Chapter 22
Hidden Secrets
Leona Palmer Haag
Chapter 22
Nick's voice mail picked up. "Hey, babe, I've got
my luggage, where do you want me to wait for you?" Jenn asked, trying to
not sound mad. She paused and said, "Give me a call as soon as you get
this." She changed her mind about mad and added, "Oh, and by the way,
Davis Turpin has tucked his tail between his legs and trotted off. Loser!"
Jenn closed her phone and tapped it against her
shoulder in thought. It wasn't like Nick to turn off his phone. She wondered
who she could call next. Matt? But he and Monica were in Panama and weren't
expected back until Sunday night.
Jenn shrugged and punched in Matt's number, then changed
her mind and shut her phone again. She tried Nick again, but once more only got
his voice mail. "Hey, babe, it's me again. Call me," she cheerfully
said.
Jenn closed the phone and looked at the carousel
slowly revolving with only three pieces of luggage left aboard to take the endless
ride. She wondered where they really belonged. Were they lost or abandoned? For
fun she guessed one was supposed to be in Atlanta, one in Seattle and the other
in San Diego. She hoped someone's trip wasn't ruined.
Jenn pulled her luggage out of the way and scanned the
crowd expecting to see Nick and Katie materialize. She waited. Five minutes
passed. She tried Nick again without luck. Ten minutes passed. Still no Nick.
Great time to have your cell phone die, Nick, Jenn
thought as she wondered what to do. She finally decided to move closer to the
doors so she could watch for him better. She dragged her luggage and found a
convenient place where she could see nearly everything—an entrance and the
baggage area. She waited. No Nick and Katie.
Jenn anxiously thumped her cell phone against her
thigh a few times, then flipped it open. "Hey, Linda Jo, how's it
going?" she cheerfully asked when her friend and coworker answered.
"I told Nick you'd want your baby back,"
Linda Jo laughed in response.
"You've got Katie?"
"Maybe until morning. Nick sure is sweet and
romantic. Did he bring flowers?"
Jenn looked around the teeming crowds, but still her
husband wasn't there. "Nope," she said.
"I should have suggested it. Look, you two enjoy
some down-time together tonight before you pick Katie up. She's fine here.
Besides, I think Nick deserves a break after five days."
"Yeah, he probably does," Jenn agreed with a
laugh. "Katie is entering those terrible two's, despite the fact that I
thought she'd skip them."
"Don't try to talk him into letting you come and
get her before breakfast tomorrow," Linda Jo said.
"No promise there! Five days without my baby has
been an eternity, so we'll probably pick her up after dinner."
"Only if you think you have to," Linda Jo
said.
When the conversation ended, Jenn looked around. Still
no Nick. Maybe he'd stopped for flowers. Chocolate would be better. Knowing
him, it was both. Jenn decided to relax and patiently wait for him now that she
knew he had something special planned.
"Hey, Jenn, no ride?" Dave asked several
minutes later as he approached carrying some papers he was folding.
Jenn shrugged helplessly and gave him a weak smile.
"Donna called. She's sitting in the tire store
still waiting for them to finish the back brakes on her Yukon. I guess that's
life. I just rented a car to get home. Do you want a lift?"
"No, thanks. My husband is on his way."
"Are you sure? If you're stranded I can give you
a ride."
"He's just running a little late."
"You said you live close by. I'd be happy to take
you home."
Jenn shook her head. "It's out of your way."
"It's not a problem." Dave bounced the
rental car keys in one hand like she'd seen tennis players on TV bounce a ball.
"He'll be here in about five minutes if rush hour
traffic cooperates."
Dave glanced around. "Have you been traveling for
business or pleasure?"
Jenn shrugged. "Both."
Dave nodded. "Good attitude. Sometimes my trips
are fun, but sometimes they're only stressful work. What kind of work do you do
that takes you on the road?"
Jenn wondered if Dave or Davis or whatever his name
really was ever stopped talking. Could Donna get a word in edge-wise? Was he
really a set up? Was he really from high school—some memory she'd suppressed on
purpose? Was he hitting on her? Jenn didn't answer his question.
"Let me guess. You're a model."
"I'm five-foot two. Donna is tall. She'd be a
perfect model," Jenn objected.
Dave chuckled and nodded. "Maybe if we didn't
have five kids. She's a bank teller now. She knows the financial standing of
everyone who drives up to her window—who has what at the moment, and who don't
have nothing but debts. She keeps our financial standing as secret as theirs,
but she spends money on clothing like we own a gold mine. I don't ask questions,
just go to work and try to keep up."
Jenn smiled.
"So, Jenn, I can walk you to the curb if you want
to wait there."
For the first time since rusty-haired Turpin in the
dark brown Docker pants and tan button-down shirt with a dark green, black and
brown tie under his jacket showed up carrying a carry on bag, Jenn shivered.
"I'll wait here," she said.
"Just thought it might speed things up."
Jenn nodded and glanced over his shoulder toward the
door where she expected Nick to appear. Suddenly a familiar face entered. She
stepped back as chills raced even faster up and down her spine.
"You okay, Jenn? Did you eat lunch? You look a
little pale."
"I'm fine, Dave," Jenn said as the face
turned and looked one way and then another. Was he looking for her?
End Chapter 22
Tell me, should I leave you a a cliff tonight or post another chapter?
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