by Melissa Good
She stood up. “We’re going to go for a walk to the lake, Richard, are you all right here with Daddy?”
Her husband looked up blankly. “Huh? Oh, oh sure, honey. You go on.
Have fun.” He patted her knee condescendingly. “I know all this business talk must be boring you.”
Kerry got up and retrieved her jacket from the closet, patting its pocket to make sure her cell phone was inside. Then she lifted her sister’s jacket from its hook and handed it to her as Angela met her at the door. “Thanks,” she whispered.
“No problem, that crap does bore me,” her sister replied softly. “Oh, not that I don’t think offshore rights aren’t important, I do, but I’ve heard this same argument six times already. Richard’s got some money in fishing futures, and he thinks he can influence Daddy into voting the measure in.”
They walked through the hall and out the front door, closing it carefully behind them and exiting into a cold, clear night. Kerry tugged her jacket shut, watching her breath appear before her eyes, and chuckled softly. “Not used to this anymore.”
Angela glanced at her. “Already?” she teased gently. “That old blood thins fast, huh?” She reached up and pushed her curly brown hair out of her face.
“You got that right,” her sister admitted. “I like being able to go out to pick up the paper on Christmas morning in a T-shirt, thanks.” She kicked a rock out ahead of her as they moved away from the house and onto the path that would take them up towards the lake. “Dar was telling me the funniest stories of the first time she had to drive in snow and ice. She ended up almost getting stuck in a washout gully.”
Angela laughed. “I can imagine. Heck, I almost did that when I first started driving. And if I recall, you did some pretty horrible things yourself.”
She prodded Kerry’s shoulder. “Remember the time you hit that cow?”
Kerry covered her eyes. “Oh, god, don’t remind me of that. Those pathetic brown eyes. It took half the debating team to get the car out of that field and lift her up.” She sighed and rocked her head from side to side to loosen the muscles of her neck. “I needed a walk, I’m stuffed.”
Her sister chuckled. “Did you do that just to piss Mom off?” she queried.
“I thought she was going to have a coronary—watching you chow down like that.”
That surprised a laugh out of Kerry. “No, I didn’t really. I was just hungry. We didn’t get anything on the plane except for peanuts, and I was too nervous to eat this morning.” Actually, she reflected, she’d traded breakfast time with snuggling time and hadn’t regretted it. “I should have thought about that, about Mom, I mean, but…” She sighed. “I’ve guess I’ve gotten out of the habit of denying myself in the past month.” It was always tiny portions at her mother’s table, she remembered belatedly. No seconds, and tiny bites.
390 Melissa Good Oh well. “One more nail in my coffin, right?”
Angela laughed. “I thought it was great, I haven’t seen you eat like that since we were kids. And to be honest, sis, I thought the last time I saw you, on the Fourth, that you were really too thin.”
“Mmm, that’s what Dar said,” Kerry acknowledged soberly. “And, that’s what all my friends were telling me. I think I knew that, deep down, but…I kept hearing that harping. I didn’t think it was worth fighting about,” she admitted with a sigh.
“I told Mom that. She’s got that weird Spartan mentality, though,”
Angela commented wryly. “So, how did Dar manage to convince you?”
Kerry smiled. “Convince me? She subverted me.” She laughed. “After I started working up in her building, I would find these cookies and god only knows what else on my desk all the time. I finally cornered her on it, saying, like, what is up with this, Dar?” She reached down and picked up a rock, then tossed it to one side. “Then she told me she was worried I’d blow out the window if they opened the storm doors upstairs. I mean, she was really kind of cute about it, all embarrassed and everything. So…” Kerry shrugged. “I kind of chilled out about it,” she reflected. “It was…harder than I thought at first, I kept wanting to do stupid things…like come back after we’d had dinner and make myself throw up…but my brain took over, and I didn’t. And then we went to Disney World, where I couldn’t have gotten away with that if I tried, since Dar was with me every single minute practically, and after that…”
She chuckled softly. “And besides, I had so much more energy. I mean, before, I would go to work, come home, maybe one night or two I’d go out skating with Colleen, but mostly I’d just crash, because I was so tired. Now it’s different, I either go to the gym, or go ’Blading, or I’m out with Dar…or…I’m hardly ever tired.”
“In case I hadn’t said this before, by the way…” Angela glanced at her.
“…you really do look fantastic, Sis.” She watched Kerry hop from rock to rock down the path. “It’s like you’re a different person. Or maybe one I remember from a long time ago.”
Kerry stopped and faced her. “I’m pretty sure that’s not all chocolate chip cookies,” she commented wryly as she hopped off the last rock and trotted over to Angela. “For the last few weeks, I’ve felt better than I have in my entire life.” She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath of the cold air, then let it out in a satisfied puff, watching the cloud gather around her head.
Angela shook her head a little. “I always knew when you finally fell in love, it’d be a doozy.” She gazed at her sister. “That’s what it is, isn’t it?”
Kerry spread her arms wide and threw her head back, drinking in the stars hungrily. “Yes.” She breathed. “And it’s wonderful.” She let her arms drop and cocked her head at her sister. “It was like I was waiting for this to happen all my life. And it was so strange, because the minute I saw her, I could feel it.” She had to laugh. “And it was the most horrible of circumstances, too. But…oh my god, Angela, I had no idea it was possible to feel this strongly about anything or anyone, but I do.”
Her sister put an arm around her shoulders. “I’m really glad to hear that, it makes what I have to tell you a lot easier.”
Kerry slid an arm around her waist and cocked her head. “What’s that?”
Tropical Storm 391
A wry, half-embarrassed smile crossed her younger sister’s face. “The baby’s father…” She rested a hand on her still-flat stomach. “It’s Brian.”
Kerry’s jaw dropped, and she stared at her in amazement. “Holy cow!” It was a moment of shock, a moment of almost betrayal, and then she laughed.
“No wonder he hasn’t called me since August.”
Angela peeked at her. “You’re not mad?”
Her sister sighed. “How could I be? You know how I feel about Brian.
He’s sweet, he’s one of my best friends, I love him like a brother.” A pause.
“Period.”
“He was so scared you weren’t ever going to talk to him again,” her sister told her. “That’s why he’s not over here tonight. We made it up so that I would kinda, um…”
“Break the news?” Kerry hazarded.
“Eyah, something like that.” Angela nodded. “And if it looked like you were going to go ballistic, he was going to find some way to be recalled to college for the week.”
“Chicken.” Her sister laughed. “Not that I blame him, talk about awkward situations.” She paused and glanced at the path they were still walking on. “What are you going to do?”
Angela steered them towards a bench overlooking the somber lake, and they sat down side by side. A light wind rustled the dead leaves around them and whispered through the bare branches overhead. “I don’t know,” she finally answered. “You know I never wanted to marry Richard.”
Kerry nodded. “I know. Dad bullied you into it, just like he was doing with me and Brian. But I got lucky.”
Hazel eyes turned and regarded her. “It’s not luck. You’re smart, Kerry, really sharp, and you had a chance to go places. I never did.” Ang
ela’s college degree was in Literature. “Oh, I could teach, you know, but still.” She sighed.
“There wasn’t any reason for me to go anywhere, and it wasn’t so bad. I mean Richard’s not a bad guy, you know?”
“I know.” Kerry gazed at her in quiet compassion. “And there’s Sally.”
Her two-year-old niece.
“Yeah, she really loves her daddy.” Angela sighed. “I sure wish I did.”
She turned her eyes to Kerry. “Brian makes me feel so special. He listens to me, and it’s like…” She stopped and blinked. “He really likes you, Ker. He doesn’t want to lose you as a friend.”
Kerry smiled. “How could he?” She rubbed her sister’s back in gentle compassion. “He’s just saved me from a task I’ve been really, really dreading.”
Angela looked up. “Telling him?”
Kerry nodded. “I didn’t want to hurt him, I’m glad it’s not going to be an issue.” She paused. “Did you tell him about me?”
Angela hesitated. “I told him…that I thought you’d gotten involved with someone down there,” she answered cautiously. “I didn’t get into specifics, because I didn’t have any, right?”
“Mmm.” Kerry nibbled her fingernail. “You think he’d freak out?” she asked. “We’ve been friends for a long time, but that’s…I don’t know, for someone who’s been brought up like he was, that’s a tough thing to adjust to.”
392 Melissa Good Angela considered. “I don’t know, we never talked about it,” she answered honestly. “I’d like to say he’d be fine with it. But I don’t know, he is pretty conservative.”
“Mmm.” Kerry sighed. “Well, I’ll have to feel him out. What I don’t want is Kyle finding out about it.” She leaned back and gazed up at the clear sky.
“Pretty night,” she reflected, glancing at her watch, then pulling her cell phone out of her pocket and dialing a number. It rang twice, then picked up.
“Hi, there,” she drawled into the receiver.
“Hi, there, yourself,” Dar’s voice rumbled back, a warm, velvety sound.
“How’s it going?”
“Mmm. Better than I expected, actually. “ She glanced at her sister, who was listening with interest. “There are some, um, complications that I wasn’t expecting. Apparently my sister here has taken Brian away from me and is having his child.”
She heard a startled squawk and splash. “What?” Dar’s voice came back, incredulous.
“Where are you?” Kerry inquired curiously.
“In the hot tub. What did you say?” Dar replied. “I thought your sister was married.”
“She is,” the blonde answered solemnly. “Why are you in the hot tub? It’s ten thirty at night, Dar.”
A sigh answered her. “Because I went and drilled with Ken for two hours after teaching that class, and I’m regretting it,” Dar replied. “That is a complication. What’s she going to do?” More splashing. “Did you tell her?”
“Uh huh.” Kerry replied, giving her now giggling sister a push. “She wasn’t…um, surprised.”
“Really? Points for her.” Dar laughed. “Hey, I’m glad to hear it. Sounds like things are going pretty good up there.”
“Yeah, yeah, not bad.” Kerry sighed. “I’ll survive, I guess. Hey, you better get out of there before you turn into a raisin.”
“Dried grape.”
Kerry stared at the phone, a strange tingle going up and down her spine.
“What did you say?”
Splashing sounds, then the soft hiss of the sliding door opening and closing. “My mother always used to have that argument with my father, he used to say, ‘damned dried apples is dried apples, dried peaches is dried peaches, I ain’t calling no pansy assed dried grape a raisin.’ ”
“Oh.” Kerry laughed. “Sorry, it sounded so weird.” She paused, just listening to the comforting sounds of Dar moving around—going in the kitchen and pulling out, Kerry was sure, a glass for some milk. “Well, I should let you go towel off. Just wanted you to know things are going all right.” She heard the refrigerator open and the soft hiss of the milk dispenser, and she smiled. “Enjoy your milk.”
A chuckle. “You can hear that?” Dar asked, amused. “I’m glad you called, I was just looking up at the stars and wondering what you were up to.”
“Funny, I was just doing the same thing,” Kerry admitted. “It’s cold up here, I’m glad I got that new jacket. I’ve got your sweatshirt on underneath it,”
she related. “Oh, and I found this little lizard in my bag. Any idea where it Tropical Storm 393
came from?” her voice turned teasing.
“Lizard?” Utter innocence in Dar’s voice. “What lizard?” Then she chuckled. “Been hanging on to that for a while. Listen, Michelle struck again today, she sent copies of those pictures up to Alastair.”
“What?” Kerry’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”
“I forwarded them to her boss and offered to put in a bid to replace his camera resolution software,” Dar replied dryly. “Don’t worry, I talked to Alastair. It’s okay,” she added. “You might want to pick up mail if you get a chance. Some idiot put me in charge of arranging entertainment for the Christmas party at work, and I need some advice.”
Kerry muffled a giggle with one hand. “Oh, okay. I will,” she promised.
“Listen, have a good flight tomorrow, okay? Be careful.”
“I will. You be careful, too,” the soft response came back. “Call me if you need anything.”
“Count on it. ’Night, Dar.” Kerry smiled. “I love you.”
A soft chuckle. “I love you too, and you nearly got me into some hot water with that today. You know where I was when you called?”
“Um, no.” Kerry bit her lip.
“In the cafeteria, having coffee with Duks,” Dar replied. “I think it warmed the cockles of his atheistic little heart.”
“Eep. Sorry,” Kerry squeaked, not really sorry at all.
“I’m not,” Dar replied quietly. “Go get some rest so you can attack the turkey tomorrow.”
“I will. ’Night,” Kerry answered, folding up the phone as the line disconnected and tucking it into her pocket. Then she leaned back against the bench and gazed up at the stars again, remaining reflectively silent for a moment. “She’s so different from me, and yet, when we’re together, it’s like I’ve known her all my life. I don’t understand it sometimes.”
Angela watched her in silence, then she reached over and covered Kerry’s hand with her own. “I know it’s not really what…” She stopped. “Well, last Sunday in church, the pastor was talking about how everyone out there, somewhere, has someone who completes them. Who are their other halves, their soulmates.” She paused, seeing Kerry’s body stiffen. “Maybe that’s what you are.”
Soulmates. The word echoed through her mind, turning corners and tearing through shuttered doorways of understanding. It finally settled home, draping over her heart like a silk handkerchief, and she closed her eyes as she accepted the truth of it. “You may be right,” she whispered. “I never thought of that. I remember Pastor Robert talking about it when I was in college.”
Angela nodded. “He still does. And when he talks about it, it always makes me wonder if he has found his because his face lights up so.” She rubbed Kerry’s fingers. “Maybe you should go talk to him, Kerry. He’s always been so fond of you. He asks about you all the time.”
Kerry turned toward her, serious. “I don’t think he’d understand, Angie.
He’s a pastor.”
Wise, hazel eyes warmed her. “I think he’d understand a lot better than you think, Sis.” She studied Kerry’s face. “You don’t go to church down there, do you?”
394 Melissa Good A shake of the blonde head. “No, there isn’t one of our denomination around. At least where I live. There are a few up in Broward, but…” She glanced at the ground. “I miss that sometimes; maybe I will go talk to him.”
She stifled a yawn. “Dar’s right
, it’s been a long, aggravating day. Are you guys staying over?”
Angela nodded. “Yes, Sally’s with Richard’s mother. Hey, what about I toss Richard over for the night, and we share the room you’re in like we used to. How about it?”
Kerry smiled at her. “You know, I’d really like that.” She stood and held a hand out to her sister. “C’mon, I’ll snitch some hot chocolate out of the kitchen, and you can see the rest of my pictures.”
Angela allowed herself to be tugged upright by her shorter sister, then she wrapped an arm around her and they started back.
DAR GLANCED OUTSIDE at the gray sky as the plane taxied, seeing the lash of rain against the small, squared oval window, and sighed. It had been a long flight, since the weather front had forced their plane to circle for thirty minutes before it finally landed at Dulles, and she felt an intense need to stretch and move around inside the small, cramped cabin. As the plane nudged up to the gate, she released her seatbelt and stood, glad she was, at least, at the front of the plane and near the exit. She opened the overhead and tugged down her jacket, then pulled her laptop case from the bin and settled it over her shoulder.
The door opened, letting in a blast of wet, cold air, and she shivered in reflex, pulling the jacket closer and zipping it before she nodded pleasantly to the steward and exited the craft, heading up the walkway towards the terminal. She’d gotten three steps past the door when she spotted the waiting Jack and had to smile in reflex as his face lit up on seeing her. He is really a sweetie, she admitted, as he trotted over and enveloped her in a hug—his six-foot-plus military frame making her feel a bit dwarfed. She returned the hug, feeling the solidness of him under her hands, and gave him a pat on the back.
“Hey, Jack.”
“Dar.” He gave her a last squeeze and released her. “Damn, it’s good to see ya. I’m so glad you decided to c’mon up for Turkey Day.”
She was glad, too. It had been so quiet and so lonely in the condo last night, she’d almost gone crazy, unable to believe her reaction after living alone so many years. At least a few days up at the Eastons’ would fill in for Kerry’s missing presence, and she admitted privately that she could use the change of scenery. “Glad to see you, too. Got your hair cut again, I see.” She ruffled his short buzz-cut affectionately. “You guys get paid by how short you can cut it?”
