Spring Fever

by Barbara Winkes

  “Hey. You’re counting the days? It’s not that long anymore.” Callie wondered about her speculative gaze.

  “Too long,” Dina sighed. “So, now we’re waiting for Dad to finish work…what else is new?”

  “Come on. I’m sure he’s very busy,” Callie hurried to say which, she could tell, met with the approval of the other women. Dina had a point though. David’s prolonged absences from the family home were not the main reason for his relationship with Rebecca falling apart; however, they had given Rebecca time to realize that maybe she wanted something else from life, something more.

  “I know that. Mom said she got new contracts too. Um, Callie. Do you have a moment? There’s something I wanted to show you.”

  “No problem.”

  Callie was secretly relieved to have a reason to leave the room and, hopefully soon, the apartment. “I’ll have to leave in a bit though. Rebecca’s expecting me home for dinner.” She couldn’t suppress the smile that came with that thought.

  In her room, Dina closed the door behind them and sat on her bed. “Nicole is gone, right? She’s not bothering you or Mom anymore?”

  The question caught Callie off-guard. Truth be told, she hadn’t thought about Nicole as much after the texts and e-mails had stopped. Dina’s question reminded her that she still had to send Beth the promised book. “I don’t think I’ll ever hear from her again, and that’s fine with me.”

  “Okay. Good.”

  “You wanted to show me something?”

  “No, not really. There is something…I’ve never told anyone. I wasn’t sure I should. Everything happened so fast after that.”

  “Dina, are you okay?” There was a multitude of worst-case scenarios playing in Callie’s head, each of them enough to make her light-headed. The bad news was supposed to end.

  “Yes, of course. Don’t panic! It’s about Dad.”

  Callie sat on the desk chair, not much reassured. She couldn’t flee, leaving the others to wonder what this conversation had been all about.

  “I’m so sorry,” Dina said. “You’re freaking out. Well, I was at the time, but no one’s life is in danger. It’s just that…I overheard a conversation one time, between him and Susan.”

  Callie searched her gaze for any clue about how she was supposed to react. She didn’t think David and Susan would share intimate details when they girls were around. Unless…

  “It was last spring, about a year ago.”

  Callie didn’t know what to say, so she sat still and listened.

  “He said ‘I miss you. I can’t wait to see you again.’ I wanted to tell Mom. I should have, but I was afraid—” Dina shook her head with an unhappy laugh. “That she would be mad and leave…or Dad would. Isn’t that ironic?”

  “It’s understandable.” Of course, they’d suspected something like this after David and Susan moved in together so quickly the first time…not that it was up to Callie or Rebecca to judge them at that point; however, Callie would never have imagined that Dina had proof all along, feeling like she had to keep it to herself.

  “There was no one I could talk to. I was mad at him too, but I thought if I just ignored it, everything would go away…and then Mom met you, and she went all the way. I blamed her—and you—for everything, because I wanted them to stay together so badly.” Dina’s delivery was matter-of-fact, but the emotion behind it thinly veiled. Callie felt her eyes well up. “I wanted you to know I’m okay now, and not just because you’re taking me on trips. I’ve been a bitch to you—and Mom too—and I didn’t even get where that came from. I guess I do now. I’m sorry.”

  “We’re okay,” Callie promised, giving her a hug Dina accepted without resistance. “This is the kind of situation that’s tough to handle when you’re an adult. I’m sorry you had to deal with this all by yourself.”

  “Well, yeah. My best friend was on house arrest, because she thought she was pregnant.” Dina shrugged. “Not that she listened to me a lot before that. I’m hanging out more with Sara these days, which makes me realize how lucky I am. I just hope Mom won’t get any BS from Grandma and Granddad.”

  “Don’t worry about that.” Callie assumed there was no harm in sharing the good news. “She told them. They’re okay.”

  “Really? That’s awesome.”

  “It is, but now I really have to go. Thanks for trusting me with all of this.”

  “No problem. Have fun tonight.”

  Callie planned to, but that, she wasn’t going to discuss with Dina.

  * * * *

  Rebecca had read Callie’s message, but this development wasn’t interfering with her own timetable too much, except that she could have gotten dressed here at home instead of at Roz’s. She spared a moment of guilt for Barney—handed back and forth a lot lately. Much to their credit, Delia and her family were happy to take him in overnight.

  She took one last look at the display on the kitchen table—the flowers and the envelope containing the letter and the card that would lead Callie to the intended destination.

  She had sent e-mails to everyone earlier, letting her friends know that they’d skip brunch this week.

  If she left now, she would have time to look at the room before Callie arrived at the hotel. First, though, it was back to Roz’s.

  Roz greeted her at the door, almost as giddy as Rebecca. Jamie shook his head with an affectionate smile. “I’ll have to go back to my boring paperwork. I’ll leave you girls to it.”

  “You love crunching those numbers,” Roz called after him.

  “That’s right. As long as they stay like this, I do.”

  Rebecca followed her up the stairs into the bedroom, where they’d talked a few hours earlier. Since Callie was oblivious they wouldn’t go home tonight, she’d packed for an overnight stay for both of them.

  In Roz’s bathroom, she changed into the chosen dress and dried her hair that was still somewhat wet from the shower she’d taken earlier. Tonight wasn’t an anniversary. It hadn’t been a year since Callie arrived in Autumn Leaves, or since Rebecca realized her life was about to change in ways she had never imagined.

  It was a way of saying thank you for seeing me in a way no one else did. She knew that originally, Callie hadn’t intended on making herself at home in the small town community, with all its implied rules and rituals. She’d been an observer, studying the social fabric of what was supposed to be a temporary home, as a side project to her main work.

  In a similar way, Rebecca had thought there were rules and rituals she had to observe as well, to fit into the circle of Callie’s friends in New York, to belong with her new-found identity. Since Asha had stopped making jokes, and both Nicole and Andy had declared war on Rebecca for their respective reasons, she assumed she had succeeded. More than anything else, though, she wanted Callie in her life. What they felt for each other didn’t need anyone’s approval.

  * * * *

  On the road, a little more than halfway home, traffic had come to a near halt. Callie sighed, hoping she would make it in time to wherever Rebecca wanted her to be tonight. At a red light, she cast a look over to her purse on the passenger seat but decided not to do what the commercials and teenage shows warned against. When she arrived home, there would be enough time to let Rebecca know about possible delays.

  Originally, she didn’t mind doing David this favor if it meant he owed her, just a little. Callie was aware their conversation was important to Dina. It wasn’t that late yet, but she was getting restless. Rebecca had gone to great lengths to prepare this special surprise, and Callie didn’t want to do anything to spoil it. There was no way of taking any shortcut. She was literally trapped between the SUV in front of her and the guy with the annoying music behind. No way to change lanes whatsoever.

  She turned the volume of her own stereo a little higher in order not to lose the rest of her anticipatory mood. As the cars crept along at a slow, nerve-wracking pace, she thought of David and his choices. There were some truly evil people, and through
his ever-changing attitude toward her, Callie didn’t think he was one of them. Maybe these things happened when two people weren’t meant to be, but his actions were still beyond her.

  Annoying music guy honked, making her jump, as the traffic moved forward again.

  “I’m trying here,” she muttered, exasperated. “Leave a few inches between us, will you?” The sky was clouding over too, the temperature dropping slightly. She hoped the place Rebecca had in mind would be warm and cozy indoors, and that it wouldn’t take too long a drive to get there. Worst-case scenario, they’d have to skip the cocktail hour and get right to dinner.

  At least, the traffic was beginning to flow at a more decent pace. The SUV stayed in front, and judging from the noise, the guy behind was taking the same route. Maybe she could take a cab to the chosen destination.

  She breathed a sigh of relief when more and more cars left the lane, drivers finally taking their intended exits. The first raindrops were falling, but that was okay too. Rebecca wouldn’t take her to a picnic without warning. Callie adjusted the volume of her music—a compilation she’d burned for an earlier novel—as the noise behind her stopped when the driver turned.

  She wanted a first draft ready before the vacation, polished and ready for Asha by the end of the year. At the moment, she wanted nothing but to get home and get herself ready for Rebecca’s fantasy. Two cars ahead, the light changed to red once again, and the driver of the SUV stepped on the brakes at the last moment, forcing Callie to swerve to the left in order to avoid running into him. Even so, she could hear the screech of metal as her car made contact.

  * * * *

  There was a new message, though not from Callie. At first, Rebecca thought someone might have picked the wrong number, until she started listening. She deleted the message the moment she recognized Eric’s voice. She didn’t feel like having any kind of communication with Andy’s husband, now or ever. Truth be told, Rebecca wasn’t even curious about what he had to say, because she could imagine. Maybe it was even Andy using his phone.

  “No thanks,” she said to herself, waving to Roz who had brought her right to the curb in front of the hotel. With the dress she wore underneath her coat, and those shoes, Rebecca was grateful to avoid driving or walking much.

  At the reception, a young woman half her age, dressed in the hotel’s uniform, handed her the key card. “Have a nice stay,” she said with a brilliant smile.

  “Thank you.” I will.

  Rebecca took the elevator up to the ninth floor where she found the spacious room, overlooking a golf course framed by cherry trees in full bloom. It would be prettier if it wasn’t raining, but she wasn’t going to complain. She took her shoes off for a moment, enjoying the feel of the soft carpet underneath her feet.

  Callie would love the surroundings just as much—the warm tones and soft lighting a perfect backdrop to…Rebecca caught her self-conscious smile in the wardrobe mirror, shaking her head at herself. She wouldn’t mind skipping dinner, but she didn’t want to rob Callie of the chance to try what the restaurant and bar had to offer. This wasn’t a place where they’d return every week, unless their shared income somehow skyrocketed.

  She took one last look at herself, her cell phone—no message after Eric’s—and left in order to inspect the cocktail bar where the cheery young woman, or any of her colleagues, would direct Callie when she arrived.

  * * * *

  It was well after 7:00 p.m. when Callie let herself into the house, going straight for the medicine cabinet to find something to battle her raging headache. After dealing with the police, AAA—not to mention the irate driver of the SUV who had called her all kinds of names—she had just about reached her limit. Any other day, she would have gone straight to bed from here, and even with tonight’s plans on her mind, the thought was tempting.

  Callie stopped cold at the sight of the display on the table—a bouquet of roses, an envelope, and a note.

  Look in the fridge.

  The small box held a miniature chocolate and raspberry cupcake—no doubt courtesy of Roz’s. Callie smiled despite her mood. She could use something to calm her nerves, no doubt about it.

  The envelope held a business card, the address vaguely familiar. She would have loved more time to prepare, but she’d do the best she could and take a cab, deal with everything regarding the car, insurance fees, and reality the next day.

  First, though, she sat down to read what Rebecca had written for her in the card that had also been in the envelope, her vision blurring at the first line.

  * * * *

  Maria once told Rebecca she admired her for being brave enough to follow her heart. Had she been right about that? At the moment, Rebecca didn’t feel brave. At 7:45 p.m., it was not yet time to worry. Callie sometimes lost track of time. In her line of work, Rebecca had learned, it came with the territory.

  She should have tried to reach her after finding out Callie had taken Maggie to David’s and told her to take a cab to the hotel. She should stop looking at her watch every ten seconds. Callie would be fine. She’d be here in a few minutes. When Maria had the fatal accident, it was November, ice on the streets. There was no reason to panic…yet. Rebecca tried to focus on the cocktail menu once more, wondering if they could have their table a little later, or if they’d go straight to the restaurant from here.

  If only Callie was here already.

  Nerves. After all that happened in the past year, it wasn’t surprising that slowing down made her restless. She had deserved this moment of peace, as had everyone she loved.

  “I believe you’re expecting me?”

  Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of Callie’s voice, and Rebecca turned to her. She wore a midnight-blue satin dress, knee-length—which Rebecca had never seen on her—with silver sandals. With some amusement, she realized her own heels made her tower over Callie more than usual.

  “All my life,” she said.

  Chapter Twelve

  “I’m sorry I didn’t do more with my hair, but I ran out of time. The traffic was crazy, and then I had a little accident. Don’t worry. There’s only a scratch on the car, but the guy, what an idiot—”

  “What?”

  The way the color drained from Rebecca’s face told Callie she hadn’t done a good job relating the events in a calm and collected manner as she planned. She took Rebecca’s hands into hers. “It’s all right. Just some more paperwork I could have done without. Don’t let it ruin the evening.”

  Callie took a deep breath, grateful for the waiter’s timing. She had briefly considered telling Rebecca later, but she didn’t want to make up a story for being late. The surroundings and company had the calming effect she’d hoped for, the colorful drink with the little umbrella, even better.

  “There’s not a scratch on me. You can convince yourself later, when we get home.”

  “About that…” Rebecca reluctantly let go of her hand to take a sip. “…I booked us a room. I thought we might not want to go home right away.”

  “You thought of everything.” When she’d left David’s apartment, Callie wondered if, during the course of the evening, there would be a right moment to bring up the talk she’d had with Dina. She’d changed her mind after reading Rebecca’s note. Right here and now, she was even more convinced it wouldn’t make any difference to Rebecca at this point. “You know…” she continued, “everything is true for me too. Nothing else ever felt this real.”

  The waiter arrived to announce their table was ready, but she’d said everything that mattered anyway.

  Callie wouldn’t have to worry about getting cold either. Their table was close to the impressive fireplace, and she felt the temperature rising as it was.

  * * * *

  From the moment she’d booked their getaway, all through the evening until they left for their room, Rebecca had only encountered friendly and courteous hotel staff. No one seemed to pay attention or care that two women were spending a romantic date together. She hadn’t realized h
ow much she needed this experience. Her friends and family were adjusting, just like Rebecca herself. In Autumn Leaves, the news wasn’t that old yet, even though the scrutiny declined. Here, no one knew their history. No one thought it was their business.

  She remembered very well their first night together, knowing what she wanted, feeling confused and guilty about it at the same time.

  “When I first decided to meet in the bar, I thought we could maybe do some role-playing, something silly like ‘Do you come here often? Can I buy you a drink?’ I forgot all about it.”

  “Yes, when I told you about the car,” Callie said ruefully.

  “Not just that.” Rebecca reached out to take her hand, tugging her closer. “Okay, it was that at first. I don’t need to imagine or pretend. This is everything I want. You are everything I want.”

  The soft music coming from the flat screen TV was a perfect soundtrack for the moment, as she lifted Callie’s hair to kiss her neck, reaching for the zipper of her dress with the other hand. Slowly, she pulled it down, tracing the exposed skin with her fingers.

  Callie’s dress slid to the floor, Rebecca’s breath catching as she realized that Callie had, despite all mishaps, taken the time to pick black lace lingerie.

  Callie laughed softly, delighted with the reaction her own surprise caused. “It goes with your dress,” she said. Rebecca took a step backward, enjoying the sight, knowing moments from now, she would follow the path of her eyes with her hands, and mouth. From the way Callie blushed, she was probably having similar thoughts.

  “Not a scratch, you said.”

  “It’s all good.”

  “Oh, yes.” Rebecca moved in again, more or less intentionally trapping Callie against the wall behind her as they kissed. Her hands moved down Callie’s shoulders, caressing her breasts through the whisper-thin fabric of her bra, feeling her nipples harden under the soft brush of Rebecca’s thumbs. Rebecca reached behind to open the clasp, and the bra joined Callie’s dress on the floor, before she continued the caress with her mouth.