Chapter 3 Elyse
ELYSE
Iwoke up early to see Drew off to his business trip to Salt Lake City. While I enjoyed the freedom that his career gave us to travel, I sure did miss him when he was gone. Sometimes, even more than usual. That day started out feeling like one of those times.
Which was why I was delighted when I heard a motorcycle pull up followed by the doorbell.
When I opened the door to my friend Cat's smiling face, I just ignored the fact that there was something in her eye that gave away that this visit might be more than just a social call.
But I decided to cross that bridge when I got to it and just enjoy the company of my friend.
I moved back from the open door, and Cat stepped through and into my arms, which I had been holding out wide for a hug. Cat was one of my oldest friends in Clearwater, and I cherished our connection. She always seemed to turn up when I needed her most, and that day was no exception.
"What's wrong?" she asked, clapping my back before bending backward a bit to look me in the eyes.
Her eyes drifted across my face with a purpose, and her eyebrows pulled together, drawing an eleven into her smooth mahogany skin.
She stepped back and grabbed my hands, swinging them back and forth between us.
"Did you get taller?" She asked with a laugh.
I sighed, my normally playful demeanor eluding me.
"Come on, let's hear it. What's going on?"
"Well, Drew left this morning for Salt Lake City, and you know sometimes I miss him just a little bit extra."
"You guys are disgusting," said Cat. "But I love it. And I love you. I understand this is difficult for you. It must be really hard to not have him around all the time."
"It is. I know people say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but I love him just as much when he's here as when he's traveling."
"Well, he'll be home before you know it," said Cat, giving my hands a squeeze before letting them drop back down to my sides.
My German Shepherd scratched at the back door, eager for her turn for a hug from Cat, which she always gave readily and enthusiastically. Sometimes I thought that Cat considered Eden her niece, and I never discouraged it because I enjoyed watching them together so much.
"Well, come into the kitchen. I'm going to make some breakfast. Do you want anything?"
"No, I don't have very long. I just left Allison holding down the fort at the café, but I do have some errands to run before I head back. I can't wait to go home and collapse on the couch."
I laughed. Cat was one of the hardest working women I knew, and her café, Cat's Bites, was her pride and joy—not only for the food that she offered or the walls decorated with artwork from her many worldwide travels, but it was also a way for her to serve her community.
Most of the women who had worked for Cat had come in needing someone to give them a chance, and Cat was always willing to do so.
She'd find their strengths and help them develop them, then encourage them to spread their wings and soar to their next opportunity.
Her protégés were spread throughout the community, and they all came in from time to time to check in with Cat and give her an update on their progress.
Little did they know, she was keeping tabs on all of them, and they brought her as much pride as her own son, Sam, a successful local attorney.
It's how we came to know Jenna. She got her start at Cat's café.
And it's also how we came to know the woman who was manning the ship at that very moment, Allison.
She was led to Cat's at a time when both of them needed help, and it's been a beautiful thing to watch.
She and her four-year-old son, Noah, were blossoming together and separately, and we could see Allison beginning to heal from the loss of her husband three years prior at the age of nineteen.
She was currently living with her in-laws and starting school to become a grief counselor.
"What brings you here?" I said as we sat at the kitchen table.
"I know you're ready for first breakfast," said Cat, "so don't let me stop you."
"Oh, trust me, you wouldn't. I'm just trying to decide what I want to eat."
"I'm shocked you didn't have it planned out last night."
"I did, but it sounded so good, I got up and ate it at midnight."
"You're so predictable," said Cat. "Oh, that reminds me." She ran back out to her bike and returned a moment later with a to-go bag from Jenna's bakery, The Flour Shoppe.
"Is this—?"
"Yes, it is."
"You brought me an almond croissant. You do love me!"
"You knew I did the second you saw I was on your porch. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason I got a hug."
"Oh, get out of here. I hug you every time I see you."
Cat laughed and dropped the bag on the table in front of me. "Have at it," she said.
I rose to get a plate from the cabinet. "You want half?" I asked her.
"Sure, sure, rip off a corner," said Cat. "It'll keep my hands busy."
At the mention, I looked at Cat's hands and was surprised to see that her long nails were bitten down to the quick, which was very unlike Cat. Her nails were, while not often painted, impeccably maintained. Something was really bothering her.
"What's going on with you?" I said, nudging her shin with my foot.
"Well, that's actually why I'm here," she replied, and then looked at me nervously, which was also very unlike her.
Cat was one of the most self-assured people I had ever met, and she rarely minced words, so whatever she had to say, she was still weighing in her mind.
I thought it best to wait for her to finish ruminating, and tore into my croissant with gusto.
"Are you going to eat that or are you going to asphyxiate it?" I said with my mouth full of croissant. Cat looked up from her hands clasped in her lap. Her top hand turned palm up with the end of the croissant crushed between her thumb and forefinger.
"One more time without food in your mouth, hobbit," she said.
I swallowed, then repeated what I'd said.
"I guess I'm just not very hungry," Cat said.
"Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?" I asked, my eyes once again landing on her hands that were now wringing one another.
"That's actually why I'm here," she said. "I talked to Drew over the weekend."
Oh, for Pete's sake. Now I know exactly why she's here.
"Go on, let's get this over with," I said with a huff, crossing my arms in front of my chest like a petulant toddler who's been told that snack time isn't for another hour.
"Just hear me out," she said, putting her hands up in a sign of 'I come in peace.' "I'm not here to judge you. I want you to really let something set in. Think about how worried Drew must be for him to call me to try and intervene."
"So this is an intervention," I said.
"Not exactly," said Cat. "This is your best friend sitting down with you to see what's going on and then trying to find a way to help you through it."
"I don't need help through anything," I said, exasperation not far from my tone.
"You can't tell me that following members of your community around and taking pictures of them to send to their wives isn't—"
She stopped and looked up at the ceiling as if searching for the right word to use to describe my behavior. "Odd" is what she settled on, which was exactly how I would describe her choice.
I balled up my napkin and tossed it across the table at her, hoping to lighten the mood. "It's not that odd. People do this all the time."
"Yes, for a living," retorted Cat, tossing the napkin into the center of the table instead of back at me like she would under normal circumstances. "They're trained. They know how to avoid trouble and skirt dangerous situations, whereas you appear to be marching headlong into them."
"You don't know that," I said, indignant.
I stood from the table, my appetite gone. I walked over to the counter and set the remains of my croissant down. I patted the plate twice as if to say I would return soon, which I probably would if I were being honest.
"And I don't need you to assume that I'm not being safe."
"I just don't understand why this is so important to you. I mean, I understand that you have some trauma from when you were cheated on. And I am so sorry that you had to go through that, Elyse. But you can't erase what's happened to you by outing every other cheater in our entire community."
"I'll never get them all," I said. "But I've got a lot of try in me."
"You are quite trying," said Cat, the corner of her mouth turning up ever so slightly.
"But you love me anyway," I said, then asked, "How is Allison doing at the cafe?"
Cat's hands relaxed in her lap. "She's doing great.
Just like Jenna did when she started. She's been so helpful and I've been able to teach her how to cook a few things just in case I need her to take over like I did today.
Or maybe give me some mornings off so I can get back to Tuesday morning Ladies League. "
I stood to retrieve the napkin from the table and throw it out. "I have missed you at golf, but I know you'll be back soon. How are the cooking lessons going?" I asked as I sat back down.
"It's been amazing. She is quite the cook. I may have to bring her back into the kitchen with me more often."
"Well, that would mean you'd need someone else to take over up front."
"Indeed, it would," said Cat with a wink.
I had to laugh. Cat was as passionate about her mission at the café as she was about the café itself, and she always looked forward to finding out who her next mentee would be.
Sometimes they came in during open interviews and Cat just knew they were the one.
Other times they walked in off the street and fell into the role like Allison had.
"How are you otherwise?" she asked, her lecture over.
I sighed and looked down at the wood floor in the kitchen, trying to discern a pattern in the hopes of stilling my mind. "I'm just lonely. When Drew is out of town, it's just me and the dog here and I just don't do well on my own. I like to have people around me."
"Especially if that person is Drew," said Cat.
"Especially that," I said and nodded my head. "But he's traveling so often, I spend more time alone than not."
Cat reached forward and set her hand on my leg. "I'm sorry that you're lonely. If you ever want to hang out, I'm almost always available after the café closes. You know that."
"I do. I just... it's mostly waking up to an empty house and going to sleep in an empty house, and you can't really help with that."
"Maybe we can have a sleepover one of these days," said Cat.
"That sounds fun." It did actually sound like fun. What I needed more than anything at that time was some company around the house.
Cat's phone buzzed. She picked it up and checked the face, sliding a calendar notification out of the way.
"Are you going to Paige's pool party?" she asked.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," I said.
"Yeah, it should be fun."
"They always are," I agreed.
Cat tapped her chin with her index finger. "We need to get Sarah to loosen up a little bit this time. I might have to make the margaritas a little stronger than usual."
"I hate to break it to you, Cat, but nobody trusts you with a bottle of tequila."
"Well, that just makes it even more fun," she said with a smirk. "All right, I'm going to get going. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, concern clouding her eyes once again.
Even sitting, I was a few inches taller than Cat, so I leaned forward slightly so that our faces lined up. "I'll be fine," I said. "You and Drew worry too much."
"And you don't worry enough," said Cat, staring back at me. She gave me a wide-eyed stare, her chin jutting out in indignation.
"I promise you, I'm careful," I said, mirroring her expression.
Cat stood and smoothed down the front of her favorite yellow leggings. "Well, I knew I wasn't going to change your mind, but I would ask you to think about what I said. People are worried, and if Drew is asking me to come talk to you, he must be out of his mind."
"Duly noted," I said, rising from my seat at the table.
I walked her to the door and gave her another hug.
"I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be in for my club sandwich."
"I'll have it ready at noon."
"You know me all too well."
"You're very predictable," said Cat with a laugh. And then with a sobering look, said, "Until you're not."
"Love you," I said to her back as she walked down the driveway toward her motorcycle. She turned before she slipped her helmet on, and the last thing I saw before it fully covered her face was her tongue sticking out.
I blew raspberries back at her and waved. I may be lonely when Drew was out of town, but I was never alone, and I knew I was very fortunate for that.
After Cat left, I felt a little out of sorts because I knew that we hadn't resolved things. I felt compelled to be able to help other women who were in the same situation that I had been in once before. A situation Cat was well aware of.
A situation that had shaken me to my core and changed me forever.