One Woman’s Treasure

by Jean Copeland

  Thankfully, the displeasure Nina had interpreted on Lacey’s face had resulted from her own eagerness to please. She had a second chance with Lacey, and she wanted to make her feel like a priority, something she couldn’t do while she was still married to Zack.

  They’d had a lovely dinner, the four of them engaging in various conversations aimed at revealing and discovering. Nina was delighted that even Noah seemed to be having fun, despite his earlier crankiness at not having his friends over, too. Daphne’s interest in his favorite phone games definitely won his favor.

  Daphne was the ideal dinner guest in that she’d excused herself shortly after dessert, avoiding the possibility of awkward looks between Nina and Lacey as the clock ticked.

  After Nina had gotten Noah ready for bed and settled up in his room, she and Lacey relaxed on the sofa in front of whatever TV channel had been on previously. She thought she’d detected notes of impatience buzzing around Lacey throughout the evening, but Lacey dispelled those thoughts when she slid her arm across her shoulders and drew her closer.

  “Dinner was delicious, babe,” she said.

  “Thank you for bringing dessert.” Nina patted her thigh in gratitude.

  Lacey kissed her tenderly, staring into Nina’s eyes with the same incendiary passion that had swept her into this new world two years earlier. She’d had a way about her then that had Nina under her spell, commanding and sensual and a little dangerous. When Lacey looked at her that way, Nina felt like the most desired woman in the world.

  “The tart was delicious,” Lacey said. “But you’re my favorite dessert, hands down.” She eased Nina down on the couch and began kissing her neck.

  Nina moaned softly as Lacey’s lips grazed her skin up to her ear. She became sensitive to Lacey’s thigh between her legs as the heat of arousal spread throughout her. Apparently sensing the effect she was having on her, Lacey reached under Nina’s shirt, pushed her bra over her breasts, and began working her nipple. Nina arched up toward Lacey as her mouth watered with desire.

  “Do you think Noah’s asleep?” Lacey now had both of Nina’s nipples between her fingers.

  “I’m sure he’s not,” she whispered. “We better stop.”

  “Can’t we go up to your room and close the door?”

  “I’m not comfortable with that yet. He’s only known you as a friend.”

  Lacey sat up and straightened her shirt. “When are you going to tell him we’re much more than friends?”

  “Soon,” Nina said as she adjusted her clothing. “I’m working on the appropriate time and place.”

  Lacey leaned back in apparent frustration. “I hope it’s not going to take as long as it did with Zack.”

  The burn of passion inside Nina faded into embers of indignation. “Are you gonna leave me again if I don’t adhere to your timeline?”

  “That’s not fair.” Lacey’s eyes flared with hurt.

  Nina leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs. It was a very fair question, given that Lacey had known about Nina’s delicate circumstances since day one. She wanted to lace into her about her profound lack of patience, but something in her said no, not again. Lacey had a point, too. The hardest part was over. Nina should be able to just tell Noah what was going on and be done with it. But she wasn’t about to apologize to anyone for taking her time in ensuring her son’s emotional well-being.

  “I shouldn’t have gotten snarky with you,” Nina said. “I’m sorry. But it’s only been three months. It’s not an unreasonable request that you hang in there just a little longer until I feel my son’s ready for the conversation. If you can’t, just say it now.”

  Lacey took her hand and kissed it. “I can, and I will. I really didn’t know what I was losing when I walked away from you before.”

  “Thanks for understanding. I love you for it.”

  Lacey leaned toward her and kissed her sweetly, and the heat between them reignited. The heat. It’s what Nina always felt first with Lacey.

  “I have an idea,” Lacey said. “Why don’t we go up to your room, and if Noah wakes up, I’ll jump out the window.”

  Nina giggled. “Let me go see what he’s doing.”

  On her way to Noah’s room, she grabbed her phone and checked to make sure Daphne had gotten home okay. She smiled at the text and replied with a good night and a heart. Poor Daphne. She must’ve been feeling so down about Brynne, going home to her small, empty house. She would call her first thing in the morning to remind her that she wasn’t alone in her grief.

  When she reached Noah’s room, his door was open a crack, and as was his recent habit, he’d fallen asleep with the TV and every light in his room on. She turned off the lights but left the TV on in case he woke up.

  “Is he asleep?” Lacey asked in a whisper.

  Nina nodded and took her by the hand. Instead of heading back upstairs, she led her to the laundry room on the other side of the house.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Taking you where I can devour you without interruption.”

  Once in the laundry room, Nina swung around, locked the door, and shoved Lacey up against the washing machine.

  The issue with Noah might not have been fully settled, but it was for the moment.

  * * *

  The next morning, Daphne woke after an unsatisfying night’s sleep. She needed coffee. It was a half hour before Sophie expected her for breakfast, but she couldn’t wait. She decided to head over early and help her prepare whatever she had on the menu.

  After she shot Sophie a text warning her she was coming over early, she brushed her teeth and traipsed across the yard in sweats with her hair bunched up in a scrunchie.

  The front door wasn’t unlocked like it usually was in anticipation of her arrival. That was weird. She checked her phone to see if Sophie had read her text. She hadn’t. Maybe she’d just overslept. Should she knock on the door and risk startling her out of a sound sleep? Calling would probably be better. She let the phone ring several times but no answer. What the hell?

  Daphne walked around the back so she could look through the window in the kitchen door. Peeking inside as she turned the knob, she pushed the door open.

  “Soph, it’s me,” she called out. “Where are you? Are you awake?” She rounded the corner near the refrigerator and found Sophie lying on the floor in the hallway. “Oh, Jesus. Sophie.” She bent down and checked for a pulse. Thankfully, she felt a faint one in her neck. “Hang on, Sophie.” She reached for her cell and dialed 911.

  After the commotion of the EMT crew checking Sophie’s vitals and securing her onto the stretcher, they loaded her into the back of the ambulance. Daphne climbed in after them without thinking, not wanting Sophie to wake up alone, wondering what was happening to her. The EMTs placed an oxygen mask on her and hooked her up to an IV line but couldn’t answer any of Daphne’s questions, not even if she was going to be okay.

  When they arrived at the emergency room, Sophie was whisked into triage, and Daphne retreated to the waiting room. She’d called Sophie’s son on the way, but he’d gone to Vermont for the weekend with his wife, so it would be a few hours before he’d get to the hospital.

  She wished they would come out and tell her what was going on. She also wished she’d thought of telling them she was Sophie’s daughter, so they’d keep her informed. What had happened to her? Had she regained consciousness yet? Was she wondering if she was all alone there? Daphne had been texting Nina back and forth, but told her it wasn’t necessary for her to come down to the hospital and sit with her.

  Later, a tap on her shoulder from Sophie’s son woke Daphne from her uncomfortable position in the waiting room.

  “Daphne,” he said gently.

  “Hi, Will.” She shook herself awake and stood up.

  “Mom’s had a stroke,” he said. “She hasn’t woken up yet, and frankly, they’re not certain she will. It’s kind of wait-and-see at the moment.”

  Daphne stood frozen before him processing his
words, hoping in her loopy state that she was having a bad dream.

  “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you being there for her as much as you are. I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t gone to check on her.”

  “She’s my friend, Will. We have breakfast together every Sunday.”

  “I know,” he said with a smile. “She’s mentioned it more than once.” He looked around and ran a hand through his thinning gray hair. “There’s no point in you hanging around here. Why don’t you head home, and I’ll keep you posted on how she’s doing.”

  “Can I say good-bye to her before I go?”

  “She’s still unconscious.”

  “I know.” Her face must’ve reflected the sadness in her heart, for he’d agreed with a pat on her arm like a kindly uncle.

  When she walked into the room, she started at the pallid, frail-looking old woman in the bed. This wasn’t Sophie, certainly not the Sophie she knew. Yes, she was eighty-two, but when Daphne was in her bubbly presence, it was easy to forget she was an octogenarian.

  “Hiya, Soph.” She caressed Sophie’s arm, already black and blue from the IV insertion. “If you didn’t feel like cooking breakfast this week, you could’ve just said so.” She wrinkled her nose as it tingled with the emotion she was holding down. “Listen. Rest up, and breakfast is on me when you’re ready. I’m taking you out for an omelet at that expensive café downtown I told you about. And I don’t want to hear your speech about how you can buy an entire dozen eggs for ninety-nine cents.”

  She smiled at Sophie’s son and his wife and headed out.

  Although she’d told Nina she’d grab an Uber home, Nina flatly rejected the idea and said she was on her way to pick her up. Nina pulled up at the curb, and when Daphne got in the car, the sound of Nina’s voice and the touch of her hand made all the sadness she’d bottled up come spilling out.

  “Oh, honey. Don’t cry,” Nina said. “She’ll be okay. She’s in really good hands now, thanks to you. You might’ve saved her life.”

  Daphne loved her for trying so hard to comfort her. But at Sophie’s age, nobody could say for sure if she’d be okay. First she had to wake up from the stroke. Then the doctors would have to assess the level of damage it had done, which Daphne prayed would be minimal.

  When they got home to Daphne’s, Nina followed her inside with the gourmet cheese platter she’d insisted on buying after they left the hospital—that and a chilled bottle of a fruity white wine to go with it.

  “You really didn’t have to do all this,” Daphne said, but in reality, she was thrilled that Nina wanted to stay and hang out with her.

  “I know I didn’t have to,” Nina said. “I wanted to. I’ve always wanted to try this orchard wine, and what better time than on a gorgeous autumn day with a friend who could use a drink.”

  “I could definitely use a drink,” Daphne said. “But first I should put some food in my belly.” She grabbed a bowl of green grapes from her fridge, and they assembled around her small kitchen table.

  “You’ve had quite the weekend of misadventure,” Nina said as she filled their stemless glasses. “Sit down and relax.”

  “Yes, quite,” Daphne said as she plopped down in the chair. “I wonder what the Fates have in store for an encore.”

  “Don’t ask that,” Nina said, teasing her. “They say bad things usually happen in threes.”

  “Fantastic. I’ll just keep drinking until the weekend’s over.”

  “That’s not a bad idea, but since I can’t stay and drink with you all day, I’ll have to advise against it.” Nina released her low, rumbling laugh that Daphne found so sexy.

  “Well, as I was just reminded this morning, we have only this moment, so let’s make the most of it.” Daphne raised her glass toward Nina and imbibed a long, refreshing sip.

  “I need to remind myself of that more often,” Nina said. “My life’s been all about checking my calendar for upcoming meetings, plans, and appointments for what seems like forever. I don’t get to experience nearly enough impromptu afternoons like this.” She nibbled a slice of Gruyère cheese. “Why do we always wait until something bad happens and forces us to slow down to reassess how we’re living our lives?”

  Daphne shrugged as she plucked a few grapes off the stem. “Existential crap, like ‘that which does not kill us makes us stronger’ yada yada.”

  “Some days I feel like I’m so deeply entrenched in my rut I wouldn’t know how to get out if I tried.”

  “You? Don’t tell me that,” Daphne said, feeling a corner of her mouth rise in a wry smile. “If you can’t claw your way out of the trenches, what hope do the rest of us mortals have?”

  “I’m being serious. Yes, I’m what you’d call a successful corporate exec with a Type-A personality, and I can run circles around my male colleagues, but I feel stifled. I’m sick of the health-insurance racket. At times I feel like the president’s press secretary, having to push an agenda I don’t personally support, but it’s what pays the big bucks.”

  “Is it just the company you work for or the whole industry?”

  “Pretty much the entire industry. When profits are at stake, the ones we’re supposed to serve are always the last ones we consider.”

  “Isn’t that true in most of corporate America? Sky-Hi Airlines talks a good game, but when they bought out that other airline last year, they sure didn’t do it for the consumer’s sake.”

  When Nina smiled, Daphne caught what seemed like admiration twinkling in her eyes. Impossible.

  “What?” Daphne asked, a little self-conscious.

  “I’m witnessing your evolution.”

  Daphne was a little slow on the uptake. “Because I’m bitching about my job?”

  “No. It’s evident you’ve outgrown your safe position tucked away in your call-center cubby. Intellectually, you’re ready to spread your wings.”

  “How poetic. You should become a motivational speaker.” But Daphne wasn’t entirely joking. Nina had a natural way with words and an attentiveness that made Daphne feel like she was one of the most important humans in the world. She made pumping her full of self-confidence, albeit temporary, seem effortless. Nobody had ever made her feel that way.

  Nina clearly hadn’t taken her remark to heart. “That market is flooded with upwardly mobile semi-middle-aged women with great hair and lots of overcoming-adversity stories. I’m afraid I’d have nothing new to offer.”

  “Well, you do have great hair.”

  Nina playfully puffed it with her hand. “I pay enough for it.” She checked the time on her phone. “I should be heading out.”

  Daphne nodded, and they started clearing the table. Nina helped wrap up the remnants of the cheese platter and then grabbed the sponge off the sink.

  “I got this. Don’t bother,” Daphne said. “I’m gonna run the dishwasher.”

  Nina leaned against the counter and seemed to be studying Daphne as she dried her hands on the dishtowel. Daphne found her scrutiny a bit unnerving, as though Nina was having a private conversation about her in her head. When she slipped into one of her pensive moments, Daphne found it difficult not to stare back. What was the social protocol in these cases—leave her to her thoughts or jolt her out of them? But she was fixed on Daphne, not just some random object.

  “What are you staring at?” she finally asked.

  “Nothing,” Nina said defensively. “I’m just tired.”

  “Oh,” Daphne said, feeling like a jerk. “I thought I had a giant spider in my hair or something.”

  Nina chuckled. “You’re such a goof. I better get home. Lacey’s watching Noah, and I have a strong suspicion he hasn’t even started his homework for tomorrow.”

  Daphne nodded. “I have to check the website. An order may have come in this afternoon.”

  “They’re arriving kind of regularly now, huh?”

  Daphne shrugged with a modest smile. “Three or four a week, sometimes five or six.”

  “That’
s fantastic. You might be ready to start scoping out a permanent space for Trash to Treasure Antiques and Collectibles.”

  “I have one now at the flea market.”

  “That’s not your own place, Daph. Don’t you want to see your catchy business name on a sign above the door of a cute little shop?”

  “I’d love that, but I’m not ready for it. Not yet.”

  “Not ready? Are you kidding?” Nina grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall into the spare antique room. “Look at how much you’ve sold already. I’m not saying do it tomorrow or next week, but we should definitely start looking around for space.”

  Daphne loved that Nina threw that “we” in there. While she needed Nina’s business savvy to help her navigate this new venture, she truly loved her emotional support and enthusiasm. Nina was the absolute best cheerleader. “Okay. I promise I’ll do that.”

  Nina’s warm smile sent a shiver through her. The orchard wine must’ve been tinkering with her perception.

  “Thank you for everything,” Daphne said and moved in for a hug.

  Nina’s arms enveloped her and pulled her tightly against her. “Oh, you’re welcome. I’m so glad I was around today, so you didn’t have to go through Sophie’s emergency all alone.” While she spoke in her soft, comforting tone she’d held onto Daphne. “I wish I could stay longer.”

  Daphne drew back to reply but kept her arms locked around Nina. “I wish you could, too.”

  Their eyes fastened on each other. Daphne licked her lips as Nina looked down at them and then into her eyes again. Although it would’ve taken a photo finish to call, Daphne would have to accept blame for the initiation as their mouths slowly drifted together. They allowed the kiss to happen seemingly of its own will. Tenderly, Nina brushed her lips across Daphne’s. Their lips parted and delicately grazed each other’s with tantalizingly small, warm kisses.

  Daphne forgot to breathe through the surprise of the kisses and the ecstasy that swept through her. She finally exhaled lightly through her nose, fearing she might pass out. Nina slid her hands onto Daphne’s face and drew her closer, her breath quickening as she kissed her harder, flicking her tongue around hers.