by Alesha Cary
"Well good then. Not that I'm worried, but I know it will make you feel better."
That was something that she loved about being with him - that he was always looking out for her. It gave her that strong, settled feeling - like everything was going to be okay.
"Oh Bradley, you know I'll miss you. It'll be strange to not to see you here at work. I wish you didn't have to go - do you really have to?"
"Yes, I do. There are a couple of things I have to take care of down there, and my folks are expecting me. But I'll do my best to get back quickly."
Sarah wasn't looking forward to the next week. Now that she knew how she felt about him, it would be personal torture waiting for him to get back before they could explore their budding relationship.
But, she reminded herself, there was still the Aunt Carrie test. And even though she hadn't gotten the results yet, she suspected this guy would be well worth waiting for.
CHAPTER TEN
Carrie looked over at Sarah sitting in her favorite chair. She was talking in an animated fashion, waving the note she held in her hands. This was not the same young lady who had come to her last week, worried and concerned.
They had spent the past twenty minutes talking about the assault at the hospital. Carrie had been alarmed when she heard how Tony had managed to corner Sarah so easily. But she was grateful that someone had stepped in to protect her niece.
She'd been worried that something like this (or worse) might happen! Thank goodness the girl was okay. Now Sarah was back with a new sample.
Carrie was always happy to help, she enjoyed all the fascinating things that she learned from people's handwriting.
She thought it was interesting that some people mistakenly suspected she could read minds. In reality it was just a skill she had honed over the years after her training at the Metropolitan Handwriting Institute.
Even worse, some people thought she was constantly evaluating every bit of writing she came across - as if she had the time or interest for that!
In point of fact, she made it a practice not to consciously read any handwriting that she saw, unless there was something obvious that jumped out at her. She saved the analysis part for those times when it was necessary or important, or for when she was being paid.
Carrie found it endearing that Sarah trusted her so much. They hadn't really known each other very well before she'd moved to the California coast, but it appeared that they were becoming good friends.
Carrie glanced down at the note Sarah had just handed her.
This time Sarah had given her a sample from someone who was bright and open and friendly. This one was a lot different from that last person's handwriting she had analyzed for Sarah.
"Sarah, is this a new beau?"
Sarah had a sheepish grin. "Well, it's the guy who saved me at the hospital. He's a really nice guy, and yes, I like him a lot. He asked me out and I want to go, but after what happened with Tony, I told him he had to pass the "Aunt Carrie" test first."
Carrie laughed. It was nice to be appreciated again.
"Tell you what Sarah, this time I want to see how well suited the two of you are."
"You mean you can tell that from the handwriting?"
"Yep. So I need a sample from you, too."
"Aunt Carrie, this is beginning to sound like hospital talk - samples and all." Sarah grinned at her.
"That's a good one, Sarah. You'll catch on to the joy of punning yet!" Carrie smiled.
"When I compare both of your samples, I'll be able to see if you have areas of obvious conflict. If any show up, then you'll know what to watch out for and what you might have to work out. I also want to see if there are major reasons why the two of you shouldn't spend more time together."
"Aunt Carrie, are you playing matchmaker?"
"Not really," Carrie laughed. "It's more like I'm acting as a screen or filter. Obviously I can't tell you who to be with, but I can certainly tell you who not to be with."
"Like Tony," Sarah said shaking her head. "I don't want to go through that again. Okay, tell me what I should write."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sarah found herself humming as she greeted customers in the gift shop. This was one of two days a month when she stocked the shelves and waited on the family and friends of patients.
She enjoyed her shifts when she was assigned to work in the shop. It was a mixed blessing in a way. She was faced with both the joys of new babies and the sadness of acute injuries or impending death. It was all part of life, and she was glad the shop was there to help.
This morning she was humming because she knew Bradley would be coming back in a couple of days.
Her Bradley. She smiled when she thought about that. She was old enough not to act like a school girl with a first crush, but it had all happened so suddenly that she still found herself feeling giddy as she got used to the idea. Especially if he really was her soulmate.
Too bad he'd had to leave so quickly, but she of all people knew that family obligations - especially previously planned ones - took center stage. At least for now. Still, she was anxious to see him again and find out where their brand new romance would lead.
"Where are your new baby cards?" a woman with obviously dyed-red hair asked her.
"Right here with the flowers and balloons," Sarah showed her to the corner, then went back to stocking the shelves at the other end of the shop.
Bradley had passed the Aunt Carrie test with flying colors, and she couldn't wait to see him again. Aunt Carrie had insisted on comparing both Sarah and Bradley's handwriting - doing what she called a "compatibility study", which just meant she had looked to see how well they might do together.
Sarah was still amazed at the process of how you could tell so much from another person's writing. It wasn't like a psychic reading, although some people might think so.
Aunt Carrie claimed she could only report on what actually showed up in the handwriting, and that she couldn't make assumptions about things that weren't evident. Just because something wasn't there, didn't mean that the trait was non-existent, just that it wasn't showing up in the writing that was available. And that was why Aunt Carrie couldn't guarantee that Bradley would be her perfect match.
Sarah was relieved when she'd found out that this time there were no warning signs, and she had loved hearing all the fine qualities that Bradley's handwriting had to offer - including that he was bright and generous.
Aunt Carrie told her that with his high self-esteem (that was how he crossed his t's at the top of the stem), along with his persistence and sense of responsibility, he would be someone who could take his time going after a goal, but would make sure he did it right. Sarah liked that.
While he hadn't seemed to her like the typical janitor - he was, after all, gorgeous and young, not like the old man school-janitor-types she remembered from junior high - she knew he did a good job, and it was obvious that he was conscientious. She guessed that's where the persistence and responsibility came in.
In fact, he did such a good job around the hospital that most people hardly noticed him at all. There was never any litter, and things seemed to get fixed pretty quickly. That was something else Aunt Carrie had noticed - that his small r's looked kind of square at the top, which meant he was mechanically inclined.
Sarah's father had always been able to fix anything, and she admired that ability. It was a sexist cliché, she knew, but she expected a man to be able to fix things. Score another point for Bradley!
But best of all: No Red Flags! Not like with Tony. She grimaced, feeling an involuntary shudder at the thought of how close she'd come.
There was that one thing, though.
"This guy can get totally focused on what he's doing. Almost to the point of blocking out everything else. This might cause you to sometimes think that he doesn't care about you or what you're interested in," Aunt Carrie had warned her.
"Where is that?" Sarah wanted see it on the paper.
"See how compact his
writing is? That shows the focus. Notice that the dots over his i's are small, round and dotted almost directly above the letter? That indicates both a precision and attention to detail. With these characteristics he might not only be focused, but could end up being nit-picky in certain circumstances."
"Well, that's not bad, is it?" she had asked.
"Not bad." Aunt Carrie had laughed, "Just single-minded. You're much more emotionally responsive than he is - which is probably a good balance for him - but he may be too exacting for you at times. So it's good for you to remember that he has an inquisitive, scientific mind, while you are more of a caregiver. He will appreciate your caring, when it's directed towards him or some place he thinks is worthwhile, but he may also try to stop you when you try to go off and save the world."
"I want to save the world?" Sarah asked. "Where does that show up?"
Aunt Carrie laughed again. "That's just a figure of speech. See how your handwriting is larger than his, and how it slants to the right? You're more likely to feel what's going on for other people emotionally, and to respond to what they are feeling. You are a nurse, after all. That's definitely a helping profession."
"True enough. I do get too worried about what's going on for other people." Sarah told her.
"You also tend to believe them too much. See these big loops in your y's and g's? The loop is a sign of imagination. When imagination happens in the downward loops then it indicates gullibility. "
Sarah considered for a moment. "I guess that's part of why I gave Tony a second chance, even when he was too pushy with me the first time. When he apologized, I ignored what had just happened."
Carrie just smiled.
"And I guess being with someone who is focused, responsible and what did you say - less emotional? - might be a good thing for me."
"Sarah, this guy isn't necessarily less emotional. He's just less emotionally responsive - that means he might not get sucked in by a sad story as quickly as you, or that he might not show his emotions as readily. The fact that he's focused means he can feel things quite intensely. They don't always get expressed as openly as your reactions, that's all. He doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve."
Sarah knew from the kiss at the car that this guy was special to her. So, if he hadn't been swooning over her this last week, it didn't necessarily mean he didn't like her as much as she liked him. Maybe he was just not expressing it yet. That made her feel better. Plenty of time to build on what they started when he got back into town!
"Here, honey. I'll take this card and these balloons. And this chocolate." The dyed-red haired woman interrupted her thoughts.
"Sure," Sarah told her, standing up and taking the items to the counter. "Looks like you have a new baby in the family."
"Yes, my niece and her husband. Actually, it's twins!" The woman gushed. "And they have my red hair!!"
Sarah smiled but held in her chuckle.
~ # ~
The week had gone by quickly, but Sarah was getting more and more anxious to see Bradley again. Now that she knew he liked her, and now that he had passed the Aunt Carrie test, she couldn't wait to get to know him better. Besides, that kiss at the car had been just too electric to ignore.
It was everything Sarah could do to wait patiently over the weekend. She kept hoping that she would hear from Bradley - that he was back in town early. She hadn't thought to give him her cell phone number, but she was listed in the phone book, so she kept hoping he would call.
She had gone to the police station on Monday to finish giving her statement, and other than making her all emotional again, that had been pretty easy. Chief Caldwell hadn't been available, so she'd spoken to Carl, one of the officers on duty. He'd been matter of fact, and she was glad to have gotten that out of the way.
And, that was the most exciting thing that happened to her all week.
She'd spent the rest of the time attempting to keep busy by doing laundry, organizing her books and sorting through old magazines that she had been collecting. It was the start of the new semester, so her classes weren't very demanding. She had finished her assignments Friday night, and it was getting hard to find something to distract her.
The weather was cooperating, so she took a long walk along the beach on Sunday afternoon. By Sunday night however, she was really anxious. She hoped Bradley would be back at work the next morning. It was hard for her to think about anything else.
On Monday morning Sarah showed up early for work. She was on pins and needles, anticipating what she was going to say when she saw Bradley, and excited about being with him again.
By midmorning she was disappointed. She realized she'd have already run into him if she was going to see him that day. Maybe she'd misunderstood, or perhaps his parents had needed his help, requiring him to stay longer than he'd anticipated.
She would just have to be patient. After all, he hadn't said it would be exactly a week.
Sarah hoped there hadn't been a problem with his folks. She knew how fragile parents could become as they got older. Even when they looked like the pillar of health. Her mom had only been in her late 40s when the cancer struck her down.
Mom was lucky to have good insurance (and to have Sarah to help her), but not everyone was in the same situation.
She mentally berated herself for not making sure she had given Bradley her number before he left - and for not making sure she had his.
~ # ~
By Wednesday Sarah couldn't stand it any longer. She needed to find out why Bradley wasn't at work. She hoped nothing had happened to him - or to his family - but she was starting to get worried and even a little depressed about not hearing from him. Without his phone number, there was no way to reach him.
"Clara, have you heard anything about Bradley? Like why he isn't here at work? I know he was on vacation, but wasn't he supposed to be back already?"
Clara looked at her sympathetically, "Sarah, I really couldn't tell you anything, even if I wanted to, and even if I knew anything."
"I know, Clara, I'm sorry. I don't want to put you on the spot, but I'm starting to get worried about him."
"Honey, why don't you go talk to Personnel. They'd be the ones who could tell you anything."
It was after lunch when Sarah couldn't stand it any longer - she was starting to imagine all kinds of strange and bizarre scenarios - so she headed downstairs to Personnel.
Florence was standing at the counter with a stack of papers next to her, filling out some forms.
"Hi, Florence," she said, "I know this is a little unusual, but I need to ask if you've heard from Bradley Lindstrom? He told me that he was going on vacation but I thought he was going to be back on Monday."
Florence looked over at her and hesitated for a moment.
"Sarah, I'm sorry. You know that I can't reveal personnel issues or give out private information." Sarah started to protest.
"Normally I wouldn't be able to tell you anything," Florence continued. "But Bradley doesn't work here any more."
What? Sarah couldn't have heard her right, "He doesn't work here? What happened?"
Florence shrugged, "All I know is that he called in on Monday to resign. He asked us to mail his last check to his P.O. Box. Sorry I can't tell you anything else."
Sarah felt her heart drop and she slumped into a chair. He quit? He called and quit? And he didn't tell her? He didn't even try to reach her?
Sarah was having a hard time thinking straight. They had seemed so good for each other. What had happened? Oh My God. There must be something else. She couldn't believe that he had been leading her on. That just didn't make sense. Wasn't he her soulmate?
First, he had put himself in danger to save her. And he had been so considerate to her afterwards when she had fallen apart emotionally. Was he lying when he said he'd had a crush on her? What about that kiss? Certainly that couldn't have been a lie?
Sarah buried her face in her hands, she had to figure this out. This wasn't anything like what she'd expected. She had
to get to the bottom of what had just happened.
~ # ~
"Aunt Carrie, I just can't believe it. First Tony and now Bradley. Are all men just jerkwads?" Sarah knew that even Aunt Carrie's ex-husband Russ had turned out to be a bastard, doing everything he could to make Carrie miserable, especially at the end.
"Now Sarah, isn't that a little extreme?" Carrie was trying to calm her niece down. "I mean, don't you think you should give him a chance to explain?"
Carrie was trying to defend him?
"Explain? He called the hospital on Monday and quit! He hasn't even tried to call me. I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what might cause him to do this. Why he would just disappear.
"Then I worried that something bad had happened to him or to his family. But I don't have any way to check. So, I keep going around in circles. I don't know what to think any more. I thought you told me he was conscientious!"
"Sarah, I also told you he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. Maybe he needed some time away? What did he tell you before he left?"
"You mean besides the fact that he had a crush on me?" she sounded hurt. "Only that he had to visit his parents in San Francisco and he would be back in a week."
Carrie poured a cup of hot cocoa and handed it to Sarah. It was Saturday afternoon, and they were sitting in front of a nice fire. The wind and rain outside seemed to create a buffer against the rest of the world while the fire kept them safe and warm.
Sarah was wearing a large sweatshirt and her merino leggings. She sat sideways, her stocking feet slung over the edge of the overstuffed chair directly in front of the fire. Carrie sat on the loveseat, her legs curled up under her with a light throw quilt on her lap.
They could watch the fire and still see each other. The flames cast a hypnotic trance, and Carrie hoped they would help to soothe Sarah, although she couldn't get Sarah to sit still long enough for them to have the effect she wanted.
"Look, Sarah, you can't ever really know what's going on for someone else. I'm sure he has his reasons. I know it's hard to wait, and it probably feels like it's been ages, but it's only been a week."