Close to You by Mary Jane Clark Read Free Book Online

first time she had been on what was then
LIVE with Regis and Kathie Lee,
Doris came decked out in a costume of crystals, sparkles and shimmering Christmas balls. When she learned while waiting outside the studio that the contest theme would be “The Seventies,” she quickly dubbed her costume “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” But the other show-goers waiting in line with her told her she looked like a disco ball. So when her turn came, that’s what Doris told Regis she was. Her “Disco Ball” costume won the $500 first prize and a lava-lamp trophy. That night she went to a benefit ball, christened the same costume “Champagne Bubbles” and won again—this time, bleacher seats for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and $250. Over the years she had won cash, golf trips, theater tickets and seaside vacations. But for Doris it was not so much about the prizes as the fun and satisfaction of being recognized for her creativity.
    Doris was flamboyant, talented and had an extremely good heart. Eliza smiled as she watched her, dressed in a form-fitting purple leotard in honor of Janie’s favorite color, her long, dark hair flowing freely as she airbrushed green water-based makeup all over Gregory Leslie’s serious little face. The boy shifted impatiently from one foot to the other as Doris carefully drew the brown-and-black scales on his cheeks, above his eyebrows and around his mouth that would make him into the dinosaur he had requested to be. For good measure, she painted on some silver sprinkles across his forehead. The payoff for Doris was the wide grin on the child’s face as he looked at himself in the large hand mirror she held up for him.
    â€œWow! That’s cool!”
    Doris grinned in return. “Want a dinosaur tattoo?” she offered.
    But Gregory, thrilled though he was with his new reptile visage, had had enough. He scampered off to show his new face to the other dinosaurs, butterflies and fairy princesses in the room.
    As Doris turned to the next child on line and began her new work of art, Eliza felt the strength of Mack’s arm wrap around her waist and the warmth of his lips near her ear.
    â€œLooks like the party’s a success. Janie is clearly loving it,” he said softly.
    The smile faded from Eliza’s face as she turned to look up at him. Mack was leaving at the end of the week, going to London to look at the flats that a real-estate agent there had lined up for him to see. Next weekend, she and Janie were moving into their new home in HoHoKus, on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
    Too much was happening at once. Mack going. The move. Getting Janie settled in a new school. Eliza didn’t even want to think about finding a new housekeeper. Just to add a little something extra to the list, she had to buy a car, too. Living in Manhattan, she hadn’t owned one in years. There was no need for it. She took taxis, had the KEY News driver pick her up and bring her home from work, rented a car when she wanted to get out of the city. But living in suburbia, a car was a must.
    As she looked wistfully into Mack’s handsome face and reached up to touch the familiar laugh lines that crinkled so appealingly at the corners of his eyes as he smiled down at her, Eliza knew in her heart she would get through the things on her list with the determination and organization that had served her so well in her life and her career. All the things she had to take care of were doable.
    But not losing Mack. Not Mack. She didn’t want him to leave.
    â€œMommy, when are we going to have the birthdaycake?” Janie’s question roused Eliza from her reflections. She glanced at her watch.
    â€œNow, my little butterfly,” she answered, picking up her daughter’s hand and kissing it. “We’ll have it now. Your friends’ moms and dads will be coming to pick them up soon.”
    Eliza was in the kitchen, putting the violet