by Tina Martin
“Yes. I’ll do that,” she said without even hesitating.
Shortly after he’d went back inside, Kalina told June she was heading home. She needed to get her rest in preparation for visiting her mother, and then for dinner with Bryson afterwards. She didn’t know how she would have enough energy for both, even with the right amount of sleep.
CHAPTER 20
Visiting her mother today wasn’t as tiring as usual. Madeline had slept for most of the time she was there. When she woke up around one in the afternoon, the nurse showed Kalina how to spoon-feed her, so Kalina gave it a try. The entire time she fed her, Madeline stared back at her. Kalina would smile and continue feeding her. She would give anything for some indication from her mother – a sign that she recognized her and appreciated her for being here. It would mean the world to her for her mother to know that her only child stood by her side no matter what.
* * *
Kalina came walking outside when she saw Bryson pull up. She quickly opened the door and hopped in the passenger seat. “Hi,” she said, looking at him, noticing the smile on his face. She had on a red romper, showing off her legs, and some Bohemian style sandals that exposed all of her toes.
After Bryson had checked her out, even noticing the red lipstick on her lips that matched her outfit, he said, “You know, I was going to get out and actually ring your doorbell, walk you to the car and open the passenger door like a gentleman.”
“Oh, no need for the gentlemanlike hodgepodge,” Kalina said nervously.
He glanced at her. “What…are you talking about?”
“Just saying…no need to be all formal. It’s not like this is a date or anything. Just dinner between…friends.”
Dinner between friends? Not with that smokin’ hot outfit. “Yes. Dinner between friends,” Bryson said, beginning the drive to the restaurant. “There’s a steakhouse on the Riverwalk in downtown.”
“The Riverwalk?” she said, frowning.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“Um…no.”
“Kalina, what’s wrong?”
“I’m just surprised you’re taking me to the Riverwalk on a Saturday night. It’s usually packed with couples. The last time I was down there, I saw this guy kissing this woman and they were really into it…like they’d forgotten they were in public. Yuck.”
Bryson smirked. “There’s nothing wrong with a little P.D.A.”
“A little what?”
He frowned and glanced at her before he returned his attention back to the road. She didn’t know that P.D.A. was the acronym for public displays of affection? Then again, how could she? The woman had probably never been kissed.
Once he’d found a park, they strolled down the Riverwalk together. The place was a romantic retreat for couples and there were plenty of them out there, holding hands, kissing, hugged up and sharing a meal. The smell of food was as intoxicating as the romance that stirred about in the air.
At the restaurant, Bryson opened the door for her and soon after, the hostess showed them to a table near the windows, giving them a spectacular view of the nightlife in downtown as well as the water and the lights off in the distance. Beautiful.
“I know I suggested steak,” Bryson said, “But there’s plenty more on the menu if steak is not what you want.”
“It’s fine. I haven’t had steak in a while,” Kalina said, browsing through the menu now. “Which steak do you like the best?”
“I usually get the ribeye with sautéed Parmesan shrimp, and for sides, the garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables.”
“I’ll get the same, minus the shrimp,” Kalina said, lowering the menu to the table.
“You don’t eat shrimp?”
“I do, but I’m in the mood for steak tonight.”
“And what kind of wine shall I order?” Bryson asked.
“Something sweet.”
“Like you,” he said, gazing at her, watching her smile uncomfortably. “I’ll check to see if they have some Kalina Cooper on the menu because, if they do, I know what I’m ordering.”
Her cheeks reddened as she smiled and looked out of the window to take the heat of his stare away from her face.
When the waitress came by, he ordered their meals, requested a bottle of Moscato and when he was alone with Kalina again, he asked, “So how was your day?”
“It was okay,” she said, fiddling with her thumbs. Gosh, this was uncomfortable. Why did she ever agree to dinner with him? It felt so different – felt like he was an actual date instead of the man who helped her with work. The setting was a huge contrast to being with him in the café, and it didn’t help matters that he was looking incredible – wearing a button-up, gray T-shirt and a pair of black slacks with black, leather shoes. And had he gotten a haircut for the occasion, too?
“You look beautiful tonight, Kalina.”
She beamed. Okay, so maybe this wasn’t so bad. All she had to do was talk to him the same way she would if they were having coffee together. After all, she must’ve felt comfortable enough to do this if she agreed to come to dinner with him. It was her first time having dinner alone with a man, but Bryson, she knew, wasn’t just any man. “Thank you,” she finally said.
“You’re welcome.”
She brought her hands together underneath the table and interlocked her fingers. “So as you know, I’m an only child,” she told him, watching him nod. “I was wondering how it was for you, growing up in such a large family?”
“It wasn’t as bad as you might think. I was the oldest, so I got to boss everybody else around.”
Kalina laughed. “Of course you did.”
“No, I’m kidding. I wasn’t bossy at all. And as for having a big family, it’s nice knowing you have people there to support you, and that they have your back. Honestly, you can meet and forms bonds and close friendships with some of the nicest people around, but no one will have your back like family.”
“Well, I didn’t have much family, and my father didn’t have my back. He didn’t have my mother’s back either.”
“But you have your aunt. She’s there for you, right?”
“She is. I don’t know where I would be without her…probably would’ve been raised in a foster home or something.”
“Well, it’s a good thing she was able to help out.”
“It is. Lately, I’ve been trying to stay away from her and give her some breathing room without always bombarding her with my feelings. I mean, after all, my mother is her sister. She’s just as stressed out as I am.”
“No doubt,” Bryson said. Edith had told him that Kalina was holding a lot of feelings inside and not talking about them. It was another reason why she wanted him to be there for her.
“So besides Edith, you don’t have anyone else to confide in?”
“I talk to June since she knows what I’m going through. Sometimes, I talk to my friend Lizette, but I can’t share everything with her since she works for me and I have to see her every day. I don’t want our conversations to center on me and my issues.”
“You know that’s not healthy for you.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine,” he said, straight-faced.
“If I haven’t had a nervous breakdown yet, chances are I won’t have one,” she said, lightheartedly, trying to steer the conversation away from becoming too serious, but when she looked at him, she realized it was too late. What she said bothered him.
They sat quietly for a few moments, not saying anything to each other. She stared out the window. He stared at her.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Bryson said, ending the awkward period of silence that separated them. “Why haven’t you hired someone to help you with the emails?”
“Are you tired of doing it already?” she asked. “You only agreed to do it for a month. Two more weeks then you’re done.”
He gave her a hard, penetrating look. “I’m not tired of the emails, Kalina. I’m curious. You have a successful comp
any. I’m sure you do well for yourself, so why not hire someone?”
“Well, I really can’t afford to hire anyone right now.”
“Why not?”
Did he not just hear me? “Because I can’t afford it.” I did just say that, didn’t I?
“Why can’t Lizette help you?”
“Lizette has specific job duties. She writes blog posts, does the maintenance on the site and a little marketing. Those responsibilities keep her occupied.”
“So you can’t afford to hire someone, even on a part-time basis?”
“No, especially…” She hesitated, then continued, “I take care of my mother’s medical expenses. It’s not cheap for her to stay in assisted living, you know.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how much do you typically spend a month for her care?”
“About four thousand dollars.”
“Four thousand a month?”
“That’s what I said when I found out how much it would cost. But I sucked it up and began working as hard as I could to fund her healthcare, especially since she wasn’t eligible for any government health benefits.”
“What do you mean she’s not eligible? She’s the definition of eligible.”
“That’s what I thought, too, but they don’t cover her stay in a facility. I guess they look at it like, it’s not necessary for her to be there, which is really absurd.”
“So if you moved your mother in to live with you—”
“She still wouldn’t be eligible for benefits, because they would consider my income which is greater than their threshold.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“That’s the way it is. There’s nothing I can do but keep working.”
The food arrived just in time. Kalina didn’t want to talk about her mother any longer and Bryson hadn’t wanted her to either. He could see the pain in her eyes and hear it in her voice. Although she tried to hide it, she couldn’t hide it from him.
After Kalina tasted the mashed potatoes, she said, “I hold a lot of things in, but I think you do, too.” She was thinking about what she’d learned from June when she made the statement – that Bryson didn’t want to marry again because of what Felicia had done to him.
“Why do you think that?”
“Because I noticed when you speak about your ex-wife, you don’t call her by her name, almost like you are afraid of bringing up memories of her.”
Bryson took a sip of water. “When I closed that chapter of my life, I didn’t plan on rereading it, rewriting it or reopening it. And believe me, once I’m done with someone, whether it be business or personal, I’m done. There is no coming back…no in between. I don’t operate like that.”
“So I guess my next question is irrelevant.”
“No, not necessarily. Just ask it and I shall answer.”
“Would you marry again?”
“Why? You interested?” he asked smoothly.
Kalina could feel her cheeks turning red again.
Bryson laughed out loud, dabbed his mouth with a napkin and said, “You should see your face right now.”
She hid her face behind her hands and got herself together. Lowering her hands, she said, “I wanted to know because, if I were in your shoes, it would be difficult for me to trust another person. I’d be afraid the same thing would happen all over again.”
“Well, to answer your question, no, I do not wish to ever marry again.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have the power to avoid disappointment and I’m going to use it.”
Kalina nodded. “So you should understand why I chose the single life.”
Bryson shook his head. “No, I don’t understand that. From what you’ve told me, you’ve never been in love…never been in a relationship. You denied yourself of an experience before you could even get to experience it.”
“I don’t see it that way. I see it as a way of protecting myself from disappointment. Sound familiar?”
“No,” Bryson responded. “That’s different from my stance against remarrying.”
“How? How is it different?”
“Because I’ve loved before.”
“Oh, so I should fall in love, let the guy break my heart, then declare that I’ll never love again. Um…no thank you.”
All Bryson could do was shake his head.
Kalina added, “Plus, if I had to deal with a man like my father, I’d rather die alone.”
The ringing of her cell phone impeded their conversation. Kalina dug around in her purse, searching for her phone and when she found it, her heart instantly sank deeper into her chest. It was the facility, but why were they calling on a Saturday night?
“Are you okay?” Bryson asked when he saw the shift in her demeanor. He’d seen it twice before.
“It’s assisted living,” she told him. She answered the call. “Hello?”
“Hi, Ms. Cooper. We’re calling to let you know that your mother has fallen and is being examined by a doctor as we speak.”
Kalina swallowed hard and asked, “Well, is she…is she conscious?”
“She is, but—”
“Is she trying to talk or anything?”
Bryson watched Kalina’s hands shake as she tried to find out the status of her mother. When he saw a lone tear roll down her face, he reached across the table and covered her trembling hand with his hands.
“She’s making some noises, but it’s incoherent.”
“Okay,” she sniffled. “I’ll be there as fast as I can.” Kalina ended the call and got up from the table in a hurry.
“Kalina, where are you going?” Bryson asked quickly.
“I’m going to go find a taxi.”
“Kalina.”
“Stay. Enjoy the rest of your evening. I have to go. I’m sorry,” she said, hurrying to the outside entrance where she took out her cell phone and began searching for taxicab companies while walking along the Riverwalk, alone.
Bryson took enough money from his wallet to cover the bill and tip before quickly exiting the restaurant, turning to the right and to the left, trying to figure out which direction Kalina had went on the Riverwalk.
Deciding to head the same direction as they’d come in, he quickly walked to get to the parking lot, relieved when he saw her standing in the middle of the lot on her phone. Was she really calling a taxi?
“Kalina,” he said, walking up to her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to get a taxi to take me to my mom,” she said tearfully.
“No. I’ll take you.”
She shook her head. “I can’t ask you to do that, Bryson.”
Bryson took her cell phone from her hand and ended the call before sliding her phone inside the front pocket of his pants. “You’re not asking. I’m offering. I will take you over there, Kalina.”
“No,” she said, tears still streaming down her face like an impromptu waterfall. “Can you please give me my phone?”
Placing both hands on the sides of her face and using his thumbs to brush tears away like wipers on a windshield, Bryson said, “Kalina, let me help you. I want to.”
She shook her head in defiance.
“Kalina, sweetheart, let me help you.”
Through trembling lips, she managed to say, “Okay.”
Bryson guided her to his car, opened the passenger door to help her get in and then he quickly jumped in the driver seat. He asked her for the name of the facility. Once he told her, he knew exactly where it was, so he began the fifteen minute drive to get there.
Kalina’s cell phone rang from Bryson’s pocket. He took it out, looked at the display and said, “It’s your aunt.”
She took the phone from his grasp and answered with a shaky voice, “Edith, are you there already?”
“Yes, but they’re taking her to the hospital as we speak, so meet me there.”
“Okay. Bye.”
She ended the call then said to Bryson, “They’re taking her to the hospital now.”
<
br /> “The hospital is a few blocks away from the facility, if I remember correctly.”
Kalina nodded. “It is.”
Bryson glanced over at her, watching her hands tremble as they rested in her lap. “It’s going to be alright, Kalina.” He reached for her hands, covered them with his hand to prevent them from shaking. “It’s going to be okay.”
CHAPTER 21
At the hospital now, Bryson pulled up in the fire lane. “Go ahead and find your mom. I’m going to go park.”
“No, Bryson,” she said looking at him. “You’ve done enough by bringing me here. I don’t expect you to stay.”
“I want to stay.”
“No,” she said softer than a whisper and with the saddest expression he’d ever seen on a woman. “Go home. I’ll be fine.”
He exhaled a worried breath. If he didn’t stay he’d only be at home, worrying about her. “Are you sure?” he asked, concerned.
She sniffled. “Yes. She pulled the handle to get out of the car. “Thanks for the ride.”
“You’re welcome, Kalina,” he said downcast. He wanted to be there with her but he could understand that this was a private family matter and he wasn’t…family. Before she could get out of the car, he reached for her arm and once he had her attention, he said, “If you need me for anything, I don’t care how big or small, I want you to call me, okay?”
“Okay.”
Bryson watched Kalina walk to the front entrance of the hospital, the automatic, sliding glass doors inviting her inside. The sinking feeling of fear and worry that something bad was going to happen to her was all the confirmation he needed to confirm what he knew was already true – he’d let Kalina into a place he promised he’d never allow a woman to touch – his heart. After learning her, knowing her story and getting to know her as a person, he felt a closeness he hadn’t felt to a woman in a long time.
He shifted the car in gear but was reluctant to drive away. Kalina told him she would be fine, but he wasn’t so sure about that. Judging by her reaction in the restaurant and the way her body trembled in fear on the ride to the hospital, she wasn’t okay. She was far from it. She needed help and if she didn’t get it, she would end up with some stress-related illness. He was sure of it.
