Copyright © 2000-2008 Patrick a.k.a. LrningDom
All Rights Reserved
Author's Note: This story is purely fictional. It is not based on any actual events, nor is it in any way intended to recommend a course of action by anyone who might read this. Please take it simply as an entertaining fiction to enjoy.
*
On Tuesday evening, Kathryn looked through the usual collection of junk mail over dinner. As she flipped through, she found a package delivery notice. The next day, she arrived in the office early so she could take a long lunch and go to the main post office downtown. It turned out to be a good decision, as the counter was undermanned and a large crowd of people was waiting. The long wait, however, didn't keep the lady behind the counter from making comments.
"Oh," she said, "You're getting
this
package?"
"Yes, miss. Is something wrong? Do I owe something for it?"
"Oh, heavens no, Ma'am. I just happen to remember the guy who brought this in. Said it was a surprise gift for someone special."
"Do you remember what he looked like?"
"Not many details, girlfriend. And truth be told, white boys rarely catch my eye."
The clerk leaned closer to Kathryn, giving her a conspiratorial wink. Kathryn leaned closer as the black woman's voice dropped. "I shouldn't be saying this at work. But between you and me, honey, I wouldn't mind being the fudge topping on his sundae." The woman giggled, causing Kathryn's mild blush to turn a deep shade of red. "Oh, I'm sorry, girlfriend. Seriously, though, he was cute. He was probably a little taller than you, a little younger, good skin, wore sunglasses. Was nicely dressed, but not flashy. You could tell he's got some money, but he's secure enough in himself that he don't need to parade it."
"Did he say anything about what was in the package?"
"Just that it was a surprise gift for a friend."
"What was his voice like?"
"I'm sorry, I can't help you there. Most voices sound the same to me." Looking over her shoulder, cashier said, "Oops, my boss is coming. I'm gonna have to let you go. You have a good day, ma'am."
"You too, and thank you." Kathryn picked up her package and walked out to her car. Looking at the dashboard clock, Kathryn swore at the long line in the post office. If she were lucky, she'd have time to bolt down some fast food as she drove back the office. Conscious of her appearance, she stopped at McDonald's for McNuggets, fries and a coke. She would have preferred a good hamburger, but decided she couldn't chance a drop of ketchup landing on her beige blouse.
"Welcome back, Kathryn. Have a good lunch?"
"Not really, Rich… I had to wait a while at the post office. I'm not late, am I?"
"Late? Kathryn, you've got another fifteen minutes yet. Settle down." Richard Beckner turned on his laid-back smile. "I haven't turned into that much of a bastard of a boss, have I?"
"Oh good grief, no, Rich. I was just worried I would be late because of the long line at the post office. I guess I just caught the lights right on the way back."
"Okay, Kathryn, relax for a few minutes. Let your lunch settle." Rich stood in front of Kathryn's desk, holding several folders. "I take it the post office was a madhouse?"
"A crowd, and understaffed as usual. I sometimes wonder how they make any money."
"Ever notice how often they raise the rates? Anyway, I've got a few projects for you to follow up on." He handed her the folders. The first two were pending cases. The third said "Invitation", which she opened first out of curiosity. "Ah, you noticed. That, young lady, is an open invitation to come visit us for a weekend breather, now that we've got the new house southwest of town all set up."
"Don't call me 'young lady', Rich. You're 12 years younger than me."
"Details, details. Anyway, the new place is set up, and you now have a standing invitation to come out and visit, de-pressurize in the Jacuzzi, what have you."
"That sounds good. I may just take you up on that for an afternoon. "
"You'll love it, Kathryn. Monica and I bought this old place out southwest of town. We did a BUNCH of renovations, but now it's nice homey little place. Great for partying, even, it has lots of room now that we took out all the pews. Don't worry, we're not gonna pull an 'Alice's Restaurant' and leave all the garbage where the pews used to be."
"Pews?"
"Yes, it's one of several old church/rectory combos for sale out in the country."
"An old church and rectory? That must be… interesting."
"We managed to leave a nice quaint feel to it, make it a nice spacious home on the inside, but it does look like a church and rectory on the outside. Anyway, we'd love to have you out for a visit some weekend. Now, I'm going over to the legal library to check some probate statutes for the McFeeley hearing. If you could check those files I just gave you, I'd appreciate it."
"Sure thing, Rich. Not a problem." Looking at the files, she figured it wouldn't take too long. Getting both projects' work done in a timely fashion, she tried to start in on another folder on her desk. Instead, though, her mind drifted to an old church on the southwest side of town
No, it can't be Rich
, she told herself.
There's no way he'd cheat on Monica! And the stuff that guy in the Robe has me do, that's not Rich's style… or so I thought. No, no, it
can't
be Rich. Come on, Kathryn, get your mind back on work. There'll be time for this after you get home.
Kathryn not only hurried through the rest of her work, she raced home. She wanted to be in comfortable surroundings to face these unsettling thoughts. "Okay," she said as she pulled out some leftovers for dinner. "Whoever the man in the robe is, he seems to know a lot about me. He's also got some money. He has that church and rectory, which has obviously been remodeled. Now, Rich tells me about this old church and rectory
he's
remodeled. He's certainly got the money to do that, even to install things like those crazy lights. But some of the things the guy in the Robe has had me do, they don't seem like Rich.
"But Paul also has a place out there. He's never told me what it is or where it is, just that it will be nice when I see it. And Paul's got the money to make the wild changes I've seen in that Temple. But that one time I mentioned some of those fantasies I had, he cringed. It was like he couldn't stomach some of those things." Stopping for a moment, she hugged herself and said, "That's one of the reasons I feel so torn."