hear Kathy ask me about being there?” D’Cerner asked twisting the phone cord nervously.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to explain to her why I can’t be there?”
“Why can’t you be there?” Cal was amused at her tone.
“Cal, there’s a little matter of our agreement about meeting that you seem to have forgotten.”
“Oh that. It’s all right. I’m ready.”
“Ready for what? To meet or to discuss what we heard.”
“To meet you.”
“That wasn’t the agreement.”
“I know, but aren’t we beyond all that now?”
“No. An agreement is an agreement. Don’t back out on me now.” By now, D’Cerner was pacing her bedroom floor, wanting to strangle Cal.
“I’m not backing out. Look, we have to meet sometime, so why don’t we get this over with now.”
“Are you sure?” Her pacing abruptly halted.
“Yes.”
“Cal, wherever we meet, it should be—“she started.
“In a public place,” he finished. “I know. How about lunch at Edwards Café?”
“Okay. When?”
“Tomorrow, one o’clock.”
“Okay, how will I know you?” She was already thinking ahead about what she would wear.
“Don’t worry about it; I’ll wait for you in the lobby.”
“But how will you know me?”
“Oh, I’ll know you.” Cal was smiling to himself.
“Really?” D’Cerner smiled in response to his playful tone. You’ve never seen me before.”
“True, but our Father has.”
“Okay, you got me on that one. See you tomorrow.”
“Have a good evening.”
Chapter Nine
By noon the next day, D’Cerner was a wreck. She was getting on everyone’s nerves at the Stradus Youth Center and everyone was getting on hers. She finally decided to leave the office early so she could wait in the parking lot of the café. Before leaving she checked herself out in the bathroom mirror and decided she liked what she was wearing. She wore a red, tailored suit with navy pumps. The hem of the skirt reached mid-calf and showed just enough nylon-covered leg to make a person curious. The silk print blouse was a perfect complement to the suit and even her hair decided to cooperate. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and held in place with a twist of red and navy satin ribbon, instead of her usual French twist. The weather was warm enough for her black London Fog, but she wore a three-quarter length navy jacket instead. After an intense self-inspection, she left the office. Arriving almost thirty minutes early, she listened to some gospel music while sitting in the car.
Equally anxious, Cal arrived just about the same time she did and sat in the parking lot for a moment as well. He noticed the white Buick Lucerne and recognized it as the car D’Cerner’s son had driven when they met for the basketball game. He waited to see how long she would sit there and after watching her get comfortable when she laid her head back on the headrest, decided to go into the café. He smiled as he thought about the fact she didn’t know how he would know her. She had apparently forgotten she had let her son drive her car to the game. Or maybe she hadn’t forgotten and was playing games with him. Either way, they would soon know. His view was slightly impaired from where he was standing, but he did like what he could see.
At five minutes to one, D’Cerner got out of the car after rechecking herself in the mirror and locked the doors. She was over being nervous and was now very curious. She had noticed a nice looking gentleman in a dark blue Mercury Sable pull into the parking lot not long after she arrived. Since she did not wish to appear to be rudely staring, she just leaned her head back on the headrest, trying to get a better look. When the man got out the car almost immediately, she concluded that it wasn’t Cal. Her plan now was to get into the café to go to the restroom before he arrived.
“That way,” she thought, “I’ll be
“Yes.”
“Do you want to explain to her why I can’t be there?”
“Why can’t you be there?” Cal was amused at her tone.
“Cal, there’s a little matter of our agreement about meeting that you seem to have forgotten.”
“Oh that. It’s all right. I’m ready.”
“Ready for what? To meet or to discuss what we heard.”
“To meet you.”
“That wasn’t the agreement.”
“I know, but aren’t we beyond all that now?”
“No. An agreement is an agreement. Don’t back out on me now.” By now, D’Cerner was pacing her bedroom floor, wanting to strangle Cal.
“I’m not backing out. Look, we have to meet sometime, so why don’t we get this over with now.”
“Are you sure?” Her pacing abruptly halted.
“Yes.”
“Cal, wherever we meet, it should be—“she started.
“In a public place,” he finished. “I know. How about lunch at Edwards Café?”
“Okay. When?”
“Tomorrow, one o’clock.”
“Okay, how will I know you?” She was already thinking ahead about what she would wear.
“Don’t worry about it; I’ll wait for you in the lobby.”
“But how will you know me?”
“Oh, I’ll know you.” Cal was smiling to himself.
“Really?” D’Cerner smiled in response to his playful tone. You’ve never seen me before.”
“True, but our Father has.”
“Okay, you got me on that one. See you tomorrow.”
“Have a good evening.”
Chapter Nine
By noon the next day, D’Cerner was a wreck. She was getting on everyone’s nerves at the Stradus Youth Center and everyone was getting on hers. She finally decided to leave the office early so she could wait in the parking lot of the café. Before leaving she checked herself out in the bathroom mirror and decided she liked what she was wearing. She wore a red, tailored suit with navy pumps. The hem of the skirt reached mid-calf and showed just enough nylon-covered leg to make a person curious. The silk print blouse was a perfect complement to the suit and even her hair decided to cooperate. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and held in place with a twist of red and navy satin ribbon, instead of her usual French twist. The weather was warm enough for her black London Fog, but she wore a three-quarter length navy jacket instead. After an intense self-inspection, she left the office. Arriving almost thirty minutes early, she listened to some gospel music while sitting in the car.
Equally anxious, Cal arrived just about the same time she did and sat in the parking lot for a moment as well. He noticed the white Buick Lucerne and recognized it as the car D’Cerner’s son had driven when they met for the basketball game. He waited to see how long she would sit there and after watching her get comfortable when she laid her head back on the headrest, decided to go into the café. He smiled as he thought about the fact she didn’t know how he would know her. She had apparently forgotten she had let her son drive her car to the game. Or maybe she hadn’t forgotten and was playing games with him. Either way, they would soon know. His view was slightly impaired from where he was standing, but he did like what he could see.
At five minutes to one, D’Cerner got out of the car after rechecking herself in the mirror and locked the doors. She was over being nervous and was now very curious. She had noticed a nice looking gentleman in a dark blue Mercury Sable pull into the parking lot not long after she arrived. Since she did not wish to appear to be rudely staring, she just leaned her head back on the headrest, trying to get a better look. When the man got out the car almost immediately, she concluded that it wasn’t Cal. Her plan now was to get into the café to go to the restroom before he arrived.
“That way,” she thought, “I’ll be
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