I suddenly thought about the way he'd kissed me and the way I'd reacted to him. Neither of us had spoken about it afterward, and I certainly wasn't about to start the moming off on that topic. When I'd thought it over later, I wondered if he was perhaps testing me. Trying to see if I'd be faithful to his brother or willing to flirt with any guy who crossed my path. Yet his kiss had been so intense, so passionate, it was hard to believe it had been merely a test.
What did it matter? I finally decided. It had been.a fluke. An aberration. It wouldn't happen again. I wouldn't allow it. He was a totally condescending snob, anyway. How could I ever be attracted to a man like him?
"Can I help in some way? Set the table perhaps," he offered politely
"Thanks, would you? The plates are in that cupboard and the silverware in this drawer," I directed him. why don't you tun on the radio so we can bear the weather report," I added.
The lively chattet of a local morning radio show helped ease the tension in the room I thought.
But the news was not good . "And the record rainfall is expected to continue throughout the day, folk, with flooding reported or Route 6, west and north of town, and most of the side roads washed out . In other words it's is a great day to Stay in door if you can. Unless you're a duck, the was a loud quacking sound accompanied by the announcer's chuckle. "And if you do go out today, don't forget those hip waders. We've got mud out there up to our dang eyebrows, don't we," Wally he asked his partner.
"Up to the old...wazoo, buddy boy," Wally rejoined. There was a funny, twanging noise-a mouth harp, probably-that made me smile. Look for a break in the clouds sometime tomorrow afternoon, friends."
"Can't they just give a blasted forecast, without the comedy? Brian scowled, his expression darkening. "I don't suppose the rental car company can even get a tow truck out here in this weather, much less a replacement car."
I glanced over at him as she set a platter of golden pancakes on the table. "I'd doubt it."
From the looks of things, I was going to be up to my old wazoo with Brian for the rest of the day, short of some miraculous break in the weather. The twist of his fine lips told me he was thinking the same.
"Blueberry pancakes ! Cool ! And it's not even Sunday!" Noah's chipper voice broke the heavy silence as he raced into the kitchen and headed for the table. But suddenly noticing the stranger in the room, his sneakered feet skidded to a halt as near me
"Noah, this is the man I told you about, the one that got stuck on the road last night. His name is Brian."
I carefully omitted adding Brian's last name. Noah was so bright, he'd surely make the connection between Will-who he'd recently started dressing as Uncle Will and his older brother. One slip from Noah, and my charade would be blown Could she possibly keep this farce afloat until the rain let up?
"How do you do? Brian said politely. "You must be Noah." He held his hand out to Noah, and they shook in a manly fashion.
"How d' you do," Noah echoed, puffing himself up to his full height.
During encounters like this one I was always amazed to see how much my boy had matured. He'd always been a good kid, never causing me much trouble. But it was clear to me lately that his baby days were well and truly over. At times like this he seemed to be a little man. His eyeglasses which he d needed since age four-with their owlish, tortoise shell frames -also added to the impression. His remarkable intelligence made him seem older than most children his age.
Teachers had told me that Noah was more than simply intelligent, he was actually gifted. He d skipped second grade and might skip fourth, too. But he was still a bit bored with school. Unfortunately, there weren't any special progranms in their small public school system for gifted children, and I couldn't afford a private school.
I hoped that later, when Noah was older, I could somehow provide the type of educational evironment that would challenge and nurture his intellectual potentials. But for now I did what I could by buying him books, educational toys and encouraging his varied interests. This Sumner he was going to spend two weeks at a special science camp, and I had nearly saved enough to buy him a computer for Christmas. Will was going to help me choose something suitable. While Faith and Will were visiting, Noah and Will had struck up a great rapport. Noah was fascinated with stories of Will's scientific research, and I thought mu son's new uncle was going to be a wonderful influence.
I wondered now about Brian. What kind of influence, if any, would he have on Noah? For, in fact, though he had no idea of it, they were all related now by Faith and Will's secret marriage.
I brought the rest of the food to the table. I sat at one end of the small table, and Brian sat at the other. Noah sat between us. Everyone was quiet for a while as I fixed their plates and began eating.
"Is a tow truck coming to pull your car out of the mud." Noah asked, chewing a slice of bacon.
"I hope so," Brian answered. I haven't made any calls yet."
"The storm front isn't expected to pass this area until late tonight. A front of cooler, drier air is moving south, through the midwestern states, at about twenty miles per hour, Noah explained in a patient tone to the adults. "It could reach us tonight. Or could be stalled out by another low pressure system Coming in from the Gulf region," he warned.