Chapter Eight
My heart was racing again.
I had just returned from playing racquetball. Darby wasn’t in his room, and everything was quiet. I took advantage of the extra time to dial Mick’s number.
He answered on the second ring. “Susan,” he said softly, almost breathlessly, with tenderness and concern. “Where are you?”
“Mick.” I couldn’t say anything more. I didn’t want to cry, and I had to take a few seconds to get my emotions in check. His voice made my knees weak. I sat down on the bed.
“I’ve been worried sick about you,” he said. “Your car is in your carport, but you haven’t been at your apartment or at work, and no one knows where you are.”
Oops. I had forgotten about that. I swore Samantha and Angela to secrecy about my whereabouts. I didn’t want anyone to know I had left the state, and I hadn’t wanted anyone to tell Mick where I was.
“I’m in Florida,” I said sheepishly. “With Darby,” I said in an even smaller voice.
“What! You’re in Florida!” He practically yelled it. “Why on earth would you be in Florida? And why are you with Darby?” The tenderness was gone, and I could hear exasperation in his voice.
His tone set me on edge, and I became defensive. “I’m on vacation. And don’t forget, you lied to me. I was confused, and I wanted to get away.”
I heard him sigh. “Why did Darby go with you?”
Was he jealous? If so, that was a good sign.
“He didn’t come with me. He already had the trip planned,” I told him. “I crashed his vacation. It’s not like we’re staying in the same room, and besides he’s gay.”
“Well, I know that,” he said.
“Mick! You did not know Darby was gay!” I screeched the words into the phone.
“I did, too. I thought everybody knew it,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Well, I just found out,” I said, my voice still raised. “And it seems that’s the way things are going for me now. I’m always the last one to find out about everything – including your family.”
“Susan.” He let out a sigh. “Come home. We can talk about everything when you get here.”
I hesitated before asking, “Could we please just talk now? I’ve had some time to think, and I’m ready to listen.”
“Ok, but there really isn’t much to tell.” He paused for a few moments before speaking. “Jenny and I were married right out of high school, and she became pregnant right away. Our parents helped support us while I went to college, but I also worked part-time. It didn’t take us long to realize we had made a mistake. I was never home, and Jenny resented having a baby so soon. She never resented our son, and she’s a good mother, but she never had a chance to follow any of her dreams. The more success I had, the unhappier she became. Even when I tried to get her to go back to school or open a business, she no longer had any interest.”
He paused again. I remained silent and waited.
“About two years ago, she finally got involved in the community theater over in Marshall, and she loved it. Acting was one of her dreams, and she was finally following one. She would never admit to it, and I never asked her about it, but I’ve been told that for the past year she’s been pretty tight with some guy there. She approached me with the idea of getting a divorce. Now that Alex is fourteen and has his own activities and circle of friends, it seemed like the right time. We’ve been going separate ways for years.”
Another pause. Was he done?
“And that’s all of it, Susan,” he said. “We filed for the divorce, and I moved out. I didn’t expect to meet anyone new for a long time, but when I first saw you on the court that day, I was smitten by everything about you. You were feminine, yet you played hard. Your gym clothes were different from every other woman I saw in the club - right down to your pink laces. Everything about you seemed like fun, and it had been such a long time since I’d had any fun. I couldn’t stop smiling. You were – you are – beautiful.”
I couldn’t talk. I didn’t want him to know I had tears streaming down my face.
“Susan, really, this should have been over long before I ever met you. If Jenny didn’t have the rental properties from her parents in New York, it would have been. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I can only hope you’ll forgive me.”
I wasn’t yet ready to put my feelings into words. “Why didn’t you return my calls?” I asked.
“I was on a job site over in Carnegie on Tuesday,” he said. “Somehow my phone was left behind, and a courier just dropped it off for me about an hour ago. I saw you had called, so I knew you were alive, and I was relieved. I was going to try to call you again this evening.”
My anger was gone, and I finally gave in. “I’m sorry I reacted like I did. I thought you were just another snake-in-the-grass cheater. When you first tried to explain, I think deep down I believed you, but it was too much to process. I needed to get away from you, so I ran off with Darby.” I paused for a second to grab a tissue and wipe my nose. “We’re flying out Saturday morning and should be home sometime in the afternoon.”
“Alex has a school dance on Saturday night, and I’m chaperoning,” he said. “I’m taking him to a baseball game Sunday afternoon, so let’s get together Monday after work. We can talk some more, but I promise there are no more secrets.”
“I’d like that,” I told him. I hesitated for a moment. “Mick?”
“Hmm?”
“I miss you,” I said softly.
“Susan,” his voice was tender again, “you have no idea how much I miss you.”
Sunshine Hunter Page 17