Coming Attractions (15 page)

“Katie, how ideal that you should call right now.”

“I did call the Ark, didn’t I?”

“Yes, I was just leaving, but no one else was available to answer the phone. Listen, I’m planning a graduation reception at
our home and want to order the invitations this week. Do you know how many people you would like to invite?”

“Invite? I don’t understand.”

“I thought Rick would have mentioned it to you.”

“Actually, Rick and I — ”

“It doesn’t matter. Let me tell you what I was thinking. Since you, Nicole, and Eli are graduating this year, I thought I
would host a party at our home for all your family and friends.”

“Um, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I mean, thank you for thinking of doing this, but — ”

“Katie, you know it’s impossible to talk me out of hosting a party. I already have worked through the details with Nicole
and her mom. Now, do you have an idea how many invitations you would like? I can help to address and send them for you, if
you would like. That would take some pressure off you, which I’m guessing would be helpful right about now.”

“You have no idea,” Katie murmured.

“Good. Okay, well, email and let me know how many you want to invite. I’m really looking forward to having everyone in our
home. Aside from Thanksgiving and Christmas, we’ve hardly entertained since we moved here. This is going to be wonderful.”

After an awkward pause, Katie found enough words to say, “Is Christy there?”

“No, she and Todd left about half an hour ago.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Katie hung up and pressed Christy’s name on her phone.

Todd answered.

“Is Christy there?” It seemed the only line Katie could speak without her over-stretched brain snapping.

“She’s right here, but the doctor just came in. Do you want her to call you back?”

Katie found the rest of her words quickly. “Doctor? Is everything okay? What happened? Where are you guys? Are you at the
hospital?”

“No, we’re at the River Rock Clinic. I’ll have her call you back, Katie.” Todd hung up before Katie could pelt him with any
more questions.

At the next light, Katie turned left and headed for the River Rock Clinic. Her heart was pounding yet again. She was certain
this was the last of the adrenaline her poor body could manufacture in one day.

Why would Christy be at the doctor? She’s not pregnant, is she? Is that why Todd went with her? To find out if she was pregnant?
Why couldn’t Todd just tell me, if that was the case? Why is he always so noncommittal?

“Men!” Katie shouted out her open car window as she drove onto the freeway. “You drive me crazy! All of you!”

A
t 6:45 that evening, toward the end of one of the most emotion-filled days of Katie’s life, she found temporary solace in
a grande chimichanga at Casa de Pedro.

Todd and Christy sat across from her in the booth as the three of them made their way through a large basket of warm tortilla
chips. Katie summarized the last week of her life for them.

Christy tilted her head. “So Rick walked away with the ring in his pocket and everything left unsettled?”

“No. I mean, yes, he walked away, but nothing was left unsettled. Everything has been said that needs to be said. We’re broken
up.”

“And what about Nicole?” Christy asked.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen there. But, you guys, you have to promise me you won’t say anything to Rick about Nicole.
I mean, if there’s some possibility for them to get together, I’m thinking it will find its way to the surface.”

Katie sat back and held her glass of ice water to her forehead. “I’m really done with all the drama. You know what I’m saying?
When I look back over the last ten years of my life, I’m embarrassed at how impulsively I act.”

“You mean like driving to River Rock Clinic and pouncing on us when we stepped out into the waiting room?” Todd asked with
a grin. “I’m glad your impulsive days are over.”

“That was different. Someone, who shall remain unnamed, hung up before sharing the simple details that his wife was having
a mole removed from her back. My imagination went a little wild.”

“It wasn’t that big of a deal, Katie,” Christy said.

The waiter placed a large platter of fish tacos in front of Todd and a cheese enchilada plate in front of Christy. The monstrous
chimichanga went to Katie. She took a big bite and let the warm cheese and shredded beef minister to her spent emotions. She
realized all she had eaten that day was half a bagel with strawberry jam that morning. The rest of the day she had been going
nonstop. Food was a wonderful thing.

“The part I missed,” Todd said, “was why you decided to break up with Rick. What happened Saturday night?”

“I don’t know. I was lying there, and all of a sudden, I just knew we were done. I couldn’t go any further in my relationship
with Rick. I think it hit me when I realized how you and Christy sleep together.”

Todd sat up a little straighter and looked at Christy with a half-amused, half-bashful look. “What have you been telling her?”

“Nothing personal.” Christy’s face had turned red.

“Don’t worry, Todd. All your secrets are safe with her. I don’t mean that kind of sleep together. What I was thinking about
Saturday night was how your hearts are knit together. You go home to each other every night, but then you truly are at home
when you’re in each other’s arms. You know what I mean? You fit. Every part of your relationship fits together.”

Christy gave Todd a warm, you’re-my-beloved sort of smile.

Todd kissed his wife and grinned tenderly.

“You guys are cute. Did I ever tell you that?”

Christy gave her a contented smile, and Katie felt a sharp sadness over the reality that she and Rick were really, truly broken
up.

“I can’t let this get me down,” Katie said as much to herself as to Christy and Todd. “It’s over. Rick and I are through.
And I’m really done, you know? Now I need to focus my energy on school. I’m running out of time. I’m so behind in my classes.
All I need to do for the next five weeks is finish college.”

Just as Katie took another bite, Todd said, “And then what?”

She shrugged and kept chewing, using the food as a good excuse not to answer.

“We might have an opening at the bookstore,” Christy said. “I don’t know if you would want to work there, but one of the guys
said he wasn’t going to stay on after school ends.”

Katie had no interest in working at the Ark, even though it would be fun to be with Christy every day. Thoughts of the Ark
reminded her of what Rick’s mom said when Katie called earlier, looking for Christy.

“That brings me to another dilemma. Rick’s mom is planning a big graduation shindig for the three of us.”

“The three of us?” Todd asked.

“Nicole, Eli, and me. The three of us who are graduating. I’m sure she will cancel as soon as Rick tells her we broke up.”

“What if she doesn’t? What if she still wants to have the party?” Christy asked.

“It would be a little awkward, don’t you think?”

“Not necessarily. Not with Rick’s mom. Katie, try looking at the big picture. If she still wants to host this party for all
of you, think of your friendship with Nicole and Eli and even with Rick. Don’t make a decision only in light of what happened
this week.”

Christy pressed the side of her fork into one of the enchiladas and cut a ladylike bite. Before she put it in her mouth, she
said, “You’re a woman of options. You can do whatever you want.”

Katie bit into her chimichanga. It seemed surreal that the three of them were sitting there, discussing her life in terms
of the big picture and how she was a woman of options. She didn’t know if she had expected Todd and Christy to be more surprised
about the breakup, but something seemed off. Neither of them seemed as concerned as she thought they would be.

Moving her plate aside, Katie looked at Christy and then at Todd. “Did you guys know Rick and I were going to break up?”

“No,” Christy said.

“Neither of you seemed very surprised.” Katie reached for her water and took a long swig while her friends exchanged glances.
They didn’t say anything.

“What’s the deal? Were the two of you holding secret prayer meetings with Eli, praying Rick and I would break up?”

“Of course not,” Todd said.

“So what do you guys think about all this? Give me some feedback here. I’m having a hard time reading you.”

Todd looked at Katie with kindness in his silver blue eyes. “I think you’re listening to the Lord and going with whatever
you believe he’s telling you to do. That’s the path of life, Katie. Keep listening and keep following wherever he leads.”

“Is that what you think too?” Katie asked Christy.

“Yes. And Katie, I am sad that you and Rick broke up. It might not seem like it, but I do feel for you.” She reached across
the table and gave Katie’s arm a squeeze. “I think you’re handling all this extremely well.”

“Thank you.”

“I want you to end up with a guy who sees the real you, the real Katie. Someone who gives you plenty of space for that free
spirit of yours and at the same time encourages you to stay centered in Christ.”

“And you didn’t see that happening when I was with Rick?”

“Sometimes,” Todd said. With a grin he added, “You guys certainly had your moments.”

Katie’s emotions turned wistful. “Yes, we did.”

She cast a weary glance at her half-eaten food. “I can’t believe this, but I’m full. I was planning to eat this whole thing.”

“You and Eli are the only two people I know who consider it a personal victory if they can down an entire one of those,” Todd
said.

“I’ve seen you eat a whole one,” Christy said to Todd.

“But I don’t set it up as a challenge. I just like to eat.”

For some reason, Todd’s comment linking her with Eli got to Katie. She didn’t know why, but she felt as if the tightly wound
strings inside her were about to snap. If she stayed there one more minute, what she did next wouldn’t be pretty.

“You know what? I have to go.” Katie tossed her portion of the check on the table. “Don’t take this personally, but I’m fried.
I’ll talk to you guys later.”

“Are you okay?” Christy asked.

“No, I’m not. But I will be. I hope.”

Katie slid out of the booth and caught Todd’s eye.

His expression was calm and strangely reassuring. With his trademark chin-up gesture, he said, “Later, Katie.”

“Later.”

Fueled just enough by her seven bites of the Casa de Pedro giant chimichanga and by the need to release the intensity of her
emotions, Katie drove straight up the hill to Rancho Corona. She parked her car, strode into Crown Hall, went directly to
Nicole’s closed door, and knocked.

No answer. She knocked again.

“Nicole, it’s Katie.”

The door opened, and Nicole offered Katie a tight smile and casually said, “What’s up?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Oh. Well, I’m actually trying to finish a — ”

“I know; me too. But I need to talk to you now.”

Nicole stood to the side, let Katie in, closed the door, and then went over to her bed and picked up her cell phone. “I’ll
have to call you back… Sure… Okay, I will. You too. ’Bye.”

Nicole sat on her bed as Katie settled in the side chair where she often sat for long, leisurely conversations. Tonight she
was determined to make this conversation short.

“Here’s the thing,” Katie started in. “I didn’t mean to, but I was outside Julia’s room earlier today, and I heard what you
were telling her.”

Nicole’s face went gray. Her lips parted, but no words came out.

“Don’t say anything, please. Just hear me out. I know this isn’t a very good way to communicate, but it seems to be the only
way I’ve been able to express my true feelings this week. Nicole, you are a great friend. You’ve been nothing but a great
friend. I’ve never felt as if you were trying to steal Rick away from me, so don’t feel you need to explain any of that. I
know what it’s like to love him. I’ve known what that’s like for a long time. And I’m guessing I will keep feeling that way
for an even longer time.”

Nicole was crying silently.

Katie kept going, not knowing if this was a wise route or not. All she knew was that she would snap if she had to live on
the same floor with Nicole and not be able to address this issue.

“So here’s the other part you may or may not know. I broke up with Rick.”

Nicole’s hand flew to her mouth. “Katie!”

“It wasn’t because of you. I broke up with him Saturday night. It didn’t fully stick, I guess, so Rick broke up with me this
afternoon. We’re broken up. For real. Yes, I’m a bit of a mess, but I’m okay. I think Rick is okay too. Or at least he will
be. He doesn’t know how you feel about him. Well, maybe he knows, just in the way that guys know those sorts of things about
girls, but they act like they don’t know, you know?”

Nicole reached for a tissue. She looked like an emotional mess.

“That’s it. I don’t know what happens now, but you have my blessing. I’m not going to say anything to Rick. You don’t ever
have to say anything to me about this conversation if you don’t want to. I’m exhausted. If anyone needs me for official floor
business, I’ll be in my room trying to figure out a way to accomplish the impossible and finish everything before graduation.”

Katie rose and headed for the door. She paused before leaving. “Do you want to know the biggest surprise in all this? Truth
can be pretty raw sometimes. And here’s a truth I learned. It’s possible to love someone, and I mean really love him, and
not end up spending the rest of your life with him. Isn’t that strange? It’s like the antithesis of every fairy tale we’ve
ever heard. But it’s true.”

A clarifying thought came over her. “You know, I guess I now know in a tiny way how God feels. Wow, this is a horrible feeling.”

With one more last thought, Katie offered Nicole a sympathetic expression. “Sorry I delivered all that without much couth.
You’re going to be okay, though. You will. No matter what happens.”