Tempting Fate (7 page)

"Um hum, great huh? Who is he?" Melanie's eyes lit up and she giggled.

"'He?' What do you mean by that? Why does it mean there was a guy involved for it to be a great day?" Abby was caught, but she was not going to give up any information about Westly. She couldn't, she didn't know anything, except for his great smile and the way his eyes blazed lighting up any room he was in. The way she felt in his arms, so safe and protected from the bad things of the world.

"Right. Okay, I'll believe you, for now anyway." Melanie yawned again, "I got to change and get to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

"Hey I know you're tired, but Jamal wanted me to ask you if you wanted to go running with us in the morning? He wants to meet at the track at seven."

"Seven, sure you can get up that early?" She had a smart smile on her face as she said it. "I'll wake you at six-fifty, but I'm not going to pull you out of the bed so you better get up! How far are you going to run?"

"I'll get up don't worry. I'm going to bed now, so I can get some extra sleep. More than likely I can do about two miles; although, I'm sure Jamal will want to do way more than that."

"Alright, I'll see you bright and early. I'll make sure to have some coffee ready for you."

"Sounds great already. I'm glad you have that wildly illegal coffee pot of yours - such a rule breaker."

"It's expensive on campus. With as much as I drink, I would be broke in a month." Melanie and Abby both laughed, it was true. Melanie drank at least two or three pots a day and that was just from her room. Adding work hours to that, only Melanie knew how much she drank in a day.

Getting ready to get back into bed, Abby found herself thinking of Westly again. Smiling as she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 6

As Abigail awoke, she tried to ignore the fact that she dreamed of him again. The day was going to be busy, but at least it was Friday. As she got ready for work, she started thinking of the weekend plans. The washer had died on Tuesday, so they would have to go out and get a new one first thing in the morning. Christian, her oldest, had his first baseball game of the season in the afternoon and she had to bring the snacks and drinks for the team. “Guess I better go to the store at lunch time today.”

“What was that my love?” Her husband had entered the room.

“Just talking to myself; we have a busy weekend you know. I have to go out at lunch today and get snacks and drinks for Christian’s team.”

“I know,” he wrapped his arms around her from behind, and she thought of Westly again. She had to shake it off; it was just a stupid dream! “Is there anything I can do to help?” He kissed her on the neck and she knew instantly what he was thinking.

“While I am enjoying the thought of that right now, I think we both know we don’t have the time,” Abigail turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. “But it would help if you got the stuff out for breakfast while I wake the kids up and get them ready upstairs.”

“Ok, I guess. The alternative would be more fun though!”

“Yes it would, but you and I both know there is no time.” With a kiss for him she was out of his arms and headed upstairs to wake the kids.

During Breakfast Brady asked if she had picked up the present for Adam’s birthday party tomorrow or not. Abigail had forgotten about it all together. “We have to go out and get a new washer in the morning, so we will pick it up then. What time is the party again?”

Abigail walked over to the calendar on the fridge, filled with plans like she had always kept it. Christian’s game was at 2pm, Brady’s party from 3 to 6, and a family brunch on Sunday with her in-laws.

“When you wrote it on the ‘all mighty’ calendar of yours. Miss ‘I have to be organized or the world will fall apart.’” The grin on his face was from ear to ear, he just loved it when she forgot or the calendar faltered in some way. He hated the thing and could never understand why she could not just go with the flow.

“Hey, you might think I over plan, Mr. ‘Fly by the seat of my pants,’ but you knew how I was before you married me.” He laughed so hard at her she wanted to smack him in the back of his head.

“Alright troops let’s head out the door before your mother tries to tackle me and makes us all laugh.”

“You might be bigger than me mister, but you know what’s what around here,” Abigail smiled as she said it.

Abigail’s day at work was over in a flash. Twice she had peeked her head out of her office looking for Westly. Had she really thought she heard his voice? She was mad at herself for even thinking it. Westly was a dream and nothing more and she needed to forget him altogether. There was work to be done and thinking of him was no way to waste her time.

As she got in her car to head home, she called to order the pizza, and then called to remind her husband to pick it up on his way home. Pizza night was every Friday, the one night a week she did not have to think about cooking or cleaning up a big mess afterward.

All through dinner her mind was on Westly and why the dream seemed so real to her. She just could not figure it out. Everyone else in a dream about college made sense: Rachel, Melanie, Jamal, and Paul. She still knew them all and talked to them on a regular basis. She was Melanie’s matron of honor when she married Jamal about five years ago. Even seven months pregnant with Brady, Melanie insisted it had to be her.

Abigail had transferred to a college in Texas closer to home her junior year. Tennessee had just gotten to be too far away from her family.

“You’re quiet tonight Abigail. What are you thinking about?”

“Hum, what? Oh nothing, just work and the weekend and other stuff.” What was she going to say to him?
Oh just another man; he is in my dreams and I just can’t get him out of my mind. Oh but don’t worry hunny, he’s not real.
Yeah that would go over real well!

“Remember when we were young and didn’t want to stay home for the weekend? We should have stayed home then and slept all the time. I can’t remember the last quiet weekend we had at home.”

Samantha started laughing right along with them. “Silly Mommy, silly Daddy.” She had no idea what was funny. Abigail and her husband started laughing even harder than before.

After dinner Abigail loaded the dishwasher while the kids went to play in their rooms and her husband went for a run. As soon as she was done, she went into her office and hopped on the Internet to look at washers and make a list of where she wanted to go tomorrow. By luck she found the perfect one and it was on sale. That will make everything easier in the morning she thought. She was done so fast she sent a quick e-mail to Rachel.

Rach,

I think I’m going crazy! I’m dreaming of a person that does not exist, almost every night. I can’t get his eyes out of my head and I just can’t make sense of any of it. I’m hoping you can help. Did we know a Westly in college that I don’t remember? And if we did, why do you think I’m dreaming of him?

Anyway, everything else is going great here. I got a huge project at work and I get to fly to New York City to present it. Maybe there will be a promotion in it for me!! All your God-babies are good and growing so fast. We all miss you and hope we get to see you soon.

“Kid’s lets get ready for your baths; then you can watch some television before bed.”

“Ah Mom! Do we have to?” Abigail just loved the surround sound her kids created when they all whined together.

“Ah, yes you have to; it’s getting late. Samantha you’re first baby girl, come on. Christian help your brother clean up and take your shower in the guest bath please.”

“Okay Mommy,” Christian bent down to start cleaning up.

“Mommy I’m not dirty enough yet; I think I’ll wait till the end of the weekend for a bath. I think I will have enough dirt on me then.” Brady always had a reason not to take a bath, but this was a new one.

“Sorry Brady but you have to hunny. It’s just the way it is. Now come on, clean up these toys please.”

By the time the kids were in bed, Abigail was worn out. Her husband was in bed watching a game of baseball on the television. As she stood in their bathroom brushing her hair up into a ponytail for bed, her husband’s screams of, “GO, GO, GO,” startled her, and she ended up pulling her own hair with the brush.

“Would you be quiet; the kids are in bed. No matter how loud you scream they can’t hear you, you know?”

“Sorry love, you know how I can get. Are you coming to bed now, or are you going to work in the office first?”

“I’m so tired, I would fall asleep on my desk if I tried.” As she crawled into bed, she positioned her pillows and got comfortable.”

“Not bad dreams, just strange ones, bewitched really. Don’t worry about it, just all the pressure at work I’m sure. Good night baby; I love you.” There, that was not really a lie; the truth was irrelevant. Westly was not real then, now, or in the future. The life she had with her husband was real.

Abigail had forgotten she talked in her sleep, she always had. All she could do was pray it did not happen tonight if she dreamed of him again.

Chapter 7

Abby, Melanie and Jamal finished two miles on the track, and Abby was ready to die. Luckily Melanie had to get to class right away saving Abby from having to do anymore running. The three of them grabbed a fruit smoothie,. and Abby went back to her dorm for a quick shower and to get her books. She walked slowly past Westly’s dorm on her way to class and on her way back to her room, both times hoping that maybe she would run into him again. No luck but at least she would see him later in history class.

“Well tell me more. What does he look like? Is he super cute or what? Oh, did you kiss him yet? Was it great? I bet it was great wasn’t it?”

“Slow down! Okay he is about 6’5” and has very blonde hair and these eyes that look like gemstones that sparkle in the sun. They are bright blue, but when you look very close there green highlights and little gold and brown flecks in them. When he looks at me with them I just melt, and... um, he has a really great smile. He does this crooked smile thing and just one eyebrow goes up and it makes my stomach flop, and…” Abby’s mind had trailed off thinking more about his smile.

“Abby, Sugar, are you still there? I can hear you breathing.”

“Oh sorry, I guess I just got caught up. Anyway, he has great hands, big and sturdy but soft and kind at the same time. I didn’t kiss him, I swear. He just gave me a hug when we parted, a really nice, long one. It was…perfect.”

“Well Abby it sounds like you found your first boyfriend, and a cute one at that. When can I come up and meet him?”

“Slow down Missa, I just meet the guy and you are talking about a boyfriend and him meeting a member of my family. Let’s see how class goes today and then if we spend anymore time together and so on. You are the only person I have told about this so please don’t give me a hard time. Please!”

“Oh of course Sugar, call me later and tell me how class went. He sounds so cute; if you start seeing him you better send me a picture in the mail at least. And remember just relax and be yourself and he will love you, just like the rest of us. I really am happy for you and I hope it works out.”

The next couple hours went by slower than ever. She sat beside Rachel in Greek Mythology just thinking of him. The teacher’s monotonous voice was so very easy to drown out. She just kept glancing at the clock on the wall. When it felt like it had been five minutes, it had really only been two.

Rachel kept looking at her but never said a word till the class was dismissed. “Abby where were you?”

Abby tried to play stupid when she answered her. “What are you talking about Rach? I was right beside you the whole class.”

“You might have been next to me but your mind was not. You didn’t take one note, and that is so not like you at all. So come on; what is on your mind?”

“Nothing, I was just bored that’s all. My recorder was on; I can make notes later from that. I was just thinking about history class, I guess. I don’t know. Besides I didn’t see you taking any notes; it’s a fun class right.”

“If you say so, but I still think something is up with you. Are you getting sick?”

Abby laughed, shaking her head no, maybe love sick. “I have to get going or I’m going to be late for class. I’ll see you later.”

As she opened the door to the lecture hall, she took in a deep breath. She wanted to be sitting down before him so that he could decide to sit with her or just say hi. The decision might be hers to make now, unless he was watching for her and flagged her to where he was sitting. Abby could feel her heart starting to race as she looked around the room for him. Where was he? It was a big class but she didn’t see him. She hurried to sit down in a spot where she could both inconspicuously eye the room and where he would see her.