Part 10 (1/2)

”Try, Howard, please.”

He sighed. ”Well, I know he was off with that old guy at the beginning.”

”What old guy?”

”I don't know who he was. Ian and I came into the building together that night. When we got to the caucus office, there was an old man waiting on the doorstep. I heard him tell Ian his name. Can't remember what it was, but it was one of the good names.”

”Ukrainian?” I said.

He laughed. ”Right, a good Ukrainian name like Dowhanuik. Anyway, the old man was very agitated. Ian tried to calm him down. I remember he put his arm around the old man's shoulder and walked him down to the end of the hall.”

”And?”

”And nothing. I went inside and took care of a few things before the party. I never thought anything more about it. I still don't. Jo, you've been around politics long enough to know there's always some sad sack hanging around with a gripe or a problem. It comes with the territory.”

”I know,” I said. ”Today I'm the sad sack, and I've kept you long enough. Have fun at brunch. Give Marty my love.”

”I will.”

”Howard, one last thing.”

”Yeah?”

”Watch your language.”

He sighed heavily. ”Oh s.h.i.+t, that's right. Swearing drives Marty crazy.”

I hung up. One down. Four to go.

When I walked into the kitchen, Angus was pouring juice and Taylor was eating Eggos. On my plate was a drawing of a woman: thin and glamorous, but recognizably me.

”T,” I said. ”This is terrific! On the best day of my life I never looked this good.”

”I gave you planes,” T said, smiling.

”So you did,” I said. ”Thanks T. You improved on G.o.d.”

She shook her head. ”Oh, Jo. Like I could,” she said, and she went back to her Eggo.

When Hilda came down, she was dressed to travel. She made herself a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, and ate standing at the counter.

”Did you phone Carolyn Atcheson and ask if you could come?” I said.

Hilda shook her head. ”It's far too easy to say 'no' on the telephone.”

”If she won't see you, it's a long drive for nothing,” I said.

Hilda's back was ramrod straight. ”She'll see me, Joanne. I'm not a person who permits a door to be barred against her.”

”Aren't you going to church?” Angus asked innocently.

”Not today,” Hilda said.

Angus looked at me hopefully. ”Mum ...?”

”Okay,” I said. ”We'll all backslide today. But after today ...”

”I know, I know,” Angus said, but he was already on his way to the phone to arrange a game of s.h.i.+nny.

I turned to Taylor. ”It looks like it's you and me against the world, kiddo,” I said. ”How would you like to visit a pregnant lady?”

Manda Traynor sounded excited at the prospect of company. ”Jo, you haven't seen our new house yet. Craig loves to show it off. And Taylor and I can play with Alex P. Kitten and Mallory.”

”You have cats,” I said.

”Two beautiful little Persians,” Manda said.

”They have cats,” I said to Taylor as I hung up.

She jumped up from the table and headed upstairs. ”I'll be ready fast,” she yelled over her shoulder.

Craig and Manda's new house was only about six blocks from us, so Taylor and I walked. It was a dreary November morning. The sky was overcast, and the only splashes of colour in the muted tones of the city streets came from orange Hallowe'en leaf bags leaking soddenly onto the snow.

”I'll be glad when people start putting up their Christmas decorations,” I said to Taylor.

”Me too,” Taylor said. ”I'm going to make Jack a Santa hat and put him back out on the front porch.”

”Swell,” I said.

Taylor smiled up at me. ”It will be swell, won't it?”

When Craig opened his front door to us, Alex P. Kitten and Mallory were waiting. Taylor was ecstatic. ”Look,” she said as she reached out to grab one of the ginger cats. ”Their hair's the same colour as Miss McCourt's.”

The cats didn't stick around long enough for me to make a comparison. They hightailed it down the hall with Taylor in hot pursuit.

”Looks like it's going to be a long morning for Alex P. Kitten and Mallory,” I said to Craig.

”They like company, and so do we,” he said, and he savoured the word we as if it were newly coined.

”How's Manda doing?”

”She's terrific. The baby's in position now. It should be any day.” He lowered his voice. ”Jo, how are you doing? I've been working on the a.s.sumption that if you'd needed a lawyer, you'd have called.”

”I would have,” I said. ”But the fact that I'm standing here doesn't mean I'm out of the woods. Craig, I need help.”

”Why don't you go in and say hi to Manda? Then we can talk.”

Manda was in the kitchen taking cookies out of the oven, and she was wearing a bright red ap.r.o.n that had CHILDBIRTH, A LABOUR OF LOVE written on the bib. Her dark hair was tied back with a red ribbon and her face was s.h.i.+ning. When she reached out to hug me, I could smell cloves and cinnamon.

”Jo, I'm so happy you're here.”