Chapter 62

Friday, July 31, 1987

Surprised by Julie's invitation to lunch, Steve met her at the pizza joint across from the University hospital Friday afternoon. Julie selected offerings from the salad bar while Steve opted for a personal-sized pizza.

Julie placed her plate on the table and sat across from him. "I brought you over here because we need to talk."

"Yes?" Steve cut into his pizza with a fork and knife. He'd never liked getting his hands greasy by eating finger foods.

"About that remark yesterday… me making a good mom."

He smiled a guilty grin. Julie didn't let anything slide.

"I thought we'd settled this whole you and I aren't getting back together… thing." She reached for the oil and vinegar.

"There you go again, taking everything I say way too personally," he grumbled.

"Maybe you should start seeing someone new."

"If you don't want to get back together, then fine. I can deal with that. Nevertheless, don't tell me I ought to start seeing someone new. You don't even know that I'm not interested in someone else already."

"Oh, C'mon." She glanced down at her plate and back at him. "How come you came by Maggie's house last Saturday?"

"Did your jealous ex inform you? Or maybe he's no longer your ex, and that's what this is about. You're seeing him again, aren't you? And you're insisting I move on because you have."

"No, I am not seeing him! For your information, Maggie told me you came by."

Maggie? I didn't even see Maggie. Her loud-mouthed fiancé must've informed her. He sprinkled grated cheese onto his pizza.

"Why did you?" Julie asked. "You didn't think I was where I said I was going to be? I don't need someone spying on me. Especially not a man who can't accept the fact that I don't love him anymore, and never intend to go back to him. And I do mean never, Steven."

His stomach knotted as he slammed his fork onto the table. "You know you really are a callous woman?"

"I'm not callous." She snatched up her purse from the booth. "I'm fed up."

She headed for the checkout counter. When Steve left, only moments after her, she discovered she hadn't paid for his meal.

#

Friday morning, Donovan drove to Long Beach and dropped Sean off at Cathy's house for the weekend. When he arrived at KDHB, he left a resume on Pierce's desk hoping for a new position. Before attending to his daily assignment sheet, Donovan picked up the phone in his cubicle and tried to call Julie again. Like usual, there was no answer.

"Sweetheart, give me a call sometime. We need to talk. I'm working tonight. I'll be home in the morning if you want to wait 'til then. I miss you."

He hoped the endearment Sweetheart would get her attention, if she still felt about him like she had before.

Julie didn't call him back that night or the next morning either, and he worried that she'd gotten sick and ended up in the hospital again. There was only one way he knew to find out, and that was to call Maggie Blodgett.

He called her from home on Saturday afternoon.

"Hello?" Maggie asked.

"It's me," Donovan said. "Do you have any idea where Julie is? I've been trying to reach her for a few days."

"Seattle. Is something wrong?"

"I'm concerned about her. She's doing okay though? When did she leave?"

"Tuesday."

"Do you know when she'll be back?"

"No. She's doing fine though. I spoke to her Thursday night—"

"Lemme guess. After ten?"

"How'd you know?"

"Your line was busy. Do you have a number for her?"

"No. She didn't give me her number. If she calls again, I'll tell her you're looking for her."

"Thanks. Tell her to call me at home. She can call collect if she wants."

"Boy, you sound desperate, Donovan." Maggie teased. "Is there something I should know about?"

"Nothing you won't repeat." He grinned. "Talk to you later."