We Will Always Have the Closet (23 page)

Indulging in savory tapas and good Spanish wine, the three friends spent the next couple hours chatting and laughing. “Promise you won’t freak out,” Liam said suddenly, an eyebrow raised up high as he looked at Petra.

Petra returned the look, curious but also a little weary of surprises. “Are you going to tell me or do I have to beat it out of you?” she asked, growing impatient as he hesitated.

“I met someone,” he confessed. Her eyes opened wide with the revelation and she felt Sam lean over interested. “In the hospital. She’s a nurse and we have been dating since then…” His voice trailed as he noticed the expression of disbelief from both Petra and Sam. “Well?”

“What you waiting for, fool?” Petra exploded. “When do I meet her?”

Liam grinned. “I’m inviting you two to dine at my place next week. You’ll meet her then.”

A detailed report followed at Petra’s demand of their first encounter at the hospital. She was one of the nurses assigned to the ward where Sam had been treated. Her name was Annie and she was an American who thought both his accent and his scraggly poor-excuse for a beard were extremely sexy. The stars had aligned and Annie was an aspiring artist, a sculptor who was taking classes in forensic anthropology, a profession which would allow her to indulge both her medical and artistic skills. “Oh, and have I mentioned she’s also gorgeous?”

Petra was delighted and relieved. She still felt guilty that she’d chosen Linden over her friend, and the last thing she wanted was to see him pining for her with no hope of it ever being reciprocated. To find out that he was with someone was the best news she could receive. In her imagination, she could already see the four of them going out on double dates, visiting each other on holidays, being the godparents of each other’s children.

Sam was also delighted, if for more selfish reasons, Petra suspected. He did like the British man, but she knew it still bothered him to see Liam hanging out with her considering he had been in love with her for so long. The news of a new woman in his life could not have been more auspicious. Now Sam could focus on being his friend without the green monster of jealousy rearing its ugly head. Less worries for her, as well.

When Liam finally left, Sam went to the counter and bought a small bottle of Ginginha, a Portuguese sweet sour cherry liqueur and two small cups. “Let’s go,” he said, holding out his hand to her.

“Where to?” she asked, taking it and following him out of the restaurant. What was he up to now?

“A little Christmas surprise,” he said, his fingers interlacing with hers. The moon had replaced the sun in the sky and the stars were shining brightly as they walked along the streets of Seattle heading toward the harbor. Soon, it became obvious that they were heading to the aquarium. Sam talked quietly with the ticket booth lady and then escorted her through the dark hallways. During the Christmas season, the aquarium was decorated with beautiful twinkling lights and the whole place was transformed into a true magical kingdom. The place was deserted and Petra wondered how Sam had convinced the staff to let them in after closing. “We have the place to ourselves for the next hour,” Sam told her, guiding her through the short tunnel that took them to the Underwater Dome.

The sight in front of her stunned her. It was spellbinding. The whole dome was drowned in semi-darkness, lit only by dim lights along the bottom backs of the observation benches. All around them, the fish and other sea creatures swam in that peaceful way of theirs, immersing the whole scene in an otherworldly mood. Sam set a checkered kitchen towel on one of the benches and laid out the bottle of Ginginha, the glasses, a container of figs, and another of chocolate-dipped strawberries. Where did he get those? Petra wondered. She had not seen him buying it, sneaky creature that he was.

Petra’s heart melted all over again as she sat down beside Sam on the bench. His handsome face turned to hers and his smile had the effect of lava in her heart. She hoped that would never change. “This is an early Christmas gift,” he told her. In the domed space, their voices echoed and sounded almost unreal. “I know how much you love this place, so I thought…” He didn’t finish because Petra had jumped into his arms and had covered his mouth with hers in a passionate kiss. “I guess you like it,” he said when their lips came apart.

“Are you kidding me?” she said in a whisper. It didn’t seem right to talk loudly in that place. It would be like breaking a spell. “I love it. I don’t know how you did it, but it’s perfect.”

The hour passed magically slow as they talked, ate, drank, and enjoyed moments of silence and contemplation together. The more Petra thought about it and as close to him as she felt now, the more she was convinced that she had to tell him about what she had found today on the bottom of the box in the galleria.

“Remember when we met?” she whispered, nestled in his arms as she sat between his stretched out legs on the bench.

He nuzzled her neck. “How could I forget? It was the first time I had a sexual encounter with a stranger in a closet.”

“That’s not true,” she protested, slapping his hand gently. “It wasn’t sexual at all…”

“Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better,” he said with a chuckle. “But I felt like smoking a cigarette afterward. And I don’t smoke.”

In spite of herself she started laughing along with him. True, the memory of that encounter still gave her goosebumps and her heart still flipped in her chest. She couldn’t think of that meeting without turning bright red and feeling a fluttering in her chest. “Anyway,” she continued, feeling a little embarrassed, “I told you I was there because I was trying to retrieve something that belonged to me. Remember that?”

“Yes, I do,” Sam said, suddenly sober. “And then again in the galleria the day of the gala.”

She giggled again. “When we ended up inside another closet…” He kissed her without warning, without provocation. Petra’s body became fluid as she hung on to his neck, the kiss deepening, his hands on her back, kneading, caressing… “My God, Sam, you take my breath away. How was I able to live all this time without you by my side?”

“It’s a mystery scientists will be debating centuries from now,” he joked, stroking her face with his hand. “You were saying?”

“I found what I was looking for,” she confessed. At his silent question, she continued. “In the office today. It was inside a box with a bunch of other things that I think Jonas took from other people.”

Sam opened his mouth, but thought otherwise and didn’t say anything. She smiled, realizing he was going to wait patiently until she was ready to tell him.

“You’re not going to ask me what it is?” she said, a teasing smile on her lips.

“I have to admit I am very curious about that mysterious object you have risked your life to retrieve,” he said, licking his lips. “But I know the information needs to come from you voluntarily, so you have my full attention.”

“When my parents died in the accident, I was given a small box with their belongings,” she started, squirming a little in her seat. “In it there were some things like a wallet and a watch. Nothing they were too attached to or that meant that much to me. Except for my mom’s engagement ring.”

Petra had turned her back to him and was leaning on his chest, her legs stretched along his. Sam interlaced his hands, arms wrapped around her in what he hoped was a comforting gesture.

“Ever since I was a kid I had admired that ring and the story that went with it.” Her voice had grown wistful and softer than usual. “It symbolized my parents’ love for each other and their whirlwind romance. My father, who was always broke, being an artist and all, had spent a whole year working odd jobs and saving every penny to buy my mom an engagement ring.” She looked up at him and smiled. “It wasn’t a diamond ring, but it was beautiful. A simple thin gold infinity ring representing everlasting love. My mom told me that when I got married, she would give it to me.”

A giant fish of some kind came to the window in front of them and seemed to watch them for a while. “When I got it after they died, I didn’t wear it. I was going to do what my mom wanted me to do; I was going to wait and wear it once I got married.” Caressing his hands with her thumb, Petra continued. “I was such a romantic fool! I believed that I was going to fall head over heels in love just like my parents before me, so when handsome, artistic, charismatic Jonas came into my life, I took the bait—hook, line, and sinker.”

For the first time, Sam allowed himself to speak. “So, you began wearing the ring…”

“Yes, as soon as I said
I do
,” she replied. “I also told him the story behind it. So, when I first told him I was going to leave him, the ring mysteriously disappeared from my nightstand, and I have been looking for it all this time. I turned that house upside down and could never find it. The bastard had taken it. I just thought it had been misplaced or fallen behind something.”

Sam held her hand and turned her gently toward him. “But now you found it,” he stated, eyes intensely deep into hers. “Now, you found it.”

A glorious smile filled her face as if her soul was seeping through her pores and into the air around them. “I have found it. And I have finally found my fairy tale love as well.”

***

Petra

Christmas came and went in a flurry of frenzied activity. Liam had hesitantly introduced the new woman in his life, Annie, to Sam and Petra on Christmas Eve. As usual, the artist used all his creative powers, which were impressive as Sam was quick to admit, to produce an amazing feast for four at his loft studio. Among friends and good food, the evening had been joyful and festive. Annie, they all agreed, seemed to be a great match for Liam with her split-personality of half-artist, half-realist. She also seemed to be at ease with Liam’s friends, which gave Petra a huge sense of relief. Doubts about how this new girl might place a wedge between the three of them were quickly dismissed after talking to her for a while. Petra could see herself really liking this girl, and like a protective sister, gave Liam her silent blessing.

The year was coming to a close. It had been memorable in more ways than she could count. Some of it had been truly horrid and heartbreaking, but in the end, it was the good memories, the wonderful things that came along with the bad things that really counted. It had been an amazing year, and Sam wanted to end it with a bang.

Petra wasn’t sure what he was planning, but she knew he was up to something. He had taken on that aura of stealth he often got when investigating something or keeping information from her. As much as she was not too fond of surprises, coming from him she couldn’t help but be excited. He had really outdone himself with the Underwater Dome night picnic. It couldn’t have been more perfect or romantic. It fed that romantic monster that lived deep down inside of her, the one she thought she had slain after her divorce, but which had been recently resurrected. Part of her loved it, part of her was terrified that if something went wrong in their relationship, she would never be able to recover. Her love for him had overwhelmed her soul and her heart. Their souls were now so entwined, she couldn’t tell anymore where hers ended and his started.

Sam had driven into town a couple hours ago with the excuse he had some business to attend to, but he was so vague about it she was certain he was preparing some surprise. Tonight was New Year’s Eve, a night that she had consciously ignored since her parents had died. Her end-of-the-year routine was a meal of comfort food, comfy pajamas, and an early bedtime. It was better just to sleep through those hopeful minutes right before the clock struck twelve than find herself in tears missing those who were not around anymore or mourning those who were, but were dead to her just the same. The great tradition of the New Year’s countdown caused her so much distress, she always made sure she went to bed way before it started. In fact, she refused to watch regular TV on those nights and watched recorded movies instead, comedies usually, to keep the tears at bay. This year she wasn’t alone anymore. Her parents were still gone, but lived happily in her memory. And now there was Sam with his gorgeous, generous smile and liquid green eyes, whose heart was as big as he was and just as open. There was also Liam, a friend that she had avoided for years for fear of “leading him on” and for his close connection to her ex-husband. He was now a permanent feature in her life and she loved it. This year, there was much to celebrate and much to hope for when the countdown began.

Busy in the house, she didn’t hear Sam’s car pull in the driveway or the door opening and closing behind him. When he came in the kitchen, she was preparing a smoothie in a loud mixer. She was focused, her eyebrows knitted together and her nose wrinkled in concentration. She absolutely hated the noise those machines made. In her own words, the noise scrambled her brains. He giggled, watching her labor over the source of the offensive racket. The noise stopped and she smiled at him. “You’re back!” she exclaimed. He crossed the kitchen to her side and gave her a light kiss on the lips. “Do you want a smoothie?”

“I would love one,” he said, sitting on the high stool by the kitchen island, “I am parched. Spinach and strawberries?” She nodded and poured him a big glass of the mixture.

Sitting down beside him with her own drink, she placed a hand on his thigh, needing to establish a physical connection with him. “Took care of business, then?” she asked, taking a long drink from the glass.

Sam smiled, amused. He leaned forward and kissed her, licking the great big green mustache that her smoothie had left behind on her upper lip. “Yum. Better than the one I am drinking,” he whispered suggestively, earning himself a slap on the thigh. “I did take care of everything.”