Page 20 of Shadows of Eternity

In the morning, Leia woke still wondering what had happened the night before. One minute everything had seemed fine and the next … She still didn’t know what had gone wrong. But there was no time to worry about it now. Tomorrow was the last day of school, always a busy time as she cleaned her room and packed up everything she couldn’t leave over the summer. She was going to miss her kids when school ended, she thought again as she showered and dressed and ate a quick breakfast. There had been a few classes she’d been glad to see the last of, but this wasn’t one of them. The boys and girls had all been well-behaved, bright-eyed and eager to learn, bubbling over with questions.

She arrived in her classroom half an hour early to get ready for the day. But always, in the back of her mind, was Rohan.

After school, she met Janae for lunch at their favorite pizza place where they ordered a ham and pineapple pizza, hot wings, and soda.

“So, one more day and you’re free,” Janae said, with a grin. “Got any plans for the summer?”

“Not really. My mother’s working on a new movie, and you know my dad, he’s always working.”

“How’s Luke?”

“He’s in Italy shooting a movie and having the time of his life.”

“I’ll never understand how Hollywood didn’t get you, too.”

“No talent,” Leia said with a laugh.

“Are you still seeing Mr. Sexy?”

“I don’t know.”

Janae paused in the act of taking a bite of pizza. “How can you not know? You either are or you aren’t.”

“Well, things ended strangely last night. I thought we were going out, but we didn’t.” Leia shook her head. “He gave me a kiss in the parking lot that threatened to melt my bones and then, abruptly, he pulled away and drove me home. When we got there, I asked him to come in and he refused. He gave me a quick kiss and left.”

“Maybe he had another date,” Janae said, with a shrug. “Or had to hurry home to the little woman.”

“Be serious.” She refused to believe Rohan had a wife, children. But what if Janae was right?

“I am serious. He doesn’t strike me as a one-woman man.”

“Well, his biography says he’s single,” Leia said, but her voice lacked conviction.

“Maybe it’s better for him, professionally, if women think he’s available.”

“Enough!” Leia exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, but I know that man is hiding something. And if it’s not a wife, what could it be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask him the next time I see him. If there is a next time.”

Leia fretted about Rohan the rest of the day and when she wasn’t wondering if he was married, she wondered if she would see him later that night. Naturally, since she was waiting for one particular call, she got several. None of them from him.

She baked chocolate chip cookies—her kids’ favorite—and a pan of chocolate fudge brownies.

She had about given up on hearing from Rohan when, at nine o’clock, he called. She let it ring several times before she picked up. “Hello.”

“Hi. How are you?”

“Fine, thanks,” she replied, her voice cool. “Are you married?”

“What?”

“I think you heard me.”

“What brought that up?”

“It’s a simple question. Yes or no?”

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