CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The clock might show it was only two o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, but it had already been a long day at Fast Forward. Thousands of lost issues had languished on a broken-down truck near Baltimore, and the entire staff had helped unload the rescued truckload of magazines. The shipping department would have a job repackaging and reshipping. At Fast Forward, everyone pitched in when there was a need, and Francine Farnsworth worked right alongside everyone else. Of course, Didi had picked today of all days to wear a skirt.

Next up was an important meeting with the computer department. Warnings of a virus zipping through the office had everyone on edge. Margaret, the designated virus killer, gave a short presentation on what to watch for. When Didi returned to her desk to download her email, her desktop came to a screeching halt, complete with a garish clown giggling on her monitor. Great.

In the brainstorming session that morning, Didi’s contribution had been an idea on the many ways couples meet and break up. Francine liked the concept and wanted a write-up in a hurry for the July edition. Her assignment for the next few days was to research breakups. Not surprisingly, she already had some insight into the subject. Didi’s article would go to print in the issue after the annual bridal spread, and she was elated. Now she’d have to find a free computer while she waited for hers to be repaired.

The meeting had run long, and Didi was tired and achy. But despite the arduous day, contentedness wrapped her in warmth. She’d been smiling all week. Still flying high from Sunday night’s date, she could face anything today.

Since she’d been chased out of her office, Didi transferred her brownie and a cup of tea to the break room. She could kick around some ideas for her story in there, and it was quiet this time of day. As she sat with a cup of Earl Grey, her cell phone buzzed indicating a text from Jake.

Her tummy flipped at the message. “Wanted to say hi. How’s Percy?”

Didi had talked to Suzy that morning, and the precious pup was holding his own. She wrote back, “Mch betr. Mde it hme ystrdy.”

Didi sipped her tea and stared at her phone.

In a very few seconds, Jake replied. “Good. Class abt 2 start. Can I call U L8R?”

“Sure,” flew off her fingers in no time flat.

“Had fun Sundy,” came right back.

Didi paused before answering. Less was more. “Me, too.”

“Terrific. L8R then.”

Didi set down her phone and added more sugar to her tea. As she stirred, she sat back and sighed happily. She’d been on his mind. Jake was very different from Kevin. Her ex had always been too busy to call her.

Kristin stalked into the room, hauled over a chair, and plunked down next to her. “Woe is me.” She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead. “My computer crashed. I hope I remembered to save my last document. Margaret’s running diagnostics on both of our computers.” She looked down her nose with an appraising stare and pursed her lips. “What are you smiling about, missy?”

Didi grinned at her friend and confided, “Jake texted.”

“Ah. That would indeed explain your silly expression. Is the golden boy still golden?”

“He is. We have another date on Friday. ”

“He does sound like a peach. Does he have a brother?” Kristin’s track record with men was dismal. She could use a good man like Jake.

Didi laughed. “He hasn’t mentioned one, but I’ll be sure to ask. Did Margaret say how long she thought our computers would be down?”

“At least a couple of hours, maybe the rest of the day. I was thinking over whether I should go home and work from there.”

That sounded like a capital idea. At least, the going home part. She could use a nap before her six thirty counseling appointment with Pat. She and Pastor Dale had been on a retreat most of last week, and tonight was the earliest opening she had. Didi wasn’t sure if she really wanted to go, and she’d been dreading it. A great deal had happened since they’d met at the Chancel Cafe—a great deal that most sane people would tell her was a mistake. She didn’t want to hear it.

“Thanks for the great idea, Kristin. I think I’ll take off and start fresh tomorrow.” After gathering her things back in her office, she left for the day.

* * *

Pulling into the long, sweeping driveway, Didi admired the parsonage. The house was on the small side but exuded abundant charm. Painted a warm dove-gray, the Cape Cod sported a glossy green front door, matching shutters, and crisp white trim.

Didi parked in front of the house and rambled up the driveway. Pat’s love of gardening showed. Beds of cheery daffodils and multicolored tulips bordered the driveway. On either side of the front porch, delicate lavender hyacinths filled the air with fragrant perfume, while budding window boxes promised more flowers as the season progressed.

Before she could knock, the door opened and an excited Chester, the Border collie, bounced up and down. Pastor Dale stood close behind the wriggling dog and motioned her inside. “Pat’s on the phone as usual, but she asked that you come on back.”

He patted Chester on the head and led Didi down the hallway into a bright, spacious kitchen. As Pat hung up the phone, Pastor Dale made quick work of polite small talk. “Nice to see you again, Didi. Please, make yourself at home.” He pilfered a couple of dog treats from the cupboard, to Chester’s obvious delight. “Well, now, I’ll leave you two girls alone to chat.” The pastor and the dancing canine vanished into an adjacent study.

Pat turned to her, wreathed in smiles. Tall and slender, with short, iron-gray hair and shining, brown eyes, she was one of those people who couldn’t help but radiate kindness. Didi was proud of herself for coming.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I have an office down the hall, but why don’t we sit here instead? Lemonade?” Her eyebrows arched, and Didi nodded. Pat poured two glasses from an icy pitcher and motioned for Didi to take a seat.

The ladder-back chairs looked inviting. Didi sank into a chair and scanned the room. The large, comfortable space was pleasant and homey. Before she could protest, there was a dish of warm blueberry crumble in front of her. Pat eased into her seat and grasped both of Didi’s hands. “Why don’t we say a quick prayer, and then we’ll talk?”

They bowed their heads. “Lord, thank you for your many gifts to us, your beloved children. Please bless our time together, open our hearts and minds to your ways, and help us to become more like you. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.”

Pat beamed and scooped up a big bite of her dessert. “Let’s dive right in. What’s been going on with you and Kevin since we last met?”

Taking a sip of her lemonade, Didi cleared her throat. “Well…um…a lot’s happened in the past couple of weeks.”

“Really? I’m intrigued. Like what?”

“Kevin and I are over.” Didi’s gaze fell to her plate.

“I can’t say I’m surprised. And?”

“And…I met this great guy named Jake…” Didi let her voice trail off and glanced up, searching Pat’s face.

“My, my, we do have a lot to wade through, don’t we?” Undaunted, Pat laughed and forked another mouthful of pie. “It’s a good thing I scheduled you for a double appointment.” Getting out her notepad, Pat prepared to take notes.

It was going to be a long evening.

After well over an hour of talking, listening, laughing, and sniffling, Didi rose from Pat’s kitchen table and stretched. “I’m glad I came, I think. Apparently, I’m way more messed up than I thought.”

“Now, that was certainly not my intention, but we do have some work to do.” Pat stood and piled the dessert dishes in the sink. “I would hardly classify you as messed up, though. You have a good head on those shoulders. You’re human, just like the rest of us.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” Didi was glad that at least she was normal. Some days, lately, she’d had her doubts.

“Could we meet again next Wednesday? I have a time slot free. Same time?”

“Sure. That will give me a week to do my homework and figure out some things. And hey, sorry to have run off Pastor Dale.”

“That’s okay. My dear hubby works on his Sunday sermon early in the week, so he’ll be in that study a while yet. Wednesday nights are usually my time to chill and read a good book, but it had been such a long time since we had a chance to chat, I wanted to fit you in tonight. After you leave, I plan to curl up with Chester and a mystery novel. I’m close to finishing Murder in the Garden, and I can’t wait to find out if the butler did it.”

They strolled to the front door and out onto the porch. “Enjoy the book. I won’t tell you what happens, but suffice it to say you’ll never believe ‘who done it.’” Didi hugged her friend. “Since my brain’s so wired, I’m going to jump on that homework assignment as soon as I get home.”

Pat kept an arm around Didi and stifled a yawn. “You really are a night person, aren’t you? I’ll be dead to the world by nine thirty.”

“And I’ll be up for hours, wondering what I ever saw in Kevin.”

Didi strode to her car and waved. She’d made the right choice in calling Pat.

* * *

After a short drive home, Didi pulled into her driveway at eight thirty-two. She changed into shorts and a t-shirt and sprawled on the couch. She had tons to mull over after her grueling counseling session. Her poem “Time to Fish?” had been a hit, and Pat had complimented her creativity.

During their talk, Pat had asked if she’d ever contemplated what she wanted in a husband. What would her perfect mate be like? Considering what attributes were vitally important to her couldn’t hurt. Of course, Didi suspected Pat would eventually want her to line up her ideal person alongside Jake, testing how he measured up.

Didi’s first homework assignment was to meditate on her failed relationship with Kevin. Had she ever known the man he truly was, or had she been thinking of him as she wanted him to be? Had he loved her with that unselfish kind of love needed for marriage? After reflecting on the months with Kevin, she sincerely doubted it.

Her second task was to make a list of positive characteristics, then divide it into three columns. The first group would be “Absolute Non-Negotiables,” the second “Basic Requirements,” and the third group “Didi’s Wish List.” She was to be very specific about what she wanted and list “small” things that might only be important to her.

She pulled out her laptop and prepared to work. Good thing she’d taken that nap earlier. Now she was wide-awake and ready to go. She had Kevin on her mind, and in less than an hour, she had poured out her thoughts into another poem. She titled it “I Thought That He Loved Me,” and the exercise had been cathartic. It was good to get some of the toxins out of her system.

Drained, she padded to the kitchen, snagged a drink, and snuggled under a light quilt on the sofa. Maisie slept on a throw pillow at the end of the couch. Glancing at the clock, Didi was surprised it was nearly ten o’clock. Jake still hadn’t called. Men. Couldn’t trust ’em. That wasn’t entirely true, but she was disappointed.

She’d had the TV going in the background as she’d written her poem, and she flipped the channels searching for something interesting. She considered a wedding on The Learning Channel. Click. She turned it back to SyFy.

At precisely ten p.m., her cell phone buzzed. It was a message from Jake. “Sorry so late. You up?”

Petting Maisie on the rump, Didi whispered, “See? You said we couldn’t trust men, but I told you they weren’t all pond scum.”

She wrote back, “Nite owl still up. Call me.”