“We can have a weekend together every now and then. You’ll be here in September. Maybe come to Philly for the holidays like your mother always wants. I have a lot of vacation time I haven’t used. And I’ve never been to the West Coast. We can do it, if that’s what we want.” He paused. “If that’s what you want.”
“I think so. Do you?”
He said without any hesitation, “Absolutely. I want to give us a chance.”
She was silent for a moment. “But, Tony, we have to be honest with each other.”
“Haven’t we always been?”
“Yes, at least up until now. There’s something I need to tell you. First, is theft of soap a misdemeanor punishable in the state of Pennsylvania?”
“Theft of what? Soap? What are you talking about?
“I wanted something to remind me of you so I took the soap from your bathroom.”
When he stopped laughing, he said, “So, that’s where it went. Jesus, sugar, if it turns out this is in the criminal code, you could be disbarred.”
“I know. Will you promise not to turn me in if it’s against the law?”
“I’ll have to think about it. How about I call tomorrow night about seven your time? I’ll let you know whether there’s a warrant out on you for soap theft and you find out about a long weekend.” He paused for a heartbeat or two. “I know we can make this work, Margo.”
“Can we, Tony?”
• • •
Margo had been working for two hours clearing her desk and computer of what had accumulated while she was away when Kiki Long popped her head into the office. When Margo had left on her trip, the twenty-four-year old paralegal had shoulder-length, platinum-blonde hair with dark brown roots. Now what Margo could see of her hair over a bright orange 1940s Rosie the Riveter head wrap, was brown with a big pompadour in the front. She wore lipstick to match the head wrap and had replaced last month’s black leggings, ballet tee and mesh sweater with men’s pleated front trousers and a vintage Hawaiian sport shirt.
What hadn’t changed — what couldn’t change — were the climbing rose tattoos that twined around her arms, hid shyly under her shirtsleeves to burst out around her neck in red blossoms.
“Welcome back, Margo. I missed you. How was Philadelphia?”
“It was great, thanks. What happened around here while I was gone that’s worth knowing about?”
“Not much. Willow, the jury clerk, is finally pregnant. Vince the security guard and his partner, Charlie, broke up after twenty years. That’s about it.” Kiki cocked her head and frowned slightly. “But something happened with you. You look different.” She circled the desk, studying her friend. “A bright blue shirt? No jacket? Who knew you even owned clothes like that?”
“Kiki, I have work to do and so … ”
“Something happened … like … oh, my God … of course … you had sex with the guy from the plane. Was he just a hook-up? Will you see him again? Was he incredibly handsome? He must have been very, very sexy to get you to look all glow-y like this.”
“Stop. There was no man from the plane. I just had a good vacation. End of story.” From the sudden, extreme heat and flushing she could feel, all the blood in her body had taken up residence in her face.