Lynn Osterkamp - Cleo Sims 03 - Too Many Secrets by Lynn Osterkamp

some chicken noodle soup
into my mouth and considered how to prod her into being more specific without
making her clam up. Given what Hana and Gayle had said about Moxie’s
confidentiality code, I figured she’d back off if I pushed for details. I
decided to explore her feelings about Moxie first, and then work my way up to
more sensitive topics. “It sounds like you’re clear that you wouldn’t miss
the group,” I said.
    She looked down at her soup as she crumbled some bread into
her bowl. “No. I wouldn’t miss it. I’m pretty much an individualist, not
one to join groups. Like I said, I think for myself. My parents were hippies in
the 1960s and basically still are. They raised me and my brothers in the
mountains as self-sufficient free spirits, always outside, hiking, biking,
climbing, and skiing. I like to do my own thing.”
    I spread some butter on a cranberry muffin as I decided what
to ask next. Lark dug into a large salad of mixed field greens. “I’m not
much of a group person myself,” I said. “So I’m wondering how you
happened to join the Moxie group.”
    Lark looked off to her left as she finished chewing, then
turned back to me. “I joined Moxie mostly because of Sabrina,” she
said. “I met her at work—we were both nurses at the hospital—
and we started eating together in the cafeteria when we were on the same shift.
She was so cheerful and sincere and kept going on about this great group of
strong single moms. And I was a single mom. My son Darby was two then. His
father and I had a free and open relationship. Never married. Neither one of us
wanted to be tied down.”
    This relationship sounded familiar. I could certainly relate
to those feelings of not wanting to be tied down. Wonder how that worked out
for her and Darby.
    “Are Darby and his dad close?” I asked hopefully.
    “No. Jacob said he would stay around and be a dad, but
when Darby was a year old, Jacob got this great opportunity to travel with a
band—he plays bass—and he never came back. That’s why Moxie
appealed to me. I was feeling kind of lonely and the idea of a group of
independent women friends who were all single moms sounded good.”
    I felt a jolt of empathy for Lark as my own possible future
flashed before my eyes. What if Pablo decided to go off again like he did years
ago? Could I be a good enough mother to my baby if I was alone? Would I be like
Lark— a lonely single mom looking for supportive friends? “That must
have been awful having him leave you and Darby like that,” I said softly.
    Lark shrugged. “Not as bad as it sounds. I have a good
job and a lot of support. That’s one reason I still live in Nederland. My mom
and dad are there and they help out a lot with Darby. By working three twelves,
I have plenty of time to spend with Darby and time for climbing and
skiing.”
    This woman did sound like someone who knew her own mind and
acted accordingly. But yet, she let Sabrina influence her. Why? “If you
were clear about leaving the group, how did Sabrina keep talking you into staying
in Moxie?” I asked.
    Before she could answer, the front door opened, letting in a
gust of cold air and a group of five women, all about our age. They waved and
smiled at Lark. “Nurses,” Lark said softly as she waved back at them.
“I can’t talk anymore here. Are you up for a short walk?”
    It was only about 4:45, but the sun had already set being
that it was mid-December and close to the foothills. Walking along the
storefronts of the small shopping center in the cold and the dark didn’t sound
very appealing, but I wanted the rest of the story, so I agreed. We got our
jackets on, took our dishes to the bin, and headed outside. “Where were
we?” she asked.
    I was already shivering in the cold wind but Lark didn’t seem
to notice the temperature at all as she strode along. I hustled to keep up,
hand in my pockets. “You were telling me what Sabrina said to keep you in
Moxie,” I said.
    “Right.