Sundered Hearts

by Anna J. McIntyre

  Susan rolled over toward Brandon and wrapped her legs around his hips, holding him like she’d been holding her pillow.

  “I do want you, Brandon.”

  “You’re just as bad as Loretta.”

  “Please don’t say that.”

  “I bet you like it the same way as Loretta did.”

  Susan was on her hands and knees. She wasn’t sure how she had gotten in that position but she didn’t have time to think about it because she felt Brandon take a firm hold of her hips. She looked over her shoulder but instead of Brandon, it was Sam, who was laughing. Confused, Susan looked across the cabin and saw Brandon, who was now sitting on a bunk bed with Loretta. The two shared a bowl of popcorn and watched her and Sam. Susan tried to crawl away, but Sam grabbed her and rolled her on her back before climbing atop her body.

  Looking up at the man holding her down, Susan saw it was now Brandon—not Sam—and felt a surge of relief.

  “It’s me you want, isn’t it?” Brandon whispered. He was the sweet Brandon she remembered, the one she had known before she’d learned of a wife or child.

  “Yes,” she whispered, unable to lie.

  “Then please, make love to me. I won’t tell anyone. No one has to know.”

  Susan glanced over his shoulder. Sam and Loretta were gone.

  “I waited for you to call,” she whispered, kissing his lips.

  “I know. But I couldn’t. I wanted to, but I couldn’t.” Tenderly he returned her kisses.

  “We can’t do this,” Susan pleaded while caressing his face with her fingertips.

  “No one has to know. This will be our secret. I’ll come to you every night. Leave your window open when you go to bed.”

  “I can’t. The girls will be here tomorrow.”

  “They’ll be asleep when I come to you. Now, open up for me Susan.”

  Obediently, Susan wrapped her legs around Brandon’s hips and guided him into her body. She couldn’t seem to get enough—whatever satisfaction she craved was just around the corner out of her reach. The bed shook as their bodies slammed together in a frantic fury—rushing to some elusive conclusion.

  Before Susan could find her release, Loretta and Sam rushed back into the cabin. Now wearing umpire uniforms, the pair jumped up and down while they each blew on whistle. They wouldn’t stop blowing the annoying whistles, so Susan put a pillow over her head trying to block the sound.

  The insistent whistling wouldn’t stop. Finally, Susan opened her eyes. She was alone in Cabin Five. The alarm clock on the nightstand blared loudly. Disoriented and sleepy, Susan sat up and looked around.

  There was no window over her bed; it was on the other wall.

  “Bizarre dream,” Susan muttered as she turned off the alarm and climbed out of the bed. Still wearing her nightgown, she stumbled groggily to the bathroom.

  By the time she got out of the shower and finished dressing, it was almost 8:00 a.m. After grabbing a carton of yogurt from her ice chest, she went outside. Sitting on the rustic swing on the cabin’s front porch, she breathed in the fresh scent of pine as she opened her carton of yogurt and dipped her spoon in for her first bite.

  “Good morning,” came a nearby voice.

  Susan looked up. It was Ella Lewis, standing on the pathway leading to her cabin.

  “Ella… hi.”

  “I’ve been wandering around for the last half hour looking for someone to ask where I might find you.” Ella walked up the porch step to Susan.

  “You wanted to talk to me?” Susan pointed to an empty patio chair. Ella sat down.

  “I wanted to apologize.”

  “Apologize, for what? Umm… you want one?” Susan nodded at the yogurt carton.

  “No thanks; I already ate. Apologize for being such a jerk yesterday. I’m sorry I was so rude.”

  “Rude? You weren’t rude.”

  “Yeah… yeah I, was. Connie was pretty pissed at me for walking off like that and then going home after he showed up.”

  “Well…”

  “It’s just that,” Ella interrupted, “Connie really was devastated over the breakup with Steve. They’d been together for a couple years. She acts like it was a mutual thing, but he really hurt her. When that bum from next door flirted with her down at the village—before we knew he was married—well, Connie kind of perked up. Liked she finally realized there would be other guys after Steve. And when I realized he was married, it just pissed me off.”

  “So you think Connie was really interested in him—the guy from next door?”

  “No… I mean yes, at the time… but last night, Connie and I had a long talk. She said it was just fun to flirt, that she really didn’t care if he was married or not. After all, they only met for a couple of minutes. I was… well… I guess I was… too…”

  “Protective?” Susan asked with a smile.

  “I suppose. Kinda silly, huh?”

  “I think it’s sweet.”

  “Well, Connie also said I was probably too hard on the guy, too.”

  “How so?”

  “She said lots of people flirt. That it’s harmless. Connie said the guy probably didn’t mean anything by it, and I needed to stop jumping to conclusions.”

  Susan stopped eating her yogurt and looked down at her lap in silence.

  “What is it?” Ella asked with a frown.

  “I agree that some people like to flirt, and it can be harmless… but…” Susan glanced up at Ella.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t say anything to Connie, but I know your neighbor, his name is Brandon.”

  “You know him? But when he spoke to you and Connie yesterday…”

  “Neither of us acknowledged it, I know.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I didn’t know he was married, either. He’s in construction—worked with one of my good friend’s brother. When I moved out of my house, he offered to help. I didn’t know he was married until… until after.”

  “After he helped you move?” Ella asked with a frown.

  “Not exactly. We sort of went out. “

  “Oh my god, you mean…?”

  “Not my proudest moment.”

  “That scum. What did he say?”

  “He never said anything. I never saw him again. He told me he would call and never did.”

  “How did you find out he was married?”

  “I sort of ran into him at the store. He didn’t see me—but he was with his daughter.”

  “How did you know she was his daughter?”

  “Well, for starters, she looks like a mini-him, and she called him daddy. And when they started talking about getting back to mommy, who had dinner ready for them, I thought I was going to be sick. So, Ella, your disgust was merited.”

  “I’m so sorry, Susan. Do you ever feel like telling his wife what kind of a man she’s married to?”

  “No!” Susan shook her head. “They have a child, and I don’t want to be responsible for breaking up their family.”

  “It isn’t your doing. He’s the one being unfaithful to his wife.”

  “Still, I won’t do that.”

  They sat in silence while Susan finished her yogurt.

  “I caught my husband cheating on me.”

  “Mom always says a guy doesn’t normally leave his wife unless he has another woman lined up. That is so wrong.”

  “I walked in on him and her.”

  “Would you have wanted someone to tell you about her instead of having you find out that way?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve wondered about that myself. I learned after the divorce that my good friends never cared for my husband. I think they tried to get me to see the truth about him before I married him, but what do they say—love is blind. I’m not sure if I would have believed had someone told me. Perhaps how I found out was best. Sort of like pulling a bandage off a wound.”

  “Some guys can be real asses.”

  “So, tell me, have you seen the wife?”


  “Yes. She walks every morning—alone. I passed her yesterday and said hi. She just nodded to me, didn’t say anything. Not very friendly, but she didn’t look happy that day.”

  “Well, maybe she knows about her husband. That would make someone unhappy. What does she look like?”

  “I guess she’s attractive, but doesn’t do much with herself. Of course, it might just because she’s kicking back and enjoying the mountain solitude. Wears old denims and baggy shirts, keeps her hair pulled up in a pony tail. And the day I saw her, I think she had been crying. Her eyes were red.”

  “Crying? I wonder if she does know. Poor thing.”

  “What I don’t get, whenever I see her husband, he seems like a doting father. He also walks every day—but with the little girl, not his wife. I’ve watched him from my bedroom window. Sound carries, so I can hear how he talks to her. Very sweet and loving. I don’t understand men like that. You’d think if they cared so much about their kids they would try to be better to the mother of their children.”

  “I know when I met Brandon, he seemed so sweet—and caring. After my divorce, my friends let me know that I was too trusting and had poor taste in men. After falling for Brandon and discovering they were right…”

  “Falling for Brandon?”

  “Yeah…” Susan blushed. “I fell for the jerk. He seemed like everything I was looking for, and after the night we shared, I thought he was genuinely interested in me. But it was all a lie, and my friends were right.”

  “That sucks. But don’t be too hard on yourself. This is his doing, not yours.”

  “Thanks, Ella.” Susan glanced at her watch. “I better get going. I have a meeting in about fifteen minutes.”

  “Yeah, I need to get to work, too. I guess I’ll be seeing you around. Today’s my first day—hope I don’t poison the camp!” Ella said cheerfully.

  “Me, too!”

  Chapter Eleven

  Connie Lewis made herself comfortable in the hammock her father had hung that morning between two pine trees in the side yard of her family’s cabin. Engrossed in the romance novel, she failed to notice she was no longer alone.

  “Hello.” The unexpected greeting jerked Connie back to reality. Startled, she abruptly sat up, almost falling from the hammock.

  “I’m sorry,” Brandon chuckled, reaching out to steady her. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  Clutching her book protectively, Connie looked up at the intruder.

  “I thought I was alone.” Connie sat upright and placed her feet on the ground. “You startled me.”

  “I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to scare you. I saw you sitting here. Until you mentioned we were neighbors when I saw you down at the lake yesterday, I didn’t realize this was your cabin.”

  “You out for another walk?”

  “Actually, I was wondering… Yesterday, your friend—the one you were walking with—Susan?”

  “How do you know her name?” Connie frowned.

  “So, that was Susan,” Brandon murmured, pretending he hadn’t recognized her.

  “You know Susan?”

  “Yes. I wondered if that was her. Is she staying with you?”

  “That’s odd; Susan didn’t mention she knew you.”

  “Well…it’s been a while. It’s possible she doesn’t remember me.” More possible she doesn’t want to remember me, Brandon told himself.

  “Well, no, Susan isn’t staying here.”

  “She’s no longer on Shipley Mountain?” He sounded disappointed.

  “I just said she isn’t staying here.”

  “Can you tell me where I can find her?”

  Connie just stared at Brandon for a moment. Finally, she asked, “Why?”

  “Why? Well… umm… I’d just like to look her up… umm… say hi.” When Connie did not respond, Brandon added, “I’m not a psycho stalker or anything, I promise. Susan and I have some mutual friends—we sort of lost track, and I wondered what happened to her.”

  “Funny, she didn’t say anything when we saw you yesterday.”

  “Like I said, it has been a long time. Umm… I wasn’t even sure it was her when I ran into you two on the road.”

  “Oh… that’s true….” Connie considered his request for a moment longer and then smile. “Susan is working over at Camp Shipley.”

  “Camp Shipley?”

  “It’s a girls’ summer camp, not too far from here. Susan has a job there this summer as a camp counselor.”

  “I knew she had the summers off from the elementary school—I didn’t realize she planned to work up here.”

  “Oh, you really do know Susan,” Connie grinned.

  “You thought I was lying?” Brandon was more amused than insulted.

  “I wasn’t sure. If you plan to look her up, I imagine she’s pretty busy today. The campers start arriving this weekend. My sister works there, too.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate the information. I’ll let you get back to your book.”

  • • • •

  “You told him where she was staying?” Ella asked Connie when she got home from work late Saturday afternoon.

  “Well, he asked if she was staying here. He said they were friends and had lost touch.” Connie stood by her easel on the back porch, paint brush in hand as she studied the canvas she’d been working on the last two hours.

  “Don’t you think it was odd Susan didn’t mention she knew Brandon when you ran into him yesterday?”

  Connie turned from the canvas and looked at her sister. “His name is Brandon?”

  “Yes, Susan told me.”

  “So she did know him!” Connie said with a smile and then turned back to her painting. “What’s the big deal?”

  “Because she obviously is not interested in seeing him again, which is why she pretended not to know him yesterday.”

  “I don’t understand. Why didn’t she say anything to me if she recognized him?”

  “You’ll have to ask Susan that. But I wish you wouldn’t have told him where she was staying until you asked her.”

  “I think you’re making too much of this, Ella. Anyway, I told him she would be too busy to see him today, with the girls checking in. When you see her tomorrow give her the heads up.”

  “Connie, why would you give a married man information on where to find one of your friends?”

  “Ella…” Connie let out a little sigh. “I told you, just because he seemed overly friendly in the village doesn’t mean he was trying to start something with me. As far as we know, Susan is friends with him and his wife. He certainly didn’t try to get friendly with me today. In fact… he didn’t even mention his name when he was here.” Connie gave a little frown at the thought but then shrugged and went back to her painting, ignoring her sister’s concern.

  • • • •

  “I didn’t expect to see you again today,” Susan greeted Ella later that evening. She sat on the front porch of Cabin Five.

  “You alone?” Ella asked as she took a seat on one of the porch steps.

  “My girls are inside the cabin—plotting, I think.” Susan laughed. “So, what brings you back here?”

  “I just wanted to let you know Brandon came by our cabin today and asked Connie about you.”

  “What did he ask?”

  “He wanted to know where you were staying. He told Connie you were old friends—had lost touch—and that he wasn’t sure it was you when you guys ran into each other yesterday. That of course made sense to my sister since you didn’t seem to recognize him. She told him where you were.”

  “I wonder why he wanted to know?”

  “Well, he did ask if you were staying with us at the cabin.”

  Susan thought a moment and then smiled. “Ahh, well that makes more sense. He was probably nervous that I was next door… which, of course, could complicate his life. I imagine he feels better knowing I’m here and not staying so close to his cabin.”

  “So you don’t think he’ll look you up like h
e told Connie?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “Okay, I just thought you should know.”

  “Thanks, Ella, I appreciate it. Did you tell Connie… about Brandon and me?”

  “No. I didn’t think it was my place to tell her.”

  “I appreciate that, Ella. When I see Connie again, maybe I’ll tell her… I don’t know…”

  “Susan, why did you tell me?”

  Susan didn’t answer immediately. “I don’t know. I guess I needed to tell someone. I haven’t told anyone what happened between Brandon and me… until you.”

  “Well, sometimes you just need to tell someone.” Ella smiled.

  The cabin door swung open and a slim teenage girl stepped onto the porch. She wore denim shorts, a t-shirt, and her dark hair pulled up into a high ponytail.

  “Hi,” she greeted, looking at Ella. “You work in the mess hall, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Lexi, this is Ella… Ella, Lexi. Ella’s family has a cabin up here,” Susan explained.

  “That’s cool,” Lexi sat on one of the porch chairs. “Do you work up here every summer?”

  “No, this is my first time. Figured it was a good excuse to spend the summer here. Beats working back in the city.”

  “My parents always talked about getting a mountain cabin. I think that would have been really cool. I love it up here,” Lexi said wistfully.

  “If your parents come up for visitor’s day, maybe you can convince them to check out some of the cabins that are for sale,” Ella suggested.

  “My parents were killed a few years ago,” Lexi said matter-of-factly.

  “Oh my gosh… I’m so sorry… I…” Ella sounded flustered.

  “It’s okay. You had no way of knowing.” Lexi then added in a cheerful tone, “You two know each other a long time?”

  “Yes, but Susan was more friends with my older sister, Connie.” Ella glanced at her watch then stood up. “I should probably head back to the cabin. It’s been a long day.”

  “Nice to meet you, Ella,” Lexi said.

  “You, too, Lexi. Catch you later, Susan.”

  “Thanks, Ella… for everything,” Susan said. Ella gave her a little nod then waved goodbye and headed back to her cabin.