Chapter 10: Time to Walk
She called in sick to work that day, and the next day as well. Her phone was stuffed under her mattress with the ringer off. She didn’t want to look at it, did not want to see anyone calling or notice if there were text messages from anyone, or if there weren’t.
She took lots of hot bubble baths, stayed in comfy pajamas, and kept the lights off and the curtains closed, and ignored the door.
The way she was feeling reminded her of those first few days after Trevor had dropped the bomb on his smear campaign and the school district had called to let her know she was relieved of her duties. It was a feeling of loss, but an extreme version. A person can lose a lot, and not feel lost. But when your livelihood is stripped away, and on top of it your ability to make a living teaching and helping kids – both things that were her passion in life – and everyone you pass on the street stares at you like you are toxic, you feel lost. This felt a lot like that.
In this variation though, the circumstances were a little different though the feelings were the same. She couldn’t go back to Bud’s store because Dave would find her there, and that stripped away her livelihood; she had gone out on a limb and trusted someone again, and been burned again; any chance she ever had of a happy ending in this town went down the tubes when Trevor ruined her life, and the way things worked out with Dave proved that was the case.
She was running dangerously low on food, having consumed all of the ice cream and peanut butter and lettuce – not all mixed together, of course – and she knew she could not stay hidden in her house forever. She did the only thing a girl with no future and no man in her life can do: she called her best friend, but got voicemail.
“Scarlet, you have to come over. I have no food and I can’t go out. I need you. Bring wine and more ice cream,” her message said.
An hour later, Scarlet knocked on the door. At least Kirby hoped it was Scarlet, and not Dave.
“I brought Rocky Road, Moose Tracks, and Vanilla, in case you’re feeling indecisive,” Scarlet said. “There’s also red wine, white wine, vodka, and whiskey, for the same reason.”
Kirby hugged Scarlet tight, grateful for such a good friend in her time of need.
“Now spill. What is this about?” Scarlet pressed.
“Well, you know how you told me to trust Dave? I did. We went out that night, spent the night together, it was magical. And then, I wake up and he’s got a text message from Trevor. I swear to God. I mean, Trevor has his personal number? Most baseball players I know keep that a closely guarded secret, and yet he gave it to Trevor? And then there’s more. The message was about a house. I don’t know what it was about, but I think they’re trying to make a deal on a property and Trevor wants something from Dave. I just got this sinking feeling I’m in the middle of it, you know? I can’t trust Dave now, because why didn’t he tell me he was still negotiating properties with Trevor? Like, shouldn’t he have kept me up to speed on that? And what could Dave have that Trevor could possibly want, besides money and me? And it’s not about money, because the message said that Trevor was willing to sell this property for 50% of market value, so it has to be about me. So I walked. I left, I didn’t go back, I haven’t gone to work, and I haven’t returned his calls, and---“
“Just stop. Stop! Take a breath,” Scarlet said. “Gawd, you’re just rattling on! You’re not even making any sense! Don’t you see? Everything you’ve said is conjecture? Break out the facts, okay?”
“I can’t. All I can think about is the feelings of this situation. The facts and the feelings are all mixed up in one,” Kirby replied. “That’s why I called you. Help me?”
“Yeah, I will. That’s what friends are for. All you know is, you and Dave hit it off, and he likes you and you like him, and you’re amazing together. Those are facts. Stick to them.”
At that, Kirby burst into tears.
“And, you know that Dave got a text message from Trevor,” Scarlet continued. “You don’t know what it meant, what it was about, whether Dave liked the message or was offended by it. You don’t know!”
“You’re right. I don’t know.”
“So, don’t you think he has a right to explain it to you? Shouldn’t you give him the benefit of the doubt and let him tell his side?”
“Yes, I should.”
“Okay then! We’re making progress—“
“But I won’t,” Kirby interrupted.
“What? Why? You agree with the logic, so what’s the problem?”
“It’s just that I fell really hard and really fast for Dave, and it scared me. I mean, after only a few days I started feeling like I couldn’t breathe without him in my life, and I just don’t know… I don’t know if I’m ready for that, you know? You know how these celebrity types are, they’re all the same!”
“Oh no, not this again…” Scarlet groaned.
“They want a safe woman, someone beautiful by their side that will behave and play their part, so the man in their life can make great strides in their career. Trevor was that way, and Dave probably is the same. I mean, how picturesque, right? He comes home to Breckenridge and marries a hometown girl? The press will eat that up! He didn’t make the draft, and this might be just the exposure he needs to remind the big leagues that he’s still available and get him back in the press again! Trevor’s probably been coaching him all along on his strategy!”
“Oh my God, you’re so suspicious. I think you’re blowing this out of proportion.”
“I don’t think so, Scarlet. Why else would he have worked so hard to find me in the hardware store, making up stuff he needed to buy there, and then moving so fast to get me to fall for him? Spring training is just around the corner, he needs a team, and time is running out! He gets his face in the press, he gets a phone call from a team, then he dumps me, which is what Trevor has coached him to do all along!”
“I guess it’s possible, but do you really think he’s that devious?”
“The only part I am unsure about is whether he was going to dump me all along and make Trevor happy, perhaps in exchange for some property, or actually marry me and keep me locked up in his arm-candy, trophy-wife prison for the rest of my life. You know how these guys are, always trolling for a safe wife. Well, regardless of what he was planning, I don’t want either – I don’t want to make Trevor happy and I won’t be anyone’s safe wife.”
Scarlet was quiet then, her arsenal for diffusing Kirby all but emptied. “So what are you going to do then?”
“I’m leaving town. I’ve got to get out of this place. I realize now that my only hope for some peace and a fresh start is in a new place, where people don’t know me.”
“Any idea where you’ll go?”
“I’ve been watching a job opening at the ski school in Keystone. I called them yesterday and they said it’s mine if I want it. I’ll be teaching a class for kids with Downs Syndrome, and it’s right up my alley.”
“I know you’ve missed teaching,” Scarlet said.
“I have. I’ve missed the kids, I’ve missed being able to teach, and I’ve missed skiing. Trevor took those things from me, and I’m going to take them back now.”
“I’ll miss you, but at least Keystone isn’t far away. I think you’re blowing this thing out of proportion, but I also don’t disagree that a fresh start could be really healthy for you.”
“Thanks, Scarlet. I appreciate the support. I’ll miss you too,” said Kirby.
“Well, there’s only one decision left to make then,” Scarlet said.
“Oh? What’s that?”
“Which ice cream we are going to pig out on first! After all, if you’re moving, you can’t take this stuff with you. So, let’s get busy!”
They ended up finding that vanilla ice cream and white wine are an amazing combination on a snowy winter’s night. In the morning, Kirby called Bud and put in her notice of resignation. She thanked him for the opportunity to work for him, especially when no one else was willing to take a chance on her, and told him her plans. He, being the kind soul that he is, wished her well, of course, and even told her he’d pay her through her two weeks’ notice so that she could get a jump start on her new job. It was more than generous, but not surprising to Kirby. Bud was one of the kindest men she had ever met.
Kirby packed her car and made preparations to leave that afternoon.
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