“Chuck Henderson was not the love of my life.”

“Now you’re talking sense,” Lillian said. “Maybe the world is in order, and you weren’t meant to meet your soulmate until now. Maybe Chuck and Charity were meant to be together all along. Maybe the love of your life is Cal.”

“I hope not,” Bryony said, the words reflexive, untrue.

“Will you listen to yourself?” Lillian flicked her fingertips across Bryony’s upper arm. “If you let Cal Forster slip away, I will never forgive you.”

No words came. As much as she would like to protest, Lillian was right.

“Look.” Lillian patted the place on Bryony’s arm still stinging from the flick of frustration. “I know Charity was mean to you from the beginning. Her first day in a new school, she saw you and Chuck sitting together at lunch, and she set her eyes on him. I’ve always told you, she saw you as a threat. But Charity seems different now. She’s changed in the last few years. I see her as approachable now, less regal.”

“If a snake sheds its skin, it’s still a snake,” Bryony said.

“That is harsh, my friend. I think you would be happier if you could let go of old grievances. People can change.”

Again, Bryony had no words. Lillian made sense, and Bryony admitted, at least to herself, pining for Chuck Henderson had become so much a part of her life she didn’t notice it, like she didn’t notice her heartbeat, or her breathing.

She remembered how Nathan’s defection hurt in large part because it reminded her of Chuck choosing Charity instead of her. Every man she ever dated had been compared to the man she lost before he was a man. Except for Cal.

Not once had she considered how Cal stacked up to Chuck.

“Do you still have time to meet with me tonight?” Bryony asked.

“Are you still not planning to call Cal back and accept his invitation for dinner at the Hendersons?” Lillian asked.

“I am not planning to accept that offer, but I will answer the phone tonight when he calls.”

“Will you?” Lillian asked.

In some small ways, Lillian was like Mitch. She liked to be right, and she liked to win. The big difference between Bryony’s best friend and her brother was the extent to which Lillian being right coincided with Bryony’s best interests.

“Yes, I will. I promise.”

Lillian hugged Bryony around the shoulders. “There’s hope for you two! What time shall we meet?”

“If I can leave a little early, I’ll bring supper to your house at six.”

“Perfect!” Lillian said. “Rick will love that!”

Bryony would pick up a few things on the way home and make the next item on her list. Chicken Pot Pie. An appropriate choice since she was too chicken to face her feelings about Chuck and Charity. So chicken, she knew she might choose to waddle away from Cal and remain cooped up in her safe, singular life for the duration. That’s how chicken she might be, too chicken to change.

CAL TRIES TO HELP

“Sorry your date couldn’t make it.” Charity Henderson ushered Cal into the two story reception area of her home. “I took the liberty of inviting Susie to join us.” She led him down the wide hall and into what appeared to be the family room. In addition to two couches, matching recliners, a wall of book shelves above closed cabinet doors, and a wide screen television installed on the far wall, there was a bar at one end of the room.

Susie, wine glass in hand, and Chuck, empty-handed, were seated together on one end of the nearest couch. Her head leaned toward her pale, thin companion, a look of deep concern etched across her face.

They both looked up when Charity and Cal entered the room.

“Good to see you,” Chuck called out, his voice stronger than expected.

“Hey, buddy.” Cal sat on the armrest closest to Chuck and offered his hand.

Susie turned to Cal, her expression a little too attentive. Was he auditioning for a role?

“You haven’t called me back yet,” she said.

“Sorry about that,” he said. “I have been so busy.”

“We still have time.” Susie tipped her glass in his direction.

“So, how’s old Fieldstone High treating you this week?” Chuck asked.

“Still a huge culture change,” Cal answered, his tension easing.

“Another world?”

“Another era at least,” Cal said. “I feel like I’m teaching in 1957.”

Susie laughed. “You are, dear.”

Both he and Chuck paused to acknowledge Susie’s comment, but returned to their two-way conversation in short order.

“Big city problems exist here,” Chuck said. “But they’re tempered with a good deal of old fashioned tradition.”

“And a huge measure of economic wealth,” Cal said. “I know you’ve suffered in the downturn, but from all accounts, Fieldstone is still able to provide jobs or some kind of assistance to the majority number of people living here.”

“Here, here!” Susie held up her wine glass. “Let’s hear it for good old Fieldstone, Ohio!”

If he were a betting man, Cal would lay down ten on Susie having started with a glass of wine, or three, before the one she now held aloft.

Charity handed Cal a glass of wine and settled herself on the other side of Chuck, her hand resting on his knee.

“Spending time here has been a bit dull,” Susie said. “But after thirty years in Cleveland, I needed a break from the traffic, the noise, the stress. Fieldstone’s so much cozier, don’t you agree, Cal?”

“Mmm,” Cal hummed over the rim of his wine glass. He finished swallowing and put the glass on the table. “I’m pretty partial to Cleveland. My family lives there.”

“So, you won’t be staying in Fieldstone after the school year ends?” Charity asked. “I hoped you would. I’m trying to talk Chuck into retirement.”

Cal looked at his old friend. Had he not told his wife about the budget cut?

Chuck smiled. “She knows.”

“Knows what?” Susie asked.

“I know the school board is threatening to cut Chuck’s program out of the budget,” Charity said. “They threaten every year.”