by Tina Leonard
“I’m trying to figure out exactly what we’re in. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so…so unsettled in my life.”
He laughed. “I’m going to kiss Aunt Elle tonight for getting us together again.”
“It was my mother.”
He stopped at the porch and took her in his arms. “Actually, it was mostly Aunt Elle. I had called over here that day to talk to you for old times’ sake. I don’t know,” he said with a rueful smile. “Maybe I wanted to reconnect with someone who knew me before I became a surgeon. Someone who remembered me as a hopeful kid instead of a physician whose reputation is taking a hammering by a family who has every right to be angry.”
“Oh, Mitch,” she said softly. “You know you did everything you could. I know it, too.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t change the outcome, does it?” He sighed heavily. “So I called over here to talk to you and Aunt Elle suggested I meet her down at your shop so that she could reintroduce us.”
“Boy did she ever,” Crystal murmured. “I’m not surprised that she was meddling. She is Mom’s younger sister.”
She gently pulled herself from Mitch’s arms and opened the front door. Walking inside, they were greeted by Aunt Elle.
“I’ve been wondering if you two would make it tonight,” she said, hugging them both. “I’ve kept dinner warm.”
“We made it,” Crystal said. We made it through one more nerve-racking tunnel on the way to the altar of short-term commitment. “Where’s Mom?”
“Oh, resting, dear.” Elle met her gaze with some reluctance. “She tired easily today.”
Instantly, Crystal looked at Mitch, her eyes wide.
His gaze slid away.
She looked down, puzzled and worried and somehow angry with him. He could just run up and check on her. That wouldn’t cause him any undue stress.
But she couldn’t ask that of him. “Should I call the doctor and mention how she’s feeling?”
“We’ll see how she does after she rests.”
They all three stood uncomfortably in the foyer for a long moment. Crystal recognized a stirring presence of resentment inside her which she knew was unfair and yet couldn’t seem to help. Nobody was better than Mitch at knowing what the physical heart needed in order to heal! And yet he held back from this entire matter.
Commitment. Crystal wondered how much of that they would find themselves giving each other in the six weeks they planned to be married. I’d feel so much better if he’d just offer to check on Mom!
A big smile suddenly lifted Elle’s delicately lined features.
“Come out to my studio,” she said. “I have something I want to show you.”
Mitch and Crystal dutifully followed, but she noticed that he didn’t make a move to hold her hand or her shoulders as he normally did.
They stepped inside, and Elle turned on a pleasing low light. Crystal breathed deep. “I love it in here. It’s so peaceful.”
“That’s what Sister says, too. And Martin hasn’t said it, but I find him in here occasionally inspecting my latest creations. Make yourself comfortable on that chaise,” she instructed. “I have to check something in here.”
Elle’s petite figure disappeared into a small room off the main studio. Crystal sat, as did Mitch, though they didn’t seat themselves close together on the lounge.
“I’ve never seen so much china,” Mitch said softly. “It’s all beautiful. She could have a large showing.”
Crystal smiled. “I know. She has an amazing gift.”
“Does she ever sell any of it?”
“Oh, no. She says working for money would hamper her artistic creativity. She has to do what she feels.” Crystal thought about what she’d just said before sighing to herself. “She gives away a piece now and again for a charity auction or to a good friend whom she knows will enjoy it. Even I have only one piece, which she gave me when I opened my own store. I’m always bugging her about giving me another one.” She smiled at Mitch. “I think that’s why I was so delighted with the teacup I bought. Did you know that Kathryn hand-painted it? And the dog bowl?”
He shook his head. “I noticed you always used the same teacup, but I didn’t know it was her creation.”
Crystal nodded. “Painting china is something Elle and Kathryn have in common.”
She didn’t say that Elle didn’t paint as much as she used to, when Crystal had been in high school. Elle joked that she was getting old and couldn’t see to paint as well, but Crystal thought that was probably an excuse so no one would ask her what she was working on at the present. It seemed almost every time she saw her aunt she was wearing her painting clothes. “When Aunt Elle dies, we’re supposed to smash every single thing she’s created in this room,” she said softly.
“Smash it! Why?”
She smiled a little at the shock in Mitch’s tone. “It’s her greatest pride and joy to bring her talent to life. She finds it agonizing to think that one day her beautiful things could end up in a garage sale, pawed over by strangers.”
“You would never sell her art! Surely she knows that.”
“She does. But suppose something happened to me after my family was gone? People die, you know, and—” She broke off her words as she saw the wide-eyed, traumatized expression on Mitch’s face. She gasped. “I’m sorry, Mitch! I didn’t mean that to sound so casual!”
“It’s okay,” he muttered. But he looked away from her and she could see that his skin was pale around his eyes.
Of all the unfortunate, callous things for her to say. Crystal held back another apology and the instant desire she had to throw her arms around him and kiss the pain away. How could she have said something so thoughtless?
“You didn’t mean anything by it,” he murmured. “This is something I have to deal with on my own, Crystal. I know you’re trying to help me, but the fact is, no one can.”
Elle bounced back into the room, her face lit with excitement. “Come see!” she called gaily.
They went into the small room. Crystal gasped, and Mitch put his arm around her. A sixteen-place china setting lay displayed on top of a white, woven cloth. On shelves above, such things as a covered tureen and a sugar-creamer set shone with gleaming pride. It was all white with fabulous gold rims, and on each piece, intricate yet somehow elegant patterns of gold trailing flowers seemed to float with living joy.
“This is my wedding gift to you both,” Elle said happily.
“Oh, my gosh,” Crystal whispered. “However did you find the time to do all of this? It’s stunning!” She picked up a teacup, turning it slowly in her palm so she could see every detail.
“I’ve been working on it little by little since the day you were born,” Elle told her, a mischievous smile on her face. “And look!” She turned the teacup over in Crystal’s palm. A tiny gold star was painted on the bottom of the cup. “When your mother named you Crystal Star, I created your own mark. I call it the Crystal Star, as a matter of fact, and it’s on the bottom of every piece. You always were, you know, the light in our lives, Crystal, dear.” She smiled up at both of them. “And we’re so delighted our girl is marrying a prince. It seems like a fairy tale come true to us.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Crystal murmured. She felt delight and joy and panic and distress all colliding inside her stomach as red heat flamed up her back. She didn’t deserve this gift! All the years of hard work Elle had spent doing this out of the love in her heart for her niece, and Crystal wasn’t being honest. If Aunt Elle wanted every piece of her private collection of china smashed when she died, then what would she want done with all this hard work when Crystal and Mitch divorced?
She could never smash this gift. Never.
Elle was staring at her curiously, waiting for her to say something. Mitch squeezed her shoulders, willing her to accept the loving gift. Shaking, Crystal looked down at the lovely cup with the beautifully shaped gold star on the bottom. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed of, Aunt Elle,” s
he finally whispered, “just to have one more piece. I’m overwhelmed that you’ve created my own pattern. I can’t thank you enough. And this is the most beautiful china I’ve ever seen.”
And then she hugged her aunt close to her, holding her as tightly as she could. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you so much.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Ugh. I’m ill,” Crystal told Mitch as they sat in front of the TV later that evening. Dogs and cats ignored them as they adopted their relaxed positions on the floor and bookshelves.
“I thought you didn’t look so good at dinner. But it wasn’t Elle’s cooking. It was too delicious to be that.” He had a bad feeling he knew what was bothering Crystal, and it was emotional rather than gastronomical. If he could get her through the next two nights, she’d be his, at least long enough to give him a shot at convincing her to stay married to him.
He’d had the most disquieting sensation all day that Crystal was hanging on to their wedding plans by the thinnest of threads. “Maybe you need rest. You’ve been doing a lot, and you’ve been worried about your family. Why don’t we call it a night?”
Hesitantly, she looked at him. “Mitch, would you mind if I had these last two nights to myself?”
His stomach shifted alarmingly inside him. She was crawfishing on him! “Crystal, have I done something to upset you?”
“No, no,” she said hastily. “I just feel a need to sleep alone until the big night.” Her face turned a blanched hue as she struggled with her thoughts. “Isn’t there something about bad luck to see the bride before the wedding or something?”
He frowned at her, not fooled by her excuse at all. “I’ll go, of course, but I’ll miss you.”
Her lips parted, trembled. For a woman who claimed to be afraid that he wouldn’t make it to the altar, she didn’t seem very interested in keeping him at her side. “Maybe we should have bought handcuffs instead of rings,” he said as lightly as possible. “I’m getting the strange feeling I’d be wise to attach you to my side.”
“I’ll be there,” she said, her tone quiet and serious. “I admit to having massive nerves, though.”
“Is that why you haven’t chosen a dress?”
A very sweet blush he found quite charming stole up her neck.
“How did you know about that?”
He shrugged. “Janet and Genie mentioned they were playing bridal consultants. I am, of course, hoping that they do it differently than you do.”
She grinned at him. “You mean somehow helping me to back out of our agreement?”
“I’d prefer a different result.”
“Oh, Mitch. I know I’m doing the right thing. It’s such a big, scary step, even if it is a short-term situation.”
He wouldn’t comment on that. “So did you like either of their choices?”
“I’m still thinking over the options.”
His heart turned over inside him. She really was doing this out of love and compassion for her bedridden mother. He had hoped…
He made a pact with himself to do nothing to ever hurt her again. Perhaps in six weeks he could make serious headway into healing her pain. “Whatever you wear, you’ll be a beautiful bride.”
“I thought I’d feel differently,” she murmured. “I must say I’m getting new insight into why so much stress walks in the door with every bride.” She gave him a shy glance. “Are you nervous?”
He held up his hand, horizontally. “Not a tremor in me. Steady as a rock.”
She took a deep breath. “Promise me that when we terminate our agreement, we won’t be like poor Kathryn and Tom. I want to believe we’ll always be friends no matter what, Mitch. I don’t want us to be enemies.”
He saw the shudder pass through her, and with dismay realized what was bothering her. “You mean, when the time is up, we part ways on friendly terms.”
“I would hate knowing that we traded in a perfectly good friendship for a few weeks of matrimonial camouflage.”
He felt pretty certain she was asking if he would go peacefully out of her life, no strings attached, like the agreement she would have had with Barney.
It would kill him to give her up again.
“I would never be like Tom,” he said. “Is that what’s got you so upset? Because you weren’t upset when we agreed to get married.”
“I know. I think Aunt Elle giving us her present tonight shook me up.” She rubbed her arms, the bare skin goose-pimpled. “She put her whole heart into it because she believes we’re forever. And we’re deceiving them all.”
He wasn’t. He loved Crystal. He wanted a lifelong commitment with her.
“I couldn’t bring myself to break that china,” she murmured.
You won’t have to, he thought.
CRYSTAL CRAWLED INTO BED wearily. Igor, Thor and Nip cozied themselves into the positions in the bed they’d enjoyed before Mitch had encroached upon their space. Five cats found various places to drape themselves, two upon her pillow.
“You’re glad he’s gone,” she said to her menagerie.
A cat yawned. Thor licked her hand.
“You don’t seem all that glad.” She scowled into the darkness. “I think you’re fickle beasts. You don’t know what you want.”
Igor blew out a breath.
“You just want me to shut up so you can go to sleep.” Crystal pulled the covers up against her chin. “The thing is, I think I miss him.”
He’d held her hair when she’d been sick in the night. He cradled her close to his chest and soothed her to sleep. He made love to her like there was no tomorrow.
Only a couple of weeks ago, she’d had no hope of tomorrow with the man she’d never forgotten. Now, thanks to her family, tomorrow glimmered faintly on the horizon like a mirage, elusively within, yet out of reach.
“I’m such a case,” she told her pets. “I’ve got basically one more day to think this through, and you’re no help at all!”
BEFORE THE REHEARSAL, Crystal sat in the Red Horn Café with Janet and Genie. It was basically her bachelorette party, because she had insisted she didn’t want one. So they’d kept it simple, just this meeting at the café.
It had turned into more of a nerve-soother, though. Sensing her distress, Genie and Janet kept her hot tea mug full and their ears open.
“You look pale,” Janet commented.
“Kind of anxious,” Genie said.
“Well, that’s normal, isn’t it?” Who was she kidding? She was about to jump out of her skin. If this was normal, how did anyone ever handle looking forward to marriage? “Can I ask you something, Genie?”
“Sure.”
Crystal swallowed. “I don’t mean to pry, but I did notice that you’re not wearing your lip ring anymore. Did Linc ask you not to?”
“Oh, no.” Genie laughed. “Linc says he doesn’t care one way or the other. I tried it on for him once, but he just shrugged. To tell you the truth, I felt kind of silly when the man I love was staring at the ring in my lip. I want to be beautiful for Linc. I don’t need to be radical anymore. So,” she said with a shrug, “it became obvious to me that the ring was in my way. I want to get as close as I can to Linc when we’re kissing. I don’t want anything in the way.” Her grin was saucy.
“I see.” Crystal knew how heavenly it was to be in Mitch’s arms. “Your hair looks very pretty with the new color, although I liked the raspberry.”
Genie’s eyes danced. “My hair will always be short and sassy, but somehow I feel more beautiful to my lover with my natural black hair. Note the burgundy highlights, however.”
“It’s lovely,” Crystal murmured. “What did Linc say about that?”
“That he loved me with pink hair, he’d love me with purple.” She laughed out loud. “He said he’d love me if I was bald, and somehow that led to an afternoon of lovemaking. I’m not sure how.”
They shared a conspiratorial giggle. Crystal looked at Janet, the questions still on her mind. “Janet, I couldn’t help noticing when I fit yo
u for the ice-blue bridesmaid dress that you seem to…you seem to—”
“Have lost weight? I have.” Janet’s grin was as big as Genie’s. “The five pounds I added when I was worried about getting married somehow shed right off after I broke the engagement. I still talk to my former fiancé, and I’m glad we’re friends of a sort, but I know now I was marrying him for acceptance. I mistook fondness for true love.” She sat up proudly. “I’m starting a fitness routine, and I’m loving it!”
“A fitness routine?” Crystal asked carefully.
“As a matter of fact, yes. Frankie happened to jog by the house one day when I was out getting the mail. He asked me to join him, and I did. It’s fun!”
Crystal lifted an eyebrow. “The jogging, or the company?”
“Oh, Frankie and I will always be just friends. In fact, he’s dating a girl in Dallas he likes real well. But I’d forgotten how good it feels to be with a man simply for the sake of companionship. Somehow I feel more attractive, especially as I can tell I’m becoming more fit. And goodness knows, Frankie is an excellent fitness coach.”
“So you’re doing this for yourself? Not because you and your fiancé broke up?”
“Only for me. No one else.”
“Oh, dear,” Crystal said. “I’m so glad you figured it out in time. You look great.”
“The point is, I feel great. It’s something I’ve done for me, and no one else. Just like Genie getting rid of most of her rebel tendencies. She didn’t do it because Linc asked her to. She wanted to. She rebelled by having fuschia hair and a lip ring and a fiancé who was all wrong for her, although truth to tell, that turned out to be a good thing because it brought Mitch riding home on his white charger to oust the evil fiancé. And then you two got together. Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Yes,” Crystal murmured. “I think so.”
“Do you love him?” Genie asked.
Did she love Mitch? Of course she did. She always had.
“Let’s not be deep tonight,” Janet suggested. “Let’s talk about the surprise gown Crystal has chosen.”
She smile wanly. “I think you’re going to be very surprised.”