Ch 111 Going Back home

                            

“Wendy? Helloooo, earth to Wendy!”

“Huh?”

“Did you hear anything I’ve been saying?” Alec whined.

“Uh…”

“What is up with you, girl?” he said, exasperated. “Past two days you’ve been an absolute zombie!”

“Oh, sorry, Alec,” she said, as she stared out of the window to the fluffy clouds finally giving way to reveal a lovely sunset and city lights popping on one by one. “We’re landing already?”

“Well, it seems I’ve been talking to myself for the past hour,” he said in a snippy voice. “Although I love me a soliloquy every once in a while I do prefer to be heard.”

“I’m truly sorry, Alec. I’ve just been…”

“Stressing out? Well, don’t! You’ll do great now with your own restaurant…not that you weren’t wonderful before, but…woo-wee! Port Orianco won’t know what hit them when le chic gourmet Wendy’s come to town from the big NYC.”

His good mood drifted off again when he saw she hadn’t heard any of that either. Worse, he was now rather concerned, more so than annoyed.

“Wendy, love, tell me what’s wrong. Did something happen? Did you receive bad news from home?” he said, this time reaching across the aisle for her hand.

She bit her lip and stared at him. “Yes... no... I don’t know…I don’t know what to think,” she whispered.

“Is it the kids? My sweet Janet?” he said with undue alarm.

“Um…sort of,” she said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly before starting. “Jeffery called and… Tell me, Alec, is it at all likely do you think that a man, a vibrant, desirable, able-bodied male, could stay overnight in the same house with a desirable woman and not have sex with her even if he was drunk and didn’t know what he was doing?”

He rolled his eyes. “Hello! I could be snuggled up between Jessica Alba and Mina Kunis-- buck naked the three of us-- and nothing--and I do mean nothing--would ever happen no matter how drunk I am and no matter how awesome they think I am,” he said.

Wendy couldn’t help laughing. “Yes, but Jeffery isn’t gay,” she said.

“True that,” Alec said, thoughtfully. “So, what are you saying? Now, after all this time, he’s claiming he didn’t have sex with that woman…the other Monica Lowinski? How very Clinton-esque of him.”

Again Wendy laughed. “He had always said he couldn’t remember anything, but he assumed he had because Karen…”

“The bee-actch who called you to gloat? Yes, continue,” he interrupted nodding with a distasteful scowl on his face.

“Well, according to Jeffery, Janet went to meet her and from…well, I don’t really know how that went, but Janet doesn’t think it happened, like at all, and Karen supposedly admitted it to Jeffery.”

“Supposedly you say,” he said, lifting a brow and pursing his lips.

“Well, he could be out and out lying about all of it, couldn’t he?” Wendy said, just as the buckle up sign clicked on over-head.

“But wouldn’t he have done this long before now? I don’t see what he has to gain now if…”

“He’s been home this week, and knowing him, he loved it, being with the kids and being in his own home, his own bed. He knows as soon as I get back, it’ll all be back to normal and he’ll be outta there. He’s thinking I’m stupid enough to buy this new load of BS and that I’ll just take him back, like nothing ever happened. Well, I’m not that stupid! And I think it’s hideous of him to use Janet that way.”

Alec remained quiet as he studied her stubborn expression, which he couldn’t help noticing held a bit of hope despite her words to the contrary. “Hey, I don’t know Jeffery from Adam, but from what you told me he doesn’t seem to know how to lie to you, so why would he start now?” he said, with a slight frown.

 “I don’t know, Wendy. Using Janet sounds a bit…off. Janet has a way about her, you know? She’s sharp as a tack. I don’t see anyone pulling the wool over her eyes even her father. Do you?”

Wendy frowned and shook her head. “She’s smart, but she’s also very naïve, and she and Jeffery have always been so close. I think Jeffery is using her love for him to turn her opinion of him around and then he’ll force her to get me on board.”

“Is he the type to do that? Is he normally manipulative like that?” Alec asked his pale blue eyes wide as he felt the plane tip ever so slightly downward and he gripped the armrest.

Wendy scoffed. “Jeffery? No, he’s a pussy cat. He would nev…er…do that,” she mumbled, a crease forming between her brows.

“Think you have your answer right there, Love. If Janet suddenly doesn’t believe this occurred…well, there may be something to it. Oh, here we go!” he shouted closing his eyes as the plane dipped down at great speed. 

Moments later they touched ground, but he wouldn’t reopen his eyes nor remove his white-knuckled grip from the armrest until the plane slowed to a crawl. Then he breathed again. 

“Oh thank you, God or Bhudda or Allah or whoever is up there holding planes up until they have to come down.”

“With all the flying you do, I’d think you’d be used to it by now,” Wendy said, laughing at what passed for prayer for him.

“Used to it, yes. Like it, no!” he said, clutching his heart now. “Okay, so, you just have to wait to talk to Janet before you make a decision you’ll regret. Reserve judgement until you have all the facts, but seems to me if the two people who supposedly slept together are now saying they didn’t…well, that’s rather Clinton-esque, too, isn’t it? Oh, what do I know! I believed Viktor when he said he’d love me forever. I’m just a bloody, romantic fool, but also one who isn’t too keen on being made to play the fool!”

Unfortunately, that was exactly how Wendy felt.

*****

“Mom!” Janet shouted, tossing her arms around Wendy.

“I’m home!” Wendy said, hugging her tightly.

“I can tell!” Janet replied, laughing and taking one of the two huge suitcases Wendy had dragged up the porch steps. “Um, didn’t you just have one bag when you left?”

“You think Alec would let me leave New York without spending a heck of a lot of money?”

“No, that would be crazy talk!” Janet said, hugging her again. “Oh, we’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you all, too,” Wendy said. “Where is everybody?”

“Sleeping. I only just got home from Luke’s,” Janet said. 

“Practice for the Gala?” Wendy asked.

“Yeah,” Janet answered excitedly.

“I may have a dress in here you’d like for it,” Wendy said, indicating one of the suitcases.

“Oh, I already have one,” Janet replied. “Do you remember my friend Joann? She’s Billy’s girlfriend… you know, Wes’ cousin.”

“The would-be fashion designer?”

“Yes! Well, she asked me to do her a favor and wear one of her creations to the Gala…it’ll be like free advertising for her designs. You should see it, Mom. It’s gorgeous!”

“Wow, well, that’s a favor anyone would love to do for her,” Wendy said, lovingly passing her hand over Janet’s hair, marveling as she did so how happy she looked.

“Mom, I have so much to tell you,” Janet said.

“Not now, Janet.” Jeff came into the foyer just then and stared fixedly at Wendy, feasting his eyes and his soul. “Welcome home, Wendy.”

“Thank you,” she said, staring right back at him and hating the breathiness in her voice. For pity’s sake, she’d been married to this man for nearly eighteen years. You’d think she’d stop acting like a love-sick teenager every time she cast eyes on him, even if he did look good enough to eat. The way he was looking at her made her quite certain he felt the same.

“But, Dad, I…”

Jeff lifted his hand and silenced her, never removing his eyes from Wendy. “Time enough for that, Sweetie. Your mother only just got home and she’s sure to need rest now that it’s so late. Traveling is bothersome enough without being bombarded as soon as you get home.”

Janet anxiously looked from her father to her mother and waited—for what she didn’t know. She was dying to tell her mother everything she’d discovered, dying to get these two back together and dying to get everything back to normal.

“Mom, would you like some tea or something to eat? I could get it for you and then I could tell you...”

“Janet, you should go to bed. You have school in the morning remember?” Jeff said, smiling at Wendy.

“No, I don’t! It’s Saturday tomorrow,” Janet huffed.

“Okay…but you said you’re going with Wes in the morning, so…go on to bed, there’s a good girl,” Jeff said, and only then did he tear his gaze from Wendy. “Good night, Baby. I love you.”

“You’re not leaving, are you?” Janet asked, her heart suddenly pounding too hard in her chest. “You’re staying tonight, right?”

“Honey,” he said, giving her a pleading sort of look. “Say good night to your mom and get to bed, please.”

Janet bit down on her lip and hugged Wendy again. “Don’t make him go,” she whispered and then she kissed her on the cheek and rushed up the stairs.

The sudden thought entered Wendy’s head. Did Janet expect her to allow Jeffery back in her bed and would Jeffery expect the same thing?

Jeff waited for the sound of Janet’s bedroom door, but not hearing it he cleared his throat and loudly said, “Good night, Janet.”

She made a huffy sort of noise and then stomped down the hall to her room. Only when he heard the door shutting did he step closer to Wendy. “You look beautiful; a sight for sore eyes.”

“You always say that,” she retorted.

“It’s always true,” he replied. When she didn’t say anything he asked, “How are you feeling, Wendy?”

How indeed? Numb, jittery, comfortably warm and stir-crazy all at once, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. “You know, I always wondered what would happen if I was in a disfiguring accident and I was no longer beautiful. How would you act then?”

He watched her unbutton her jacket and stepped forward to help her out of it. “Do you often have such gloomy thoughts?”

She hid her amusement. “Not often. Just wondering what you’d do.”

 He hung up the coat and turned back to her. “I’d remember you as you are now and I’d still love you the same, because an accident wouldn’t change what you are inside.”

Her heart did a tumble. “Good answer,” she mumbled.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Jeff broke the silence. “Well, I ought to let you get to bed. I changed the sheets for you and…left things as you like them,” he said, grabbing his own leather jacket, shrugging into it as he continued looking at her.

“You could…you could stay…um…on the couch…if you like,” she said.

He shook his head. “Better not.”

“The kids will wonder where you are,” she said.

Again he shook his head. “Doubt that. They know where to find me when I’m not here…the store or the beach house or with them.”

He opened the door and had one foot on the threshold when he turned to smile at her. “Glad you’re home safe and sound, Wendy. Sleep well.”

“Jeffery,” she said. 

“Yes?”

Her mind drew a blank as she stared at him. Half of her wanted to tell him to stay and the other half wanted to tell him to join her in bed. Of course, she wouldn’t listen to either of them, she couldn’t—not and keep what little pride she had left. “I…uh…how was it with Tristan? Was he much bother?”

Jeff grinned and stepped back inside, closing the door. “Not at all, but that was because Donny pretty much took on babysitting duty.”

“What?”

“Tristan had breakfast here, I took him to work with me and a half hour later Donny would stop by and get him. Tristan spent almost the entire day, every day since he got here with his best bud, Mr. Bashan,” he said.

Wendy’s mouth fell open and a moment later she burst out laughing. “Oh, my goodness! My plan might be working without me doing anything.”

Jeff’s eyebrows shot up. “Your plan?”

“I was hoping to get Donny and May Lyn …you know…together. They’re both widowed and…”

Jeffery stopped listening at together. So, Wendy wasn’t dating Donny and hoping he’d become her next husband? Nothing in the world could have made him happier.

“So, you see…if Donny and Tristan are already chummy…”

“It’s just the next step to get your sister to fall for Donny, too. Brilliant, if they like each other.”

“Oh, they will…I hope,” Wendy said with a laugh. Jeff joined in.

“Well, we’ll see when she comes home, won’t we?” Jeff said.

Wendy nodded and they stared at each other again. Jeff got the feeling she didn’t want him to leave, and God knows he didn’t want to, but he wasn’t going to ask to stay. That would be pushing his luck.

“Will you come by tomorrow?”

Surprised by her question, he frowned slightly. “I have the shop to run until six, but I don’t open until ten on Saturdays. Did you need me for something? I could come before work.”

“No, nothing like that, but…” She licked her lips and felt her mouth go dry. “We didn’t finish our discussion the other day.”

“Wasn’t sure you’d want to, but, sure. I could come by after work, if that’s okay,” he said.

She nodded and forced a smile. “I’ll have dinner ready.”

This gave him hope! “Sounds good. Well, good night,” he said, his hand on the doorknob. Before he opened the door, he turned back and looked at her long and hard. He decided to push his luck just a tiny bit. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Glad you’re home, Wendy,” he whispered and reluctantly stepped back and out the door, before he did something stupid.

Wendy suddenly remembered to breathe. “Good night, Jeffery,” she whispered. She wished she didn’t want to run out and make him stay with her.