“No, thanks. I’ve taken up enough of your time. You need to settle in.” He rose. “It's been nice.”
Because of Patrick, the usually tedious sessions might even build up a little steam. He reached out in a farewell gesture. With caution, she took his hand. He let go in an instant.
“Even though you haven't told me much about yourself, I feel more comfortable.” He winked and with his fingers gave the Boy Scout code of honor. “I'll even follow your rules. Oh, God, it'll kill me, but for a beautiful lady, I'll do it.”
This guy had a sense of humor, and she liked it. “You work with me, and I'll work with you.”
“Deal. Check ya later.”
In an instant, he was gone.
She walked to the window and glanced down. A chain of Modesto ash trees shaded the expanse of manicured lawn from the blistering sun. She pulled the sliding door open to the small terrace outside her office. A hot breeze splintered the chill of the air-conditioning. Starting a new life by herself struck her again. Since college, she’d had Joel, someone to fall back on during tough times. Now she had only Michael. Her decisions were hers and hers alone. All of a sudden, she felt at loose ends. With her arms wrapped across her breast, she wondered how it might feel to be held by a man again. She shuddered. How could she think such a thing? A man didn’t rate on her list of things to do. After a year, she hadn’t even fully gotten the hang of being alone yet. When she accomplished that, maybe she might-- Then she remembered her promise to Gil. She would not return to Palo Alto, nor would she leave the area. She was home.
At that moment, Patrick strode down the cement pathway to a red Fiat parked near her office in the visitors' lot. Sliding into the driver's seat, he glanced up at her before she had a chance to step back. He waved, smiled, and drove off.
Damn! Her throat clogged. He probably thought she stood by the window just to get that last lingering look before he drove off into the sunset. She snorted, and then tore herself away from the window.
* * *
Patrick arrived at the Peppermill shortly after five, and stood inside the entrance while his eyes adjusted to the dark. He thought of Dana looking down at him from her office window and couldn’t shake the sadness in her eyes. Being such a clever lady, he had no idea if he could rely on her completely. She appeared sweet and trustworthy, but he wasn't taking any chances. If she crossed him, he could lose his race with time.
Must be tough for her, walking into this mess. He remembered all the hell that broke loose when he arrived two years ago. His predecessor was at odds with the hospital, and they were on the verge of a strike. At least she wasn’t walking into that kind of chaos.
He wondered why she moved back here, if she had a husband and kids. After all, how could he do a decent job unless he knew what made his opponent tick? A few more visits like today and he’d find out everything he needed to know.
The smell of sautéing onions and mushrooms revved up his appetite. Meeting his cronies here after work, having a couple of beers and an appetizer dinner a few times a week had become a big part of his life. This is what the singles in Ashton did after work. He also learned what the other reps were doing. He had to keep pace with the changing industry. What better way than a few beers.
He sauntered into the lounge where a knot of men from other unions huddled around Teal DeLuca, the blonde union rep from Local 281.
“Patrick,” Teal called out from across the room. “Over here.”She slid over and patted the seat next to her.
He could tell by her expression she wanted to talk to him about the new director at Templeton. Thank God, Teal didn’t have the charisma to stir the souls of his folks enough to desert camp. Patrick honored the stories he’d heard about how conniving and deceitful she could be. Everyone knew it. So far she hadn’t been a problem for him, but he wasn't about to give her a chance. She was the last person he wanted to see. Teal overdressed and wore too much makeup. Today she looked better than usual in tan slacks and a loose-fitting silky blouse. When he sat, her perfume overwhelmed him.
Before he could catch his breath, a waitress arrived. “I'll have a Miller.”
“Well?” Teal asked when the waitress withdrew, her cool-gray eyes wide with interest.
“Well, what?” Patrick baited her, knowing she couldn’t wait to hear who took over Leon Benson’s job at Templeton.
She thwacked him on the arm. “You know damn well what I mean.” Her eyes blazed with curiosity. “What's he like?”
“It's not a he.”
Teal straightened, showing even more interest. “A she?” An almost wicked smile crossed her face.
Patrick nodded. They both thought handling a woman would be easier than a man, and Benson had made every attempt to thwart Teal’s efforts getting her union into Templeton.
The men who’d been sitting with her drifted over to the bar to join some new arrivals.
The waitress interrupted with Patrick's beer and a tray of tacos. Teal continued to needle him as the waitress placed a taco and beer in front of him.
“Where’d she come from?”
“She's a little spitfire who used to live here.” He swigged his beer.
“You've spent some time with her already?”
“I have. She caught me red-handed up on the fifth floor passing out leaflets on work time.”
Teal broke into raucous laughter. “Serves you right. I've told you all along you'd get that pretty boy face of yours in trouble one of these days. Think she'll press charges and hang up negotiations?”
“Hell no. She’s as anxious as I am to put this thing to bed.” He pushed the last half of his taco away, wiped his mouth with a cocktail napkin, then sank back into the soft cushion. “She used to live here.”
“In Ashton? What’s her name?”
“Dana Claiborne.”
“Dana!” She covered her mouth. Every head in the area turned her way. “I don't believe it. She came back?”
Teal had a mixed reaction. He couldn’t tell if it was good or bad.
“She was my best friend in school.” Her eyes glazed over. “Guess she hasn't had a chance to call me.”
Now Patrick wondered if Dana had seen through her long ago. If they were still good friends, Dana might help her. She needed an ally inside Templeton to help get her 281 through the door and his exclusivity in the hospital could be over.
“We were like sisters. Until she met Joel Claiborne. Then poof, we were strangers. We women can be a selfish bunch when it comes to men.”
“What a charming woman,” he said in a sarcastic tone.
“Oh God, Patrick. That's just part of the feminine mystique. I'd do it to her. If anything goes wrong, we're always in the wings waiting to help each other pick up the pieces. It's kind of a secret code we girls have. You wait. When I see Dana, it'll be like old times.” She leaned in closer to him. “So, she's top dog at Templeton, huh?” Her eyes dilated with admiration. “I'm impressed.” She fell silent. “Really impressed.” Then as if regaining her composure, with a flick of the wrist, she pushed back a few strands of her wispy, shoulder-length blonde hair. “I always knew she’d hit the jackpot. I used to call her the Golden Girl.”
If he played his cards right, she might tell him a few personal things about Dana. “So, what’s she like?”
She settled back and smiled. “If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't have had a social life. She was a doer--never let moss grow under her feet. The guys loved her. She was always trying to set me up.”
“Think she'll help you at Templeton?”
“Who knows? We were close. After we graduated and she married Joel, we still did lunch and movies all the time. Then Joel got into the computer business and they moved to Silicon Valley. We exchanged Christmas and birthday cards for a while, then we lost touch. You know how it goes.”
So, she was married. Too bad… Oh well. He figured she was too hot to be alone. The waitress stopped by with more tacos. “Another round?”
Patrick glanced ove
r at Teal. She shook her head and he waved the girl away. “We should invite her to the picnic.” Teal spoke in a faraway tone. The unions had joined forces the past two years to put on a picnic and spend time socializing with management.
“You invite her. She's your friend.” He could see her mind clicking away.
“You're right. I'll ask her when I see her. She'll die when she finds out I'm a union rep.”
“Why?”
“I wasn't career bound like she was. She lived for college… I forced myself to go.”
“You must have been a lot different back then.”
“I'm sure she and I have both changed a lot since those days. I wonder what brought her back to Ashton.”
Patrick shifted in his seat. Could the lady be divorced? That’s a good reason to move back home. Wait a minute, Patrick, old boy, this is none of your business. “Does she have family here?”
“Her mother’s in a retirement center. Her dad accidentally shot himself when Dana turned seventeen. Right before her graduation. Dana was a rock for her mother. Then, out-of-the-blue, Margaret freaked, up and sold their house, got herself a fancy apartment and put Dana in the dorm at Ashton State. Weird woman. It hurt Dana. I was glad, for her sake, when she got married and left town.”
To Patrick, Dana Claiborne sounded more and more like a very decent person. They had similar struggles in their youth. “Give her a call. Tell her to bring her husband.” Seeing her at the picnic, outside the hospital, might just be the chance for him to get to know her a little better personally. “I'm sure she'll be glad to hear from you.”
“I’ll call her.” She nudged Patrick's arm to let her out from behind the table.
“Where're you going?”
“Potty, then home. See ya.”
“Hey, this is just getting interesting.”
“You'll have to find out the rest on your own.” Like a leaf skittering in the wind, she drifted away through the crowded room, leaving him alone.
He leaned back, his hands twined behind his neck. He stared through the crowd at nothing, thinking of Teal and the thorn she might become in his side. If she played her hand right, 281 could become his nemesis.
Three
After three weeks of intensive work, Dana relished having an evening without any work to do. She relaxed on the couch with a stack of unread magazines and a pot of hot tea on the coffee table. She smiled at Michael on the floor playing with building blocks. The TV on low added to the hominess. He seemed to like the day care center and related well to Ruta, which pleased her more than she could say. Now she had to find some way to move into a better apartment. She glanced around and shuddered at the condition of this place. She hated to admit she was ashamed of it, but she did have a good job and should live in a better neighborhood. She wanted that for Michael too.
Negotiations were to begin next Tuesday. Gil approved her first proposal. The thought of sitting across from Patrick, doing what she enjoyed best, playing one-upmanship, sent a ripple of excitement surging through her.
After a year of hell, life was getting good again. All of a sudden, Patrick stuck to the rules. It tickled her when he'd drop by her office every chance he got for things they could have resolved over the phone. Everyone in her office knew of her divorce. He must have heard about it through the infamous hospital grapevine. Men! He probably thought she’d fall all over him like the other women. Not this girl.
For the first time since her arrival in Ashton, she finally had time to call some of her old friends. She thought of Teal. Back in their freshman year of high school, Teal became Dana’s work in progress. She took her under her wing. Teal’s poverty and obvious lack of self-esteem struck a nerve in Dana. She couldn’t allow the bullies to tease her about her hand-me-downs, weight problem, or blemished skin. She made Teal the sister she never had. They did everything together, including Dana's family vacations. As hard as she tried to improve Teal's image and change her self-deprecating personality, her efforts were ignored. Therefore, she gave up trying and just loved her for who she was. Their lives had gone in different directions. She could hardly wait to see her. She of all people would get a kick out of Dana living in a dump.
As she dialed the number from the phone book, she wondered why she hadn’t contacted her right away. Surely it wasn’t her apartment. Could it have been because Teal represented a union now and might put some pressure on Dana to help her out? Never! If ever Dana needed a friend, it was right now. She remembered all those nights of confiding in each other. They rarely held anything back. Maybe they could rekindle their friendship and once again be close. Dana needed a friend and confidante again.
To her delight, she caught Teal at home. “Hi, this is Dana.”
“I've been waiting for your call.”
“You knew I was back in town?”
“You can't hide anywhere in Ashton.”
“Are you busy?”
“Not for you.”
“Come on over.”
“Why don't we meet for drinks some place?” Teal sounded like she didn’t want to come to Dana’s place. Why a bar?
“I can't. I have no one to take care of my son.”
“A son? How old is he?”
“Five. Why don't you come over here? We can nosh and catch up.”
“I heard about you and Joel. I'm sorry.”
Her sympathetic tone warmed Dana. She rattled off her address. “Come on over.”
It was fun to be around Teal. They’d shared a special time in their lives.
* * *
Within an hour of their phone conversation, Teal pulled up in front of Dana’s apartment building, cut the ignition, and checked out the place. Jesus, Dana, how could you live in this part of town? Obviously, she hadn’t kept up with Ashton’s growth. Her apartment sat less than a mile from the new war zone, where at least one drive-by shooting occurred each night.
For a moment before climbing out, she pulled herself together. A part of her wanted to see Dana again. Would Dana help her get her union into Templeton? She doubted that little scenario. Another side of her wished Dana had never come back. She finally proved she could make it on her own without Dana’s constant prodding, and now as chief negotiator for Templeton, she had even more control over what Teal did. During their high school days, Dana did try to help Teal make herself over to achieve the way she looks now. Back then, Teal resented her every attempt. Not until Dana left for the Bay Area did Teal delve into the hair color, makeup, and joined Weight Watchers. Dana had not deserted her because she was an ‘ugly duckling’, which made Teal wonder if Dana enjoyed a less than perfect looking friend just to make herself more attractive. Oh hell, why dredge up all this old crap now when the tables might just turn in her favor.
Time, once again, to start playing the nicey-nicey crap. Thank God, Dana never knew how she felt. I should have been an actress. She chuckled. Move over Julia Roberts.
She grabbed her purse and the bottle of wine and headed up to the second floor, knocked and waited, planting a great big smile on her bronzed face.
The door opened and she nearly fell through the floor. Simply put, Dana was beautiful. She had aged well, better actually than most women. The least she could have done was gain a few pounds, or sprout a couple of wrinkles, but no, she was stunning, not even a laugh line. Cripes.
“You're blonde,” Dana squealed.
“You've cut your hair.”
“You're so thin.”
“You too. May I come in, or are you just going to ogle me?”
Dana hugged her, accepted the bottle of wine, and dragged her into the living room.
“I can't believe it's you.” Dana stepped back, looking her up and down. “I never would have recognized you on the street. A blonde Italian.”
“Let's just say I'm hiding my roots.”
They laughed as they used to in their younger days when almost anything could send them into gales of laughter. “Got fed up with the mousy look and mustered the nerve to do what you'
d always told me to do. I got tired of living in someone else's shadow.” She poked Dana in the ribs with her elbow and winked. “Like you, for one.”
Dana raised an eyebrow.
“Just kidding.” She smiled, but she wasn't kidding. “You look sensational. I've never seen you with your hair short. I never liked short hair, but it looks great on you.” She sculpted the tips of Dana's brown hair with the palm of her hand. “Beautiful.”
“How’d you find out I was back in town?” Dana led her to a worn floral, overstuffed couch.
“Patrick Mitchell told me over drinks more than three weeks ago.”
“So, you know Patrick?”
She chuckled. “Cute, isn't he?”
Dana didn't answer, merely gestured her to sit. For the longest time, Dana just stared, making her a bit uncomfortable.
“You’ve metamorphosed, like a moth from a chrysalis. Maybe it’s your turn to get me into the social whirl.”
She glanced around, studying Dana's apartment. These digs aren’t a bit flashy. With this new high-powered position at Templeton, this place should have put her more elegant condo to shame. Teal intended to find out Dana’s story.
“I just can’t get used to your new style.” Dana clasped Teal’s hands.
“I changed it years ago.”
“I understand you're working for a union too. Something else you said you’d never do. Here, I expected to find you married with a house full of kids.”
“I'm twice divorced. Now I'm a career girl.”
“Twice?”
“That's right. Both beautiful, both bastards, both useless and no kids from either one.”
Conflicts of the Heart Page 3
