Second Chances

by Nicole Andrews Moore

  “Hello,” he asked tentatively.

  Sniffling greeted him on the other end. “Professor,” a weak voice began. “I’m sorry.” More sniffling. “I think it’s an emergency. I want Professor White.” She was stifling a sob now. “I need a woman. I can’t find her.” The girl was getting harder to understand now.

  “I’ll get her for you. It’s Crystal, right?” Brian’s voice was gentle.

  “Yes,” she sobbed.

  “We’ll be right there. Can you hold on until we get there?” He heard the door open.

  Sarah had been listening and exited the bathroom. When he turned he found her striding through the doorway fingering her rose quartz necklace. And a moment later he heard the draining tub belch, signaling an end to their evening, while she scrambled to put on some clothes. “See you soon.” He replaced the receiver. Addressing Sarah he mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

  Sarah simply walked over to him and rested her forehead on his chest. Maybe later. We’ll see. Let’s just help Crystal.

  And though he desperately wanted it to be true, somehow he knew that their later wasn’t to be. Taking her hand in his, they walked out the door and made their way to the elevator. The heavy door clicked shut behind them with a certain finality about it.

  Within minutes they were at the Crystal‘s room. They knew they had found the right door because the sobbing could be heard through it and partway down the hall. Crystal was a puddle when she opened the door and they could immediately see why. One side of her face was already bruising, her lip was puffy and split, and an abrasion marred her cheek.

  “What happened, honey?” Sarah cooed, taking the girl into her arms. She glanced around the room. It couldn’t have happened here. The beds were still neat and tidy. There was no evidence of a struggle.

  Crystal left the solace she had found while Sarah held her, stumbled across the room, and collapsed on one bed. Within in seconds, Sarah sat beside her and Brian was across from them, feeling utterly out of his element. He was a man of action; the sidelines were not for him.

  Sarah began to stroke Crystal’s back, and as she did so, the story was gradually expelled. “We were going to a club.” She turned her face into the pillow as though she was ashamed.

  “Club Super Sex?” Sarah offered without an ounce of judgment.

  After some hesitation, the back of Crystal’s head moved ever so slightly. They waited patiently. A sigh was emitted and Crystal turned to face them again. “We’d heard about it and...”

  Sarah gave her a gentle smile. “You’re old enough to go to whatever club you want, Crystal. It’s all right. You‘ll get no judgment from us.”

  A lopsided smile struggled to emerge on Crystal’s damaged lips. Seeing that she would receive no recrimination from them, Crystal gingerly sat up to finish telling her tale. “I got distracted. I lost the rest of the girls. I managed to end up in some alley.” She shuddered remembering the experience. “Some guy came up to me and attacked me. He wanted my purse, but I wanted it, too. So, I fought back.”

  A light knock on the door interrupted her, just as they were beginning to make progress. Brian motioned that he would answer it, but Crystal refrained from speaking anyway out of anticipation. When he opened the door, Brian found Evan standing there with a bucket of ice.

  “What are you doing here?” Brian asked suspiciously.

  “Crystal didn’t tell you?” He asked innocently.

  Brian looked at Crystal. She had climbed off the bed and was making her way toward Evan. “My hero,” she murmured as she gave him a shy hug.

  Evan reveled in the attention as both Sarah and Brian shrugged and looked on. “I saw Crystal go into the alley. I followed out of concern. My only regret is that I was so far behind her.”

  “Evan helped me back here,” Crystal concluded, still clinging to him.

  “And the purse?” Brian asked.

  Crystal pointed to a handbag that was on the dresser beside the television.

  “Did you contact the police?” Sarah queried.

  Crystal shook her head. “I just wanted to get back here. Oh, and Evan insisted we tell you both.”

  Brian eyed Evan suspiciously. “What?” Evan shrugged. “I thought this might qualify as an emergency according to your little lecture. Just thought you would want to know.”

  The explanation makes sense, Sarah voiced as she looked at Brian.

  He exhaled slowly. But I still don’t trust him.

  Sarah nodded.

  Evan had been watching the interaction with barely veiled curiosity. Was it possible? Could they be communicating somehow? He shook his head at the improbability of it all.

  “So, now what?” Sarah asked aloud.

  “I think we should contact the police,” Brian stated, looking directly at Crystal. She seemed to be very comfortable with Evan’s arm around her. Yet, from the look on Evan’s face, he felt nothing more than friendship for her. In fact, Evan seemed to be sending smoldering looks Sarah’s way. Brian scowled.

  “No,” Crystal said emphatically. “I still have my purse. My face will heal. And this is a field trip. I can’t spend all night at the police station filling out reports and looking at mug shots. Please, let’s leave it alone.” She laid her head against Evan’s chest. He smirked.

  Brian motioned to Sarah. She walked to the door to meet him. They might still be able to salvage some of this night after all.

  “Umm,” Crystal began quietly. Everyone turned to give her their attention. “I don’t want to be alone. I don’t know when my roommate will return and I don’t think I can handle being alone right now.” She glanced at all of them. “That’s why I asked for Professor White. I didn’t know Evan was coming back. I didn’t want to be alone.” Her head drooped as her fate was decided.

  “Well, now that Evan is back,” Brian began, “I think he can stay with you.” Evan shot an angry look his way that gave him a small thrill. Just to be safe he added, “Or if you feel more comfortable with a woman...” He intentionally let his voice trail off.

  “Oh, I think that Evan will do,” Crystal said, trying to contain her excitement. She obviously was one of his many fans.

  This was not going at all as Evan had intended. Professor White should be staying. Professor Waite should be sleeping alone. And he should not have to be babysitting some silly girl while the woman he lusted was with another man. Life was not fair.

  Brian smiled. “Well, then I guess it seems settled to me.” He wrapped his arm around Sarah and they exited the room. He could barely hide a chuckle as the door clicked shut behind them.

  Sarah gave him a sideways glance. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to figure out what’s so funny about a girl nearly getting mugged.”

  Brian shook his head. “Oh, no. It’s not that. Did you see the look on Evan’s face?”

  She continued to frown even as she spoke. “He surprised me. I guess she’s lucky he was there when he was.”

  Brian froze mid-step. “You don’t seriously think it was a coincidence, do you?”

  “What are you saying?” Sarah turned her body to face him.

  “All I’m saying is that it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that he’s behind the whole incident.”

  Sarah scrunched up her face. “I don’t see how. And what would he have to gain?”

  They opened the door and walked into their room. Brian flopped down on one bed, Sarah intentionally chose the other. He stared at her for a moment. She met his gaze.

  “This,” he said somberly.

  “What?” Her face reflected her doubt.

  “This, you and me apart, this is what he would gain.” She scowled, but Brian continued with his explanation. “I’m not jealous. I’m not irrational. Look at the facts. He wants you. You must see that. He is not used to rejection and he is definitely used to getting his own way.”

  Sarah sat up. “He wants me. I’ll give you that, but I don’t see him as the sinister character you would portray him to be.”

  “I
hope I’m wrong, Sarah,” Brian said earnestly. He moved to kneel at her feet. He laid his head in her lap. “Let’s not fight. We aren’t going to solve this tonight.”

  Unconsciously she had begun to stroke his head. She grabbed his ears in each hand and turned his head to face her. “Come to bed,” she whispered.

  They quickly stripped down to their underwear and slipped beneath the covers. Sarah rolled onto her side and Brian curled around her. This isn’t at all how I imagined tonight, she thought sadly.

  But this is absolutely how I imagined tonight ending, Brian replied. And with that they fell asleep with smiles playing at the sides of their lips.

  The morning arrived far too quickly for either of them. They had lain awake on their sides facing each other for an hour with the arms used to prop them up interlocked. With his free hand, Brian roamed up and down her side, giving Sarah chills. He paused occasionally, circling her stomach. She would freeze momentarily then, unable to breathe, afraid of how he would respond to her body. Somehow it was different now. She was self-conscious in ways she had never dreamed, aware of every minor imperfection. In her mind she imagined her minute stretch marks to feel like small canyons that his fingers dipped into as he ran them over her abdomen.

  He smirked as they kissed and he felt her tense. “You’re perfect just the way you are,” he murmured against her lips. “I wouldn’t want you to change anything about you.”

  The words warmed Sarah as no others had before. He loved her, this much she knew, but she was perfect as is, with all her foibles and physical shortcomings? That, she’d never heard before. Had those words been spoken by Josh, she would have doubted their veracity. But Brian had never lied to her, never hurt her, never sugar coated even the most painful truth. She trusted him implicitly. She could freely love him with all her heart.

  And then the reverie ended. The phone on the bedside table rang, announcing their wakeup call. Brian answered it then hung up, silently, never taking his eyes off Sarah. Still he made no indication that he would be getting up any time soon. Reluctantly, Sarah pulled herself away, leaned over him and planted a kiss on the tip of his nose that made him wrinkle it in mock disgust, and threw back the covers as she attempted to propel herself from the bed.

  “I love you,” he whispered, running his fingertips down her back.

  Sarah leaned in to him. “I could listen to that all day.”

  “I could tell you all day,” he replied sincerely.

  Forty-five minutes later they carried their overnight bags down to the lobby for the bus driver to load. Most of the students were enjoying the breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant. The professors wandered in to join them. “What do you recommend?” Brian asked the table of students jovially.

  Evan glanced up, wiped his mouth, and smiled a calculating grin. “If you really wanted to impress her you’d offer to buy everyone breakfast.” He watched as Brian met his gaze. “Oh, but you’re too late. I’m already doing that.”

  A chorus of ‘thank you, Evan’ and the usual excitement greeted that announcement. Sarah gave a fake smile. Keep your cool, Waite, she reminded Brian while keeping a safe distance. Don’t let him get to you.

  It’s just so silly, he replied. I can’t believe he thinks this will work.

  And Evan watched. More than watched, he stared intently, still trying to discern their secret language. He saw the looks that passed, looks that normally would be accompanied by words. Yet they said nothing… aloud.

  The group loaded the bus to visit Old Quebec City. Charm abounded in the architecture. They had a lovely walking tour along the cobbled streets. They sampled new and tasty items sold at the cafes. They lapped up every bit of culture they could despite the creeping temperatures. By lunch time the humidity was positively oppressive and the only air conditioning could be found in the tour bus. Reluctantly, the group boarded and headed for home.

  “Well, classes are over,” Brian announced as they leaned back in the cloth seats. “Now what?”

  Sarah tilted her head to the side. She hadn’t given it any thought. She had been so busy living and killing time to reach these field trips that she hadn’t even pondered what they would do once the summer truly began for them. Even Chloe was free now. The world was their oyster.

  “So, plans for the oyster?” Brian queried with a smirk.

  She giggled. “No, but let’s do something, go somewhere…with an ocean!” Her eyes took on a sparkly dream induced quality.

  “Want to visit the family?” Brian was eager to share the changes in their relationship with everyone he cared about. She could be the one he spent forever with and he wanted to share her with those he loved, especially now that she knew who she was. There would be no secrets, no walking on egg shells, nothing but joy this trip.

  “Hm. Tempting,” Sarah began, “but I don’t want to impose. Your mother only passed a month and a half ago. I’m sure your father is trying to get his life back to some state of normalcy.”

  He stared at her intently. Please, Sarah. Let’s go have the vacation we need in a place we love. Let’s go spend the holiday with my family. The Fourth of July is always a blast. He tore his eyes away to glance around the bus. No one seemed to be watching them. He carefully reached over and caressed her hand.

  Sarah shivered. “Ugh. You win,” she sighed. “We’ll go back to Myrtle Beach.” It’s not as though she was really giving anything up. It wasn’t as though it were some huge victory for Brian. They both loved it there. It was a home away from home for them, a place filled with friendship and love.

  “Good. We’ll leave on Sunday.” He leaned back with a satisfied look on his face.

  Evan wasn’t satisfied. Their little jaunt to South Carolina was going to ruin everything. He flipped open his phone. “Change of plans,” he announced to the person on the end of the line. He lowered his voice as he plotted a revision. It wasn’t going to be easy, but the modified version was taking shape. And the new plan would start today.

  The teary goodbyes began as soon as they returned to campus. The girls hugged everyone that stood still long enough. They especially loved to hug Brian and Evan. Evan soaked the first few hugs in, but then reminded himself that he needed to focus on his task at hand. He worked his way through the crowd until he found himself next to her. She had her back to him, but he didn’t mind. It gave him an opportunity to study the wisps of hair on the back of her neck that didn’t make it into the clip, the tasty spot in the hollow of her collar bone that he looked forward to nibbling. It was just a matter of time.

  “I just wanted to tell you that it was a pleasure getting to know you,” Evan said sincerely.

  Sarah looked at him suspiciously. She had learned long ago that Evan probably couldn’t be trusted. If she gave him an in then he took advantage of it. She could never be comfortable with him, never fully trust him. “Thank you, Evan,” she said warily.

  “So, do you have any big plans for the rest of the summer?” He tried to seem as though he were making small talk, and not doing the reconnaissance that he really was.

  “As a matter of fact, I do.” She met his gaze, and knew he wanted to delve further into her plans. She also knew that it would only take him a moment to press further. She wasn’t worried, she saw Brian weaving his way through the group over to them.

  “So, are you ready to go?” Brian asked as he drew within a few feet of them.

  Sarah nodded. “Enjoy the rest of your summer, Evan,” she called as she met up with Brian and they walked briskly toward his car.

  He waited until the car doors closed and they had started pulling away from the parking lot before speaking. “What was that all about?” He queried. Brian seemed more than a bit concerned.

  “It was nothing,” she said dismissing his apprehension. “Evan just wanted to know what I was doing this summer.”

  Brian thought for a moment. “I’m sure there was more to it. I don’t trust him.” He seemed to be brooding.

  I know. Sarah soothe
d. She sank into his seat, closed her eyes, and held his right hand between both of hers.

  Anna and Chloe were waiting for them on the porch of Sarah’s house as they pulled up the driveway. Brian glanced at her for a reaction. “Run,” she mumbled. “Don’t even stop. I’ll pick up the clothes tomorrow. I have extra toiletries. I’ll just tuck and roll out onto my grassy lawn.”

  Brian reached over and squeezed her hand. “It’ll be fine,” he declared without giving his reassurance a thought. The moment he began to ponder the reality of the situation was the instant the panic set in. Sarah was a witch. Her mother was a witch. Talking to her over the phone for a few brief moments was a far cry from meeting her in person. “On second thought, do you think you could make it unscathed?” His brow furrowed.