The Alphabet of Love Ch. 24

When Derek concluded the meeting, there were smiles all around, handshakes and welcomes for me. I felt relieved. It appeared that I'd sufficiently impressed them to smooth my way among their ranks.

I got a rude comeuppance, though, when Derek and I made our way back to his office. We stood waiting for the elevator, and when it opened, there stood Dr. Adrienne Bailey, a clipboard in one hand, a takeout coffee cup in the other, in her green scrubs. She looked straight at me as she walked out, and I met her gaze. I knew if I looked away, she'd think she won.

"You came back," she said, stopping directly in front of me.

"Yes I did."

"I suppose the pussies on the board think your shit don't stink," she sneered.

"Adrienne -" Derek warned, but she cut him off.

"They'll find out soon enough what a mistake they made."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," I said, unable to keep the condescension out of my voice.

"Oh, I'm sure you are. You wish I'd kowtow to you like all the other ass kissers here. Well, I won't. I have every respect for Dr. Wiley, but I'm afraid he's been blinded by you and your big tits. Just because you're trying to dress modestly don't think for a minute we don't all see them."

It was all I could do to keep my mouth from dropping open.

Before Derek could say anything, she huffed away down the hall. He took my elbow and steered me into the elevator as I stared after her.

"She's unbelievable!" I cried.

"Well, she's right," he said, to my annoyance.

"About what?" I demanded.

"Your tits."

"Jesus, Derek, really?"

He took my hand and smiled. "Don't think about her. That's just how she is. Her patients love her, she's so direct with them."

"She's awful. A horrid woman."

"She'll get used to you being here. Might even learn to respect you."

"I'll never respect her!"

He squeezed my hand. The elevator discharged us and we entered his office. He picked up his phone and read a text.

"Barton," he said. "We have a court date next week. He's going to introduce this evidence to the judge and ask to have the divorce settlement adjudicated as soon as possible."

I dropped into the leather chair in front of his desk. "Good."

"So, what's your plan? Going to have a moving truck bring your things out here?"

"Probably. There isn't much, but it won't fit in my car."

He sat on the edge of the desk, facing me. "You're driving it out here?"

"Well, yes. I'll have to bring Faldo. I mean - if you don't mind if I keep him."

He shrugged. "He's your cat. I can't ask you to give him up."

"I don't know how he'll take to moving to a strange place. I guess we'll see. I was thinking about asking Isabel if she wants to take a road trip with me. We drive here from Seattle, and then she flies back from Boston."

He nodded. "Sure, I'd like to meet her."

I leaned toward him, hands on his knees, looking up at him. "I love you, you know."

He gave me a kiss. "I love you, too. When does your flight leave?"

"Tomorrow at four," I answered.

"The house will be lonely without you. How long do you think it'll take to pack your things and head out here?"

I sighed, shaking my head. "I'm not sure. A week? I mean to pack, then several days driving."

"You think it'll be safe?"

"That's why I'm asking Isabel to come along."

He nodded. "You'll keep in touch with me so I know where you are."

"Of course, my love."

I didn't tell Derek, but I had no reason to believe that Isabel could just drop everything and take a road trip across the country with me. She had Tila, after all, and her real estate business. I phoned her that evening while Derek met with Barton Kinsley in his downstairs office.

We exchanged updates on what we'd been doing in our lives; she thought mine was ever so much more exciting than hers, although she'd just closed a deal on an expensive home overlooking the Columbia River. A big commission was on its way to her bank account.

"So you worked hard on that deal," I observed, beginning the segue into my pitch to get her to come on a road trip with me.

"I did," she agreed with a sigh. "I'm going to take some time off now. I've earned it."

"How fortuitous," I said, and she picked up my tone at once.

"What? What's going on?"

"I have to drive my car to Boston. How'd you like to come with me?"

"Oh god!" she cried. "I've never been east of Idaho! I'd love to!"

"Great!"

But her enthusiasm waned at once. "But I have Tila. Your car is so small."

I hadn't planned on Tila accompanying us, but I didn't want to sound dismissive of her child. "I'm sorry. Do you think - would she be okay with your Mom for a week or so?"

"Well, yeah, of course," she answered but still sounded hesitant.

"I know it's hard for you to leave her."

"When will I get a chance like this again? I mean, to see the country with my best friend in the whole world?" Her wistfulness made tears come to my eyes.

"We'd have so much fun," I acknowledged.

"I'll talk to my Mom. Tila will be the hard one, though. She's going to want to come. But I can explain to her about your car and everything. And a week will go by fast."

"Derek would like to meet you," I told her.

"I want to meet him, too. And kick him for taking you so far away."

I laughed.

She went on. "I'll talk to them, Mom and Tila. How soon do you need to know?"

"As soon as possible. I'm flying back to Seattle tomorrow to pack up my apartment and arrange for everything to be shipped, then I'm taking off. That will take a few days."

"Okay. I'll call you after you're back."

We said our goodbyes, and I felt optimistic about my chances of having her as my road trip companion. There was a precedent for this in our distant past. The summer before I started college, she and I drove to California together and hit all the beaches around LA. We were young and nubile, our lives ahead of us. We both got laid, drank too much, and swore we'd take road trips together every year or so.

That hadn't happened, thanks to my demanding studies and her work, then marriage and child. No reason we couldn't make up for lost time now.

Derek and I made sweet love the morning before I returned to Seattle. He said he wanted me to have something to remember him by. As if I would ever forget his tenderness and passion. It felt better each and every day to be with him, and as we kissed goodbye at the airport, I knew that I belonged here. Not necessarily in Boston, but by his side. Loving him. Sharing my life with him. Troubled children notwithstanding, I had no doubts. I loved him.

THE END (stay tuned for the next book)