Between Land and Sea (6 page)

Chapter 10

Graham spent the rest of the weekend visiting a few artists and suppliers in Toronto and Barrie. Barbara welcomed the reprieve. She had relished the lovemaking, but was consumed with guilt regarding her feelings for Graham. The relationship had moved to the next level, and she was certain that Graham would want to spend more evenings with her. She trembled as she thought of her own plans for the future. They did not involve Graham, or anyone else in Carden for that matter.

The weather forecast predicted cold, rainy weather all weekend. Good. She could stay inside and cocoon. She busied herself with cleaning the apartment, doing laundry, and cooking for the week. She worked nonstop, making enough chicken soup, meatballs, veggie burgers, and lasagne to last for the next month. She did not leave herself any time to think about Graham.

Early Sunday evening, the phone rang. Barbara checked the call display and her heart started pounding. Graham was back in town. She did not pick up the telephone.

Though still tired from her cooking marathon, Barbara decided to bake. She made two batches of chocolate chip muffins, which she had no intention of eating. She would bring them into the office tomorrow.

Barbara turned in early that evening. She tossed and turned for most of the night and woke up before the alarm sounded the following morning. She showered, ate, and dressed quickly. Having spent all weekend inside, she decided to take a long, brisk walk before work. A few extra pounds seemed to have settled around her midriff. She was determined to be a size ten by Christmas.

The thirty-minute power walk energized Barbara. She arrived at the office a few minutes before starting time. She greeted everyone and placed the tray of muffins beside the coffee machine. The other ladies eagerly headed toward the muffins and proceeded to
ooh
and
aah
over the treats. Janice came out of her office to see what the commotion was all about.

“Barbara baked the most delectable chocolate chip muffins. You must taste them before they’re all gone, Janice.” Alice spoke between bites. “I’ve already had two.”

Janice turned and smiled at Barbara. “More of your hidden talents, Barbara. Why am I not surprised?”

Barbara’s heart started pounding and she looked with anticipation at Janice.

Janice helped herself to a muffin and nodded toward her office. Barbara followed her. The two women sat down. Janice picked up the manuscript and shook her head in amazement. “I had a wonderful time reading your book. I can’t get over how well written it is.” She flipped through the pages. “I have made a few suggestions and corrections. You could probably make all the changes in a week, or even less, in your case.” She asked, “Have you decided on your next step?”

“Well, as I mentioned, my friend Gillian knows a literary agent in Chicago. I’ll send it to her after I make all the revisions.”

“Be very careful,” Janice said. “Read everything before you sign a contract. And if you’re not sure, ask me. I am more than willing to help. I have seen a few writing contracts in my day. I can hook you up with an entertainment lawyer in Toronto.”

As Barbara flipped through the manuscript, she noticed a few scattered red marks and simple notations. She could easily edit and produce the final draft after a couple of work sessions. If all went well, she would phone Gillian tomorrow night.

She would also have to tell Graham about the book. He would be terribly hurt if she continued to keep this secret from him. While there had been many opportunities to share the news with him, Barbara always hesitated. She had mixed feelings about their future together, and she did not want to create more of a bond with him. She could let things ride and continue to enjoy his company until she left Carden. Or might it be kinder to break it off gently now?

Janice broke into her reverie. “Barbara, you don’t sound too happy. I thought you would be thrilled at this time.”

“I don’t know what to do.” Barbara’s eyes teared up as she sank down further into her chair.

Janice pulled her chair closer. “I know how overwhelming this can be. When I worked at Harlequin, I dealt with many new authors. I didn’t mind holding their hand as we went through the process.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” She swallowed hard. “It’s Graham. I haven’t told him anything about the book, and I don’t know how he’ll take it.”

“Don’t worry about that. Most writers like to keep their books under wraps until an agent or editor approves it. As an artist, I’m sure he will understand.” Janice paused. “I’m assuming you haven’t told anyone else?”

“You and Gillian are the only ones who know about the book.”

“And Gillian is hundreds of miles away from here. But I sense there’s more to it than that. Forgive me, if this is too personal. But are you and Graham having problems? Are you planning to . . .?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know. I hadn’t planned on getting involved with anyone else after Carl. It hurt too much.”

“You don’t have to marry Graham or move in with him. You could just continue the way you are.”

Barbara was silent for a few moments. She shouldn’t go any further with this conversation. At least, not with Janice. She couldn’t reveal her big plans for the future to Janice of all people, not after all she had done for her. If all went well, Barbara would be long gone from Carden in less than a year. Janice, Graham
,
and ReCareering would become pleasant but distant memories. Carden was only a stepping-stone. She dreamed about taking Toronto, Chicago, or New York by storm.

There it was. Deep down she wanted to compete with Mirabella on her own turf, and she wanted to throw her writing success in her mother’s face. She had retained Isabella’s strong competitive spirit, and she would not rest until her final goals were achieved.

Barbara gathered her thoughts and smiled brightly at Janice. “I’m being silly. It’s just nerves and excitement. All of this is happening so quickly. I’m sure I’ll be fine once I send the manuscript to Chicago.”

Janice looked relieved. She took an interest in all her employees, but she wasn’t keen on getting too involved in their personal lives. “If you need more time to—”

There was a loud knocking at the door, followed by the immediate entrance of Alice, Katrina, and Lois. Alice said, “Carolyn collapsed in the washroom. She started bleeding and couldn’t stop. We wanted to call 911, but she begged us not to. Her husband is on—”

Janice did not let her finish. She rushed out and went toward the staff washroom. The remaining women stood quietly for a few minutes.

Lois broke the silence. “She hasn’t been well since the summer. She’s tried pills and had a few D and C’s, but those fibroids keep growing like gangbusters. She can’t ignore this anymore.”

An assertive male voice reverberated throughout the office. “That’s it. I’ve had enough. You’re going to the hospital today. And I’m going to ask Dr. Androch to move up the surgery. You can’t go on like this and neither can I. Janice, get someone else to take her place here. She won’t be coming back for a while.”

“I wonder who’ll take her place,” Lois said.

Before anyone could comment, Janice re-entered her office. She spoke briskly, “We have a few clients waiting in the reception area. Let’s get back to business and try to have a normal day.”

The women hurried back to their work areas. Barbara breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down and organized her day’s work. She tucked the manuscript into her tote bag, determined to work on it after lunch.

Later that morning Janice buzzed and asked her to return to her office. Barbara tried to control her excitement as she entered.

Janice motioned toward one of the chairs. “I just finished talking with Raymond, Carolyn’s husband. He was able to get hold of her gynecologist and schedule an emergency surgery for Thursday of this week. Those doctors can certainly move very quickly when they want to.” She straightened a few papers on her desk and adopted a more businesslike tone. “Now, regarding her position. Can you start tomorrow?”

“Yes, I can clean out my desk and get everything organized for Leslie this afternoon.”

“Good. I’ll ask Lois to organize Carolyn’s personal items in a box. We can keep her things in the storage area until she returns.” She sighed. “I must warn you that Carolyn has not kept up with all her clients, and some of her paperwork is not up-to-date. So you may be facing a bit of a backlog at first. But I am certain you will get up to speed very quickly.”

Chapter 11

The afternoon sped by quickly with no time for editing. Barbara reconsidered her self-imposed timeline. It didn’t matter if the book was delayed by a day or two. She was excited about starting her new position at work.

Lois and the other counselors congratulated her. Katrina suggested that Barbara help her facilitate a dinner seminar on Thursday. Barbara looked forward to using her storytelling abilities but needed to practice using the PowerPoint technology.

Barbara hurried home and had a quick meal of soup and a sandwich. She would phone Graham in an hour or so. But first things first. She went into her bedroom, picked up the tablet, and pressed the green button. A smiling Lisa738 appeared before her.

“Greetings, Barbara. You look so happy. All must be well.”

“It’s great. I just got a promotion at work. I’ll be working as a career counselor for the next few months. I will be required to facilitate workshops, deliver presentations—”

Lisa738 interrupted, “You need another Specialist Skills button.”

“Can’t you just give me an ordinary button?”

“You already have twelve of those,” Lisa738 said. “You could manage the presentations on your own with the knowledge you already possess.”

“Managing is not enough. I want to deliver spectacular talks, speeches, presentations.” Barbara thought ahead to the readings and media appearances that would accompany the launch of her novel.

“You have other ambitions beyond this position.”

“Yes I do.” Barbara said nothing else. She was not prepared to tell the Numbers Mermaid about the book. Not yet. Not until it was out there in the world.

Lisa738 adopted a brisk tone. “I must prepare you for this Specialist Skills button. You will be able to scan documents and then regurgitate their contents, word for word. You will never experience stage fright or fumble for words.”

“What about the technology? Will I be able to use it effectively?”

“You already have that basic skill, Barbara,” Lisa738 said. “Now, do you still want this Specialist Skills button or not?” The pleasant smile was gone and the Numbers mermaid was all business.

Barbara nodded. She picked up the shiny button that appeared on her tablet then peeled off the coating, applied it to her left temple, and waited for the unsettling sensation. She sat down and rubbed both of her temples for a few minutes.

Lisa738 waited until Barbara regained her composure. “Will there be anything else?”

Barbara decided to engage the Numbers mermaid in a conversation. It was still early in the evening, and she wanted to postpone calling Graham. “I’ve been meaning to ask you a few questions. I know you’re busy.”

“It’s been a very slow day here. We can talk for a while. What do you want to know?”

“I’ve been wondering about those Specialist Skills buttons. I’ve already used up two of them, and I want to make sure that I choose wisely in the future. What other skills could I obtain with that button?”

“That really depends on what you want to do with your life.”

“Can you give me a few examples of what other mermaids have asked for?”

“Almost all of them asked for cooking skills. Fashion sense and decorating skills are two other favorites.”

“Why would anyone ask for fashion sense? All they need to do is pick up a few magazines and study what the celebrities are wearing. Or they could ask the salesperson at a high-end store for advice.”

“Fashion sense is obviously not a priority for you. At least not yet.”

Barbara looked down at her comfortable jeans and sweatshirt. Everything was hanging loose, but she was determined not to buy anything until she reached her goal weight. “I can’t see myself becoming a clothes horse. Give me more examples.”

Lisa738 thought for a while. “A few asked for athletic ability in such sports as golf or tennis.”

“Would I be able to get athletic ability in all sports?”

“You already have that with the basic buttons,” Lisa738 said. “The Specialist Skills buttons give you exceptional ability in a particular area. They put you on an even plane with high achievers like Tiger Woods, Bill Gates, and Celine Dion. Most humans achieve that level only with innate talent and after years and years of practice.”

Barbara decided to wait before making any more decisions about her remaining Specialist Skills button. She smiled at Lisa738. “Thanks for all your help. You have been very patient with me.”

“I enjoy helping you, Barbara. I want to see you do well in the human world. We all do.” Lisa738 faded into the screen.

Barbara got out her manuscript. She could spend the rest of the evening making corrections, but she knew that she couldn’t put Graham off any longer. These human connections were becoming more and more complicated. She couldn’t just compartmentalize, like she had done so often in the mermaid kingdom.

Her eyes became misty as she recalled the long evenings of storytelling. She would spend all day creating and rehearsing, and then deliver a spectacular performance in the evening. Afterward she would rest and re-energize. If she chose to spend a few days cavorting with the other mermaids in her set, she could easily do so. No one had expected her to work or get overly involved in any of the sticky situations. And there must have been many of those. Annabella was constantly meeting with different groups of mermaids and mermen throughout the kingdom. There was a lot of squabbling, especially near the island of Crete. If Barbara had stayed, she would have eventually assumed Annabella’s leadership role.

“I wouldn’t have liked it.” Barbara was startled by her own voice. Her mermaid life had been idyllic, but it would not have lasted forever. Gillian was right. Annabella had sheltered her for too long. She glanced about the apartment. It was home. But like everything else, it would not last. In ten months time, she would have to leave and start over somewhere else.

Barbara forced herself to focus on the present moment. She picked up the phone and dialed Graham’s number.

“Hello, Bella.”

Barbara’s hands shook.

“I can hear you breathing. Are you there? Barbara, are you there?”

“Yes, hello, Graham. I’m sorry. For a minute there, I didn’t recognize your voice. I thought it was a wrong number.”

“It can’t be the first time someone has called you Bella. Or is it?”

“It’s been a while.”

“Get used to it. I like the sound of it, and it suits you.” He added, “I’m glad you called. I was hoping we could get together.”

“Why don’t you come over? I still have some of that tiramisù left, and I made chocolate chip muffins last night. We could have coffee or a drink together.”

“Sounds great. I’ll be there in about an hour. I’m still waiting to hear from one of my suppliers. He usually calls around seven.”

“See you later.” Barbara hung up the phone. She had finally gotten used to Barbara. And now Graham was going to start calling her Bella.

Her eyes gravitated toward the manuscript. She could easily correct the first hundred pages before Graham arrived. If he found her hard at work on her book, it would change the course of the conversation and the evening.