One Woman’s Treasure Page 5
“We’re not all monsters, you know.” Nina propped her hands on her hips. “Some of us believe in the companies and the employees we manage.”
“That’s comforting,” Daphne said. “Now you won’t have to feel guilty about serving punch from it to the country-club ladies.”
Nina giggled and cradled the bowl like a baby. “I don’t belong to a country club.”
Daphne was getting a charge out of teasing her. “You’re just full of surprises today.”
“I don’t fit in with that lot, never have. I chew too loudly and refuse to vote Republican.”
“Well, okay. Just don’t use that bowl for a dog dish or anything.”
Nina laughed again. “No worries. It won’t even be in my house. I’m buying it for you.”
“What?” Daphne stopped browsing and whirled around to her. “No. You keep it as a sort of house-warming for yourself.”
“I want to give it to you as a thank-you.”
“You’ve already thanked me a million times and sent me strawberries and grabbed the check at breakfast. Honestly, Nina. We’re square.”
Nina arrested her with the most irresistible expression of mock earnestness. “You’ve restored my British whorehouse heritage. How could we ever be square?”
Daphne paused to shrug off the twinge of titillation surging through her. “I’m not exactly a heroine for returning something I stole out of your front yard, even if it was by accident.”
“Well, you’re taking it. I can’t keep Waterford crystal in the house with a ten-year-old boy who’s begging me for a dog.”
“Okay, then. I’ll make the punch in it when I have you over to dinner.” Daphne heard the words as soon as they came out. Her invitation sounded more like she was asking her on a date than just over for a friendly get-together. She hurried on to the next table, hoping to elude an awkward conversation in case it sounded that way to Nina, too.
After a moment, Nina sidled up to her again. “You know something? I’m glad you swiped my lamp. I’m having a great day.”
Nina’s smile stole Daphne’s breath. “I am, too.”
* * *
When Nina drove into the diner parking lot early that evening, she didn’t want Daphne to go home. They were having such an easy, fun time together all day—alternating between playful banter and deep reflections—that Nina hadn’t thought much about all the things that had been stressing her out. She’d checked in with Noah via text throughout the day, but other than that, she’d allowed herself to be absorbed in such rare, elusive, carefree moments.
“I don’t live too far from here, if you’d like to come over for dinner,” Nina said. “I can throw a steak on the grill and whip up a salad.”
“Yeah, sure.” Daphne blurted out her acceptance so quickly, she startled them both. “I mean, yeah, that sounds good, if you’re not too tired from today.”
“I was planning that for dinner anyway. You joining me won’t require any more effort.”
“Okay. Let me stop for a bottle of wine first.”
“I’ll text you my address.”
Daphne got out of her SUV, and Nina watched her walk to her car, checking out her lanky, boyish frame. After they exchanged what felt like awkward smiles, she texted the address, noting that she felt as enthusiastic about Daphne coming over as she had when she’d begun getting together with Lacey outside of work.
An ugly thought seized her. Now that she was certain she was a lesbian, was she turning into a cliché? Would every attractive woman she met entice her into wanting something more? She really needed a friend like Daphne, a funny, sincere woman with her mental shit together to share life’s offerings now that she was in the process of rebuilding hers post-divorce.
She looked in her rearview mirror with a warning. “Don’t screw this up,” she said aloud, referring to the perils of a romantic involvement with another new friend. She drove away resolved to keep this relationship uncorrupted.
After having dinner inside, seated on bar stools at Nina’s kitchen island, they’d moved out onto the patio and sat around a small fire pit in her yard. They shared a second bottle of red, a decision Nina had some reservations about but was relishing their easy, natural connection too much to regret—at this point anyway.
She lit the starter log and propped her feet up on the small stone rim. “This is nice,” she said and sipped her wine.
“It’s so relaxing.” Daphne slumped down into the cushioned patio chair. “Is this how you usually spend your weekends when Noah is with his father?”
“Believe it or not, this is my first weekend without him when I haven’t been inundated with stuff to do here at the house.”
“Really? How does it feel?”
“Wonderful,” Nina said, “but strange. I keep experiencing these little jolts of panic thinking I left him somewhere, and then I remember he’s safe with his father.”
“That’s funny,” Daphne said. “It’s a good thing I never had kids. I’d probably forget them somewhere or pick up the wrong one from school or something.”
Nina laughed. “That fear’s stored in the back of your mind, but you wouldn’t forget them, especially at Noah’s age. They never stop talking. Did you ever want kids?”
Daphne shook her head. “I never thought about it for myself, and my ex certainly didn’t want them. But I wouldn’t mind if a future partner had them.”
“Good answer,” Nina said, then added “just kidding” when she saw Daphne’s surprised look.
“Oh, yeah, uh,” she stammered. “I didn’t think you were…um, yeah.”
Well, that reaction was a tough one to read, Nina thought. She reminded herself to watch her pithy repartee, especially after several glasses of wine. That was always how it started. “So I’ve offered you a few details about my past,” she said. “What about yours? Who’s your ex again?”
“Savannah Locke. She’s a weight-loss influencer—flooding social media with all her diet anecdotes. And tears. Lots of tears.”
Nina shrugged. “I have a couple of accounts, but I don’t spend much time on social media.”
“You don’t seem like you have any concerns with your weight either, so you’re definitely not in her target demographic.”
Nina popped a couple of grapes into her mouth. “I’ve always had a fast metabolism, but since I turned forty it’s slowing down.”
“Intelligent, beautiful, and a fast metabolism? You hit the woman-winning-at-life trifecta for sure.”
She thinks I’m beautiful? Nina looked away in an attack of shyness. “You’re much too generous.”
“And humble to top it off. How the hell are you single?”
Nina giggled. “I already told you my big, dramatic saga. I didn’t ditch my husband fast enough for the woman I had my first lesbian experience ever with.”
“That seems kind of unfair. Everyone’s coming-out story is different, and yours was especially complicated with a husband and a kid. She should’ve been more patient.”
Nina appreciated her words, feeling a sense of vindication. “I’ve sort of felt like it was entirely my fault that we broke up. Sometimes at night when I lie in bed in the dark, my mind crucifies me for ruining what I had with Lacey. She was a smart, exciting woman.”
“It’s usually never all someone’s fault. Everyone has her part to play. Besides, it’s normal to think you could’ve done some things to save a relationship—that is as long as you’re not a narcissist.” Daphne seemed focused on something in the distance as she spoke. “But if a partner isn’t meeting your needs or understanding where you’re coming from, how much of yourself are you supposed to sacrifice to keep the relationship together?”
“You’re so empathetic and insightful,” Nina said. “How the heck are you still single?”
Daphne sipped her wine as she watched the fire and then turned to Nina. “Savannah outgrew me. When her body shrunk, her ego increased exponentially. Suddenly, our mundane life together wasn’t enough for her.”
“Eighteen years. We met after high school when we worked at a retro-record store.”
“Wow. Eighteen years.” As Nina’s twelve years with Zack flickered through her mind, she felt a sudden kindred connection with Daphne. “Was it a recent breakup?”
“Officially, it’s been a little over a year since she moved out and filed for divorce all in the same day, but in hindsight, we started breaking down well before breaking up. The internet notoriety was just the catalyst. And Francesca.”
The familiarity of Daphne’s story hit Nina with a pang of residual shame and guilt. “There’s always a ‘Francesca.’ But mine was named Lacey. It’s weird. Never in my wildest dreams would I think I would have an affair, much less with a woman.”
“Not that I’m making an excuse for you, but you didn’t just have an affair. You had an epiphany, and it changed who you are as a person.”
“Did it ever.” Nina shook her head. “Like I said before, you’re very generous.”
“I’m sure your husband wouldn’t agree with me, and I can only speak from my experience, but if it takes an affair for someone to move on from an unfulfilling existence, who is anyone to judge?”
“Someday you must explain how you became so enlightened.”
Daphne shrugged. “When you hit rock bottom, you don’t have anywhere to go but up.”
Nina laughed. “What was yours?”
Daphne shuddered as if recalling a vivid nightmare. “Let’s just say it happened after my divorce, and it’s as low as I ever hope to drop. I went to a divorce support group a couple of times after that, and it helped me realize I was wasting a lot of mental energy stewing about something that was over and done with—energy I could be channeling somewhere else.”
Nina studied her, captivated by her unique, positive outlook. “I can learn a lot from you.”
Daphne contorted her face. “Me? My pearls of wisdom occur like real ones—once in a lifetime.”
“Be that as it may, you’re a beautiful person, Daphne. I hope you see yourself that way.”
Daphne recoiled as though uncomfortable with compliments. “I’m not beautiful. It’s the firelight and second bottle of wine.”
She really had no idea that she was crazy beautiful in an unconventional way. Yes, she had her sandy hair up in a messy bun and hid her upper torso under a hooded sweatshirt, but those cozy brown eyes and that innocent, toothy smile outshone her plain style of dress and minimal makeup. And her unassuming, funny-without-meaning-to-be personality only added to her appeal.
Whoa, Nina thought. That was very specific. If she didn’t stop drinking, she might’ve tried to prove Daphne’s beauty to her in other ways.
“Well, I’m not going to sit here and listen to you deny your worth anymore,” Nina said facetiously. “Want to come inside before the bugs join the party?”
Daphne got up, too. “I should get going. Thank you for dinner and for today. I had a great time.”
“Thank you,” Nina said and impulsively enveloped Daphne in a hug. “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”
“I’d love to,” Daphne said warmly and helped Nina take in the empty bottle, glasses, and dessert plates.
Nina walked her to the front door and waved as she backed out of her driveway. When she closed and locked the door, she observed her quiet, empty house, sad that her day with Daphne had finally ended.
* * *
Daphne charged through Sophie’s back door into the kitchen the next morning for their weekly Sunday breakfast with a container of mixed melon in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other.
“Oh my God, Sophie. I’m in love.”
Sophie was filling the basket with coffee grounds. “With the lamp lady?”
“Yes. And her name is Nina.”
“I know her name. You mention it enough. Now sit down.” Sophie pushed her into a chair at the table. “Tell me about your date while I scramble the eggs. I want to know everything, even the sex part. I’m not a prude.”
Daphne got up to fetch orange juice from the fridge to make mimosas. “That’s the last thing I’d accuse you of being, but no. We didn’t have sex. It wasn’t a date. We just spent the day antiquing, and we had breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. Plus, she bought me a gorgeous Waterford crystal bowl at an estate sale.”
Sophie wheeled around with a spatula in her hand and glared at her like she was nuts.
“Okay, I know that sounds a lot like a date, but it wasn’t. It was just two new friends with a lot in common taking advantage of a beautiful day, and we both know it’s nothing more than that.”
“Until you become more than that,” Sophie said and resumed tending to the crackling bacon in her skillet.
“No, no, no. That’s not what…” Daphne stammered. “That’s not how this is gonna go, Sophie. I am not ruining a friendship with an amazing lesbian woman. I need this in my life, a friend I can relate to on multiple levels, and I couldn’t ask for a better candidate than Nina.”
“You just barged in here and announced you’re in love.”
“I was being theatrical,” Daphne said. “I meant like I’m really into her as a person, you know? She’s somebody cool to hang out with who I really vibe with.”
“Okay, but if she’s so perfect, wouldn’t you rather explore the possibility of making her your life partner?”
Daphne scoffed. “Life partner. Sure. It’s all champagne and roses until she loses a hundred pounds and dumps you for a bariatric surgeon. No, thank you. If I’m going to get my heart broken again, I’d rather it be by a woman I don’t like so much.”
Sophie swung around and placed a platter full of bacon on the table. “I don’t know what you’re saying right now, and neither do you. Are you still drunk from last night?”
“No.” Daphne sat down. “I wasn’t drunk. I was just buzzed enough to notice how outrageously sexy Nina is and not so much so that I made it embarrassingly obvious that I think she is.” She raised her mimosa glass to Sophie. “Here’s to friends.”
Sophie tapped her glass against Daphne’s and took a sip. “I guess when your best friend is eighty-two, you probably do want to line up a few replacements.”
Daphne pursed her lips. “Don’t say that, Sophie. I could never replace you. You better live forever.”
“I’ll do what I can, but I make no guarantees.”
“Just make the scrambled eggs,” Daphne said. “I’ll pour the coffee.”
Once they sat and started eating, Daphne smiled as she studied Sophie gingerly sipping her steaming coffee.
“What’s the matter with you?” Sophie finally said.
“Nothing,” Daphne said through a giggle. “You really are my best friend, Soph. I should be grateful to Ann Marie for leaving.” She waved a finger between them. “This never would’ve happened if she hadn’t.”
Sophie made a face. “I know I’m a barrel of laughs, but I’m sure as hell not worth getting dumped for.”
Daphne raised her mimosa flute again. “You’re worth that and a whole lot more.”
Sophie smiled and raised her glass. “You too, kid. You, too.”
Chapter Seven
Now that summer had nearly arrived and the New England weather was ideal for doing anything outside, Nina had decided to work from home that day. A local contractor had refaced the patio the week before, and the architectural landscaper she’d commissioned had transformed her backyard into a small-scale botanical wonderland. She admired the colorful, fragrant perennials until a pair of feathered summer visitors splashed in the new stone birdbath and further distracted her from her work.
To her surprise, it was only late afternoon when she wrapped up her conference calls and completed her review of the weekly financial reports. Leaning back in her patio chair, she finished the rest of her mango iced tea and closed her eyes to the soothing sound of the new rock water fountain in her yard. After a few breaths, she realized she wa
s alone—truly alone. No more of the brain-rattling chaos of fielding phone calls from work and tending to an energetic ten-year-old, all while trying to be the ideal attentive suburban wife. She should’ve been grateful to be free of it all. And she was, except for the part about Noah. She missed him.
She picked up her cell phone and called her ex. “Hi, Zack. Are you busy?”
“No. What’s up?” His curt manner meant he either really was busy or that was just the tone she now elicited from him.
“I wanted to thank you for taking Noah even though today’s not your scheduled day.”
“You don’t have to thank me for taking care of my own son.”
“I know,” Nina said. It still felt so awkward having these types of conversations with him, but she was better at gearing up to power through them. “So I ended up finishing work earlier than I expected. I can run down there and get him tonight if you wanted to have—”
“Nina, it’s my weekend with him. I’d only have to come there and get him tomorrow.”
“Well, no, I’d bring him to you tomorrow after—”
“I promised I’d take him mini-golfing tonight. Look, you can’t start shuffling him back and forth whenever it suits you. He needs to know he has a schedule.”
Nina did not like that terse, condescending manner. But he was right. “Okay, Zack. Point taken. I just didn’t want you to think I was pawning him off on you or anything.”
“I don’t think that, Nina. If it were my choice, I’d be the custodial parent. But that’s not how divorce works for men unless the woman is a degenerate.”
Nina rolled her eyes, profoundly regretting making the call. “I said I got your point,” she replied calmly. “You don’t need to grind your heel into me even more. I feel low enough as it is about separating you two.”
“You can’t feel too low. You got everything you wanted.”
“Yup. Hurting a man I care about and having my own family treat me like I was having a mid-life psychotic episode was all I ever wanted.”
“I know you want absolution, but I just don’t have any to give you.”