by VK Powell
“Well, I never. He’s kissing you.” Mary Jane’s voice held as much wonder as Grace felt. “He’s okay now. What happened?”
“He hates my uniform…just like Dani. Not me. Isn’t that great?” The partially bald, neurotic parrot Karla left was becoming part of the family. Grace couldn’t imagine the house without his cheerful phrases and playful mocking.
Mary Jane ran her hand down Grace’s back. “You’ve done an amazing job with him, honey. He obviously loves you.”
“Yeah,” Grace said wistfully. “I guess he does. And I admit, I like having him around. He’s a perfect sounding board late at night when I can’t sleep. Never talks back or offers a dissenting opinion.”
Mary Jane pinched her arm. “In other words, he tells you what you want to hear?”
“Exactly.” Grace changed Harry’s water and topped up his food dish while he danced and sang on her shoulder. When she finished, she tried a new command she’d been teaching him. “Okay, Harry, cage.”
Harry obediently jumped from her shoulder to the cage top and worked his way inside.
“Good boy, Harry.” She handed him a slice of orange she’d held back as a reward. “I’ll see you both after work.” She kissed Mary Jane on the cheek and hurried to change into her uniform. Dani would be proud of her progress with Harry.
On her way out of the cottage, Grace stared at the pile of blankets still on the floor from her last night with Dani. She’d left them there to remind her of what she’d had and what she’d been able to give up for love. Would her life ever feel complete again?
Chapter Twenty-one
Dani woke to blaring car horns and an ambulance siren rattling her bedroom windows. She bolted upright, taking a second to get her bearings. The thin futon mattress sagged and slats poked her bottom. She shivered against cold air seeping into the poorly insulated space and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Not Booker’s cozy B and B in the Deep South. She’d been back home in Baltimore for a month. Home. The word felt foreign here.
She rolled over and pulled her thin blanket tighter. She’d dreamed about the last time she’d been with Grace and woke in the middle of the night unsettled. She kicked the covers off and checked the time on her cell. Five thirty. Her roommate’s deep snoring reverberated through the drafty loft like another siren, making further sleep impossible.
The apartment she’d scored near the zoo with one of the vet techs was convenient but far from comfortable and homey. She dressed quickly and threw the rest of her clothes in a duffel, anxious for the rituals of the day to keep her from second-guessing her decision to return to Pine Cone. Coffee with a bacon and egg bagel from the corner shop first, followed by a brisk fifteen-minute walk to the zoo, check in, review daily schedule, and care for the animals. Then, road trip back to Pine Cone…and Grace.
She’d returned to her professional routine easily but attempts to re-create an active social life failed miserably. Clubbing bored her now. Picking up random women held no appeal. Sex with anyone but Grace just wasn’t going to happen. Instead of soothing and shielding her, the city now seemed to claw at her nerves and suck her energy. She’d told herself as soon as the languid pace and lingering memories of Georgia faded, she’d be fine again, but that day never came. She still longed for the comfortable relationships of her friends in Pine Cone, colorful coworkers, and her connection to Grace.
Dani bit into her bagel as she walked, chewed a few times, and tossed the rest in the garbage. It was nothing like Mary Jane’s fluffy biscuits that made her mouth water and forced her to work out harder to stay in shape. Her boss was opening the employee’s entrance as she approached and finished her coffee. All she had to do was focus on work until noon.
“You’re early, again.”
“What can I say?” She did love caring for animals, but work wasn’t all that mattered anymore. She’d sampled another slice of life with Grace and the hunger lingered.
“Hey, Wingate, there’s a supervisor’s position opening up in the next couple of months if you’re interested. I could put in a good word.”
Dani nodded absently but handed him her resignation—something she couldn’t imagine doing several months ago now felt not only right but necessary. “Don’t think I’ll be needing it.”
She completed her morning tasks enjoying the verdant surroundings, animal calls cresting and tumbling through the park, and her special link with each creature. When the main gate of the zoo opened, the grounds flooded with people and noise. The air around her shifted, and she flinched. The animals retreated to safe zones in their enclosures as the chaos of excited children and curious onlookers swelled. Dani wanted to escape with the animals somewhere safe and quiet.
People did the same thing—found solace from uncontrollable situations wherever they could. Her parents had chosen drugs and eventually fled city life for the quieter country, but they’d waited too late. The city hadn’t been her parents’ salvation or hers, only an excuse to isolate and disengage. Her grandmother’s wisdom about home and relationships being the key to happiness returned, followed closely by an image of Grace.
The next couple of hours passed quickly, each minute bringing her closer to Grace. Dani had researched the monthly happenings in Pine Cone and prepared what she hoped would be a unique and irresistible reappearance. On the drive, she second-guessed her plan. Maybe it was too wild or too lame. Maybe Grace preferred a more direct approach and wouldn’t get it at all. Or maybe Dani was still scared and this was a cowardly tactic. She prayed Grace would focus on the unique and irresistible angle.
Less than thirty minutes now to Pine Cone—the place that felt like home; the place reminiscent of the simpler times before her family fell apart; the kind of place she’d shared and loved with her grandmother and had come back to full circle with Grace. If only she wasn’t too late.
* * *
Grace waved her arms at a group of people sauntering across Main Street holding up traffic. “Come on. Daylight’s burning, and the ice cream’s melting.” She shooed them toward the big tent in front of the library that served as the check-in point for the Crazy Hat and Ice Cream Day activities. “Herding cats. I swear,” she mumbled under her breath as Jamie and Petunia walked up beside her.
“Sounds like somebody needs a break.”
“Perfect timing. Good to see Petunia up and around. She totally recovered?” Grace squatted and scratched behind P’s ear, and she nuzzled Grace’s hand.
“Good as new thanks to Trip and…” Jamie’s voice trailed off.
“Okay then. You should be clear enough in an hour or so to close off the street and have some fun. Thanks, Jamie.” Grace headed toward the hotdog stand where Trip and Clay were waiting. “Hey, guys.”
“You’re drenched,” Clay said, nodding toward the sheriff’s office. “Why don’t you go change, and we’ll save you a spot on the library steps. Great view from up there. I want to take a few pictures for sketches later.”
Grace scanned the large crowd on the way to the station, pleased with the attendance. The town council had considered scaling back the monthly events, but maybe this turnout would save them. The folks in Pine Cone loved a gathering, especially one with a quirky theme and food.
She found Clay and Trip staked out on a raised portion of the library entrance overlooking the festivities. “Perfect perch for girl watching.” Clay and Trip raised their hands simultaneously. “Seriously, you two? Pussy-whipped already?” Their wide grins said it all. “So, why aren’t you with your wimminfolk instead of hanging out with me?”
Trip nodded toward the intersection where Grace had left Jamie. “Mine’s working. At least I can enjoy looking at her.” Trip threw a mock salute in Jamie’s direction. “She’s just damn hot, right?”
“River will be along shortly. She’s finishing up at the gallery.” Clay’s eyes held a spark Grace hadn’t seen in years. “Besides, what’s a celebration without an appearance by Fast Break, Paint Ball, and Glitter Girl? Plus, we’re judging this year. Go
figure.” Clay nudged Grace’s shoulder. “We love you, Gracie.”
Grace choked up a bit at Clay’s sincerity. She and Trip had stuck close over the past month, making sure Grace had things to do while also giving her room to grieve. She kept going through the motions, but nothing felt right since Dani left. The only bright spot had been her bonding with Harry and seeing him flourish. “So, what’s your favorite hat?”
“I’m partial to the naked anatomically-correct orgy created out of vegetables, but don’t tell Jamie.” Trip pointed to Michelle’s festive headpiece.
“Figures,” Clay said. “I like Connie’s version of the crash at the Clip ’n Curl. You should give her points for creativity and highlighting the biggest event of the year. What about you, Grace?”
She scanned the usual collection of flowery, fruity, and agriculturally-themed creations, but nothing stood out as particularly special. Then she spotted a unique costume heading toward the library. “Who’s that? There.” Grace pointed. “In the giraffe outfit with a cornucopia of animals on his head?”
“No idea,” Trip said.
“Nope,” Clay added, “and we should know, right?”
“Costumes aren’t required, but it’s a nice touch,” Grace said, returning her attention to the giraffe strolling confidently through the crowd to the registration table. Dani had always liked giraffes, but it couldn’t be. “Let’s take our seats, judges.”
Two hours later, after the parade of entries, she, Clay, and Trip huddled in the library’s cool conference room arguing the merits of their choices. “I thought hat judging would be fun and easy. Simple. Lots of free ice cream. Food. Seriously.”
Trip leaned back in her chair. “I gave up the vegetable orgy, but I’m not budging on the giraffe with animal menagerie topknot. It’s unique, and as you said, Grace, the costume is a bonus. Plus, animals. Duh.”
Clay shook her head. “Can’t you appreciate the artistry in Connie’s creation or Doreen Divine-Dot’s flower townscape?”
“Face it, Clay, Trip and I aren’t as deep as you.” Grace shuffled through the entries they’d already eliminated. “We’re down to two. So…I’m sticking with the giraffe and zoo.”
“Why?” Clay asked.
“I’m not sure. Something about the whole presentation appeals to me. Or maybe it’s the way the giraffe moves. I don’t know. Call it a gut instinct.”
Clay tossed her ballot on the table. “Fine, but this means you both owe me one of everything at all the food tents. I’m starving. And I think Grace should announce the winners because I just saw River and Jamie coming up the steps.”
Trip nodded in agreement and pushed away from the table. “Perfect. I’m off.”
Grace stood and said, “Let’s do this. MJ packed some Yetis with beer and wine in the cooler. Time to get this party started.”
The crowd erupted in cheers when the three of them appeared on the library steps, and the grand marshal handed Grace a microphone. “Welcome to Pine Cone’s monthly downtown gathering. Thanks for your attendance and for keeping it lively by participating in our weird and unusual competition. After long and heated discussions, your judges, Trip Beaumont, Clay Cahill, and I, have chosen the winners of the hat contest.”
The contestants surged forward, but the giraffe stood off to the side. Grace waved him closer to the group. “In third place, Doreen Divine-Dot’s downtown Pine Cone in flowers.” Everyone cheered. “Second place, Connie’s crash at the Clip ’n Curl.” More cheering. “And first place goes to…the giraffe with animal headpiece. I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are, but well done. Congratulations to all the winners and participants.”
The local newspaper photographer took the mike. “Winners on stage for a photo, please.”
Grace motioned to the steps beside her, and the two runners-up rushed forward, but the giraffe hung back. “Come on,” Grace said. “Don’t be shy.” The giraffe stepped up beside her, and they waited for the obligatory photos, before Grace said, “Great outfit. It’s a real winner.”
“But am I…a winner?”
The deep, throaty voice was unmistakable, and the urgent tone rifled through Grace like a shot to the heart. “Dani?”
“Shush. They’ll think the contest was rigged.” She cupped Grace’s elbow and nodded toward the library. “Can we talk?”
Grace couldn’t move as she searched the comical creature’s face and settled on the eyeholes. Brown eyes shiny with tears and deep with emotion drilled into her. “Dani. It is you.” Her pulse hammered and she felt lightheaded, nervous about talking to Dani but afraid not to.
“Please, Grace?”
She eventually took one step toward Dani and then couldn’t move fast enough. Trip and Clay noticed the commotion and gave her questioning stares, but she gave them a thumb up. Once inside the cool library, Grace stopped, jerking Dani to a halt beside her. “Isn’t that thing hot?” Not at all what she really wanted to know, but it just came out.
Dani shucked off the large headpiece and wiped her hand through wet hair. “Fucking A.”
“If you were trying to get my attention, you succeeded.”
“I was hoping you’d remember I love giraffes.” Dani waved her hand down the bulky costume and her forehead crinkled. “Too much?”
Dani’s face was bright red and sweat trickled down her neck. Her full lips looked swollen, and when she licked them, Grace swallowed hard. “You’ve always been a bit much. Why are you here, Dani?” Finally, the real question.
“I’m an idiot, Grace.”
Dani’s sincere expression registered in Grace’s soul, but she couldn’t suppress a laugh. “Wearing a full giraffe costume in the heat of a Georgia summer, I’d have to agree.”
Dani poked her hands out of the cumbersome faux hooves and took Grace’s hands. “I mean about us. I shouldn’t have left you.” She pressed a hand to the side of her head. “I wanted to ask you to come with me, but I knew the city would suck the life out of you, just like it did my parents…and me. Can you ever forgive me?”
“What are you saying, Dani?”
“That I’m sorry and…” Dani shivered, and Grace realized something wasn’t right. “I’m serious, Grace. This is important.”
“It’s hard to take you seriously right now. You disappear for a month with no contact and then show up looking like that. Besides, you’re probably suffering from heat exhaustion and not thinking clearly. Do you have a headache, nausea?”
“Little of both, but I haven’t eaten much today. Drove straight from Baltimore.” Dani wobbled sideways but righted herself. “I’m dizzy and dying for a drink.”
“Let’s go. You need to cool down, fast.” Before she had time to change her mind, she grabbed the front of Dani’s costume and pulled her out the back door of the library to her car, picking up a couple of bottles of water on her way. The medical services personnel at the event were overrun with fainters and drunks, and Grace wasn’t leaving Dani’s care to anyone else. “Drink these while I drive.”
She turned the car air conditioning on high, and when they stopped in front of the cottage, she sent a group text to Trip and Clay.
Gone home with the giraffe. Don’t worry. Tell Jamie to text if she needs anything.
Trip texted back almost immediately.
Woot. It’s all good. Clay owes me $10.
As she opened the door for Dani and waved her inside, she wondered if it really was good. Dani was back, but what did that mean? She couldn’t get her hopes up, not again. Behind her, Dani clutched a chair to steady herself. “Here, let’s get this thing off before you stroke out.” She guided Dani to the edge of the sofa, lowered the costume zipper halfway, and stopped. “You’re not wearing anything else?”
“Boxers. It’s summer in Georgia. I have other clothes, along with everything else I value, in the back of my car in town.”
“You brought everything?” Dani nodded and her breathing became more rapid. Grace settled her on the sofa and knelt in front of her. She fini
shed unzipping the costume and shucked it off Dani’s shoulders, focusing on what needed to be done instead of what her body wanted to do. She urged Dani’s hips up and slid the outfit and her Wonder Woman underwear down her legs. “You’re killing me, Wingate.”
“I’m fine. Really. Just a little hot, but…” She touched the side of Grace’s face. “I think that’s all you.”
“We’ll see.” Grace retrieved a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator and handed it to Dani. “Lie back and drink this while I get a cool shower running. Don’t move until I come for you. Promise.”
Dani caught her hand. “Anything you want, Grace.”
She retreated to the bathroom and turned on the shower, propping against the door to catch her breath. How quickly the jovial hat and ice cream social had turned into a life-changing event. She’d missed Dani so much, unable to sleep or eat properly, distracted at work, but what now. This wasn’t the time to worry about her fledgling love life or even consider what might happen next. Dani needed her. Grace shook her head and reviewed the treatment for heat exhaustion. Dani could be in real trouble.
When she returned to the living room, Dani was slouched on the sofa, head back and eyes closed. “No, no, no.” She rushed to her side. “Wake up.” She tucked her arms under Dani’s and tried to lift her. “Help me. I can’t do this alone.”
Dani slid to the edge of the sofa. “Sorry. Dozed off. I can walk.” She launched herself into Grace’s arms sending them both wobbling backward. “Maybe not.”
“Slowly, please.” Grace pressed tightly against Dani’s side to keep her upright and guided her into the bathroom. “Step
into the shower and hold onto me.” She peeled off her clothes and then scooted in behind Dani, urging her farther under the cool spray.
“God, that’s cold.” Dani tried to back away, but Grace wrapped her arms around her and pinned her directly under the water.
“Relax. You need to cool down. I’ve got you.”
Dani exhaled a long breath and almost went limp in Grace’s embrace. “Can I sit down? I feel like I might tip over.”