Lasso

Chapter One-3

Corina decided on the desk. She waved the sales clerk over.

She paid for it and set up a delivery date.

Thirty minutes later, they stepped out into the bright sunshine. It was humid. Nikki shield her eyes with her hand. The temperature was in the high eighties.

Both put on a pair of shades.

“He cheated,” Corina said. “Why do you want to know? Will that change anything?”

“I don’t know,” Nikki said. “Maybe I just want to know what I did wrong. Why he felt like he had to go outside the relationship.” She sighed. “I never saw it coming. I thought we were okay.” She locked her arm in her friend as they strolled casually along the sidewalk. “We’ve been arguing a lot lately, but all couples do. They don’t just throw everything away. Five years, Corina. Five years.”

“I know. You still love him,” Corina said. “But you did nothing wrong. What happened, Nikki, wasn’t your fault. Don’t beat yourself up over it. That’s why I think you need to take some more time off. Go on vacation. Recharge yourself.”

“Recharge myself?”

Corina laughed. “You do remember what the term means? When was the last time you took a vacation?”

“Vacation?” Nikki repeated.

“Yes. Vacation. When was the last time you took one?” Corina repeated.

Nikki’s mind went to Winston. The last time they’d taken a trip together. It was three years ago. They decided to go skiing in Colorado. They enjoyed the snowy slopes during the day but did things to make the bearskin rug blush at night.

“Three years ago,” Nikki said.

“You are long overdue,” Corina said. “I think it’s time to call a travel agent.”

* * *

Later that day, Corina dropped Nikki off in front of her apartment building. Nikki refused Corina’s offer to escort her to the door. She strolled into the elevator and rode to the fifth floor. She exited, walking the short hallway to number 505.

As soon as she slipped the key into the lock, her cell phone began to ring. She quickly unlocked the door and rushed into the living room. The phone continued ringing. Nikki reached down inside her large bag and pulled out her phone. She glanced at the number. It was her mother, the last person she wanted to speak to. Her mother was persistent; if she didn’t answer, she would continue to call.

Sophie Phillips was a very loving and caring woman to everyone in the small town of Montgomery, Texas, but when it came to her one and only daughter, she was meddlesome and overbearing. Everything had to be her way or no way. Nikki loved her mother; they got along well, as long as they were not in the same town and spoke to each other as little as possible.

Nikki took a deep breath and answered the call. “Hello, Mother.” She set the bag on the dining-room table. “How are you?”

“What took you so long to answer?”

“I’m just coming in the door, Mother. What can I do for you?”

“Do you have to answer like that?”

“Mother, I am not in the mood.” Nikki wanted her mother to get to the reason she’d phoned. She was sure Winston had informed her that their relationship was over.

“Can’t a mother call to see how her daughter is doing?”

“Most mothers, yes.” Nikki headed into the bedroom. She sat down on the edge of the bed. While juggling the phone, she removed one clog and then the other. “But you, no. You spoke to Winston.”

“How are you doing, dear?” her mother said in a soft tone. “I’m so sorry.”

Just as Nikki thought, her mother had spoken to Winston. “How do you think I am, Mother?” Nikki inquired. “We were going to get married.”

Sophie cleared her throat. “I know you are disappointed. But in time, you will forget about Winston and meet someone new.”

“He never should have told you,” Nikki said. “I’m sure you are ecstatic; you never cared for Winston.”

“I am not ecstatic. Why would I be?” Sophie said. “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard you say. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want to hear ‘I told you so.’”

“I wouldn’t have said that,” Sophie said.

“I know you, Mother,” Nikki said. “Whenever you get a chance, you love to tell me I am wrong, and you are right.”

“That’s because I usually am,” Sophie boasted.

Nikki bit her lips. “That’s why I didn’t tell you.”

“Nikki, you can think whatever you like. I am tired of putting up with your condescending and nasty attitude. Think what you want.”

“I think you want to run my life. I’m in control, not you.”

“Yes,” Sophie snapped. “You are in control and look where that got you—dumped by your fiancé. He’s marrying someone else.”

“It’s true. I was dumped,” Nikki admitted. “I’m hurt. I’m going through a difficult time. You’re my mother; you’re supposed to call to offer words of encouragement, and not kick me while I am down.”

“That is why I called, not to argue,” Sophie said. “I want you to come home, spend time with your father and me.”

Nikki rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. The last thing she wanted to do was spend time with her parents. It had been five years since her last visit to Montgomery, Texas. As far as she was concerned, that wasn’t long enough. “No. I can’t,” Nikki said. “I’m busy. I have a heavy schedule at work,” she lied.

Silence fell between them.

“I understand,” her mother finally said. “If you change your mind, we miss you and want to see you.” She ended the call.

* * *

“I think you should go,” Corina said the next day as they met for lunch. The weather in late March was damp, breezy, and rainy. Flowers were blooming but today the sun had managed to break through. People were taking advantage of it, rushing in and out of the trendy shops in downtown, Washington, D.C.

“You don’t know my parents,” Nikki said as they strolled into a coffee shop.

“We can’t choose our parents.” Corina said. “None are perfect and all have issues. Yours is no different. But five years is a long time not to visit them. I’ll have a caramel macchiato,” she said to the cashier.

“I don’t think it’s long enough. I’ll have a white-chocolate mocha.”

Corina gave Nikki a look of concern. “That’s nothing to brag about.”

“Who’s bragging? It’s frustrating and drives me crazy. My mother has this ‘always right’ attitude; my dad never stands up to her.” Nikki accepted the coffee, paid, and thanked the cashier. She led the way to a booth next to the window.

“Did something happen the last time you were home?” Corina took the seat across from her.

“My mother and I had a big blow-up the last time I was home,” Nikki answered.

“What was it about?”

“Me choosing a career.”

“What about it?” Corina said. “I would think your parents would be proud to have a doctor in the family.”

“My father is okay with it,” Nikki replied. “My mother raised me to believe that I should get married, have babies, and take care of the home.”

Corina took a sip. “I can’t see you being Donna Reed.”

“I’m not,” Nikki replied. “But a lot of women in Montgomery are, including my mother.”

“I thought you were from Houston.”

“I’m from a small town called Montgomery. It’s about a hundred miles outside of Houston. Population around twenty thousand,” Nikki explained. “Cowboy country.”

“Cowboy country,” Corina replied. “You left it for the hustle and bustle of the city.”

Nikki shrugged. “I wanted a different life. I fell in love. There are no cowboys in Montgomery.”

“You stayed away because of Winston?”

Nikki nodded. “Yes. Winston.”

“Any regrets?” Corina asked. “I mean, you could have been waking up every morning in the arms of a tall, hunky cowboy. Riding the wide-open spaces. Two or three little cowboys or cowgirls on your apron strings. But instead, you’re working twelve to sixteen-hour shifts, on call at any given time, and performing nonstop surgeries. I could go on and on.”

“Please don’t. I love what I do.”

Corina gave Nikki a quizzical look. “If I ask you something, do you promise not to get angry?”

Nikki returned the look. “It depends on what it is.”

“Could it be that you don’t want to go home because your mother was right? You’re trying to save face?”

“No. That’s not it.”

“Are you sure?” Corina inquired. “I know you, and just like your mother, you don’t like to be wrong.”

“That is true, but I wasn’t meant to be a cowgirl, either.”

Chapter Two