Catnapped (A Klepto Cat Mystery) (26 page)

“Apparently not,” Savannah responded.

“What do you mean? Do you think life comes with guarantees? Well it doesn’t.” Gladys took a sip of water, set the glass down and then continued, “I didn’t know that we would be as happy as we were. I didn’t know that we would be blessed with two lovely children. I didn’t know that your dad would die and leave me so soon.” She looked off into space for a few seconds and then said, “And would I do it all again if I had known the whole outcome?” She looked Savannah in the eyes and said with conviction, “Absolutely.”

The two women continued eating without talking for a while. And then Gladys asked her daughter, “Why the questions, Savannah? Have you met someone?”

Savannah poked her fork at what was left of her meal and then looked up and said, “I
have
met someone, Mom. He’s wonderful—knocked me right off my feet. He’s handsome. He’s smart. He’s a veterinarian!” she exclaimed.

“Do you love him?”

“Well, I’ve just known him for three weeks and for part of that time, we’ve only communicated by phone and email. I knew Travis for several months before we became a couple and it turned out to be a mistake, as you know.”

“Mistake?” her mother repeated. “Why do you think it was a mistake? Because you ultimately broke up? Savannah this does not mean that your relationship was a mistake. It just means that there’s something else out there for you. This was one of those life experiences that helps to build character, to teach you some lessons that you need in order to prepare for the experiences in your future.”

“Wow! Now isn’t that profound. In fact, I think that’s exactly what Michael was trying to tell me the last time I saw him.”

“Savannah, do you know how your father and I met?” Not waiting for an answer, she said, “I was working at a diner in town. I was just nineteen and still pretty darn wet behind the ears. I’d lived a sheltered life, you might say, and had not done much dating. Oh, there were a few puppy crushes—is that what you call them?—in high school. But then I met your dad. He had just returned from college and was in the process of taking over his father’s business. He came into the restaurant where I’d been working for only a few weeks and we really hit it off. There was just something about him. And he was obviously infatuated with me. He was eight years older than me. Well, we had a whirlwind romance, you might say and we married the following year…without my parents’ blessing, actually.”

Savannah looked stunned. “What? I never heard this story. According to Auntie Marg, you have no sense of adventure. But marrying behind your parents’ back—now that seems a bit adventurous to me.”

“Yes, well, you might say that. But my point is, Savannah, I knew I was in love with your father and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him after our second date.”

“I thought you said you didn’t know. Now I’m confused.”

“Well, honey, there is the heart knowing and the head knowing. I was clear about what my heart wanted. And I guess it’s what my head wanted, too. But I was still not privy to how life would actually be once we were married and had children. Circumstances can change. Things happen. I can tell you all sorts of stories about people I know who were met by obstacles and made new choices. You’re always at liberty to make new choices, dear.”

Gladys continued, “For example, when your dad got sick, that wasn’t something I knew would happen. I never even considered it as a possibility. Yeah, yeah, they include it in your wedding vows. But who takes that seriously? We all think it’s not going to happen to us and if it does, love will see us through.” She took a sip of water, cleared her throat and continued, “Well, when he got sick, I had options. It was certainly a new circumstance. Things had changed without my permission. My expectations of a long, healthy and happy life together had been completely thwarted. My choice was to stick by your father and take care of him for as long as I had the opportunity to do so.”

She looked long and hard at her daughter and then said, “Savannah, don’t allow yourself to miss out on a beautiful life with a wonderful man because you can’t be absolutely sure that the marriage or the man will live up to your every expectation all the time in all ways. There are no absolutes and there are no guarantees.”

When Savannah left her mother’s home that evening and headed toward her apartment, she had a lot to think about. She was surprised that what her mother told her was so much in alignment with what Michael had said to her.
I guess I’ve had it all wrong. I’ve been afraid to live—too cautious. I mean, even my mother has taken risks and been glad she did.

She didn’t call Michael that evening. She turned off her phone and she and Rags went to bed early. Six hours later, she awoke with a start. She was sweating profusely and breathing hard. She looked at the clock. It was 3:00 a.m. And then she remembered her dream. She could see Michael off in the distance. He held his hand out for her. She tried to walk toward him, but each step she took placed her farther away from him. He was disappearing into a crowd of beautiful women. In her last glimpse of him, he was turning away from her, putting his arm around another woman and walking through a tunnel. At that point, she began calling out to him, “Michael, Michael. Don’t leave me.” But it was too late. The window of opportunity had closed for Savannah.

Suddenly, she knew what she had to do. Although she had made a tentative date with Gwen to ride down to the beach that afternoon, she felt a greater need to take care of something within herself. She got up out of her bed and fed Rags. She showered, threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She put a few toiletries and clean clothes in her backpack, grabbed a jacket, and jumped in her car. Luckily, she had filled it with gas the day before. She would call Brianna and ask her to feed Rags for the next couple of days.

Savannah headed north on Highway 101 and drove until it got light. She stopped above Santa Barbara for a bite to eat and then continued north, catching Highway 1 just outside of Morro Bay. It was midday when she reached Big Sur.

Even Big Sur made her think of Michael. She recalled one glorious evening together when they talked about their favorite places. She was blown away to learn that they actually shared a couple of favorite spots. Both of them had spent brief periods in Alaska and each of them had a strong desire to return. And then there was this cove in Big Sur where Savannah had spent time with her family over the years. Michael thought he knew the spot, as he used to go there when he was in college to get away from the grind, take in the wonders of nature and to think. As she trekked down the rocky path toward the beach, she was glad to see that it was secluded. She bundled her jacket tightly around herself against the wind and began to walk out onto the sand. It was then that she spotted someone standing a distance away. She stopped.
Probably a resident out for a walk,
she thought.

She found her favorite brooding/thinking spot and sat down on an old log. She was engrossed in watching the waves rush in and slowly back out. The foam formations appearing and disappearing mesmerized her—she found it almost hypnotic.
I’m glad I came,
she thought.
This place is so beautiful—so peaceful.

“Savannah?”

What? My God, who’s that? Am I hearing things?
she thought as she turned toward the voice.

“Michael! What are you doing here?”

“Thinking. The same as you are,” he said. “I thought I would feel closer to you if I was in your favorite place.” He walked around in front of Savannah, took her hands and said, “I miss you.”

“Oh Michael.” Savannah stood and threw herself into his arms in one quick motion. “I can’t get you out of my mind.” She kissed him over and over.

“Well, good.”

She pulled away from him, looked hard into his face and then kissed him so passionately both of them were weak-kneed for a few moments. “Michael,” she said as she nuzzled into his neck, “I want us to be together.”

He held her away from him and stared into her face expectantly. “Do you mean…?”

“Yes…er…no, well, I mean…”

“What Savannah? A man can only take so much. What are you thinking? What do you want?” he asked while sitting down on the log and pulling her gently down with him.

“Michael, I came here to think about us, my life, my goals, my stupid expectations and to try to figure out what to do. When I saw you just now, it all became quite clear to me. If you will agree, this is what I’d like to do.”

“Yes?” Michael waited trying not to let his boyish impatience show.

“I’d like to spend time with you in some sort of normal dating situation. Does this sound hokey to you or like I’m afraid to face how we feel about each other?”

“No,” he said hesitantly. “No, I guess not, really. I want you to be as ready for marriage with me as I am ready to marry you, Savannah and I’m willing to do whatever it takes. If you need more time, then let’s take more time.”

“But I want us to spend that time together as much as possible,” she said.

He looked over at her. “Do you want to move up to Hammond now?”

“I’m thinking about it,” she said. “I’ve realized that I don’t have anything in LA to hold me. There’s my mom and my sister and a few friends. But I’m not attached to the job. I’m not interested in going clubbing and my married friends are too busy to bother with me at this point in their lives. Brianna is off to medical school most of the year in Cleveland and my mother, it so happens, has carved out a fairly nice life for herself. She even took Aunt Marg’s advice and joined a singles group. Wait until I tell Auntie!”

She took in a deep breath, massaged Michael’s hands with her own, and said, “I’m ready to move on, Michael. Sight unseen, no crystal ball, and with no guarantees, I’m ready to commit to you, if you don’t mind that we take baby steps,” she added, just as he was ready to comment.

“Baby steps, giant leaps…it doesn’t matter, as long as we can be together, my love.” He wrapped both arms around her and they sat quietly for a while watching the ocean waves and listening to the wind whistle through the twisted cypress trees on the cliff above them.

Finally, Michael whispered in Savannah’s ear, “Where do we start?”

She looked over at him. “I’d like to take you up on your offer of a veterinary position whenever you want me to begin.”

“Yesterday.”

“Funny boy,” she laughed. “I think it’s too soon to involve lawyers and get something in writing, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess. But you can come to work for me. I have a proposal and wage schedule already worked up. Come home with me now and we’ll talk about it,” he said in a husky voice into her neck.

“Nice try,” she said. “No, I’m going home to LA tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” he asked pulling back—a look of expectancy on his face.

“Yes, I thought I’d stay for the weekend since I’m here.” She watched him, as if waiting for him to make the next move.

“I packed my overnight bag, too.” He searched her eyes for a sign of what might come of the weekend. “I know a cozy little motel off the beaten path with a great view of the ocean and nothing distracting like TV,” he said hopefully. And then he added, “We can share a room. But the rooms have only one bed.”

“It sounds lovely, Michael,” she said as she rubbed her hand softly over his.

***

“I’ll be there next weekend,” Savannah said into the phone.

“Oh Vannie, I’m thrilled that you’re coming. You can help me pick out a wedding dress.” Margaret sounded almost giddy. “And you can help me plan my honeymoon. Max wants me to choose the place and I don’t know where we should go. I can’t even decide what flavor cake to order. But guess what? I’ll have my cast off for the wedding. In fact, it comes off a week before, so I can practice my dance steps,” she said, laughing.

“Well, I’ll help where I can, but I’ll be working at Michael’s clinic starting next Monday. I have rotating days off and we’re both off on Sunday. I sure appreciate you letting me stay with you while I look for an apartment.”

“You don’t need to look for an apartment. Just stay here. I’ll be moving in over at Max’s anyway. I’m selling the place. But not right away. You’ll probably be staying a lot of nights at Michael’s right?”

“Oh, I don’t think so, Auntie. We’ve decided to go slow, so there will be no premature living together,” Savannah said. “Thank you for the offer of your place. I’ve become quite attached to my room upstairs. Rags and I would love to come back there. I’ll pay you rent while I’m there.”

“You’ll do no such thing—at least not until after the wedding.”

“It’s your wedding day, Auntie,” Savannah said as she stood behind Margaret, smiling at her through the mirror on her dressing table. “Are you ready?”

“Oh, I guess as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“You have only an hour. The family should be here any time. What are you going to do with your hair?”

Margaret held something up for Savannah to see. “I bought this foo-foo hairdo thingy—otherwise I’ll wear it like I always do. How can you change a do that is cut to be a bob?”

“I love your foo-foo hairdo thingy,” Savannah said with a laugh. She looked more closely at her aunt’s hair. “I can help you put it in.” She pulled Margaret’s hair back off her face on one side. “How about we put it here for a dramatic look…like this?”

“Ohhhh, I like it. Good idea,” Margaret said. Then she looked up at Savannah. “Can you help me with makeup? You do such a good job with your own. I want to look like you.”

She smiled. “I think your new husband would rather you look like you, Auntie. But sure, let’s give your face a little color.”

In the meantime, Helena and Martha were in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the hors d’oeuvres trays for the reception that would follow the nuptials. Antonio and Juan had built an arbor out in Margaret’s backyard over which they wove two climbing rose bushes. Lavender. Margaret wanted lavender roses and Esperanza shopped until she found a shade as close to lavender as possible. The party-rental people had set up the tables for the reception and the chairs for the service.