Jackie Calhoun Woman in the Mirror

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see my stuff."
When the door opened and Lauren Fletcher stepped
through it, Mary whispered, "See, see."
Josey felt a rush of joy, followed by less clear emotions.
She could have justified refusing a private buyer, but not
a gallery looking for the series as a permanent exhibit.
The offer spelled success, which she found satisfying,
but it also meant exposure. That she was the Woman in
the Mirror would be ferreted out, she was sure.
The paintings had also brought Fletcher here. She felt
the adrenaline racing through her system, telling her that
she was attracted to this woman.
XXVI
Annie
Annie poked her head through the door. "She needed
me for directions."
"I invited her along for her company as well," Dr.
Fletcher said.
Josey and Mary stared at them. Mary recovered first.
"The university offered to buy Josey's paintings to add
to their permanent collection."
Annie congratulated her aunt, although she suspected
she was being kept in the dark. Ashamed because she'd
presumed to think her aunt was all right when in fact she
had been going through a terrible crisis, she felt foolish
and unimportant.
"That's wonderful," Lauren Fletcher exclaimed.
Josey laughed. "Who would have thought?"
Annie watched the grin light up her aunt's eyes, soften
her mouth, crinkle around her eyes. She looked almost
beautiful in a faded sort of way.
"Mind if I look around?" Dr. Fletcher asked.
"By all means. That's why we have this place. We're
like two machines; once set into motion, we can't stop
producing."
"It must be marvelous to be so creative," Fletcher
murmured.
Annie dropped to the floor to play with Buddy.
"Would you take him outside, Annie? He probably has
to tinkle," Josey said.
"Trying to get rid of me?" she asked, standing up.
"It's a pretty day. Thought you might like to enjoy it."
"John Lovelace is going to stop in to see me." She knew
he was going to be home on the weekend and had
called that morning.
"I'll send him on."
John pulled into the parking lot as she started off the
porch. She took the steps two at a time and jumped
into his arms, surprised at how glad she was to see him.
Now that Molly was spending so much time with Jake,
she felt she hadn't a friend in the world. Certainly no
one she could confide in, not that she would ever talk
about Molly with John.
"Whoa," he said, wrapping wiry arms around her and
falling back a few steps to catch his balance. "I missed
you too, girl."
Buddy jumped around them, barking excitedly.
Exchanging news, they walked across the dam and
started around the pond. John reached for her hand and
held it. The sun played hide and seek behind puffy
clouds in a pale blue sky. The wind out of the west
skittered across the water, ruffling it into wavelets.
"How's your love life?" Annie asked.
"I'm too busy for a love life." John's mouth twisted. "She
dumped me.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, leaning over to pick up a flat
stone to skip. It plopped a couple of times before
sinking.
"Watch this," he told her, bouncing one across the
waves. "That's how to do it."
Buddy splashed a few feet into the water after the
stone, looking puzzled at its disappearance.
"Silly dog." She laughed, so pleased to be here. They
walked on, scuffling through the sand as Buddy raced
ahead.
John took her hand again. "How's Molly?"
"She's going with the campus hotshot. Nice guy,
though."
"I thought she was going with you."
Her heart faltered for a moment. "What do you mean
going with me?"
"I thought you were a, you know, couple. Sort of." He
stole a glance at her. "Hey, I don't care who likes who.
Or is it whom?"
"Well, I think she's going to dump me, too." Now her
heart galloped in angst. What if he spread the news?
She'd never be able to come back here.
He put an arm around her and pulled her close. "Sorry,
Annie."
She drew a deep breath, fighting tears. "You won't tell
anyone, will you?"
"If they torture me, I will." He tightened his grip on her
shoulders, then let his arm fall and took her hand again.
"Too bad, though, you'd make me a terrific girlfriend."
"I am your girlfriend."
"Yeah, but not the kissy type."
"On the cheek."
"How'd you get here anyway?" he asked.
"With the professor whose class I'm auditing." She told
him about Dr. Fletcher.
"You're never going back to Madison, are you? Did
you call about your suspension?"
"Nope." How foolish she must look, she thought,
chasing after Molly.
The drive home in Fletcher's Audi station wagon passed
in relative silence. Fletcher asked a few questions about
her aunt, a few more about how Annie was getting
along with the short stories, after which followed a long
space of silence.
The lack of conversation didn't appear to bother
Fletcher. She seemed absorbed in listening to an opera
on public radio, while Annie searched her mind for [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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