look if anyone knew I was sleeping with one of our residents?”
“I guess I can see where you’d be concerned, but it’s not like he’s a child, or incapable of making his own decisions, Pam. You’re two adults who are attracted to each other. What’s wrong with that?”
Pam’s eyes shone with tears and she tried to dab at them before she ruined her makeup, but she was losing the battle. “I was so worried you’d think I’d crossed the line,” Pam said, sighing with relief.
“It sounds like you’ve been keeping it in for so long, you probably just let it build up in your mind—why would anyone care?”
“I run this place, and I love it. It’s my life. The people who come here are adults, yes, and they have to take responsibility for their lives, but they’re also disadvantaged with the odds against them, and I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I took advantage or, you know, that anything … unsavory was going on here.”
Pam tried to find words, but her face simply flamed hot. “I tried to stick to the rules, we both did. Flirtatious or sexual behavior here is very strictly prohibited for good reasons, as you know. But it was like every time we saw each other, or spoke to each other, we couldn’t think about the rules.”
Joy smiled a little. “You want my honest opinion?”
Pam nodded.
“I think it’s really romantic. Ted’s a great guy—
he was what? Around thirty-nine when he came here? He’d had a tough break that nearly ruined his life, but he didn’t let it, and you helped him make it the rest of the way—but look at him now. I’m surprised I never saw it before. It makes total sense, since you spend most of your time here anyway. It’s no different than meeting someone at work.”
“I suppose,” Pam agreed tentatively.
“He’s been so happy. I guess I figured it was natural for him to be so jovial. He’s gotten his life back together and he’s almost completed his college degree—but I think you’re the one who put the sparkle in his eyes.”
Joy laughed and Pam blushed again, though she was also pleased that Joy hadn’t reacted badly.
“Thanks. I can’t tell you what a load off it is to be able to tell you.”
“I was wondering what was going on, I have to be honest. I thought maybe you didn’t trust me or something.”
“How could you think that?” Pam was shocked. “I trust you completely. This was … Well, I don’t know. I didn’t know what to say. Ted and I swore we wouldn’t tell anyone until we were both ready.”
“So how come it took you so long to go out on a real date? I mean, I can understand why you’d want to keep things under wraps, but you could have gone out long before this, couldn’t you?”
“Oh, we do, we go out all the time, but just the two of us. But those were small, private dates, nothing fancy. Nothing with other people. You know, where people would know us.”
“So that’s what you’re nervous about?”
“I don’t know.” Pam looked in the small mirror she had hanging over her desk, grabbing a tissue to fix her slightly smudged makeup. “I guess I’m worried what people will say.”
“Like your parents? Do they know?”
Pam rolled her eyes. “No. Haven’t hit that hurdle yet, but they’re bound to have a coronary. After I rejected all the ‘eligible’ bachelors they wanted me to marry for all those years, I think they finally assumed I was probably gay, and were happy not to know if that was the case or not.”
“I never understood why they don’t support this cause—their picture is in the paper often enough in connection to other charity events.”
“It’s hard to explain. That’s when they can donate large checks, not get their hands dirty. They wouldn’t mind if I supported causes, they don’t approve of my level of … involvement.”
“I’d think they’d be proud of you.”
“Well, we’ve maintained a truce about it over the years, since they could see I wasn’t about to stop my work. My relationship with Ted will be the real test. I can’t allow anything to threaten this place—we’re already struggling enough. A harsh blow like someone saying I act inappropriately could be a disaster.”
“I guess I can see that, though this is personal—it never interfered with the work you do, so it’s really no one’s business.”
“Well, we’ll see. Tonight is our first public event together. Ted wanted to wait until he was out on his own, and he’s almost completely moved into the new place. We’re going to move in together after the New Year.”
“How wonderful!” Joy crossed the room and gave her a congratulatory hug, and Pam smiled, her happiness at the prospect shining through her concerns.
“Yeah, and he’s been really instrumental in coming up with some good business strategies for Second Chance. He’s as devoted to it as I am, you know, and I guess, I don’t know …”
Pam was relieved when Joy seemed to read her mind.
“You don’t know if you want that? This place is yours, and now you find you’re sharing your whole life, including the shelter?”
“It’s mostly that, yes, but I also want him to have his own thing.”
“I can see what you mean, though. You’ve built this place. It is yours, but I can also see why he’d want to be involved, and use his talents to help you out.”
“I want to make sure that he follows his own goals. He’s worked hard to be where he is, and maybe he should go after his MBA or start his own business or do something … I can’t quite figure out if this is really what he wants, or if he’s only being … grateful.”
“Even if he is, is there something wrong with that? I think it’s sweet that he wants to be part of your life, and to help out. Ted hardly seems like the type not to go after what he wants—after all, he got you,” Joy teased.
“There’s a good point.” Pam smiled, shaking her head. “I don’t know—meeting here muddied the waters, I guess. We knew who we were when he was here, but now, well, some of the rules have changed. We’re into a new stage of our relationship. I don’t know how to separate it all out.”
“You love him.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Then you’ll work it out.”
“You’re right, we will. Thanks. So how about you?”
“What about me?”
“Any news about the hottie next door?”
“Oh. I can’t believe I forgot this—or I suppose I should thank you for helping me forget it, at least for a little while,” Joy groused.
Pam listened to Joy’s story about the tape, so
