A Summer of Discovery

Chapter Fifteen

"Hey baby. I'm home safe" Lucy sung in her sweet way.

I was still walking back to the house when she called. "Good I'm glad you got there okay. How's work?" I asked.

"I think I've fixed the problem Margo flagged up but could be in the office all evening. What have you all been up to today" She asked.

I passed Pops garage and crossed the road. My phone pressed to my ear slipped slightly as my hand trembled. "Oh you know the usual! A three legged race, a run in with the town's mouth piece who accused me of coming onto her husband and a swift get away"

"Geeze sounds awful" I could hear commotion in the background. "Baby I have to go now we are heading into a quick meeting"

"Okay Luce. I love you"

"Love you too" She said before clicking off. I stuck the phone back in my pocket and rounded the corner onto my street, Sam was sat on the sidewalk by the house with his large legs spread out in front of him. "Em" He acknowledged standing and walking to meet me.

"Hey" I said approaching slowly. We walked up to the porch and sat on the swing, it creaked beneath us.

"Where you been in this heat" He asked. We both lifted our legs up and rested them on the porch. "I could explain but I think Hell about covers it"

"Uh oh" Sam replied. "Who was it" He asked.

"Who was what" I asked coyly.

"Emery I know you too well. Who made you madder than a wet hen?"

I turned to him quizzically. How the hell did he always read me? "Kristen" I muttered under my breath.

"Oh boy" Sam said chuckling. "This requires a few drinks I feel"

"Sure does but I'm off the booze, especially after last night" I responded feeling a little green again just at the thought.

"Yeah me too. I'll go get us some sodas" Sam said heading into the house. He appeared a few moments later with two bottles and handed me one while he swigged from the other. He got into an identical position beside me. "So tell me, what's Kirsten gone and done now." He asked.

I wiped my forehead and held the soda to my chest. A cold drip from the bottle ran under my T shirt into the folds of my sports bra. "You never told me she was married to Jack from the other night" I replied.

"I'm sorry. I forget what you do and don't know. They've been married for seven years, three kids and a large house on Green acres road. He's probably cheated on her every Friday night for the last seven years, he's a real douche bag"

"Well that explains it" I replied. "Now I don't feel so damn guilty".

"God no, don't feel guilty Em. Geeze. She knows he's at it she just won't leave him, she don't want to be a single mom or divorcee. Not in Fairview. She enjoys her status and his income too much, they pretty much run the country club now with his parents"

I pressed the cold bottle to my lips and held it there momentarily as my thoughts wandered to that moment earlier, with Lilly.

"Em are you listening to me" Sam repeated.

"Sorry what" I said snapping out of it.

"Where do you keep disappearing too" He asked looking at me with a frown.

"Nowhere" I replied smiling up at him. I reached out and took his hand. He looked down and smiled back at me. "Are you sure you're okay Em" He asked. "You haven't seemed yourself this entire trip" He continued.