Secrets, p.23
Secrets, page 23
“Sorry. I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.”
“Well, you were.”
“Do tell?”
“Oh no, mister. You have to recap first since you did interrupt me.”
“First I have to say, she looked absolutely exquisite.”
“I would not have expected any less.” Luna nodded.
“We ordered a seven-course tasting menu, then she disappeared just before dessert. She said she was going to the ladies’ room but she was gone for almost fifteen minutes. I thought she had left.”
“Chi-Chi would never do such a thing.”
“Of course not, but I was a little worried. I know she was wearing a jumpsuit, and from what I’ve been told, it’s a circus act getting in and out of them, but . . .” Cullen took a breath. “Without any introduction or notice, she appeared in front of the jazz combo and started to sing. I almost fell off my chair. That’s when I called you.” Cullen was almost out of breath.
“Yes. Duly noted.” Luna started to giggle. “I thought it was Anita Baker singing and couldn’t figure out why you were calling me to play a song over the phone.”
“Well, I thought you would appreciate her live performance other than inside my car.” Cullen smiled.
“Yes. I put you on speakerphone so Chris could hear it, too. He was quite impressed.”
“Speaking of Chris, how did it go?” Cullen was anxious to hear about Luna’s special weekend.
“Oh, wait a minute. You haven’t finished your story. Continue,” she directed.
“After she sang, the place went crazy, and the maître d’ sent over a split of champagne.”
“Only a split?” Luna was referring to the half-size bottle.
“It was Veuve Clicquot.” He grinned.
“Well, in that case, I suppose it was appropriate.”
She smirked. “And then?”
“And I drove her home.”
“I repeat, and then?” she pressed.
“When we got to her house, she said she wasn’t sure when her brother would be home. Otherwise, she would invite me in.”
“Now, that sounds like things are moving in the right direction,” Luna said with glee.
“Except we were greeted by Abeo at the front door. He was quite toasted.”
“Were you able to get in a good-night kiss at least?” Luna pushed harder.
“Yes.”
“And?” Luna was becoming impatient.
“I don’t kiss and tell.” Cullen folded his arms in the “that is all I have to say” stance. “But there is something I can tell you. Jennine was at Chi-Chi’s.”
“I know!” Luna burst out. “She’s coming over at six to give me all the gory details. Apparently she spent the night.”
“Oh, that must have gone over like a lead balloon with Chi-Chi.” Cullen cracked a grin.
“More like osmium.” Luna was referring to one of the heaviest metals on Earth.
“Yeah. It’s toxic, too.” Cullen chuckled.
“I cannot wait to hear how that happened. Well, I can imagine the how part. When Jennine sets her sights on something, the only thing that can stop her is an antiballistic missile.”
The two of them broke out in laughter.
Luna gave her brother a big hug. “I am so happy you had a good time.”
Cullen gave her a kiss on the head. “Thanks to you.”
“I gotta run. Come on, Wiley.” Luna called her pooch over.
“Oh, no you don’t. You haven’t told me about your weekend, missy.”
“I don’t kiss and tell either. Ciao! See you tomorrow!”
She turned and trotted out the door with Wiley on her heels.
Cullen stood in the doorway. “Yeah, well, we’re not done with this conversation.” He waved and grinned.
* * *
Chi-Chi got to Luna’s right at six. They greeted each other, hooting and hugging as if they hadn’t seen one another in years.
“Let me feed Wiley and pour us some wine.”
Luna plated Wiley’s favorite food as he lovingly looked up and wagged his tail. Then she opened a bottle of Lorenza Rosé and poured each a glass. “Come sit. We have a lot to talk about. But first, what the heck was Jennine doing at your house? Besides the obvious?” Luna asked, as they clinked glasses.
“Evidently, my brother likes the taste of champagne and imbibed more than he should have. He claims Jennine kept filling his glass.”
“Well, of course she did,” Luna said.
“Yes, because he does not know how to say ‘no.’ He was too drunk to drive, so Jennine drove him to my house.”
“Invited herself in, and . . . ?”
“And? He passed out!” Chi-Chi roared.
Luna almost spit out her drink. “Oh my gosh. That must have put a real damper in Jennine’s plans.”
“I am sure it did. So what happened this morning?”
“I gave her a cup of coffee and told her we were going to church.”
“Church?” Luna asked.
“Yes. I told Abeo he needed to go.” Chi-Chi was snickering.
“And did he?”
“Oh yes. I was not going to let him get away with bad behavior.”
“But you said they didn’t do anything.”
“Getting drunk and bringing someone into my house without asking me is bad behavior.” Chi-Chi took a sip of her wine. “And it was my chance to torture him for a change.”
“Church is torture?”
“When you have a hangover, it is.” Chi-Chi grinned with a twinkle in her eye.
Luna chuckled. “Anything is torture when you have a hangover.”
“Very true. That is why I limit my intake.” She held out her glass for a refill. “Except for now.”
Again, the women were laughing hysterically.
“You did a very impressive job singing last night.” Luna raised her glass.
“I was very nervous, but I thought if I didn’t do it then, I would probably never do it again. The musicians were very professional. So when I asked the keyboard player if he knew that song and would it be all right for me to sing, he was happy to oblige. I knew he thought he was taking a risk, but I sang the first few bars to him so we could figure out the right key.”
“Well, it was utterly fantastic.”
“Thank you. And thank you for being so pushy about Cullen and me going to dinner. It was a wonderful evening.”
“And?” Luna gave her a sideways look.
“And I hope he and I can do it again.”
“And without his little sister,” Luna teased.
“No offense, but I see enough of you every day,” Chi-Chi teased back.
“None taken.”
“Now it is your turn, my friend. How was your weekend with the fine marshal?”
“More than fine.” Luna could still feel the warmth of him. “It was like the best romantic movie ever made. Even the power went out!”
“That could be a good thing or a bad thing,” Chi-Chi noted.
“Very true. Actually, the timing could not have been more perfect. We spent a couple of hours going over ideas for his place. Then he grilled steaks and we had dinner. After dinner, we sat on the sofa in front of a fire and just as he was about to kiss me my phone rang. It was Cullen with you serenading in the background.”
“Oh no! I am so sorry I interrupted your evening.”
Chi-Chi was genuinely distraught.
“No worries. I was a little shaken when I saw it was Cullen calling. I thought it was an emergency. Chris comforted me.” Luna used air quotes for “comforted.” “And then the power went out.”
“Not between the two of you I am guessing?” Chi-Chi gave her a sly grin.
“Nope! There was enough heat and energy to light up the sky.”
“That is truly funny. The power goes out, and you spark your own!”
“It was sweet and passionate.” Luna was recalling the memory in her head. “And the best part? There were no awkward moments. Before, during, or after. It was as if we had been together before.”
“Well, you have been together before.”
“Yeah, but not like that!” Luna blurted.
“I believe you had been thinking about that moment for a very long time. You had it well choreographed in your head.”
“How interesting you used the word ‘choreographed’ because that’s exactly what I thought when I woke up.”
“It should not surprise you that you function on a slightly different wavelength than most people.” Chi-Chi smiled.
“I know. The funny thing is, I get excited whenever it happens. For me, it’s a validation that there is a divine force, an energy that flows; and we are truly a part of it.”
“You know I would agree with that.”
“It’s right in front of us, but most people, including me, miss the hints. The signs. The clues, so I get excited when someone else is experiencing it.”
“Yes. It is very invigorating.” Chi-Chi nodded. “And also reassuring. Speaking of reassuring, how did you leave it with the fine marshal? Are you in fight-or-flight mode? Que será, será mode? Which I doubt. Or, I am enjoying this ride and I will not pull the emergency brake because I’m in insecure mode?”
“I’m working on the insecure thing. Between you and Cullen, I am reminded to avoid the self-sabotage. I have very strong feelings for Chris. I know he has feelings for me as well. We’re both a little jumpy when it comes to relationships, so it’s good we waited until we got to know each other. We like each other!” Luna exclaimed.
“How did you leave it? Future plans? I know that is an anxiety trigger for all of us.”
“Ya know, we didn’t address the fact that we made love for the first time. There was no ‘about last night’ conversation. And we weren’t all over each other this morning. We were affectionate, yes. A couple of hugs, kisses on the cheek, a pat on the heinie. I patted his.” Luna giggled. “It seemed so natural. Then we packed a lunch and took an hour hike.” Luna went on. “Oh, and he made a copy of the note and a page of the diary and is going to hook me up with a handwriting analyst.”
“You could not go an entire twenty-four hours without bringing up your sleuthing.” Chi-Chi tsk-tsked.
“I am me, remember? Anyway, he’s working on that piece, and Ellie and I are going to the library this week to look up fires between 1999 and 2001. There couldn’t have been many. Or maybe? I guess we’ll find out.” Luna’s excitement was growing. “I really think I’m close to figuring this out. At least a good part of it. It feels really close.” Luna mused and thought about the woman Tori. “I am sure she is connected somehow. But I don’t think she is aware of it. If I am making any sense.”
“You lost me on that last sentence, but that is OK. Tell me, were you able to come up with some plans for Chris’s house?”
“Yes we did. He had already started ripping down the wall between the kitchen and dining area but realized it was a load bearing wall and so he can’t remove all the two-by-fours. I came up with an alternative. An island cabinet and countertop with a decorative pillar on each end. Not ideal, but less expensive than bringing in steel beams.”
“How was the rest of the house? As bad as he described? Brown?”
“Yeah. Brown paneling. Again I came up with a makeover that didn’t require ripping off the paneling.”
Luna pulled out her sketchbook and showed Chi-Chi the rough drawings. “The yard is beautiful, and there’s a large picture window in the living-room area, and a patio door in the dining area. I thought he was going to break out in a sweat when we started talking costs. But I explained unless he plans on selling the house in the next ten years, he doesn’t have to do high-end appliances.”
“Very wise.”
“And I get to help him pick everything out.” Luna clapped her hands together. “This is going to be so much fun!”
“I am very happy for you, Luna. You have a special glow about you. More so than you had two days ago and, believe me, your wattage is always higher than most people’s.” Chi-Chi chuckled.
Luna’s cell phone rang. It was Gaines. She got all fluttery. “Hi,” she answered.
“Hey. Just checking you got back all right.”
“Yes. Sorry, I should have called, but I had to pick up Wiley, then Chi-Chi came by.”
“No problem.” He paused.
Luna grimaced, expecting that “about last night” conversation.
“Hey, I wanted you to know I’m really glad you came out here. I had a great time. With you.” He wanted to make sure he was being clear. It was about her.
“Me too. It was comfortable. Easy.”
“I concur,” he replied. “I’m planning on getting paint to do something about these walls. You mentioned a fabric for the bottom? I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
Luna laughed softly. “I suggest you paint all of them first, then the fabric, then the chair rail. It will hide any ragged edges.”
“You said gray? Are you sure that will make it brighter in here?”
“Actually, there are over one hundred and one shades of gray regardless of the book title.” She giggled. “Something light. Silver Satin or American Gray are very light and neutral. Depending on how well it covers the paneling, you may just want to go with the chair rail in a slightly darker color.”
“I think I may need your help on that.”
Luna raised her eyebrows with delight. “You let me know when.”
“How about the week after next? I’m off Monday and Tuesday.”
“Hang on. Let me check my book.” Luna pretended to be looking at something, then responded, “That would work out perfectly. The center is closed, so I wouldn’t have to find someone to work at the café.”
“Excellent. Any chance you can come out on Sunday so we’ll have all day Monday to figure this out?”
“What about Carter?”
“He has a game early that afternoon, so he’ll be back at his mother’s by four.”
“I think that sounds like a plan.” Luna was resisting the temptation to jump up and down. “Listen, I have to go. Chi-Chi is here.”
“Tell her I was very impressed with her solo.”
“Will do. Talk later. Ciao!” Luna disconnected the call.
Chi-Chi looked at her with the widest eyes ever. “So? Another trip to Charlotte?”
“Yes!” Now Luna was jumping up and down. “He wants me to help him pick out paint and stuff.”
“Things seem to be moving in the right direction!” Chi-Chi gave Luna a high five. “Now, where were we?”
“I forget.” Luna laughed. “So much has happened in the past twenty-four hours.”
“You have that right, my friend.”
“I guess this will give you and Cullen an excuse to have dinner again.”
“Perhaps. But I think I should invite him over for an authentic Nigerian dinner. We will start with chin chin. Little tiny nibbles of dough and sweetness. Then we shall have suya, spiced meat on skewers with akara fritters. Then efo riro, which is a stew made with spinach and vegetables and meat.”
“Sounds delicious. How come you’ve never made that for me?”
“Because you didn’t take me to Bouchorelle!” Chi-Chi laughed loudly. “Do you think he will agree to come?”
“Only if you invite him.”
“That is something I can do.” Chi-Chi smiled.
The women continued discussing the high points of the weekend. By the time Chi-Chi finished her story about Jennine, the two of them were practically rolling.
“I do not want her stalking me asking me too many questions about Abeo.”
“I’m sure you will be able to nip it in the bud.” Luna took one more sip. “Besides, you’re much taller than she is. You can intimidate her with one of your cold stares.”
Chi-Chi stood and folded her arms. She made a scowling face. “Like this?”
Luna was doubled over. “Exactly!”
Chapter Sixteen
Monday morning
Luna was unpacking her overnight bag when she decided to go through her wardrobe. She didn’t wear half of what was in there. She didn’t even know what was in there. It was time to refresh and renew. She wasn’t sure if what she felt for Chris was love or a serious kind of like.
Either way, it pumped her endorphins. She was in a fine mood. She perused her schedule and remembered she owed the mysterious Tori an appointment. Luna swiped through her call history and pressed SEND. Two rings and a woman’s soft voice answered. “Hello?”
“Hello, Tori?”
“Yes.”
“This is Luna Bodhi. We met a couple of weeks ago.”
“Yes. Of course. How are you?” Tori asked.
“I’m well, thank you. I was looking over my calendar and am wondering if you are available next Saturday?”
“I should be. What did you have in mind?”
“Would it be possible for you to come around ten? It doesn’t start to get busy until after eleven, so that should give us some time.”
“Yes. Yes, that would be good.” Tori was not going to tell her husband; nor was she going to ask. She did not want to miss this opportunity.
“Great. See you Saturday at ten. Namaste Café. Namaste.”
“Nuuunuunamaste.” Tori tried to pronounce it correctly. She was elated that Luna could see her so soon.
* * *
Luna was glad she had called Tori. She didn’t want to wait any longer to dig deeper. She would ask her flat out if she had a fire in her past when she was young.
She kept folding and placing clothes in boxes. “Wiley, why did you let me buy all of these? What were you thinking?”
Wiley gave her a yawn punctuated with a moan.
“I really need to ditch some of these granny dresses. I can still be boho with less ruffles. And so much of it looks like so much of the rest of it. Yikes!”
Luna sized up the four Bankers Boxes. She was satisfied she wouldn’t miss any of the items she had packed. “Want to go for a ride?” She spoke to Wiley as she began to move the boxes out to the car. Since it was one of his favorite things to do, he yapped a happy reply.
Luna stopped at a local thrift shop and dropped off her now-orphaned clothes. The clothes were in very good shape, so she felt they would go to a good home.
