by S S Bazinet
Arel studied her face. The anger was gone, replaced by relief. “And I’m sorry that I’ve caused so much trouble since you took off your wings. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that Carey and I are flying back to Chicago tomorrow.”
Annabel’s face brightened. “Have a good trip, and let’s just hope the worst is over for both you and William.”
Twenty-Two
AFTER THE GET-TOGETHER at Peggy’s house and humiliating herself, Elise avoided seeing anyone. It was only when a couple of days had passed that she felt more at ease. She wasn’t thinking about Arel as much as before. When she walked past his house, there were no rapid heartbeats or sweaty palms. A chance meeting with Michael at the mailbox made her wonder if her reactions had to do with Arel’s absence. Michael told her that Arel had gone to London. Curious, she invited Michael in for a chat.
“How is the book coming?” he asked as he followed her into the living room.
She gestured towards the sofa. “Almost done. I’ll go over it a time or two to make sure the story is consistent and free of any major flaws, but essentially, it’s finished.”
Michael sat down on the sofa. “I’m happy to hear that.”
Elise began to remove books off of some built-in shelves. “I hope you don’t mind if I do some packing while we talk.”
“No, of course not. Would you like some help?”
Elise pointed to Freddie. The puppy was dragging in one of her tennis shoes. “I’m fine here, but could you retrieve my shoe? I must have forgotten to put it on a shelf after our walk.”
Michael got up and crouched down. “Bring me the shoe, Freddie,” he said in a quiet voice.
Elise was about to correct Michael’s approach to doggie communication. Freddie never listened to anything she said once he had hold of one of her shoes. But when Freddie obediently trotted over to Michael, she was too surprised to utter any words. She couldn’t believe it when Freddie even dropped the shoe in Michael’s hand. “How did you do that?” she asked.
Michael came over and handed her the shoe. “Animals and I seem to understand each other.”
“Is it a gift you were born with?”
Michael glanced upwards. “You might say that.”
Elise picked at a chewed shoelace and frowned. “Can I ask you something about Arel? Peggy told me that he’s unusual.”
“In what way?”
“She says he’s more reactive, physically. She thinks that’s why he responded so negatively to my kiss on his cheek. Anyway, I’m hoping it’s not just me.”
“Perhaps you should check the matter out with him.”
“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to be around him if he’s allergic to me.”
“But the two of you dated for some time, and he was fine.”
“That’s true. So I can’t understand what happened.”
“Arel is returning home tonight. Why don’t you stop over tomorrow morning and talk to him? I think you’ll feel better if you come to some kind of understanding about what’s going on.”
Elise twisted the chewed shoelace. “Maybe you’re right. It’s hard thinking that I’m a danger to the opposite sex.”
Michael smiled. “Come over around eleven. Carey will enjoy seeing you again too.”
* * * * *
Arel sat on the sofa, glancing at Michael at regular intervals. “I can’t believe you invited that woman over for a visit. I have way too much on my mind to spend time with a looney.”
Carey walked in carrying a plate of treats. “I thought Elise might enjoy some of these oatmeal raisin cookies. I picked them up at the bakery when I took an early spin on my bike.”
“Very thoughtful, Carey,” Michael said.
Arel gave Carey a look of annoyance. “She doesn’t need cookies. She needs a good psychiatrist.”
Carey’s face registered surprise. “I thought we talked about Elise, and you said you weren’t going to make any more judgments about her.”
“That was before I found out she was barging into my home again.”
Michael edged forward. “Arel, Elise is upset. She thinks there’s something wrong with her after what happened to your cheek.”
Arel stiffened. He’d arrived home the night before, still going over his visit with William and hoping something good would come out of it. Now, low on energy and patience, he had to entertain his crazy neighbor. “Well, she’s right. Her lips are dangerous.”
Michael smiled. “I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think so either,” Carey said as he headed back towards the kitchen.
Arel crossed his arms. “So explain why my cheek blistered?”
Michael glanced out the front window, stood up and started for the foyer. “Elise is coming up the walk. Maybe you can discuss that question with her.”
Arel jumped up and grabbed Michael’s arm. All of his recent encounters with Elise had involved something that didn’t feel right. The incident with the rug. Her kiss. Then her frenzied departure when she saw him at Peggy’s. Elise was definitely unstable. “Do not leave me alone with that woman, Michael. Is that clear?”
“Yes, of course it is.”
“Good, and when you let her in, make sure she sits on the sofa. I’ll use your chair by the window.”
Michael nodded. “I understand.”
* * * * *
Arel positioned himself in Michael’s chair, preparing himself for whatever was coming next. When he snatched a glance at Elise, her legs were crossed and she had a shaky foot going constantly. She barely looked at him, but when she did, her eyes were wide and anxious. He was sure it was just a matter of time before the woman did something irrational again. Presently, Michael and Carey were keeping her occupied with small talk.
Taking advantage of a momentary reprieve, Arel let his gaze wander to the window. Outside, a fresh layer of leaves blanketed the lawn. They’d probably blown over from a neighbor’s oak tree. Perhaps Michael would volunteer to give the problem his attention later that day. The idea had barely crossed Arel’s mind, when the sound of Elise clearing her throat made him glance back at her. Her blue eyes were focused and alert, on him. They were so attentive that he had the feeling that she could see right through him. He sat up immediately and made sure his shields were in place. It helped him feel more secure, but he couldn’t stop Elise from asking him a question.
“Arel, I don’t understand why my kiss hurt you, but it’s really bothering me,” she said in a quiet tone. “Can you think of any reason why something like that happened? Because it’s never happened to the men I’ve kissed in the past.”
Arel’s mind was instantly side-tracked. He wondered how many men Elise had kissed before him. Two? Three? A dozen?
When he didn’t comment, Elise continued her query. “I’ve known a lot of guys, Arel. So why didn’t any of them have a problem? Maybe what happened isn’t my fault. Have you ever noticed being overly sensitive when other women kissed you?”
Arel sat up, immediately offended by Elise’s question. “First of all, I haven’t kissed all that many women. Secondly, I’ve never had any problem when I did kiss someone.”
Carey smiled. “Elise, in case you didn’t know, Arel is kind of the reclusive type.”
Elise looked down, studying her clasped hands. “I see. In that case, what happened must be some kind of fluke, maybe we have bad chemistry.”
Arel sighed at the sound of Elise’s disappointed lament. He knew he was contributing to her unease by being an ungracious host. She looked sad and troubled when she got to her feet. He stood up too. For some reason, he wanted to make amends for the way he was acting. Like Carey said, he’d been very judgmental ever since they’d broken off their relationship. And if Elise had interacted with a lot of men before they met, she couldn’t have caustic lips. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful,” he said as he approached her. He held out his hand. “My body has been overly sensitive at times. So it’s probably me that’s the problem.”
Elise put h
er hands behind her back. “Maybe we shouldn’t touch if that’s the case.”
Arel laughed. “I’m okay, really. Besides, we have held hands before.”
Elise smiled too, slowly bringing her hand forward. “I’ll be moving soon. And it would be nice to part company knowing we can at least touch each other.”
Arel took Elise’s hand. “I wish you the best wherever you go.”
Elise lifted her gaze enough to let their eyes meet for the briefest moment. When she pulled her hand away, she did it quickly. “I better go. I have more packing to do.”
Arel didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say or do as a feeling of familiarity lingered. It was so strong, he almost felt like an old friend was saying goodbye.
When Michael returned after showing Elise out, he smiled at Arel. “That went well, don’t you think?”
“Yes, it did. In fact, I got the strangest feeling when she was leaving. It was almost like Elise is a kindred soul.”
“Perhaps she reminds you of yourself.”
Arel paused, remembering how he’d sensed an inner fire in Elise. When they shook hands, he felt that fire spark again. He recognized the feeling. “I think you’re right. We’re both people who are looking for someone to share our life. It took a long time for me, but I finally found Claire. I hope Elise finds someone soon too.”
“Yes, she’d like that.”
“I mean she’s pretty enough, I suppose. Some men might even find her very attractive.”
Michael smiled. “Yes, I agree.”
“And she’s smart too. Perhaps, since she’s changed, she could be suitable dating material.”
Carey came out of the kitchen and joined them. “Are you discussing Elise?”
Arel gave him the onceover, wondering if Carey was still hungry. “There’s sandwich material in the refrigerator for lunch.”
Carey smiled. “I’m fine. I finished off the extra cookies.”
Arel crossed his arms and looked at Michael. “Shouldn’t Carey take better care of his body?”
Michael crossed his arms too, looking more contemplative than usual. “Well, I suppose that’s a good question, but look at you, Arel, you don’t eat or drink at all. Yet, you’re fine.”
“That’s true.”
Carey patted Arel’s back. “Technically, you’re a little like us. Food is optional, but if we ingest something, and it contributes to a sense of well-being, the rules of health are a bit different than for most humans.”
Arel shifted the conversation to his recent guest. “Speaking of normal humans, Elise looks like she’s sufficiently fed. She’s quite, how would I put it, she’s very womanly.”
“She’s different than Claire,” Carey added. “Claire isn’t as, I don’t know—”
Arel cut in. “Elise might have more curves, but Claire is perfect. There’s not an extra ounce on her body. She’s gorgeous.”
Carey nodded. “But still, Elise has no reason to feel bad about her physical form. I think that both she and Claire are very well constructed.”
“Well constructed?” Arel laughed. Most of the time Carey acted like any other young man, but at other times, his angelic side was evident. “That’s one way of putting it. But I don’t have time to discuss women. I have things I need to do.”
He was about to return to his to-do list when his phone chirped. His eyes brightened when he saw who was texting him. “It’s from Claire!”
Carey and Michael remained silent as Arel studied the long message he’d received. When he looked up, a surge of happiness took hold. “Guess what? Claire says that her dig has been temporarily put on hold. Something about the unstable politics in the region. She’s going to take a plane out as soon as possible.” He smiled broadly. “I can’t believe my luck. She’s going to be here within a couple of days! Isn’t that the best news?”
* * * * *
Peggy was walking to her mailbox when she saw Elise leaving Arel’s house. Her neighbor looked more relaxed. Perhaps her troubles with Arel were getting resolved. Peggy raised her hand and waved. “Hi, Elise! Can I talk to you for a moment?”
When Elise waved back and came over, Peggy gave her a welcoming smile. “Carol and I are meeting for coffee soon. Would you like to join us?”
Elise glanced back at her house. “I guess it would be okay to leave Freddie for a bit longer. We had a very big walk early this morning. When I left him, he was sleeping soundly.”
Peggy grabbed the mail out of her box. “Little Sara is down for a nap too. And Kevin has the day off, so he’s watching little Ariel.”
Elise smiled. “So it’ll just be the three of us.”
Yes. Do you want to come in and help me?”
“Sure, I’d love to,” Elise said as they walked back to Peggy’s house.
Once they were in the kitchen, Peggy handed Elise the teapot. “Would you put some water in this, and I’ll put some cookies out.”
Elise took the teapot to the sink and began to fill it. “I resisted some oatmeal raisin cookies when I visited Arel. They looked good, but I’m watching my diet.”
Peggy beamed back with pride. “I made chocolate chip cookies last night. I’m told they’re very tasty.”
“They sound delicious. Maybe I could have one or two.”
Peggy took the lid off the cookie jar and began putting cookies on a plate. “So, I don’t want to pry, but I am curious. Did you and Arel work things out?”
Elise shrugged. “I think I’m in the clear. We shook hands, and he seemed fine.”
“That’s good news. You looked so upset the other night.”
“I know. It was kind of freaky to think my kisses were toxic.”
“Arel is always surprising me with something out of the ordinary.”
Elise put the pot on the stove. “He seems a bit distracted. He didn’t say much when I was at his house. Carey and Michael did most of the talking.”
Peggy giggled. “He’s totally preoccupied with his lady love, Claire. He’s been alone for a long time. When we learned that he met someone, we were all happy about it.” As soon as she made the statement Peggy realized how thoughtless she sounded. “Oh, my goodness, Elise, I’m sorry. You still have feelings for him.”
Elise adjusted the flame on the stove burner. “It’s okay. After seeing him today, it’s clear that I’m barely on his radar. In a way, I’m glad. It makes me want to forget about him too.”
“Who knows? You might have been spared?”
“Spared? How?”
Peggy took some plates out of the cupboard and started putting them out on the table. “Arel is wonderful in a lot of ways, but he is very, how should I put it, he’s very—”
Elise laughed. “Are you trying to say that he’s very particular about his stuff? A neat freak?”
“I’m afraid so. However, from what little I know, Claire isn’t like that at all. When I talked to Annabel—”
“Is that Arel’s friend’s wife?”
“Yes, Annabel is William’s wife. And she’s as nice and sweet as they come. She said that Claire made a statement about being a terrible housekeeper. Not only that but when Annabel and Claire went out shopping, Claire made Annabel feel very uncomfortable.” Peggy hesitated. “Oh heavens, I’m saying all the wrong things today.”
“What do you mean?”
“First, I’m being insensitive about your feelings. Next, I’m telling tales about the woman Arel is going to marry.”
Elise averted her eyes. “I hope things work out for him. After dating me, he deserves someone who’ll appreciate him.”
Peggy reached out for Elise’s arm. “And so do you, Elise. You’ve done an amazing job in turning your life around.”
“I have to give Carey and Michael most of the credit. They were like a couple of angels when they visited. They helped me to see myself and life so differently. The more I thought about what they said and observed how sincere they were, the more I wanted to change.”
“I agree. They’re something
special.”
“I’m going to miss them, but they both assured me that we’ll always stay in touch. Normally, I wouldn’t put much faith in such promises, but I believe them.”
Twenty-Three
WILLIAM FROWNED AND tossed aside a book he’d been reading. Ever since Arel’s visit he’d been trying to motivate himself. He had a certain amount of time to find his lost passion. Since science had once been extremely compelling, he poured over the latest scientific studies. If he could rekindle his love for mystery, perhaps he’d return to those remembered days when life was a bounty of riddles to be solved. If he could revive that interest, perhaps it would spread out to other areas of his life.
He also pursued new topics, especially ones that might help his connection to Annabel. He devoured books on relationships, family life and even the value of a hobby. He pushed himself in every way that might lead him back to a sense of excitement about life. And what had all his work done for him? He sat in his recliner in the downstairs living area feeling like a great lump of frustration.
Annabel seemed to exist in a different world than his. She quietly occupied herself without commenting on what he was doing. When he looked over at her, she sat on the sofa knitting. Her fingers moved in steady, repetitive motions as bright blue yarn was transformed into some kind of garment. She’d mentioned something about a sweater for Carol’s little boy, Ariel.
Presently, her brows were smooth and relaxed. It made him wonder about her thoughts. He could have accessed them by tuning into her mind, but he didn’t want to invade her privacy.
“Thank you, William,” Annabel said without missing a stitch.
William jerked his recliner into an upright position. “Why are you thanking me?”
Annabel glanced up only briefly. “You’re respecting my right to my own thoughts.”
William’s breath caught with a sudden realization. “But you think it’s okay to eavesdrop on mine?”
Annabel held up her knitting and inspected it. “Yes, I do.”
“I didn’t know you still had that ability.”
“I didn’t know I still had it either. Then one day, when my worries got the best of me, I was able to check on you and know what you were thinking.”