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Choices of the Heart

Chapter 2

The next day, Callie bit her lip nervously as she held onto the package in her hands. Frank and Joe had gone down to the beach for some fun and relaxation, and Vanessa had decided to get a one-hour massage at the swanky motel they had all splurged on. She smiled when she thought about how disappointed Frank had seemed when she had told him that she had some schoolwork to do. Although she hated to upset him, she still enjoyed the thought of him missing her when she wasn't around. Involuntarily, she felt the color rise in her cheeks when she thought about Frank. As they were approaching the end of their college years, she was still amazed at how close they had remained through the years, and how very much she loved him. Sometimes, she still felt like a schoolgirl who realized that the boy whom she liked had a crush on her. Then, of course, reality set in, but still- she was a lucky woman, and she knew it.

Today, however, she had other things than Frank on her mind. When they had all gone to the woods the other day so she could work on her project, she had come across the men, the jeep, and the rifles. Although it could have been perfectly innocent, Callie couldn't shake the feeling that there was something not right about the whole situation. Plus, she still had a project that was due before the next semester began that involved her taking pictures and writing an article for the local college paper about her area of interest. Unfortunately, the project was due soon and, although Callie could have opted to write the whole thing on birds, her curiosity had been piqued by what she had seen.

So, on impulse, she had decided to drive down to the college lab and develop the pictures herself. Now, as she rode the elevator to her room, she looked down at the package of pictures she was holding. She really wanted to talk it over with Frank and see what he thought, but she knew he wouldn't be back for a few hours, at least. As she stepped out of the elevator and was about to open the door to her room, she saw Vanessa heading in her direction from the stairwell.

Smiling, she waved to her friend. "Hey, Van," she said.

Vanessa was dressed in a white tee shirt and gym shorts, and she looked deliriously happy. "Well, hey Callie!" she replied, and gave her friend a hug.

Callie returned the hug, but pulled back with a bemused smile on her face. "Vanessa, not that I'm not glad to see you, but is there a reason why you're so happy? I HAVE to ask. No one ever looked so excited heading back from the gym," Callie said, referring to Vanessa's choice of wardrobe.

Vanessa giggled. She answered, "Callie, girl, you have GOT to get a massage. It's like… I mean…. Well, it has the ability to…"

Callie interrupted, teasing Vanessa. "To what? To take away your powers of speech?"

Vanessa laughed again, and linked her arm through Callie's. "No, although that may be a side effect," she responded, eyes flashing. "It's just that it's sooooo relaxing, I can't tell you."

Callie smiled and replied, "I guess you need some relaxation being cooped up with Joe all day!" She shook her head. She loved Joe, but she could definitely see how he'd be a handful to spend time with constantly.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "I hear you!" she answered. "But you have to love him, anyway."

"True," Callie said, "But don't ever tell him I told you that."

"Your secret's safe with me," Vanessa responded. "But let's not hang out all day here. Come into my room, and help me pick an outfit out for tonight. Besides, it's our night to pick the restaurant for dinner, and our men are paying. I'm thinking… filet mignon."

Callie laughed as they entered Vanessa's room. "Really? Because I was thinking lobster."

Vanessa grabbed Callie's hand in excitement. "Another good choice!" she said happily. It was so nice to be spending time with Frank and Callie again. Callie was her best friend, and she missed not seeing her all that often.

As soon as the girls walked through the door, Callie started cracking up as she looked around the room. It looked like a bomb had hit it—clothes were thrown everywhere, open soda bottles lay on the desks, music CDs were piled in one corner, and, with the exception of the bed which had been carefully done up by maid service, the place was a disaster. Vanessa blushed at Callie's laughter, but, soon, it was contagious, and she joined in.

"Okay, okay," Vanessa gasped at last. "So Joe and I aren't the neatest people in the world. But you KNEW that—come on! Besides, you and Frank are both freakishly neat. Where's the fun in that—the excitement? The opportunity to wake up every day and say…"

"Say what?" Callie finished for her. "Where're my clothes for the day?"

Vanessa playfully smacked Callie, and cleared off a space on the floor, where both girls sat down.

"Hey! What do you have there?" Vanessa asked Callie, noticing the package in Callie's hand.

Callie remembered the pictures, and sighed. She didn't want to make too big of a deal out of them, but she did want to discuss her suspicion that there were illegal hunters in the area who could potentially threaten the wildlife there. Originally, she was going to talk to Frank about it, but now that Vanessa was here, Callie decided that she could hash things over with her.

She met Vanessa's curious glance, and told her the truth. "Van, remember the other day when we went to the woods so I could take my pictures? Well, when I went off alone, I saw, way back in the woods, an old shed; maybe it was a cabin. I'm not sure quite how to describe it. Anyway, there were these two guys there, and they looked really suspicious, so…"

Vanessa smiled. She knew Callie too well. "So you checked it out, huh? Okay. So what did you find?"

Callie felt grateful. Vanessa was like a sister to her, and, with both of them being only children, they had come to forge a special relationship where they could understand and support each other, even if they didn't always agree. She looked at Vanessa, and continued. "Nothing, really. There was an old truck with rifles on it, and I think—although I have no basis for this—that it may have something to do with illegal hunting. I also have this school project where I am supposed to publish an article about what I find through my photography, and I could go on this alone. But—" Callie paused, not sure of how to put it.

"Go on," Vanessa encouraged.

"But it's not really responsible journalism to publish something without getting any of the facts, so I wanted to kind of check it out again."

Vanessa processed Callie's words for no more than a minute when she jumped up. "Cool! So let's go then! Come on!" She reached down for Callie's hand.

Callie was shocked, but let Vanessa help her up. "Really?" she asked. "You'd go with me?"

Vanessa looked surprised. "Um, YEAH," she replied, emphasizing the last word. "Duh, of course I would. Besides, our boyfriends shouldn't be the only ones to have a mystery."

Callie grinned, and blew a kiss at Vanessa. "It's not a mystery, yet, but you're the best. Love ya!"

Vanessa took Callie's arm, and they headed for the car, unsure of what the day would hold in store.