29. A Call
29
A CALL
Mara
Memorial Day weekend arrived with the lazy, golden sunlight of late spring. After a perfect day with Ford—brunch at Pamela’s Diner, wandering an art festival in Shadyside—I felt a quiet satisfaction settle over me as I walked through my door that evening. The only reason we weren’t curled up together now was his work call. Otherwise, we’d probably be plotting out our next adventure.
The store was doing better, too. Having all those new superhero figures in the window had attracted new customers. My bottom line looked much better these days.
Zephyr greeted me the moment I walked in my door, eager for dinner.
As I headed into the kitchen, my phone chirped and Lianna’s image appeared on the screen. “Hi, I just walked in the door,” I said. I turned on the speakerphone so I could open a can of dog food while we talked.
“Hi. I had to drop by the office. Small catastrophe with a client. What time should I be at your place tomorrow?”
“Does nine work for you? You’re still at Gertrude’s, right? My place is a short walk from there. We can head to my parents’ place together.”
“Excellent! Tomorrow should be fun. See you then.”
I tucked my phone into my pocket and set Zephyr’s bowl in front of him. He immediately started eating.
Today, Ford had taken me to Pamela’s Diner for brunch, and then we’d attended an art festival in Shadyside. Pamela’s crepe-style hotcakes stuffed with blueberries and sour cream might be the best breakfast food I’ve ever eaten.
Last weekend, he surprised me with a trip to the Nemacolin resort. Between the champagne welcome, the couples massage, and breakfast delivered to our room, I’d felt more relaxed and pampered than I’d been in ages.
I picked up Zephyr’s empty bowl and rinsed it out. “Ready for a walk?” I asked. He replied by darting to the door and staring at the knob.
We headed out the door, my thoughts still on Ford, but the moment Zephyr and I hit the sidewalk, my phone rang. I assumed it must be Ford, but when I glanced at the screen, I came to a halt.
Destiny Woodworth.
The name flashed on my screen, and for a second, my stomach twisted. I hovered over the answer button, feeling a pull of curiosity mixed with the familiar sting of old wounds. What could she possibly want? To crow about selling Stel-Wood? No. That wasn’t Destiny. She wasn’t the gloating type—at least, she hadn’t been when we’d been roommates and business partners, but people can change.
I’d never know if I didn’t talk to her.
Finally, I pressed the green button to answer the call. “Hi, Destiny. How are you?”
Zephyr took the lead and we headed toward the library.
“Mara, it’s great to hear your voice. How’s Ghost of a Chance doing?”
“Great!” I forced a broad smile. “Couldn’t be better.”
Destiny was silent for a moment. Had she picked up on the lie in my voice? She’d always been perceptive. “I’m glad to hear it,” she finally said.
“Congratulations on selling Stel-Wood,” I told her as Zephyr and I crossed the street.
“They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” she said. “It wiped out all the company debt and left me with enough money to give me lots of options for the future.”
“Does that mean you’re thinking about launching a new company?” I asked, keeping my voice light through the pang of jealousy that skewered me.
Zephyr slowed down and started doing what I think of as his poopy-walk.
“I am. In fact, that’s why I called. I’d like to develop an idea we kicked around a couple of years ago. I wanted to discuss it with you first.”
I let out a soft laugh. “You’ll have to refresh my memory. We talked over millions of ideas. As I recall, that was one of our favorite things to do… brainstorm.”
Destiny sighed. “I miss that.”
My throat tightened as loss and longing overwhelmed me. “Me too.” I reached down with one of the plastic bags covering my hand to scoop up what Zephyr had deposited. It seemed a bit metaphorical to be cleaning up a pile of crap right now. Destiny had that amazing deal, and I was left holding a handful of dog poop.
“This was the one about having the game read facial expressions and having the characters react to the players’ emotions,” Destiny said.
I grinned as I tied off the bag. “That was a good one.”
“I want to develop it. And Mara—I want us to be partners again.”
Her words hit me like a jolt, stopping me mid-step. Partners. Again. A rush of emotions surged, a mix of excitement and disbelief. Was she serious? After everything that had happened?
“Us?” I repeated in disbelief. “As in, you and me?” The words felt foreign on my tongue, like a language I hadn’t spoken in years.
“Together again. I hate not working with you. It’s boring and tedious without you to bounce ideas around. I need you back. I miss you.”
Quick tears sprang to my eyes. “I miss you too.”
“Oh, thank God,” she said, sounding relieved. “Then let’s make this happen.”
I inhaled sharply, wishing things were different, then let out a sigh. “It’s not that simple, Destiny,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “I have my store now.”
The words felt heavy, like I was reminding myself as much as her. Ghost of a Chance had become my lifeline, my way of surviving after Chance died. But...what if it could be more? What if I didn’t have to struggle so much anymore?
“But you said things are going great. I bet you could hire a manager to run it now that it’s on its feet.”
I dropped the bag into the trash, feeling the weight of Destiny’s words more than the plastic in my hand. The manager idea again. Always dangling out of reach like an impossible solution, one I couldn’t afford—or maybe didn’t have the guts to pursue. “I might have exaggerated. I’m getting by, but it’s been a challenge.”
“Aw, honey. I’m sorry. This has been a rough year for you. Losing Chance must have been devastating. It’ll take some time to get your feet back under you.”
Her kindness cut through my defenses, and before I could stop it, the guilt I’d been pushing down for months surged to the surface. My throat tightened, and I blinked against the sudden sting of tears. Damn it, Destiny. Why did you have to be so understanding? “Thanks,” I choked out. “I think business is finally starting to improve.”
“I tell you what—give yourself some time to think about my proposal. If you’re interested, we can talk through the details. I really want you as my partner again, but only if that’s what you want too.”
“I do,” I admitted, “I just don’t know how to make it happen. Let me think on it.”
“Call me back in a couple of weeks,” she said, her voice warm with the easy confidence of someone who didn’t doubt for a second that I’d say yes.
I wanted to say yes. Of course I did. I wanted to be back in that world, where everything felt possible. But as I ended the call, I looked down at Zephyr tugging on the leash, ready to move forward, and felt the weight of my reality pulling me back. Could I really leave it all behind?
For the first time, the thought hit me: did my urge to say yes come from my desire to find my true self once again, or was it just an escape from the guilt I felt over staying tethered to Chance’s legacy? The comic book store had always felt like the right way to honor him, but maybe I’d been using it as a shield. What if this was my chance to finally do something for me? Something that wasn’t about carrying the weight of his dreams but chasing my own?
I let out a slow breath, that was the crux of it. The questions swirled, unanswered, as I followed Zephyr down his meandering path.