Change of Tides, page 11
A tender expression crosses Birdie’s features. “We’ve shared a lot of laughs and tears in that apartment over the past three years.”
Hannah kisses the top of Birdie’s head. “We’ll never forget those memories, but I looking forward to making plenty of new ones.”
Birdie waits for Hannah to leave before taking her empty mug to the kitchen for another cup of tea. She’s waiting for the pot to boil when Cary stumbles in the back door.
She crosses the kitchen to him. “You’re drunk?”
He closes one eye, as though trying to focus the other one on her. “I may have had a few too many.”
“But you’re flat broke. Where’d you get the money?”
Cary gripped the door jamb to keep from falling down. “I met an old friend for drinks. He picked up the tab.”
“What old friend?” When he avoids her gaze, Birdie knows he’s lying. She suspects he paid for the drinks with money earned from working at the cafe.
“I’m a recovering alcoholic, Cary. I won’t tolerate drunkenness in my house.”
“What happened to you, Birdie? You used to be so much fun. Let’s dance.” He takes her in his arms and spins her around the kitchen, banging her into the refrigerator and the work counters.
He slows long enough for her to shove him away. “Get off of me.”
“Come on, baby. For old times sake.” He’s all over her at once, his hands groping her breasts and his mouth crushing her lips.
Rearing her arm back, she smacks the side of his head. “I said. Get off of me.”
Rubbing his head, he jumps to attention. “Geez, sorry. I don’t remember you having such a mean right hook.”
She jabs her finger at his face. “Because I let you walk all over me when we were married. But no more. If you ever lay a hand on me again, I’ll call the police. Our marriage is over. The divorce papers will be ready any day now. I’m a woman of my word. I gave you until Friday to find somewhere else to live. But if try a stunt like that again, I will throw you out on your ear. Do you understand me?” She stares him down until he squirms.
“Okay.”
Pushing past him, she locks the back door and stomps up the stairs to her room. So much has happened over the course of the past two weeks. Cary barged into their lives. She fell head over heels in love with Stan. Gus’s father appeared out of the blue. Hannah is making steps to move on with her life. For a woman who doesn’t like change, this is a lot to stomach at once. She envies Cary his buzz. To take a break from the harsh reality of her life for just one night. To drown her sorrows about Stan.
Standing at her bedroom window, she watches the people spilling out of Shaggies in various stages of drunkenness. Hannah has gone to bed. Cary will soon be passed out drunk. No one would miss her if she sneaks next door for a glass of wine—Chris, her favorite Italian Pinot Grigio, so crisp and refreshing and numbing. She’ll only have one and then come home. It’ll help her sleep. She grabs her bag and is headed out of her bedroom when her inner voice stops her. Don’t do it, Birdie.
She drops the bag on the floor and closes the bedroom door, leaning against it. That was close, she thinks. And close is not good for an alcoholic. She needs to get rid of some of the stress in her life. Staring with making things right with Stan.
Thirteen
Sunday
After closing the cafe at two on Sunday afternoon, Birdie drives straight to Stan’s house. His truck is in the driveway, but he doesn’t answer when she knocks and rings the bell. Venturing around to the waterside of the house, she sees the Island Daze is missing from the dock. She waits in a rocker on the porch, out of the heat of the afternoon sunshine. Thirty minutes later, the rumbling of diesel engines grows closer and the Island Daze appears. She hurries down to the dock to help him tie up.
“What’re you doing here?” he asks from the flybridge.
“I’m hoping you’ll let me explain why I lied to you.”
Killing the engine, he comes down the ladder and steps on the dock. Leaning against a piling, he crosses his arms and legs. He doesn’t offer her a seat in one of the Adirondack chairs. He doesn’t intend for her to stay.
“You may have your say, Birdie. As far as I’m concerned, there is never a good reason to lie.”
“I totally agree, and I almost never lie. My daughter says I’m honest to a fault. But I’m also a sucker for someone in need. The woman Cary ran off with stole all his money and left him stranded in Maui with only an airline ticket back to South Carolina.”
Stan removes his baseball cap, smooths back his salt and pepper hair, and returns the cap to his head. “Serves him right, if you ask me.”
“I felt sorry for him, and in a moment of weakness, I agreed to let him stay with us until he finds a job.”
Stan tucks his chin and peers at her from behind his sunglasses. “You mean he’s living with you too. I thought he was just working at the cafe.”
“He was only helping out at the cafe. He can’t find a job. No one will hire him.”
“Because everyone in town knows how badly he mistreated you. Everyone except you, apparently.”
Anger surges through her body. “I’ll never forget what he did to me. He nearly destroyed my life. But he’s still Hannah’s father. They were once close, and I was hoping they could rekindle that relationship.”
“And have they.”
Birdie shakes her head. “Hannah won’t even talk to him. I made a mistake in letting him stay with us, and now I can’t get rid of him. I told him, he has to get out by Friday. If he doesn’t find a job, I guess I’ll have to give him some money. I can’t just put him out on the street. Regardless of what he did to me, I’m not that heartless.”
She waits for Stan to say something. When he remains silent, she continues, “I’ve fallen hard for you, Stan. And I didn’t tell you about Cary, because I didn’t want you to know what a stupid thing I’d done in letting Stan back into her lives.”
Stan pushes off the piling. “I don’t judge people, Birdie. Except when they lie to me.”
He motions her to the chairs. “You may have heard that my wife cheated on me. You may also have heard that she cheated on me with another woman. In my opinion, a fifty-year-old woman doesn’t suddenly decide she’s gay. I feel like our marriage was based on a lie. For twenty-five years, our entire lives were based on a lie.”
“I’m sorry, Stan. That must have been so hard for you.”
“It was. But I’m over it now. I’m ready to move on.” He takes Birdie’s hand. “I’ve fallen hard for you, too, Birdie.”
Birdie’s pulse quickens. “Does this mean you forgive me?”
“If you promise to never lie to me again.”
She draws an X across her heart. “I promise. I will always be truthful with you no matter. what.”
“And I will with you as well. Like right now when I tell you I think we’re moving too fast. And that’s my fault. I’m the one who invited you to dinner every night last week. I enjoy your company. And I want to be with you. But seeing Cary behind the counter in your cafe reminded me of the pain relationships sometimes cause. And I rather ease into this.”
He’s putting me on probation, Hannah thinks. To make certain I won’t lie to him again.
“I understand,” she says. “And I agree. I think we should slow things down. Hannah freaked out when I didn’t come home on Friday night, as I worried she might. Cary’s disappearance traumatized her. When she couldn’t get in touch with me, she assumed the worst.”
Stan frowns. “I’m so sorry. I’m to blame for coercing you into staying.”
“Not at all. I should have trusted my gut instinct and gone home. It looks as though Hannah will be moving to Charleston, and I want to be there for her as she makes this transition. She and I are closer than most mothers and daughters because of what we’ve been through together, losing Cary and Hannah having a baby. I will miss her like crazy, but this is what she needs.”
“Sounds like you both could use this separation. Lucky for you, Charleston is just the right distance away.” He gets up and pulls Birdie to her feet. We were supposed to go out on the wave runners this afternoon. Did you, by any chance, bring your bathing suit?”
Birdie gives him a sheepish grin. “Actually, I did. It’s in the car. I was hoping you’d find it in your heart to give me another chance.”
“I’d be a fool not to.” Spinning her around, he smacks her bottom. “Now go change into your bathing suit while I get the wave runners ready.”
She’s back in a flash. Stan whistles when she removes her cover up. After a quick tutorial, they take off on the wave runners with Stan in the lead and Birdie following at a safe distance. After riding for more than an hour, they stop for a break. They are alone on a deserted beach with no other boats in sight. Stan looks hot in his board shorts, and she desperately wants him to take her in his arms and make love to her in the sand. But he doesn’t touch her. And later, when it’s time for her to go home, he only kisses her cheek in parting.
Stan opens Birdie’s car door for her. “Tell Cary to come see me in the morning. I’ll give him a job.”
Birdie narrows her eyes. “Why would you do that?”
“To assure he moves out of your apartment on Friday. Besides, I had a salesman quit last week, and I’m short staffed.”
Birdie stuffs her key in the ignition. “Honestly, Stan, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Remember he embezzled funds from his law firm.”
“Which is why I won’t let him near the money. Let me worry about it. I can handle Stan.”
Birdie drives off with a sinking feeling in her gut. She’s relieved Stan agreed to give her another chance, but something has shifted in their relationship. There’s an awkwardness between them that didn’t exist before. He’s the same Stan, yet he’s somehow different. She senses he’s waiting for her to make another mistake. And nothing good will come of Cary working for him.
Fourteen
Monday
(Chris reminds her of her friend from college, a Chinese guy who helped her through those difficult months after her father disappeared and she found out she was pregnant.)
Hannah takes an immediate liking to Christine Cain. Even though they’ve never met in person, when Hannah enters the Brown Dog Deli, Christine embraces her in a warm hug. She’s striking with medium brown hair, doe eyes, and a heart-shaped face but the energy she exudes is infectious.
“I’ve been so excited to meet you. Professor xxx speaks so highly of you.”
Hannah smiles. So Christine checked her out. “He speaks highly of you as well.”
“Let’s sit outside.” Christine leads her through the restaurant to an open air terrace where they sit down opposite each other at a square table.
After ordering coffee from the waitress, Hannah says, “I’ve been studying your portfolio, and I’m impressed. Your choice of colors for your feminine designs are so unusual. I work with a lot of romance authors. They will love them. But your mainstream illustrations are bold and eye-catching.”
Christine beams. “Thank you.”
The waitress brings their coffee, and for the next thirty minutes, they talk about the technical aspects of design. “I love having a cool friend to talk geeky stuff with,” Christine says.
Hannah laughs out loud. “We’re a rare breed.” She’s tempted to hire this young woman on the spot. Christine has all the qualities she’s looking for in an employee. But to do so would put things in motion. There would be no turning back. She would have to spend her house money. She wants it so badly she can taste it. Yet she’s scared to death. “You mentioned on the phone that you’re not certain you want to stay in Charleston. Have you given that any more thought?”
“I’d like to stay in Charleston if I can find the right situation.” Christine sits up straighter and moves to the edge of her chair. “So, Hannah, I’ve been wondering, if you would consider taking on a partner. I don’t have any start-up cash, but I’ve lived in Charleston all my life, and I have a ton of contacts. My parent are real estate brokers here. They know everyone in the city. They own a building across Broad Street.” She tosses her thumb over her shoulder. “The second floor has been vacant for years. They’ll let us set up our offices there, rent-free. I suggested we meet here in case you wanted to look at the building. Plus, my parents will let me stay on their health insurance plan through the end of next year.” She pauses to take a breath, before continuing. “I interviewed with a lot of companies last spring and was offered a bunch of jobs. But I turned them all down, because none of them excited me. Not the way the prospect of being your partner excites me.”
“I can see you’ve given this a lot of thought.” Hannah pauses as she considers how to respond. Going into business with a virtual stranger is nuts. At the same time, she has a feeling, deep down in the pit of her stomach, that this is the right move. To have someone share the burden of the risk takes the edge off her fear. “What the heck. Let’s go check out your parents’ building.”
Christine and Hannah jump to their feet and make their way back through the deli to the sidewalk. At the corner, they wait for the light to change before crossing the street. They enter the real estate office, and Christine waves at an attractive man who is speaking intently with someone on the phone.
“That’s my dad,” she explains. “Mom’s not working in the office today. She has a bunch of showings.”
At the side of the room is a staircase leading to a large open space with hardwood floor and windows overlooking Broad Street.
Christine knocks on the wall at the back of the room. “I was thinking we could paint this wall a dramatic color with our logo front and center. We’ll have to come up with a catchy name. Something like Chris Hannah Studio.”
Hannah repeats the name. “Very current. I like it. Do you go by Chris?”
Christine shrugs. “Most of the time. Call me whatever you want.” She circles the room. “I was thinking a large oriental rug in soft colors on the floor with lucite desks and white lacquer credenzas on the walls for storage. If we find we need privacy, we can create a screen by hinge shutters together to section off part of the room.”
Hannah easily envisions the setup. “A feminine powerhouse.”
“Exactly.” Chris offers Hannah a high five. Then her face falls. “I’m overwhelming you. I come on strong sometimes. I understand you need to think about this. You may not even want a partner.”
Hannah goes and stands by the window, staring down at the traffic on Broad Street. The buildings location is ideal, close to Gus’s school and to where she hopes to live. “I definitely need to think about it. But I’m not opposed a partnership. I recently turned down a similar opportunity, actually. It wasn’t the right fit. However, I think you and I fit together like biscuits and molasses.”
Chris joins her at the window. “When are you moving to Charleston?”
“Soon. My son starts preschool on July first. I have a three-year-old child, Chris. I hope that’s not a problem for you.“ Out of the corner of her eye, Hannah watches for Chris’s reaction.
Her face lights up. “Are you kidding me? I think that’s so badass! I love kids. What’s his name?”
“Gus.” Hannah turns her back to the window. “Thanks for showing me the space. If we decide to move forward with our partnership, I’ll take your father up on his offer of free rent. But only until we get our feet on the ground.” Checking her watch, Hannah starts toward the stairs. “I better be going. I have an appointment to look at an apartment in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll walk out with you.”
Chris’s father is still on the phone. They wave to him as they exit the building. On the sidewalk out front, Hannah says, “We’ll continue our discussion. I’m looking at several apartments, but if you’re free this afternoon, I’ll call you when I head back to Palmetto Island.”
“Please. I’ll be waiting to hear from you. In the meantime, I’ll come up with some more ideas.”
Hannah snickers. “I can’t wait to hear them.”
Birdie is in the kitchen making corn bread when Hannah comes in with Gus. “How was Charleston?” she asks as she spoons sour cream into her batter.
“I had an interesting development. Let me fix Gus’s dinner and I’ll tell you about it.”
Gus hugs Birdie’s waist. “Pick me up, please, Birdie.”
She turns off the mixing bowl and lifts her grandson into her arms. She cherishes this moments. She’ll miss not seeing him every day when he moves. “Are you tired, sweet boy?”
He nuzzles her neck. “Mm-hmm. I miss my daddy.”
Birdie locks eyes with Hannah over the top of his head. “You’ll get to see him soon.”
Hannah removes a container of leftover chicken bog from the microwave and dumps several spoonfuls onto Gus’s plastic child’s plate. “Come here, you.” Taking Gus from Birdie, she deposits him in the chair at the small table Birdie set up for him beside the back window.
Once Gus is settle, Hannah grabs an apple for the refrigerator and leans back against the kitchen counter. “Chris and I really hit it off. She’s amazingly talented, and she has the most creative ideas. She suggested a partnership, and I think it’s the perfect solution for both of us. Her parents own a building on Broad Street. They are letting us have the second floor rent-free. It’s seems too good to be true.”
Birdie looks up from greasing foil pans. “In my experience, when things seem too good to be true, they usually are.”
“Not with Chris. What you see is what you get. Wait until you meet her, Mom. She’s down to earth and hard working.”
“Sounds like you’ve made up your mind.”
“I’m getting there. I’m going to sleep on it and call Chris in the morning.”
Birdie removes the bowl from the mixer and pours batter into the foil pans. “Did you have any luck finding an apartment?”
