Page 49 of Sensing Selma
“No. But then again, I haven’t spoken to her much these past days.”
She looked at me for a long, silent moment. “What is it that you really came here to talk to me about, Holly?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t want to question you at the time, but I just can’t help but wonder...how serious were you about Brad? I mean, I can see that his leaving bothered you but... I don’t know. He seemed like such a good man, such a perfect match for you. It was easy to see that you two liked each other well enough, but...Was it more serious than just that? Were you just good friends or were you in love with him?”
She sat up and fiddled with the papers on her desk, put a few stray paperclips back into their little compartment and finally looked at me again. “I’m sorry, Holly. I appreciate your concern, but I really don’t want to get into it. Not now.I’m sure you can understand.”
“I do,” I said, happy to be able to share with her the ups and downs of love. “I do understand so much. I believe that’s part of the reason I came to talk to you today. Because I understand what it is to find love, and I so wish it for you, Susan. I want you to find the happiness that I’ve found.”
“Find love?” Her brow furrowed with concern and skepticism. She leaned over her desk, her elbows firm over the papers she’d placed there. “You think that you’ve found love, Holly? Here? At Moon Manor?”
“Oh, Susan,” I said, suddenly filled with the excitement of sharing. “I don’t think. I know. I know that I’ve found love. And he is such a warm and caring man. He is as handsome as any Prince Charming could be and he has eyes only for me.” I laughed. “Oh, on first meeting, he was so attentive to Mother – it really is rather cute, don’t you think? But I happen to believe that he wanted to avoid charming me in front of her. But then...then...Oh, Susan. He saved me. I never had a chance to tell you, but he saved me. I’d fallen in the pond, and he just swept me up like any hero would do.”
Her skepticism grew.
“Don’t look at me like that, Susan. You don’t know. You just don’t know how my heart melts at the very sight of him.”
“Holly,” she said with care. “We’ve not been at Moon Manor a month. It’s barely been two weeks.”
“So? What’s your point?”
“Okay, are you telling me that the two of you are dating?”
“Dating. Seeing each other. In love with one another. Name it what you will. All I know is that I can’t bear to be away from him.”
I nearly told her about my heated night with him but decided to keep it to myself. Judging by the look on her face, she wouldn’t understand, and she certainly wouldn’t approve.
“I might be mistaken, Holly,” she said. “But I do believe I’ve heard the name Damen Dominic before.”
“Of course you have. He’s one of the hottest heartthrobs out there. Every young woman is talking about him. His last two movies were great hits.”
“Exactly. Think about it, Holly. He is a young and attractive man who has hundreds of women fawning all over him. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he enjoys spending time with these various women.”
“A man who appeals to so many women,” I said. “Yes. Of course. But that doesn’t change how I feel for him. It doesn’t change how he feels for me.”
Susan just stared at me with disbelief.
“Oh, Susan! There you go, being the downer again. Can you not be happy for me...just this once?”
She got up and came around her desk and I stood to face her.
“I just want you to be careful, Holly. I don’t want to see you get hurt. For all your friends in Bath, you are still quite young, still a little...inexperienced.”
“I’m more experienced than you think. I won’t get hurt. You don’t know him, Susan. Just because he’s an actor, a celebrity...that doesn’t mean he’ll hurt me. He came after me. I’m the one he wants.”
She cupped my cheeks.“Holly, my dearest little sister. I care for you more than I can say.”
“Then be happy for me, Susan. Please, just be happy for me.”
“Becoming involved with a man who is set to be such a huge star...I don’t see how it can end well.”
“Watch me, Susan. Watch us. You’ll see how it can end well.”
And with that, I walked out and left her.
*****
EAGER TO CLEAR THEpessimistic notions Susan had put into my head, I went in search of Damen. I wanted to feel his reassuring arms around me. I wanted to look into his eyes and prove to myself that Susan was wrong.
