Apprehension landed with a thud in the pit of her stomach.  The black telephone hanging in the Donovan kitchen taunted her.  The little hellbox harbored everything that could go wrong. But it also held one other thing, hope.  And she had to find out what was going on.

After a shaky finger dialed the numbers scratched onto a piece of notepad paper from the Plaza Hotel, she clapped the receiver to her ear. It rang and rang. Nothing.  "Where are you, Calvin?" she whispered.  Had the sight of her grandmother caused him to change his mind?  Had he found someone else already?   No. He'd secretly gone back to California. But he wouldn't do that to her. Not again.

When she was about to give up, a groggy voice came over the line. "Hello?"

"Calvin!" Teddi berated herself for sounding so eager.

"Hi, Teddi."

She took a few breaths, allowing her heart to return to its normal rhythm. "Hi."

"Sorry, I haven't been in touch. I've been working and—"

"Calvin, what's going on?" she cut in, knowing he was about to dance around the elephant already filling up the line. "I thought that once we got home that.... Well, why didn't you call? And don't say it was because of work."

"To be honest, I really didn't know what to say."

"Say something, Calvin."

"All right, the truth?"

"Please?"

"I don't know how to do this here, in Brookhurst, I mean. It was easy when we were alone, but now—"

Teddi sighed. She'd had enough. She couldn't do this over the phone.  "I'm coming over, Calvin."

"What?" He obviously hadn't expected her to say that."Not. that's not a good idea."

"I'm not about to let you or my grandmother ruin it this time."

"This has nothing to do with her."

"If you don't want to be with me, Calvin, then tell me right now, so I can stop making a fool out of myself."

"Of course, I want to be with you."

"That's what I thought. I'm coming over right now," she said firmly and hung up.

As Teddi swept entered the hallway in search of her coat, her grandfather appeared. "Is everything all right, dear?"

"It's fine, grandfather." She put on her coat.

"Come now. You've been melancholy for days. Is it your sister? Do you miss her? You seemed so happy when you returned but these past few days you've been in another world."

"I'm all right. I promise," she smiled, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Tell grandmother I won't be home for dinner.  I want to get some work done down at the newspaper." Teddi said as she began out of the door.

"But you've only just got in, dear."

"I know. I just have to get something done on my own. I won't be back late."

"All right, but don't go letting yourself starve. I'll make sure Winnie leaves you a plate of something."

Teddi smiled at the old gentleman, feeling awful for lying to him. She would explain everything to him if it worked out with Calvin. He would be her ally Teddi thought as she headed into the soft flurries of December's snow.

 *~*

When she arrived at Calvin's apartment, her determined spirit wobbled along with her knees. She and Laura had found out he'd been living across the street from where he worked some time ago, and she never attempted to stop by. Not even after they'd come home from New York. Now, here she was barging into his life when perhaps he didn't want her.  Whether or not that was true, he was not going to get away with this lack of communication. She knocked swiftly on the door.  There was no answer. She knocked again.  Had he run away because she was coming over? Of course, he had. She was barging into his life without invitation.

Before her thoughts could take her any further, the door swung open.  There he stood in a gray sweater and brown slacks. His hair looked a touch damp due to the light snow flakes that had kissed it outdoors. He brushed his fingers through it, looking down at her. "Hi."

Teddi refrained from flinging her arms around his neck. Then she rememebered herself, and had to refrain herself from slapping him.  "Hello, Calvin. Were you out?"

"Yeah, just ran out for a bit."

"I see. Hoping to avoid me then changed your mind?"

"I'm sorry about that. I was stupid.  I brought you dinner. You haven't eat, have you?"  He sounded a little unraveled as he stepped back to let her inside.

"Oh. No, I haven't. Thank you," she said. Unsure of how to respond to his gesture, she focused on the room's quaint furniture and white pictureless walls. Her eyes fell on two large glass doors and out beyond them. "You have a yard."

"Yeah," Calvin said, clearing his throat as she crossed the room to look out onto his back deck.

"It's beautiful."

"It'll be nicer when spring comes, I guess. I know the rest of the place needs a little sprucing up."

"No, it's great. I like the kitchen," she said, glancing to the right where it opened into the living room, her back still to him.

"Thanks."

Teddi sighed, remembering she hadn't come here to talk about his apartment, and turned to him. "What's going on, Calvin?"

"Why don't we eat first?" Calvin asked, gesturing toward four small white boxes with tiny silver handles.

"I'd really like to talk first."

"We can talk as soon as we eat," Calvin said, sitting down on his sofa and pulling the coffee table toward him, making sure he left a respectable amount of room for Teddi to sit beside him. "Come on." He patted the cushion beside him. "We've got egg foo yung, fried rice.  You don't want a drink do you? Because I could get you a drink."

Teddi eyed him warily, unsure if this was just another way of avoiding what he'd been ducking all week. "No drink. But the food does smell good." It reminded her of their meal at the Copacabana.  Calvin got up and went to pour them some water then set them out nicely.  

"See? Perfect."

"You win, but we talk as soon as we eat," she conceded, taking off her jacket and gloves.

"Right after the fortune cookies."

She sat carefully beside him, not too close, but definitely not too far away. She could feel his heat warming her thigh as she smoothed her green skirt down with her fingers.

When dinner was finished, Calvin drew a pair of fortune cookies from the bag by his foot and handed one to Teddi. A smiled hugged the corner of her mouth as she accepted it from him then moved to crack it down the middle.

"What's yours say?" Calvin asked, holding a white strip of paper he'd already pulled out and read.

"Your purity of spirit will bring luck to your doorstep," she said softly, raising her eyebrow. "Will it?"

"Teddi..."

"Calvin, please."

Calvin sighed and raked his hands through his hair a second time that night. "Teddi, I'm sorry."

"It seems like we're not even running in place. A little forward then a lot back."

Calvin nodded, looking into her eyes. "I guess that's it."

Teddi's forehead crinkled. "What's it?"

"If you look outside of this, outside of just us, I'm not sure if this is really what you want."

"You can't make that decision for me," she said, reaching over and placing her hand on top of his. "This is what I want."

"But this town. Your grandmother."

Teddi turned his hand over, entwined their fingers and brought them to her lips. She watched as his eyes slipped shut and knew that this fear wasn't going to be strong enough to stand between them this time. "Let's just concentrate on us. Forget about all of that. Okay?"

"Teddi. I don't think it's that easy."  Calvin searched her eyes and after a moment seemed to lose all resistance. "You win."

"So, we move forward?"

Calvin nodded. "Forward."

"Good. Now come here," she whispered.

He reached for her and watched the movement of his thumb as it trailed along her jaw then down her neck.  His lips took over the same path with small kisses.  

Between a sigh and a tremble, Teddi said, "Wait a minute."

Calvin pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"I just... I wanted to see your fortune. You saw mine."

Calvin laughed sitting back for minute and picking the white piece of paper he'd let fall on the sofa beside him. "I'm surprised it didn't fall through the cushions," he chuckled. "It says, 'One man tells a falsehood, a hundred repeat it as true.' Great advice, huh? These things mean nothing."

"Maybe. I think mine came true."

"Luck has nothing to do with us, Teddi."

"No?"

"No," he whispered, crushing her lips to his and kissing her the way she'd wanted him to all night. When it seemed he was desperate for breath, he pulled back, framing her face in his hands, his blue eyes studying her brown ones as if they were answering his question. "It's providence."

Teddi smiled, reveling in the warm tickle of his breath on her skin, her heart full for the first time since she'd left him at the train. "Providence."  He leaned in to kiss her again but before either fell into complete bliss, the phone rang. With an apology, Calvin rose to answer it.

"Oh now, you answer your phone."

"Well, I know it's not you, so I don't have to avoid it."

She threw a sofa cushion at his head which he dodged with a laugh

"Hello?  Riley." Calvin's expression darkened, which Teddi found peculiar.  "I'm fine. Yes,  I know. I'm glad I'm alive too.  But I can't talk now.  No.  I'm good.  I promise. I'll call you back."  Calvin turned back to Teddi.  She didn't need to know about Riley. It was enough to have one side of the world against them. They didn't need two.

 *~*

Teddi's desk at the Brookhurst Observer was a tiny box of metal, accompanied by a very uncomfortable wooden chair without rollers. She had papers upon papers stacked on top of the tiny surface, most of them pertaining to the research she was conducting on a special project. Of course, she told her boss, a short bald man who wore owlish glasses, that it was information on the weathering patterns of Massachusetts, claiming that it was the weather she wanted to report on. It was the only actual writing position open and she was willing to take anything as long as it got her name in bold type. Of course, her whole plan was to uncover an amazing story on the town and present it to her boss in such a way that he wouldn't dare say no.  She had a sampling of notes on everything and everyone in Brookhurst, including that old lighthouse couple. But where was the story in that? She found it vastly interesting, but she couldn't think of how that would impress her boss.  Then she thought of something Calvin mentioned the other day. The boys home. It was in danger.  There had to be a story there.

"Rose, I'm off to lunch," Teddi said to the woman who sat across from her. She was starving for a couple of things, both of which she knew would help revitalize her for the rest of the day.

She reached the avenue of Lockhart's Seaside Grille and smiled. She hoped that he could spare her a few minutes and would love it if he could take the half hour with her. Just as she'd climbed the steps of the restaurant, a tall dark-haired young man emerged, lighting a cigarette. He spotted her without a second lost and gave her a wink before he took the first drag.

"Hello," he said smoothly, puffing out an air of smoke, leaning against the door. "I don't believe we've met."

"Unfortunately, I believe we have," Teddi said, not liking the way his eyes began traveling up and down her form, lingering in the most inappropriate places. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

"Hugh Morgan," he said, holding out his cigarette-free hand for her to take. "And you're that surly brunette I met last summer with your dishwater blonde friend." 

Teddi politely shook it and looked at him pointedly. "I'd really like to get by, if you'd please."

"I could escort you inside. Just having a drink with my cousin at the bar. You're free to join us."

"No, thank you. I'm meeting someone," she half-lied. She was going to see Calvin, but he had no idea she was coming, so it wouldn't actually constitute a planned meeting.

"It's your choice," he said, moving aside so she could enter. "It was lovely chatting with you, sweets. I hope we can do it again some time," he called after her after she'd already moved inside.

"Hi, is Calvin Wynne here?" Teddi asked the hostess.

The woman looked down at a sheet in front of her. "He's here. Would you like me to get him for you?"

"Would it be all right if I went back there? I just want to say hello, if he's busy."

The woman looked behind her. "Well, it's not too crowded in here, and Mr. Lockhart isn't in town. So I suppose I can let you go back, Miss...?"

"Donovan."

"Oh, of course. The judge's granddaughter." She looked at her a little oddly. "Are you a friend of Calvin's?"

"Yes." Teddi raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

"No. Not at all." The woman smiled falsely. "Please, follow me," she said, leading Teddi toward the back after calling to someone named Bea to watch the front for a minute. "Calvin, you have a guest."

Calvin turned after placing a tray full of tiny desserts on the long counter behind him.

"Hey!" His mouth split into a wide grin as he wiped his hands on the long white apron that covered his clothes.

Teddi looked down for a second, suddenly embarrassed that she'd come without telling him. "I'm on my lunch break." She shrugged. "Can you get away?"

Calvin's grin widened even further. "I think I can get Tony and Hamlet to cover for me. Wait for me right outside here."

"Hamlet?" Teddi curled her hands around her hand bag in a gesture she knew was most unbecoming of a Miss Carrington's graduate and dipped outside of the kitchen, glad that she no longer had the probing eyes of the thin-nosed hostess on her. The woman had returned to the front of the restaurant and was now badgering a young waitress.

"You ready?" Calvin whispered next to her ear, startling her briefly sans his smudgy apron. His hands rested lightly above her hips, and she resisted the urge to lean back.

"Well, what do we have here?" a voice came from the bar, full of contempt. "The princess and the pauper."

"Samantha," Teddi said, abruptly. She hadn't noticed her there before. The very annoying man she'd met outside was sitting beside Samantha, smiling oily at Teddi.

"Have you met my cousin Hugh?"

"Yes, we've met. Now if you'll excuse us."

"Us?" Hugh guffawed. "The two of you are an 'us'? How lucky you must feel, Calbert, is it?"

"It's Calvin," he said through gritted teeth, stepping in front of Teddi, "and if you so much as say one more word I'll--"

Teddi put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Calvin, let's go."

"You are very lucky, indeed, my man," Hugh continued, not bothering to wipe the smirk off of his face. "Look at her. So beautiful, so sweet. But maybe that's only a façade. Like to get a little dirt under your nails every now and then, do you, Miss Donovan?"

"Come on, Calvin," Teddi urged as she felt the muscles in his shoulder tighten.

"All right, Teddi. They aren't worth it."

Teddi took his hand in hers and led him away.

 *~*

"I really don't understand why Samantha cares what I do!" Teddi said when they reached the empty docks behind the restaurant.

Calvin caught her hand and turned her into his embrace. "It's obvious, Teddi. She's jealous." He kissed the top of her head reverently.

"Jealous of me?" Teddi gave a humorless chuckle. "She's the perfect one."

Calvin laughed. "I think you stole her job." He bent down and nuzzled her neck.

"I'm serious."

"She just wants to be you and she's looking for any and every reason to bring you down. It's sad really."

"What makes you such an expert on Samantha?"

Calvin straightened his back and shrugged as he looked down at her. "She's easy to read."

Teddi smiled crookedly. "And what about me? Am I easy to read, Mr. Wynne?"

"You, my dear, are just about as easy to read as a manual on quantum physics."

Teddi's eyes grew as she feigned shock. "I should be insulted by that crack."

"You're layered, complicated, beautiful, full of life. It's why I..." Calvin stopped when he realized what he was about to say. Her eyes looked expectant and longing. It was true and had been for a long time, and he'd promised her he would move forward, not back. So, he pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered, "It's why I love you so much."

"Honestly?"

Calvin nodded and swallowed the thickness in his throat. He kissed the corners of her eyes had moistened. She hadn't said it back to him just then, but there was time. They had time. "And don't worry about Samantha," he said with a short laugh. "She's a noxious nancy."

"Please, let's not talk about her any more."

"Whatever you want, love."

"Whatever I want?"

Calvin narrowed his eyes. "You sound like you're up to something."

 "I'm not.  I just want to know more about Miss Pinchley and the orphan's home."