Between Land and Sea (7 page)

Chapter 12

She opened the door and found herself engulfed in a sensual embrace. She lost herself in Graham, entwining her arms around his neck and drawing him into her just as deeply. The door closed softly behind them as they continued to kiss passionately.

Barbara gently detached herself. Graham continued to look at her. “It’s all right, Bella. We’re both mature adults. We can do whatever we want.”

“I think we’re moving too quickly. I’m not ready.”

“How long has it been since you left your husband?”

Barbara tried to recall the details from that original file. “I kept track of the exact number of days for a while, but I don’t really know for sure anymore.”

“That’s a good sign,” Graham said. “After Marjorie died, I waited two years before getting involved with another woman.”

Barbara’s muscles relaxed. He understood. He would not push her too hard. “We could have that coffee now.”

Graham had caught sight of her manuscript spread out on the coffee table. “What’s that? Are you starting to bring your work home with you?”

“No, it’s my book.”

“When did you do that?”

Barbara thought carefully about her reply. If she told him the truth about how quickly she had written it, she would alert his suspicions. “I’ve been working on different pieces for a while. A few months ago, I decided to put them together and form a book. Janice edited it for me, and I’m making the final corrections now.”

“Has anyone else read it?”

“No, I wanted to get a professional opinion before I sent it anywhere. Janice worked as an editor for a while, and I thought she would be the best person to look at it first.”

“So, who gets it next?”

Barbara didn’t hesitate this time. “You do. I can give you the first hundred pages now. I’ll have the rest finished by the end of the week.”

“Relax. Take your time. You don’t have to finish it by a certain date.” He paused. “Unless you have a self-imposed deadline.”

“Janice didn’t make too many changes. I’d like to get it out to an agent before Christmas.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?”

“My friend Gillian lives in Chicago, and she knows a few agents down there.”

“You’ve never mentioned this Gillian before.” He added, “You haven’t talked too much about your past. Your parents and siblings.”

“My parents died in a car accident soon after I married Carl. I don’t have any siblings.” Barbara rhymed off the facts.

“I get it. Past is off limits.” He picked up a few pages of the manuscript. “Is it a novel?”

“No, it’s a self-help book for middle-aged woman like me. I called it
On Becoming a Butterfly
.” She made a face. “I was hoping Janice would come up with something better.”

“It’s a good working title. Leave it and let the agent come up with something else.” He continued to flip through the manuscript thoughtfully. “You could self-publish, you know. I don’t mind helping you with that. I’ve had some experience.”

“No! I want it done the traditional way.” She had no intention of schlepping her book from city to city across the country, sending out press releases, and contacting bookstores. She didn’t have time for all of that.

Graham raised his eyebrows. “How about that coffee?” He sat down and started reading the manuscript.

Barbara went into the small kitchen and started making coffee. She cut two pieces of tiramisù and arranged the muffins on a separate plate. Occasionally, she glanced over at Graham. He did not look up at all.

She brought the sweets over and arranged the coffee cups and dessert plates on the table. Graham looked up and smiled. “Everything smells delicious, Bella.” He held up the manuscript. “This is good. Better than good. I think you’ve got a real winner here.”

Barbara relaxed as she sat down. She hadn’t realized just how worried she had been about the book. She regretted her curt remarks to Graham from a few minutes ago. “I’m sorry about what I said earlier. I know you want to help, but I’m not comfortable with self-publishing.” She paused and then continued, “You said you had some experience with publishing. Have you written any books?”

“It’s OK, Bella. I remember what it was like with my first book. It’s your baby, and you don’t want anything or anyone to hurt it in any way.”

“Your first book? How many have you written?”

“I’ve got five books out there. But they are more illustrations and photographs than actual writing.” He shook his head. “And none of them ever made the
New York Times
Bestsellers list.”

“I’d like to read them.”

“I think you might find them boring. My books appeal mainly to art teachers and students. Lots of technique and other dry stuff.”

“Even so, I’d like to see how the books were put together. It might give me some ideas for my own book.”

“If you’re going the traditional route, you won’t have any say in the layout and packaging.”

“But I won’t have to worry about the marketing and distribution. I won’t have to lug my books across the country when I do book readings. I’m new to this country and the writing world. I don’t have any connections.”

“I said I could help you with that, Bella. My first three books were published traditionally. I wasn’t too thrilled with some of the publishing houses. The editors wanted to make too many changes to my artwork, so that’s why I took control and self-published the last two.”

Barbara did not want to continue this discussion. She had a lead with an agent in Chicago, and she was looking forward to visiting with Gillian. “We’ll see how it goes with Gillian. If her agent can’t find a publisher for the book, I’ll reconsider your offer.”

“Fair enough for now.” Graham put down the pages he was reading and picked up a muffin. He bit into the soft dough. “This is the best chocolate chip muffin I’ve ever tasted.” He joked, “Your next book should be a cookbook.”

Barbara looked up in surprise. He was already talking about the next book. That was definitely a good sign. But she couldn’t and wouldn’t consider starting another book until this one was accepted by a publisher.

Graham moved closer. “Don’t look so scared. I was just joking. You don’t have to start another book until you’re ready.” He looked at the pile of papers on the table. “You’ll have your hands full for a while with this one. Why don’t you take a few days off from work? I’m sure Janice won’t mind.”

“I can’t do that, especially now. I’m taking over Carolyn’s job and—”

“Whoa! When did that happen? I’ve only been away for a couple of days.”

Barbara explained the progression of events at ReCareering
.

“Be careful, Barbara. There have been so many changes in your life. You don’t want to burn out.”

Barbara bit her lip firmly.

Graham shook his finger. “It doesn’t help to hold it in like that. You don’t always have to do everything so perfectly, you know. And don’t be so afraid to show some anger. I can take it.”

Barbara laughed. He really was a nice man to have around, even if it was only for a short while. “So, how was your buying trip? Did you pick up any interesting pieces?” She enjoyed visiting the shop and examining the new art that came in weekly.

“I purchased some pottery and one landscape. I was hoping to procure some pieces by an up-and-coming sculptor, but he had a family emergency and had to cancel his show. He has another show in Montreal this coming weekend. It’ll be a bit tight, but I’ll drop by after I visit my father.”

“Does your father live in Montreal?”

“No, he lives in the States.” His face darkened. “I don’t see him too often, but once a year, my step-mother plans a birthday party for him. It’s a command performance for me and my half sisters.” He got up and reached for his jacket. “I’m leaving early tomorrow morning and won’t be back until Sunday.”

Barbara longed to comfort him, but she sensed his change of mood and distance.

“I’ve got an early start tomorrow morning, and it looks like you’ve got a full day as well. Take care, Bella, and don’t work too hard. I’ll give you a call Sunday night.”

Chapter 13

In her new role as counselor, Barbara was busy every minute of the working day. In addition to meeting with clients, she also had to deal with Carolyn’s backlog of incomplete reports and other paperwork. Carolyn had not kept up with the demands of her job for over a month. No one, not even Lois, knew the full state of affairs. Barbara decided to be discreet and quickly bring everything up to speed. She updated all of Carolyn’s files and tied up loose ends with previous clients. She also attended two workshops facilitated by the other counselors. She signed up to lead her first workshop on the following Wednesday.

She devoted the evenings to her book. To her surprise, it took four full evenings to make all of the corrections. The speed burst button helped with actual writing, but not with editing.

Saturday morning, she telephoned Gillian. The phone rang at least ten times. Finally, a groggy voice answered, “Hello there, early bird.”

“Hi, Gillian. It’s me. Barbara. Isabella from the Mediterranean kingdom.”

“You’ve got to stop doing that, Barbara. One of these days a human will hear you.”

“I forgot. It’s just that you sounded half asleep. I wanted to make sure you knew who I was.”

“I’ve got call display, Barbara.” A loud yawn followed. “How are you doing?”

“Everything is great. I’ve got a counseling job, and I finished the book.”

“How’s your love life with Gerald?”

“It’s Graham. And we’re fine. I told you that relationship is just for now. It’s not a permanent thing. We’re just good friends.”

“But when will you be friends with benefits?”

“Oh, that already happened.”

“How was it?”

She couldn’t believe Gillian was asking her about the sex.

“You’re not in the kingdom anymore. It’s okay to talk about sex. Humans do it all the time.” Gillian added, “That’s all some of them talk about.”

“I know. It’s just that I’m not comfortable about it yet. It was only one time.”

“And you haven’t had it since? What’s wrong with him?”

“He had to go on a couple of buying trips for his art store. He’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Hmm. Does he go on these trips very often?”

Barbara thought about Graham’s schedule. It seemed he was always coming or going from a buying trip or workshop. But she really didn’t want him around twenty-four-seven. She would never have been able to write her book if Graham was more available. “Now that you mention it, he is away a lot. He visits artists throughout the province, and he teaches at a few colleges in Vermont and Maine.”

“Hmm.”

“What’s with the Hmm?”

“Does he ever invite you to go with him?”

“Well, no. I don’t expect that. And, anyway, I can’t just take up and leave. I have a job, you know. I’ve taken over for a counselor who has a medical issue.”

“Sounds like you’re on your way.”

Barbara made a mental note never to call Gillian in the morning again. “I finished writing my book. Can you still help me with this?”

“Oh, yes, the book. I had forgotten about that. Sure, send it to me by Purolator or Parcel Express. Whatever you can find in that town of yours. I’ll pass it on to Stewart Tobin. He’s a very good friend of mine, and I’m sure he will know what to do with it.” Gillian gave her the address.

The normally gregarious Gillian was not in the best of humor. But Barbara needed more information about the tablet. “I wanted to ask you about the Specialist Skills buttons.”

“Be very careful with those buttons. Make sure you ask for a skill that you really need and can use in the future.” Gillian sighed deeply.

“What did you ask for?”

“I was so foolish. I asked for fashion sense, makeup application, and decorating ability. I wanted to be the prettiest in the land and to make sure that James would always love me.” Her voice shook a bit. “I didn’t realize that the aging process would take over and he would move on to a younger, less demanding replacement.”

Barbara shook her head. Why would anyone ask for skills that could easily be obtained by reading magazines or frequenting shops? And such superficial skills! “If you could go back in time, what skills would you ask for?”

“I would ask for financial acumen. I would want to know how to make money like Warren Buffett or any of those financial wizards. Have you used those buttons yet?”

Barbara told her about the cooking and presentation skills.

“Not bad. I can see how those skills would help you in the future. But be careful with the last choice. Don’t feel you have to make that decision now. You still have time left, don’t you?”

“I’ve got less than ten months left.”

“Wait and see how much you can accomplish with the basic buttons.” Her voice became softer. “You don’t want to have too many regrets.”

This was not one of Gillian’s better days. After another tense moment, Barbara decided to end the conversation. “Thanks a lot. I’ll see if I can get the manuscript out today. You should get it by Monday.”

“Great. Take care, Barbara. I’ll give you a call after I hear back from Stewart.”

The day loomed ahead of her. It would not take her long to send her book, and she had no other real plans. She realized just how occupied she had been with Graham and the book. She glanced at the manuscript. Once that was out of her hands, she would be playing a waiting game. Waiting for the agent to respond. Waiting for a publisher. Waiting for publication.

Barbara stopped in her tracks. She had picked up Gillian’s bad mood. She could not afford to be so sensitive in this human world. It would definitely hold her back.

She needed another project. She looked frantically around the apartment for inspiration. There was none. Although she enjoyed living there, she knew it was only a pit stop. She couldn’t get too excited about adding to the décor.

But she could add to her own wardrobe. She looked down at the oversize T-shirt and baggy sweat pants that she was wearing. She could go shopping. If all went well, she would be going to Chicago very soon. And she needed new clothes. She did not want Gillian to see her looking this shabby.

She knew exactly where she would go. The ladies in the office often spoke of the two women’s clothing stores in Carden. They joked about how limited their options were—it was either Elaine’s or Eleanor’s, only one letter of the alphabet between them. Most of them ended up at Square One in Mississauga or one of the other large malls within an hour’s driving distance.

Barbara changed into black dress pants and a royal blue sweater. She put on her tan parka and went out the door. It was a cool, brisk day in late November. The sun was shining as Barbara walked toward the center of town. She enjoyed her daily walks and realized how much she had missed them this past week.

Within a few minutes, she found herself in front of Elaine’s. Her eyes widened. There were no mannequins in the display window. Instead, the entire window was plastered with signs. A large ‘Going Out of Business’ notice was surrounded by smaller ‘Fifty Percent Off and More’ signs. This was definitely a good omen. If all went well, she would not have to dip into the money Andrew had given her.

Barbara entered the shop and found herself the sole customer. An attractive, well-dressed older woman approached. She smiled and said, “Hello and welcome. I’m Elaine Johnson.” She looked puzzled. “You look familiar to me, but I don’t believe we’ve ever met.”

“I’m Barbara Davies. I’m one of the counselors at ReCareering.”

Elaine waved her hand. “I just finished putting up the sale signs. You’re the first one in, so you have your pick of the merchandise.”

Barbara looked around the small shop. Although the selection of clothing was limited, the pieces were of good quality. She looked hopefully at Elaine. “I’ve lost some weight and need to update my wardrobe.” She took off her parka.

“Good heavens! You’re swimming in those clothes. I’m willing to bet you’ve gone down at least two sizes.” Elaine circled Barbara and then spoke again. “Let’s try some eights and tens.” She went over and started picking out clothes for her.

Barbara could not believe her luck. She trusted Elaine’s fashion sense and knew that the older woman would select appropriate pieces for her. In the end, Barbara ended up buying two suits, four pairs of pants, jeans, five blouses, four sweaters, and a coat. The final total was just shy of fifteen hundred dollars. She could easily handle this expense with the money in her checking account.

Barbara watched Elaine carefully wrap all her purchases. “Forgive me for asking, but why are you closing this lovely shop?”

“I’ve been working for almost fifty years,” Elaine said. “I started as a salesgirl at Eaton’s in Toronto and then bought this shop when my husband and I moved to Carden. We raised our three girls here and enjoyed many wonderful years.” She paused. “My husband died three years ago and my children are scattered throughout the country. It’s time for me to leave Carden as well.”

“Where will you go?”

“Back to Toronto. I was born and raised there, and I still keep in touch with some of my old classmates. But I’m not going to depend upon old friends for entertainment. I’ve bought a condo in the theater district. It’s downtown and close to all the action.” Her eyes twinkled. “You never know who I’ll meet there.”

Barbara liked Elaine. She could actually visualize the older woman’s future. She would make new friends and enjoy a more active social life in Toronto. It was a positive and proactive move on her part to leave Carden.