by Becky Harmon
She dialed Jemini again as she climbed into her truck. She left another short message for her before playing Jemini’s messages again. Listening closely, she thought she heard the start of another word after Jemini said “leaving,” but maybe it was her imagination or her wanting to believe Jemini wouldn’t leave with just a voice mail message. She watched closely for the black Mercedes as she drove through town, hoping to find Jemini still running errands. When she didn’t see her anywhere, she drove back to Rivers Pass. Jemini’s car wasn’t there, but Agnes greeted her from the front porch rocking chair.
“New case?”
Steph nodded, not wanting spend time talking about her work. Agnes was always supportive of her job, but she did like to harass Steph about her late nights and early mornings. She sat down beside Agnes in Dorothy’s rocking chair and stared across the grassy lawn. Agnes had been right all along. Sitting in Dorothy’s chair was okay. Sitting in her chair didn’t mean she was forgotten. She took a deep breath and braced herself for Agnes’s teasing. “Have you seen Jemini today?” she asked, trying to keep her voice casual.
“Not since she left your house this morning.”
She knew she was too old to blush, but she felt her face grow warm anyway. She took a quick glance at Agnes and saw the smile on her face growing bigger. She couldn’t hold back her own smile, but then she remembered the messages from Jemini. She didn’t know what to feel. She had trusted her when she said she wouldn’t leave, but now she had left and Steph wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. Asking for advice from Agnes didn’t seem like a good idea.
“Okay. If she comes by ask her to call me.”
“Going back to work?”
She didn’t want to lie to Agnes, but she also didn’t want to tell her that she might have screwed things up with Jemini. Again. The smile on Agnes’s face was the first real one she had seen there since Dorothy had passed away, and she didn’t want to be responsible for it disappearing again.
“I have to run some errands. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
“Okay. I’ll keep watch for your girl.”
She didn’t correct Agnes because she liked the sound of Jemini being her girl. She dialed Jemini’s phone again as soon as she got in her truck. This time she didn’t leave a message. She forced herself to drive slowly back through Riverview and then turned into Lake View. Steph pushed away her disappointment when she saw Jemini’s car wasn’t there either. She sat in her truck staring at the lake. She wasn’t sure she was ready to hear what Cassie and Kathleen had to say.
Two children played quietly on the beach while their parents watched nearby. It was a tranquil scene and she used it to help calm herself. She wanted to believe Jemini wouldn’t leave for good without telling her. She had to believe that after the night they had shared. Touching her had been amazing and she had slept so peacefully. Jemini seemed to fit perfectly into her home and life. She wasn’t ready to give up on what was only just beginning. Finally, she slid out of her truck and climbed the steps into the Lake View Resort office.
Dillon Varner and his wife, Shelley, were sitting at the desk with their heads leaned together. Dillon was the resort’s go-to guy for all things farming and Shelley helped out at the desk a few hours a week. Both were in their early thirties with no children yet and seemed to live at the resort. She thought maybe she had heard Cassie mention that they were going to build a house on the resort property. She liked them both a lot.
“Have either of you seen Jemini Rivers today?” she asked as soon as they looked up at her.
“Nope,” Dillon said as he passed Steph and headed out the front door. “Good to see you and I’d love to chat, but I got horses to tend to.”
She had spent a lot of time around Dillon and Shelley when she was at the resort interviewing Chase. She had followed the boy around while he did his chores, letting him relax and tell her in his own words what had taken place the night his foster parent was murdered. Dillon was a sweet man and was always willing to help, but she’d noticed that he seemed to have a sixth sense about when emotions and feelings were about to be shared. If at all possible, he would head for the horses to get away from it. She could tell by his reaction that either her question or her appearance was revealing more than she intended.
Shelley on the other hand was a pit bull. If she thought something was wrong and that she could possibly help, she would drag it out of you. She’d go for not only the problem you might be facing but how it made you feel. Every little hidden emotional response or feeling. She steadied herself for Shelley’s inquisition.
“You look upset.” Shelley’s eyes narrowed. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine. I got a message to call Jemini, but I haven’t been able to reach her. I was hoping to track her down here.” She forced her voice to sound normal without showing the panic she was starting to feel.
“I haven’t seen her, but I know she checked out today. Kathleen made a note to clean her cabin.”
The office phone rang, and Shelley apologized before picking it up. Steph couldn’t help but be relieved that maybe she was going to escape baring her soul to Shelley. Shelley jotted down a note as she hung up the phone.
“That was Karen, Jemini’s assistant. Apparently, Jemini had made plans to have dinner here tomorrow night, and Karen was calling to cancel them.”
She quickly backed toward the door. “Okay. Thanks, Shelley.”
She had to get out of there fast. It was clear Jemini had left, and she could already see the pity on Shelley’s face. She couldn’t stay another minute or answer a single question. She sat in the truck for several minutes before pulling out. She wasn’t sure what to do now. She didn’t know why Jemini had left or if she was coming back, but for her own sanity she wanted to believe she was.
She drove past the iron trestle bridge and almost stopped. It held so many memories but none more prevalent than finding Jemini there in the fading sunlight just the other night, her dark hair blowing in the gentle breeze. She would never forget their kiss that night—or any of their kisses for that matter. Jemini’s body language had told her more than her words ever had. Jemini cared about her—she didn’t doubt that—but did she care enough to give up her life in Chattanooga or even to attempt a long-distance relationship? Her mind swirled with thoughts of the potential of a life they could have together or what her life might be like if Jemini didn’t come back. She remembered the pain Jemini had caused her thirteen-year-old self to suffer. The one place that had brought her comfort that day had been Dorothy’s house, where, curled up on the big sofa with Dorothy nearby, she had cried for days.
She headed back there now, slowing her truck as she turned onto Rivers Pass and letting herself imagine that Jemini’s car would be in the driveway. It was crushing to find that it wasn’t, but she climbed the steps anyway, unlocking the door to Dorothy’s house. Other than the few times she had been in here with Jemini, she hadn’t been inside since Dorothy had passed away. She walked through the living room, running her hand along the furniture and the walls as she looked at everything as if for the first time. Dorothy had been tidy and didn’t allow clutter to fill her house. The few pictures she had displayed had been there for years. Steph had stopped looking at them years ago, but now she stared at little Jemini and thought about how things might have been different if only Dorothy hadn’t responded to Jemini’s mother the way she did.
The box of letters was still sitting out. Steph carried it into the kitchen. She pushed the bag of candy and open bottle of Dr. Pepper to the side, making room on the table before dumping the letters out. A part of her felt like she was invading Jemini’s privacy, but she wanted to try to see the pain that Jemini had known. She opened the oldest letter and began to read.
Chapter Sixteen
Jemini stepped quietly into Ken’s hospital room. He was alone and appeared to be sleeping. She sat down in the wooden chair by the window and watched him. Ken had been more of a father to her than her father had eve
r been. She wasn’t sure when she had caught his attention, but she certainly knew why. Ken’s wife, Jean, had met her mother on a quiet Christmas morning at the diner where Aries worked when they first arrived in Chattanooga. Jean had convinced the single mother to share her story and then visited her on a weekly basis until she was able to find her a better job. Aries had worked at the non-profit organization that Jean started until the day she had died. It was an immediate friendship that had only grown with time.
To her, it felt like Ken and Jean had always been around. They had attended her high school graduation and encouraged her to keep on the path to becoming an attorney. Along with her mother, they were the only family she had in the audience when she graduated with her four-year degree. Ken had even hired her to work in his law office during the summers. When she passed the bar on her first try, Jean wanted her to join Ken’s firm, but Jemini wanted a chance to prove herself as a formidable attorney first. Ken had waited patiently while she tried her hand in the prosecutor’s office and then as a defense attorney.
Jean’s guidance had led her into child advocacy, which had opened the door quicker than expected to the partnership with Ken and Keith. It was one of the few areas that they had not focused their careers in and it became her baby, her life even. Ken had always been honest and fair with her, never pushing her to make choices he wanted but leading her into making decisions that were best for her. When her mother had passed away, Ken and Jean had stood by her side at the viewing and the funeral. He had consulted with her every day on her cases until she was ready to return. He never demanded anything of her, but in his quiet way he pulled the best from her.
Karen had given her the medical update when she called her earlier. He was going to be okay, although it had been a little scary until he had the surgery. He would need to take it easy and cut back on his office hours according to what Jean had told Karen. Poor Jean. Jemini could only imagine how scared she was.
She shook her head. Now was not the time for her to ask for a leave of absence. She needed to help carry the firm that had her name in the title too. Time wouldn’t be her friend over the next couple of months. She would have to help Keith carry Ken’s cases as well as the ones she already carried. She would have to work hard to make Steph understand she wasn’t pulling away from her. Her hearted ached at desiring to be with her but knowing she wouldn’t be able to give her the attention she deserved.
She stood and turned to leave. She needed to talk with Keith so they could develop a plan for the future.
“Jemini?” Ken’s voice was hoarse.
She turned and walked back to the side of his bed. “How are you?”
“I’m feeling better now that the surgery is over. Who knew that tingling in my arm all these years was a blockage?”
“Didn’t it bother you?”
“Only when it affected my golf swing,” he joked, but then grew serious. “The doctors say I’m going to be good as new.”
“That’s great. I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
“It’s fine. Keith said you took care of my hearing today. Thank you.”
“Keith and I will handle the office. You work on getting better.”
He patted her hand. “That’s kind of you, but you have enough going on with your family in Florida. That’s part of the reason I called the meeting on Friday. We need to talk about the future.”
“Really, Ken, can’t it all wait until you’re back in the office?”
“I don’t believe in putting anything off anymore. Time is too short. Besides we’re all here now.”
She turned and smiled at Keith as he walked into the room. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling up another chair and motioning her to take a seat.
“How are you feeling, Ken?” Keith asked.
“Good. Ready to get things settled between all of us.”
Jemini looked back and forth between them. “I’ve only been gone four days. What did I miss?”
“Ken came to see me on Friday when he found out about the blockage. They’d scheduled him for surgery this week, and I think he might’ve been a little concerned about his longevity.”
Ken cut him off. “No, I’d been thinking about this for a while. I want to retire. I’d like to give my seat in the partnership to my son. If that’s agreeable to both of you.”
“That’s certainly fine with me.” Jemini looked at both of them. It was now or never. She deserved to be happy and Steph made her happy. Being back in Chattanooga made her heart race and her blood pressure spike, but it wasn’t in a good way. Not like when she was with Steph. She was tired of the rushed lifestyle where something or someone demanded every second of her time. She wanted what Kathleen and Cassie had. Something to enjoy every day and someone to share her life with. She took a deep breath and blurted out, “While we’re making changes, I’d like to leave the partnership.”
“I was afraid you might want to do that. I know going home and reconnecting with your family wasn’t what you ever thought you wanted,” Ken said. “But I talked to Karen after you were here on Friday and I could see that things had changed for you. If you’re sure about leaving, Keith and I will buy you out.”
Keith nodded his agreement.
“I’ll travel back and forth until all my open cases are closed, but I won’t take any new ones.” She smiled at both of them as her eyes filled with tears. “I’m going to miss you guys.”
“We’ll work out the details over the next couple of weeks while you’re closing your cases,” Keith suggested. “Will you be in the office tomorrow?”
“Not unless you need me. I had to leave Riverview without telling anyone where I was going and my cell phone battery is dead again.”
“Go, Jemini, but don’t be a stranger.” Ken patted her hand. “Thank you for coming.”
“I’ll walk you out.” Keith patted Ken’s leg. “I’ll come back in a minute.”
They walked in silence to the elevator and Keith punched the button. “Are you okay?” he asked, giving her shoulders a squeeze.
“I am. Are you?”
He shook his head. “I’m not sure. It was an eye-opener for both of us, that’s for sure. If I had a wife at home, I’d probably retire too, but I’m certainly going to look at life a little differently. I’m just really glad he’s been given a second chance.”
“What about the practice? I feel like we’re all walking out on you at once.”
“Ken won’t go away easily, but I’ll make sure his workload is greatly reduced.” He hugged her. “We’ll miss you, though. I might have to bring in another woman as partner to keep us on our toes the way you did.”
She laughed. “I can recommend a few people.”
“That would be good,” he said, stepping back as the doors to the elevator opened and she stepped inside. “Take care of yourself, Jemini.”
“I will. You too, okay? I’ll call and let you know when I’ll be back so we can discuss everything. And, please let me know if you need my help with any of Ken’s cases.”
She leaned her head against the wall as the doors closed. She was relieved Ken was going to be okay. Keith would become senior partner and he would enjoy it. He was divorced, but his daughter had two children. He had never played an active role in their lives, but she had a feeling all that would change now.
It was going to be hard to leave, but she was looking forward to telling Steph she had made one step toward moving to Riverview. Oh no! Steph! She needed to get to her condo to charge her phone. She hoped Steph had received her message and wasn’t worried.
The doors opened and Robin stepped into the elevator.
“You’re back,” she said happily. “Were you looking for me?”
“No, not really. Ken had a heart attack.”
“Oh, wow. Is he okay?”
She nodded. “He is now.”
“So you’re headed back to Podunk?”
She tried not to be irritated with Robin’s bashing of Riverview. She knew some people w
ould never understand the draw of a small town. She almost laughed. She had been one of those people, and now she couldn’t wait to get back there. “I’m moving there.”
Robin’s eyes widened. “Are you selling your condo?”
“Yes.” She saw the eagerness in Robin’s eyes. “Are you interested?”
“Absolutely. Draw up the papers. Can I leave my stuff for now?”
She nodded. “Sure, in fact go ahead and move in. I’ll take a few things with me tonight and have the movers come by next week. Do you want the furniture?”
“Don’t you want it?”
“I already have everything I need.” It hit her how real that statement was. Whether she stayed at Lake View, Dorothy’s, or moved in with Steph, she really did have everything she needed. Steph made her life complete.
“Sure, leave whatever you want.”
The elevator doors opened and she stepped out into the night air without looking back. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She knew Robin and others that knew her would never understand what she had just done, but she didn’t care. Her life was about to become everything she had always wanted, and now she had another piece of good news to share with Steph. She drove straight to her condo and loaded her trunk with clothes and a few personal items. As soon as she was in her car, she plugged in her cell phone. Her first call was to Karen to see if she could meet her on her way out of town. She had one more thing to take care of in Chattanooga, and then she could tell Steph she was coming home to her.
* * *
