Chapter Twenty-two #3
Walking down the hall, Nora heard a woman’s voice—not Fallon’s—blabbing on about expectations and responsibilities.
She listened for half a minute before shaking her head.
That woman could put an entire colony of ants to sleep.
Stopping against the wall outside the open door of the familiar ranger’s office, she was almost overcome by the memory of Fallon standing there with her, taking it upon herself to totally save Nora’s life.
Not literally, perhaps, but to give her a shot at the life she’d always wanted.
The life she’d thought she wanted. Actually, she still wanted some version of that life. But she wanted it with Fallon.
The speaker cut off in mid-sentence, and Nora realized she’d been hearing a recording. “See?” a different voice asked, and she heard Fallon answer, “Pretty bad, all right.”
As ready as she was to see Fallon right that second, something made Nora hesitate. “So we need something more like the video that your group uses for recruitment,” the not-Fallon voice continued. “You know the one?”
“I know what you’re talking about, yes,” Fallon said.
“We need to convey the same level of excitement with the fast-paced information. Like in that video’s middle section where the music changes.”
Fallon said something that Nora couldn’t quite make out. Apparently, the ranger didn’t hear it either. “Excuse me?” she asked.
Fallon’s voice was a little stronger, obviously repeating herself. “I haven’t seen it.”
What? That did it. Nora stepped into the room, fists on her hips. “What did you just say?”
Fallon jumped to her feet, her eyes wide. “Nora!”
“What do you mean, you haven’t seen my video?”
“Miss,” the ranger said. “We’re in a meeting here.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am.” Fallon shot a quick glance at the new ranger before focusing on Nora again, as if worried she might disappear. “I know this is a bit unorthodox, but could we have the room for a few minutes? Please?”
The ranger seemed skeptical. After a few seconds of looking between them, she picked up her hat. “I’ll be back in five,” she said, softly closing the door on her way out.
Nora waited until they were alone. “Now tell me why you haven’t watched my video.”
“I couldn’t,” Fallon said, still staring at Nora. “Everyone said it was wonderful. They still say that. But I…” She shrugged.
“Uh-huh,” Nora said. “I see. No, wait, I don’t. But maybe you can explain it to me later. First, there’s something I want to give you.” She pushed Fallon back into the chair, straddled her lap and kissed her. Not as long or deeply as she wanted to, but not softly, either.
When she pulled back, Fallon sat frozen, her mouth still slightly open. “Wow,” she said after a few seconds. “That’s about the nicest gift I’ve ever gotten.” She leaned in, obviously ready for another kiss.
“No.” Nora pressed her hand to Fallon’s chest. “I’m not finished.
The second most angriest I’ve ever been with you was when I called you a big chickenshit ten years ago in this very room.
I said it to hurt you. But maybe I was right.
Maybe you are a big chickenshit. Because maybe you didn’t run from me this time, but you didn’t fight for me either.
So I’m warning you, this could be your last chance.
” Fallon said nothing, but Nora could see her lip was trembling.
“Okay, or maybe your next-to-last chance.”
Fallon looked wary. “What’s the angriest you’ve ever been?”
“About one minute ago when I heard you say you hadn’t seen my video. Why not, Fallon?”
“Because I am a big chickenshit.” As Nora shook her head, Fallon added, “Because I’m in love with you.
And the way I could keep that safe inside me was to pretend you loved me too, even if only a little.
But if I watched that video and I saw something different, I just… I wouldn’t be able to stand it.”
Nora didn’t want to admit that she could see Fallon’s rationale, knowing the way her harsh words during their parting quarrel had lingered in her own thoughts. Her face must have softened because Fallon covered her hand with her own.
“Besides,” Fallon added, “I have a wonderful video that plays on demand in my head. It features you and me sleeping close in my big tent and you dropping that towel and us in Silver Bird and a hundred other mental pictures of our time together. Of course, I was planning on splicing in some new scenes from the Grand Canyon.” There was that smile, damn it.
“It’s very good to see you,” she said softly.
“I’m glad you think so.” Nora was pretty sure she should hold out a little longer. “Because I could be mad at you for a while.”
Fallon slipped her arms around Nora’s waist and pulled her in closer. “Why are you really here? You could be mad at me in Tucson.”
Here it was. That exact moment where she could capture the whole picture perfectly. The emotion was certainly there. And like all great shots, timing was the key. “Because I love you.”
Fallon looked more surprised than when Nora had first appeared in the room. “You do?”
Nora was amazed at how marvelously buoyant she felt. Saying those words had been much easier than she’d anticipated. She nodded. “I do.”
“Can you love me here, in this place?”
“I always have, so I might as well keep on.”
They were still holding each other when the door opened again. Nora had the advantage of facing the ranger, who stood staring at them. After a few seconds, the ranger asked, “Excuse me, but who are you?”
“I’m your new videographer,” Nora said.