Divulgence

10 May

With Diane's recovery assured I decided that we should get out of the hospital and go into town for dinner tonight. I offered Hilly two very valid reasons. One, I thought that Colin and Diane should have some time alone together and two, I was sure she was tired of eating off Styrofoam plates. After making a few inquiries at the Nurses' Station, we opted to try one in town called Altsteirische Schmankerlstube. It boasted exceptional local cuisine and we were told that we would get a "true" taste of Austrian hospitality. The fact that it had an exceptional wine and beer list only added to its appeal. We were actually greeted and shown to our table by the owner herself. She handed us our menus, which were thankfully the English version, and told us our waitress, Conny would be over shortly.

"This place is just charming, Jack."

"Yea, it is, babe."

There was a third reason on my mind, which I had not disclosed to Hilly. I needed to get her alone so that I could talk with her about her quite obvious and, I will add, new found hatred of Ken. If she wasn't completely ignoring him she was flying into him with more vehemence than I had ever seen before. Don't misunderstand, if you get on the wrong side of Hilly's "list", you are totally fucked. No question. But there was always a legitimate reason you got yourself there in the first place. This thing with Ken was so wholly out of character for her that I was determined to get to the bottom of it. The problem was, I didn't know how to begin. I watched her studying her menu. The worry lines that had creased her forehead during the last several days had disappeared, as well as the panic in her eyes. All she was expecting tonight was to relax and have a quiet dinner, not an inquisition. Conny's arrival with the Wine List, gave me a temporary stay.

"So, Hilly, how about we try the Welschriesling? It says here that it's the most popular of the local wines. Seems that it would compliment any entree. It's a white, though."

"It could be hot fucking pink, as long as it contains alcohol, I'm good!"

I cleared my throat and indicated to a rather amused Conny, who was eyeing Hilly with an arched brow, our selection. Hilly's wisecrack, however, had given me the segue I had been looking for.

"I know you've had a rough time of it, Babe."

I reached my hand across the table so she could take hold of it. She put her menu down and grabbed it fervently.

"I was never so scared in my life, Jack! I mean what if Diane didn't..."

I placed my other hand on top of hers and caressed it gently.

"Shhh! I know, Babe... I know. I know you were so very scared."

"And I felt helpless too. Just sitting there! Hour after hour. Knowing that there was nothing I could do to make her better."

"I understand, Hilly, I do. Just having to sit and wait and have faith."

"Drove me nuts."

"Yea, you were a little crazed, Babe. Is that why you were so hateful to Ken?"

Hilly's response to my question was to release my hand and pick up her menu.

"Babe?"

"I think I'll start with the pumpkin soup. Then the Roast Pork. Oh, they have trout, maybe I'll have the trout."

Conny's reappearance with our wine had now given Hilly a brief stay. I asked her to leave the pouring to me and for a few more minutes before we ordered. I set her glass in front of her, sat back in my chair with mine, as she took a sip.

"Oh, I like it!"

"Babe!"
"It's fruity!"

"Hilly!"

"But not too."
"Hilary!"

"What?"

"If you're through playing sommelier, can you answer my question?"

"It's nothing, Jack!"

"Nothing!?! Good God! You almost ripped the guy's shirt in half!"

Hilly shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She looked around the restaurant, she rubbed her face with her hands. Finally, she crossed her arms on the table and leaned in towards me.

"He's upset me."

"No lie! But what has he done?"

I leaned in towards her as well and looked into those beautiful dark brown eyes of hers. They were the color of espresso beans and whoever had coined the phrase as eyes being the windows to the soul could have been talking about Hilly. All you have to do is look into them to see what she is feeling. Happy, sad, angry, it's all revealed in her eyes. As I looked into them now I saw torment.

"Hilly did he hurt you in some way? Did he hurt Di? I mean if he did anything... I swear!"

"No, Jack! No! It's nothing like that."

"Then what is it?"

Hilly grabbed her glass and took a sip of wine. She rubbed her finger along the rim and took a deep, but shaky breath.

"Ken is in love with Diane, or he thinks he is. He's just watching and waiting for Colin to screw up, so that he can swoop in."

"Hilly, that's nonsense. Ken is a friend, a business associate. Where did you get that idea?"

"From him, Jack! I'm not delusional here!"

"Okay, now Hilly, relax. Start at the beginning."

"It was when Ken and I were in London, working on Nick and Nora. He came to the office to help me sort out the books. It's just the two of us, I had sent Maggie home early. Well, we started talking about Diane, naturally. He somehow knew about the issue between Colin and Diane."

"Well he was with us in LA, you know, that night."

"I know. But he also knew that Colin had cut off contact with her for a while. Now he thinks he has some chance with her."

My stomach lurched and I swallowed hard. I had a sinking feeing.

"So, Hilly, you never told Ken anything about Colin going MIA?"

"Of course not, Jack! It was none of his business. Why would I have told him?"

My heart began to race and my palms got sweaty. Ken's unusual display of friendship in Monte Carlo now made perfect sense.

"Oh God, I did."

"What did you do?"

"I told Ken. It was when we were all in Monte Carlo. When I was working the sound booth."
"Oh fuck! I knew I should have left you home! Why did you do that, Jack?"

"Not on purpose, Babe. He sorta tricked me. Ken made it sound like that you had already told him."

She sat back in chair, removed the bottle from the ice bucket and refilled our glasses.

"So, how do I make him stop, Jack? This can't continue."

"You have to tell Diane."

"Diane just suffered a traumatic injury. She's in no shape to hear news like this."

"Then tell Colin. He'll know the right time to tell her."

"Less distasteful, but still not appealing."

"There's no other option, Babe."

Resignation now clouded those eyes, but I knew that Hilly would do the right thing. She exhaled deeply and nodded her agreement, then she picked up her purse and started rooting through it. Oh God, I hoped she wasn't back on the Maalox.

"You're not jonesing for the Maalox, are you?"

She stopped long enough to shoot me an scathing look.

"I've been clean for a while now, dear! But I am getting a headache."

"Probably the wine on an empty stomach."
"That and ya know, the last several days have been a wee bit stressful."

At last her sense of humor had returned. 

"You know, Babe, I've got a sure-fire home remedy that is guaranteed to cure what ails ya."

Now those eyes were dancing and playful as she started rubbing her foot up and down my leg. I was on my feet in a flash and signaled for our check after Hilly made a simple request that needed no repeating.

"Well, then, let's go home."