A Moment Like This (9 page)

Saw your profile handsome. No picture sharp shooter? Well I like a man with mystery. Say, was wondering if you'd like to get together sometime and… talk about this major crush you have on Sey. Talk about obsessive! You're stalking her man. If I were her I'd be afraid.

Speaking of afraid probably had you going there for a moment there didn't I? Don't pee your pants or nothing man it's just me… drum roll, smoke, and drama Dante.

Michael wasn't sure whether that was a relief or a greater horror. A misguided male he could block easily enough but Dante… He'd have to deal with Dante no matter what. He was hesitant to type a reply but once he had reread the message it was easy enough.

You've got serious issues, Dante. But that widely known fact aside what I do or do not feel about Selah isn't any of your business. I don't know why you contacted me. We have nothing to talk about.

Michael shrugged off the small sense of guilt that he received with the next message. Dante was just worried about her. They both were.

Way cold, man. I was just contacting ya to see if Sey was talking to you. She's giving me a colder shoulder than you are. I haven't seen her since that day at the Daisy. Do you have any news about her? Please Mikey, I'm desperate. You gotta know how much begging like this is hurting my pride.

Michael smiled wanly at Dante's admittance of his injured pride. The man must be desperate to include such a humbling statement. Had Selah really not talked to him since Haruko's outburst? 'That day at the Daisy' was how they had all come to refer to it.

She hasn't mentioned it to me except to ask me how my bruise was healing. I've only seen her once at the café since then. She called to confirm an order but otherwise all's been quiet. She hasn't talked to Michael in days.

His reply flicked back with the speed of lightening.

What about ShatteredEden? Has she told him anything?

Michael hesitated in reply then typed the simple truth.

Just that she's hurting, Dante. She's hurting real bad and she's scared.

When Promise arrived home that night she kicked off her shoes and massaged her feet gently yet deeply in hopes of removing some of the ache. Another busy night. Laying her head back against the couch, she lowered her foot to the ground and rubbed her weary eyes. Alex mewed at her side and Promise reached out half blind to soothe the cat into allowing her another moment to recover. As Alex persisted Promise groaned and pulled to her feet.

She shuffled into the kitchen after her feline counterpart and began her routine. Get the cat food out of the cupboard, get her bowl out from under the sink, open the can, dump the food in and, finally, wash the can out and dispose or it in the recycling. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Why did history repeat itself?

As she turned to stumble back to her room, the sounds of Alex gorging herself in the background, she spotted the red message light flashing against the black of her answering machine. Sighing and deciding whatever the message was it couldn't make her night worse she pushed the button to humor herself. It beeped at her once then a mechanical voice relayed, "One new message. The third of April, 8:23 PM…"

"Hey Promise, this is Aidan…"

Alex looked up from her evening meal when she heard the stopping beep from the message machine. Cocking her head she meowed in what some might have construed in a questioning tone. Taking a deep breath Promise laughed at her hastiness; Aidan didn't even know what she had seen. She pressed the play button again as Alex watched her hold her breath.

"Hey Promise this is Aidan. I was calling to make sure everything's okay. You never showed up at the Half Shell and now… I'm kind of getting worried. Did I do something? I want to make it up to you if I did. I… I… love you, Promise. Please call me so we can talk. You know my number."

Had that been hesitation in his voice? Promise wanted to believe there hadn't been, but when she replayed the message there was. Intentional, unintentional, or unimportant he hesitated in saying he loved her.

They really did need to talk though, her mind reminded her; she couldn't run forever. But she was tired of… she was just tired. Rubbing her temple she forced herself to let out her pent up breath and drew another in. Slipping her nursing jacket off her shoulders, Promise started down the hallway that led to her room. Reaching the side of her bed she tossed the sheets aside and fell onto the wedge of powder blue she had created. Sleep. That was what her weary body needed. All she needed to do was sleep.

However no matter how many times she blinked her eyes never closed. She tossed and turned several minutes before rising and reentering her small kitchen. Extracting the glass of milk from the fridge Promise warmed it and sipped its contents leisurely. Her eyes soon drooped and she dumped what remained of her mug down the sink. Her jogging mind paused to catch its breath and in that moment she sought her bed. Her mind surrendered, a bit grudgingly, to sleep knowing that the defeat was temporary. When morning broke it would have regained its full capacity; then it could really start to intrude in upon her misguided sense of peace.

As Promise walked by her answering machine again a couple days later she remembered the message Aidan had left her. She hadn't been brave enough to call Aidan back. But, taking a deep breath she told herself, why put off for tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely. No, she chided, why put it off any longer? Things were just going to get more awkward the longer she waited to confront him.

Putting the phone to her ear Promise dialed Aidan's number and waiting, chewing on her lip in anxious suspense. "Hello, Aidan here. Well not really here," his answering machine began to ramble. "I'm away for the weekend on business. If it's an emergency call my cell. If you feel like chatting leave me a message; I'll get back to you on Sunday when I return."

Promise held her breath and waited for the beep. Aidan's voice interrupted again first, "oh yeah, heh, wait for the beep."

"Hey Aidan this is Promise. I know it seems like I've been avoiding you but… things have been busy," she fibbed after the aforementioned tone had sounded, "You're right; we need to talk. Call me so we can set up a time. You know my number."

Obviously he did; he had been the one to call her. She'd gotten nervous about what to say further and simply ended it with the first thing that came to mind. She sighed and pulled her hand away from the phone. Alex rubbed gently up against her leg pleading quietly for her deserved meal. After sufficing the cat, Promise grabbed the envelopes she needed to mail and dressed for work. A car horn honked as she made her way out the door.

Craning his neck downwards Colin managed to make out Promise's feet hurrying down the steps. She had donned her work dress he noticed at least she hadn't forgotten about that. When she saw him sitting in the drive way she took the last step wrong and semi-collapsed down to the ground level. Bracing herself against the railing she grimaced, twirling her ankle about slowly. Colin scrambled out of his car and over to where she stood; he couldn't help feeling guilty.

"Are you alright?"

"Just tweaked it a bit I think," she diagnosed setting the ailing limb down on the ground, "what are you doing here at this hour? Shouldn't you be at the… It's Saturday, isn't it?"

Colin nodded. "I figured if we were both going to the same place and (company) offer to drive you." "Now I wonder if you can drive."

"It's not all that bad, Colin. I could drive."

"Could but will?"

"After you came all this way I'll go with you. No use in taking two cars with the price of gas, at least not today when you're already here."

Grinning Colin hurried to open her door for her and motioned for her to enter the vehicle. "Your carriage waits."

Smiling she climbed in favoring her one ankle ever so slightly, he noticed.

Once they arrived at Sun Set Hills (?) Colin led the way inside. Promise settled down at the nurses' station and Colin told her to have a good day then headed off to find Mrs. Helen. When he entered the little woman's room she was already seated at the table which was covered by multiple board games.

"I could tell you were bored stiff playing the game I chose," she explained at what must have been a baffled and denying look from him, "perhaps you would like to pick the game this week? I got out all the games I had. Had to get down in the low cupboards for that. I tell you these knees ain't what they used to be."

"You didn't have to do that Mrs. Helen," Colin responded, "I could have done that for you when I came."

"Let an old woman do what she can; I'm not lame you know. Well it's done now so stop your chit chatting and sit down."

"You came!" Adelie bubbled upon seeing her enter the café. "I didn't think you were coming when you didn't return my call."

"You must have thought there was a chance," Promise pointed out (dully) as she sank into her booth across from her friend, "you're here."

"I figured you'd call or come because it was about the book; since you didn't call I figured you'd come. And I figured right! Plus, it's been so long since we talked. How have you been? Any rings on fingers? New white dresses in closets? I know it's still too soon to ask but… Promise, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong I mean…" As she fiddled with her old ring Promise tried to come up with a white lie for her behavior but she couldn't. How could she lie to Adelie when all Aidan's lies had done were cause her pain? "I saw Aidan with another girl (last week)."

"Another girl but he…" Adelie mused aloud absentmindedly, still absorbing what she had been told. "That's no good. Two…"

"It was Shannon," Promise squeaked trying to maintain an indifferent tone as fire burned up her throat towards her eyes.

"No!" But it was and she had been all over him. "I thought… I was so sure he'd changed." Popping out of her seat Adelie plopped down beside her and hugged her about the shoulders. "Alex is the only one I've told. I feel like such a fool."

A waitress stopped beside Adelie's red and purple dotted shoulder as Adelie dug through her purse to find her matching handkerchief. "Are you ready to order?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yes, we'll have a box of tissues, the lotion kind." The girl stood there a moment, pen poised and still half way through jotting something down. She went to say something then closed her mouth and tablet, standing a bit straighter.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. Would you like a glass of water?"

"Two," Adelie said absentmindedly as she brightened; Promise took the silken square her friend extended to her and quietly blew her nose.

"I'm making a scene."

"No more than I normally do," Adelie clucked. "The manager won't mind as long as you buy something."

She accepted the two glasses from the waitress that had returned and placed one before Promise beside a command to drink. After a few sips she felt a bit better.

"Now I won't ask for the gory details but you know I'm here to clean up your guts if you need to spill them," she paused as if waiting for a response then plowed on with a cheery smile. "Let's put that jerk behind us. You're too good for him and I have good news!" She only paused a moment then asked excitedly, "Well aren't you going to ask what it is?"