Chapter 16
“Ta ta,” Craig said.
“Goodbye, Craig.”
Arriving home around one, Julian remembered he hadn’t taken the lease agreement to Mrs. Butler. He retrieved the paper from his desk, signed it, and walked up toward the front door of the main house.
He met Mary coming out. After saying ‘hi,’ he asked, “How’s Tate doing?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, wrinkling her brow.
“Oh?”
“Yes, well, he’s been sort of agitated all week. He seems to want to try harder to adjust to his new leg, but then gives up again, and goes back to refusing to work on it. It’s really kind of strange.”
“And he won’t tell you why?”
She shook her head. “I’m hoping that whatever caused him to make more of an effort will win out. He’ll be so much happier if he makes the leap. We’ll see what happens in tomorrow’s session.”
They said goodbye and Julian walked up to the front door and rang the bell. A few moments later Mrs. Butler opened it.
“Oh, Julian,” she said, a worried, almost panicky look on her face.
“Is this a bad time? I can come back later…”
“No, no it’s fine. Come in.”
She stepped aside and Julian entered the foyer. “I have the lease and rent check,” he said, holding them out to her.
“Thank you,” she said distractedly as she took them.
Julian could see Mrs. Butler was extremely distressed. “Is something wrong?”
She put her fingers to her forehead as if trying to compose her thoughts. When she looked up at him, she said, “My sister’s just called from Nebraska. Her husband’s been in a bad accident. He’s in the hospital in critical condition.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“She needs me. I contacted the gentleman who stays with Tate when I’m away and he is out of town for the holiday weekend. I asked Mary if she could help out but she’s busy, too. She’s leaving for a trip up north right after Tate’s therapy session tomorrow. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
Impulsively Julian said, “I could stay with Tate if that would help.”
“Oh! Oh, would you? I don’t want to trouble you, but that would be a godsend. Tate can take care of himself, but I feel better when someone is here with him, just in case.”
“No trouble. I have no plans for the weekend.” Julian thought of Craig’s pool party. The last vestiges of guilt at refusing the invitation left him, now that he had a reason which legitimatized his lie.
“That would be wonderful. I have to make a plane reservation and get ready to go. If you would just go up to Tate’s room—it’s the second on the left just up those stairs—no I better tell Tate what’s happened myself. I’m sorry, I’m just a bit unnerved at the moment.”
Julian was relieved. He was wondering how Tate would take the news that he was staying with him, considering what had transpired between them the previous weekend.
“You just take your time, Mrs. Butler. I’ll go back to the carriage house. You can call me when you’re ready to go. If there is anything else I can help you with, let me know.”
She thanked him with a hug.
As Julian walked back to the carriage house he wondered if what he’d done had been prudent. Was his offer to help self-serving? After all, he felt a strong physical and emotional attraction to Tate. He couldn’t deny he was excited about the prospect of being near Tate for the weekend. In the end he rationalized that Mrs. Butler’s urgent need outweighed any selfish motive on his part.
Julian gathered up a few personal toiletries, a change of clothes, underwear, socks, and his laptop. He figured if he needed more, his house was just next door. He fed Patch and told her where he’d be. The cat gave a mew and walked away, suggesting she didn’t really give a damn if she was to be left alone—again—after being abandoned all day. Then Julian set his small overnight bag by the door and waited for Mrs. Butler to call.
About two hours later, just as Julian was putting the final touches on his first week’s lesson plans, his phone rang. It was Mrs. Butler saying the cab was on its way to take her to the airport. Julian grabbed his overnight bag and headed back to the big house. He got to the front door just as the cab pulled up.
Mrs. Butler came out of the house. Julian set his bag down and took Mrs. Butler’s suitcase from her. He carried it as they walked down the steps. Julian handed it to the driver, who put it into the trunk.