Hers was a tiny apartment but she'd resolved to make a decent place for Baxter to sleep. Baxter came out of the bathroom in a bathrobe she kept especially for strange men who unexpectedly stayed the night.
"That's fine, thank you," he said softly about the improvised bed.
Andrea could see that his eyes were still swollen from crying. Things had only gotten worse on the way over; Baxter kept asking what was wrong with Sandy and Frogman and Andrea's evasions proved more than eloquent. Now she wanted to do something to take the hurt away or at least to put it into a larger perspective.
"This is a lot of changes to go through in one week, isn't it?" she asked uncertainly."Really," he said, laughing though a little bitter. "Isn't it though." Then he turned away. "I'm not sure I can talk about it right now."
"I can understand."
"Can you? I'm not so sure."
Baxter paused for a moment, then continued, ready to control his emotions.
"It isn't the idea of being cheated on, in a sexual sense, at least. Though that was pretty stupid.... I mean both of them, getting off during what might be the most important meeting of our whole lives. I just can't imagine it. But it's really only part of the trouble with Sandy. You know, for years I've been trying to get her to loosen up, to let her feelings out more freely. Maybe I've finally suceeded and let loose a monster of some sort, driven by all sorts of terrible emotions that were better left repressed."
Andrea was about to speak, about to say something comforting, but she stopped. She stopped when she thought of the three of them out there, just outside of Blackfist's lair.
After a moment's pause, she said, "Maybe she had her reasons.""What do you mean?" Baxter asked, almost angrily.
"I was just wondering. What did Freedman say about why he wanted to see Blackfist?"
''Oh, I don't know. It had something to do with some sort of deal he wanted to strike with Blackfist, about some future jobs. He wasn't very clear when he explained it."
"It doesn't sound like he explained it at all."
"Well, no."
"I know this sounds disloyal to Freedman, Baxter, but has the possibility ever occurred to you that your wife may have saved your life?"
"What do you mean?"
"Baxter, I think you can guess that one yourself. We all spend so much time thinking 'Freedman-this and Freedman-that', acting as if the sun rises and sets on him, that we never stop to question him. Now, frankly, what's intelligent about dropping in on Blackfist uninvited?"
"Yeah.... But she handled it in such a shitty way."
"Let me tell you something. When I first met Frogman I thought that there was nothing lower on earth. I thought he was the most disgusting, perverted creature that ever crawled out of the swamps.
"But he was my ticket out of the smothering arms of father and we had a good business deal. Then, after a while, I got used to him. Eventually I came to sort of love him. Sure it's harder this time, instead of some stranger popping up from nowhere, we have someone we thought we knew, who has changed completely, that we have to get used to all over again. But we all have to get used to her, even Freedman... even you."
"You mean you aren't mad at her?"
"Hell, no! I could kill the bitch, but what would that prove? We all have to go on living, just a little wiser than before, that's all."
"That's a lot of help," Baxter said irritatedly. "What do we do in the meantime, until we get used to her?"
"The first thing we do is sit down."
Andrea sat down and patted a spot on the bed beside her. He sat down beside her.
Then she said, "And then we get used to each other.""Oh, Andrea!" Baxter said impatiently, and rose to go.
"Wait a minute, Baxter," Andrea said, grasping him firmly by both shoulders, "we're not interrupting any meetings."
"I know -- it's not that," he said, sitting down again. She did not let go. "Look, I appreciate what you're doing, but...."
"What?" she asked, a little coyly.
He looked at her as if she were dense. "Making an advance at me."
She smiled. "That's something I've never done out of charity."
He had to smile as she kneaded his biceps. "Yeah, but I'm hardly in the mood after all that's happened."
Andrea didn't answer for a moment. Instead, she drew herself closer, slid her arms underneath his, and began to massage his back.
She put her cheek next to his, and whispered in his ear, "Who's worried about mood? Just ask for the mood you want, and I'll give it to you."
Then, she felt his arms rise to embrace her.
That was when the phone rang.
"Don't answer it," Baxter whispered into her ear as he sank further into her arms."No, I have to," she said as she reached around and picked up the receiver. "It could be Freedman, it could be Leoda, it could be...Daddy? What do you want?"
Instantly, Baxter slid out of her arms and onto the floor.
Andrea heard the thin voice over the receiver say, "Andrea, dear, I want you to come home, right now.""Why? What've you got planned for me this time?"
''Nothing! I mean, look... I'm sorry about everything I've ever done, and I don't care what you've done. Just come home. Please!"
His tone of voice shocked her, and she angrily asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he answered much too quickly. "Just come home, tonight if you possibly can. Everything will be different, much different than before."
"Daddy, you're not being honest with me!"
"All right! Do what you like -- I don't care! But this is my last warn -- this is my last offer!"
"Good!!" She furiously hung up.
After she had had a few breaths of air, Baxter, with an expression of grave concern, asked, "Andrea, what is it? Did he say something to hurt you?"
"No Baxter, no," she said, putting her hand tenderly to his cheek. "It was something else. I think we'd better get out of her, fast. You call -- no, I'll call her." She picked up the receiver and began dialling.
"Who?" he asked.
"Your wife."
"Why?"
"Something in my father's voice. I think we're all in danger. And we're still a team, as far as business goes." She waited a moment with her ear to the receiver.
On the other end of the line was a hoarse, quivering voice that answered, "Yes? who is it?"
"This is Andrea." She added, with confusion, "Is that you Sandy?"
"Yes," she answered with irritation, "what do you want?"
"Trouble! I think my father's planning something. When can you come over?"
"Look, I don't know about...."
"Sandy, this is urgent! Forget about everything else and get over here. Say, is Frogman there?"
"No...he's gone."
"Well, where is he?"
"I -- I don't know," she said, her voice cracking. "He just left."
"Okay, well, try and leave some word for him, and get over here yourself. Bye." She hung up. "Well, Frogman's disappeared. He'll have to take care of himself, for now." Andrea's face was clouded with anxiety. Then she handed the phone to Baxter, saying, "Here, you try to reach Leoda."
As he dialed, and dialed again, Andrea busied herself finding and loading two hand-guns. "I can't find her anywhere," he said, in frustration.
"Well, that's two un-accounted for," she said, finishing with the guns. She laid one on an end table beside Baxter. "This is for... I don't know what it's for, but we'd better be prepared."
Just then, the door began to rattle. Andrea rushed to the place behind where the door would open, and Baxter picked up his gun and took a place behind an overstuffed chair. When the door opened, both leapt into positions where the intruder was completely covered.
Frogman stood in the doorway, staring at the two guns aimed at him, no so much surprised or frightened as he was offended.
He raised his hands, only in a gesture of frustration, and cried, "What did I do now?!"