What are You Afraid of Chapter 4

Author's note: This took a tad bit longer to publish than I planned. Darn work! I'd rather spend my days writing fanfics. This was going to be one chapter but it got a bit long so I'm splitting it into two chapters for a total of five chapters.

There were several motivating factors behind this chapter. First I wanted to create a scenario where going from snow and freezing cold on Friday night(FPWL) to a beautiful spring day on Monday(TBT) could make sense. While the days take place in two different movies they're only a few days apart. I always chuckle at the flowers that suddenly appear on Shane's porch at the beginning of TBT. As a side note…I live in the Denver area and am all too familiar with how weather can turn on a dime from day to day and even hour to hour in this part of the country. I've learned my lesson about when to plant but I can understand coming from the moderate temps of DC how Shane would assume it was safe to fill her porch with flowers at the first sign of spring. I'm always tempted to do the same. I also wanted to write Shane and Oliver finally being "in concert."

I was challenged at the end to decide if I should keep in character and go outside the canon or break character but stay in canon. For me, it's more important to stay in character so you'll see the sequence of events don't match up with the canon. That's why it's called fiction right?

I hope you enjoy and as always none of these characters belong to me. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 4

The sun cheated its way through the gaps in Shane's blackout curtains waking her earlier than she preferred on a Saturday morning. She allowed herself the luxury of gradually coming out of her sleepy fog. Porch swing, Oliver, crocus. Shane held the back of her hand to her cheek. The same hand Oliver held onto not that many hours ago. A kaleidoscope of butterflies in her stomach woke along with her. She propped herself on her pillows and hugged her knees to her chest. Last night really happened. She grabbed her phone and saw a text from Becky. 'Call me.' Yes, she would call her but first she needed a strong cup of coffee to supplement the barely four hours of sleep she got. After Oliver left she tried to sleep but though physically exhausted her mind was busy with moments of sweet anticipation rivaled by hypothetical worries.

Shane got up and wrapped herself in her pink fuzzy robe pulling the tie tight around her waist. She slipped into her pink Ugg slippers, a splurge from an online discount shoe outlet purchased on her first night that temperatures went sub-freezing in Denver. Shane stopped at her front window. If there was any doubt that last night was real, a look out the window at the beautiful porch swing Oliver gifted her was all the proof she needed. The sun was already working its magic removing all traces of snow. She wondered if she would ever adjust to the weather fluctuations in Denver. She'd heard there could be temperature swings of 30, 40 even 50 degrees in a day compared to the mild steady weather of DC. She tapped open her weather app and saw that it was going to be sunny and 65 degrees today. A perfect day to break in her porch swing.

Giddy was not a descriptor Shane would ever use for herself but the mere thought of Oliver's hand on hers, his sultry voice, his warm breath in her ear…"I'm counting on that, Ms. McInerney". A giggle bubbled up and couldn't be suppressed. It was going to be a beautiful spring spending evenings on her front porch, swinging and watching sunsets. Would some of those evenings include Oliver by her side? A girl could dream right? With Holly now out of the picture Shane finally had hope that her relationship with Oliver would turn a corner and head in a much better direction.

The smoky aroma of freshly brewed coffee lured her away from the window and into the kitchen. Up on her toes she reached into the cupboard looking for a mug to suit her mood. She saw a cup with a picture of the Eiffel Tower on it and the word PARIS scripted in large letters. Her mother had given it to her for Christmas years ago after she'd said she wanted to visit Paris. Shane walked directly to her back porch and deposited it in the donation box that she kept there. Walking back into the kitchen she looked again and this time chose the one with an image of the Rocky Mountains on it and the word Colorado underneath. That's more like it she thought. A large pump of vanilla and some light cream turned her coffee into the perfect morning wake-me-up. Shivers ran through her as she stepped onto the porch and she clutched her mug letting the heat of the coffee warm her hands. There was still a chill in the air but her robe and slippers served their purpose in warding off the cold. She took a seat in the middle of the swing's bench and pushed off with one foot. For a moment she was the innocent ten-year old swinging for hours on her parent's front porch. Back and forth she swayed before taking a sip of the creamy vanilla and coffee concoction. Grabbing her phone she pushed her favorites and tapped on Becky's name.

"Shaney, what is going on? Why are you asking for a transfer?" Becky's voice wasn't angry, just concerned. "Does this have something to do with Oliver O'Toole?"

Shane cringed knowing how desperate her text message must have sounded especially given the late hour it was sent. "I'm sorry Becky, yes it had to do with Oliver but I've changed my mind. I don't want a transfer anymore."

Becky chuckled. "That's a relief. I wasn't going to give you one anyway. That place is good for you. So? Talk. What's going on?"

Shane spent several minutes explaining Holly's return, the dance and the kiss she saw through the Mailbox Grille window. "In that moment I just thought for sure he was going to give his marriage another try." Shane's voice was thick with emotion recalling Oliver and Holly's kiss. "I've wanted him to break free of the limbo he's been in for so long but I knew I couldn't stand by and watch him rekindle his marriage especially after I met her."

"What's she like? I've always wondered what kind of woman Oliver O'Toole would marry." Becky's question was returned with silence. "Never mind, forget I asked. It sounds like she's a whole story herself. I can see why you requested a transfer. Well? How did it end up?"

Shane finished the story of last night saving the best part for last. "Becky when I got home Oliver was here putting together a porch swing for my birthday gift."

"Wait a minute! Are we talking about the same Oliver O'Toole I met last summer?" Becky sounded surprised. "That's quite the gift. So? Did he kiss you on the swing?"

"Becky! I can't believe you asked me that." Shane laughed. "Actually I can believe you asked me that but no, he didn't kiss me."

"But you wanted him to didn't you?" Becky was not going to let Shane off that easy.

Shane shook her head. "It wasn't the right time." But I think I finally have legitimate hope. Her thoughts drifted. Afterall, hope is the thing with feathers."

"Are you quoting Dickinson to me? You know you're starting to sound like Oliver. I can see the effect he's had on you."

Shane laughed again. "Yes, I suppose he has. But in a good way I think."

"Yes, definitely in a good way." After a few more minutes catching up the two said their good byes.

Shane stayed on the porch swing swaying back and forth. The rest of the porch looked a bit forlorn compared to the bright white of the new swing. A gift such as this deserved a surrounding as splendid as it was. Given the weather's turn for the better she decided a trip to the gardening center was in order. It was the perfect way to spend a beautiful spring day.

Opening her iPad she googled gardening centers in Denver. At the top of the search results was O'Toole's Gardening Center in Westminster. She stared at the big green logo that appeared on her screen with the name O'Toole in white and smiled. Well now, that's just meant to be isn't it? What a coincidence she thought. Wait. Oliver O'Toole didn't really believe in them.

Shane found the gardening center easily and had no problem finding a parking spot. She thought for sure it would be busier. Colors in every hue burst from table after table of beautiful annuals and perennials. The flowers' fragrance fought with the smell of dirt and fertilizer stacked in and around the gardening center. She found a large flatbed cart large enough to carry everything she needed to fill the space on her porch. It didn't take long before her cart was full of hanging baskets, pots and flowers, a beautiful palm plant and a plant stand that could hold multiple plants.

A tall gangly kid who looked all of about 15 grabbed the scanner and started checking her out. Shane commented. "I expected a lot more people to be here on such a beautiful day."

Keeping his attention focused on scanning her merchandise he said. "It doesn't get busy until closer to the end of the month." He finally responded.

"Really? But it's going to be May in just a couple of days."

"Right, but in Colorado there's always a chance we'll get snow in May. Most people wait until closer to Memorial Day." He continued scanning.

"This is my first spring in Denver. I'm from the DC area and spring comes much sooner. What do I do if it gets cold and snowy again?"

"If you can get them out of the snow and cover them with a sheet they should be fine."

"They'll be on my covered porch so they should be okay." Shane paid for everything and wheeled her cart to her car. She hadn't thought about how she was going to fit everything in her smaller sedan. Another clerk offered to help her and with some creativity they managed to squeeze everything inside. Shane hunched over the steering wheel her knees hitting the dash from having to move her seat up as far as possible to make room for her purchases. She thought about what the clerk said about the weather but after such a long winter she was ready for spring and willing to take her chances with the snow.

###

Pulling off her dirt-stained gardening gloves Shane stood on the sidewalk in front of her house. Hands on hips and a smile of satisfaction on her lips she admired her handiwork. Shane pushed back a lock of hair that kept falling in her eyes. Her next-door neighbor Marjorie, out walking her dog, joined her. Marjorie was a nice lady if a bit nosy. The day Shane moved into the neighborhood the moving truck was still being unloaded when Marjorie showed up on her doorstep with a loaf of homemade banana bread as a welcome offering. Shane had forgotten people like that still existed. "Your porch looks lovely Shane."

"Thanks Marjorie, I think it's coming along quite nicely."

"Dear, I know you're new to Colorado but just a warning it does still get quite cold at night and sometimes we'll get snow even in May."

Shane smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes, I know, I had the same conversation with the clerk at the gardening store. I'm sure it will be fine."

Marjorie smiled. "I notice you've got something else that's new on your porch. Is that the ruckus I heard over here very early this morning?"

Shane shot a curious look at Marjorie wondering if she was the neighbor who called the police. She'd laughed when Oliver told her he had to explain to a couple of policemen what he was doing putting the swing together at that time of night. "I'm so sorry if you were disturbed. It was a friend of mine putting together my new porch swing for my birthday."

"It was no bother but that's quite a birthday gift to receive from a 'friend.'" Marjorie peered over her sunglasses at Shane. "Are you sure he's just a friend?"

Shane bent down to pet Marjorie's dog. "Oh yes. We work together at the post office." Shane did her best to deflect Marjorie's question. The last thing she needed was to be fodder for the neighborhood gossip train. Shane started for her gate. "Well, I've still got a lot to do. It was nice chatting. Enjoy the rest of your day." Shane escaped into her house all the while replaying her conversation with Marjorie. Hmmm, was the swing just a gift from a friend as she'd told her neighbor or was she reading too much into it because she'd hoped for so long that something more would develop between her and Oliver. Was her desire clouding her judgement?

Soft white billows of steam rose from her cup of tea. She'd almost fallen asleep eating her dinner of Chinese takeout. Last night's sleep deprivation had definitely caught up with her and all she wanted now was to enjoy a cup of tea and the sunset on her swing and go to bed early. Tonight's flavor was chamomile, perfect for unwinding and encouraging sleep. She took a seat on the swing and sipped the mellow honeylike sweetness of her tea. Muscles that had been pushed to their limits from earlier gardening endeavors started to relax. Her timing was perfect and the sun was just beginning its descent toward the horizon. Pink cotton candy clouds hung in the air.

Her foot started the swing's motion. Hot tea sloshed from her cup narrowly missing her leg when the swing lurched unexpectedly to one side and she overcorrected trying to straighten herself. The swing's frame tipped to one side throwing it off balance. Why hadn't she noticed it earlier? She pushed off again. Yep, there was definitely a tilt. She'd moved it earlier in the day while working on the porch and wondered if she might have broken something. She checked all the bolts and found them secure. Shane had her own fully outfitted tool kit and after watching endless you tube videos was confident in doing simple repairs. Leveling a porch swing was way outside of her wheelhouse and she was not taking any chances on doing additional damage to such a precious gift.

Grabbing her phone her first instinct was to call Oliver and ask him what she should do. But as much time as they spent together during the week, contact between them on weekends was nonexistent. Calling him at home on a Saturday night felt like she was stepping over some invisible boundary he'd erected and did not cross. The sting of his jab early on in her days at the DLO remained. He'd told her she hadn't been with them long enough to fully grasp the extent to which they shared personal information. She'd quipped to him about the irony of him sharing that his wife left him and moved to Paris. He had not appreciated her retort. After that conversations of a personal nature were a rarity.

Opening her favorites screen Oliver's name stood out at the top of the list. Rita and Norman's numbers were also in her phone for emergency purposes but Rita was the only one she'd ever reached out to on the weekend to meet for the occasional lunch. Shane convinced herself Oliver held the top position because of his status as head of the DLO. Her finger glided over Oliver's name. Who am I kidding she thought. His name is at the top because he's the first person I think of…for everything. The screen changed and Oliver's name came across in big letters and underneath said 'calling.' The ring tone was barely audible before it registered that she'd unintentionally touched the call button. Flustered she tried unsuccessfully to hit the end call button before he answered and almost dropped the phone when she heard "Hello, this is Oliver O'Toole."

A moment of panic left Shane scrambling for words. "Uh, Oliver, It's Shane. I'm so sorry to bother you." Her voice faltered.

"It's no bother Ms. McInerney. It is rather late. Is anything wrong?"

Shane looked at her watch and smirked. It was only 7:45 p.m. Was he bothered that she called him 'late' at home on a weekend? "Oh, nothing is wrong, everything is fine." Except that you sound like Oliver the DLO team leader and you're still calling me Ms. McInerney she thought. "I'm just out enjoying the sunset on my beautiful new porch swing." Shane hesitated. "I, um, did notice it has a little tilt. That's all."

"Ah, I was afraid of that. I was hasty in my construction and I had to install it in the dark I was worried it might not be completely level."

"I would try and fix it myself but I didn't want to make it worse." Just ask him Shane. "I was wondering if you might be able to come and take a look at it?"

"I agree that you should not take it on yourself to correct my error. I do have church services in the morning. I could come to your residence tomorrow afternoon and assess the situation and make adjustments to correct the issue, if that's convenient for you."

"Oh well sure, that would work. I'll be here. I'll see you tomorrow." Shaky fingers required several tries to hang up the call. Goosebumps raised on her arms and she shivered. The sun had disappeared below the horizon and the temperature dropped quickly. She picked up her tea cup and went inside ready for a hot bath and an early bed time. Hot water rushed from the faucet filling her tub. Shane added Epsom salts hoping a good soak would sooth her sore muscles that had stiffened while sitting outside. Relaxation was elusive in spite of lavender scented candles and soft music combining to create a spa like ambiance. She couldn't shake Oliver's voice on the phone. When they said good-bye early that morning his voice bordered on seductive, his hot breath on her neck and the scent of his cologne had her pulse skipping beats. Now tonight he was back to 'all business' Oliver. Had she done something or said something wrong? Shane knew she could spend hours analyzing Oliver O'Toole and probably never scratch the surface. Ha, who was she kidding, she had spent hours analyzing him. It had become a favorite past time of hers. Shane drained the bath water and stepped out of the tub wrapping herself in a towel. She busied herself with her before-bed routine but couldn't settle. She rifled through her drawers until she found her rattiest, most well-worn pajamas. Pulling them on was like wrapping herself in a grown-up version of a security blanket. Snug under her comforter her body and brain were doing the push and pull they had the night before. Though her body rested her mind could not.