Meg stood by, hands out to catch her, while she climbed from the tub and dried. "Safe now?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
"You finish drying. I'll get us a little something."
"A little what?"
"I'll surprise you."
Left alone, Karen wrapped herself in the towel. She washed down two aspirin tablets with a glassful of cold water. She brushed her teeth. Then she drew a comb through her hair, wincing as she snagged tangles.
"In your room," Meg called from the hallway.
Karen went to her bedroom. Meg, just inside, greeted her with a wink. The covers of her bed had been pulled back, showing her flowered blue sheets. Her chair had been dragged close to the bedside. On its seat rested a tray adorned with crackers, a wedge of cheddar, a small wheel of Gouda, and a cheese knife. Two wine goblets stood on the lamp table, and beside them was an open bottle of white wine.
In spite of her aches, Karen managed a smile.
"Medicine," Meg said. "Cheese and crackers to settle your gut. A Masson Sauvignon Blanc to help you sleep."
"You're really fantastic."
"I know."
Karen put on her nightgown. She climbed into bed, pulled up the top sheet, and eased herself against the headboard. Meg poured the wine. She set the tray across Karen's lap, and sat on the chair. They lifted their glasses. "Here's how," Meg said.
"Here's to you," Karen said. "You saved my life." Meg blushed.
"What are roommates for?"
They clinked their glasses, and drank.
Chapter Twenty-seven
A decent meal," Arnold proclaimed, pulling up his chair to the breakfast table. He sniffed his plateful of bacon and fried eggs, and sighed loudly. "Ah, the comforts of home."
Smiling, Alice set a plate down in front of Heather. "I didn't see you turning up your nose at your other breakfasts."
"You even wanted mine," Rose reminded him.
"I'll eat anything in the mountains. But this, now — this is real food."
"I wonder what's keeping Nick," Alice said.
"He's probably getting ready for his big date."
"At nine in the morning?"
Arnold laughed, and started to cut his bacon.
Alice carried the final two plates to the table, then went to the kitchen doorway and called for Nick.
"Right there!" he yelled.
"Your egg'll get cold," Alice warned. She returned to the table, sat down, and sighed, glad to be off her feet. She didn't look forward to grocery shopping, walking the aisles with stiff legs and blistered feet. There wasn't much choice, though. Not if they wanted supper tonight.
She heard the shuffle of Nick's moccasins on the kitchen floor. He came up behind her, and sat at the table. He gave her a quick smile. His eyes had a jittery look. "Are you all right?" Alice asked.
"Sure. I didn't sleep too well, is all."
"Nervous about the big date?" Arnold asked.
Shrugging, Nick picked up his fork. It quivered in his shaky hand. He started to cut his eggs with the edge of it. Alice felt uneasy watching him, as if his tension were contagious. She started to eat, but barely noticed the taste of her food. Obviously, the boy was bothered by more than anxiety over tonight's date with Julie. He'd been through a nightmare, and she couldn't begin to guess how deeply it might've affected him. Julie might help take his mind off the rest of it.
"Where'll you be taking her?" she asked.
Nick shrugged. "I don't know. I'll have to check the paper. There're all kinds of movie theaters in the Valley."
"Plenty of drive-ins," Arnold said.
"I don't want you taking her to a drive-in."
"Why not?" Rose asked. "They're neat."
"Nick knows why not."
"We go," Rose persisted.
"That's different."
"Why?"
"Just you never mind, young lady."
"We used to call them passion pits."
"Arnold!"
Rose tilted back her head and smiled, showing a mouthful of chewed bacon. "Oh, I get it."
"What?" Heather asked.
"Mom doesn't want 'em making out."
"Some of my fondest memories…" Arnold started.
"That's enough." She turned to Nick. He was staring at his plate as if oblivious to the conversation, swabbing up the last of his egg yolk with a bit of toast. "You will not take Julie to a drive-in. I'm sure her father wouldn't approve, either."
"I'm not arguing," Nick said.
"Especially on a first date — "
"He's not arguing," Arnold interrupted.
"Okay. I'm not one to nag. I just want to be sure we understand each other."
"I understand," Nick said.
"So," Arnold said, "what's on the agenda for today?"
"I, for one, have to go grocery shopping." Alice got up from the table. "Who wants to come along?" She picked up the coffeepot.
"Me," Rose blurted.
"Me, too," said Heather.
"You'd better stay home," Arnold told her, "and keep off your feet."
"Oh, Dad."
"He's right," Alice said, stepping around the table to refill his mug. "The more you stay off that foot, the quicker it'll heal."
"Time heals all heels," Nick said, and smiled. His first real smile of the morning.
Alice poured him more coffee, then refilled her own mug and took the pot back to the counter. "Anything special I need to pick up at the store?"
"Vodka and Dos Equis," Arnold said.
"Of course." She sat down and took a sip of hot coffee, pleased that she'd turned the conversation to a less objectionable direction. "I think I'll pick up a new Ace bandage. The old one's a disgrace."
"I used up the Ben-Gay last night," Nick said.
Arnold sniffed. "So that's what I smell. Thought it was Rose's breath."
The girl make a face at him, and Heather laughed.
"I think I lost my comb," Nick said.
"Better buy him two or three," Flash said. "A young man in love is lost without his combs."
Rose made an O with her mouth. Heather giggled. Nick's face turned as red as a ripe tomato. "Jeez, Dad," he muttered.
Arnold was beaming. "Oh, did I say something wrong?"
"How's your dandruff shampoo holding out?" Alice asked her husband.
"Fine," he said. "A little low on the pit-slick, though."
"May I be excused now?" Nick asked. "I want to air out the sleeping bags."
"Just throw them over the line," Arnold said.
Nick left the kitchen. Arnold met Alice's gaze, and shrugged. "You embarrassed the boy half to death," she said.
"Is he really in love?" Heather whispered.
"Your father was just being his usual obnoxious self."
Arnold chuckled.
"I bet he is," Rose said.
"Regardless," Alice warned. "It's nothing to poke fun at. Being in love is a very serious matter."
"Especially when you're seventeen," Arnold added.
"Come on, Rose, help me clear the table. I want to beat the crowds to the supermarket."
Benny held a plate under the kitchen faucet, and watched the steaming water melt away the clumps of sugar left over from the cinnamon rolls. When the plate looked clean, he handed it to Tanya. She put it into the dishwasher, and he grabbed another plate. "Do you think they'd let a kid use the library?" he asked.
"What library?" his cousin asked.
"At the college."
"What is it you're looking for? Maybe I could find it for you."
"Just some stuff."
Tanya set two coffee mugs upside down in the machine, and stared at him. She raised a dark eyebrow. "Occult stuff?" she asked.