Not What She Seems

by Victorine E. Lieske

  “You heading out, Ethan?” asked Frank from his easy chair.

  “Yes, I was just getting on the road when I decided to stop by and wish you and Rose a warm and happy Thanksgiving.”

  Frank shifted. “Well, you have a safe trip there, Ethan. Seems like you just got back, and off you go again.”

  “Yeah, Mom would string me up if I wasn’t there for Thanksgiving. But I’ll be back Friday.”

  Rose made a face but didn’t say anything. It wasn’t until he left that Rose smiled and nodded to herself. She could tell from the moment he had laid eyes on Emily that he was smitten with her. They would make the perfect couple. She hummed as she busied herself in the kitchen.

  “You’re positively glowing, Rose.” Frank put his arms around her. “What gives?” he whispered.

  “I think our Ethan is in love.”

  “Are you playing matchmaker again?” Frank asked, chuckling.

  “Again? Since when have I stopped?” Rose asked. Frank laughed, and kissed his wife on the cheek.

  “Who have you set him up with?”

  “Emily, from the café. She’s the blonde with the little boy.”

  “Sure, she’s a sweetheart. I can see why he would be interested. And she couldn’t do any better than Ethan. He’s a great kid.”

  “I agree. I hope they find the kind of happiness we have had.” She snuggled up against his chest. Not that they hadn’t had their rough times. But she was so glad they worked through those together. They had always had the same goals, and this was one of the reasons their marriage had lasted so long.

  “No one will have the kind of happiness we have,” Frank said with emotion in his voice.

  ******

  Caroline stood at the sink peeling potatoes when Steven arrived. He came into the kitchen to help. They chatted about nothing important for a few minutes, then Steven got a funny look on his face, and she knew he had something to say.

  “What is it?”

  He put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Well, I went on a date Tuesday.” A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

  “Did you?” Caroline asked, trying not to sound too interested. “Who did you go out with?”

  “Her name is Emily.”

  “Is she your age?” she asked coyly. Steven laughed.

  “Yes, she’s my age. She’s divorced, with a four-year-old son named Connor.”

  “Really?” Concern crept in. She shrugged it away. Steven was old enough to make his own decisions.

  “We are going out again on Saturday.”

  Caroline looked at him, and then continued to peel her potatoes. “That’s nice, dear.” She couldn’t recall the last time that Steven had gone out with a girl twice in one week.

  “I think I’ll take her and Connor to the museum in the city. Connor would get a kick out of seeing the dinosaur bones.”

  Caroline raised her eyebrows, pleased that Steven had taken an interest in someone. “Well, you let me know how things are going. It’s almost time to put the green bean casserole in. Would you do the honors, Steven?”

  Helping to prepare the feast was a part of the Ashton Thanksgiving tradition. When all of their peers were having catered meals, they were in the kitchen laughing and bonding. Her husband, Brenton, always carved the turkey, and they would sit and all say what they were thankful for before they would eat.

  Steven set the table, while she and her husband finished with the turkey. After sitting down, Brenton said, “I’m thankful that we have all had such a prosperous year, and that Steven is here for Thanksgiving.”

  “I’m thankful for Emily,” Steven said. Caroline noticed the look of curiosity on her husband’s face.

  “I’m thankful for anyone who makes Steven happy,” Caroline said.

  ******

  Emily woke up early on Thanksgiving morning, and listened as Richard noisily stomped around and then left the apartment. Without Richard there, Emily’s mood improved considerably, and she spent an hour helping Connor make turkey decorations by tracing his hands on construction paper and having him color them in. She added the feet and faces, and they put them up around the kitchen. After lunch Richard came in the front door.

  “Look what I have.” He was holding up a frozen turkey, and Emily stared at him blankly. “We’ll have turkey tonight.” He had a look of satisfaction on his face, and Emily burst out laughing.

  “What?”

  “You can’t cook a frozen turkey. It has to thaw first. It might be ready by tomorrow.” The situation seemed so funny to Emily that she continued to laugh as Richard’s expression soured.

  “Then we’ll eat it after it’s thawed,” he grumbled.

  “Sure, I’ll put it in some water in the sink. The turkey will thaw faster that way.” Emily took it from him and carried it into the kitchen. Richard went into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. She figured he would sulk in his room for a while, which was fine with her. That night they ate leftover Chinese food in silence.

  ******

  Emily straightened up the living room, getting ready for Steven to come pick her and Connor up for their day out. She was really looking forward to getting away from Richard for a day. He moped around the house in a rotten mood, and he was testing her nerves.

  “I can’t believe you told him where you live.”

  “What does that matter, Richard?”

  “I just don’t like it.” Richard paced the floor. He kept looking out of the window, which annoyed Emily.

  “You should go wait in your bedroom. You don’t want him seeing you at that window, do you?” She smiled, and he scowled at her, then went into his bedroom and shut the door.

  Emily zipped Connor up in his warm coat. “Mommy, where are we going?”

  “We’re going to have fun with Ethan today.”

  “I like Ethan,” Connor confessed.

  “Me too, honey.”

  Emily saw Steven pull up in his truck. He got out and started down the stairs to her basement level apartment. She slipped out of her apartment with Connor and closed the door before he could get there. She didn’t want him to see the bare walls and ask questions.

  “Good morning. How’s my favorite four year old today?” Steven ruffled Connor’s hair.

  “I’m great! Where are we going?”

  “We’re going to go see dinosaurs. Do you like dinosaurs, Connor?”

  Emily was impressed. Connor loved dinosaurs.

  “Yes!” he exclaimed, his eyes very large.

  “Well, let’s get your car seat buckled into my truck, and we can head out.” Steven looked as excited as Connor did. Emily smiled feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time.

  As they headed out of town, Emily watched the winter landscape pass by outside. “The trees really are beautiful, all covered in snow, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, they are. They look almost magical, as if a spell has come over them. There they are, frozen in time, like a forest of silvery white sentinels. And then spring comes and breaks the spell, and they all come back to life.”

  “Why, Ethan, you are a poet deep down inside.”

  “I am? That didn’t even rhyme.” He made a face. Emily couldn’t help but laugh.

  When they arrived at the museum, Connor was beside himself. They spent one whole hour on the first floor looking at the exhibits. The dinosaurs were exciting for Connor, and he loved learning how to pronounce the names of each one. He wanted to know what all the words said. Even though most of it went over his head, he would point and make Steven read each caption.

  “He’s like a little sponge, isn’t he?” Steven asked.

  “Yes, he loves to learn.”

  “You’re a good mother to him, Emily.”

  A pang of guilt tugged at her. She wasn’t a good mother. Connor slept on a sagging mattress on the floor, one thin blanket covering him. He wouldn’t even get to go to Kindergarten next year. Richard had said he wouldn’t allow it. Besides, they were never in o
ne place very long. She didn’t know what she was going to do as he got older. She glanced down at the floor and whispered, “Thank you.”

  As they walked down the stairs to the basement floor, Steven reached out and took her hand in his. She felt the warmth and strength in his grasp, and it made her feel safe somehow. They walked, hand in hand, following Connor as he ran from one thing to the next. He loved pushing the buttons, and making the exhibits talk. Steven cracked a joke, and Emily laughed and touched his arm. She almost forgot what her life was like. She even allowed herself to think about what life would be like if she were with Steven.

  His calm manner and kind heart was so different from what she was used to. Being with Steven was like spending a day on the beach. The warmth of his smile comforted her. It made her think that no matter what happened, he would take care of her.

  When they left the museum, it was early afternoon and they were hungry. Steven drove them to McDonald’s so Connor could climb on the play place while they chatted.

  “So, what do you want to be when you grow up?” Steven asked, his lips curling into a smile.

  “I’ve always wanted to teach,” she said, “or write. I would love to write.”

  “That’s wonderful. Did you go to college?”

  “I took some classes, but then…”

  “Yes, life takes over sometimes, doesn’t it?” His eyes were sympathetic.

  Her throat tightened, and she had a hard time speaking. “Yes, it does.” This was the perfect opportunity to bring up the money. She felt a wave of guilt wash over her as she thought about what she was going to do. He really was a nice guy. She didn’t want to do it, but she knew there was no other way. Swallowing the guilt, she pressed forward. “I did look into college here, but there’s no way I could go right now. I’d love to get into the spring classes, but...”

  Steven raised an eyebrow. “What’s stopping you?”

  Emily bit her lip, and tried to ignore the fire in her chest. “My rent eats up all my wages. And I can’t get a student loan because…” She racked her brain, trying to come up with something plausible. “I had to file for bankruptcy after my divorce. I don’t qualify.”

  Steven seemed to consider things for a minute. “Have you checked into getting a grant?”

  Darn, he wasn’t just going to offer to help? With his billions, just sitting around, why’s he being so stingy? She swallowed hard. “I don’t qualify for those either. I checked.” She shook her head and sighed. “If only I could borrow the money from someone. All I need is about five thousand dollars.”

  He shifted in his seat, glancing at Connor playing. She could tell he was thinking about offering it to her. The tension grew between them. Finally he reached over and patted her hand, sending little electric shocks through her. “I could loan you the tuition.”

  There, he’d said it. She should feel happy, but her guilt overwhelmed her. The words, no better than Richard, ran through her mind. A frown tugged at her mouth. “No, I couldn’t–” She closed her eyes. What did she just say?

  “I want to.” Steven took her hands in his, and her heart pounded. “Let me do this for you.”

  Swallowing the lump in her throat, she nodded, and whispered, “Thank you.” She spent the rest of the date trying not to think about what she had just done.

  Chapter Eight

  When Steven dropped Emily and Connor off, it was almost 4 p.m. He helped her buckle Connor’s seat into the back of her sedan. The pungent aroma of cigarette smoke filled her small car. He almost asked her about it, but decided not to. She had not smoked at all around him. Maybe she was trying to quit.

  “I had a wonderful time today, Emily.” He reached out, caressing her hand, and his heart pounded. Thoughts of brushing his lips against hers filled his mind. He leaned closer to her.

  “I did too. And Connor won’t stop talking about the dinosaurs. The museum was the perfect place to take him.” Her words came out a little rushed, and she fidgeted, glancing at her apartment building. Connor crouched down on the sidewalk, poking the snow with a stick.

  The wind blew a strand of her hair over her face, and Steven brushed it back. Her cheeks flushed, whether from the cold or from his touch he couldn’t decide. Her beauty took his breath away. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He didn’t want to leave without making another date. “I would like to take you out again. Are you free on Tuesday?”

  “Yes, I’m free,” she said, a smile forming on her face.

  Pleasure spread through him. “Then it’s a date. I’ll get in touch with you later to work out the details.”

  She nodded and brushed past him, taking Connor up the stairs to the sitter. He watched her until the babysitter opened her door and let them into the fourth floor apartment. He slipped into his truck and started the engine. As he backed his truck out of the parking lot, he saw the curtains move in Emily’s apartment. She was still upstairs at the sitter’s, and he wondered if there was someone inside of her apartment. He stared at the window for a minute, and when nothing moved he decided it was just his imagination.

  ******

  Emily unlocked her apartment and walked through the living room. Richard must be in his bedroom. Good. She quickly changed into her uniform, and got ready for her shift, hoping that Richard had fallen asleep. His bedroom door creaked open and he came out of his room, his eyes dark. Emily stiffened.

  “What did he say, Emily?” he asked, his tone soft.

  “He’s going to give me the money.”

  Richard didn’t move, and for a second Emily thought that he didn’t hear her. But then a slow smile spread across his face.

  “When?” He came closer to her.

  “As soon as he can get the cash. He’s asked me to spend the day with him on Tuesday, since it’s my day off.” She pinned her hair up and looked at her reflection.

  “I knew he would give it to you, Em.” He stood so close to her he could reach out and touch her. His image reflected in the mirror. Something about his eyes made her freeze. He was looking at her in a way that made her uncomfortable. She had never seen him like this before.

  “I’ll see you after my shift, Richard.” She brushed past him and grabbed her coat. She left before he could say anything else.

  ******

  It snowed off and on all day on Sunday, and Steven spent the day on the phone trying to figure out how long he could remain in Huntington before he had to head back to work in New York. He had left Alex in charge once again, and while he was very capable, Steven knew he couldn’t stay away forever. But things were going so well with Emily. He wanted to spend more time with her. When he wasn’t with her, he couldn’t keep his mind off her. He was falling hard and fast for her. Soon he would have to think about when to tell her the truth about himself. Maybe he would start dropping hints to his real identity.

  Steven went out to get some groceries. On the way home he drove by the Downtown Café. He could see her inside, and he parked his truck across the street. His milk would keep cold in this weather while he stopped for a few minutes.

  As he got out of his truck, he saw a man standing on the opposite corner. His blond hair hung long in his face, and he was smoking a cigarette. Steven was sure this was the same man he had seen wearing the hooded jacket last week. As he watched, the man flicked his cigarette on the ground and started walking down the street. Steven hurried into the café. The chills running down his spine had nothing to do with the cool night air.

  Emily seemed genuinely happy to see him, and she smiled warmly at him. “Nice to see you again, Ethan. What can I get for you tonight?”

  “Nothing, I just wanted to see you,” he said, looking at her from underneath his eyelashes. Emily appeared amused. “But it just so happens I am hungry, so while I’m here anyway, I’ll take one of those wonderful herbed chicken dinners. And I’ll have the cream of broccoli soup with it.”

  “Coming right up.” She flashed him a quick smile and then disappeared into the kitchen. Steven watched
her come and go from the kitchen, and grinned as she threw looks at him.

  “You will sit and visit with me when you get a break, won’t you?” he asked when she brought him his chicken.

  “Sure, I have a break in fifteen minutes.”

  His pulse quickened. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to spend every waking minute with her. “Wonderful. I’ll see you in a little while, then.”

  He was almost done with his meal when she had a chance to come join him. She sat down across from him and set a diet soda on the table. “So, what did you have in mind for Tuesday?” She clasped her hands together and put her elbows on the table.

  “I’ll come pick you up at 9:00 again, if that’s all right. I thought we could try out that new skating rink. Do you know how to ice skate?”

  “No.” Her eyes widened. “What about Connor?”

  “Oh, they have ice skates for kids his age. And I’ll help him learn to balance. They give lessons to three and four year olds.”

  “Well, I think it sounds fun, I guess.” She swallowed.

  Steven laughed. “I assure you it’s a safe activity for children. I learned to ice skate as a child. Maybe after lunch we can take in a matinee. I hear that new animated movie is supposed to be good.”

  “Connor would love that.” Emily looked quite pleased.

  “He’s such a bright child. Is he going to start Kindergarten next year?”

  Emily seemed bothered by the question. She frowned, and twisted her hands. “I don’t know if he makes the cut off date.” She suddenly took a great interest in something on the floor.

  “You said he will be five in March. Don’t they start Kindergarten at age five?”

  She shrugged her shoulders, and looked him in the eye. “So, you work in New York? That’s quite a long commute from here. What exactly do you do, Ethan?” Her eyes narrowed and she pursed her lips.