A Moment in Time, page 16
In an unfortunate move, Claire released her hold. “You’ve been through so much,” she said and lightly stroked Ivy’s tear-stained cheek. “What happened was a horrible accident, but it wasn’t your fault.”
“But if I hadn’t tricked her…”
“Then Violet would be sitting here hating herself because you had died. Don’t you see? It’s a no-win situation. Do you really think she’d want you to blame yourself?”
Ivy shrugged. “I guess not.” As much as she and her sister had bickered, they’d loved each other. If Violet had been the one to live, she undoubtedly would have been devastated.
“Everything happens for reasons we can’t begin to understand,” Claire said. “Maybe it was Violet’s soul plan that she live a short life. Or maybe her leaving was meant to spur lessons and growth in those around her. I don’t think it’s for the living to try and figure out why people die.”
Ivy regarded Claire closely. “When did you get so smart?”
A slight grin formed on Claire’s face. “I’m not. I’ve just been through this before.”
“Your mom,” Ivy said, softly.
“Weeks before she died, I refused to see her. I hated the hospice. It reeked of sickness, sadness, and death. After she was gone, in my six-year-old mind, I blamed myself for her passing, thinking she had left because I didn’t visit her.”
Ivy’s heart ached at the sadness in Claire’s eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, and your mom wouldn’t have wanted you to blame yourself. She’d want you to be happy.”
Claire grinned impishly. “Sound familiar?”
After a few beats, Ivy sighed. “Touché.”
“Something that really helped me cope with my mom’s death was doing things that she loved but couldn’t do anymore.” Claire’s face brightened. “Hey! You should go on the hot-air-balloon ride and complete Violet’s bucket list.”
“That’s a big no.” Ivy shook her head. “I don’t do heights.”
“Is it because of the plane crash?”
“Yes. After that, even going up two steps freaked me out.”
“That’s understandable. But I do think you should tell your parents what happened.”
Ivy shook her head. “Definitely not.”
“You’ve been harboring that secret for so long. Like you were saying earlier about me confronting Brittney, it would be emotionally freeing. Let it out and let it go.”
“I appreciate your help. Really. What you said about Violet hits home, but telling my parents is out of the question.” Ivy tucked Violet’s list into her bag and looked at the time. “It’s getting late. I should head home.”
Claire rubbed her palms on her thighs, looking suddenly nervous. “I…uh…I was thinking about getting gumbo from Bayou Belle’s for dinner. Would you like to come over? I’m staying at Aunt Henny’s house.”
The thought of spending an evening with Claire was terribly tempting, but that wasn’t a good idea for many reasons.
As though reading the doubt in Ivy’s mind, Claire added, “My aunt lives a couple of miles out of town, and you can park in the back. No one would see you.”
Maybe it was Claire’s hopeful expression or the fact that she was being so nice, but before Ivy could stop herself, she said, “I’d like that. Thanks.”
Apparently, she was a sucker for gumbo…and a beautiful woman.
Chapter Fifteen
Claire stood in the center of the living room and eyed the unusual surroundings. Most people thought Aunt Henny needed to update her decor, but Claire found her taste appealing, like she’d stepped into a 1940s black-and-white movie. Flowered wallpaper framed a rust-colored sofa, two rose-covered upholstered chairs, an urn-shaped porcelain lamp, and of course several antique clocks scattered about. The best thing, though, was the vintage phonograph console. Something about listening to a record made Claire feel warm and cozy inside. After her mother’s death, Aunt Henny had played classical music when Claire couldn’t sleep. To this day, she still loved that type of music and always used it as her cell-phone ringtone.
Claire struck a match and lit the candelabra on the fireplace mantel, the scent of lavender filling the air. She’d heard that breathing in the fragrance put one in a relaxed state, which was exactly what she wanted for Ivy. Claire hated the thought of what Ivy had been through. Not only was it painful to lose a twin, but to think you were responsible would be devastating. Claire wasn’t sure what she would say when Ivy arrived; she knew only that she wanted to help her in some way.
A knock at the door prompted Claire to rush to the foyer, excitement pulsating through her veins at the thought of seeing Ivy again. She swung the door open and gasped.
“Dad? What are you doing here?”
Blaze pushed his way in. “Why are you so dressed up? You going out?”
Claire looked down at her outfit. She wasn’t that fancy in black jeans, a burgundy button shirt that brought out the reddish highlights in her hair, her best black shoes, and a smoky quartz-crystal necklace that matched her eyes. Okay, maybe she was a little dressy.
“Mmm…is that gumbo I smell?” Blaze stood next to the dining-room table and lifted his nose in the air.
“You need to leave.” Claire motioned to the open door. Ivy would be there any moment. All hell would break loose if they ran into each other.
Blaze cast a questioning glare for several beats right before displaying a devilish grin. “Do you have a date?”
“What? No.”
Or did she? What constituted a date anyway? Two people getting together to consume food, have conversation, and engage in physical affection. They were going to do two out of the three, which was a pretty high percentage. Claire’s stomach knotted. She hadn’t been on a date with a woman she actually cared about in a long time.
“Actually, yes. Someone is coming over, so you need to go,” Claire said, hoping that explanation would prompt her father to scram.
Blaze’s face lit up. “Well, good for you. Who is it?”
“No one you know. Now please leave before she gets here.” Claire flashed pleading eyes.
“Are you ashamed of your old man?” Blaze asked, looking like Claire had just punched him in the gut.
“Of course not.” Claire rubbed her forehead, feeling bad she’d hurt her father’s feelings.
“Then why can’t I meet her?”
“She’s shy, okay? I don’t want to crowd her.”
“Fine.” Blaze huffed. “I’ll be out of your way as soon as I get Henny’s glue gun. She keeps it in a junk drawer in her room.”
“Good God.” Claire released an exasperated sigh. “Can’t that wait until tomorrow?”
Blaze put his hands on his hips. “Not when I have twenty jars of hot sauce with labels falling off.”
“All right, but hurry up.” Claire glanced outside and squinted in the darkness, hoping she wouldn’t see Ivy walking toward the house. Suddenly, she had a wonderful thought. She’d told Ivy to park in the back, so it was possible they wouldn’t even run into each other, if her father would freaking hurry up and leave.
Blaze stood, feet firmly planted on the floor. “You have to get it for me.”
“Why?”
“I can’t go digging through her drawers. I might see or, God forbid, touch some of her undies.” Blaze shuddered. “She’s my sister!”
Claire sighed dramatically and mumbled obscenities all the way up the stairs. After locating the item, which was nowhere near her aunt’s undies, she rushed back. Now where the hell was her father? She’d left him standing right here. Unless he’d gone upstairs, he must be in the kitchen…which was where the back door was located. She rushed through the entryway just in time to see Blaze swing the door open to reveal Ivy on the porch. Ivy’s eyebrows shot upward, and she drew in a sharp breath.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Blaze asked, sharply. “You better be selling Girl Scout cookies or passing out Bible brochures, and not here to see my daughter.” Blaze turned to Claire. “Is this your date?” He’d obviously been kidding, considering he cackled like that was the funniest thing ever.
“Um. Well, actually…” Claire’s gaze bounced from her father to Ivy, who looked terrified.
Blaze’s gaze narrowed, and he shot Claire an icy glare, so much so that goose bumps appeared up and down her arms.
“I can explain,” Claire said quickly, not wanting him to slam the door in Ivy’s face.
She clutched the glue gun in one hand and placed the other on the red-and-white checkered countertop to steady herself and spoke in a rush.
“Ivy saw her childhood clock in the window of the Old-Timer, but I sold it and had to get it back, and then I fired Jimbo and Ivy fixes clocks, so I hired her to take his place to work it off. Her clock, I mean.”
Did that even make sense?
“Wait a second.” Blaze held up a hand. “She’s working at Henny’s store and you’re dating?”
“No. Well, technically, yes. I mean, Ivy is working there this week, but we’re not dating.”
Was that disappointment that flashed across Ivy’s face?
“This is unbelievable.” Blaze paced back and forth.
“I should go.” Ivy’s voice was quiet, meek.
“No!” Claire said, much too forcefully, but she didn’t want their evening to end before it even began.
Blaze stopped and glowered at Claire. “You’re cavorting with the enemy. How could you?”
Claire rolled her eyes skyward at the enemy comment. Ivy certainly wasn’t her adversary anymore. “Look. Can’t we all just sit down and calmly discuss this? Our families used to be friends.”
For a second, Blaze’s expression softened, and a faraway look appeared in his eyes before he curled his fists and turned redder than the rooster cookie jar on the counter.
“Henny would be beside herself if she knew a Savoy was working in her store. Have you forgotten how they treated our family?” Blaze pointed a finger at Claire. “You need to come to your senses and fix this right now.” He snatched the glue gun out of her hand and stormed out of the kitchen and through the front door.
“Well, that went over well,” Ivy said sarcastically.
“I’m so sorry. He dropped by unannounced. Please come in.”
Ivy paused but then stepped inside. “This is getting out of hand. First Katy and now Blaze.”
“I’ll talk to my dad. He won’t tell your family about our arrangement.”
Ivy pursed her lips and studied the black-and-white geometric shapes on the linoleum floor. “Maybe we shouldn’t see each other anymore. It was a crazy idea anyway. I’ll just take my time paying the clock off.”
Claire’s stomach felt sick. That wasn’t what she wanted. In fact, she wanted to see more of Ivy, not less. But she couldn’t say that. Instead, she asked, “Do you really want to wait more than a year to get the clock?”
Ivy slightly shook her head.
“Don’t worry. It’ll all be fine.” Claire displayed a reassuring smile. “Now let’s eat. I’m starving.” She went to the refrigerator, pulled out two containers, and put them on the counter.
“How do you do that?” Ivy asked.
“Do what?”
“Make me feel like everything is going to be all right.”
Claire opened a drawer, picked up two spoons, and faced Ivy. “Because I know it will be,” she said, hoping with all her heart that was true.
* * *
After eating, they decided to relax in rocking chairs on the back porch, since it was cooler outside than inside. Ivy felt remarkably content, considering her meltdown about Violet earlier and running into Blaze. Something about being with Claire made her feel lighter, happier than she ever had. Claire lit a candle and placed it on a table. She hadn’t wanted to turn on the outside light since it attracted mosquitoes. Plus, the best way to see fireflies was in the dark. Ivy didn’t want to disappoint Claire, but she doubted that lightning bugs would make an appearance, considering she hadn’t seen one in years. As they rocked in unison, Ivy was pleasantly lulled by the smooth, swaying motion. She hated to admit it, but she did love Henny’s place. It filled her soul with serenity, or maybe it wasn’t so much the surroundings as it was the woman who sat beside her.
“It’s so quiet here,” Ivy said. “This must be a big change from Houston. Do you like living in the city?”
“It’s okay. There’s definitely more career opportunities there than in St. Augustine.”
Disappointment settled in the center of Ivy’s chest. She’d hoped Claire would say she missed small-town life and wanted to move back.
“When do you have to return to work?”
Claire stretched her arms high overhead and drew in a long breath. “Monday.”
Ivy’s stomach tightened. That was only a few days away. For some reason, she’d thought Claire would be here most of next week, not that it mattered since they wouldn’t see each other anyway. Ivy would resume working at her father’s shop and the mantel clock would be hers, so they’d have no reason to communicate. Suddenly, her joyful mood plummeted.
“Aunt Henny should be back from the cruise the day after tomorrow. Guess I’ll drive to Houston Sunday. I have that presentation Tuesday, which I haven’t even thought about.”
“That’s probably for the best. Ruminating about it would just stress you out.”
“But I have to prepare,” Claire said adamantly. “Then again, what’s the point, considering I’ll probably faint after two minutes.”
Ivy stopped rocking and concentrated on helpful advice. After all, what Claire had said about Violet’s death earlier had eased some of her guilt. She wanted to repay the favor.
“Your anxiety is mostly about the audience, right?”
“Yes. The moment I see anyone, my tongue twists, I can’t speak, and then I pass out.”
“What if you focus above their heads and concentrate on what you’re saying and not on who’s sitting in front of you? And maybe engage them.”
“You mean like ask questions?”
“Sure. It’d take the attention off you for a bit and give you a break to breathe and gather your thoughts.”
“Hmm. Not a bad idea. What else do you have?”
Ivy grinned at the anticipation on Claire’s face. “Remember that they want to hear what you have to say. They aren’t there to heckle you or hope that you screw up, like that awful Brittney. These are professionals, not a mean high school brat.”
“True.” Claire stared straight ahead with a thoughtful expression, which was the perfect opportunity for Ivy to admire her stunning profile. The candlelight cast a golden glow on her face and made her eyes sparkle. Ivy had always considered Claire beautiful, but in this light, she looked positively angelic.
“Good suggestions,” Claire said. “Maybe it’ll take me three minutes to faint instead of two.” She displayed a playful smirk.
“You’ll do fine. Just remember to relax and breathe.”
Ivy propelled her rocker, wanting to change the subject. She didn’t like thinking about Claire’s job in Houston, which would take her far away from St. Augustine.
A few moments later, Ivy said, “I was looking through your aunt’s classical record collection when you were getting dinner ready. She has a lot of Vivaldi. Is that why you use it as your ringtone?”
Claire looked puzzled right before her face lit up. “Oh, that’s right. You mentioned it the first time we met. In fact, didn’t you say you listen to Vivaldi every night? I’m a fan but not that much.”
Ivy tightened her grip on the armrest. “Actually, I hear his music in a dream.”
Claire stilled and turned in her seat to face Ivy. “The recurring one you mentioned this morning? I’d love to hear about it, if you want to share.”
Ivy reclined her head back, amazed she wanted to tell Claire about such a personal experience, something she’d shared only with Kurt.
“I’ve had the same dream for years where I meet a faceless woman I know is my soul mate. She appears out of a mist, we embrace, and one of the concertos from The Four Seasons starts playing.”
“And then what happens?” Claire asked, practically sitting on the edge of her seat.
“Nothing. I wake up, but it’s always with the conviction that she’s the woman I’m destined to be with. We just haven’t met yet in real life.”
Claire eased back in her chair and stared straight ahead. “Kinda sounds like the first time we met. It was smoke and not mist, but there was Vivaldi.”
Ivy squirmed, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. She pulled on her collar and fought the urge to bolt from her seat. She never should have opened her big mouth. Now Claire would probably think she was suggesting that she was her soul mate.
“I’m sure that was a coincidence.” Ivy released a nervous chuckle. “What else could it be?” She peered at Claire out of the corner of her eye, hoping she’d actually answer that rhetorical question.
Instead, Claire grabbed Ivy’s hand, obviously excited. “Look!”
Not two inches away hovered the flashing light of a firefly. Within minutes, they were surrounded by what seemed like dozens of pulsating white and blue points in the darkness. As wonderful as that scene was, though, it didn’t compare to how ecstatic Claire looked.
“I haven’t seen one since I was a kid.” Claire’s face beamed as bright as the dancing lights.
“My grandmother used to say that fireflies are a symbol of hope and a reminder of the light within all of us.”
When their eyes met, a wave of emotion surged through Ivy. Yes, Claire was gorgeous, but that wasn’t what she was seeing in that moment. The beauty and light of her soul shining through took Ivy’s breath away.
Still holding Ivy’s gaze, Claire asked, “What else would your grandmother say?”
“That I should always go after what I want and not let anything stand in my way.”
