by Iris Bolling
“Here, here,” Ruby added and raised her glass as they all toasted the new couple.
Pearl gave Phire a sad smile. “Mother, can Phire come back to the table. She promises to be quiet?”
Sally looked over at her youngest.
“It’s Christmas,” Jade added.
“It is, Mother,” Adam added. “I’ll seal her mouth with a special tape I developed if she gets out of line.”
“Are all of you going to badger me until I say yes?”
“Yes,” the family replied in unison.
They all looked at Sally and waited. “One word, young lady, and it’s upstairs the next time.”
Phire quickly put her chair back at the table.
Samuel stood with Cynthia at his side. “Family is what brings us together. Love is what binds us. Thank you for accepting Cynthia.” His eyes went to Pearl. “We want you all to be the first to know we set our wedding date for February 14th.”
Everyone cheered. “Congratulations.”
“Are there anymore announcements?” Mathew asked. “I’m ready to eat.”
“Then let’s dig in,” Joe stated as he began carving the turkey.
Theo entered his parents’ home knowing they would be in the great room having an after dinner sherry before they opened gifts. His father was the first to see him.
Edward stood. “You’re a good son. Merry Christmas.” He walked over to hug Theo. Leonora stood with tears on the brim of her eyelids. “Does this mean you’ve come to your senses?”
Theo and Edward shared a look, before he walked over to her. He hugged his mother. “Merry Christmas, Mother.” He gave her a large red bag and a box wrapped in gold. “This is from Pearl.”
Leonora jumped back as if the box could bite her. Theo put his hand up. “Why don’t we have a seat before you say something that will cause me to leave? Can we do that?”
Leonora nodded and exhaled. “Is there a bomb in the box?”
Theo put his coat on the back of the chair, then took a seat. “I don’t have long, I’m on call at the hospital until midnight.”
“You volunteered again this year,” Edward asked.
“You weren’t invited to that house for dinner?”
Theo sat back. “Let’s talk about that house and the family who lives there or used to live there. I think it’s important for us to move past this as a family. Joe and Sally Lassiter have twelve children.”
“That’s not surprising. All people like them do is have babies and expect others to take care of them.”
“Leonora, I strongly urge you to let Theo have his say before you lose your son for good.”
Leonora crossed her legs and nodded. “I’m sorry, Theo. Please continue.”
“Of the twelve children, all have attended college or are currently attending with the exception of the youngest daughter. To attend school each child with a job helped the next child with tuition. The Lassiters pay for their own. They don’t ask anyone for anything. When one purchases a new car the old car goes to the next in line. Another amazing fact about that family is the success of their children. The oldest was a Navy Seal, next in line manages Vital Records for the state, the next works for the CIA, Pearl is the press secretary for the Attorney General and a man very likely to be President one day. You talk about these people being beneath us when the fact is we are nowhere in their class.” He sat forward. “You want to know the reason I’m here tonight? Pearl asked me to come. She said no one should be put in a place to have to choose between a love and their family. You put me in that position. And I have to be honest, I couldn’t walk away from Pearl now to save my life. I love you, Mother. But Pearl is going to be my future. I’m not saying today or tomorrow, but have no doubt she will be there. The question now is, will you?” He stood and kissed his mother on the cheek. “I pray you will.” He put his coat on, then shook his father’s hand. “I love you, Dad. I’ll talk with both of you tomorrow.” Theo turned and walked out of the house.
Pearl was waiting in the parking lot when Theo pulled up a little after midnight. He grabbed her hand and ran to the elevator. “I have a surprise for you.”
“You do,” she laughed as they ran.
“I do,” he said as he kissed her passionately while the elevator car traveled upwards. “I’ve wanted to do that ever since you left the hospital.”
“Hmm,” she moaned. “I’ve been wanting to do this since I met you.” She unbuttoned her coat. Underneath she was wrapped in nothing but red ribbon with a big bow across her breasts. “Merry Christmas, baby. BAM!”
Theo’s eyes sparkled as the elevator came to a stop. He quickly pulled her coat over her as one of his neighbors entered.
“Hope you have a happy holiday, Dr. Prentiss.” The man nodded.
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” was all Theo could say. As they stepped off the elevator Pearl turned to the man and in the sweetest voice said, “Merry Christmas.”
Theo quickly opened the door and ravished her as they fell to the floor laughing. “I love you, Pearl Lassiter.” He kissed her again, then used his teeth to unwrap his present, his lips to wish her a Merry Christmas and his tongue to welcome in the New Year. Both were naked and it was an hour later when they made it to her present.
Theo held his hand out to help her up. “Close your eyes. I have to give you my present.”
Pearl laughed, “I thought I just received my present.”
Theo smiled. “I have more. Close your eyes.”
“I hate surprises.”
“You’ll love this one,” he said as he helped her up. “Are your eyes closed?’
“Yes, yes, what is it?”
He put her in the center of the entrance to the living room. “Open your eyes.”
Pearl opened her eyes to see the living room was completely furnished. Not just furniture, but the exact pieces placed where she said a few weeks earlier. There was a long sofa and ottoman, no table facing the fireplace. A Persian carpet lay between the two. She then walked towards the windows to find a chaise lounge with a table next to it on the other side of the Christmas tree.
“Theo.” She shook her head and laughed. “It’s beautiful. It is simply stunning.” She looked around at the paintings hung on the wall and could not believe he took her literally.
“I want you to feel at home every time you walk in the door.” He took the blanket that was on the back of the sofa and placed it on the floor in front of the tree. “Sit.” He went into the kitchen and brought back a tray with grapes and cheese, two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine, then sat on the floor next to her. “Open this present first.” He gave her a small red box.
“Theo, you’ve given enough.”
“We are going to open every one of these boxes. I want to know what’s inside those.” He pointed to the boxes she’d put under the tree.
“You are worse than a kid at Christmas.”
“I know, now open this.”
“Okay, okay.” Pearl unwrapped the box, then opened it. Inside was a key. “What is it to?”
“Here.” He held her eyes. “I want you to know you are the only one I will be seeing. If I thought you wouldn’t turn me down I would be asking you to marry me, Pearl Lassiter, for I am hopelessly in love with you. I don’t see it changing, or altering in any way. If I wasn’t certain before, I was sure the moment you insisted I talk to my mother.” He shook his head at the thought. “The hell with it, I’m asking any way. Pearl Lassiter, will you marry me?”
“Theo.” Pearl inhaled then closed her eyes. When she opened them, she moved closer to him. “I’m going to say no with a qualifier. I am so sure I’m in love with you too. The thought of you not being in my life hit me earlier today. It is not something I want to endure. But I’m damaged material, Theo, and you deserve better. I can be that better, I’m just not there yet. Will you wait for me to be the best Pearl I can be and ask me again? Please?”
He kissed her so tenderly her heart melted. “That was t
he sweetest rejection I have ever heard.”
They both laughed as they kissed. “I’ll wait forever for you, Pearl. But I have no issues with the Pearl you are now. I know you do, but I love you as you are.”
She kissed his face all over. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Chapter 11
Six Years Later
“Why are we having this argument again?” Pearl threw her hands in the air. “We just won a freakin’ Presidential Election. There is a hell of a celebration going on out there. Why are we in here?”
Theo was thrilled for her. She was about to become the Press Secretary for the President of the United States. Pride filled him in a way he would never be able to express. However, a fear consumed him. He was about to lose her. This meant she would be moving to DC. No, it wasn’t far away; however, it wasn’t right across town either.
“Theo?”
“Six years ago I asked you to marry me. You said you had this thing to do.” He took a step towards her with his hand out. She took it. “You’ve done it, Pearl.” He pulled out a blue velvet box, then bent down on one knee. He opened the box, then looked up at her. “I’m asking again. Will you marry me?”
Pearl could not take her eyes from the ring. It was a platinum ring with a diamond cluster holding a pearl in the center.
“You see, you are the center of my universe. I don’t want to imagine a day without you in my life.”
She got down on her knees. “I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.” She kissed his cheek, then closed the lid on the box. “Babe, we talked about this. This is the super bowl of my career. We’re about to make history here.”
“That’s not more important than our life together, Pearl.”
“Yes, Theo. At this moment it is. We have an opportunity to make the lives of everyone in this country better, safer. That is bigger than the two of us. We can wait a little longer.”
The kiss they shared was deep, searing, loving. So much so, Pearl felt something else. She felt finality in the kiss.
Theo ended the kiss, holding her face cupped in the palms of his hands as he stared into her eyes. “Nothing in this life is more important to me than you.” He stood bringing her up with him. He held her hands, then brought them to his lips and kissed them “You have to take moments, for tomorrow is not promised to anyone, Pearl.”
There was a knock on the door. “Pearl, the President-elect is about to take the stage. He wants you there.”
Pearl hesitated. “Theo…”
“Go.” He kissed her forehead. “You don’t want to keep the country waiting.”
There was something in his stance that told her not to leave. There was another knock on the door, this time accompanied with cheers of victory.
“We did it,” the voices rang out.
Pearl looked towards the door. Theo stepped away. He smiled, then nodded his head. “Go celebrate your victory.”
“Come with me.”
“No, this is the team’s moment. You go ahead.”
She picked up her hotel door key. “You’ll be out soon, right?”
“Yes. I’ll be out.”
Pearl smiled, then walked out the door.
The red flirty dress swinging around those beautiful legs as she walked out the door remained with Theo as he packed his bag. Their plan was to stay at the hotel to be a part of the celebration. While he was ecstatic for her, he didn’t feel much like celebrating.
After six years of supporting, encouraging and loving her, Pearl did not see the future with them as husband and wife. She did not see that they could have both. Now, it would be more difficult. They would have to deal with putting together a transition team to hire a White House staff. Her days would be filled with press conferences and speech writing. He smiled with pride knowing she would excel in her new role as The White House Press Secretary. How could he compete with that? What made him think being Mrs. Theodore Prentiss would ever compare? He slowly eased into his leather jacket, put his overnight bag on his shoulder. He looked around the room as he put his hand in his pocket. He closed his eyes as his fingers touched the blue velvet box. Pulling it out, he exhaled. The five-karat diamond setting had cost a small fortune. The pearl in the center had been shipped from the Persian Gulf. It doubled the cost of the diamonds surrounding it. He opened the box. The ring was as precious and as beautiful as the woman he had it designed for. No one would ever be able to wear it but her. He closed the box, placed it on top of her tablet, which she rarely parted from, then turned and walked out of the door.
Theo had reached the lobby of the hotel that was filled with news reporters with microphones, posed in front of cameras all talking at the same time. Crowds of people were everywhere as he made his way to the front door. He gave his claim ticket to the valet. People were rushing through, trying to join the celebration inside, as he waited for his car to be brought around. All he could do was smile at the eager faces. The hope and excitement in everyone who entered the building was contagious. But it all evaded him. His hope exited when Pearl walked out of the room.
“Here you are, Dr. Prentiss.” The valet gave Theo his keys as he received his tip. “What a shame to get called away on this historical night. You’re going to miss….”
Gunfire rang out. The valet and Theo turned to see people screaming, running from the ballroom. Gunshots exploded again as now crowds poured stumbling on top of each other towards the door. Police officers and agents ran towards the room. Theo threw his bag in the backseat of his car then pulled a medical bag from the trunk of the car. He ran back into the hotel, pushing his way through the crowd. Some of the faces were recognizable; others were not as the crowd grew in numbers in the lobby. By the time he reached the ballroom, the area was almost empty. Bodies were on the floor, some injured, some he was certain were dead. He looked towards the stage to see JD and Tracy on the floor next to one of the children. Agents surrounded them as Tracy’s screams drowned out the other moans and yells that filled the room.
“Pearl?” he whispered to himself as he looked franticly around.
“Theo!”
He heard someone call his name. “Theo, we need a doctor up here.”
Theo looked up to see Brian motioning to him to come forward. “Where’s Pearl?”
“I don’t known, man. Get up here. JC was hit.”
Theo ran to the stage as Brian shouted to get the President-elect out of the room. Theo immediately went to work on the young boy, who the agents were trying to pry from his mother’s arms.
“Tracy.” Theo took her hands. “Let me look at JC, please. I can help him.” He then looked at JD who was not much better off than his wife. “JD,” Theo pleaded.
JD took Tracy in his arms and Theo went to work on stabilizing the young boy. The paramedics arrived just as he saw Pearl enter the room from the side door.
Relief washed over him as he continued to work on JC. Once the child was stabilized he handed him over to the EMTs then went to the next body on the stage. The next few hours were filled with treatment of gunshot wounds, crushed hands, concussions and unfortunately, the pronouncements of deaths. Hours later he was in the hospital saving as many lives as he could.
Pearl went to work organizing the care efforts. For the next few hours it was taking names, getting information from EMTs, the hospital then reporting the happenings to the reporters. The night of victory had turned into one of violence and despair. For hours, the police, Secret Service officers and others tried to piece together all that had happened as Pearl gathered information to inform families of the condition of loved ones. She had spoken to her parents to ensure them, she, Samuel and Joshua were fine and working the scene. She had even spoken to Theo’s parents to let them know Theo was not injured. She had seen him and knew he was in surgery working on patients, but they had not had a chance to talk. Her heart, her body, her everything longed to talk with him, touch him, hold him. Now, she sat in the corner of the hospital waiting room, with others, wai
ting for news on loved ones. She turned towards the wall and pulled out the blue velvet box.
Earlier, which seemed like decades ago now, she had reached the ballroom and spoke with JD. He and Tracy were in the VIP lounge, now surrounded by more Secret Service Agents than before. All of the staff as well as family members and friends were there with them. She gave him his speech and watched as he reviewed it. In truth it was all his own words. That’s the type of man he was and the kind of President the citizens of the United States would get in his new role. With all the pride she had in the President-elect, he was not the man in the forefront of her mind.
“This looks good, Pearl,” JD said as he scanned through the document.
Pearl reached for the document. “I’ll have it placed in the teleprompter, Mr. President-elect.”
“It’s still JD.”
“No, Sir,” Pearl corrected. “It’s not and it will not be for the rest of your life. You will be referred to as Mr. President. Get used to it.”
“Not to my family and friends,” JD corrected as he hugged her. “You ready to be Press Secretary?”
Pearl beamed with glee, ready to answer but she held back. “Pearl?”
“I’m ready to serve at the will of the President.”
JD nodded. “Good.” Then he looked around the room. “Could I have everyone’s attention for a moment?”
“You have our attention for the next four years,” someone replied causing the room to erupt into cheers.
Tracy pulled Pearl aside as JD talked to the group. “Is everything okay?”
Pearl nodded. “You ever wonder what life would be like without JD?”
“Not in the last ten years, no. Before that I fully expected him to be out of my life by now.”
“But he’s still here.”
“Yes, he is,” Tracy replied as she took Pearl’s hand. “Love enhances accomplishing something as wonderful as this. Having that special someone in your life to share these moments is a blessing. It’s not easy to find that one person who will put up with all our little inner demons and stay by our side year after year after year. I tell you, Pearl, both of us are blessed to have a very special man in our life.”