Fallen Hearts (Casteel 3)

A tinge of pity for him enveloped me. He suddenly looked so old and gray and helpless.

"I know we would all be happy there again," he continued. "Besides, Heaven, I think you exaggerated my behavior that night. I was only trying to embrace. I only wanted to love you like a father!"

"Get out of here now," I said quietly but with ice in my voice. "Leave here this very minute."

Tony looked completely defeated. "I suppose you've told Logan everything."

"He's my husband. Of course I told him everything," I replied coldly. He nodded and his blue eyes swung to fix on the banner above the party site.

"I'm not going to ask you to forgive me. That's something you will do on your own or you won't. I only ask that you consider my motives," he said. "In any case," he went on before I could reply, "I won't be coming back here for some time. I have a great deal to do now in Boston, so you will have sufficient time to consider everything in its proper perspective. And" -- he looked at me with his blue eyes softening for the first time since he had arrived--"time is magical. It heals all our wounds."

"But leaves scars," I said. He nodded with obvious disappointment.

"Good-bye Heaven. I'm sure you and Logan will do very well here," he said and pivoted quickly to walk to his limo, where Miles stood like a sentinel. I watched him get into the rear of the car. Miles closed the door, looked my way for a split second, and then got in and drove the vehicle off. I waited to watch it disappear down the road, drifting away like a memory made smaller and smaller with the passage of time until it was completely forgotten, driven out by the ticktack of a hundred thousand clocks.

I turned and the lively sounds of fiddling, the chatter of voices, and the sounds of laughter enveloped me.

I decided the only thing to do was to immerse myself in the party. Logan and his foreman ran tours of the factory. Samples of Willies Toys had been put out on display, puppets and carved animals we were planning to manufacture. But their wooden faces began whirling around me, the whittled animals appeared to come to life. I felt so dizzy and strange, standing among those toys, toys that I had grown up with, in gingham and braids, after all I had been through. I leaned against one of the display cases.

Logan's mother approached me, insisting on taking me about to be introduced to the wives of influential businessmen and professionals who lived in Winnerow or its surroundings. I could barely recognize their faces, they all looked like the puppets to me.

"Mother," I said, "I'm feeling a little dizzy."

"You do look pale," she said. "Perhaps you should lie down for a while. I know Logan had a cot in his office. You lie down there."

"What about Drake? Where is he?" I asked, feeling my legs almost gave way beneath me, "I promised to take him to the apple-bobbing contest, I promised--"

"Heaven, just take a look for yourself," she said, pointing out to the lawn.

I saw that Drake had already made friends with some of the children his age and was well occupied.

"There are loads of children here, and you know the hill people. They all look after one another. Now, you run along and lie down. Drake's not your only child, remember?"

.

.

When I awoke, darkness was falling. I was stunned that I had slept through the whole party. I wandered back outside. The crowd had thinned considerably. Only Logan, his parents, and a few diehard drinkers were left.

"Well, look who's come back to the world," Logan called out, smiling.

"I didn't realize I'd slept so long," I said as he put a protective arm around me.

"Pregnant women need lots of rest," Loretta Stonewall interjected.

"Well, did everything go well?" I asked as I surveyed the remnants of the party. The food tables were empty, the band was beginning to pack up their instruments. All the cars, save ours and the

Stonewalls, were gone. Suddenly I realized Drake wasn't there. "Where's Drake?" I asked, the cold finger of fear beginning to travel down my spine. "Drake? I thought he was resting with you." Logan looked alarmed.

"He told me he was going to find you about an hour ago," Loretta said worriedly. "I just assumed he was with you."

"Drake!" I shouted.

"Don't worry, Heaven," Logan said, but I could hear alarm fill his voice. "He's probably playing with some of the sample toys. He's probably lost in his own world."

"Where?" I asked. "We've got to find him!"

"We will, don't worry," Logan said.