Evidence of Life - By Barbara Taylor Sissel Page 0,54

dormitory closet and tossed a scrap of black silk at Abby. “It’s too small for me and looks better on you anyway. Only blondes look great in black.”

Abby fingered the silky material.

“Come on, Abby. This is college, where you are—believe it or not—supposed to have fun.”

A pause fell. Abby felt Kate’s gaze; she felt the weight of Kate’s concern for her, and it made her feel anxious and guilty.

Kate stamped her foot. “Holy Jesus Christ, Abby. You sat at home all through high school, then you sat in the dorm all last year. I can’t stand it anymore. You live like a nun, and it’s making me look bad.”

Abby laughed and donned the little black dress; she slipped her feet into the impossibly high-heeled sandals and didn’t think twice about it. She and Kate had been friends too long for trust to be an issue. And as badly as it would end, Abby would never believe Kate meant to do it. She didn’t purposely set Abby up with Baylor to then betray her. What Kate wanted was for Abby to relax and have fun. She had no patience for it when Abby said dating made her nervous.

It was no different that evening meeting Baylor, but then he took her hand, and she grew dizzy at his touch. She felt as if she would float out of the hated shoes, yet at the same time she felt a longing to press herself against him that was all-consuming, unlike any sensation she had ever experienced before. And from that night on, Baylor’s pursuit of her was so tender and careful that when they finally made love, it was Abby who initiated it.

Except for their class schedules—Baylor was a business major, Abby was studying elementary education—they were inseparable. For the first time ever, Abby felt she belonged somewhere. She had always been Kate’s friend, accepted because of Kate, but as Baylor’s girlfriend, she was part of his crowd. It was the same as Kate’s crowd, the one that, since grade school, Abby had only skirted the outer edge of.

But dating Baylor, her confidence grew. It was as if she had stepped into a warmer climate, thrown off her old shy self like some old coat. She couldn’t imagine life without Baylor, friends, plans, a steady date. She was finally somebody. One of the It girls, the special girls, who got flowers for no reason and late-night, miss-you phone calls.

It seemed only natural when they began to discuss marriage. Abby couldn’t believe her luck, and she assumed Baylor felt the same joy in their discovery of one another. It didn’t once occur to her that his commitment to her wasn’t as deep.

* * *

Junior year, their crowd made plans to go to Cancun for spring break. Abby and Kate had packed their bags, and they were waiting for Tim—Kate’s latest and greatest, and last, or so she claimed—and Baylor to pick them up, when someone down the hall hollered that Abby had a phone call.

“Don’t tell me it was the guys,” Kate said when Abby reappeared.

She touched her brow, struggling to marshal the words. “It’s Daddy, he’s in the hospital. He had a heart attack.”

“Oh, no.” Kate hugged Abby and, releasing her, looked her over anxiously.

“I have to go home,” she said and, eyeing her suitcase, added, “At least I’m packed.”

“Shorts and T-shirts, a strapless sundress and two bikinis. Not exactly hospital attire. Besides it’s cold out.” Kate lifted the suitcase and tossed out the contents on the bed. She went to Abby’s drawers and returned with assorted sweatshirts and pullover turtlenecks. Abby added jeans and flannel pajamas. She changed her sandals for socks and tennis shoes.

“What’s this?” Baylor spoke from the doorway. Tim was behind him.

“My dad had a heart attack,” Abby said. “I have to go home.”

Baylor and Kate wanted to drive Abby into Houston, but Abby refused. She didn’t want their trip to be ruined on her account.

* * *

The first heart attack was mild, scarcely more than a warning. Her father was up and walking the day after Abby’s arrival and discharged from the hospital a few days later with a new cholesterol-lowering diet and exercise regimen. He and Abby took walks together around the neighborhood, and she told him about Baylor, about loving him. Her dad was misty-eyed and held her hand. He was more sentimental since the scare with his heart. He said, “Just yesterday, you were having me in to tea with your dolls. I had to