June 14, 2020
Review, Edit and Update
Even in this bit of fluff, there were typos, errors of punctuation, with the addition of a bit of detail.
Just Friends
The thwap thwap of windshield wipers matched the gravelly wet tire noise on the road. Dez was swearing under her breath. She had promised herself that she would clean up her vocabulary, but this rainy day was not making it easy. Her plan for the morning was to meet Matt at the estate so they could go out to find the best spot in the orchard for the beehives they planned to order. Matt, an orchardist and bee keeper, was to be Dez and Emelina’s teacher on beekeeping. Unless Matt didn’t mind getting soaking wet, today would be a write off. Dez had pulled her little car up to the extended back porch and turned the motor off. The windshield wipers went still and quiet. Water dribbled down from the car roof, down the windshield and drained away over the cars hood. Someone was at the back door of Emmie’s house trying to get in, but Dez didn’t think it was Matt. Can’t be Matt. His hair’s too short.
“Digby?” Dez had not met Digby in person, but thought it may be the butler. Emmie had frequently spoken of him when the two sisters were getting reacquainted. Estranged for over ten years, yet living within a few miles of each other, they had a lot of catching up to do. The circumstances were incredibly awkward. Emmie had suddenly lost all her house staff and Dez had been in jail. The sergeant at the jail had located Emmie in the wee hours of one morning, and asked that she pick up her sister. Emmie, woken from a sound sleep, managed to drive one of the estate vehicles to pick her sister up in Hartley. Now they were as close as they had been as teenagers.
“Good morning Miss Desperanza. This is a surprise. I was expecting Giles, the chauffeur. Have you come to see your sister? I arrived just a few minutes before you arrived. I have yet to get into the house, so I really don’t know where she is right now.”
“No, I don’t need to see her. I was going out to the orchard, but this rain may have kiboshed my plans. I'm wearing my rain gear, so if this rain lets up a bit, I may be able to get out there at least for a little. I need to figure out where to put our bee hives. They haven’t been ordered yet. There is so much more to learn than just plunking them down and letting the bees do the work. Matt, the fellow that is helping me with this project, is coming by. He has a much larger orchard several miles from here and has had beehives in his orchard for many years. If he comes by and asks for me, could you point him in the direction of the orchard?”
“Certainly Miss. Do you know what kind of vehicle he drives?”
“I’m not certain, but I did see an old Ford pickup in his yard. Don’t know if that's the one he’ll be driving.” She knew what vehicle he would be driving, but didn't want to sound too familiar. Dez had known Matt for several years, and had watched him with his bees. Swathed in coveralls, gloves, a big hat with netting was he was doing what beekeepers do. Smoking the hives, collecting honey, maybe fixing the older hives. Very soon, Dez would be coming to his apiary for some hands on experience and work with his bees. Dez was quite excited. She had worked many jobs, but the closest she came to beekeeping was tree planting. Very different, but both in the sunshine and fresh air - and rain.
~~~~~
Matt and Dez had become close friends over the eight years they had known each other. Matt had been happily married at one time, with one son, so the two of them were ‘just friends’. As Matt’s marriage and then divorce became more and more turbulent, Dez stayed away from the orchard. Then, one night, quite unexpectedly, Matt showed up at her apartment building. On any other late night, if someone buzzed to be allowed into the apartment, Dez just pulled her blanket over her head and turned up the TV. This particular night, unable to sleep, she was up at her living room window, TV off. About to turn away, she saw the old green Ford park crookedly across the street in front of her building. Is that Matt? What is he doing here at this time of night? The intercom buzzer sounded too loud and insistent. “Matt? Come in. My apartment is 802.” Dez stepped out in the hall and waited for him. His eyes red rimmed and swollen, his curly hair, normally tied in a man-bun, was loose and unruly and he looked like he hadn’t showered for days.
“Matt! What’s wrong!? Did your wife finally leave and take your son?”
Matt's face looked like a mask. Stiff, shiny hard plastic. “I have to talk to you Dez. I know you think I’m a pathetic mess, but you’re the only one who will listen to me.”
Here we go, thought Dez. He’s doing the poor me thing that he’s been practicing for years. I should never have let him in. No wonder his wife left him. I’ll let him get cleaned up, give him a cup of coffee and send him on his way.
“Come in. I’m going to make us some coffee. You go into the bathroom and clean yourself up. The bathroom is just down the hall, first door on the right, towels in the cupboard over the toilet. We’re not talking 'til you clean up, Matt. You’ve got to pull yourself together.” Dez turned him around and gave him a push towards the bathroom. She went into the kitchen, mad at herself for letting the guy in. Feeling sorry for him because she knew he had an orchard to run, his marriage had completely fallen apart, and his young son was possibly out of his life. Dez heard the shower running for what seemed like a long time. She poured herself a cup of coffee and, at the kitchen table, was half reading a book waiting for Matt.
“Can we talk now, Dez? Sorry I couldn’t shave.” Dez looked up. The three day growth of beard only make him more handsome. Her heart flipped. His clothes still looked like they should have been in the shower with him. Now they were as neat as he could make them. Dez was almost disappointed that he had put his shirt back on. She had seen him working in the orchard without it.
“Yes. Sure. Let me get you some coffee.” Dez was flustered. She had to do something and stop looking at him. She had to remember that he was in a bad way. Her hand shaking, she almost spilled the hot coffee on him. “Come. Sit down at the table.”
~~~~
Dez and Matt talked til it was almost dawn. Matt got up. He rinsed out his coffee cup, and set it upside down in the sink. He said he should go and thanked Dez for letting him in. “I’m glad that you trusted me to come here, Matt. Why don’t I make us some breakfast? Unless you have to get home?” Matt turned from the sink, leaned back on the counter, smiled “I think that’s a good idea, Dez. Unless you have to be somewhere.”
“It’s the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.”
~ Marlene Dietrich
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