Past Sins Revisited

by Mary Goldberger

  Wilma nodded her head just as her eyes landed on the occupants at the table next to them and a slight frown came to her face which Calida noticed.

  “Wilma,” Calida started stepping next to her only to be interrupted at a rough timbre.

  “Mrs. Wilma,” Edric said standing up with a polite smile although inside he was smirking at how easy it had been. “It is a pleasure to meet you again.”

  Wilma nodded her head although wariness flickered in her eyes. “Edric,” she said with a nod of her head as she glanced over at his companions when they stood up. “Tomas, Sophia.”

  “Who is your friend,” Tomas prompted glancing over at Calida a little stunned as hazel eyes shifted to him before turning back to Wilma.

  Wilma mentally groaned as she lightly folded her arm in Calida’s pulling her forward as she introduced her, “This is Calida…” hesitating briefly as Calida tensed, “Reseda, Jeffrey’s little sister.”

  Edric stared at the young woman who met his eyes squarely wariness shining in them although she nodded her head. “Hello,” she said in a polite soft voice.

  “Calida, this is Edric Walwyn, his business partner Tomas Landlin, and Sophia Jenkins,” Wilma told her nodding her head to each individual as she said their names.

  Calida nodded her head to each one before Wilma said, “It was nice to meet you again, but Calida just came back to town so we want to get her home to rest.”

  “Excuse us,” Calida said with a smile as she and Wilma turned to leave only to be stopped as Edric spoke up.

  “Would you like to join me for dinner this evening, Calida,” Edric asked suddenly watching as two pairs of eyes swung to him in surprise.

  “I…” Calida started sharing a look with Wilma who bit her lip but nodded her head. “I guess so.”

  Calida reached inside her pocket pulling out her cell phone as she said, “Give me your number and I can call you later to…”

  Her eyes narrowed when he reached over taking the phone from her hand as he dialed his number lifting his head as the cell in his suit pocket rang meeting Calida’s eyes.

  “I will call you,” Edric told her handing back her phone catching her hand lightly as Calida stiffened at his touch.

  Edric let go slowly as Sophia said sharply, “I thought we were leaving, Ric” sending Calida a narrowed look.

  Calida put her cell back in her pocket as Edric said, “I will see you later” nodding his head at Wilma and Jake before he walked out followed by Tomas although Sophia didn’t follow right away.

  “I wouldn’t take this dinner as being too important to him,” Sophia warned Calida who glanced at her. “I guess that you can be some help to him with negotiating with your brother.”

  Sophia smiled mockingly before she turned and walked away stilling when Calida told her honestly, “Then you should tell him that he is wasting his time. My brother has never listened to me and I doubt he will now.”

  Sophia turned her head and glared at her as she said coldly, “Then you will be nothing more than a plaything because I’m the only woman that he loves.”

  “Thank you for the warning,” Calida stated before Wilma ushered her out of the restaurant where they noticed Edric and Tomas talking outside the restaurant.

  They nodded their head at them as they slid into the waiting car with Jake at the wheel and they drove away as the doors shut behind them.

  “Do you plan on calling her for that date,” Tomas asked as they watched the car drive away.

  Edric grinned as he turned to look at him while Sophia came out of the restaurant joining them with a snappy, “What was that about, Ric?”

  “Nothing,” Edric stated as he and Tomas started for their vehicles with Sophia rushing to follow.

  “I’ll drop you off at home, Sophia,” Edric said opening the passenger door for her. “I’ll meet you at home, Tomas.”

  Tomas nodded his head as he climbed up into his truck shutting the door while Edric walked around and climbed in behind the wheel of the car seeing Tomas drive out of the parking lot.

  “Ric,” Sophia started putting a hand on his arm only to get a charming smile from him as he pulled out after him. “I can…”

  “I have some work to do at home,” Edric intervened keeping his eyes on the road.

  Thirty minutes later after dropping Sophia off, Edric walked into his house unloosening his tie as his housekeeper, and longtime companion, Glenda Welsh walked over to him.

  “Good evening, Edric,” she said taking his things from him. “Are you hungry?”

  He saw the laughter in her eyes as he shook his head giving her a kiss on the cheek before he started for his office only to stop as Tomas walked out of the living room with Lida Towers who was staying with them.

  She was giggling up at him as Tomas answered her shortly and Edric watched them briefly until they started up the stairs, and he turned away going into his office closing the door.

  He shook his head putting down his things to start work when a knock sounded on his door and

  Tomas walked in without waiting for Edric’s admittance.

  “Lida is taking a bath,” Tomas told him with a grimace getting a grin from Edric

  Edric had met Lida a year ago when she came to interview for position of his secretary, and he hired her at first, until he learned that she had been sent by Jeffrey Reseda to spy on him. Aware that she had been found out, Lida had quit only showing up at his house a few days later scared to death.

  Edric and Tomas offered her safety in their home although they thought it was a perfect opportunity to learn what she knew about Jeffrey. Lida immediately cozied up to Tomas after she tried to cozy up against Edric who told her bluntly that he wasn’t interested.

  Tomas slept with her a few times but lately he had backed off and Edric had a feeling he knew why as he recalled the looks that Tomas gave his secretary, Mariah Dawson.

  “So…” Tomas began only to stop when the phone on Edric’s desk rung and he answered it only to immediately get into a conversation about a business matter completely forgetting about Calida Reseda.

  “We should pick out an outfit for you tonight,” Wilma said as they entered the house they were using until the details of a house that Calida bought on her short return a month ago was finalized.

  “Wilma, I don’t think he is going to call,” Calida admitted as Jake carried her bags to her room.

  Wilma frowned but she stated, “You should be prepared just in case he does” as Jake nodded his head and left the room while Calida lifted one case to the bed to unpack.

  “I still think…” Calida began only to be stopped as Wilma glared at her before helping her to unpack.

  “All right,” Calida sighed as they picked out a nice dress and shoes before continuing to unpack. “Hopefully by the end of the month, we will be in our house.”

  Wilma nodded her head hanging up clothes as Calida put clothes in the dresser until they were finished, and Wilma suggested, “Lay down for an hour or so, and I will wake you so you can get dressed for your date.”

  “Date?” Calida asked in a shocked voice as she started to climb on the bed.

  “Yes, Calida, it is a date,” Wilma told her laughing as she shut the door on Calida’s stunned face shaking her head as she went to the living room where Jake sat with a drink watching a football game on the TV although he glanced over at her

  “She will be all right,” Jake assured her seeing the worried look in his wife’s eyes

  “I hope so,” Wilma remarked giving him a kiss before she headed to the kitchen to begin preparations for dinner.

  In her room, Calida muttered, “I doubt he will even call” as she closed her eyes putting a forearm over them although her cell rested on the nightstand next to the bed. “Why did I even agree knowing that?”

  Chapter 2

  Later that evening, Calida sat in the kitchen eating a late evening meal as Wilma cleaned the few dishes they used.

  “I never thought he would be so crue
l,” Wilma mumbled under her breath as Calida pushed her plate away pulling down her hair so its straight brownish-blonde length slithered down to rest a little below her shoulder blades.

  “He did it on the spur of the moment, Wilma, and I went along with it,” Calida said shrugging her shoulders getting up from the table as her dress settled around her legs. “He probably forgot all about it the minute he drove away from the restaurant. Don’t let it bother you.”

  “But it would do you good to go out with a man once in a while,” Jake said coming in the kitchen. “For the last ten years, all you have truly done is study and work in that order.”

  Calida glanced over at him before she smiled and said, “But I enjoyed studying and I love working so what is the problem? Besides, I dated a few times during that time.”

  “Jake is just saying that you didn’t make any time for yourself,” Wilma said not commenting on Calida’s last statement as she watched Calida wash the last few dishes. “You studied until you graduated and then not too long after that, you went into business for yourself not including the part-time work you did. As for the men you dated, I don’t think going out for lunch and dinner once is considered dates.”

  Calida wiped down the counter before she folded the washcloth and draped it over the faucet as she said, “I did what I had to do, Wilma, Jake.”

  She turned to face them as a thoughtful look came to her face and she began to talk quietly.

  “I used the money that mom left me to take care of myself,” Calida told them leaning back against the sink resting her hands on her waist. “The money that dad left for me, what was left anyway, I used to buy the bakery using the profits to make improvements over the years.”

  Calida smiled as she thought about those times and how some days she would barely eat anything just to make ends meet, but somehow she was able to pull it all together without her brother’s help. When she had first started the business, she went by her mother’s maiden name which she legally changed to a few years ago. She hoped her father would understand, but the name “Reseda” lost its respect after her father died.

  “I think people would be surprised if they knew that you had been here a month ago searching for a place to live and a job although you didn’t find one,” Wilma said now getting her attention and Calida smiled shaking her head as she straightened from leaning against the counter.

  She chuckled as she realized that Wilma was right because a month ago, she had arrived for only two days wanting to find a place before she returned so she wouldn’t have to move back in with her brother. The house that she was buying using the money she received from selling her bakery, was the third house that she looked at and she fell in love the moment she drove up to it.

  Within minutes, she knew it was the house she wanted and she had been lucky enough that no one else had been interested in the house, but the real estate agent told her that it would take at least a month for the sale to be finalized which hopefully would be by the end of next week.

  “Well, it has been a long day and I have to get up early tomorrow so I can start job hunting,” Calida said as she started out of the kitchen calling out a ‘goodnight’.

  “Are you thinking about opening another bakery?” Wilma asked as she followed her and Calida knew Jake was locking up for the night.

  Calida said thoughtfully, “I don’t know yet although it is a good possibility that I will once I complete the reason I returned.”

  Wilma nodded her head even though eyes flashed with worry as she said, “I know a few places that could be used to set up a new bakery. Would you like to check them out tomorrow?”

  Calida nodded her head before she entered the guest room she was using but when the door closed her eyes flickered with sadness grabbing her nightgown from her dresser and getting undressed.

  “You were actually looking forward to this date,” she whispered to herself pulling the nightgown over her hand and letting it floating down her body. “Even though you knew he hadn’t truly meant it.”

  She shook her head at herself before she climbed in bed and settled down as she yawned allowing her long trip to catch up with her.

  The next morning, Wilma and Calida were up early getting ready for their day when her cell phone rung and she answered absently, “Hello.”

  “Did you miss my call last night?” A very rough and arrogant tone said, and Calida stilled for a second before she continued making sure that she had everything in her purse for the day.

  “Truthfully, in a way, I did but I figured you asked only to say it and didn’t mean to follow through,” Calida told him as Wilma said from the doorway, “All set to go, Calida?”

  “Yes Wilma,” Calida called back grabbing her purse and said in the phone, “I have some things to do today so if you are calling to apologize for not calling last night, don’t worry about it.”

  On the other end, Edric sat back in his seat eyes narrowed as he said in a smoothing tone, “How about we have lunch?”

  “Why?” was her response back without hesitation.

  “To make up for the dinner we missed last night,” he said back rapidly not missing a beat.

  Calida shook her head as she headed for the car after exiting the house Wilma not too far behind her and as she slid in the car she placed her purse at her feet. “Okay,” she sighed. “Just give me the time and place, and I will meet you there.”

  She heard a phone ring through her cell and she said, “Text me when you get a chance, but it sounds as if business is calling you so go back to work, Mr. Walwyn.”

  She hung up before he could say another word and he tossed his phone on his desk as his green eyes hardened when Mariah came in the office with his daily reports.

  Wilma didn’t ask her anything but Calida read the curiosity in her eyes so she remarked, “Mr. Walwyn was calling to invite me for lunch. I told him to text me the time and place, and I will meet him there.”

  Wilma smiled not seeing the look that flashed across Calida’s face before she slid on her sunglasses covering her eyes as she asked, “So where do we go to first, Wilma?”

  Wilma smiled as she sat back in the seat putting on her seatbelt while Calida pulled away from the house.

  Two hours later, Calida walked into the restaurant Edric told her to meet him at after dropping Wilma off at home, and she sighed approaching the hostess as she looked at her suspiciously asking, “Good afternoon, ma’am. Do you have a reservation?”

  “No,” Calida admitted in a soft voice, “but I'm meeting someone. Edric Walwyn.”

  The hostess’s eyes widened at the name before she grabbed a menu and said in much politer voice, “Please follow me.”

  Calida nodded her head as they made their way through the restaurant and Calida could feel eyes watching her, and yet she ignored them keeping her eyes straight ahead as the hostess led her to the table Edric sat talking on the phone and making notes in a notebook.

  “Thank you,” Calida muttered as the hostess put down the menu mumbling that their server will come back in a few minutes.

  Calida nodded her head giving with a smile as she sat down opening the menu to glance through as Edric finished up his conversation.

  “I apologize,” Edric said getting her attention as he put his phone on the table. “It was an important business call.”

  Calida nodded her head thinking about all the times when she was young that her father would miss a meal, or arrive late, because of an important business call and how her mother would merely sigh not uttering a word.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Calida stated shrugging her shoulders as she turned her attention back to the menu although she had already chosen what she was going to eat. “My father occasionally forgot that dinner was on the table when an important business matter came up.”

  Their server arrived just at that time and they both gave their order along with Calida’s request of raspberry lemonade as Edric asked for a refill of his drink.

  Edric glared at the woma
n across from him as she glanced around the restaurant only to stun him when she said, ‘Why did you ask me for lunch if all you were going to do was glare at me?”

  Edric’s eyes narrowed at her words before he said smoothly, “I wanted to eat lunch with a pretty woman, is there a problem with that?”

  He lifted an eyebrow at her as he drained the rest of his glass and Calida shook her head a soft chuckle leaving her lips telling him, “At least you didn’t say beautiful so I guess I will accept that as the truth and leave it alone.”

  Edric lowered his eyes at her words green eyes flashing with anger at how she sat there casually while his own sister laid in the ground because of her brother. His hand tightened around the glass he still held before he forced himself to relax giving her a smile when she lifted her eyes to him to ask a question.

  Calida stilled at the hard look on Edric’s face although she couldn’t see his eyes, and she felt something in her stomach clench as a feeling of uneasiness flickered through her mind.

  Then Edric lifted his lids giving her a smile as he began to make small talk about general questions as the server came over with their food and her drink before refilling his glass.

  Calida relaxed a little under his unassuming questions and yet she still had a feeling that he was sizing her up and she mentally sighed although she didn’t move from the table.

  They were talking about movies they enjoyed when a soft, and seductive, voice said with a slight pout, “Ric, why didn’t you call and invite me to lunch?”

  Calida glanced up into the hard brown eyes of Sophia before shifting her eyes to the man standing next to her as Edric told her without hesitation, “I had a late meeting and decided to stop in here for lunch when I ran into Calida as she had the same idea.”

  Calida lowered her own lids at the calmly uttered lie seeing how Sophia’s mouth tightened briefly at the corners before she sat down next to Ric placing a hand on his arm.

  “Ric, you don’t mind if Tomas and I join you,” she pouted as Calida hid her smile turning her eyes to her glass.