Chapter 17
Valerie Masterson
My shoulders jerked upward as the screen door slammed behind me. I took a deep breath as I stepped further into the mudroom. I was hoping no one would notice the fury that settled within me.
Why does it seem like Wyatt wanted me to leave town? Have I overstayed my welcome? I’ll never know since he likes to keep his feelings to himself. I took another deep breath and walked into the kitchen.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me. I lifted an eyebrow. “What.”
“What’s wrong?” Devin asked.
I was doing my best to keep it together. “I’m gonna miss this town when I leave, that’s all.”
Rae stepped in front of me and wrapped me in her arms. “Listen, we all know there’s more to that, and we’re here if you need us.”
Toni spoke up. “Yup. Just give us a call and we’ll help bury the body.” She was next to wrapping her arms around me. I felt a little tug at my dress. Emily’s eyes were filled with concern.
“You have to leave, pretty lady?” I nodded. Tears filled her eyes, and she hugged me. I bent down and wrapped my arms around her. That’s when the tears I was holding back escaped me like a busted dam.
There was audible sniffing as my friends knew I’d become attached to Emily. She reminds me a lot of myself, a strong-willed girl who wasn’t afraid to explore unfamiliar things. I pulled back and wiped a tear from her face.
“Come on, let’s finish getting the food ready.
I’m not leaving tomorrow, so we still have time to hang out.
” I grabbed her small hand, and she followed me to the kitchen counter.
When Wyatt walked into the kitchen, silence enveloped the room.
He placed the baking sheet filled with steaks on the counter and wrapped it with aluminum foil.
“Wyatt, can I see you alone for a minute.” His mother spoke quietly, but I knew she wasn’t happy with him. His dad grabbed another beer and followed them outside. Everyone else slowly returned to what they were working on.
“Is anyone going to address the elephant in the room?” Ronda said as she placed a pitcher of sweet tea on the counter.
“Do we have elephants?” Emily asked.
“No honey, it’s just a thing people say.
” I gave Ronda the evil eye. She took the hint, and no one brought up the real reason why I cried.
They all knew I had fallen deeply for the grumpy doctor and his daughter.
I was even contemplating staying on permanently.
I was a fool to think that he cared for me that way .
My friends returned to their joyful selves as they joked about an upcoming birthday. When Wyatt and his family walked back in we acted as if nothing had happened, then Emily spoke.
“Daddy. What does the elephant in the room mean?”
Toni snickered, “We were teaching her sayings that had animals in them. You know, like a snake in the grass.”
“Toni. Enough!” I snapped.
She shrugged her shoulders. “What? It’s just an expression.” She sipped her wine.
Layla handed her a piece of garlic bread. “Here, eat this. I think your blood sugar is low.”
“Let me have a piece, I think mine is low too.” Ronda held out her hand.
Rae pursed her lips to hold back a giggle.
“How about we sit down for dinner?” My mom stood with her arms folded.
“Victoria, here’s a plate.” She paused and took it from Rae.
Everyone began filling their plates with an assortment of steak, chicken, green salad, potato salad, steamed vegetables, collard greens, and lumpia.
We all took a seat outside on the front porch and watched the sun go down.
The sky exploded with vibrant hues of crimson and violet, blending seamlessly into shimmering gold as the sun gracefully sank below the horizon.
I could never get tired of the fresh air, and the breathtaking display of the golden sky reminds me of watercolors across the canvas of evening.
I took a deep breath and exhaled. There was a small part of me that wanted Wyatt to ask me not to leave. I was certainly not going to overstay my welcome. As everyone got up and took their plates inside, I sat in silence and contemplated my next move.
I’ve already sent Mr. Graves my report on Skybrook, letting him know that this is not the place for a hotel and golf resort.
What is needed is a hospital, and I made sure I highlighted that fact in my report.
Devin assisted in compiling statistics on mortality rates correlated with distances to the nearest hospital.
Now, all I can do is sit and wait for his response. The frustration is not knowing. I wish I could do something to speed up the process. Devin came and sat beside me.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
“Just thinking about work.”
“When it comes to work, our backs are up against a wall. There are things you can’t control.”
“I know, but it’s still frustrating.”
“You know Mr. Graves values the work you do.”
“I guess. I’ve been waiting for him to address the concerns I brought up, and yet no response.”
“Valerie, I think it’s more than that. I saw your face when you came back in from talking to Wyatt.”
I nodded. “I guess it’s a one-sided relationship.”
“I’m sorry. I thought the feelings were mutual, especially the way he looks at you.”
“Well, it seems as if we were both wrong.” He pulled me in and let me put my head on his shoulder. We sat for a minute and listened to the crickets. Wyatt stepped outside and observed us, then made an about-face and went back to where he came from.
“Valerie, I could swear that his behavior just now revealed more than he intended. If he knew about my preferences, he wouldn’t have a reason to be jealous.” Devin let out a soft laugh.
“You have a point. Yet I’m not going to be the one to chase after him. He’s a big boy, and if he wants me, all he has to do is ask.”
“Good for you. Now, let’s go have some apple pie.”
“Absolutely, and I’d love a scoop of vanilla ice cream with it.” When we entered the house, there was a heated discussion about which dessert was better: apple pie or cheesecake.
“Fine! Let’s ask Valerie and Devin what they are having, so we can have a complete tally from there.” My mother turned and waited for our answer.
“We’ll have apple pie, with ice cream.” We said simultaneously. There were a few boos, followed by a couple of yays.
“Why did you choose apple?” Rae rolled her eyes.
“Ladies, you all know I head up to the city of Placerville to Apple Hill Farms every fall. You had to know I’d answer apple.”
Emily sat at the counter, savoring a slice of warm apple pie. Each bite was a sweet delight, and a radiant smile danced across her face. My mother served us both a plate and I sat beside Emily.
“Earlier I saw you eat a small piece of steak.”
I took the spoon from my mouth and smiled. “I did.”
“I’m glad you changed your mind.”
“You are?”
“Yup, why give up something you like? I mean, I like pie, and I don’t want to give it up.”
“You have a good point.” I nudged her with my elbow.
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure, I can try. What is it?”
“Don’t give up on my daddy.”
“Honey, it’s not up to just me.
“You do like him, right?”
“I do. But we both need to want the same thing, and right now, we don’t. We’re going to remain friends, though.”
She sighed and pushed her plate away. I can only guess that she lost her appetite. “Are you full?”
“No. I don’t want anymore.” She rubbed her eyes.
“Are you tired?”
She nodded and I looked at my cellphone to check the time. It was eight-thirty, more than likely it was past her bedtime. “Do you want me to tuck you into bed?”
“Yes, please.”
The house was so busy with people talking that Emily didn’t want to miss a thing. I picked her up and she laid her head on my shoulder. “Devin, I’ll be right back, and don’t eat my pie.”
“I can’t make any promises.”
I walked down the hallway and up the flight of stairs. All the doors were closed, and I didn’t know which would lead to her bedroom. There were no decorative markings to display a young girl’s room. I took a guess and opened the last door in the hallway.
I flipped the light switch and looked around, only to find a baby’s room. Everything seemed to be frozen in time: stuffed animals, a rocking chair, and an untouched crib. I turned off the light, took a step back, and closed the door.
I moved to the next room, entered, and repeated my movements. The room contained stuffed animals arranged on top of a pink and purple flowered bedspread, a nearly empty bookshelf, a doll house, and a Disney princess-themed border.
I pulled the covers back and laid her down. I removed her socks and shoes and pulled the covers up to her chest. I switched on the night light next to her bed and stood up so I could turn off the bedroom light.
“Pretty lady, can you sing me a song?”
“You want me to sing you a lullaby?” She nodded her head and yawned. I sang the first song that came to mind. When I finished singing “Hey Jude” by The Beatles, she was sound asleep. I gently brushed her dark hair away from her face and stood up.
When I turned, Wyatt was standing in the doorway with his arms folded.
I turned off the overhead light and brushed past him.
The door softly clicked closed, and I heard footsteps behind me.
A sense of calm washed over me as I walked down the hallway.
Something was soothing about watching her drift off to sleep so peacefully.
I smiled to myself, grateful for the simple moments that make life so meaningful.
As I continued down the hallway, I felt a renewed sense of purpose and contentment.
It reminded me of how lucky Wyatt is to have a wonderful family, and something I’m deeply missing in my life. I can’t force Wyatt to love me, and I feel that my time here is done, and I need to return home to San Francisco where I belong.
“Valerie.” A voice from behind me paused my steps. I turned around to face Wyatt, his expression unreadable.
“Yes? What is it, Wyatt?”
“You haven’t talked to me once this evening since our conversation outside.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t see a reason for us to talk any further.”
He took a deep breath and whispered. “I’m sorry I’m an ass.
I only wanted to know how much time I have with you before you go.
Of course, I fucked that up and it made you feel like I was trying to get rid of you.
” He scratched his forehead. “I wasn’t, I honestly wanted to know if I had a few hours, days or weeks. ”
“Well, if you must know, I have no idea at this point. I’m waiting for my work to let me know if they’ve reviewed my report and if they’ll approve my recommendations. At this point, I’m a little worn out, and I want to go back to eating my dessert.”
“Follow me, I know the owner. He’ll get you anything you want.” He took my hand, and I followed him downstairs to the kitchen. The room was empty.
“Where is everyone?”
“They went outside. Something about the clear sky and being able to see stars. Which is weird, because everyone can see the stars with the naked eye.”
“Being in the city, it’s harder to see the stars at night because of light pollution. ”
“Light pollution?”
“Artificial lights from streetlights and buildings. They overwhelm the faint lights from the stars.”
He nodded his head as he understood the phenomenon. “No wonder they are all laying out on the front lawn.” He smiled and it made me weak in the knees. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Putting Emily to bed.”
“No problem. She’s a pretty awesome little lady.”
“I had no idea you could sing.”
“I have frequent shows I do.”
“Really?”
I laughed out loud. “Hell no. I’m only kidding. The only time I sing is in the shower.” I looked at the kitchen counter and froze. “Where is my pie and ice cream?”
“Devin took care of it.”
“He put it in the refrigerator?”
“No. I mean, like he ate it.”
“That little son of a … where’s he at?” I started to walk towards the front of the house. Wyatt grabbed me at the elbow and turned me around.
“It’s okay, there’s more.” He loosened his hold onto me and proceeded to get me another slice of pie a la mode.
He then served himself a brownie with a side of vanilla ice cream.
I lifted an eyebrow as I love brownies over apple pie.
As much as I desired, I didn’t ask to switch, instead, I wanted to savor a quiet moment alone with Wyatt.