by Maddie James
Oh. My. Goodness.
Cheris’ hands were on his arms, her fingers sliding over the material, reveling in the solid flesh underneath. She raised her face and blinked up at him. “Whoever you may be,” she drawled. “I have always depended on kindness in strangers.”
****
After dusting the apartment from top to bottom, Cheris turned on the television to the classic movie channel and lay back on the couch. She remembered very little after her Blanche DuBois quip last night. That was probably a good thing. She didn’t really want to know the sordid details of a quickie ceremony in the Serenity courthouse or what had happened after that in the hotel room.
She shivered in disgust before reaching for the telephone and dialing Geoff’s number. Dealing with it now was better than putting it off until later. They’d make an appointment with a lawyer first thing Monday morning and begin divorce proceedings.
When his voice mail picked up, Cheris ignored the goose bumps on her arms at the timbre of his words. She left a brief message asking him to call her.
Did he live in town? How come Cheris had never met him? Sure she knew Janie had a brother and that her parents lived in Cullsbaeir, but she’d never met any of them.
What kind of man would marry a woman he just met? He had to have known she wasn’t in her right mind. What had she said last night? What had she done?
Cheris groaned and scrubbed her face with her hands. Rolling on her side she watched Doris Day jump on a horse to go rescue her love interest. Cheris had seen the movie a dozen times and knew the man Doris fancied herself in love with would not be the one she’d sing about in the moonlight by the end of the movie. With her lids heavy, Cheris settled against the cushions. Her eyes closed once, twice before sleep claimed her.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
In her deerskin outfit, Cheris aimed her gun firing in rapid succession from atop her galloping horse.
“Cheris, honey? Are you in there?”
Honey?
Cheris fell off the couch becoming fully awake when her butt hit the floor.
She jumped up, ran to the door, and threw it open.
“Danny!”
Geoff dressed in suit and tie stared at her. He turned behind him as if searching for someone then back to Cheris. “I’m Geoff. We met last night and apparently again this morning. Who’s Danny?”
“What?” Cheris shook her head, the vestiges of her movie-inspired dream dissipating.
“You called me Danny.” Geoff wrinkled his nose at her. “You’re not cheating on me, are you? What a shame since we’re technically still on our honeymoon.”
Cheris gawked. “There is no honeymoon! What were you thinking last night? At least I had an excuse for doing something so imbecilic.”
Geoff grinned and nodded. “Imbecilic. I knew I’d arrived when Janie threatened me with the wrath of Mom.”
“Don’t act so proud of yourself. We’re going to have to get a lawyer, you know.”
“Really?”
Cheris stepped back and motioned for him to come inside. No use in the neighbors hearing of her divorce plans. When Cheris closed the door behind him, the room seemed to have shrunk to the size of her too-small closet. “What are you doing here anyway?”
In his tuxedo last night, he had looked like a movie star fitting in well on the set of the Wonderland exhibit. Today his gray suit with the red tie loosened, Geoff exuded confidence and comfort. His hazel eyes behind his eyeglasses had been what she had noticed first last night. Their unusual color was the same as Janie’s. That’s why he had seemed familiar to her. They twinkled at her now.
“I received your message. I thought I’d come by instead of calling you back. Is your headache any better?”
“My headache?” Cheris snorted. “It just came back.”
Geoff closed the distance between them, reaching his hand up to touch her, but Cheris retreated.
He sighed. “Give me a break here. Don’t you think if I wanted to maul you, I would have done it last night when you were more than a willing participant?”
“Don’t you dare talk about last night. You make me sick!”
Geoff shook his head sorrowfully, walked to the door, opened it, and left shutting it softly behind him.
What?
Cheris stood there shaking. What just happened? He leaves without a word?
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Cheris reached forward, twisted the knob, and pulled.
“Hi.” Geoff smiled congenially. “I’m Geoff Arrowood. We met last night at the gala.” He offered her his hand. “I apologize for coming by unannounced. I got your voicemail, and your apartment was on my way back to the hotel.”
Cheris hesitated before grasping his hand and wished she hadn’t as a current of electricity shot up her arm through her body and all the way down to her toes.
Geoff continued, his hand still enveloping hers. “I know you know who I am, but I thought since we were never properly introduced—that you remember anyway—we could start over.”
“Oh.”
Geoff nodded and waited.
“I’m…umm…Cheris McDowell.”
“You’re friends with my sister, Janie.” Geoff’s handshake maneuvered into a handhold, his thumb stroking the flesh over her knuckles. Cherish glanced down at their hands.
Geoff closed his eyes briefly before directing a sheepish grin her way. “Sorry,” he said as he dropped his hand. “Starting over,” he muttered. “Want me to go out and knock again?”
Cherish giggled. “That’s okay.” She opened the door wider. “Come on in.” She stood aside as he entered. The door closed again. She glanced back and saw the blanket she had covered up with during her nap lying askew on the floor. She strode over, snatched it up, and folded it. “Have a seat, and I’ll fix us some iced tea.” She placed the neatly folded blanket on the back of the couch.
“Please don’t go to any trouble.” He shifted from one foot to the other.
Why didn’t he sit down? Why was he so tall?
Giving him a wide berth, she headed toward the kitchen. Once there, she clutched her chest and blew out a breath. For a moment she closed her eyes, willing the stampeding beat of her heart to slow. He’s Janie’s brother. I can do this. I can act civil and not wonder what we did, how it felt….
Stop! He is Janie’s brother. Give him food and drink. Discuss a plan to fix the problem. Invite him to leave. Okay?
Yes.
Good.
Cheris shook her head and decided not to dwell on the fact that she was talking to herself, and answering back. What had the Cheshire cat said to Alice?
We’re all mad here.
Yes. That about summed it up.
Cheris pulled out a serving tray and retrieved two glasses from her cabinet filling them with some tea she had brewed earlier in the day. Surveying the pantry, she grabbed a jar of mixed nuts to go with the beverage.
Mixed nuts.
Very appropriate.
In a few minutes Cheris entered her small living room with a tray carrying two glasses of iced tea, a plate of sliced lemons, and a candy dish containing the metaphor for her and the man sitting on her couch. The dish had been a gift from Annie Hill. What would she say if she knew Cheris had woken up next to Geoff without any memory of marrying him?
The tray banged against the coffee table, a result of Cheris’ shaky hands. Tea spilled over the rims of the glasses, but if Geoff noticed he didn’t comment. Perching on the edge of the couch a safe distance from him, Cheris picked up a Battenberg lace cloth, wrapped it around the glass and handed it to him.
The napkins were antique, another gift from Annie. On a whim, Cheris had placed them on the tray thinking that Geoff deserved Annie’s Battenberg lace. Even if she never saw him again after the divorce, she’d never have another first husband.
“Lemon?”
“This is fine.” Geoff drank deeply from the glass and rested it—half-full—on his knee. The bright gold band on his finger caught Cheris
’ gaze and held it.
Why was he still wearing the ring?
“Geoff.” Even saying his name felt strange. “When I woke up this morning—”
“And stranded me in the hotel room in Serenity,” he supplied.
The rational statement Cheris didn’t finish flew out the window. “I’m sorry,” she snapped. “I don’t know the proper etiquette of one night stands.”
“We’re married. It’s the exact opposite of a one night stand. It’s a committed monogamous relationship.”
“We are not having a relationship. Who meets and gets married in one night? It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard of.”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought, too.”
“Then why’d you do it if you weren’t under the influence of the cakes and punch?”
Geoff smirked. “You really don’t remember?”
“If you knew me, you’d know I’d never do anything so irresponsible. Entering into a legal and binding covenant with a complete stranger and having…”
“Having?” Geoff prompted.
Cheris jumped off the couch and stalked the room. “Sex. Please tell me at least you…you know…used protection?”
“It’s killing you, isn’t it? Wondering what crazy things we did together last night?”
“There’s a thing or two I’d do if I were no lady,” she growled.
“Aha. I wondered.”
“You wondered what?”
“If you quoted from old movies when you were sober. Who said that one? Audrey Hepburn? Deborah Kerr?”
It was Doris Day, but she wasn’t telling him that. She stopped pacing and glared at him with her hands on her hips. “This isn’t a joke,” she snapped. “I don’t know you. I don’t even know if I like you. What I do know is that marriage is sacred to me, and because of that stupid stunt we pulled last night, I’ve cheapened it, made it into something disgusting and tawdry. Marriage is supposed to be for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health—”
“As long as we both shall live. Right. You want to do something tonight? Maybe go out to dinner?”
“Do I want to…? Have you heard a word I’ve said? Don’t you care that you made some pretty serious promises to a complete stranger, that you got the state involved in taking advantage of me while I was drunk? I don’t care if Janie’s your sister. I don’t know you, and I can’t just pretend last night didn’t happen. Me not remembering it makes it even worse.”
“Cheris, I agree with every single thing you’ve said. I do. Marriage is sacred. It’s a lifelong commitment. I get all of that. I also understand that you have some reservations about me because you don’t know me and you feel I used poor judgment last night. Just go out with me tonight. We won’t eat any cakes or drink any alcohol. You can ask me twenty questions. A hundred questions, and I’ll answer every one. Give me the chance to show you I’m not as dumb as I acted last night.”
“I don’t trust you.”
Geoff shrugged. “I suppose that’s understandable. Give me a chance tonight to earn your trust.”
Cheris sighed.
“Please?”
“Okay.”
He picked up the china dish and tapped some nuts into his hand. “Very good. May I pick you up at seven?”
“All right.”
“Good.” He set the dish on the tray and popped the food in his mouth, winked at her and left.
Cheris let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. Why had she agreed to go out with that man? Why couldn’t they just agree to meet at a lawyer’s office first thing Monday morning and start the divorce proceedings? She didn’t want to go out with him; she wanted to put this incident behind her and try to forget it ever happened. At least he had agreed about the big mistake they had made.
Hadn’t he?
I do. Marriage is sacred. It’s a lifelong commitment. I get all of that.
Cheris raised her hands to her cheeks in realization.
He hadn’t agreed that last night was a mistake. He’d only agreed to as long as we both shall live.
Cheris lowered her arms and straightened her shoulders. Surely he wasn’t seriously thinking of staying married. That was ridiculous.
Had the sex been that good?
Too bad she couldn’t remember.
Chapter Three
“If a thing is right it can be done, and if it is wrong it can be done
without; and a good man will find a way.”
—Black Beauty by Ann Sewell
Cheris pushed the button of her computer screen, and the logo for Hip Granny appeared. She emailed Bill Conner, her supervisor about the exhibits at the gala the night before. With the unifying theme of children’s classic literature, Cheris knew the art would be fun. She hadn’t expected the breathtaking beauty and originality of it and proposed to Bill they dedicate a series on it for the web site. With the traffic Hip Granny received, it would be good publicity for the museum, and the potential for offshoot topics was rich as well: children’s literature, reading to your kids, cultural icons, family outings, modern art, and artist bios. Cheris worked up the layout in her head. With the artists’ permission, they could use a photograph from each exhibit as the focal point.
Peter Pan would have Dara Lassiter’s mural of the Jolly Roger moored on Kidd Creek.
Cheris would use the green glass fortress from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz piece.
Black Beauty would focus on the magnificent onyx statue of a horse reared up on its hind legs.
For Janie’s Secret Garden exhibit, they’d photograph the live plants cascading out from the six foot deep shadow box with its marble façade walls.
Topics Cheris did not suggest for the series: drunken black-outs, marrying in haste, quickie divorces, though avoiding the eat me/drink me display would be helpful information for anybody.
Cheris had been with Hip Granny for almost three years—ever since the original Hip Granny, Annie Hill, had handpicked her from among the lackeys at Net Enterprises, a franchised Web Media company which provided computer repair and service locally. On that fateful day, Cheris had been assigned to go to Annie’s house to work on her computer.
When Cheris had knocked, a frizzy haired older woman in a leopard print dress opened the door of an enormous Tudor style house. She leaned heavily on a cane which matched her dress.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? You’ve never seen anyone after knee replacement? It hurts like the dickens, I tell you.”
Cheris shook her head. “I’m sorry, Ma’am. Please forgive me.”
The woman cocked her head, her eyes narrowed. “Ma’am, eh? Did you drive the mile up my driveway to sell me something, or are you here to fix my computer?”
“The latter.”
Rapid footsteps approached, and a woman wearing scrubs appeared at the door. “Mrs. Hill, why don’t you wait and let me answer the door.”
“Who knew where you were, Mary Frances? And I’ve got to get my computer fixed. Come on in, dear. I’m Annabelle Hill though most people call me Annie. What is your name?”
“Cheris McDowell, Ma’am. It is very nice to meet you.”
“Mary Frances, go fix Cheris and me some tea. We’ll be in the den.”
“Oh, no thank you. I—” Cheris began.
“Now, young lady, you don’t have to drink the tea, but I certainly do have to offer it.”
Mary Frances hurried out of the foyer, and Annie ushered Cheris into a brick floored den with a lemon colored couch and a Victorian style Damask lounge chaise in a matching shade. In the corner sat an imposing desk with a computer monitor on its shiny surface.
Cheris laid her purse on the floor next to the desk and sat on the wooden office chair. She touched the power button and the blue screen of death appeared on the monitor.
Not good.
“Who are your people, Cheris?” Annie asked as she carefully lowered herself in a straight backed seat next to the wall.
; Cheris knew this was the southern lady’s way of asking who her parents were. Cheris dropped to her knees on the floor and disconnected the computer from the surge protector.
“I’m from West Virginia,” she spoke as she worked, “A little town called Hermet. I’m sure you don’t know my people.” She glanced back and noted Annie studying her as if she were a specimen under a microscope.
“Oh, you might be surprised. I know lots of people.”
“My mom works at a restaurant there called the Sugarbox Café. Her name is Sarah.”
“I’ve been there. Excellent peanut butter pie, as I recall.”
“The best in the state.” Cheris connected the cord and powered it up again.
“And how in the world did a well-mannered woman from Hermet end up on her hands and knees in Cullsbaeir working on my computer?”
“Milton Stewart serves on the board of directors where I went to college. He was looking for a computer geek with knowledge in media and advertising so I went for the interview. He offered health insurance, and here I am.”
“What would you tell someone who said they’ve got eighty-four thousand dollars in credit card debt?”
“I’d tell them to get on a budget, cut up their credit cards, pay the minimum on all of them except for the one with the smallest debt, pay as much as they could on it until it’s paid off, then tackle the next one.”
Annie chuckled. “Well, my dear, surely they should declare bankruptcy.”
Cheris who had settled in the chair by this time had begun a viral check. She stopped and gazed at the older woman. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, Mrs. Hill—”
“Annie.”
“Annie, but declaring bankruptcy is irresponsible. Now if it’s medical bills, I would advise calling the medical providers and negotiating, but in my opinion bankruptcy needs to be the last option.”
“In your opinion.”
“Since you asked. I hope I didn’t offend you. But Gerald, who owns the café, has been burnt a few times from suppliers who declared bankruptcy when they owed him equipment or food which had already been paid for.”
“Very interesting. What would you say to someone who is so embarrassed at the state of their house that they won’t allow their children to have friends over to play?”