by JM Dragon
Kris chuckled. “What do you think? That I don’t want the same as you now that I’ve experienced the Claire Tremont loving?”
Claire laughed and began to unbutton her blouse. “Never.”
Kris crossed her legs at the memory of their first Skype sex session. To take her mind off her erotic thoughts, she turned to Knight. “Well, Knight, time for you to check out the cottage. Maybe you can find a mouse or two there, but no birds, remember?” She gently tapped his head.
†
As she made the finishing touches to the snacks for the evening, the excessive crunch of gravel caught Kris’s attention. Frowning, she peered out the window and saw a car she didn’t recognize. It was a sporty-looking model for sure. Watching for the driver or passenger if there was one to exit the vehicle, she was surprised when no one did.
Nervousness assailed her. The gate was foreboding, but anyone could open it. Instinctively she reached inside her pocket for her phone. If it was anyone she thought the least unsavory, she was calling the police. Her finger poised to call 9-1-1.
“Fern? Oh, and there’s Jess.”
She replaced the phone in her pocket and went to the door.
Once she opened it, Kris watched the two women negotiate the few steps, Jess using her cane to check out the distances between each one.
“Kris, how’s things? I haven’t seen you at the quiz recently.”
Fern’s voice held mild interest as she twisted the car keys in her hands.
“Blame Jess, she’s been busy. Isn’t that right, Jess?” Kris smiled as her friend reached the top step.
“Yes, all my fault. Darned if I forget how many steps there are to get to the front door. By the way, if you wondered why she is here, Fern volunteered to bring me over for our weekly get-together since Mary had to work.”
Kris laughed. “I almost called the cops. I haven’t seen this car before.”
Fern huffed, looking back at the drive and the vehicle. “It’s a Dodge Viper GTS. Don’t you just love the blazing red color?”
Kris smiled. “Certainly. It suits you. It looks great though, and I bet it’s fast.”
“‘Fast’ isn’t the word for it. I thought I was taking part in a rally race. You really need to slow down, especially around corners,” Jess said. “Let’s go inside or Knight might decide to venture out. I do not want to be tapping my cane all night in search of my feline buddy.”
“I won’t come in. You two enjoy your evening. When you are ready to come home, call me, Jess, but please give me at least half an hour warning. Enjoy, ladies.” Fern smiled and began to take the steps back to the drive.
Jess caught her arm, and Kris was fascinated how she homed in so accurately. “Thanks, and if Mary has finished her shift, I’ll call her.”
“Why, are you chicken?” Kris could hear the strain in Fern’s voice.
Jess chuckled. “No, well maybe a little, but I don’t want to bother you. Thanks again.”
Fern nodded and left. Jess gave a frown and then smiled at Kris.
“What’s for supper?”
Kris took her friend’s arm and pulled her inside gently as she chuckled. Jess was easy to please in the catering area. “I made your favorite.”
“My favorite? When you cook, everything is my favorite.”
“Mini meatball pizzas with aioli dip.”
Jess hugged her arm closer. “You are a goddess.”
Kris laughed and they headed for the media room.
†
Claire gazed at her mother sleeping peacefully. She thought her life had finally taken on a new meaning when she fell in love with Kris, and in love she definitely was. Kris’s features and gentle manner invaded her mind and created the need to be with her every day. Yet right now, the dream of being with Kris in the short term was fading as her mother became even more demanding of her time.
Am I destined never to spend the rest of my life with my love? Right now, I believe so. Tears formed and she wiped them away. I’m being selfish. Mother could have died and here I am thinking about me.
The door to the bedroom opened, and Grams entered. “How has she been today?”
Claire smiled at Grams. At least she wasn’t alone in this. Grams sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her daughter.
“Not too bad this morning. She was quite lucid, and then her speech problems must have frustrated her and she had a major meltdown this afternoon.”
The quiet words settled around the room.
“It’s early days, Claire. The doctors said it would be a while before she can cope with not articulating as she had before. We have the best speech therapist in the state booked for next week. I think things will change.”
The words sounded positive, yet the tone didn’t.
“Grams, if it doesn’t work out, I won’t abandon her. From what she said at Seasons before the event, she was there for me.”
Grams gave her a serious look and shook her head. “My darling, she wouldn’t want you to spend the rest of your life as a nursemaid. Anna had so many dreams for you when you were a baby, and though many haven’t come to fruition, one has, and she’d want you to pursue that.”
Claire knitted her brows and pulled at her lip. “Which one?”
A tinkle of laughter followed.
“Grams?”
“Love, my darling, love.”
Claire snorted. “And she approved like hell.” The words echoed off the walls.
“Let’s go and get a drink. I for sure could use one after spending the day in front of lawyers and your father.” Grams looked at Anna. “We have a baby monitor if she needs us.”
They both looked at the object plugged into the wall.
“I could do with a drink, but just one. Mother might need me.”
Grams stood and held out her arm. “Darling, I will take the nightshift. You need to relax and get some sleep, so have a whole damn bottle of wine. You deserve it. Besides, Anna is my child, and no matter what, a mother will always, and I mean always, be there for her children.”
Claire shrugged. “Thanks, Grams, I love you.” She took the offered arm and levered herself out of the chair and felt a weight lift.
†
Jess grinned and gave Kris a wide-eyed look. “I loved the food combo.” She dropped her head. “I just wish I could convince you that there are other people out there who might be made for you too.”
“Sorry, Jess, we’ve been through that wish. I love Claire. I always will until the day I die. There will never be anyone else. I know that sounds clichéd, but it’s true.”
Jess clutched her hand and Kris squeezed it.
“When is she coming back?”
Kris sucked in a breath. “Not sure. It could be tomorrow, a month, a year, or never.”
“That’s a rather pragmatic way of looking at love. Love should be all about emotion and not practical.”
Kris dragged a hand through her hair and considered what Jess had said. Is she right? “Want a coffee?”
Jess sighed. “Sure.”
Ten minutes later, she sucked in a deep breath as she opened the door to the media room and entered with the tray. Practicing the maneuver numerous times when she was on her own meant this was a piece of cake. She’d taken longer than normal getting the coffee and the Hershey cookies Jess adored. That was primarily because once out of Jess’s hearing, which was acute, and behind the closed door of the kitchen she’d burst into tears.
Practical and Claire did not go together. Not at all. She had to remain positive even though a part of her suspected Claire was lost to her. Anna needed her more at this time, and how could she possibly compete with the circumstances? Another woman maybe, but that was debatable if it was Racheal. She still wasn’t totally convinced Claire’s ex wasn’t in the background somewhere, and Racheal had wanted her back. What better time than when Claire was vulnerable?
“Hey, I thought you’d gotten lost,” Jess amiably said as Kris placed the tray on the table.
“T
he percolator had a hissy fit and I had to do it over. I have your fav cookies.” A look of happiness crossed Jess’s face, and Kris wondered not for the first time why life had made her choose Claire instead of Jess. Jess would have been less complicated. Hmm, maybe not.
“Hershey’s, oh I love you, but you know that, right?” Jess reached forward and felt for the plate that held the cookies.
“You have radar, I swear.” Kris laughed as she sat and poured their coffee. “Here, take this.”
Jess grinned, took the mug of coffee, and placed it in a position where she knew exactly where it was. Then she went back to unwrapping her cookie.
“Jess?”
“Yeah?” Jess sank her teeth into the cookie, and her face was a picture of supreme joy.
“I know we touched on it once and I won’t pry, but have you ever been in love?”
The joyous expression changed. Only for a few seconds, but it did change. Jess ate her mouthful of cookie. “Once. It didn’t work out, and I can honestly say I’m not like you and will wait forever. She’s a user, and one day it will bite her in the butt.”
The charged way Jess had spoken had Kris speculating.
“How did she use you?” Kris picked up her coffee and sipped it as Jess took her time replying. She didn’t push the matter. The point was obviously neither of them had a good track record when it came to falling in love.
“You know you should, in the big picture, have chosen me.” Jess sighed heavily. “Except you knew, didn’t you, when we had dinner at the golf club that I hadn’t let go.”
Kris nodded, forgetting for moment Jess’s disability and she couldn’t see. “I knew something was amiss. I wasn’t sure what, but does it have something to do with Fern?”
Jess gave a strangled laughed. “Fern, sure it’s Fern. That woman is the worst womanizer on the planet, and she takes anyone to bed. The younger, the better. She was with that Candy Crush kid when we saw her.”
The bitter words exploded into the quiet room, and Kris leaned back, unsure if it was the potency or just that Jess had admitted it.
Kris picked up a cookie, unwrapped it, and placed it in Jess’s hand.
“I heard chocolate is a great comforter, and what the heck, we both need it, right?”
Jess placed the cookie in her mouth, then like a snake wrapped her hand around Kris’s wrist.
“I signed up because of her. I guess she feels guilty and gives me rides occasionally. Not that I want or need her charity.”
Once again, the hostile tone ricocheted around the room.
“Jess, from today you and I will forget and forgive and move forward. Is that a deal?”
She watched the sightless gaze look to the window as if Jess could see the stars outside that often comforted Kris in the lonely evenings. “I want to do that, Kris, I really do, but can we? Can we forget all the hurt and just move on?”
“No, no, we don’t forget it. We learn from it.”
“What have you learned? You say you will wait until you die. Is that good?”
Kris didn’t hesitate. “For me, yes. Claire is the love of my life. I can’t explain it really. I just know it goes soul-deep. I guess they will be calling me a kooky kind of person when I’m old and gray.”
“You mean like Mrs. Rank? I have to say that until I met her and talked to her with you, she frightened the jebezzers out of me. Well she does with most folk around here, I can tell you.”
Kris chuckled. “All a ruse to keep the men away.”
Jess frowned. “I heard she wasn’t that attractive, in fact, quite ugly. The rumor was that her husband was quite the womanizer in his day and very handsome. Everyone was shocked when he married her and didn’t have to, if you know what I mean.”
“Where do you get all this information from?” Kris laughed and sipped her coffee.
“Oh, a little bird or two. Gossip in a small town like this is rampant. Want to know what they say about you?”
Hugging the coffee closer to her chest, ignoring the heat, Kris contemplated also ignoring the question. Why would anyone bother gossiping about me? I’m a nobody. “Sure.”
Jess smiled, and that gave Kris comfort. “That they hope that you don’t end up like Mrs. Rank, alone and living in a house that is barely used. Some of them say it is cursed. There are a lot of stories of love and loss at Seasons.” She held up a hand. “Not that I know of them, but maybe we can research them. What do you think?”
Kris was relieved that the gossip, as Jess called it, was general. “Great idea. Now come on, the rest of the cookies must be calling your name.”
Jess picked up her coffee and raised it. “You are right there, but I want to make a toast. To love, wherever the path leads us.”
Kris smiled. “I’ll drink to that.”
†
Claire poised a finger over the instant message name and hesitated. Then the bottle of wine she had consumed talking to her grams kicked in. False bravado was kickass when you were floundering, and she was. This was dangerous territory. She drew a deep breath and touched the name. It rang for several seconds. Thank God, she’s not there.
“Claire?”
Racheal’s voice resonated in the room. It was familiar, and in a strange kind of way soothing after her conversation with Grams.
“Hi, wasn’t sure the green light meant you were online properly or if it’s just a permanent feature.”
There was a tinkle of laughter, and she could hear other voices in the background.
“I don’t answer just anyone when I’m on a date, but you know you are different.”
Claire felt humbled by Racheal’s words. She could so easily have blown her off, but this was compassionate she felt sure. “Thanks, but it can wait. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Oh no way, because we both know you won’t. Give me a min.”
In the background, she heard Racheal make apologies for the call and saying she would be back shortly.
“Okay, what’s on your mind? Don’t give me the bullshit ‘there’s nothing.’ You and I these days don’t do social calls, do we?”
The bland perfection of the words made Claire smile. The old Racheal would have prevaricated, but this new Racheal was right to the point. I like it. “I have a vague recollection and it is vague, so if I’m wrong don’t hesitate to tell me.”
“Recollection of what, Claire?”
“Yeah, right. Sorry. Grams wants me to go back to Seasons and said she will take care of Mother. I vaguely recall that you had a similar problem, but it could be a phantom memory.”
The silence that prevailed had Claire on the back foot, then Racheal spoke.
“Yeah, about five years ago my mother had a major stroke. We were given a fifty-fifty chance she would survive. As you know she’s still here.”
“Yes, yes, she came to see me several times after the accident. I’m sorry I didn’t recall that your mother had the stroke. You used someone, right? To take care of her.” Claire was clutching at straws.
“You know we did. Ah, right, your memory stuff. It cost a fortune, but Dad said money wasn’t any object, and frankly, he was right. For the record, I forgot after your accident what people mean to each other. I’ll live with the regret for the rest of my life.”
“Yeah, I know. This place or person, where or who is it?”
Voices resonated closer, shouting at Racheal to join them.
“Please, Racheal.”
“Right sure. It’s called the Calleston Foundation. That’s all I remember. I can ask Dad to call you if it would help?”
“Thanks, I think I have this. I owe you, Racheal.” Claire nodded as she clutched the phone tighter.
“Okay, coming from you I might redeem it one day. Claire, I’ll always love you, and I hope you find what you are looking for.”
Claire didn’t have the chance to reply as the connection severed. “I already have,” she said to the empty room.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kris snuggled up to Knig
ht curled up next to her on the sofa. It was barely seven o’clock, but she was shattered. It didn’t help that Claire hadn’t made any contact in almost a week. How hard could it be to text or email if she hadn’t the time to Skype? Claire hadn’t indicated in their last conversation that she was going to have a problem communicating. Maybe the Skype sex had been too much for her. She raised a hand to her forehead and rubbed hard enough to cause pain.
It can’t be that, I would know. Claire was on fire when they made love virtually. They both were. What if something had happened to Claire?
Her heart raced at the thought. Then she realized Melissa would have contacted her.
Yawning, she closed her eyes and pondered whether Claire had finally given up on their relationship. After all, it had been almost two months since they had physically seen each other. Time enough for her to reacquaint herself with old friends. “Especially Racheal.”
The pangs of jealousy were triggered, and she opened her eyes and they rested on Knight, who was a contortionist for sure. His body was in such a convoluted shape she wondered how he could do that. His paws were reaching out, and he snored like a trooper. It made her smile. “At least you love me, Knight, no matter what.”
The phone in the hall began to ring, and puzzled she stood. It only ever rang for Shirley’s weekly call, and that wasn’t due until tomorrow. Knight protested the movement and then turned into a furry ball and shut his eyes.
Kris smiled and left the room, shooting across the hallway to pick up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Kris.”
Kris grinned. “Shirley, how wonderful.” She pulled out the chair next to the hall table.
“I’m going to be a great aunt at last. The in vitro has worked.”
“That’s so special, how wonderful.” Kris smiled. “I bet the proud parents to be are over the moon.
“Ecstatic. It’s such a marvelous thing.”
“Does this mean you are staying longer?”
“For a little while longer. Is that a problem?”
