Part 14 (1/2)

Sam was equally involved in regaling Danny with her exploits on the road (well, perhaps she exaggerated a little), and before either girl real- ized it, a half-hour had pa.s.sed.

Sam and Carrie exchanged a look. Where was Emma?

As if to answer their thoughts, Emma ap- peared just then wearing a simple white skirt and blouse that had been impeccably tailored by Ralph Lauren. With nothing more than mascara, lip gloss, and one-carat diamond studs in her earlobes, she managed to look stunningly perfect.

”h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo, h.e.l.lo!” Emma cried gaily. Carrie thought her eyes looked a little gla.s.sy, and remembered that Emma had retired to her room earlier with a full gla.s.s of wine-her second.

Kevin and Danny were too mesmerized by her perfection to notice anything beyond it. Kevin eagerly introduced himself to the beautiful rich girl who lived in this house.

”Hi, Emma,” said Kevin. ”Great place you've got here.” * ”Actually, it's my mother's,” Emma said.

Just then the pizza arrived. .Emma already had the cash ready, and Carrie took charge, leaving Emma free to enjoy Kevin's company for a few minutes before they ate.

”Sorry to be late for my own party,” Emma apologized. ”My aunt called from New York. She's my favorite relative in the whole world.” Why was she telling this to a perfect stranger? Was it the wine talking? Oh, who cares, Emma told herself. For once, just stop thinking so much!

”So why is she your favorite?” Kevin asked in a friendly voice.

”Well, the truth of the matter is,” Emma began in a confidential tone, ”she's the only one in my family who even remotely cares about me.”

”I'm sorry,” Kevin said.

”Don't be!” Emma responded gaily, ”Why should I care? I'm filthy rich! I'll simply buy a family to care about me!”

Although a bright smile was plastered on Emma's face, to her horror, she felt tears rising in her eyes.

”Hey, you two, chow time!” Sam called from the dining area.

”Oh, G.o.d, ignore me,” Emma whispered. This is so embarra.s.sing! Crying in front of a total stranger!

”Start without us!” Kevin called into the other room. He turned back to Emma. ”You don't have to explain if you don't want to,” he said gently.

”I'm such a cliche!” Emma laughed shakily.

”The unloved little rich girl!”

”Hey, n.o.body ever said you're not allowed to be unhappy if you're rich,” Kevin pointed out.

A tear slid all the way down Emma's cheek. ”I had too much wine, that's all.”

Kevin just sat there, waiting patiently. ”Talk if you want, or don't if you don't want.”

”I ... I hate myself sometimes!” Emma blurted out. ”It's so disgusting, so self-indulgent!

When I think about people with real problems, poor people, sick people-”

”You're glad you're not one of them?” Kevin finished for her.

Emma had to laugh, even if his humor was a little dark. ”Yes, I'm glad I'm not one of them,”

she admitted. ”But I feel like I don't have any right to complain about anything. ...”

While everyone else started in on the pizza, Kevin stayed in the kitchen with Emma. Slowly, he asked easy questions about the trip north, drawing Emma out of her weepy spell. Before long, he had her laughing as she described her dance with Sonny. She was grateful he hadn't probed too deeply about the causes of her sadness. It was bad enough that she had already blurted out that her family didn't love her. Talking with Kevin made her feel so ... normal.

By the time they rejoined the others, sides were being chosen for a game of Pictionary.

Kevin got Emma a c.o.ke, and threw a few pieces of pizza in the microwave for them to eat as they played.

”Guess what?” Sam said with excitement.

”Danny's coming with us to Sunset Island!”

”Sam!” Danny objected. ”You were supposed to ask her, not tell her!”

”Hey, Carrie said it's fine,” Sam countered.

”Majority rules.”

”It's Emma's car,” Danny pointed out. He was really embarra.s.sed.

”It's fine, Danny,” Emma said warmly. ”Did your ski plans fall through?”

Sam guffawed. ”No, he fell through ... he fell right through his costume!”

”I sprained my back,” said Danny sheepishly.

”You guys gotta hear this story!” Sam yelled with glee.

”Go ahead, Sam, tell it,” Danny sighed. ”As if I could stop you.”

”Okay, you know those baby strollers some people have, the ones the size of a small Mer- cedes? Well, one day Danny-a.k.a. Goofy-is plying his trade, and some woman was letting her oldest kid push the baby. The kid runs the stroller right up alongside Goofy's leg, hooking the costume on one of the wheel bolts. The kid starts yelling 'Leggo! Leggo!' at Danny, but he keeps right on pus.h.i.+ng!”

”The head of that costume is gigunda,” Danny added. ”I couldn't even see the kids or the stroller till I tripped. Luckily I didn't smash them on my way down.”

”Poor Danny!” Emma exclaimed. ”Sounds like an off-season week on Sunset Island is just what you need.” She turned to Kevin. ”So you're left without a ski partner?”

”I'll handle it,” Kevin replied. ”It's just for the weekend. My cash flow can't hack more than that, anyway.”

”Hey, why don't you come up, too?” Carrie asked Kevin spontaneously. ”We're giving a big party next Sat.u.r.day.”

”That's a great idea!” Danny agreed. ”Sam says there's a motel that should be mega-cheap in the off season.”

”Are you sure it's okay?” Kevin asked.

”It'd be a total blast!” Sam a.s.sured him.

They agreed that Danny would ride with them the next day, and Kevin would meet them on the island on Monday. When they finished the Pictionary game, the guys got ready to leave.

Kevin wanted to start for the slopes before dawn.

He gave Emma a special hug before he left. That brief moment managed to convey a lot of caring and concern. Emma was touched.