Knight Vision (10 page)

“Annie, what happened?“ Leah asked, smiling and inviting Annie into the house. 

“What
didn’t
happen is more like it,“ Annie responded as she entered.  Annie greeted Leah’s mom as she and Leah moved off to the back Arizona-room. 

As Leah shut the connecting door, she asked, “Okay, Annie.  Out with it all.“ 

Annie made her way to a chair with Leah right behind her.  As they sat, Annie told Leah about the previous night, leaving out the real-intimate details, but did tell her that she and Jeff had made love.

Leah was surprised, but not shocked, by what Annie told her.  “Annie, are you sure you know what you are doing?“ she questioned.

“I can’t believe it, Leah.  Mom asked me the very same question,“ Annie stated.  “Why can’t you both just trust me?“

“I guess we both just know you wear your heart on your sleeve,“ Leah responded.  “You are too trusting when it comes to others.  However, if you are happy, then I am happy for you.“

“Leah?“ Annie said seriously.  “I have to ask you something.“  She knew she would breakdown and ask this question even before she had it out; she knew she had Leah attention.  “Did you notice a ring on Jeff’s hand?“  Feeling better having it out in the open, she waited for the response.

“A ring?“ Leah questioned.

“Yes, a wedding ring,“ Annie pressed.

“NO!“  Leah reported with a surprised look on her face.

“I didn’t either,“ Annie breathed.  “But, my mother did last night when he arrived to pick me up.“

For several minutes, they discussed how they could have missed it.  “Annie, I saw the way he looked at you and treated you,“ Leah said.  “I cannot believe he would make a fool out of you.  It just doesn’t add up.“

          Feeling better that Leah’s remarks mirrored her own, Annie couldn’t help but smile.  Leah noticed the smile and asked.  “Why are you smiling?“  Annie shared her inner turmoil, which had plagued her earlier at the park.  They had both came to the same conclusion. 

          “Just how are you going to ask him about the ring?“ Leah asked a moment later.

          “I don’t know,“ Annie admitted.  “But, I will ask him tonight, somehow.“

          Annie said goodbye to Leah and thanked her for listening; she assured Leah she would keep her informed.  She knew she couldn’t delay her return home much longer; besides, she had to get ready for her evening with Jeff.

***

Chapter Thirteen

To Annie’s surprise, there were no questions forthcoming from her parents when she arrived home.  Surmising that her mother had run interference with her father, she silently thanked her for the gesture.  She completed her weekend chores without much interaction with anyone in the house. 

She was ready early for her date with Jeff.  This time, no one would beat her to the door.  In fact, she wanted to be waiting outside for him in order to stop further contact between Jeff and her parents.  While she waited, she glanced out the front window of her house and her thoughts turned to the dreaded ring.  What if Mom was wrong?  Neither Leah nor herself had seen the ’ring.’  The more she thought about it, the more she convinced herself that her mother had to be wrong.  Her mother must be getting senile or her eyesight was playing tricks on her. 

The sounds of his car, coming to stop in front of her house, caused her heart to flip-flop.  He was here!  He really was here!  Her thoughts did a quick analysis of the cause of her heart’s reaction as she watched from the front window.  She found the reason for it; she had firmly believed she would never see him again.  Her thoughts were supported by her mother’s report of his ring and by the possibility he was turned off by the their lovemaking. 

Draping her jacket over her arm, she grabbed her purse and exited the house.  When she reached the end of the walkway, he was getting out of his car.  Turning, he saw her, and his face literally beamed with delight.  He walked to her with open arms.  Without hesitation, Annie walked into his embrace.

“Honey, I’ve missed you.  Are you recovered from last night?“ he whispered into her ear. 

She could only nod against his neck, thinking she didn’t care if he was married.  This is exactly where she belonged.  She released him, saying, “We should go.“

“Okay,“ he said, guiding her to the passenger door with his left hand on the small of her back. 

As they walked the short distance to the door, she visualized his hand on her back. 
Was there a ring?
  she questioned.  As he opened the door for her, she spotted two, long-stem, red roses on the seat.  “Jeff,“ she gasped.  “Two?“

“When I went to work this morning, I found the rose on the floorboard,“ he explained. 

“Silly me.  What was I thinking?“ she stated, gazing at him and smiling. 

“Got me,“ he responded, winking at her and then dipping into the car to retrieve the roses with his right hand.

“Why two?“

“As I said, when I spotted it, it looked so sad and lonely.  Nothing should ever be alone.  I just had to get it a mate,“ he explained.  “They have been together all day, waiting for your loving care.“

“Oh…Words Man,“ she sighed, taking the roses from him and kissing him. 

“I have something else for you,“ he said softly, backing out of their kiss.  Annie’s eyes dropped.  “Yes,“ he responded, laughing deeply at seeing her eye movement, “but, something for now. 
That
is for later.“

Her face turned hot.  What made her do that?  It was so not like her.  “You are blushing,“ Jeff whispered.  She nodded her head, unable to bring head up to look into his eyes.  “You are cute when you blush,“ he responded to her nod, reaching out and lifting her head to see her face. 

Gazing deeply into his eyes, she was so lost that she barely heard him.  “Don’t you want to know what I have for you, BE?“ he asked. 
BEA?
she thought.  Did she hear him correctly?  Was that his wife’s name? 
My name is Annie
, she screamed in her head. 
A.N.N.I.E.,
she spelled in her mind.  Her body reacted to her thoughts and she stiffened.  Her eyes focused on Jeff’s confused expression as he witnessed the swift change in her demure.  “What’s wrong?“ he questioned.

“Nothing.  Let’s go,“ she replied sharper than she had intended and entered the car.  She continued her self-talk as she waited for him to round the car. 
You fool.  You just missed the perfect opportunity to ask him.  Why did you get in the car?  You should have run into the house. 

As Jeff entered the car, she refused to look at him.  “Give,“ he directed. 

“It is nothing.  I am just hungry,“ she said in an icy tone, bringing the roses to her nose.

“Okay.  Where to?“ he asked, starting the car and driving away from her house. 

“Let’s grab fast food and go for a drive,“ she suggested out of the blue. 

“Sounds good to me,“ he replied, as his right hand found its way to her thigh. 

Annie eyed his hand on her leg.  She looked at his third finger. 
It is the other hand, stupid
, she thought.  Shifting her eyes to his hand on the steering wheel, she could not see the base of his third finger due to the wheel. 
Stop it!
  she told herself. 
Think of something to talk about.
  “You have something for me?“ she questioned, remembering their conversation.

“Yes, and welcome back,“ he said, looking meaningful at her.  “Where did you go?“

“I just had an ’Oh crap’ moment,“ she offered.

“A what?“ he questioned.

Annie smiled.  “You know like ’Oh crap, it is late’.  ’Oh crap, I should have done this or that’.  ’Oh crap, did I just say that’,“ she explained to him. 
Oh crap, you just called me by your wife’s name
, her mind completed her examples. 

“I have never heard that before,“ Jeff laughed.  “I think I will use it.“

“Be my guest,“ she said, laughing lightly.

He was still laughing when he pulled into a nearby fast food place and ordered.  With the food in hand, he asked, “Now where?“

“Let’s go to a park.  It is not that cold right now.  We could eat at one of the benches.  There would be few people at this time of night,“ she suggested.

“I am fine with that,“ he said, turning into the park. 

After placing the roses on the dashboard in front of her and exiting the car, Jeff held their food in his left and held her hand in his right.  At the bench, he stepped aside and motioned for her to sit.  She glanced at the picnic table and then, her attire.  Her eyes opened wide as she viewed her outfit.  She could not recall dressing.  Her mind was so jumbled earlier she just realized she had opted to wear her paisley western shirt and denim skirt.  Granted it looked great on her, but the western shirt had snaps, not buttons, and the skirt was full.
What a slut
, she thought.  The snaps made for easy access to her breast and she knew it.  In her current attire, she could not step into the space between the table and the attached bench in a ladylike manner.  Shaking her head, she sat down on the bench with her back to the table while Jeff, who was still standing, arranged their food on the tabletop. 

As he worked on this task, Annie eyed his now-visible hands.  In the setting sun, she caught a gleam of the dreaded ring.  Her heart sunk, for on his ring finger was a solid-gold band; it was a wedding ring!  Shifting her eyes, she watched him complete his task and straddle the bench next to her.  She willed herself to remain calm.  She wasn’t ready to ask him about it; she would know the right time and the time was not now. 

Jeff looked at her and leaned forward and kissed her.  She numbly accepted the kiss.  “Let’s eat.  You said you were hungry,“ he directed.  Stashing her thoughts deep, she smiled.  

As they ate, or better yet, as Jeff ate and she picked at the food, he told her about his day at work.  She listened, somewhat, but added little to the conversation.  Little by little, the sun descended and the lights in the park began to glow.  She felt herself shiver against the growing chill in the air.  “Are you cold?“ Jeff asked, seeing her action. 

“A little, “ she confessed.  He nodded and stood.

“Be right back,“ he said, taking the trash from their dinner and walking away.

Annie watched him as he tossed the bags into a nearby can and walk over to his car.  Reaching into the car, he withdrew their jackets.  On his return route to her, she saw him smiling and wondered how she had ever managed to capture this extraordinary good-looking man’s attention.  Her face warmed at her thoughts. 

When he reached her, he placed her jacket around her shoulder.  “Better?“ he asked. 

“Yes,“ she responded.  Putting his jacket on, he stepped up onto the bench and sat behind her on the tabletop, straddling her between his legs.  Without thinking twice, she leaned her head back against his chest. 

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.  “This should help keep you warm,“ he said softly, playing with the top snap of her shirt with his left hand.

She knew the moment was right to ask him.  Struggling for the right words, she just couldn’t make it sound right in her mind.  About to give up on the topic, she considered another alternative.  Instead of trusting her words or her voice, she would use action.  Reaching out, she secured his left hand, which was absently playing with her snaps, and brought it to her face. 

Jeff saw her movement.  “What is it?“ he asked, concerned.  Annie brought her right hand up to their joined left hands and using her thumb and forefinger, she spun the ring.  His sudden sharp intake of air told her that he understood her unasked question.

“Annie,“ he cried.  “You want to know?“  She nodded.  He took a deep breath.  “Yes, I am married.“  She froze.  That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.  Jeff squeezed her tightly.  “I have been separated for over a year.  It is one of the many reasons I fled L.A.  I just haven’t removed it.  I have been married for over six years, and my ring has been on my hand so long, I didn’t even think about it before now.“

Annie did a quick calculation in her head.  If he had been married for six years, he had to have been sixteen when he wed.  This fact shocked her.  She shook her head from side to side.  He had to be lying.

“I know what you’re thinking,“ he said softly.  “Yes, I was young.  I shared with you that I have deep-dark demons in my past.  Marrying at a young age was a way to escape them.  She is quite a few years older than me,“ he informed her.

Annie got the impression from his tone the separation was not his idea.  She wondered if the reason for the ring still being worn was because
he
couldn’t accept the separation. 

“Have you been worried about this ring?“ he asked.  She nodded.  “Annie, why didn’t you ask earlier?“

“Jeff,“ she hesitated as her voice sounded foreign to her.  Swallowing, she tried again.  “To tell you the truth, I didn’t even see it until tonight.  It was my mother who brought it to my attention,“ she explained.

“Oh, God, Annie!  When did she ask you?“

“Last night when I returned home,“ she quietly responded.  “She caught me off guard, especially after what we had experienced.  I had already experienced one emotional meltdown during our evening and her question sent me into a tailspin.  I have been unable to think of anything else since then.“