by A. E. Radley
The highway crew was surprised to see us. “The road has been closed for hours. You must have been the last cars to get through.”
“There were three more ahead of us,” I told him. When they saw Mimi’s car on the side of the hill, they all shook their heads in disbelief. “Good thing you had a winch.”
Once Mimi’s car had been secured, they unhooked it from my truck, but the line was too frozen to wind back onto the spool. I gave them the okay to cut it.
“I’ll buy you a new one,” Mimi said apologetically, “and a new paint job.”
With the snow cleared, we could see the damage that the guardrail had done to the side of my truck. “That was my fault, not yours,” I said, sad to see it so beat up.
“Well, it won’t be fair if my car gets new paint and yours doesn’t. This truck saved me; it deserves to look beautiful again.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” I said.
Mimi smiled back at me. “Do I look worried? Besides, I still need a ride home.”
“It’s funny that we haven’t run into each other before now,” said Mimi as we got closer to the city.
“I guess we ran in different packs,” I replied, looking over at her. “How long have you been in Berkeley?”
“Since college. I shared an apartment with a friend for a while but then my parents helped me invest in a house. I rented out the upstairs suite and lived in the basement. After I started my masters, I moved upstairs for awhile and then rented the whole place out after I bought my condo.”
“You still own the house?”
“Yes. I’ve had the same tenants for nearly ten years. They love it. My ex wanted to kick them out so we could move in and start a family but I never liked that idea.”
I looked over at her again and smiled.
“I know what you’re thinking… that was my first clue that he wasn’t Mr. Right.”
“This is nice,” I said when she pushed open the door of her suite. I put my bag down in the hallway and walked further inside.
“I just had the tile done behind the kitchen counter. What do you think?” Mimi asked as she dropped her keys into a ceramic dish.
“I like it. It’s very clean,” I replied.
She poured herself a glass of water and pulled a bottle of medication from inside her cabinet. “My neck and shoulders are stiffening up,” she said after swallowing one down.
“A bath might help,” I suggested.
“Mmm, a bath sounds nice.”
I picked a book off the dining room table and got half-way through reading the back before realizing who the woman in the picture at the bottom was. “This is you,” I said, holding it up. “You wrote a book?”
“I sure did, and there’s two more on the shelf behind you.”
I turned around and scanned the titles on the spines. “Look at that; you’re a real live author.”
Mimi laughed. “Impressed?”
“I am. I’ve met quite a few writers but never one that actually got anything published.”
“Yes, that’s the hard part.”
“So, your research is in… happiness?”
“Yes. My current work is about finding joy.”
I smiled back at her. “Has it been fun to write?”
She laughed. “You would think so, hey? Research is fun, writing is a little bit fun, but editing is no fun; at least not for me. I questioned my very existence when I was editing the one in your hand—though I was going through a break-up at the time. You know what that’s like.” She pulled a bottle of wine from the wine rack. “Can I tempt you with a hallelujah, we’re alive glass of red?”
“Um…” I considered joining her but it was already getting late and I knew that it would probably just make me tired. “I’ll just stick with water, for now, thanks.”
Mimi smiled. “Water it is.” She poured me a glass from the dispenser on the fridge and then poured herself a glass of wine. “Remind me that I took a muscle relaxant if you see me pour a refill.” She took a sip and savored it with her eyes closed. “So,” she said opening them again. “A bath and then I have some packing to do before my flight tomorrow. Feel free to take a bath also; there are towels in the guest bathroom down the hall.”
“Thanks, I think I will.” I was still sore and a bath sounded nice.
After a long and luxurious soak, I returned to the main room but Mimi wasn’t there. “Where’d you go?” I called.
“In here,” Mimi called back.
I walked into her bedroom. She was sitting on the edge of the bed staring down at her open suitcase. She held a tall stack of folded clothes on her lap and there was more spilling from inside the suitcase.
“Wow. How long are you gone for?” I asked.
“Three days,” she said, blinking up at me. “I think I have too much.”
I chuckled. “That depends. How many climates will you be visiting, exactly?”
She laughed again. “I thought about you and then I tried to imagine how I could have been better prepared for what happened today.”
I held up a snorkel. “Um…”
“You’re right, that wouldn’t have helped,” she laughed.
Her eyes were heavy. I glanced at her empty wine glass that was sitting on her bedside table. “Was that your first or second glass?” I asked, hoping that I didn’t sound judgmental.
She looked over at her glass and then back at me. “Oops.”
“Did you forget about the muscle relaxant?”
“Maybe I should have some water.” She went to stand up but then staggered and sat back down.
“I’ll get it for you,” I said.
“I’m sorry. Wine never does this to me,” she called.
When I came back into the bedroom with a full glass of cold water, Mimi was sitting on the floor with her back against the bed. She’d pulled some of the things from her case and had them lined up beside her, but she looked like she was still having a hard time making sense of things. “Would you like some help?”
“Yes,” she said. “It can’t really be as hard as I’m making it.”
I sat down on the floor beside her and looked into the suitcase. “Is it okay if I handle your things?”
Mimi snorted with laughter. “Yes, please, handle.”
I picked up a stack of shirts and blouses and began to lay them out one-by-one on my lap. “Okay, you’re going for three days. Even if you change your shirt twice a day, you only need nine. It looks like you have at least twenty here.”
“You’re right. This one and these,” she said as she flipped through them. “Those can go back. What about this?” She pulled a blouse from the stack and held it up in front of her.
“That’s nice; for a dinner maybe?” I suggested.
“I was thinking it would look nice on you,” she said.
I smiled back at her. “A little tight, I think.”
“Tight is nice,” she said, dropping it inside the case. “I need jeans. Do I have jeans?”
I flipped through the stack. “Eight pairs. Is that… enough?”
Mimi laughed again.
“You can do this,” I said, confident that she could. “Sweaters?”
She motioned to her closet. “In there.”
I went over and thumbed through them. “How about this one?”
“Yes, and the one beside it, too,” she said.
“I liked the one you had on today,” I said as I dropped the sweaters from her closet inside her case. “Too bad it got wrecked.”
“I know. It was one of my favorites,” she said wistfully.
“Extra shoes or sandals?” I asked.
She pointed to a plastic bag beside her dresser. “They’re in there.”
“Will there be a pool where you’re staying?” I asked.
“Maybe a hot tub,” she replied and pointed to a drawer inside the unit of her immaculately organized closet. “Top drawer. You can pick one out.”
I went to the closet again, feeling a little str
ange about picking a bathing suit for her. When I pulled open the drawer, a purple vibrator winked back at me. I tried not to laugh, quickly pushing something over it before moving on with my search.
It was a formidable collection of suits, though many looked like they were made more for lounging poolside rather than for actual submersion in water. One was practically non-existent. I held it up out of sheer curiosity. It was black with a row of thin straps that left no obvious indication as to where the boobs were supposed to go, let alone get any coverage. “How… does this one work exactly?”
Mimi was giggling. “That’s not a bathing suit.”
I looked at the piece again and then remembered the vibrator. I wondered if there were any more surprises hiding in the drawer. “How about this one?” I said, holding up a modest-looking one-piece. “Suitable for family, Christmas, and hot tubs.”
“Perfect,” Mimi replied.
I tossed it onto her pile of things and slid the drawer shut. “Okay, we’re nearly there. You just need undergarments.”
Mimi squinted at me. “Undergarments? How Victorian.”
I laughed at myself. “Okay, I don’t think I’ve never actually said that word before, but that black strappy thing got me all flustered.” I took a seat on the floor beside her again, attempting to hide my embarrassment by methodically organizing her suitcase into sections.
Mimi was watching me and smiling. “Are you blushing, Brooke?”
“No, it’s just a little hot in here,” I replied, trying not to grin.
She reached out her hand and gently touched my face. “You’re hot.” She pulled her hand away almost as soon as she’d said it, but I still felt the sensation of her touch like a soft ghost. “I’m… uh… always a little warm,” I said.
“Is that because you play with fire all day?” she asked. Her voice had shifted to a more intimate tone. Then, suddenly, she threw back her head and laughed. “Oh my gosh, I’m going to say something completely inappropriate in a minute.” She tried to pull herself up.
“Here, let me help,” I said, practically launching to my feet. I took her elbow and steadied her. She closed her eyes as if trying to stop the world from spinning.
She smiled back at me. “Lesson learned; don’t mix the pink pills with wine.”
“How many did you take?” I asked, wondering whether I should be worried.
“Just one,” she replied. “Too bad. I was going to take you out for dinner and try to convince you not to call your ex tonight.” She looked up into my eyes.
“My ex,” I repeated, realizing that it was probably getting too late to call. I’d completely forgotten all about her.
Mimi smiled back at me. “I might fall asleep but… do you want to stay in and watch a movie instead?”
“So… what were you doing up north?” I asked. We were sitting cross-legged on the sofa. Szechuan takeout containers were lined up on the coffee table in front of us.
Mimi took a deep breath. “I was giving my ex his ring back.”
“I thought you two broke up last year.”
“We did but he wouldn’t accept that it was over. He told me to keep the ring for when I changed my mind. For both of our sakes—and especially for him because he’s about to go to Australia for two months—I knew that I had to do it before the year ended.”
“How did it go?”
“It was awful. He looked so hopeful. I’m sure he thought I was there to tell him I wanted to try again. I could see it in his face.” She shook her head and sighed. “But it had to be done.”
“Well, congratulations, I guess,” I said.
“Thank you. It feels a lot better. That ring was taking up psychic space in my closet. I felt it every time I went in there. Now it’s gone.”
“More room for bathing suits,” I said, grinning.
“More room for someone else,” she said and sat back against the cushions. She poked at her food with her fork, deep in thought. “I wanted to make sure I ended the year being open to new possibilities. I couldn’t have unfinished business like that lingering around.” She looked over at me. “You didn’t call her.”
“No. Maybe tomorrow but… I don’t know.” I smiled back at her.
“Now that you’re here, maybe it doesn’t seem necessary.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
She held up her water glass. “To new possibilities.”
“Yes, to new possibilities. Cheers.”
Mimi looked at me over her water glass. Her brown eyes were brighter.
“You look like you’re feeling better,” I said.
“Yes,” she laughed. “Food helped.”
“I’m glad.”
“Me too. Though, it would have given me a good excuse.” She gave me a shy smile and then scooped another forkful of food into her mouth. “So,” she said after a few moments, “when are you planning to drive back to Oregon?”
“I’m planning on the 27th,” I said.
“Are you going to take the mountain pass?” she asked and then laughed.
I laughed too. “I might, we’ll see.”
“You’re welcome to stay here on your way back through if you want to break up the drive. I could take you out for that dinner I promised,” she added softly.
We looked at each other for a few quiet moments. There was something more to her invitation, we both knew that, but as much as I wanted to go there, the fearful part inside me held back. She was straight, after all, and I knew better than to risk that again. “Um, yeah, sure. I’ll keep in touch,” I said, trying to sound as chummy about it as I could.
I saw the disappointment in her eyes before they drifted down to her lap. Then, she nodded softly like she understood.
CHAPTER 4
I woke the next morning on the same couch. I sat up and looked over the backrest. Mimi was puttering around the kitchen, making coffee. “Good morning,” she said, smiling at me. “Did you sleep okay on that thing?”
“I slept fine,” I said, though the fact that I’d been awake most of the night wasn’t the sofa’s fault.
She gave me a disbelieving look. “You should have taken the bed. I don’t think I moved all night.”
I stood up and began to bundle the sheets. “Where do you want these?” I asked.
“Laundry closet down the hall,” she replied. “You drink coffee, right?”
“Yes,” I said. “Black is fine.”
“I have to leave in a half-hour,” she called as I dumped my sheets into the washing machine.
“Do you need a ride to the airport?” I called back.
“No, I’ve already organized a cab. I’m meeting my parents there.”
“You’re sure?” I asked, returning to the kitchen. “It’s no trouble.”
She slid a mug of black coffee toward me. “I’m positive. You have a long drive ahead of you still and you’ve done more than enough.”
I took a quick shower and quickly got myself dressed. When I emerged from the bathroom, Mimi was wheeling her suitcase into the hall. She gave me a shy smile. “Thanks for helping me pack last night. I’m not sure I could have done it without you.”
“I hope you won’t regret leaving that snorkel behind.”
We both stood for a moment, smiling at each other. Then her phone rang. “That’s the cab,” she said.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and patted my jacket pocket for my keys and phone. We didn’t talk all the way down in the elevator. By the time we got to the lobby, I was feeling sad that our time together had come to an end.
The driver was waiting outside the doors. He took her bag and loaded it into the trunk. Mimi turned to me and smiled. “Thank you, Brooke. I knew there was something special about you the first time I saw you.” She held out her hand. “I hope we meet again soon.”
“Yeah, I do too,” I said. I took her hand in mine, not wanting to let her go, but the time had come. “Have a beautiful Christmas, Mimi. I wish you all the best.”
Mimi’s eyes sparkled when
she smiled back at me. “Say hi to Queen Elsa for me.” She let go of my hand and climbed into the back seat. I stood at the curb and watched as her taxi pulled away.
I thought about Mimi as I drove out of Berkeley. It wasn’t until I’d reached the I-5 again that I remembered my ex’s birthday. I eyed my phone rattling up on the dash. I decided, once and for all, that calling her then or any time wouldn’t do either of us any good. I felt a weight lift off my chest. Without it, I really started to look forward to having some silly fun with my nieces.
But after a long and grueling day driving through snowy mountain passes, the drive south quickly lost its magic. I was done with being in my truck. I set the GPS on my phone for the address of the hotel in Anaheim and pushed on.
I pulled into one of the guest parking spots behind the building and unloaded my things. A couple were ahead of me so I waited with my bag at my feet. I sent a text to my sister telling her that I had arrived. I didn’t get a reply back. Soon, it was my turn to check-in.
“I think my reservation is under my sister’s name, Wendy Givens,” I said to the clerk. She typed the name into her terminal and then frowned. “It’s showing that reservation was canceled,” she said. “Could it be under another name?”
I gave her mine.
“Hmm… I don’t have anything under that either.”
I stepped back from the counter and texted my sister again. A few seconds later, my phone rang.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“It’s not my fault. Michael canceled the hotel without telling me. He wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Who’s Michael?” I asked since the name meant nothing to me.
“My boyfriend. I wanted you two to meet but he didn’t know that I’d invited you down. The girls don’t know either.”
“So where are you right now?” I asked again.
“We’re right on the beach. I thought we were just having a looky-loo, but we’re actually staying here. You should see this place!”