Package Deal

by Chris Chegri

  The line was silent.

  “Hello? Jill? I’m paying for this phone call.”

  “I’m here, sorry. Yeah. I bought a twelve pack last week,” Jill admitted. “No-Nonsense.”

  Kelly’s interest was piqued at the prospect of Jill having a date. “So who’s the guy? Anyone I know?” She hoped he was single this time.

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Well, who is he? What’s he like?” Kelly probed her for details. “Is he married?”

  “No, he’s not married.” Jill replied, sounding like a belligerent teenager. “He’s a friend of a friend of a friend. We’ve gone out a few times. No fireworks. So, tell me about Daytona. Hell’s angels and boy toys from colleges around the world?”

  She’d changed the subject again. Jill was clever at that. “I think I’ve already missed all the excitement. Bike Week was in March and Spring Break was in late March to early April. Maybe next year.” Kelly laughed.

  “So…Jill, this guy you’re going out with is married, isn’t he?”

  “No, he’s not married. It’s really not very exciting. Can we drop it, please?”

  Over the years, Kelly had nagged Jill about dating married men, but it bothered her when her best friend wouldn’t, or thought she couldn’t, level with her. Maybe she shouldn’t have hounded her. Some of their values differed, but she’d accepted Jill for who she was. As long as it didn’t affect Kelly’s own life, it didn’t matter.

  “I’m sorry if I’ve been on your case about married men. I just hate to see you get hurt. I want to see you happy, and it bothers me that you feel like you can’t tell me the truth.”

  “Kelly! This man is not married. I’d tell you. I can take your disapproval, so let’s drop it. Please.”

  “Okay, I’m sorry. It’s just—”

  Jill gave her no time to finish. “Apology accepted. Now, let’s talk about you. Nothing’s changed here. Same old stuff. How’s Lacy? Does she love Florida?”

  “I think she will. She’s already adjusted to her daycare. School is almost out, so I didn’t bother putting her in the elementary school for three weeks. I thought it might be too much change after the relocation. You know—new home, new school. She can start second grade in the fall.”

  “Second grade. Wow. I miss her and her rat.” Kelly knew Lacy could be a handful for Jill, who’d never had children.

  “Never thought I’d say that.” She laughed. “Tell her to make Aunt Jill a sand castle. God, I envy you guys.

  “Done deal. Oh, I talked to my lawyer yesterday.” Kelly thought Jill might be interested. “Ken’s still considering a counter suit. My lawyer says his chances of winning are slim to none. Boy, he’s got a lot of nerve. I can’t believe I ever thought he was charming.” Her anger simmered. “He’s about as charming as a dog with rabies.”

  “Whoa. This is beginning to sound like some sort of revenge trip. I don’t know why you don’t drop the whole thing.”

  “Drop it?” Kelly couldn’t believe her ears. "We’ve been through this already, Jill. Ken is going to see this through, even if I have to make him!”

  “I’m worried about you. This whole business has you so upset. You’re usually calm, such a great coper, but the minute you start talking about Ken, you go off the deep end. You get crazy. Lately, it seems you’re dredging up all kinds of bad stuff from the past. I’m just not sure it’s worth it.”

  “You think I’m crazy? I was seven years old when my dad left, then the most important man in my life took a hike. Neither of them even came to Robby’s funeral!” The bitter memory cut deep, and she swallowed hard, pushing the pain back to a safe place. “I don’t ever want Lacy to feel the way I did.”

  “What does it matter if he pays child support? You don’t need it. You’re earning enough to support Lacy. I honestly don’t get it, Kel. You want Ken out of your life, but you won’t let him go. You are making yourself miserable.”

  “I just think if my father had done something, anything—set aside a few dollars over the years for me—maybe it wouldn’t have seemed so final or hurt me so much. Instead, there was nothing! No visits, no phone calls, no presents, no child support. No college fund. Nothing! Just a black hole.”

  “Kelly, you’re twenty-eight years old. That was a long time ago. Time should have healed those wounds.”

  “The wound is healed, Jill, but the scar remains.”

  Jill sighed. “You’re punishing Ken for what your dad did to you,” she insisted. “This isn’t healthy.”

  Kelly yanked the phone away from her ear. “Jesus! I can’t believe this conversation.” She held the phone back up to her ear. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were sleeping with the enemy,” she blurted into the phone.

  “Two people make a baby, Jill, and two people are responsible. Forever! Have you been listening to anything I’ve been saying? The only thing that counts is the need for a child to feel her life is important to the two people who created her.” Blood surged to her head, throbbing at her temples. Jill would never understand. “Forget it,” she added, her anger dissolving into disappointment.

  “You’re right,” Jill came back in a soothing voice. “I don’t know what I’m talking about. My dad has always been there for me. I thought maybe, well…if you just…oh, never mind. I have a big mouth. I’m really sorry, Kel, believe me.”

  Kelly considered Jill’s apology. “Why do we always get into this, Jill? I don’t want Ken coming between us. Maybe you’re right about my getting crazy. Let’s change the subject to something less emotional. I shouldn’t be taking this out on you. Lacy and I have been under the weather the last couple days, and the accommodations haven’t exactly been the Hilton. Also…I miss my best friend.”

  “I miss you, too. You’ll make some new friends in no time, once you’re settled. You’ll be okay. You’re an independent lady, and you’ll be in control again in no time. I’m not worried about you. I am worried you’ll make yourself sick over this lawsuit though.”

  Kelly knew Jill was right. “I’ll try and mellow out. I promise. As soon as I get moved in, I’ll join a club and meet some people. I’m going to ask my mom to fly down for a week soon. It’ll be nice being closer to her.”

  Kelly wished her relationship with her mother was more satisfying, and she promised herself to work on improving communication between them.

  “Well, don’t invite her until the sleeping accommodations have improved.” Jill chuckled. “I’m your best friend, and I wouldn’t sleep on a lawn chair, even for you.”

  “Cute! Tonight’s the last night, I hope. We should have real beds tomorrow. I think I’ll sleep for a week.”

  “I don’t think your boss would approve. Call in dead, but never call in tired. Boss man won’t understand”

  They swapped a few more stories, and promised never to discuss Ken again, then Lacy abandoned her pet rat to talk to Jill for a minute before Kelly hung up.

  She picked Lacy up. “It’s late, and we both have to get up early in the morning.”

  “I think he needs a new sock to sleep in, Mommy.”

  “How about a new old sock.”

  Lacy agreed. “Can Skunk go to school with me tomorrow?" Still holding Skunk, she dropped him into his tank and covered him with the sock. The rat squirmed into the sock until nothing showed but his bald pink tail. “Roger wants to meet him.”

  “Who’s Roger?”" Kelly helped Lacy take off her clothes and slip into her nightgown.

  “He’s my new boyfriend. He’s handsome just like Mr. Steve”"

  Kelly forced her lips into a straight line, trying to hide a grin.

  “He wants to see Skunk. His mommy won’t let him have a rat.”

  “Well, maybe another day. First you need to ask your teacher. She might not feel the same way about rats as we do.”

  Lacy’s face crumpled into a pout.

  “How about if I write your teacher a note?”

  “Okay. But if she says no, I’m taking him in my poc
ket.”

  Kelly ignored her. It would serve no purpose to argue. She slipped off her own clothes, pulled on a nightgown then went out to the porch and unfolded the two cheap lounge chairs they’d slept on the previous night. She fluffed comforters over each before she and Lacy climbed onto them for the night.

  Lacy fell asleep in seconds, but Kelly’s mind spiraled out of control, running through her list of “to do’s”. Tomorrow: beds, pots and pans, and maybe a home-cooked meal. Probably not, she reconsidered. It would be late after the movers left, so there would be no time to cook. They could manage for two more days on junk food, but Saturday she would cook a real meal. No more food from small white paper bags, no more lawn chair marks on her backside.

  She hoped the movers would help her set up the beds and place the furniture, if not, she would manage somehow. Maybe Steve will drop by. A warm tingle traveled down her limbs, centering in a space just below her stomach. She’d come to count on him dropping by, but, of course, he hadn’t tonight, and she was disappointed but not surprised. She’d been pretty rough on him last night after pizza. Bi-polar might be a better word. She was certainly beginning to question her own sanity. But he’d crossed the line, suggesting she wasn’t taking her responsibilities as a mother seriously enough. His remarks had enraged her then, but now they didn’t even cause a spark.

  She laughed in the dark. Maybe Jill was right. Maybe she was crazy. It was the move, or the stress of the new job. She sighed, a sudden sadness enveloping her. After last night, she might not see him again. Who could blame him. Bi-polar Pearson.

  Jill had nicknamed Steve the iceman because he worked in cryogenics, but Steve was all warmth, patience, and charm—his intentions always good, even last night. She was the one who iced over. Got moody. Nope, Steve was anything but an iceman.

  She rolled over and gazed through the screens to the dark sky above. A feathery cloud layer masked part of the moon, and a heaven full of stars flickered from light years away, calming her. She reached over, pulled the cover up over Lacy’s ear then snuggled onto her side beneath the old comforter. The reinforcing bars of the lounge dug into her side. Would morning ever come? She closed her eyes, hearing Jill’s words burning in her ears. Lacy deserves a chance. Lacy needs a father.

  Chapter Twenty

  Kelly eyed the phone with skepticism. Waldo had left his desk for a run to the coffee machine, and she would have a few minutes for a private call without prying ears. She stared at the business card in her hand. Steve’s.

  Kelly, you were terrible the other night.

  It hadn’t been the first time he’d witnessed her unstable behavior, and Steve McCarthy was no fool. He was history, and she needed to leave him alone. She didn’t need him or owe him an apology. Ripping the card in half, she hesitated, her hand above the wastebasket. Yes, her reaction had been overboard, but… She taped the card back together.

  “O-o-h,” she groaned, and against her better judgment, she dialed his number anyway.

  “Hi. You’ve reached three-four-six-two-seven-nine-seven. I can’t get to the phone right now, so if you’ll leave your name and number aft…”

  Voicemail. Before the message was over, she lost her nerve and hung up. A second later, she redialed and listened, his voice—like butter—melting away any inhibitions. The man got under her skin. Her calling him had nothing to do with her need to be fair, although, she had acted irrationally. Truth be told, she missed him already. It had taken her years to reach this point, and she wasn’t ready to chase him off yet. It had only taken two sleepless nights in a damn lawn chair to make her admit it.

  The recorded message ended. “After the tone, leave your name and number, and I’ll get back with you as soon as possible. Thanks.”

  Ble-e-ep.

  Her heart raced. “Uh, Steve…” Her mind blanked, and her sanity returned, or maybe it was old habits. “This is crazy,” she muttered, flipping her cell phone shut and ending the call.

  Daunted by indecision, she sat and stared at the phone. For the first time in years, she admitted she was scared. Jill had said it, but until now, Kelly hadn’t wanted to believe it. She was terrified of commitment, of being abandoned again. She tore Steve’s business card in two—for the second time—and tossed the pieces in the trash.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Steve stopped by the store for dog food then headed home. His day seemed to last forever. Things hadn’t gone well at the space center. Tests had gone wrong and his lab tech had quit without notice. On top of that, he was frustrated because he hadn’t been able to get Kelly Pearson off his mind. He turned down the long, palm-lined drive leading through the thick undergrowth hiding his house from the road and skidded to a halt on the gravel drive.

  Sitting behind the wheel, he stared into space, listening to Junker barking at the front door. He was hungry and tired, but he was more worried about Kelly. The movers would have arrived by now, and Kelly was probably ready to drop.

  She’d gotten riled the night before last, and he’d lain low yesterday, giving her time to cool off. He just wanted to help her, but she would probably snap his head off if he showed up to help tonight. If she did, he would back off and give her some more space. She wasn’t the kind of woman a man could crowd. She was private and proud and damned stubborn about it, too. Nevertheless, he would make the offer, and maybe she’d let him help. If not, he was done. He did know when to quit.

  He kept getting the feeling she was just about to open up, drop the barrier, and let him have a look inside. Just the other night, he’d seen her pain and anger and the reason behind it. He’d hoped the revelation might come through conversation rather than an eruption of temper, but even that hadn’t deterred him. Something about her nagged him, kept him going back, trying to help her, wanting to touch her, physically and emotionally. He couldn’t ever remember being so affected by a woman before.

  He’d always been a patient man, except when it came to his marriage and his desire to become a parent, which had been one of his biggest mistakes. He might have won, fathered a child, and saved his marriage if he’d just been more understanding of his wife’s feelings. Water under the bridge, he told himself. Now he had a chance to practice his patience, and he had a hunch Kelly Pearson was worth it. He cared more for her than he was comfortable admitting. He recalled his vow not to date any more crazy women.

  Kelly was no nutcase, but she was proud and had scars. Who didn’t? It was her independence and tenacity he respected.

  When he wasn’t making a fool of himself and sticking his foot in his mouth, Kelly was a soft, caring, fair lady with the most beautiful, jet black hair and haunting blue eyes he’d ever seen. Just looking at her made him want her, made his manhood grow hard.

  He fidgeted behind the wheel, his slacks suddenly too tight for comfort.

  He liked her kid, too. Lacy triggered the part of him that had atrophied after his divorce, that part of him that yearned for a child of his own. Steve grabbed the bag of dog food, hopped out of the Jeep, and trotted into the house, giving Junker a loving rub on the head.

  “Still talking to me, Junk?”

  The big mutt—half golden retriever, half who knew what—looked up at him with unconditional love in his big, brown eyes. His long, pink tongue lolled from one side of his mouth. The dog let out a crisp bark.

  “Okay, fella. I know you’re feeling neglected.”

  Steve carried the bag through to the kitchen. “I’ve been busier than usual. I found a lady who’s caught my interest.” He winked at the dog. Junker panted, his gaze glued to his master, seeming to understand perfectly.

  Steve pulled the bag of dog food from the brown sack and set it on the kitchen counter. Junker’s tail wagged with anticipation. He bounded over to Steve’s side and jumped up, his front paws landing on either side of the bag, his tail wagging at full speed.

  “Whoa, Junk, not so fast.” He had run out of dog food the night before. “I gave you a pile of leftovers last night. You ate better than I
did.” Steve laughed, ruffling the dog’s ears with affection.

  He checked the dog’s bowl, wrinkling his nose at the smell of stale leftovers—a scoop of mashed potatoes, half a T-bone, some green beans, and several torn-up pieces of stale bread.

  “You’re a sick dog, Junker, passing up a steak dinner.” Steve shook his head with disbelief. “There are dogs that’d kill for this meal. You’re an old junkyard dog.”

  Junker backed off the counter and slumped over his haunches in submission, his tail tucked between his legs.

  “I’m frankly surprised, buddy. I would have thought you’d at least have chowed down on the steak. You’re a dog, for God’s sake.”

  Steve tore open the bag of dry dog food. At the ripping sound, Junker’s head snapped to attention.

  “You’ve become far too civilized.” Steve bent and retrieved last night’s dinner, scraped the contents into the garbage, and rinsed out the bowl. He filled it with dog food and added warm water until a thick gravy disguised the tasteless, hard chunks. “Have at it, boy.”

  He crossed through the living room to the bedroom, and stripped off his shirt. The phone rang in the other room, and Steve hurried to pick up but didn’t make it in time. He checked his caller ID, recognized Gary’s number and called him right back.

  “Hi, Gary. I just walked in. What’s up?”

  “Hey, Steve. Wanna fish off the dock for a while?”

  “I can’t. Sorry. I’ve got some plans tonight.”

  “Well, maybe we could go to a movie later.”

  “Can’t make the movies tonight either. How about another night?”

  “All right. Call me tomorrow.”

  “I will. Night, Gary.” He dropped the receiver back into the cradle and hit the caller ID button to see if there were any other calls. Two blocked calls popped up, so he checked his voice mail—only a hang-up and one message.

  Puzzled, he replayed the message again, and thought the voice sounded like Kelly’s. His hope swelled, and he listened several times until he was one hundred percent certain it was her. Good sign. Even if she hadn’t left a message, she had called, and that’s all he needed to know.