Danielle Steel - Changes

“Peter.” Mel's voice was firm. “Valerie is not exotic. She's just downright sexy. You'd better start putting saltpeter in Mark's food right now.”

“Poor kid. I think he's still a virgin, and working his ass off to change his status. He turns eighteen next month, starts college in September, and the last thing he wants is to be a virgin.”

“Well, tell him to practice on someone other than my daughter.”

“That's a deal, as long as I can practice on her mother.” They both laughed then, and they were both looking forward to Aspen, in spite of their children.

“Think we'll survive it, Peter?”

“I have not a single doubt, my love. We're all going to have a great time.”

“You think Pam will be okay?”

“I'm certain of it. And the fact is we have to think of ourselves too. I love you, Mel.” She responded in kind and they hung up at last.

But his diagnosis seemed to be a trifle optimistic as they boarded the plane to Denver from LAX a few days later.

“Come on, sourpuss, it's time to board.” Marie found Pam unbearable when she sulked as she had been for days. She wasn't even speaking to their father. “You're going to make it a great vacation for all of us, aren't you?”

“Up yours.” She spoke to her older brother in a tone that would have curled anyone's hair, and Marie looked as though he would have liked to hit her.

“Come on, you two.” Peter was wearing chino slacks, a plaid shirt, and a red sweater over his shoulders, carrying a small backpack. He had everyone's boarding passes in one hand, and he was holding on to Matt's hand with the other. Matthew was in such high spirits that he amply made up for Pam, who found a seat by herself across the aisle when they boarded. The three men sat three abreast, with Matthew on the window so he could look out, and Peter on the aisle so he could keep an eye on Pam, but she turned her face away, and looked out the window for the first half of the flight and then she read a book until lunch was served, but she did no more than pick at her food before the tray was picked up again. Peter concealed his worry. Later, when Peter broke out the candy he had brought for the kids, he passed some to her too, but she declined it without looking at him.

“She's really being an ass, Dad.” Mark said it sotto voce to his father before they landed in Denver.

“She'll be all right. Mel's girls will distract her. She's probably just feeling threatened because she won't be the queen bee for a while. She's used to being the only girl around the three of us, and here come three new ones. It's bound to be a bit of a jolt at first.”

“She just likes getting her way. She has ever since Mom died.” He looked reproachfully at their father. “Mom would never have let her get away with this.”

“Maybe not.” But even that reproach hurt Peter. He tried so damn hard, and why did they always think Anne had done it all better?

But then Matthew reclaimed his attention as they landed, and they had to run to change planes, and catch the flight to Aspen. It was a short bumpy ride over the mountains and they made a spectacular landing, dipping in between the mountains to the tiny airport filled with Lear jets and small private planes. Aspen was a magnet to the very rich, and also to a more varied, interesting crowd. There seemed to be everything there, all kinds of people, which was one of the reasons why Peter liked it. It was one of the many traditions he had shared with Anne, that he still kept up now, because they had shared happy times during their holidays there, in winter and summer.

“We're here!” He said it with joy in his voice and the four of them disembarked and rented a car at the airport, to go to a condo much like the one they had rented for the past five years. It seemed time for a new one this time, and even Pam seemed more excited as they approached town. As usual, nothing had changed, including the spectacular view of the mountains. And they had just enough time to settle in and unpack, and go to the supermarket for some food, before Peter had to go to the airport to meet Mel's plane. He looked around the group unpacking the food before he left and made one of his seemingly “casual” offers. “Anyone want to come?”

“I'll come.” Mark was quick to drop what he was doing, and put his Topsiders on his bare feet. He was wearing khaki shorts and a red T-shirt, and with his deep tan from L.A. and his hair bleached from the sun, even Peter had to notice that the boy was strikingly handsome. Mel's twins would melt, and if they didn't, there was something wrong with them, he grinned to himself, proud of his oldest son.

“Me too!” Matt piped up, grabbing his favorite space gun.

“Do you need that thing?” Peter glanced at the gun, it made a noise that drove him crazy.

“Sure, we might be invaded by creatures from outer space.”

“They're coming in on the next flight,” Pam said pointedly and Peter glared.

“That's enough! In fact”—he looked angrily at Pam—“I think you should come too. We're a family, and we do things together.”

“How touching.” She stood firmly in the kitchen. “I think I'll stay.”

“Come on, asshole.” Mark pushed her toward the door and she pushed him back and Peter roared.

“God damn it! I want you to behave now!” Pam seemed suddenly mollified by the roar from her father, and the four of them drove to the airport in silence, as Peter worried about what Pam would say to Mel and her daughters. But as he saw Mel step off the plane, all he could think of was how much he loved her and how desperately he wanted to pull her into his arms. But they had to remain in control in front of the kids. She came toward him, with her red hair tied in a loose knot, a straw hat shielding her eyes, and a pretty cream-colored linen dress and sandals. “It's good to see you, Mel.” He took her hand as the children watched, and she kissed his cheek lightly and turned at once to his children. It took every ounce of self-restraint she had not to kiss him full on the mouth.

“Hi, Pam, it's nice to see you again.” She lightly touched her shoulder and bent to kiss Matt, who threw his arms around her neck, and then at last she turned to say hello to Mark, but he was staring intently at a young woman behind her. “Let me introduce my daughters to you. This is Jessica.” It was easy to see that they were mother and daughter from the red hair, but it was Valerie who had riveted Mark's attention. “And this is Valerie.”

Both girls said hello quietly, and Mel introduced them both to Peter, as he had to fight not to burst into laughter. His oldest son looked as though he were going to fall into a dead faint at Val's feet, and as he and Mel went to gather their bags he looked at her with a grin and shook his head.

“You were right. I'm not even sure that saltpeter would have made a difference.” The girl had a voluptuous quality that almost defied description, even more so because she appeared so fresh and naive. “You ought to keep her off the streets, Mel.”

“I try, love, I try.” She turned to him then. “How are you? Did the trip go okay?”

“Fine.”

“How's Pam?” She glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and saw that Jessie was talking to her, as Matt stared up at Jess in blatant adoration. “I'd say some of the dynamics are going to work out okay.” Val and Mark were talking animatedly and Pam seemed to be answering Jess, as Jessica took Matt's small hand in her own, and admired the space gun between spurts of conversation with his sister. “They're all good kids, that should help.”

“So is their mother.”

“I love you.” She mouthed silently to him, with her back turned to the children, and he longed to take her in his arms.