by Elsa Kurt
“You looked more scared to me. You turned into a ghost. Glad you have some color back, maybe a little too much red on your checks. How have you been?”
For an unsought comeback, she replied. “You look the same but with grayer whiskers. Back for a visit after several years?” She had gone on with her life and erased Aaron off the chart, but felt like she was a senior again. Puppy love, not real love.
“You seem slightly perturbed. Reason?” Aaron’s personality was on the serious side but did joke around at times. He made Sandy feel special in a way not shown but felt. His characteristics depicted him more as a professor in a suit.
Sandy leaned over. “You made your mark and broke my innocence on graduation night. Two days later you told me you were going to England and wanted me to come. You made lots of promises to keep in touch, and maybe even fly me over to see you, or you’d fly back for the holidays. Never happened. I got maybe four emails from you. How many did you get from me? I can count on my sent link. I kept track of our connections in my journal. Our relationship from start to finish. Do I still like you? Yes. Do I still love you? No, and I don’t think I’ll fall back in again either.”
“College life got busy and I had no personal life. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”
Sandy bit her lip. A bad habit. “I’m sorry. It’s been a crazy, stressful, emotional day. I didn’t mean to mouth off. So why are you here?”
Aaron nodded. He seemed to always have a way to keep calm. “I moved back home. I graduated and have an assistant teaching job at the University of Washington. I got my own place up in the Northgate area.” Aaron put his arm on the table offering his hand to hold.
Sandy took the card Clint gave her from her apron and held it. “Like I said, we broke up years ago. We stopped keeping in touch. We can’t jump back together like nothing happened. My life has changed, and I’m sure yours has too.”
“We were also close friends. We can be friends, right? I want to take you out and catch up on our lives. You free tonight?” He acted like there were no problems; he was the one in control.
“Can’t tonight, but open tomorrow.” She hoped Clint didn’t ask her out again for tomorrow.
“The guy who attacked you?”
“It doesn’t matter, and he didn’t attack me. He thanked me for the food.” She got up, not wanting to carry on talking about her personal life. “I need to get the place cleaned before the next rush. Enjoy your coffee and I’ll check on you in a few.”
“You’ve changed, Sandy.”
“I guess I have. Is it good or bad for you?” She went into the back before a response was heard, if there was one.
Aaron stayed for the next couple hours until closing. He kept busy on his cell, read the paper front to back, and talked about his life in England any chance he got. Sandy half listened as she wiped the tables, swept, and mopped the floor. Laura had taken the cash register’s drawer in the back to count the money.
Aaron confessed he had a few girlfriends during his stay and Sandy reassured him it didn’t matter, though she did feel cheated. They had planned for Sandy to fly over a couple times to see the sights. She sighed. They set a time for the next day and Aaron left.
As normal, Sandy ran upstairs to her room and called Heather. “Aaron. Aaron’s back.”
“Did I hear you right?”
“Yes. To make it worse, Clint was in the café eating when he walked in. I feel like I’m torn between two lovers and feeling like a fool.”
Heather exhaled loud. “Come on, Sand. The best man will win.”
“Not funny. Clint was out of the country and we’re still on for tonight. I’m seeing Aaron tomorrow as friends, or so he says. He moved back and will be teaching at the UDub.”
“All I can say is, your life is like a soap opera.”
“Argh, what am I supposed to do?”
“Go out and have fun. Matt needs me, chat soon.”
“Bye.”
Chapter 4
Seven o’clock came and a knock on the kitchen door sounded. Sandy came down the stairs in a denim skirt, her white tie shoes, and a mid-sleeve light blue button collar shirt with a scarf under the collar. She let her hair hang free.
“I figured I’d pick you up at your place, not the dumpster,” Clint said.
“Good choice. I don’t think we’d want to smell trashy.” Sandy shut the door after grabbing her purse and Clint’s shirt from the other night. She laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You’d think I’m crazy if I told you.”
“Try me.”
“Promise you won’t laugh?” She handed Clint his shirt.
He opened the truck door for her. “I’ll do my best.”
She playfully slapped his arm. “I told my friend about the construction and how I met you by the dumpster. She said it sounded like a good book titled, Romance in the Alley.”
“Sounds good to me.” He put his shirt on her lap, closed the door after Sandy clicked the seatbelt, and got in on the driver’s side.
The drive to the boat ramp was short. Sandy forgot the conversation she had with Heather about how rich Clint was. She didn’t care about money; she cared about real relationships from the inside.
Clint pulled into the parking lot. Sandy saw a mixture of different sizes of boats and wondered how big the construction crew was and if they’d be crunched tight on a small boat.
He opened the door and put his arm around Sandy. “Enjoying yourself?”
“The night hasn’t started yet, but yes. I’m happy to be with you.”
“I’m glad.” He leaned over and kissed the top of her head.
Looking at the sea lions yapping by the coast, Sandy didn’t see what boat they were going to until they made it to the ramp. “Ready? Or do you want to catch a sea lion?” Clint asked.
She turned, thinking she had to step down into a boat, but her mouth dropped open to see a big cargo ship. “This is your boat?”
“My parents’. It was floating around unused, so my dad bought it and restored it to a passenger-business party ship. It’s eighty feet long. Kitchen and dining area on the main floor and on top, as you see, is the open area for dancing, drinking, and whatnot.”
A call came from the top. “Clint. Get your butt and guest aboard. You’re the last ones.”
“Dad. Always wants things done quickly, and his way or no way.” Clint waved at his dad to indicate he heard.
“I can see a resemblance.”
“Wait till you see him up close. Twins, but he has gray hair and more wrinkles.” They walked across the bridge and the helpers unlatched the ship. “I need to forewarn you. My mom, Jane, is on the ship, and she tends to put people on the spot. Be yourself and all will be fine.”
“Thanks for the warning. Did you have to wait until we were on the ship to tell me in case I ran for my life?” She smiled.
“Sixty-five percent true.”
They got on board and Clint took Sandy on a tour, introducing her to his co-workers who worked on the building next to Sandy Beach Café. He went on to say they have other workers she saw working in other areas and wouldn’t go through the time to introduce her to them. The main covered area had forty tables with six chairs per table. The middle was open for dancing, and a stage on the other end was set for a live band or a DJ. To the side was a billiard section with a couple pool tables, ping pong, card table, and two slot machines. Small white lights hung from the ceiling against the walls to give off a glow.
Behind the stage sat a few offices for meetings and a Men’s and Women’s bathroom. Red, white, and blue decorations were scattered here and there with a big flag on the wall behind the stage.
The upstairs was all open except the bridge at the end. It sat up two stories. Small tables, chairs, and lounge chairs sat sporadically by the edge of the ship. The middle was open also to dancing or playing floor games. It was a beautiful night, just like the night before, and Sandy wished it was only her and Clint.
&n
bsp; It was time to go back to the main floor for dinner. Clint looked around the tables. “Any particular place you want to sit? Most of my crew will sit by each other, including me. It’s a first come, first serve type of place.”
Sandy glanced around and decided she wanted to sit in the back corner by the window so she could watch the water and people at the same time. Clint questioned if she didn’t want to be seen with him. She elbowed his side and stated she didn’t want to be the center of attention.
Out of the blue, Clint’s parents came to their table. Chet sat on Clint’s side, and Jane sat by Sandy. It got her nervous and she gave Clint a worried look. He smiled and patted her leg. “Mom, Dad, I’d like to introduce you to Sandy.” He kept his hand on her leg.
“Nice to meet you, Sandy. How long have you known Clint?” Jane asked.
She hesitated a couple seconds on how to present herself to Jane. “Five days, a couple hours, and a few minutes.”
Jane smiled. “Where did you meet?”
“In the garbage.” Here I go again saying stupid comments. All three gave her a priceless look. “I mean in the alley by the dumpster.” The way Jane’s sounding, I won’t be surprised if she says Clint likes picking up trash because he feels sorry for them. Not good.
“Any siblings?”
“Nope. Only child.”
“I’ll tell you, Clint. You got a funny gal.” She looked back at Sandy. “I like you already.” Jane asked questions about Sandy’s past and her parents. She gave a brief description of the fatal accident and her aunt raising her afterward.
Chet came into the conversation about the layout and any problems Sandy might see in the café and in her apartment. He knew the owner and would lend a hand if needed.
He paused for a few seconds, tapping his fingers on the table in thought. “A good personal and business friend of mine, Kyle Courier, passed away a short time ago. He owned the Cougars NFL team in South Carolina. His granddaughter, Kylie, inherited the team. Jane and I are season ticket holders.”
So, I’m thinking I want you to go over the plans for the Indigo Tower.” He glanced at Sandy and back to Clint. “Why don’t you take your friend here in the fall to watch a game after you meet with the local construction crew?” He took a drink and looked back at Sandy. “You do like football?”
“Chet, don’t put pressure on the young lady. You’ll chase her away.” Jane squeezed Sandy’s hand.
Sandy did feel more pressure from Chet and his simple question. She did like football but didn’t make it a part of her life. “Yeah, it’s fine.” To her, it sounded like Chet was desperate for Clint to have a serious girlfriend. Did Clint have lots of short, no good relationships?
Some of Clint’s crew and their other halves came and sat at the table, saving Sandy from more pressure. Jane and Chet got up to mingle, and as they walked away, Jane whispered loud enough for Sandy to hear, “I like her independence. She’s strong, pretty, and funny. A good catch for Clint.”
Clint apologized. “Sorry about my parents, but I know they like you. Even if you don’t like football.” He winked. “Let’s eat before my buddies take it all,” Clint said as he looked at their plates stuffed with food.
The dinner was served as a buffet and they had lots to choose from; several types of fish, casseroles, salads, and of course, dessert. The dishware was China and white wine was placed on each table by a waitress.
The conversation at the table was casual. The men mostly talked about construction topics and what color should be used in the penthouses. Brad, who sat by Clint, made a comment. “My wife, Andrea, is a keen home decor. She carries a color chart in her purse.” And he was right. Andrea pulled out a small paint color guide. It brought a good laugh to the table.
“What’s your favorite color? If you could paint your apartment, what color would you choose, Sandy?” Clint asked.
She raised her eyebrows and twitched her lips. “In this region, I like the off-white and light tan colors. It’s a generic color; you can add any color décor, curtains, furniture, pictures, bedding, etcetera, without having to worry about the colors clashing. It’s light enough on the dark, cloudy days.”
Andrea’s face lit up. “I so agree with you. You can have a wall in each room painted a different color or even have it divided with a darker color on the bottom, and the base color on top.”
“You got it.”
Clint nodded and looked like he was agreeing with his own silent conversation. “What other colors do you like?”
“Harvest fall colors.”
He nodded again and changed the subject to the size of the new medical building they were planning in Olympia. Sandy, Andrea, and Rene, who was the girlfriend of Jeff, another construction worker, talked about what they liked, where they worked, and what Rene was studying at U of W.
Sandy talked about wanting to further her education and take a couple classes at the university but wasn’t sure what to go into.
“I should have you come to where I work soon,” Andrea said. “I work with vocational rehabilitation, doing the career testing. The first test you take asks lots of questions about what you like, dislike or what you’re interested in. At the end, you tally up the sections and it shows what you could be great at.”
“I’ve heard of those. Sure, it sounds like fun.”
“Mind you, it will take a couple hours. Lots of questions, but it’s worth it.”
“Give me your number and I’ll call to set a date when I’m not scheduled at the café.” Sandy nodded.
Andrea pulled out a business card and wrote her personal number under her office one.
Sandy finished her last bite of lemon meringue pie when the background music stopped.
Open mic noises echoed as a gentleman got up on the stage. “Good evening, everyone. My name is Magic Jake, and I’m your DJ for the rest of the evening. And in case you prefer the soft rock you’ve been listening to, you can go to the upstairs deck if you don’t want to hear the music here.”
He switched hands with the mic. “I’ve got a wide collection of music, so please let me know what you want to hear.” He pointed to his laptop on the table down by his equipment. “In the years I’ve been doing dances, I’ve learned in order to get more than two couples dancing, I need to play an old song you’ll all love. The Hokey Pokey.”
Clapping and laughter filled the room as people went to the floor to form a circle. Sandy saw Clint’s expression of, Are you kidding me?
Andrea got up. “You coming?”
“It’s getting warm. I’m going to go up to the top.” Sandy pushed her chair back.
“’Kay. See you later.” She went off with the rest of their table and stood in the circle.
Clint put his arm around Sandy as they walked up the stairs. “Thank you for not dragging me into the circle. I can dance, but will never do the Hokey Pokey. It’s for kids.”
“Like Trix?”
It took Clint a few seconds until he got it. “Yes, Trix are for kids.” They went to the edge of the ship and watched the clouds glide across the dark sky. “Who’s this Aaron guy?”
The breeze blew Sandy’s hair in her face, so she pulled it back in a ponytail using the scarf around her neck. “I went out with him our senior year. After graduation, he left for England and it ended the relationship.”
“The way he acted, it was like the two of you were still together.”
“For your information, Mr. C.C. Jackson, I’m not with anyone serious…yet.”
“You don’t call us serious?”
“I’m not sure what we are, so I haven’t made a decision yet.” Sandy glanced at her watch. “We’ve only known each other five days, three and a half hours, and several minutes.”
“You want to make a commitment?”
“It all depends.”
“On what?” Clint pulled Sandy close to his side.
“I’m still trying to figure it out. But first, it’s my turn for questions.” She folded her arms. “I sensed a dis
tracted look on your face when we walked up to the deck at the penthouse the other night. Why? Did something sad happen on the stairs?”
Clint tightened his grip on the ship’s rail.
“And does your dad always send you out with your dates to go around the country?” She regretted the question after she asked and stepped back to give Clint space. “I’m sorry. Your past isn’t my business.” Even though I told you most of mine when we first met.
A couple minutes passed as Clint stared at the water. Sandy wasn’t sure if she needed to leave him be and go back downstairs or stay put. She took another step away when Clint turned to face her. “No secrets.”
“No secrets?” Should I tell him my secret past? If I do, he’ll for sure never want to see me again.
“I was engaged in my early twenties. Her name was Brie.”
“Was?”
“We were building a new bank in Olympia. She came to see me and brought me lunch. I was on the sixth floor checking out the blueprint to make sure the walls were measured correctly. Brie danced around the open floor space like a ballerina…it was her passion. There were some cones and a sign around a hole for a second staircase to be installed. I looked at my choice of food to eat, and the next thing I heard was a scream.”
I looked and saw my fiancée falling down the hole after tripping on one of the cones. I never wanted to do construction again but was told by my dad to continue to overcome the fear of heights, falling, and death. I did and blocked any emotions involving the opposite sex for years. I’ve learned to overcome it and learned to feel again.”
“I’m so sorry, Clint. You still hurt, I can tell. It takes time to overcome the loss of someone you love.”
“It’s nice to know you understand. Maybe it’s what drew me to you.”
“Maybe. If I don’t think of my parents, I’m fine. But it still hurts after ten years.”
He smiled. “Yes, you are fine. Enough about history, but thank you for listening.” He offered his hand and she held it. “And no. My parents don’t offer trips with any girl they see me with. I haven’t met any to keep but one.”
