The Trouble With Angels Page 0,100

asked, frowning.

Joy laughed and linked her arms around his waist. "That must be Charles. Someone just made a donation to the library fund."

"Are you sure you'll be all right here by yourself?" Karen asked Maureen. She stood in front of the living-room window with the draperies pushed aside, waiting for her father.

"I'll be perfectly fine."

"What are you having for dinner?" Karen asked, as if this were of major importance.

"I don't know yet, but don't you worry, whatever I eat will be fabulous."

"Cordon bleu," Karen suggested.

Maureen laughed. "Just where did you hear about that?"

"From Paula. That's what she and her dad have every Christmas Eve. You take chicken breast and pound it out real thin and then you add a slice of ham, but it has to be a really thin slice, and then you add the cheese and you roll it all up and bread it."

The kid was amazing. "And when did Paula give you the recipe?"

"Ah..."

"You've been talking long distance again."

"Mom, we haven't seen each other in...forever. We're friends. You can't separate us like this and not expect us to talk. But don't worry, we've been taking turns calling each other, and we only discuss the things that are most important."

"Like sharing recipes?"

"Right," Karen answered.

"You don't happen to have Paula's number on speed dial, do you?"

"Yes, why?"

So that explained how she happened to reach Thom when she'd dialed her mother. "Never mind."

The draperies flew back into place. "Dad's here," Karen said, grabbed her overnight bag, and flew toward the door. Her hand was on the knob when Maureen stopped her.

"I'll go out with you. I want to talk to him," she said, and reached for her sweater.

Karen cast her mother a wide-eyed appeal. She bit into her lower lip, then said, "Mom, please don't do this."

"All I want to do is talk," Maureen assured her.

Karen groaned.

Maureen ignored her and stepped outside. Brian had parked at the curb and was standing next to his car.

He eyed her wearily. "Maureen."

"Brian." She buried her hands deep inside the sweater pockets.

"I suppose you're wondering what time I'll have Karen back to you in the morning?"

"Yeah." That was as good a place to start their conversation as any.

"Is ten too late?" he wanted to know.

"That'll be fine."

"Can we go now?" Karen asked, apparently eager to be on her way. Maureen couldn't blame her, given the situation.

"In a minute," she said.

"You can get in the car if you want." Brian looked at Maureen as if he half expected her to challenge him.

"I won't keep you, but - "

"I appreciate it." His hand was on the car, and he was ready to turn away.

"Brian," she said quickly. The rest of the words were so thick in her throat, she didn't know if she could ever get them out.

"What now?" he demanded impatiently. "Isn't it bad enough that you pester me at all hours of the night?"

"I have something to tell you," she said. "Something important."

"What? That you've hired a new attorney? I suppose you're going to ask for a raise in your child support payments?"

"No."

"Then just say it, will you? I haven't got all night."

"All right." She gathered her composure. "Basically, I want you to know that I'm sorry."

Even in what little light the moon afforded, Maureen could read her ex-husband's confusion. "Sorry? What the hell for?"

Actually, she wasn't sure where to start. "Everything, I guess. I made the divorce more difficult and painful than it needed to be. And since then I've done whatever I could to make you miserable."

"Yeah," he agreed, leaning his weight onto one leg, "you might say that."

"The problem was, in the process I made everyone else miserable, too, including Karen and myself. I got so bogged down in hating you that I forgot about living my own life. I want you to know I regret that."

"You don't hate me anymore?" he asked as though he weren't sure he should believe her.

"No. I can't afford the luxury."

He laughed as though amazed. "You know, Maureen, you were always a beautiful woman."

"Thank you. I fell in love with you once. You're Karen's father, and if for nothing else, I'll always be grateful to you for fathering her."

"You know, I'm not half bad. Oh, sure, I have a little trouble keeping a job now and again, but there are a hell of a lot worse men in this world."

"That's true. Now shall we call a truce?" she asked.

"A truce?"

She held out her hand to him. He shook it once, then stepped back almost