by Kate Sweeney
“Wow.” Morgan looked down at the traffic. “That’s amazing. So many people. Like sardines.”
Cara finished her glass of champagne. “Yep. King Oscar in a can. Well, we’d better get going.”
“Oh, sure.” Morgan finished her glass. “That was tasty.”
They took a cab to the party. Morgan still seemed enthralled by all the people.
“Doesn’t anybody drive?”
“You see the traffic. Would you want to drive in it?” Cara asked.
“Good point.”
“Okay, here we are. Get ready to meet my coworkers and friends.”
“Well, you met mine. Only seems fair. I look forward to it.”
Cara laughed as she paid the cabbie. “You say that now.”
“Nice restaurant,” Morgan said, looking around. “Are they all like this?”
“No, not all.” Cara led her to the room and opened the double doors. “I wish we had more time. I’d take you to my favorite—”
And that was all she got out. Linda met her at the door.
“Sorry for the last-minute change, Morgan. I hope it’s not interrupting your night.”
“Not at all.” Morgan eyed the long table filled with food and drinks. “This really isn’t necessary.”
Linda waved her off and grabbed two glasses of champagne from the traveling server.
Cara took one. “Where’s Doug?”
“He’s at dinner with some alderman. Said he’d try to stop by.”
“He organized this?” Morgan looked at the champagne flute. “No tumblers?”
“What?” Linda asked.
Cara waved her off. “Skip it. So, Doug organized this but is a no-show. Typical.”
“Be nice. Drink your champagne and have some shrimp. Oh, Donna!”
Morgan smiled at Cara, who rolled her eyes.
“Morgan, this is Donna Hatch, she works in accounting. This is her husband, Evan.”
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you ever since Donna told me what happened,” Evan said. “It’s such a heroic thing to do.”
Morgan looked uncomfortable as she shook hands with both. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Evan is a firefighter,” Donna said.
“Do you really fly one of those seaplanes?” Evan asked. “That’s so amazing.”
“Yes, I do, but not as amazing as walking toward a fire when everyone else is running away from it,” Morgan said. “That’s heroic.”
“Thanks,” Evan said. “It’s in my family.”
“I understand. I do what my dad and his brother did all their lives.”
Cara listened to their conversation while stealing a glance at Morgan, who laughed and chatted with the couple. If she was hesitant and awkward in a large setting like this, she hid it well. Cara was happy for that.
“Oh, shit,” Linda said. “What’s she doing here?”
Cara followed her look. There was Kim walking toward them.
“Did you tell her?” Cara asked.
“Of course not. She was probably here for dinner.”
Cara tried to interrupt and guide Morgan away, but she wasn’t quick enough.
“I thought I saw you two,” Kim said. “What’s the occasion?”
“Hi, Kim,” Cara said. “It’s just a little party for Morgan.”
Morgan smiled. “It’s a little overwhelming, really. But I appreciate it.”
“You’re too modest.”
Cara knew by their expressions Evan and Donna knew Kim was being sarcastic. Morgan didn’t seem to mind.
“I hope I’m not crashing the party. I was at the bar. Do you mind, Morgan?”
“Not at all.”
Cara drank her champagne. Morgan stopped the server and picked up a glass for Kim.
“Champagne? I didn’t know the Sentinel had that much money.”
When no one answered, Donna broke the awkward silence.
“So, what do you do for a living, Morgan? Cara said you live in a remote area,” Donna asked, glancing at Cara.
“Yes. What do you do way up north?” Kim asked.
Cara glared at Kim, who ignored her. Cara noticed now, there was a small crowd gathering and listening to the conversation. Morgan didn’t seem to mind as she explained.
“Did your father fly also?” Evan asked.
“Yes, he was an aviator in the Navy, so he and his brother, Jerry, had the idea to start the business. It started out as a tour business. You know, fly the vacationers around the lake. They got a big thrill taking off and landing on the lake.”
“I can imagine,” Kim chimed in while sipping her drink.
Cara wanted to strangle her, but again, Morgan took her sarcasm in stride—and ignored Kim.
“But there are several things I do,” Morgan said. “I deliver the mail to the residents on the lake. I still fly for the resorts, taking their customers back and forth. I occasionally offer flying tours of the boundary waters.”
“Jack of all trades?” Kim asked.
Morgan laughed. “Sort of, I suppose.”
“But how do you make a salary?” Evan asked.
Cara smiled when she heard the curious tone in the man’s voice.
“Oh, she barters. Isn’t that what you said, Cara?” Kim chimed in. “You know, like a chicken for a gallon of gas.”
Cara started to say something, but she felt Morgan’s hand on her wrist.
Morgan chuckled. “It is something like that.”
“Bartering?” Evan sounded amazed.
“Some residents on the lake are in more remote areas than others. Flying is the best way to get to most of them. In the winter, we use snowmobiles. I have a contract with the county to deliver the mail and supplies when needed, and I work with the county authorities if they need my assistance with any vacationers.”
“Like the ladies you saved?”
“Yes. I was just in the area when I got the call.”
“But what do you barter?”
When Morgan laughed, so did Cara; she remembered their conversation. “I have a friend who is a mechanic. He works on my plane, and I fly him and his buddies to their favorite fishing island now and then.”
“Ah, ah,” Kim wagged her finger. “But not on the county dime.”
“Not everyone has larceny in their heart, Kim. But I understand, you’re probably a little jaded living in a big city. I did a little research on past Illinois governors.”
Evan laughed. “That’s the truth. So, go on. What else?”
“Yes, what else do you do?” Donna asked.
“Well, another friend has a small farm. He needed to get to the hospital in a hurry, so I flew him out of the lake. I got eggs and homemade cheese, which are always delicious and worth the trip. There’s a young couple who inherited a resort. He needed to do some renovations, and I helped him get the supplies he needed, and he did some carpentry work on my house. One is a hunter, so when I do something for him, he pays in venison.”
“Which is turned into an awesome stew,” Cara said to him.
“Amazing,” Donna said.
“So, that’s how we work it. I get a salary from the county. It all works out fine.”
“She’s like the boundary waters Crocodile Dundee. Oh…” Kim said, smiling. “Moose Morgan.”
Evan hid his embarrassment in his beer. Kim smiled innocently at Morgan, who smiled in return.
“I’d go for that, we have plenty of moose to go around,” Morgan said honestly.
Cara laughed along with everyone else; she gave Kim a scathing glance.
“I’ll be right back,” Cara said to Morgan.
“Cara, it doesn’t matter,” Morgan said, motioning to Kim.
“It does to me. Besides, you have an audience.”
Cara took Kim by the arm, leading her to a distant corner of the room.
“What is the matter with you?” Cara asked her.
Kim snorted. “Oh, please. Me? What are you doing? If you fawn over her any more, you’ll fall
over.”
“It’s no longer any of your business.”
“And what is she wearing? She looks like she just walked out of a teepee.”
“You’re an ass, Kim. I never thought you could be so rude and hurtful to someone you don’t even know.”
Again, Kim let out a derisive snort. “What’s to know? She’s from the backwoods and makes a living on bartering for eggs and cheese. Oh, and a hunk of deer meat.”
Cara stepped back and regarded Kim. “I think you’ve had enough to drink. And I think you’d better leave before you make a further ass out of yourself.”
Kim rolled her eyes. “Please. You’re not going to tell me you now love the wilderness and the great outdoors? You, who hasn’t bought off the rack in years. At least I’m honest about what I think the best things in life are. And they’re not living in Bufu, Minnesota, eating Bambi stew. And yes, I read your article.”
Cara heard the truth in her words. “That was true, Kim. I’ve learned a good deal about myself in the past couple weeks.”
“So, what is it? You’re suddenly changed? You’ve had an epiphany?”
Cara took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I don’t know, but epiphany might be the right word.”
“Are you serious?”
“Don’t sound so incredulous. Look, you and I haven’t seen eye to eye on many things. It’s no big revelation that we are polar opposites. And you must agree it was getting worse.”
“Since the moose woman.”
“It was long before Morgan. But you’re making my point.” Cara watched her for a moment. “Where’s Ellen?”
“What do you care?”
“All right. I don’t want to do this with you. I think we’ve said all there is to say. I’m not going over it again now.”
“Were you fucking her?”
Cara wanted to slap her face. “Just because you were unfaithful doesn’t mean everyone else is. I think you’d better go.”
As she turned to leave, Kim grabbed her arm.
Cara looked down at Kim’s hand. “Remove your hand from my arm, or I’ll remove your hand from your arm.”
Kim let go and stepped back. She then just walked away. Cara watched her, weaving her way through the gathering and out of sight. As she turned back to the crowd, she saw Linda with her husband and headed over to them. On the way, she snagged a glass of champagne off the table.
“Hi,” Linda said. “That looked like a painful conversation. Is she leaving?”
Cara took a big gulp of champagne. “It was painful and unnecessary. I hate being pushed.”
“Kim knows your buttons. I take it, it did not go well.”
“It did not.” Cara sighed deeply. “This was inevitable. I just didn’t want it to happen in a room full of people.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, nobody heard anything,” Mike said.
“That’s a relief. How’s Morgan?”
“She’s fine. She’s been talking to the same group.” Mike motioned to the small crowd gathered around Morgan.
Morgan seemed to be explaining her jacket after a woman ran her fingers up and down her arm. Cara raised an eyebrow, finishing her champagne.
“She does seem fine,” Cara said, rolling her empty champagne glass.
Mike laughed and took the glass. “Honey? Another glass?”
“Sure, babe. Don’t be too long.”
“You two are disgusting,” Cara said as Mike walked away.
Linda laughed. “If you get your head out of your buttocks, you could be just as disgusting with Morgan.”
Cara knew her mouth dropped. She looked around for Mike, who quickly returned. Cara took the glass, taking another big gulp.
“What did I miss?” Mike asked.
“I told Cara to get her head out of her butt regarding Morgan.”
“Oh, that again?”
“Again?” Cara asked. “You’ve talked about this?”
“Every night,” Mike said, swirling his drink. “Every night.”
Linda laughed. “We do not. But we have talked about it. Cara, you can’t deny you feel something for her. I know you. You can hide that from a lot of people, but not me. And now that I’ve told Mike, he agrees.”
Cara looked from Linda to Mike, who nodded. “I see it now. I mean, I wasn’t looking for it because, ya know, I’m a guy.”
“Get on with it,” Cara said to Linda’s laughter.
“While you were talking or arguing with Kim, I saw the way Morgan looked at you. It’s the same sappy look I had when I knew I was in love with Linda. That disgusting look of devotion and doom.”
“And if you’d let yourself go, you’d have that same doomed look.” Linda sipped her champagne. “Wouldn’t that be fun? We’re all doomed as doomed can be.”
“I…What…You’re nuts.”
“Good retort from by best reporter,” Linda said.
“Cara, don’t look, but Morgan is glancing at you while some very attractive woman is talking to her.”
“What woman?” Cara asked Linda.
“I don’t know. She looks familiar.”
“Well, it doesn’t make a difference. Morgan is a grown woman, and she’s leaving the day after tomorrow.” Cara now felt miserable.
“And you’re gonna let her?” Mike asked. “Are you nuts?”
Cara frowned when Linda spit up her champagne.
“What can I do? It’s her home. She loves her life.”
“And do you think she loves you?” Mike asked.
“Who are you—Dear Abby?”
Mike smiled. “I may be a guy, but I’m evolved. I read Cosmopolitan.”
“Maybe you need a shot of testosterone,” Cara said dryly.
Linda laughed, slipping her arm around Mike’s. “He doesn’t need that, that’s for sure.”
“What are you afraid of?” Mike asked.
“Kim said at least she was honest about what she thought the best things in life are. That I haven’t bought anything off the rack in years. I like the best restaurants. Look at the apartment I’m renting. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I should just admit I’m a materialistic snob.” She took another sip. “You know what Morgan’s idea of the best things in life is? She has Wi-Fi, only because it’s necessary. A loon singing on the lake. The aurora borealis. It happens so often up there they just call it the aurora. Flying that plane over the lakes. Eating venison stew in front of a fire. Drinking wine out of pheasant glasses!”
Linda winced, looking around. “Keep your voice down.”
“What are pheasant glasses?” Mike asked, leaning in.
“Later,” Linda whispered to him.
“I don’t fit in her life,” Cara said in a low voice. “Even if I go back and work on some article. I know what you’re trying to do, Linda.”
“Wow. You really believe that?” Mike asked her. “Now I need a drink.”
Cara said nothing. She glanced at Morgan, who was laughing with the people surrounding her. Even from this distance, Cara could see her clear blue eyes sparkling.
“I’ve known you since college. Remember when you wanted to be a writer more than a journalist?”
Cara sighed, turning back to her. “Yes. Why do you bring that up?”
“I told you then to follow your heart. But you decided to follow the salary. Where is my husband?” She then laughed. “Look, he’s with Morgan.”
Cara saw Mike talking with Morgan and a new small group of partygoers.
“He better not blab.”
“He won’t. He has a short-term memory problem like most men. Now where were we?”
“I decided to follow the salary…And I did because I was young and had no money. We were about to graduate, and I had a chance to work on a paper in Milwaukee. What’s wrong with that?”
“Not a thing. But you never went back to what you really love.”
“I love being a journalist.” That even sounded odd to Cara’s ear.
“You’re satisfied being a journalist
. You love creative writing. Don’t get me wrong, my friend, you are good at what you do, and I’m glad to have you. But I’d give you up in a heartbeat if you wanted to follow your heart. In more ways than one.”
Cara’s head shot up. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you can make a good choice for yourself. See how Morgan feels. You know now that you fit in her life. Because you want to fit.” Linda took a sip before continuing. “I think she’d make a choice and fit in your life.”
“What? Has she…?”
“Not directly. She asked me earlier if there were any businesses that give tours around the lake. I told her I really didn’t know, but there probably were. Either here or in Michigan or Wisconsin. She seemed interested, but we agreed on our cold winters. I could see in her eyes, Cara. She was thinking about it.”
“She’d be lost here,” Cara said, watching Morgan.
As if she knew it, Morgan looked right at her and smiled. Cara smiled and offered a short wave.
“I think she’d be lost anywhere without you.”
“How can you say that?” Cara tore her glance away from Morgan. “We’ve never even mentioned anything about feelings toward each other.”
“You told me she did, but at the time, she understood you were in a relationship, and now you’re not. Tell me you don’t feel something for her.”
“I do. Okay, so what? I’m supposed to just pick up and move to the wilderness?”
“Maybe. But I’d talk to Morgan first.”
“Very funny. I—”
“Oh…Here they come.”
“Who?”
Linda gave her an exasperated look. “The pope.”
“Holy moly,” Morgan said right behind her.
Cara jumped and turned around. “Oh, hi. Are you having fun?”
Morgan looked around. “Yeah, but can we leave soon? If I have to explain the difference between a moose and a caribou one more time.”
“It’s true,” Mike said. “You explained it at least four times.”
“I have an idea. I know a place with a great view of Chicago, and it has a fireplace.”
“Great!” Morgan rubbed her hands together. “Now you’re talking. Lead the way.”
Cara looked at Linda. “Where is it?”
“Your place.”
“What?” Cara said slowly, avoiding Morgan.
“What, what? It’s close by and you have plenty of wine.”
Cara looked at Morgan, who smiled.