Between Land and Sea

by Joanne Guidoccio

  “I got a new look and a possible new job.”

  “What kind of job?”

  “I’m not sure. I met a woman called Janice Evans who asked me to come in for an interview this afternoon. She runs a business called ReCareering. Can you help me?”

  “I am submitting the information and you will receive a summary document within a few seconds,” Lisa738 said. “Check the fax machine in the corner.”

  Barbara walked over and retrieved the three-page report. She returned to the tablet and spoke directly to Lisa738. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

  “I’ve glanced through the document. You will be working in an office of some kind and require computer skills. You may also need to acquire some background knowledge about counseling theories. Look beneath the screen and pick up the two, shiny buttons that appear. Do the same as before. Peel off the coatings and apply the buttons to your left temple.”

  Barbara followed her advice, experiencing the same unsettling sensation as before. She recovered quickly and smiled at Lisa738. “Thanks, again.”

  “Let me know what happens at the interview.” Lisa738 faded into the screen.

  Barbara read about the very successful local enterprise and its owner. In addition to counseling displaced and unemployed workers, Janice also provided temporary placements. She had been nominated for a number of major awards, including Carden’s Woman of Distinction.

  Barbara glanced at her watch and noted that it was almost noon. She prepared a turkey sandwich and a salad. After lunch, she walked into the bedroom and took another look at the dark, dreary clothes in the closet. She was grateful for Sandra’s advice. She pulled out the black suit and found a pale-blue shell to put underneath. She added a short pearl strand and studs. She freshened up her makeup and examined herself honestly in the full-length mirror. She approved.

  Although she was still a long way from the drop dead gorgeous looks of her previous life, she was excited about the possibilities for Barbara Davies. Barbara Davies. Barbara Davies. She repeated the name to herself. It still sounded foreign to her, but it was the name that now defined her.

  She grabbed a copy of her résumé along with her trench coat and headed outside. She ran into Rita and Bob at the entrance. Rita raised her eyebrows and Bob smiled broadly. “Looking good, Mrs. Davies.” He gave her the thumbs-up. Barbara was amused by the nudge Rita gave her husband.

  In less than ten minutes, she arrived at the ReCareering office. Located down the street from the beauty salon, the office’s exterior was nondescript. But when Barbara opened the door, she was greeted by a tastefully decorated room in shades of pink, cream, and green. Shabby Chic. Upscale Shabby Chic popped up in her mind. That must be the decorating scheme, Barbara thought.

  A number of partitions separated the different sections of the room. Barbara approached the attractive, young receptionist located in the central area. The woman smiled and greeted her. “Welcome to ReCareering. How may I help you?”

  “My name is Barbara Davies. I have an appointment with Janice Evans.”

  “Oh, yes, Janice told me about you. I’ll let her know you are here. Make yourself comfortable.” The woman pointed to the small reception area to her left.

  Barbara sat down and helped herself to the latest Oprah magazine. As she glanced at the table of contents, she heard her name and looked up into Janice’s smiling face.

  “Thank you for agreeing to come on such short notice. Let’s go into my office.”

  Barbara followed her into a small office behind the reception area. Every effort had been made to maximize the enclosed space. Both women sat down.

  Barbara handed her résumé to Janice. A few minutes of silence followed as Janice carefully looked over the document. Her face betrayed no emotion as she read through the two sheets that summarized Barbara Davies’s life.

  “It looks like your life revolved around your husband’s. I notice a few university committees and women’s groups. Was he a university professor?”

  “Yes, he taught philosophy at Arizona State. That’s where we first met.” Barbara paused. “I had a few short-term jobs after I graduated, but I didn’t pursue any career after I married Carl.”

  “I gather you want a fresh start.” Janice flipped back to the first page of the résumé. “I don’t see any career objective.”

  “When I worked on those committees, I developed my organizational and interpersonal skills. I’d like a job where I can continue to use that skill set and also make a difference in the lives of women.” Barbara turned and gestured outside Janice’s office. “I think I could do that here. I like the idea of helping people start over or go in a different direction when the first job or Plan A doesn’t work out. I can empathize with their situations.” Barbara was a bit shocked by some of the words coming out of her mouth. In her old life, she could never have spoken like this.

  “Yes, I think you could definitely relate with many of our clients.” Janice smiled as she turned her attention to the second page of the résumé. “I must admit, I’m curious about one of your references. How do you know Belinda Armstrong?”

  Barbara’s heart started pounding. With a pang, she remembered Gillian’s advice about taking care of every detail. She had been so busy concocting stories about Barbara Davies’s life that she hadn’t bothered with any of the mermaid connections. Belinda Armstrong was a former mermaid. Barbara was convinced of that.

  “Belinda is more of a character reference,” Barbara said. “My grandmother helped her out in her younger years and she lived with us for a while.”

  “So, you knew Belinda before she married Paul Armstrong, before she came to Carden.” Janice looked back at the résumé. “And I see you’re living in one of Paul’s buildings.”

  Barbara longed to ask more questions about Paul and Belinda, but she did not want to arouse Janice’s suspicions. And then a sudden thought popped into her mind. Use the Internet to find out more about the Armstrongs.

  Janice set down the résumé. “When I met you this morning, I had a particular job in mind. But now I feel that you might want and need something more challenging.”

  “I don’t need to be challenged right away,” Barbara said. “I’m willing to take on any entry level job that might be available.”

  “It’s a receptionist job. Sarah, our regular receptionist, has a family emergency and will be away for a while. It could be three or four months. Leslie, the young woman you met earlier, is here only for a few more days. If you’re interested, you could start tomorrow.”

  Barbara practically jumped out of her chair. “Yes, yes, I would like the job and I can start tomorrow.”

  “You definitely have enthusiasm.” Janice laughed and continued to study Isabella. “It’ll be interesting, very interesting to see how this works out.” She got up and Barbara followed suit.

  Janice brought Barbara around and introduced her to all the other employees in the office. She stopped at one desk, obtained a binder, and handed it to Barbara. “You may want to familiarize yourself with some of our policies. If you have time, fill out the forms tonight.” She smiled warmly at Barbara. “See you tomorrow.”

  Chapter 5

  Barbara was excited about her new job, but she was even more curious about the Armstrongs. As there was no computer in the apartment, Barbara needed to find access to the Internet.

  Go to the library. That thought suddenly popped in her head. She took the town map out of her purse and located the library. It was only a few streets away. Barbara began walking and soon found herself in front of a large stone building. She went inside and approached the information desk. She noted the nameplate—Hannah Madison—and greeted the young librarian.

  “Hello, my name is Barbara Davies. I’m new in town and I’m interested in getting a library card. I was hoping to have access to your computers.”

  “Welcome to Carden,” Hannah said. “If you fill out this application, I can process it and create a card for you. Do you need access to the
computers today?”

  “Yes, if that’s possible.”

  “No problem, I’ll give you a temporary login and password. You can use it while I finalize your card. I will need some I.D.”

  Barbara pulled out her driver’s license and gave it to Hannah. Hannah handed her a small receipt with the login and password information. She pointed to the row of empty computers in front of them. “I’ll put you down for Computer #1. You can use it for an hour. If you need more time, you can use your new library card number. I’ll have it ready for you before then.”

  Barbara thanked Hannah and made her way to the computer area. She followed the instructions on the screen and Googled Paul Armstrong’s name. She skimmed the information, but decided not to print it out. This was a small town, and she didn’t want anyone seeing her printing out information about Paul Armstrong.

  Paul Armstrong was a wealthy developer who had been born and raised in Carden. She looked at his birth date—July 25, 1937—and calculated his age to be seventy-five. She noted that he had left Carden about twenty years ago and settled in New York City. He had two ex-wives and three children. He was presently married to Belinda Armstrong.

  Barbara decided to look at the photographs. She was particularly drawn to those that featured a red-haired woman. She zoomed in on one of them and gasped. She found herself gazing into a pair of green eyes as familiar as her own, surrounded by a mane of red-gold hair. Deep in her core, she knew that Belinda Armstrong was Mirabella, her mother. Barbara pored over each picture of Mirabella. Her mother had aged very little. In one of the articles, her age was mentioned as forty-five. Barbara was older than her mother.

  It’s not fair, Barbara thought angrily. Mirabella kept all her looks and got her man, while she lost everything. And to make matters worse, Mirabella had not even bothered to contact her. All she did was send Paul to arrange for her accommodation. With an expiration date.

  Mirabella and Annabella are on speaking terms. How else would Paul Armstrong have known about Isabella coming to Carden? This also explained Annabella’s selection of Carden. Her grandmother would have known that Paul owned property here. But why couldn’t they have brought her to New York to be near Mirabella? Barbara longed for answers to these questions, but she had no way of getting them. Lisa738 had made it clear that Annabella would not be communicating with her.

  Barbara could easily pick up the phone and call Mirabella, but she hesitated to do so. Why should she make the first move? She looked up and saw Hannah approaching. She quickly exited the Internet and started to collect her purse and folder.

  “I have your card. Did you find all the information you needed?” Hannah asked.

  “Thanks for your help.” Barbara accepted the library card, flashed a smile, and waved goodbye as she left. She walked briskly toward the apartment building, trying to process all that she had learned about her mother. She was startled by the deep, masculine voice that penetrated her thoughts.

  “It’s too lovely a day to be thinking so hard. And a beautiful woman like you should be smiling not scowling.”

  Barbara looked up into the lively, hazel eyes of the attractive man before her. He was dressed casually in jeans and a leather jacket. She stammered, “I . . . Hello.” She stopped and looked at him expectantly. After the fiasco with Andrew, she didn’t really know how to respond to another man’s flattery. And she still wasn’t that comfortable with Barbara Davies’s body.

  He held out his hand. “Hello, yourself. My name is Graham Scott, and I don’t bite. I own the Art Shoppe on the main drag.”

  Barbara smiled and shook his hand. “I’m Barbara Davies. I just moved here from Arizona. I got a job at ReCareering and I start tomorrow.”

  “That calls for some kind of celebration. It’s too late for lunch and a bit early for dinner. How about coffee and éclairs at Solange’s?”

  Barbara agreed to coffee. It was still early in the day and she could use a diversion from what she had just learned about Mirabella. As they walked along the main street, Graham greeted everyone he encountered on the way. Barbara noticed that most people, especially the men, gave her appraising looks. She was starting to feel better about her altered appearance. Andrew may not have approved, but there were other men who found her attractive.

  Solange’s was nestled between a barbershop and an antique store. Barbara glanced about the café, liking what she saw. Plants—either real or very good fakes—were scattered throughout the room. Little round tables with delicate-looking chairs were filled with pleasant, nicely dressed people, mostly women. The fragrant aroma of freshly brewed coffee added to the ambience.

  Barbara welcomed the coffee, but declined the offer of éclairs. Her human taste buds were still an unknown entity, and she was determined not to become addicted to any fattening foods. The conversation was a pleasant one and Graham did most of the talking. Barbara learned he had majored in art and had spent several years traveling through Europe. After a few successful shows, he decided to focus on the retail aspects of art. He still dabbled in acrylics and taught a few evening art classes, but he hadn’t put on a show in years. He was a widower with two adult children, one in Vancouver and another in Kelowna. He saw them a few times a year.

  “It must have been hard to see them go,” Barbara said.

  “Yes, but I couldn’t stop them from leaving.” He made a circling motion with his right arm. “Carden isn’t the most exciting place on earth, especially for young single people who crave a bit of adventure.” He winked at her. “And it hasn’t been that exciting for older singles either. At least, not until now.”

  Barbara wasn’t ready to get involved with another man, not so soon after Andrew. Graham was definitely handsome with that salt and pepper hair and those two dimples that played around his mouth. And he was easy to talk to. But, and it was a big but, she didn’t plan on spending the rest of her life in Carden. Her Bella nature craved and needed a larger, more exciting arena like New York or Chicago. Starting a relationship would only complicate matters. Carden was only a short stop, a pit stop.

  “Have I come on too strong?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “My kids tell me I’m too blunt and direct at times. I hope you won’t hold that against me.”

  There was an awkward pause as Barbara continued to smile.

  Graham looked at his watch and made a face. “I promised my assistant that I would give her a break.” He took out a small card and handed it to Barbara. “Here’s my card. Give me a call if you feel like going out to dinner or a movie or just talking. Nice meeting you, Barbara.” He got up and left the café.

  Barbara fingered the small card before tucking it into her purse. In spite of everything, she had managed to attract a man on her first day out in Carden. She thought back to Lisa738’s comments about her special spark.

  Today’s discoveries had given her a new goal. She was now determined to show up Mirabella who, according to Annabella, had abandoned her at birth and made no attempt to contact her. Although she didn’t know the particulars of Mirabella’s life, it sounded like she had hit the jackpot when she married Paul Armstrong. She probably lived in a beautiful mansion and had an amazing life. Well, Barbara Davies would have an even more amazing life. She finished drinking her coffee, got up, and left the café.

  Chapter 6

  Barbara threw herself into her new job. She watched and listened carefully as Leslie explained the telephone system and showed her how to use the company database. She was grateful for Gillian’s advice about staying in contact with Lisa738. Without those extra buttons, she would be at a loss in this busy office.

  By the end of the first week, she had successfully mastered all of her receptionist tasks and began looking for additional projects that would challenge her. She spent her evenings reading and taking long walks in the nearby park. After visiting the community pool, she decided to forego swimming until the summer months. She was not comfortable with her extra weight and found the strong chlorine smell a definite deterrent.
She would wait for the warmer temperatures and then search for a large, clean body of water.

  She enjoyed going to the library and developed a friendship with Hannah Madison. The young librarian suggested a number of business and counseling books, which Barbara read with great interest. Although she could easily have obtained the necessary information by using more of the tablet’s special buttons, she preferred the slow reading process. She gradually absorbed a knowledge base about success and relationships in the workplace.

  She developed a special interest in self-help literature and made a point of reserving the latest selections. She read each new book carefully, making notes along the way. Write a self-help book. At first she was surprised by that particular thought. But she found herself thinking more and more about writing a book that could really help middle-aged women who were trying to reinvent themselves. She was living it. Why not write about it?

  Barbara welcomed the friendly overtures from the other ladies in the office. She joined them for lunch each day and listened attentively to details about their families and activities. She volunteered little information about her own life, and the other women respected her privacy. Fridays came quickly and Barbara found herself without any plans for the weekends.

  As she walked along the main street, she noticed that most of the other employers were also closing their establishments. When a large display window caught her eye, she stopped to admire the watercolor prints, pottery, and sculpture pieces that were strategically placed on a large, colorful quilt.

  She heard a familiar masculine voice at her side. “I’m not closing for a while. Feel free to come in and browse.”

  Barbara looked up into Graham’s twinkling eyes. “I like the prints. Are they yours?”

  “No, they belong to one of my students. Why don’t you come in and see the rest of the shop? I have a few loose ends to tie up. I’ll be about twenty minutes or so.” He paused. “If you want, we could take in dinner and a movie afterward. That is, unless you have other plans.”