Past Sins Revisited

by Mary Goldberger

  Wilma shook her head although she bit her lip, and Calida asked, “What is the matter, Wilma?”

  Wilma sighed before she said, “Nothing to worry about at the moment, Calida. Let’s just get you home.”

  Calida smiled pulling her hair from the jacket collar letting it fall around her shoulders as Wilma grabbed her case.

  “Wilma, did you hear anything from Edric,” Calida asked softly as they headed out of the room.

  Wilma didn’t want to lie to Calida so she told her briefly, “Yes, but he merely asked about you.”

  Calida opened her mouth to ask something else before she shook her head and walked toward the nurse’s station unaware of how Wilma’s eyes flared with knowledge and happiness when she followed her.

  “Make sure to keep an eye on that wound,” the nurses’ advised from the desk as they approached.

  “I will do my best,” Calida told them with a smile. “Thank you for taking care of me, and once I’m feeling better I will bring all of you some treats.”

  “You need a wheelchair, young lady,” the head nurse stated turning to another nurse who immediately went to get a wheelchair.

  “But I can…” Calida began only to stop when she was given a hard stare.

  “Yes, ma’am,” she muttered as Wilma laughed and the nurse smiled.

  The wheelchair arrived and Calida sighed heavily as she sat down before they headed off the floor to the front of the hospital where Jake was waiting for them.

  Jake smiled as he saw them exit the hospital and he immediately opened the back door as the nurse stopped the wheelchair setting the brakes so Calida could lift herself out.

  “Thank you,” Calida said as the nurse smiled and nodded her head before she went back inside.

  Once inside the car, Calida closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the head rest as Wilma put the case on the floor at her feet.

  “Just relax, sweetie, and we will be home in no time,” Wilma told her before shutting Calida’s door and opening her own as Jake slid into the driver’s seat.

  Wilma stopped staring across the road where a truck stood its driver sitting patiently inside the cab watching them and she nodded her head briefly before climbing into the vehicle.

  Seeing the worried look on her husband’s face as he glanced back at Calida before easing away from the entrance, Wilma smiled and placed a hand on his arm.

  “Let’s get her home, honey,” she told him quietly getting a nod and a smile from him as he headed out.

  Edric watched the car pull away from the entrance and he frowned slightly as he saw Calida’s head resting back against the backseat eyes closed.

  He pulled out behind them and the first light they came to not even a mile from the hospital, he pulled alongside them as Jake was turning left and he had to go right. He let his gaze go over Calida’s pale features before he met Wilma’s eyes again as the light changed and they went their separate ways.

  He headed straight for his office after taking a lunch break but he was unable to keep away from the hospital knowing that Calida was being discharged today.

  In the past week, Edric allowed work to consume most of his days and although Sophie was getting frustrated with his constant working, she took it in stride as he told her repeatedly he was clearing any work so Tomas wouldn’t have to be overloaded when he took his vacation. He had been lucky that she hadn’t asked or forgotten that he told he planned on going on vacation at the beginning of the week, but hadn’t left yet.

  He wondered about that as he walked into his office and Mariah looked up a questioningly look on her face.

  “Calida is on her way home,” he told her absently getting a surprised look from Mariah at his absent tone.

  He shook his head as he turned his attention to Mariah and they went into his day which they were still discussing when Tomas arrived with a harsh expletive as he reached them.

  “What’s wrong, Tomas?” Mariah asked getting up from her chair as Edric straightened up from where he had been leaning on the desk to look at the daily planner.

  “That damn woman,” Tomas snapped.

  Edric’s eyes sharpened as Mariah said on a sigh, “What now, honey?”

  “I stopped by the house to get a few more of my things running into Sophie who had a few friends over,” Tomas told them his jaw clenched tightly. “She asked me first about why I hadn’t taken over so Edric and her could go on vacation when Ms. Welsh informed her that Jeffrey’s funeral was this coming Saturday, and she guessed that you would like to attend.”

  He glanced at Edric getting a sharp nod from him before he went on, “Edric, Sophie may have something planned on that day.”

  Edric frowned as he thought about it admitting that Sophie stopped asking about when he was going to clarify things with Calida, and he sighed running a hand through his hair.

  He turned back to Tomas as he continued, “Also Sophie informed me that I needed to pack my things and move out because once the two of you come back from vacation she will be moving in.”

  Edric’s jaw clenched as a rush of anger went through him but he controlled it barely before he said, “Tomas…”

  Tomas shook his head as he grinned. “Don’t apology for her, Ric, especially since I know there is no way in hell she will be moving in.”

  Edric nodded his head although a perplexed frown crossed his face as he stated thoughtfully, “Even if she did move in, there would be no reason to kick you out because my house has enough rooms for at least eight people.”

  “She probably wants to entertain once she becomes Mrs. Walwyn,” Mariah stated in a voice full of disgust.

  Edric’s scowl told them what he thought about having a house full of people for entertaining purposes and Tomas laughed shaking his head.

  “But you are willing to have more than that at your wedding in your backyard,” Tomas mocked thinking about the number of people that was probably going to be invited.

  Edric chuckled and a wolfish grin crossed his face as he turned a look to Mariah who started giggling getting a puzzled look from Tomas.

  “Have you seen the guest list,” Edric asked as he put a hand in the pocket of his slacks.

  Tomas shook his head while Mariah pulled out a sheet of paper from a folder on her desk and handed it to him.

  “Calida may have known that the wedding would never take place, but she did organize it to exactly what she wanted,” Mariah told him as he glanced down at the paper in his hand.

  Tomas’s eyes widened in shock as he asked the same shock reflected in his voice, “Only twenty people?”

  “If you look closely, Tomas, most of the people on the list are my guests,” Edric told him as Tomas took another look at the list. “Calida is only going to invite six guests to our wedding.”

  “She did say she wanted a small wedding,” Mariah remarked going through the file as Tomas handed back the guest list. “Unlike what she told me, she had everything planned and” she hesitated here glancing up at Edric who looked at her quizzically before she continued, “even paid the deposits.”

  Edric’s mouth tightened before he sighed running a hand through her hair as Mariah said as she finished going through the file, “The only thing that she didn’t go looking for was a wedding dress, which you know already as you told me that you asked her to wait until you returned.”

  “I did, although I think now she misunderstood why I asked her to wait,” Edric revealed as he reached inside his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Pulling out a card, he handed it out to Mariah who took it in confusion understanding dawning before he told her, “Call her and ask for Wendy. Tell her that you are calling for Edric and there will be a change of plans. I will call her later with what we can do about the measurements.”

  Mariah flapped the card as she studied Edric before she said in a startled voice, “You already had a dress picked out for her that’s why you asked her to wait?”

  “I still do, but she needs Calida to try it on so as to make su
re that it will fit,” Edric told her. “Unfortunately, I doubt I can get Calida to put on a wedding dress for anything now.”

  Mariah tapped the card against her lips as she said slowly,” Maybe there is a way to do it without Calida getting suspicious.”

  Edric and Tomas gave her a questioningly look but she merely smiled and sat back down at her desk tucking the card into the folder as her phone rang.

  “Tomas, we need to go over some things…” Edric stated shaking his head as he headed into his office with Tomas following his eyes shifting to Mariah before he closed the door behind them as they went to work.

  Once the door closed and Mariah finished with the phone call, she made two phone calls of her own getting a laughing response from Wilma and an affirmative from the dress shop owner.

  She smiled smugly as she sat back in her chair some time later crossing her arms over her chest nodding her head before she went back to work her eyes glancing over at the file that sat on the corner of her desk.

  She was just finishing her work and standing up when Edric’s office door opened omitting Tomas and Edric still talking.

  “I’m taking a half day off, sir,” Mariah said without hesitation as she straightened her desk ignoring the sudden silence at her words.

  “Mariah,” Tomas began frowning as he and Edric shared a confused look.

  “I have an appointment,” she told them walking around the desk. “I have submitted my request for half day leave on the desk.”

  Mariah indicated her desk where the paper sat and she gave Tomas a kiss before she headed for the elevator. “I will see you later, Tomas, and sir I will come in an hour early tomorrow for taking a half day today.”

  She waved as she got on the elevator and she smiled before winking at Ric as the doors closed on her. Edric who had opened his mouth to call out to her stopped seeing the wink and his eyes widened before a sudden thought entered his head, and he turned to Tomas.

  “Call her,” he stated, and Tomas frowned at him but did as he requested.

  She picked up on the first ring and before either man could make a sound, she said, “You wanted her measurements, right, so I’m getting them.”

  With that, she hung up the phone and Ric shook his head muttering under his breath how complicated women were and if she wasn’t such a damn good secretary he would fire her the minute she walked into the office tomorrow morning. He was still muttering as he turned to go back to his office and Tomas stopped him.

  “Ric is it wise to go to the funeral,” he asked getting Edric’s immediate attention. “I mean, Calida may not even want to see you much less at her brother’s funeral.”

  Edric nodded his head but he said determinedly, “Unfortunately, it is where everything is going to come out in the open whether I want it to or not, Tomas.”

  Tomas began to say something when Edric’s cell rung from his pocket and pulling it out, Tomas could read the caller id as Edric grimaced before answering it.

  Edric walked into his office and Tomas shook his head as he turned heading for his own office while he thought about what his friend said, and now he understood what he meant.

  “Hi, Mariah,” Wilma said opening the door for her and a woman a little older than herself.

  “Hi, Ms. Wilma,” Selena said giving her a hug before she introduced the woman with her. “This is Miss Anders who owns that small boutique in the center of town.”

  Wilma smiled and ushered them both inside closing the door behind them telling them, “Calida is in the living room browsing through the TV channels. She is bored because Marti won’t allow her to go into the kitchen today being her first day out of the hospital and all.”

  “Which means she won’t be up for arguing with us about what we have planned,” Mariah remarked with a brief light of satisfaction in her eyes.

  Wilma chuckled muttering under her breath, ‘sneaky’ while Mariah merely laughed following her into the living room.

  “Mariah,” Calida said glancing up as they entered.

  “How are you feeling, Calida,” Mariah said going over to sit down next to her on the sofa and giving her a brief hug. “I’m sorry that I didn’t visit you in the hospital, but…”

  “It is okay,” Calida told her with a smile and shake of her head.

  Mariah introduced her to Miss Anders and Calida smiled giving her a polite ‘hello’ although everyone saw the curiosity in her eyes as they made small talk.

  “I have an ulterior motive for coming over here besides, of course, seeing how you were doing,” Mariah finally admitted scooting to the edge of the couch getting a quizzical look from Calida.

  “Okay,” Calida said slowly frowning slightly.

  “Miss Anders owns the boutique in town and I’m going to get my bridesmaids dresses from her place, and I was wondering if…” Mariah said in a rush as if she was nervous.

  “Tomas asked you to marry him,” Calida confirmed her eyes bright with excitement, and Mariah allowed a blush to grace her cheeks while she shook her head.

  “So I don’t…” Calida began confusion in her voice and face as she glanced over at Wilma and Marti who both looked confused too.

  “I’m opportunistic that he will ask soon, and I want to be prepared when he does,” Mariah admitted in a small voice.

  Calida stared at her with wide eyes before she started laughing only to stop when she saw how Mariah frowned at her.

  “I’m sorry,” Calida said leaning forward and grabbing her hands although Mariah noted she flinched. “I’m not laughing at what you think, but more at the fact you are so sure about it that I’m envious. So what would like me to do?”

  Mariah’s face brightened as she explained, “I want you to be one of my bridesmaids but Miss Anders said that she needs to do some measurements for each dress, and I thought since you…”

  Mariah allowed herself to drift off as she bit her lip and Calida finished for her a brief wry twist of her lips.

  “Since I’m not doing anything at the moment, it would be a good time to get my measurements.”

  “Please,” Mariah pleaded. “My sister who will be my maid of honor is out of town and although she’s already told me that when I decide to get married, all I have to do is call I don’t know when she would be able to arrive.”

  “And Miss Anders would need the free time to fit her in,” Calida surmised getting a relieved smile from Mariah who nodded her head.

  Calida sighed loudly but she said afterwards, “Okay, so what do you want me to do, Miss Anders?”

  Calida missed the smug smiles that Mariah shared with Wilma and Marti while Miss Anders explained she needed Calida to do, and Calida grimaced as she got up slowly from the couch.

  “Well, let’s get started,” Calida said standing up straight giving Mariah a stern glare. “But you owe me one, my friend.”

  Mariah gave a mockingly salute causing everyone to laugh before she said softly, “I will be your support at your brother’s funeral and anything else you would like to ask of me.”

  Calida’s eyes brightened with tears and her mouth opened as if she was going to say something before she shook her head and closed it.

  “Have you thought about what colors you would like for you wedding,” Calida asked as Miss Anders went to work measuring her, and Mariah smiled nodding her head as she began to tell her thinking about Calida’s own wedding preparations.

  She glanced over at Wilma and Marti seeing their pensive looks before Marti said, “I think I will get started on lunch. Mariah, do you and Miss Anders want to join us?”

  At Edric’s house, Sophie was talking with three of her friends that she had invited over knowing that Edric was going to be home late.

  “Ms. Welsh, bring us something to drink. I saw a bottle of champagne in the refrigerator chilling this morning,” Sophie said a smile playing around her mouth as Ms. Welsh glanced at her before nodding her head.

  She headed out of the living room muttering under her breath ‘harpy’ as she heard one
of Sophie’s friends remark, “You did it, Sophie.”

  Ms. Welsh didn’t want to listen but she forced herself to stand still as Sophie pouted, “Not until our wedding and then I can say he is finally mine.”

  The others laughed and Ms. Welsh gritted teeth as she headed for the kitchen wishing that Edric would come home early just to see the show that Sophie was putting on.

  She would’ve been pleased if she heard what happened next in the living room as one of Sophie’s friends remarked, “I know that you are staying in Ric’s house, but I heard that he is engaged to Jeffrey’s sister.”

  Sophie flinched as the three women looked at her before she cooed, “It is an unofficial engagement which Ric is dissolving soon. Calida hasn’t been taking his calls with everything that’s happened and with Jeffrey’s funeral in a few days my Ric is just waiting for the right time.”

  Ms. Welsh arrived with the glasses of champagne seeing the looks of smugness on all their faces except for one as she put her glass of champagne on the table untouched, and Ms. Welsh briefly noticed the action as she left the room heading back to the kitchen for the little desserts she had made although she really didn’t like the woman.

  “Snacks,” she stated as she came back in seeing that Sophie was gazing out the window as her friends made small talk around her.

  Sophie turned around and smiled at her although her brown eyes were hard as she said, “I don’t believe I ordered any snacks.”

  Ms. Welsh ignored the remark as she walked over putting the tray down and taking a step back as the others smiled and nodded their head in ‘thanks’.

  Ms. Welsh nodded her head before she walked out of the room heading for the kitchen wondering about the look she saw on one of the woman’s faces remembering it was the same woman who put down her untouched glass of champagne before she shrugged her shoulders and started dinner preparations.

  “Ms. Welsh,” a voice said startling her as she almost dropped the bowl she was carrying to the stove.

  “Yes,” Ms. Welsh said adding the ingredients form the bowl into the pan before she turned down the heat and turned to her visitor. “Is there something that you need miss?”