Chapter 2
Two
Angela had just left the convenience store to pick up a pack of gum when her cell phone rang.
“Hi, Krysta,” she answered, knowing it was her best friend calling to tell her she would be late. They had been friends long enough for her to know Krysta was always late and, add a toddler to that equation and, it had been even worse these days.
“I know Krysta. I’ll just wait for you.”
“I’ll just be twenty minutes late or so. I’m actually making good time.”
Angela and Krysta had been best friends since college where Angela studied Marketing and Krysta studied Journalism.
The two could not have been more different.
But maybe it was that difference that attracted them to each other.
Angela needed to take care of someone, and Krysta needed to be taken care of.
Angela arrived a bit early at Evelyn’s Cottage where she and Krysta would usually meet for lunch. The elderly lady who owned the place greeted her as usual.
“Hi, Angela. How are you?”
“I’m good, Evelyn. How’s your granddaughter?” Angela asked, remembering the adorable pictures she had seen.
“She’s fantastic. She’s growing so fast,” Evelyn observed. “How old is she now? Two years or so?”
“She’s going on three.” Krysta smiled.
“Wow.”
“And you. Are you having a little one anytime soon?” she teased.
“Well, let me get married first, will you,” Angela joked.
“So is it just you today?”
“Nope, Krysta is running late again.”
“Well, I’ve got the perfect table for you two.” She ushered her to a quaint corner of the restaurant.
Angela sat down and smiled. She loved this place; the smell of homemade food, the friendly greetings, the antique tea cups displayed on the wall, the old oak round tables.
Although she was staring at antique tea cups, her mind was nowhere near tea parties with the neighboring ladies; it was in fact nowhere where it should be.
She just couldn’t shake him. She was supposed to be thinking about wedding plans and her studies, not about a man she barely knew. She had his face, his smile, his smell stamped into her brain.
She set out to distract herself, pulling a Wedding Bells magazine out of her oversized canvas purse. But even as she flipped through the images of beautiful women dressed in fluffy dream dresses, she still couldn’t shake him, even five days after meeting him.
Thankfully, Krysta finally made her appearance, carrying Madison on her hip like a pro.
“Sorry I’m late,” Krysta apologized as she sat Madison down in the high chair Evelyn had left for her.
“No problem,” Angela told her
“Hi, Madison. How’s my favorite little girl?
” Angela stroked her soft cheek. She couldn’t resist. Madison gave her a smile but her attention was immediately distracted when her mom handed her a juice cup and a few animal crackers.
Krysta had finally settled herself in, taking out the necessities; food, bib, wipes.
In her rushed preparations for a simple lunch, she hadn’t failed to notice Angela’s magazine.
“So have you picked it out yet?”
Angela, slightly uneasy, just pouted and nodded a no.
“Well, what’s taking you so long?”
“I don’t know. I just haven’t found the right one, I guess.”
About one minute after sitting at the table, Madison was officially bored and decided to throw her juice cup. Without missing a beat, Krysta picked it up and gave it back to her, as she had done a thousand times before.
“You’re insane Angela. If I was the one getting married, the dress would be the first order of business.”
Madison threw her cup again. Angela picked it up.
“Well, you know me, I’m not like you – I don’t really fuss over dresses.”
“But it’s your wedding day. You should fuss. You’re so lucky to be getting the big fairytale wedding. I’d kill to be you right now.”
And again, the cup fell on the floor.
“Well, it seems to me, you’re the lucky one,” Angela told her, looking at Madison.
“Yeah... she can be a handful but she’s pretty cute.” Krysta gave Madison a rice cracker to keep her occupied which seemed to do the trick.
Evelyn came by with menus. “Hi, ladies,” she said in a cheerful voice as she offered them the menus.
“Hi, Evelyn, how are you?” Krysta asked her.
“Great. How’s little Madison?”
Another smile.
“Well, I’ll come back in a bit for your orders. It’s crazy here today.”
They barely looked at the menu. They both knew what they were having – the usual.
Angela would have the tuna salad sandwich and Krysta would share the Mac ‘n Cheese with Madison.
“Speaking of Madison... do you mind looking after her on Thursday night?” Krysta asked, half-smiling.
Angela thought about it for about half a second.
“Of course.”
“So have you done anything for your wedding yet?”
“Well, I booked the hall.”
“Well, that’s a start.” Krysta closed her menu and Angela followed.
“Have you put any more thought into the nursing program you were interested in?” Krysta asked her.
“Not much to be honest.” Angela gave her a sheepish look.
She was a handful as a friend but one thing was for sure, Krysta did care about Angela’s happiness.
She had been shocked when Angela had told her a year ago she was leaving her job as a personal care worker.
She loved her clients, she loved helping people.
Krysta couldn’t understand it. Angela had told her that with Robert’s successful real estate business, there was no need for her small salary and that Robert had encouraged her to do so.
But Krysta had known Angela longer then he did and she thought herself a better judge of what made Angela happy.
“I did look at a school catalog but really… what’s the point. I’m getting married soon.”
“So the point is you; your happiness and fulfillment. You can work and be married and have a family. It’s hard but you can do it.”
Krysta was getting quite worked up, and Evelyn made her appearance just in time.
“The usual?” Evelyn smiled. “Tuna sandwich, Mac and cheese and iced tea?”
They both nodded and smiled.
Angela debated telling her best friend about the crazy hot guy she had met; this was just the kind of story Krysta would love. But she decided against it; there had been enough scrutiny for one day.
Angela couldn’t ignore it; Monday afternoon, the long dreaded meeting with Dot.
She dressed a little more appropriately; a red silk blouse and fitted cream trousers.
No sweats this time; she had felt so out of place the last time she was there.
She remembered to put Volkswagen Blues in her purse.
She couldn’t believe she had stolen it but she had had a perfectly good excuse; she had been a little distracted.
She grabbed an apple on her way out. It was a miserable afternoon; cold rain. And of course, as she drove away, she realized she forgot her umbrella.
When she arrived at the estate, between running from the car to the door and waiting for someone to answer, she was drenched. To her surprise, Michael answered and ushered her into the house.
“You’re dripping,” he observed, smiling. He seemed amused.
“Well, I was out there for a while, ringing the door bell.”
“I’m sorry. Ellie’s off today. I’m not as fast as she is.” He took her jacket.
“It’s ok. I’ll forgive you this time,” she teased in a soft voice that wasn’t quite her own.
Was she actually flirting? She didn’t know. She wasn’t sure if that could be considered flirting or just witty banter. But it wasn’t actually witty. She couldn’t believe she was flirting; she was an engaged woman.
She took off her shoes.
“Hold on. Stay here,” he told her.
She froze right there by the entrance. He came back with a towel from the powder room. She used it to dry her hair.
“Thank you.”
He walked her to the study. Dot was sitting at her usual spot, dressed in a blue suit with heels.
Her hair was miraculously perfect again.
Angela wondered: How did she do that? Did she wake up like that?
Did she have a personal hairdresser at her beck and call and if so, where was this hairdresser?
And most importantly, could she do her hair?
Dot had a cigarette in her ashtray and a box of chocolates and she seemed in an uncharacteristically good mood. She offered Angela a chocolate.
“Thank you. I’ll have a taste.” Angela tried to appear proper; although she was drooling like a teething baby. She had sworn off chocolates so this was a real treat. It was the most delicious chocolate she had ever tasted in her thirty-five years of life.
“They’re from Germany,” Dot told her.
Angela wanted more, more, more! But she didn’t think it proper to help herself, and was hoping Dot would offer again.
Michael grabbed a rolling desk chair from the other end of the study and rolled it all the way to their sitting area. He helped himself to a chocolate. He was dressed more casually than the last time she saw him; kakis and a grey cotton long sleeved shirt. He still looked gorgeous.
“These are good.” He helped himself to another one.
Yes they are. Offer me one.
Dot helped herself to another. She gave Angela a funny look, a little grin. Angela had the feeling she was mocking her; she knew she wanted another chocolate.
For the love of God, you inconsiderate woman, offer me another chocolate.
“Help yourself to more, Angela,” Michael offered.
Thank you. Thank you.
“Mother has an admirer,” he teased
“He’s going to have to work harder than a box of chocolates to get into this skirt.”
Angela gasped at the words and shared a smile with Michael.
“Well, he has good taste in chocolates. I should know; I’m an expert.” Angela offered.
“How so?” Dot asked
“Well... I eat a lot of it.”
Michael looked at her with that enticing smile of his; the one which usually made her quite uneasy. Suddenly self-conscious, she quickly changed the subject.
“So, how do you know this man?” she asked Dot, curious.
“He’s in the crocheting class I’m in. What kind of man does crocheting?”
“A man in touch with his feminine side, I suppose,” Angela told her.
“Well, I just don’t know if he’s the type of man for me.”