Chapter 7

The rest of the day passed uneventfully until sundown. Rosa, Kellen, and I worked throughout the day, making a good team. Kellen was so young—probably fresh out of nursing school—that I was surprised he was as knowledgeable as he was about nursing. He performed as if he were a seasoned veteran—just as good as Rosa, and she had been a nurse for over twenty years. I pushed the thought aside, deciding to go home early, or on time, actually.

“I don’t believe it. The sun is just setting and you’re going home,” Rosa teased with a twinkle in her eye. “The days of miracles aren’t over.”

“Love you, too!” I said, knowing it would irritate her.

“You know …”

“I know, your boat don’t float that way,” I teased as a smile curled my lips. “But if you ever change your mind …”

“I won’t let you know,” Rosa returned. She had been a friend and like a mother to me for years. I loved her to death.

“Have a great night,” I waved to Kellen over my shoulder as I left. He returned the wave with a smile then turned his attention back to the chart that he was holding.

When I got home, I was surprised that Steven wasn’t home yet, and it was six o’clock in the evening. He should be sleeping now before going to work. I walked in and the house looked as if Steven hadn’t been home all day. I took a deep breath as I plopped my purse down on the table by the door, wondering where Steven could be. Maybe he went out to pick up some dinner and would be back soon, I thought as I headed upstairs.

I changed into a sweatshirt and jeans, then lay down on the couch and flipped on the television. I found a love story, but the hero reminded me too much of Lance so I changed the channel and found an action adventure movie. I shoved a couch pillow under my head as the night wore on, waiting for Steven, but he never showed.

Finally, I went to the kitchen, threw a few baked potatoes and some short ribs into the oven, and waited. I went ahead and ate without him at nine o’clock while watching the movie, wondering where he could be. Obviously, he hadn’t expected me to come home early, or on time.

After the movie ended, I turned off the television and wrapped up the leftovers, threw them in the refrigerator, and went up the stairs alone and dressed for bed. But as I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts ventured to Lance a little more often than they should.

***

The next morning was Saturday and I decided to take the day off. I needed to get groceries and do some things around the house. I looked around at the house and saw that it could use a good cleaning, too. I made coffee, then showered and slipped on a pair of light blue shorts and a white tank top, then pulled on my tennis shoes and went for a run. I returned to the house about eight o’clock in the morning, and Steven still hadn’t come home yet.

I was a bit too sweaty from my run, but I decided to do some cleaning while I waited, promising myself that I’d shower after. After cleaning the whole house, Steven still hadn’t arrived yet. I looked at the clock and it was eleven in the morning. I grabbed my cell phone and dialed his number.

“This is Steven Reynolds. Leave a message,” his answering service blurted out, direct and to the point.

“Call me,” I said, then quickly clicked off the phone and threw it into my purse. I was worried, but pissed at the same time. Maybe Rosa was right. Maybe he was having an affair. I quickly pushed the thought aside as I pulled my sweaty blonde hair up into a ponytail and headed out the door to the store without showering.

I got the groceries and returned home at two o’clock in the afternoon and Steven still wasn’t home yet. Then, I wondered how long he hadn’t been coming home. I quickly showered and dried my hair, letting it fall into loose waves over my shoulders. Then, I opted for a pair of jeans, a light blue blouse, and heels. I needed to get out of the house, so I decided to go shopping at the mall. I couldn’t wait around for Steven to come home again.

I jumped into the car and headed toward the mall. The sparkling desert sand stretched out for miles along the edge of the highway, like jewels on a tan blanket, but soon gave way to the high rises of the strip, leaving the desert behind. Casinos and wedding chapels rose up in the desert oasis against the backdrop of the blue sky, each with a unique shape and structure, promising a great time to tourists.

I made a left turn off the strip between buildings, restaurants, and wedding chapels, and soon pulled up in the mall parking lot. The sun was already dimming overhead as I headed into the tan, stone building.

I took a deep breath as my mind drifted back to Steven. We didn’t argue often. We never saw each other long enough to. Then, guilt washed over me when I realized that he could have already moved out and I was working so much that I wouldn’t have noticed, making me wonder what kind of a marriage we really had. We had been seeing each other in passing for months now and I knew that we couldn’t keep going on this way. I vowed that I would speak with him as soon as I saw him.

I pushed the thoughts of Steven aside, then milled through the shops halfheartedly. I found two cute dresses, one a black short, strapless number and one red with spaghetti straps, and also some strappy heels to match each dress. I was in a mood to feel more like a woman and not a doctor. It had been a while since I went shopping for frivolous clothes and I felt much better as I carried my purchases out to the car into the dark night and locked them in the trunk of my Mercedes.

I looked up past the bright lights sending shadows across the parking lot and people were milling into the movie theater. It had been a while since I saw a movie, and for a moment, I almost called Rosa to join me, knowing that she was off, but I wasn’t in the mood for idle chit chat. It would be nice to watch a movie and just relax, leaving the outside world behind for a while.