~ Shaken ~
by KG MacGregor
© 2002
Disclaimers: See Part 1
"I'm so proud of you Lionel! Everything you said was perfect. It was just the way we practiced." The blonde lawyer drew the shy four-year-old into her arms and hugged him fiercely. Turning to Sandy, at the courthouse today in her role as Lionel's social worker, Lily went on, "I think Judge Evans will come back with what we want. This kind of stuff really gets to him." What they wanted was the boy's removal from a drug-infested and violent home. Lionel's grandmother had petitioned for custody, fearing he would suffer irreparable harm under her daughter's care.
"You were great too, my friend. As usual, I might add," Sandy responded. Indeed, Lily was a powerful ally for families in trouble. It was as though she took each case personally, the social worker thought. She had seen her friend devastated last year when the attorney had failed to win a restraining order to protect a woman from her abusive boyfriend. The boyfriend subsequently killed the woman with a shotgun blast as she answered the door. Lily was sullen and withdrawn for days, second guessing her strategy and beating herself up mercilessly for failing the woman who had needed her.
Lily steered the boy to his grandmother's side. "Look, you two should get some lunch at the café downstairs. We need to be back here by one. I think we'll get a decision then." She turned to her friend. "I've got to make a couple of calls. Any chance I could talk you into grabbing me a tuna sandwich and a bottle of water? She hadn't had a Diet Coke since the In-and-Out server had doused her silk top on that fateful day last February. I'll be outside on one of those benches." she indicated the exit.
"Sure, I'll be right there." With that, the social worker and her clients turned for the stairs.
Looking up, Lily caught a glimpse of a tall dark-haired woman. It had been seven months since the earthquake, and still, when she saw the familiar features on women she encountered it triggered her memory of the remarkable woman she had met. Automatically dialing her voicemail, her eyes followed the woman as she walked in her direction, the face obscured by the people in the crowded hallway.
It's her! The sapphire eyes suddenly looked up and locked with her own. It's really her!
Oh my God! It's Lily! Anna realized at the same instant, her heart skipping a beat.
Both women stood frozen for a long moment as the recognition settled. Without thought, Lily turned off and pocketed her cell phone. She was the first to find her voice. "Anna?" Please let it be her!
"Lily?" the woman returned, her lips turning up into a broad grin.
Both women rushed the final few steps to come together in a tight hug. Neither spoke as they held the other close, each awash in memories of their ordeal. They relished the sensation of holding one another in the here and now, almost unbelieving that the moment was actually happening. Lily finally pulled back to take in the smiling face of the tall woman, but she didn't relinquish her grip.
"I'd almost given up hope of ever seeing you again." Lily was elated, but she couldn't stop the tears that welled up at seeing her friend again.
Anna saw the sparkling green eyes, and knew that her own were shining as well. "I waited for you to call. I figured you didn't want to…you know, that maybe you wanted to put it all behind you." The blonde discerned the slightest hint of hurt in Anna's statement.
"No, I wanted to call you. I tried, but I didn't know how." She went on to explain how she'd lost her clothes at the hospital, and how she'd tried in vain to track Anna through the Red Cross and the hospital. "They didn't have any records of anyone named Anna."
"Well, that makes sense. My full name is Christianna. That's probably what the records said." Anna then recounted her own frustrations about trying to learn what she could about her friend. "Central Hospital had no record of a Lily or a Lilian, or even a Lilliputian."
"Stop it already with the short jokes! I didn't go to Central. I went to Valley."
"I don't believe it!" said a third voice. Not letting go of one another, the women turned to find Sandy holding two bottles of water and a brown bag lunch. "You have to be the one and only Anna the Amazon that Lily here has been talking about for months."
Still beaming, Lily reached out and pulled the social worker closer. "Sandy, I'd like to officially introduce you to Anna the Amazon. Anna, meet one of my dearest friends, Sandy Henke. Sandy's a social worker and she and I are here today to argue a custody case," she explained.
"Hi Sandy. I'm Anna Ru…" she caught herself. "Kaklis. Anna Kaklis. Pleased to meet you."
"It's great to finally meet you too. I tell you, Lily described you perfectly. I think I would have known you anywhere," she said, remembering how often her friend had used the word 'beautiful.' Anna was dressed in a tailored navy suit, the cropped jacket accentuating her trim waist. A strand of ivory pearls with matching earrings finished the look. 'Stunning' would have been more appropriate, she thought.
The little blonde blushed and panicked. She shot her friend a look that said, "Oh God, Sandy! Please don't tell her how I went on and on about how beautiful she was!"
Anna unknowingly saved her with a quick reply. "Well, I almost can't believe she could remember what I looked like. We only saw each other for a minute, and she was kind of on the edge there."
How could I ever forget you? "Well, you made quite an impression, saving my life and all. What brings you to the courthouse?" Lily asked, hoping to move away from the potentially dangerous subject.
"I came for my final divorce decree," Anna stated with a confidence she didn't quite feel. Her eyes met and held those of the attorney as if waiting for judgment.
They were quiet for a moment until Sandy spoke up, "Listen, I'm going to head outside and look for a bench. Come out whenever you're ready, Lily." Turning to Anna, she added, "Very nice to meet you. I hope to see you again."
"Same here. The pleasure was mine." Anna held her hand out to the social worker, who took it in hers. Sandy was pleasantly surprised by the firm handshake. She had expected the grip to be more…well, prissy.
Lily watched her friend and turned again to face the dark-haired woman. She remembered how troubled Anna had been when they were trapped, how determined she was to work through it, and how she had vowed to "stop beating up" both her husband and herself. What could have gone wrong? Taking Anna's hands in her own, Lily tried to find the right words to support her friend. "I'm so sorry things didn't work out."
"Who says they didn't?" Anna straightened to her full height and smiled. "I've always believed that things happen as they should. This is better for everyone." All of this was true, she was certain.
"Sweetheart, you can't mean this! You're emotional. This has been a horrible ordeal," Scott had argued, when his wife had stated her intentions to divorce him. The handwriting had been on the wall, though. He had been hopeful that this trial would bring them back together, and was bitterly disappointed when Anna returned to the guest room upon arriving home from the hospital.
Anna had called her lawyer as soon as Scott left for his office the following day. By that afternoon, the details were settled, and she'd announced her decision and presented Scott with an equitable financial settlement. Defeated, Scott refused a scenario that involved Anna moving out, so she requested that he remove his belongings as soon as was feasible. She would stay with her sister until he was relocated.
"I know it seems trite to say this, Scott, but a part of me will always love you. I have forgiven you for Sarah. I don't want you to carry that burden. Your son is a precious gift, not a mistake. I believe in my heart that you belong with him, and perhaps even with his mother, but that's up to you to decide. I only know that I don't belong with you. It just isn't what I want. I'm sorry."
Scott was gone by the end of the week. The large four-bedroom house was quiet, but no more so than it had been for the past few months. Anna slowly reclaimed her life, still working long hours, but spending more time now with her family. Breaking the news to acquaintances and business associates was sometimes uncomfortable, but it wasn't humiliating, as she had feared.
"Then I'm glad it's worked out for you," Lily said sincerely. Anyone who would let you get away is an idiot.
Anna studied her friend's face and found no sign of reproach. "Listen, I'm joining my sister and her husband tonight for dinner to sort of…well, to celebrate a fresh start. How about coming with us? I really want them to meet you."
"Sure! I'd love to," the blonde said eagerly. I hope that wasn't too eager.
"That's wonderful! They can finally put a face on the woman I've talked so much about." Anna reached into her Gucci purse and retrieved a business card and a pen. "Here's my number. Don't lose it this time!" she teased, as she jotted her cell phone number on the back.
Lily reached into her own briefcase and passed Anna a card, also scribbling her home number. "Here, my cell phone is on here. So, what are the plans for dinner?"
"We have eight o'clock reservations at Empyre's in Beverly Hills. It's a Greek place, one of my favorite restaurants. If you want, we can pick you up."
"No, that's okay. It would probably be easier if I met you there."
"If you're sure?" Lily nodded. "The reservation is under Philips. That's my brother-in-law."
"Okay, then I'll see you at eight," Lily said. She looked at Anna again, and without a trace of awkwardness, took her again in a mighty hug. "I've got to go. I've got to be back in court soon, and I need to eat first so they don't fine me for making too much noise with my stomach," she joked. Pausing for a moment, she looked happily at her friend and added, "It's really good to see you again, Anna."
"I feel the same way."
**********
"I don't have anything to wear to a place like that!" Lily shrieked. "I'll make a fool of myself. 'I'd like you to meet my friend Lily from Hooterville,'" she mocked herself. Lily had visited Empyre's web site and explored the menu. Entrees started at forty bucks, and there was that condescending footnote, 'Proper attire required'.
Lauren watched her co-worker pace back and forth in the cramped office. "You know, you're really getting yourself worked up. It's just dinner with a friend. It's not like it's a date or anything." She waited…"Is it?"
"Of course not!" Lily plopped down in her treasured Aeron armchair and sighed. "I just want to make a good impression." She fingered the embossed business card. "Anna Kaklis. Vice-President, Premier Motors." She was starting to get a grip on who Anna was. "She doesn't just sell cars. Her family probably owns the place. BMWs, for crying out loud!"
It wasn't that Lily was a stranger to people who had money. After all, she'd grown up in the Silicon Valley, where even teenagers drove expensive foreign cars. But as the daughter of a school teacher, Lily was unaccustomed to such opulence. It was just another thing that separated her from her peers. That said, she wouldn't have traded her comfortable life with Eleanor for all the money in the world. When Lily finished law school near the top of her class, she was recruited by several firms who promised high earnings and a great potential for partnership. Still, she couldn't see herself living that kind of life-taking cases based solely on the amount of revenue they generated for the partners. This young attorney, mentored by Katharine Fortier, "champion of the downtrodden," wanted to give something back, and the Braxton Street Law Clinic was a perfect match. It wasn't that she scorned those who made a better living; she just didn't aspire to that for herself.
So why am I feeling so inadequate all of a sudden? "I'd like to think we could be friends some day," she said to Lauren. "Really good friends. But I'm not sure we have all that much in common." Lily's friends didn't drive Beamers. They were social workers, teachers, nurses, therapists, and other young lawyers like herself.
"Look, it's just dinner, right?" Lauren asked. Lily nodded. "So why don't you go out and splurge a little on a new dress? It's not like you're going to break the bank. It's just one dress. I say go for it."
Lily voiced her doubt but she had already decided that Lauren was right. She really wanted to look good tonight. She talked her fellow attorney into getting a head start on the weekend by taking a side trip to Bloomingdale's on the way home. A mere $1,312 dollars later, she was slipping on the brand new black heels that matched her new black bag, that matched the simple black sleeveless shimmery dress that she wore under the lightweight black and tan wool jacket. She withdrew from a box under her bed the small diamond earrings she had received from Katharine's estate upon her death. She smiled wryly at the image that stared back from the full-length mirror. Okay, so I look good!
Lily almost laughed at the incongruity between her attire and her ride. When she spotted the parking valet at the restaurant, she decided to park the battered SUV in a public garage and walk the remaining two blocks.
It was 8:02 when she entered the restaurant. An attendant traded a small blue claim check for her wrap, and the maitre d' directed her to the bar where her companions were already waiting. Suddenly very nervous, the blonde checked her reflection once again in the foyer's mirror. Taking a deep breath, she walked tentatively through the entry. It's not like it's a date, she reminded herself.
The tall woman was seated facing the doorway so that she could easily spot her friend. The three were nursing their first round, having arrived early at Anna's suggestion so that Lily wouldn't have to wait for them in an unfamiliar place. She was taken aback by the elegant sight of the attorney as she entered the dimly lit room. She looks lovely, Anna thought. She rose from her chair and waved her friend to their table.
"I'm so glad you could come. I love that dress!" Anna said excitedly.
Worth every penny and then some! Lily thought fleetingly about pilfering the money she had been saving for a down payment on a house and spending every last dime on cocktail dresses at Bloomingdale's. "Thank you. I'm glad I could make it too. Thanks again for asking me."
Lily had expected Anna to be beautiful in her evening attire, but she wasn't ready for the sight that beheld her. The stunning woman wore a deep burgundy strapless cocktail dress, the lines of her collarbone prominent against the creamy white skin. She had swept her thick raven hair into a French twist, and her ears sparkled with diamonds that made Lily's earrings look like chips.
"Kim, Hal, I'd like for you to meet my dear friend, Lily Stuart. Lily, this is my sister Kim Philips, and her wonderful-but-stilted husband, Hal." Whenever they were together, the sisters teased the good-natured bean counter about his conservative demeanor, often referring to him as "Hal Gore." He and Kim had been high school sweethearts and had eloped during their junior year at Berkeley. He was the perfect foil to Kim's vivacious personality, and Anna loved him like a brother.
Hal stood to take Lily's outstretched hand, shooting an accusatory glare at his sister-in-law before breaking into a broad grin. "Nice to meet you, Lily. Anna's been talking about you ever since the earthquake."
She has, has she? Lily stored this tidbit to relish later.
"Indeed she has," Kim joined in. The attractive red-head surprised everyone by drawing Lily into a fierce hug. "Thank you for saving my sister," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.
The blonde nearly lost her own composure when she pulled back and noticed tears brimming in the hazel eyes. "I can see that I'm going to have to set the record straight on who saved whom. Your sister was my hero that day, too."
Dinner was the most fun Lily had had in ages. Following Anna's lead, she ordered the swordfish and a small salad, noting that her entire food budget for the week was going into this meal. I'll worry about that tomorrow…at Tara.
The two friends took turns recalling details about their ordeal, each giving credit to the other at every opportunity. Both of them blushed when Kim dubbed the pair "the mutual admiration society." Embarrassed a bit at this obvious truth, Anna redirected the discussion to fill them in on her day in court.
It was the first time she had seen Scott since he had moved out, though they had talked on the phone a few times. It was awkward for a moment, but Anna had initiated a light hug that brought a small smile to the man's face. "I wish you all the best, Scott. I mean that," she had said. He returned the sentiment, sincerely she thought, and the rest was lawyer business. "So if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you to join me in a toast to a really nice guy."
"To Scott," Hal said, raising his wine glass. He had genuinely liked his brother-in-law. The glasses clinked, and the foursome took a sip in unison.
"To Anna," Kim added, "for knowing when to look forward instead of back," raising her glass again.
Anna gave her sister an unmistakable look of love. "Thank you," she said quietly, touching her sister's glass and pressing against it for a long thoughtful moment. Though not related by blood, the two were as close as twins, each seeming to know the soul of the other. As strong as Anna appeared on the outside, Kim knew that her sister struggled with important decisions, afraid of making mistakes that others would scrutinize. Without continuing support from the people who loved her, Kim feared that Anna's failed marriage might seriously undermine her confidence in matters of the heart. She so wanted her sister to find the kind of love she shared with Hal. Kim had kept to herself the fact that she saw no such devotion between Anna and Scott. As painful as the parting was for Anna, Kim was glad to see her sister starting anew.
"To Anna," Lily and Hal chimed in, ending the poignant moment.
As the tuxedoed waiter began clearing their plates, Lily's thoughts were invaded by the irrational fear that she had lettuce stuck in her teeth. Excusing herself, she made her way to the ladies room.
"Your friend certainly doesn't look like a lesbian," Hal started.
Both women stared at the man incredulously, then at one another to see who would bop him first. Kim won, and she smacked her husband's shoulder. "I'm surprised at you, Hal. Just because people could make you as an accountant from across the room doesn't meant that everyone else should fit a stereotype."
Hal realized his gaffe and knew he would soon be getting a second dose of discipline from his sister-in-law. She did not disappoint. "You know Hal, I have several friends who are gay, and I wouldn't have known at all if they hadn't told me. My hairdresser is probably the most flamboyant man on the face of the earth, and he's married with two children. I've heard it said that if all the gay people in the world were to turn blue tomorrow, we'd be surprised to find that those stereotypes don't fit at all," she scolded.
"Stereotypes?" The three were startled that Lily had returned so quickly. Clean teeth.
"Yeah, it happens to me all the time at work," Anna covered quickly. "I was telling them about an incident on the lot yesterday. The sales staff was in at 6:30 in the morning for training on next year's features. Just after seven, this guy drove up in a '97 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Special Edition and started looking at the 530i." Anna knew cars. "I walked out and asked if he had any questions, and he said 'No, I already know probably as much as you do about the car.'" Her voice deepened and her head bobbed back and forth as she mocked him.
"Right, like he knows more than my sister with the mechanical engineering degree," Kim interjected.
"So then he said he wanted to make an offer on the car, and asked me to go get the manager. I explained to him that the manager was in a meeting, and assured him that I could handle the transaction. But he insisted, so I dragged Brad-he's our sales manager-out of the meeting to talk to him. They hammered out a price, but Brad said he needed the owner's okay-which wasn't true, but Brad wanted to jerk his chain-then he paged me to his office to look over the deal. You should have seen the look on the man's face when I walked back in."
Lily processed this wealth of information on her new friend, mechanical engineering degree, owner. "So what did you do?"
"Oh, I approved it. Brad doesn't give cars away. But we both had quite a laugh about it when the guy left. And I met the guy again and gave him the overview when he came back to pick up his new car. But the fun part was that I told him everything about the engine in excruciating detail, and told him to stop me if he already knew it. Of course, he didn't." Her companions laughed at the image, all wishing they could have been flies on the wall.
The waiter returned at that moment to offer coffee and dessert. He was back soon with four baklava, two black decafs and two espressos.
"So what part of town do you live in, Lily?" Kim inquired.
"Sun Valley."
"Do you have a house? A condo?"
"Uh-oh! Kim's putting on her real estate hat." Hal chided his wife.
"I am not! I just wanted to know," she whined.
"Actually, I live in an apartment. It's in a prime location, convenient to public transportation. I learned after moving in that that means it's directly underneath the flight path for Burbank," she joked. "I've been saving for a down payment on a house, but every time I get ready to look, prices jump again, and I have to save a little more."
"Well, at the risk of being accused of doing business at dinner," she shot a sidelong glance at her husband, "give me a call if you want some help on finding something. I sometimes get a heads-up on new listings before they go on the market." She fished a business card from her purse and passed it across the table.
"Wow, thanks! I will. Hal, I don't suppose you have any ideas for making my modest savings account explode into a fortune in a few short weeks, do you?"
"I wish!" Hal reached over and covered his wife's hand with his own. "I hate to be a party pooper, but I'm about ready to call it a night."
"He has a date with his boat in the morning," Kim whispered conspiratorially.
Neither Anna nor Lily was ready for the evening to end, but both stood and gathered their things. It was then that the party discovered that the car dealer had already discreetly paid their check. She declined their offers to pitch in, so they thanked her for her generosity.
While the women waited for their wraps, Hal exited to order their car. Kim offered, "Lily, you should give Hal your ticket too. He'll get your car while we wait."
"Mine's in the garage around the corner. There was a line for the valet, and I was worried about being late, so I just parked it myself," she lied.
"How would you feel about dropping me at home?" Anna asked suddenly. "I live pretty close. That way, you won't have to walk to the garage by yourself."
Do I let this beautiful woman see the piece of shit I drive, or do I want this night to be over? Wishing she had time to buy a new car first, Lily answered, "I'd be happy to."
Bidding goodnight to Kim and Hal, the pair began the short walk to the garage. Noticing a slight limp in her companion, Lily gestured toward Anna's leg and asked, "So is that a souvenir from the earthquake?"
"Yeah, it was in pretty bad shape for a while, but I worked with a physical therapist and then a personal trainer. It's so much better now than it was. In fact, I'm probably stronger now all over than I was back in February." Lily concurred, noting the sinewy muscles in the woman's shoulders and arms. "But I'm not the only one with a souvenir." Anna reached out and gently traced the small red scar above the attorney's left eye.
"Well, that's getting better too. It was bright red for a long time."
"All in all, we were both pretty lucky, I'd say," the tall woman said.
"Definitely." Meeting you was the lucky part.
Approaching the worn out RAV4, Lily prepared her passenger for the sight. "When I was in the hospital after the earthquake, one of my comforts was that I had heard that the parking garage had collapsed. I was looking forward to collecting the insurance money and getting a new car." Lily unlocked and opened the driver's door, then reached across the front seat to roll down the passenger window. "But as luck would have it," she continued, "mine was one of only three cars that escaped unscathed." She then walked around the car and reached through the window giving the door handle a hard yank as she leaned back. Anna stepped up into the passenger seat, and Lily slammed the door.
"Well, at the risk of sounding a lot like my sister, I sell cars." Anna winked at her, and Lily thought she would melt.
Part 6
"I couldn't believe it either! Mom, she is so nice. And she's smart and successful. I hope you have the chance to meet her the next time you come down." Lily had been going on about the car dealer for nearly thirty minutes, recounting as many details as she could remember of her meeting with Anna at the courthouse and at dinner last night. "No, we haven't really made any plans to get together again, but I think we will. I think we just sort of clicked." Lily walked from her bedroom out to her balcony and sat down in the sun. "No, not that way. Aren't you listening, Mom? She's straight. But I think we'll be great friends."
Eleanor had always been both mother and best friend to her daughter. Though she had warded off the cruelty of the younger schoolchildren, she had been powerless to stop the heartbreak when a supposed friend from Lily's high school had broken a confidence and told their classmates that Lily was gay. The vicious taunting that followed had driven a wedge between Lily and her peers and the teenager simply withdrew from social activities. She concentrated on her studies and spent more time with adult friends, like Katharine. It was then that Katharine first told Lily that she too was a lesbian. That revelation was a godsend to the confused young girl as she learned by example to accept and love herself without guilt or shame. And over the years, Eleanor could not have been more supportive, offering her shoulder each time Lily had her heart torn in two.
"I'll come up to see you soon, I promise." Lily stood to return the phone to its cradle for recharging. "Love you too. Goodbye."
Lily loved her work, but weekends were a guilty pleasure. She usually managed to take care of things like cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and errands by mid-afternoon on Saturday. That left Saturday night for socializing, often dinner with Sandy and Suzanne or with Lauren and her husband, Jason. On Sundays, Lily was outside as much as possible. Her favorite pastime was hiking, and though she preferred long walks alone, she wisely adhered to the adage of safety in numbers. When she couldn't find a companion, she usually opted to hit the popular trails in the San Gabriel Mountains, where she encountered dozens of hikers, bikers and cross-country runners.
Sandy had called first thing this morning to invite her to a cookout tonight at their Sherman Oaks home. She and Suzanne were eager to hear about her evening with Anna and her family, and she was looking forward to the retelling.
Lily was running out the door when her phone rang. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized on her caller ID the number she had memorized from Anna's business card. "Hello, this is Lily," she answered nervously.
"Hi, it's Anna." Such a nice voice!
"Well hi yourself, Amazon. What are you up to? Six feet?"
"Funny girl." Anna didn't mind at all the teasing from her diminutive friend. "I'm still at work. What about you?"
"I'm heading out to dinner at Sandy's. You remember my friend from the courthouse?"
"Of course, the social worker. She seems like a nice person."
"Yeah, we've been good friends for about five years."
"Listen, the reason I was calling was to see if you had any interest in going to the Dodgers game tomorrow. My account manager at the LA Times sent me two tickets to their skybox."
"The skybox?" Lily asked, working hard to contain her eagerness.
"Yes, you know. Their corporate suite. We spend a lot of money on advertising, and they pass on tickets to things from time to time."
"Are you kidding? I'd love to!"
"Great! It starts at one. What if I come by and pick you up about 12:15?"
"Are you sure you don't mind? I could meet you somewhere, or I could come by and get you."
"No, that's okay. Just give me your address. I have a GPS in the car, I'll just punch it in." Anna wasn't eager to fold her long frame into the mini-SUV again. If they encountered heavy traffic, her injured knee would protest vehemently at the cramped position.
"A GPS? Cool! If you're sure." Lily gave her address, and told Anna where she should park at the complex to avoid the wrath of the Parking Lot Nazi, the elderly neighbor in the adjacent building who didn't even own a car. "Listen, I've never been in a skybox before. What should I wear?"
"Well, they're a little stiff. Hal would fit right in," the car dealer joked. "I usually wear slacks or khakis and a nice shirt."
Lily's mind immediately went to her wardrobe as she mentally dressed herself six times. This exercise always saved her at least two rounds of tossing clothes about the room as she ruled things out. "I can't wait. See you at 12:15. Oh, and Anna?"
"Yes?"
"It's seven o'clock on Saturday night. Go home."
"Funny girl. Have a good time tonight. Tell Sandy I said hello."
"I will. Thanks for calling." She hung up and dashed out the door, giddy with excitement.
Twenty minutes later, she was pulling into the driveway of her friends' California ranch home. She could smell the burning charcoal as soon as she stepped from her car, so she followed the path around the garage to the redwood deck. Suzanne was tending the grill, and she could hear Sandy in the kitchen. "I brought wine!" she announced, holding up Sandy's favorite Coppola merlot. Lily greeted her friends in the usual manner, like they hadn't seen each other in months.
As expected, Lily's report on her dinner at Empyre's dominated the dinner conversation. Sandy and Suzanne had lots of questions, and they were genuinely glad that their friend had reconnected with the woman she met during her earthquake ordeal.
When dinner and dishes were done, they returned to the deck for a soak in the Jacuzzi. In the darkness, the three friends shed their clothes and slipped into the warm churning water. "Lily, I sure wish you could meet a lesbian that lit your fire like Anna has," Sandy started.
"You and me both, my friend," Lily replied, realizing too late what she had just admitted.
"She's straight, Lily," Suzanne warned. "You need to be careful, or she'll break your heart."
"She's my friend, Suzanne," the blonde said defensively. "I don't have any expectations that she'll be anything else. It's just that we went through something together that changed our lives. I feel a very special bond with her, and I want to know her better. Does that automatically have to mean a sexual attraction?"
"No, of course not," Sandy reassured. "We just don't want to see you hurt, but it sounds like you've got the right perspective. Neither of us meant any offense."
"That's okay. None taken." Lily was grateful for her two friends, even when they were overprotective. "Thanks for worrying about me."
Soon after they toweled off and dressed, Lily bade her friends goodnight and went home to try on clothes.
**********
The two women showed their tickets at the gate and made their way to the escalator that would take them to the concourse for the lower level suites. As promised, Anna was wearing black tailored slacks and a light blue sleeveless silk shirt. Her hair was pulled back and tied with a thin strip of black leather, and a lightweight cream-colored sweater hung loosely around her shoulders to ward off the chill of the air conditioner in the suite. A native to southern California, Anna hated to be cold.
Lily wore Gap khakis with a short-sleeved forest green sweater. It was the sixteenth combination that she had tried. It wasn't that this one was the best; rather it was the one she had on when her doorbell rang at 12:10.
Lily was duly impressed with Anna's luxurious black 745i, especially the global positioning system. From her passenger seat, she assessed the multitude of gauges that gave the appearance that the car drove itself. "You'd have to be pretty smart to drive a car like this," she joked.
"Not a problem," the dark-haired woman replied dryly.
When they entered the suite, they were greeted by a handsome man in gray slacks and a starched white shirt. "Anna! It's great to see you. Glad you could make it!"
"Thank you. Steve, I'd like you to meet my friend, Lilian Stuart. Lily, this is Steve French. Steve is my account manager at the Times, and our host for today."
"I'm really pleased to meet you. Thanks so much for the invitation." Lily couldn't help but notice that Steve had hardly glanced her way, his eyes glued to her beautiful friend.
"So Anna, where is Scott today?" Were the rumors true?
"That I wouldn't know, Steve. Scott and I have divorced," she said unceremoniously.
Bingo! "I'm sorry to hear that, Anna." He wasn't really. In fact, it was all he could do not to blurt out 'You seeing anyone?'
"Thank you, Steve. I appreciate that. It was a friendly parting." She had learned that sharing that with acquaintances usually put them at ease. Steve led them to their seats on the front row of the suite just in time for the National Anthem.
Anna has a beautiful voice, Lily thought when the song finished. The blonde resisted the urge to pinch herself. Here she was in a luxury suite at Dodger Stadium, sitting beside the most beautiful woman in LA. Her friends' words of caution from the night before crept into her head for a moment, but she reminded herself that she and Anna were just getting to know each other, on their way to a deep, lasting friendship.
Lily was pleasantly surprised to find that Anna knew her stuff when it came to the Dodgers. They talked about players, trades, strategies and statistics, all to the consternation of Steve French, who badly wanted Anna's attention.
"I think someone has his eye on you," Lily whispered.
"Oh yeah? He's a handsome guy, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I guess," Lily shrugged, feigning exaggerated boredom. "If you go for that trim and muscular, square jaw with deep set eyes thing. Not really my type, though."
"So what is your type, Ms. Stuart?" Anna wasn't sure why she'd asked, but she found herself profoundly interested in Lily's response.
You are-God, please don't let me have said that out loud! "You mean apart from my gender specifications?"
"Well, I'd say that's a given, unless you've decided to swing back the other way."
"Not a chance. I go for smart first, then a sense of humor. Outer beauty means little to me," Lily said haughtily.
"Yeah, and I like ugly cars too."
**********
"Lilian Stuart," the lawyer said, picking up the phone on her desk.
"So how did you know he was going to call?"
"Anna! I'm fine. Thank you for asking," Lily ragged on her friend.
"Funny girl. I just got a call from Steve French inviting me to go to San Diego next Saturday for the first game of the Dodgers' road trip."
Lily knew this was going to happen, and she didn't like it one bit. She had overheard the arrogant prick bragging to his buddy at the game that he could get Anna to go out with him. Something about his tone suggested that he was definitely interested in more than just a date. But who wouldn't be? Anna is irresistible. "So what was your reply? I suppose you fell for the line about having the chance to get to know each other better on the drive down." It was meant to be teasing, but it came out as sarcasm.
Anna was taken aback at her friend's response. "What's that about, Lily? It sounds like you don't like Steve much."
I'm so screwed! Lily thought about coming clean about what she had overheard, but it occurred to her that Anna might well be interested in Steve's advances. "No, Steve is very nice. I was just teasing. Welcome back to the world of dating. I always keep my ears open for what lines work best on women," she kidded, hoping that would cover her faux pas.
The women tried to work out getting together one night during the week for a quick dinner, but their schedules wouldn't meet. Lily usually prepped for court appearances the night before and this was a particularly busy week with three cases on the docket. Anna would be with her family celebrating her father's 58th birthday on the only night the lawyer was available. They agreed to reconnect after the weekend to see if they could get together next week.
**********
For his 58th birthday, George Kaklis asked to have his birthday dinner outside on the patio. His very best memories were of the times the family had eaten, laughed and played around the pool in the backyard. He wanted "something simple, like we used to do when the kids were all at home." Trouble was, "simple" to his wife, Martine, was having a caterer shop, prepare, serve and clean up. Even so, she was always happy to do things for her family, and especially glad to help make George's birthday a special one.
The second Mrs. Kaklis now stood in the kitchen, dutifully sorting ingredients for Turkish pilaf and stuffed baked tomatoes. Six top sirloin steaks marinated on the top rack of the industrial model refrigerator in the expansive kitchen. Hal and David had agreed to do the honors at the grill, while Kim and Anna would prepare the dinner salad. Martine had picked up the large, elaborately decorated cake earlier in the day.
When they finished dinner, Hal and Anna cleared the table and returned to the patio for birthday cake and presents. "So what is everyone doing this weekend?" the patriarch asked. He was genuinely interested in the lives of his family members.
"Going out on the boat," said Hal cheerfully.
"Going out on the boat," Kim groaned.
"Going out on the boat?" David pleaded for an invitation.
"Going out on the boat!" Hal extended it, nodding at his teenage brother-in-law.
"Going out on the boat?" begged Kim, turning to her sister.
"Sorry. Not going out on the boat. I'm going with Steve French to the Dodgers game in San Diego."
"You're going out with Steve French?" George asked, obviously surprised. "I don't think he's for you, dear. Maybe you should consider waiting a while before you start dating again." The elder Kaklis had always been protective of Anna, even overprotective when it came to her dates or friends. He had thought Scott the perfect match for his daughter, and was distressed when they divorced, unaware of his son-in-law's breach.
Through the years, Anna had found it easier to defer to her father's judgment than to deal with his disappointment. Her father's approval of Scott had been the deciding factor when she accepted his marriage proposal. "It's not really a date, Dad. I went last week to their skybox for the Reds game, and he knows what a Dodgers fan I am." Fine, I just won't think of it as a date.
He would try a new tack. "I don't know, darling. After all, he is our account manager. You don't want to mix business and pleasure."
"Oh for goodness sakes, Dad! Anna isn't going to run off and elope." Like Hal and I did, she left unsaid. "I swear, you'd have us both still living at home if you had your way." Kim rescued her sister with a little levity.
Anna laughed and stood up quickly to gather the cake plates. Kim had created a slim opening and she wasn't going to miss it. "Mother, could you grab those two plates?" Anna disappeared into the kitchen with Martine. "Don't let him worry too much, okay?"
"I'll deal with him if he brings it up again. You just go have fun. It'll do you good to get out." Martine was used to running interference for the girls. She only wished George would pay as much attention to her as he did to the children and that goddamned dealership.
**********
Lily stretched across the couch to grab the phone, not taking her eyes off UCLA's gridiron battle with the Stanford Cardinal. Fresh from her shower after cleaning the house and washing her pathetic car, she now wore an oversized long blue and yellow jersey that boasted her alma mater. Her beloved Bruins were already up 7-0 in the first quarter.
"Hello?"
"So how did you know that Steve French was a creep?"
Football flew right out of her head as she recognized her friend's voice. "Hi Anna. I'm fine. Thanks for asking."
"Funny girl." It had become her standard reply. "Let me be your tour guide for the landmark Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. We're here in the mahogany trimmed ladies room off the Del's main lobby, admiring the polished brass fixtures adorning the ornately carved marble sinks."
"What on earth are you doing in the bathroom at the Del?"
"Such a personal question!" Anna said with mock indignation. "Steve suggested the Del for dinner, and I stopped in here to wash up." The rest of her tale left the lawyer in disbelief.
Anna exited the washroom to find Steve standing with his back to her at the hotel's registration desk. Pocketing something from the desk clerk, he walked out to the balcony to wait for her.
With a queasy feeling, Anna approached the counter and asked the clerk, "That gentleman who was just here, did he register for the night?"
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't give out that information."
Drawing a fifty dollar bill from her purse and passing it discreetly across the counter, she explained to the young woman, "I'm here with that man on our first date, and I would like to know what he has in mind."
A look of understanding crossed the clerk's face, and she gently pushed Anna's hand back across the counter, not taking the bill. "Yes, he got a single room with a king-sized bed. And a bottle of champagne."
Anna lurched on the last remark. "Thank you."
Though already jaded regarding Steve French, Lily couldn't believe how pompous the guy actually was. "What an arrogant jerk!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah. I was going to fake a migraine, but I may not have to fake it after all. I'm thinking about renting a car and driving home."
"You get migraines?"
"Sometimes."
Lily imagined her friend hiding out at the Del. "What if I drove down and picked you up? I could be there in about two and a half hours."
Anna protested, but secretly, she loved the idea of riding back to LA with the woman who always made her laugh. Even in the tiny RAV4. Lily further prodded her friend to think about it, even as she walked upstairs to pull on her jeans and change into a rust-colored knit sweater.
"Well, I can't stay in the restroom for two and half hours." Anna had decided what she would do. "So I'll be in the lobby at nine o'clock. Are you sure, Lily? That's a lot of driving."
Lily confirmed her offer, telling Anna that she was ready now to head out the door. The dark-haired woman exited the restroom in search of her date. The direct approach, right between the eyes, she decided. Finding the man on the breezy balcony above the restaurant, she began, "Steve, when I was coming out of the ladies room earlier, I saw you picking up a room key."
Busted! "Oh," he stammered, "I thought you might want to freshen up after dinner." That could work, he thought stupidly.
Four hundred dollars a night to freshen up? "I have to tell you Steve, that makes me very uncomfortable. I've already called someone to pick me up. And I'm going to be having dinner alone tonight." He protested at first, but when it suddenly occurred to him that he had just offended one of the paper's most important advertisers, he managed to voice a humble apology. It was too soon to tell if this would damage their working relationship.
Lily pulled into the valet circle at 8:50. "I'm just here to pick someone up," she told the young man in the pith helmet who had moved to take her keys. Less than a minute later, she emerged with her tall friend in tow.
On the ride home, Anna confessed that she was nursing a small headache, and requested that Lily carry the conversation. She reclined her seat slightly and asked to hear all about the attorney's family, her friends, her work, and the things she liked to do. Lily answered with the story of her precarious start in life. With the love evident in her voice, she described how Eleanor and Katharine had helped her to become the person she was today. She then went on to talk about the Braxton Street Law Clinic, about Tony and Lauren, and the work they did with underprivileged families.
Anna was fascinated and intrigued by the tale. She understood now that the grit and determination she had seen in this remarkable woman during their underground ordeal was not something Lily had called up to answer their desperate need. Rather, it was an integral part of who she was.
She began to tell Lily about the presentation on youth programs she had seen at the Chamber of Commerce meeting the morning of the earthquake, and about her desire to do something for kids. As she spoke, though, she realized that her small headache was indeed turning into a full-blown migraine and she begged off the rest of the conversation until another time. The last hour was logged in companionable silence, Anna dozing when she could, and Lily lost in thought about the feelings she knew were growing for the beautiful woman. When she realized where her thoughts were headed, she mentally cautioned herself.
"Anna? We're here." Lily gently shook her friend's arm. Her arm feels so clammy. "Are you okay? What can I do?"
Anna sat up and pressed two fingers from her right hand onto her right eyebrow, directly above her eye where her worst migraines formed. She barely noticed her aching leg as she stepped from the car. "It's a big one. I think I'm going to be sick," was all she said.
Lily helped the tall woman into the house, sticking close by all the way to her bedroom. As she had predicted, Anna was sick as soon as entered the adjoining bathroom. Lily wet a cloth and tenderly wiped her friend's face as she slumped on the cool tile floor. "How can I help, Anna? Do you have medicine?"
Anna nodded slowly. "There's a plastic jar on the door of the refrigerator. Can you bring it?"
"Of course." Lily found the medicine and returned to the bathroom with a small glass of water. "Here," she said, handing the jar to her friend.
Anna unscrewed the cap and removed one of the yellow capsules. Despite the awful headache, she couldn't stop the smile that formed when she saw the offered glass. "Um…these are suppositories. They work faster."
"Oh." Lily could feel the heat rush up her chest to her face, and she knew that she was bright red with embarrassment. "I'll just…uh, I'll wait out here." She left the room, closing the door behind her.
When Anna emerged a few minutes later, she sat beside the blonde on the queen-sized bed. "I need to lie down now. The medicine will knock me out cold in about ten minutes."
"Do you want me to stay a while, until you're asleep?"
"No, I'll be okay." Anna withdrew a blue silk nightshirt from the bottom drawer of the nightstand. "There's an extra key in the kitchen drawer under the phone. Take it, and lock up for me, okay?"
Lily nodded. "Can I give you a call tomorrow?" Anna agreed and began to unbutton her blouse. Lily felt her face go red again, and stood. "I hope you feel better." Nervously, she leaned forward and lightly kissed her friend's forehead."
"Thank you, Lily. For everything." It was all she could do to get the words out, but she needed to show the attorney her gratitude for her friendship. It was indeed special, and Anna knew with a certainty that it would get stronger.
Alone in her car, Lily tried to recall if she had ever been more embarrassed in her entire life. She must have thought I was waiting around to watch her put it in! The image brought the deep blush back to her face and neck.
Her thoughts turned again to the attraction she was feeling for Anna, but she couldn't bring herself to imagine closeness beyond that of best friends. She indeed wanted to be Anna's very best friend, and to protect her from jerks like Steve French. That didn't mean it was sexual attraction. They were just friends. .
Part 7
The blonde attorney was fuming! Tony had just told her that they had lost the foundation grant for Kidz Kamp, a community program that sponsored camping trips for children in foster care. What had Lily hopping mad was that the foundation had increased funding for the Boy Scouts. As a volunteer for Kidz Kamp, she was jealous, pure and simple. And she took it personally that the Scouts excluded gays from their ranks.
"Lilian Stuart," the blonde barked into her phone.
Whoa! Somebody's having a bad day. "Hi, Lily. It's Anna."
The lawyer sighed with exasperation. "I'm having such a shitty day!"
"Oh, I'm fine, and thanks for asking." Gotcha! The line went quiet and Anna wondered if her joke had come at the wrong time.
"Sorry," Lily finally said sheepishly. "I just got some unpleasant news, and my mind was there."
"Unpleasant news? What's wrong?"
"Oh, it's just a funding cut. In our line of work you get used to it. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"It's okay. I was calling to see if you'd be interested in an early lunch. I'm downtown for the Chamber of Commerce meeting, and we'll be wrapping up a little after eleven."
"That would be great! I could use a friendly face." They firmed up their plans to meet at Lily's office and walk to a nearby deli.
Eating lunch on a park bench, Lily told Anna all about Kidz Kamp. She and Tony were regular volunteers, along with staff from the county's social services department and juvenile court. "The kids love it. The foster parents get a break. And all the volunteers get the chance to build trust and have fun with the kids we see on the job."
Anna was impressed that her friend was doing something so selfless and helpful to the community. Thinking back to the moving presentation she had seen, she felt shamed by the fact that she had failed to follow through. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"I said we've got a trip planned for next weekend if you'd like to join us. Right now, I'm the only female chaperone and we have three girls on the list to go. Please, please, please!" she asked excitedly.
"No, no, no! I don't do sleeping on the ground. Or bugs. Or snakes." Anna was adamant. Camping was not her thing.
"But it's fun!" pleaded Lily.
"Then I hope you have enough fun for both of us. Now if you ever need help taking them to a play or to a museum, sign me up. I'm just not…"
"You're prissy," the lawyer teased.
"I'm not prissy, I'm…refined."
"You're prissy."
**********
The prissy Amazon had called later that day to invite Lily on a boat outing with Hal and Kim. Now Sunday morning, anxiety about her first boating trip weighed heavily on her mind as she waited for Anna to pick her up. When the long black car wheeled into the apartment complex, Lily stood to gather her things.
"Ready to go?" Anna asked cheerfully.
"You bet," was the excited reply. As Anna had instructed, Lily had filled her daypack with sunscreen, a warm jacket, and a change of clothes. At the bottom of the bag was a foiled-wrapped loaf of nut bread, her contribution to the food supply.
Hal and Kim had spent Saturday night on the boat, so they were ready for launch as soon as their passengers arrived. It was a little on the cool side as they set out, but it warmed up quickly as the sun climbed higher. The sisters sat on the cushions at the back-or stern, as Lily learned it was called-while the first-time boater rode shotgun, getting a lesson from Hal on the boat's features.
"She's a lot of fun," Kim said, gesturing at the blonde. "She's making Hal's day, asking all those questions. Do you think she's just being nice, or is Hal really all that fascinating?"
"You think maybe we've misjudged the guy all these years?" the tall woman joked.
"Nah, couldn't be. I think she's just easily amused."
"Well, I'd worry about anyone who found Hal interesting."
Lily chose that moment to glance their way. When she realized that she and Hal were the subject of their amusement, she stuck out her tongue and turned her back haughtily. Fifteen minutes later, she was proudly driving the boat on her own.
"So what was so funny?" Hal demanded as he slid in beside his wife.
"We were trying to decide if Lily was really interested in your boat lesson or if she was just being nice." Kim slipped her arm through her husband's to ease the potential blow to his ego.
"Well, I think it was both," he spouted indignantly.
Anna rose and moved to the tall "co-pilot" seat alongside her friend. The blonde was standing on her tiptoes, chin up, peering out over the shimmering blue plane.
"Having a little trouble seeing over the bow, Pygmy?"
"Will you still think you're funny when we run a sail up your neck, Amazon?" Lily turned and nearly choked at the sight. Anna had taken off her shirt and shorts to reveal a plum colored two-piece bathing suit…and the most beautiful body the blonde had ever seen. Unable to look away, she took in Anna's long shapely legs, well-toned shoulders and abs, and the curve of her…figure.
Anna was accustomed to being admired, though she had never marveled at her own features. "Good genes," she'd always told Scott. That changed however when she began working with Nikki, the personal trainer who took over after the physical therapy. Now as she stood beside the wheel, Anna was acutely aware that Lily was admiring her appearance. She was proud of her hard work, and liked knowing that her intense workouts had also earned her friend's approval.
For her part, Lily more than approved. She knew she'd been caught staring, so she just went with it. "Wow, you've really been working out! You look great!"
Suddenly shy, Anna could only smile and look away. "The sun feels good. Did you bring your suit too?"
Lily had hers on underneath as well, but in the presence of this goddess, she was having second thoughts about sunbathing. How stupid would that be? She quickly discarded her shirt and shorts, hoping that she would pass muster in her aquamarine tankini.
Now it was Anna's turn to stare, though the dark sunglasses hid her appraisal. How was it possible that this woman were actually smaller than she appeared? Lily had muscular legs, tapering at her hips to a tiny waist. Her shoulders and arms looked strong and lithe, and she was more well-endowed than she appeared in her suits and casual clothes. Wonder what she'd think if she knew I was looking at her breasts! For some reason, that realization amused more than embarrassed the tall woman, but she covered with a casual comment on Lily's suit, and a warning not to get burned.
They cruised north along California's picturesque coastline, turning back at mid-afternoon. As the sun began to fade, the two friends donned their clothes and jackets and Anna wrapped herself in a wool blanket from the cabin below. Seeing Lily shiver as the wind blew through her lightweight fleece, she held her arms open and invited her friend to huddle inside. When the small woman stepped in front, Anna closed the blanket around them both, instantly sparking a memory of pulling Lily close as she struggled for breath in the collapsed mall. A sense of panic suddenly invaded her, and she squeezed Lily tightly to her chest.
The blonde was lost in the sensation. Her rational mind told her that Anna was simply seeking warmth in the embrace, but she enjoyed for the moment imagining that it meant something more. I could get so used to this.
Once docked, Lily thanked her hosts profusely as all four pitched in to clean up their mess and wash the sea spray from the boat's surfaces. "You're welcome any time," Kim replied sincerely. She hoped that Lily's interest would encourage her sister to come along more often. Kim couldn't put her finger on why, but she certainly had a feeling she would be seeing more of this blonde.
Pulling up in front of the apartment, Anna exited the black car to help Lily with her things. "Thanks for coming with us. I really had fun, and so did Kim and Hal." With that, the two friends shared a friendly hug.
Something subtle had passed between the women today. Lily knew as she walked into her darkened apartment that she needed to keep her feelings in check. Anna was turning out to be all the things she wanted in a partner-kind, smart, funny…beautiful. Falling in love with a straight woman would get her heart broken for sure.
Driving toward her home in Bel Air, Anna pondered the unexpected feelings that surfaced when she held Lily close under the blanket. The moment had triggered some sort of protective instinct, and Anna enjoyed the sensation of warmth and closeness. It felt like…something had clicked, whatever that meant. She liked Lily a lot, and she wanted to get to know her better. She decided then to do something totally out of character.
**********
"Lilian Stuart," the attorney answered enthusiastically, recognizing the number on her display.
"Good morning, Lily. How are you?" came the syrupy sweet voice.
"Hey, good for you, Amazon! You're social skills are really coming along," she praised playfully.
"Don't let it get out. We wouldn't want others to raise their expectations."
"I'll keep it just between us. What's up? By the way, I really had a great time yesterday."
"Yeah, me too. I was wondering if…hypothetically speaking, of course…a person were to decide to go, say…camping, what sorts of camping equipment might that person…hypothetically require?"
Lily sat up, very excited at where this conversation seemed to be headed. "Well, one would probably need a sleeping bag, a mess kit, some good hiking boots, and a few odds and ends to enhance one's comfort." She paused and added, "Hypothetically, of course."
"Of course. So if one were to…hypothetically…decide that she needed this equipment, how difficult do you think it would be to get someone's help in picking out the right things?"
"Oh, I think someone might be available on Wednesday night to escort such a person to a conveniently located REI store for said items."
"6:30?"
"6:30 it is. And I'll spring for the pizza afterwards."
**********
"Tony, you got a minute?" Lily stood in the doorway of the managing partner's office.
"Anytime. What's up?" Tony LeFevre was one of Lily's favorite people in the whole world. He and his brother Mike had started the Clinic ten years ago with a grant from the LA Minority Coalition. Lily never knew Mike, who died of AIDS the year before she joined the firm.
Tony was 36 years old, and a respected member of LA's legal community. He wasn't particularly handsome, but he had that charm that most women found irresistible. He treated everyone with respect, and he loved kids.
"I have a favor to ask," she started awkwardly. "You remember my friend Anna, the woman from the earthquake who came by for lunch last week?"
"Are you kidding? A man doesn't forget someone like that." Tony had considered asking his co-worker how she would feel about him asking her friend out.
"Yeah, that's kind of where I was going." The blonde paused to consider her words. "She's going to be coming along this weekend on the Kidz Kamp trip. I was wondering if you'd mind…not flirting with her, or asking her out or anything."
That settles that, he thought. "Of course, if that's what you want. Are you…interested in her?"
"Oh no, it isn't that," Lily quickly assured. "It's just that we're getting to be really good friends, and I wouldn't want anything to…complicate that."
"No problem, my friend."
"Thanks." She returned to her office, knowing that if she had been straight, Tony would definitely have been her type.
**********
The RAV4 picked its way along the wooded road until they reached the campsite. Tony and two other men were working with the boys to unload the tents and set up the cooking supplies. They moved hurriedly, as darkness was falling, and it was important to everyone's sense of comfort to have a hot meal on the first night in camp.
The trip to Silverwood Lake, north of San Bernardino, had taken nearly three hours, most of that spent navigating LA traffic to exit the city. This was their favorite site. It had all of the things kids liked to do-fishing, swimming, hiking, and canoeing. To Anna's relief, there were even restrooms close to the campsite.
The dark-haired woman had grown more and more apprehensive as they drove further from the city. After the shopping trip with Lily, she had come to terms with leaving behind the comforts of home. What had her on edge today were the three girls in the back seat. Rosa and Carlotta were 11-year-old twins who giggled and whispered to each other in Spanish. Lateisha, a nine-year-old African-American girl, kept to herself, staring out the window lost in thought. Lily engaged all of the girls in occasional dialogue, asking about school, their friends, and things they liked to do. Anna, the mechanical engineer who lived in Bel Air and sold luxury cars, couldn't think of how to relate, so like Lateisha, she too retreated in silence.
Sensing her friend's nervousness, Lily suggested that Anna and Lateisha unload the supplies from the back of the SUV while she and the twins set up the tent the five would share for the next two nights. Though hesitant to be alone with this quiet child, Anna was glad to be doing something other than just sitting. "Have you ever been camping before?" she asked the little girl.
Lateisha simply shook her head no.
"Well, this is my first time too. I guess we both have a lot to learn this weekend." When the girl didn't reply, Anna knew she would have to think of something more engaging. "How about giving me a hand with this cooler? It's pretty heavy for just one person." Together, they hauled their load to where Tony had stacked the cooking supplies.
"Who's your helper there?" Tony asked.
"This is Lateisha. She's pretty strong for a nine-year-old. It's a good thing, too, because I couldn't lift this by myself," Anna praised. The small girl finally gave a shy smile, and the woman hoped she might break through after all.
"I can see how strong she is. If you need any extra help from me, just let me know."
"Oh, I think we'll manage," said Anna. They headed back to the RAV4 to finish their task.
Anna met the other leaders, Jack and Matthew, while she worked to organize the cooking gear. Jack was an intake officer from the juvenile detention facility. Four of the six boys on this trip had darkened Jack's door, having gotten in trouble over shoplifting, vandalism or fighting in school. The other man, Matthew, was Jack's brother-in-law. Lily loved it when these two came along, because they always brought canoes.
Tony's two charges, like the twins who came with Lily, were in foster placement, waiting for their parents to grow up. Lateisha was a special case.
Two hours after they arrived at their campsite, all the campers were relaxing around an open fire. Though their bellies were full with Tony's excellent spaghetti, the allure of roasted marshmallows was too strong to resist. Two years ago, Lauren had insisted that the men share the cooking chores to set a positive example for the boys in the group. Grumbling, they conceded that she had a point. Lily and Anna were charged with breakfast for the next two days.
Shortly after ten, the children were sent into the tents to find their sleeping bags and settle down. The five adults planned the next day. Jack and Matthew wanted to take their boys fishing first thing, then hiking in the afternoon. The others opted to explore the nature trail in the morning, and swim in the afternoon if it warmed up. In mid-October, the temperature could go either way.
Crawling into their tent, Lily and Anna discovered that the twins had moved their sleeping bags to right side, while Lateisha had moved hers to the left. That left them to squeeze into the middle, side by side. Lily surprised her friend with a gift of a self-inflating air mattress. It wasn't Grandma's feather bed, but Anna found that the cushion took the edge off the hard ground.
As they settled in, Carlotta spilled her sister's secret. "Rosa's afraid of the dark."
Lily knew what that was like, and she tried to think of ways to reassure the girl. Anna nudged her and whispered into her ear. "That's a good idea," Lily said to her friend. And so it was that Anna and Lily told the fascinated children their story of being trapped together in the mall, and finding their way out in the darkness. "I used to sleep with a light on at night, but since the earthquake, I haven't needed it anymore," she finished.
Getting no reply, the pair realized that all three girls had fallen asleep. "Well, I certainly enjoyed hearing the story again," Anna whispered.
"Me too."
In the night, a small hand shook the tall woman awake. "I have to go the bathroom," Lateisha squeaked.
"So do I," Anna replied. "Will you go with me?"
"Okay," the little girl agreed.
Finding the flashlight and their shoes, the two walked quietly to the nearby restroom. Without a word, they took care of their business and made their way back to the tent. "Goodnight, Lateisha."
Several moments later, Anna heard a quiet "goodnight."
Lily awoke to voices outside the tent. She sat up to discover that she was alone, and the light streaming in through the flapping zipper told her it was morning whether she liked it or not. The sleepy camper tugged on her boots and crawled to the opening. She couldn't believe the sight. Nine children and three grown men were lined up with their mess kits, each getting a heaping dose of oatmeal and brown sugar from the Amazon Chef. She hurriedly grabbed her kit and scrambled to the back of the line.
"Wow! Who does your hair?" Anna teased.
The suddenly self-conscious blonde reached up to flatten her locks as her friend presented her with a piping hot cup of coffee. "I suppose you crawl out of bed looking like Cinderella every morning," she challenged.
"Hardly…more like Sleeping Beauty." She winked at the blonde, who stuck out her tongue and looked for a place to sit.
Anna filled her own plate last, and sat next to Lateisha on a fallen log near the edge of the campsite. "You're quiet this morning. What are you thinking about?"
The little girl shrugged. "Nothin'."
"Sometimes when something's bothering me, it helps if I talk about it with somebody else. If you want to do that, I'll be happy to listen, Lateisha."
The woman expected no response, so she was surprised when a small voice said, "My mama died." With that, the child broke down in sobs.
Anna set her plate down and took Lateisha in her arms. She stroked the girl's braided hair as she rocked her slightly back and forth. "I'm so sorry, honey. It must be so hard for you." From her own experience, Anna knew exactly how lost the little girl felt. She was determined to ease the hurt in whatever small way she could. She encouraged Lateisha to talk about her mom, and soon began talking about her own.
The others had noticed that the quiet little girl was finally opening up, and they gave the two a wide berth. Lily was glad that Lateisha had found a friend, but she knew that Anna too would be richly rewarded for reaching this troubled child. These were the treasures that Lily pursued when she worked with children and families in trouble. No amount of monetary compensation was worth the feeling she got when she knew that she was making a difference in someone's life. She was proud that her friend had reached out to this child, and impressed that she had broken through. She doubted that many others from Anna's opulent world could have done that. When the group set out on their nature hike, the sight of the tall woman holding the small child's hand triggered in Lily an emotional groundswell. Anna Kaklis is a very special woman.
Lunch that day was hotdogs, chips and cookies, always a hit with the kids. If Lily had worried that Anna might not like the outdoor cuisine, she needn't have bothered. She and Lateisha had piled their plates high and retreated to their fallen log. In fact, Anna was coming off like an old hand with this camping stuff. This is my world, Anna. What do you think?
In the afternoon, the boys-who apparently had lost their minds-decided to go swimming, even though the water temperature was more suited to otters and Russian submarines. Lily and Anna commandeered the two canoes for a trip across the lake.
"This isn't as easy as it looks, Lateisha." The pair was struggling to avoid several low branches that hung over the water directly in their path. When Anna paddled one way, Lateisha paddled the other, and now they were hopelessly trapped. From the other canoe, Lily and the twins were howling with laughter at their predicament, and that made the tall woman more determined to get out of this mess. She stood gingerly, reaching for a branch to push them away from the shoreline. Unfortunately, Lateisha chose that instant to drop her oar in the water and push off from the sandy bottom. With a scream, Anna toppled head first into the freezing water.
Lily's first instinct was to laugh. She fought it, however, and rowed quickly to her fallen friend. Barely containing a grin as she watched Anna splash around to find her footing, the blonde asked, "Are you hurt?"
"N-n-n-no!" Anna shivered, as she stood waist-deep in the water.
Lily rowed still closer and leaned over the side, asking in a voice so low that only her friend could hear, "Are you cold, or just glad to see me?"
In a lightening quick moment, Anna reached into the other canoe and grabbed the taunting woman by her waistband and collar. "Oh, I'm glad to see you alright!" Rosa and Carlotta watched in shock as their leader was thrown end over end into the lake. In the next breath, Anna pulled her canoe from the overhanging trees and aimed it toward the campsite. "Row for your life, Lateisha!" She jumped into the back of the canoe and the two paddled feverishly to put distance between themselves and their pursuers. The three girls cried with laughter as Lily screamed her threats for revenge across the lake.
Once they reached the shore, Anna jumped out and dragged the boat up onto the sand. "You'd better hide," she told the delighted Lateisha, expecting the game to continue once their adversaries reached the camp. The little girl ran to stand behind Tony as Anna disappeared inside the tent.
"Where is that Amazon?" Lily bellowed as she raced from their abandoned canoe. Rushing into the tent, she found Anna kneeling topless with her back to the zippered entry. Oddly speechless, Lily stopped dead in her tracks.
"Gotcha, funny girl," the woman said without turning, pulling a sweatshirt over her head.
The game momentarily forgotten, Lily blushed as she recognized the lustful sensations that overwhelmed her as she glimpsed the muscled expanse of the woman's back. Without a word, she moved to her bag to find some dry clothes.
"You're not angry, are you?" Anna asked, suddenly concerned about her friend's silence.
"Are you kidding? I bet those girls haven't had that much fun in years." Talking about the children took the exchange to safe ground. I'm in such trouble here.
The ride back into the city on Sunday afternoon took a little over two hours. They dropped the twins at their foster home, and made their way toward the temporary shelter where Lateisha was staying until her father returned from military service overseas. Anna hopped out of the car to help the girl with her things, and they shared a long hug that brought a tear to Lily's eye.
"You were great with Lateisha, you know. Your being with us on this trip was the best thing that could have happened to her." Lily's praise was genuine.
"I liked her. She's a sweetheart, and I understand what she's going through."
"You mean because you lost your mother around her age?"
The woman nodded, a sad look crossing her face. Lily placed her hand on Anna's knee to comfort her, "Thanks for spending so much time with her. You're going to make a great mother one of these days. If that's what you want, that is." She dismissed the unbidden image of the two of them fussing over a baby.
"I'd really like to have children some day. I just hate the whole 'trial and error' thing of marrying a suitable father." Anna went on to tell Lily about the call she had received from Scott last week. He wanted her to know that he and Sarah had gotten married in a civil ceremony. This came as no surprise, as Anna knew that Scott had moved in with Sarah shortly after they had separated. According to his lawyer, this had been under the auspices of being close to his son. "I'm happy for them. Really, I am. But I can't help but envy them both, and I wonder if Sarah has something that was meant for me."
"I think you know the real answer to that," Lily said. "You know, more and more single women are choosing to have children. Have you ruled that out?"
"I haven't really thought about it, but I suppose it's an option."
**********
Lily was in trouble and she knew it. What she now felt for the tall dark-haired woman had slipped past friendship, and she was sure to have her heart broken-it was only a matter of time. She and Anna had gotten together twice during the week following Silverwood Lake, once for dinner at Empyre's and once at Lily's house. Anna knew that her friend lived on a budget, so she always paid when she invited Lily out. They were increasingly comfortable together, poking fun at each other at times, and baring their souls at others.
On Saturday night, Lily picked up Chinese food and made her way to Sherman Oaks to have dinner with her friends. She had reluctantly turned down a movie offer with Anna because she had neglected Sandy and Suzanne for weeks.
"Are you insane?" Suzanne erupted when Lily had confessed that she was falling for Anna. The woman knew she would get an earful of admonition from both her friends, but she hadn't expected this outburst.
"The heart has a will of its own, Suzanne. It's not like I can help liking her. She's smart and interesting. She makes me laugh. She's kind and generous." Lily wanted to add "beautiful" to the list, but knew that would really set Suzanne off on a tirade. "You should have seen her last week with one of our foster children. That girl had hardly said a word in six months, and by the time we dropped her off at home, they were best friends. Anna even gave the girl her phone number, and they've already talked two or three times this week."
Sandy crossed the room and sat down next to her friend. "Suzanne's right, Lily. Anna's going to break your heart all to pieces." Sandy looked at her forlorn friend and added softly, "It's not that she can't be a good friend to you. She obviously already is. It's just that she is straight…and that means she can't return the feelings you have for her. You're only going to hurt yourself by pursuing this, Lily. "
Lily nodded her head slowly as she looked at the floor. On the inside, it was her friends that she wanted to back away from. A few minutes later, she did just that, grabbing her jacket and heading for home.
"I think we're too late," Suzanne said to her partner.
"I think so too. All we can do is be there for her to help pick up the pieces."
Part 8
From her office on the second floor, Lily saw the beautiful woman exit the black car and walk briskly toward the entrance to her building. I'm getting a surprise visitor for lunch, she thought with amused satisfaction. She quickly reached into her top drawer to check her appearance in the compact mirror. Three minutes later, she couldn't believe her eyes-Anna was walking back to her car…with Tony!
"How could he do that!" Lily demanded. Lauren hadn't seen Lily so mad since the Kidz Kamp funding cut. It was best not to answer, just to let the blonde attorney vent.
"Is something wrong?" Pauline had made her way down the hall to see what the yelling was about.
"It seems that Tony asked Lily's friend out, even though she'd asked him not to," Lauren explained.
"Oh, no. Tony didn't ask her. She called him."
Lily thought she might be physically ill.
One hour later, the BMW with the beautiful driver dropped Tony at the sidewalk in front of the building. The smiling lawyer had a spring in his step as he made his way back inside. In his desk chair, he found a small, blonde, very angry attorney.
"You could have said no!" she growled.
"Not to this." Still smiling, he removed a check from his pocket and placed it on the desk in front of her.
From the account of Premier Motors, payable to Kidz Kamp, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Signed, Anna M. Kaklis.
**********
Pulling through the open gate at the Kaklis home, the woman in the battered SUV suddenly felt like "country come to town." She had been delighted when Kim called with the invitation to Anna's thirty-second birthday dinner, but as she parked among the BMWs, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious.
"Surprise!" she said when Anna answered the door. The tall woman was thrilled to see her friend, and right away set off to introduce her to her parents and younger brother. She, and now Kim, had told everyone about the petite blonde attorney who had rescued her in the earthquake.
The birthday girl-her actual birthday was the following Tuesday-walked her friend through the majestic house toward the backyard patio. Lily took in the splendor of the fine home, lavishly decorated with art and antiques. Once outside, Anna dragged her to the umbrella table where George and Martine Kaklis sat with David, Kim and Hal. She wasn't surprised to see that the men in the Kaklis family were tall and handsome.
"How's my favorite first mate?" Hal asked enthusiastically.
"Hey, fella! I'm supposed to be your favorite first-mate," whined Kim, backhanding her husband playfully across his stomach. She reached out to hug the blonde, "I'm glad you could come."
"Me too. Thanks for inviting me."
Anna moved beside her stepmother. "Lily, I'd like to you meet my mother, Martine." When her father had married the widow, it had taken a couple of years before Anna felt comfortable calling Martine her mother. George had asked both of them to accept the label as an attempt to build family unity. The teenager had feared at the time that it would betray her own mother's memory, but she complied to please her father. At 32, Anna knew she'd been lucky to have such a good relationship with the woman.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Kaklis," the blonde said politely.
"My brother, David." David was well over six feet tall, with his sister's black hair, but Martine's hazel eyes.
"Hello, David."
"And this is my father, George."
Lily held out her hand. "Mr. Kaklis."
"Mom, Dad, David, I want you to meet somebody very special. This is my dear friend, Lily Stuart."
Somebody very special? Lily relished that thought.
George Kaklis' reaction reminded the woman of her first meeting with Kim. The man stepped forward to embrace her, then stood back and said sincerely, "I can't tell you how happy I am to meet the woman who saved my daughter's life."
"You know, she always says that, but I've learned that she usually leaves out the part where she saved my life. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't raised such a courageous daughter."
Kim leaned over and butted in, "Hal and I call them both 'the mutual admiration society.' It's nauseating."
On cue, the two women blushed slightly, and turned the tables on the always lovey-dovey captain and first-mate, teasing them about their own mutual admiration.
Dinner was lively, with lots of conversation and questions for their guest. "So Lily, I take it you aren't married," Martine started.
"That's right, Mrs. Kaklis."
David jumped in, "Anna told us about something funny that you said when you guys were in the bridal shop at the mall. What was that again?"
Anna repeated Lily's quip about her worst fear, and while everyone laughed, Martine didn't quite get it. Kim noticed the perplexed look and whispered loudly enough for everyone at the table to hear, "Lily's a lesbian, Mother."
A suddenly embarrassed Martine Kaklis looked at her guest with wide eyes. She too whispered loudly, "Oh, I'm sorry." She had somehow been left out of the loop on this bit of information.
Lily just laughed and whispered back "Don't worry. I'm cool with it." She winked conspiratorially.
Everyone then laughed, but Martine went on, still whispering. "No, I mean…why am I whispering?" In her normal voice, she continued, "I mean I'm sorry for being so presumptuous. Now that I think of it, I believe Anna did mention it. I just forgot."
From there, Lily regaled the group with tales from Anna's first outing with Kidz Kamp. Everyone in the room would have given their eye teeth to have seen the usually chic Anna cooking and serving breakfast to the campers, negotiating a sleeping bag, or especially tumbling into the lake. All were especially proud-surprised even-as Lily told of how Anna had broken through to the quiet Lateisha. None had ever imagined that the serious woman who stood out among LA's business leaders would so easily connect with a troubled child.
Lily was enjoying herself thoroughly. The Kaklis family was fun, and they obviously were extremely devoted to one another. Being raised by a single mother, the blonde had never experienced this type of family life. Not that she was complaining-life with Eleanor had been perfect as far as Lily was concerned-but it was interesting to see the sibling dynamics, as well as the familial interchange between George and Martine. This was the life the young attorney wanted for all of the children she worked with in the foster care system.
George was fascinated by their guest, but troubled by something he saw in his own daughter's face when he watched the two interact. It was unsettling, and he had seen it before when, at 20 years old, Anna had brought home her friend Carolyn from college. George had been certain at the time that Carolyn was a lesbian, and he was glad to learn that Anna and she had drifted apart during the following school year. All of this scrutiny of Lily notwithstanding, George couldn't help but like the young woman, and he could never dismiss his gratitude for her role in their earthquake rescue. Still, he felt the need to send a subtle message to both of the young women. "So Lily, I'm curious. Do you ever encounter discrimination in your work?"
"You mean because I'm so short?" she quipped, knowing well that he was talking about her sexual orientation.
He chuckled, then went on, "No, I was just wondering if prejudice against gays was as bad in the court system as it is in the business world. I don't consider myself prejudiced, but I have to confess that I've always been reluctant to hire people who were open about their sexual preferences because I think our potential customers would rather not deal with someone gay."
Lily bristled slightly, but tried to keep in mind that most people who "didn't consider themselves prejudiced" were simply ignorant of what constituted bigotry. For some reason, it wasn't taboo to be "open about your sexual preferences" if you were straight. She didn't want to offend her friend's father, so she tried not to take it personally. "So are you saying that BMWs aren't appealing to gays?" Lily glanced at her friend to see if she was stepping over any lines with her question. To her displeasure, Anna seemed to be considering the argument on its face, rather than dismissing out of hand the notion of discrimination against gay sales staff.
George was a great businessman and he was certain that his position was best for the dealership. "No, not at all. I'm just saying that it makes better business sense to sacrifice the business of a minority than to risk alienating a majority. It's just a matter of numbers."
For Lily, the worst part of this was the seeming acceptance by Anna to this Neanderthal point of view. Furthermore, that George had mentioned it at all seemed purposive to Lily, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what his motivation might have been.
To Anna, it was all a moot point, since she did all the hiring at the dealership. It had never occurred to her to consider someone's sexual orientation as relevant to the job. She resolved to talk to her father in private, missing the fact that the conversation had left her friend uneasy.
Abruptly standing, the uncomfortable blonde looked across the table to her friend as though she were a total stranger. "I hope you've had a nice birthday, Anna. I should be going. I've got three cases scheduled for court next week, and I need to prepare." Turning to Kim and Hal, she added, "Thanks for including me in your plans. I know the way out." With that, she turned and left.
The front door closed before Anna could react. As realization dawned on what Lily must have thought, she immediately scampered to the front door to see the RAV4 disappear beyond the hedge. "Dad, that was rude!" she said, returning to the dining room. In all her life, she had never spoken to her father that way, and the shock was clearly registered on all the faces of the Kaklis family.
"Anna, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out that way. If you want, I'll call her and apologize." George was indeed contrite. He had not intended to insult the woman, though it was clear that he had.
"No, I'll talk to her. I should go too. Thank you all for the party."
"Wait up, Anna." Kim rose to follow her sister to the door. "Are you going to Lily's?"
"I think I should, don't you? I just sat there, Kim. I had no idea that she was taking Dad's words to heart, and I didn't stick up for her."
"You need to talk to her. I don't know what's up with Dad, but she surely knows that you don't feel that way." She took her sister's shoulders and looked her squarely in the eye. "You and Lily care about each other, and you need to see what that's about. Don't let Dad decide this."
Anna was struck dumb by her sister's words. See what it's about? Did she mean…
The dark-haired woman finally found her voice. "I…it isn't like that, Kim." Is it? With that, she was gone.
**********
Lily was furious with herself. I should have kept my mouth shut! She was angry at herself for stomping off like a spoiled child. "I ruined dinner. I ruined her party. I've ruined everything. Way to go, Lilian," she said aloud, pounding on the steering wheel.
The RAV4 responded with a sputter, and slowed dramatically of its own volition. Lily slid one lane to the right and exited the freeway. To her relief, she spotted a Chevron station ahead as the car continued to slow, but it was clear she wasn't going to make it. "Damn it! What else could…" She stopped herself suddenly, remembering that the last time she had asked a question like that, the earth had opened up and swallowed her. The RAV4 finally died against the curb, about 30 feet shy of the busy station.
**********
Just great. She's probably gone to tell her buddies what a shitty friend I turned out to be. Anna sat in her car staring at Lily's empty parking space, furious with herself for not voicing her disagreement to what her father had said. Gathering her nerve, she waved her hand across the infrared beam. "Lily's cell phone," she enunciated clearly.
**********
"Three hundred dollars!" The blonde was incredulous. This was not the estimate for fixing the car, but the offering to take it off her hands. "The tires alone are worth a hundred and fifty apiece!"
The mechanic shrugged. He had a friend who would buy the car for parts, but neither was going to make a fortune on the ancient SUV. "Take it or leave it."
Lily groped for her phone when she heard the familiar chime. Anna! She would face the music first for her rash behavior. Then, she would deal with her car.
"Hi, Anna," she answered contritely. "I'm sorry I stormed out. I lost my head."
Anna was shocked. She's apologizing to me? "No, Lily. You did nothing wrong. What Dad said was wrong, and I should have corrected him. I do all the hiring at the dealership, and I couldn't figure out what on earth he was talking about. I'm the one who needs to be forgiven."
"No, you're not. I was at a party in his house. He has a right to his opinions. I should have just controlled my temper. I ruined your party."
"No you didn't. It wasn't your fault." Immensely relieved that they were back on solid footing, Anna asked, "Where are you? I drove to your house."
"I'm on Henderson Avenue…at a Chevron station…with a dead car."
"I'll be right there."
**********
"Yes, it's a great vehicle. I have no doubt at all that it's the best one on the road, by far. It's just…a little out of my price range. A lot, actually." It was after hours on a Saturday night in the showroom of Premier Motors, but Lily was getting the VIP treatment, looking over the brand new X5. BMW's entry in the SUV market was sweet-leathered appointed, powerful, loaded with bells and whistles. When you tacked on taxes and dealer fees, the price of the lower end model was nearly 43 thousand dollars.
"I can get you a good deal. I know the owner," Anna winked at her friend.
"I'm sure you can. But even with a good deal, it's more than I've saved for my house. I need to be looking at the Suzuki or the Ford Escape."
Anna blanched. "Look, Lily. What if you could get the X5 for the same price as one of those other cars? Say, twenty-two thousand. Which would you rather have?"
"The X5, of course. I'm not an idiot. But I can't let you drop the price on this car that much. This is business." Lily was adamant.
"It's more than business, though." Lily turned to interrupt, but Anna held up her hand. "Hear me out." She paused to choose her words carefully. She didn't want to offend her friend. "I have a little trouble with my leg when I can't stretch it out all the way. If I'm going to spend as much time in your new car as I did in your old car, then I would like to help you get something that's comfortable to me." Lily was almost sold; she could see it in her eyes. She went on, "If you really like it, that is. And if we're going to keep doing things together."
Lily was quiet as her head processed all the things Anna had just said. Keep doing things together. Yes, we are going to keep doing things together. She gestured at her friend's knee. "It still bothers you?"
"Sometimes."
She thought about the long trips from San Diego, and to and from Silverwood Lake. She felt awful that the woman had probably been in agony the whole time, but was too nice to say anything. "Okay, I'll do it. But we'll compromise. I can go as high as thirty."
The car dealer smiled triumphantly. This sale was her best one ever, and she was taking a $21,000 hit. "We'll see." Anna grinned and dragged the blonde through the glass door to the lot. "White, black, silver, or blue?"
**********
"You should probably slow down a little bit," the dark-haired woman suggested.
"Holy shit! I'm doing ninety-five!" The blonde eased up on the accelerator and dropped her speed to a respectable eighty. She was still speeding, but no longer leading the pack on the Grapevine, that infamous twisting, climbing stretch of Interstate 5 north of LA. "I can't believe how powerful this thing is. I love it!" A driver had delivered the brand new silver X5 to her apartment on Sunday afternoon. The paperwork on the front seat told her that Anna had ignored her gesture of compromise, fixing the final price at $22,000, financed over four years at 0.9 percent annual percentage rate. No one on earth had ever gotten such a good deal.
"I'm not carrying enough cash to get you out of jail," Anna warned, her eyes smiling. "You'll have to spend the night."
Traffic was pretty light for a Friday night. They had left work early to get a head start north to San Jose. Lily was thrilled that Anna agreed to go with her. She hadn't seen her mom since September, and even though she'd be back in three weeks for Thanksgiving, this was a chance to introduce her two favorite people to one another.
Anna was looking forward to meeting Eleanor. It would be fun to hear stories of Lily as a little girl. This also was a chance to see her friend Liz in San Mateo, whom she hadn't seen since the wedding. They'd talked on the phone several times, but that didn't compare to seeing each other face to face. Anna planned to drive up Saturday for dinner in the city while Lily visited with her mom.
The drive to San Jose was a little over five hours. Anna had suggested they hit the drive-thru at McDonald's in Kettleman City, but Lily overruled. "You're not eating in my new car!" Their quick stop cost them only 20 minutes.
Just before ten, Lily pulled to the curb in front of a small, two-story Victorian. The ladies grabbed their overnight bags and made their way up the sidewalk to the lighted porch. The front door opened, and an unassuming woman of about 60 stepped out. From somewhere in the corner of her brain, Anna remembered the image of this woman standing over Lily's stretcher as she was loaded into the ambulance at the Endicott Mall.
"Hi baby! I'm so glad you're here!" The two embraced and hugged fiercely. Their devotion was unmistakable. A long moment passed before they broke apart.
"Mom, I want you to meet…someone very special." She intentionally recalled the words Anna had used when introducing her to her father. "This is Anna Kaklis. Anna, this is my mom, Eleanor Stuart."
Anna reached out her hand to the older woman, but Eleanor was having none of that. She pulled the tall woman close and hugged her tightly. "Thank you for saving my daughter."
In a now familiar scene, Anna answered, "You're welcome. But I couldn't have done that if she hadn't saved me first."
They entered the cozy house and were met at once by a handsome basset hound. "This is my boy Chester. He's never met a stranger, so he'll probably follow you around the house. If he gets on your nerves, just push him away."
The women set their bags beside the staircase, following Eleanor into the small living room. The comfortable room held a stuffed swivel rocker and loveseat for the house's human occupants, and a sprawling flannel beanbag for the adorable hound. Chester took his place in the center of the room, as the travelers made their way to the loveseat. The pup then changed his mind and came to sit at Anna's feet, locking his droopy brown eyes onto her blue ones. "Hi there, fella. I hear you're easy," she said, reaching out to scratch behind the happy dog's ears.
"Do you want something to eat or drink?" Eleanor asked.
"No, we're fine, Mom. Go ahead and sit. I know where things are if we change our mind."
For the next half-hour, Lily's friend and mother exchanged pleasantries and talked about the attorney as though she weren't in the room. Anna had heard the story of how Lily had come to live with her first grade teacher. She was surprised to learn that Eleanor was now principal of a large elementary school.
Eleanor was excited to hear that Lily was driving a new car. She peered out the window, but promised to get a closer look the next day. Seeing the tired looks on the faces of her visitors, she turned to her daughter. "Why don't you show Anna to your old room, and you take the futon in the office?"
"No, no. I'll be fine on the futon," the tall lady protested. "You should sleep in your own room."
Eleanor and Lily both laughed. Lily explained the house rules. "First of all, your comfort is my reason for living. Second, I don't have a room here anymore. Mom threw my old furniture out ages ago. And third, the futon's barely big enough for me, Amazon. Chester would be licking your feet all night."
"Well, lead the way, Pygmy."
**********
"Wow! You look fabulous! Do you mind me saying that divorce agrees with you?" Liz was astounded at the difference in her friend since the wedding. Anna had always been beautiful, but way too thin in Liz's mind. Even dressed in slacks and a sweater, it was obvious that Anna had put on weight through her shoulders and middle, and the muscles in her neck were evidence of her workout regimen.
"You look great too," Anna said sincerely. Liz had always been on the heavy side, but her Italian features were striking. The olive complexion, the large brown eyes, and jet black hair always earned her a second look. In addition to her usual look, Elizabeth Leandro Patterson had a glow.
"That's because I'm pregnant." Her smile grew wider and wider.
"Congratulations!" Anna was truly happy for her longtime friend. "When are you due?"
"Not until the middle of May. I just found out yesterday. Rick's walking around on Cloud Nine."
"How is Rick? And Chloe?"
"They're fine. They wanted to see you, but I wanted you all to myself." The two women had decided to meet at Stella's, a trendy neighborhood place in San Francisco's Mission District. Through dinner, they caught up on one another, including the story of the earthquake and the remarkable woman Anna had met.
"Do you ever hear from Carolyn?" Liz asked casually. Carolyn Bunting had been one of Anna's closest friends at Cal Poly. During their sophomore year, they were practically inseparable. But when they returned for their junior year, Carolyn was distant, always busy with other things, other people. Anna had been deeply hurt, but assumed simply that Carolyn had developed other interests.
"Not recently. Did I tell you that I saw her about four years ago at the reunion? You and Rick were in Europe, I think."
"How was she?" Liz was fishing. Something about the way Anna had talked about her new friend made Liz think this was the finally the time to have that conversation with her friend that she had avoided more than ten years ago.
"She was great. She's living in Seattle working for God. I mean, Bill Gates," she corrected herself, laughing. "She introduced me to her partner, a woman who works in the Seahawks' front office." Anna let the words settle a moment. "Did you know back in college that Carolyn was gay?"
"Yes, I did…Did you know she was in love with you?"
The tall woman froze. A flood of emotions long buried crept into her consciousness. "How do you know that?" she asked quietly.
"She told me. She called me in Sacramento after sophomore year. She asked me if I thought it was possible that you felt the same way about her." Liz took a deep breath. Her friend deserved to know the whole story. "I should have told her the truth, that I really didn't know how you would feel. Instead, I told her that I didn't think it was possible. That you never talked about her that way. She asked me if she should break off your friendship." Liz was so ashamed of what she was about to say. "I told her yes."
Anna sighed deeply, then leaned back in her chair. "Well, that explains a lot. I never really understood why she didn't want to do things together anymore when we came back in the fall."
Liz reached across the table and took her friend's hand. "Anna, I've always regretted my hand in that. I've…wondered from time to time if you might have…found what you were looking for in Carolyn after all."
A look of sadness crossed the tall woman's face as she processed what Liz had said. "I don't know what to say, Liz. I'm sure you did what you thought was best at the time."
In for a penny, in for a pound. "No, Anna. You're not letting me off the hook that easily. Not until I tell you that I think you ought to step back and take a look at where things might be headed with your new friend."
"With Lily?"
"You should hear yourself talk about her. You should see the look on your face. What is she to you, Anna?" What was it Kim had said? You need to see what this is about.
The tall woman grew quiet as she turned the question over in her mind. "Lily is one of the most important people in my life. We've shared something extraordinary, and that will probably bond us forever."
"How would you feel if Lily met someone and fell in love?"
"I…don't know, Liz." She knew, but she wasn't ready to say. She'd be devastated.
**********
"Have you told her?" Eleanor joined her daughter on the loveseat to watch for Anna's return.
"Told her what?" Lily was nothing if not evasive.
"That you're in love with her." Eleanor was nothing if not persistent.
The young woman sighed and turned toward the window. "No, I haven't. I'm afraid it would freak her out."
The older woman was worried for her daughter. There was no easy way a mother could protect a child from a broken heart. "She might, Lily. And it might make her so uncomfortable that she wouldn't want to be friends anymore."
Lily nodded in agreement. She could feel the tears starting to form. Eleanor was going to warn her off, just as Sandy and Suzanne had.
Eleanor placed her palm on the side of her daughter's face. With her thumb, she touched the tear that threatened to fall. "But some things may be worth the risk, sweetheart."
**********
The drive back to LA started out quietly. Both women were absorbed in the mental recounting of their respective conversations, each wondering if the other had a hint of her true feelings. Anna leaned back into the plush leather, draping her arm over the console.
Lily looked at the hand near her side. Finally, she reached out and took it in her own. "Thanks for coming with me this weekend. It really meant a lot to Mom. And to me." Anna squeezed the small hand, but didn't release it. They rode in silence like that for more than an hour, both acutely aware of their closeness.
Part 9
"It snowed last night in the Sierras." No response. "I know, 'You're fine. Thanks for asking.'"
"Hello to you, too. What's with the weather report?" Lily had finally accepted that Anna preferred to start her conversations in the middle. She would get around to the beginning eventually.
The car dealer cleared her throat and enunciated formally, "I'm calling to request the pleasure of your company for Thanksgiving in Tahoe with the Kaklis clan."
Normally, this would have been a no-brainer for the attorney. An opportunity to spend a holiday with her beautiful friend was not something to be trifled with. "As tempting as that sounds, I always spend Thanksgiving with Mom." She was sorry to miss out on the fun at Tahoe, but Lily was a strong believer in family traditions. She hadn't missed Thanksgiving with Eleanor since she was seven years old.
"Sure," Anna goaded her friend. "You're just afraid of Dad." The two friends had talked at length about Anna's relationship with her father as they journeyed back to LA from visiting Eleanor two weeks ago. Lily surmised that her friend felt an acute need to win her father's approval, though she couldn't imagine that any father would find fault with such a wonderful daughter. "So how far is Tahoe from San Jose?"
"Mmmmm…about four hours. Why? You want to come down?"
"Well, I thought maybe you could drive up and spend a day or two with us. We could ski, maybe go to a show at one of the casinos…"
"That sounds like a lot of fun, but I'm really not much of a skier."
"That doesn't matter. We'll find something to do."
I can think of a few things. "Sure, I'd really like that. I probably should talk with Mom first, though. I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings if she's got something planned. When do you need to know?"
"No deadline really. We're all going anyway, and there's plenty of room. We can play it by ear."
**********
Eleanor had practically shoved her daughter out the door on Friday morning. She wasn't going to stand in the way of advancing Lily's love life. "Stop it, Mom! I still haven't said anything to her. We're just friends."
"That's because you're here and she's there. Now go!"
The drive had taken almost five hours, as fresh snow had narrowed Interstate 80 traffic to one lane at the higher elevations. Lily was fearless in her go-anywhere X5, arriving at the rental cabin just after one in the afternoon. The surrounding woods were a beautiful white, and the smell of wood smoke filled her nostrils when she stepped from the SUV. Two other four-wheel drive vehicles, a Lincoln Navigator that looked like a rental and a Jeep Wrangler with a Cal-Berkeley alumni sticker, were already parked alongside the cabin.
"Lily!" George Kaklis' booming voice could be heard through the door as she made her way up the steps to the broad wrap-around porch.
But it was a grinning Anna who opened the door and pulled her inside. "Get in here and shut the door before all the heat gets out!"
"I had a lovely trip. Thanks for asking," the blonde joked.
"Shhhhh! What'd I tell you about raising people's expectations?"
Lily greeted Martine, then George, who was friendly and polite. David was spending the holiday with his girlfriend's family back in LA. Kim and Hal were on the slopes with their friend Todd, who had arrived earlier that day.
George was still tender from the rare scolding his family had given him about his comments to Lily at Anna's birthday dinner. In truth, he didn't care at all if his salespeople were gay. He had just overreacted to the closeness he had seen between the attorney and his daughter. When Martine suggested privately that his heavy hand might lead Anna to rebel and do something she might not otherwise do, he realized that the sensible thing to do was back off and treat Lily like a family friend. After all, she had saved Anna's life. "Lily, I feel that I really owe you an apology for my remarks at Anna's birthday dinner. I hope you'll forgive me for putting my foot in my mouth."
"There's nothing to forgive, Mr. Kaklis. Reasonable people sometimes disagree. It's what makes the world interesting." Anna was impressed with both her father and her friend at this considerate exchange.
After lunch, Anna and Lily drove the elder couple to the airport in Reno. George was reluctant to be away from the business over the holiday weekend, though Martine would have enjoyed spending more time with her family. More than that, she wanted time with George when he wasn't so completely absorbed in his work.
"I was going to put you in the room Mom and Dad had, but I didn't know that Todd was coming up today." Todd, Anna explained, was Hal's fraternity brother and best man at their wedding. He now lived in Sacramento, but was moving soon to take a city planning job in Orange County. "You'll be stuck with me, if that's okay." Lily followed her friend into a small room, smiling to herself with anticipation.
Twin beds. Rats! "Hey, you put up with me in a tent. I can suffer sharing a room," she winked.
The evening was relaxing and entertaining, as Hal and Todd traded memories of fraternity pranks. The three women simply shook their heads in disbelief. "You guys are so crude," Kim said in disgust. "Lily's got the right idea. I'm surprised more women aren't lesbians."
"There's still time," Anna joked.
If only! "Well, you know what they say," Lily said in agreement. "Better latent than never!"
**********
On Saturday morning, the five friends trudged along the path through the woods to the slopes. Compared to the stylish sisters, the blonde felt like a ragamuffin. The snow pants she wore were from her pudgy days, and they bagged around her hips. Struggling clumsily with her rented boots and skis, she more than once considered taking a pass, as she could stop short of making a complete fool of herself. But with Anna's encouragement, she gamely joined in.
Lily did fine on her first two runs, picking her way slowly down the center of the trail as Anna and Todd crisscrossed one another playfully. On the third trip, just as she was sure that she had the hang of it, some demon child clipped her elbow as he raced past. Working desperately to keep her balance, the novice skier teetered first one way then the next, finally ending up sprawled face down in the snow bank at the side of the trail.
Anna gasped in alarm as she watched the accident unfold. Racing to her fallen friend's side, she dropped down and turned the woman over. She was…laughing? Lily's cheeks were red with the cold and her green eyes sparkled in the bright sunlight. Snowflakes clung to her eyelashes and golden hair. She looks adorable. Relieved that the woman was alright, Anna too began to laugh. Abruptly, their smiles faded as each recognized something unmistakable in the other's eyes.
"Is everything okay here?" Todd threw a spray of powder as he abruptly came to a stop, shattering the moment.
Godamnedsonofamotherfuckingbitch! Lily had picked that up from Lauren, and it had never seemed more appropriate than right now. "Yeah, I'm okay. Injured pride is all." She glanced back at her friend, who had looked away and was now intent on helping her to her feet. The three started slowly down the mountain.
"Well that was hardly your fault! That kid wasn't paying attention to what he was doing." Anna wanted to bolster her friend's shaken confidence. "Are you sure you're alright?"
Lily wasn't hurt, but the familiar tickle in her chest told her that an asthma attack was on its way. "Actually, I'm fine, but I think my asthma is kicking up. I get this way sometimes when I exercise in the cold. Laughing probably pushed me over the edge."
Anna suddenly panicked, as memories of the earthquake flooded back. "Did you remember your medicine? Do you need a doctor? What should I do?"
"No, no. Don't worry about me," Lily assured. They had reached the lodge and she began to remove her skis. "It isn't bad, and I have my medicine in my locker. As long as I don't do anything to make it worse, I should be fine."
"Then we should stop for the day. We'll go back to the cabin and you can rest."
Going back to the cabin with this beautiful woman sure seemed like a pretty good idea, but Lily was cursed with a "put others first" quality that was annoying at times. "No way! You missed a whole day yesterday because you were waiting for me. I'll be fine. I'll sit in front of the window down there and watch you guys come down. Go on!" She gestured toward the lodge. "I'll be there."
The weary blonde turned in her boots and gathered her belongings from the rented locker. As usual, the medicine took effect right away and she already felt better. She laughed out loud when she spotted Anna, Todd, Kim and Hal skiing toward the bottom in a makeshift conga line.
**********
"We're gonna kick your ass!" Hal hissed to Lily.
"Aw, you sissies couldn't score if we went home!" The football wars had begun in earnest, as the Cal Bears took the field in Berkeley against the UCLA Bruins for the final game of the season. Hal and Todd had dragged the TV to the center of the vaulted living room, arranging the sofa and loveseat close enough to yell at the refs.
Kim and Hal staked their claim to the couch, and snuggled together affectionately. Todd, wanting no part of the sickening display, took a seat opposite the pair on the loveseat. When Anna entered the room, he gestured to the open space beside him.
"Hey, not fair!" Lily whined when she walked in and found that the only empty seat was at the end of the couch with Kim and Hal. "The Berkeley Bozos should have to sit together."
"Nice try," said Todd. "I'm not getting near those two. The whole couch might spontaneously combust at any moment."
And you're not giving up the beautiful Amazon either, she thought dejectedly.
The game was one of the most exciting contests Lily could remember. The Bruins scored first. That's good. The Bears answered back. That's bad. The Bruins intercepted. That's good. The Bears recovered a fumble. That's bad. The Bruins blocked a punt. That's good. Todd put his arm around Anna's shoulder. That's bad. Very bad.
At the end of the third quarter, the dark-haired beauty suddenly stood. "Does anyone want anything to drink?" She made her way to the kitchen to a chorus of orders.
Lily started to follow her, but stopped when Todd jumped to his feet and padded into the kitchen. An eternity passed in the next five minutes, and the anxious blonde could stand it no longer. "I'll go see if they need a hand." Full of apprehension, she walked quietly toward the kitchen.
The sight of Anna kissing the young man was like a blow to the gut.
**********
Anna,
Thank you so much for the invitation this weekend. I had a wonderful time.
Sorry I missed the end of the game last night. My asthma usually doesn't act up like that, but sometimes it happens when I'm in a place I'm not used to. Anyway, I'm fine now.
I woke up really early and thought I'd hit the road. I've got a busy week in court, so I could use a head start on getting my cases ready. I'll probably be pretty busy for the next couple of weeks, but maybe we can get together after that.
I hope you guys have fun today. Have a safe trip home. Thanks again.
Lily
When Anna returned from the kitchen with the drinks, Lily had already gone to bed. "She said something about her asthma bothering her again," Kim said.
The dark-haired woman made her way up the stairs to the small room she shared with her friend. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. Lily was on her side, facing the wall.
"Yeah, I took some medicine. I just need to get some sleep. I'll be fine," she lied. She might never be fine again. Please just go away.
**********
"What an idiot!" the woman exploded as she barreled south on Interstate 5 at 103 miles an hour. "What the fuck did you think you were doing? Why would you think there was a chance in hell that she might be interested in you? You idiot!" Through unchecked tears, Lily berated herself for letting her desires cloud her judgment. "You just saw what you wanted to see."
The X5 driver didn't much want to see those red and blue lights in her rearview mirror. "Fuck! That's just fucking perfect!"
**********
Anna was frustrated. She'd been back from Tahoe a week and a half and had yet to connect with her friend. Each call went to voicemail, and Lily's return calls seemed to come when she too was unavailable. She had no way of knowing that Lily had actually called the dealership five times, only staying on the line when she was assured of being put through to the woman's voicemail.
The Christmas season was a busy time for the dealership. Anna and George worked hard to clear the lot of excess inventory before the taxman counted cars on December 31st. To help with their goal, Premier Motors had a contest each year, awarding the top seller for the month a Hawaiian vacation. Brad and Anna were clearing almost 15 cars a day.
**********
It was never Lily's nature to seek consolation for disappointment of any kind. Rather, she tended to withdraw, by keeping her mind occupied with work, and her body with challenge and pain. The week after Thanksgiving, the attorney went to the weight room every night when she returned to her apartment complex, completing three reps at 80 percent of her max until her muscles burned.
The following weekend, she sought solace hiking deep into the San Gabriel Mountains, more than 17 miles on Saturday to the top of Mt. Disappointment. How appropriate. She followed that with a 12-mile climb to the observatory at Mt. Wilson on the following day. Though she carried her cell phone for work emergencies, Lily avoided calls from Anna, and from Sandy and Suzanne.
**********
The attorney reached for the phone on her desk, but stopped short when she recognized the caller. "I need a better plan," she muttered, letting the call go to voicemail. It was after six on Thursday evening, and she was alone in the office. Lily had practiced in her head a hundred times the conversation she would have with Anna, if only the tall woman would read her part.
"I've really had a lot of fun these last few months, but I'm neglecting my work."
Anna would say "I know how important your job is to you. You're one of the most conscientious people I've ever met."
"I wish I had more time to do things with my friends, but my clients really need more of my attention."
Anna would say "I understand. Maybe we can get together sometime when you get caught up with your work."
"I'd really like that. Thanks for being so understanding."
It was a silly scenario, and about as likely as Cher having drinks with the Pope. The hardest part would be facing the woman in the first place. Lily knew in her rational mind that Anna had done nothing wrong. She had no legitimate reason to feel angry or betrayed. How on earth could she explain her withdrawal in a way that was even remotely credible without spilling her secret?
The phone rang again, this time announcing a local pay phone. It wasn't unusual for the clinic's clients to call from a pay phone, so the attorney quickly picked it up.
"Lilian Stuart," she announced.
"Should I be hurt that the calls from my cell phone are getting bounced?"
The blonde froze in her chair as her stomach did "that thing" again, fluttering, then sinking. "I just walked in," she lied. "Have you been calling?"
Anna let it slide. Her friend's voice sounded cool and strained. "Yeah, just a few minutes ago." And about a hundred other times this week. "You must be awfully busy. How are you holding up?"
Lily was genuinely touched at her friend's concern. Anna didn't deserve the cold shoulder she was getting. "I'll manage, thanks. My clients have a hard time around the holidays, and we all usually have too much to do." She relaxed in her chair, beginning to enjoy the exchange. She had really missed this.
"Why are the holidays so hard? I would think it would be a happy time." The car dealer wanted her friend to open up.
"Well, it's kind of stressful for people who don't have money. The kids act out because they're jonesing for things they can't have. Everybody argues. The stress level goes up, and eventually, somebody starts hitting."
"I guess that makes your job pretty hard. I hope you're taking care of yourself." Anna couldn't put her finger on what it was, but she knew something was amiss. The only thing she knew to do was comfort and support her friend. "Would you want to get together for dinner? It sounds like you could use a break."
You are so fucking irresistible. Lily had to buy some more time. She couldn't see Anna in this weakened state. "Sure, but not tonight. I've got tons of stuff to do. Maybe next week…Wednesday?" That was almost a week to strengthen her resolve.
**********
The week passed all too quickly for the anxious blonde. She and Anna had arranged to meet at the Starfish, a casual seafood restaurant in Marina del Rey. Lily had suggested including Hal and Kim to deflect the conversation from her own withdrawn behavior, but her tall friend was having none of that. The lawyer arrived ten minutes late to find Anna already seated by the window overlooking the marina. She looks tired.
The site of the attorney walking toward her table brought an immediate smile to Anna's face. She looks tired. "It's good to see you finally! You're working yourself to death."
"I'm fine. But I've been neglecting my work a bit over the past few months. It's time to get caught up." This is the part where you're supposed to say how conscientious I am and how you understand my need to work.
"Look, you're one of most dedicated people I know. But you're going to have to find a balance. It can't be good for you to work so hard."
That wasn't your line! "Look, what I do is important. If you slack up at work, that's a few thousand dollars less in your pocket at the end of the month. If I do, women get slapped around, and kids get molested by their mother's boyfriends. That's why I work my ass off!" She wanted the words back. She hadn't meant for that to come out so forcefully, and the part about the money in Anna's pocket had never before been a conscious thought in Lily's mind. Now, there was a look of hurt in those beautiful blue eyes, and she had put it there.
Anna was pure class. She gathered herself and went on, "I know that what I do doesn't hold a candle to your work. It shames me sometimes to think about it. You're a real hero to me."
If the earth had opened again and swallowed the humbled blonde, it would have been a fitting ending to the moment. With misty eyes, she reached her hand across the table and covered that of her dignified friend. "I'm…sorry. I didn't mean to…That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."
The rest of dinner was an awkward affair, the conversation stilted and superficial. Lily insisted on paying the check this time, and the pair parted with no plans to see each other again.
On December 21st, a florist delivered to the clinic a gorgeous basket of wildflowers in a Christmas arrangement.
Lily,
I hope you have a wonderful holiday. Please give my best to Eleanor.
Anna
Continued in Part 10
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