Anna nodded miserably. “And then I stood you up by waiting to come here until I was sure you’d given up and left, and justified it to myself by thinking that the last time we’d talked about it, we’d never actually agreed on a time. Pure semantics, and I actually believed I was in the right. So much so that I was righteously pissed off when I found that you’d taken my scone. I had a few choice words ready for you when I delivered your computer. And then when I got to your office, you took all the wind out of my sails by telling me that you were worried about me.”
“I was worried about you. I just couldn’t believe that the person I knew from our first three meetings could stand me up that way. There had to be another explanation. And I was really afraid that the explanation was just what it turned out to be.”
Anna summoned up all of her courage as she reached across the table and covered Elizabeth’s hand with her own. Startled, Elizabeth looked down at their hands and then back at Anna, the question clear in her eyes.
“I am very, very sorry,” Anna said quietly. “For judging you, for letting my prejudices screw up something beautiful, for treating you so badly. And I was sorry then, too. I built a whole house of cards to support my position, and you knocked most of it down in thirty seconds. The rest fell when Chanda told me that the laptop wasn’t university property. But my prejudices were still there, and I still thought you were out of my league. So I never fought for this, even though I wished I could.”
Elizabeth turned her hand over, interlacing their fingers. “Then I need to know one thing. Are you fighting for it now?”
“Yes. I am.”
“Why?”
“That’s two things.”
A slow smile curved Elizabeth’s lips. “Semantics are the bane of your life, aren’t they?”
“They’ve gotten me in a lot of trouble, yes.” Anna smiled back, then added more seriously, “Because I figured out that there’s more to both you and me than our job titles.”
“And when did that happen?”
“This month. It started at Christmas, when I had that realization with my family. Plus my mom seriously kicked me in the ass when I told her what happened. She informed me that I was being a snob, and when I got over the shock of that, I realized she was right. I came back determined to at least rebuild a friendship with you. And then when—what?” she asked, seeing the aha expression on Elizabeth’s face.
“You just answered a question I’ve been wondering about since you delivered Chanda’s computer. I couldn’t believe it when you walked in my office and gave me that photo of a toaster. You were joking with me. It was like you’d suddenly reverted back to the person I met here in this coffee shop. And then I found that you’d played another joke by changing my hard drive icon. Something had changed, but I had no idea what. Not that I was complaining.”
“I didn’t realize it was that obvious.”
“Trust me, it was. And for the record, I like your mother.”
“Well…anyway,” Anna continued, embarrassed and eager to move on, “when we were working together on that presentation, I started to see you more as Elizabeth and less as the Vice Provost for Research. But I think the most important thing was that I started to think of myself as someone with valuable expertise. A person with something to offer.”
Elizabeth squeezed her hand with a delighted grin. “Yes! That’s exactly what I hoped would happen.”
Anna stared. “You set this up?”
“Not the way you’re thinking.” With a final squeeze, Elizabeth let go and reached for her scone. “Remember, I arranged for your involvement before I saw you again. When I still had no reason to think you’d ever see me as…well, romantic potential. Or even a friend.” She broke off a piece and popped it into her mouth. “Mmm. You know, you were right about these. They’re fantastic.”
Anna’s impatience was clearly conveyed in her look, because Elizabeth laughed as she picked up her mug for a sip. “Sorry, but I can’t let it get cold. Anyway, you made your self-perception pretty clear when you told me I was out of your league. And afterward, every time I called you with a question about my new computer, I’d sit there amazed all over again that you could have such a low perception of yourself when you were obviously extremely good at what you do. When I found out about those inconsistent computer policies, I saw an opportunity for you. There was no question in my mind that you’d be the perfect person to talk at that meeting, and I hoped that in the process, you might come to see yourself a little more clearly. I have to say, I’m quite proud of myself now.”
Anna sat back in her chair with a thump. “I can’t believe it. Now I feel like I did in the seventh grade, when my teacher had me grade papers for her so I could figure out that getting two wrong out of twenty wasn’t actually a bad thing.”
“I am not at all surprised that you’d have thought a ninety percent score wasn’t good enough,” said Elizabeth. “But I really hope you don’t see me as the equivalent of your seventh-grade teacher.”
“No. For one thing, I can’t imagine her looking that good in a leather coat.” She saw the pink rise to Elizabeth’s cheeks and felt that she’d recovered at least a little equilibrium in this conversation.
“Well, thank you. And thanks for explaining everything. You didn’t have to, but it really does help.”
“Of course I had to. Elizabeth, this has been weighing me down for three months. I want to start over with you, and I couldn’t do that without coming clean.”
“We can never start over. That’s not how it works. Where we are now is a product of the last three months, and we can’t change that. And I wouldn’t if I could.”
“You wouldn’t?” Anna thought that if she could wave a magic wand and wipe out her colossally bad behavior in October, she’d do it in a heartbeat.
“No. Look at how much you’ve changed in those months. Would you take that away from yourself?”
“No,” Anna said instantly, now seeing her point.
“And in that same time period, I’ve come to appreciate your professionalism even when I couldn’t have your friendship. You could have dumped me off on anyone else in your department just because things were so awkward between us. But you didn’t. And I’ve seen you extend the same perfect courtesy to Chanda, who by your definition of the American class system is pretty far below you.”
“Whoa, wait a minute! Chanda isn’t in a different class from me, she just has a different job.”
“Exactly.” Elizabeth sat back in her chair with another bite of scone, smiling as she watched Anna catch up.
“Oh, that was very clever.”
“That was semantics.”
Anna couldn’t help but laugh. “Point made. And very well, I must say. It’s a bit scary to think I might have met someone who can beat me at my own game.”
“You need someone who can beat you at your own game sometimes. We all do. It’s what makes relationships dynamic instead of static. We need people who can help us grow.”
Anna thought back to her holiday, when she’d been utterly bored by at least eighty percent of the conversation. “I think you’re right. That’s why I left Kansas. I couldn’t grow there anymore.”
“And that’s why I left Maine. Though it wasn’t so much the people as the limitations of the place.”
“You couldn’t grow in Maine?”
“I love my parents, but I couldn’t do what they did for a living. It wasn’t enough for me.”
“What did they do?” asked Anna curiously.
With an odd little half-smile, Elizabeth said, “They ran a lobster boat. My background is probably even more blue collar than yours. I worked on the boat until college.”
Anna stared, for once in her life struck speechless. “But…you went to Yale? And Cambridge?” she said faintly.
“Yale gave me a full ride, and Cambridge was courtesy of a Rotary Ambassador scholarship. I could never have afforded those universities on my own, and my parents sure couldn’t help.”
&nb
sp; “Oh, God.” Anna laid her head down on the table, mortified beyond any prior standards. “Remember what you said about not wanting to start over?”
“Yes…?” There was laughter underlying the single word.
Anna sat up again, meeting Elizabeth’s amused gaze. “I think we need to in at least one way. Will you tell me about yourself? Start from the beginning, and don’t leave anything out. Because if you do, I’ll almost certainly find a way to embarrass myself with it.”
“Deal, on one condition. You do the same.”
“Deal.” She held her hand out, and Elizabeth gave it a formal shake.
The conversation flowed easily after that, though Anna continued to mentally kick herself as she learned more about Elizabeth’s life. They had far more in common than she’d have believed, and the time flew by as they compared their experiences growing up and moving out. Before she knew it, Elizabeth was pointing at her watch and saying they needed to go.
They waved good-bye to Kyung and started down the street, with Anna swinging out at her usual pace until she realized that Elizabeth wasn’t keeping up.
“Can’t move those long legs fast enough?”
“Hey, I moved them fast enough to get here only half an hour late. Now they’re stiff as a pair of two-by-fours. I think my quads are on strike.”
“Oh, damn, I didn’t think about that.” Anna was instantly contrite. “Do you want to just rest here while I get the car and come back?”
“No thanks. Actually, a two-mile walk is probably just what I need. I can get my muscles warmed up and then stretch them out.”
“Okay,” Anna said doubtfully, watching as Elizabeth walked stiff-legged beside her. “But you’re making me hurt just looking at you.”
“Maybe you can take care of me later.” Elizabeth kept her eyes straight ahead while Anna stared in surprise, unsure if she’d heard that right. Then she saw the small smile.
“Are you trying to get my heart rate up?” she asked. “Or was that just cruel teasing?”
“Which would you prefer?” Now the smile grew larger, and Anna couldn’t help but smile in response.
“I like it when you tease me,” she decided. “But I also believe in the health benefits of an aerobic heart rate.”
“Excellent answer,” said Elizabeth. “Very diplomatic. You could be a manager yet.”
The river path was nearly empty, the chilly January weather not being conducive to skateboarding or roller blading. Anna hardly noticed the cold, nor anything around her other than Elizabeth’s presence at her side. Every now and then she stole a glance as they chatted, still not quite believing that they had managed to get to this point. Wasn’t it just a few days ago that she was certain this would never happen?
They were halfway back to Anna’s house when Elizabeth stopped at a viewpoint. “Hold on, it’s time to stretch these things out.” She bent over, her hands flat on the ground as she stretched her legs. “Ahhh. Okay, this is helping.”
“You’re pretty flexible for a runner,” said Anna, looking on in envy and considerable appreciation.
“That’s because I’m not a runner. And after this morning, I’m remembering why I’m not a runner.”
After half a minute of unabashed staring, Anna asked, “Can I make a confession?”
Elizabeth straightened up, then balanced on one leg as she pulled her ankle up behind her in a quad stretch. “You mean you still have some left to make?”
“Very funny. I was just going to say that I’m actually kind of glad you locked your keys in your car.”
“Why?”
“Because now I can say that I took you home with me on our first date.”
Elizabeth laughed, nearly losing her balance and hopping around on one foot until she regained it. “Well, that’ll probably do your reputation a world of good.”
“Given the fact that I don’t even have a reputation, yes, I think it will.”
“Just as long as you tell the story straight. ‘It was either a taxi or my beautiful gleaming Prius; how could she resist?’”
“Why would you assume I have a Prius?”
“Because I read a study that conclusively showed that all Mac owners are high-income intellectuals who obsessively recycle, buy organic, and drive Priuses.” She let go of her ankle and switched legs.
“Oh, perfect, every stereotype wrapped up in a single study. What was that, a sample size of twelve? I’ll have you know I drive an Audi, thank you very much. Four-door sedan. I like to be comfy when I travel.”
“What?” Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up in exaggerated astonishment. “An Audi? I’m sorry, but that has no blue-collar credibility whatsoever. You’ve really been fooling yourself. At the very least you should be driving around in a beat-up old Ford, preferably an F150.”
“Let me guess; that’s what you drove in Maine.”
“You know it. Lobster pots take up a lot of space.” Elizabeth gave her a quick grin. “But it was my parents’ truck. My tastes run a bit differently now.”
Anna crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you drive? Lexus? BMW? No, wait—I think you’re the Acura type.”
“None of the above. But I am a Mac owner…”
“Oh my God, you drive a Prius!” Anna cracked up laughing, and Elizabeth soon joined her, losing her balance in the process. She put a hand on Anna’s shoulder to catch herself, leading Anna to reach out with both hands to steady her by the waist. They stood there looking at each other until Elizabeth quietly released her ankle, took a single step, and leaned down to brush their lips together.
It was a fleeting, light kiss, the kind a person gives when she’s not sure of the reception. But Anna didn’t let go, and after a moment Elizabeth closed the distance again, this time for a kiss that conveyed a bit of passion and a promise of more to come. Her lips were wonderfully soft, never too demanding, and soon accompanied by gentle fingers sliding into Anna’s hair. Glad for the tacit permission, Anna slipped one hand behind Elizabeth’s neck and the other around her back, pressing her close as she gave herself over to a deeper exploration. She marveled at the intimacy of this simple touch, still unable to believe that it was Elizabeth she was holding in her arms.
So lost was she in the kiss that she forgot where they were, and would have been happy to stand there for the next hour had her partner not been slightly more aware of their surroundings. With a last kiss, softer than all the rest, Elizabeth pulled back to a safe distance.
“Shall we get my car?” she asked, a smile on her face that Anna had never seen before.
Anna couldn’t tear her eyes away from it. “Sure,” she said, “but I think you’ll have to drive us there. Your legs might be stiff, but mine just turned to jelly.”
Chuckling, Elizabeth reached for her hand as they resumed their walk. Anna looked at their clasped hands, then faced forward with what she knew was an ear-to-ear grin. Try as she might, she couldn’t wipe it off.
Apparently, a codfish could ask the shark out.
EPILOGUE
Anna found a parking space and dove into it, grateful for once that the car she was driving was so little. It did make it easier to park, but that was about the only good thing she could say about it. “I miss my Audi,” she groaned as she pulled the key out of the ignition.
“You are such a car snob,” said Elizabeth, opening the door on her side and unfolding her frame. “I’ve got four inches on you, and I don’t think this is so bad.” She went around back, popped the trunk, and rustled through their bags while Anna painfully maneuvered herself out of the driver’s seat.
“That’s because you’re used to puny cars,” she said, shutting the little tin can door and walking around to get her own bags. “Plus I think your legs are double-jointed.”
“Don’t tell, I’ll have women chasing me wherever I go. And I prefer the one I have.” Elizabeth winked at her as she shouldered her daypack and picked up the overnight bag. “Ready?”
“Hang on.” Anna got her own bags situate
d, shut the tailgate, and pressed the key fob. The satisfying clunk told her that the car was locked, and she dropped the key into her pocket. “At least it has electronic locks.”
“That’s it,” Elizabeth said. “Next time we’re bringing the Audi, so I won’t have to hear about all the shortcomings of this car.”
“I wish. Might be a little hard to get it here, though.” She reached for Elizabeth’s free hand as they walked and not for the first time wondered if she’d ever get tired of holding it. Probably not. “Have I mentioned that I’m a snob about women, too? I only travel with the best.”
“No, but I already knew that.” They shared a smile, then focused on the bustle around them. “Wow. Busy place.”
“Not hard to see why.” Anna nodded toward the distinctive rock that loomed over the town.
“Do you know, I never realized it was that big,” Elizabeth said in wonder.
“Me either. I’m hoping we’re about to get an even better view.”
The signs directed them toward a ticket window, where a young man greeted them. “Good morning, ladies! What can I do for you?” he asked in a rich British accent.
“Two round-trip passenger tickets, please,” Anna told him. Squeezing Elizabeth’s hand, she added, “To Tangier.”
###
ABOUT FLETCHER DELANCEY
Fletcher DeLancey is an Oregon expatriate who moved to Portugal to be with the love of her life. Now happily married for five years, Fletcher lives in the beautiful, sunny Algarve, where she devotes her spare time to learning the local birds and plants, and trying every regional Portuguese dish she can get her hands on. (There are many. It’s going to take a while.)
The rest of the time, she teaches Pilates, gardens, bakes extremely good brownies, rides her road bike on narrow country lanes…and writes.
She is best known for her five-book Star Trek: Voyager epic, The Past Imperfect Series, and for her science fiction novel Without A Front. Currently, she is working on a prequel to Without A Front and as an editor for Ylva Publishing.
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