“What do you think?” Archie’s voice broke into my thoughts.
“What?” I asked. I placed the paper on the table.
“Do you care if John comes over for dinner next Saturday? I’ll cook.”
I stared at him. “Why?”
“Because I want to have him over. To say thanks for taking care of our fields. Because we’re friends,” he said.
“Are we? And we pay him for the fields.”
“Yes, I like him; why is this a big deal?” he asked, walking over to the refrigerator. He got the orange juice out and set it on the counter, then selected a glass from the cupboard, and poured the juice. “Why do you have such a problem with John?”
I sighed. “Fine, we’ll have him over.”
“You really don’t like him?”
“I don’t really know him.”
“Do you want to?”
I smiled at him. “If you want me to get to know him, I will.”
Archie smiled, drained the juice, and walked over to me. He bent down to kiss me.
“That’s all I want. I want to make friends here. Real friends, community.”
I nodded. “I know, so do I.”
“Seems like you and Robin are getting closer,” he remarked.
“We are. She is probably my favorite person here,” I said, grinning at him. “Besides you.”
He stared at me as he does sometimes, as if I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.
Same as Dream used to do so many years ago.
Dammit, I didn’t want to think about him.
Was it strange Archie and I didn’t have any family or friends? Yes, odd. I know why I didn’t, but Archie, friendly, gregarious Archie, didn’t have a best friend from high school or a close college roommate? Well, that wasn’t completely true. He had a childhood friend, Nick, who lived in Oregon, but I never met him, had never even seen a picture of him. I spoke to him a couple times when Archie talked to him on the phone, but they never video chatted, only phone calls and text messages. I always thought it was a sign that Archie and I were meant for one another. We needed each other.
We made each other whole.
I hadn’t felt whole in a long time. I wondered if I ever had.
Crispness circulated in the air this clear, sunny September morning. I pulled out of our lane and turned right, heading into town. A pickup truck passed me; an older man wearing a baseball cap waved to me. I waved back and smiled. This was something I had become used to since we’d moved here. Everybody waved to everyone they passed on the road, whether you knew them, or not. A nice sentiment, but it became tiresome at times. Sometimes I just wanted to drive and be invisible, lost in my own little world.
I glanced in my rearview mirror at the dark sedan behind me, a bit too close. I sped up, but they continued to clip along, keeping pace with me. Were they following me? I struggled to see the driver, but the windows were tinted, so I didn’t have much luck.
I slowed down, moving at a snail’s pace. The driver was really tailgating me now but when a passing lane opened up, he flew around me, blowing his horn in irritation. That was okay with me. At least I knew he wasn’t following me. And I guess my theory about everyone waving in this town would have a few outliers. Slowly, my heart rate returned to normal.
I turned on some music and drove the short distance to the store. My phone rang. Robin. I clicked answer on my dashboard.
“Hey, girl,” I said.
“Hey,” she said. “What are you doing?”
“Driving to the store. What about you?”
“Stuffing students’ take-home folders.” She sighed. “I have ten minutes until the bell rings and they start rolling in. I wanted to ask you something.”
“Yes?”
“I won the couple massage gift card at a spa in Elmville on Back-to-School Night. Do you want to go with me?”
“Yes, I do! When?”
“This Saturday?”
“Okay, in the afternoon? I’m in the store in the morning.”
“Great, see you then.”
I disconnected the call. I hadn’t had a massage in years. Right now, it sounded heavenly.
We lay face down on the massage table, our bodies calm and relaxed after a deep tissue massage and enjoying the hot towels lying atop us. Soothing music played, lights dimmed, and eucalyptus scent filled the room. I could have easily fallen asleep.
“So amazing,” I said. “Thanks for inviting me.”
