Coulson's Lessons

by McIntyre, Anna J

  Garret stood up. Enough, he thought. He needed to get Alexandra away from here. His hand firmly fastened on hers and he pulled her from the barstool.

  “Come on, Alex, let’s get out of here,” he said softly, looking pleadingly into her eyes.

  “But Garret…” she started to argue, yet when she looked in his face, she knew he was right. They needed to get out of here. They needed to talk.

  Without another word, Alexandra allowed Garret to guide her from the bar. Her head began to spin, and she hoped she wouldn’t stumble, grateful she had Garret to lead the way.

  Taylor, who had been closely watching the scene, was not only shocked when Alex began to leave, he was furious at Kate for doing absolutely nothing to stop her sister. When Alex began exiting the front door, Taylor cursed, then threw down his bar towel and started toward the door. Before he got to the corner of the bar, Kate shouted at him.

  “Taylor.”

  He froze. He had never heard Kate use that tone of voice. It was deadly serious. He looked to Kate for an explanation.

  “Let them go.” Kate’s voice was calm yet stern.

  Resigned to the fact that he would be unable to stop Alex, Taylor turned to Russell.

  “Coulson,” he snapped.

  Russell looked over at Taylor.

  “Is she going to be all right with your brother?”

  “Yes.” Russell smiled. “She’ll be fine.”

  The bar was silent for several minutes. Rosa and Steve were wondering just what in the hell was going on. Taylor kept thinking about the Mai Tai and how hot Alex looked in the red dress. He hoped Kate knew what she was doing. He didn’t feel particularly confidant in Kate’s judgment. He wondered why Russell didn’t stop Garret. Hadn’t Russell been trying to get close to Alex for months now?

  “Russy, why don’t you let me drive you home?” Kate suggested about fifteen minutes later.

  Russell started to protest, and then he remembered; Garret took the car. “Okay, Kate. Let’s get out of here.”

  As they walked toward the door, Kate leaned over and sniffed Russell.

  “What is that all about?” he frowned at her, as he opened the door to go to the parking lot.

  “You quit smoking,” Kate announced and then smiled.

  “I quit years ago. What made you think of that?”

  “You smell nice, Russy. Glad to see you gave up that stinky habit.”

  When Alexandra walked out to the parking lot and saw Garret’s red Jeep, she thought about the last time she had seen it covered in cobwebs. He had obviously been out to the cabin.

  When Garret guided Alexandra into the passenger seat, he noticed how cold her arms were; she was shivering. The thin red dress provided no protection against December’s cold night air.

  Once inside the Jeep, Alexandra leaned back and closed her eyes. Her head was spinning; the sudden blast of fresh air gave her a jolt. She heard Garret shut the passenger door, walk around the car and open the driver’s door.

  She opened her eyes the moment she felt the warmth of a blanket being gently placed over her, the edges being tucked down along her sides. Garret had retrieved the small quilt from the back seat and now leaned over her as he carefully covered her up.

  “You’re going to freeze to death in that dress,” he said, sounding a bit like a parent scolding a small child. He made one final adjustment to the covering and then settled into the driver’s seat.

  “You don’t like my dress? It was a birthday gift from Kate,” she asked softly. Her head turned in his direction as she watched him through hazy eyes.

  “It’s too damn short and too low cut,” he snapped, then placed the key in the ignition. Ryan had never complained about Alexandra’s clothes being too short or too revealing. In fact, he often encouraged her to dress provocatively, proud of his wife’s appearance. Perhaps Ryan, who never imagined he had a rival, did not feel threatened with his wife’s appearance. While Garret, who was forced to share her with another man, resented sharing anything else.

  “Garret, I think I’ve had too much to drink.” She sighed, then added, “I thought you should know.”

  Garret smiled and glanced over to Alexandra as he turned on the ignition. She looked so damn vulnerable, that befuddled expression on her face, those cloudy hazel eyes. Yes, she definitely had too much to drink.

  “I know, Alex. I’m taking you home.” He then began pulling out of the parking lot.

  “Home?” She blinked her eyes and attempted to sit up straighter. Damn, her head was a muddle.

  “I’d like to see you tomorrow morning, Alex. We need to talk.”

  As he drove the Jeep down the street, he occasionally glanced over to Alex as he talked. She remained snuggled beneath the quilt, her head turned in his direction, her sleepy eyes watching his every move.

  “It’s been a long time, Alex. Over ten years. We need to discuss the past.” She said nothing, only watched. “If I’m to live in Coulson again, I need to tie up the loose ends. There is too much left unfinished, unresolved.”

  Alexandra was unsure as to his meaning. They drove in silence for a few moments, and then Garret spoke. “I was sorry to hear about Ryan,” he offered softly, his voice sincere. Alexandra didn’t reply, she just watched.

  “How is your son? I imagine he took Ryan’s death pretty hard.”

  “Yes, he did, but he’s holding up. Jimmy has been great with him; they’ve always been close. I don’t know what I would have done without my brother and Jimmy.”

  “How were the last ten years, Alex? Were you happy?” Garret asked this as he pulled into her driveway and turned off the engine.

  They sat for a moment in the dark car, and Alexandra reflected on his question. “Yes, I was happy.” She wasn’t sure how he would feel about her answer, but it was the truth, and Garret deserved the truth. Maybe she hadn’t given the truth to Ryan, but she had always given it to Garret. The truth was the only thing she had been able to give him.

  In silence, they walked together to the front door. When they reached the porch, the light flashed on and the front door swung open. There in the doorway was Adam, who scowled at his mother and her revealing red dress and then gave a threatening glare to the tall stranger who was standing just a little too close.

  “Adam.” Alex seemed a bit surprised at her son’s sudden appearance.

  “Where’ve you been?” Adam snapped, catching his mother by surprise.

  She didn’t see the need to answer his rude inquiry. Instead, she made introductions. “Adam, I’d like you to meet an old friend, Garret Coulson.”

  Garret smiled, put his hand out to Adam, who shook it limply but refused to smile or utter a single greeting. When the handshake ended, Garret turned to Alex, who stood with her hands to her sides.

  “How about I pick you up at nine?” Garret absently took her fingertips in his hands and gave a gentle squeeze.

  “I’ll be ready,” she smiled. Garret then gave her cheek a quick kiss, turned, and walked toward the Jeep.

  “Nice to meet you, Adam,” he called back, only to be met by silence and a stony glare.

  “What the hell’s going on here?” Adam snapped once they were inside the house and the door firmly closed.

  “What’s with the attitude, Adam?” Alex studied her son’s angry expression. The effects of the Mai Tai were wearing off. “I had a friend drive me home.”

  “And what’s with that dress?” He looked at her disapprovingly.

  “It was a gift from your Aunt Kate.”

  “Figures. It makes you look slutty.”

  “Excuse me?” Alexandra was about to explode.

  “You’re my mother, for God’s sake! You let some strange man bring you home; it’s obvious you’ve been drinking!”

  “I said he was an old friend.”

  “I never met him before,” Adam snapped.

  “I guess that just means you haven’t met all my friends,” Alex snapped angrily, forgetting that Adam had once met Garret. “
And for your information, there is nothing wrong with this dress!” She was beginning to feel more like the child than the parent.

  “And what’s with this ‘see you at nine’ crap? Don’t tell me you’re going out with this guy.”

  “For your information, Adam, I am not just your mother. I happen to be a woman. If I decide to wear sexy clothes or date men, it is none of your business!” After shouting the words Alexandra stomped to her bedroom, went in, and slammed the door shut.

  For several minutes, Adam remained standing in the hallway, alone and confused. Nothing in his world made sense anymore. Nothing was what it seemed. Why couldn’t everything go back to the way it used to be? Why did things have to change? Why couldn’t mothers simply be mothers?

  Chapter 35

  As promised, Garret picked Alexandra up at nine o’clock sharp. Alexandra was grateful Adam had already left for school, for she had no desire to repeat last night’s confrontation. Before Garret arrived, Alexandra played in her mind the previous day’s events and her reaction to Garret.

  She wondered how she might have responded to Garret had she been informed of his return. Was her physical and emotional response due in part to the fact she was unprepared to see him? Had she been given time to consider his return, would she have felt less overwhelmed, viewing it as nothing more than the return of an old friend rather than the unexpected emergence of an old lover?

  Considering the possibilities, she composed her emotions, telling herself she was simply spending the morning with an old friend. Nothing more was expected.

  She decided to leave her new locket in her jewelry box. She felt uncomfortable wearing it while meeting with Garret. Alexandra wore denims and a dark blue, baggy sweater over a white turtleneck. The sweater’s long sleeves were bunchy and oversized, causing Alex to push them up her arms repeatedly, away from her hands.

  Garret also wore denims, and his cowboy boots were simple leather with no touch of silver. The burgundy sweatshirt he wore appeared to be brand new and freshly laundered. His hair was much longer than Alex remembered him ever wearing it; the back curls rested on the collar of his sweatshirt.

  “I thought we could drive out to Clement Falls, if that’s okay,” Garret explained as he opened the Jeep door for Alex. She couldn’t remember any man, other than Garret, who regularly opened car doors. For all of her liberation, she liked the gesture.

  “Are you staying at the cabin?” Last night she had failed to ask him where he was living. Had he taken another apartment in Coulson? Perhaps he was staying with Russell. They drove down the highway with the soft-top secured on the Jeep, enclosing the interior for extra warmth.

  “Yes. I always liked it better than in town,” he explained. His eyes fastened on the highway, occasionally glancing over at Alex, who sat sideways in the seat, watching him.

  “You were always a country boy at heart,” she observed with a sigh, recalling his penchant for denims, flannel, and cowboy boots.

  “I guess I was.” He didn’t glance her way when he said this. Instead, he looked ahead as if he were seeing far more than just the highway.

  “Did you hate Chicago?” She didn’t know why she asked; the question just seemed to pop out of her mouth, making her regret the words the instant she spoke them. He was quiet for a moment, and then he answered.

  “Yes. I hated it,” he said it simply; there was no bitterness in his words only a plain statement of truth. Alex looked forward and sighed deeply.

  “That’s the only thing I ever felt guilty about,” she said, her voice sounding very sad. She continued to look out the window, unable to bring herself to look back at Garret.

  “I don’t understand what you mean.” Garret’s head turned to her for just a moment, his face wearing a questioning frown. He looked back at the road, waiting for her reply.

  “I never felt guilty about us. Never,” Alex explained, looking forward. “After you left, I felt incredibly guilty about asking you to move to Chicago.”

  “Don’t,” he said, meaning don’t feel guilty. Yet, she continued to explain.

  “I knew how much you really loved Coulson.” She turned and looked at him. “But I asked you to go anyway. Hell, I begged you to go. It wasn’t right of me. I’m sorry. Garret. I was wrong to ask.” Alexandra didn’t tell Garret how surprised she was when he failed to return to Coulson. She assumed the transfer was always intended for a short duration, six months but no longer than a year. When he hadn’t returned, her guilt had increased.

  “Alex, don’t feel guilty. When I left Coulson, hell, it was the only noble thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. It was the only thing we could do.”

  She thought about his words for a moment; he was right, of course. If she had it to do over again, she would probably ask him to leave. The necessity of her request did not alleviate her guilt.

  “So, you really took an early retirement? Is that why you moved back?”

  “I’d been thinking of moving back for some time.” He didn’t elaborate that he had firmly made up his mind to return when he learned of Ryan’s death. “When I started getting things together, preparing to make the necessary transfers and other changes, I thought, why am I doing this? I have more money than I could ever use. We have good people at Coulson Enterprises who would kill to take over my position. What did I have to prove? I just didn’t need it anymore,” he sounded tired as he spoke.

  What he didn’t tell her was how he spent the last decade immersed in the business of Coulson Enterprises. He gave the company more in those ten years than another man might give in a lifetime. It helped him to forget, yet it left him drained, empty. Before he died, he needed to find something for himself.

  When they finally reached the cabin, Alexandra immediately noticed the drastic transformation of the log structure. Since her summer visit, the logs and been oiled, shingles replaced, and the yard groomed. Alex chose to reserve mention of her summer visit to Clement Falls.

  Inside the cabin, very little had changed. It had obviously been cleaned and refurbished. There was no sign of the chessboard she had seen just months ago pushed in the corner. Unlike their other visits to the cabin, Garret did not attempt to pull her into his arms or drag her into the bedroom. Instead, he suggested they take a walk to the falls. They had never taken a walk before. They had never gone anywhere together, other than the cabin or to Chamber of Commerce functions. The realization that they could actually be seen together dawned on Alexandra.

  Strolling along the walkway to the falls, Garret reached out and took Alex’s hand in his. It was a natural gesture, an almost automatic, unpremeditated action. A light frost covered the shaded area of the mossy ground cover, causing it to crunch with each step. Leafless trees lined the road, and only the pines showed shades of green. They could see the falls in the distance, yet it could hardly be considered a falls. The rocky façade, normally covered by flowing blue-green water during the summer months, was dry, and only a drizzle of water made its way down the mossy slope.

  Alexandra had carelessly forgotten to bring along a coat. Garret noticed the oversight before venturing outside. From a closet, he had retrieved a leather jacket and draped it over Alexandra’s shoulders before they left the cabin. She wore the jacket cape-like as they walked hand in hand in the chilly morning air.

  “You’ve become very thin,” Garret observed. “Too thin.”

  “They say you can’t be too rich or too thin.” She had never tried to lose the weight; it had just happened. Even now, she had to remind herself to eat. It was strange, for there had been a time when she found weight loss a struggle. Unlike her sister, Alexandra’s figure had bordered on the voluptuous.

  “They’re wrong.” Garret looked straight ahead, continuing to walk with Alex. “People can be too thin and too rich.”

  Alex smiled at his observation. She had always suspected he had never been fully comfortable with his family’s wealth.

  “How long have you been this thin?” Garret glanced at her face
when he asked. His tone reminded her of her father’s when he had asked a teenaged Alexandra, Just what time did you get in last night? Or, Where do you think you’re going in that outfit?

  “I lost most of the weight in the last six months.” Her eyes glanced to his.

  “Since Ryan’s death?”

  She nodded. Suddenly, he felt very jealous over all that she shared with Ryan Keller, even the grief. The man was dead, and still Garret envied him.

  “How about you, Garret?” She stopped and looked into his face. “Why didn’t some nice lady snatch you up? I always believed you would find someone, start a family.”

  “I was even a little too old for that ten years ago.”

  “Was there someone special in Chicago?” They continued to walk again.

  “No.” He didn’t like her concerned frown at his answer. “I didn’t live like a monk.”

  “No, I didn’t imagine you would,” she observed softly, finding herself leaning toward him as they walked. Their pace slowed, until they paused.

  “There was one lady. We became friends after I was in Chicago for a while. It’s funny, I never considered any woman my friend…” He paused a moment, looking at Alex. “Until you.”

  They began walking again, looking forward.

  “After she got a divorce, we became…” He was about to say lovers, yet Alex had been his lover; it was never love with Karen. “Convenient. It was a convenient relationship for both of us. And when I left, there were no hard feelings.”

  “I’m surprised you were willing to settle for convenience. You’re a great guy, Garret; you would have made a great husband and father.”

  “I don’t know. You should talk to my ex-wives.”

  They had finally reached the falls. Garret led Alex over to a bench and together, they sat down. A cool breeze chilled the air. Garret wrapped his arm around Alex’s shoulder for warmth, and pulled her close to him. She leaned against his shoulder, both pair of eyes staring ahead.