by K C West
I’m going right by Kim’s park; I might as well stop and tell her I’m relocating.
I smiled. I’ll use any excuse to see her again.
I parked the mini van and approached Kim’s motor home. As I raised my hand to knock on the metal door, Pup started a joyous greeting on the inside.
Kim held him back long enough to let me climb up the steps.
“Hey, you two,” I said, “long time, no see.” I bent to ruffle Pup’s fur and he gave me a sloppy kiss on the chin.
“PJ, for goodness sake. Did you get lost driving to the Casa Grande?”
I chuckled. “Well, Kim, the Casa isn’t so Grande right now.” I told her about the fire. “I’m on my way to Mesa in search of a room.”
She motioned me toward the sofa and dining nook. I perched on the end of one of the bench seats and she sank back on the sofa. There was an unmistakable scent of liniment in the air and Kim’s posture was overly rigid.
“That shoulder is really bothering you, isn’t it?”
Her left hand moved to her right deltoid area. “Maybe just a bit.”
Gawd, you’ve got to be in serious pain if you’d admit that much to me.
“Do you have any pain killers for it? Or a heating pad?”
Kim’s lips pursed and she made a dismissive gesture. “PJ, relax. It’s a twinge or two. Yes, I have some pills for the pain…big ugly things the size of jawbreakers.”
“How about I give you a massage with that smelly stuff you’ve been using?”
She made another face. “Let’s stop worrying about me for a minute and decide what to do about you.”
“Well, I’ll drive into Mesa and find a room. I gave the Casa Grande people your phone number as a contact. My cell phone is still somewhere on the third floor there, so I doubt it’ll be of any use to anyone.”
She thought for a moment. “Okay, that’s fine, but you don’t have to go to Mesa. You can stay here. The power is touch and go, but I have a generator and the water tanks are full. I can be self-contained for a whole week if necessary.”
Kim…self-contained. Why does that not surprise me?
I took a deep breath. “Are you sure about this, Kim? It would be helpful, certainly, but a lot has happened to us today. And I know you have work to do and you’ll want to have some time to yourself.”
Kim stood up. “What I want is to see that you get a hot shower and some clean clothes. I can put those filthy things to soak. Do you have anything else to wear or is that the extent of your wardrobe?”
I stood up and opened my soiled daypack. “Not quite destitute. Here’s a change of underwear, a pair of cotton shorts and a tee shirt for sleeping…I think all my toilet articles survived, too.”
Kim smiled. “Traveling light, aren’t you?”
“Reduced to the bare necessities.” I grinned. “So to speak.”
Kim took a deep breath. “Okay, then it’s settled. You’ll stay here. The sofa makes into a bed and I have a sleeping bag and some old sweatpants if you need them, probably a shirt—”
“Wait!” I tugged at a lose strand of hair. It felt gritty and in desperate need of shampoo. “Urn, I think there’s a sleeping bag and a denim work shirt in the minivan. And a pair of running shoes.” I looked down at my feet. “Thank God, I still have my favorite hiking boots.”
I gathered the added supplies from the van and Kim escorted me to the bathroom where she supplied a washcloth and two towels. “You can dump your dirty things outside the door and I’ll soak them. Do you remember how the shower works?”
I looked around her compact bathroom. “I’m sorry, Kim. I don’t really remember. And I sure don’t remember all these mirrors.” There must have been six of them on the walls and over the sink. I stared at myself and shuddered. “Quite intimidating.”
She laughed. “You don’t ever have to worry about looking in a mirror, PJ. And, it’s not surprising you didn’t remember. The one time you used this shower, you were drunk as a skunk.”
“True.” You had me blushing with that compliment, but your last remark brought me right back down to earth.
She touched my forearm. “Does that cut need a new bandage or should we cover it?”
“I guess I’d better try to keep it dry if you can find something.” She left and I stripped off my clothes, using one of the towels to wrap around myself.
Kim returned and taped plastic wrap over the bandage. “There’s shampoo and soap on the sink. Use as much as you need.”
“Thanks, Kim. I know this must be awkward for you.”
She smiled and patted my shoulder. “We’ll deal with things as they come up. Have you called your father yet?”
I shook my head. “After the shower, if your phone is working.”
“It’s been off and on, but we can check.” She slid the door back open. “I’ll put the kettle on for some tea. Are you hungry?”
Our pre-quake picnic seemed a lifetime ago, but I had little appetite. “Just tea, I think, Kim. And thanks… for everything.”
She held up her hand. “It’s no problem, honest. We need to work together anyway to get this project settled, and then we can have some long talks about more personal things. We’re both adults. I know we can work things out.”
She moved through the door and slid it closed, leaving me with a pounding heart.
Two adults … discussing more personal things. What if one of them suffers from a lack of patience?
I emerged from the bathroom squeaky clean and dressed in shorts and tee shirt. My hair was still damp, so I rubbed it with a towel as I walked to the table where a hot cup of tea waited for me. One of Kim’s flannel shirts was draped across my seat. I slipped it on for warmth. Kim was on the phone with someone, but smiled broadly when she saw me.
“Ah, Frederick, she’s out of the shower now. You can talk to her yourself. Hang on.” She covered the mouthpiece. “He was so worried he could hardly talk. Please PJ, tell him you’re alive and well. I don’t think he believes me.” She thrust the phone at me before I could make any comment at all, so I just nodded.
“Father?”
“Priscilla, is that you, honey?”
“Yes…it’s me.” My voice echoed as if in a long tunnel. “The reception is pretty bad. I guess Kim told you the phone has been going in and out on her.”
“Yes, but I had to try to get through to you when the hotel gave me this number.”
“I’m sorry, Father. I would have called you sooner, but—”
“It’s okay, Princess, I’m just so relieved to hear your voice.”
Princess? Did I hear that right? He hasn’t called me Princess since I was a child…since before Mom died.
“I’m fine. Really. Just a cut on my arm and some scrapes and bruises.”
“You don’t know how awful it was not knowing if you were hurt…or worse.”
“Father, I told you and I’m sure Kim told you…we are fine. We were all very lucky. But, we lost the Amazon women in the landslides. We won’t be able to get them back.”
“Oh, honey, I’m not concerned with that right now. I know you and Kim are upset after all your hard work, but I’m just so glad that no one was seriously injured.”
I sat back against the bench. “I guess that is…” The line went dead for a few seconds. We called to each other and then I could hear him clearly again.
“Okay,” he said, “I guess the connection is breaking up, so I’ll make this short and sweet.”
His tone produced a tingle along my spine. Oh God, what have I done now?
I looked at Kim and shrugged. She had been sitting on the sofa opposite me, but stood and squeezed my shoulder. “Sit over here and be comfortable, PJ. I’ll go get some food for us.”
“Kim, there’s no need—”
Father interrupted me. “Priscilla? Are you still there?”
Kim moved into the kitchen area and I concentrated on Father’s urgent tone. “Yes, I’m here. I’m listening.”
“We’ve been
at odds for so many years, honey, and that’s mostly my fault. I’m ashamed that it took almost losing you to make me brave enough to tell you this, but—”
“I understand.” My voice cracked and I swallowed hard. “It’s okay, really. I’m sure you had your reasons.”
“Oh, God, Priscilla, it was…there was so much pain, you know…. when your mother died. I couldn’t deal with it.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, nodding. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”
I’m not really up to talking about this now. It’s been a hell of a day. How much more raw emotion can I stand?
“I threw myself into my work and I just didn’t have the energy to cope with you. I know it wasn’t the best thing for you, but it was so painful. You reminded me so much of Rachael…”
Shit. He’s choking up. I’m choking up. We’re going to be blubbering all over the place in a minute.
“I’m so sorry, honey. I want to make it up to you if I can. I’ve been so damn proud of you these past few months. Kim’s reports have been so positive. Just glowing.”
Really? Glowing reports about me?
“Thank you, Father. That means a lot to me. Kim’s been a wonderful teacher and we’ve become good friends.”
“Yes, she told me she cares for you a great deal.”
“There’s more to it than that for me, Father. I’d like to talk with you about that when I can.”
I heard him exhale. “I’d love to hear all about your adventures in Arizona, Princess. Can you come home for Christmas? Or maybe sooner?”
“Well…”
“I know you and Kim have lots of work to finish and reports to complete, but I’d love to have you come home for a long visit. Maybe you could persuade Kim to come along with you.”
I turned in Kim’s direction. She had her back to me, stirring some soup on the stove. I saw a plate beside her with sandwiches cut into triangles. “Uh, well…I’d like that very much. The three of us might need to sit down and talk about some things.”
There was relief in his voice now. “Anything. Anything at all, honey. I’m so glad we made a start at patching things up.”
“Me too.”
“I’ve neglected you for so long and you’ve grown into a beautiful, intelligent, capable woman. Jonathan told me about the checks you are going to give your students. I’m very proud of you for thinking of that.”
“Thank you.” I could feel tears threatening.
“I’d better hang up now. I imagine the connection won’t hold much longer. Just let me say…. I love you…I’ve always loved you. And I can’t wait to see you.”
A sob caught in my throat. “I love you, too…Dad.”
I sat with my head in my hands, the phone in my lap. Kim took the phone away and sat down beside me, putting her arm around my shoulder. “Everything okay?”
I nodded, sniffing. Tears trailed down my cheeks. “Everything is great.”
We sat across from each other eating ham sandwiches and sipping vegetable soup. My tea was hot and steamy. It tasted wonderful.
I was surprised to discover that I was ravenous.
“Dad wants me to visit him at Christmas,” I said. “And he’d like you to come, too. Would you like to tour historic Boston in all its winter splendor with me?”
Kim swallowed a spoonful of soup. “We do need to present our reports to the foundation.” Her eyebrow arched. “I suppose I could force myself to stay in a stately Back Bay mansion with a beautiful, native guide.”
I giggled. “Okay. I’m not exactly a native, but I know where to find some great seafood.”
“Don’t forget baked beans.”
“Of course.”
She stretched and winced. “Right now, I’d like to take you up on your offer of a shoulder massage. As soon as we’re finished with our meal.”
I wiped my mouth with my napkin. “You’re on.”
We decided that the sofa had a firmer mattress than Kim’s bed, so she stretched out on it while I rubbed my hands to warm the liniment.
“Whew! This stuff sure reeks, doesn’t it?” I felt my eyes water and my nose itch once my hands were covered with the lotion. “I’ll try not to sneeze on your lovely back.”
Kim chuckled. “Thanks so much.”
My hands worked on her deltoids and across the upper part of her back. From her groans and moans, I could tell my effort was working. “You did take the pills before we started, right?”
“Yes,” she replied. “They can cause drowsiness, though, so forgive me if I drop off.”
I noticed that Pup had snuggled up on the floor close to his mistress. His alert ears twitched with every sentence we spoke. “Don’t worry. Pup and I will have ourselves a nice chat if you fall asleep. Won’t we, fella?”
He lifted his head and yawned.
“Gawd, that feels wonderful, PJ.” Kim’s sigh was long and heartfelt. “Do you remember the first time you gave me a rubdown?”
I thought for a few seconds. “Ah, yes, in the tent up on the mountain. And Sandy came running in to tell us about the Mexican quake.”
She laughed. “Caught us half dressed. Goodness only knows what he thought about that.”
I continued to knead her muscles and tendons, moving further away from the source of her discomfort so that I was giving every area of her back my attention.
“Speaking of Sandy, have you heard from him or any of the crew?”
Kim turned her head so she could watch me with one eye as we talked. “He called just before your father. His apartment had no power, so he and Donny and James went to stay with his mother. Laine and Josie had no problems with their apartment.”
“Did Sandy reach Mike in Denver?”
“Yes. Mike can’t get a flight to Phoenix for a few days. They’ve closed Sky Harbor because of some cracks on several of the runways. He might try to take a bus back here, but it probably won’t be until Wednesday or Thursday.”
“Hmm. Well, maybe I’ll have my clothes back by then, if there’s any that weren’t burned up.”
Kim grinned. “You may have to go shopping.”
My hands paused while I contemplated the possibilities. “I don’t suppose there’s a Neiman Marcus nearby?”
“Your best bet for something open in our neighborhood is Walgreen’s. They’re everywhere.”
I sighed. “Oh, gawd. I can imagine what choices I’ll have in underwear. Fruit of the Loom or Hanes, right?”
“Hey, my back’s getting cold. Could you work while you talk?”
“Oops, sorry.” I renewed my assault on her tight muscles. “You have a beautiful back, Kim. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“Ah, no. Not that I can remember.” Kim’s face flushed.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I’m trying to be patient and wait for our personal talks.”
Her body stiffened. “I appreciate that, PJ. It’s a very serious subject, you know. With all we’ve had going on, I don’t want to treat it lightly.”
I bit down on my lower lip. “I don’t treat it lightly, either, Kim. I thought about the situation for weeks before I talked to you. Believe me, I meant every word of what I said on the mountain.”
She turned her head to the other side. “I’m having trouble believing that you could change your ah…preferences so suddenly. And for someone who’s much older and—”
“Kim, we should probably talk about this after a good night’s sleep, but I can’t let that comment go unchallenged. I know you decided your preferences very early in life. You were painfully aware that you weren’t like other girls in your town, but you had the courage of your convictions.”
“It’s not an easy life, PJ. You’ve got to know what you stand to lose by making that choice.”
“I’d prefer to think of what I’d be gaining.”
“Oh, PJ—”
“No, wait! Let me speak. You brought it up and it sounds like you’re putting yourself down. You need to hear things from my side this time, okay?”
/> Kim chuckled. “Since you’re straddling my back and your hands are making me feel the most relaxed I’ve felt all day, I guess I have no choice.”
I put more lotion on my hands and rubbed them together. “We’re almost finished here, but I need to tell you what I’ve learned by working with you…some interesting observations I’ve made about Kim Blair…how we differ and how we’re alike.”
“Sounds fascinating,” Kim muttered with sarcasm.
“See, you like to take your time before making decisions and you give a great deal of thought to problems. Remember how you decided to move the excavation to that canyon wall? And when we went out for those weekly dinner meetings, you always took a long time to decide what to order. Those are traits of an introverted person. It’s why you need time to ponder the future of our relationship and why I’m going to be so patient with you.”
She snorted. “Is that a fact?”
“Yes, it’s true. It’s not a good thing or a bad thing. It’s just how you are, how you were made. I, on the other hand, tend to talk and think at the same time, which often gets me into trouble.”
Kim snickered, but didn’t comment.
“I seem to be an extrovert. Most of the people in the world are. I crave energy from other people and love to be with a crowd. Being around people helps me recharge my batteries, but you do better with a couple of friends or keeping to yourself to relax and get your energy level back to normal.”
“Huh! You know, PJ, I think you’re right about that. Very astute of you.”
“Thanks, Kim. I must confess that I noticed the difference soon after we met and did some reading on the subject.”
She smiled. “I’m flattered that you devoted so much time and effort to understanding me. But, if we’re so different, maybe we aren’t compatible.”
“Oh, I never said that. We have lots of differences, but that only makes us more perfectly matched. Your strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa.”
“You’ve got it all figured out, huh?”
“Not all of it.” I gave her back a light tap. “Here’s something else I realized. I’ve always said ‘yes’ too often.”
She coughed. “Oh?”
I realized she had taken that wrong. “Jesus, you’ve got a dirty mind. I’m not talking about sexual encounters, Kim.”
