In the Fullness of Time

by Sabra Brown Steinsiek

  She had overheard him talking with his wife on the phone one day about the plans for his fan club party. It was to be his last appearance before the semester break. He told his wife he would come back the morning after to close up his office then his time was “all hers.”

  Allison would be waiting in his office. What happened after that—well, time would tell.

  * * *

  She watched him hungrily. He was so beautiful…and that voice. Her blonde hair shimmered in the dim light as she lost herself in daydreams about what he would do when he saw her and, in her mind, there was no one else in the theatre but Taylor as he sang only to her.

  * * *

  The concert was a great success. Taylor had waived his fee in favor of this being a benefit concert for the theatre department and the symphony.

  He’d forgotten the rush of coming out on stage to applause and cries of admiration. It was intoxicating and he quickly moved back into his rightful place on stage. The concert was perfect. And he’d won over the Albuquerque audience. Afterwards, the symphony conductor asked him to do the Christmas concert again the next year. Taylor laughed it off. Who knew where he would be next year?

  The fan party was a great success. His students had never seen him in his “celebrity” persona. It was a whole different world and more than one of them imagined that they would be the ones walking into a room of adoring fans someday

  * * *

  She was obscured in the shadows at the rear of the room, basking in the warmth of his smile. He was answering questions and talking about his teaching when Laura came into the room with baby Annie in her arms. Her heart twisted as she watched him kiss them both then turn to introduce his daughter to his fans. They certainly made the perfect picture of a happy family and she wasn’t alone in imagining Laura gone from the picture and herself standing next to Taylor instead.

  * * *

  Taylor had stayed up late talking to Betta but he was still awake early. The house was quiet—his girls still asleep. Quietly he made coffee then headed over to campus. On this Sunday morning, just before winter break, the campus was mostly deserted. He found a parking space close by and walked to his office.

  The building was deserted and his footsteps echoed in the basement hallway as he approached his office. His mind was still on the concert the night before. He’d missed the attention, he realized. Teaching was great for now but it wouldn’t hold him long. He knew that New York was in his blood and he’d be going back.

  When he opened the door to his office he was startled to see someone sleeping on the couch. Blonde hair peeked out from under the coat pulled around the sleeper as a blanket and he realized it was Allison. How the hell had she gotten into his office? He turned to leave when she said, “Wait, Taylor, don’t go!”

  He turned back. She was still dressed in the skimpy black dress she’d worn to the concert last night. He’d noticed—it was hard not to, he was human and male, after all. He’d noticed the short skirt that showed off endless legs and the low neckline that was designed to enhance, not hide, her attributes.

  “Allison, what are you doing here?” he said from the doorway.

  “I wanted to see you before I left. Last night…oh, Taylor, you were incredible last night. I’ve never felt that way. You made me laugh and cry and soar with you.”

  “You could have written it all in a note, Allison. It’s not appropriate for you to be here like this.”

  “Oh, but it is, Taylor. Think about how your lovely wife will feel when the rumor gets around that I was seen leaving your office in the early hours of the morning—obviously rumpled,” she said as she raised her arms to run her hands through her hair, “heavy-eyed and smiling. Don’t you think she’ll find it interesting?”

  “What kind of game are you playing, Allison?”

  “An important one. You, Taylor Morgan, are my ticket out of Albuquerque. All it will take is a recommendation from you to some of your Broadway friends and I’ll be on my way. Just a phone call or a letter and we can part friends. If not, I’ll put all my talent into a scene back in my apartment, when I tell my boyfriend how the great Taylor Morgan took advantage of me. They take sexual harassment seriously at the university, in case you didn’t know.”

  “Allison, why are you doing this? You’ve got talent. Why can’t you depend on that?”

  “A thousand other girls have talent, Taylor. What they don’t have is a recommendation from a Broadway legend. And since you think I’m so talented, I’m sure it won’t be too much for you to contact your friends. I’ll drop out of school and leave for New York right away and everyone will marvel at your perception and generosity.”

  “Not a chance, Allison.”

  They both turned in shock to find Kris Straub standing in the doorway. “I heard your threats, Allison. You will be leaving UNM but it won’t be with a recommendation. Whether you do so quietly or Taylor chooses to press charges for stalking and harassment will be his choice.”

  Allison stood frozen. It was all over! She’d blown it. And to be kicked out of the University! Her parents would never let her forget it. “Taylor? I was desperate. I wouldn’t have done any of what I said! I…”

  Taylor shook his head. “Save it, Allison. Withdraw from UNM and I won’t press charges. I won’t even blackball you on Broadway because I still believe you have talent. But if you’re going to make it, you’re going to do it the same way the rest of us did. No shortcuts, no bodies to leave behind as your staircase.”

  Kris asked, “You’re sure, Taylor?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “Then, Allison, I think you had best leave. I will expect a letter withdrawing from UNM to be in the registrar’s office by the first of the year, with a copy to me, of course. One hint that Taylor was in any way responsible and I will see that charges are brought. Do you understand?”

  Allison nodded. She picked up her coat and tried to find something to say. There wasn’t anything. Instead, she burst into tears and fled.

  * * *

  Taylor sat behind his desk, still shaken by the encounter with Allison. If Kris hadn’t come along…he didn’t want to think about all he would have lost. Kris? He looked at her and asked, “How come you were here, Kris?”

  “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Taylor. I called your house and Laura said you’d left a note that you were coming on over here.”

  “That still doesn’t explain why you were here.”

  “Seems pretty obvious to me. I wanted to talk to you.”

  “So, I’m fired after all?”

  “Hardly. We had a meeting yesterday afternoon and we found funding to continue your program. We’d like you take on the seminar on a year-to-year basis. It’s brought some great press and prestige to the University already. If we hadn’t already taken a vote, that concert last night would have clinched it.”

  “What?” Taylor was still muddled from the earlier encounter.

  “We’re offering you a yearly contract, Taylor. It will be renewed at the end of each year for as long as we have funding and you want it. You won’t have to decide until the spring of each year so if you get a better offer, you have an out.”

  “God, Kris, this is last thing I was expecting. You don’t need an answer today, do you?”

  “No, I just wanted to catch you before the holidays and let you know it was a possibility. Talk it over with Laura. We’ll make you a formal offer in the spring. You can decide then.” She stood to go. “Are you all right, Taylor?”

  “It’s a lot for this early in the morning.”

  “Go home. Enjoy the holidays. Your other daughters are coming?”

  Taylor smiled. “Betta’s home from Italy already. Meg should be home mid-week.”

  “Then you have a lot to be thankful for. Go enjoy your family.”

  “Kris? Thanks—for everything.”

  “Merry Christmas, Taylor. I’ll see you in January.”

  Taylor sat at his desk for a long time after she’d left. What
a morning! Thank God he didn’t have to make a decision about the teaching right away. Right now, teaching was not high on his list of favorite things.

  Chapter 34

  Taylor broke into a smile when he saw a red Jaguar convertible blocking his spot in the driveway. Meg was home—days before they expected her. He pulled up at the curb and was barely out of the car before she came running out of the house to greet him.

  “Taylor!”

  “Meg!” Even though she was nearly as tall as he was, he picked her up and whirled her around. “I am so glad to see you! How did you get here so early?” He set her back down and walked arm in arm with her to the house.

  “I talked a couple of professors into letting me take the exams early. Not early enough to get me home in time for your concert, although I did try. I’m sorry I missed it.”

  “It was my best performance ever and you’ll regret forever that you missed it.”

  “Right—don’t you know that voices like yours are a dime a dozen in California?”

  “Maybe, but you can’t understand what they’re singing.”

  “Who would want to?” she asked as they went inside.

  Betta, Laura, and Rosina had Christmas ornaments spread all over the living room. Annie, safely in her playpen, watched it all with huge, fascinated eyes, until she saw Meg. She laughed and held out her arms to be picked up. Meg was happy to oblige.

  “Hello, darling,” Laura said as she looked up from the box she was sorting through. “We were just getting a head start on things. The tree’s still on the patio waiting for you and Matteo to do your macho thing and wrestle it into the stand and bring it in.”

  “While you ladies do all the fun stuff, right?”

  “Of course,” Laura said, laughing at him. “We only keep you around for your brute strength.”

  “I will fetch Matteo,” Rosina said as she dusted off her hands.

  “No, Annie and I will go do it,” Meg said. “You can do some limbering up exercises while we’re gone, Taylor.”

  He flexed his arm muscle and frowned when they all laughed. “Some harem I’ve got. No respect for their absolute ruler.”

  “Not a bit,” Meg said as she ducked into the kitchen and out the back door.

  * * *

  Laura’s parents joined them for dinner. The tree had been decorated and stood in the corner of the living room waiting for a formal lighting ceremony. As Annie’s first Christmas tree, it was an important moment. She had been napping by the time Taylor and Matteo had brought in the tree and had not seen it in its glory. Sean had come armed with his camera, a gift from Taylor and Laura when Annie was born. He seemed determined to document every moment of her life.

  The friendly rivalry that existed between Maria and Rosina had resulted in another enormous dinner. Maria had passed on her Mexican cooking to Rosina and now Meg groaned as she pushed her plate away.

  “Wonderful dinner! You would not believe what passes for chile in California!”

  “Ha!” Betta said. “At least you can get chile. I can’t get it in Italy and I’d probably have died of deprivation by now if Laura and Rosina didn’t send me regular care packages of that canned stuff.”

  “You get care packages? Hey!”

  Laura laughed. “All you have to do is ask, Meg. We can put you on the mailing list.”

  “Like I have time or a place to cook. I’m thinking about moving off campus. I’d like to get an apartment with a roommate. The noise in the dorms drives me crazy.”

  “I don’t know,” Taylor said. “I feel safer with you living on campus.”

  “Have you ever actually been in a dorm, Taylor? Check one out here and you’ll see what I mean. Besides, Betta lives on her own.”

  “That’s different. She doesn’t have a dorm option.”

  “Taylor!”

  “We can discuss this all later,” Laura said before it could escalate into an argument. They all knew Meg would win anyway. She had always known how to get around Taylor. “I think it’s time for Annie to see her tree before she falls asleep. Mom, why don’t you give us a minute then you can bring her in.”

  They all pushed back chairs and went into the living room. The plan was to leave it dark until Maria arrived with Annie. Then the tree’s tiny white lights would be turned on. The angel on top was the only thing missing and Taylor would put it on with Annie’s “help”.

  “Ready?” Maria called from the dining room.

  “Come on in!” Laura called back and, in a moment, they could see her and the baby silhouetted in the doorway. Annie made a little questioning sound at the darkness then Taylor turned on the lights. Her question turned to amazement as she saw the beautiful tree with all its shiny ornaments and sparkling lights. Her eyes were wide as she tried to take it all in, then she broke into a delighted laugh and clapped her tiny hands. Her first Christmas tree had her approval.

  Taylor stood with his arms wrapped around Laura as they watched the delight on their baby’s face and he whispered, “I love you,” into her ear before everyone began to laugh with Annie.

  Laura turned to him with a smile, her eyes returning his whispered message. “It’s time for the angel,” she said as she handed him the angel that had graced her childhood trees. Maria had passed it on to her the first Christmas she and Taylor had been together. Someday it would pass on to Annie and Laura felt the family ties so strongly as she held it that tears filled her eyes.

  “I’ll need my assistant,” he said as he took the fragile angel from her. “Come here, my princess.” He took Annie in one arm and the angel in his other hand. For a moment he stood by the tree letting her gaze at it closely. “Here’s your angel, Annie Morgan. Let’s put it on the tree.” He stepped up on the small stepstool carefully and reached up to settle the angel on her perch. Then he held Annie up where she could see it.

  “Happy First Christmas, Annie.”

  Betta said, “There’s one more ornament to be added.”

  “What did we miss?” Laura asked as she looked around the room.

  “This one,” Betta continued as she brought a small package out from behind her back. “It’s for Annie from Meg and me.”

  Laura sat down with Annie in her arms as they opened the package together. Inside was a silver ornament, three girls holding hands, two of them larger, with a smaller figure between. Three names—Megan, Annie, Betta—were engraved on the skirts of the three figures. Laura looked at them with tears in her eyes as Annie reached for the silvery toy. “Oh, it’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  “Read the back,” Meg said quietly.

  Laura turned it over and read aloud, “For our sister Annie with love on her first Christmas”. The date was engraved as well. “It’s perfect. She will always treasure this. Shall we hang it on the tree, Annie? Near the bottom where you can see it?” She stood and knelt down by the tree and hung it on a low branch. “Isn’t it pretty? Your sisters love you very much.” Annie cooed as she reached out and set the ornament twirling.

  Taylor had gone to stand between Betta and Meg. He had an arm around each of them and he kissed their cheeks. “Thank you. Annie’s a very lucky child. And we’re very lucky to have three beautiful and loving daughters.”

  Annie made a grab at one of the lights and Laura pulled back to keep her from it, forgetting that there was a step behind her. As she tumbled backwards, Annie still in her arms, everyone gasped but Annie laughed thinking it was all a part of the festivities. Laura laughed with her as Taylor reached down to help her up. Christmas had come to the Morgan family—and it was bound to be merry.

  Chapter 35

  It wasn’t until after the New Year, and their traditional party, that Taylor and Laura had a chance to talk about his job offer. He’d phoned his agent and discussed upcoming possibilities. There were several concert bookings that were pending but they could be worked in around his teaching schedule. The way seemed clear for him to continue teaching. Now that the shock of Allison was over, Taylor realized he sti
ll wanted to teach.

  Their Christmas gift from Laura’s parents was a week at the Amizette Inn in the Taos ski valley. Laura was determined that it was time Taylor learned to ski…and the Amizette, with only twelve rooms, offered privacy as well. Long afternoon naps came to mind.

  Laura was thrilled with the gift, but Taylor wasn’t so sure. “You want me to go out and put sticks on my feet and hurtle down a mountain in the cold? What if I break my leg? Run into a tree? Think what a loss it would be for the world.”

  Betta laughed. “There are no trees on the bunny slope, Taylor. And it’s hard to ‘hurtle’ when it’s mostly flat. Come ski with me in the Alps. That’s skiing.”

  “The bunny slope. I’m going to be skiing with five-year-olds?”

  Meg answered, “Oh, no, Taylor. Some of them will only be two or three.”

  Laura was laughing at the look on his face. “If you’re very good and a quick learner you’ll move up to the beginner slopes quickly enough.

  Taylor glanced at Sean and Maria. “This is all just a plot to get your hands on Annie for a week, isn’t it?”

  “Of course it is,” Sean answered as he handed Annie another bow to play with. “Since Meg and Betta will be in Florida to see her other grandparents, it will give Rosina and Matteo a break as well.”

  Maria smiled. “It will be all right, Taylor. I’ll make you an extra-large batch of biscochitos to take with you. And I’ve already given Laura a little something to help keep you warm.”

  * * *