by H. P. Munro
Erin looked between a shocked Mack and Alex. “Thank you, Jessica, that’s real helpful of you. Um, Mack, Lewis wanted to know whether puppies came from Mrs. Grace or the state of Virginia.”
Mack rolled her eyes, as she pulled her son into an embrace. “This boy will be the death of me, I swear it. I mean could you imagine if he asked Virginia Grace.”
Alex snorted. “Oh, I would have paid to have seen that.” She stood up, frowning as her knee clicked. “Erin you want to come over for some dinner on Friday? Maddie is at a conference, and Jessica will be with Matt, so I thought I would have a little girls’ night. You’d be doing me a favor; Ruth normally keeps me from going along with Teddy’s ideas but she’s cooking dinner for Peter’s mama.”
Before Erin could answer Mack was sucking air in through her teeth. “Don’t see me going off to New York for some fancy conference, leaving people behind for four days to cope on their own.”
Alex flashed a grin at Erin. This was not a new moan from Mack. The small nurse had given Maddie a hard time over her decision to attend an out of state conference from almost the point Maddie spotted it.
“Now, Mack you know it’s just ’cause Maddie is still new to being a family doctor, and it gives her a chance to see her folks. You wouldn’t deny a girl seeing her mama would you?”
Mack scowled. “You don’t fight fair, Alex Milne.”
“Never said I did. You’re welcome to join us, Mack.”
“What! A night with you and Tequila Sunrise over there.” She nodded towards Teddy, who was speaking with another parent. “My liver is already aching at the thought of it.”
“Well don’t say I didn’t offer.” Alex shrugged and turned to Erin. “I’ll see you at seven on Friday.”
Erin just nodded as Alex made her decision for her.
***
“What have I done to piss you off?” Erin twisted in her seat and leaned back so she could see Teddy’s face clearly. The swing chair hanging from Alex’s porch they were seated on swayed erratically at her movement.
Alex suppressed a groan and sat back on her Adirondack chair.
The night had been going so well. Erin had been thoroughly enjoying herself, they’d had dinner and throughout Teddy was on her best behavior, seemingly putting her stupid ancient gripe to the side.
Then the tequila started.
Erin had been matching Teddy’s pace and along with a pleasant buzz, it appeared tequila brought out her candid side.
“What do you remember of summer of eighty-eight?”
Erin looked at Teddy in confusion, her face not quite managing to assemble itself in the correct formation thanks to the alcohol she’d consumed. She closed one eye to bring Teddy into focus. “Some stuff. Why? Is there something I should remember?”
Teddy’s jaw clenched. “County tennis championships. You were calling the line in the final.”
Erin’s face split into a messy grin. She remembered the tournament.
Charlotte had persuaded her to line call so they could spend time together without her mother becoming suspicious that their friendship continued. It was the second summer since Charlotte had been sent off to school, and although they wrote regularly, vacations were cherished time. It was during this vacation Erin started to notice changes in her friend. Her accent was disappearing as a result of the comments and teasing she’d endured in her first few terms. She’d grown a couple of inches in height, and her body gained curves that Erin’s own body had yet to experience. It was the curves Erin noticed first when they met at their rock. During their habitual embrace, Charlotte’s body felt different and more importantly Erin felt differently about holding Charlotte. Her face burned, and there was a fluttering in her stomach.
“You don’t have to smile about what you did.” Teddy nudged her in the ribs.
“I…” Erin snapped out of her reverie and glanced over towards Alex for help, who merely shrugged as if to say she was on her own. “I’m not smiling about what I did ’cause I don’t even know what I did!”
“You were line calling, and on match point you called the ball in when it was out, in Charlotte’s favor. I know you two were friends but I never thought of you as a cheat.”
Erin shook her head, unable to believe that this is what Teddy had a bug up her ass about. “Boobs,” she said grinning.
Teddy’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry?”
“I was fourteen, jammed full of hormones and Charlotte came back from school with boobs. I have no idea whether that ball was in, out, or whistling Dixie when it landed. My attention was on Charlotte.” She poked her finger in the air towards Teddy. “Or more specifically Charlotte’s boobs.”
Teddy pulled herself out of her comfortable slouch. “You’re tellin’ me that I lost ’cause you were horny?”
Erin nodded laughing. “Pretty much.”
Teddy took a deep breath, considering this new piece of information. Decision made, she turned to Erin and held out her hand. “Well at least I know you weren’t cheatin’. Horny I can cope with but cheatin’ was a whole different thing.”
Erin shook it. “I’m sorry it cost you the match.”
Teddy held the bottle of tequila up to pour more into Erin’s glass. “Ah, all water over the falls now.”
Alex blinked in astonishment. It appeared with that simple explanation, Erin removed decades’ worth of animosity. “So you’re both good now?”
“Yup,” Teddy and Erin chorused, clinking their glasses together and downing the drink in one.
“So you had a crush on Charlotte Grace?” Teddy’s body was now swaying in a different rhythm to the swing seat. “Did you know this?” she asked Alex.
Alex shook her head. “Not at the time, no.”
“You’re a lousy lesbian,” Teddy said and returned her attention to Erin.
“Thanks,” Alex deadpanned.
“Welcome.” Teddy didn’t bother to look in Alex’s direction.
Ignoring the chat around her Erin sighed deeply. “I gave her my heart and in the words of George Michael,” she slurred, waving her finger in the air, “she just gave it away, and now. Now my brother says I’m emotionally stunted.”
Teddy shook her head vigorously. “Pssshhh. You’re not stunted, I will tell you what you are.” She poured more tequila into Erin’s glass, then lurched forward almost landing in Alex’s lap as she offered her the bottle.
Alex took it from her and placed it out of sight. “Erin, you are about to hear the Roosevelt theory on relationships.”
Teddy waved a hand to dismiss Alex. “Don’ listen to her. She’s had this chat an’ it all worked out for her.”
“I’m all ears if it worked for Alex an’ she’s all loved up.” Erin smiled in the general direction of Alex, as she was unsure which iteration of Alex was the genuine one.
“To Maddie.” Teddy raised her glass in the air in a toast.
“To Maddie,” Erin replied, hitting her glass off Teddy’s and frowning as tequila spilled over onto her hand.
“So…wait…was Charlotte your first love?” Teddy whispered.
When Erin nodded in reply she opened her eyes wide and slapped Erin’s thigh. “Well, no wonder then! So here is the deal. Each time you come out of a relationship you have things that will be forever like landmines. When you go into a new relationship your new love can step on these landmines unwitt…unwittinl…without knowing”—Teddy stopped to check she still had Erin’s attention—“an’ they can make you behave crazy. Maddie went all the way to San Francisco to get away from Alex here.” She waved her drink in Alex’s direction, ignoring the daggers her friend was throwing her. “The trick is to know where your landmines are.”
“So I have landmines?” Erin looked at Teddy as if she’d given her the key to her happiness. “So how do I diffuse them?”
“Well. See ’cause Charlotte was your first love, your mines are doozies. First love is pure, it’s untarnished. You don’t protect yourself ’cause you have nothing to protect again
st. You’re a blank field, all ready to be plowed.” Teddy stopped and scrunched her face. “That sounded a lot ruder out loud.”
Erin sighed and thudded her head against the back of the swing. “It’s not like I haven’t tried to date. I went a bit wild in college. I was the female Sully of Auburn for a while. Then I had a couple of relationships that lasted longer than an orgasm, but they didn’t really go anywhere. I’m not sure I was ready for a full-on relationship then. According to my exes I was emotionally untouchable.”
“Clitoral damage,” Teddy said knowingly.
“She means collateral.” Alex rolled her eyes and sat forward. “Erin, you have to let her go. For what it’s worth I think you won’t let anyone in. Not because you’re scared to but because your heart is still too full of Charlotte. No one can compete with her because you won’t let them even get in the starting blocks.”
Erin exhaled loudly. “I’m a complete screw-up. I’m almost forty, and I’m still pining after my teen love.”
Teddy gave her a watery smile. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I still wish every day that Bear was here, but at some point you have to live for now. I never thought I would love anyone like I loved Bear but then Douglas came along.”
Alex stood up. “Before we get downright maudlin, I’m going to put some coffee on.”
Teddy and Erin watched her go into the house.
“So how’d you do it?” Erin lowered her voice. “Move on, I mean.”
“I spoke to Bear and told him I had to move on. He don’t talk much on account of being dead an’ all, but I felt better speaking to him.” Teddy stood up and placed her glass down. “You know what I want to do?”
Erin shook her head but stood up beside Teddy. “Nope, but I’m with you whatever it is.”
“I’m going to go climb Bear’s tree.” Teddy climbed unsteadily off of Alex’s porch and meandered down towards the tall tree at the bottom of the garden. The tree also housed a platform build by Alex’s brother when they were all still at high school.
“I haven’t climbed that thing in years.” Erin downed the remnants in her glass then followed behind, wondering whether her health insurance would cover her for injuries sustained due to tequila and stupidity.
***
When five minutes later Alex appeared on the porch with a tray of cups and freshly brewed coffee, she was surprised to find it empty. She put the tray down and cautiously called out, “Marco.”
The direction the distant response of ‘Polo’ came from could only mean one thing.
“Awwwww shit,” she muttered, pulling her cell phone from her pocket. “Matt, can you come over? Erin and Teddy are up in Bear’s tree.” She grimaced and pulled the phone away from her ear at Sully’s swearing. When she eventually put the phone back to her ear she laughed at Sully’s question. “No, you cannot just shoot them out of it! Now get your ass over here and help me.” She hung up and trudged down towards the tree.
Chapter Nine
“I can’t believe Molly set you up with one of Tina’s conquests.” Ellie huffed as she ran alongside Charlotte.
Charlotte laughed and shook her head. “I’m not sure Molly can either.”
“You okay?”
“It threw me a bit. It started me thinking again about why I let Tina treat me that way, and that started me thinking about stuff from back home. Stuff I’ve not thought about in years.”
Ellie stopped abruptly, almost taking out the two men jogging behind.
“You okay? You pull something?”
“Hi my name is Ellie, and you are?”
Charlotte scowled and jogged on the spot to keep warm. “Funny, I’m not that bad.” Seeing Ellie’s lack of reaction, Charlotte whined, “Oh my God. I am that bad.”
Starting to jog slowly again, Ellie shook her head. “Honey, you really are. That’s the first time I’ve got a response from you that was”—she scrunched her face up, searching for the right word—“honest?”
“You saying I’m a liar?” Charlotte was embarrassed she was so closed off that even the smallest admission like the one she’d just made was enough to shock her friend.
“You know that’s not what I’m saying. You’re just usually more circumspect with your responses.”
This time, it was Charlotte who stopped. “God! Why on earth do you all put up with me?”
Ellie turned back towards her friend and pulled her into a hug. “’Cause you’re a great listener and one of the biggest hearts around. We all know you would be there for us at the drop of a hat, just like we’d be there for you if you’d let us.”
“Still, Jesus, I am so fucked up.”
“Oh please.” Ellie smacked Charlotte’s shoulder. “Aren’t we all?”
“Okay, so new approach. How would you like to go out to dinner on Friday and I’ll give you the gory details of my life?”
Ellie groaned. “I’d love to but I’m at a conference, and there’s a drinks reception. Why don’t you come along? You could pretend to be a doctor, drink some fizz, eat some canapés.”
Charlotte’s face lit up. “Can I wear a white coat?”
“Nope.”
“Stethoscope?”
“Nope.”
“You’re a real spoilsport you know.”
“Yup.”
***
“There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you!” Charlotte arrived at Ellie’s shoulder. “Oh God, I’m sorry did I just talk all over you?” Charlotte was horrified she’d interrupted Ellie talking shop with a colleague.
“That’s okay,” replied the dark-haired woman standing with Ellie.
“I’m sorry.” Ellie held out her hand. “I’ve been really remiss. We’re standing here chatting, and I’ve not introduced myself. I’m Ellie and this rude creature is a gatecrasher and my friend Charlotte.”
“I’m Maddie. It’s nice to meet you, Ellie and you too, Charlotte.” Maddie shook hands with the women in turn.
“I was just asking Maddie why she didn’t sound like she’s from Alabama, but hey I guess I shouldn’t make any assumptions based on accents.” Ellie’s smile took the sting out of the rebuke to Charlotte about her own accent’s origins.
“You know what they say about asses and assuming,” Charlotte responded, capturing a glass of bubbly from a passing waiter. “So where about in Alabama are you not from?”
Maddie took a sip of her wine and shrugged. “Nowhere you would have heard of. It’s a tiny town in the middle of nowhere.”
“You never know," Charlotte said taking a mouthful of her bubbly.
“Grace Falls.”
That same mouthful of champagne sprayed from Charlotte’s mouth.
“Jesus, Charlotte!” Ellie glared at her friend. “I’m so sorry, Maddie, I’ll go get something to clean you up.”
Maddie’s shocked expression was matched by Charlotte’s. Slowly a look of realization crossed Maddie’s features. “Oh my God! Are you Charlotte Grace?” Maddie sodden top forgotten in light of her discovery, she barely noticed Ellie’s return with a fistful of napkins. “The Charlotte Grace!”
Charlotte still stood with a stupefied look on her face, observing Maddie’s outfit and the mess her reaction had created.
“You know the way you’re saying her name makes her sound famous.” Ellie handed over the napkins to Maddie.
“Infamous more like,” Charlotte muttered sadly.
“You are Charlotte Grace!” Maddie’s smile lit up. “Alex will be thrilled.”
Charlotte jerked out of her shock at the use of Alex’s name. “You’re Alex’s doctor,” she said, remembering Ruth’s mention of Alex’s new relationship in her emails.
Maddie chuckled as she tossed the now damp napkin onto a nearby table. “Well, I’m the town’s doctor really, but I am Alex’s partner, yes.”
Ellie looked at the two woman with a puzzled expression. “I feel like I’m missing something here. Do you two know each other in some way?”
Charlotte shook her head.
“Maddie is the doctor in Grace Falls. Where I’m from.”
“Ohhhh, the town we didn’t know about,” Ellie said, raising an eyebrow and looking at Charlotte. “Well, I think we should go grab a seat and get to know each other a little better.”
Before Charlotte could disagree, Ellie caught her by the elbow while hooking her other arm through Maddie’s, and led them both from the function room into the quieter hotel bar.
***
Charlotte chewed on the inside of her mouth while her fingers plucked nervously at the edge of the arm of the leather bucket seat Ellie had deposited her into.
“You’re not infamous by the way,” Maddie said.
Charlotte lifted her eyes to meet reassuring brown ones.
“In fact in the town where no one has secrets, you’re probably the best-kept one. I wouldn’t even know you existed if it hadn’t been for Alex.” Seeing Charlotte frown deeply as she spoke Maddie grimaced. “That was meant to make you feel better. I should stop talking now.” She chewed on her lips and turned her attention towards the bar where Ellie was ordering drinks.
“It’s okay, you underestimate the power of Virginia Grace.” Charlotte was unable to disguise the bitterness in her tone.
Maddie nodded. “I have dealt with your mother, and I’m acutely aware of her abilities.” She reached over to place a warm hand on Charlotte’s forearm. “I was there with your father at the end.”
Surprised at the comment, Charlotte felt a lump rise unbidden to her throat. Unable to stop herself, she asked the question that haunted her the first few days after learning about her father’s death. “Did he ask about me?”
“I’m sorry. It was a massive stroke. By the time I saw him he didn’t have the ability to speak.”
Charlotte nodded and swallowed down the lump as Ellie brought their drinks over.
“So I’m prescribing a couple of stiff drinks to help overcome the shock.” Ellie smiled as she placed three high ball glasses of whiskey onto the table.
Forcing a cheerful tone, Charlotte raised her glass. “To bite you in the ass coincidences.”
