A Promise to Remember (31 page)

Christi whirled around, startled. Her eyes adjusted to the
darkness, and she could see Andie sitting on the front porch,
rocking. In spite of her teasing words, there was no mistaking
the tears in her voice.

"How could I help it? He's so adorable." Christi climbed the
steps and squatted beside her friend. "So ... what's up?"

"I've left Blair."

"So you said. Mind telling me why?"

Andie's chair creaked as she began to rock. "He's having an
affair."

"Bull."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Bull. Blair would never cheat on you. Every
woman in town envies how much he loves you."

The chair stopped moving. "Let's go for a walk."Andie clomped
down the stairs, leaving Christi no choice but to follow.

As they walked the dark gravel pathway, Christi made it a
point to take high steps. It kept her from stumbling over the
bigger rocks, and who knew what kind of critters might be
lying around out here after dark? "Don't you want to go back
to your cabin?"

"I've spent almost the whole day walking. Talking to God.
Questioning Him. I don't understand any of it, but I keep feeling like He's telling me to trust Him."

"You'd know more about that kind of thing than I would. Tell
me what's going on with Blair."

Andie told the story of the unexplained absences, the late
nights, the blatant lie. "I heard another woman's voice. He came
in at six o'clock in the morning, then said he'd been at the office
the whole time. There's someone else." Andie's voice seemed filled with the same gravel that lined the road. "I've never been
what he needed anyway. I'm a terrible housekeeper, I'm not very
organized, I'm not particularly good at anything."

Christi stopped and dug in her feet. She grabbedAndie's arm
and jerked her around. "That's a lie! Don't ever let me hear you
say that again."

Andie pulled at her arm. "Every time you come to my house
you either clean or organize something. I know I've never measured up to anyone's standards."

"Someone like you single-handedly came up with the idea
for the Fair for the Cure. Someone like you has been on every
committee for the school, church, and charity league that no
one else wants to be on. Someone like you is the first to come
around with chicken soup when I'm feeling sick."

"Don't you get it, though? I bring you Campbell's soup. You
make a gourmet chicken stock with your own homegrown spices.
I don't measure up."

"Andie Phelps, tomorrow I will deny I ever said this, but,
well, we both know I'm way too uptight. I need someone like
you to remind me to never sweat the small stuff, because to
you, almost everything is small stuff. Usually, even when I'm
doing something to help someone else, I'm thinking of what
I'd rather be doing, while you give your undivided attention to
anyone who has a need."

"Something else you'd rather be doing, like eating at Tupelo
Junction

Christi knew she should be embarrassed by the truth, but it
was what it was. "Exactly. See how shallow I am?" They both
laughed, and it felt good to release the tension. "Have you called
Blair to tell him where you are?"

"No. I don't want to talk to him. I need to sort some things
out on my own."

"He needs to at least know you're safe. He's been a madman
all afternoon, calling all over town."

"I'll just bet."

"Andie, he's called me half a dozen times wanting to know if
I'd heard anything. I'm not exactly his favorite friend of yours,
so you know he's got to be worried crazy if he's calling me."

"Kind of like I was at about two this morning, huh?"

"At least let him know you're alive."

"That's more courtesy than he showed me."

"Yes, and you're a bigger person than he is."

For the next half hour they walked and talked. They were all
the way back to the cabin before Andie acquiesced. She opened
the sliding glass door and walked inside. Christi stayed on the
porch, to allow privacy.

Andie leaned out. "Come on in. I'm not going to talk to him
long."

As Andie punched in the numbers, Christi could see her
hands start to shake. She put the phone up to her ear and stared
at the wall. The look in her eyes scared Christi. It was the same
dead, flat expression she'd had after the accident.

Andie flinched. "It's me."

In a flash, her eyes took on some fire. Andie shook her head
at whatever was being spoken on the other end. Christi was
glad to see it. Better for her to rage against her husband than
curl up and shrivel on the inside.

"You weren't so worried about where I was yesterday, were
you?"Andie spat. She twisted her hair around her finger. "Really?
Busy at your office? So was I. In fact, when I called you yesterday, that's where I called from."

She looked at Christi, rolled her eyes, and shook her head.
"It's a little late for that. I'm taking a few days to think." She
punched the button and flipped the phone shut. It began to
ring again almost immediately. She hit the off button.

Wmw This was a new empowered Andie. "That was a thing
of beauty. Let him twist awhile."

Christi looked around at the cabin. Some might call it charming, but she preferred more of a five-star version of charm.
"Listen, if you want to spend a few days away from home, how
about coming to our guesthouse? It's just sitting there empty."

"Blair might come looking for me there. Besides, I've already
paid for three days."

"Don't you want to come back with me now?"

Andie shook her head. "No. Thanks. You get on home. I need
some time alone." She slouched down on the bed. "Please don't
tell anyone where I am."

"The one thing I can do is keep a secret. I'll be by to check
on you tomorrow, okay?"

"You don't have to."

"I know. I want to." Christi hugged her friend with more
emotion than she'd felt in a long time. She planned to go home
right now and get started doing a little extra cleaning on the
guesthouse. She would come back tomorrow and wouldn't leave
until Andie agreed to stay there.

Melanie stole a quick glance over her shoulder at the assembled
employees sitting in four rows of folding chairs. None of them
knew what the big announcement was, but she did. She dreaded
what was about to happen, but welcomed it, too.

Carl Brown walked toward the front of the room. He straightened his tie and cleared his throat. "Okay, everyone. Thanks
for coming in early for this meeting. We have a few important
details to discuss.

"By now, you all know Melanie Johnston. She's been with us
for the last several weeks and has done an outstanding job. In
fact, she has done such an outstanding job that Alfords has offered her a promotion to another position in Orange County."

A murmur went through the crowd. Were they angry that
she got offered a promotion, or happy at the thought of getting
rid of her? She wanted to look over her shoulder and see their
faces, but pride wouldn't let her. No. She would pretend like
everything was just fine.

Carl called the group back to attention. "I was saddened to
learn that she has chosen not to accept the offer."

The resulting murmur this time was much louder. Melanie
allowed a quick backward glance. Candace sat directly behind her, smiling. She patted Melanie's shoulder. "Good. I'm glad
you're not going to leave us."

"People, if you would be quiet, we could get on with this."
Carl waited for the crowd to settle. "I am sorry to report, however, that she has turned in her resignation. She plans to look
for something closer to home, and I wish her all the best in this
endeavor. She has recommended Candace as her replacement,
and I plan to accept that recommendation. So, congratulations,
Candace. Melanie will help you get started over the next three
weeks, and then you'll be flying solo."

Melanie turned to offer congratulations, but Candace did
not look pleased. She stood, her face grim. "I will not accept
this position."

Carl straightened his tie. "We'll talk about this later,
Candace."

"No! I want to talk now. The only reason Melanie would
give up this job is because of the harassment she's been getting
around here. I will not accept a promotion for any reason other
than I am the most qualified. I certainly don't want a position
that my predecessor has been bullied out of."

"Candace, you are plenty qualified."

Melanie looked in the direction of the voice. A hard-faced
woman sitting three rows back folded her arms across her chest
and glared at Melanie. "Everyone knows the position would have
been yours anyway if she hadn't started making trouble in that
other store. Now you'll get the position you deserve."

"Wrong." Candace shook her head. "She didn't make trouble
for anyone. She saved a bunch of people's jobs by transferring
here. She is more qualified for this job than I am, and it was
only fair that she take it."

Candace looked around the room at each of her co-workers,
then let her gaze come to rest on Melanie. "I think she's done a
fabulous job, in spite of all the efforts to make trouble for her. I know you all think that by doing these things to her you are
supporting me, but that's not true."

She looked at Carl Brown. "Mr. Brown, if Melanie doesn't
withdraw her resignation, then I'll put mine in, too. I absolutely
will not work in a store where a perfectly nice woman has been
treated so badly and in a position that has been gained in such
a way."

A collective gasp went through the crowd-none louder than
from Melanie's own mouth. She reached back and squeezed
Candace's hand. "You can't do this. I'll be okay. You need this
job."

Candace shook her head. "So do you."

Melanie couldn't believe what had just happened. Never had
she seen anything so selfless, or maybe just plain crazy. What
was Candace thinking?

Carl called the meeting back to order. "Seems to me, the
rest of the group needs to have a little powwow. What's it to
be, folks? Do we lose both of these fine women, or are the rest
of you ready to accept Melanie as pricing coordinator and stop
all these shenanigans?" He looked at Melanie and Candace.
"Ladies, if you two would be so kind as to go out front so that
we may speak plainly, we'll call you back in a few moments."

The two women walked through the swinging door of the
back room. Melanie turned on her heel. "What are you thinking?
This is the chance of a lifetime for you. You're a single mom.
The difference in income is a big deal."

"You're a single mom, too. One that has recently lost a child.
How could I forgive myself if I took what was rightfully yours?
Jesus would never have me do such a thing."

Melanie started. "So you're a Christian?"

"Well, I try. And the one thing I know is that it means trying
to do the right thing, no matter what. I don't want to sell that
out for a little extra money."

"That's why you've been so supportive all this time. It's been
about your faith."

The door swung open behind them. Carl Brown emerged.
"Ladies, will you please come back in?"

The two women walked back into the room, facing the stares
of every single person. "It has been unanimously agreed that
we will not accept the resignation of either of you. We want
you both to stay at your present positions for as long as this
store stands."

Melanie took a backward step. She looked around at the faces,
some still rife with hostility. What kind of respect did Candace
garner if they were willing to accept Melanie because of her,
The concept seemed out of her grasp.

Andie awoke to the sun streaming through the windows. She
buried her head under the pillow and rolled over. With the return of wakefulness came the return of the pain. She needed
to get up and moving.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed and forced herself
to stand. She stumbled over to the coffeepot and followed the
instructions to brew some caffeine. While she waited for the
machine to do its work, she threw on an old pair of sweats and
sat. Soon the room began to take on the aroma of fresh coffee. She picked up a white ceramic mug, poured it full, then
walked out toward the beach. Okay; God, where did we leave
off yesterday?