Chapter Twenty-Five

Three Months Later

The breakfast rush was winding down and the line at the to-go counter was only three deep. Mrs. Gunn shuffled to the register to pay her bill and Steph smiled at her most regular customer. She’d frequented the Lighthouse Bakery since the day it opened and always ordered the same thing—an apple tart and black coffee.

“Everything okay today, Mrs. Gunn?” she asked, anticipating her reply.

“Better than okay, Steph,” she said. Her dentures had slipped a little but Steph decided not to say anything. “The sun is finally shining again, I’m still breathing and I’ve started my morning with the best apple tart I’ve ever had.”

This was her standard answer to Steph’s predictable question. Once when another customer had asked Mrs. Gunn what her doctor thought about her breakfast habits, she’d harrumphed and said the sunset of life was about indulgence and happiness. The questioner had gone mute.

Steph held out her change and Mrs. Gunn glanced about the small dining area. “Where’s your mother? I’ve been meaning to ask her when she’s coming over to play poker again.”

Steph stifled a chuckle, remembering that their last evening had been a strip poker game. Just as she started to respond, Debbie’s cute red Miata pulled up in front of the glass window. She pointed. “You can ask her yourself.”

Mrs. Gunn patted her hand and went out to greet Debbie, who threw her arms around one of her new best friends.

When Steph had agreed to let her help at the bakery, it was with great skepticism and she imagined her little business morphing into a vaudeville cabaret. Then Debbie reminded her that before Grandma taught her to bake, she’d taught Debbie. Steph had rarely seen her mother’s domestic side since she was usually too plastered to follow a recipe. Now that she was sober she claimed that baking was like riding a bike and her end results proved she was right. Her pie crusts were ten times better than Steph’s.

KT Tunstall sang “Suddenly I See” through her cell phone, an appropriate anthem for the change in her life. She automatically smiled when she thought of Paula still curled up in bed, the sheet immodestly covering her body.

“Why are you calling me?” she tried to sound perturbed but she immediately laughed. “You’re supposed to be sleeping in,” she continued. “Remember? You’ve worked tirelessly for the last three months.”

It was true. Paula had decided to open her own PR firm and the University of Oregon was one of her first clients. They wanted an outsider to assess their public relations efforts and Paula’s report had greatly impressed the Board of Regents and the university president. Undoubtedly she would get more work from them in the future. Today was her reward—a day of relaxation at home.

“I’m still in bed,” she reassured her. “In fact I’m holding the slinky red teddy you wore last night. You remember it, don’t you? Remember how I slowly peeled it from your body and kissed every inch of exposed skin that my lips could find?”

She shook her head. “You know you’re torturing me, right? I’m here at work, laboring as a small business owner. Remember the small business you insisted I start?”

Paula sighed dramatically on the other end of the phone. “I suppose. Maybe I’ll come by later after I meet with Phil.”

Phil was the contractor building their new home. Although they were fortunate to have Francine’s house as a temporary residence, the memories were still too strong for Paula, who sometimes broke down and wept whenever she thought of her mother. They were eager to move but their design—an architectural beauty that would soon be featured in a local magazine—required a battalion of subcontractors all of whom had their own schedules and quirky work habits. They’d be lucky to hang their Christmas stockings on their new mantel.

Steph quickly said goodbye when she saw that Lily, the overqualified college kid she’d hired, needed her help with the temperamental cappuccino machine. She was the type of girl she’d want for a daughter, a wonderful mixture of brains, beauty and charisma. Apparently Eric thought she was special too because he’d mentioned that they visited via webcam quite frequently.

They fixed the machine again and Steph settled onto a bench with the paper and a cup of coffee, prepared to take a break. She’d been at work since four a.m., the early hours clearly the downside of owning a business that relied on morning customers. However, thanks to Debbie’s innovations, their sandwiches and salads were becoming quite popular as well, and the lunch rush almost equaled the onslaught they endured when the doors opened at seven.

She’d been shocked by the success of the Lighthouse Bakery. It had been Paula’s idea to turn the empty store next to Maude’s Closet and Cut Upz into her dream job. Paula had spent hours convincing Steph that her lifelong hobby could be a profitable endeavor. Paula’s unwavering confidence in her pushed her forward and strengthened their growing love. It helped that the shop had been a restaurant in a previous life and only needed minimal remodeling.

They’d kept it simple and homey, choosing oak chairs and benches for the dining area and spending the big money on the display of the food, purchasing refrigerator cases for cakes and cream pies and large baker’s racks for the breads and pastries they created each day.

In addition to Lily, Steph had hired Felipe, an assistant baker and counter help who made deliveries. She knew she was lucky to live in a college town with so many eager and energetic young people who wanted to work.

The front door opened and Debbie’s hearty laugh filled the room. She held Ted Ruth’s arm and the two of them joined her at the table. She’d moved out of Waverly Place and into a small condo once Steph had employed her at the bakery, and she’d dumped Stevie the Orderly after reestablishing her friendship with Ted. They’d known each other all through Steph’s youth, but Ted had loved Francine and Debbie had loved Jack Daniels.

Steph was grateful Ted was in and Steve was out. It felt a little prudish but she was glad that Debbie was dating someone her own age. Steph had also noticed recently that Ted’s usual three-piece suit had transformed to khakis and open-collared shirts, an entirely acceptable look in the low-key professional world of Eugene.

“Hi, Ted,” she said cheerfully. “How’s business?”

Ted didn’t answer the question but looked at her mother instead. “Do you want to tell her or should I?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Mom, what’s up?” She knew Debbie was plotting something and she pictured poor Ted skydiving or climbing the Himalayas.

Debbie smiled and then giggled uncontrollably. “Ted and I are going to live together.”

“What?”

Ted coughed and said, “Um, I would marry your mother, Steph, it’s just that at our age and with our assets it could be a legal nightmare—”

“You don’t need to justify it to me, Ted. I’m already living in sin.”

“But wouldn’t you marry Paula if you could?” her mother asked.

She didn’t know how to answer that. Her last marriage had left a dark imprint on her psyche, one that would take a while to get over.

“Let’s not pressure Stephanie, honey,” Ted said. “She’s got a wonderful life now.”

Steph smiled at him. He really was a terrific guy and Francine had truly missed an opportunity. “Thanks Ted. I’m fortunate to have so much. Now what do the two of you have planned today?”

“I thought I’d help you make tomorrow’s pies,” Debbie said.

Steph shook her head. “Felipe’s on it, Mom. You taught him well. Why don’t the two of you go and have some fun? Do some shopping.”

Debbie’s face brightened. “I nearly forgot! Before we move in together Ted and I are taking a trip to Paris. Isn’t that great? I always wanted to go there.”

“That’s great,” she said, knowing her mother had never traveled abroad.

She glanced at Ted who gazed lovingly at her mother. She’d never seen any man look at her the way he did. She realized she knew the secret ingredient that had been missing from her mother’s life—mutual affection. Whoever it was that her father had found to fill his life may have been a positive for him but it had subtracted from Debbie proportionally.

“Yes,” she continued, “we’re leaving in two weeks and we’ll be gone for three weeks after that. We’re planning on taking the train all over Europe.” She rubbed noses with Ted and planted a quick kiss on his lips. “It’ll be fabulous.”

“It certainly will,” Steph agreed. “You’ll get to see the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower—”

“Maybe,” Debbie said, “if we ever get out of the hotel room. Teddy here is quite the lover.” She caressed his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly.

Steph closed her eyes. “Too much information, Mom.”

“What?” she scowled. “You’re a middle-aged adult, Stephanie. Surely you don’t think your mother’s sexual urges have all dried up.”

She bit her lip. “Mom, I don’t think about your sexual urges period. It’s the ongoing fantasy that all children have about their parents. We want to believe we were delivered by storks and our parents are asexual beings. It helps us avoid therapy.” She shuddered and stood up. “Go have a good time today. After the lunch rush I’m heading home to see my lover.”

Steph waited for her reaction but Debbie stared at her blandly. “What, Steph? You think I’ll be shocked that you and Paula eat each other’s pussies?”

She stood there stunned. Her mother’s ear-to-ear grin reminded her that she would never best her when it came to embarrassment. For as long as she lived Debbie would continue to rule a land of raunchy humor where Howard Stern could be king to her queen.

Steph walked to her office unable to describe her emotions, which sat at the brim of her mind waiting to spill over. Gone were the anger of her youth and the pity over Debbie’s alcoholism. She no longer felt either. The corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up and her shoulders lifted slightly. She knew what was coming when a sound passed through her lips. Before she could stop herself, she was laughing hysterically.

The lunch rush came in a cyclonic wave as everyone wanted something to eat all at the same time, unlike breakfast, which seemed to be a meal that drifted throughout the morning. She was ready to go, leaving instructions with Lily and Felipe for closing at three. While the worst thing about serving breakfast and lunch was the early mornings, the best part was the early closing, ensuring that the evenings were still open for fun and relaxation.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Paula stood at the counter dressed all in black—jeans, T-shirt and boots. Her crooked smile suggested this wasn’t an impromptu visit. Steph leaned over the counter and kissed her.

“Hey, babe. You look hot.”

“Good enough to eat?” she teased.

Her teeth set on edge for a second, as she remembered Debbie’s playful comment.

Paula noticed. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, my mother was just…”

“Being Debbie?” Paula finished.

She nodded. “So how’s the house?”

Paula smiled. “It’s going great. They’ve got the front glass windows in place and the cantilevered ceiling looks amazing. It’s going to be magnificent.”

Steph smiled at the thought of owning a home she’d actually helped design. Although she and Lawrence had designed their Scottsdale monstrosity, she wasn’t consulted about any of the furnishings and he trusted the decorator’s opinion more than hers. Eric had recently told her he’d suspected his dad had had an affair with the decorator since he caught them sitting in her Lexus one afternoon—in the backseat. As a ten-year-old he thought nothing of it when his father told him they were looking for something she’d lost.

Paula clasped her hands and stroked her fingers. “I have a surprise for you.”

“For me?”

“Well, actually it’s for both of us.”

She followed her outside to her hybrid Toyota Highlander and she pulled their duffle bags from the hatch and tossed them into the backseat of Steph’s BMW convertible.

“Get in,” she said slyly.

“Where are we going?” Steph asked, thrilled that Paula wanted to surprise her.

“You’ll see.”

Paula snapped her fingers as if she’d forgotten something and went back into the bakery. She returned with two takeout boxes and set them carefully on the floor of the backseat.

“What’s inside?”

“That’s for me and Felipe to know and you to find out,” she said, lowering the Beemer’s top.

She zoomed onto the highway and headed west. It didn’t take long for Steph to guess their destination. Driving down the interstate it was clear that Mrs. Gunn was right. The spring sunshine had finally arrived and she relished the welcomed shift in Oregon weather. After spending years in the constant Arizona heat, she’d forgotten about the long months of rain in the Pacific Northwest. She tilted her chin upward and imagined Vitamin D spilling over her. Apparently, Paula was watching. “There is nothing hotter than a beautiful woman cruising in a convertible,” she said.

Her free hand slowly pushed the hem of Steph’s dress over her knee until the tips of her fingers stroked her inner thigh. Steph leaned against the headrest and breathed in the new car smell, enjoying Paula’s caress.

The car was her gift to herself after her divorce was finalized. Lawrence’s threat to expose her lesbianism had been quashed by Eric, who made it clear that he would back his mother in court if Lawrence said a word, and he insisted that his mother receive what she deserved.

Lawrence acquiesced and Steph received a handsome settlement, which although it wasn’t truly fifty percent of his wealth, it was enough to make her happy. And what he didn’t know was that Eric planned to move to Eugene next fall. His relationship with Lily was all hot sparks as Paula liked to say, and absence really was making their hearts grow fonder.

When Paula reached the 101 and turned the BMW north, Steph was certain their destination was Heceta. When the lighthouse cliff came into view, she clapped her hands together like a child seeing Disneyland in the distance. The sun eventually disappeared when the road wended between the trees that lined either side and met in the middle.

They hadn’t even opened the Beemer’s doors and Caroline was running down the porch steps to greet them, arms outstretched for a hug. It had been nearly two months since they’d visited, although she routinely went to Eugene for various reasons, including shopping at the Lighthouse Bakery.

“It’s so wonderful that you’re here for the weekend,” she said in Steph’s ear.

“We are?”

She looked at Paula who pulled their duffel bags from the back. “Yes, that’s the surprise. This is our romantic weekend.”

Steph frowned. “What about the shop? Who’ll do the baking and open?”

Paula gripped her shoulders. “Steph, you have a capable staff. Your mother’s going to direct Felipe and Lily. It’ll be fine, I think,” she quickly added.

Steph gave her a worried look and Paula kissed her forehead. “We have to be able to leave and vacation. This is a good test for your mother.”

Steph turned to Caroline. “Please tell me you have a really potent bottle of wine that I can consume.”

“I most certainly do.” She patted her on the back and accepted the pastry boxes that Paula pulled from the back. “And thanks for bringing dessert.”

“Not a problem,” Steph said. “I didn’t even know I was.”

They got settled in Victoria’s Room and Steph looked about for Rue, remembering the figure she’d seen in the window all those months ago when Lawrence had driven her away from Heceta. So much had happened since then.

After a wonderful dinner with Caroline and Rick, Paula led her down the trail toward the lighthouse. The beacon showered the night with its strength and Paula grinned.

“What are you thinking about?”

She pulled her closer and kissed her in response.

They went up into the tower and stared at the ocean through the enormous glass. Paula held her tightly in her arms, her lips nuzzling her ear. It was heaven. Steph was happy and she felt incredibly strong.

“Being up here reminds me of this great story my mother used to tell me,” Paula said. “There were these two battleships out on maneuvers for several days in terrible weather. One night the captain was out on the bridge with the lookout. They saw a light and the captain ordered the lookout to signal the other ship, warning them that they were on a collision course. He ordered the other ship to change course by twenty degrees.

“The lookout sent the message and it came back saying that they should change course twenty degrees. Well, the captain was angry and he sent another message saying that he was a captain and the other ship needed to change course. The reply came, I am a second-class seaman and you must change course. By then the captain was furious, and he sent the message, I am a battleship! And the reply came, I am a lighthouse. Needless to say, the captain changed course.”

Steph laughed heartily. “I can see why Francine liked that story.”

“We’re all alone in this incredibly romantic place.” Paula buried her fingers in Steph’s hair and brought her lips against Steph’s ear. “You’ve changed in the past few months, haven’t you?”

“I’ve certainly learned a lot about myself,” Steph chuckled. “I’m very certain about what I want.”

“Oh, what do you want?”

Steph found a blanket in the storage bin and spread it out on the tiny expanse of floor. Paula stood motionless as she slowly removed her clothes, the light of Heceta casting a heavenly glow about her. She sat up on her elbows hoping she looked as sexy as she felt.

“I want you—right now.”

Paula fell beside her, landing in her arms, laughing. “Take me, I’m yours.”

She cuddled against Steph and slowly stripped off her clothes. Steph’s heart was pounding in a rhythm filled with expectation and anxiety.

“Is this okay?” she couldn’t help asking, as her hands caressed her breasts.

Paula cradled her face in her hands. “Honey, it’s more than okay. It’s forever.”

Paula’s words fortified her. As Heceta turned in the night, the confident woman Steph thought she’d lost so long ago reemerged and Paula’s cries of delight wrapped a shell of contentment around her heart. It indeed would be forever and always with her. Time had stood still, and like the beacon their love had never extinguished but continued to evolve—lighting their route back to each other. At least that’s what Steph thought about afterward, lying in her arms, staring into the rafters and holding hands.

Two hours later they climbed down the tiny ladder and traipsed back up the trail to Victoria’s Room. A light breeze flew past their faces and Paula’s thick hair floated behind her, giving her the appearance of an angel. The hike took much longer than it should since she constantly stopped and pulled Steph against her for a long kiss.

“I think we’re looking at another fifty years together,” she said. “Do you think you can stand me that long?”

“That would be fabulous,” Steph said, almost giddy.

“Really? That doesn’t worry you?”

She stopped. “Does it worry you?”

Paula smiled. “No, I’ve seen my life with you and without you. There’s no comparison.” She touched her cheek and started to say something but suddenly changed her mind.

“What is it?”

Paula took her hand again and resumed the hike, silent until they arrived at Victoria’s Room. As she prepared to open the door, her hand froze with the key in the lock. Again she looked at Steph with that same hesitancy.

“Paula, are you okay? Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” she said quickly and pushed open the door.

Steph went straight to the dresser and removed her jewelry, longing for a shower, but when she turned around Paula was staring at something on the bed. Paula looked up at her, her mouth agape.

Steph followed her gaze—to a diamond ring that perched inside an open velvet box. It was the most exquisite ring she’d ever seen, delicate but bold.

“That’s absolutely beautiful.”

Paula took a deep breath. “I’m glad you like it. It was my grandmother’s and I wanted to give it to you.”

“What?”

“I brought you here to propose. I was going to do it at the lighthouse but I lost my nerve. I couldn’t bear it if you said no, so I left the ring in the room—”

“But you didn’t leave it on the bed like this.”

Paula shook her head slowly, clearly shocked. Despite her belief in Rue, Steph knew from experience that it was disturbing to have an encounter. “How?” Paula finally said.

“No one knows how but she’s definitely trying to tell you something.” Steph embraced her and rested her chin on her shoulder. “And my answer is yes, if you’re still asking.”

The smile grew on Paula’s face and it was contagious. They hugged each other tightly, laughing like they did when they were kids, unabashedly and freely. It had been their remedy against all the world’s flaws—Debbie’s embarrassments, Francine’s old-fashioned ways, Paul’s death and John’s constant absence. Nothing was unbearable if they were united and nearly twenty years had done nothing to change their laughter’s potency.

Steph slid the ring onto her finger and Paula drowned her resurging giggles with kisses. They fell onto the bed, the thrill of being newly engaged extinguishing their fatigue and reigniting their passion. The raging wind muffled their sounds of pleasure and they cried out in ecstasy without any worry of waking Caroline or Rick.

Their energy toppled quickly and Paula fell asleep in Steph’s arms while she listened to the wind rustle the trees. She couldn’t be certain but an incongruous melody seemed to float beside it, an odd harmony. She closed her eyes to block out all of her other senses, just to hear it. It had nearly floated away, probably all the way to Heceta before she understood what it was—wild laughter.

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 544