by Maren Cooper
They walked through the mist to the entrance, beckoned by the warm yellow light of landscape lamps. Jess smelled the familiar lake air mixed with the aromas coming from the open door of the restaurant: roasting pork, root vegetables, and the faint hint of baking apples and cinnamon. Ah, it’s so good to be here. She allowed herself a moment to smile before a creeping feeling of loss swallowed her.
Diane took her aside as they waited for Claire to hit the restroom as soon as they walked in the door. “Jess, I need to tell you that this trip is hard for me. Saying goodbye to your place—so many happy memories. And if it’s hard for me, I can only guess how tough this is for you. What can I do to help you through it?”
Jess instantly teared up at the show of concern and responded with a quick side hug. “You always come through for me, Diane, and I know you won’t disappoint me this weekend. I’ll make a deal with you: promise not to laugh at me when I explain the ‘mission,’ and you can be the designated driver for me tonight. I plan to drink some wine with dinner.”
After her first swallow of a very good red, Jess laid out the plan. She would have preferred to drink more before she had to spill the story, but she had a sleepy pregnant woman who was eager for bed. Besides, she didn’t think early-morning light would make this any easier.
“OK, ladies, good friends, friends who do not judge.” Jess looked at each of them in turn, with just a hint of mirth in her eye. “I need your help this weekend on a kind of treasure hunt.”
“I knew it,” Claire jumped in. “Arthur has hidden gold up here, and you’re going to find it and make sure it becomes the marital asset it should be!” She laughed giddily at her idea and looked to the others for their reaction.
Jess laughed too. “No, not quite, but that’s a good one! Treasure may be a misnomer.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Oh, jeez, let me just explain it and get it over with.” She exhaled and, looking at the fireplace in the corner, started talking.
“Over the years, Arthur took pictures of me that he wanted to have with him when he traveled. These pictures are not the kind of thing I want out there for anyone else to see. I believe I have recovered all but one or two photos, which may be at the lake place. Your mission, if you wish to accept it, is to help me find them.” Jess’s face felt hot when she finished. She picked up her wineglass before looking up at her friends.
“Oh my God,” Claire said. “Arthur had naked pictures of you that he took all around the world with him? That is so romantic!”
“Hey, Jess, no biggie. We’ll find them,” Diane chirped. “If they’re here to be found, that is.” Jess took a long drink of her wine.
The server came and mesmerized them with the offerings. They ordered four small plates to share and decided to save some room for the apple-ginger tart. The homey atmosphere, combined with the warmth from the fire, made them all want to keep chatting a little longer, even the yawning Claire.
“You know, honey,” Claire said, “people are using their cell phones for this kind of thing all the time now, not to mention posting this information for all the world to see. Are these old-style photos, then?”
“Yes. They actually had to be developed! Way before the technology changed. I had forgotten about them until just recently. Arthur had them stashed in the safe deposit box, and I got them.”
“He had them where?” Diane could not contain her amusement.
“He says he didn’t want the kids to come across them.” Jess shrugged. “I had a rather anxious trip down to the bank to get them.” She raised her eyebrows, remembering her awkward encounter with the staff.
“Well, that makes sense, in an Arthur kind of way, I guess,” Claire offered. “So, do we get to know what photos we’re looking for?”
Jess poured herself a second glass of wine. “OK, you two. You’ve been good long enough. You can start to enjoy this now.” She looked at both of them, feigning exasperation, and they giggled.
“You have to admit it’s quite funny to think of Arthur carrying these photos around the world and then keeping them safe at the bank,” Claire started, and they all laughed heartily.
“I can just see him taking them into the secure part of the bank,” Diane offered, “kind of like a secret agent. Trench coat on, collar up . . .” And the giggles continued.
Their order arrived, and as they immersed themselves in the pleasure of the food, Jess felt herself slipping into the weekend, now that she had put the worst behind her.
As they finished off the tart, Claire asked, “So, Jess, is there a prize for whoever finds the photos? Also, you still haven’t really described them.”
“Hmm, well, I still co-own the place for a bit, so how about another weekend at the lake house for the winner? And the best description of the photo is ‘love in open air.’” Jess, feeling the effect of her wine, smiled as they rolled their eyes and asked for more hints.
“That’s all you’re getting. The hunt is on, or the hunt is on in the morning. Diane, please get us there.” Jess handed her the keys.
Jess slept so soundly that it took several minutes before she had awakened enough to realize where she was and to find the house phone as it rang.
“Hello.” The sleep was thick in her voice.
“Jess.”
“Arthur, why are you calling? Are the kids OK?” Now thoroughly awake, she stood up to ground herself, finding her cell phone in order to check the time: just after midnight.
“I assume the kids are fine. I’m not calling about the kids. I couldn’t reach you on your cell.” The anger in his voice was palpable.
“Arthur, why in the world are you calling me after mid—”
“What are you doing, demanding those airline miles? Why on earth do you think you should have them? Who put you up to this?” He raved on, until he finally paused to take a breath. “What exactly are you doing?”
Jess moved from a wine and relief–infused dead sleep to warrior mode in less than five seconds, then ratcheted back to enjoy his tirade.
“Seems only fair, since I was keeping the home fires burning while you were traveling the world for so many years, that I should get something in return.”
“Ah, so this is about revenge? I thought you were above that.”
“What’s fair is fair, Arthur. And this seems fair to me.”
“Well, it’s not going to happen. So don’t plan any trips yet. I will reopen the negotiations.”
“At your own peril, I would say . . .”
She could faintly hear Arthur sputtering. He went quiet for a few seconds, then said, “Don’t be so sure about that, Jess. By the way, have you found the pictures?” Click.
“Jess, is everything OK?” Diane peered into the master bedroom. “A late-night phone call always makes me nervous.”
“I’m so sorry. Did the phone wake you?” Jess felt her heartbeat slowing at the sight of her friend.
“Well, yes, but it’s fine.”
“What about Claire?”
“Haven’t heard a peep. The downstairs bedroom door is closed, so she may not have heard anything.”
“Thank God. She needs her sleep.” Jess exhaled slowly.
“So do you, my dear. What’s up? Do you want to talk about it?” Diane started walking toward the great room. “Or at least come see the moon.”
Jess followed her, and they both took in the breathtaking sight of an autumn full moon, in all its colorful splendor, splashing light on the lake in front of them, beyond the deck.
Diane broke the spell. “So beautiful and peaceful. Are you ready to go back to sleep?”
“Nope, don’t think that’ll happen for a while. How about you? Sleepy?”
“I don’t expect to be sleepy until you tell me what happened just now.”
Jess smiled. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve a friend like you, but I’m grateful.” They sat on the couch so that they could still see the moon.
“I’m becoming a cliché, Diane. I’m a middle-aged wife whose husband has
left her for a younger woman—just as her children have left the nest. And now the divorce is almost finalized, all negotiations over, and I’ve acted emotionally and thrown something out there that I knew would be trouble.”
“Hey, you’re not a cliché. Far from it. You’re an awesome, bright woman who is going through a tough time with incredible class. I didn’t know the divorce was so close to being done. Good for you.” Diane said.
“Yes, well, I want closure. I really do. So why did I throw a spear at Arthur?”
“Honey, you know there’s not a straight path through these things. You two were married for a long time, had a wonderful life together, raised two beautiful children. There are a lot of memories to sort through before you can heal and file them away. You need to give your heart time to catch up with your head.”
“But I can do that, Diane. That’s why this is so frustrating. I lived through my parents’ divorce. I know what it takes.” She looked up at her friend through tear-filled eyes. “I’m resilient and strong—but so tired of needing to be.”
“You may have survived your parents’ divorce, but we both know what it cost you. Those were terrible times for you. You’ll carry that with you always.”
“And now so will Beth and Tom. I failed to protect them from that.”
“You know this situation can’t compare to what you went through with your parents. Polar opposites. You did whatever you could to avoid hurting your kids.”
Jess eased her head back on the couch cushion. Diane walked the length of the great room and brought them each a glass of water.
“Diane, I hope my experience hasn’t turned you off to marriage. I feel guilty sharing all of this with you, when you should be in thrall with your own sweet romance.”
“Not to worry. Remember, I have my own parents’ marriage as a goal. If indeed this romance . . .”
“Ah, gotcha.” Jess laughed. “That’s as close as you’ve come to admitting that things are serious between you and George.”
Diane took a drink of water. “Hmm . . . we’ll see.”
“It was the last picture that made me lose it. When I realized that one was missing and I still had to find it, and Arthur was so cool and dismissive about it . . .” Jess knew she was rambling. “I directed my attorney to go after his rewards miles.”
“His what?”
“He has millions of rewards miles from all of his travel. He gets very excited about how to grow those rewards. It’s a game for him.”
“And he’s ticked about it?”
“He’s beyond ticked. Enraged is more like it.”
“That’s why he called after midnight?”
“Well, Portland is two hours behind us, and he said he tried my cell first, but you know we don’t have good reception here. Anyway, yes, that’s why he called.”
“Do you want these miles?”
“It’s not the miles. It’s the pain I was going for,” Jess whispered.
“Sounds like you got it, girl!” Diane chuckled, and Jess joined her, until they were both laughing uncontrollably.
Finally gaining some semblance of poise, Diane said, “So, are we tired yet?”
“Getting there. I’ve gotta sleep on Arthur’s last words before I can sort this out completely.”
“Last words?”
“Well, he sort of implied that the missing picture would remain missing until I gave up the miles.”
“What? You’re kidding! Does that mean he has it and we’re on a wild goose chase?”
“Could be that, or he’s bluffing. I have no idea.”
They sat silently, both contemplating the odds, for a few minutes. Jess knew that had she been alone, she would have searched all night after that phone call.
It was after two a.m. when they went back to bed, and more than an hour after that when Jess last checked the time. What was she missing? Finally, she let her mind go blank as she listened to the waves spill over the rocky shore.
Chapter 24
The moment Jess arrived at work on Monday, Cindy, an associate at the firm, flagged her down and followed her into her office. “Hey, girlfriend. How was the weekend?” Cindy opened Jess’s door and grabbed her briefcase from her. As Jess walked in, Cindy turned to face her. “You get through it OK?”
“Could have been worse, I guess, but it was still hard. I’m glad I had friends with me. They kept me from getting too teary about it. Plus, they helped me cart out the stuff I brought back.”
“Did you bring much?” Cindy’s voice relaxed. “Nah, just some books, clothes, and personal mementos: the lake house guest book, which Arthur never wanted, and a couple of homemade kid ornaments that I couldn’t part with. It made it easier to leave knowing that my children will find it familiar when they visit.”
“So, Arthur doesn’t plan to sell?”
“I don’t really know. But for now, we’ve agreed that we won’t upset either household. I’m not privy to his living situation in Portland, but I assume he’s not in a tent.” She looked up at Cindy and laughed. “I’m OK, really. But thanks for checking in on me. The divorce should be final this month.” Jess headed for her desk.
“Oh. Glad to hear that, Jess.”
“Yes, it’s time to close this chapter and move on. Drama can be exhausting.” She laughed again, hoping to put her friend at ease. “So, did I miss anything here on Friday?” She glanced at her inbox.
“Actually, I do want to bring you up to date on something. But I was just running to the corner to get a fancy coffee. Can I bring you one?”
“That sounds wonderful, Cindy. I’ll do a quick e-mail check and be ready when you get back.” Jess was just about to sit, then added, “Surprise me with something new and different, please.”
She could use the caffeine. After Arthur’s wild call had interrupted her night, she and Diane and Claire had turned the place inside out on Saturday, looking for the pictures. Finally, Jess had hit a wall and called a halt to spending any more time or emotion on a photo of her that might or might not still exist. She vowed not to fall into Arthur’s trap, and Diane and Claire cheered her decision. But it was a decision she had to live with, and it was only day two.
She had dealt with a dozen e-mails by the time Cindy returned with a double-mocha, double-shot latte. “A treat with some punch.” She passed it over to Jess.
“I look a little tired, huh?” She took the cover off the whipped cream–topped concoction and smiled at her friend’s concerned expression. “It looks delicious. Thanks.”
“You were going to catch me up on something from Friday,” Jess prompted, taking a first sip with her eyes closed in appreciation.
“Yes, something new and different happened here on Friday—something that may open a new chapter for us.”
“Good segue, Cindy. Do tell.” She smiled between sips.
“Well, it happens that Dick Morrison called Dan over for an impromptu meeting, and Dan asked me along.”
“What’s up with Midwest Health? Merger business still?” Jess asked.
“No, that’s all tidied up. He actually seemed very pleased with the work the firm did for him, which is why he’s asked for our help with a new initiative.”
“That’s good. I bet Dan was pleased. New legal work for you, then?”
“Not exactly, so I’m giving you a heads-up about what happened at the meeting.”
“Sounds mysterious. Go on.”
“Evidently, Dick is thinking that Midwest Health, now that the university acquisition is all set, is ready to make a play to add some community clinics. Seems like they’re ready to take advantage of their new capacity to bring in more patients by buying clinics. And, that brought him to—”
“Wow, that’s fast. That merger must have been pretty smooth if they’re ready to take on more complexity. It’s only been a few months. I’m impressed.”
“Well, here’s the new-and-different part. Maybe your ears were burning Friday afternoon, because your name came up at the meeting.”
/> “Really? Why is that?” Jess studied her closely. Cindy had no idea how Jess and Dick had faced off the previous spring, as she had been out on maternity leave at the time.
“Well, Dick apparently checked with his network for the best local talent on practice acquisitions and came up with your name. He wants to retain us to help with this new strategy, if you’ll agree to be lead.”
Jess felt her cheeks flush. “What, me?” She got up from her chair, headed for her coffee supplies, and made a full-blown mission of locating a spoon for her drink.
“Well, Jess, what do you say to that? Quite a compliment, right?”
“Yes, wow, that’s very nice to hear.” Jess regained her composure and took her seat, concentrating now on stirring the drink and taking a long swallow. “And what did Dan say to that?”
“That’s the interesting part. Dan didn’t jump on it at all. I was amazed. He sounded almost uninterested. Anyway, they excused me at the end and met for maybe ten more minutes. Dan was pretty closed-mouthed about it as we left, but he did tell me he plans to talk to you about it early this week.”
After work, Jess met Claire, whose nesting instinct had arrived. Time to prepare the nursery.
“OK, so this is the one.” Claire caught Jess’s attention as they entered the kids’ furniture showroom and pointed to the cherrywood crib.
“Oh, I love that, and you’ll need a rocker . . .”
After they had made their choices and arranged for delivery, Claire insisted on dinner. “I’m famished. Among the most surprising experiences of pregnancy is the never-ending desire for food—all kinds of food, any time of day, and in copious quantities.”
“Oh, I remember the cravings I had, for salty, then sweet. My big thing was potato chips and ice cream in the middle of the night!” Jess laughed. Then she took a long look at her friend, still stylish in her ninth month, her jade jersey drape jacket lengthening her petite frame and accentuating her brilliant green eyes, and added, “Anyway, whatever you’re eating is obviously working for you. You look great—glowing, as they say. And Kenneth is working wonders for you.” She thought of all the shopping she had done with Claire until they’d found Kenneth, who had become their personal shopper and emergency go-to guy for a must-have outfit on little more than a moment’s notice.