Kate Carlisle - The Lies That Bind

“Jeez, Naomi, have a little compassion,” I said.

But Alice’s breathing immediately began to slow down. She took a few controlled gulps, then nodded to indicate she was okay. She sank down on the nearest chair and flopped over to put her head between her legs.

Naomi and I exchanged a look. Alice was absurdly fragile. Everything set her off. Would she make it in this job? I had my doubts. Especially if she had to work with Naomi every day.

After a few minutes of stiff silence, Alice finally lifted her head, slowly drawing in air and exhaling. “Okay. Okay, I’m better. Sorry. I kind of flipped out there.”

“Kind of?” Naomi said, her tone indicating just how appalled she was. Maybe she was a little more like Layla than we’d all thought. But honestly, right now I couldn’t blame her. Poor Alice was a basket case.

“Look,” Naomi said. “I’ve just put myself in charge of the Saturday-night gala and auction. You can’t handle it. I don’t want the paramedics running in here in the middle of everything because you’re having a freaking heart attack over a broken fingernail, for God’s sake.”

Alice waved her hand weakly. “Fine. You handle it. I’ll watch this time, then maybe take on the next event.”

“Yeah, sure,” Naomi said with a sneer. “I’ll handle everything like I always do.”

I checked my watch. “Listen, I’ve got a class to teach,” I said. I didn’t want to get in the middle of another fight if these two took off on each other again.

“Yeah, whatever,” Naomi said, and walked out of the office muttering, “Freaks. I’m surrounded by freaks.”

Concerned, I looked back at Alice. She raised her head slowly and gazed up at me, a satisfied smile on her face.

Realization dawned slowly. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Well, I wasn’t expecting her to smack me like that.” But then she shrugged contentedly. “It makes her happy if she thinks she’s in charge. I’ll watch to make sure she doesn’t get too drunk with power and start thinking she owns the place. But things should run a little smoother from here on out, don’t you think?”

During the dinner break, I decided I needed a little touch of down-home comfort, so I called my mother to see how Gabriel was doing. He’d been at her place since he’d left the hospital.

“He’s still having nightmares,” she said. “I’m worried.”

“Does he know what they’re about?”

“He won’t talk about it. He sleeps a lot. I’ve made a healing charm bracelet and he wears it all the time. And I’m trying out a few spells on him. I just can’t remember if I do the banishment spell during the full moon or the waxing moon.”

“Mom, you’re kind of new at this Wicca business. Don’t go changing him into a black cat or something.”

“Silly, Gabriel wouldn’t change into a black cat.”

“Good.”

“No, he would much more likely turn into a raven.”

Oh, boy.

“Anyway,” she continued, “your father has been keeping him company, discussing wine and world events and such. And Annie and I are playing nursemaids, so he seems pretty happy about that.”

“I would think so,” I said wryly, then told her I’d try to get up there the next weekend to visit him.

“He’ll be so happy to hear that, sweetie. He’s a darling man, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is,” I said, laughing. “But, Mom, be sure to count the silverware before he leaves.”

What with Layla’s death and funeral, my students had lost out on several hours of class time, so during Thursday night’s class, I gave them the option of a makeup class on Friday night. It was a sad statement on my personal life that I was available on a Friday night, but at least I wouldn’t be alone. All my students were available, too.

After I once again demonstrated the process of centering the boards and spine stiffener on the cloth covers, and gluing the endbands in place, the students progressed to within several steps of completing the traditional journals they’d started earlier in the week.

As promised, Derek picked me up after class and we drove to my place. I had a bottle of champagne waiting in my refrigerator and I could picture us cozied up on my couch, sipping the bubbly and nibbling on warm brie and toast.

He parked his car in the visitors’ space in my garage. We took the elevator up to my floor and slid open the heavy metal gate. Hand in hand, we walked to my door. I was nearly vibrating with anticipation.

“Yoo-hoo, Brooklyn?” Vinnie called from her doorway around the corner from mine.

I moaned out loud.

Derek’s voice was low and husky. “Don’t answer. She’ll go away.”

The temptation was irresistible, but not very neighborly. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered. Wincing, I called out, “Hi, Vinnie. What’s up?”

Her light footsteps pattered down the wide hall.

“We have-oh, hello, Derek,” Vinnie said, smiling brightly. “How nice to see you again.” Derek had met my neighbors a month or so ago after that vicious killer tried to gun me down inside my home.

“Hello, Vinnie,” he said cordially. “How are you?”

“I’m quite well. Isn’t this a nice surprise?”

As she ran back to her apartment, I unlocked my door and pushed it open.

“Suzie,” Vinnie cried. “Brooklyn is at home and Derek-Remember Derek? He is with her. Come quickly and say hello. Bring the wine bottle.”

“Oh, dear God,” I whispered, then laughed as Derek pounded his head against the wall. I walked inside. He followed close behind me and grabbed me at the waist, turned me around and kissed me. I sank my fingers into his hair as my knees grew weak.

Derek’s breath came in ragged gasps as he broke away from the kiss just as Suzie’s steel-toed boots clomped against the hardwood floor outside my door.

Suzie walked in. “Hey, Brooklyn, hey, Derek.”

“Suzie,” he said cordially, and gave her a hug. “You look as lovely as ever.”

How he could sound so cool and debonair after a scorching kiss that had left me shaking was a mystery for the ages?

“Uh, yo, looking good,” Suzie said, flustered and blushing from Derek’s hug. Even a steel-toed lesbian was no match for his charms.

“Come on in,” I said, waving them into the living room. “Make yourselves at home while I put my tools away in the office.”

“You sure?” Suzie asked. “You guys rushing off somewhere or can we hang for a while?”

“Hang away,” Derek said generously, and I flashed him a grateful smile. They were, after all, my favorite neighbors and dear friends.

Still, that whole karma thing was getting on my nerves.

Vinnie walked in a minute later with a large bag of leftover Thai food. As I said, they were my favorite neighbors, and the free food was just one reason why.

I walked with her into the kitchen and she went to work emptying the bag, finding places in my refrigerator for all the little white boxes to fit.

“Anybody home?” a voice called from the door.

“That’s Robin,” I said, mystified.

“Lovely,” Vinnie said, folding the bag. “You’re having a party.”

“That’s what it looks like,” I said, flashing Derek a bewildered look before running to the door.

Robin was already inside, hanging her coat up in my front closet, so I grabbed her for a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you, too.” She held up a bottle of wine. “My date canceled so I thought maybe you could use a friend to listen to you rant some more. But I can hear you’ve already got a full house.”

“Yes,” I said, then whispered, “Derek is here.”