“Cecelia, you’re not going to believe what happened.” Edwina told her sister the entire sordid story.
“So... he came to your rescue once again,” she said to the mirror as she pulled back her hair.
“Well, I guess you could say that. I’m so embarrassed, Cece. It was awful. But he helped me get your suit. Otherwise . . .”
“Don’t think about it. There’s no time. It’s here now and that’s all that matters. However, I am going to speak to Mr. Dunnegin’s lawyer. You did say he was going to sue?”
“Well, he didn’t exactly say that. Just that he would be contacting his attorney.”
“Sometimes that’s a ruse to let people know you mean business. They meant to steal my suit. It’s expensive, and somebody down there knows it.”
Edwina could see that her sister’s anger was starting to burn. “Don’t think about it now. You’ve got to be at the recording studio in two hours. Are the Gillespies ready?”
“They’ve been ready for an hour. They’re sitting calmly in the living room discussing plans to visit their son when production is over. I think this will be just the thing I need to get international visitors to stay at my place. And if we are overrun with guests, I’ll just have to find another architectural wreck and redo it too.”
Edwina’s head tipped. “You love this, don’t you?”
“You bet I do. Every bit of it.” Cecelia glossed her lips. “Aren’t they going to do your makeup?”
“Of course, but I never go out in public without gloss.”
“I’ll leave you to your ministrations.”
“Ministrations? What kind of word is that?” Cecelia’s chuckle hung in the air.
“It just means giving care. Guess I’m reading too many books, huh?” Edwina patted Cecelia’s shoulder. “Hope all goes well today.”
Her sister’s dreams were coming true right before her eyes. Edwina ambled away still wondering what her dreams were.
Perhaps a bit of reading, maybe something romantic. She threw caution to the wind and walked to a small downtown secondhand book shop. The entire afternoon was hers to do with as she pleased. Everyone would be busy producing the show today. And it was Spencer’s day off.
For two days Edwina read and sipped tea. The most she did was prepare dinner two evenings. Production days were long, and the Gillespies came home and went to bed after dinner. Cecelia usually ate and retired to her room to write down what she wanted to say for the next day’s taping.
Edwina was bored. What was it she was looking for? She’d prayed and asked God for an answer. Surely there was something to do in a world full of needy people. She’d already decided a master’s degree was not what she wanted, and as soon as she got home, she would call her father and try to explain why she didn’t want to further her already acceptable education.
Sensing a feeling of loneliness, she decided a walk was what she needed. Cecelia had insisted she take two hundred dollars for two days’ help. Edwina had balked at first, before realizing that she needed to accept the gift her sister offered.
Shaking the thoughts from her head, she dashed for one of the hundred dollar bills, and on a whim took a taxi to the nearest park. Children were swinging, throwing sand in each other’s hair, running and falling in the grass. Where had her childhood gone? Had she had one? Of course, but it had been a rather serious one.
Isn’t there something, Lord, that I can do? Something that won’t make me better, but that will make someone else better?
Why was she feeling so melancholy today? She’d not even had the sense to grab a book, so here she sat on a park bench with nothing to do but think.
Up to this point, she’d thought her career in Library Science was the focus of her life. She wanted children, but doubted her ability to draw a man into her boring life.
Tears formed and fell into her lap. She worried that someone might see her crying. But who cared anyway? No one knew her.
Cecelia’s life was already mapped out. Her father and stepmother had their lives. She was on her own, and right now it felt lonely.
Tired of thinking, she pulled her cell phone out and called the taxi company. One thing she could do was remember numbers. Never had to write a single one down. Once she’d dialed it, it had gone straight to her mental phone book.
She felt even lonelier, if that were possible. Who cared that she could remember numbers?
The yellow taxi pulled up at the park and she got in.
“Would you stop at 213 Baker?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the driver said and pulled a U-turn.
“Whoa, sorry about that. I forgot we were headed in the wrong direction.”
“We mean to please.” The cabbie smiled at her in the rearview mirror as he pulled up to the curb.
“I’ll be right back.” She might as well use some of the money for chocolate. She needed it tonight. A quick visit to the counter and she was back.
“Best in the country.”
“What?”
“That chocolate you’re eating. You out-o-towners seem to know about the place.”
“That we do. Would you like some?” She handed the driver a square of chocolate pecan bark.
“Thanks. Don’t expect any discounts,” he teased. Edwina looked out the window, a smile forming. He was flirting with her. It was nearing midnight when she let herself in the condo.
“Edwina, is that you?” She heard her sister’s sleepy voice in the darkness. “Yes, what are you doing out here in the dark?”
“I fell asleep on the sofa. It’s been a long, long day.” She yawned. “Did everything go well?”
“Perfect.” Another yawn.
“Want some chocolate?”
“Chocolate? At this late hour? It makes my skin bumpy.”
Edwina shrugged. “More for me.”
“What’s going on, Ed?”
“Oh nothing. Just trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life is all.”
“Do I detect a bit of gloom and doom?”
“Didn’t take a rocket scientist, did it?” she mumbled.
“Sit down. Talk to me.”
Edwina sat but didn’t know what to say. What could possibly be said about a boring life?
“You’ve got a meeting in the morning, and I need to get back home. We’d better get off to bed. I’m sorry to keep you up.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. Alex wanted to see you. He took the Gillespies to the airport tonight and was quite upset when you weren’t here.”
“I’m sorry I missed sending them off.” So they were already on a first-name basis.
“They send you their best wishes and will see you again.”
“See me again? I doubt that,” she mused. “I wonder why Mr. Dunnegin wanted to see me.”
“Something about a position.”
“Position?”
“That’s all I can remember. Besides, he asked me out.”
Cecelia smiled through sleepy blue eyes. “Oh.”
“Is that all you can say? The man’s a hunk, or haven’t you noticed?”
“How could I not?”
“Well, you’ve had your turn. He’s been your knight in shining armor twice now. It’s my turn.”
Cecelia’s voice was meant as teasing, but Edwina wasn’t up to the banter tonight.
“I hope you guys hit it off, really. He’s a nice guy... and... I need to go to bed. I’m tired.” Edwina picked up her shoes.