"No, don't get up, I'll get it," Julia said, gesturing to Paul's chair.
"Hello,” Julia answered.
"Hi, Julia, it's me, Kit,"
"Oh Kit, I was just thinking of you. It's good to hear your voice again."
"Yeah, you too!" Kit replied.
"Julia, I told my Mom all about you, and we were wondering if you might come for dinner this Saturday. My Mom is making pot roast, and believe me, she’s a great cook." There was a long pause, "Uh, Julia, you still there?"
"Oh, sorry, of course I'll come. I was just checking my appointments. Yes, Saturday would be great!
Kit and Julia continued to talk and recounted their day together at the gallery then Kit gave her directions to her apartment. After they said good-bye, Julia returned to her chair and finished her glass of wine.
Julia looked across the table and could almost see the faint outline of Paul sitting there, drinking his scotch and smiling back at her. He would tell one of his corny jokes, and she would laugh, pretending she had not heard it before. He would still flirt with her, and she would play tricks on him. She could see the cool blue of his eyes, and the slight presence of the five-o-clock shadow he had at the end of the day.
"You know Paul; this was a special occasion, but I feel guilty that I had a good day. A part of me is offended that I could put aside my grieving for you and Emily, even if it was for a short time. I hope that you can forgive me. I still miss you both terribly. I think that I just needed to take a break from all the pain and be with people again. It's been so lonely. So much that I can't even tell you. She's a wonderful girl, and I really needed a friend, someone to talk to and help me take my mind off of things." Julia took another sip of wine, "Thank you Darling. I knew you'd understand."
Julia arrived at Kit's apartment and rang the buzzer. The door opened, and Kit stood there wearing a pale blue sundress.
"Oh my, don't you look nice?" Julia complimented her.
"Yuck, my Mom made me wear it. I hate wearing dresses," Kit replied.
"Well, I think that you look very nice,” Julia said.
"Won't you come in?" Kit said, fidgeting with the back of her dress.
Kit introduced Julia to her mother, and Celeste remarked about how nice it was that Kit had made a friend, who shared her love of art, someone who could teach her more.
"Well, I don't know how much I could teach her. That's one sharp cookie you have there. I think she could probably teach me a few things too," Julia said.
"The true test of wisdom is in knowing that one still has a lot to learn," Celeste said.
"Is that a famous quote?" Julia asked.
"Fortune cookie," Celeste replied, and they both laughed.
"Kit, I'm afraid I forgot to buy salad dressing. Would you mind running down to the corner market and picking up a bottle?" Celeste asked.
"Sure thing, Mom, but I hope I don't run in to any of my friends in this dress. I've got a reputation to keep up, you know," Kit replied.
Kit took the money that Celeste had lain on the kitchen counter, grabbed her jacket and was out the door.
Celeste continued to finish the meal preparation and talked with Julia as she worked.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Julia asked Celeste.
Celeste took inventory and noticed that the tomatoes for the salad had yet to be sliced.
"Would you mind cutting up those tomatoes?"
"Not at all," Julia said, as she started with the task.
"You know Julia; Kit likes you a lot. I have tried to be supportive of her artistic talents, but you; well, you two are alike. You love the same things."
"Kit is an amazing girl. I just met her and I already adore her."
"Julia, Kit has a kind of a sixth sense about what people are feeling, and she tells me that she thinks that you're hiding some great tragedy or hurt in your life; and if I've learned one thing, I've come to trust Kit's feelings. She's rarely wrong."
Kit knew; Julia thought to herself, was I that transparent, or was Kit just that intuitive and empathetic. Without realizing it myself, was I this moving cloud of despair?
"It's not that I'm trying to hide something Celeste, it just hasn't come up yet in conversation. Kit hasn't even asked me if I'm married yet. I confess that it's still painful to talk about, but no, I'm not trying to hide anything."
Julia told Celeste about Paul and Emily; and the accident that took their lives. Celeste reached out and touched Julia's hand and her eyes shown with sympathy for her loss.
"I'm sorry," Julia wiped away a single tear tracing a path down her cheek, "I just met you, and I'm already telling you my life story," Julia said.
"Don't be sorry." Celeste replied, "I asked, and I'm glad you could tell me. I know it must be very painful to talk about it, but sometimes, it can be easier to talk to a stranger."
"Celeste, I have to share one more thing with you. I took the job running the gallery as a favor to my friend who is in Europe for a few weeks. I don't know if Kits showing up there today was fate, or what, but it was the first time that I've been able to focus on anything or anyone else since the accident. Maybe it was just a chance encounter; in any event, I'm grateful to Kit. I feel like I'm coming back to life again, and I don't want to lose it," Julia confided.
"I do understand Julia. I think that you and Kit may find that you both have a lot to offer one another. Kit values her friendships quite highly. It's a character trait that I believe you share. Confide in her; tell her your story, just as you told me. You will see that she is wise beyond her years. Life is full of joy and sorrows and there may come a day when you are there for Kit, to help her through her dark times. Yes, Julia, I believe that Kit could do a lot worse than to have you for a friend," Celeste said.
"I worry though, that's kind of a lot to put on a kid, don't you think?" Julia asked.
"For an ordinary kid, perhaps—but even after knowing her a short time, you know, what I already know, and that is, that there's nothing ordinary about Kit," Celeste answered.
Kit arrived back with the salad dressing and together she and Julia set the table. Celeste picked up the platter with the roast and carried it to the table.
"Okay, who's ready for the best damn pot roast on the eastern seaboard?" Celeste announced.
Chapter 11 - Field Trip to The Met
Kit's school day was passing with the usual excruciating slowness, but now she was back in Mrs. Shay's art class where the reverse was true. The hour passed so fast that it was almost time for the bell to let out. Mrs. Shay stood at the front of the classroom, preparing to address her students.
"Class, may I have your attention please? I did want to remind you once again about our field trip to the art museum. I already have most of your permission slips back, but I'm afraid that we've run into a bit of a snag. Mr. Reynaldi, was scheduled to be our second chaperone for the trip, but as some of you may be aware, he will not be available. He is currently recovering from emergency gall bladder surgery. The museum requires one chaperone to every ten students, so I was wondering if any of you knew anyone who might be willing to fill-in at this late date. Mrs. Shay searched the class hoping for a hand to go up.
Alicia leaned over to Kit and said, "What about your artist friend?"
"Yeah, that's a great idea," Kit replied.
Instantly Kit raised her hand.
"Yes Kit, do you know someone?"
"Yes," Kit said, "I'd have to ask her, and I don't know if she would be able to get away from the art gallery..."
"She owns an art gallery?" Mrs. Shay inquired. "That would be wonderful!"
"Uh, no, she's not the owner. She's an artist, and her friend owns the gallery. She's just helping out while her friend is in Europe for a few weeks.”
"Better still," Mrs. Shay said, "Could I get her name, so I could put her down as a possibility?"
"Sure, her name is Julia Davis. I can call her when I get out of class to see if she'll do it." Kit replied.
"Did you say,
Julia Davis," Mrs. Shay said. "Would that be Julia Spencer-Davis?"
"Uh, maybe," Kit said, "I just know her as Julia Davis."
"Kit could you stay after class for a few minutes? Because time is short, I'd like to give you my home phone number so you can call me with Ms. Davis's answer as soon as you can," she said.
Laura Shay wondered if she could be so lucky to have the opportunity of meeting Julia Spencer-Davis, one of her favorite artists. Familiar to the art world, Laura had been following Julia’s career quite closely, for years. She even owned a few of her early works.
Kit stayed after class as Mrs. Shay requested. Kit suggested that she could call Julia right then if Mrs. Shay had a phone, she could use. Mrs. Shay willingly offered her own cell phone.
Julia was talking to some potential customer's at the gallery when her phone rang. She excused herself to take the call.
"Hello, this is Julia," she said.
"Hi Julia, this is Kit,"
"Oh, Kit, I was hoping to hear from you."
"You were?" Kit replied.
"Yes, I just wanted to thank you and your mother for dinner the other night. I had a wonderful time."
"Yeah, me too!"
"So, what's up, girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend," Kit thought. "She called me Girlfriend."
Sure, she had plenty of girlfriends, but this was different. Julia was a grownup woman who treated her as her equal. Kit felt that Julia really respected her. It was always annoying for Kit when adults would talk-down to her just because she was younger. Somehow, she knew that Julia would never do that.
Kit explained to Julia about the field trip, and Mrs. Shay’s need for another chaperone. Julia jumped at the chance to spend time with Kit again.
"Yes, definitely yes," Julia replied. "Sounds like fun. I'll have to close the gallery a bit early that day, but I don't think Sybil would mind. It has been somewhat slow lately anyway. But yes, count me in."
As Kit talked to Julia, she gestured the "thumbs-up sign to Mrs. Shay, who acted more excited then if Picasso himself was on the other end of the phone.
"Say, Kit, I have an idea. What do you think about staying over at my place that night? It's a Friday, so you don't have school the next day, and we can go straight to my apartment from the museum. We could sort of have a girl's night, just you and me, stay up late, make some popcorn, watch some scary movies. What do you say?" Julia said.
"Sounds like a blast," Kit replied. "I'm sure my Mom will be cool with it."
"Okay then," Julia said, "I'll come straight from the gallery and meet all of you at the museum. Make sure you pack your toothbrush and a change of clothes in your backpack, so I can take you to brunch on Saturday."
"Aw Julia, I don't have to wear a dress, do I?"
"No, sweetie, you wear whatever you like."
Julia closed the gallery earlier than she planned. She wanted to be at the museum before Kit and the other field trip students, so she could meet them when the bus arrived. As the bus pulled up Julia scanned the windows to see if she could see Kit. Kit waved to her from one of the windows. Julia waved back. The driver opened the door, and the kids started to file off. Kit was one of the first off the bus, and ran to meet Julia.
"Really good to see you Julia," Kit said. "This is going to be great, huh?"
"Like you say, It's going to be a blast!" Julia agreed.
Kit made the introductions between Julia and Mrs. Shay.
"So I finally get to meet the famous Mrs. Shay," Julia said. "Kit has told me so much about you."
"No, Julia, I'm the one who is in awe. I've been a fan of your work for several years now. I own two of your earlier paintings. Of course, I can't afford any of your work now on my teacher's salary, but they are two of my most prized possessions."
"Really, which ones do you own?" Julia asked.
"Rainbow Connection and Fantasy Ball," Mrs. Shay replied. "I wouldn't part with either."
"Boy, that's a trip down memory lane," Julia said, "I remember both very well. You know I did both of those while I was pregnant with my daughter. I'm so glad you like them." Julia experienced a tinge of emotion that her words brought back memories of a very happy and special time in her life.
Julia and Mrs. Shay started to organize the group and herd them into the museum. Kit rejoined Alicia and the other kids.
"Didn't I tell you she was cool?" Kit asked Alicia.
"Wow, she looks like a movie star," Alicia replied.
Julia was definitely enjoying herself. She had forgotten what a thrill it was for her to come here years earlier, but now it was like experiencing it all over again through Kit's and the other students eyes.
"This place is huge," Alicia said. "Bet it would take months to see everything."
"Longer than that Alicia," Mrs. Shay said, "The Met has more than two million works of art, but today we're going to stick to the main gallery. We don't want to lose any of you, so everyone, stay together. If you find a piece you want to sketch, let me know so I can note where you're going to be working."
Before long, Kit and the other students had each found a painting or some other work of art and settled in order to do their sketches.
"I don't know how you do it Mrs. Shay," Julia said, "it takes a lot of energy to keep up with this bunch."
"Oh please, Julia, call me Laura."
"Okay, Laura."
"Well, they can be a handful, but I think they're worth it!"
"Absolutely," Julia agreed.
"Tell me Julia, how long have you and Kit been friends?
"Actually, not long at all, but we're so comfortable around each other; it seems like much longer. I'm sure you're already aware of what an amazing girl she is."
"Yes, in so many ways." Mrs. Shay replied, "She has tremendous natural artistic talent and ability."
"Julia, in what little spare time I have, I administer a small art mentoring program for students like Kit, where we match those we feel have potential, with established working artists, such as yourself. I have been trying to find a good match for Kit, and I think you might be just perfect for her. I know from the news that you lost your husband and daughter recently, so it may be too soon for you to consider such a request, but perhaps you would think about it."
"Laura, I don't need to think about it. Ever since I met Kit, there has been an almost mystical connection between us. I don't believe that there is anything I wouldn't do for her. I don't think you ever fully recover from the loss of a husband or a child. I know I nearly had a complete breakdown. But now, I'm learning to live again, and a large part of that is because I met Kit."
"Sounds like a match made in heaven to me," Mrs. Shay replied. "Please call me next week so we can arrange a time to get together and discuss it more."
"I'll do that Laura." Julia said.
Kit and Julia stood together as Mrs. Shay got the students back on the bus for the ride home. They said their goodbyes to everyone and started to Julia's apartment.
Julia and Kit rode the elevator to the top floor of her building. Kit turned and noticed her reflection looking back in the mirrored wall of the elevator car. They rode the twelve floors in silence as she took in the richness of her surroundings.
They came to a stop on the top floor and exited the car. Kit followed Julia down the corridor and came to a door. Julia swiped a key card in the lock and opened the door. Kit stepped into the apartment and glanced around the entryway. Suddenly, she was embarrassed that Julia had been to her apartment for dinner, and that it could not compare to the obvious opulence that greeted her now. The fine furnishings and elegant decor made her think of a television show she had seen that had highlighted Donald Trump's home. Though Julia's apartment did not compare to that level of grandeur, it might as well have in Kit's eyes.
Kit followed Julia into the living room and stood gawking, slowly turning and taking everything in. Several of Julia’s artworks adorned the shelves and glass display cases throughout her home. Julia eyed her and considered
that it all might be a bit intimidating to Kit, given her simple upbringing.
"You okay?" Julia asked.
"I, I," she stammered a bit, "Uh; you're rich, aren't you?"
"Well, I wouldn't say that I'm rich," Julia replied, "Let's just say I'm comfortable. Besides, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, just like you do."
"Here, let me take your jacket and backpack," Julia said,
She took Kit's things and set them on the sideboard near the entryway.
"Want me to show you around?" Julia asked.
"You live here all by yourself?" Kit asked, not meaning to ignore her question.
"I do now," Julia replied, "I'll tell you more about that a little later. For the time being, I just want you to make yourself at home."
Julia took Kit's hand and led her through the apartment. She stopped in the kitchen that gleamed with shiny black marble countertops and stainless steel appliances.
"It's a little early for dinner, but I could fix you a snack if you're hungry. How about a PB and J sandwich?" Julia asked.
Kit suddenly remembered that she had been so excited to go to the museum that she hadn't eaten all day, and now her stomach growled at Julia's mere mention of food.
"Sure, if it's not too much trouble."
"No trouble at all; just have a seat."
Julia laid two slices of bread out on the countertop and spread the peanut butter thickly on them. She followed that with some grape jelly as Kit looked on. She placed the completed sandwich on a plate and started to pour some milk.
"Oh, is milk okay for you?" Julia asked her.
"Milk is great," Kit replied.
Julia handed Kit a plate with her sandwich and her glass of milk.
"Follow me, I think you'll like this," Julia said.
Julia opened the sliding door to the balcony, and Kit followed her out. Julia set her drink down on the table, and Kit, following her host's lead, did the same. Kit walked over to the railing and stood gazing off at the city before her.
"Wow," she said slowly, "I'll bet you can see all the way to my neighborhood."
"Well, maybe not quite that far, but you'll have to admit; it's quite a view."
The Ghost Locket Page 6