A Twist in My Story

Kevin sat at his desk on Wednesday pouring over the dozen mixes that his artists had laid down over the weekend. Unfortunately, this was the bad part of being a manager; one of his artists couldn’t nail the right melody, another wasn’t working with his backup band very well, and yet another was having difficulty even laying the tracks down – and of course Kevin was the person responsible for fixing all these problems. The scowl on his face had become a permanent fixture. After breaking down in front of his mom, he re-fortified his emotional walls and threw himself into his work to keep his mind off Danielle and his pain. Of course that didn’t mean his dad didn’t casually drop by the house or call him, reminding Kevin that his primary focus had to be his job and that Danielle was just being silly. Honestly, Kevin felt torn between listening to his heart and fulfilling the obligations expected of him.

To make matters worse, Riley was turning into a little demon. He knew Danielle walked the dog every day because he could remember her mentioning it at some point over dinner or while they were watching TV or something. He just couldn’t recall the details of the walks because he’d only been half-listening to her while his current work negotiation ran through his mind. However, every time he had tried to walk Riley in the past week she pulled on the leash, barking at every person they passed. Kevin couldn’t ever remember apologizing to so many people in one day. And on top of that annoying performance, Riley insisted on doing her business on every single lawn and mailbox. For a tiny dog she sure did hold a lot in her and it knocked his ego down a few notches to pick up her poo. If Riley didn’t start acting right soon he was going to blow his top royally. He didn’t understand why she disliked him so much. It wasn’t like he abused her or anything.

“Here’s some more, Kevin,” Eleanor placed two more CD tracks on his stack.

“Thanks, Eleanor,” he responded tersely, not even giving her a glance.

She shifted from one foot to the other, debating whether to step over the line or not. She thought of Kevin as one of her own kids and hated seeing him so withdrawn. He rarely smiled anymore unless they were fake ones that didn’t light up his hazel eyes as they used to. Taking a deep breath, she took the step.

“I can’t help noticing your change in attitude lately. Is there anything you need to talk about?” she asked gently.

Kevin’s grip on his pen tightened but he didn’t look up still. “I’ve just been really busy is all,” he said stiffly.

“I know you have, but I get the feeling there’s more to it than that.”

“Nope, your feelings are misleading you. Just focused and stressed about work.”

“Kevin, you can talk to me. I won’t tell anyone. Are you having trouble at home?” Eleanor pressed.

Finally Kevin raised his head to her and took in her well-pressed gray suit and pale yellow blouse. He knew he could trust her to keep the secret, but something about admitting it to someone outside the family made it all the more real…and he didn’t like that feeling.

“I know I can and I appreciate the offer, really I do, but I’m fine. Once all this paperwork in behind me I’ll be in a better mood. Promise,” he gave her a smile which he hopes was convincing. “I do appreciate your concern though. Thank you. If you really want to help me, you could refill my coffee. I need some caffeine to keep me going.”

She smiled back, only half-believing him. “Of course, Kevin. One refill coming up,” she picked up the cup. “Oh, remember you’re meeting Brittany Nicole this afternoon at 3pm. Her mother said she’s coming straight from school.”

“Okay, thank,” he nodded, bending over his paperwork again. He actively ignored her hesitation at the door, hearing her mutter something before she walked away. He dropped his pen and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses, hoping to rub away his frustration.

“Kevin,” Mr. Rich said boisterously announcing his presence.

Kevin’s head shot up, eyes wide in alarm. He didn’t realize his boss had been standing there. “Mr. Rich,” he moved to stand.

“No, no, please sit,” Mr. Rich waved off the gesture as he took the seat opposite the desk. “You look like shit.”

Kevin was shocked at the bluntness then instantly furious at Danielle for making him this way. “Mr. Rich, I-”

“If the job is getting too stressful, Kevin,-”

“No!” he blurted then cleared his throat. “I mean, no sir, it’s not. The workload is just fine.”

Mr. Rich eyed him with a steady calculating gaze that made Kevin resist the urge to squirm. “How’s your wife? Feeling any better?”

“It comes and goes,” Kevin lied.

“Margie was a little upset to hear that she wasn’t feeling well. She was looking forward to talking with her again since she rarely gets the chance to.”

“Yes, well if Dani still isn’t feeling well this Saturday we won’t be able to make it,” Kevin said apologetically.

“Nonsense. I told you we weren’t taking no for an answer. I still expect you to be there even if your wife can’t make it. This is a company party which everyone is expected to attend,” Mr. Rich said. “I do hope she can come though. I make it a point to know all my employees’ families. I wouldn’t want them hiding something from me.”

“Of course not,” Kevin agreed. “I’ll do my best to have her there with me. Double dose the chicken soup.”

Mr. Rich smiled at the joke. “Good to hear, Kevin. Well I need to get back up to the office. See you Saturday.”

“Yes. Saturday,” Kevin nodded, standing as his boss left and Eleanor sneaked in with his coffee.

Once alone again, he sagged into his leather chair and grabbed his cell phone. He hadn’t called her in a few days, well two days, but that was still a huge time lapse from when she first left. If she didn’t have the common courtesy to call him back then he wasn’t going to keep calling her either, but this was a necessary call. He listened to the four rings then rolled over into her voicemail as usual.

“Dani, it’s me again. I know you listen to these and I know you know my boss and his wife are throwing a party on Saturday. They expect both of us there together. If you love me at all you’ll come home for that. Please. I don’t need you to embarrass me like this. This is my job. Talk to you later. I love you. Bye.”

Closing his phone he felt drained. For once he didn’t yell in the message, but that was because he was too tired. He knew his vulnerability resounded in that message but he couldn’t hide it. The pain in his chest was nearly unbearable. He missed his wife and just needed her to come home to him.

Picking up the CD in front of him and shoving it in his computer, he pushed his emotions and thoughts aside and prepared for another long night at the office.

Danielle pulled up to the beachfront house owned by the Henderson’s and just took it in. It had an elegance to it that made it unique from all the others surrounding it, yet it also blended in. The weathered look of the shutters and faded brown sugar of the siding were perfect. The sea air blew through her loose curls as she stood by her car, sending Danielle back to the summers she spent here. If this getaway was good for anything, it was that it slowly was relaxing her.

By now her parents had gotten used to her being back home and stopped trying to get her to open up any more than she wanted to; she told them things they needed to know, when they needed to know. She loved being able to girl talk with Katie and do each other’s hair and nails. She missed her baby sister. She did continue to have days where she’d seclude herself in her room in misery, but they were becoming fewer and fewer. She was getting better at masking her pain. That was another reason for taking this job – it would provide a distraction for her.

Swallowing her nerves she walked up to the door, knocked, and waited to be let in.

“Danielle darling, so nice to see you again,” Maggie Henderson welcomed her.

“It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Henderson,” she hugged the old family friend.

“Stop the formalities. Call me Maggie. We’re both adults here and we have too much history to be formal,” Maggie insisted.

“Okay,” Danielle agreed with a smile. “So I feel compelled to tell you that I have no legitimate experience with interior decorating. It’s just been a hobby or interest of mine. So feel free to hire a real one at any time if what I do is not up to your standards.”

“Nonsense. Your mother says you know your stuff and have a great eye. That’s enough for me. And Patrick really won’t mind as long as you leave his man-room alone,” Maggie waved off her concern.

“No touching of the man-room. Got it,” Danielle nodded, making a note in her pad. “So which rooms were you interested in redecorating?”

Maggie turned and led her through the entrance way. “Well in my ultimate fantasy I want the entire first floor redone in a summer breezy décor. As you can see it is rather outdated and too bold for my liking right now. I also want the master bedroom redone. But like I said, that’s my ultimate fantasy. For now I just would like you to focus on the kitchen and living room. Maybe once the addition we’re having done is completed you could decorate that as well,” she rattled off her request. “There really is no budget, just don’t go extremely overboard. Patrick is CEO of his bank, but that doesn’t mean he wants to spend a fortune on redecorating. And of course, we’ll be paying you.”

Danielle stopped taking notes to object. “That’s not necessary. I’m just doing this as a favor really. It’s to keep my hands busy right now so I don’t go crazy. You are the ones doing me the bigger favor. I don’t need money for this.”

“Yes I understand that, but Patrick insists you be paid. It’s easier to just go with it, honey, rather than fight him. Men get that way as I’m sure you know with your husband,” Maggie said flippantly.

Danielle bit her lip. She did know that’s how men could be sometimes. Heck, Kevin was like that now, expecting her to cave to his wishes and sit idly by while he ignores her. “Well…if he insists I guess that’s fine, but don’t pay a whole lot. I’d feel awful if you did.”

“Okay, I’ll tell him and we’ll negotiate something all of us can agree on,” Maggie patted her arm. “Now I hate to rush this, but I have an appointment in half an hour. Feel free to stay and brainstorm, take measurements, whatever. Just lock the door behind you.”

“Alright. I won’t be much longer. Thanks for taking a chance on me.”

“Thank you for agreeing to do this,” Maggie pulled on her light jacket, stepping out the door. “Congratulations on the baby. Your mother is ecstatic about it.”

Danielle’s hand subconsciously covered her barely-there bump as she watched Maggie Henderson climb in her car and drive away with a toot of her horn. She really hadn’t thought she was showing all that much. Of course she could tell the difference with her own body, but she took extra care to wear clothes that breathed so it wouldn’t be obvious to people on the streets. She knew people in close knit communities liked to gossip about their own and she didn’t want to be a topic of interest for them.

Spending no more than another 20 minutes in the house taking notes, she left to stroll downtown for ideas on decoration of the rooms. She needed to get a feel for the beach atmosphere and then pick up on colors and items that would transfer the feelings into the Henderson’s house. She wanted focal points for each room that blended together and window shopping always provided the best ideas.

She was just coming out of the local antique store when she nearly bumped into someone. Absently excusing herself she went back to jotting her fresh ideas from the antique store down in her notepad.

“Danielle?”

She stopped and turned, facing into the setting sun. “Yes?”

“Danielle Deleasa, it’s been a long time. Didn’t think I’d see you walking around town.”

She squinted against the sun and put her hand up in an attempt to get a better look at the man talking to her. “It’s Danielle Jonas now. Who are you?” she asked.

“You’re kidding, right?” he chuckled and stepped towards her, his face becoming clearer.

“Oh my gosh. Spencer!” she exclaimed and hugged the tall tanned man in front of her. “It has been forever since I saw you.”

“Yes it has. When’d you get married?” he set her back down.

“It’ll be two years this December. Gosh, you got tall. And what’s with the shaggy hair? I thought you kept it short,” she commented, thrilled to see a familiar face.

He chuckled a deep laugh that rumbled up from the back of his throat. “Well I did grow some more after we broke up, Elle. For a second I thought you didn’t recognize your first boyfriend,” he feigned hurt. “I can’t believe my mom didn’t tell me you got married.”

She swatted at him playfully, ignoring his last sentence. “Stop it, Spence. You were in the sun and you know it. I could never forget you. You gave me my first kiss.”

The summer before Danielle’s freshman year of high school she started dating Spencer while vacationing here in Cape May. They had a 3 month courtship where she received her first kiss and her first grounding for missing curfew. They had tried to make long distance work when she went home at the end of summer, but by Halloween they had broken up amicably even though tears were shed on her part. She hadn’t seen him since her high school graduation.

“I do give memorable kisses,” he puffed out his chest like a proud peacock then laughed as Danielle swatted him again, laughing. “I heard you’re doing some work at the Henderson’s.”

Danielle nodded. “I am. Putting my passion for interior decorating to use…or trying to at least.”

“You’ll do great,” he said encouragingly. “God, it’s really been too long. We should have lunch and catch up sometime.”

“We should. Why don’t you give me a call and we’ll set a time,” she suggested, giving him her cell number.

“Awesome. I will be calling you, Elle,” he winked. “I’ve gotta meet my dad for business stuff. We’ve been contracted to do the addition to the Henderson’s house. So we’ll run into each other all the time there I bet. Keep your phone line open.”

“Will do, Spence. It was good seeing you again. You’ll have to show me how good of a carpenter you are,” she hugged him again.

“You too. Bye, Elle,” he kissed her cheek and walked away with a wave.

Feeling ridiculously happy, Danielle caught herself unable to stop smiling. She had not expected to see Spencer even though she knew his parents still lived in Cape May. Reaching into her purse, she grabbed her phone to call Dina and tell her about Spencer. Opening it, she saw the new voicemail waiting for her and she halted; her smile fell and the pain in her chest returned.

She listened to Kevin’s newest voicemail with a heavy heart, choking back tears. He sounded so desperate and raw unlike his other messages where he yelled at her. His words rang in her ears ‘If you love me…’ and she set her jaw. Of course she loved him, almost to the point where it would be crazy, but she wasn’t going to let him guilt her into coming home. She could care less about the dumb party. He needed need her and love her above his job and until he did she wasn’t returning. She was not caving this time.

Jamming her phone back in her purse she set off back to her car to return to her parents’ house, her good mood gone.