Built for Pleasure

by Sarah J. Brooks

  “Sure, go ahead. I got this.”

  “You need me, they know how to reach me.”

  I nodded to watch George leave, his body language expressing his anticipation of a few happy hours ahead. I went through the drug cabinet, to see what we had on hand and then moved to the consumables such as first-aid materials. I was beginning to grow bored when the main door slid open and I heard a wailing young boy and a loud female voice. I watched from the doorway as a blowsy, underdressed woman strode to the reception counter, a boy of about nine in hand. He was limping badly, and I watched the receptionist come around from her station and grab a wheelchair to isolate his foot. Apparently, he had something in it.

  “Bring them down to the bay number three,” I called to the receptionist. “You can process the paperwork with his mother later on.”

  “Doctor, Doctor, you’ve got to help my son. I have a date at five o’clock and I don’t want him ruining it.”

  A number of thoughts went through my head at her words, and none of them were flattering. The receptionist met me halfway and I lifted the boy from the chair, setting him up on the exam table. “So, what seems to be the problem?”

  “Can’t you see the blood?” the boy asked.

  “What your name, young man?”

  “Lukey.”

  “Well, Lukey. It looks like you might’ve stepped on some glass?”

  “Gee, good guess, Doc,” he responded in a Dennis-the-Menace voice that suggested he was so innocent, but the insult had been conveyed.

  I hoped if I ever had a son, he would be nothing like Lukey. In fact, I’d make sure of it. I tried changing the subject while I put on my LED headlight and pulled the suture cart toward me. His eyes grew large and I will admit I felt the tiniest bit more powerful at that moment. He was obviously scared, though, so I tried to make him more at ease. “So, Lukey, what grade will you be in this fall?”

  “Fourth,” he squeaked.

  “Do you know your teacher yet?” I was making absent-minded conversation to keep his attention diverted while I removed the glass pieces and took a couple stitches before bandaging the foot.

  “You mean Mina Stewart? Sure, I know her. Everyone knows her.”

  I froze. “She’s your teacher?”

  “Why? You know her?”

  It took me a few moments to answer but he didn’t notice. I was digging into his anesthetized foot. “Actually, we went to school together, sort of. I’m a bit older than she is.”

  “She’s pretty,” was his unsolicited response.

  “So, you like her?”

  “She’s okay. She’s a lifeguard on the beach, you know.”

  “Is she?” I had to pretend innocence.

  “Yeah. You should come down and swim sometime. Let her save you.”

  Lukey was quite the character. “Have you ever tried that?” I asked.

  “Nah, if I did that, my mom would tan my hide and I wouldn’t get to swim again. Mom doesn’t like to have to watch me. She’s busy.”

  “Busy?”

  “Yeah, her and her boyfriends. She knows Mina is watching, so she doesn’t have to.”

  “She trusts Ms. Stewart that much?” I intentionally used her proper name, hoping Lukey would take the hint.

  “Oh, heck, yeah. My mom says Mina never does anything wrong. She’s almost perfect.”

  “Almost?”

  “Well, don’t tell her, but one time when she came out after me, her bathing suit… well, she sort of popped out on one side, if you know what I mean.”

  I was fighting for control. I couldn’t laugh, it wasn’t professional.

  “And that was wrong?”

  He looked wide-eyed at me. “Don’t you think it’s wrong if a lady pops out of her top?”

  I thought I’d choke. As it was, I had to put my tweezers down before I dropped them. The door opened and in walked the boy’s mother. Lukey gave me a “please don’t tell her” look and I winked subtly, letting him know his secret was safe with me.

  “How is he, Doctor?”

  “He’ll live. His foot will be bandaged, and you need to keep it clean and dry for a week. Keep him out of the lake for at least two weeks—too much bacteria in there.”

  “Oh, gosh, darn it! Lukey, I have dates waiting for me down there. You’re just going to have to stay home alone.” She was perturbed. I gave her a hard stare and discovered she wasn’t as stupid as I suspected. “Well, with a babysitter, of course,” she hurriedly added.

  I lifted Lukey off the table onto the floor. “Lukey, do as your mother says and don’t give Ms. Stewart a hard time, will you?”

  “I guess, but I don’t know why you care.”

  “She has her hands full and there are a lot of other people she has to watch. Causing her extra trouble isn’t a very nice thing to do.”

  “Okay, Doc. You’ve got it.”

  I watched as Lukey and his mother disappeared down the hallway, the sound of her voice lecturing him as they walked. I felt a little sorry for Lukey, and it was fairly obvious why the child behaved as he did.

  The rest of my shift finished out uneventfully. On my way home, I took the route that led me past Nina’s cottage. It wasn’t fair, she might have seen me, but just because I’d had to draw a line between us, didn’t mean that I didn’t care. I did a lot. I’d dug myself quite a hole, and hoped somewhere along the line, there would be a way out.

  Chapter 9

  Mina

  I came home from work to find a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses sitting on my step. My heart hammered with relief and joy. Brice realized he’d been an ass and he sent flowers as an apology. I was so happy, I sat on the step and held them, admiring their symmetrical perfection with tears in my eyes. Then I spotted the card. I hoped he’d written more than to just sign his name. I hoped he used some term of endearment, so I’d know how he felt.

  These roses are red and my heart is blue,

  Please give me a call, ‘cause I’m missing you.

  David

  I gasped when I read the signature. It wasn’t from Brice at all but from David Bretherton!

  As any woman feels when scorned, the fact that Brice didn’t send the flowers was yet another mark against him. He owed me an explanation, at the very least.

  Okay, I knew I was giving away my power, behaving immaturely, settling, and putting up and all the other things other women love to preach against when they’re in a bad place. The truth was, I was pretty sure I was falling in love with him and I tended to trust my judgment. Now, here I was getting flowers from David Bretherton.

  I’ll just add another useless, but convenient adage to the swirl in my head. Success is the greatest revenge. I knew what I’d do. I would call David and thank him for the flowers. In fact, David was not looking as bad right about then. I’d show Brice that I didn’t need him or his glad-handed one-night stands.

  I tapped David’s name in my contact list. Surprised that I’d gotten a signal, I figured fate had intervened and I waited through the rings, fuming and filled with commitment.

  “Hello?”

  “David? It’s Mina.” I didn’t think I needed to use my last name. He probably didn’t know a great many Minas.

  “Oh, well, hello!” In my mind’s eye, I could see his face light up with pleasurable recognition. “What a surprise!”

  “Well, talk about a surprise, thank you so much for the lovely gift.”

  “Oh… well, you’re more than welcome.”

  I waited a few seconds for him to lead the conversation, but he sounded odd. I guessed he was stunned that I’d followed through on the call, but if anything, no one could call me impolite. I picked up the lead in. “I was wondering if you’d like to be my guest at dinner next Friday? I was thinking Bannigan’s? You know that’s the weekend of the barbecue cook-off. I love all those craft booths and things to see when they close down Main Street.”

  He didn’t speak right away. I guessed he was checking his calendar to make sure I had the date right
. “Well, yes, that would be wonderful, but I insist on your being my guest.”

  “No, no, now David, this is my invitation. I insist, or I won’t go.”

  “You sounded pretty determined in all of this. Mina, I’ll tell you the truth, I’m a little surprised. I didn’t think you liked me that much. In fact, I got the idea you wanted me to keep my distance.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly, David. I’ve known you all my life. I think I know when I like someone or not. So, how about it, are we on?”

  “Sure, no problem, in fact, I appreciate the invitation. Shall I pick you up?”

  “I’ll be coming straight from work and will be stopping by the cottage first to change clothes. Why don’t I meet you there at, let’s say, seven? We can see a few craft booths before we going for dinner about eight? I’ll make a reservation.”

  “Sounds like you have it figured out.”

  “So, is it a deal?” I overlooked much of his skepticism and general condescension. I was out to make the best of this possible.

  “See you then.” He disconnected, and I sat with the phone in my hand looking at the screen for long moments. What had I just done? I felt frustrated that Brice would have the power to put me into this sort of situation. But, I’d done it and now that it was done, I would need to stick to it.

  ***

  Friday came sooner than I’d realized, maybe that was because I didn’t sleep Thursday night. I paced the floor, threw myself down on the sofa from time to time and stared at the ceiling, thinking. Phase one was thinking about Brice, and what he’d done to me. There was something not quite right there. Initially, he had pursued me, there was no doubt about that. I couldn’t make myself feel like I’d misunderstood him. All the signs were there. Then there was the history between us. I knew he was attracted to me, so why did he treat me like that? Has he grown from the high school bully to a complete monster? I knew that couldn’t be true. He was a doctor, sworn to cause no harm and all that good stuff. Something had happened, something had changed. Something that happened that night triggered him to change his frame of thinking about me. The way he got rid of me was cruel, way beyond the way Brice had ever been before. He wasn’t brought up that way. I replayed our lovemaking in my mind. He’d been tender, considerate, loving and had lavished me with attention. Then within one waking moment, he’d tried to degrade me and anger me so that I would leave. Was there someone else coming? I knew he hadn’t been drunk. I just couldn’t imagine what it was.

  Phase two brought David to mind. I didn’t even like David. He had little man’s syndrome, always pushing and ordering people about, not because he was in charge or had a better idea, but because he could get away with it. His family’s money guaranteed that. Now there I was, calling him for a date. I was opening a door I wasn’t sure I could close again. Why was I doing such a thing? Even if David was a jerk, I was also a jerk for using him to make Brice jealous. It was that simple. That was above me. I was digging myself a grave and I couldn’t seem to stop it.

  Phase three brought the question of whether I even wanted a man in my life. I was doing just fine, monetarily; I had tons of friends, I was never lonely, and I had family nearby. That particular logic didn’t work. I knew my own mind. I wanted the classic white picket fence cottage with a loving husband and two or three children playing in the yard. It had always been my dream and my goal. Well, I had the cottage and I thought Brice might be that loving husband. Maybe that was it? Had I scared him off? Was he not ready to settle down and I’d given him the impression that I wanted a commitment right then and there? Did he see my participation in lovemaking as a commitment? As much as I wanted to think that we both had deep feelings for one another before we reached that point, I knew things had changed over the years. It was no longer unusual for people to spend the night together and then go their separate ways. Yet something deep inside was nagging at me. Brice and I were not raised that way. So, what was going on?

  I got home from work Friday and raced into the shower and then pulled out the blow dryer to finish up my hair. Normally, I would just let it air dry, but the clock was working against me. I pulled out a white, side slit skirt and paired this with a vivid pink blouse and matching sandals. I piled my hair on top of my head, not only due to the heat but because it made me feel more of a grown-up. I snatched a bag from my closet shelf that blended well with the colors and dumped the contents of my other bag into it. Grabbing my keys, I was out the door and headed toward town. I regretted offering to meet David, as Main Street was shut down. That, combined with the number of people in town made for very few parking places. I circled the main lots until I spotted someone leaving and followed them until they pulled out. I snagged their spot and hopped out of my car, locking it with my remote key fob. David was waiting at a patio table on the sidewalk outside Bannigan’s. He leaned back in his chair, a bottle and two wine goblets sitting before him. He was attempting an arrogant nonchalance, but I could see right through it. I knew he was nervous; he became more of a peacock when felt threatened. I waved and called his name and with a look of relief, he watched me as I crossed the street toward him. The relief on his face gave me the distinct feeling he thought I would stand him up. In all honesty, I had to admit the thought had entered my mind. It was only good manners that made me follow through.

  “Sorry I’m late, but you know how bad parking here is.”

  He stood and gave me a quick peck on the cheek. I felt his hand brush across my breast as I pulled away. It wasn’t unintentional. It gave me a sour feeling in the pit of my stomach. “No problem, I understand women pretty well,” he assured me, assuming an air of arrogance. “In fact, I generally add an hour to whatever they tell me.”

  He was being an ass again, but that’s what I expected from David, so it didn’t throw me. I also had no intention of seeing him again, so this was a farewell dinner, whether he understood that or not.

  “I see you’ve ordered wine. Would you like hors-d'oeuvres?”

  “I was waiting on you. You said you wanted to walk to the carnival and the booths first. But, now you’re so late that…” He let the line drift off and once again, I had been verbally slapped.

  I shrugged. “It’s up to you,” I said, although I turned sideways in my chair and looked down the row of colorful booths. I knew I was giving him the distinct impression that I did want to wander a bit, but I was putting it in his hands. True to character, he responded.

  “We could have gone to see the booths, in fact, I would’ve been willing to buy you something nice, but then you were so late.”

  I had to keep from letting my mouth drop open at his impudence, but then this had been my idea. So, I put up with it and shut up. David took advantage of my silence by flagging the waiter and taking it upon himself to order a selection of seafood for hors-d'oeuvres. Although I had been raised by one of the Great Lakes, I disliked seafood strongly, and would much rather have had potato skins or maybe stuffed mushrooms. David never took that into consideration. I made sure to order my own entrée. A little peeved, I continued to look down the road at the booths, thereby avoiding conversation.

  “I’ve been meaning to have a talk with you,” he said casually, but with a determination that didn’t allow me to ignore him.

  “Oh?”

  “As you probably know, my family carries a fair amount of influence in this town.”

  I nodded, not saying anything.

  “We are sponsoring a community playhouse and I’ve been asked to play a role in selecting which works will be performed there, as well as having some input as to who will star in those roles. I suppose the town doesn’t have anyone more qualified and they recognize that I am a man of the world.”

  I smiled and nodded but wanted to close my eyes and make him all go away. I was paying the price for my overly sensitive feelings. I let him go on.

  “If you don’t already know it, Mina, I happen to think you are a very beautiful woman.” He paused, waiting for my comments.

  �
��Thank you, David.” It was the best I could muster, and I was proud of myself for keeping my temper. He was being deliberately condescending, or maybe he just didn’t realize it because he was always that way. The seafood hors-d'oeuvres arrived. I sat back and politely watched his stuff his face as he talked.

  “I thought we might begin the season with a performance from an off-Broadway piece I saw while in New York on business. I have my secretary reaching out for some copies of the script and I wanted to talk with you about this.”

  “Me? Why me?”

  “I think you’d be wonderful in the lead role. You know, Mina, it wouldn’t hurt your future to be good to me…” I think he could read the suspicion on my face. “Before you get all riled, I just mean that you are a very beautiful young woman, smart and talented in many ways. I think with your beauty and my… connections, shall we say, you could go a long way in the film industry. The best way to start out is to get yourself some positive publicity, street creds, they call it.”

  “And you think, I can get these, street creds, as you call them, by being on a stage in the tiny town of Bretherton Bay?”

  “Everyone starts somewhere.”

  “And you think that you could launch a career on my behalf and you know all the ins and outs of the show business?”

  David was silent a moment, deliberating his strategy to get me involved. I knew he wanted to prove himself in my eyes, and in the eyes of the community. His father was powerful and David was constantly trying to claw his way up to the man’s level. David’s solution was using other people to bolster his own accomplishments. At that moment, I felt sorry for him. David’s world centered on himself and for that reason, he would never achieve the benevolent love of the people around him.

  I was about to answer when there was a tap on my shoulder. I looked up and around to see Brice standing there. “Brice!” I hated the surprise in my voice. “What’s the matter? Where’s your date?”