Dream Runner

by Gail McFarland

  Marlea’s fingertips touched her lips before she reached to touch his fingers. “I’ll see you at the finish line.”

  “It’s a date,” he promised.

  In the distance, Marlea heard the call for the 400. Touching AJ’s fingers again, she smiled. “I gotta go, but you’d better not stand me up.”

  “Ain’t no way.” He watched her face as she backed away from the stands. “I’ll be right there to meet you, Silk,” he whispered as she turned and ran toward her place on the track.

  Pulling her thoughts away from AJ and focusing on the race took some effort, but she managed to find the number four slot without incident. “Number four,” she whispered to herself. “That’s got to be my lucky number. It was my number in St. Louis, and I ran the race of a lifetime there. It’s going to be good for me here, too.”

  Hands on her hips, she walked to the start and took a deep breath. Looking at the three women on her left and the two on her right, she realized that she was running in a field of six. I guess that either makes us six of the fastest women in the country without full use of one foot, or we’re the six who never realized what we couldn’t do.

  Kicking her toes along the dirt track, Marlea wiped her hands against her shorts, then pressed her hands against her thighs. Flushed with a sudden sense of kinship, she smiled at the women lined up next to her. It felt good when they smiled back, offering competition and fellowship. Good luck to all of you, Marlea thought, but I’m taking this one. This is my race.

  “Runners, take your marks…” Four little words that anchored so much of her life sent shivers racing up her legs. But it was the tingling in her foot that made her think of the first time AJ touched her.

  “Get set…”

  The stance was slightly modified from the one that Marlea had used for most of her running life, but it kept her head up high enough to sight the finish line, and to see AJ’s gold and white jacket move through the crowd.

  “Go!”

  Her face tightened and her arms pumped when she heard the crack of the starter’s pistol. The first strike of Marlea’s foot against the cinder track ignited the speed in her soul. With no thought for anything but the run, she picked up her pace and grinned at the struggling woman next to her, fighting to stay even and praying to pass.

  Seeing challenge in the woman’s eye, Marlea dug deeper and pulled on her resolve. It’s only 400 meters. Driving hard, her chest burned and threatened to burst at 200 meters, but she could see the goal. Breathe! When the woman fell steps behind, Marlea could almost feel the push of time against her hot skin.

  In the stands, binoculars found the number four runner and held. Her head was high, shoulders level, and her hips tight. Marlea had a nice long stride, the rhythm setting her ponytail swinging, and she seemed determined to finish fast. Her kick was high, and her speed unbound as she crossed the finish line well ahead of the other runners.

  Marlea’s arms came high and her head fell back as she ran, her throat was arched and tight with triumph when the silvery white banner broke across her chest. Behind the leveled binoculars, Bianca Coltrane’s eyes narrowed, and she pushed her full lips together.

  “…finishing with a time of…”

  “Who, the heck, cares?” Bianca turned in her seat, aimed the binoculars at the hard running figure in the gold-and-white jacket. “AJ.” She would have known him anywhere. Around her, the cheering crowd was on its feet and waving flags, sweaters, and anything else they could find. Bianca stood, too, training her binoculars on the track. AJ was running full force when he reached Marlea. “What kind of silly victory dance is that?” Bianca muttered, struggling to dial up the magnification on her field glasses. “She ought to be ashamed of herself.”

  “You know her?” A big-eyed woman in a baggy tennis sweater looked hopefully up at Bianca, begging her to say yes.

  Bianca took her time looking down at the woman. It’s bad enough that I had to leave my apartment today to drive all the way up here to witness this spectacle, and now you want me to act like I’m glad to be here? If I didn’t need to know what was going on, I would be…I would be doing something more useful than this!

  Bianca didn’t bother to utter a word, but when she looked down, her eyes held fire enough to singe the pudgy woman’s red hair, and she moved a few steps away before resuming her cheer.

  Bianca raised her binoculars again.

  On the field, AJ whooped, jumped a fence, and made straight for Marlea. Yelling his name, she leapt for him, landing with her legs wrapped tightly around his hips and her arms threaded around his shoulders. Her face pressed against his, and she might have been crying. “No dignity,” Bianca frowned, sitting hard.

  Reaching under her seat, Bianca pulled out the leather binocular case and carefully repacked them. “I’ll return them to the store on my way home.” She tucked the case under her arm and stood to edge her way along the row of seats to the aisle. Gritting her teeth, she picked her way down the steep stairs and headed for the exit, all the time debating her next move.

  She stopped talking to herself out loud when a pair of tall beer-bellied strangers offered to show her a good time. Keeping her thoughts to herself, she bared her teeth at them, then hastened from the stadium. She’s a winner now, and she’s got a hold on him; their bond will be stronger than ever. But I can’t let that get in my way. I saw him first, he loved me first, and he’s still mine. That means that I’ll have to shatter this relationship irreparably if I’m going to break AJ away from her.

  So what will it really take to drive them apart? If it were just AJ, it would be all about trust. Clearly, that little hotfooted ragamuffin is going nowhere. Bianca thought hard. According to all the gossip she had heard, and she had heard plenty from her little clique of Atlanta-based spies, Marlea Kellogg would have cut off her whole foot before she would betray AJ.

  She’s a woman in love; even Ray Charles could have seen that. Bianca had a sharp mental flash of Marlea’s face when AJ showed up on the field, and it made her head hurt. Marlea’s was the face of a woman in deep and unshakable love.

  Well, her love might be unshakable—for now, but…where there’s a will, there’s a way.

  It’s hard to believe that she still trusts him so completely after his trip to New York. Then it dawned on her. He didn’t tell her about New York! Bianca almost skipped across the parking lot’s asphalt. Her stiletto-heeled sandals were hurting her feet when she finally found her rental car and slid behind the wheel, but she couldn’t have cared less. Omission opens doors that hands can never touch. Relieved, she slipped the sandals off and massaged her feet. Where to begin?

  Chapter 28

  Walking briskly in her new Payless flats, Bianca Coltrane stepped carefully around the loose gravel in the Wal-Mart parking lot and headed for her rental car. And to think, I swore that once I got old enough to do better, I would never put anything this cheap on my body again. She checked the plastic bag holding her red-soled Louboutin sandals and ignored the white-haired man waiting in the ancient gray Buick. He’s certainly got more time than he has money. He can wait for me to move. Taking her time, she walked on. At least my feet don’t hurt.

  Jamming the key into the door, she looked around to see if anyone had noticed her. No, she decided, they’re all too busy scrambling for ‘values.’ Besides, no one I know would ever shop at a place like this. She slid into the car seat, slamming the door behind her. I can’t believe it’s come to this—discount shopping, and twice in one day. Ugh!

  But you do what you have to do to get where you have to go. Folding the credit slip into a pocket of her Coach bag, she thought of Taurean Odom. Thank God he’s still in love with me and hasn’t yet cut off the credit cards he gave me. He’s not all that bright, but at least he was generous during the time we were together, thank goodness. The Lord knows I don’t know what I would do without my wallet crammed with his gold and platinum cards.

  Opening her wallet, she fingered the credit cards. They all bore her name,
but there was no way she could have paid the bills. For now, she was using the MasterCard to pay off the Visa for utilities and transportation and clothes, and the American Express for paying rent and buying groceries. The airline cards were a part of her emergency reserve.

  Damn that wretched Guilliame des Verriers. She cursed him for the twentieth time that day. If he hadn’t made such a tacky mess of my fall line and then bad-mouthed me to every other buyer in the country, I would be doing this strictly for love—not money.

  And even with that little cripple in the way, I do love, AJ—in my own way. I love the security he offers. She looked back at the big white-and-blue Wal-Mart sign. With AJ, I’ll never have to shop here again or clip another coupon. Besides that, I love that he’s not mean, and that his kind of love focused on me as if I was the only woman in the world—kind of like a warm and soothing light. He made me…better, somehow. Bianca remembered the feeling and judged it worth having again. And keeping, maybe for the rest of my life. I could be faithful to him, if I had to. She thought about it. Or at the least, I could avoid getting caught the next time.

  She shoved her purse to the passenger-side, and took the folded newspaper from the seat. “Now where did it say the competitors were staying?”

  Rereading the article, Bianca finally found what she was looking for. “The Hilton Inn West,” she read. Pulling a pen from her bag, she circled it. “I can’t just go walking up in there without a plan. How do I get to her?”

  A minivan pulled into the parking slot next to her, and a denim-clad blonde woman climbed out. Bianca fumbled with her door and finally managed to lock it. The blonde slung an oversized tote onto her shoulder and bent at the waist to peer into Bianca’s window. Seeing Bianca clearly, her full lips formed a surprised ‘O’, then she smiled apologetically. She mimed rolling the window down.

  Cautious, Bianca lowered the glass just a bit.

  “Honey, I am so sorry to startle you. It’s just that your car looks like the one a friend of mine drives.” She looked sweetly sorry and laced her fingers in front of her. “I said something to her that I shouldn’t have, and since she was coming over here, I thought I would catch her off-guard and apologize.”

  “How sweet,” Bianca said. And I should care, because…

  “Not really,” the woman demurred. “She’s not that good of a friend, more of an annoyance, really. I just don’t want to have to deal with any of this later on. I’ll say what I need to say, and it’ll shut her up, get her out of my way, and I can get on with life.” She fingered her blonde tresses. “I guess that makes me sound a little hard-hearted, doesn’t it?”

  “Not at all,” Bianca smiled. “I think it’s kind of smart.” And it could work for me, too.

  The woman suddenly straightened. “There she is. I have to go.” She gave Bianca’s door a pat. “Sorry again. Bye.”

  “Bye.” Bianca savored the cool air flowing into the Stratus through the open window. Suddenly, things were clear. She dug into the Coach bag and found her cellphone. It took less than a minute to get what she needed from information.

  * * *

  Only twenty seconds over my best time, Marlea exalted, pulling the new DreenScape dress from her closet. Holding the dress to her body, she danced across the carpet. Great time, and I get to celebrate the win with AJ. She stopped in front of the mirror. I cannot believe that I’m about to put this beautiful dress on for a man. She moved her hips and enjoyed the swish of silk chiffon against her terry robe.

  The jangle of the telephone drew her away from the mirror. Must be AJ, and I’m not nearly ready. She hooked the dress hanger over the door on her way to the phone. “Hello?” she was breathless, but he always left her that way.

  “Congratulations,” a sultry female voice offered. “I had a chance to see you run today, and you were absolutely inspiring.”

  “Thank you.” Marlea tried to remember where she had heard the voice before. A reporter? No, that didn’t feel right.

  “We may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and I would like the chance to make things right between us.”

  “You would?”

  “Absolutely.” The voice seemed to catch. “Oh, my goodness, I’m so sorry. You don’t know who this is, do you?”

  “No, I don’t.” Marlea was prepared to hang up, but she was curious. “Who are you?”

  Laughing lightly, the caller finally said, “This is Bianca Coltrane, and I really do want you to know how happy I am for you.” When Marlea was silent on the other end of the line, Bianca unctuously tried to flatter her into conversation. “It was a beautiful race.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I don’t blame you for being short with me, after the way I behaved when we met at the reception. I was under duress, but that wasn’t your fault. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”

  “Sure…”

  “If you’ve got a few minutes, I brought a little token along—something to celebrate your victory, and I’d like to deliver it.” Sure that the other woman was falling for her ruse, Bianca tried to breathe normally. “If that’s all right?”

  “Sure,” Marlea finally agreed. “I’m in suite 1028.”

  “Okay.” Bianca shifted the gift shop bouquet she held and looked at the room number she had noted on her newspaper. The room number was never in doubt, it was just a matter of getting through the door. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  Maybe I should just make her hand whatever it is through the door, Marlea was thinking, vividly remembering her painful encounter with Bianca. Women like that don’t give up easily.

  She quickly pulled on jeans and a tee shirt. Facing her will be bad enough. I should at least not be standing here in a robe when she shows up. She was still looking for shoes when she heard the knock.

  Shoving her feet into running shoes, Marlea opened the door.

  “Hi.” Standing nearly six feet tall in high-heeled, ankle-wrapped sandals, her body obviously tight in all the right places, Bianca moved her head to swing soft, honey-gold hair over her shoulders. “You gonna invite me in?”

  “Sure,” Marlea stepped aside and allowed Bianca to enter her room. Closing the door, Marlea couldn’t help feeling that the other woman was sucking all the air out of her space.

  “These are for you.” Bianca held out the bouquet of colorful flowers. “Congratulations.”

  “Thanks.” Accepting the flowers, Marlea wondered why Bianca hadn’t had them delivered. And why weren’t they in a vase? This is some kind of a trick. She folded back the green florist’s paper and fingered the petals of a sunflower. It was real. “They’re very pretty,” she said.

  “I hoped you’d like them.” Bianca draped herself onto the rose-colored velveteen love seat.

  “You said you saw me run today.” Flowers in her lap, Marlea sat in the chair across from Bianca. “How did that happen? Do you live near here?”

  “Not far.” Cascade Center was only three hours away from Manhattan. “I saw your name on the list of competitors and thought that maybe, after our last encounter, I owed you a little moral support. Do you mind?”

  “No, not at all.” Marlea said, touching the flowers again.

  “It’s good that you didn’t have to face the competition all alone. I thought I saw AJ in the crowd.”

  She’s smooth. Marlea felt her skin crawl. “Yes, he was there.”

  “Well,” Bianca smiled beautifully. “Is he coming here? I would love to see him again.”

  “We’re going to dinner. He should be here any minute now.”

  “How nice.”

  Marlea was about to ask Bianca to leave when she heard the knock at her door. She glanced at the clock.

  AJ.

  Eyes on the other woman and acutely aware that she couldn’t be trusted, Marlea went to the door and pulled it open. He couldn’t have looked any better. Neat gray slacks paired with a dark cashmere jacket and a striped, open-necked shirt attested to the care he had taken in dressing. For me. Marlea’s heart took a litt
le leap.

  “Silk.” Leaning into the open door, AJ put his arm around Marlea’s waist and drew her to him for a kiss. “Is that what you’re planning on wearing?”

  “No.” She stepped back and pointed. “I have a guest, AJ.”

  His eyes widened and then narrowed when he saw her. “Bianca? What are you doing here?”

  “What kind of greeting is that?” she pouted. “AJ, you know I always see you when you’re in New York.” Her movement slow and deliberate, Bianca shifted slightly on the love seat. Long legs crossed at the knee, she smiled, raised an elegant brow, and spread her arms. Her low chuckle said that no further explanation was necessary.

  Marlea cocked her head. “You always see her when you’re in New York?”

  “Why wouldn’t he? I almost married him.”

  “AJ?” Ignoring the anger flooding AJ’s face, Marlea pressed. “You didn’t tell me you saw her when you were in New York.”

  “There was nothing to tell.”

  Bianca made a sucking sound and looked up at the ceiling.

  “AJ?” He stared daggers at a blithely unconcerned Bianca. “You know, you promised me the truth. You promised me no drama,” Marlea reminded him. “You promised me no drama, and that woman is drama in designer pumps.”

  “Have you forgotten the last time you were in New York, AJ?” Bianca taunted. “Do you think you would remember if I took off my clothes again?”

  Marlea’s lips parted and the pain in her eyes was more than AJ could stand. He took a step toward her, his hand extended. “Marlea…”

  “What, AJ? What are you going to say to me, and why should I trust it? Is it true?”

  “Marlea, I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say that it’s not true, AJ. Say that you didn’t see her the last time you were in New York. Say that she didn’t take her clothes off for you. Say something to make me believe you.”