Make Quilts Not War

chapter 5



“If you don’t mind waiting until the dinner rush is over, I can take you back to my place,” James said, stabbing his fork into the last piece of cake on his plate. “Not for anything,” he added in a rush. “I mean, if you want to hide out for a while. This all might be easier to face in the morning, or next week.” He gave her his crooked half-smile.

Harriet reached across the table and touched his hand; her own shook in spite of her effort to steady it.

“Thank you, that’s very sweet of you, but I’m afraid this won’t get easier with time. If I’m not home tonight, it will only make things worse. Besides, it’s not exactly the end of the world as we know it. I was stood up. It happens to people all the time, maybe without quite this spectacular of a setup but all the time, nonetheless. If you don’t mind, I’d just like to sit here a few more minutes and then call a cab.”

“At least let me have someone drive you,” James pleaded. “You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

“Thanks, but I think an anonymous taxi is what I need.”

“You do realize that nothing’s anonymous in Foggy Point, don’t you?”

“You’re right, but I don’t know the taxi guy yet. And thanks again for this.” She pointed at her now-empty dessert plate.

“It was the least I could do. I would have never done this to you or anyone else, but somehow, since it happened at my place, I feel like a coconspirator or something.”

“You’ve been wonderful,” Harriet said and looked at him. “I mean it. This could have been so much worse if you weren’t here trying to make me feel like less of a loser.”

“Well, the next time the good doctor calls for a reservation, he’s getting a table by the kitchen door.”

Harriet looked toward the kitchen.

“You don’t have a table by the kitchen door.”

“I’ll set one up just for him,” James said and looked at Harriet. “Was that a smile?”

She tried to look serious but failed and ended up laughing.

“See, you have made it better.”

The hostess came in their direction, hovering a discreet distance away and clutching a stack of menus to her chest.

“I think you’re needed,” Harriet said with a nod to the hostess. “I’m going to go powder my nose, and then, if you could call the taxi, I’ll be out of here.”

“As you wish.” James stood. “Call me if you need anything.”

Harriet went to the restroom and, after using the facilities, splashed her face with cold water again. She was not looking forward to the next hour. If she didn’t call her aunt and Lauren by midnight, they would call her, so there was no getting around it. They’d made it seem like it was up to her, but she knew they expected a report.

She looked at her face in the mirror. She was pale, with two unnaturally bright spots high on her cheeks. Tears came unbidden to her eyes. She’d been a fool to agree to such a big date, given how things had been between her and Aiden these last two months. She should have known. She’d never make a mistake like this again. She sighed. There was no more stalling.

She went back out into the restaurant.

“Harriet,” a soft female voice called to her from just outside the restroom door.

“Carla?” Harriet said. “What are you doing here?”

“Aiden’s not coming,” the young woman said, looking everywhere but at her.

“Yeah, I figured that out.”

“I came to get you,” Carla continued. “I’m sorry, I would have been here sooner, but I had to take Wendy to Connie’s house first.” She referred to her toddler.

“Oh, great, so Connie knows already?” Harriet said.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I didn’t think I should bring Wendy with me this late.”

“No. No, you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t have come at all. I’ve got a taxi coming.”

“I told the lady at the front that I was here to get you, and she went to the kitchen and talked to the guy, so I think he didn’t call the taxi.”

“Aiden sent you to get me?” Harriet said a little too loud.

Carla looked down.

“Can we talk outside?” she murmured.

Harriet looked around and realized that people were staring at her. She turned and went to the door, brushing past the hostess before she could hold it for her. She heard Carla apologize to the woman before following her outside.

“If Aiden didn’t send you, why are you here?” Harriet asked as she rounded on Carla. “No offense, I guess I’m glad you’re here. What I meant to say is, why didn’t Aiden send you?”

“Aiden has his hands full—”

“Aiden always has his hands full,” Harriet yelled. “He can’t ever seem to pick up the phone and tell me himself that he won’t be coming. He could even text me. Or he could have called James.”

Carla stared blankly at her.

“James owns this place. The point is, I’m important enough for Aiden to send a limo to bring me here, just not quite important enough for him to call when he decides to call it all off. Or maybe it was the plan all along. If he wanted to make it clear we’re not going to make it as a couple, this did it.”

“It’s not like that,” Carla said, her face turning red. “He wanted to be here.”

“Now you’re going to defend him?”

“No, I’m not defending him, but you don’t understand.” Carla hit the button on her key fob, and the doors to her car unlocked. Harriet went around to the passenger side and got in. Carla joined her and started the car.

“He couldn’t come,” she said. She left the car in park. “He was getting ready for your dinner. He’d laid a tuxedo out on his bed and was polishing his shoes when Michelle called—”

“Of course it would be Michelle. She’s been the problem all along.”

“She’s in the hospital.”

“What?” Harriet sank back into her seat, her fury deflated. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure anyone knows for sure, but Aiden was getting ready and his cell phone rang and Michelle said she was at the end of his driveway and she said goodbye and he ran out and went to her car and she was unconscious. He called nine-one-one and they came and got her. He said there was an empty prescription bottle on the floor of the car. He’s at the hospital.”

“That’s all?” Harriet asked. “No explanation as to why she did this?”

“Wendy and I went out to wait with him for the ambulance, and she was moaning and talking, but she didn’t make any sense. When they were gone, I went back in the house and gave Wendy her dinner, and when I took her upstairs to get her pajamas, I saw his tuxedo and realized you were waiting for him. I called your house, and when you didn’t answer, I was going to call your aunt, but I didn’t think you’d want me to.”

“Thank you for that,” Harriet told her.

Carla turned her face away and continued.

“I went into his office and looked at his scratch paper. He has this big tablet on his desk, and he writes notes about everything he does. There were three different restaurants listed; I got lucky on the second call.”

“Exactly what did you say to the restaurant?”

“I told them the truth,” she said. “I said I was trying to find my friend, who was waiting for her date, and that he had been called away on a family emergency.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to take this out on you. I really do appreciate you coming and getting me. And I’m sorry Michelle is in the hospital. I don’t like the woman, but she’s obviously disturbed if she staged a suicide attempt in her brother’s driveway.”

“She really did take the pills,” Carla protested.

“I know. I’m sure she did. It’s just that she did it in such a way there was no chance she wouldn’t be found before it was too late. She made sure Aiden was home and nearby before she took the pills, didn’t she?”

“I guess so,” Carla said. “That’s really sick, isn’t it.”

“Indeed, it is,” Harriet agreed.

Carla drove her home in silence.

“You want to come in for a cup of tea?” she asked when Carla had parked.

Carla hesitated and then agreed.

“I guess Connie won’t mind a few more minutes.”

“I’m sure whatever time you arrive, you’re going to have to pry Wendy out of Rod and Connie’s clutches.”

“I’ll start the water,” Carla said and headed for the kitchen.

“I’ll get the cups and tea,” Harriet said and followed her.