And laughed again, that same shrill nervous laugh.
Wade's eyes went to me. There was a desperately sad look in them. I pretended interest in something going on elsewhere just so he wouldn't be embarrassed.
On the way home, we heard another one of Basil's lectures about the school of hard knocks.
"You can spend your whole life in classrooms and not learn half of what you'll learn in the real world," he said, practically bellowing now. "Man to man, face to face with important decisions, knowing how to back someone down and when to maneuver, that's the ticket. When you negotiate for potentially prize real estate, for example, it don't matter if your grammar ain't perfect, Celeste. What you got to know is how desperate the other guy is to make the sale. That's the secret to everything: learn how desperate the other guy is, what he wants and needs first, and then take action. As long as you're in a position to do something for someone else, you'll get what you want in this life.
"Ain't that right, And?" he asked.
She looked like she had just been stung by a bee. She was flustered a moment, then quickly said, "Yes."
"Yes," Basil repeated, nodding.
Wade said nothing, but I could see from the way his neck tightened against the base of his head that he was furious. When we arrived at the house, we stopped next to Basil's car so he could get out before we went into the garage. I sensed it was Wade's way of making sure he left and didn't go into the house with us.
Basil took my hands firmly into his and repeated his offer to teach me how to drive the next day.
"I'll set up your driving test myself," he added. "See you after school."
He leaned over and kissed me on the lips so quickly, I had no time to turn my cheek to him instead. He laughed at my surprise.
Then he reached over and slapped Wade on the shoulder, rather sharply, I thought.
"Get some sleep, Wade. You've got a big day at the plant tomorrow going over item by item, and I expect profits to go up this year, the way I'm spending money. Ami, my dear, sweet dreams," he said, throwing her a kiss.
"Good night, Basil."
He got out, went to his car, and drove off as we continued to the garage in silence.
"I'm tired of apologizing for him," I heard Wade tell Ami as we headed down the hallway.
"Then don't," she said, and walked ahead of him.
"Good night, Celeste," Wade told me at the top of the stairway. He didn't look back. His shoulders slumped, and his head was down. I wished I could say something that might cheer him up, but all I said was, "Good night."
He went to their bedroom. Arai stood beside me, watching him go, and then turned to me.
"Don't be upset about Basil's offer, Celeste. He means what he says. He'll get you your own car. Let him teach you how to drive. You'll have your license in no time, and I know how important it is for you to feel independent. Just put up with him. He's really not that dangerous," she offered, "and he really likes feeling important. It never hurts to stroke the guy with the bank account. Never refuse a favor from Basil Emerson. That's my motto."
She embraced me and kissed my cheek.
"Everything will be better tomorrow. It always is," she said.
Before I could say another word or ask a question, she went to her room and closed her door softly.
I was happy to discover that my bed sheets had been changed, and the garlic odor was gone. Exhausted, I fell asleep almost the moment my head hit the pillow. As usual these days, it was Wade's phone call that woke me. I showered and dressed and hurried down to join him for breakfast. I was anxious to tell him I wouldn't let his father give me driving lessons if he didn't want him to, but that wasn't the way Wade presented it.
"I said last night that I wasn't going to apologize for my father anymore, but I am. I'm sorry he was so obnoxious last night. I can stop him from coming over here to give you driving lessons if you would rather he didn't," he offered.
If I would rather? He would use me as the reason to keep his father from coming.
"It's not important, Wade," I said. The last thing I wanted now was to be the cause of a rift between Wade and Basil, especially after what had happened with Trevor. I'd certainly feel like the one bringing the evil eye into their home, just as Mrs. Cukor predicted.
"You sure you don't mind?"
"I'm okay with it," I assured him.
"I'd offer to do it myself, but I could only do it on weekends. Dad has all this free time on his hands," he muttered. "The truth is, he never ran the company as well as I'm running it."