Four

After the girl in the bar fiasco, Coley decided that she wasn't going to have anything else to do with Frank. She'd gone through this with Chris and she was damned well not going to go through it again with a man nearly old enough to be her father.

Several months went by without any contact with Frank, but not for lack of trying on Frank's part. He called occasionally, but Coley couldn't bear to pick up the phone and fall back into that trap. She felt she was stronger than that, that she wasn't going to be a slave to a cheating man. Chris was bad enough. At least Frank didn't verbally abuse her, too.

Coley even tried dating other men, but she found all of them lacking in some way. She'd never admit it, but she missed Frank.

She was thriving at work and even got to do a little reporting. She found that she missed the thrill of going out on the street and scouting for a story. She still felt the same feelings when she saw her byline in print. Something about "Nicola Carpentier for the Eagle-Tribune" that gave her that sense of accomplishment.

Coley was also excited that Miki had landed a job on the LSU school newspaper, The Reveille, and was considering a career in broadcast journalism. Miki had always been interested in Coley's job, in writing, in photography, and Coley felt that this would be a great career for Miki.

Maddy wanted to be a teacher, having had a teacher in fifth grade that changed Maddy's life. Other than her mother, this teacher was one of the few who recognized Maddy's potential as someone who could get her point across without being condescending. In high school, she volunteered as a tutor for middle school students in English and Math.

Coley really missed her girls, though. They had been so close in almost ten years since they escaped from their former life with an abusive husband and father. Coley's goal was to have the girls lead normal lives, and with the help of an excellent therapist, that goal was achieved. Instead of hating each other, as they did when their father was in their lives, they learned to care about each other and accept that they were different. Miki had mentioned to her mother more than once that she was glad she and Maddy weren't identical twins.

Now, with the girls on their own at separate colleges, Coley started living her own life. As her duties at the paper increased, the more confident she felt. She thought that being in a relationship would help that, too, but her relationship with Frank did the opposite. She was successful at work, but her personal life was a mess.

A co-worker had mentioned a group of creative folks that gathered in various places around the Merrimack Valley several times a year, and suggested that Coley check into it. Coley said she would, but kept putting it off. She had signed up for the group's newsletter on their website, and liked what she was reading about the group, which was called The Merrimack Valley Creative Peoples Gathering. They had some of their activities covered by the Eagle-Tribune, and Coley was always one to support the arts. Many in the Creative Peoples Gathering had had art exhibits, poetry readings, and dance recitals. It was these things that appealed to Coley.

She had made a mental note to attend the Gathering's next function, a holiday party being held at The Roma restaurant in Haverhill. She didn't want to go alone, but she would. She would not call Frank to accompany her. This was something she thought that Frank would find crashingly dull. Frank's interests were pretty limited to sports, cars...and chasing tail, Coley had to admit to herself.

Attendance required an RSVP by mail, so Coley had mailed in her coupon and about a week later, an official invitation arrived in her mailbox. The holiday party would take place on Saturday, December 15, 2001.

Coley wondered what the Creative Peoples gathered to talk about. Was it just the arts, or would she be able to make some like-minded friends? Still, she looked forward to attending because it would get her out of the house and not thinking about her lack of romantic prospects, or about Frank.



Frank found it rather strange. For the first time in months, he wasn't interested in looking for someone to fool around with.

It may have had something to do with the fact that Coley wasn't taking his calls. He called mainly to hear Coley's voice, and ask about how she was doing. Instead, he got Coley's voicemail, and most of the time, he left a message asking her to call. She never did.

Serves you right, you horny bastard, Frank silently chastised himself. You fucked up and Coley called you on it.

Frank had to admit that Coley was a smart woman. He knew that her ex husband was an abusive and cheating jerk, so he shouldn't have been surprised that she had Frank pegged so quickly. But, he was surprised, and he had only himself to blame.

He wondered what plans Coley had for the holidays. He figured that her daughters would come home from their respective colleges and spend that time with their mother. Frank had yet to meet the nineteen-year-old fraternal twin girls, but he knew from his time with Coley that they were very close. She had their pictures all over her living room.

I need to do something to get my mind off Coley, Frank thought. He decided to go to his usual hangout and see who was there. Heather, he knew, no longer worked there, having been promoted to hostess of the restaurant upstairs.

Whatever made me believe that a young girl like Heather would have anything to do with me, Frank asked himself. He enjoyed the time he spent with her, but her stamina started to wear him out. He hoped that she was happy and was dating men closer to her own age.

He mentally prepared to spend the holiday season alone, as he had every year since his divorce fifteen years ago. His children didn't speak to him, and he thought he knew why. It was the same reason Frank himself didn't talk to his father in his declining years: because his father was distant and cold. Frank didn't even attend the old man's funeral eight years ago. What was the point, he certainly wouldn't miss the old bastard. His broads were always more important than his family.

Frank saw the irony that his life was turning out the same way as his father's did.



The night of the fifteenth was cold. Bone chilling cold. Coley had dressed in a navy blue knit dress and matching tights with ballet flats. She put her copper hair up in a chignon with ringlets that framed her face. She thought she looked festive.

She grabbed her heavy coat out of the closet, where it had been since last winter in a moth-proof bag. She laid it across the arm of the couch while she went to get food and water for the cats. "Stay away from the coat, Tally," Coley chided the seven month old kitten when she got too close. Being a long haired cat, Tally had the tendency to leave her discarded fur in every corner of the house. Coley hoped that now that it was winter, Tally wouldn't shed so much.

Earnie sat on his usual perch on the back of the couch, watching the changing scene. Getting to the back of the couch was becoming more and more difficult for the old cat. At those times, he usually snuggled up to the corner of the couch made up of the back of the couch and the right arm. Tally would then snuggle up to Earnie, and they'd sleep there.

"Hold the fort down, you two," Coley said to them as she made her way to the door leading out to the garage. She pressed the button that opened the garage door and made her way to the Jeep.

Once inside, she started up the engine and backed out into the driveway. Once the garage door was closed, she headed out towards Haverhill.

"I hope this isn't going to be boring," Coley said aloud as she made her way down 125.

It would be far from boring.



Fortunately, the gathering was lively, and Coley knew quite a few people there. Several people remarked to her that they didn't know why she hadn't come to the Gathering's functions before. Coley only said she'd never been asked.

The evening was pleasant and the company was cordial. Coley was having a great time. Perhaps she should have come with a date, but it didn't matter, as she knew several people. Some were surprised that Coley had moved to Andover. They thought Coley was still living in her rental house in Haverhill.

There was a raffle, and Coley was pleasantly surprised when she actually won something. It was a small crystal Christmas tree on a lighted base. "Oh, neat!" Coley exclaimed, clearly pleased with her prize.

As she enjoyed the party, she was being observed by more than a few of the single men. One in particular noted her presence and filed it away for later recall.

Seems fate was making itself known.




He noticed the tall redhead as she walked into the restaurant alone. He'd thought she looked familiar, but then decided that maybe she wasn't who he thought she was. He found that he couldn't keep his eyes off her as she worked the room.

Bryan St. John saw that other men at the function noticed her, too. Some were brave enough to approach her, and she appeared to be friendly and congenial. It was clear that she knew many of the people at the party. Bryan figured that she lived in town somewhere.

"Bry, what'cha thinkin' about, baby?" He heard the question behind him as his girlfriend, Eva Melendez, approached him.

"Nothing, really, Eva," he said. "Just that we have a good turnout tonight."

"Yes," she replied. "Lots of people I haven't seen here before."

"Well, at least you were able to come this time, Eva," Bryan said. "I'm glad your schedule allowed you to have a little fun."

Eva pretended that she had no idea what Bryan meant by that last remark. She found these get togethers incredibly boring. She only came because of Bryan. She'd rather be elsewhere.

Eva had noticed Bryan checking out the redhead. She figured the woman was around forty, five-seven or eight, weighed maybe one-forty. Eva noticed that the woman looked familiar, but couldn't place where she had seen her before. She figured that Bryan's interest was just a man admiring a woman, and thought nothing more of it.

Bryan knew something was up with Eva. She'd been cheating on him almost from day one. Maybe she's scouted out her next score, he thought bitterly. He wondered why he still allowed her to play her games with him. He should have kicked her out the day he found out about her cheating. She begged him for another chance, and he gave it to her. Now, he was regretting it.

When Bryan looked back toward where the redhead was standing, and saw that she was gone. He wondered if he'd see her again.




On the way home, Coley had to admit to herself tat she had a good time. It was good seeing old friends again with whom she had much in common.

Her mind then went to the upcoming holidays. Both girls were due home for Christmas, and Coley had already bought gifts for them. This would be the first time they would be spending more than a couple days at the new house. Snow kept Maddy from coming home for Christmas last year, and Miki had the flu and didn't come home until Spring Break. This would be the first time they would meet the new addition, Tally the kitten.

Coley had much planning and shopping to do before they arrived, so in the morning, she needed to get busy.




"Wow, Mom, you've done a lot with this house!" Miki said as she entered her mother's house. "You missed your calling. You should have been a decorator!"

"Oh, stop!" Coley protested, but secretly, she was pleased that Miki noticed all the hard work she put into the house.

"Where’s Earnie?" Miki asked, not seeing the big black cat in his usual spot on the back of the couch.

"Earnie can't get to the back of the couch much anymore," Coley said, "so he sits in the corner on the couch itself."

And that's where Miki saw the big cat. "Earnie! How's my boy?" she cried when she spied him. Earnie looked up and saw someone familiar, someone he's known his whole life. He had a little trouble getting to his feet, but he got there. Miki picked him up and petted him. Earnie purred contentedly.

As Miki sat on the couch, she saw the little female tentatively making her way out from under the coffee table. What a pretty little thing, Miki thought when Tally appeared.

"Is that Tally, Mom?"

Coley looked at the suddenly shy kitten. "Yes, that's Tally. Isn't she pretty? Earnie's quite taken with her in a fatherly way."

Miki picked Tally up and looked at her. "Hi, Tally, I'm Miki."

After making Tally's acquaintance, Miki helped her mother in the kitchen, making chit chat and wondering when Maddy will make it home. She had an exam to take that delayed her trip home. Coley told Miki that she was kind of worried about Maddy driving all the way from New Haven.

"You shouldn't be worried about Maddy driving alone," Miki said. "She drives so fast no one could catch up with her."

"This is true," Coley said. "I paid off one of Maddy's speeding tickets just last month."

"I'm surprised she doesn't have more," Miki said, laughing. "There must be some nice cops in New Haven that let her get away with it."

"That's probably true, Miki," said Coley.



Maddy arrived a couple of days later, and she seemed to be in good spirits. She had gifts for her sister and her mother, and she managed to get from New Haven to Andover without getting a ticket, which caused Miki and Coley to laugh.

The three of them went and did things together, just like they did before the girls went off to college. Shopping, lunch, staying up late talking, even if Coley was tired the next morning.

Coley didn't get any insights into her daughters' lives from their visit. Maddy was dating a fellow student, doing well in her classes, making the dean's list. Miki wasn't dating anyone currently, thought there was a teaching assistant who she thought was checking her out; she liked her job on The Reveille, reporting on campus life. Coley only hoped that her girls were happy and doing well. She realized that she couldn't hold on to them forever. They were adults now, but she let them know that they could come to her with anything, any problem, any concern.

All in all, it was a good visit, and it was hard to see them leave after New Years. Coley had to keep reminding herself that they had their own lives now.

Now, to work on hers.