The Right Time

by Susan X Meagher

  “The Walmart?” A blonde eyebrow rose and stayed up for a few seconds.

  “That’s where she catches the bus. She’s never mentioned…?”

  Now the well-shaped eyebrows knit for a moment. “We don’t have a lot of time to talk. I don’t think we’ve ever covered her transit options.” By the time she was finished with that sentence, she was idly picking up things from the desk, looking at the trinkets Hennessy had amassed during the last year. Silly things; slivers of driftwood, some beach glass, half of a key a nervous student had broken off in a lock. And books—lots of books on writing and crafting a story. Kate’s gaze slid across the titles, her bottom lip stuck out as she considered them.

  “Did you just fly in?” Townsend asked, finding the silences unnerving.

  “Yeah. I wanted to surprise Hennessy.”

  Townsend assessed her more fully while Kate was busy trespassing all over Hennessy’s stuff. She looked damned good for someone who’d had to get up at dark o’clock to get down to South Carolina before noon. She was a little pale, but seemed to have the kind of skin that got color fast when she was in the sun. Actually, when Townsend really studied her, she would have believed she’d been ill. She was very thin, but it didn’t look like she was trying to be—more like she couldn’t keep weight on. That, added to her pale skin, made her look like she’d emerged—not long ago—from a sanatorium. But Hennessy often spoke of her “hospital pallor” and said that all of the fellows looked worse than the people in the beds. Still, Townsend couldn’t make herself believe Kate was anything but lovely.

  And she had style, too, looking breezy and cool in a blue and white striped shirt and marine blue jeans. Tan deck shoes gave her a little preppy edge, and they matched the tote bag she carried as a purse. A blue print scarf was tied around one handle of the bag, probably for later, if she wanted to jazz up her outfit. She definitely seemed like the type who knew how to jazz up just about anything she wanted to.

  Once she’d finished playing with everything her elegant, well-manicured hands could grab, she sat back in the chair and leaned it back as far as it would go. “I had this image,” she said thoughtfully. “Of Hennessy having a big, old, wood-paneled office. Like the kind you see in classic movies about prestigious universities.” Her gaze traveled around the room again, and Townsend tried to see it through her eyes. It would have had to be classed up to even be modest.

  Defensively, she said, “This works for us. It was more important that we have the bigger room for our instructors to have some space to relax in.” Hoping her offer would be accepted, she said, “You might be more comfortable in there. The sofa’s really comfy.”

  Quickly, Kate sat up, her back perfectly vertical to the floor. “Oh, God, am I disturbing you? I assumed things were winding down…”

  “No, not at all!” She tried hard to make her smile look natural. “I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable. Can I make you some coffee?”

  “I’m a tea drinker. But don’t go to any trouble. I had a couple of cups already.” She stood and gazed at the whiteboard, the big one where Hennessy kept all of her deadlines. “I’m not surprised to see each of these ticked off,” she said, with a note of pleasure. “Boudreaux is a hell of a hard worker, isn’t she?”

  “She is. Always has been,” Townsend said. “I could check and see if Hennessy’s still in Beaufort. You could take my car…”

  “She’s coming, right?”

  “She said she was, and knowing her, only a hurricane could stop her.”

  Kate went to the window and peered up at the sky. “Clear day. She’ll be here.” She went back to the chair and settled herself onto it, barely making the springs creak. She must have been a dancer or something, given how lithe she was. “I don’t want to go to Beaufort if I don’t have to.” She leaned over and rested her head on a hand. “I think her grandmother would be happy to never lay eyes on me again.”

  “Hennessy’s mentioned that.”

  Eyes popping open, Kate sat up straight again. “She’s said that—specifically?”

  “Oh, no,” Townsend said, waving her off. “Just that you and her grandmother aren’t close.”

  “Oh.” She stretched out again, seeming very cat-like—lean and long and light on her feet. “I wish Hennessy wasn’t so fond of her grandparents. Then I could take the job at UCLA.” She sighed heavily. “I’d love to be by the ocean.”

  “But she is close to them,” Townsend said, ready to stick up for Hennessy even when she wasn’t present. “She’d be miserable if she had to live in L.A. That’s just not her.”

  Kate cocked her head, her gaze sharpening. “I think I know her pretty well. We’ve been together for a very long time.”

  “I’m not saying you don’t. But if you think she’d like Los Angeles, you’ve missed some big clues.”

  “New York-Presbyterian’s my second favorite,” she said, an eyebrow lifting. “How do you think she’d like Manhattan?”

  “I think she’d like it a lot less than Boston, which she kinda hated.” She screwed up her courage and spit it out. “Face it, Kate, if you want her to be happy, you’ll move close to her family. There’s no way around that.”

  “I realize that,” she nodded. “That’s why I’m here. To take her with me to Durham.” A smile bloomed, immediately making her look healthy, even vibrant. “I’m going to sign a contract at Duke. I’ll be on staff, and I’ll get to do a little teaching, too. It’ll be good,” she decided.

  “It’s about time!” Townsend blurted, leaning back in her chair, relief flooding her.

  “Pardon?”

  Kate’s piercing blue eyes locked onto her like guided missiles.

  “Oh, shit, I didn’t mean that to come out that way. I’m so sorry. This is none of my business. I just know how much Hennessy—”

  “You’re right,” Kate said briskly. “This is none of your business.” She got up and moved over to sit on the edge of the desk, where she loomed over Townsend. “I was thinking about this on the flight down. It seems like you’ve been friends for years and years, but you really haven’t been.” Townsend started to interrupt, but Kate kept going. “You were together here when you were kids, but she was your counselor, and I know nothing went on then.” She dismissed that time with a wave of her hand. “Then you started to get close, but it didn’t work out. I don’t think you ever even had a week together. And I’m certain you didn’t have sex.”

  “We never did,” Townsend admitted. “Not even close.” This was really none of Kate’s business, but she felt she might help Hennessy out by confirming what Kate thought she knew.

  “Then she went to Paris and…you know the rest. So you’ve really only known each other for a year when you drill down to the facts.”

  “I suppose that’s true, when you’re only counting the time we’ve been in the same space. But that kind of calculation ignores how close we were during those early years—even when we were apart.”

  “We’ve shared a bed for our time together, Townsend. I’ve gotten to know her—inside and out.”

  Oooh. She was looking for a fight and Townsend was just about to give her one. She’d been on very good behavior for an awful lot of years, but she’d once clocked people much bigger for less. Standing to get some distance, Townsend tried to contain her temper and her tongue. “I never said you didn’t know her. Of course you do. I just want her to get what she wants—you and this job and the ability to see her family often.”

  “I’m sure I’ll have at least one weekend call a month. She can fly down and see her family when I’m working.”

  “Fly…?” Townsend blinked, trying to recall where Duke was. “Can’t she drive?”

  “Well, she could, but it’s at least five hours away. Not something you’d want to do for a weekend.”

  “Shit,” Townsend grumbled before she headed back to her chair and dropped onto it. “She’s not going to like that. Not at all.”

  “It’s better than UCLA, isn’t it? Or
New York? She’ll be in a Carolina.”

  “What if she wants to stay here and commute to see you on the weekends?” She knew she was shoving her nose where it didn’t belong, but she couldn’t stop herself. Couldn’t come close to putting on the brakes.

  “That won’t work,” she said flatly. She jumped to her feet, her feline grace letting her land with the softest of “thumps.” “I’m making a sacrifice to come down here. My mentors are in Boston, and my family’s in Chicago. I’ve got no ties, no contacts down here. I’m doing this only for Hennessy. And I’m not planning on living alone.”

  “But she loves this job,” Townsend said, her voice a plea.

  “Give me one reason why she can’t do it from North Carolina? All she does is talk on the phone and use the computer. She didn’t teach a single class this year—the stated reason for her coming, by the way.” Bitterness had crept into her voice, giving Townsend even more warning to back away, slowly. But she didn’t. This was like a stone rolling down a steep hill, picking up steam as it traveled.

  “She’s planning on teaching next year. Especially if Nicole, the woman I’m dating, doesn’t move down here. Hennessy’s going to take on her full load if that happens, and you can’t do that by telephone.”

  “Nicole,” Kate said, gazing at Townsend like she was on exhibit. “How’s that going? I got the impression you were on thin ice.”

  Townsend shrugged, unwilling to concede anything. One thing was certain. Gramma was a good judge of character. She’d sniffed out something unpleasant in Dr. Brill, and Townsend was now getting a whiff of it.

  Kate moved to stand right in front of Townsend. Then she leaned over and put her hand on the back of the chair, holding her in place. Her damned perfume was so sexy it wasn’t fair. How could you clock someone who smelled so good?

  Kate’s voice was calm, cool and even. But the words were jagged, piercing. “I think I know why you’re still single. I think I know why a very nice looking, very wealthy, perfectly pleasant woman with a sparkling personality can’t hold onto a girlfriend.”

  “I can hold onto a girlfriend,” she snapped. “Just because I’m picky doesn’t mean a damn thing.”

  “Yes, it does,” Kate said. “It means you’re waiting for Hennessy. You still love my girlfriend.”

  “You’re right!” Townsend snapped, shoving her chair away from Kate’s hold. No matter how mature she was, she’d never be able to tolerate anyone physically holding her in place. Some things were hardwired into your DNA. “I love her. I’ve always loved her. I’ll love her until the day I die. So fucking what? She’s chosen you, so take her! Go! Be happy little Tar Heels or whatever they call Duke.”

  Kate got close again, this time not trying to restrain Townsend. The doctor learned quickly. Her voice wasn’t harsh, but the words definitely were. “She chose me. That’s the truth. So get your own girl and leave mine alone. I’ve got enough to deal with without having to worry about you making her want things she can’t have.”

  “Like a good relationship between her lover and her family? If I had her, I’d be doing cartwheels to make her grandmother like me. Why can’t you go out of your way for her?”

  “None of your business,” Kate snapped, turning to head back to Hennessy’s desk. “I’m sure you’ve got all sorts of tips for making Hennessy happy, but I was doing just fine before you dropped her dream job into her lap.” She looked around, then shook her head. “There’s no way you can pay her what you do and make a profit. This was all smoke and mirrors to get your hands on her.”

  “We did just fine. The goal isn’t to make money. It’s to provide a service. So long as we break even, Mary Ann’s happy.”

  “That can’t be true. No one runs a business that way. By the time Mary Ann figures out she’s pouring capital into this thing and not making a dime, she’ll pull the plug. Then what will Hennessy do? She’ll look like an idiot for working at a failed summer camp when she could have been well on her way to getting tenure at Stanford.”

  The front door opened and steps raced across the floor in the common room. Then Hennessy stood there, her gaze immediately going to Townsend, her beautiful eyes full of confusion.

  Townsend almost fell to her knees. Why did she have to look at her first?

  “What’s going on?” Hennessy asked, clearly stunned. It looked like she had to physically pry her gaze away to shift to Kate. “I had no idea you were coming down!” She dropped her tote bag and headed for Kate, who stood and pointed a finger at her.

  “Goddamn it, Hennessy.” Her voice shook harder than her hand, which trembled noticeably. “I wasn’t sure before, but I am now.” Her whole body swiveled so that extended hand pointed right at Townsend. “It’s her! She’s why you won’t marry me. She’s why you couldn’t wait to leave Boston. She’s why you couldn’t drag your ass home for Thanksgiving. It’s her! It’s always been Townsend!”

  Staring at Townsend for a fraction of a second, Hennessy got her feet moving, and approached Kate like she would a panther. “Honey, that’s not true. Come on now. Let’s go to my cabin and talk this out.” She reached for her hand, but Kate whipped it away, holding it across her chest, like Hennessy had burned it.

  “We’ll stay right here,” she said, her voice rising with each word. “Say it in front of her. Go on! Say it!” she yelled. “You love her! You’ve always loved her! Get it over with, Boudreaux. Stop torturing me!”

  Hennessy gave Townsend a pleading look, clearly begging her to leave. Without a word, Townsend took off, running across the common room to fly out the front door, the screen creaking and slamming behind her.

  Hennessy dropped to Townsend’s chair, then let her head fall into her open hands. “Oh, Kate,” she sighed, her heart breaking. “What happened?”

  Some of her anger had burned off, leaving her drained and pale. She collapsed onto the desk, bent over like she’d been defeated in a brutal fight. “I came down here to tell you I was going to sign with Duke. Good job, good money, good schedule.” Her voice was almost robotic. “Then Townsend started picking at me, telling me everything I’d done wrong. Every one of my many sins.” Her eyes moved to land on Hennessy. “Things she could have only known from you. You betrayed me, Boudreaux. You talked shit about me behind my back.”

  “I never did,” she cried, jumping to her feet.

  “You did. You’ve been down here a whole year, pouring your heart out to her. Things you should have told me, you told her. Weekends you should have spent with me, you spent with her. Dreams you should have shared with me, you shared with her. You betrayed our love. Time and time and time again.”

  “That’s not true,” Hennessy said. “I’ve told Townsend some of the things that trouble me, but nothing I haven’t told you. I swear!”

  Kate stood and moved to stand right in front of Hennessy. “Do you love me?”

  “Yes,” she pledged. “I do.”

  Her voice was just as strong. Just as demanding. “Do you love Townsend?”

  Hennessy wanted to leap out the window, anything to get away from Kate’s burning gaze. It was like slugging herself in the face, but she told the truth. “I do.”

  Kate’s normally sure, confident voice shook like a leaf in a bad storm. “Choose.”

  One word. One simple word that meant everything. Their life. Their plans. Their dreams. She couldn’t choose. Couldn’t look into those tear-filled eyes and deliver another blow. “I can’t,” she sobbed, bending over and holding onto her knees, unable to stand.

  “Choose!” Kate demanded. “You can’t have us both. If you want me, you give her up. Today. Forever. You never see her again. We’ll go to Durham, so you can be close to your family, but Hilton Head’s off the table.” Kate put a hand on her cheek and held her head still. “Choose,” she said once again, now determined and forceful.

  Their time together flashed before her eyes. Their stumbling beginnings, then years of increasing intimacy, of love, of sex, of sharing everything that meant anything to
either of them. Then she looked into those beautiful eyes and said the cruelest word she’d ever uttered. “Townsend.” She sucked in a breath and said it again. “I choose Townsend.”

  Before she could flinch, Kate was gone, her arm brushing against Hennessy as she passed, a hint of her perfume lingering in the air. Hennessy fell to the chair, dropped her head onto the desk and cried until she was sick. Then, so weak she could barely move, she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed a number. “Gramma? I need to come home,” she gasped, her words barely intelligible. “Please bring me home.”

  Townsend kayaked for an hour, rode her bike until her thighs ached, then found an afternoon AA meeting and sat in a chair, tapping her foot while her fellow addicts told their stories. All the while, paddling, pumping, or listening, she obsessively checked her phone, waiting for a text, an email—anything to let her know Hennessy was all right.

  It was dark when she finally got up the nerve to go back to camp. There wasn’t a car in the visitor’s lot, so Kate was either gone or had moved her rental. Heading to the office, Townsend’s heart beat like she’d been climbing a mountain. The lights were out, the door locked tight. Fumbling with her keys, she got the door open and stood there for a moment, somehow able to feel lingering tension in the room.

  After switching on the lights, she walked by a wastebasket in the common room, finding it filled with tissues and a discarded container. Her gut contracted at the thought of poor, sweet Hennessy crying herself sick. If she could get her hands on Kate, she’d…

  She had no idea what she’d do.

  Kate was blameless in this mess. All she’d done was fall in love with someone any woman in her right mind would want.

  Townsend went to her desk, where a legal pad lay right in the center. Hennessy’s usually attractive handwriting had turned into a barely decipherable scrawl.

  I’m going home to figure some things out. I’ll call when I’m able to. If I don’t catch you before you leave, I hope you have a wonderful time with Nicole.

  H