This can’t be real, he thought to himself. This can’t be happening. “I–I can talk.”
“Carl, I’m so sorry about everything that’s happened. I never meant for things to turn out like this.”
“I–I didn’t either, honey.”
“We shouldn’t be fighting. A family should be together on Christmas Eve.”
Carl’s head was swimming, supercharged with adrenaline and excitement. “I know, honey. That’s what I’ve been saying. That’s what I’ve been saying all along.”
“I’ve been so wrong, Carl. I’ve been so bad. I know I have.”
“No, honey. It was me. All me.”
“No, I’ve treated you like hell. I’ve kept you away from your boy. That was wrong. A boy needs his daddy.”
Tears cascaded down Carl’s cheeks. He couldn’t help himself. She was saying all the right words. “It’s okay, honey.”
“It’s not okay. It was wrong. But I’d like to make it better now. I mean-if you’ll let me.” He could hear her breathing deeply, swallowing her pride. “If you’ll still have me.”
“Of course I will, honey. You know I will.”
“You’re so good to me, Carl. You always have been.”
“Aw, honey, I love you. You know I do.”
“I know, Carl. I want you to come to me. Please. Now.”
“But-” He pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it. Was this a dream or a hallucination? “But what about Frank?”
“Frank is gone, Carl. Gone forever. He’s out of my life.”
“Are-are you sure, honey?”
“I’m sure. That was such a mistake. I don’t know what came over me. But I know this: I want to start doing things right. Starting today. Starting with you.”
“I do too, baby. I do too.”
“And-oh, there’s so much more I want to tell you. To show you. I’ll-well, I’ll let it be my Christmas surprise.”
“I love surprises, baby. Especially from you.”
“Please come to me, Carl. Come now.”
Carl’s hand began trembling. “I–I’ll be right over, sweetheart. Where are you?”
“I’m at home. Don’t ring the bell; I don’t want Tommy to know that we’re together again yet. Let it be his Christmas surprise. He’ll be so happy.”
“Whatever you want, Bonnie.”
“Just come to the house and wait outside. When I see you, I’ll come out to meet you.”
“I’ll be there, Bonnie. I’m leaving right now.”
“Please do, Carl. I can’t wait to be with you. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms, to feel you pressing up against me-”
“I’m coming, Bonnie. I’m coming right now.”
“And Carl?”
He jerked his head back to the receiver. “Yes, baby?”
“I love you, Carl. I–I always did, you know.”
The line disconnected. Carl suddenly realized his face was bathed in tears. He was blubbering like a baby. Everyone in the bar was staring at him-and he didn’t care. He just didn’t care.
It would take him ten minutes to get back to the alley where he’d ditched the pickup. Maybe less if he ran. After that, it wouldn’t take him fifteen minutes to get to Bonnie’s house.
To
He tossed the contents of his wallet down on the counter, wiped his eyes, and raced out the door. The bracing wind gripped him, shook him, roused him, cleared his head.
This was really happening, he told himself. Really, really happening. He was coming home.
He was part of a family again. On Christmas Eve.
Bonnie stretched across the sofa and punched the button disconnecting the speakerphone. “How did I do?”
Frank sat at the end of the sofa, her feet in his lap. “You were brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.” He bent down and kissed her big toe. “Do you think he’ll come?”
She laughed. “I know he’ll come.” She readjusted the pillow under her head. “Idiot.”
“Good. And all will go as planned?”
“Are you kidding? The stage is set. After that scene you provoked this morning, after the fool tried to kidnap Tommy-hell, by now the police must assume he tried to poison the kid. They’re scouring the city for him, and I’ve got a restraining order in my pocket-which the chump is about to violate. Everything is set up perfectly.”
“I’m so glad.” Frank wriggled the top of her foot into his mouth and nibbled on the tips of her toes.
“Will you be ready?” Bonnie asked pointedly.
“Oh, yes. Oh, yes.” He lowered her feet gently to the sofa, then reached across the end table to his black tote bag. Carefully he removed the sturdy wooden box inside, opened it, and took out the shiny silver pistol resting inside.
He checked to make sure it was loaded. “Very ready.”
Bonnie stretched out, her face settling into a happy smile. “That’s good,” she said, curling up like a kitten on the overstuffed cushions. “After all, I did promise the man a Christmas surprise.” She began to laugh. “And boy, is he ever going to get one.”
13
Carl was practically driving on autopilot as he made his way to Bonnie’s house. The sky could’ve fallen down around him; he would never have noticed. All he could hear, all he could think about were those last tender words, the words that kept ringing in his ears and wouldn’t stop: “I love you, Carl. I always did.”
He had known she loved him, he thought as he zipped by the state capitol on Lincoln Boulevard. He’d known it. Deep down, she couldn’t have meant all those horrible accusations. It was just a brain fever or something, just an aberration. Now they would get back to how things were supposed to be.
He swerved around the corner of Fifteenth Street, almost lifting the pickup onto two wheels. He wasn’t driving well, he knew that. He’d had too much to drink. Couldn’t see straight and wasn’t thinking clearly, either. But what could he do?
He had to get there. He had to get there. He had to get there.
The words rushed back to him, blocking out all distractions, all reason, all rational thought.
“I love you, Carl. I always did.”
Megan had just about decided to call it a day. She unhooked Jasper’s leash and prepared to haul him home for whatever Christmas they could look forward to when the phone rang.
“He’s coming!” the voice on the phone said before Megan had a chance to say hello.
“Bonnie? Is this you?”
“He’s coming! He’s on his way!”
“Carl? Carl is coming?” She wrapped the leash back around her lamp. “Does he know about the restraining order?”
“He doesn’t care. He says he’s coming to take Tommy away. And he says he’ll kill anyone who gets in his way.”
“Call the police, Bonnie.”
“They won’t come-”
“Bonnie, you listen to me!” Megan put on her most authoritative voice. “Hang up the phone and call the police. They
“All right.”
