Page 44 of No More Hiding

“No. I was actually getting ready to leave to go to the store when he was coming down the street. I waited for him and got out. We talked a few minutes, I played with Sammie and then I left.”

“So nothing since? Any plans for another date?”

“You’ve got a lot of questions this morning,” she said.

“I need someone to fill the void in my life,” Cat said.

“There is no void in your life and you know it. You fill us with the stories of your adventures.”

“There were some in the making on Saturday. Nothing I was a part of, but lots of hooking up going on. I might have been slightly jealous, but there were multiple partners and I don’t share or swing that way. Not sure if Penny thought I did and that is why I was invited or not.”

“Yikes. I’m sure you talked your way out of it,” she said.

“I always do. No one was forceful or anything. But it wasn’t my kind of party when it came down to it. When I’m with a man, I want his eyes on me and not who else is watching or waiting for their turn.”

“I can agree with that,” she said.

“Let me go put more makeup on before Jenna gets here,” Cat said. “She’s going to ask about the party and I need to tone it down for her. Just play along with me.”

“I’m glad you aren’t going to talk to her about what you just said to me.”

“No. She’s got stars in her eyes that we’ve had this glamorous life outside of Colonie. I’m not so sure it’s that, but she’s so impressionable.”

“She is,” she said.

She was glad that Cat saw that and watched out for it too. They all felt protective of Jenna like she was their little sister.

A few minutes later Vivian had Camile in her chair again for her weekly wash and style. “How are you doing this morning, Camile?”

“It’s a lovely end of the summer day. I’m sorry to see it go, but fall is my favorite time of year.”

“Mine too,” she said as she took the pins out of the long white tresses and left them at her station.

Once Camile’s hair was washed and conditioned, then wrapped in a towel, she ushered the older woman to her chair and then untangled her hair to blow dry it out.

“You’ve got a sparkle in your eye this morning that wasn’t there last week,” Camile said.

“Do I?” she asked.

“You do.”

“It’s the man and the dog,” Cat said, winking at her.

“Shush,” she told Cat.

“This is something different though,” Camile said. “Or it feels it. I know my granddaughter is the one who does the tarot readings and such, but I did teach her things over the years. You could say it’s a generational thing but was frowned upon years ago. I think those things are more accepted now. Like your friend last week with the dream that seemed to have some truth to it.”

“I don’t think it is,” she said.

“You might be lying to yourself for now. Time will tell. The truth always comes out in the end,” Camile said.

Vivian smiled and nodded her head. No, the truth wasn’t coming out in the end.

No one was going to know about her past. It was locked up and buried tight. There was no reason for it to make an appearance.

“She always has something to say,” Cat said when Camile left.

“She does. She means well.”