Dar and Kerry Series - Short Stories

by Melissa Good

  "And? So what's this then?" Her friend asked.

  Kerry propped her chin up on her fists and produced a wry smile. "Colleen.. I really like being with her.. around her… I'm miserable on the days we're not together." She accepted the glass form the waitress and poked her straw in, slurping up a bit before she went on. "We talked the other day… and she gave me my resident's decal.. she told me she'd been missing me too, on those days."

  Colleen sighed. "Ker.. I'm glad for that, honest I am."

  A little silence fell. "But you think I'm making a mistake." The blond woman stated softly. "Don’t' you?"

  Her friend sipped at her drink for a moment. "You're really stuck on her, aren't you?"

  Kerry sucked in a breath of the cool, salty air. "Yeah.. I sure am." She admitted. "I feel really comfortable around her, too… the other night we just sat out on the porch, with our arms around each other, and made patterns out of the stars." She paused, thoughtfully. "It's like I've known her all my life."

  Colleen sighed. "Well, I'm gonna miss you." She gave Kerry a wry smile. "And for the record, no.. I don't think you're making a mistake.. I just worry about you isolating yourself out there. "

  Kerry considered that, acknowledging that it would be very easy to do. "You're right.. I need to make sure I get out and do things with other people… that place does tend to suck you in." She smiled at Colleen. "Hey.. maybe I can change Dar from being a recluse, to a party animal.. what do you think?"

  The redhead rolled her eyes, then chuckled. "Well, that Christmas party was a lot of fun.. maybe you can." She finished her lemonade and pointed. "C'mon… I want some of those candles."

  **************************************************************

  The parking lot was surprisingly empty, Dar mused, as she parked near the entrance to Penney's, and walked in the back entrance, making straight for the watch repair department. She stood quietly and waited until the desk clerk was free, then stepped forward and unstrapped the watch from her wrist. "Need to see if someone can do something with this."

  The man accepted it, after giving her a friendly smile, and peered at it. "Oh.. you got it wet, huh?"

  "Mm." Dar agreed, having rescued the watch from the bottom of Chino's water bowl. "I know it's supposed to be water resistant, but it was in there a while." Not to mention, the puppy had been digging in the water furiously after it, sending a wash of liquid all over the kitchen.

  "Okay.. I can have the technician take it apart and clean the movement…see if anything need replacing." He carefully attached a tag to the watch, then glanced behind him. "We're not busy.. I'll give it to him now."

  Urk. "How long?" Dar inquired.

  "Hour, maybe… is that all right?" He looked behind her. "You can finish your shopping, and it'll be done, if you like."

  My shopping was finished. Dar sighed inwardly. Oh well, at least it was an interest….oo. They had a Ben and Jerry's. "Sure.. that sounds great." She gave them man a charming smile. "Be back in an hour."

  She headed out of the store and got her bearings, realizing her goal was at the far opposite end of the place. "Figures." Dar sighed, then reflected that at least they'd been under casual dress code for the holiday week, and she wasn't wearing a wool suit. She started out along the upper floor, casting a casually curious eye on the passing stores.

  **************************************************

  "What do you think of these?" Kerry inquired, running a hand over a soft, silky piece of fabric.

  Colleen peered over her shoulder. "I think it's a kite, kiddo… where are you gonna fly it?"

  "Oh. .I don't know.. " Kerry held out the beautiful construct, a shimmering rainbow of colors that fluttered in the breeze coming off the water. "We've got that golf course in the center of the island.. I bet I could fly it in there." She grinned recklessly, and folded the item up, handing it to the stall's owner along with her credit card. "You going over to your mom's house for New Years?"

  "Ehhh.. I don't know… I'm still deciding." Colleen sighed. "They're having a party at the complex.. but Ramon's bragging he's making the drinks, and you know what happened the last time he did that… what about you? I didn't hear your plans."

  "Ah.. well, the company's having a get together out at the Sonesta Beach, on the Key… it's a formal dance kinda thing." Kerry explained. "Neither of us really want to go, but Dar says if she doesn’t' show up for at least a while, she'll get all kinds of grief."

  "Oooo….a formal? You got a dress?" Colleen asked, then plucked Kerry's crisply pressed cotton shirt. "One that fits you now?"

  Kerry blinked, then chewed her lip. "Holy crap…. Well, yeah, I've got two or three I could get away with…." She almost slapped herself. "I can't believe I didn't think of that, though… wow…well, I'll figure out something tonight, I guess."

  "Nu uh.. c'mon.. Castellano's is right over there, honey.. let's get you a snazzy Cuban dress to wear to y our dance…you gonna dance with Dar?" The redhead teased.

  "Uh." Kerry blushed ."No.. I …that would be a little too much, I think." She gave her friend a wry look. "But you know, a new dress isn't a bad idea… maybe they'll have something more up to date than what I wore to that Viscaya thing last year."

  Colleen made a face. "Kerry, you make darn near everything look good, child, but that.. that you had to really work at, ya know?" She put a hand on Kerry's back and steered her towards the store, an understated place which disgorged the smell of silk, and starch, and money out as they opened the door and entered.

  ******************************************

  Dar strolled around the inside of Sharper Image, peering with interest at the myriad of gadgets the store held. "Electric nose hair trimmer." She picked it up and looked at it, then put it down. "Hope I don't need one of those any time soon." She chuckled softly, and circled the full size massage chairs, gazing at them.

  "Nope.. got something better than that." She told the item cheerfully, finding a slightly giddy smile crossing her face, remembering the loving rubdown she'd gotten the night before from Kerry after they'd come back from the island gym.

  While they'd discussed Kerry's moving in permanently.

  Dar exhaled, then shook her head silently, and moved on to the next row of gadgets, then reluctantly moved on, deciding Kerry probably didn't need a personal electric clock that displayed on the ceiling.

  Out in the mall, she stopped and got some cinnamon roasted nuts, and nibbled them as she walked, eyeing the trendy fashions with a jaundiced eye. "Bellbottoms… never liked those the first time around." She muttered disapprovingly, noting that the passing teenagers were dressed in them, along with elevator sneakers and thin, pastel tank tops.

  "Yech." Dar preferred her navy polo, tucked into pressed dockers. "My father would have lassoed me before I could have left the house looking like that." She went over the words in her head, then chuckled ruefully. "Dar, you're getting old." Her eyes flicked to the right, then she slowed, to study the baubles in the window of Mayor's jewelers. "Mm… nice."

  A voice sounded behind her. "Ah.. Ms. Roberts! Been a long time."

  Dar stopped, and turned. "Hello, Richard.. yes it has." She politely greeted the salesman. "How've you been?"

  "Fine, fine thanks.. you're looking well." The tall, immaculately dressed man smiled at her. "I've got some nice earrings.. can I show them to you?"

  Dar sighed, then figured she had plenty of time, and she'd just lost one half of a favorite pair of studs anyway.. "Sure." She agreed, following him inside the marble lined doorway and into the jewelry shop.

  *************************************

  "Let's see." Colleen held out a long dress with frilly lace twirls near the neckline, and a bustle. "What do you think?"

  Kerry burst into laughter. "I'd look like Carmen Miranda, is what I think.. get out of here, Col." She shook her head, and browsed the selection, moving more towards some understated, sedately dark gowns with conservative necklines. "This is more the company's
speed, I think."

  "Oh god." Colleen rolled her eyes. "What's Dar wearing?"

  "Um.. " Kerrys' brows knit. "A strapless black thing…very simple.. very drapy… made me drool… why?"

  Colleen giggled. "Oh." She gave her friend a look. "She's certainly loosened you up in some ways."

  "Huh?" Kerry peered at her, then blushed badly. "Oh… um.. eyah.. I guess she has."

  She distracted herself by burrowing deeper in the racks of dresses, then stopped, as her hands touched a soft, deep green silken one. "Ooo."

  Colleen was immediately there, peering over her shoulder. "Mmm….. " She lifted the gown out and examined it. It had one shoulder, leaving the other bare, and most of the back and one side was cut out, with a soft gathering at the hip then a straight fall to an uneven, edgy hem. "That's nice, Ker." She nudged her friend. "Try it on."

  Kerry hesitated, then grinned. "Okay." She smiled at the hovering attendant, and followed them obediently into a fitting room, closing the door and hanging the dress up as she stripped out of her slacks and shirt.

  "Okay." She reviewed herself in the mirror for a moment, then took the dress off the hanger and slipped into it, allowing the silky folds to warm against her skin as she adjusted the fabric. "Hmm."

  She blinked, turning a little, and watching the gown's conspicuous gaps reveal her toned body. "Oo… not bad, Stuart… not bad at all." She grinned for a moment, with an unrepentant smirk at herself, then she exhaled and opened the door, assuming a more serious expression. "What do you think, Col?"

  Colleen looked up from where she was leafing through a catalog, and stared, letting a low whistle escape. "Holy Mary, mother of God, Kerry." She chortled. "That looks fantastic…you should wear your hair up, too."

  Obligingly, Kerry lifted her pale locks, and pulled them back, exposing the line of her neck. "Think so?" She glanced sideways, and caught her reflection in the mirror, surprised at it's sophistication. "Mm.. I think you're right."

  The redhead closed in, and adjusted the shoulder a bit. "Definitely, a good choice… you can wear that old, silver necklace you've got… the one with the emerald?"

  Kerry nodded. "Yeah… that'd go perfect… okay." She gave the salesman a nod. "I'll take it.. thanks." She ducked back into the fitting room and carefully removed the dress, pulling her shirt and pants back on. "Think you'll like that, Dar?" She murmured to her reflection, whose eyes twinkled mischievously back at her.

  *******************************************************

  "Here… they're blue diamonds."

  Dar took the black display pad, and examined them. "Huh… never seen any like that before." She studied the earrings, lacy platinum surrounding a carat size diamond, in a conspicuous blue shade. "Nice."

  "Mm.. I thought of you when I saw them.. they come close to matching your eyes." The salesman smiled. "I was going to call you… but it's been so busy."

  Dar nodded, debating with herself. They were expensive, but.. how often did she ever buy stuff like this for herself? She imagined Kerry's reaction to them, and that put a grin on her face. "I'll take em." She pushed the pad back towards the delighted salesman, then let her eyes roam around the display case. "Box em up.. in fact, I've got a company event I have to go to tomorrow night.. that'll work."

  She got up and roamed around as he processed the purchase, and found herself looking down at a neat display of rings.

  Rings. She wasn't fond of rings, really… she'd tried wearing one or two on occasion, but with her typing all the time, they tended to annoy her, making her take them off, and promptly lose them.

  "Would you like to see anything, ma'am?" The girl behind the counter asked, politely. "We've got some new ones in.. they just arrived."

  Before Dar could answer, she disappeared, and came back with a velvet lined box, which she opened on top of the counter and turned around, to face Dar. "We haven't even had time to really catalog these, but.."

  Dar found her eyes drawn to the center of the box, where a brilliant stone was winking. She leaned over, and blinked, then gently picked the small rest the ring was on up, and lifted it.

  It gathered the light in, and twinkled at her, a brilliant cut diamond at least two carats that had a definite hint of rose to it. The setting was appropriate, an exquisite tracing of rich gold shaped into a nest of rose petals that cradled the stone, and two smaller stones on either side.

  "It's beautiful, isn't it?" The woman asked hesitantly.

  "Yes, it is." Dar murmured, suddenly grabbed with an insane impulse. "I'll take it."

  Dead silence.

  Dar looked up, to see the clerk's jaw hanging open. "I'ts for sale, right?"

  "Uh.. yes.. um.. um.. " She looked over to her boss, who was busy at the register. "Richard?? Mr. Ellis?"

  "Just a moment, Judy." The manager murmured, holding a finger up.

  The girl licked her lips. "We can.. um.. I think the jeweler is here now, we can have it sized.. is it for you, ma'am?"

  Dar shook her head absently, still gazing at the ring. "No. it's for someone who's about a different from me as you can be and still be a human being."

  As if she'd ever, ever have the guts to give it to her, right. Dar exhaled quietly. It didn't really matter.. just by her getting this, she'd know, in her own heart, what it meant, even if she never gathered up the courage to admit that to Kerry.

  But wait. "Um.. size…" Dar chewed her lip, then dug out her cell phone and dialed. It rang three times, then was answered. "Hey."

  "Oh. Hey!" Kerry's voice sounded surprised. "Where are you? I just tried to call the office, but I got the voice mail."

  "I left early.. had to go get my watch fixed." Dar told her. "And I met .. ah…I met up with that guy who's doing the new handheld inventory counter for the warehouses.. you remember I told you about it?"

  There was a pause. "Oh.. oh, right.. yes, I do…they wear it on their hands and just click.. yeah." Kerry answered. "So?"

  "Oh..well, we were just spec'ing it out here.. he needs a size range to give the engineers.. and…ah…well, my hand's not a good example for the women.. what ring size are you?"

  Dead silence. "Uh.. oh, yeah.. that's true.. yeah.. um… mine's a seven… a bunch smaller than yours, huh?" Kerry told her.

  "About three sizes." Dar acknowledge wryly. "Great.. thanks, Ker…. Where are you, anyway?"

  "Bayside… I… Col and I are just browsing.. I got a kite, and something to wear tomorrow night."

  "Oh yeah? Can't wait to see it." The executive replied blithely. "Thanks, Kerry.. .talk to you later." She disconnected, and looked up at the bemused clerk. "Tell him a size seven."

  The manager walked over, and peered over the clerk's shoulder. "What do we have here?"

  "She's .. um.. she bought this." The clerk squeaked.

  Richard took the ring, and cradled it in one hand. "Um.. Dar… I um.. well, that's spectacular… I'm thrilled, but um. This is a unique cut stone, and I.."

  "Shh." Dar held up a hand. "Don’t' tell me how much it is. I don’t' care." She handed over a different card. "This'll cover it, wont' it?"

  The manager took the platinum American Express card and glanced at it. "Well, I had someone put a Jaguar on one the other day, so I suppose it will.." He cleared his throat. "Let me have Michael come out and size it for you.. I.."

  "She wants it done a seven." The clerk supplied promptly.

  "Can I get something engraved on it, while he' sat it?" Dar asked, suddenly. "Will that take long?" She brought out a scrap of paper and scribbled on it, then handed it to him.

  He stared at the words, then at her. "No.. no.. a few minutes, certainly.. Dar, can I get you a cup of coffee or something, while you wait?" Richard asked, anxiously.

  Blue eyes glanced up. "No.. not unless the coffee shop has double chocolate chunk ice cream.. that's where I was headed."

  The manager gave the clerk a significant look, then shooed her towards the door with an almost frantic gesture. "Well, let me just go get Michael to
take care of this for you right away.." He disappeared, along with the clerk, leaving Dar completely alone in the store.

  She rested her chin on her fist, and regarded her reflection in the small mirror resting on the counter, watching the tiny tugs of emotion at the corners of her lips.

  *****************************************************

  "That was weird." Kerry leaned back in her seat, and watched Colleen try on shoes.

  "What was?" The redhead asked, looking up from her pink and green sneakers. "Dar calling you? She does that all the time, Kerry.. I think she's got your number plastered on the inside of those snazzy shades of hers."

  Kerry chuckled, then glanced behind her. "Oo.. I'll be right back, Col… "