Naughty & Nice

by J. S. Scott

  “I’ll remind her if I see her.” Katie moved to the figurine shelf where Elsie had princesses on display. One was out of line and she straightened it, positioning it with the rest.

  “Thanks, dear. That one has been bothering me, but with this shoulder…”

  “Do you need anything?”

  “No,” Elsie gave a dejected sigh and took her spot in front of her aging television. “Commercials are over.”

  “Is that Hailey?” Katie asked, peering at the screen. The woman was beaming from the TV, wrapped in the embrace of a movie star. Finian Alexander. My, he was an eyeful of yum.

  “It is. They are doing a charity thing. It’s very cute. They’re fixing Finian’s old neighbourhood.” Elsie wiped a tear from a damp eye. “You need to find yourself a man like that and save the world, Katie. It needs it so much.”

  “I think your dancing problems are solved. Dance for Mr. Alexander here.” Katie resisted fanning herself. “I’m going to continue my rounds. Buzz me if you need anything, Mrs. Nagorski. Dinner in the common area at six.”

  “It always is.”

  “I asked Leif from Benny’s to bring you a nice slice of roast beef.”

  “Oh, Katie. You are such a dear. You really are the best. Just like your father says.”

  “He doesn’t say that when I argue with him.”

  She left Elsie and turned into Beth’s grandmother’s room, inhaling the scent of her powdery, floral perfume Love Chloé that hung in the air, expecting the suite to be empty.

  “Gran! I thought Beth was taking you home?”

  “Oz needed her to run an errand, and she didn’t want to leave me waiting in the cold car. Said she’d be back later, but now there’s a blizzard.” The elderly woman heaved a mighty sigh.

  “I’m stuck here, too.” Katie offered the tin of cookies, and Gran began to shake her head. “Mandy made them.”

  She took two. “Thanks, dear. I think I’ll have a nip of sherry to go with it. Borski-Nagorski—”

  “Borski?”

  “She’s been boring everyone with her video chats. Like we didn’t hear and see it all with her in the common room, nattering so loudly with her sister over in Muskoka. Her friend’s daughter and that boyfriend of hers. You would think she was the first person to get in bed with a movie star. I need a drink, dear.”

  “Lucky woman, that Hailey.”

  “Speaking of getting lucky…pass the sherry?” Gran asked hopefully. She pointed behind Katie to a bottle sitting by framed photos of Beth and her sister, Cynthia, both of whom Gran had raised. “Nash, bless his heart, brought me some of the finer stuff.”

  “He’s changed, don’t you think?” He was sweeter. Dreamier.

  Gran waved a paper pill cup she’d dug out of the trash by her recliner. “Just a finger. How is your father? I heard he’s in.”

  Katie poured her a shot. “Appendicitis. He’s recovering well. You can visit if you’d like.” She capped the bottle. “I’ve got to go check on a few others. Buzz me if you need anything, okay?”

  “I may fake arrhythmia later. Nash’s tush is a sight for sore eyes.”

  Katie released another burst of laughter. “I don’t think anyone would blame you.” She struggled to blink away visions of his tush in the nude.

  Gran knocked back the shot and held out the cup, wiggling it until she filled it again. “You seem different, Katie.”

  “It’s the holiday getup.” She gestured to her garb, knowing Gran had caught her faraway, dreamy look.

  “Not what I meant and you know it.”

  Katie placed the bottle back where she’d found it and hightailed it into the hall. Finishing her quick round, she headed to her station.

  “Katie?” The voice was familiar, kind, and hesitant. Her ex.

  Couldn’t be.

  Yes, could be. Was.

  “Doesn’t anyone listen to the weatherman and stay home in a blizzard?” she asked, turning to face him.

  “I wanted to see you.” The distance between them was being eaten up at a great rate. They were both moving. His hands were extended; hers were lifting to meet them despite her desire to push him away.

  Was this the moment?

  Was it?

  If it was, why didn’t she feel more excited? More like her life was finally going to lift off?

  A patient alarm went off at Katie’s desk and she turned back, thankful for the distraction. She reached over the counter and connected to the room in question. “Yes?”

  “Merry Christmas, honey.” It was her dad. “Say, I was just thinking…have I been arrested? I seem to be…” He paused as he searched for the right word.

  “You aren’t to go anywhere, understand? Sit tight.”

  “Nature seems to be calling my name in a rather loud voice.”

  “You have a catheter.” Thankfully, Amy had done that pre-op, but the nurse had yet to remove it. Where was she, anyway? Katie hadn’t seen Amy since the operation. Hopefully, she hadn’t decided to go home, since her shift was over. There was no way Katie wanted to go anywhere near her father’s family jewels. Nursing degree or no nursing degree.

  “I…”

  “Dad, just let it rip. In fact, you probably already have. It’s a catheter and it—”

  “No. The other kind.”

  Oh, sweet mother of… Katie closed her eyes and thought for a moment. Yes, this was indeed proportionally worse than being at her parents’ house and dealing with holiday overload. Served her right.

  “I’ll send Amy in shortly, okay?” She hung up the phone, paged Amy to her father’s room and turned to Will. “Not really a great time right now. I’m working.”

  “I know.”

  He wanted something. She could tell. He had that hitch in his shoulders like he did when he wasn’t sure if she was going to yell at him.

  “What do you need?” she asked.

  “You.” He dropped to one knee and Katie’s heart nearly gave out.

  “Stand up!” He couldn’t do this. Not right here. Not now.

  “Not one of these again,” Gran said, and turned back toward the continuing-care wing. “Christmas proposals are so overdone. I’ll visit Harvey later.”

  “Kathryn Jane Reiter, I have loved you since the day you told me my shirt was stained and you passed me your stain-remover pen.”

  He was holding her hand really tightly. His grip was sweaty and Katie feared her fingers would suddenly come flying out of his. She kind of hoped they would.

  No, wait. She wanted him to hold her hand. She wanted this. She’d been expecting it.

  She smiled.

  Finally.

  How things were supposed to be.

  “You are the woman who matches me.” Wasn’t he so sweet? They were right for each other and he could see it, too. “You make sure my socks are the same and my colors coordinate. You wash my clothes and take good care of me.”

  Come to think of it, his Dockers were looking a tad grubby. And he obviously hadn’t ironed them. This man needed her.

  “You are everything I’m not, Katie Reiter.”

  Yes, that was likely true.

  Movement beyond Will caught her eye and Katie glanced up. Nash paused, took in the scene, then quietly backed out of the corridor, his head bent over the shoe box he was carrying.

  The floor tilted under Katie’s feet. Something wasn’t right.

  This was wrong.

  She blinked down at Will, the man she’d loved for years.

  “You are my perfect match. You are my…” He was still talking about her as if she were his mother and maid all rolled into one.

  Katie hefted him to his feet. “Look, Will. I don’t think I’m your match, and, honestly, us trying to make each other into the person we want is exhausting.”

  He frowned.

  “It is. Okay? This isn’t going to happen. Not for us. Not today. Sorry.”

  She fled into a nearby storage closet, slamming the door so hard a flurry of damp mops fell on top of her a
s she collapsed into a sobbing heap.

  The supply closet door cracked opened a few minutes later, allowing a shaft of light and a powdery scent to enter. Gran.

  Unable to hold in the sobs, Katie felt her body shake and her humiliation rise like Benny’s blood pressure when he cooked with too much salt. What she wouldn’t do for a slice of his Chocolate Maven pie right now. She dropped her chin onto her knees and held her breath, struggling to trap the emotions that had broken free.

  “Katie dear?” The warmth of the old woman’s body pressed into her side as she joined her on the floor.

  “Oh, don’t sit,” Katie wailed. “We’ll never get you up again.”

  Gran laughed good-naturedly. “Probably not. But I happen to know ol’ blue eyes is in the building and will help me out.”

  “Frank Sinatra?” That was the only ol’ blue eyes she knew. “Is it time for another mental test, Gran?”

  The woman chuckled. “Nash Leham.”

  Katie sighed. He was crush worthy, wasn’t he?

  Gran snuggled in, making herself comfortable in the crowded closet. “Now, what’s all this about? Did you say no to poor William?”

  Katie sniffed and nodded, but realizing Gran couldn’t see her in the dark, she let out a plaintive “Yeah.”

  “Are you regretting that choice already?”

  Katie thought about it. “No.”

  “Then you must be worried about his feelings?”

  “Not really.”

  “Then what’s the fuss?”

  “I thought this was what I wanted. I’ve been imagining this moment for weeks, and now…and I said no and…and I don’t know what my life is anymore.” Her inhalation turned to hiccups.

  Gran hugged her closer. “Oh, dear.”

  “I mean, this is what women want. What I want. A great job that they are good at, a man who loves them and wants to marry them. And I’m saying no to it all.”

  Outside in the corridor, Christmas carols began, and a new round of sobs welled up within Katie.

  “Is this about someone else?”

  “No.”

  “It’s Nash Leham, isn’t it?” Gran asked, her voice tight. “He’s doing it again.”

  “He’s not doing anything. And he didn’t break up Beth and Oz, Gran. He made them stronger, because without him going after Beth, Oz wouldn’t have got his act together.”

  “You like him.”

  Katie stood, patting around for the light switch. She flicked it on and winced.

  The door opened and Mary Alice stared in. Beyond her, Harvey sat in a wheelchair, looking pleased with himself. “I’m taking your father home.”

  “I feel great. Invincible!” Her dad raised a hand as though wielding a sword.

  “It’s the drugs.” Katie carefully helped Gran off the floor, tears threatening. “You need to stay here. You just had surgery.”

  “I’m going home.”

  “He’s fine,” Mary Alice said. “He’s going home.”

  “Fine. I quit.”

  “What?” all three asked her.

  Katie closed her eyes, breath held in. That was not supposed to come out. She slowly opened her eyes and exhaled. “I quit. I’m moving to the city to intern as an interior decorator.” She waited as the stunned expressions turned to ones of confusion.

  Mary Alice swung a fist through the air, her bulky suit rustling with the action. “I knew it!”

  “You did not,” Katie snapped.

  “Okay, I didn’t.” She gave her a Cheshire cat grin. “But I suspected you were up to something big. Maybe you should take a nursing job in Dakota, so you have some money while you intern. I’ll ask Nash to give you a reference.”

  “I’m done nursing,” Katie said softly.

  “Near cleaned me out with that degree and now she doesn’t want it?” Harvey muttered. “Is this real? Am I dreaming?”

  “Nursing was your choice, Dad, not mine.”

  “What’s wrong with you kids?” he asked, his voice rising. “I get you good jobs so you can support yourselves, a family, and you don’t want them!”

  Tears brimmed in his eyes and Katie felt as big as an aphid. She tipped her chin up. “Yeah, well, merry Christmas. Tell Mom I said hi.”

  * * *

  Katie huddled away from the flurry of icy flakes stinging her skin. How had so many people made it in through this storm? She couldn’t see anything five feet from her snowy bench. Her feet were numb and her fingers hurt so bad she could scream.

  But nobody would bother her in the hospital’s smoke pit, where she’d fallen into a personal pit of despair. She’d told the one person she shouldn’t—Mary Alice. The news about her changing her life was probably already all over town. Blizzards couldn’t slow a swarm of gossip locusts.

  Just. Like. That.

  Her whole life had changed.

  Katie plunged her head into her hands, then sagged against the bench’s snowy backrest. A clump of snow fell off the bush behind her, going down the neck of her coat. She gasped at the cold and tried to fish the chunk out with frozen fingers.

  Her life had been fine less than forty-eight hours ago. And now it was… Well, whatever it was, it was Nash’s fault. If it weren’t for him, she would have said yes to Will. If it weren’t for Mary Alice, she wouldn’t be thinking about Nash. If it weren’t for Nash, she wouldn’t be thinking about changing careers. If it weren’t for…oh, who was she kidding? She hadn’t been happy in so long she couldn’t even remember what true joy felt like.

  She hadn’t been unhappy, but she hadn’t had that twinkle-in-the-eye, heart-lifting exuberant love for life in so long, she wasn’t sure it was still possible.

  She was like Beth had been when Oz had dumped her.

  Exactly like Beth.

  Then Nash had come in, shaken everything up and left again. He’d changed Beth’s life irrevocably. For the better. And then Beth went back to Oz.

  There was no way Katie was going back to Will. She’d refused him. Beth had never refused Oz. Not like this.

  Tears blazed stinging trails down Katie’s frozen cheeks.

  The door beside her creaked open, the hydraulics unhappy with the subzero temperature.

  “Katie?”

  Nash. Of course.

  “You okay?”

  “Peachy.”

  “Mary Alice said you’re quitting?” There was a hitch of disbelief in his voice.

  “Looks like it.” There was that swarm, doing its work. “So, what’s wrong with her?”

  “Mary Alice? Nothing a little medical attention won’t fix.”

  “She’s not dying?”

  “Not today. However, I doubt she is truly invincible. She does believe it’s her time to go, though. Patients are usually wrong about that when it is their first brush with mortality.”

  The relief Katie felt was unexpected, and tears began in earnest. “I have to change my life.” She sobered up suddenly. Too much crying. Enough wallowing in self-pity. It was time to form a new life plan.

  What was she thinking? Her former life plan had trapped her in a career she wasn’t passionate about, and hoping a man she didn’t love would ask her to become his wife.

  Although, possibly it wasn’t the plan as much as her focusing on it too much. She should have checked to see what could be added or deleted from it every so often, as things—including herself—changed. She hadn’t even seriously considered what else was out there for her and how she could get it.

  “What are you going to do?” Nash asked gently, as he tucked a blanket from the warmer over her lap. How long had he been watching her wallow out here, trying desperately to pull the unraveling threads of her existence back together? Her life was a sock that could not be darned, the weave too worn and loose to be mended. She needed to start over. Weave her own sock, one that would be strong enough to contain her real life. A life that could be bigger.

  Katie stood, letting the heated blanket fall into the snow. Her legs felt the chill immediately, mak
ing her regret standing. “I’m going to… I’m going to…” She stared into the white space behind Nash. The wind had suddenly died, the flakes turning fatter. Beautiful. Sparkling as the sun strived to sneak through a break in the storm.

  Nash appeared in front of her and she blinked to focus on him instead.

  “You okay?” He shivered, hands clutched in front of him. He wasn’t wearing a coat or gloves and there was a layer of snow on his blond hair. His nose and cheeks had turned an alarming shade of red.

  “Yeah, fine. Let’s go inside.”

  “It’s a gong show in there. If you want to talk, let’s do it here.”

  “You’re freezing.”

  “I feel as though I’ve tossed your world upside down. Gran is giving me dirty looks…I’m guessing you didn’t say yes to Will?”

  Katie sighed, her chest tight with a trapped hiccup.

  “I don’t want today to come between us,” he added.

  “Nash…” Katie shifted awkwardly, not meeting his eyes. Her feet were in danger of frostbite, as was most of him.

  He cupped her face with his icy hands. “Katie, shh. It’s okay.” He placed his mouth against hers, the coldness shocking. As they kissed, their lips warmed, and Katie was unable to resist wrapping her arms around him, even when it made her coat dip down, exposing the damp skin on the nape of her neck where the snow had melted. It was worth it.

  The door creaked open. “Really? Him? You said no for him?” Will gave Katie a disgusted glare and stormed past, looking ridiculous when he tried to wade through the waist-deep snow.

  “Will. You can’t go out in this. It’s too dangerous.”

  “Up yours, Katie!”

  “Will! It’s not safe. Come back here. I don’t want the plow finding your frozen body in the morning.”

  “I’ll make sure to die where it can’t find me.”

  “Will. Come on.”

  “You aren’t the boss of me!” He continued to wade through the snow, scrambling up a hard drift fifteen feet away, which proved to be Katie’s car. Lovely. Good luck driving home before spring thaw.

  Nash shook his head, more amused than anything. “I can’t kiss you anywhere, can I?”