Suzanna walked away and left Bobby standing there. Seconds later tires squealed, and the big black Lincoln peeled out of the parking lot. She knew then she would never again see Bobby, and that was okay.
Suzanna
Finding Courage
THE CONFRONTATION WITH BOBBY HAD in a strange way empowered Suzanna. For the first time in all the years she could remember, she’d stood up for herself. She’d not lied or tried to bypass the problem but faced it head on, and it felt good.
That night, after she’d closed the door to her room, she pulled her letter to Gregg from the envelope and read it over. The things she wrote were true enough, but there was something missing and Suzanna thought she knew what it was. She remembered what she’d told Bobby, and now more than ever could see the clarity of it. Some relationships were indeed worth saving; the one with him was not, but this one certainly was.
She slid the letter back into the envelope and placed it in the drawer. In a few days she might send it, but for now she had another plan. That night as the moon rose higher in the sky, she thought about exactly what she would do and how she’d handle it.
The next morning Suzanna left the house before the sun had cleared the horizon and arrived at the shop hours before it was to open. She sat at the sewing machine and finished all of Miriam Bergmann’s alterations, then pressed and packed the garments so they were ready for pick up. Once that was done, she tagged the sheath dresses that had come in on Monday, sorted them by size, and hung them on the racks. When Colette arrived at ten, she was setting up a new window display.
“My goodness,” Colette exclaimed. “It looks like you’ve been busy.”
Suzanna gave a sheepish grin. “Just trying to make up for the days I was out. I thought if everything was caught up, you wouldn’t mind my leaving at three o’clock.”
“I wouldn’t have minded even if you hadn’t done all this work,” Colette said. “Do you and Ida have plans?”
Suzanna shook her head. “I made a mistake in judgment and hurt someone that I love. This afternoon I’m going to try and make it right.”
Colette lifted an eyebrow as her lips curled into a smile. “Ah, yes, and does this have anything to do with that handsome young man who came here looking for you?”
“In a way it does. He was the mistake.”
Ten minutes before Suzanna planned to leave, Miriam Bergmann came into the shop and said she’d changed her mind about the blue dress and decided she only wanted the gray one for the country club’s function.
Suzanna grimaced. “The alterations are finished. The dresses are ready for pick up. I can’t take a return on something that’s been altered.”
“Finished? Already? You said Friday.”
“Yes, but since you were anxious about it, I went ahead and did them so you’d have time for another fitting.”
“Whatever,” she said and flicked her fingers in the air. “I only want the gray dress. A tuck here and there doesn’t devalue the other garment, and for a loyal customer I’m certain you can make an exception.”
One word led to another and as the altercation swung back and forth, the clock ticked on. Suzanna nervously eyed her watch, then at 3:15 gave up trying to satisfy Miriam Bergmann and called Colette from the back room.
Moments later, she was in the car and on her way to the school. The time was tight and Gregg sometimes left early, but hopefully she’d make it. When she rounded the corner of Beecham Street, a line of cars was already pulling out of the parking lot. Moving toward the entrance, she eyed the line; Gregg’s Oldsmobile was not there. He was already gone or still inside.
She circled the building, pulled into the visitor’s lot, and hurried back to the area designated as faculty parking. At first glance, she didn’t see the Olds, and her heart fell. Trying to remain hopeful, she walked toward the back of the lot and found it behind a red pickup. He was still inside.
She glanced at her watch—3:40. He was sure to be coming out any minute. She waited. Four o’clock came and went, then four-thirty. A few stragglers left the building, got into their cars and drove off, but still no sign of Gregg.
It was after five, the sky already starting to darken, when she finally decided to leave. Coming here had obviously been a mistake. He could have left with someone else, or perhaps he’d seen her waiting and had no interest in talking. With her shoulders slumped and her eyes turned to the ground, she started toward the visitor’s lot. She was several yards away when she heard his footsteps. He was moving toward the car, looking straight ahead, not at her.
“Gregg,” she called. Waving her arm, she hurried toward him.
“Darla Jean? What are you doing here?”
Suzanna caught the sound of surprise in his voice, but it was impossible to know whether or not he was glad to see her.
“I’ve been waiting for you,” she said. “I was hoping we could talk. Maybe go someplace, have coffee…”
The sky was darker now and the lot growing shadowy, but she saw him grimace.
“I don’t think going for coffee is a good idea, Darla Jean. If you’ve something to say, we can talk here.”
His words were like a slap in the face, one she probably deserved but didn’t expect. In a desperate attempt to pull her thoughts together, she lowered her eyes.
“I’m sorry. Truly sorry. I would give anything if we could go back in time and relive that evening,
