Chapter 26

When they entered the apartment, the message light was blinking on Sara's telephone. She pushed the button. "Hi, Sara, it's Teddy. Call me back when you get in, will you? Call me at this number... ' The number was out of town — an area code near New York City. Sara wrote it on a memo pad.

Steve took off his jacket and hung it in the closet by the front door. Then he took Sara's jacket off her shoulders. She was still looking at the number she had written.

"What's he doing in New York State?' she murmured.

Steve replied, "As far as I can tell, he's waiting for you to call him so he can tell you. And it's a lot later there than it is here.'

Sara pulled herself together and began dialing the number. As soon as it rang, Teddy answered and Sara said, "Teddy, it's Sara. What are you doing in New York?'

"Thanks for calling me right back, Sara, ' Teddy said, "Here's the situation. I had to come back East because I'm interviewing for a new job. I got this call just Thursday and decided to check it out — the interview is first thing Monday, and I got a better fare if I came and spent Saturday night — you know. It's a real good opportunity with IBM.

"I figured, you're moving on to something else, and I thought, 'Hey, Teddy, you need to look out for Number One, too.' So, when this headhunter called me again, I told him I'd come East and make a play for the job.'

"Teddy, I'm glad for you. You need to do this, I know. But I'm going to miss you.'

"Oh, Sara, I know you'll miss me. You wouldn't say that if you didn't mean it. But you'll find plenty of other lovers, I know. I'm going to miss you, though, and there just won't be another woman like you. I just can't imagine finding another woman who loves life like you do. I'll never forget you, Sara. Never.'

They talked some more, and when Sara hung up, she was crying. She put her arms around Steve and sobbed into his shoulder for some time. Steve held her, moved her to the couch and brought her down to lie next to him until she had finished.

When she could talk again, she said, "Oh Steve. I didn't know how much I cared for Teddy. Now, he's taken my move to make his own move. It'll be good for him I know, but I feel as though I'd somehow done him wrong. He always told me there was no one else for him. He had no other girls, no other lovers. Once, I asked him if he wanted another lover, and he said no.'

"Well, Sara, ' Steve told her, "he seems to have seen the situation for what it is. He realized that his time with you was past and he made a wise decision to get on with his life. I think that took courage and grit. I think he has a lot more going for him than you think. And, after being with you, he knows what to look for in another lover. Take a pat on the back, kid. Stop feeling sorry for him — he's made the right decision. And stop feeling sorry for yourself. You've got other guys who love you just as much. Like me, for instance.'

Sara cuddled into Steve's encircling arm, pressing herself against him and rubbing her face on his shirt to dry the tears from her cheeks. Steve reached up and opened the zipper at the back of her dress. His hand caressed her bare back, moved along her side, cupped her breast, then slipped down to her hip and along the top of her thigh, repeating the journey now and then. They sat like that for quite a while, until Sara felt her sadness dwindle and settle into its proper place. She kissed the side of Steve's neck.