A Moment Like This Read online

  Putting her fingers to the keys she typed back:

  One challenge for another only seems fair. We start at your reply.

  After pondering on how to proceed for a moment she shut down her computer and climbed out of her pajamas. The café couldn't open until she arrived and no man in his right mind would be up to check his email that early in the morning.

  Promise worked tirelessly at the paper before her. Mrs. Damian had been readmitted to their humble community of assisted living and seemed to be doing well. Someone had said her son was coming to visit her today; Promise was wary of the encounter. What kind of person was he? They had all sorts of characters in and out of here visiting.

  Would he treat her nurses right? How old was he? Surely he must be up in his years. Well Mrs. Damian was only a few years over sixty. Perhaps he'd only be ten years older than her? Man she was desperate. With renewed zeal she plunked letters on the page nearly hearing them in the silence. Today was a pleasantly slow day.

  As the thought passed through her mind the clock ticked noon and patients began to be escorted to the dining rooms by the able nurses of her staff. Rising from her nearly completed document she wandered down the hall towards where the meals were already being distributed. As she came upon Mrs. Davers she gently took hold of the woman's wheelchair and pointed it down the hall.

  "Time to eat, Mrs. Davers?" she said amiably. "Did I hear your daughter is coming to visit you today?"

  "She's coming to take me to the doctor's."

  "Is she? Well I hope your appointment goes well."

  "So did I Miss. Genson," the older lady sighed, "this old body can't stand another surgery like the last."

  "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," she assured the small lady fearful of a returning cancer. "They said it was in remission; that was five years ago."

  "I know Miss. Genson but I'm still scared to think about it."

  "Here we are," Promise announced; taking a deep whiff she added, "smells like ham is on the menu this afternoon."

  Settling down for her own lunch some time later she was pleased to see Colin enter the room and look about. Adelie pulled up behind him and was the first to spot her across the room. She waved enthusiastically and grabbed hold of Colin's arm pulling the momentarily disoriented male along with her. They both stop beside where she was sitting. Adelie plopped down immediately while Colin remained standing, getting his bearings she supposed.

  They both looked like they always had she supposed. Adelie's attire was as vibrate as her personality, breaking with convention beautifully. Her earrings dangled, nearly touching her shoulders as her strikingly blue eyes danced with merriment. She stared in on one of her reprimands on how she, Promise, never gave anyone a chance. Simon would have been perfect if she just had given him a chance.

  Colin stood behind her looking down at the top of the seated woman's head with annoyance. Promise resisted the urge to giggle at the display. Colin had always disliked Adelie's plots to fix her up with someone and the gleeful girl remained one hundred percent oblivious.

  There were a lot of other things about Colin today that nearly seemed to transport her back to the hurried days of missed homework assignments and tardy slips. He hadn't changed a bit since the night he graduated over eight years ago. Remembering that time made her blush but thankfully her tinting went unnoticed. She was two years his junior but oh the crush she had had on him!

  Today was turning out to be one of those days that transported you into the comfort of the past and its conformity to routine and balance. Why it was like being at the lunch table all over again. Listening the Adelie babble in the background and watching Colin sit so quietly almost as if he was waiting for the perfect moment to make her laugh and send her milk her nose again. He always had been fascinated with the quirks of the human body. Perhaps it was fitting that he had gotten a job as a coroner.

  However today he wasn't in his lab coat with his hands covered in rubber gloves and a mask pulled low on his face. No today Colin was Colin. His shaggier hair cut hung down past his ears by stayed shy of reaching the nape of his neck. There was a slight curl to it that made the more prominent features of his face soften. His green eyes studied her with curiosity as he asked, "Are you listening, Prick?"

  "Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "what did you say?"

  "I was just telling your editor over here to stick to her papers and stop trying to rewrite your life. You're happy how you are, aren't you, Promise?"

  Promise looked between the two and sighed. This wasn't what she had in mind to discuss when she had settled down for lunch.

  "Is anyone at this table truly happy," she dodged; looking down at her watch she amended, "I really must be getting back to work."

  Gathering her trash she deposited it in the waste can and made her way back upstairs to her paperwork thinking on what Colin had asked her. Was she truly happy right now? She knew what the answer was but she also knew she could never admit it to either of her companions. Neither would ever let it drop is she were to tell them she was so lonely she had taken to talking to her cat.

  Behind the pretense of work even Edith didn't bother her as she sighed over the state of her life. Just as she finished filing the intake reports from the recent meal a voice called her attention upward.

  "Excuse me can you show me to my grandmother's room?"

  "Sure," Promise replied cheerily, "give me her name and I'll take you there myself."

  "Her name is Mrs. Damian." Promise looked up smiling the expression vanishing as her face took on the same startled look his had.

  "Aidan?"

  "Hope?"

  Jumping onto his computer Haruko hurried to check his email. Had she responded? His face brightened at the declaration: 'Sipofheaven has emailed you!'. Eager to read her response he brought it up quickly and read:

  One challenge for another only seems fair. We start at your reply.

  The reply was simple but welcome and he hurried to type a response back.

  Just tell me what to do. I'm putty in your hands, doll.

  Looking at her profile again he was surprised to notice that their cities were relatively close to one another. Even if they lived on opposite sides the most it could take to see each other was an hour tops. He began studying her profile trying to determine her favorite haunts and eateries. If he could get her to trust him, which didn't appear to be very hard task, perhaps he could convince her to meet him at one in person.

  Girls were always flattered if you knew what was just on their mind and what was closest to their heart. If he could just figure out what Heaven liked he could knock her socks off in their first meeting and get a leg up in his pursuit.

  It was corny, Promise reflected, but it had stuck. "I can't believe it's you," Aidan murmured, his voice quieted by surprise, "so this is where you've been hiding."

  Staring at him all she could think of was how long it had been since someone had called her Hope. Only he ever had, she reflected back over five ago. He had begun calling her that the year they got serious and she was furious. He had put a ring on her finger and was obviously seeing another girl. When she confronted him about it he laughed and kissed her calling her delightfully jealous… of someone who didn't exist, he explained.

  It was funny her parents had called her Promise, he teased sweetly, because she was his hope. He'd never had a special nickname for her he argued; if they were going to be serious they needed something special between simply the two of them.

  She had been a naïve high schooler then; now she knew better. As it turned out there had been another girl. Aidan Feral had a tendency to do that but she had been lost in the delusion she was different. After all she was the first girl he had ever put a ring on. Apparently to him it was just a band of metal. They must be married by now, maybe even with kids.

  "I'll take you to your grandmother," she told him pushing out of her chair.

  "Wait," he said in a panicky tone, "wait." He hurried after her and took her b
y the arm to stop her. "Can we talk?"

  "Here?"

  "Not here," he fumbled his words, dropping them left and right, "We…Sharon…I…did you a terrible injustice."

  "You paid attention in English after all," she quipped cynically.

  "You're obviously not feeling forgiving," he amended withdrawing from her bodily.

  "Do you expect me to be?" she asked in raised tones. He grimaced at the attention she was drawing.

  "I expected too much," he mumbled almost to himself, "I'm going to visit my grandmother and leave but… we need to talk."

  With her spout anger drained she fought the tears. She may not have been happy with her life before but meeting Aidan again, that was torture. She nodded her head, biting her lip. Leveling her head again she responded on an exhaled breath, "agreed."

  Aidan was a part of her past she'd forced herself to tiptoe around for years. If she didn't hear all the gruesome details she'd never be able to move on. And she needed to, she reasoned with herself. His grandmother was under her care.

  "You need some time to gather yourself again," he observed mercifully, "I'll let you be the one to make the first move. You must have my number in records. Look me up when you're ready to talk."

  He entered his grandmother's room after having seen her name beside the door and left her standing in the middle of the hall bereft. Her eyes graced her surroundings she found many pairs returning, in a way of sympathy, her gaze.

  "Promise, Mr. Wilkins is trying to get out of his chair again," Laurel informed her poking her head out of one of the rooms; in greater concern she asked, "are you ok?"

  Pulling herself together Promise fought to smile. Her patients needed her right now; there would be all night to have a pity party and debate. After making sure Mr. Wilkins was situated to his satisfaction she moved on to the next and the next giving them her undivided attention.

  That day before she left she made sure to grab Mrs. Damian's file and copy down the number to her next of kin. Staring at the number she fought the urge to tear it up on the spot as a release. She wasn't a child anymore. She could handle this like any normal adult. Her friends were there for moments just like this. By the time she'd talked with them surely she'd be in a better frame of mind.

  Alexa met her at the door but she passed the confused cat by with a sigh. Letting her work bag fall from her shoulder with a plop she collapsed onto the couch. The ceiling blurred as she thought about her past with Aidan. He never would have apologized like that when they were in high school; he wouldn't have even apologized. He didn't. He honestly seemed to have changed but was she willing to risk that he hadn't?

  When her phone rang she laid there through the first barrage of shrill pleas; however it persisted and she was forced to pull herself together; she answered on the third ring.

  "Hello?" her voice sounded watery to her but she hoped to mask that by a cheery tone.

  "Hey, Prom! How's it going?"

  "Do you have any idea what time it is, Colin?"

  "It was time for you to get home from work." There was a silence then he asked, "should I have called tomorrow?"

  "No," in a more depressed tone she repeated, "no."

  "Ok Prick, what's going on?" he demanded. Falling down onto the couch she bit back a sob. As she tried to gather the scattered pieces he began speaking again, "I'm coming over there."

  "Colin, you can't. It's nearly twelve thirty."

  "Then I'm sending Adelie over there," he returned firmly.

  "But…"

  "You know she's still awake, Promise."

  "I'll be ok, Colin. It just threw me off a little bit."

  "What threw you off?"

  "I saw Aidan today."

  "That jerk?" Promise recoiled at the vehemence in his voice.

  "Colin, please. I'll be fine."

  "Are you sure?"

  "I'm positive." Once again the line was dead.

  "Promise?"

  "Yeah?"

  "You're over him right?"

  "Do you really have to ask after what he did to me?"

  "I just don't want you to get hurt again." Promise smiled through her pain at his concern. Every since boys started taking an interest in her in middle school he was always there to referee. Making gossip to find what their purpose was towards her he always had her back. It was comforting.

  "I won't," she assured him, "you won't let me." Sensing he may be headed for his table speech she headed him off. "It's been a long day, Colin. I think I'm going to go to bed."

  "Are we still on for coffee tomorrow?"

  "Yeah."

  "Is it true?" Michael asked holding his coffee tight in his fingers. "Did you really go on that site?"

  "What site, Mikey?" Selah asked without understanding; suddenly it came to her, "oh you mean the matchmaking site?" At the desperate look on his face she laughed. "Honestly, Mike, I'm just there for my new book."

  "It seems like a big risk for a collection of papers."

  "A collection of papers…" She made no effort to hold her tongue. "Is that what you think of my books!"

  "By no means is that what I meant. I merely meant that sites like that can be dangerous. You never really know who you're talking to and…"

  "Don't worry about me, Mikey," Selah said shrugging of his concern; as she rose she ruffled his hair. "I'm a big girl."

  "All grown up," he acknowledged watching her turn to leave, "that's what I'm worried about."

  Searching through her emails she stumbled across one that declared cheerily 'InYourDreams has emailed you!'. After scanning his short response she typed back her reply. It would be best if they just pretended that we were two people meeting innocently for the first time. Eventually the story called for them to meet but they would cross that bridge when they came to it. They should start with anything not in their profile and go from there. By the way the end of her email chimed Sir Dreams was a very intriguing man.

  "So…you saw Aidan yesterday?" Colin asked in a horrible attempt at subtlety.

  "His grandmother is staying at the home."

  "At Sunray Gardens?" Promise nodded.

  "You didn't give him your phone number did you?"

  "No!"

  "Good."

  "But he did give me his and told me to call," she admitted.

  "But you aren't going to are you?"

  "Colin, as much as he hurt me," she whispered looking up from the hand she had pressed over her heart, "I need closure."

  "And just what kind of closure are you hoping for? Honestly, Prick, what can come of this but tears?" Gently he closed the hand that remained on the table in his.

  "I don't know," she exclaimed in frustration, "but please this is something I've got to do."

  "You're serious!"

  "Can you please be a little supportive? This is hard enough without you jumping down my throat."

  "I apologize," he relented, "I won't say another word on it but I refuse to like this."

  Sitting about her house later that day she found herself with Aidan's number in hand and the phone cord twirling about her fingers. She kept saying she was going to call him, confront him, and get some answers but… it was a scary prospect. She lost count over the next hours until dusk just how many times she'd found herself by the phone, the dial tone begging to be put out of its misery in her ear. She always appeased it but panicked when silence then ringing took its place.

  Gathering her guts she dialed the number and petted Alex's head as it ringed a third time. She should have known he would be out. Out on a date with his wife no doubt.

  "Hold on just a moment," came a voice quickly over the cord. Surprised by the sudden response she withdrew the phone from her ear and stared at it. "Hello?" A pause and then a more unsure. "Hello?"

  "Aidan?"

  "Hope! I knew you'd come around."

  "Please, don't call me…Hope." As the silence stretched she fidgeted. "I… I shouldn't have called."

  "No, that's not it. It's just…never mi
nd." She waited expectantly. "Can you meet me at the Half Shell tomorrow? Just for lunch?"

  "I…"

  "You don't have to work do you? We can always reschedule."

  "No, no tomorrow is fine."

  "Then I'll meet you there at 12:30? The booth by the door on the right?"

  "12:30 it is."

  "Ho… Promise, all I ask is that you hear me out."

  "And I want you to listen to me as well."

  "That's only agreeable."

  "I'll…see you tomorrow then."

  "Yeah," she sighed, "tomorrow."

  Scooping the hair out of her eyes Promise wondered what madness had brought her here. She was seeing Aidan Feral, the man who had broken her heart. As time passed she became less sure of her purpose in this agreement. As the doorbell rang she pushed to her feet; she wasn't ready for this.

  Trying to make her hasty escape she collided with a broad chest. "I'm…I'm sorry," she stuttered then looked up into Aidan's blue orbs.

  "You weren't running out on me were you?" She gave no reply. "I wouldn't blame you," he apologized, "after what I did."

  After seating her he called for menus then reached across to place his hand on hers; she withdrew and with an awkward clearing his throat he did the same. "What can I say Promise I did you a horrible wrong."

  "So you've said many times now."

  "Yes well you'll probably be happy to know," he said awkwardly fiddling with his napkin, "that I've had the same done to me. You could say Sharon gave me my just desserts."

  When he looked to the side to avoid her eyes they came to rest on the waiter's. "What would you like to drink?"

  "Just water," Promise told him.

  "The same," Aidan replied then turned back to face her, "you must think I'm horrible but… well I've never gotten over you, Hope. I lost something special when I lost you."

  Promise blushed at his praise as the waiter placed their drinks on the table. Sensing the moment he bowed out without interrupting.