The next day, Friday, passed quickly. After two days of turmoil she was finally able to focus on work. That afternoon she stopped by the hospital to pick up her paycheck and discuss a couple of work related problems with her supervisor. When she got home she fixed herself dinner and pulled up her email to Daniel on her personal computer. She changed a few things but decided, overall, that it said what she wanted to say. She still didn't have the courage to send it on its way.
At two o'clock on Saturday she drove to Cynthia's house. Walter, Cynthia's husband, had agreed to watch Anna and Walter, Jr., their two children, so the two women could spend the afternoon and evening together.
Cynthia and Walter lived in one of the older areas of Cedar City. The streets were wide and large stately old trees lined both sides. The two-story houses, set on extensive lots, basked in a sense of permanence and peace.
"Come in Melissa," Walter said, as he opened the door. "Cyn will be down in a minute." He was a short man, somewhat chubby, with only a wispy fringe of salt and pepper hair. He exuded a quiet calm and his dark eyes were warm.
"Hi Mel," Cynthia trilled as she tripped down the stairs. "Be ready in a second." In contrast to her husband she was quick and vivacious. She trotted through the kitchen and out onto the wooden deck. Melissa could hear her speaking firmly to her two children. Walter and Melissa smiled vaguely at one another. Then Cynthia was back.
"Thank you, Baby, for watching the kids," she said, holding his face in her two hands and bending down slightly to give him a deep kiss. His hands grasped her waist.
"You two have fun," he responded, panting a little, after she'd stepped back to gather her purse from the coffee table.
It was always a little painful for Melissa to see them together. They were so different but fit together so well. And their obvious sense of companionship made her feel lonely.
"Come on Mel," Cynthia sang, "it's time for us to paint the town."
As they made their way to the University Mall in Melissa's little car Melissa told her friend everything she'd found out about Daniel Burnham and about the email she'd written. Cynthia listened with interest and asked questions but Melissa could tell she was a little uncomfortable.
Once they'd arrived at the mall, parked, and pushed through the heavy heat into the coolness inside the conversation had moved on to other things. They spent the afternoon chatting and laughing as they shopped. An hour or so before the concert they had dinner at a restaurant next to UICC and then, when it was time, walked across the campus to the Krenshaw Pavilion. The air, now the sun had gone down, was cooler and a light breeze had sprung up. Presenting their tickets they entered the pavilion and found their seats.
The opening band performed a four song set which, both women agreed, was good but not great, and then decamped to make way for the main attraction. Once the members of his band were in place and the MC had introduced him Trevor Trent strode onto the stage, slipped his guitar strap over his shoulder, and stepped grinning up to the microphone. From that moment he had the audience in the palm of his hand and he never let go. He was a tall man with a teddy bear softness, sexy in a good natured way, and a complete entertainer who was willing to do what was necessary to put a song across.
Melissa enjoyed the show but squirmed with impatience each time it became clear that the song was not "Other Plans". Finally the moment she'd been waiting for arrived.
"This is a song by one of ya'll's neighbors, Daniel Burnham...." Trevor announced. The crowd responded enthusiastically with clapping and a few yells. Melissa craned her neck trying to pinpoint someone looking like a songwriter near the stage. "I'm delighted to be able to tell you that it's now the number one record in the country." The crowd redoubled its efforts. Without another word Trevor launched into "Other Plans". Melissa felt a sharp stab of disappointment, realizing that her primary reason for attending the concert was to catch her first glimpse of Daniel Burnham.
Following "Other Plans" Trevor played the two other songs of Daniel's that he'd recorded. Melissa liked them but neither grabbed her the way that "Other Plans" had. After that her concentration waned. By the end of the concert she was more than ready to go home.
"I had a great time, as usual," Cynthia said as she climbed out of the car after it had come to a stop in front of her house. Melissa popped the trunk lid and Cynthia gathered her purchases. "Daniel really is a very talented man," she added, coming around to the driver's side and seeing that Melissa had rolled down her window. "So's Trevor Trent. Thank you for inviting me."
"I was hoping to see him," Melissa said.
"I know you were," her friend replied. In the dim light from the porch Melissa could see the tenseness in Cynthia's face.
"What?" She said.
"Oh Mel, I'm afraid this is another one of your impossible quests. I hate to see you get hurt." This was an old issue between them. More times than she cared to recall she'd seen her friend seek out men who were emotionally distant and then spiral into anguish and depression when, after a few glittering moments of intimacy, they pulled away. It had been almost two years since the last one and she'd hoped that Melissa had gotten past whatever it was that drew her into these relationships. But this had all the signs of being one more run down a well-beaten track.
"I haven't even met the guy," Melissa said defensively. "But it breaks my heart that he can't even enjoy having a number one song. He should have been there."
"Maybe he was and he just didn't want to go on stage."
"I don't think so," Melissa said. "I think I would have known if he was."
Cynthia had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. She looked at her friend with a sigh. And mentally prepared herself for another stint of tears and hand holding. "Well, anyway, I enjoyed the concert, and our day of shopping. I'll talk with you soon," she said, turning towards the door.
"Goodnight," Melissa called after her. She waited until Cynthia was inside before driving away.
She couldn't get Daniel out of her head. She imagined him alone somewhere too tangled up in his own pain to enjoy his triumph. It almost felt good to feel so sad for him. It sure felt better than trying to make sense of her own sadness and turmoil.
When she got home PC came stalking out to greet her, tail in the air. She had the impression that he was scolding her for staying out so late. She grinned at him. The moment she sat down to turn on her computer he jumped in her lap. She stroked him as she got online and opened her email program. He purred as she deleted a bunch of spam messages. Nothing good. She pulled up her email to Daniel. She looked at it for several long minutes. Then, with a huge sigh, she pressed "send". It was gone. PC looked at her and flicked his tail.
Later, as she lay in bed, she heard Trevor Trent singing "Other Plans" in her head. She remembered what he'd looked like on stage. As she recollected the last verse she thought of Daniel.
And when that night you touched my arm
I thought it was a false alarm;
then you smiled and I could see
you had Other Plans for me.
Would that happen? She wondered. With anyone? Ever? Tears filled her eyes. She felt so lonely. She realized that what touched her so deeply about Daniel's song was the idea of a healing love. Someone caring enough to do what was needed. God knew she needed healing. And she knew Daniel did as well. "Oh Daniel," she whispered into the dark, "I have other plans for you." PC let out a small squeak.
