A Time to Trust

by

Mary S. McGuire

It was last May at the end of school when several of the younger teachers had decided to go out for dinner and a show to celebrate their summer vacation.  They decided on the “Marion”. After the party had broken up, Laney and Bev walked through the lobby. There at the adjoining motel desk, stood Sam registering for a room in the complex. 

Laney spotted him, but he didn’t see the two of them. She and Bev stood watching as he walked out to his red convertible and joined the voluptuous brunette, Laney knew only as Veronica from the office, waiting for him. He parked in front of one of the downstairs doors helping her out of the car and into the room. 

Laney remembered sobbing uncontrollably as Bev drove her home that night.  The next morning she went to visit the lawyer to file the divorce papers. That was the end of her age of innocence. Never again would she be so trusting, so gullible.

Laney reached into her purse and pulled out a Kleenex drying her eyes. I can’t believe it’s been a year and it still hurts this much. I’ve got to move on. Forget. But, if someone whom I’ve known almost my whole life can do this to me, is there any hope? Dad says I just picked a bad apple, but I wonder. Can I really ever trust a man again? 

Someone turned off the overhead lights in the cabin leaving only the illuminating bulbs along the side of the aisle. With the droning of the plane and the rocking movement of the thrust forward, Laney finally fell asleep.

Sometime later she roused to realize there was something warm and heavy weighing down on her right shoulder.  It was a head. Paul had turned completely around in his seat with his feet now under the window on the floor and his body sprawled across the seat and over the divider. He was still sound asleep.

Alice came down the aisle. She whispered to Laney, “Why don’t you wake him up? You must be terribly uncomfortable.”

Laney shook her head. “He’s all right. He seems so very tired.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, positive.” She wiggled in the seat shifting his weight farther down on her arm to let the blood flow into her numb and tingling shoulder. An aroma of shaving lotion mingled with a clean male scent emanated from him. Despite her physical discomfort, she felt warmed by his presence, a kind of quiet kinship that she so often craved.

In the middle of the night, the air became turbulent. As she looked out the window, Laney saw flashes of lightning illuminating roiling, black clouds and the ride became increasingly bumpy.

The pilot announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re experiencing a little bit of turbulence. Radar has picked up a shower over to our east. Nothing to be concerned about but please do fasten your seat belts.” He paused. “The good news is we’re only about three hours out of Honolulu.”

Laney had no choice, she had to awaken Paul. She moved forward in her seat and then shaking him slightly said, “Paul, you need to sit up and put your seat belt on. We’re going through some bad weather.”

He straightened up, “Wow, was I sleeping.” He rubbed his eyes and fumbled for his belt. “Good Lord, was I leaning on you?”

“A little.”

The storm subsided and Alice came by overhearing the conversation. “A little, she was your pillow. For over an hour.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t that bad. I didn’t want to wake you. I could tell you were really tired.”

He flexed his arms and straightened himself in the seat. It’s been a long time since someone worried about me being tired. Laney Johnson was becoming more and more appealing to him.

“I think I’d like some coffee about now. I’m going to call Alice and have her bring us some. Okay?” he asked.

“Fine, I doubt I can go back to sleep so I’m going to switch on the light and go over my agenda for the tours. We have some choices to make. I forgot to fill out my form and return it to the guide.” 

“How long will you be here?”

“A week on tour and then Bev and I scraped together enough money for a week’s extra stay. Time enough for me to paint.”

He picked up the brochures and began thumbing through them. “Why don’t you let me show you around the islands for a couple of days until I have to fly back? I’m not an expert, but I’ve bummed around over here on and off for several years. You met Ted. He could go with us and your friend Bev—”

“No thanks.” The words had a decidedly cold ring. “I don’t date married men. I’ve been on the receiving end of that situation.”  She flushed. 

“Well, don’t get upset,” he said quietly. “I think you should be congratulated. But you see, I’m not married.” 

“What about Caroline?”

Caroline Hildebrand is my mother-in-law. She takes care of the boys when I’m out of town on trips. Mary, my wife, died of breast cancer two years ago.” A shadow of pain crossed his eyes as he bit his lip.

“I’m so sorry. It was a terrible thing for me to have thought. Please forgive me.” She lowered her head to hide her embarrassment.

He reached over and lifted her chin raising her eyes to look into his. “Really, it’s all right. I can understand how you could conclude that.”

They rode along in silence sipping their coffee.

“And a girl like you, surely you have been married.”

“Yes, I’ve been divorced a year now.” Once again she looked down at the floor.

“No children?”

“None.”

“Going back to my original question. Will you let me show you around Hawaii for the three days I have here?”

“I don’t know. There’s Bev and the tour and…”

“I already said Ted could squire her around. He doesn’t have any ties and I promise I’ll show you much more of Oahu than there is in the brochure. Really great places to paint.”

“Well, maybe, I’ll talk to Bev. Give me a call. We’re staying at the Sheraton East.”

Again he sipped his coffee. Someone has really hurt her. I can tell she’s a little afraid of getting involved.