Part 4
“How about dinner, Nick?”
“Thanks Dorian, but I’ll have to take a rain check.”
“Well, from the looks of things,” she laughed, “you’re about to get your wish.” As if on cue, thunder rumbled in the distance and the first raindrops began to fall.
Nick shook his head. “If we get too much more rain and fog, this film is going way over budget.”
“Then maybe DC will learn to scout his locations better from now on,” she laughed. “I’ll be in my room later if you want to hang out.”
“All depends on how my evening goes,” he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.
“You goof,” she giggled. “Have a good time.”
“Later,” he called over his shoulder. In spite of the rain, Nick set off at a brisk pace for his and Kathryn’s designated meeting place. Ever since their chance meeting yesterday in the park he’d been unable to concentrate, and the better part of the day had been spent on the receiving end of DC’s wrath, mostly for flubbed lines and missed cues.
“Damn, its cold,” he muttered, turning down the street and searching the doorways for numbers. Rounding one last corner, a warm light spilled out through the windows of the little shop midway down the block. Glancing upward, he spotted the familiar numbers and hesitated, just for a moment, his collar pulled up high to ward off the damp chill. A familiar face caught his eye and he never even noticed the name on the weathered board above the door, “Kathryn’s Koffee Kup”. He smiled, watching through the window as she waited on the patrons with a practiced ease, laughing at the good-natured banter. The shop was cozy and homey, and seemed to invite the customers to linger.
Nick pushed the door, the bells tinkling overhead as the door swung open. The patrons all turned, eyebrows raised at the newcomer. For the most part they were all locals and someone new was bound to be the talk of the town for weeks. All conversation ceased, and Kathryn immediately sensed a change in the air, a spark.
“Nick, hi! You made it!” Kathryn dried her hands on her apron and grabbed a menu. “There’s a table over here,” she said, leading the way to a cozy spot by the fireplace in the back corner.
“Is this okay?” he asked. “I mean, you can take a break? Your boss won’t mind?”
“Nah, the boss is cool about stuff like this. Right Andi?” The waitress was hovering, trying her best to remain inconspicuous while also trying to get a good look at this man who had turned her best friend’s life completely upside down in the space of 24 hours.
Chuckling, Andi winked at Kathryn. “Yep. As long as the work gets done and the customers aren’t neglected. What can I get for you?”
“How about a slice of that Turtle cheesecake?” Nick’s mouth watered as he spotted one of his favorite desserts on the eclectic little hand-lettered menu.
“Coffee?”
“Sure. Just black please.” Closing the menu, he studied Kathryn as she placed her order. The years had been kind to her. “So.”
Kathryn raised her eyebrows and smiled. “So?”
“I guess … I dunno, Katy. This all just blows me away. I mean, to see you again like this, after all these years and just out of the blue like that.”
Kathryn laughed. “Well, it was a shock to me, too, Nick. I mean, Vancouver is hardly a place I ever thought I’d see you.” A gross understatement if ever there was one.
“Fate, Katy May. It’s fate,” he grinned, generously spooning sugar into the steaming mug that Andi set before him.
Kathryn sighed. “I haven’t been called Katy May in a long time.” “I bet you still hate it, am I right?”
“I never did like it,” she agreed. ‘But you’re the only one who ever called me that. Have you any idea what it’s doing to me?’ she thought.
Nick laughed. “That’s putting it mildly. You used to get so pissed at me. You’d go all stiff on me, straighten up your back and try to look tall-”
“Hey!” she shot back, immediately on the defensive.
“See?” he laughed. “You’re doing it again. Damn, you’re cute.”
“Am not,” she pouted, looking down and cutting into her dessert with her fork.
Nick smiled gently, placing his hand over hers and stilling its motion. “No, you’re not.” Her eyes shot up to meet his. “You’re not cute anymore, Katy, you’re beautiful.”
Kathryn sighed as her hand began to tremble. “Nick…”
“I mean it, Katy. You’re all grown up now. Your hair is longer now, but the light still shines off of it, this damp ole air up here must agree with you, too, because … well, damn. You just look incredible.”
Kathryn tried to brush him off with what she hoped was a lighthearted laugh. But he refused to fall for it.
“There’s just something there that wasn’t there before. A quiet … maturity, I guess you could say. I guess a lot has happened in five years, right?”
‘You have no idea,’ she thought. “People change, Nick. Life happens when you least expect it.”
“Is that bad thing?”
“No, Nick, not at all. I’ve had a good life, and I have no regrets. I’m happy, Nick.”
“That’s good, Katy. I mean that.” Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he went back to his cheesecake and small talk, asking about the local sights and receiving an enthusiastic virtual walking tour as Kathryn made her points with her fork.
In return, Nick regaled her with stories from his film career, enjoying the way her face lit up at his wilder antics.
“You’ve made it Nick, I always knew you would.”
“You did not,” he grinned. “You always told me that first movie would tank, and it did.”
“Of course it did,” she snickered. “It was horrible!”
Nick bristled with faux annoyance. “Was not.”
“Oh yes it was,” Kathryn giggled.
“Ok, so it was,” Nick grinned. “Every actor needs to have a truly bad movie in their resume. What else will the critics have to talk about?”
“Oh my god,” she chortled. “Where did you hear that line of tripe?”
“Some teeny rag along the line, I dunno.” Nick chuckled, and then looked around, startled to see that all of the other customers were long gone. “Oh man, Katy, it’s really late. I’m sorry.”
Just as surprised as he, Kathryn looked up to find them all alone, save for Andi who was behind the counter stacking up clean mugs for the morning. “Gosh, I had no idea. I need to help Andi close up.” Scooting back her chair, she walked Nick to the door.
Pulling his coat closed, he smiled down at Kathryn. “Thanks for tonight. This has been … it’s been really special.”
“I enjoyed it very much, Nick. It was nice to see you again.”
“I’ll be here another week, maybe-”
“Good night Nick,” Kathryn said gently, not willing to encourage him.
Nick raised one eyebrow, but didn’t press. “G’night Katy May.” Before she could protest, he bent quickly, kissing her cheek and just as quickly pulling way. “’Night Andi!” He waved over Kathryn’s shoulder and quietly disappeared into the night.
Kathryn was still looking off through the front window of the shop when she felt Andi’s arm around her waist.
“He’s just like you said, Kath.”
Kathryn made no reply. She was lost in her thoughts as she quietly turned, starting to wipe down the tables that Andi had already cleaned.
“Are you going to tell him-”
“No. He’ll be leaving as soon as the film is finished,” she said with quiet determination.
Don’t count on it, Andi thought with a smile, untying her apron and reaching for her coat. “See you tomorrow, Kath.”
“G’night Andi.” Still lost in her own little world, Kathyrn turned off the lights and wearily headed upstairs.
At the sound of her key in the door, a soft bustling was heard from within. The kindly face that greeted her was a welcome warmth tonight, just as it was every night.
“How was work?”
“I’m sorry I’m late. Again,” Kathryn sighed.
“Oh dearie, there’s no need to apologize. Everything here was just ducky.”
Kathryn smiled, folding her into a warm hug. Sophie Garrison was a saint, and when Kathryn’s grandfather had passed away, Kathryn had inherited her along with everything else the old man had treasured. Had they been younger, he and Sophie would probably have either married or scandalized the community by living in sin, but at their advanced ages had settle on a very unique friendship. “So everything was fine?”
“Out like a light, and has been for hours,” Mrs. Garrison chuckled. “Just like someone else I used to know. Now you get some rest, too, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Mrs. Garrison. Thank you!” As the old woman shuffled down the hallway to her own apartment, she waved her fingers and smiled.
Closing the door quietly, Kathryn locked the doorknob and affixed the security chain, and once assured that all was set for the night, she turned out the lights. Tiptoeing past her room, she softly pushed open the brightly colored door on the left. The soft glow of the night light cast a rosy blush on the tiny body that lay huddled beneath a soft, downy quilt.
With a wistful smile on her lips, she stood for a long moment, watching her son, Jonathan. As she brushed aside a stray wisp of sandy blonde hair, her thoughts went to Nick; to the way he was when they met. Watching Jonathan, she couldn’t help but remember what Nick had been like all those years ago. His smile, his unflappable exuberance for life, his eyes …
Stepping away, she closed her son’s door quietly. Nick would be gone soon and everything would be back to the way it was before.