Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series)

by Michelle Maness

  Kaitlyn,

  Hope you had a good Christmas. I found myself remembering Christmas with your family and wishing I was there. I miss you like crazy. I saw these at am art exhibit recently and couldn’t decide which suited you more since you seemed to change your mind every other day as to which style you liked best. I hope you like them and they arrive unharmed. Merry Christmas,

  Love you,

  Adam

  Katherine smiled as she set the card aside and began digging through the peanuts before coming across a replica of a Queen Anne Victorian first, followed by a replica of an antebellum home. She smiled; they were beautiful and perfect. The detail used was truly amazing; she could almost imagine opening the door and walking right in. She wondered how Adam was; his message didn’t indicate a very happy Christmas. The thought disturbed her and she sighed. She placed the two houses on her entertainment center before calling her mom; she knew she would be waiting to hear that she had made it home safely.

  “Hi, Mom,” she greeted when her mother answered.

  “I was starting to wonder about you,” her mother admitted.

  “Sorry, I got home and I had a large parcel notice in my mail box; I had to go pick it up.”

  “What was it?”

  “A Christmas present, two actually: a perfect replica of a Queen Anne Victorian and hand-made plantation house with fluted columns. They’re beautiful!”

  “Some one knows you well,” her mother laughed. “Were they a late present from Derrick?”

  “No,” Katherine admitted. “They’re from Adam.”

  “Adam?”

  “Yeah, I haven’t even had a post card from him in a few weeks and then these arrived. I was a little surprised, myself.”

  “Oh my gosh! Kattie, I’m running late to meet Carla; I’ve got to go,” her mother referred to her best friend. “Love you.”

  “Love you too,” Katherine returned.

  She placed the phone back on the charger and moved to study the houses again. They truly were beautiful.

  Two days later when Derrick arrived back from Tokyo he moved to her entertainment center and studied them with a frown.

  “Where did you get these?” he asked her.

  “A friend sent them for Christmas,” Katherine admitted as he picked one up and studied the bottom.

  “Katherine, if these are the genuine article they are very valuable. The signature says Monica Porter. She is famous for her detailed reproduction of people and places. Which one of your friends did that well after college?” Derrick demanded.

  Katherine frowned; was he accusing her of something?

  “Adam sent them.”

  “Who is Adam?”

  “An old friend,” she supplied.

  “Why is Adam sending you expensive gifts? Not one but two of them?”

  “Because he wanted to? I don’t know; I got them in the mail with a card. He didn’t offer an explanation except that he knows how much I love old houses.”

  “Your friend must have done pretty well for himself to be able to afford to ship Monica Porter miniatures off to old friends,” Derrick had an edge in his voice.

  “Adam is in the music industry; he’s a rapper, well sort of,” Katherine tried explaining.

  “Never heard of him,” Derrick countered.

  “He goes by Ace,” Katherine shared.

  “Katherine, someone is pulling your leg. A guy like Ace doesn’t go around buying sentimental fluff for girls they knew once upon a time,” Derrick informed her.

  Katherine stood; she could feel her anger boiling to the surface.

  “Call my mom, call Tessa, or call Amy; Derrick, Adam Cole Ellington, known to the world at large as Ace, was a very good friend of mine in high school and again in college. I have no reason to lie about this,” Katherine insisted.

  “I don’t think you’re lying. I think you have your friend confused with this Ace character. Either way I don’t want this man sending you expensive gifts.”

  “I am not confused, Derrick. I know Adam very well; too well to confuse him for someone else,” Katherine’s her voice steely.

  “Okay, you know him,” he placated with a shrug. “Don’t be accepting gifts from him. Send them back.”

  “Go, I need time to cool down, just go,” Katherine pointed to the door.

  “What?” Derrick stood and glared at her.

  “You don’t believe me; you’re placating me so we’ll quit arguing. I don’t like having my mental capacity questioned and I am keeping my gifts.”

  “Fine, call me when you calm down and are ready to be rational,” he invited. Derrick stepped out the door and Katherine grabbed a pillow and threw it against the door.

  She did not like the way he had spoken to her! The phone rang and Katherine moved to answer it.

  “Hello,” she all but snapped.

  “Am I calling at a bad time?” Adam asked.

  Katherine’s heart jumped into her throat.

  “Adam! No, no, I just got in a fight with my fiancé,” she admitted.

  “Congratulations,” he offered.

  “On what, getting in a fight with my fiancé?” she knew what he meant. She heard him chuckle and smiled; her stomach flipped.

  “No; on your engagement to Ken.”

  “His name is Derrick,” she corrected.

  “Right; what did you two get into it over?”

  “You actually,” she shared.

  “Me? Did he find out he wasn’t your first?” he teased.

  “No,” she laughed. “We got in a fight over the houses you sent. Thank you, Adam; they’re beautiful and I love them. Derrick says they’re by a well-known artist. That’s kind of how the argument started.” Katherine stood in front of her entertainment center and ran a finger over a fluted column as though touching them could bring her closer to Adam.

  “Over miniature houses?”

  “No, he doesn’t believe that I know you,” she admitted.

  “Want me to come out there and prove him wrong?” he offered.

  “I guess that would put him in his place,” she laughed. “I wish you would come visit, Adam; I miss you.”

  “I miss you too,” his voice was low.

  “How are you, Adam?”

  “I’m a little down,” he shared.

  “I heard about your break up after Mia miscarried. I’m sorry, Adam.”

  “Yeah well there’s more to that story but that isn’t why I called. It’s raining here and I couldn’t help thinking about you. How’ve you been?”

  “Okay, Derrick travels a lot and I get lonely, but I’m making friends.”

  “He’s crazy to run off and leave you alone. Is he nice?”

  “He is. Stubborn but nice.”

  “And you’re never stubborn.”

  “Never,” she agreed; she knew he was smiling.

  “Did you have a nice Christmas?”

  “I did, how was yours?”

  “Okay, I spent it with my manager and some friends.”

  “You should have come to Tennessee; you could have spent Christmas with us.”

  “I’m not sure how welcome I would have been. What did Derrick get you?”

  “You would have been welcome. He got me a sweater.”

  “Oh, was it nice?”

  Katherine smiled. She wasn’t crazy over sweaters and Adam knew it.

  “I don’t like it much but that stays between you and me."

  “I’ve missed you, Kaitlyn.”

  “I’ve missed you too, Adam.”

  “Is your phone beeping?”

  “They’ll call back.”

  “So when’s the wedding?”

  “We haven’t set a date yet.”

  “What’s wrong with this guy?”

  “What do you mean?” she asked with a half-smile, half-frown.

  “You guys were engaged at your graduation weren’t you?”

  “So you were there!” she accused.

  “Oops, yeah I was there. I was go
ing to say hi, but after he proposed and all those people thronged you, I didn’t want to risk being recognized.”

  “The flowers were beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you liked them. You still haven’t answered my question.”

  “We were engaged so shortly after we met that we agreed not to rush to the altar. We wanted to get to know each other better first,” she explained.

  “I’m sure he did want to get to know you better,” he offered cryptically.

  “Funny, Adam. Actually, Derrick and I haven’t…we, not yet.

  “Have you checked this guy for a pulse?” he asked her.

  “Adam,” she was trying to keep her lips from twitching and giving away her amusement.

  “Just kidding,” he assured her. “But seriously, where did you find this guy?”

  “He spoke in one of my classes and then I ran into him while I was having lunch. He asked me out and as they say, the rest is history.”

  “He better be good to you,” Adam threatened.

  “I believe he will be.”

  “I guess you heard about me getting in trouble?”

  “I’ve heard some things. What was it this time?” she asked him.

  “I got caught with drugs on me.”

  “Adam, you know better.”

  “I do.”

  “Are you going to get help?”

  “The judge is making me participate in an out-patient program. That’s part of why I had to stay here for Christmas.”

  “I’m glad you’re getting help, Adam.”

  “I don’t guess you’re a big fan of my music,” he mused.

  “I like some of it. At first I wouldn’t listen to it; I couldn’t. Then my roommate my senior year was a huge fan of yours and played Goodbye for me. After that I started listening to them,” she shared as she sank into an arm chair and tucked her feet under her.

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “I guess I should be. My reputation is shot if people start putting two and two together after those liner notes,” she teased. “But, no, I am not mad at you.”

  “Good, how are your parents?”

  “They’re good,” she admitted. “Grandma isn’t doing so well; they’re talking about moving her in with them.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Kaitlyn, Gracie is a special lady. Tell her I said hi, will you? And your mom and dad too.”

  “I will,” Katherine promised. “How’s your mom?”

  “Mad at me, she claimed I deserted her and won’t talk to me or accept any of my money.”

  “Adam, I’m sorry,” she told him softly.

  “I try not to dwell on it,” he told her. “I’m going to be there this spring for a show, if I send you a ticket and a backstage pass will you come?”

  “I will.”

  “Will Ken freak?”

  “It’s Derrick and I will warn him.”

  “Thanks for talking to me, Kaitlyn,” Adam offered.

  “Why wouldn’t I?” she asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “I’m glad you called.”

  “Hey, have you got a pen and paper?”

  “Hold on,” she stood and grabbed the items. “Got it.”

  Adam gave her his home number and his mobile.

  “I should let you go, Kaitlyn; I’m supposed to be at an AA meeting in a half an hour and I need to shower.”

  “It was nice to talk to you, Adam.”

  “It was nice to hear your voice; you have no idea how nice,” he told her. “Bye, Kaitlyn.”

  “Bye, Adam.” Katherine turned off her phone and took a deep breath. It had been so nice to talk to Adam. She couldn’t believe how easily they had fallen into their old camaraderie as long as it had been. Her phone rang and she jumped as she fumbled to answer it.

  “Hello.”

  “I tried calling, where have you been?” Derrick demanded without preamble.

  “On the phone,” she answered.

  “You couldn’t take my call?”

  “It was long distance,” she added.

  “Let me guess, Ace called you,” she could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

  “How did you guess?” she asked.

  “Look, Katherine, I didn’t call to argue. I wanted to apologize. I don’t like fighting with you.”

  “I don’t like fighting with you either,” she admitted.

  “I should be around more the next few weeks. We’ll spend some time together; we need it,” he informed her.

  “We do,” she agreed.

  After her conversation with Derrick ended, Katherine tidied up her apartment, took a long soak, and climbed into bed. She was exhausted but sleep wouldn’t come. She kept replaying her conversation with Adam in her head.

  ***

  Adam laid aside the phone, rubbed his face and took a deep breath. He was glad he had called Kaitlyn, even if talking to her had been painful. It had also helped him shake off some of the darkness that was threatening to engulf him. He had gone to Kaitlyn’s graduation in hope of reconnecting with her, maybe even of convincing her to move to California with him. Watching her accept another man’s proposal had nearly been his undoing.

  He looked at the pills and alcohol that he had been contemplating taking in a large lethal dose and felt himself start to shake. He had been ready to end it but thoughts of Kaitlyn had driven him to call her. Now death had lost some of its appeal and that he had courted it so closely frightened him. He swept the pills off the table in an angry gesture, closed his eyes, and then stood to go take a shower. He had decided he was going to go on to his meeting and who knew, maybe this time it might even help.

  Eleven

  Katherine and Derrick sat on her couch looking over wedding invitations and sample menus from a hand full of caterers his mother had recommended. While they had not set an official date they were contemplating a hand full of dates and Derrick had suggested that if they made some decisions now it would expedite the process.

  “Have you done any dress shopping?” Derrick asked her.

  “Yes, I have a couple of favorites,” she admitted.

  “I can’t wait to see you come down that aisle in your white dress and to make you mine,” he told her.

  Katherine bit her lip; she knew she needed to say something and sooner rather than later.

  “None of the dresses I’m considering are pure white,” she informed him.

  “Why not?” he demanded.

  “Traditionally, and I am aware that it doesn’t seem to matter anymore, that aside, traditionally white is worn to signify purity.”

  “Right,” he nodded.

  “Derrick, I’m not a virgin!” she finally spit it out. She watched him frown as he settled back against the couch.

  “Oh.”

  “You never asked, but I knew I would tell you.”

  “You just don’t strike me as the type to sleep around and I assumed…”

  “I don’t sleep around,” she assured him. “I dated a guy in college and the night before he moved off I spent the night with him. He’s the only one; that was the only night. Now you know.” Considering the fight they had already had over Adam she couldn’t see the point in naming names. Derrick now knew there had been someone and that should be enough.

  “Right, now I know and I’m glad you told me, Katherine. I’ve made some mistakes in that area as well. We both learned from our past mistakes, right? We’re better people now,” he offered.

  Katherine smiled, there was no way she could answer him; to this day she didn’t regret her decision whereas Derrick clearly regretted his.

  “Thank you for being honest with me. I love you, Katherine,” he kissed her cheek.

  “I love you too, Derrick,” she returned sincerely.

  They returned to pouring over the catalogues before them; Katherine felt relief at having that off her chest. That night after Derrick left, Katherine found herself thinking of Adam and carried a chair to her room to pull a box from the back of her closet. Insi
de were the letters, post cards, and various correspondences she had exchanged with Adam over the years. It also contained a few photos Adam had sent her after he left. He had taken them that final night they spent together and as she studied them, the memories were sharp in her mind.

  “Katherine, what are you doing?” she asked herself as she shoved them back in the box and set the lid back on. She shoved the box back into her closet and promised herself that she would get rid of its contents before she married.

  ***

  Katherine looked at the calendar and tried to stifle her disappointment. She had been engaged for one year today and her fiancé was on the other side of the globe. She turned back to her computer and the task at hand.

  “Excuse me, Katherine Mayfield?” a voice asked from behind her. She turned to find a deliveryman watching her expectantly.

  “Yes?”

  “I have two deliveries for you.”

  “Two?” she asked as she signed his clipboard.

  “Yes, miss. It seems you’re popular today,” the deliveryman smiled at her. He sat two vases on her desk. The first bouquet he set on her desk was a dozen red roses; the other at least two dozen pink. She didn’t even have to ask who they were from. She pulled the card from Derrick's first.

  Katherine,

  I'm sorry I can't be there. I'll make it up to you. I'll call tonight.

  Love,

  Derrick

  It was written in an unfamiliar hand, wired from London. She tried to swallow her disappointment and resentment. She felt guilty for her resentment, but he had been out of town for too many important events (her last birthday included) and always promised to make it up. But you couldn’t make up something like that. She tucked the card back into its envelope and stuck it in the forked holder there for that purpose.

  She turned to the other vase and pulled a large card, obviously not the card that had come with the flowers, from the holder. The front of the card had a kitten clinging to the end of a rope. The bold print on the inside read: Don’t leave me hanging. On the opposite page was a personal message.