Love Through the Shadows

     “Hi,” came a small voice behind her. Speaking slowly, haltingly, “I wasn’t sure that you’d come. But I hoped that you would. You always were there for me when we were in school. I’m hoping you still are.” D’Shea turned slowly, knowing the low and gentle voice almost as well as she knew her own. Her eyes took in Evie Collins, standing behind her looking just as beautiful as she had the last time they saw each other, five years ago. D’Shea’s brain was having trouble taking it all in. Evie was slightly built, shorter than D’Shea, with long auburn hair that was pulled through the back of her baseball cap. Beneath the brim Evie’s eyes were in shadow although D’Shea remembered them as sparkling green emeralds. Absently, D’Shea wondered if she still smelled the same.

     “Hey Right Field, how’re you doing?” D’Shea kept her voice even but her mouth curled up in a slow smile. “It’s been a very long time. What have you been up to?” As she spoke, D’Shea continued her mental inventory of the woman who stood before her. Under the brim of her ball cap, she could now see Evie’s green eyes, flatter than she remembered, with dark smudges under them. Though she was trying to look relaxed, Evie held her body stiffly with her right arm bent at the elbow and her thumb looped in the belt loop of her jeans. Her clothes were dirty and D’Shea suspected she’d slept in them for at least one night. Hopping down off the truck tailgate, D’Shea leaned in to touch her arm but stopped when Evie visually stiffened and backed up a step. Trying to cover the misstep, D’Shea said, “I could use some coffee--what do you think? Do you want to order and sit inside or in my truck?”

     Evie looked around and considered this cautiously, finally nodding toward the coffee bar mumbling, “Inside is fine” so softly that D’Shea almost missed it.  Pressing the key fob lock, D’Shea followed Evie inside, wondering how long she’d need to wait until she found out what was going on. And thinking that she’d prefer a beer to coffee at four o’clock on a Friday afternoon.