Comfortable Distance

by Kenna White

  “Oxygen saturation monitoring.”

  “When you aren’t doing that what else do you do? Hobbies, I mean. Other than sailing and scuba diving, of course.”

  “Gosh. There’s more to life than that?” Jamie chuckled.

  “Yes, there is.”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know. There are a lot of things to do in and around Olympia. Hiking, bicycling, tennis, museums, music.”

  “I’ve seen all the museums in Seattle and Portland. As for music, I can’t play a musical instrument unless you count an iPod. I like to listen to music though. Jazz, soft rock, country.”

  “Now there’s something.” Dana brightened. “There’s going to be a concert in the park next to the boardwalk. A group is going to sing. They set up a little stage, and people come and sit in the grass. They had one last month. It was a great way to spend a couple hours. Would you like to go with me?”

  “When?” Jamie said, showing interest.

  “Tonight at seven thirty.”

  “Okay.”

  “Great. I’ll meet you at the bench outside the security gate about seven fifteen. I know it will be kind of late but would you like me to make us a sack lunch? We can have dinner on a blanket.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” Jamie said.

  “But I want to. What kind of sandwich would you like, or do you want something else?”

  “Surprise me. Anything you make is fine with me. What can I bring?”

  “Nothing.”

  “With your permission, may I take care of the beverage?”

  “Be my guest,” Dana said.

  “I’ll meet you there. And now, I think I should go change. I’m starting to smell like Budd Bay at low tide.”

  Dana smiled as she hung up the telephone.She had a date with Dr. Hughes for some reason other than to talk about Shannon. Just a plain old date and she was delighted. Dana walked to the grocery store and collected what she needed for their picnic. She spent twenty minutes trying on clothes, deciding what to wear. She dug in the back of the closet for her white jeans and white sandals. She added a teal blue blouse. She wore silver earrings with her hair down and loose. Shannon didn’t like Dana to wear white jeans out in public. She said they were too revealing. Dana had argued they didn’t show anything, but Shannon had been sure everyone would stare at her. Dana thought of Shannon’s attitude from the other night and placed the white jeans on her bed. She would wear them anyway.

  She picked up the picnic basket and headed up the dock. As she was letting herself out of the security gate, she caught her shirt on an exposed fence wire and popped off the top button. It rolled down the gangplank and dropped into the water.

  “Oh, polliwogs,” she muttered, looking down at her shirt. She pulled the placket together to see if it was noticeable. It was, at least a little. She would have to go back and change, but as she reopened the gate she could hear Jamie.

  “Hello, Dana,” she called, striding up the boardwalk with a small tote bag over her shoulder.

  “Hi,” Dana said, straightening her shirt, hoping it would stay closed. “You’re right on time.”

  Jamie was wearing a Capital State University T-shirt and well fitting jeans that showed off her long, lean legs.

  “You don’t look dressed for a picnic,” Jamie said, looking Dana up and down. “You look nice.”

  “Thank you.You look good yourself.”To keep her eyes off the sexy way Jamie’s jeans fit through the crotch, Dana straightened the hem of Jamie’s sleeve. “You should dress like this more often. And not just when you’re on your boat.”

  “I’ll take it under advisement,” Jamie said, carrying the basket for Dana. “Where would you like to sit?”

  “Let’s find a place away from the sidewalk and away from the playground,” Dana said, leading the way. They found a clear spot at the edge of the park and spread out the blanket.

  “What’s in here?” Jamie asked, holding up the basket. “It weighs a ton. You must have made more than just a sandwich.”

  “A little of this and a little of that. Have a seat and I’ll show you.” Dana took her place on the blanket and patted the blanket for Jamie to sit down. “What did you bring?”

  “You aren’t supposed to have open liquor bottles in the park so I had to improvise,” she leaned in and whispered as she pulled out a thermos and two plastic cups. “Wine coolers.”

  “Oh, goodie,” Dana giggled. “I thought something like that would taste good with dinner. It sure pays to have a smart professor supplying the beverage.”

  “Hey, I don’t have a PhD for nothing,” Jamie said then winked. “May I offer you a little thermos refreshment?” She poured them each a glass.

  “Thank you very much, Doctor,” Dana said and took a sip. “That’s good.”

  “The woman at the liquor store said this was the perfect thing for a picnic. Light yet flirty.” She took a sip. “I have a question. How the heck can wine be flirty? Where do they get these adjectives for wine?”

  “I have no idea. I only know wine is good if I like the taste.” Dana nestled her cup in the grass and went about unpacking the basket.

  “What all do you have in there?” Jamie said, peeking in to see what Dana had packed.

  “We are starting off with a salad,” she said, taking out two small Tupperware dishes. “And then we have an assortment of cheeses and deli meats.” She lined up several baggies on the blanket. Dana then pulled out a loaf of French bread. “What’s a picnic without crusty bread and herb-flavored oil to dip it in? I made olive oil with a little balsamic vinegar, dill, oregano and parsley. And for dessert we are having brownies.” She held up a baggie with homemade brownies.

  “You made all of this just for the two of us? Wow. You can pack my picnics anytime, Dana.”

  Dana noticed Jamie had trouble keeping her eyes on what she was eating. Instead, her gaze kept drifting back to Dana’s shirt. Dana suddenly remembered her missing button. She hadn’t thought of it since they crossed the park and sat down on the blanket. She guessed the top of her bra was visible but nothing more. Dana gasped when she looked down and saw not only was her top button missing but the next two buttons were open as well, exposing her to the waist. She shrieked and pulled her shirt closed.

  “Nice bra.” Jamie smiled.

  “Why didn’t you say something?” Dana said, re-buttoning her shirt as she blushed.

  “Why?” Jamie broke off a piece of bread and dipped it in the oil.

  “Because I was sitting here with my shirt open, that’s why.”

  “I may be a stuffy old science professor but I’m not stupid.” Jamie leaned over and whispered. “I liked the view.”

  “I should have gone back and changed my shirt when I popped off the button,” Dana said, doing her best to keep the placket closed.

  “I’m glad you didn’t. And you shouldn’t be embarrassed. You look very nice with your blouse open. You’ve seen me in my swimsuit top.”

  “But that’s different.”

  “Why? Because my swimsuit top is made to be worn outside and your bra isn’t?”

  “Something like that, yes.”

  “Would you feel better if I took off my T-shirt and sat here in my bra?” Jamie began pulling her shirt out of the waistband of her jeans.

  “No! Don’t do that.” Dana instantly wished she hadn’t stopped her. Jamie looked good in her swimsuit top. Dana was sure she would look even better in her bra.

  “I won’t if you promise not to get all stressed out about your missing button.”

  “Okay, I promise. But you have to tell me if my shirt is open and I’m making a spectacle of myself,” Dana said, smoothing her shirt.

  “I can’t promise that.” Jamie chuckled.

  “Jamie!” Dana scowled.

  “Well, I can’t. Like I said, I like the view. Now eat your dinner. This cheese is delicious.” She handed Dana a piece. “Tell me some more of your cartoon ideas. What else is Ringlet up to these days?
”

  “My publisher asked for me to provide panels for each of the holidays. For Halloween I’ve got Ringlet dressed up in a witch’s costume. Black hat and all. She has a smug little look on her face, naturally.”

  “Naturally.”

  “At her feet are the chewed shredded remains of a stuffed black cat. The bubble over her head reads – Ah, the power of a witch.”

  Jamie laughed.

  “The other one is Ringlet running in circles, frantically trying to bite her rear end.” Dana chomped her fingers through the air. “She has a determined, frenzied look on her face. The bubble over her head reads: Fleas are like real estate. It’s all about location, location, location.”

  Jamie laughed even louder, nearly spilling her wine.

  “I love them. That’s great,” she said, continuing to chuckle. “Any more?”

  “That’s it for today. I’ve got some ideas but nothing concrete.”

  “I’m impressed. I love your work. You’re very talented, Dana.”

  It was Dana’s turn to laugh.

  “It doesn’t take much talent to draw a dog humping its master’s leg,” she said with a shy blush.

  “It takes talent to find humor in everyday life and portray it through a dog’s point of view.”

  “Thank you but I don’t necessarily think that’s talent.”

  “What do you call it?”

  “Opportunistic.”

  “Okay, you found a market and filled it. But that takes talent, too,” Jamie said, tweaking the end of Dana’s nose. “Be proud of what you have accomplished.”

  “Oh,I am.I’m very grateful to the powers that be for providing this opportunity to me.It pays the bills.It lets me be creative.And I get to express some of my opinions, albeit surreptitiously.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like the cartoon I did with Ringlet’s human participating in a tree-hugger’s sit-in, protesting clear-cutting forests. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I bet most of those protestors live in wood-framed houses. How can you complain about harvesting trees if you consume wood in your habitat? To have any credibility, shouldn’t they use alternate building materials? So I put Ringlet in the protest. She is wearing a placard that reads Save a tree, use a hydrant.”

  Jamie smiled.

  “I love it when you allow Ringlet to be a little irreverent.”

  “Ringlet is totally unabashed, even when I can’t be,” Dana said. “I know Juliana sees my cartoons so I have to be careful what I draw.”

  “How is Juliana?”

  “Fine. They left yesterday. Steve has a conference in San Diego and he took her along. They are going to the zoo and aquarium. You should have heard her. She insisted on taking an extra camera along so she could take lots of pictures to show you all about it.”

  “That’s great. She’ll love them both. How long will they be gone?”

  “Two weeks. This is their big father and daughter trip. They go someplace special every year. Last year it was Disney World in Florida. Next year he is talking about taking her to Japan.”

  “You’ll miss them, I’m sure. It comes at a critical time for you, doesn’t it?”

  Dana nodded.

  “How are things going with Shannon? Do you think you’ll be ready to make a decision before the end of your three months?”

  “I have no idea. Sometimes I think I know what I want. Other times, I’m not at all sure.”

  “What was the last thing you two argued about?”

  “We didn’t argue. We just had disagreements.”

  “Like what? Tell me some of the things you disagreed about.”

  “Well, the week before I moved out, I was planning a surprise dinner for Shannon. I didn’t do all the cooking but most of it. I worked at home so it was easier for me to start things in the afternoon before she got home. I had seen a recipe in a magazine I thought she’d like. I was going to make a fabulous salad and her favorite vegetables to go with it. I worked for hours peeling shrimp and sautéing garlic cloves.” Dana laughed and rolled her eyes. “I thought I was super chef or something. Anyway, Shannon came home unexpectedly in the middle of the afternoon. She asked what I was doing, and I told her it was a surprise. Shannon doesn’t like surprises. She always wants to know what’s going on. I told her I hated to spoil the surprise but she was insistent. She loves shrimp and Italian food with garlic, rich food. But for some unknown reason that day she hated shrimp and garlic. In fact, she didn’t like anything I was making. Even the wine was wrong. The funny thing is, she had bought the wine. Said it was a good wine for seafood. She rummaged around in the freezer and found chicken breasts. She wanted fried chicken. I told her I had already started the shrimp and I hated to waste them. She said I could make shrimp cocktail if I wanted.”

  “Did you make fried chicken?” Jamie asked.

  “Yes. But I made the shrimp dish, too.”

  “Did she do that often?”

  “A couple times. She preferred to help plan the meals. Usually, I didn’t mind.” Dana giggled devilishly. “One time she called to ask what I was making for dinner. I told her spaghetti and meatballs. She said that sounded good but that’s exactly what she had for lunch so I better fix something else. Then I told her that I meant I was making turkey tetrazzini. She was not happy that I tricked her. I knew she didn’t have spaghetti for lunch. That was just her excuse when I planned something without asking her first.”

  “Do you mind if I say Shannon sounds like a control freak?” Jamie said delicately.

  “I came to realize that.”

  “Other than meals, what else has she insisted on?”

  Dana took a bite of cheese and smiled at the ground as she thought.

  “Not much. Just things like the sheets we bought. She had to have beige six hundred count Egyptian cotton. And the color of the towels in the guest bathroom. The paint in my office. Every hotel and restaurant reservation. Where and when I had the oil changed in my car. What lingerie I wore. My lipstick, shampoo, conditioner and hairstyle. Things like that.” Dana knew just how that sounded.

  “Did you ever feel like you were sleeping with the enemy?”

  “I know it sounds that way but Shannon was a very tender gentle person.”

  “You mean she was a tender gentle lover?”

  “Yes. Very.”

  “Her controlling ways didn’t enter the bedroom?” Jamie said.

  “No, never. Well, if you mean was she forceful and domineering, no. She wasn’t.”

  “But?”

  “But lovemaking was usually her idea. Not mine.”

  “You mean you made love when it suited her? And if you were in the mood and suggested it, she wasn’t?”

  “That’s right. Hey, I’m no nun,” Dana laughed. “A girl has needs.” She couldn’t believe she confessed that to Jamie. She grimaced and clutched her hands to her head. “Now I’m completely embarrassed. First I flash my boobs for all to see, then I confess I like sex.”

  “What’s wrong with that? You are a vibrant, attractive woman. What’s wrong with admitting you enjoy sex?”

  “How about you? Do you have needs?”

  “As you said, I’m no nun either,” Jamie said.“But we’re talking about you, not me.”

  “Why is that? Why are we always talking about me and my fouled up relationship? How about yours? Surely you have some tales of the heart to tell.”

  Jamie smiled at the ground and shook her head.

  “Not really.”

  “Ruth Ann said you were in an intimate relationship with your algae. I don’t believe it. There has to be someone hidden in the shadows. Who is she? One of your students? A colleague? Who?”

  “Sorry to disappoint you and Ruth Ann but there isn’t anyone lurking in the shadows. I’m not dating anyone right now.” Jamie adjusted her glasses, allowing her hand to hide her eyes from Dana’s view.

  “Why not?” Dana leaned forward to see around her hand.

  “Just not,” she shrugged.


  Dana pulled off a piece of bread and danced it around in the oil then ate it.

  “Was it Dusty?” she asked carefully.

  “No,” Jamie replied with a half smile.

  “But I saw her kiss you. I was sure you two had a history together.”

  “Dusty is a close friend but not an ex-lover, if that’s what you were wondering.”

  “Hey, I wouldn’t blame you if you had. She’s a good-looking woman. She has a lot of personality. And she’s so kind.”

  “Yes, she is all that, but she’s not gay.” Jamie sipped her wine then refilled their glasses as if avoiding Dana’s curiosity.

  “I’m sorry, Jamie. Did I rake up something I shouldn’t have?” Dana touched Jamie’s leg.

  “No. It’s all right.”

  “Just forget it. I won’t ask anything else about Dusty.”

  Jamie took a drink then swirled the wine in her cup, watching it intently.

  “It wasn’t Dusty. It was her sister.” Jamie kept her eyes on her cup as she spoke. “Dr. Terry Grant. She was a marine geologist in southern California.” Jamie took a deep breath at the end of her confession.

  “Do you mind if I ask what happened?” Dana asked gently.

  “No, I don’t mind.” Jamie set her cup down and began wiping her glasses on the tail of her shirt. “It was several years ago.”

  “You met her through your work?”

  “Yes. She studied and mapped the ocean floor. Mountains, fault lines, suboceanic volcanoes. She was a very smart woman.”

  “Sounds like it.”

  “Terry and Dusty were very close. They looked a lot alike, too,” Jamie added reflectively. “Dusty and I were both working at UCLA. She introduced me to Terry. Said she needed some help identifying some deepwater species. We did some diving together.There’s a fault line that runs parallel to the coast of Baja. It was about two miles offshore. She mapped it for the National Oceanographic Institute and proved their data was flawed. The slope of the fault is much steeper than formerly thought.”

  “Wow. That’s quite a discovery.”

  Jamie smiled over at Dana.

  “Yes, it was but it was just one of those tidbits of scientific data no one ever hears about until there’s an earthquake and tsunami.”