by Pamela Bauer
“Are you crazy?” her mother screeched in her ear.
“No, but I have a feeling I will be by the end of this conversation,” Krystal said dryly, in no mood to be criticized by her mother.
“I can understand Carly not thinking clearly. She’s devastated by what Joe’s done to her, but you…you should know better.”
“Well, Mom, this might come as a news flash, but I am not responsible for that house getting rented,” she retorted.
“I can’t believe you let a terrific guy like Garret Donovan slip through your fingers.”
Krystal sighed. So that’s what her mother was upset about. Not the fact that she and Carly would be living together, but that she hadn’t accepted Garret’s marriage proposal.
“For your information, Mother, I never had him in my fingers.”
“Carly told me he wanted to marry you,” she said in an accusing tone.
“Well I didn’t want to marry him,” she snapped back, although that wasn’t exactly true. She wasn’t sure what she wanted. Lately she’d been having feelings toward Garret that confused the issue, especially now that marriage was no longer an option.
“What is wrong with you?” her mother continued. “He’s a doctor. Do you realize the kind of lifestyle he could have provided for you?”
Krystal knew it was pointless to argue with her mother so she changed the subject. “It’s spilled milk, Mom. Give it a rest, will you? I need to talk to Carly.”
“I told you she’s not here. She went over to the house.”
“Would you have her call me when she gets back? And while you’re at it, ask her where the rental agreement is. I want to see what she’s gotten us into.”
“Don’t you know?” The question was loaded with criticism.
“No, she went ahead and signed it without my knowledge. See how your ‘always right, always perfect’ daughter behaved?” She knew it was childish to attack Carly, but she’d had a lifetime of “you should be more like your sister” comments and she didn’t need her mother acting as if she were once again the big sister leading the younger one astray.
“I gotta go, Mom. There’s someone at my door,” she told her even though it wasn’t true. All they were doing was upsetting each other. She needed to end the conversation before things were said that they both would regret.
CARLY DIDN’T CALL HER BACK that night. Or even the next day. Krystal got tired of waiting for her to phone and went to the rental agent to get a copy of the agreement herself. It was only after she read it that she realized Garret had not only paid the damage deposit, but her portion of the rent. The lease was for a one-year period.
Now she knew why Carly had left town so quickly and why she didn’t return her phone calls. Her sister knew Krystal would be upset with the way she’d misled Garret into thinking that the only reason she hadn’t signed the contract was because she’d wanted him to see the house.
Krystal doubted she could feel any worse about the situation. She had lived with Leonie long enough to know that although Garret had finished his residency and had a position at the clinic, he also had the burden of a huge student debt from medical school.
Shannon laughed when she expressed her concern about his financial status. She told her that no matter how much student debt he had, he was still a doctor with a good income.
That didn’t matter to Krystal. She hated being indebted to Garret, which was exactly how she felt. Again Shannon told her that she shouldn’t look at it as being in his debt. He did, after all, have a financial obligation to his baby. To Krystal, that obligation hadn’t been defined clearly and until it was, she would not be comfortable accepting anything from him.
That’s why she decided to call him and ask him to meet her. He told her he would be at 14 Valentine Place that evening. As she hung up the phone she wondered if he was coming to the house to see Samantha or his mother.
When she arrived home from work she saw his car parked out back. Samantha’s Volvo was not next to it. Krystal used the private entrance. The fewer people she saw, the better, which was why she’d brought dinner home to eat in her room.
She hadn’t finished when there was a knock on her door. She opened it to find Garret standing outside.
“Oh, you’re home. I didn’t see you come in,” he said as he stepped inside.
“I came up the side entrance,” she told him.
“Still avoiding Mom?”
She shrugged. “It just seems easier.”
“I just spoke to her. I didn’t realize you hadn’t told her about the house and I mentioned it. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m sure she’s relieved to hear that I’m moving.”
“I think you’re wrong about that.”
He hadn’t heard the conversation she’d had with Leonie and Krystal didn’t see any point in telling him about it. “Maybe it would be better if we didn’t discuss your mother.”
“Probably,” he agreed. “But I think you should know that you and I aren’t the only reason she’s unhappy. Shane told her today that he and Jennifer are having problems.”
Uneasiness spread through Krystal like water on a flat surface. “You don’t mean marital problems?” She hated to even ask the question. Seeing his nod, the uneasiness got stronger.
“Apparently Jennifer’s been unhappy for a while,” he said quietly. “They’re thinking about trying a trial separation.”
“But when Dylan and Maddie were here they announced they were going to try to have another baby,” she said in disbelief.
“It turns out that was Shane’s idea not hers. He hasn’t said very much except that she told him she feels trapped and that she needs some space. Shane’s frustrated.”
And probably feeling lonely and hanging around Carly, who’s emotionally vulnerable. Krystal didn’t want to even contemplate the volatility of such a situation. “You don’t think there’s a third person involved, do you?”
“Shane says there isn’t.”
Krystal hoped he was right. She hadn’t forgotten how her sister’s face had glowed when she’d talked about Garret’s brother. This did, however, explain why Jennifer was no longer Shane’s assistant in the accounting firm.
“I hope they can work out whatever problems they’re having,” Krystal said sincerely.
He nodded, then pulled a card from his pocket. “There’s something else I wanted to talk about with you.” He gave her the card. “This is my insurance information. As soon as the baby is born, she—or he,” he quickly added before she could protest, “will be covered under my policy.”
“But I have health insurance,” she told him.
“Yes, I know you do, but I’d like you to use mine.”
First it was the clothes, then the rent, and now the health insurance. He was taking care of things she should have been taking care of herself and it bothered her. She didn’t want to feel indebted to him, even if he was the father of her child.
She folded her arms together saying, “I appreciate you letting me know about this, but I would rather use mine.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to pay for yours when you can use mine. Besides, I have better coverage.”
“How do you know you do?”
“When I went with you to your appointment I asked the claims rep at the clinic to look into it for us.”
He was making decisions and taking control of things that should have been her responsibility. Intellectually she understood why he felt the need to do it, but emotionally she had trouble accepting it.
“I think we need to come to some kind of agreement as to just how much responsibility for this baby is yours and how much is mine,” she said in a tone she hadn’t meant to sound antagonistic, but she could see by the way his eyes narrowed that that was exactly the way he’d heard it.
“Why do you have so much trouble accepting help from me?”
“I don’t. It’s just…” She paused, wondering how to explain feelings she herself didn’t understand. “I’m us
ed to taking care of myself.”
“Don’t think of it as me doing things for you. It’s for the baby. You’re not telling me you’re uncomfortable with me wanting to provide for my child, are you?”
She wasn’t, so why was it so difficult to accept his help? “No.”
“Then what is it you want me to do?”
She wished she had an answer to that question herself. She wanted him to be a father to her baby, yet when he made any sort of gesture that indicated he was acting in that role, she became uncomfortable. “I’m not sure how people handle a situation like this.”
“We don’t need to do what other people do. We can handle it any way we choose.”
“Maybe it would be better if we waited until after the baby is born to discuss this.” She could see by the look he gave her that he didn’t like that suggestion.
“I’m sorry if you feel I’m forcing myself into your life, but you might as well get used to it, because I’m going to be there for my child, Krystal.” He looked at his watch. “Now I have to go. If you need anything, call me.”
He started for the door and she called out to him, “Garret.” He turned to look at her. “Thank you…for putting the deposit down on the house—” she waved the health card “—and for thinking of this.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, and left.
AS SOON AS GARRET LEFT, Krystal went downstairs to find her landlady. She found her in the great room, where she sat in the flickering light from the fire crackling in the fireplace. The rest of the room was in darkness.
“Leonie, could I talk to you?” she asked, walking into the room.
Her landlady glanced up and for just a moment Krystal caught a glimpse of sadness, but it was quickly replaced by a smile. She motioned to her, saying, “Come sit down and enjoy the fire with me.”
It was the overture Krystal needed and she didn’t hesitate to accept her invitation. “Thanks, I’d like that,” she said, taking a seat on one of the chairs close to the fireplace. “This feels good. It’s awfully cold for October.”
“Yes. I’ve been chilly all day, but finally I’m warming up. I love the smell of birch when it burns, don’t you?”
“Yes, it’s nice.”
There was silence except for the crackling of the fire as the dry wood snapped and popped in the flames. Krystal wished they could turn back the clock to the last time they’d sat and talked in front of a fire. It had been spring and life had been so uncomplicated back then. Her biggest worry had been how she was going to juggle dating three different guys. Now she was trying to figure out how she was going to juggle a baby and a career.
Leonie must have been having similar nostalgic thoughts for she said, “This has always been a popular spot in the house.”
“Yes, it has. It’s a good thing those bricks can’t talk. We’ve had some pretty wild discussions in this room.”
“It has seen its share of girl talk, hasn’t it?” she said with a faint smile.
“Yes. I’m going to miss it,” she said quietly. “I know Garret told you that Carly and I have found a house to rent.”
“Yes, he did.”
“I’m sorry you had to hear the news from him. I was going to tell you myself, but it all happened rather suddenly.”
Leonie held up a hand. “You don’t need to explain, Krystal.”
“Yes, I do. And not just about the house. If I had explained things a long time ago, maybe these past few months wouldn’t have been so miserable for me and maybe I wouldn’t have hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me, Krystal.”
“I disappointed you.”
Leonie sighed. “Well, that’s true. A mother doesn’t want to hear that her grandchild is coming into the world without the benefit of having two parents who love each other. But I’ve talked with Garret and I realize that although it’s not a perfect arrangement, it’s the best possible one for right now.”
They were words Krystal needed to hear. “Thank you for saying that.”
“You don’t need to thank me. This is the era of blended families. I advise my clients to be open to family situations and I guess I should apply that advice to my own situation.”
“One thing you can count on, I’m going to do my best to be a good mother,” Krystal stated with conviction.
“I know you will and I know that Garret will make a good father.”
“I think so, too.”
“He’s a fair man, Krystal. You know that no matter what the future holds for either of you, he’ll never make unreasonable demands when it comes to custody arrangements.”
The word custody made her shiver. It reminded her that no matter how much she didn’t want to think about the baby in such terms, it was inevitable. She and Garret wouldn’t be living together and the possibility existed that both of them could marry other people.
“And as long as you’re both willing to try hard to make this arrangement work, that’s all anyone can ask,” Leonie continued. “It’ll help that you and Garret are friends.”
“We are and I want it to always be that way.”
“I’m sure he does, too. Now tell me about this house,” Leonie said, switching topics. “Garret says it’s nice.”
“Oh, it is. And it’s not far from here. Maybe a fifteen-minute walk. So I’ll be able to bring the baby over here or you could go there…if you want.”
“I’d like that. When do you plan to move?”
“The house is available the first of November, which is when Carly will move in, but I want to give you a sixty-day notice, so I probably won’t move in until you find someone to take my room.”
“You don’t need to worry about your lease with me,” Leonie said.
“Yes, I do. It’s not fair of me to leave you on short notice.”
“I don’t think I’ll have any trouble finding a replacement for you. Garret told me Samantha may know a couple of nursing students at the hospital who are looking for housing.”
Garret and Samantha. Again Krystal wondered about their relationship. Were they seeing each other? She was tempted to ask Leonie, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“I should get to bed. I have to work in the morning,” Krystal said, rising to her feet.
Leonie got up. “I’m glad we had this talk.”
“Me, too.”
“It’s important to keep the lines of communication open.”
“I agree. There’s one other thing I wanted to tell you, and that’s thank you for all the kindness and understanding you showed Carly while she was here,” Krystal said with a heartfelt sincerity.
“I’m glad she’s going to be all right. I was worried about her when she first arrived.”
“I know. So was I, but she’s slowly getting back on her feet.” Krystal wondered if Leonie knew that Shane had offered Carly a job. Considering what Garret had told her earlier that evening, she decided it might be better not to mention it, as she was fairly certain it would be Jennifer’s place Carly took at the accounting firm.
“Emily’s a sweet child,” Leonie remarked. “I hope she can get through this without any emotional trauma. Divorce can be devastating on children.” Again the sadness came into her eyes. “I don’t know whether Garret told you, but Shane and Jennifer are having problems.”
The fact that she brought up the subject gave Krystal hope that in time they would be as close as they had been before her pregnancy had put a rift in their relationship. “I’m so sorry, Leonie. That’s not the kind of news anyone wants to hear. I hope they can find a way to resolve them.”
“I do, too,” she said quietly.
Later, as Krystal lay in bed thinking about their conversation, she knew she needed to talk to her sister about Garret’s brother. It would be very easy for Carly and Shane to be attracted to each other. They were both vulnerable. Each had a spouse that had rejected them. It was a prescription for trouble and Krystal only hoped that her sister would think before jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS, neither Garret nor Leonie mentioned anything about Shane offering Carly a job. Although Garret did tell Krystal that Shane had hired someone from a temp agency until he found a permanent replacement for Jennifer, he gave no indication that Carly was in line for that position.
The last thing Krystal wanted was for Carly to be Jennifer’s replacement in Shane’s personal or his professional life. The tension in her relationship with Leonie was slowly easing and she didn’t need her sister to complicate everything by getting involved with Shane. Each time she tried to warn Carly to be careful when it came to Garret’s brother, however, her sister told her to mind her own business. Krystal thought if it was a preview of how they would get along once they were sharing the same house, they were in trouble.
Because Krystal knew Carly would need help with the move, she rearranged her work schedule so that she could drive up to Fergus Falls a day early and help with the packing. She knew it would be a little cramped staying at her mother’s with Carly and Emily there, but it would only be for one night.
When she arrived at the trailer park, her mother looked startled to see her. “You must not have gotten Carly’s message.”
“What message?” Krystal had a feeling she wasn’t going to like the answer to her question.
“There’s been a change in plans.”
Krystal shrugged out of her coat and tossed it over the arm of the sofa. “Why? What’s happened?”
“Carly went with Joe to the Cayman Islands.”
Krystal shoved her hands to her hips. “Is that where they went to get a divorce?”
Linda grimaced. “She didn’t tell you, did she?”
The niggling doubts of suspicion that had been with her ever since she’d arrived at her mother’s became one big concern. “Tell me what, Mother?”
“They’re trying to work things out. That’s why they went to the Cayman Islands. They want to see if they can recapture some of the magic. It’s where they spent their honeymoon,” she reminded her.