Chapter 27

Thursday, June 11, 1987 - Afternoon

Steve watched Connie organize her clothing into color-coordinated heaps on his bed.

White underwear with a white skirt. Blue knit top with blue jeans and a blue bra. If she owned a pair of blue panties, they'd be in that pile too.

Connie snapped open her suitcase then lit a cigarette.

Crossing over to her, Steve said. "You can't leave like this."

"She doesn't want me here."

"But you don't know when the next flight is."

Connie placed her clothing in the suitcase. "I'll wait at the airport until they find one. Say goodbye to Juliet for me."

"How are you getting to the airport?"

"What do you mean, how am I getting to the airport?" she demanded. "You'll take me there. That's how!" She paused for a moment as if to reconsider.

Steve glanced at his watch, and noted it read half past three. You'd have another hour at work if she'd wait.

"Connie, just phone L.A.-X. See whether or not they can book a flight for this weekend."

Her eyes grew wide.

"And you ought not leave with Julie mad at you," he added. "Apologize to her, and tell her goodbye yourself!"

"She doesn't want to see me."

"I'll go with you this evening. Consider what you want to say and be ready." He started for the door.

If she bails and takes a cab to the airport, that's her problem.

"Stevie!" she called after him.

He ignored her.

#

A bell jingled as Donovan pushed open the glass door to Tony's Florals. The sweet aroma of flowers filled the little shop. He scanned through a wide array of arrangements hoping his meager twenty-five dollars were sufficient to divert Maitland's pursuit of Julie's affection. Last time Donovan had purchased flowers for a woman it was the same woman, because he'd loved her.

What did I buy her last time? he asked himself. Probably roses… Find something unique.

"Hey." A teenage girl with fluorescent colored, spiky hair said from behind the cash register.

"Hi. I need to pick something out for my wife. It's our first wedding anniversary," Donovan lied.

"How about some roses?" The girl shuffled to the store's romantic section where sprays of red and white roses mingled with baby's breath were in abundance. She picked up a white teddy bear holding a red heart. Donovan shook his head.

"What's your wife dig?" The clerk blew a pink bubble and popped it.

He remembered giving Julie a blue, silk negligee once. It was the same evening his ex-wife called him at Julie's, letting him know she was alive and well. Donovan later learned Diana had set him up; Margie had been converted.

"She really likes chocolate," he told the clerk thinking; Maybe I should've gone to a candy store instead.

The girl darted over to the clearance area then offered Donovan a red, heart-shaped box. "Valentines Day leftovers. It's all the chocolate we got."

Donovan spotted a white bear outfitted in a silver Hershey Kiss costume attached to a medium sized gift bag filled with Hershey Kisses.

Definitely Julie… He grabbed the bag then glanced at the orange sticker underneath.

Just four dollars? I'm in luck.

"I'll take this one," he said.

The girl examined the price tag. "Four bucks, huh? She mean that much to you?" She snapped her gum again.

Donovan yanked a twenty from his wallet. "How much for delivery to the Los Angeles Medical Center?"

"It's a minimum fifteen dollar purchase." She stepped behind the counter.

"How bout I give you a twenty and let you keep the change? Have it delivered around six-thirty."

If Maitland has the gall to show up after work, he'll see it…

"Fine." The girl snatched Donovan's money away.

Stuffing his wallet back in his pocket, Donovan asked, "Got a card to go with it?"

The clerk scrounged around under the counter for a moment and brought up a little card with a romantic sentiment, similar to the one Maitland chose.

Donovan frowned. "A blank one?"

"There." She slapped a plain two by three inch card onto the counter.

"Got a red pen?"

She gave him one then Donovan wrote a short sentiment and accented it by drawing red hearts with arrows through them.

"Want it in the bag?" the girl asked.

"Nope. Tape it on facing outward. No envelope." He grinned, amused with himself.

#

Later in the day, Julie woke up to Steve patting her forearm. She opened her eyes to glare into his. Being awake meant feeling more discomfort.

"I've come back to apologize." Steve stepped away from the bed.

"Me too, Honey," Connie said.

Julie ignored her, asking Steve, "For the … flowers?" Steve eyed the windowsill, studying a large collection of floral arrangements. "I see Donovan sent you roses."

"Donovan?" Julie gasped, finding the lever at her bedside. She sat up a little.

"Those flowers aren't from Donovan?" Steve looked baffled. "Or do you have a new lover you didn't tell me about."

"How dare you play … stup…id."

"What?"

"They're not from …you?"

He shot her another puzzled glance, walked over to the flowers, pulled out the card and silently read it.

"Connie!" He barked.

Julie realized her mother had sent the flowers. Why would she do that after—

"J-Julie… You know that's not even my signature. I wouldn't send you roses. Not when we're not together," Steve said. "I'm not an idiot!"

"We're not together?" She echoed the statement. "You mean to say after three mmm…months… you realized th…at?"

Steve's attention turned to Connie. "I said to get something from both of us, not just something from me!"

"I wanted her to have something nice, Stevie. How was I supposed to know everyone and their brother would send flowers as well?"

It never ceased to astonish Julie that no matter who was going through a crisis, Connie always saw herself as the victim.

The candy striper brought in yet another gift from a well-wisher; a teddy bear dressed in a Hershey Kiss costume, accompanied by a medium-sized gift bag, and placed them in front of Julie.

"Wow! Another admirer?" the girl asked.

Julie's cheeks flushed. Steve looked over her shoulder as she read the card.

…My Juliet, my treasure… Inside this bag is a kiss for everyday we've been apart. Not a day has passed in which you haven't been in my heart. I am forever your "Romeo".

-Michael Sean Donovan

Not an actual romantic sentiment, "Romeo" had served as Donovan's code name to Julie's "Juliet" during the second war. But Julie knew Steve was unaware of that fact, and would view Donovan's message as a threat.

"I knew it, he still loves you!" Steve said.

"I don't think it's appropriate for that man to try to woo you at a time like this," Connie complained.

But you thought it was appropriate for Steve? Julie wondered, jerking her chin at her mother.

With an angry whisper she said, "What Donovan wants to do with me… is none of your…con…cern."

"Wants to do with you?" Steve frowned. "Julie that sounds…"

He can't even finish the sentence. Good, maybe this will work to my advantage. She leered at him.

"Juliet, he's too old for you," Connie protested. "You realize that, don't you?"

"I like older …men. And… he's already… agreed to take… care of me."

"Take care of you?" They both yelled then looked at each other.

"Yes." She swallowed. "So you can… go home… Mom."
Connie's lip trembled. "I-I came up here to apologize to you. I really hoped we could work this out."

"Are you certain this is what you want, Julie?" Steve asked. "There's no alternative?"

"Nnn...no. There's… nnot."