy. I'm sure it's not a record. Just a contender.'

That didn't seem to help, judging from the color of Jeff's cheeks.

'Ignore that lout, too,' pronounced Melissa. She held up her wrist and examined the clock. 'All right, that's enough. It's almost ten thirty. Let's not get crazy. We did fight a battle today, remember?' She gave James a serene glance. 'And poor Dr. Nichols here has to be back at the hospital early in the morning.'

'Real early,' agreed Nichols. 'Adams agreed to handle the cases tonight, but I've got to spell him first thing. We've got dozens of badly wounded men on top of everything else.'

Mike nodded. 'Yeah, I agree. Besides-' He looked over at Jeff. 'Are you staying here tonight?'

Hesitantly, Jeff eyed Ed Piazza. 'Well, if the principal doesn't mind.' Jeff waved at his friends. 'We decided we'd all like to camp out here. On the library floor, I guess. Gretchen and the others are asleep now, but they'll be waking up early and-and-' He stood a little straighter. 'We're going to be their new family, now-all of us, since Larry and Ed and Jimmy live with me and they'll be I guess kinda like uncles or something-so we thought we should be here when they wake up. Just because-' He groped for words.

'Absolutely,' agreed Piazza. He dug into his pocket and came up with a set of keys. Quickly, he began removing one from the key ring. 'But don't use the library. There'll be people in there all night. Besides, my office has a carpet. You might actually get some sleep. Just try to be out of there before Len Trout comes in so he doesn't trip over you. He'll be groggy like he always is in the morning. Low blood sugar, you know. Makes him a little grumpy until he's had his coffee and you'll be right in front of the coffee machine.'

Looking a bit alarmed, Jeff took the key. It was universally known by the high school's students that you did not want to arouse the vice- principal's ire before he'd had his dose of three cups of coffee, laden with sugar and cream. Not.

He and his friends sped on their way. Early to bed, early to rise.

***

When they were gone, Quentin Underwood heaved a great sigh. 'Oh, hell. I still think the kid's crazy, but you know what? After this nightmare we've been plunged into, I swear I can't think of a single thing that'd be better for my soul than to watch a young woman walk down the aisle in a wedding dress.'

Dreeson nodded. 'Goes for me too. The whole damn town, for that matter.'

His eyes widened.

Mike laughed. 'I'm way ahead of you, Henry. If we can talk Jeff out of getting married as fast as possible-which won't be all that easy, let me tell you, 'cause I've actually seen the girl-then I'd like to hold the wedding four days from now.'

Melissa looked startled. 'Four days from now?' Her eyes fled to the wall. 'What calendar are we using, anyway? Here in the seventeenth-'

'Don't care!' proclaimed Dreeson. 'As far as I'm concerned'-he clapped his hands-'four days from now is the Fourth of July!'

Mike grinned. 'Yeah, sure is. Just what we need. A celebration, parade, fireworks-and we'll cap it off with the biggest wedding this town ever saw.'

Quietly: 'It'll remind us what we're all about.' He gave Rebecca a very warm smile. 'And not about.'

***

The meeting broke up then. As Melissa was walking down the corridor to the school entrance, she heard quick footsteps behind her. Turning, she saw that James Nichols was hurrying to catch up with her.

When he arrived, the doctor broke into a smile. 'May I walk you home?' he asked.

Melissa grinned. 'Shameless!' she exclaimed.

Nichols was startled. 'Me? I was just-'

Melissa shook her head and took James by the arm. 'Not you, doctor. I would be most delighted to have you walk me home.' As they made their way down the corridor, she chuckled. 'I was referring to a certain former student of mine. Prizefighter turned matchmaker. Shameless.'

Nichols looked a bit embarrassed. 'Oh.' They walked on a little further. He cleared his throat. 'Actually, it was Rebecca who gave me the elbow. Not'-a big smile, here-'that I hadn't been thinking about it.'

Melissa turned her head and studied him. His smile, rather. She liked that smile. Immensely. It was a cheerful, happy, relaxed smile. The smile of a very grown-up man, well into middle age. He was fifty-five years old, she knew, only two years younger than she. Secure in himself, knowing himself well, and glad to be in that place. But also delighted to discover that he wasn't, apparently, all that old after all. As delighted as she was.

They were both smiling now. Both enjoying the relaxation of their age. Knowledge, certainty. Fumbling in the back seat was ancient history. Aches and pains of the body had come, but at least guessing was behind them.

Once they left the school and started walking down the parking lot toward the road below, James' arm slid around Melissa's waist. Gently, easily, he pressed her to his side. She leaned into him, covering his hand with her own. Her palm felt the wedding band on his finger.

Melissa knew that James was a widower, his wife dead in an auto crash, but she knew none of the details.

'How long ago-'

Apparently, he could read her mind. 'Long enough,' was his answer. 'I grieved, Melissa. Long and hard. I loved her dearly. But it's been long enough.'

***

As they approached the Roths' house-the Roth and Abrabanel house, now, since the arrangement had by mutual agreement become permanent-Rebecca turned and leaned into Mike. He folded her into his arms and they began kissing.

Five minutes later, more or less, they separated. Not far. Maybe half an inch.

'I must speak to your father,' Mike said softly.

Rebecca nodded, her head against his chest. 'How do you want to do this, Michael?' she whispered.

'Your father?'

She shook her head. 'No, no, not that.' She smiled, still against his chest. 'I do not think, now, that will be the problem I once assumed. I am not certain, but after what Melissa said-'

She nuzzled his shoulder. 'He has been reading this philosopher named Spinoza, lately. He smiles a lot. At me, especially. And now and then I see him smiling at you. As if he knows something we do not.'

Mike chuckled. 'He probably does, at that.'

Rebecca leaned back and looked Mike in the eyes. 'I will do whatever you wish,' she said softly.

Mike studied her in the moonlight. Her eyes were like dark pools, soft, limpid, loving.

'You would prefer it slowly,' he said. The statement was a simple declaration.

Rebecca hesitated. Then, ruefully: 'Not entirely!' Her hands were suddenly pressing into his ribs, kneading, almost probing. Mike felt the passion flashing from her fingers down to his heels, back to his skull, down his spine. He swayed giddily, and pressed her close.

'Not entirely!' She laughed, turning her face eagerly to meet his. Five minutes more elapsed.

When they broke away-maybe an inch-she was smiling warmly. 'But-yes. If you don't mind. I am still-' She hesitated, fumbling for the words.

Mike provided them for her. 'You are in a new world, and pushing yourself as hard as possible to grow into it. You would like time, to fill every room properly, before you move into the house.'

'Yes!' she said. 'Oh, yes. That is exactly it, Michael.' She stared up at him. 'I love you so,' she whispered. 'Believe me that I do.'

Mike kissed her forehead. 'All right, then. That's how we'll do it.' For a moment, feeling her shoulders under his hands, he almost hissed. Desire.

Then, laughing softly. 'What the hell? My grandpa always used to say we youngsters didn't know what we were missing. Anticipation, he'd say. 'By the time you little twerps get married, you're already bored with sex.' '

Rebecca giggled. How easily they talk and joke about this!

Mike stepped back. Two inches, maybe three. 'All right, then,' he repeated. 'We'll get engaged. A long engagement, just like in the old days. As long as you want, Rebecca Abrabanel.'

He stepped back another few inches, slowly and reluctantly, but firmly for all that. 'I will speak to your father tomorrow.' Then, he was walking away.

Standing on the porch, Rebecca watched him recede until, with a last turn of the head and wave of the hand, he rounded the corner. Her head was straight, her