by Kenna White
Chapter 20
Jamie unlocked her office and flipped on the light. She planned to call Dana as soon as she checked her messages. She had fought the urge to call her as soon as she got up but decided six fifteen was too early for a social call. She had fumbled with her cell phone all the way across the parking lot and up the stairs of the science building, anxious for a quiet moment she could spend visiting with Dana. She had so much to tell her. How special yesterday was. How much she looked forward to seeing her again, perhaps for dinner. And how much she hoped Dana’s meeting with Shannon had gone well. Jamie was also wrestling with her own guilt. Guilt for making love to a woman who wasn’t free. As far as Jamie was concerned, Shannon didn’t deserve Dana but that wasn’t her place to say. If they could work out their differences, who was Jamie to say otherwise? From that first time they met on Ruth Ann’s boat, she knew Dana had the intelligence and determination to sift through her feelings and find an answer to her uncertainty. All Jamie had to do was offer encouragement and support. She had to admit making love to Dana may have been wrong, but at that moment it felt so right. If she had the chance to do it over again, Jamie wasn’t sure she would do it differently. And that thought angered her.
Jamie reached for the telephone. Before she finished dialing Dana’s number, there was a knock at her office door.
“Come in,” she said, hesitating before entering the last number. The door opened and Shannon stood in the doorway.
“Hello, Dr. Hughes.”
Jamie could tell she had something on her mind.
“Hello, Shannon.” Jamie replaced the receiver in the cradle and stood up, offering Shannon a handshake. “Is there something I can help you with? Please, have a seat.”
“No, thanks. This won’t take long. I’ve come to tell you I don’t think you have Dana’s best interest at heart, professor.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“Dana tells me she has been talking to you about us. I don’t think it’s fair for you to offer opinions when you don’t know what’s going on.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about. But I assure you I haven’t told Dana to do anything. And what’s more, don’t you think what she and I talk about is our business? Not yours.” Jamie sat on the corner of her desk, nonchalantly folding her hands across her lap.
“No, I don’t. When you’re talking about my relationship with my girlfriend, that is my business. I love her, professor, and I would do anything to protect her. Ever since you knocked her key ring overboard, you have been forcing your way into our lives. I’m getting a little tired of hearing Jamie this and Jamie that. You know what I think? I think you knocked her key ring off the railing on purpose.”
“Ah, yes. The infamous key ring. Your gift to Dana.”
“Damn right. I designed it especially for her. I wanted her to have the best.”
“Silver, right?”
“No, not cheap silver. Gold. White gold. It looks like silver but it’s pure gold. Dana likes that.”
“What girl wouldn’t like gold? I’m glad I could retrieve it for her.” Jamie sat down in her desk chair and opened the drawer. “As a matter of fact, I thought about getting one for myself. I was going to call you and ask where I could order one. But as luck would have it, I found one at an open-air craft market a couple weeks ago. It isn’t exactly like Dana’s but it’s pretty close.” Jamie continued to sort through the papers and junk at the back of the drawer. “Here it is.” She took out a small brown sack with the receipt stapled across the flap. She opened the sack and pulled out a key ring, suspending it from her index finger. Shannon’s expression instantly changed to a scowl. The key ring looked identical to Dana’s, right down to the engraved interlocking hearts. “It’s not exactly like Dana’s,” Jamie said, wiggling her finger.“I didn’t have the lady put initials on it.It only cost an extra two bucks, but I like it plain. What do you think, Shannon?”
“Where did you get that?” Shannon snapped.
“Of course, adding initials does give it a personalized touch. I could have had block letters or script letters, like Dana’s. I’m more of a block letter kind of person myself,” Jamie said as Shannon stared at it in horror. “It was even on sale. Regularly fourteen ninety-five, on sale for nine bucks. It’s only silver plate, but what the heck. Right?”
“That may look like Dana’s but hers is gold. White gold.”
“The lady said they looked like white gold,” Jamie said, examining it. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell. I guess it could pass as white gold if you didn’t know the difference.”
“Well, Dana’s is gold,” Shannon insisted. “Not cheap silver plate.”
“Right. That’s what she said.”
“I know the difference between silver and gold.”
“The big difference being cost, right?” Jamie dropped the key ring back in the drawer and closed it. “Of course, there’s a simple way to make sure you get what you pay for when it comes to gold.”
“What’s that?” Shannon asked skeptically.
“I’m glad you asked. I’ve been conducting a little experiment.” Jamie pointed to the two beakers of brackish water on the file cabinet next to her desk. “Silver has a bad habit of tarnishing. You know how silverware turns black in the drawer.” She used a pair of tongs to lift out a blackened ring. “Anything containing sulfur will cause silver to tarnish. Eggs, fossil fuels, onions and even oily hands will cause silver to tarnish. Humidity only accelerates it. Ocean water, for example.” She placed the ring back in the beaker. “It’s a chemical reaction between the sulfur and the surface of the silver.” She used the tongs to fish a ring out of the second beaker. It was silver in color without a speck of tarnish on it. “Gold, on the other hand, even white gold, doesn’t tarnish. That’s why it’s used to make the connections on silicon chips in integrated circuit boards. Unlike silver, it isn’t affected by atmospheric conditions.” Jamie looked over at Shannon. She could see her mind scrambling to make sense of what she was saying. “You could drop a gold ingot in Budd Bay, bring it up a month later and it would look just as good as new. It might have a little sediment and algae overgrowth but not tarnish.” Jamie dropped the gold ring back in the beaker then turned to Shannon.
“So what?” Shannon frowned.
“When I was looking for Dana’s key ring on the bottom of the bay, I almost didn’t see it. It was so black and tarnished it was nearly invisible.”
“What are you driving at?”
“I’m just saying, it’s hard to argue with science. If Dana’s key ring had been white gold, like you said, it wouldn’t have tarnished. Don’t you think that’s a fair assumption?” Jamie watched Shannon begin to squirm. “I’m not sure what your motives are, but who are you trying to fool? That key ring was silver, Shannon. Not gold. What did you pay for it? Ten bucks? Why did you tell Dana it was gold?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s gold, I tell you. Gold,” she shouted. “That one you have is just a cheap imitation.”
“Do you think so little of Dana that you have to impress her with expensive gifts?”
“You’re crazy. You’re just trying to make me look bad in her eyes. You told her this crap, didn’t you?”
“Dana doesn’t know. She still thinks hers is gold and for all she knows, gold tarnishes. She’ll never hear a word about it from me. It isn’t my place to tell her.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Jamie shrugged.
“That’s your prerogative. But I’m telling you I haven’t said a word. Why would I? Why would I want to deliberately hurt her?”
Shannon’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t want to hurt her, either,” she said. “I love her. I only want to protect her.”
“Protect her or control her?” Jamie asked.
“Protect her,” she scowled. “She needs someone to take care of her.”
“Dana needs someone to share her life, not run it for her.”
“What
the hell do you know?” Shannon opened the office door, ready to leave. “I love her and she’d still be mine if you hadn’t interfered.”
“What are you talking about?” Jamie frowned.
“She broke up with me last night. She said you told her to. You and your advice. She even admitted you were the reason.” Shannon gave a last bitter look and stormed out.
Jamie opened the door and stepped out into the hall but Shannon had gone, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
“SHE WHAT?!!!” Jamie shouted, but there was no reply. “I didn’t tell her to do that.”
She went back in her office and grabbed the telephone, ready to call Dana and find out what had happened. But she hung up just as it began to ring. Jamie sank back in her chair, trying to make sense of it. She hoped Shannon was wrong. The last thing Jamie wanted to do was break up anyone’s relationship. She would never forgive herself if Dana’s decision to end her relationship with Shannon came out of a moment of vulnerability. What if Shannon was right? What if Dana’s decision was made from the heat of passion?
“Shit,” Jamie said, locking her hands behind her head. “What have I done?”
“Are you talking to me?” Hanna said from the doorway to the lab. She was carrying a stack of textbooks.
“No,” Jamie said, absentmindedly. She continued to stare out in space, wrinkling her forehead as she thought.
“The bookstore called. They can’t get enough copies of Dr. Osborn’s book before classes start. What are you going to do? Should we use last year’s text?”
“She should never have listened to me. What did I think I was doing?” She stood up and stormed out of the office without answering Hanna.
“Dr. Hughes?” Hanna said, following her out into the hall, trying to balance the heavy stack of books. “Dr. Hughes, what do I tell them?”
“Don’t tell anybody anything,” Jamie shouted without looking back. “It’ll only cause heartache.”
“Where are you going?”
“To hell, probably.” Jamie hurried down the stairs and across the parking lot. She had just one thing in mind. She had to tell Dana she was wrong. Her advice was tainted by her own emotions. She raced toward downtown Olympia. The closer she got to the marina, the more she realized that might not be the best plan. Jamie wasn’t sure she could tell Dana she was wrong. She had an undeniable attraction for Dana, one she felt the first moment their eyes met. She had tried to tell herself there wasn’t a physical attraction but there was. It was stronger than anything she had ever felt. Every fiber of Jamie’s being longed for one more precious touch and kiss.
Jamie pulled into the parking lot. She sat staring at the security gate. She knew the code and could easily descend the dock to the houseboat. Dana would be there, working on her cartoons or sitting on the deck with her laptop, sending out e-mail. Jamie could almost see her, curled up in the rocker, her long hair stirred by the breeze off the bay. Jamie didn’t trust herself. How could she tell Dana she was wrong when deep down inside she couldn’t wait to hold Dana in her arms again? Jamie restarted the car and returned to her office to busy herself in work. Dana called several times but Jamie didn’t answer. As she was locking her office to leave for the day, the telephone on her desk rang again. It was Dana’s number on the ID. Jamie hesitated then finally answered it.
“Hello. Dr. Hughes, here,” she said, standing at her desk.
“Hello, yourself,” Dana said with a chuckle. “I was beginning to think you fell in one of your beakers of slime. I’ve tried to get you all day. I thought you were going to call this morning.”
“I’m sorry. We got busy. Problems with the textbooks. And I had to finish up my syllabi. The week before classes start is always hectic.”
“I can guess. I bet you are exhausted.”
“A little.”
“How would you like to come to the houseboat for dinner? You can sit on the deck and watch the sailboats while I cook for you. I make a mean chicken salad.” She gave one of her soft laughs that turned Jamie on like nothing she had ever experienced. “After dinner we can watch the sunset from the loft.”
“I’m sorry, Dana. I can’t. I’ve got a faculty meeting tonight.” Jamie wasn’t lying. Three of the professors were meeting for pizza and a pitcher of beer. She could easily get out of it but she couldn’t, in good faith, do that. She didn’t want to encourage a situation she knew would end up in bed. She didn’t want to take advantage of Dana like that again.
“How about afterward? The sunset is going to be really spectacular tonight. I guarantee it.”
“I’m sure it is but I’m sorry. We’ve got a lot to go over.”
“Okay. Not tonight. Tomorrow night. I’ll make something special for dinner.”
“We’ve got faculty meetings all this week.”
“All week?” Dana said, obviously disappointed. “But Jamie, I need to talk to you. When can I schedule an appointment, Dr. Hughes?”
“It may be a while,Dana.Once the semester starts I’ll be pretty busy. I’ve got field trips scheduled for almost every weekend. I’ll have reports to grade and labs to setup. I don’t have much free time.” Jamie sat down in her chair and removed her glasses.
“Are you trying to say you’re too busy for me?”
“No. I’m just saying for a while I’ll be busy with my classes.” She propped her hand against her forehead and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Dana, but summer is over and I don’t have time to do much of anything. Maybe we can work something out during the holidays.”
“What holidays?” she asked warily.
“Thanksgiving. Maybe Christmas.” Jamie moved the receiver away from her mouth, worried Dana would hear the anguish in her sigh.
“Jamie, this is September. Are you saying I won’t see you until November or December?” There was a tremble of disbelief in Dana’s voice.
“Being department chair has its drawbacks.”
“Could I at least come out and meet you for lunch sometime?”
“It’s hard to say. The middle of the day is when I make myself available to my students for conferences and assistance in the lab.”
The silence before Dana’s reply was heart wrenching for Jamie. She wiped a tear from her eye and cleared her throat.
“But Jamie, I need to talk with you. I have something important to tell you. It can’t wait until November. One evening. A few hours. That’s all I’m asking. It’s about Shannon.”
“I’m concerned my hectic schedule will interfere with my ability to be objective. I really think you need to find someone else to talk with, someone who doesn’t have a conflict of interest. I have to go, Dana. I’ll be late. I’ll call you when I have some free time. Okay?” She waited for Dana’s reply. It was a long time in coming.
“Okay.” Dana hung up.
Jamie locked her office and walked the darkened hallway to the stairs. She sat down on the top step, unable to see through her tears. If she stepped out of the picture, perhaps Dana would reconsider and return to Shannon. Jamie told herself it was for Dana’s own good. She ripped the glasses from her face and threw them down the stairs, mashing them into a million pieces. In her mind, she knew it was the right thing to do but in her heart, she would never forgive herself for throwing away the best thing she had ever known.
Chapter 21
Dana couldn’t believe what she had heard. Jamie had gone from passionate one day to distant the next. And nothing had happened in the interim. Nothing except Dana had finally come to her senses and ended Shannon’s four-year domination of her life. But that shouldn’t have had anything to do with it. In fact, Jamie hadn’t even allowed her to tell her that news. It was as if Jamie no longer cared what Dana did or thought. The months of her friendship and encouragement had ended as suddenly as they began. And Dana didn’t know why. What had she done to push Jamie away? If there was blame to place, she thought it must have something to do with the afternoon they spent together on the sailboat. Perhaps Dana had lured Jamie into something
she wasn’t ready for. Maybe she wasn’t completely over Terry and making love to Dana only reminded her of that. Whatever it was, Dana had to know.
It didn’t take much detective work to find a telephone number for Dusty Hooten on Hartstene Island. If there was anyone who might know what was going on with Jamie, it had to be Dusty, Terry’s sister.
“Robbins, D,” Dusty said, answering the call cheerfully.“That has to be our Dana girl.” She laughed robustly. “Hello, you sweet thing. How’s my favorite cartoonist?”
“Hi, Dusty,” Dana replied, not really expecting such a warm welcome. “I’m fine. How are you and Bo?”
“Bo has grown another foot, I think. We’re dandy. She and a group of friends are spending the day in Seattle, eating and shopping all over Pikes Place Market. Moi was NOT invited. Thank goodness.” Dusty chuckled. “When are you and Jamie coming up for the weekend? I’ve got extra beds.”
“Good question.”
“What do you mean?”
“Dusty, that’s why I called. Have you talked to Jamie recently? In the past few days?”
“No, I haven’t heard from her since you two were up here for lunch. What’s this about Jamie? What’s going on with the two of you?”
“Oh, it isn’t us. I’m just asking about her.”
“If it has anything to do with Jamie and you are asking, it has to do with the two of you,” Dusty said in a perceptive tone. “Now, what’s up?”
“It’s sort of difficult to explain.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“Jamie has all of a sudden closed the door to our friendship. She has conveniently become so busy at school she doesn’t have time to have lunch with me. Or even a conversation. I don’t know what I did or didn’t do but I thought maybe she had said something to you about it.”
“Did you two have an argument?”
“No. That’s the strange part of it.” Dana couldn’t decide if she should admit she and Jamie made love on her boat or not. Jamie might considerate that private. “We went from fine one day, laughing and having fun on her boat, to her having a dozen reasons she didn’t have time for me the next.”