On Thursday evening, Ann sat at the kitchen table and fumbled with the business card, trying to decide whether or not to call him. It had been a slow week at the office with plenty of time for her mind to drift, and what time hadn’t been spent mourning Marsha Bradley had been spent thinking about Jerry Rankin. Karen’s incessant urging had also come into play-to the extent that Ann now practically felt obligated to call Jerry just to make Karen happy and to be done with it once and for all. Heaving a nervous sigh, she reached for the phone and dialed his number. After four rings she started to hang up, half hoping he wasn’t home. Then he suddenly answered.
“Jerry Rankin,” he said.
Ann forced herself to speak. “Uh, Jerry, this is Ann-we met on the parking lot at the supermarket last Sunday?”
“Ann, yes-what a pleasant surprise! I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to call. How are you?”
“Fine,” she replied, suddenly feeling a little more at ease. His cheerful voice with that irresistible English accent had a reassuring quality to it. “And how have you been?”
“Very well, thank you,” he replied. “I’m so delighted you called, Ann. To be real honest, I’ve spent this entire week thinking I was a bit too forward last Sunday and deduced that I must have scared you off. I’ve always felt a bit awkward meeting someone for the first time like that anyway, and almost always manage to somehow put my foot in my mouth, as was the case that morning.”
Ann gave a little laugh. “I don’t do so well myself, as you might have noticed.”
“I thought you handled it wonderfully-anyone else probably would have told me to take a hike under the circumstances. I’m truly flattered that you’ve given me another opportunity to talk to you again.”
Ann gushed, wondering if he was really as sincere as he sounded. “Were you late for your appointment?”
“Almost, but I managed to make it just in the nick of time. I was showing a house in Muirfield to a client who was sort of, well, the pushy type. He’d insisted on seeing this particular house on Sunday morning at eleven-thirty and I already knew I’d be pressed for time anyway because of church services, so I sort of fouled myself up by trying to fit in the grocery as well. Looking on the bright side, though, I wouldn’t have met you otherwise, so I have no regrets.”
“I was a little curious why you were shopping in my neighborhood when I noticed that the address on your card was on the other side of town. Your church must be close by, I assume,” Ann said.
“Yes, it’s just a few blocks north of the supermarket.”
“And do you work out of your home exclusively, or do you have an office as well?”
“Just my home. I’m an independent broker and really have no need for an office,” he explained.
Ann said, “I hope I’m not being nosy, but how long have you lived in Columbus?”
Jerry chuckled. “You’re not being nosy in the least, Ann. I’ve been here just a little more than a year. I moved here from Cleveland shortly after my wife passed away. I had to get away from there-too many memories and all that. The real estate market is better in this area anyway. Columbus is quite a boom town now and I’m afraid to say that Cleveland is swiftly heading for the skids.”
Ann sympathized with his wanting to get away from memories-she had done the very same thing herself. “Has it been a hard adjustment for you to make-living here as opposed to Cleveland?” she asked curiously.
“It was a little tough at first, I must admit. Fortunately, though, business has been so good that I haven’t had a great deal of time to dwell on it. Have you lived in Columbus all your life?”
“Not hardly,” Ann laughed. “I just moved here a few months ago, as a matter of fact.”
“From where, may I ask?”
“Smithtown. It’s a little town in the southern part of the state.”
“I’ve heard of it. Isn’t it directly across the Ohio River from Kentucky?”
“Yes.”
“I guess it’s time for me to ask the same question: Have you had any trouble adjusting to Columbus?”
Ann balked a moment then replied, “Frankly, it hasn’t been easy. I have a fourteen-year-old who’s giving me fits right now; but it’s understandable in a way. After all, she’s been forced to start high school in a new town and is at that awkward age, anyway. My recent divorce no doubt has a lot to do with it, too. And on top of everything else, my best friend recently passed away. I’ve had a very difficult time dealing with that.”
“My God, Ann. I didn’t realize… It sounds as though you’re going through some pretty tough times right now. Do you attend church?”
The question caught her off totally off guard, and for a moment she was unable to speak. “No, not lately, anyway,” she finally replied.
“I see. I was just curious, and hope I haven’t somehow offended you by asking. It’s just that the church has helped me get through some hard times in the past, and I was simply wondering if you’d found the same thing to be true. At any rate, we’ll drop the subject right now before you start thinking I’m some kind of religious fanatic or something!” he chuckled.
Ann had to admit she was relieved. “No offense taken, Jerry. We used to go to church regularly when Amy was younger but we sort of got out of the habit over the years. Now that I think about it, it probably wouldn’t hurt either of us to start going again,” she added thoughtfully.
“Your daughter would probably resent it, if it was your idea. Kids her age tend to resent any kind of adult intervention in their lives.”
Ann laughed. “You’ve sure got that right. It sounds like you’ve had some experience with kids.”
“I don’t have any of my own unfortunately, but I’ve done some volunteer work for the church in the youth fellowship program. These kids nowadays have a lot more challenges to face than when I was a kid, it seems. These are tough times to be a kid, in my opinion. What with drugs, AIDS, crime and so on.”
“I agree. Our idea of a good time when I was a teenager was hanging out at the malt shop and going to teen dances. These kids today seem absolutely bored with everything-they sit in front of the television most of the time and spend the rest of their time trying to see what kind of trouble they can get themselves into.”
Jerry gasped. “I would never have guessed you’ve been around so long, Ann! You certainly don’t look as old as you’re implying you are.”
Ann melted from his flattery. “Thanks, Jerry. That was very kind of you. But believe me, I’ve been around awhile.”
“Well, it doesn’t show.” he declared. “What kind of work do you do, by the way?”
“I’m working at a travel agency right now, but I’m hoping to go back to college sometime in the near future and get my law degree.”
“I think that’s wonderful, Ann! I admire your ambition.”
“Well, you can tell me that if and when I actually follow through with it. I’m not sure it will pan out, but I’d like to think it will someday.”
“You’ll succeed, Ann. You remind me of the type who has set goals for herself and will stop at nothing to achieve those goals no matter what. Correct me if I’m wrong.” he challenged.
“Well, I guess you’re right-in a way. I appreciate your vote of confidence, at any rate.”
“My pleasure.”
There was an awkward pause in the conversation and Ann sensed that Jerry Rankin was rapidly running out of small talk. She felt comfortable talking to him and was in fact enjoying it, but she didn’t want him to feel obligated to continue.
“Well, I guess I’d better let you go. It’s been really nice talking to you, Jerry,” she suddenly said. “Maybe we can do it again sometime.”
“I’ve enjoyed it too, Ann.” he said, his disappointment more than evident. “If by chance you’d like to chat again, you can usually reach me any weekday around this time. And just for the record, that dinner invitation is still open,” he added.
Ann decided there was no longer any reason to continue playing the coy divorcee. She liked what she’d seen and heard so far, and had no doubts that Jerry Rankin was a good, decent guy. She replied, “In that case, I wouldn’t be opposed to chatting again over dinner sometime.”
There, she’d done it.
“Wonderful!” he exclaimed. “I’ll be honest, Ann. I’m really glad you said that because I’m not really very keen on telephones-they seem so impersonal and all-and I’ve found that I can relate much better when I can see who I’m talking to, as opposed to staring at the walls. Anyway, just tell me when would be convenient for you. My time is always flexible.”
“I’m free on the weekends… any weekend,” she added, perhaps a little too quickly.
“Would tomorrow be too soon?” he asked.
Ann hadn’t expected such short notice. She thought for a moment and decided that Friday would be just as good as any other time. “No, tomorrow would be fine,” she said.
“When shall I pick you up?”
Amy was going to the football game tomorrow, she recalled. She could fix her an early dinner and still have time to get ready by eight. “How about eight o’clock?”
“Terrific! I’ll swing by at eight then,” he said. “What’s your address?”
“It’s 724 Meadow Lane-in Century Hills, Woodcrest.”
“I know the neighborhood well-it’s one of the few left in Franklin County that still has any character, in my opinion,” he said. “Oh, and I’d better get your phone number as well.”
Ann recited her number, and then Jerry said, “Wonderful. I’ll see you tomorrow evening at eight o’clock.”
“I’m looking forward to it, Jerry. See you then. ‘Bye.”
“Goodbye, Ann.”
Her head was spinning when she hung up the phone. Then it suddenly hit her.
Amy! How was she going to react to all of this? she thought in a sudden fit of panic.
Ann’s first impulse was to call Jerry Rankin back and immediately break the date with him. She picked up the phone and started to dial his number, wondering how she could be so selfish to make a date with someone without first discussing it with her daughter. Then she suddenly stopped herself, hung up, and dialed Karen’s number instead.
“Karen, it’s me. I’ve just done something really awful!”
“Good Lord, Ann, what’s happened?” her friend asked.
“I just made a dinner date with Jerry Rankin for tomorrow night and I didn’t even talk to Amy about it first!”
“You what? You’ve made a date with him already?” Karen asked incredulously. “Ann, that’s wonderful! I’m so proud of you!”
“Well, I’m not proud of me. It all happened so fast, Karen! I talked to him for a few minutes, got to know him a little better, and before I knew it I was accepting his invitation for dinner without even giving a thought to Amy. I’m so ashamed…”
“Settle down now, dear.” Karen consoled. “It’s not the end of the world. The important thing is that you actually followed through with this thing and now you’re actually going out on a date. That’s good, honey-not bad. Now tell me exactly what happened.”
Ann managed to get a grip on herself and proceeded to tell Karen about her phone conversation with Jerry Rankin. When she was finished she said, “I’m going to call him back right now and break off the date.”
“Don’t do it, Ann,” Karen advised. “Listen, if you call him back and cancel out now, you may never get this opportunity again. Not only would it be rude, but you’d probably scare him off in the process. I truly think you’re over-reacting to this as far as Amy is concerned. After all, you’re just going out to dinner with this guy, right? It’s not like you’re jumping right into a relationship or anything. He could just as well be one of our clients at the travel agency, for all intents and purposes. The point I’m making is, wait and see if something develops with this Jerry fellow before confronting Amy with it. For now, just tell her you’re going out to dinner with one of our clients and leave it at that. You’ll save both Amy and yourself a lot of unnecessary tension that way, Ann-believe me. I’ve gone through the very same thing you’re going through now and one thing I learned is this: don’t dare tell the kids about a relationship until you’re absolutely sure that you have a relationship in the first place.”
Ann thought it over a moment. Then she said, “Maybe you’re right. It’s just that I don’t like sneaking around-I want to be honest with Amy.”
“And I agree-you should be honest with her. But give yourself a little slack, dear! You’re entitled to a little privacy in your life; Amy doesn’t have to know your every move. If something develops with this guy, by all means tell Amy about him and go from there. But until then, let it be a non-issue.”
Even though Karen’s sober advice made her feel a little better, Ann was still unsure of herself.
“I guess I could just tell Amy that I’m going out for dinner tomorrow night and leave it at that. She’s going to the school football game so I’ll probably make it back home before she does. She’ll never know the difference.”
“There you go! It’s no big deal when you think about it. I have to admit I’m excited for you, though. Where are you two going?” Karen inquired enthusiastically.
“I have no idea-he never brought it up.”
“Aren’t you excited?”
Ann sighed. “I was until I thought about Amy. Now I’m not so sure.”
“C’mon, get excited! Amy will be fine. You’re going to have a great time, dear. I just know it!”
“I’ll probably feel better once he comes by to get me. Until then I’m going to be a nervous wreck,” Ann declared.
“You’ll be fine. Remember, it’s just a dinner date with a nice guy. That’s it-no big deal. Right?” Karen coaxed.
“I guess so… I think I just heard Amy out front so I’d better go.”
“Okay. We’ll talk more about this at the office tomorrow. I’ll see you then.”
“All right, Karen. And thanks. See you tomorrow.”
Amy was coming in the front door as Ann hung up the phone. She snatched up Jerry Rankin’s business card from the kitchen table and slid it into her purse just as Amy entered the room.
“Hi sweetie! Did you get all your homework done?”
Amy threw her books down on the table with a scowl then walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door. “I hate algebra! This dick we have for a teacher assigned us two whole pages of problems for tomorrow!” Amy whined.
“Were you able to do them all?” Ann asked, watching her as she took out a can of Pepsi and popped the tab.
“Most of them. I’ll do the rest in study hall,” Amy replied, taking a slug. “We have anything to eat?”
“There’s some fried chicken in the fridge. Didn’t you eat over at Amanda’s?”
“I had some ice cream.”
Ann looked at her reproachfully. “You told me you were going to eat supper at Amanda’s-ice cream sure doesn’t sound like supper to me.”
Amy grimaced and said, “Her mother made a casserole and I swear to God it looked just like dog barf, Mom! I couldn’t have eaten it if someone paid me!”
“Well, eat some chicken then. There’s a tossed salad and some Jello in there too.”
“I’ll just have potato chips instead. Where are they?”
Ann stood up and went over to Amy. “You have got to start eating right, Amy! I’ll fix you a plate and you’re going to eat it.”
“I don’t want chicken, Mother!” Amy protested, glaring at Ann defiantly. “Can’t I just order a pizza instead?”
Ann wanted to put her foot down, but refrained. She sighed and said, “I guess so-it’s better than potato chips, anyway.”
Amy smiled triumphantly, having chocked up another victory. “Thanks, Mom.”
She picked up the phone and ordered a medium pepperoni pizza from the local pizzeria, to be delivered, and gave them the address. After hanging up she turned to Ann and said, “A bunch of us are staying over at Amanda’s after the game tomorrow night. Is it okay?”
Ann wanted to say no-she didn’t particularly want to spend another weekend night alone-but reconsidered when she realized that she could avoid explaining her dinner plans to Amy if she wasn’t going to be home anyway. “No boys, I presume?”
Amy gave Ann one of her finer performances. “Of course not, Mom! Amanda’s mom is very strict about that sort of thing, as you well know.”
No, she didn’t know, Ann thought to herself. She only knew what she’d been told by two teenage girls. “I guess it’s okay, then,” she said. “What time has Mrs. Givens told you to be home after the game?”
“Ten-thirty,” Amy answered.
“Well, see that you mind her, then.”
“I will, Mom.”
With that, Amy left the kitchen and headed for the stairs. Moments later, Ann could hear Guns ‘n’ Roses blaring from her stereo and sighed as she took out her billfold and found a ten dollar bill to cover the pizza. She strode into the living room and laid the money on the table by the front door then made her way into the family room. She sat down on the sofa, turned on the T. V, and picked up the romance novel lying on the coffee table.
Before she began reading, her eyes stared out the window at the backyard, now brightly illuminated by the floodlight that Mr. Ogilvy had fixed last Sunday. She breathed a silent sigh of relief. There hadn’t been any more signs of prowlers or any obscene phone calls since last weekend. She had called the police as Karen had suggested, and the officer promised her that a cruiser would do routine drive-bys past the house for a while. There was little else they could do, he’d told her. As for the obscene phone call, he suggested that she call the phone company and inform them of the call, which Ann had done. The phone company rep told her that if the calls persisted she might want to consider getting an unpublished phone number. Ann had thanked the woman, telling her she would think about it.
Sam had called later that same evening to ask how she and Amy were doing. He’d told her that there still weren’t any significant breaks in Marsha’s murder investigation, but that the police had a lead they were checking on that could be important. He didn’t elaborate. Ann almost told him about the prowler and the obscene phone call but decided against it. She figured it would only needlessly worry him. And besides that, Ann had resolved, she was on her own now and had to start learning how to deal with her problems herself instead of relying on Sam.
Ann opened the paperback to the bookmarked page and began reading. As she read, her upcoming dinner date with Jerry Rankin was in the back of her mind. Since meeting him, she’d whimsically substituted the tall dark stranger in the novel with Jerry, and the heroine with herself. Their relationship was really starting to bloom as the story progressed.