Sunset Over Misty Lake

by Margaret Standafer

  “Here.” Opal pushed a handful of napkins into Karen’s free hand. As Karen tried to hide her face and her humiliation, Opal said, “Don’t you move a muscle.”

  In an instant, Opal was out from behind the bar and alongside Karen. She pulled Karen to her feet and started to guide her across the room. Karen heard her say something about a break but was more focused on keeping her head down and out of sight of all those curious eyes than on what Opal was saying or where she was taking her.

  The where became clear in a minute when Opal pushed open the door to a women’s restroom. Karen watched as Opal peeked around to make sure the room was empty before reaching in a closet and producing a ‘Temporarily Closed’ sign she posted outside the room.

  “I can’t believe I did that. I am so sorry, I don’t know what to say. Please don’t feel like you have to stay here with me, I’ll be fine.”

  “What’s your name, honey?”

  “What?”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Karen.”

  “Karen, you listen to me. You don’t have a single thing to apologize for. You’re upset, you’re hurting, and you needed to let it out. You weren’t about to let that happen in front of your husband, or your family, or your friends. Sometimes, a bartender can be more than just someone who pours a drink.”

  “I yelled. I don’t yell. And I cried. I almost never cry. At least, I never used to. You didn’t deserve any of that. No one deserves that.”

  “Oh, honey, if I wasted time worrying about what I deserve and don’t deserve, I’d never get a single thing done. Now, if you want to talk, I’ll listen. If you want to sit, I’ll sit. What I won’t do is leave you alone right now.”

  “I’m okay. You need to get back to work.”

  “I’m entitled to a break and I’ve chosen to take that break now. This is as good a place as any.”

  Karen looked around her and to her surprise, found herself agreeing. Opal had pushed Karen onto a plush sofa upholstered with a light grey fabric. It was more comfortable than the one Karen had at home. A matching sofa was positioned across from her with a wide table holding an enormous vase of pink and white flowers separating the two. Four chairs completed the circle around the table. Through an archway at which point the carpet of the sitting area gave way to dark grey tile, Karen could see a row of gleaming white bowl sinks set atop a variegated marble countertop. The wide mirrors above each were flanked by sconces that provided a soft, warm glow. Subtle lighting overhead made the room bright enough for those wanting to touch up their hair and makeup without the industrial-like fluorescent, pulsing light found in most restrooms. Smaller vases of pink and white flowers dotted the countertop. If she’d seen this restroom on her last visit, she didn’t remember it. But then, she didn’t remember a lot of things.

  Karen leaned back and closed her eyes against a pounding headache. “Why are you doing this? Sitting here with me?”

  “I go where I’m needed. Right now, I’m needed here.”

  “Opal, I’m a big girl. It may not seem so at the moment, but I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

  “Oh, I’ve no doubt of that, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little help. Tell me about your babies.”

  “What?”

  “Your babies. You said you left your children. How many? How old?”

  Since she couldn’t come up with a good reason not to, Karen told her. “I have a two-year-old son, Dylan, and twins not yet three months old, Evan and Julia.”

  “Twins? And a toddler? And you said you almost never cry?”

  Despite everything, Karen laughed.

  “My sister had twins. If ever a woman should’ve not had twins, it was Pearl. Pearl couldn’t take care of Pearl, let alone a couple of colicky babies. I spent more time with her babies than I did my own for a while.”

  “Pearl and Opal? I sense a theme.”

  “My momma was nuts. Heck of a mother when she wanted to be, but mostly she spent her days watching soap operas. She started to believe she knew those folks. She’d shop for a fancy outfit when there was a wedding, she’d wear black for weeks after a funeral, and sometimes she’d disappear for a while saying someone in Springfield or Salem needed her. We never knew where she went, just that she’d come back ready to be our momma again for a while. Naming us Opal, Pearl, Ruby, and Jade was one of the saner things she did.”

  Karen smiled.

  “I can tell you’re a good mother.”

  “How?”

  “If you weren’t, none of this would bother you. Whatever it is you’re trying to fix wouldn’t matter if your family didn’t matter so much.”

  “I suppose.”

  “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to stick around for a while and talk to Juan. I’ll find out all I can about this Joshua you’re looking for and then I’ll call you or text you, so you don’t have to come back here tonight. I know how these conferences work. You have a reception tonight followed by a busy couple of days of talks and presentations and you’re already exhausted. Make an appearance at the reception, get yourself checked in, and then get some sleep. Let me handle things here.”

  “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You didn’t ask, I volunteered. All I need is your phone number so I can get in touch with you later on.”

  “How long will you have to wait around after your shift until Juan gets here?”

  “Not long, not long,” Opal said with a wave of her hand. “I don’t always get out of here right on time anyway, so it’s nothing unusual.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t want you to get involved in my mess.”

  “I’m not getting involved. All I’m doing is asking a coworker a few questions.”

  Karen sighed. Maybe it would be easier if she didn’t have to come back later that night. The casino and bar would be busier, it might be difficult to talk to Juan, and, in all likelihood, he would be more willing to talk to Opal than to her.

  “Okay. If you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure.”

  They exchanged phone numbers and Karen felt a tiny bit of weight lift off her shoulders.

  “Thank you, Opal. You’re really very kind to help me out like this.”

  “It’s nothing. You take care of yourself. I’ll be in touch.”

  When they stood, Karen hesitated.

  “Everyone is going to stare after the scene I made.”

  This time it was Opal’s turn to laugh.

  “Oh, honey, this is Vegas. I can guarantee at least a dozen things have happened in the time we’ve been in here so that folks have long forgotten anything they may have seen or heard as far as you’re concerned.”

  Karen succeeded in getting herself back to her hotel, showered and dressed, and downstairs to the welcome reception. She did not succeed in getting herself to believe things would work out. If Opal didn’t learn anything from Juan, if there was no one around who remembered Joshua, if Joshua had left Las Vegas, if, if, if.

  Karen missed most of what the speaker said in his welcoming address. If she wasn’t checking her phone for a message from Opal, she was checking the clock and trying to figure out when she could get out of there. The speaker, a head nurse from a hospital in Nevada, seemed as though he’d never quit talking. After ten agonizing minutes more, he finally wrapped up and encouraged everyone to have a drink and mingle. Fat chance, Karen thought, as she pushed to her feet.

  “Karen? Oh, my gosh, Karen! It is you.”

  The woman threw her arms around Karen and started jumping up and down before Karen got a good look at her. When she finally quit jumping and drew back enough to grab Karen by the shoulders and come in so close Karen braced herself for a kiss, recognition dawned. For the first time in a long time, Karen felt the flush of true happiness.

  “Heidi.” It was Karen’s turn to hug.

  “I spotted you across the room during that speech I thought was never going to end, but couldn’t believe it was really you. How are y
ou? You look fabulous. You can’t have just given birth to twins.”

  “I don’t look fabulous, but thanks for lying. You, on the other hand, do. Like always.”

  The statuesque woman had exotic, blue eyes, ruler-straight, black hair, and flawless skin covering the most amazing cheek bones Karen had ever seen. Fabulous didn’t do her justice.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be here?” Heidi asked as she linked arms with Karen and led her to a table.

  “Because I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

  Heidi’s face fell. “We don’t do a very good job of keeping in touch, do we?”

  It was true. Aside from Christmas cards and the occasional text, Karen and Heidi were hardly more than strangers. A far cry from their days in nursing school when they’d been inseparable. They’d met at orientation and had become fast friends. Both agreed that without the other, it was likely neither would have made it through school. They’d pulled all-nighters cramming for tests. They’d blown off steam at the bar only steps from their apartment. And they’d helped each other survive long-distance relationships.

  “I guess not,” Karen admitted.

  “Well, we’re together now. Tell me about the family.”

  Karen gave Heidi a run-down, careful to avoid anything that might lead to questions she didn’t want to answer. As they talked, Karen felt herself slowly relaxing. Heidi still had the same calming effect she’d had when they were students.

  “I can’t believe I’ve never met Dylan and now you have the twins. We have to figure out a way to get together.”

  “I’d love to but at this point, I think you’re going to have to be the one to make the trip. Travelling without kids is a lot more fun than travelling with kids.

  “Maybe, but then it would have to be by December.”

  “You’d make the trip? Really? I know! Come for Thanksgiving. Do you think you can get away then? We can…” Karen studied her friend. “Wait a minute. What do you mean, by December? That’s…but…you’re not…” Heidi grinned and nodded. “Are you pregnant?”

  When Heidi nodded again, Karen flew from her chair and pulled Heidi along with her. Karen looked her friend up and down, trying to spot signs she missed earlier. Or rather, hadn’t looked for earlier given pregnancy news was the last news she’d expected to hear from Heidi. When Karen felt the tears fill her eyes, she wrapped Heidi in a fierce hug.

  “That’s wonderful news. Amazing news. I am so happy for you and Ty. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

  “It’s still fairly new news, and we’ve been holding off telling anyone. I’ve gotten used to not talking about it. But it’s happening, Karen, it’s really happening.” The tears flowing down Heidi’s cheeks matched those on Karen’s.

  “You’re feeling okay? Everything is okay?”

  “I’ve thrown up three mornings in a row. I’ve never been happier.”

  Karen laughed at her friend. “You’re weird, but I get it.”

  And she did. More than anyone Karen had ever known, Heidi wanted children. When they met, after telling Karen her name and where she was from, the next words out of Heidi’s mouth had been about Ty, her boyfriend since seventh grade, and how they were going to get married as soon as she finished nursing school and start a family right away. They’d gotten married the week after graduation and tried to start that family for years until finally accepting the conclusions of the myriad of doctors they’d seen that with as many factors as they had stacked against them, the chance of them having a child was practically nonexistent. While Heidi would have likely dealt with morning sickness with her usual smile and cheer regardless, the fact that this pregnancy was so unexpected and so celebrated made Heidi’s exuberance at throwing up understandable.

  “I wanted to call you right away, but at first, it was such a shock, Ty and I hardly believed it. Then came the endless days and sleepless nights as we held our breath and marked off days on the calendar until we reached that magical three-month mark.

  “I remember how excited you were when you found out about Dylan. You called to tell me and spent more time making sure I was okay than you did telling me about your news. It took me half an hour to convince you I wanted all the details and that it wouldn’t be too hard for me to hear. With the twins, I think I found out in your Christmas card that you were pregnant, but I’m sure you were just as excited. My plan was to call you after this conference, but this is so much better, telling you in person.”

  Guilt walloped Karen. All kinds of guilt. She’d told one of her best friends about being pregnant with a note in a Christmas card. Another reminder that she’d treated that pregnancy so differently than she had with Dylan. Her twins deserved so much more. And so did Heidi.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t call. I was overwhelmed at the thought of twins and for a while, struggled with the idea. We didn’t even tell anyone we were expecting twins. Then there was the guilt that came with feeling like I was short-changing my babies by not being as over the moon as I’d been with Dylan.”

  It was true, but it was far from the whole truth. Heidi nodded her understanding.

  “Hey, there’s nothing to be sorry about. That’s the best part of having such a good friend. No matter what happens, no matter how long we go without talking or seeing each other, we both know that the other is there, ready to laugh, ready to cry, ready to offer up some of our infinite wisdom, ready to drop everything and help with just a word.”

  Karen swallowed over the lump in her throat. “You’re right.” She pushed all other thoughts from her mind and focused on her friend. “We need to celebrate. Since we won’t be doing that at the bar, let’s get out of here. We should shop. Do you think there’s someplace I can buy you a baby gift? All I’m picturing in my mind is a onesie with gaudy lettering that says, ‘Vegas Baby’ or something equally as charming.”

  Heidi giggled. “There’s always online shopping. I haven’t let myself look at any baby stuff yet, but it’s been killing me. Look with me?”

  “Absolutely. I’ll share my vast insight on what you really need for a baby as opposed to what’s adorable, but you’ll never use.”

  Heidi linked her arm through Karen’s and the two headed out of the ballroom. Karen’s phone vibrated just as they reached the doors.

  “You take that,” Heidi said. “I’m going to stop at the restroom. I’ll meet you by the elevators in a minute.”

  Karen nodded her agreement as she answered the call.

  “Hi, Karen, it’s Opal. From the bar this afternoon?”

  “Of course, Opal. Thank you for calling.”

  “No problem. I spoke with Juan and asked him about Joshua.”

  Karen’s heart pounded as she held her breath and waited.

  “Juan said Joshua quit. He couldn’t remember exactly when, but said he thought it’s been nearly a year. It was sudden, I guess, and Juan doesn’t know where Joshua went from here, but his guess was that he left Vegas because he’s never run into him or heard any more about him.”

  “And Juan has no idea where he may have gone?”

  “Sorry, honey, that’s all he said. I did get the feeling Juan wasn’t especially sad to see Joshua go. Juan made a comment that led me to believe he didn’t think too highly of Joshua.”

  “I see.”

  “I’m sorry if that upsets you. I don’t know why you want to find this guy and it’s none of my business, but maybe it’s best you don’t find him.”

  “Maybe,” Karen said, but she knew she wouldn’t give up that easily. “Thank you, Opal. You’re really very kind to help me. I hope everything works out with your daughter and her Joshua, for the sake of those babies.”

  “I hope so too. If there’s anything else I can do for you, give me a call.”

  “I will. Thanks again.”

  Karen disconnected then slumped against the wall. Her legs felt ready to give out. She’d managed to distract herself with Heidi and her baby news, but the real reason she was in Vegas came c
rashing back and she was overcome with hopelessness. It was tempting to sneak away before Heidi returned, to go back to the casino and try talking with more people, but she couldn’t do that to her friend.

  “What happened, Karen? Was that Joe? Is something wrong?”

  Karen pushed away from the wall. “Oh, no, it was nothing. I’m just tired. Didn’t get much sleep last night with getting ready for the trip. I guess it’s catching up with me.”

  “You should go to bed. We can talk more tomorrow.”

  Heidi took Karen’s hand and pulled her toward the elevators. “It’s probably best I get some sleep too.”

  Heidi forced a smile, but Karen heard the disappointment in her friend’s voice.

  “No way. Sleep can wait. Now that we’re finally together, I’m not letting you get away that easily. Unless you’re too tired, we’ve got some shopping to do.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  An excited yelp escaped from behind the hands Heidi brought to her mouth. “This is so much more fun than I ever expected to have at a conference!”

  CHAPTER TEN

  THE NIGHT HAD been just what she’d needed, but now, squinting against the desert sun as she pulled back the curtains, she had to fight hard to quell the feeling that she’d wasted valuable time. She and Heidi had scoured baby sites on the Internet, had laughed and reminisced, had tossed about baby names, and finally, had pulled the comforter over themselves and giggled themselves to sleep as they’d done countless times before.

  Just a few minutes ago, Heidi had apologized on her way out the door and down the hall for vomiting in Karen’s bathroom. Now, Karen was alone, facing a day of lectures, and wanting nothing but to duck out and search for someone who knew something. But since she and Heidi had discovered they were attending most of the same sessions, she knew skipping out wasn’t an option. Heidi had already thrown out ideas on how to spend the coming evening. It all left Karen desperate to find time to get back to the casino where Joshua had worked.

  It was going to be a long day. Hoping the sound of Joe’s voice would help her face it, she picked up her phone and called home.