Patrice and Annabelle presented buoyancy, and Jeanne and Colette reacted in kind.
The little girls ate three bites of their quarter sandwiches and ran off to jump on a springy platform. Their mothers called them back. “Drink a little more milk.” Patrice O’Meara’s voice bounced along in a soft rhythm.
[Click here to read the first episode, or here to read the previous one.]
As she and Jeanne ate chicken salad, she asked, “Do you think contentment’s enough? Or, should we hold onto deeper hopes and risk disappointment?”
Jeanne laughed. “I worry about that all the time! But everybody—before you—was like: ‘what’s wrong with you?’”
“I know,” Patrice said. “And bad enough when it was just me. But now I’m setting an example.” She nodded at Annabelle.
For once Jeanne wasn’t alone. A tiny pouch of loneliness disappeared.
At dusk, preparing for home, Colette threw a tantrum. She cried and kicked sand at Jeanne. During her brief time-out, while Annabelle sat quietly, Jeanne confided relief. “Colette has not so much as whined since Paul died. She says, ‘Don’t worry, Mommy,’ and pats my back the way I pat hers.”
If the girls weren’t so tired, the mothers could have talked all night. After Patrice left, though, Jeanne realized she hadn’t gotten the babysitter’s phone number. She had asked first thing and Patrice said, “I’ll give you Giselle’s number before we leave.” But they had both forgotten.
So early the next morning Jeanne was already fretting that she didn’t have anyone to stay with Colette while she interviewed at the 911 office. And, she wouldn’t have an overnight babysitter if she got the job— working at the emergency center starting Monday night.
Patrice phoned soon after breakfast with the number and a second, back-up number for the sitter. “Sorry about that. Why don’t you and Colette come over and swim this afternoon? Come early so you’ll have time to get ready before your big interview. And oh, Kevin has to accompany you.”
“Is he one of the interviewers? I thought it was the police chief and a supervisor.”
“No, he’s not an interviewer or you’d already be running the place. He’s supposed to lead you to the ‘undisclosed location.’ As an emergency deputy, he’s authorized to take you to the secured building…standard procedure. And,” Patrice laughed fondly, “the man’s made it no secret he’s happy about the privilege.”
Jeanne wanted to tease back, “Really, now?” But she didn’t dare. Never had she encountered magnetism like Kevin’s. “Um, Patrice, thank you. The pool sounds lovely but really, I’ve got tons of errands I can’t put off. So is three-thirty good?”
“Good enough. You and Colette then.”
That afternoon, Jeanne twisted her hair up. Since it was overnight work, she wore linen slacks and a long-sleeved cotton top despite the heat. Arriving at the O’Meara’s, she and Colette checked the backyard where Patrice and Annabelle were playing in a sparkling turquoise pool. Colette tore off the little sundress covering her bathing suit and scrambled in without floaties.
Kevin suggested Jeanne ride with him—the place was only a few blocks away.
Jeanne moved carefully, without looking at him. “Let me follow in my car,” she told him. “No matter how close it is. Everything’s new to me.”
So she followed his car around two corners and down a straight, unpaved road. Kevin parked beside a vast stand of flowering oleander. “It’s around the hedge and down the road. Ordinarily, you should park in front. But Jeanne,” he touched her arm. “Is it okay we walk a bit?”
Without realizing it, Jeanne sighed and turned in a circle, arching her neck to take in the sky. Eyes back on earth, she squared her shoulders, facing the moment. “Uh, Kevin—” And grew flustered, not knowing how to begin.
Staying arm’s distance, he appeared directly in front of her, and gently pressed his index fingers on her covered shoulders. “Jeanne, you don’t need to explain anything. I’m sorry for coming on so strong. But you overwhelm me.” His fingers glided down to her fingers. “I must sound crazy. But I’ve never felt like this. I want you more than anything I’ve ever imagined.” When she didn’t grab his hands, his fingers fell away, but he leaned in even closer. “Terrible, yes, but beyond that, marvelous.”
She couldn’t look at him and he said, “Jeanne, please, don’t laugh.”
Which made her giggle.
“You must hear this from men all the time. But they’re not me. I’m different. I know, I know how ridiculous I must sound. But please, don’t laugh at me.”
She couldn’t help it. Either stand back and laugh or fall right into him.
Kevin nodded, smiling but not laughing. “Until now, I have always been devoted to my family. Ask anyone. Ask Patrice. Before I saw you? Until you?” He lifted his arms up and dropped them.
She covered her mouth and giggled again. “Kevin, do you really want me to ask Patrice if you’ve ever fallen for another women? Until now—until me?”
He smiled an amused, besotted smile. “Good point. Don’t ask Patrice. But see what I mean? I can’t think straight anymore. Not since I met you.”
The skin on her face and neck burned. “You’re married to the nicest women I’ve ever met. But it doesn’t make a bit of difference.”
“Tell me you don’t feel the same way about me and I’ll leave you alone.”
“No,” Jeanne said, “don’t leave me alone. Because yes, you do overwhelm me.” She removed her sun glasses and her eyes closed for a moment. “But it tears me apart. You, Patrice. Annabelle, Colette. And then too my husband just died.” She was trembling, fighting tears. “So maybe you should stand back.”
“Jeanne, this was supposed to be an apology. But I can’t do that. Instead, I promise to wait in the shadows no matter how long it takes. You’ll see.”
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