The next few days were on a flat track with no excitement. Katie went to work Thursday and Friday, and to a movie with Mitch Friday night before his graveyard shift. Saturday, Katie went to her parents’ house and helped them weed and get their garden ready for planting. Afterward, she went home to snuggle with Ivy and wished it was Mitch instead.
Monday morning, as Katie headed out the door for work at 8:15, her cell rang. She answered without looking at the caller ID. “Hello. Hello, is anyone there?” Click. Not this again. If it doesn’t stop, I’ll have get a new number. She needed some stress release at Mike’s Donuts before work, and then decided to take some donuts into work to help all employees start the new week off with a bang.
After getting the donuts, Katie stopped and got herself a soda, causing her to get to work a little late. She headed into the breakroom with Melanie on her tail.
“I can see why you’re late, and I’m not even upset. It’s just what I desired this morning, some sugary and fatty donuts. You read my mind.” Melanie shoved half a donut into her mouth.
“You’re going to choke. I haven’t practiced CPR since Girl Scouts.”
“I remember one time, Melanie shoved a whole maple bar in her mouth and swallowed it after only five chews,” Shawna said.
“You’re exaggerating. It took me seven chews to swallow it.”
Shawna shrugged. “Whatever. I’m going back to work. It’s more exciting back in our part of the office.”
Melanie gave Katie a “what’s her problem?” look. “She’s the one who brought it up.”
“Don’t know, don’t care. It must be one of those female days.”
“Guess you’re right. She’s hardly ever snooty. Maybe she had a tiff with her husband.”
Katie shrugged. “Best go attack them batches before you have me glued to my chair.”
***
Katie stopped at the grocery store on her way home from work and ran into Mitch. “Hey there, how’s it going?
He walked over to Katie and gave her a quick kiss. “I’m fine now. Since you’re here I don’t have to call you. I need to go over something with you, but not at the grocery store. Can I swing buy for a few minutes?”
“Sure. You can stay for my simple dinner of frozen fish sticks and whatever else I can see to make.”
“Great. I’ll run my groceries home and be over in a half hour.”
***
Katie bounced around reasons why he wanted to talk. Did he want to end their relationship? Had he found someone else? She was nervous. Is Valerie back in the picture? She got to her place, placed the fish sticks in the oven, tossed together a salad, and set the table for two.
Mitch knocked and let himself in.
“What do you need to talk about? You’ve got me nervous.”
He moseyed over to her by the kitchen table with his hands behind his back.
“What?”
“What do I always want you to do when I see you?”
She took a step closer to him.
“Not close enough.”
She stepped a half inch closer.
“Still not close enough.”
She took another step and put both her feet on his. “Close enough?”
“For now it is.” He took his arms from behind his back and wrapped them around her. He reached out and placed something on the kitchen table, and then he held her tighter.
“Hey there, you’re squishing the air out of me. It’s like you are giving me the last of hugs.” Katie squirmed loose and went to take the fish sticks out of the oven, ignoring whatever was on the table for a few minutes longer so the dinner wouldn’t burn.
She carried the fish to the table and saw a vase full of colored irises. “Oh, Mitch, they’re beautiful. I love irises. What’s this for?” She sat across from him.
“I’ll tell you after this wonderful meal you made.”
“I don’t like the sounds of this. Do I need to worry?”
“Let’s eat first.” Mitch dipped his fish stick in the sauce and put on a calm face.
After dinner with casual chatting and the dishes were done, Mitch sat back at the table with Katie. She piddled around with a napkin.
“I love you, but there’s more and it’s going to be hard for me.”
Katie was suddenly nervous all over again. “What?”
“In three days, I’ll be leaving for a couple months.”
“Months?”
“In order for me to advance to a job I want, I need to go back to school in Nevada. I have to go, but I’ll be empty without you.”
“Nevada? So far away?” Katie wondered if Valerie was back there and that was his reason.
“I have a scholarship at the school. I know the teachers and have a place to stay.” He rubbed an iris petal. “Most of my day tomorrow is flexible and I was wondering if you could squeeze me in so I could spend it with you.”
“I’ll take the day off.”
“If you’re worried about Valerie and her family, don’t be. They are the past, you are my present.”
Katie wiped the tears forming in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” He moved around the table and lifted Katie from her chair.
She hugged him back. “My heart took over my mind.”
They stood for a few minutes. He ran his fingers through her hair and led her to the couch. They lay side by side and held each other with no words spoken.
***
The next morning when Katie woke up around six, she didn’t see Mitch but knew he hadn’t left because his shoes were still on the floor beside the couch. “Mitch?” No answer. Katie went to her room and saw a dark figure on her bed.
She tiptoed closer and crawled in beside him. He rolled over and wrapped his arm around her. He still had his pants on but had taken off his shirt. She reached up and ran a hand along his chest, enjoying the soft skin over firm muscles.
“You’d better stop, sweet pea. It’s hard for me to resist when I’m this tired and relaxed.”
She pulled away. “Sorry. You’re too much of a distraction for me to handle. What brought you to my bed?”
“You’re a couch hog. You kept rolling around and talking in your sleep, so instead of waking you up to take you to your bed, I came instead.” He reached for his shirt. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“I never mind.” She was quiet as she watched him put on his shirt. “What was I talking about?”
“For me to know and you to never find out.” They snuggled for a while and Ivy Muffin moseyed her way between the two to get attention as well.
Katie’s alarm went off for the second time at seven thirty. “I need to call work.” She found her cell in the living room by the couch and called Melanie. “Hi, it’s me. Can you handle a day without me? Got some last minute important things to take care of and they can’t wait. Great, and thanks.”
“Well?” Mitch said as he walked out of the bedroom and headed to the kitchen.
“She said fine and tried to guess what was so important. I got off the phone as quickly as I could. It’s none of her business. Breakfast at Nettie’s sound good? Remember, my cupboards are bare.”
“Great idea, let’s go.”
Mitch stopped by the door and grabbed his ringing cell. “Mitch here. Nobody else? Okay, I’m on my way.” He shoved the cell back in the holder. “I have to go. Somebody tried to burn the lumber yard and they are short of help. It shouldn’t take too long. I’ll call you when I’m done.”
“I might as well go to work. I’ll get bored here just playing with Ivy.” She picked up the kitten. “Bye, sweetie.” My gosh, my mind is speaking without me thinking.
“Bye.” He smiled.
***
“What happened to your things to do?” Melanie gave Katie a suspicious look when she walked into work.
“Postponed.”
“Okay, what is it?”
She stepped inside Melanie’s office. “You want to know?”
“Of course I do. Friends always want to know what their friends are doing.”
“Mitch is leaving for several weeks and we wanted to spend some time together. But he got a call so I’m at work.”
“Things are getting serious, aren’t they?”
“We’re taking things slow, but I do like spending time with him. You remember when you first met Tim and how you felt?”
“Yes, and how I wish for those golden years all over again. He’s glued to the damn TV and computer games.”
“Go to a motel for the weekend or take a day drive somewhere.”
“If I can get him unglued, it might work.” Melanie smiled.
***
Three o’clock came and Mitch still hadn’t called yet. Katie walked to her car and saw the back driver’s side tire was flat. There was a big nail in it. She didn’t have a spare.
Melanie came out of the office and saw Katie stomp her foot. “Problems?”
“Frustration.”
Melanie walked down the stairs and stood by Katie. “What happened this time?”
“A nail attacked my tire and made it flat.” She looked through her phone for Bruce’s number.
“Aren’t we a bit snippy. Stressed about not seeing Mitch before he leaves?”
“I’m sorry. I’ve got a lot of things on my mind and this was just the last straw.”
“Want me to wait with you?”
“No, go ahead. Bruce will take care of it.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Katie called Bruce. He picked up a new tire and came to the lot to change it for her. Katie felt lucky to have a brother to help out in an emergency.
***
At home, trying to keep busy while waiting for Mitch to call, Katie felt like a junior high girl waiting for a certain guy to call and ask her to prom. Katie hated being stressed so she walked over to OK Gas.
“Hi, Katie. What brings you here tonight?” Linda, the cashier, asked.
“You sure do work a lot of strange hours here. Don’t you get sick of it?”
“Nah. I like to keep busy and out of my house.”
Katie went to the freezer section and snagged a half gallon of moose tracks ice cream. She placed it on the counter. “One of those days where nothing else sounds good but the bad, sugary items.”
“I so know what you mean. Hope things get better for you.”
“See you later.” Katie walked back to her place and saw Mitch pull into her parking lot. Katie ran to him and wrapped her arms around him, digging the container in his back.
He hugged her back tight. “My goodness, I’m not even gone yet. And what do you have freezing cold digging into my back?”
She let go. “Oh, sorry. I’m stressed and ice cream is the only cure. Want some?”
“I have twenty minutes so a small bowl will do.”
Ivy ran to Katie as she opened the door. Mitch picked her up while Katie got two bowls from the cupboard. Mitch got the spoons. “The fire investigation lasted longer than expected. Then I went ahead and took care of some other things at work. And my plans have changed—I need to leave tonight.”
“Tonight? This is turning out to be harder for me than you. I’m scared to tell you how I feel, but I’ll miss being with you, Mitch. I, um, do care about you. You and I…” She put the spoon in her bowl and lowered her head.
Mitch came over and hugged her. “Come on, Kate. I’ll not be out looking for other ladies to take your place. I’m too hooked on you to let anything get in our way.” He kissed her long and hard.