Love Conquers All
Page 55
Chapter 48
She started packing the next morning. The travel agent issued her flight tickets with a stopover in New York where she planned to see Avner. Once more, her excellent organizational skills proved helpful in time of pressure. Within a few days, the entire contents of her house were shipped to needy families, through a volunteer organization that she supported. Without shedding a tear, Talia said goodbye to the beautiful house and to the posh furniture; she packed only one treasure to take back with her to the house on Emerald Street: Andy Warhol’s series of eleven famous Jews, which she particularly cherished. She paid for the shipping and handling of all her belongings and closed the suitcases. This time she could not limit her luggage to only four bags. Since she had paid rent for a year in advance, she decided to allow a young, impecunious Israeli couple that she had met at Gloria’s house occupy the apartment free of charge.
Now she faced her biggest difficulty - calling off the wedding. The purveyors and caterers were no longer pleasant and accommodating; their cloying fawning had turned to indignation and threats. Without murmur, Talia paid the bills and the fines they exacted on her. Roselyn locked herself in her room, and Marvin was already on his way to Spain.
At noon the phone rang, and Pilar announced, trembling, “Meryl Stewart on the line.”
This is the advantage of being Marvin’s companion, Talia though grinning. You meet the mightiest people in the world. On several occasions, at dinner parties and informal lunches, she had met the iron lady of Hollywood, the director of Forum Studios. Meryl had greatly impressed Talia with her steely, charismatic personality, with her pronounced and confident good looks.
“Hi, Meryl,” Talia greeted her excitedly, “to what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Can we meet today?”
“Sorry, dear, the timing is really bad. I’m packing my bags and flying tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Marvin told me, that’s why I’m calling. I have an offer for you, something you can’t refuse.”
“Is it something I can do from Israel?”
“No. You have to stay here. Mike Douglas is in on this.”
“I’m sorry, Meryl, I have to go back home. My decision is irreversible.”
“That’s too bad, but I wish you luck.” She hesitated for a moment, then added, “Talia, we could have done business together, but I respect your decision. I always appreciate people who can make a decision and stick to it.”
“Goodbye, Meryl, and thank you. Come up with a project that can be carried out in Israel. It would be wonderful.”
With tears and kisses, she said farewell to Gloria. Once more the basic—though not incontrovertible—truth of the old adage “blood is thicker than water” was proven. Beyond the deep friendship and the personal affinity that developed between them, Talia could feel the familial commitment: Gloria, who was childless, would do anything for her and for her children.
The last goodbye was made from an intercom at the gate of the Arizona State Prison.
“Jonathan, this is Talia. I want to say goodbye. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“Is this final, then?”
“Yes, I canceled the wedding.”
“If you had asked me, you wouldn’t have planned it in the first place. He wasn’t for you.”
“Then why didn’t you say something?”
“Because you didn’t ask me, and there was no point, anyway. You looked so happy; your head was in the clouds, Talia. I wish you all the best, and thank for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Finish up, please,” a gruff officious voice was heard on the line. “Did you hear me, lady? Wrap it up!”
“But I was given ten minutes of conversation. We’ve barely spoken five minutes!” she protested. She had not had a chance to give him regards from his wife and children, from Gloria and from a long list of friends. She wanted to tell him how they all counted the days until his release and that, when he came back, all his friends would rally around him and help him rehabilitate his life.
Talia was still holding the phone when the guard with the gruff voice appeared in person and confronted her. He was a short policeman, with a protruding belly, fleshy nose, and light brown hair. He looked and sounded very angry. Talia was alarmed, but she did not budge.
“Mrs. Schwarz, I see by your passport that you’re Israeli. Can you explain something to me? Is Jewish and Israeli one and the same thing?
“Sometimes,” she mumbled. “Why do you want to know?”
“Why do you want to know why I want to know? Now get the hell out of here.”
Vexation and indignation brought tears to her eyes. The policeman stood tall in front of her, with a menacing look in his eyes, and waited for her to get up and leave. But she refused to give in. She wouldn’t let this repulsive, officious fool deprive her of the chance to take proper leave of her dear friend.
“See you in Israel, Jonathan,” she said into the phone, but the line was dead.