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She doesn’t.
Hours go by, and I hear nothing but crickets. I’m considering calling again, but I don’t want to pester her. I guess I’ll give her a day or two. She is a busy woman, after all. I look through my old messages and see the photos she sent of the house and realize really all I can see is that there is a white structure of some sort behind some tall trees. There’s a big ugly dumpster in the driveway, presumably for the renovation project. All in all, it doesn’t exactly scream “restaurant” to me now that I think about it. I pocket my phone and decide to fix dinner. Cooking always helps me focus, and it cheers me up.
I haveto wait for her response for two full days. We’ve made our plans to drive down there, and we’ve rented an Airbnb for Saturday night. We even made reservations at a highly recommended restaurant. It sounds like a fun weekend, no matter what we discover when we get there or what my ultimate decision is. When her call comes, however, I’m a little confused.
“Hello, Callum. It was… nice to hear from you.” She sounds like she’s trying to purr instead of speaking professionally, and it gives me the willies.
“Hi, professor. Oh good, you got my message. Are you available on Saturday to discuss the property?”
“I suppose so. I should be able to spare about thirty minutes at two p.m. Don’t be late or I’ll have to leave.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be there in plenty of time.”
“We? You mentioned ‘we’ in your message too. Who’s ‘we’? Are you coming with your parents?” The purr is gone.
“Oh, my…um… roommates.”
“What do they have to do with your decision?”
I blink a few times and then sputter, “Their opinions matter to me a lot, and we all decided to make a mini-vacation of driving down there together. We thought it might be fun.”
She makes a soft harrumphing kind of noise, rattles off the address, then tells me, “I haveothercandidates who are anxious for the job, Callum, and I doubt they’d need to run this by their little friends. Most people would take this offer sight unseen.” She hangs up.
So much for enthusiasm. I very much doubt her assertion that anyone would uproot their life to work with her on this project without knowing all of the particulars. I’m not sure she’s going to be a very good employer if this attitude keeps up. And her voice went from vixen to vile in sixty seconds flat. I’m far more anxious now to take a road trip with my partners and eat at a nice restaurant than to speak with Marsha Bates. But… we’ll see.
When Saturday morning arrives,however, Petra wakes up looking pale and uncomfortable. She is gripping her stomach like it’s killing her, and I suddenly hope that my dinner last night didn’t disagree with her.
“What’s going on, sweetheart? Are you sick?”
“Oh, Callum, I have terrible cramps and the beginning of a migraine. This doesn’t happen too often—like maybe once a year—but when it does, it’s awful. I know the signs.”
“What can we do for you?” Weston asks. His face is full of concern. “I’ve heard orgasms can help,” he adds hopefully. “Both cramps and headaches. It’s scientifically proven.”
“Oh, just keep the shades down so it doesn’t get too bright in here and go enjoy your weekend. I’m going to have to pass on the trip—and the orgasms—for now.” She looks at me. “I’m so sorry Callum.”
“No apologies necessary, but I don’t want to leave you like this.”
“No, it’s okay, really. When the headache really sets in, and it will pretty soon, I won’t even want to talk. I’ll take a pill and sleep as much as I can. By tomorrow, I ought to feel a lot better. It’s lucky for me I don’t have the kind of migraines that last several days—just one or two for me. And the cramps will subside in a few hours. Please go ahead and drive down to Madison. You need to make up your mind, and I’ll be fine. Leave the dogs here, though, so I’ll have company.”
“Can you take care of them on your own?” Weston asks. “I mean, I’ll feed them and let them out a couple of times before we go, but you won’t be able to manage much with them if you’re sound asleep.”
“We’ll be okay. It’s a comfort having them around, truly. This way you won’t have to take the time to drop them off at the kennel either. I can manage a little bit of getting up with them. And if they need me, they’ll wake me up.”
“Weston, I do like the idea that if Petra’s going to be here alone, she’ll have the dogs for companionship.”
“Well, if you’re both sure. I’m still not crazy about leaving,” Weston says.
“I need to get this done. If you want to stay with Petra, that would be alright too.”
“Weston, please drive down there with Callum. I just need to close my eyes after I go grab a pill.” She gets out of bed gingerly and heads to the other bathroom in the hall while holding her stomach.
I feel awful for her, but having two sisters and a mother who’s a nurse, I’ve heard plenty of stories about female maladies. What a pain for them. Men have it easy.
A little while later, I bring Petra a cup of strong coffee, hoping the caffeine will also help her pain, and I have a bagel and some fruit for her to nibble on. If she feels like it.
“Thanks, Callum,” she says, apparently trying not to groan. “This looks great.” She looks awful. Her eyes are squinty, so I suspect the headache is settling in.
I set down her tray and kiss her forehead. “Should we call you throughout the day, or will that bother you?”
