“Break the news?” Kerry hazarded.
“Eyah, something like that.” Angela nodded. “And if it looked like you were going to go ballistic, he was going to find some way to be recalled to college for the week.”
“Chicken.” Her sister laughed. “Not that I blame him, talk about awkward situations.” She paused and glanced at the path they were still walking on. “What are you going to do?”
Angela steered them towards a bench overlooking the somber lake, and they sat down side by side. A light wind rustled the dead leaves around them and whispered through the bare branches overhead. “I don’t know,” she finally answered. “You know I never wanted to marry Richard.”
Kerry nodded. “I know. Dad bullied you into it, just like he was doing with me and Brian. But I got lucky.”
Hazel eyes turned and regarded her. “It’s not luck. You’re smart, Kerry, really sharp, and you had a chance to go places. I never did.” Angela’s college degree was in Literature. “Oh, I could teach, you know, but still.” She sighed.
“There wasn’t any reason for me to go anywhere, and it wasn’t so bad. I mean Richard’s not a bad guy, you know?”
“I know.” Kerry gazed at her in quiet compassion. “And there’s Sally.”
Her two-year-old niece.
“Yeah, she really loves her daddy.” Angela sighed. “I sure wish I did.”
She turned her eyes to Kerry. “Brian makes me feel so special. He listens to me, and it’s like…” She stopped and blinked. “He really likes you, Ker. He doesn’t want to lose you as a friend.”
Kerry smiled. “How could he?” She rubbed her sister’s back in gentle compassion. “He’s just saved me from a task I’ve been really, really dreading.”
Angela looked up. “Telling him?”
Kerry nodded. “I didn’t want to hurt him, I’m glad it’s not going to be an issue.” She paused. “Did you tell him about me?”
Angela hesitated. “I told him…that I thought you’d gotten involved with someone down there,” she answered cautiously. “I didn’t get into specifics, because I didn’t have any, right?”
“Mmm.” Kerry nibbled her fingernail. “You think he’d freak out?” she asked. “We’ve been friends for a long time, but that’s…I don’t know, for someone who’s been brought up like he was, that’s a tough thing to adjust to.”
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Angela considered. “I don’t know, we never talked about it,” she answered honestly. “I’d like to say he’d be fine with it. But I don’t know, he is pretty conservative.”
“Mmm.” Kerry sighed. “Well, I’ll have to feel him out. What I don’t want is Kyle finding out about it.” She leaned back and gazed up at the clear sky.
“Pretty night,” she reflected, glancing at her watch, then pulling her cell phone out of her pocket and dialing a number. It rang twice, then picked up.
“Hi, there,” she drawled into the receiver.
“Hi, there, yourself,” Dar’s voice rumbled back, a warm, velvety sound.
“How’s it going?”
“Mmm. Better than I expected, actually. “ She glanced at her sister, who was listening with interest. “There are some, um,
complications
that I wasn’t expecting. Apparently my sister here has taken Brian away from me and is having his child.”
She heard a startled squawk and splash. “What?” Dar’s voice came back, incredulous.
“Where are you?” Kerry inquired curiously.
“In the hot tub. What did you say?” Dar replied. “I thought your sister was married.”
“She is,” the blonde answered solemnly. “Why are you in the hot tub? It’s ten thirty at night, Dar.”
A sigh answered her. “Because I went and drilled with Ken for two hours after teaching that class, and I’m regretting it,” Dar replied. “That is a complication. What’s she going to do?” More splashing. “Did you tell her?”
“Uh huh.” Kerry replied, giving her now giggling sister a push. “She wasn’t…um, surprised.”
“Really? Points for her.” Dar laughed. “Hey, I’m glad to hear it. Sounds like things are going pretty good up there.”
“Yeah, yeah, not bad.” Kerry sighed. “I’ll survive, I guess. Hey, you better get out of there before you turn into a raisin.”
“Dried grape.”
Kerry stared at the phone, a strange tingle going up and down her spine.
“What did you say?”
Splashing sounds, then the soft hiss of the sliding door opening and closing. “My mother always used to have that argument with my father, he used to say, ‘damned dried apples is dried apples, dried peaches is dried peaches, I ain’t calling no pansy assed dried grape a raisin.’ ”
“Oh.” Kerry laughed. “Sorry, it sounded so weird.” She paused, just listening to the comforting sounds of Dar moving around—going in the kitchen and pulling out, Kerry was sure, a glass for some milk. “Well, I should let you go towel off. Just wanted you to know things are going all right.” She heard the refrigerator open and the soft hiss of the milk dispenser, and she smiled. “Enjoy your milk.”
A chuckle. “You can hear that?” Dar asked, amused. “I’m glad you called, I was just looking up at the stars and wondering what you were up to.”
“Funny, I was just doing the same thing,” Kerry admitted. “It’s cold up here, I’m glad I got that new jacket. I’ve got your sweatshirt on underneath it,”
she related. “Oh, and I found this little lizard in my bag. Any idea where it
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came from?” her voice turned teasing.
“Lizard?” Utter innocence in Dar’s voice. “What lizard?” Then she chuckled. “Been hanging on to that for a while. Listen, Michelle struck again today, she sent copies of those pictures up to Alastair.”
“What?” Kerry’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”
“I forwarded them to her boss and offered to put in a bid to replace his camera resolution software,” Dar replied dryly. “Don’t worry, I talked to Alastair. It’s okay,” she added. “You might want to pick up mail if you get a chance. Some idiot put me in charge of arranging entertainment for the Christmas party at work, and I need some advice.”
Kerry muffled a giggle with one hand. “Oh, okay. I will,” she promised.
“Listen, have a good flight tomorrow, okay? Be careful.”
“I will. You be careful, too,” the soft response came back. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Count on it. ’Night, Dar.” Kerry smiled. “I love you.”
A soft chuckle. “I love you too, and you nearly got me into some hot water with that today. You know where I was when you called?”
“Um, no.” Kerry bit her lip.
“In the cafeteria, having coffee with Duks,” Dar replied. “I think it warmed the cockles of his atheistic little heart.”
“Eep. Sorry,” Kerry squeaked, not really sorry at all.
“I’m not,” Dar replied quietly. “Go get some rest so you can attack the turkey tomorrow.”
“I will. ’Night,” Kerry answered, folding up the phone as the line disconnected and tucking it into her pocket. Then she leaned back against the bench and gazed up at the stars again, remaining reflectively silent for a moment. “She’s so different from me, and yet, when we’re together, it’s like I’ve known her all my life. I don’t understand it sometimes.”
Angela watched her in silence, then she reached over and covered Kerry’s hand with her own. “I know it’s not really what…” She stopped. “Well, last Sunday in church, the pastor was talking about how everyone out there, somewhere, has someone who completes them. Who are their other halves, their soulmates.” She paused, seeing Kerry’s body stiffen. “Maybe that’s what you are.”
Soulmates.
The word echoed through her mind, turning corners and tearing through shuttered doorways of understanding. It finally settled home, draping over her heart like a silk handkerchief, and she closed her eyes as she accepted the truth of it. “You may be right,” she whispered. “I never thought of that. I remember Pastor Robert talking about it when I was in college.”
Angela nodded. “He still does. And when he talks about it, it always makes me wonder if he has found his because his face lights up so.” She rubbed Kerry’s fingers. “Maybe you should go talk to him, Kerry. He’s always been so fond of you. He asks about you all the time.”
Kerry turned toward her, serious. “I don’t think he’d understand, Angie.
He’s a pastor.”
Wise, hazel eyes warmed her. “I think he’d understand a lot better than you think, Sis.” She studied Kerry’s face. “You don’t go to church down there, do you?”
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A shake of the blonde head. “No, there isn’t one of our denomination around. At least where I live. There are a few up in Broward, but…” She glanced at the ground. “I miss that sometimes; maybe I will go talk to him.”
She stifled a yawn. “Dar’s right, it’s been a long, aggravating day. Are you guys staying over?”
Angela nodded. “Yes, Sally’s with Richard’s mother. Hey, what about I toss Richard over for the night, and we share the room you’re in like we used to. How about it?”
Kerry smiled at her. “You know, I’d really like that.” She stood and held a hand out to her sister. “C’mon, I’ll snitch some hot chocolate out of the kitchen, and you can see the rest of my pictures.”
Angela allowed herself to be tugged upright by her shorter sister, then she wrapped an arm around her and they started back.
DAR GLANCED OUTSIDE at the gray sky as the plane taxied, seeing the lash of rain against the small, squared oval window, and sighed. It had been a long flight, since the weather front had forced their plane to circle for thirty minutes before it finally landed at Dulles, and she felt an intense need to stretch and move around inside the small, cramped cabin. As the plane nudged up to the gate, she released her seatbelt and stood, glad she was, at least, at the front of the plane and near the exit. She opened the overhead and tugged down her jacket, then pulled her laptop case from the bin and settled it over her shoulder.
The door opened, letting in a blast of wet, cold air, and she shivered in reflex, pulling the jacket closer and zipping it before she nodded pleasantly to the steward and exited the craft, heading up the walkway towards the terminal. She’d gotten three steps past the door when she spotted the waiting Jack and had to smile in reflex as his face lit up on seeing her.
He is really a
sweetie,
she admitted, as he trotted over and enveloped her in a hug—his six-foot-plus military frame making her feel a bit dwarfed. She returned the hug, feeling the solidness of him under her hands, and gave him a pat on the back.
“Hey, Jack.”
“Dar.” He gave her a last squeeze and released her. “Damn, it’s good to see ya. I’m so glad you decided to c’mon up for Turkey Day.”
She was glad, too. It had been so quiet and so lonely in the condo last night, she’d almost gone crazy, unable to believe her reaction after living alone so many years. At least a few days up at the Eastons’ would fill in for Kerry’s missing presence, and she admitted privately that she could use the change of scenery. “Glad to see you, too. Got your hair cut again, I see.” She ruffled his short buzz-cut affectionately. “You guys get paid by how short you can cut it?”
He laughed. “Better than how some guys think we pilots get paid—by the length of something else,” he wryly answered. “C’mon, you got a bag checked?”
Dar nodded. “One, yeah. I was going to carry it on, but the flight was so full, they made everyone check everything.” She followed his striding form toward the baggage claim, dodging the crowd headed in all directions.
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“How’s Gerry doing?”
“Dad’s great,” he answered, with a sunny grin. “He can’t wait to see you, either. He was really rocked that you decided to take him up on the invite. So was Mom, she was busy quizzing him on what stuff you liked. He had no idea, so we called your secretary.”
Dar burst out laughing. “Oh god, I’m in trouble. She probably told your mother I like broccoli and spinach greens—she hates the way I eat.”
He grinned. “Exactly. She did, and Mom got kind of suspicious—
remembering you like she does. So she called around some more and somehow got hold of an assistant of yours.”
“She did, huh?” Dar bit back a grin. “Bet that was a different story.”
“Heck, yeah! And, boy, was I glad, ’cause I hate broccoli,” Jack replied.
“Candied sweet potatoes are much more my speed.” He parked himself next to the belt and crossed his muscular arms. “Point it out.”
Dar dutifully did so, allowing him to lift the leather duffel from the moving belt and shoulder it. Chivalry always amused her, and Jack’s was the genuine kind. He took her bag because he knew it was his privilege and right to do so, not because he was showing off, or making a point, or any of the other reasons someone like, say, José would have.
It was a guy thing, and, like opening doors, saying ma’am, doffing his hat, or holding a chair, it came utterly naturally to him. He would be utterly bewildered if she’d accused him of chauvinistic behavior of any kind, or protested that she was capable of handling her own baggage. It was an appealingly sweet innocence, and one of the things Dar most liked about the pilot. The fact that he was ruggedly good-looking and had a charming sense of humor didn’t hurt, either. He had blond hair and interestingly dark blue eyes, and when he was being particularly silly, he’d waggle his ears, which were prominent against his crew cut. “So, what’s been up with you?” Dar asked, as they walked towards the entrance. “I hear you got carrier duty?”
He rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, I sure did. USS Nimitz. I fly out there after Christmas and join her at sea.” He exhaled. “I had to do a nighttime qualification last month, and let me tell you, Dar…that’s the most scared I’ve been since I fell out of that treehouse when I was ten and nearly busted my neck.”
Dar laughed a little. “I can’t even imagine that—landing on that tiny deck at all. But in the dark?”
“In high seas.” Jack shook his head. “I almost lost my lunch through body orifices I didn’t even know I had.” He went out the door and held it open for her, grinning wryly seeing Dar wince at the cold wind that hit her. “Not used to this stuff, huh?”
Dar fastened her jacket and lifted her collar. “You got that right,” she muttered. “I was sitting outside under the stars in my Jacuzzi last night.”