Awakened

Twenty-One

The sound of pots and pans clanging together wake me up, and I find Shelly in the kitchen rearranging her cabinets. "Morning!" she says happily.

"Morning." I respond, stifling back a yawn. "Hey, uh... is everything okay?" I ask her, and she turns to me and looks confused.

"Of course it is, why would you ask that?" I shift awkwardly.

"Yesterday you just seemed, well, kind of off? Then when I came home you were asleep on the couch and I know you had a good bit to drink." Her face flushes pink, and I feel bad for calling her out. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business. I just wanted to make sure you are okay." I add. Her face relaxes, and she smiles.

"No, it's okay. I know you are only worried about me. I am okay, I promise. I had to work out some things with Rich yesterday, and it took a toll on me is all." she says, and it hurts me that she still has to communicate with him at all.

"Okay, I understand. Yesterday was rough for me too. Speaking of that... I may have gotten into your vodka." I drop my eyes to avoid her gaze. "I can replace it." I add. She walks over and hugs me tightly.

"Don't worry about it. We both had crappy nights as it sounds." I smile and thank her for being so understanding.

A knock at the door startles me, and I remember asking Sam to come over the night before. "That is probably Sam." I say to Shelly, and she nods.

"I like her, she seems like a good one." I agree with her, and head over to let her in. Thomas is standing in the doorway with a huge grin on his face.

"Hi there." he says.

"Hi." I reply with a smile.

"I am about to head into town to grab a few things and wanted to see if you wanted to join me?" his eyes twinkle as he speaks.

"Oh, I'd love to but Sam is on her way over. I promised her a girl's day." His face falls a little once I've responded, and the guilt I feel is awful. As if right on queue, the blue VW bug pulls up to the curb. Sam bounds up to the door, and greets Thomas warmly.

"Hey! What's up?" she asks him. "I'm heading into town, and wanted Katherine to ride along. I can't interfere with a girls day though!" He throws his hands up jokingly, and Sam peers at me through narrowed eyes. Please, please go along with it.

"Damn right you can't!" she jokes back, and joins me in the house. We talk with him for a few more minutes, and then retreat back inside as he leaves. Once the door is closed I feel like I can finally breathe.

"So we are blowing Thomas off because..." Sam asks as we make our way towards the back porch.

I shrug, "I just need some time away from both of the Dalton brothers." I say matter-of-factly. Sam rolls her eyes at me and plops onto a lounge chair. I glance over the fence, and see the coast is clear before I join her.

"I saw Beau last night, after we talked." I admit. Her mouth falls open, and I know she has a million questions.

"What the hell Katherine?!" she exclaims.

"I didn't exactly plan on it happening. After we got off the phone I went down to the beach, to clear my head. He followed me, and we kind of had a moment. It didn't end well though." I admit.

"I told him he wasn't good for me, and I left him there." Her face holds a shocked expression, and I sigh.

"Wait, what? You rejected Beau?" I look at my friend, and realize the words coming out of my mouth really do sound crazy.

"Well, I wouldn't say that I rejected him. He just can't give me what I need, he doesn't do relationships. I can't just make out with him in dark rooms and then pretend nothing happened afterwards." I say, and my voice shakes a little. "It wouldn't be so hard if he wasn't so different behind closed doors."

Sam looks confused, "What do you mean different?"  she asks.

"I mean when we are alone he is gentle yet still sexy... and dare I say romantic even." As soon as I get the words out, Sam is laughing hysterically.

"Romantic? Are you sure you didn't bump your head last night?" She rolls her eyes.

"Yes, romantic. As in quoting literature before he kisses me under the moonlight." Her laugh is quieted immediately, and once again she looks as if she's seen a ghost.

"Damn, Katherine. I'm sorry, but I don't think he's ever been like that with anyone. Honestly, if I didn't know you I'd think you were full of shit." She says, and I believe her.

We decide to grab our books and return to the lounge chairs. It's the perfect day to do some reading. It isn't very sunny, so laying out isn't an option. The temperature is still great though, which makes us not want to stay indoors. I take my Spanish novel and delve back into the story of Florentino and Fermina. Just when I think things are going well for them, Fermina realized that their love was based on a fantasy, and that in reality the two are essentially strangers. My heart hurts for Florentino as his gets broken. Fermina moves on and marries, all while her dear Florentino remains true to his love for her. I wrestle between feeling sympathy for the characters, and then hating their decisions. This book is not squaring up to be the romance I was prepared for. I want to cry when Florentino gives into his desires with other women, but I cannot blame him when I remember that his love Fermina is married and creating a life with someone else. This man waits for the love of his life's husband to die for over a half a century, with only the smallest hope that she will give him another chance. The tragedy in the story brings tears to my eyes, and I close the book for a moment.

"That's about all the Poe I can handle for one day." Sam says as she rises from the lounge chair.

"I need a break from mine as well. This is not turning out to be the love story I was hoping for." I say sadly. Sam pokes out her lip to make fun of me, and I playfully smack her with my book.

"Girls!" We both turn and see Cynthia leaned over the railing waving us over to her.

"Yes, Mrs Dalton?" I say politely as we approach her.

"Oh dear, call me Cynthia! Anyways, Frederick is going to grill tonight. Go tell Michelle to be here around 6:00. You'll be here too, right?" She asks, but I know she didn't really mean it as a question. I hesitate, and Cynthia's face falls a little.

"Of course we will." Sam says as she nudges my arm. I smile and nod in agreement.

"Yeah, of course we will."

This is just great. Now I have to sit through an entire meal with both of the Dalton brothers. I am so not prepared for this.