Page 68 of A Chance at Forever
“I’ve missed you, too.” She caressed his cheek. “Thanks again for everything you’ve done for me while I’ve been so busy.”
“You’re welcome. Have you eaten yet?” It was after eight o’clock.
She shook her head. “No. Rehearsal went badly today. There wasn’t time in all the confusion.”
“I haven’t either. Let’s drive into town and eat at Smith’s Diner.”
CHAPTER 20
Victoria’s schedule greweven more hectic during the next two weeks, but it was well worth her time and energy. Brian blossomed in his role as Scrooge, the chorus members had finally learned their parts, and the sets were almost completed. All aspects of the production were falling into place. She spent hours after school working, even on the weekends. On the following two Saturdays after the tree trimming party, she met with the technical crew to figure out the lighting needs and special effects. Thank goodness the renovations on the auditorium had been finished before the end of October. She couldn’t have been more pleased with the results.
Rusty continued to take care of her and Bud, and they texted or called each other every night. A couple of days beforeA Christmas Carolopened, Victoria thought his voice sounded weak and raspy as they spoke on the phone and mentioned it to him, but he assured her that he was fine.
“Are you being straight with me, Rusty? Come to think of it, I haven’t seen you around school this week.”
The silence on the other end of the phone spoke volumes. “Please don’t get upset with me, sweetheart, but I’ve been out the past three days…”
“What?” she exploded in concern. “I’m coming over right now.” Victoria ended the call before he could protest.
Bud trotted next to her as she hurried across the backyard and up the steps to Rusty’s kitchen. She found the door unlocked and made her way upstairs to the master suite. Bud whined a little in the gloomy darkness and nosed open the bedroom door.
Rusty switched on a bedside lamp and a dim light flooded the room. When she saw his pale, haggard face and haunted green eyes with dark shadows beneath them, Victoria gasped. She rushed forward and perched next to him on the bed.
“Oh, my poor love.” She bent and kissed his clammy forehead. “Why didn’t you tell me you were ill again?”
“Because I didn’t want to worry you. I know how importantA Christmas Carolis to you. To the kids.”
“Nothing is more important than you.” Victoria glanced at a group of medicine bottles on the nightstand. She didn’t recognize any of the names on the labels. “Have you been to see a doctor?”
Rusty stared at her hand covering his. “Not locally. Alex has been treating me.”
She picked up a bottle and read the unpronounceable name of the medication. The label didn’t resemble any legitimate one from a pharmacy. “With experimental drugs? For what?”
“Alex works with a pharmacy in Canada. And, no, these aren’t experimental drugs. My immune system is weak, and I keep catching every little bug going around school. It’s not a big deal.”
Rusty avoided looking her directly in the eye, and her gut warned her that he wasn’t being honest with her. He harbored a secret, too, like her, and if she pressed him, she feared she would lose him.
And she couldn’t lose him.
Not the man she loved more than life itself.
The admission didn’t frighten her. She’d known, on some deep level, deep in her soul, that Rusty had captured her heart. What she felt was a mature love unlike what she’d shared with Jeff as a teenager and young adult. The first tender shoots had taken root in friendship and mutual respect and had grown into a strong trunk, like the redwoods in northern California. And what she wanted was to sprout branches with Rusty, raise a family, and grow old with him.
Victoria fluffed the pillows behind his head and tucked the comforter around him. “Okay. Do you need anything?”
“You. I need you. More than you know.”
Rusty tugged her down next to him, and she curled into his side. Bud jumped on the bed and stretched out across their feet.
“He definitely has a foot fetish,” Rusty remarked with a slight smile.
Victoria let out a light chuckle. “We’ll stay until you fall asleep, my love.”
*
On opening nightofA Christmas Carol, excitement permeated the auditorium as the seats filled. Victoria knew the cast would be playing to a full house as she ran around backstage making sure everyone was ready.
Tonight she wore an elegant red satin dress. She had curled her hair and drawn it away from her face. The long ringlets dangled down her neck. Her jewelry consisted of a pair of gold stud earrings.
