Part 15 (1/2)
Mitch turned on the radio a few minutes before Kelsey's show came on, listening for her intro while he made himself a quick ham sandwich in the kitchen. When he heard the saxophone music start, he grabbed a drink and rushed into the living room.
”h.e.l.lo, Baltimore, this is Lady Love and you're listening to Night Whispers Night Whispers on WAJO. I think the time has come, dear friends, to talk about love.” on WAJO. I think the time has come, dear friends, to talk about love.”
Mitch dropped his sandwich and had to quickly wipe a spot of mustard off the leather sofa. Lady Love was going to talk about love? He'd never heard her on that topic before. Usually she focused on the more physical side of relations.h.i.+ps, not the emotional.
”Love is a word bandied about all the time in our daily lives. I love my new red dress, and I just love Brad Pitt's latest movie, and oh, how I love spicy Mexican food.” is a word bandied about all the time in our daily lives. I love my new red dress, and I just love Brad Pitt's latest movie, and oh, how I love spicy Mexican food.”
Mitch wondered if she was going to talk about other things she ”loved.” Like how she loved having that tender strip of skin at the very top of her thigh lightly bitten. He didn't think she would; after all, he'd made himself very clear about how he felt about her bringing their private relations.h.i.+p onto the air.
”We use the word love love lightly when we talk about people, too. We just love our favorite sports figure, or a great teacher. The word only begins to reflect its true meaning, however, when we're speaking about people for whom we have deep, lasting emotions.” lightly when we talk about people, too. We just love our favorite sports figure, or a great teacher. The word only begins to reflect its true meaning, however, when we're speaking about people for whom we have deep, lasting emotions.”
Relieved she wasn't going to go into further detail about what she loved, Mitch settled back on the sofa to listen.
”I suppose the first love we experience as human beings is the love of our parents. A mother who takes her squalling, red-faced, newborn bundle into her arms doesn't see the blotches-she sees perfection. She loves this creature because she has created it, and it is a part of her. As children, we respond to that love, blooming into little people under the constant tender care and emotional sustenance. And we love our siblings and other family members who weave like a tight tapestry into our developing lives.”
Kelsey would be a great mother. Mitch didn't know where the thought came from, but he knew it was true.
”Then, of course, there's romantic love.”
Ahh! Now we get to it! Mitch smiled wryly as Kelsey segued into the topic he knew she was planning. Mitch smiled wryly as Kelsey segued into the topic he knew she was planning.
”When we're teenagers, our hormones tell us we're in love before we even fully comprehend what that word means. Then, one day, we finally get it. We finally realize what love really is. Now, this might not happen until we hit sixty, but hey, I firmly believe it will happen to every person at least once. Real love. Not l.u.s.t, not compatibility, but real love.”
Kelsey's voice trailed off, and Mitch heard music. The song asked for just one minute of ”real love.” When she returned to the air, after the song and a commercial break, Kelsey picked up where she'd left off.
”Now, about real love...I want to hear from all of you about when you discovered it existed. I want to know the exact moment the excitement you felt when he walked into the room turned into absolute devastation when he left it. Gentlemen, don't be shy tonight. I want to know when you realized the woman you asked out to dinner became the woman you wanted to spend your life with.”
Mitch wondered if she knew he was listening. Was she asking him to evaluate his feelings for her? Mitch wasn't ready to do that, but she seemed to be forcing the issue.
”Your physical attraction to him, the excitement you feel when you're in his arms, that's only the beginning. It's also your complete trust in him, knowing he'll be on your side even if you've done something totally stupid, the idea that you'd rather stay home with him to watch an old movie than get dolled up and go out. These are clues of love. Realizing that he doesn't care if you look like Frankenstein's bride the morning after a party, or that he'll tell you your bathing suit looks terrific even if you know you look fat in it, looking at him doing something as simple as reading a newspaper and thinking just how much you actually like like him...well, now you're in very deep.” him...well, now you're in very deep.”
Mitch smiled during her brief pause. He liked her, too.
She continued. ”Now, add that moment when you're ready to scream because he left the toilet seat up and then he hands you a bunch of flowers he picked from your own garden. Your annoyance just evaporates. That's the moment. Real love is when all the varied feelings you have for another person come together in an instant of utter clarity and you realize your life was a huge empty sh.e.l.l before he stepped into it.”
Mitch frowned. This was just a show. Kelsey was onstage when she did Night Whispers Night Whispers. She spoke about topics designed to encourage callers and help her ratings. So why did he feel she was reaching through the speakers, telling him, and only him, how she felt?
”Real love...once you find it, hold it tight and never take it for granted. It will last if you nurture it. And when you are both old and gray and slow in your movements and have only each other to laugh at your bad jokes, it will still be there.”
As a song began to play, Mitch walked to the stereo to turn it off. He didn't want to hear any more.
Mitch paced around the living room, nearly tripping over a pair of shoes she'd left on the floor near the fireplace. One soft leather glove lay near the door. A fas.h.i.+on magazine rested on the coffee table among the archaeological journals, and a bottle of pale pink nail polish stood on an end table. The room was filled with her light scent. He couldn't turn around without seeing something that belonged to her or reminded him of her.
When had he fallen in love with her? For there was no question that he loved her. Her words tonight had forced him to acknowledge that. He'd reached that ”moment” she'd been babbling on about and now didn't know what on earth to do about it.
He couldn't love Kelsey. He liked her. He was amazingly attracted to her. He'd drifted into an affair with her against all common sense. But he didn't have room in his life to love her.
Mitch was essentially a loner, getting mentally swept away when studying something that intrigued him. He'd never planned on marrying and raising a family. He liked being able to pick up and leave the country for six months at a time. He liked his calm, unenc.u.mbered life.
With Kelsey, he found his emotions called the shots and his brain ran to catch up. She appealed to a part of him he thought he'd managed to suppress, the part of him that didn't fit in with his current existence.
Using every bit of his a.n.a.lytical experience, Mitch went over and over the reasons he couldn't love Kelsey. A couple of hours later, he nearly had himself convinced.
But, of course, when she walked in the door and smiled that smile, he knew he was a goner.
11.
KELSEY DIDN'T THINK too much about the roses. After all, they'd arrived at the station, just as the letters had. The address was right in the phone book for anyone to see. too much about the roses. After all, they'd arrived at the station, just as the letters had. The address was right in the phone book for anyone to see.
The balloons in her car were another matter entirely. Brian and Edgar both noticed them right away as they walked her out after her show the following night.
”You going to a birthday party or something?” Brian asked.
”I have no idea where they came from,” Kelsey said softly as she opened the door and retrieved the huge bouquet. The balloons were brightly colored, with swirling ribbons attached. Holding the ribbons together at the bottom was a chess piece. A white knight.
”Subtle,” Brian said with a smirk.
”Pretty,” murmured Edgar.
”Goodbye,” said Kelsey as she yanked the knight off and let go of the ribbons. The balloon bouquet flew up out of her hands and was picked up by a breeze that carried it over the city. She didn't say another word as she got in her car-which she knew she occasionally forgot to lock-and left the parking lot. Kelsey tried hard not to think about the fact that someone had actually come to the station and, knowing which car was hers, had gotten into it while she was inside the building.
Luckily, Mitch helped her forget when she got home that night.
THEY SLEPT LATE the next morning, as they usually did on weekdays. Mitch had adjusted his sleep schedule to fit in with Kelsey's work hours and enjoyed waking up slowly beside her every midmorning. the next morning, as they usually did on weekdays. Mitch had adjusted his sleep schedule to fit in with Kelsey's work hours and enjoyed waking up slowly beside her every midmorning.
”I wish you'd change your mind and let me come to the banquet with you tomorrow night,” she said as she snuggled close to him. ”Baltimore can survive one night without Lady Love if I call in sick.”
”You'd be bored stiff. I'm not looking forward to going, myself.”
Kelsey sat up and stretched. Since she slept naked, Mitch couldn't help pausing to admire the picture she made. He felt his body harden in instant response.
”You should be thrilled about it,” she said. ”You're being honored by a charitable organization for some very wonderful work you did. Foreign adoption agencies in the city have really benefited from those articles you wrote last summer.”
”I'm proud of the award, Kels, just not too interested in being around the Downtown Charitable Society. I know some of the members. Rich sn.o.bs who dabble in good works. Believe me, tomorrow night will be a bore. I'd be just as pleased to accept the plaque in my own living room.”
Mitch saw her nibble at her lip and glance away. He sensed there was something she wasn't saying. ”What's wrong?”
”I just wondered, I mean, it's not that you don't want want me there, is it? I mean, I don't imagine it would do your reputation a lot of good to show up with the infamous Lady Love on your arm.” me there, is it? I mean, I don't imagine it would do your reputation a lot of good to show up with the infamous Lady Love on your arm.”
Hearing the uncertain tone in her voice, Mitch immediately sat up and drew her into his arms. He was shocked that she would even think he could somehow be ashamed of her. ”Kelsey, you're crazy. The problems I have with your job have absolutely nothing to do with embarra.s.sment or worry about my reputation. It's your safety that concerns me. I'd be the luckiest guy in the place if I showed up with you on my arm tomorrow night.”