by Sandra Grice
“What’ll be, ma’am?” Johnny looked up and smiled broadly.
“Let’s see. How about two large iced mocha lattes and one large lemonade?”
“Coming right up, ma’am.” Johnny turned and started humming as he mixed the drinks. Then he added a few words between the hums, “Mmmm, don’t drown, just run right back to my arms, mmmm.”
That song - where have I heard it before? Dale knew it, yet it eluded her.
“Here you go; I mix the best iced mocha lattes in the business. I threw some whipped cream on it – my specialty. Want to give it a try before you walk back to your table? If it’s not the best you have ever had, it’s on me.”
“What did you just say?” Dale quizzed.
Johnny smiled. “I said if you don’t like it, it is on me.”
“No, before that. You said you mixed the best iced mocha lattes in the business. Isn’t that what I heard you say?”
“Well yea, that’s a fact.”
“And that song you were humming, what is it?”
“Oh, that’s just a song I wrote a long time ago, when I first went to Nashville.”
“That’s it! I knew I had heard it before. You worked at the Cafe in Nashville, didn’t you? You asked me what I thought about the song when that other guy was singing it. I told you whoever wrote that song was going to make it and had the soul of a songwriter. But I never dreamed I was speaking to the writer, and you never told me. You’re - oh, don’t tell me - you’re JC, aren’t you?”
Dale looked into his twinkling eyes and knew she was right. That had been a big turning point in her life. And now, here was this waiter from Nashville, tending this café counter on practically the other side of the world, in Guam.
Johnny laughed loudly and patted the bar. “Man, I’ve not had anybody call me that in years. But it is good to hear it again. It takes me back to my roots. I remember you, because the day I talked to you I got my first real break. You had my specialty latte at the time and if memory serves, you liked it then, so how about now? Go ahead; give it a try.”
Dale obliged and took a gulp. “Better than ever, JC.”
“Great, I like to keep my customers happy. So what are you doing in Guam?”
“I’ve been here a couple of years now. I work at Andersen Air Force Base. I’m Captain Grayson.”
Johnny wiped his hand on a nearby towel and shook hers. “Good to see a fellow Tennessean right here in the middle of the Pacific. Does Captain Grayson have a first name?”
“Yes, she does,” a male voice behind Dale answered. “It’s Dale, Dale Grayson.”
Dale knew the voice but would not allow herself to believe it was really him. She swiveled around quickly. There, standing three feet in front of her was the man she had loved and hated: the man she never wanted to see again, and the man whose face she thought she would never get out of her mind. She could only gasp in disbelief.
“Hello, Dale. It’s been a long time, but I always knew our paths would cross again.” Jason smiled.
Dale’s heart was in her throat. Her tongue suffered a rare paralysis. Her heart and mind fought to process what was happening. She wanted to run, but then there was that part of her that still wanted to throw her arms around him. Steven had taught her to trust again, but trust this man? Should she ever trust the man who had shattered her heart? Was that how all of this was supposed to work out? What were the chances that they would ever meet again, especially on a tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?
“Johnny Clark! Momma, it’s Johnny Clark over there standing behind Aunt Dale. I can’t believe I see Johnny Clark!”
Laura and Gracie appeared in the doorway. They had been waiting for Dale to deliver their drinks, and had wandered inside to find out what was delaying her. In her excitement, Gracie broke loose from Laura. Darting across the room, she jumped up on the stool next to Dale. With all the exuberance of youth, she propped both elbows on the worn counter and stared up at Johnny.
“I can sing every word of Smoky Sunset. It’s my favorite song, because I’m a Tennessee Volunteer fan just like you are, Johnny Clark. My name is Gracie, and I already know who you are. Everybody knows who Johnny Clark is.”
Johnny looked from Dale and Jason to Gracie. He had managed to piece together that this Dale must have been the girl Jason had talked to him about just a few nights before. He recovered quickly. “Well Gracie, it is very nice to meet you.”
Laura walked over to the counter to relieve the star from her adoring daughter. As she approached, she saw Dale’s stricken face. Alarmed, she walked faster. Then, for the first time, she noticed the man with his back to her. What in the world? Oh my, it could not be. Is it Jason?
Jason turned and looked at her. “Hello, Laura. There is no way this could be your daughter. I never had the chance to meet her.”
Laura softened when she saw him. He had changed very little. He still had the good looks, the hot body, and the steady charm. Dale knew Laura had never forgotten how good he had been to her that night. Laura had just found out that Bob wanted nothing to do with the child he had fathered with her. It was Jason who had been there for her. And because of what happened next, Dale knew she had never really had a chance to properly thank him for it. It did not surprise Dale that Laura threw her arms around him and hugged him warmly. Despite the fact that Jason had devastated her, Dale understood Laura’s reaction.
“Jason, oh, it’s so good to see you. I can’t believe it’s you.” She stood back and looked him over. “You look great, and yes, this is my daughter, Gracie.”
By now Gracie and Johnny had moved to the other end of the counter and were trying to flip quarters into a glass. Johnny did not understand it all, but he had rightly sensed that there was some adult stuff going on. Instinctively, he had adroitly maneuvered his smitten fan away from the other adults. The two seemed to be having great fun with each other.
“She is beautiful, Laura, absolutely beautiful just like her mother. It looks like my charge and yours are really hitting it off.”
“Your charge?” Dale finally found her voice.
“Yes, well, I am Johnny Clark’s agent. Long story short, I discovered him and the rest is amazing country music history. But tell me, what are you two doing here on this tiny island?”
“That’s Johnny Clark? I thought he was just a bartender from Nashville,” was all Dale managed to say.
Laura stepped in to answer Jason. “Dale has lived here for the past two years. She is a JAG officer now, and Gracie and I came to visit because we kept hearing about what a beautiful place this was. And it is. Dale’s tour here ends in a few days, and she is flying back home with us. We are all so excited! And now seeing you here….”
As usual, Laura was rambling, but this time she caught herself. “You know what Jason, we are going to the concert tonight, so we can catch up later. Right now I’m going to get my kid something to eat so you two can talk.”
“Okay, Laura, it is really good to see you again. I’ll talk with you soon.”
Jason turned and looked directly at Dale. His expression was warm and familiar and more than a little disarming. Memories of all the good times flooded her mind. She fought them back with the reality of what had happened. The undeniable reality of what he had done to her and the years it had taken her to get over him.
Dale measured her words carefully. “I’m not really sure we have anything to talk about, Jason. Do you have any idea how much you hurt me? I loved you. You were my first and only real love. I cannot believe you betrayed me like you did. How could you be so cruel? I thought you cared about me.”
“Dale, listen to me. I loved you too. I’ve never stopped loving you. I have longed for this day when our paths would cross again, when I could talk with you and perhaps, with the passage of time, you would actually be willing to listen to what I have to say.”
“There is absolutely nothing you can say to me to excuse what you did, so why should I listen now or ever?”
“You
are the love of my life; you know we are meant to be together. The fact that we met in one of the most remote places in the entire world is proof of that. What do you think the odds are that we would meet each other here? It just shows you that we can beat the odds; it is our destiny to be together. Even the mistakes I have made cannot keep us apart anymore.”
“Mistakes? Is that what you call what you did, Jason? Mistakes? You were married. And you made me your, your mistress. Do you have any idea at all how that made me feel?” Dale fought back the tears.
“Mistress? What are you talking about, Dale? We never even slept together.”
“Oh, well there you have it. Here I thought we didn’t sleep together because you respected me. I thought you really cared about my feelings and my values. I was so wrong about you, Jason. But now I see it was just so technically you could justify cheating on your wife with me, and lying to me about it.”
“You have to understand. You never allowed me to explain any of this to you. I was in a marriage of compassion. Julie and I met about two years before I met you. I cared about her. I even thought I loved her at one time. Anyway, her father really liked me, but he wanted his daughter to marry someone who could support her. I was dirt poor so he offered to pay my way through Vandy and then give me a job at his business when I graduated. By the time I met you we were engaged, but I realized I was not in love with her. I was going to break it off, but she was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. They only gave her months to live so I married her – to make her happy.”
“But you just kept seeing me all along. How selfish of you, Jason. And how about your son? Yes, I know about Jesse, and I know how you just abandoned him every time you were out with me. I can’t believe you. You may have Laura snowed but not me. She doesn’t know about Jesse. And I don’t intend to tell her, because she likes you, and she really thinks you care about Gracie. But I will tell you this: if you ever do anything to hurt either one of them with your lies, I will hunt you down and make certain you hurt no one else.”
Dale’s temples throbbed. Her rage had erupted, and her voice rose. She hated feeling this way, hated letting anger take over like this. At this moment, she wanted only to finally be finished and done with Jason.
Jason stood in stunned silence; she was right. They both knew she was right. He had not known she was aware of Jesse. She could see the bewilderment on his face. It was easy to recognize what he was going through. After she had been through it, reading that emotion was easy.
He finally spoke. “Dale, how did you know about Jesse?”
“When I got that phone call from your wife’s father, you know I confronted you. But what you don’t know is your confession was not the end of it. For whatever reason, he told me about everything, including Jesse. Her father hated me. And after I found out all of this, you made me hate you, and myself.”
“I never knew he told you all that. I never knew any of this. I am so sorry. But you have to understand the kind of person he is. Her father is a very well-known businessman and he did not want anyone to know that Julie had an illegitimate child. Jesse is not my son. Julie got pregnant by a date rape before we met. Jesse was only about a year and a half old when we married. He is with his grandfather now. It is for the best; he will have all he needs. Dale, I love you, please just forgive my mistakes. I have regretted not telling you every day.”
“Jason, for what you did to me I forgive you. I do this because I have to, for myself as much as for you. But you need to spend time with your wife. She is your family. You have an obligation, a commitment under God. No matter how hard it is for you.”
“You are right. But Julie died. She lived much longer than anyone expected. The flowers I sent you at your old office were sent about six months after she died. I came to see you soon thereafter and you were gone. No one at your work knew where you went. Dale, I was there for her until the end. Will you be there for me? Will you please, please give us a chance?”
Dale’s anger melted away and her heart went out to Jason. She looked at his beautiful eyes, and thought about all she had learned since they had parted ways. She had never felt more alive than when she was with him. What am I so afraid of? If I have truly forgiven him, shouldn’t I give him a second chance? Has fate brought us together again? Because, he is right, what are the odds that we would meet here?
She needed to buy time to sort everything out in her own mind. “I have to go now. Laura and Gracie just got here, and I have spent no time with them.” “Then you will think about it. We will talk later?”
“I don’t know, Jason. I just don’t know anything right now. I was never expecting to see you again. This is all a shock for me.”
“Okay, I understand. I will give you all the room and time you need. I’ll be at the concert tonight, and I hope to see you backstage.”
Jason stood and gave her a parting smile. He walked past the bar and out the door. Dale stared after him, as she had always done, despite her desperate desire not to.
MUSIC AND MEMORIES
The hours passed quickly. As part of the planning committee, Dale’s many concert preparations were intense. Laura had pried only a little about Jason and their conversation. Dale had chosen to volunteer nothing. She did not know what to think or to say. She felt like she was being pulled underwater by her own feelings. They continued to tug her back toward Jason. Had she prejudged him? Had she let her own hurt keep her from understanding what he was going through? No – he was wrong. Wasn’t he? She needed time to pray for clarity.
She looked in the mirror and asked herself, “What are you sure of, Dale Grayson?”
Gracie’s voice jolted her out of the zone she was in. “Aunt Dale, what do you mean when you ask yourself what are you sure of? Don’t you want me and Momma to visit with you anymore?”
Dale leaned over and hugged her affectionately. “Oh, Gracie, my silly love. Whatever are you saying? Come in here and sit on the bed with me. Let’s you and me have some girl talk.”
Dale bent down to Gracie, tickled her tummy, and listened happily to the giggles that ensued. She spun her around and sat her upright, and started tickling her. More giggles.
“Okay, Gracie, I want you to know what I am sure of. I am sure that I love you and your mommy very much. And there is no one else in the whole world that I want to stay with me. I am also sure that you are going to have a great time tonight because you love Johnny Clark. And it looked to me like the two of you became pretty good pals at Barney’s. Am I right?”
“Yea, Johnny said that we were buddies. He is a very nice man, and I think you should love Johnny Clark too. I think he would love you too, if you got to know each other. So I think that you and Johnny should have a date after the concert. No, I am sure you should. That’s what I am sure of.”
“Oh, silly girl, Johnny is a big star; he doesn’t have time to have dates with me. But I do like Johnny very much because he is so good with you. By the way, I have a surprise for you. But we need to get going, because I have to help with the concert, so we have to be there early. Let’s get your mom and hit the road.”
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot to find a big crowd already gathered. The service members had decided that they were going to show the Chamorros a part of their own culture, so they were having some good old-fashioned tail gating parties. The coolers and hibachi stoves were out in force. The aroma was amazing. It reminded her of the times when she and her father would walk through campsites at Myrtle Beach and smell everything being cooked for dinner. Dale and her guests hopped out of the Guam Bomb and walked toward the building. People from all around asked them if they wanted something to eat or drink. Several knew Dale by name, and now that Gracie had learned “hafa adai,” she was talking up a storm to everyone.
“That kid of yours is just like you are, Laura; she has never met a stranger.”
“More like her Aunt Dale - she knows how to work the crowd,” Laura retorted.
Once inside, they toured the
building and listened to the band warm up. It was a thrilling time. As they laughed and talked Dale fervently hoped she would not see Jason. This was her time with her dearest friends, and he would only interrupt and distract her.
“Gracie, would you like to help with the gifts we are going to give out to everyone? Come here and I’ll show you what they are. I think you will like it.”
Laura stopped short. “Hey Dale, since you guys are going to do that, I think I will wander back out to the parking lot. I’d like to find myself some of that dessert we saw when we were coming in. I’ll meet you guys at our seats before the show. Cool?”
“Sure. You are on vacation; I’ll be mommy for a while. Come on, my little buddy.”
Dale was assigned to the south entrance. She was responsible for checking the tickets and giving each attendee a glow stick. Each stick was attached to a lanyard so that it could be hung around the neck. The glow sticks had been her idea, and the committee had loved it. They had ordered only two colors, orange and white, the University of Tennessee colors. Dale did not know much about Johnny Clark, but someone had done some research and found out that he was a big fan of the Tennessee football team. Based on this, she knew these two colors would be a hit.
Dale took her pocket knife out and opened the box. A cool breeze blew through the corridor, bringing sweet relief to the humid night. The lights were dim in the hall, so there was an amazing blast of glowing orange and white lights when she flipped the box flaps back and activated the contents.
“WOW! These are so cool.” Gracie’s eyes widened.
Dale picked up one of each color and waved them through the air. The glow trailed behind the sticks. They reminded her of a simpler time and place, when she was Gracie’s age. She fondly recalled walking through the campsite with her dad. She had not really been homesick during her entire tour, but in that moment she longed to be back in Tennessee. She loved laughing with her dad and telling her mom what a good cook she was. And her mom loved it when Dale volunteered to do the dishes.