She would occasionally spend a sunny winter afternoon on the big porch, reading for a while but more often she'd go down into the garden, or out onto the two person swing chair on the main patio where likely as not Dar would join her.
There was another guest room upstairs, and the room she used as her office, and sometimes she would work up there, but never for long. It was just as easy to take her laptop and sit on the big leather couch in the living room, or in Dar's office downstairs where they would work together in companionable silence.
But tonight, here in the big room she pulled back the soft, fluffy comforter and got under it, as Chino leaped up onto one side of the big king size bed and turned in a few circles before settling down.
She reached down and picked up Mocha before he could start yelping, putting him down and giving him a kiss on the top of his head. “Chill out, and go lay down by Chino, okay?”
“Yap.” He nibbled her chin and lay down on his back, waving his paws at her as she indulgently rubbed his belly.
“I'm glad you guys are here with me.” Kerry informed them. “Even if you're running me ragged.” She leaned over and rubbed her nose against Mocha's and he licked her face. “It's nice to have something to distract me from missing your mother mommy.”
It really was silly, she knew. Kerry leaned over and shut the bedside light, sliding down and pulling the covers up over her. Dar would only be gone a little over 24 hours, and the fact that she was so occupied with thoughts of her really probably was not quite sane.
A pleasant insanity, to be sure. She settled down on her pillow and then reached over to pick up her Handspring as she spotted the flashing red light that meant a message.
And.. it was a message from Dar. Contentedly, Kerry opened it, delighted to find a picture attached. She reviewed it, turning her head slightly to one side. “What the hell is that, Dar?”
I decided to go out to eat and found this Italian place. It had these. Inside out pizzas It's full of stuff inside.
“Ah, that's what that is.” Kerry went on to the next picture. “Tirimisu, nice.”
Now I'm out riding on the subway trains.
Kerry sat right up. “What???”
I'm so stuffed if I go right back to the hotel and go to sleep I'm going to be sick to my stomach.
“Y'know, Dar, much as you're the most macha woman I know, riding on the train after midnight in a strange city isn't the smartest thing I ever heard.” Kerry rapidly typed out the same message. “Can't you just go walk around your room?”
She hit send, and waited, but not for long as thirty seconds later the phone rang. She answered it. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Dar's voice came through clearly, but there were street sounds behind her. “Worried about me?” She chuckled. “I”m around the corner from the hotel, so relax.”
“Nutball.” Kerry snuggled back down into bed, and exhaled, as Mocha curled up against her. “You said you were riding trains. I thought you got drunk at dinner.”
“Can you get drunk on beer?”
“Oh yes.” Kerry advised her. “And I have, and you've seen me.”
“But you're so cute when you're drunk.” Dar said. “I”m going to walk around the block twice, then go inside. It's cold here. G'wan to bed.”
“I am in bed, upstairs.” Kerry admitted. “With the kids.” She put her head on the pillow. “Please be careful, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you.”
Dar was quiet for a few moments. “You doing all right?” She asked, in a more serious tone. “You sound bummed.”
Did she? Kerry frowned briefly. “I'm fine, just been a really long day.”
“Sure.” Dar's tone didn't alter. “Did those guys, any of them come back near the office?”
“No.” Kerry felt her body relax a little. “Mark was keeping an eye out for them, and he put a webcam on the back loading dock.”
Dar chuckled softly.
“He was really freaked out about this morning. He said he had no real idea of what he was supposed to do once he got here except start yelling and calling the cops.”
“That was enough.”
“It was, but you know when I finally felt safe? When you got there.” Kerry admitted. “Even more than the cops.”
Dar chuckled again. “Here you are telling me to get off the streets of Washington at the same time as you tell me I showed up like Thor, god of the internets this morning.”
Now Kerry had to laugh a little. “Yeah, schizo. I know.” She said. “I don't know. I should just shut up and go to sleep. I'm overtired.”
“Sounds good.” Dar said. “See you after lunch?”
“You got it. I'll be there waiting.” Kerry felt an odd reluctance to hang up, but she pushed that to one side. “Talk to you later, hon.”
“Bye.” Dar said, then disconnected.
Kerry put the phone down on her stomach and studied the ceiling, surprised by the sudden sting of tears in her eyes. It felt like there was a tension gripping her chest, and she sucked in a deep breath, and then released it, glancing to the side as Mocha squiggled up between her arm and her ribs, snuffling at her. “Hey baby boy.” She allowed his cute eyes and button nose to charm her up out of her unexpected doldrums. “You going to keep me company, huh?”
The puppy had light green eyes, almost the same shade as her own. Now he was putting his small muzzle down on her arm and peering up at her. After a moment, his mouth opened and his pink u shaped tongue appeared.
Chino, apparently jealous of the attention, got up and came over to sprawl over Kerry's legs, resting her chin on Kerry's knee, and exhaling.
Kerry sniffled a little, and rubbed her eyes, clearing the moisture from them. It was hard really pin down what she felt bad about, and now that the moment was over, she felt a little embarrassed about it. “I think I really am overtired.” She informed her attentive pets. “So let's go to bed. Right?”
Chino exhaled again as Kerry pulled the covers up a little, and closed her eyes.
Right.
Dar pondered the phone, leaning back against the wall of the hotel as she thought about her partner. It had been a long day, no doubt. The morning's stresses had bothered both of them, and that could be reason enough for Kerry's melancholy, but Dar was disturbed about it, and now was wishing the night would go faster.
And the morning would go faster. With an aggrieved sigh, she finished her stroll around the building, trotting up the steps then and into the lobby. Late as it was, on a weekday, the space was mostly deserted, the bar with only a few single patrons sitting and watching a game she could hear the echo of as she passed.
The desk clerk, busy with some papers, gave her only the briefest of glances as she crossed in front of him and angled towards the elevators. Then he straightened up. “Oh, Ms. Roberts?”
Dar stopped and turned. “Yes?”
“Sorry, ma'am, there's an envelope for you.” He went to a cabinet and opened it. “It just came in about thirty minutes ago.” He turned and came over, holding it out. “Here you go.”
Dar took it, and regarded it. “FedEx.”
“Yes, ma'am, late delivery. You can get FedEx here in pretty much anytime you want.”
“Thanks.” Dar noted the address, and tucked it under her arm before she continued on to the elevator bank and took one up to her room
She put the packet down and changed into a pair of shorts and a t shirt, going to the mini bar and retrieving some milk chugs she'd ordered after she'd checked in. Then she sat down in the leather easy chair and opened first the milk, then the package.
It was from the Herndon office. Dar opened the folder inside and paused, looking at the large, in fact over sized greeting card tucked into the covering and acknowledging the lump it brought to her throat.