But What Does She Want

Toni locked the door of the clinic and went to her car she’d finished a session with Ed who was coming along very well. Seeing Ed and Bron together when she came to pick him up brought on a wave of loneliness. She and Richie still were not talking, it had been three days, he wasn’t spending much time at home she noticed although he did sleep there down the hall from her. She picked her phone up and found the number after looking at it for a few minutes she pushed send.

Travis was down at the house his Dad was building talking to the foreman on the job when his cell rang. He stepped away and took the call.

“Toni are you okay?”

“You said if wanted to talk…”

“Where are you?”

“At my clinic…just leaving.”

“Um…you know where the cabin burnt down on my property?”

“I think so.”

“Ten minutes.”

“Okay.”

Travis completed his business with the foreman and mounted his horse. He took off with some speed across the field. His Dad coming down a ladder stopped and watched him puzzling over where he was going in such a hurry. He watched him until he went over a rise and was out of sight. Something going on with that boy.

Toni turned off the pavement and down the dirt road leaving her car in the clearing where the old cabin used to be. It had been razed to the ground and no trace of it remained. She walked down to the dock on the lake wondering what she was doing here. She turned at the sound of hoof beats and watched Travis dismount and tie his horse to a tree. As he walked toward her she felt she was on dangerous ground with him.

“Sorry you had to wait.”

“I just got here myself.”

“What’s going on with you?” he asked quietly looking into her eyes.

Toni looked back something about him made her want to fall against him and be caught in his arms.

“Nothing really…nothing has changed I really don’t see him and we live in the same house I don’t know how much longer I can stand this Travis.”

“What do you want to happen?”

“I don’t know…that’s the problem isn’t it. We’ve argued before both of us get loud and get over it but this time it’s different. It’s the silence like something…died.”

“You don’t deserve this Toni but if you want him make it happen.”

Toni looked down at the lake she didn’t know what she wanted. “What’s going on with you?”

“We are speaking but that’s about it, we don’t talk…that’s probably my fault.”

“I’m sorry Travis.”

“There’s something else,” he debated on whether to tell her or not but maybe she could shed a little light, “Mama told me that old busybody that has the corner store…can’t remember his name…”

“Jessup,”

“Yeah that’s right, well seems he saw Jan and Richie outside of his office, he had his arm around her and took her inside. His secretary was not there.” He watched her closely, “may be nothing to it.”

“Surely not…oh Travis no he wouldn’t…” but would he? She knew what he was like when she first met him. “This is all I need.” She closed her eyes and bit her lip.

“I’m sorry honey, I shouldn’t of said anything I just thought maybe you might know something. I asked Jan where she’d been and she said to the grocery store she didn’t mention anything else.”

“No you were right to tell me. I shouldn’t be here…I...I’m so…confused, she turned to leave and he caught her hand.

“Toni…I’m glad you called me.” She didn’t pull her hand away and he tightened his grip, “Figure out what it is you want.” He moved in front of her. “And let me know.” He tilted his head and softly kissed her lips and then turned and led her back to her car.

Toni was speechless she started her car and drove out onto the paved road by the time she got home she was crying so hard she could hardly find her driveway. She couldn’t believe the feelings she was experiencing.