Читать книгу A New York Kind Of Love - Synithia Williams - Страница 13

Chapter 3

“I don’t have to go,” Faith said, twisting a pair of underwear in her hands.

Virginia Logan rolled her wheelchair across the threshold into Faith’s room. She shot Faith the same “are you crazy” look she’d given her when Faith was a girl and asked to stay out past her curfew. Except now the left side of her scowl drooped a little. It was still a vast improvement from the complete loss of motion and feeling Virginia had had on that side right after the stroke.

“Have you lost your mind, child?” Virginia asked in the softly slurred voice that still held a lot of her old spunk. “You deserve this vacation and a dozen more like it.”

Faith tossed the underwear in the bag. “I don’t deserve anything. I should stay. I could have filled in for one of the nurses who needed off this weekend. I’m so close to paying off the credit card, it seems foolish to lose twenty-four hours of overtime to hang out with an actor and party.”

“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying yourself when the opportunity arises.” Her mama wheeled closer and reached out her hand. Faith took it and squeezed. “You gave up a lot moving back here from Houston to take care of me and your dad. As much as I hate that you had to sacrifice so much, I’m also grateful.”

“It was nothing. Especially after what Love did to you two.”

Virginia sighed and let go of Faith’s hand. “It’s time for you to stop feeling guilty over what your sister did.”

“I know, Mama, but we’re twins. I should have sensed that she was capable of taking advantage of you.”

Virginia laughed and patted Faith’s arm. “This is real life, not some sci-fi movie. Just because you’re her twin doesn’t mean you can read her mind. There was no way any of us would have sensed that Love would get caught up in drugs or steal our money and skip town while I was in the hospital.”

“But shouldn’t I have realized that something was wrong with her? Heard it in her voice, or had some clue that she could be so heartless?”

“Your sister isn’t heartless, Faith. She’s sick. Thank the good Lord she finally agreed to go to rehab.”

Faith turned away from her mama. She walked over to the closet and calmly took down a few sundresses for the trip. She wanted to scream at her mama’s insistence on trying to find the good in Love. Despite years of dealing with Love’s fight against addiction, when she’d wiped out their parents’ savings the day after her mama suffered a stroke, Faith considered that the end of her relationship with her sister. Her parents had worked hard to build up their nest egg for retirement. Her mama had worked as a schoolteacher and principal for twenty years. Her dad had been a superintendent at a delivery company for years until he was flung from his delivery truck four years ago in an accident and broke his back in three places. Thankfully he could walk, but the injury prevented him from working. Her mama had taken care of him before her stroke.

Faith couldn’t forgive Love for stealing from their parents. Who were already struggling after her dad’s injury. From what her mama said, Love had got away with all of their savings. Savings that would have gone a long way toward helping pay the ongoing medical bills and retrofit the house to accommodate her disabled parents. All things she’d depleted her savings to pay for and worked hard to continue to pay for.

“Love isn’t sick, Mama. She’s a junkie,” she said, not bothering to hide the contempt in her voice. She walked back to her suitcase and tossed the dresses inside.

Virginia took out the dresses and started folding each of them. “Don’t hate your sister.”

“After what she did, it’s hard not to.”

“Family is family, and she’ll always be your sister. I know it’s hard for you to understand how she let drugs take over her life, but she wants to get better.” Virginia placed the folded dresses in the suitcase. Then she gave Faith a direct stare. “And when she’s out, we’ll do what we can to help her. Right?”

Faith looked away to zip her bag. That was a promise she couldn’t make. This wasn’t Love’s first stint in rehab. She’d believed her sister once before, and less than a year later, her sister had betrayed their parents.

“If you’re not going to talk me out of going, then I guess I’d better go catch that plane,” Faith said instead.

Virginia sighed but didn’t push.

Faith took her overnight bag from the bed. “I’ve made dinners for every night and they’re in the freezer,” she said.

Virginia shook her head and chuckled. “I know, Faith.”

“And Marie said she’ll check in on both of you every day. I’ll keep my cell phone with me the entire time. If anything happens—”

“Nothing is going to happen, and there isn’t much you can do from New York anyway,” Virginia said.

“You’re right. I should stay.”

“Child, come on and quit fussing. Everything will be fine.” Virginia turned her wheelchair around and left the room.

Faith followed her mama to the front of the house. It had taken most of the past two years to retrofit the house with wider doorways, bathroom handrails and other changes to make life easier for her parents. After Love’s grand theft, Faith had offered to move her parents to Houston, where she had the salary to take better care of them, but they’d refused. They’d both lived in Laurel County all their lives and didn’t want to move. If they insisted on staying, then Faith insisted on making sure their house was worth staying in.

At the front of the house, they went out into morning air, already warm and humid for early June. Marie sat on a white porch rocker, talking with Faith’s dad. Jimmy Logan and Marie were both laughing, probably at a joke that Marie had made. Her friend was always good at making her parents laugh.

“Well, I guess I’m set,” Faith said.

The smile on Marie’s face fell. “You’re going wearing that?”

Faith ran a hand across the sleeveless lavender top and jean shorts. “What’s wrong with my outfit?” Faith asked. “I’m going to be on a plane all morning.”

“And when you get off, you’re meeting Irvin Freeman. I knew I should have come over and picked out your outfit.”

Jimmy placed his hands on the walker in front of him and stood. “She looks beautiful just as she is.” He shuffled over to her. “You have a good time up there. Don’t worry a bit, and take dozens of pictures for me and your mom, okay?”

She smiled and leaned over to give him a hug. “I will, Daddy.”

“Let’s get you to the airport,” Marie said.

“Did I tell you where the spare key is?” she asked Marie. “And don’t forget that I called in my daddy’s prescription and it’ll be ready later today. I left the money—”

“On the kitchen table,” Marie cut in, rolling her eyes. “I know. You’ve told me and your parents a dozen times. Just go and have fun and quit worrying about things here.”

“But I just want to make sure—”

Marie took her arm and pulled her toward the steps. “We got it. Wave goodbye to your parents.”

Faith couldn’t wave because she had to grab her bag as Marie dragged her by her other arm down the porch. Her parents waved and grinned as if they enjoyed watching Marie pull her away.

“Call me if you need something,” she said to them.

“You just have a great time, child,” her mama called back.

Her parents looked so happy for her, she thought as Marie drove off. She’d have to try to enjoy herself for their sake, at least. Truthfully, a small part of her was excited about going to New York and not having to worry about how much an item cost or how much the meal was before ordering it. She missed that part of her old life, but she didn’t reflect on it too often. She’d done what she had to do, and there was no need to relive memories of a past that wasn’t coming back.

As they pulled away, she couldn’t help but take in the wheelchair ramp that needed replacing and the patch on the porch roof that leaked during hard storms. There was still so much to do, so much to fix. Since Love had robbed them blind, fate had kicked in to make sure everything that could go wrong did, including the house. She should stay at home, tending to those items, not travel to New York to party. No telling what bad luck fate had in store for her for going on this trip.

* * *

Hours later, Faith rolled her overnight bag off the plane, into LaGuardia Airport. She moved with the crowd toward the exit, anticipation and nervousness making her hands slick on the handle. She’d traveled around the South and West a lot, but she’d never been to New York. Even though she hated leaving her parents, this trip was giving her the opportunity to see the city, something she wouldn’t have ever done on her own.

On the plane ride, she’d convinced herself to find the silver lining in winning the contest. Since she’d got the call that her mama had had a stroke and arrived to find out that her sister had stolen all of their money, she didn’t put a lot of trust in luck.

But she refused to become one of those angry, bitter women who couldn’t appreciate things. Since her family had practically pushed her out the door to come, she would make an effort to enjoy herself and the city. She even admitted that it might be slightly cool to meet Irvin Freeman. However, she doubted the star wanted to spend the entire weekend playing tour guide. She could definitely suppress any eye rolls or sarcastic remarks if he did turn out to be a stuck-up snob during the few limited interactions she was likely to have with him.

She hoped.

She found her way to the pickup area of the airport. The instructions she’d been given said a car would be waiting for her. She only hoped she could find it in all of the activity.

A cameraman, a photographer and a guy holding a large sign with her name on it were the first people she saw. No problem recognizing her ride.

A woman with a bright red streak in her black hair stood next to the sign guy. She was dressed in a black suit that hugged her body so closely it had to have been custom-made for her. She fired off directions to the men. She must be the one in charge.

“Hi, I’m Faith Logan,” Faith said, walking over to the group that was getting the attention of everyone in the departure area. “I guess you’re my ride.”

The woman in the suit stopped talking and spun to face her. The smile on her face flickered for a second, about the same amount of time it took to do a quick inventory of Faith’s hair and outfit, before she got her features back in order. Faith wasn’t sure what that was about, but this woman probably made her living sizing people up in one look.

“Faith Logan, welcome and congratulations! I’m Kitty Brown, Irvin’s publicist and your host for this weekend,” she said in the cheerful voice Faith recognized from the phone call.

The photographer lifted his camera and pointed it in Faith’s direction. Kitty shook her head and motioned with a finger for him to lower it. “Not now. We’ll get a shot of her meeting Irvin instead of coming off the plane.” She turned to Faith with another big smile. “And we’ll get you just right for the introduction.”

“I really don’t need anything extra just to meet him,” Faith said, not liking the implication that she was somehow not ready to see the guy. Granted, she had hoped to put on a little makeup—lip gloss and some mascara—and even change into one of her dresses. But the way Kitty came across, it was as if Faith hadn’t spent the past few hours on a plane with an hour layover thanks to engine problems.

“Nothing extra,” Kitty said, “but we can...freshen you up a bit. We don’t have a lot of time. Your plane was delayed, you know.” Kitty said it as if Faith had some part in that. “So instead of the elaborate wardrobe, hair and makeup session we planned, we can go with a few changes for the photo shoot. We’ll save the major makeover for before the club tonight.”

“If the photo shoot is me meeting him for the first time, why do I need to change clothes?”

Kitty stopped in the middle of turning to the rest of the crew to raise her eyebrow at Faith. “Well, we can’t shoot you in that outfit.”

Faith bet that eyebrow and disdainful tone made people quake, but she had worked for one of the meanest hospital administrators in Houston. She’d been raised in the South, where an older woman could throw shade so fast and easy you wouldn’t realize she’d called you a bitch until two weeks later. Kitty didn’t intimidate her.

“What’s wrong with my outfit? Look, I’m willing to go with the flow, but I will not be insulted. Not my clothes, hair or anything else. If you wanted a starlet type, you probably could have picked one, but you didn’t. You chose me. So you’re getting me.”

The corner of Kitty’s mouth rose in a cynical smile. “A random-number generator chose you, not me. But I know how to make do with what I’m given. The offer wasn’t given as an insult—it’s part of the weekend. Makeover and photo shoot with Irvin. Don’t you remember that in the itinerary?”

“I haven’t read the itinerary,” she admitted.

Something very close to relief came across Kitty’s face. “No wonder you aren’t very enthusiastic. Just wait until you hear about all the fun I have in store for you. Prepare to be pleasantly surprised.”

Kitty slid her arm through Faith’s, as if they were old friends, and headed for the door. With a wave of her hand she indicated that the rest of the crew should follow, before diving headfirst into a speech on how lucky Faith was.

Faith tried to summon up the small amount of enthusiasm she’d felt on the plane, but Kitty barely gave her a chance to think, much less absorb it all. Plus, the woman wouldn’t take a breather so Faith could call her parents and let them know she’d arrived. It was unlikely that anything catastrophic had happened since that morning, but she would have felt better checking in. However, as Kitty kept up the chatter out to the limo and on the ride to the city, Faith gave up hope of calling until they reached their destination. She couldn’t help wondering if Kitty’s constant chatter was her punishment for going on this trip.