Without a Net

by Kimberly Cooper Griffin

  Meg laughed when Fiona’s cheeks turned pink and she took her hand. Fiona squeezed her fingers. “I wouldn’t have missed meeting you and seeing where Meg grew up.”

  “I hope you brought hiking boots. Our Meg grew up in the trees, streams, and forest behind this house.” Meg’s mother laughed. “Come into the kitchen. You both must be starved. Let me whip up a snack while I interrogate you.”

  Fiona looked over at Meg, who smiled and rolled her eyes. They followed Reese into the enormous kitchen.

  Her mother’s idea of a snack was rarely something simple—at least for normal people. Meg wasn’t surprised when an array of ingredients were retrieved and assembled into bruschetta in less time than it took her to make a cup of coffee. While her mother expertly sliced bread, she asked Fiona about work and if she liked living in New York City. While the bread grilled, and the tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, and basil were chopped and grated, her mom asked Fiona about her childhood and school. By the time the snack was pulled from the broiler, her mother was asking about her future plans, which Fiona kept relatively vague.

  Meg had been right about the interrogation, even if it had been gently administered. Fiona didn’t look too phased by it, though, and Meg was happy her mother seemed to like her—not that she’d had any doubt.

  “How are the surprise party plans coming along, Mom?” Meg asked as she took down some small plates.

  “As far as your father knows, you two are here to join him in a private family celebration for his birthday and the club.” Her mother was nearly trembling with the excitement. She had taken off her apron and stood with a glass of white wine as she watched Meg and Fiona devour the bruschetta. “The rest of the family will trickle in over the next two days and will be staying in town so he doesn’t suspect anything. Even CJ will be here. He called yesterday.”

  Meg tried to hide her disappointment. The last time she’d asked, he wasn’t coming.

  Her mother looked a little worried and Meg shifted in her seat as her mother studied her. She didn’t want to make the situation any more uncomfortable than it already was. “I’m glad he’s coming. Dad will be pleased.” And she was happy about that.

  Her mother’s expression reflected her excitement again. “He said he couldn’t make it at first, so your dad isn’t expecting it. It’ll be another little surprise. He’s flying in late Friday night with a friend. You should be back from your trip to Okanogan before they get here.”

  Oh, jeez. He was bringing “a friend”. She’d seen the women CJ hooked up with at school. He had a thing for overly made up women with big hair and super tight clothing. He’d never brought one home, though. Maybe it would keep him from being too much of a jerk.

  “Does he have a girlfriend?”

  Her mom waved her hand. “Oh, I have no idea. He never tells me anything. It’s not a girlfriend, though. He’s a classmate, from what I can tell. He hasn’t even told me his name. They’ll get here after Dad goes to bed. And then your dad will be out golfing with his buddies before CJ wakes up, so it won’t be hard to keep him under wraps until the party.” She clapped her hands. “This is so fun!”

  “What’s so fun?” Meg’s father walked into the kitchen and they all turned to look. Meg snuck a glance at her mom, who looked calm. Her mom had a view of the doorway, so there was no way he could have heard their conversation.

  “Why, having your daughter here with her girlfriend, dear.”

  He stopped next to Fiona’s chair. “Of course! So glad you could come and visit. Fiona, is it?”

  Fiona stood and shook his hand. She seemed to study him and Meg wondered if her nerves were back. She hoped not. Her dad might look imposing in his suit and tie, but he was one of the most laid-back people she actually knew. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Jordan.”

  Meg hugged her dad to show Fiona he wasn’t as intimidating as he looked in his tailored suit and power tie.

  Her dad was a handsome man—tall and athletic, with strong features and a smidge of gray at the temples of his perfectly groomed, dark brown hair. In his work clothes, his warm and expressive eyes were what saved him from appearing cold or intimidating, and the hug he gave Meg was as warm as Reese’s. When he let go, Meg took Fiona’s hand and squeezed.

  After a few polite words, he excused himself. “It’s a delight to meet you, young lady. I’m going to run upstairs and get out of this monkey suit. I’ll be right back.”

  When they heard him ascending the stairs, Meg’s mother leaned over. “That was close.”

  They chatted for a few minutes before Meg’s father reappeared, a different man in a pair of well-worn hiking shorts and a faded T-shirt from a 5K he and Meg had run more than a decade earlier.

  *****

  After dinner, they moved into the living room. The gas fireplace was already casting a soft, flickering light as Fiona and Meg followed Reese and Mickey into the cozy room. Meg looked at Fiona to check in, and Fiona squeezed Meg’s hand with a smile.

  Her dad poured wine for himself and her mom after she and Fiona said they didn’t want any. Meg did want some, but she didn’t want to call attention to Fiona, since they didn’t know about the baby.

  Her dad handed a glass to her mother and ignored the furniture, sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace with his back against the hearth. Her mom flopped down beside him, and Meg chose a spot across from them, leaning her back against the loveseat. Fiona looked amused at the seating arrangement, shook her head, and sat next to her on the floor.

  “We’re floor dwellers in this family,” Mickey said, taking a sip of his wine.

  “Tell me how Vi’s doing,” her mother said.

  Meg filled her mom in on the latest drama between Sherri and Vi, a story which had been unfolding in their weekly phone calls. Sherri had finally put her foot down about the other women, and Vi had given up her extracurricular love life. Living in the apartment had become peaceful, even though Meg spent more time at Fiona’s house than at Vi’s.

  Soon, the conversation turned to Fiona and her work, specifically about the firm she worked at, her caseload, and her plans for the future. Meg was surprised when Fiona told them she was currently at a crossroads with her career and was looking around. Aside from saying she’d prefer a more high-powered position, Fiona hadn’t mentioned anything about looking for another firm.

  Her mom cradled her wine glass between her knees, and winked. “Well, Mickey and I have a little pull with at least one or two of the law firms in the area.”

  Her mother was as subtle as a Seahawks fan during a playoff game. Ugh! “Mom, you’re terrible!” She looked at Fiona, who, thankfully, looked amused. “Don’t let them pressure you into anything.”

  Fiona stroked her hand but responded to her parents. “I’m keeping my options open.”

  Despite her chastisement of her mother, excitement flared in Meg’s stomach. Could some of those options be in Washington? She tried not to get her hopes up, but it was difficult. Wouldn’t Fiona have told her already if she was open to moving across country?

  “I’m not going to lie and say it wouldn’t make me happy if our Meg found a reason to practice in Seattle rather than all the way over in Okanogan,” her mother said.

  Meg groaned and gently kicked her mother’s outstretched leg. “You know I have to work in Okanogan. I’ve promised Aunt Claudia.”

  Her mother tilted her head, looking resigned. “I suppose two hundred miles is a lot closer than two thousand.”

  The conversation drifted onto other topics, but Meg couldn’t wait to ask Fiona about the options she’d been considering.

  69

  The next morning was chilly and clear. Meg and Fiona were on the road to Okanogan before the sun even started to peek over the Cascade Mountains. They were only going to be gone one night, so they’d packed a simple overnight bag and left after quick showers before anyone else got up.


  Fiona sat with her feet propped up on the car’s dashboard, a travel mug of coffee cradled in her hands. She gazed blearily out through the passenger side window at the wet countryside rolling alongside them. She was amazed at the contrast in landscape as they moved further from the coast. She’d never seen so much open landscape in her life.

  The night before, Meg had shown her the route they would take, which was a big loop out through the south and back via the north. It would give Fiona a good look at the Washington countryside. Fiona was engrossed in the views and deep in thought. One of the law firms she had seen in her recent career search happened to be along the route they were taking on the way back the next day, in a little town called Winthrop. She had no intention of visiting the attorney selling his practice, but she was eager to at least get a look at the area as they drove through.

  She still hadn’t told Meg she was considering moving out of the city, let alone away from the east coast; it wasn’t a done deal and she didn’t want to burden Meg with her indecision. When Meg had asked about it when they’d gone to bed last night, she’d told her she hadn’t made any plans—which was true, but the more she thought about it, the more alluring a job in Washington sounded. However, Meg hadn’t talked much about what would happen after September came around, and she didn’t want to make any assumptions. In fact, Reese’s thinly disguised suggestions the night before had been the closest they had ever come to discussing their future together. As the landscape flew by, she knew she should bring up the topic of their future together, but the thought overwhelmed her, so she tucked it away for a little while longer.

  They made good time and arrived in Okanogan just before lunchtime. The rain had disappeared on the east side of the Cascades, and the sun was bright in a cloudless sky. As the countryside fell away to clusters of farmhouses, and then to small-town streets lined with homes and businesses, Fiona fell in love with the rural feel of the town and the countryside surrounding Okanogan. It was much smaller than she expected, and she looked on in wonder at the small businesses and homes as they drove down Main Street. A river followed the road along one side, and Fiona loved it immediately.

  They headed down a residential street where homes and businesses stood interspersed until they pulled to stop before a converted one-story brick house with a large front porch. Brightly colored flowers lined the cement path leading up to the front door. Manicured bushes stood along the front porch and along either side of a large, neatly trimmed front lawn. With the exception of the simple wooden sign hanging in the front yard next to the walkway, the clinic looked like a well-kept private residence from the outside, and it blended in nicely with the homes on either side.

  Fiona climbed out of the car and stretched before following Meg into the building. She was surprised to find that the inside looked as clinically professional as the outside looked homey. The waiting area held a few patients and their owners.

  A short woman in red and yellow scrubs covered with dog bones stood behind the counter sorting patient files. When she looked up at them, she tossed the folders aside and screeched. “Meg! I didn’t know you were in town!” She hurried around the counter and gave Meg a big hug.

  Meg returned the hug with a huge smile. “Gail! You look wonderful, as usual! Claudia didn’t tell you I was coming?”

  “I wanted it to be a surprise.” Fiona turned to the deep and melodious voice. The woman emerging from the back office was one of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen. Aside from being pregnant, the woman looked like she could have stepped off of the cover of an issue of Vogue, if they featured medical scrubs. She was tall, statuesque, and her coffee colored skin was flawless. Her hair was swept up under a scrub cap, but Fiona guessed it was perfectly coiffed under the fabric hat. She moved with a fluid grace, but as she rounded the front desk to give Meg a hug, she knocked some of the patient files onto the floor. Before Gail could get there to help, Claudia conked her head on the edge of the counter as she bent to pick them up.

  Meg grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into a laughing hug. “Same old clumsy Aunt Claudia! It’s great to see you!”

  Claudia patted her belly. “Pregnancy makes me even clumsier, I’m afraid. Thank goodness it’s not evident in the procedure room!”

  Meg smiled and put her hand on her aunt’s stomach. “It probably doesn’t help that you’re expecting a litter! You don’t look pregnant enough to be carrying three of them in there, though.”

  “Believe me, it feels like three, maybe four!”

  Warm eyes the color and depth of amber turned to rest on Fiona, who stood next to the front door captivated by the reunion. Suddenly shy, all she could manage was a smile.

  Claudia stepped toward her. “This must be Fiona!”

  Meg hurried to Fiona’s side. “Fiona, I’d like you to meet my Aunt Claudia.”

  “It’s so nice to finally meet you.” Fiona offered her hand.

  Claudia ignored Fiona’s outstretched hand and gave her a hug “Posh! Handshakes are for strangers. I am so honored to meet the woman who has finally captured my beloved niece’s heart.”

  “Thank you. I don’t know what to say. Meg’s family has been so welcoming and kind. I’m so happy to finally meet you!” Fiona was surprised at the sting of tears when she thought of the warm welcome she’d received from everyone. Maybe it was hormones, but she knew it probably had more to do with having no family of her own.

  “Why don’t we go down to Reggie’s for lunch? Renee, our vet tech, can handle the lab work for the folks in the waiting room.” Claudia didn’t wait for a response before she asked Gail to hold down the fort and headed for the door. She took off the cap and pushed it into her rear pocket as they walked out the door. As Fiona had guessed, not a hair was out of place on the elegant twist.

  They walked two streets down to a diner directly out of the fifties. Claudia greeted every person they passed and Fiona enjoyed the bright sunshine on her skin as Meg and Claudia caught up.

  At the restaurant they slid into the vinyl seats, Claudia sitting across from Meg and Fiona. A server, who Claudia knew by name, handed them worn menus and took their drink orders, before Claudia asked Fiona about living on the east coast. Fiona answered the questions, but privately mused over the interest Meg’s family showed about the city. It didn’t hold a candle to the paradise in which they lived.

  Eventually the conversation drifted toward clinic talk, and Fiona sat back quietly, enjoying the lively discussion between Meg and Claudia.

  When they finished eating, Meg and Claudia still had lots to talk about, so Fiona suggested they go back to the clinic while she drove around the little town and did some sightseeing. Meg was reluctant at first; she said she didn’t want Fiona to feel abandoned, but Fiona finally convinced her she was happy to wander about on her own. That settled it, and Fiona said she would meet Meg back at the clinic at five.

  *****

  Four hours to kill until she had to get back to the clinic gave Fiona an unexpected opportunity to drive to Winthrop. When she’d first seen the law firm for sale online it had caught her eye because it was so close to Okanogan, but she hadn’t seriously considered it. She hadn’t made up her mind about anything to do with her career, let alone following Meg back home, since they’d never discussed what would happen after August. Even now she wasn’t prepared to do any real investigating, but at least she could get a good look at the town.

  The highway between Okanogan and Winthrop was forty miles of beautiful, open landscape, broken by thick copses of trees near the rivers and lakes dotting the area. She drove with her window open for most of the way to take in the fresh scents of the open country. Driving slowly through the small towns she passed, Fiona saw a side of life she had never experienced. She thought she knew about small towns having grown up in Pottstown, but that was a bustling metropolis compared to the hamlets she passed along her route. As Fiona approached her destinati
on, a little less than an hour after she left Okanogan, she had fallen even more in love with the Washington countryside. She parked on the street in front of the general store, got out of the car, and took a look around.

  The town was little more than a single main street, and much of the architecture was old western-style wood-frame buildings. She almost expected to see cowboys walking down the wooden sidewalks. No sooner did the thought cross her mind, than two men in cowboy hats walked out of a diner touting The World’s Best Wild Berry Pie. The small-town cliché struck her as hilarious and she actually laughed out loud. She could admit to being a little disappointed when the cowboys jumped into a big red Ford truck instead of mounting horses.

  She shook her head and used her phone to pull up the information she had stored about the law practice she had seen for sale. She highlighted the phone number and hit send, although she had no idea what she would say once she had someone on the phone.

  “Winthrop Feed. What can we do you for?” a friendly female voice answered.

  “I’m sorry,” Fiona replied, about to hang up. “I was trying to contact Daniel Thomas. I must have the wrong number.”

  A sweet giggle filled her ear. “No, sweetie. You got the right number. Hold on a sec.”

  Fiona laughed quietly when she heard the woman’s muffled voice call out for Danny. Fiona envisioned fingers held over the receiver. Fiona looked around the street to see if she could see the feed store, and found she was practically across the street from it. The building was one of the only freshly painted buildings along the street, most of them featuring either faded white paint or splintery stained wood finishes. The store name painted in white over red on the tall façade stood out brightly: Daniel’s Feed Store. To Fiona’s delight, there was a real wooden sidewalk along the front of the building, along with what looked to be a watering trough with an antique hand pump next to it. It could have come from the 1800s.