by L A Morgan
When Michael could manage to go on, he said, “You can’t imagine the guilt I felt. I’d spent so little time with her during the years we were married. My job was bad enough, forcing me to travel constantly, but those last two years before she got sick, I had gone back to college to study architecture. We had this dream that I’d be able to open up my own business from the home. During the brief time we could have spent together, I was studying for my exams. I never thought I’d lose her like that.”
“Oh, Michael! You mustn’t blame yourself. How could you know?”
“It doesn’t matter. Life is so short and so precious. I should have spent every minute with her! At least, I should have stopped traveling so much for my job, but we were counting on the bonus money to give us a good start. Some good start!”
“Maybe you made some mistakes in the past, but you mustn’t let them destroy your whole future! Do you think your wife would want you to do that?”
Michael shook his head sadly and said, “If only I had it all to do over again.”
“No one gets that chance, Michael. All we can do is to live and learn. It seems to me that you learned an important lesson about wasting time. You learned it, but you don’t use what you learned. All the guilt in the world won’t bring back your wife.
“If you believe that sacrificing yourself to her memory and your guilt will make one person in this world wiser or happier, then you’re mistaken. You’re ruining your life for something that’s over. I’m sorry if I sound harsh, but someone has to tell you that it’s time to change.”
“I’ll never forget the past.”
“You don’t have to forget it. Remember the happy times you had with your wife. Don’t tarnish her memory with grief. She deserves more than that, I’m sure.”
“You don’t understand, Laurel. It’s become a compulsion with me. Every time I feel happy, I end up feeling disloyal to her.”
“Have you talked to anyone else about this?”
“No. Until now, I’ve kept it all inside myself.”
“Well, I may not know much about psychology, but I do know that talking is the best way to get rid of whatever is troubling you. I find that when I release my tense feelings in words, it’s as though a piece of my problem floats away. Do you understand what I mean?”
“I think I do.”
“Do you feel any better since you’ve talked to me about it?”
“I felt bad at first, but now, I feel sort of relieved. This has been weighing on me for such a long time.”
“I doubt that your wife would want you to spend the rest of your life in misery.”
“I know she wouldn’t. Her last words to me were that I should be happy.”
“In that case, your only guilt would be in not complying with her last request.”
“I never thought of it that way.”
“And what about your dreams of becoming an architect?”
“‘I gave them up, as you can see. “
“Did you finish out your degree?”
“Yes. Just before . . . the bad news.”
“Why didn’t you go ahead with it for her sake?”
“It was because of her that I gave it all up! When I lost her, I didn’t want to do anything that reminded me of her. I gave up the travel, too late to do anyone any good. All I wanted was to work as long and hard as I could. The money didn’t matter anymore.
“I just didn’t want to be in that house any longer than I had to. I didn’t take any vacations because packing a suitcase reminded me of my traveling days, and besides, I was afraid to have so much empty time on my hands.”
“My poor Michael,” Laurel commented with a shake of her head. “Cutting yourself off from life probably made it worse for you.”
“Can you see what I meant now when I said that I never expected to enjoy this vacation?”
“Of course, I can. You got a little more excitement than you bargained for, didn’t you?”
Michael raised his eyebrows questioningly.
“I wasn’t referring to myself,” Laurel quickly assured him in slight embarrassment. “I meant that you got to see the escape of a famous jewel thief!”
“Oh, that. I wonder if he robbed someone else last night.”
“We could buy a newspaper and find out.”
“That’s a good idea. Let’s go.”
That put an abrupt end to the discussion. As they walked back to the motel, Michael took Laurel’s hand in his. It felt warm and comforting. While her face remained impassive, there was a smile in her heart.
After they got a local newspaper from the vending machine by the office, they went to Laurel’s room to sit on her balcony. The heat of their conversation had slowly been erased. It did not take them long to find an article on The Cat since it was front-page news.
“I have to give this guy credit for nerve,” Michael commented as they read the article.
“He seems to be slipping. That dog almost got him!”
“‘Yes, but he was smart enough to bring dog repellent. This guy seems to be prepared for everything.”
“You know, all of the postal workers at home carry cans of a dog repellent,” Laurel commented. “That might be his day job! That might also explain his familiarity with the neighborhood.”
“That’s pretty flimsy evidence to go on. Besides, I’m sure that Myrtle Beach has lots of postal workers.”
“You’re right,” Laurel replied in discouragement. “I didn’t think of that.”
“It was still a good idea about the dog repellent. Maybe you should mention it to the police. It might give them a clue to work with.”
“Do you think I should?”
“Why not? If you’re wrong, it wouldn’t hurt anything, but if you happen to be right, you may earn yourself a reward.”
“You mean we might get the reward. We’re in this together as a team.”
“If you say so,” Michael replied with a brief laugh. “Are you going to make that call?”
“I’ll do it right now.”
Laurel got up and walked inside, while Michael waited for her on the balcony. She returned a few minutes later.
“What did they say?” he immediately asked.
“They thanked me and told me they’d check it out. That’s all.”
“Did you give them your name and address?”
“Certainly. I want to get us that reward if my hunch was correct.”
“I imagine we’ll find out soon enough.”
“I hope so.”
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow, Laurel?”
She thought about this for a moment and then said, “Well, I do plan to go to the grocery store tomorrow to stock up on some more supplies.”
“Did you plan to do that in the morning?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“I thought you might like to join me on a shopping spree in the afternoon. Have you heard about the Waccamaw Pottery complex?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“I understand they have a tremendous variety of merchandise there and in the three adjacent malls.”
“Three extra malls? It sounds like paradise!” Laurel declared with a grin.
“I thought you might like that. Now, if you’d care to have dinner with me as well, I might have a nice surprise for you.”
“What is it?” Laurel eagerly demanded.
“If I told you now, I’d ruin the surprise,” Michael replied with a mischievous smile.
“Can’t you give me a hint?”
“Let’s see,” the man considered, tapping the side of his face with his finger. “Are you sure you want a clue?”
“Yes!”
“All right, then. The surprise has to do with where we’re going to eat.”
Laurel thought this over carefully, but she did not know the area well enough to come up with any suggestions.
“You’re really going to make me wait?” she asked with a pleading expression.
“I am. If you want to find out,
you’ll have to have dinner with me tomorrow.”
“You really know how to twist a woman’s arm, Michael North!”
“That’s part of my charm,” he soberly declared.
“As a matter of fact, Michael,” Laurel replied after a moment’s thought, “I do find you very charming.”
He looked at her with a great deal of tenderness, but she could see the pain starting to come back into his expression. She was well aware that underlying grief was never far from the surface. Laurel decided to change the subject.
“What time would you like to leave tomorrow?” she asked.
“Would two o’clock be all right?”
“Perfect. That will give me time to finish my food shopping and take a dip in the pool.”
“‘I heard a weather forecast this morning,” Michael informed her. “They’re predicting that the good weather will last throughout the weekend.”
“I can’t believe that tomorrow will be Friday already! The time has been going so fast!”
“That’s usually the way with vacations.”
“‘Are you getting anxious to go home?” Laurel asked in curiosity.
“By no means! How can you ask me that when you provide me such good company?”
Laurel smiled and lowered her face. She wished she could be more certain of his intentions. It had amazed her that Michael had actually broken down to reveal the source of his pain that evening. She felt gratified that he trusted her with this confidence; however, he had yet to say if he expected to see her again after they returned home.
“Well, it’s getting late, and I have an early day tomorrow,” Laurel finally stated as she stood up to go.
Michael also got to his feet and said, “It’s been an interesting day.”
Laurel smiled and preceded him to the door. After she opened it, she turned to him and started to say, “Good n--”
The man cut her short by drawing her into his arms and covering her mouth with a long, ardent kiss. Laurel was surprised, but not too astounded to respond to Michael’s passionate embrace. When they broke apart, she felt rather breathless and light-headed.
He held onto her arms for a few seconds longer, watching the expression on her face. Laurel looked up into his eyes and thought she might have seen a question in them, but this impression almost immediately vanished.
“Good night, Laurel,” Michael said briefly.
He turned and walked out without a backward glance. Laurel stood in the doorway for an extra minute, deep in thought. Had there been a question in Michael’s eyes or had it merely been her imagination?
CHAPTER NINE
Laurel completed her food shopping earlier than she expected. As she swam in the pool, she looked toward Michael’s room, but his drapes were drawn. She sunbathed for an hour and was happy to note how well her tan was coming along. The women in her office would undoubtedly be envious when she returned to work.
After she had finished her lunch and dressed for her afternoon date, there was still enough time to make an effort at cleaning up her apartment. It amazed her to see how quickly her rooms had become disorderly. Just as she finished, there was a knock at the door. It was maid service. As the woman walked inside, Michael peeked over her shoulder.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“I just have to grab my bag.”
After thanking the cleaning woman, Laurel walked with Michael to his car. Waccamaw Pottery was approximately fifteen minutes away from their motel. It was just over the Intracoastal Waterway. They were both surprised at the number of stores and discount outlets that were in this huge complex, which spanned both sides of Highway 544.
They went to the Waccamaw Pottery center first. It would be easy to get lost in this tremendous store, which displayed everything from dinnerware to wicker to candles. Laurel could not get over the enormous variety of glassware she saw.
“Look at that lovely blue Carnival glass, Michael” she exclaimed in delight. “I have to get that butter dish for my kitchen!”
“It’s very pretty,” he agreed. “There’s a matching sugar bowl and creamer.”
Laurel examined the items closely.
“I think I’ll get these, too,” she decided.
“There are also matching serving bowls.”
“Aren’t they nice! I’ve seen Carnival glass at home, but these prices are much more reasonable,” Laurel assured him, as she added some serving bowls to the shopping cart.
“You’ll probably want to get those matching water goblets, too,” Michael prodded her with a smile.
“Are you tempting me to spend all of my money?” Laurel teased, putting her hands on her hips.
“It would be a shame not to have the whole set,” the man replied with an innocent expression.
“I probably shouldn’t, but I’ll get them!” the woman concluded happily, placing two four-packs of goblets in the rapidly filling cart.
“I want to buy this for you,” Michael told her with a warm smile.
“I can’t let you do that!” Laurel asserted. “You’re too generous.”
“Come on, Laurel. I want to buy you something to remember me by. This would be perfect.”
While the woman appreciated this gesture, the import of Michael’s words took away the pleasure of the moment. It was obvious he did not plan to see her after the vacation. This thought kept running through her mind.
“Thank you very much, Michael, but this gift is too expensive.”
“I never would have coaxed you to buy so much if I didn’t plan to get it for you,” he concluded with a frown.
Seeing that he was genuinely unhappy, Laurel finally relented.
“All right, but I want to buy something special for you, too,” she stated firmly.
“It’s a deal.”
They continued to walk around the store for some time, examining different items here and there. Michael was struck by the beauty of a small Chinese vase. After a minor debate, he agreed to let Laurel purchase it for him.
Soon after that, they left the store to go to the Waccamaw Linen center, adjacent to Waccamaw Pottery. Laurel bought a set of linen napkins to complement her new glassware before they moved on to other shops.
After a couple hours of browsing and buying, Laurel declared, “This place is a shopper’s paradise!”
“Or nightmare, depending on how you look at it,” Michael added.
“I don’t know about you, but my feet are starting to hurt.”
“Shall we call it a day?”
“We’d better. If I buy anything else, I won’t be able to take it on the plane with me when I go home.”
“That’s a good point,” agreed the man, “I was beginning to wonder if we’d be able to fit everything in my car, let alone the airplane.”
“Oh, Michael!” Laurel replied, giving him a playful shove. “It isn’t nearly that bad!”
In cheerful camaraderie, they returned to the car.
Once they were settled, Michael said, “And now for your surprise.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Laurel. “With all of this interesting shopping, I nearly forgot!”
“Now I know how to distract you,” Michael commented with feigned consideration.
“You’re driving me crazy by making me wait so long to find out what the surprise is!” Laurel jokingly assured him.
“In a few minutes, you’ll find out.”
“You mean I still have to wait?”
“Patience, my dear.”
Michael drove out of the mall parking lot and turned back toward the Intracoastal Waterway. A few minutes later, he pulled into another parking lot that abetted the water.
“There it is,” he said, nodding forward with his head.
When Laurel spotted the majestic paddle wheeler before them, she cried out in enthusiasm, “A riverboat!”
“Do you feel inclined to take a moonlight dinner cruise?” Michael asked, although he already guessed what Laurel’s answer would be.
“You bet
I would!”
“Then let’s go!”
Michael took Laurel’s hand to lead her to the ticket office. In happy exuberance, she leaned forward and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“This is the most wonderful surprise ever,” she fondly assured him.
He smiled at her warmly and gave her hand a little squeeze. About half an hour after they boarded the boat, the paddlewheel sprung into life and the cruise began.
Laurel and Michael stood by the railing on the upper deck to get a better look around. The waters of the Intracoastal Waterway splashed in their wake. The scenery was made even more beautiful by the advent of a rapturous sunset. It reflected on the water, turning it to gold and crimson. Much too quickly, the colors began to fade, and the evening stars appeared one by one.
Dinner was now being served, so the couple went downstairs to the paddleboat’s enclosed dining room. They shared a table with a middle-aged couple from New Jersey, who were celebrating their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
After they finished eating, Michael treated Laurel to her first strawberry daiquiri. She found this frothy drink to be as delicious as it was attractive. Soon after this, they went back upstairs to enjoy the fresh, salty tang of the air and to listen to the music of a rhythmic dance band. Everyone appeared to be enjoying the romance of this special setting.
“Would you care for another drink?” Michael asked.
“No, thank you,” Laurel replied with a smile. “That daiquiri tasted like a fruit drink, but it was surprisingly potent.”
They leaned on the railing, watching the water as it was reflected in the boat’s lights and the houses that skimmed by on the shore. Occasionally, Laurel would look over her shoulder at the people on the dance floor. She tapped her foot in time with the music, but apparently, Michael did not take the hint.
At last, she was forced to say, “I love dancing.”
“That’s nice,” Michael replied rather absently mindedly.
Laurel wondered if he was remembering times when he had danced with his wife. She did not want to open that painful subject now, so she tried to phrase her next words carefully.
“Look at that couple on the dance floor,” she pointed out. “They look like they’re having a lot of fun.”