He ran his hand over the grass. The tears holding firmly in check as he thought of Laura. “I don’t know what I’m doing, to be truthful. Her writing is so innocent and honest. I get the sense she’s quite raw and needy. Being in Cape Falls doesn’t do well for her self-esteem. She’s constantly being overlooked by everyone. I think she’ll make a good writer.”
Dean poured out more of his thoughts.
“I miss you and I think to help myself, I need to stop coming here as often as I do. Carla, I loved you more than anything. It hurts being here and knowing I can’t have you.”
He didn’t say anything more. Instead, he stood and laid a kiss to each of their stones before leaving. His friends and family told him to start moving on. Carla would have hated to see him torn up this way. He would take their advice and stay away for a little while. At least having Laura's company would help him to deal with the loss. He drove back home with a heavy heart.
When he walked through his door he went straight to his computer. After a quick glance over the words and a few changes, he was off.
“I’m here to help you,” the mystery woman said.
“How can you help me?” he asked. All he wanted to do was listen to the woman talk. Her voice teased him in every way possible. She placed a hand over his heart. The contact sent a bolt of electricity up his arm.
“You’ve experienced pain and I’m here to help you through it. To see how wonderful living your life can be. I’m here to be everything you’ve ever wanted.”
He listened to her sweet tempting words and he found himself drowning, drowning in helplessness and hope. The need to hold her and thank her was strong within him. By being in her company for a few moments had helped him to regain some balance within his life. He didn’t want her to go, ever. For so long he’d been alone and now an angel had taken pity on him.
“I’m no angel,” she warned him as if she could read his thoughts.
“You are to me.” He took her hand and together they walked inside his house. Whatever was about to happen he was ready for. His heart filled with the wonder of the future. For too long had he been filled with doubt and despair. A small ray of sunshine, so thin and fragile that it could be mistaken as a trick of light, had entered his life. He wasn’t prepared to let it go. His life and heart were open for the adventure that was about to happen.
Chapter Five
Dear Diary,
He loved my work. Dean loved my work. I took my laptop with me and I’ve started my project, it's a romance. I couldn’t resist. He didn’t laugh though. A smile played on his lips for merely a second, but that was all. No mockery or disgust. He still hasn’t told me his pen name. Pouting. I’d love to read something he’s written. As always, he reads my stuff and criticizes it. What I love most is that he’s able to keep writing even with me typing away in the spare space he’s set up for me.
Moving on to other stuff in my life, though I could talk about Dean for hours. I finally heard back from the library and guess who got the job? That’s right, me.
Anyway... Bye for now.
Laura got the job at the library and nothing gave her more satisfaction than quitting work at the diner. They were sad to see her go, but she got her paycheck and she deposited it into her bank account. College finished for a block of three months and the summer was in full swing. On her spare afternoons she took her work to Dean for him to read through and he became a teacher for her stories. Not only did they work on writing, they sometimes talked about their favourite authors and what they loved about writing in specific genres.
One afternoon she went to his house to find him in the garden with a spade, trowel and some seeds.
“I’m guessing these aren’t for your gardener?” she asked.
“Leave your bag inside," he instructed. "I think we deserve some exercise and time spent outdoors in the fresh air. Besides, I’ve got more seeds to sow.” He tossed the trowel at her and she let it fall to the floor.
“You were supposed to catch it,” he told her, moving forward to pick up the instrument.
“Do I look like a woman who catches moving obstacles on a regular basis?” She folded her hands over her chest.
Dean shook his head and nudged her shoulder. “Put your bags away.”
Laura smiled as she walked away. The easy banter between them was always enjoyable. She felt like they’d known each other for years as opposed to the few weeks he’d been living in Cape Falls. He’d moved before attending the picnic.
She returned and found him on his knees over a recently turned patch of soil.
“Here,” he said and threw some seeds her way. Laura knelt beside him and looked at the packet—Wintergreens.
“Seriously, you’re preparing for winter?” she asked.
“As a writer, you must learn to take on many hobbies. One of mine is growing vegetables and fruit. This is a great place to grow them with plenty of room.”
She shrugged her shoulders and followed his direction, making sure the seeds were evenly spaced.
“So, away from writing, tell me more about Laura Cox,” he said.
She paused and glanced in his direction. “I’ll tell you more about me if you tell me more about you,” she suggested.
Dean stopped and leaned back on his haunches. “Are you trying to bargain with me when I’m teaching you how to write?”
“Actually, you’re not teaching me how to write. That comes naturally. You’re teaching me how to hone my skills to make me a better writer,” she argued.
He glared at her a second. “Teaching women how to argue was a grave mistake in male history.”
Outraged, she gasped. “That’s an awful thing to say. We’ve got a lot of goods things about us. You can’t tell me you’ve got the viewpoint that leaves us women barefoot and pregnant?” Laura couldn’t believe it. She refused to believe it.
“No. Not just barefoot and pregnant. You can cook and clean too.” Dean responded and laughed. “Almost had you there,” he teased.
“Don’t do that. I’d hate to think I’m being taught by a self-righteous pig who thinks a woman’s place is in the home,” she replied.
“I’m surprised you don’t have that exact opinion yourself. Since being in Cape Falls I've had the impression most of the residents still share that same thought process,” he said.
Laura thought then about her parents and the rest of the families in Cape Falls. Most of the women went to work after their children were grown. Her own mum refused to work and she’d heard her say many times that a workplace was for a man.