“But?”
“But she would still be my boss. I would want her respect, which means I would need to be cognizant of what I choose to discuss with her, because you and I both know a few choice comments could easily erode that respect all too quickly. So,” Nora went on, “the real question is whether or not it’s worth giving up a job I like.”
“A job you like?” he asked. “Or a job you don’t dread—a job you’re comfortable with?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I saw a fire in your eyes tonight when you and Jane were discussing ideas for the company. And, well, you’ve been at the same place for a while now, and that’s not a bad thing, but I wonder if it’s losing the familiar routine of knowing what’s expected of you that’s scaring you? That sense of security can feel like a nice warm blanket. But are you satisfied with where you are?”
Her head spun with overwhelming doubt. It was true . . . she had felt discombobulated since Trevor’s incident . . . unable to make quick decisions, hopeless at times, and a bit paranoid, too. She didn’t like it, and she needed to find a way out of this dark hole she’d seemingly crawled into. “So you think I should go for it?”
“It’s your decision, but it sure seems meant to be. Not just because Jane has offered to double your pay, which is unheard of, but because she’s offering you everything you’ve always talked about wanting in a position. A challenging job, leadership, communication, and so on. If the job is half of what she says it is, I think it will allow you to grow. And isn’t that what you’ve always talked about being an important element at any job?”
“The position did sound challenging and exciting . . . I just wonder if I’m up for it.”
“If you can summon half the confidence she has in you, you’ll be fine.”
Nora shifted her body in her seat. “I hate to admit it, but her beauty caught me off guard. Every man in the restaurant took notice.”
“She’s no Nora Harmon.”
Nora laughed.
“So you think I should take the job?” she asked again, teasing him.
He chuckled. “I’m confident whatever you decide will be the right decision.” Keeping his eyes on the road, David reached over the middle console for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m proud of you. Not only with all you’ve accomplished in your career but as my wife and the mother of our children. I’m the luckiest man on earth.”
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too.”
He returned his hand to the steering wheel. Usually the low purr of the tires on pavement helped her relax, but not tonight. Her thoughts remained on Jane. The job she was being offered was everything she’d ever hoped for, but there it was again . . . paranoia rearing its ugly head. Something niggled, preventing her from jumping in headfirst. The decision should have been an easy one. She’d always prided herself on knowing what she wanted. What was stopping her from saying yes? Was it because she was content with her life? Or was it because, deep down, she wasn’t sure if she was up to the challenge? It wasn’t until they were home that the answer popped into her mind and she said, “Maybe I’m not as good as Jane thinks I am.”
David pulled into the driveway, stopped the car, and shut off the engine. He looked at her sternly. “You’re good at what you do, and you know it. Look how far you’ve come. Your biggest flaw is you’re too hard on yourself. You want to know what I really think the problem is?”
She nodded.
“I think the near drowning still has you rattled. Trevor will be fine. He is fine.”
“He’s afraid of the water.” It broke Nora’s heart to think back on her little boy swimming his heart out, especially at such a young age, constantly calling out, “Look at me, Mom!” “He always loved the water . . . remember when we used to call him Little Duck?”
“He will enjoy the water again, I promise. It’ll take some time, but he’ll get over it.”
“You’ve been calm from start to end,” Nora said, unable to comprehend it. “Why aren’t you freaked out? We almost lost him.”
“But we didn’t. And that’s what matters. It’s not about how we feel; it’s about Trevor, and that’s where our focus needs to be. Not on us feeling guilty about not being there when he needed us but how Trevor is feeling right now . . . today. He’s talking to a therapist. We’re providing him with the help he needs. At some point, we’ll get him back in the water. I guarantee it.”
She thought about Jane Bell and how the first words out of her mouth had been about Trevor. “How did Jane know what happened to Trevor?”
“Maybe you mentioned it to her?”
Nora shook her head. “I didn’t. In fact, she said she talked to a doctor at Sutter Hospital. That’s a little odd, isn’t it?”
“I agree. It’s against the law for a doctor to talk to anyone without our permission. But what’s odd to me,” David said, “is that you’re questioning it at all. What does it matter that she knew about the incident and offered her sympathies?”
Nora shifted in her seat. “You’re right. It’s not a big deal.” It was true. She was rattled, and not just because of what had happened with Trevor. The man in the suit and the weird hang-up phone call weren’t helping matters.
CHAPTER FOUR
The rest of the weekend sped by in a blur. Then it was Monday morning, and the usual chaos ensued as everyone gobbled down scrambled eggs and toast, then grabbed their backpacks. Time to get to school and work. Trevor wrapped his skinny arms around her waist, gave her a quick squeeze, and then ran off and jumped into the passenger seat of David’s car. Nora waved goodbye as they disappeared down the street.
Nora stood by the open door, waiting for her daughter. Hailey was a sophomore in high school and attended a different school than her brother. Nora would drop her off on her way to work. She watched her daughter tuck strands of dirty-blonde hair behind her ear as she approached. Her little girl with the round face and pigtails was growing up fast.
Nora switched her cell phone to camera mode and told Hailey to make a pose.
Hailey plunked her hands on her hips and thrust one shoulder forward. Her lips were closed tight.
“Smile,” Nora said.
“No way,” she said under tight lips, sounding like a bad ventriloquist. “Not until I get these braces off.”
Nora laughed and took the picture. Kids.
After they got in the car, buckled up, and drove off, Hailey asked, “Are you going to take the new job?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not? Whenever you and Dad talk about it, your voice raises an octave and you get all googly-eyed.”
“Googly-eyed?”
“Yes. You know . . . like how Trevor looked when you and Dad gave him that super-duper drone with the live Wi-Fi camera connection or how Dad gets when he talks about meeting Paul McCartney when you two went to some music festival in the desert.”
Nora laughed.
“And what happened to the woman who is always telling me I should try new things?” Hailey wanted to know.