“I’ll call her this week and get the update.”
“So, what do you think?”
“About the room? I think it looks fantastic.”
“No, I mean about going to the Canary Islands.”
“I’d love to go,” Carolyn said. “It’s easier for me to go in the summer while I’m off work. Although I have so much vacation and personal days saved up right now, I could probably go for a week or more just about anytime. What about you? Is this your time to go?”
“I don’t know. A lot is going to depend on what happens between Matthew and me. I was dreaming a little about the future while I was painting the other room, and I was thinking what it would be like if he and I do end up getting married. What if we had our honeymoon in the Canary Islands. I know that probably sounds silly, but those are my grown-up princess dreams now. It just seems so exotic, you know?”
“Those are sweet dreams.” Carolyn stroked Tikki’s face. “You hold on to those sweet dreams.”
Carolyn held on to a few sweet dreams of her own as the week progressed. Ellis and the prospect of seeing him again was a small dream on the back burner. Her bigger dream was to at long last follow through with some of the decorating renovations she had been eager to work on now that she had her house back.
She started with both bathrooms by purchasing new shower curtains, fluffy white towels, and plush rugs. She replaced the light fixture over her bathroom sink and splurged on matching pump bottles for each sink that she filled with almond-scented soap and lotion.
After work on Wednesday she went shopping for new dishes and a fun assortment of throw pillows for the sofa, since the old ones smelled like hair product and acne medicine. Her spring-cleaning campaign was pure fun in her new solo state. No one was there to offer a second option. No one tried to steer her in an alternate direction. She was the queen of her domain.
Her Thursday evening project was re-covering an old lamp shade with fabric that went with one of the new throw pillows. She had found just the right woven edging to put around the bottom and was delighted with how it was turning out.
In the middle of her project her cell phone rang. It was Ellis.
“How are you doing?” she asked buoyantly.
“I’m good. How about you?”
“I’m doing great.”
“You sound like it.”
Carolyn wanted to tell him about the transformation taking place in her home, but when she realized she still hardly knew this man, the self-consciousness returned to her voice.
Ellis cleared his throat. “I don’t know if it’s too soon to ask this, but I was wondering if you might be interested in meeting up for dinner again sometime. I read a review this week on a new Chinese restaurant in Milpitas. I wanted to try it out. I thought you might want to join me. But if it’s not a good time or too soon for me to ask, I understand.”
“No, I think it’s fine. Sure. When?”
“Would this Saturday work for you? Four o’clock again? We can beat the dinner rush that way.”
“Okay. Sure.”
“Great. I’m really looking forward to seeing you again, Carolyn. I’ll text you the name and address of the restaurant, and we’ll meet there at four.”
As soon as she hung up, Carolyn remembered she had agreed to go over to Larry and Marilyn’s on Saturday to look at wedding photos and hear about their honeymoon.
A few phone calls later she managed to move the invitation from Marilyn and Larry to Friday. But going to their home on Friday meant that she ended up sitting on the freeway in rush hour traffic for nearly an hour. Her windshield wipers kept time, dismissing the early March drizzle that had settled in on the Bay Area for the weekend. She felt her shoulders tensing as she coached herself to be on her guard and not to reveal anything about Ellis to Marilyn. She didn’t want to bring her sister into this. Not yet.
When Carolyn finally arrived at the townhome and sat down to eat pepperoni pizza with the newly formed family of four, she noted that Larry was making heroic attempts to win the loyalty of the three women under his roof. He had showered the girls with new cell phones and lots of freedom. The minute they finished eating, they left the table, picked up Larry’s car keys, and exited without saying where they were going.
“I think you guys need to keep a close eye on those two. Do you think they’re telling you the truth about where they’re going and who they’re with?”
Larry looked at Marilyn and back at Carolyn with an expression that made it clear he never had thought otherwise.
“I told you how they were pushing all the limits at my house while you were on your honeymoon. I think it would help if—”
“That’s because they’re adjusting,” Marilyn said with an edge to her voice. “We’re all trying to adjust here. You have no idea how difficult this is.”
Carolyn backed down and didn’t continue with the advice she wanted to deliver to her sister.
“Larry and I are determined to make it work. Are we going to make mistakes? Sure. Will we need your helpful opinions along the way? Yes. Of course we will. But until we ask for your advice, I don’t think you’re in a place to tell us what to do.”
Carolyn pulled back and kept her opinions to herself the rest of the evening. She didn’t want her sister’s opinions on her newly sprouting dating life, and Marilyn didn’t want Carolyn’s opinions on how to raise her daughters. Fair enough.
Marilyn pulled out her brand-new laptop, another gift from Larry, and clicked through the photos of their honeymoon with lots of details about each one. The three of them moved to the couch to be more comfortable, and as the evening wore on, Marilyn and Larry grew cuddlier and exchanged a few too many knowing smiles and winks for Carolyn to feel comfortable. Larry had his arm around Marilyn, playing with her hair, rubbing her shoulders. When he kissed Marilyn’s neck, Carolyn said, “I need to get going.”
“Are you sure?” Marilyn’s tone reflected no disappointment over her sister’s departure.
“Yes. I have a lot of projects going at the house. Next time you’re over my way, be sure to stop by. I’d love for you to see what I did with the bedrooms and bathrooms.”
Larry asked, “Did you get the wall fixed yet? The one that was damaged by the dresser?”
“Not yet. I have a repairman coming next week.”
“Send me the bill. I want to take care of that for you.”
“Thanks, Larry, but you don’t have to do that.”
“Yes he does,” Marilyn said, getting up and heading for the door as Carolyn followed her. “I told him it happened after we were married, so that makes it our responsibility to fix.”
“How about if we figure it out later?” Carolyn gave her sister a hug good-bye and was overwhelmed by an unexpected fragrance. It was Larry’s aftershave, an odd mix of evergreens and licorice. The scent clung to Marilyn, and now its faint trail followed Carolyn home.
She wondered if Ellis had a particular scent he always wore. She hadn’t been close enough to him to notice if he did. With a little flutter of her stomach, Carolyn remembered she was going to see him at four o’clock the next day.
This time she put more attention into selecting her outfit and spent Saturday morning trying on five combinations before settling on what seemed just right. The black dress pants and heels looked sophisticated, but she hoped the jeans jacket and print shirt would balance out the overall outfit and give her a more approachable and not-so-nervous look.
Her hair cooperated and hung smoothly just past her shoulders with its usual thick bounce. Great hair was one of the best traits shared by all the Women of the Canaries. Even Aunt Frieda’s hair had looked beautiful at the wedding.
Ellis was waiting for her just inside the front door of the restaurant. He greeted her with the same happy and approving smile he had given her at Sadie’s Garden. This time his gaze seemed to take her in more deliberately. Carolyn could tell by his demeanor that he liked what he saw.
With her confidence boosted, Car
olyn followed the hostess to their table and slid into her seat. A server brought tall glasses of water and an Asian-style teapot with cups.
“I’ve heard the spring rolls here are especially good.” Ellis looked over the top of the menu at Carolyn. “That is, if you’re interested in appetizers only.”
“I’m pretty hungry. This kung pao chicken caught my eye.”
Ellis ordered for both of them and then poured the steaming green tea into the tiny cup in front of Carolyn. She held the small cup snuggly in the palms of her enclosed hands and drew in the warmth.
He leaned back and tilted his head. “I don’t think there’s an accepted way to ask this so I’ll just come right out with it. You’re not divorced, are you?”
Carolyn felt suddenly chilled and cupped the warm teacup closer. “No, I’m not divorced.”
Ellis looked relieved or intrigued or maybe both. “I thought that was the case.” He nodded at the band she still wore on her finger. “I just wanted to clarify because, you see, I’m in the same situation.”
Carolyn’s heart went out to him. She offered a small smile of mutual support. At the same time, she hoped the whole dinner didn’t become a group therapy session over coping with loss and grief. She had been looking forward to a nice dinner with an upbeat conversation like their last time together.
To her surprise, Ellis didn’t ask any details about Jeff’s death, nor did he offer any further information on his situation. She appreciated that immensely. He took a sip of his tea and then asked Carolyn how her week had been. She told him about her recent home improvements and kept the conversation light and cheery all the way through the spring rolls. By the time the broccoli beef, mandarin duck, and kung pao chicken arrived at the table, the topic focused on food.
“It all smells delicious.” Carolyn helped herself to the heaping bowl of white rice.
Ellis reached across the table to take the serving spoon for the rice, and as he did, their hands brushed. Ellis caught Carolyn’s eye and smiled. Clearly he had felt the tingle she had experienced when they touched.
“I was really looking forward to being with you again.”
Carolyn felt herself blush at his words.
“You are a very exciting person to be with. Did anyone ever tell you that before?”
It had been a long time since Carolyn had received any sort of personal compliment. She thought he was overdoing the “exciting” part, but she thanked him and tried to think of something complimentary to say back to him.
“You’re a very intriguing person.”
“Intriguing. I like that.” He tilted his head. “Would you by any chance be interested in a little more?”
Carolyn thought he meant the kung pao chicken that he was spooning onto his plate. “Yes, I would.”
Oddly, instead of serving her, he put down the spoon and began eating. Carolyn took his actions to mean that he was allowing her to select her own serving amount.
When he caught her eye again he asked, “Do you like Italian food?”
“Yes, very much.” Carolyn added a self-deprecating smile. “As you might have noticed, I like food. All kinds of food.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that because so do I. What would you say to us meeting up at the Wellsby Towers?”
“I don’t know where that is.”
“It’s in downtown San Francisco. They have an exceptional Italian restaurant. What do you think? Would you be interested?”
Since her mouth was full, Carolyn nodded her agreement, and he looked pleased. When they had finished eating, she offered to pay the check this time, but he insisted, saying again how much he enjoyed the pleasure of her company.
They strolled to their cars but didn’t linger to chat because of the chilling wind and sporadic raindrops. Carolyn thanked him and got in her car. Ellis waited by her door with his collar pulled up against the rain. She started the engine and rolled down the window.
“So what do you think? When would it work out for us to meet up again?”
“I don’t know. Next week?”
“It’s up to you, but what do you think about meeting for lunch tomorrow?” Ellis shifted his weight, waiting for an answer.
“I’m not sure.” She had expected him to suggest they meet next weekend, not as soon as lunch the next day.
“Okay. That’s okay. I don’t want to rush you. Do you want to think about it?”
“Sure. Why don’t you call me later tonight?”
“Good. I want you to feel comfortable about all this.”
“I do. I’m open to meeting up at the place you mentioned downtown. I just …”
“I know. This is a pretty daring step for both of us.”
Carolyn appreciated that he recognized that.
“You’re a stunning woman, Carolyn. I feel as if part of me is starting to come back to life when I’m around you.” He reached inside the car and placed his large hand on the curve of her cheek. He held it there a moment, looking at her admiringly. “I want you to know how much I’m looking forward to being with you.”
The gesture, the warmth of his hand, and the unexpectedness of his flattering words had an overwhelming effect on Carolyn. He seemed to realize how vulnerable she was. Leaning toward her out of the cold, he made it clear that he was about to kiss her. Carolyn wasn’t prepared for his advance and quickly turned her head so that the kiss landed on the side of her cheek.
“I understand,” he said, pulling back. Instead of saying good night and going to his car, Ellis lingered in the chill beside her car. Carolyn didn’t know what to do or say.
He tugged on his ear, and in a defeated-sounding voice he asked, “Are you sure we can’t meet up tomorrow?”
With her heart pounding and all her defenses down, Carolyn said, “Okay.”
“Okay?” His countenance brightened. “That’s a yes?”
She nodded.
“How about if we meet there at noon? I’ll text you the address.”
She nodded again, inwardly wishing she had given herself the space to think about it. They exchanged smiles. Carolyn rolled up her window and backed out of the parking area as Ellis strode to his car.
During the fifty minutes it took her to drive home, she thought about his hand on her cheek and the unexpected impression of his quick kiss. Her emotions struggled with thoughts of how it would feel to once again be caressed by a man, to be loved by someone who thought she was “stunning.” The longing that his touch ignited inside her was frightening, but it also was intoxicating.
When Carolyn arrived home, she noticed Marilyn’s car in the driveway. Her first thought was that something was wrong. Hurrying through the front door, Carolyn found her sister in the kitchen area with a can of diet soda in her hand.
“Where have you been?” Marilyn demanded. “Do you not answer your cell anymore?”
“I was out. Why are you here? Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s fine. Don’t look so rattled. I just came by to see the decorating changes you were talking about last night. You told me to come by, so here I am. I didn’t expect you to be out.”
Instead of taking the bait of Marilyn’s weighted fishing line of “didn’t expect you to be out” and give an explanation, Carolyn asked, “Did you go upstairs and see the new paint?”
“I did. It looks really nice. You did a great job, as usual.”
“Thank you.” Carolyn put her purse down on the kitchen counter and tried to look relaxed. Inside she was still feeling slightly off balance with thoughts of Ellis and the lingering impression of his touch.
“The other reason I came by was to drop this off. Larry and I wanted you to have it right away.”
Carolyn took the paper Marilyn held out to her. It was a check for a thousand dollars. “What’s this for?”
“The hole in the wall, the paint, and everything you had to buy to fix up things after we moved out.”
“I can’t take this.” She handed the check back to Marilyn.
&
nbsp; “Don’t be stubborn. Take it, Carolyn.” She slapped the check on the kitchen counter. “I owe you a hundred times that for the expenses you covered for me all these years. Besides, giving to other people is what Larry likes to do. It makes him happy.” A sly grin traced itself across Marilyn’s face. “Although that’s not the only thing that makes him happy lately.”
Carolyn really hoped her twin would stop there. The room suddenly seemed warm, so she slipped out of her jacket and draped it over the back of a kitchen chair.
Thankfully, Marilyn changed topics and focused on Carolyn’s outfit. “Hey, that’s really cute. I haven’t seen that top before.”
“Yes you have. You’ve even borrowed it from me.”
“Are you sure? I don’t remember it. I might have to borrow it again. And what was with the clothes all over your bed? It looked as if you had a fashion crisis. What were you dressing up for?”
Carolyn hesitated.
Marilyn put her hand on her hip. “You know you’ve never had a good poker face, right? All I have to do is ask questions, and your face tells me when I hit on the right answer. Did you go to a weight loss group meeting? No. A political rally?”
“I had a date.”
Marilyn’s eyes widened. “A date?”
“I went out with a man I met at your wedding.”
Marilyn’s jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious. Why didn’t you tell me? Who is it?”
“Ellis.”
“Ellis?” Marilyn looked confused.
“He’s Larry’s old neighbor.”
Marilyn placed the soda can on the counter and gave Carolyn a hard look. “Are you telling me you just went out with Ellis Savone?”
“Yes. It was a second date, actually.”
Instead of showing any happiness for her sister, Marilyn’s expression caved in. “Carolyn, you can’t be serious.”