Lightning Strikes (Hudson 2)

I took another deep breath and sat on the bed. He stared, waiting.

"Aren't you ever going to get dressed, Randall?"

"What? Oh, sure. I actually forgot I was undressed," he said with a laugh. "So, will you let me help you find your father?" he asked.

"I don't know. I can't help being afraid, Randall. What if it causes more trouble?"

"How can it cause more trouble to find him?" He thought a moment and then he leaned forward and looked me in the eye. "You and I were just talking about taking control of our own destinies, Rain. Your mother decided to send you in one direction and even now other people are still deciding on where you go and how you go. This is your one big chance to take a little control of your life," he said.

I shook my head and smiled at him.

"Maybe you ought to go into law, too. You're getting good at making arguments. You can sing for your clients in court."

"I object," he sang in operatic tones.

I laughed.

"Well?"

"All right," I decided. "We'll try to locate him and if we do, then and only then, I'll decide whether or not I want to, or should, actually confront him."

"That's good," Randall said. He started to dress. "It'll be fun and you won't be sorry. You'll see."

"I hope you're right, but I'm not as confident about it as you are."

"And now, back to business. Start reciting while I get ready to go," he directed.

"Reciting?"

"The cut from Hamlet, Ophelia's big scene, remember? That's why you came, right?" he declared, amazed.

"Oh. I wonder what made me forget:' I teased and he put on his little smirk.

Just the thought of attempting what Randall had suggested we do about my real father kept the butterflies swirling in mad circles in my stomach. I was so distracted, I kept forgetting lines and had to start over twice. Then, in the middle of my third presentation, there was a knock on Randall's door. He was still in bare feet and shirtless when he opened the door. It was Leslie, dressed in only her thin, cream silk robe, and from the way it lay open at her breasts, it was obvious she was naked beneath.

"Oh," she said, smiling at the sight of me and Randall still not completely dressed. "Pardon moi. I did not mean to interrupt."

"It's all right," Randall said quickly. "Rain was just practicing."

"I see, but I did not know it takes practice," she said with a laugh.

"I meant practicing her part for the presentation next weekend."

"Ah yes."

"What did you want?" he asked sharply.

"Just to see if you had left yet and if you were going to do anything interesting today? Catherine is just dressing. We slept late. You should have come with us last night. What a time we had. So, what do you do today? Anything of interest? Or do you stay all day in your room with this practicing?" she asked, looking at me with a suggestive smile smeared across her face.

"We're going to Piccadilly Circus," I said. "To walk and have some lunch. You're both welcome to join us."

"Ah, this is so?" she asked Randall.

"You heard it," he said.

She laughed.

"How soon?"