A Cold Heart

52

Allison and I were naked on her bed. My left hand rested on the nape of her neck. Her nails grazed my arm.

She released a long exhalation, freed herself, slipped under the covers. Lifting her hair above her head, she knotted it loosely. “How’s Robin doing?”

“Better.”

“Good. Could you hand me that water, please?”

“Sure.”

“Thank you.”

Moments ago we’d been lost in each other. Now we were having a civilized conversation.

I said, “Robin’s on your mind?”

“I’m not preoccupied with her. I feel for her.”

She drank water. Placed the glass down carefully. “Darling, eventually you’re going to have to deal with it.”

“With what?”

“Saving her. What it means to her.”

“Tim’s with her. She’s getting support.”

I’d stopped by the house in Venice two days ago. Tim had met me at the door, wanting to say something. The words had frozen in his throat- vocal guru struck mute. He clasped my hand, shook it hard, walked out. Leaving Robin and me alone in the living room. Strange to see her, just sitting there. As long as I’d known her, she’d had trouble doing nothing.

She accepted a hug, thanked me, told me she was okay.

I agreed that she was.

Both of us, getting through the moment. I stayed for a while, then left.

Allison said, “I’m not talking about support, darling.”

I said, “The way I see it, I didn’t save her. Far from it. Tim’s the hero, his call got the ball rolling. I didn’t even answer the first time he tried to reach me. And if it wasn’t for you, who knows if I’d have followed through.”

“If not for me, you’d have been there sooner.” She smiled.

“What?”

“A group effort,” she said. “That’s how you see it.”

I got up on my elbow. “Is this the best time to have this discussion?”

“What better time?”

“Tonight,” I said, “I was thinking more of a romantic evening.”

“To my mind, honesty’s part of romance,” she said. “At least a bit of it.” She rolled toward me, took my face in her hands, kissed my lips.

“I’d better not argue,” I said. “Woman with a gun and all that.”

She smiled again. Lay back down.

Got up on her elbows. Kissed me in a new way.