by G S Binkley
Nonchalantly, the dishwasher asked. “What for?”
“This morning.” Lacy opened the cabinet door, depositing the dried glasses. “You haven’t done anything and I’ve been rude to you.”
“Distant, maybe, a little aloof, but not rude.” Gage corrected her. “Anything I can help with?”
“I think I need to sort this out on my own.” Lacy admitted.
“Okay.” Gage accepted. “At least let me help with the clothes. I’ve got a few things to wash, too, if you don’t mind putting our clothes together.”
Lacy let her mind travel a ways down the road she was attempting to avoid. Putting our clothes together isn’t what concerns me; it’s what’s under our clothes coming together that has made me dizzy, confused and…hot.
“Lacy?”
Whirling back from that disturbing yet intriguing wayward thought, Lacy said. “What? Yeah, I think we can get together. I mean, our clothes can get… be put….”
Baffled by Lacy’s muddled words, Gage completed the sentence. “Washed together?”
Saved by an ear-piercing noise, Derek ran from his sister, blowing her whistle loudly. “Derek, give that back to me.” She cornered him then calmly reminded him. “You gave that to me for my birthday, remember?”
He shook his head knowingly. But as she approached him to retrieve it, Derek dropped down between her legs, scrambled through them, heading straight for his savior of choice. “Jage. Jage. Help me.”
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Having decided to take a boat ride around the lake first then barbeque, Gage started the fire in preparation of dinner. Derek, with a frown on his face, watched his sister blowing her whistle while she searched the area for rocks and four-leaf clovers. Lacy walked out to the porch with a tray of uncooked hotdogs and ground beef. She handed them to Gage. “He’s still not happy.”
Taking in her son’s frustrated disposition, Lacy had an idea. “I’ll be right back.”
The slamming of a car door jerked Gage’s attention from the barbeque grill. Her keen hearing noted the soft footfalls of someone approaching the cabin from the side of the deck. Gage observed Derek repel at the sight of the strange man as he came around the corner of the porch. Without hesitation, Gage stepped between the three year old and the stranger. “Hello. Can I help you?”
The unexpected visitor remained silent, but surveyed the area, taking note of Derek who hovered behind Gage and Dani playing in the yard several feet away.
“Who are you?” Gage demanded an answer.
Just then, Lacy stepped out on the porch. Shocked by his presence, she exclaimed. “David! What are you doing here?”
David slid up next to her, brushing a kiss on her cheek. “Don’t sound so excited to see me, babe.” He then turned his attention to his son. “Derek, come here.” He opened his arms to receive a welcome from Derek who didn’t budge.
Becoming aware of the confused look on Gage’s face, Lacy hurried the introduction. “I’m sorry. Gage, this is…. David.”
The writer still held a questioning look. So, David leaned forward, extending his hand. “Her husband.” He moved back, wrapping his arm around his wife’s shoulder.
“Daddy!” Dani squealed upon seeing her father. She rushed into his waiting arms.
David hugged his daughter tightly. “At least someone is glad to see me.” He spat sarcastically, glancing from his son to his wife as she dangled the yo-yo from her hand.
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Dinner mirrored the same deafening silence that breakfast had served up, but for entirely different reasons. The group was now gathered in the living room. David patiently listened to his daughter explain the details of their vacation so far, spending an inordinate amount of time telling tales of her captaining the boat and of the cave nearby.
“There’s a fair this weekend. And now that you’re here, we can all go.” She scooted up on his lap, happy at the prospect.
“Yes, well,…..” David shifted his gray eyes toward Lacy. “We need to talk later.”
Recognizing the hidden meaning behind David’s request, Lacy knew there would be a change of plans about to hit the fan. This time she was staunchly going to stand her ground. They had come here for a family vacation. A well deserved vacation and she was bound and determined to keep that promise to her kids.
“Gage is coming to….we’re going to use her boat.” Dani continued, oblivious to the subtle battle glances between husband and wife.
“Honey, why don’t you take Derek and get ready for bed?” Lacy suggested to her daughter.
“What? It’s not even dark out yet.” Dani nearly shouted in protest.
Sliding her off his lap, David ordered. “Go on, do as your mother says.”
She complied suddenly recognizing the signs that her parents were going to have another one of their disagreements.
Turning his attention to Gage, David thanked her. “It was nice of you to spend some time with my family. The boat and all.” He shifted slightly, coughed then continued. “If you don’t mind though, it’s getting late and I’d like to talk with my wife…. alone. We haven’t seen each other in a week.” He winked. “Well, you know what I mean.”
Bolting up, Gage shoved her hands in her pockets. Yeah, I know what you mean.
“David!” Lacy admonished him.
“That’s okay. I need to make a couple of calls anyway.” Gage offered.
David stood up, walking away from her, but said over his shoulder. “Maybe we’ll see you around tomorrow.”
Gage grabbed her leather satchel and cellular phone from the kitchen counter then marched toward the door. Just before reaching it, Lacy tugged at her arm, twisting her back around.
“Don’t go. This is your place.” With a quick glance back toward her husband who had grabbed his overnight bag and headed into the master bedroom, Lacy apologized. “I should have told him earlier about the break in and that we’re staying here with you.”
Gently grasping Lacy’s arm, Gage offered her a genuine smile. “It’s okay. I’ll sleep in the boathouse and we’ll….sort it out in the morning.”
“Thank you.” Lacy said, before Gage slipped out into the darkening night. Lacy consciously decided not to tell her husband about the break in that evening even though she had made several calls back home in attempt to reach him. Suspecting he was about to cancel their vacation, she knew he would use that to validate his change of plans. Lacy reluctantly walked into the master bedroom to find David getting ready for bed.
“Is there a phone in here? I need to make some calls.” David looked around, finding none. “Guess I’ll use my cell phone. I’ve got a couple of calls to make and we need to talk about your movie with Koda.”
Ready for bed, the kids walked into the bedroom. Dani immediately jumped up on the bed while Derek stayed behind his mother. Slipping out of his shirt, David sternly eyed his daughter. “And just what do you think you’re doing, missy?”
“Going to bed.” Dani said straight to the point.
“And since when did you start sleeping with your mom and…..” David was interrupted when Lacy leaped into action before Dani could answer; she herded her children from the master bedroom to the other bedroom.
Tucking her two kids in bed, Lacy kissed one then the other on their forehead. “Goodnight.”
“Mom?” Dani asked.
“Mmmmm?” Lacy turned at the door.
“Are we gonna leave?”
“No.” Lacy winked then added. “You be a good girl and watch your brother tonight. Okay?”
Dani nodded.
Lacy ambled down the short hallway to the master bedroom as if it was the longest walk of her life. This wasn’t a fight she wanted to face.
David had changed, ready for bed and browsing through his day planner. “Kids asleep?” He asked not hearing the answer.
Lacy crossed the room, gathering her clothes and entered the bathroom to change while David punched in several numbers on his cell phon
e.
A short while later, she crawled into bed as he replaced his cell phone on the night table. “I just talked to Griffen. He wants to step up the start date a couple of weeks for your movie with Koda.” David was excited about Lacy’s upcoming movie as his advertising company would feature one of his client’s main products in it just as they had in her series.
“That’s just six weeks from now.” Lacy sighed. “I promised mom we’d stop by for a visit after our vacation.”
“Maybe after the movie.” David said absent-mindedly, scribbling in his day planner. “Ryan’s stirring up a fuss about starting earlier than planned, but he’ll just have to adjust. Griffen is adamant about it. Ryan doesn’t realize you can’t bite the hand that feeds you.”
“That means Ryan won’t get any time off. What’s the hurry anyway?”
“Griffen’s got another movie he wants to do…..it’s with Hayston.” David said nonchalantly. “And his daughter, Kathy, just got out of film school and he wants her on the project.” He added as an after thought.
“My co-star has a movie deal? Great. She was concerned about being typecast. What’s the role?”
“Detective.” It was similar to the role Hayston played on ‘Crackdown’.
“Oh.” Then her thoughts turned to a young girl she’d met several times throughout her filming of her cop show. Kathy Griffen was the movie mogul’s only child. She was ambitious and a go-getter. Lacy admired the fact that Kathy elected to attend film school before taking the standing job offer by her father to work on one of his movies. “It will be nice to see Kathy again.”
Without really listening to his wife’s comment, David was preoccupied with Lacy’s future leading man. “And it works better for Koda.” David shook his head, laid his day planner down and turned his complete attention to his wife. “He’s a pistol, isn’t he?”
A quirked eyebrow signaled him to proceed.
“He’s had an affair with all his leading ladies. The son of a bitch has some ego.” David chuckled.
“Are you worried?”
“Me? Hell no.” Lacy was happy to know her husband trusted her and wouldn’t succumb to Koda Kannon’s charming and, some say, irresistible ways. “He’s got nothing on me.”
Her happy mood deflated, she said softly. “I thought it was because you trusted me.”
Turning fully toward her, he pulled her closer. “I do trust you, babe. You’ve got better sense than that.”
“I see.” But she really didn’t and neither did her husband.
Noticing his lovely wife’s dejected expression, he offered a promise. “Listen, babe. After the movie, we’ll really be able to take a long vacation. That was the original plan anyway, right?” David slid down next to his wife.
Plan? All my plans have been bombarded of late. The seedlings of her unexpected feelings for Gage, the stress related to the break in and the subtle distance between them, eroding their relationship, that had invaded her marriage in the last few years weighed heavily on her mind. Lacy longed for the love and security her marriage once offered. Flooded by an array of mixed emotions, Lacy allowed her husband’s soft touches and seductive words wash over her. She needed to feel grounded and safe in a world that just recently offered up a plate of uncertainty.
After his fifteen minutes of fame in the sack, he rolled over and fell into a light sleep. Left unsatisfied, Lacy slipped out of bed, picked up her husband’s discarded clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
She hung his jacket on the bathroom doorknob, slipped out of her robe and plunged into the hot steamy water in hopes of washing away the day’s unsettling events.
When Lacy heard the telephone ring, she stepped out of the shower with the water still running. Not wanting to wake her husband, she rushed to the bathroom door. Grasping her husband’s jacket, the doorknob slipped out of her hand causing the door to creak open slightly. With jacket in hand, Lacy heard her husband answer the telephone.
“Hello.” He answered groggily, quickly looking around the room upon hearing the familiar voice on the other end of the telephone line. “I told you I’d call you.”
Silence filled the room for a brief moment as Lacy listened.
“No, she’s in the shower.” David sighed heavily. “I haven’t had time to talk with her about it.” A brief pause. “Listen, Hayston, if I wasn’t serious about us why would I have come here in the first place.”
Shocked, Lacy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. What us?
Leary of his wife’s return, David said hastily. “Yea, I’ll call ya later and I love you, too, babe.” David closed the conversation with a proffered kiss that traveled the phone line and planted itself on the smiling lips of Hayston Rawlings. He replaced the cell phone on the nightstand, listened momentarily to the water still running in the bathroom then pulled the covers up over his head.
Her hands tightened around his jacket like a noose squeezing the neck of a condemned man. The crunch of papers inside his jacket drew her attention. She eased up on her grip, placing the jacket over a small chair. As she did, several papers fell to the floor. Retrieving them, Lacy scanned the contents without much regard until the word ‘divorce’ jumped out at her. Divorce papers! Her mind reeled from the conversation her husband had just shared with her co-star. A light flipped on in her mind shining brightly and more pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Lacy slid down the door to the floor, stunned.
For what seemed like eternity, she stared into space. Debating between waking David up or waiting until morning to ‘discuss’ this revelation. She found she didn’t have the strength for either. With her world crumbling before her, Lacy sought a safe haven, far away from her troubles. Unsteady on her feet, she threw on a robe, crossed the bedroom oblivious to the sleeping executive, down the hall for a quick check on her children then fled from the cabin. In the deep, darkness of the night, she found her way instinctively to the only place where she would find sanctuary.
Creeping softly across the damp boards, Lacy peeked inside the door. A stream of moonlight lay across the peaceful sleeping features of the only one that could redeem her soul from the dark abyss in which it was falling.
“Gage.” Lacy called softly.
Gage had been watching Lacy as she hesitated briefly then called to her. “Lacy, what is it?”
She stepped in, closing the door behind. “I….would you mind….” Her voice wavered, on the verge of tears; Lacy succumbed to her heart’s desire. “I need you.”
Gage threw back the covers on the twin bed, welcoming her friend. “Come here.” The gentle command, like a magnet, pulled Lacy across the room, sliding into home. Safe at last.
Gage gathered Lacy in her arms, dragging the covers up over them. Lacy cried softly, releasing the flood of emotions whirling like a vortex throughout her mind, body and soul. “I…I…” Her words stumbled helplessly.
“Let it out. I’m here.” Assuring Lacy of her devout friendship, the writer molded their bodies together in silent affirmation that Gage would be there forever if only Lacy would allow it.
Long moments later, sobbing, Lacy recounted the conversation she had witnessed between Hayston and her husband, adding the discovery of the divorce papers. She spilled out her doubts, her fears and the unsettling direction her future would take, not only for her, but, more importantly, for the kids.
Pulling the star even closer, Gage sent every bit of love she had for Lacy to her, willing it to heal the broken woman in her arms. Gage determined then and there to do anything, everything, whatever it took to help Lacy, no matter what. For the woman I love.
Admitting this fact didn’t shock her. For Gage had fallen in love with Lacy from the first moment when forsaken green met soulful blue. She recalled seeing Lacy that day dressed casually in light blue jeans, a form fitting burgundy tank top and the bluest, sexiest eyes she’d ever seen. But it was the sound of her velvet voice that held Gage prisoner, happy to serve a life sentence.
Lacy finally fell i
nto a deep sleep. Holding the beautiful woman in her arms, Gage brushed her lips against Lacy’s forehead, closed her eyes, and quietly whispered, “Goodnight.”
Chapter Fifteen
A groggy David woke to the smell of frying bacon. He slipped out of bed, made his way down the short hallway to the kitchen to be greeted to what appeared to him to be a happy family moving about having their breakfast together. Scratching his head, David thought. What’s wrong with this picture?
A light bulb above his head switched on, as he stood there clothed only in his boxer shorts. This is my family. Glaring at the stranger from last night, Who the hell is she anyway? Gage went about fixing breakfast, ignoring the half naked executive staring a hole in her.
“David?” Lacy said, sitting a plate on the table. “Join us.” The glee in her voice was strikingly annoying to the still jet-lagged executive. But it was the shrill grating noise of the whistle Dani blew that blasted against his early morning jagged edge.
“Dani!” Aggravated, he piped out. “Stop it.”
Immediately, she let the ever-present whistle drop from her mouth to dangle on the cord around her neck. “Sorry.”
“You’re going to be nine soon. Don’t you think it’s about time you grew up?” Agitated in a rare show beyond his usual placid demeanor with his daughter, David recoiled at Lacy’s next stern words.
“David! I suggest you go back and get some clothes on. And take some time to…. re-evaluate your attitude this morning.” An arched eyebrow left no doubt to him that this was not a woman to be reckoned with. Not this morning anyway. It was uncommon for his wife’s angry temperament to raise its ugly head. “Now.” This last word spoken with true grit caused the usual confidant and ‘I bow to no one’ executive to scoot down the hallway like a child in trouble.
“What the hell’s up with her this morning?” David cursed, as he jumped into his trouser, tucked in his shirt and hunted for his jacket. Slipping on his suit coat, David marched back into the kitchen with resolve to straighten his wife’s attitude out before he let the hammer fall.
