J Saint - Collateral Damage

Don't go there, Lauren chastised herself. She should long be past the hurt of it all.

The remnants of honey barbeque scented the air and a rainbow of rented umbrellas dotted the luxurious lawn, each marking tables where neighborhood kids licked icing off cake and excitedly dug through their GI Joe goody bags they'd just gotten. All in all the party was a resounding success and she should relax. Would relax if Matt and Mitch would show just a little more caution. But that would be like stopping the ocean from rushing to the shore. Completely impossible. Just as impossible it would be for her not to worry about them.

"You look frazzled to a pulp."

Lauren tried to smile, but winced instead. "Am I that bad?"

"Worse. I was being kind. So what's up?"

Lauren had met Angie six years ago and they had quickly forged a bond that went deep. Angie had been Matt and Mitch's nurse in the Neonatal ICU at Northside Hospital and Lauren swore it was the woman's sharp instincts and devoted care that helped the boys survive those first desperate hours and days. Born at twenty-seven weeks with complications, hope for their survival had been dim. But Matt and Mitch had survived and were a miracle of life. Lauren didn't breathe without remembering and thanking God for that miracle.

"I'm fine." She deliberately ignored the root of her anxiety. Or roots she should say. Bill was only part of it. The other part involved restless nights, her worry for her children, and the feeling that she'd been hanging in limbo forever. Her divorce from Bill was taking a long time to finalize. But at the moment, a different dilemma with Bill had churned to the surface and had her strung tight.

Angie lifted her brow, disbelief in her sharp green gaze.

"Really, I'm fine." Lauren spied Matt behind the pony again and nearly spilled her tea as she jumped up. Before she could shout, Hank scooped up Matt and plopped him on the pony with Mitch. She sat back down.

Angie took several pictures of the boys together then let the camera drop to her chest. Holding up three fingers, she eliminated them one by one as she spoke. "First, let me point out that the pony is only a little taller than the beasts you call dogs, which would likely make mince meat of the pony. Secondly, the pony is presently moving less than a mile per hour. The boys never move that slow, even in their sleep, so they're actually being good. Thirdly, and most importantly, something besides the boys has you upset."

Lauren sighed. "You're right on all accounts." Angie never missed a thing, which made her a great nurse and an excellent part-time photographer. The beasts she referred to were Sasha and Sam, White American Shepherds who guarded her sons with fervor.

When Bill had brought the puppies home on Matt and Mitch's first birthday, Lauren thought her husband had lost his mind. She had twins with multiple health and developmental problems. She didn't need to add two puppies to the mix, no matter how adorable they were. Matt and Mitch had squealed with delight at the puppies, but when the boys had begun rolling and then crawling across the floor to get to Sasha and Sam, Lauren had cried with joy. Bill had found the key to motivating their sons through their developmental difficulties. They wanted to go and do everything that Sasha and Sam did. It was something she kept reminding herself about after Bill changed.

She glanced at her watch. Eight o'clock. If Bill planned on showing up for their sons' birthday party, he would have been here by now.

"You still haven't heard from the toad, right?"

"Not a word."

To Angie there were three kinds of men. Toads who were always toads-a prevalent breed. Prince Charmings who were always Prince Charmings-a rare breed. And Prince Charmings that turned into toads-a dangerous breed. Bill fit Angie's dangerous category. He'd been Lauren's Prince Charming until about two years ago. Lauren blamed it on his new job. When he became head of public relations for BioLogics-a company geared toward the promotion of save-the-earth green technology-he started keeping secrets for business, going places and seeing people he couldn't tell her about. When she asked what about being an environmentalist had to be so top secret, Bill had become surly. Then his behavior worsened. Other women entered the picture. That had been Lauren's last straw. They'd been separated for a year and a half, but the divorce wouldn't be final until next month.

Lauren shook off her thoughts and explained to Angie what the problem was. "Bill said he'd be back for the boys' birthday and they're expecting him. I called his secretary earlier today and she hasn't heard from him. Neither has anyone else. It's been over two weeks since he left and he hasn't called once. How can he disappoint them like this?"

Angie set her hand on Lauren's. "I wish I could wave a magic wand and fix it."

"Me too." Lauren focused her gaze on Matt and Mitch. They were laughing, their blond hair gleaming like spun gold, their smiles bright. If she didn't hear from Bill in the next hour, she would have to tell the boys that their father had a business problem and couldn't make it. Then they'd want to talk to him and they'd demand to know when he was coming back. He was their father and this was their birthday. She glanced at her watch and faced what she'd been avoiding all day. It was an hour later in Sao Paulo. Last month Bill had called the boys from there. The name Milania Carridas had shown on the caller ID that night.

Google revealed quite a bit about the Brazilian actress and her lush curves, right down to what amounted to a G-string and pasties on her Double-D's. To top it off, a video popped up of Milania with Bill at a high-end Brazilian resort doing the tango up close and personal on the dance floor that left no doubt they were doing the horizontal tango as well.

She resented this whole situation. Why should she hunt Bill down to remind him about his sons' birthday? He was an adult and he should have to bear the brunt of his mistakes. But it wasn't Bill who would hurt the most. It was Matt and Mitch. How could she not somehow make the effort to find out if Bill was there?

Yet the thought of calling made her ill.

"I'd castrate the toad too," Angie added.

"Hmm?" Lauren blinked at Angie, surfacing from her dilemma.

"The toad. While I'm waving my magic wand to fix things, I'll fix him too."

Lauren's half-laugh fizzled. "I'm mad enough to Bobbitt him and have been for a while. But being pissed off at Bill only makes things harder for the boys. I know they sense my anger, and I'm sure that's making them more insecure."

"Good. You be Ms. Responsible. Fortunately, I'm not under such constraints and can therefore express enough mad for both of us."

Lauren shook her head. "Then by all means castrate the toad, but we'll have to find him first." She groaned then. "Which means someone should call Brazil and see if he's there."

"Call Double-D G-string?" Angie winced. "Ouch."

"Yeah. Can you just shoot me now?"

Angie's smile turned devilish. "I've an idea. I'll call for you. I'll tell her that MetroSouthern is considering an article on jet-setting couples, and that I saw her picture with the toad. Even if he's not with her, she might have an idea of where he is. And you know she won't turn down US exposure."

Angie's mother was the editor for the hip mag that featured who's who in the new generation of business people and trendsetters in "Hotlanta".

"You'd do that?"

"In a heartbeat. While I am at it, I'll see if she can be bribed enough to strangle the toad with her G-string."

"Have I told you lately that I love you?"

Angie held up her hand. "Not so fast with the feel good. There's a catch."

Lauren didn't like the sound of this one. "What?"

"You must promise me that you'll come to the next MetroSouthern soiree with me. The guys are good looking, dynamic business men with plenty of money. The next step for you is a date where you engage in conversation with an interesting man, even if you aren't ready to jump into bed with him."