Seven for a Secret by Rumer Haven

Author:Rumer Haven
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Published: 2014-08-10T00:00:00+00:00

XXII

July 2000

“WHAT’S THAT, DEAR?” Vera asked.

Kate concentrated hard on articulating as she repeated, “Her baby. Iss notta baby.”

“I’m afraid I still don’t understand.”

After too much wine had sloshed the saltines around in her stomach, Kate had snatched up her extra party flyers and walked to Leo’s apartment via the basement stairs. Vera had already been visiting him, which killed two old birds with one stone. Now the three tenants were sitting in Leo’s living room, the two women seated on the sofa and him in his favorite recliner, displacing his ghost to who knew where.

Yet buzzing as strongly as she was on that bottle of wine, Kate suspected Vera’s failure to comprehend her message didn’t have anything to do with slurred speech.

“I think you do. Thass the mysst’ry, the big secret of Mousiss baby. How sshhe got it.”

“Mouses?” Leo asked. “You havin’ a rodent problem at your place, Kate? I’ve got traps here—”

“Nooo!” She felt like she was arguing with her parents. “You aren’t liss-ning! Mouse-ee, Miss Mousy. Maisie.”

“Mm,” Vera hummed. “A little nickname you’ve come up with for her. That’s not nice, Kate. She hasn’t had the advantages you have.”

“Firss of all, you don’ know me, not really, to know what advantigges I may or may not uhvad—not-uv—have had. And I do feel bad for her. I won’t call her Mousy ennimore.”

“Leo,” Vera rasped, “might you fix her a pot of coffee to get her talking sense again? I myself think I’ve overstayed my welcome here and am retiring for the evening. Good night.”

She stood with pops in her hipbone and knees. Kate lamely handed her a flyer for the cocktail hour, at which Vera squinted with a frown.

“Thanks. But I don’t drink.” She flicked her wrist to toss it on Leo’s coffee table; it missed and drifted down to his braided rug. “See you in the morning, Leo. I’ll order your usual for ya.”

Leo hurried to hoist himself from the chair and shuffle past Vera to get the door. “’Bye, now,” he said with a modest nod. Kate watched his eyes soften as their gaze followed Vera out.

Shutting the door, he crossed back through the room and into the kitchen in an awkward silence.

Kate scolded herself to get it together, to calm down and not slur in fury next time she said anything to him. She needed to speak clearly, even it meant slowing down to Forrest-Gump speed. And, whatever she did, she had to keep it reverent.

This didn’t preclude her from taking another chance, though. Once the black coffee had percolated, Leo returned to his chair, and a few sips in silence helped sober her somewhat.

Zoning in on Leo as he scratched lightly at his threadbare armrests, slunk down in his seat and moping, she finally said, “You really love her, don’t you.”

His head shot up, and his ears burned beet red. “How ya figure that?”

Kate cocked her wobbling head and grinned as a way of asking who he thought he was kidding. Leo smiled back.

“You two’re good t’gether,” Kate said.

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