Peter was at the piano playing Liebesträume. In the middle of the piece, when the music paused and Peter lifted his fingers from the keyboard for a moment, the train whistle blew. He looked out the window and saw first the smoke, then the train as it picked up speed, chugging out of Willow Falls, carrying Lara to New York. Tears filled his eyes. Then he finished the piece.
Sam had been reading the paper in the living room. He put the paper down and watched Peter motionless at the piano. He pushed to his feet, heading into the kitchen to put up a pot of tea. It would be tea for only two today…and maybe every day thereafter. Peter joined his father. His head came up when he heard his father whispering to himself.
“She promised me,” Sam muttered, “she promised me she wouldn’t break his heart. She lied.”
* * * *
Johnny and his father had stopped speaking. Jakub moved into Marcia’s house after Jay’s funeral. He missed the grandchildren but was happy with Marcia. He went to work for the landlord across town, and Marcia made his breakfast and packed his lunch every day.
Jakub made more than enough to pay the rent for the house. In December, he handed a glowering Johnny the rent money, and sent best wishes to Rebecca and the children. He missed them; Johnny was angry and wouldn’t let anyone see Grandpa but him.
Every night Jakub and Marcia watched sports together, sometimes eating popcorn and cuddling up on the warm, comfortable sofa. The white walls made the living room feel cool in the winter, so Jake often built a fire. Marcia crocheted a gold blanket to keep the chill off. It kept them warm as they stretched out in each other’s arms. Sometimes lovemaking started there and continued upstairs.
Everything wasn’t smooth all the time between Jakub and Marcia. From time to time they’d quarrel. Jakub would swear at her in Czech and she’d swear back in English or they’d give each other the silent treatment. But they always made up by bedtime.
Jakub made love to Marcia frequently, proud he could keep her satisfied. Marcia’s complexion took on a rosy glow, she put on weight and her good health returned.
Christmas was coming, depression swirled around Marcia who missed all the old traditions. She longed for the return of the good times with Jay and his family. The big box of ornaments in the attic taunted her with memories so she considered throwing it out. Jakub convinced her to keep them.
“Someday you look back…and remember.” He dusted off the box.
She wished the holiday would be over soon.
Johnny relented when his children begged to visit Grampa. Jakub brought the grandchildren to spend the night a few days before Christmas. Marcia decided not to have a tree or decorations, but she had fresh-baked gingerbread men ready for them when they arrived. Joey took two cookies and bowed when Jakub introduced him to Marcia. Annabeth looked at Marcia with suspicion and didn’t touch the cookies. Jakub was embarrassed by Annabeth’s cool hostility toward Marcia who put her hand on Jakub’s arm and smiled her understanding.
The children played in the snow with Jakub, had hot chocolate and listened to stories read in Czech by Jakub and in English by Marcia. They watched a movie and then it was time for dinner. When Jakub cooked, everybody cooked. He commanded his team of three, handing out assignments to each of the children and Marcia too. They worked side by side in the kitchen.
“Joey, you wash beans, Annabeth, set table. Marcia, make pasta.” Jakub barked orders in a friendly voice while preparing the meat dish.
Dinner was a mixture of Czech and American dishes. Jakub talked about the American food Marcia made. The children listened to him attentively. Joey gave Marcia a big hug after dinner, but Annabeth was still distant. Marcia cleaned up in the kitchen while Jakub put them to bed in the guest room with a bedtime story.
Jakub and Marcia turned in early too, as they were tired after such a busy day.
“Thank you,” Jakub said to Marcia, kissing her.
“For what?”
“For the children, nice cookies, story, everything.”
“They are nice children.”
“Annabeth is angry. I don’t know why.”
“She’ll get used to me. Give her time.”
“All right. I try to be patient.”
The next morning Marcia made a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and bacon. When they finished, the children helped in the clean-up, carrying in dirty plates and wiping down the table. Marcia was washing the silverware when Annabeth spoke to Jakub in Czech.
“Miluješ ji?” she asked Jakub, looking at Marcia.
“Speak in English when Marcia is here, please,” Jakub said, bending down to speak directly to the child. “You asked me do I love her?” Jakub translated, pausing to look at Marcia’s back.
She stopped, turned off the water in the sink and stood completely still.
“Yes, I do, Annabeth,” he said, looking at Marcia.
Marcia dropped the silverware in the sink with a loud clang. She turned around and looked at Jakub with tears in her eyes.
“Joey, why don’t you ask her if she loves me?”
“Grandpa, why don’t you ask her yourself?” Joey cocked his head to the side and put his hand on his hip.
“Ask her, Joey.” Jakub stood up and stared at Marcia.
“Yes, I do,” Marcia said, looking into Jakub’s eyes, not waiting for Joey. Two tears escaped and ran down her cheek. She wiped them away quickly.
There was silence in the room as Jakub and Marcia stopped and the children stood by watching. Finally, Jakub crossed over to Marcia, took her in his arms and gave her a quick kiss.
“Yuck! Grandpa! Yuck,” Joey said.
Jakub released her, laughing at Joey.
With a very serious face, Annabeth walked over to Marcia and put out her hand. Marcia took the little girl in her arms and gave her a hug.
When it was time to go home, Joey gave Marcia a big goodbye hug and Annabeth thanked her politely with a smile on her face. It was good enough for Marcia.
* * * *
New York City
On the train ride to New York City Lara missed Peter already. An empty feeling seeped into her bones along with the cold dampness of the winter air.
Lara met Andres for dinner; he was chatty and no longer interested in sleeping with her. She breathed a sigh of relief. He talked a little bit about a new woman in his life. She had bewitched him, even though she was not a ballerina. They talked about the audition and Andres tried to calm Lara down, but she was too nervous.
She checked into the posh Monroe Regency Hotel on Park Avenue. They had excellent security and she felt safer there. Her room was large with windows looking downtown from the twenty-fifth floor. The colors were neutral and muted, beige with a chocolate brown bedspread and floor-to-ceiling drapes. Lara closed the drapes and double locked the door, remembering what Peter said about her attacker.
She missed Peter. His ready wit, his helping hand, his kiss, his strong arms around her…everything about him was larger than life to her and without him there, she felt a void, like she was lacking part of herself.
The size of the hotel bed increased without Peter there to take up more than half the space. Before she fell asleep, her cell phone rang.
“Hi, it’s me. Just calling to make sure you arrived safely,” Peter said.
“Oh, bear, I’m sorry, I should’ve called you when I checked in. I’m staying at the Monroe Regency hotel on Park Avenue. I miss you.”
“I miss you too. Good luck tomorrow, honey, and goodnight,” Peter said.
“Goodnight, bear. I love you.” Lara hung up the phone.
During the night she rolled over, her hands searching the bed for him, but he wasn’t there. She longed for his kiss, his lovemaking but most of all, sleeping in his arms. Until she was away from Peter, Lara didn’t realize how deeply in love with him she was. She needed him like the air she breathed. The image of her attacker still eluded her. Who was he? The thought nagged at the back of her mind. Whoever he was, he was probably still in New York
City.
* * * *
Across town, society photographer, Carter Wills, picked up the phone with his left hand as he had a cup of coffee in his right.
“Hey, Carter. Remember that hot rich chick you used to date?”
“Which one?” A smug smile curled his lips.
“Very funny. You remember the one, the one with the great hair…the one who got beat up? What was her name, Laura something?”
“Something like that.”
“She’s auditioning for the Metropolitan Ballet today. My girlfriend, Cecily, dances there. She told me yesterday. Are you going to look her up?”
“Don’t think so, Kevin. Thought she was blinded, how can she dance?”
“Guess she’s recovered ’cause she’s dancing.”
“Hmmm. Do you know where she’s staying?”
“Afraid not. Thought you weren’t going to look her up?”
“You’re right. She’s a loser. Gotta run.”
Carter hung up the phone. Did she get her memory back too? If she did, I’d be in cuffs by now. There’s still time.
He needed a plan, find out where she was living and figure out a way to get rid of her before her memory returned and she remembered him…the beating he gave her…before she could get him arrested and destroy his life. If her sight has returned will it be long before her memory returns too? He began to sweat. Probably not. He put on his coat, went out and hailed a taxi.
* * * *
Lara had breakfast in her room, dressed and left for the ballet hall. Her audition was at eleven and she needed time to warm up first. Andres was there.
“You’ll be fine, baby. Take it easy.”
“I can’t. This is…I can’t.” Lara paced in the back of the auditorium twisting the ring her parents gave her for her sixteenth birthday.
“Peter…” she mumbled his name.
If he were here, he’d make me laugh, make me forget my nerves. I could perform so much better if he was here. Andres was babbling. Then her turn came, time for Lara to pull herself together.
* * * *
After the audition, Andres and Lara had lunch.
“The pirouette…the first one…”
“It was fine, Lara. Please. I wouldn’t let you go wrong.”
“But it felt off somehow. Not how we did it at home.”
“It’s over, let it go.”
Lara returned to her room
Lara spent the rest of the day in her hotel room reading and watching television. She had dinner in her room and kept the door locked and chained. Her nerves were so frayed she could barely eat. Peter could make it all better. But I can’t call, I don’t have any news…no decision yet. Her heart ached and only Peter could make it better.
Lara was afraid to go out of her room even the next day, almost as if she felt the presence of her attacker hovering, like a spider, waiting to strike. She ordered room service, took naps, and dreamed of making love with Peter on the beach.
She had plenty of time to think about what she might do if she was offered a spot in the corps de ballet. Would he wait for me, till the season was over? He’s so attractive…he wouldn’t have any problem finding another woman…lots of other women…to sleep with…to fall in love with.
Why should he wait? She got a cold feeling in her stomach. Lara kept hoping she wouldn’t get selected…avoid the decision. Still, to be selected by Madame Fouret was an honor. Dancing again, able to compete with younger dancers and be welcomed back in the ballet, her only family since her parents died. To be invited by Madame Fouret…so exciting…but at the price of losing Peter?
* * * *
. Lara didn’t see Carter Wills hanging around outside the ballet hall when she hailed a taxi, but he saw her. After she left, he went inside. He was sure he could charm the person in charge into giving him Lara’s address.
Carter sat in the lobby of the Monroe Regency hotel for two hours, but Lara didn’t appear. Finally the manager came over and asked him, pointedly, if he could help him. Carter had to leave. He was frustrated, but he had wheedled Lara’s home address out of the young woman at the Metropolitan Ballet, now he needed a plan. Kensington State University was up there in Willow Falls. There must be some connection. Carter went home and looked up the school on the Internet. He saw that a talent show was scheduled for February. The information page said, “The renowned ballet dancers, Lara Stewart and Andres Volinsky,” from the Metropolitan Ballet would be performing. Perfect! Carter made notes.
* * * *
By December twenty-third, Lara was getting sick of staying in her room. She packed her bag then started to pace when room service arrived with her lunch and the phone rang.
“Lara Stewart?”
“Yes.”
“This is Madame Fouret, Lara. It was so nice to see you again and to see you have kept up your dancing. My dear, I’m delighted to offer you a position in our corps de ballet for the next season. Rehearsal schedule is on our website, metroballet.org. Please be here promptly at nine a.m. on January second to begin work for our new season.”
Chapter Nineteen
Christmas festivities were beginning and Sam faced Christmas without his Patsy and Peter without his Lara. At four thirty, Sam went in to his bedroom to rest before the evening’s celebration began.
Peter was pacing. He had not heard from Lara. He knew she’d heard from Madame Fouret. She hadn’t called. She’s probably out celebrating with Andres! Or maybe her attacker found her? Peter had no reason to celebrate.
Maybe if he had asked her to marry him, she wouldn’t have left. He had been kicking himself about that for two days. Dad was right. It wasn’t much of an offer to come to South Africa without marriage. If only he could do that part over…but now it was too late.
He sat down at the piano and couldn’t resist playing their song. At the pause in the middle, he again heard the train whistle as it pulled out of the Willow Falls station, the same train that had taken his beloved Lara away. He felt cold, a chill in his heart or a sudden chill in the room? He played all the way through to the end of the piece with more heart than ever.
When he finished, he sat there, numb, until a voice said, “That was beautiful.”
He spun around to see Lara standing there, red-cheeked from the cold, looking more stunning than ever.
“Lara? Didn’t you get the…” Peter started to rise from the piano stool.
“I did.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
“I turned it down.” A smile stole across her face.
“Why?”
“Because I’d rather be here with you than do anything else in the world.” She moved toward him with tears in her eyes.
He crossed the room quickly and took her in his arms.
They stayed in the embrace, Lara’s face against Peter’s chest and his face buried in her hair. Their breathing was the only sound. Peter put his hand in his pocket to fetch his handkerchief and felt something hard and square. He handed his handkerchief to Lara and took out the hard object.
“Lara, I love you, will you marry me?” he asked, opening the tiny box and offering her his mother’s engagement ring. Lara burst into tears.
“Is that a ‘no’?” he asked with trepidation.
She shook her head, trying to compose herself.
“Yes,” she said when the tears slowed.
Peter slipped the ring on Lara’s finger. It fit perfectly.
“It’s beautiful.” She turned the ring around and observed its brilliance.
“It was my mother’s.” He kissed her hand.
They embraced, then kissed.
“You have made me so happy.” A wide grin lit up his face.
“Me too, bear. I just couldn’t stop thinking about you…and wondering what I was doing in New York while you were here.”
They were sharing a passionate kiss when Sam slipped out of the hallway.
“I couldn’t help but overhear.” He wiped a tear from his face with his handk
erchief.
“You couldn’t help but overhear…how long have you been lurking there, spying on us?” Peter tried to frown but was unsuccessful.
Sam laughed a guilty laugh.
“You caught me. Congratulations, you two have made me very happy.”
“Don’t you start crying, Sam, or I’ll start all over again,” Lara said.
“This is going to be the best Christmas ever.” Peter beamed at his dad.
* * * *
Back in New York City, Carter Wills sat at his computer and typed an email.
To Callie Caldwell, Publicity Manager, Kensington State University
From Carter Wills Photography
Dear Ms. Caldwell,
I’m a professional freelance photographer on assignment from Ballet News Magazine. I would like to do a photo spread for the April issue on your talent show in February, featuring Lara Stewart and Andres Volinsky, the dancers from the Metropolitan Ballet. I hope you will find this satisfactory and give me whatever instructions I need to meet with the dancers and other people who are key to this event.
Regards,
Carter Wills, Wills Photographic Studio
Carter pressed the “send” button then sat back, lacing his fingers behind his head. This was going to be a good Christmas because in another couple of months, his worries about police, scandal and jail would be over for good.
* * * *
Danny and Eliza Maine’s house a few blocks from campus
Sam, Lara and Peter arrived later than the others to the Maine house on Christmas Eve. Mistletoe hung everywhere, evergreen wreaths decorated doors, fresh garlands wound around banisters and candles were burning where children couldn’t reach. Burl Ives sang “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” in the background and the dining room table groaned under the weight of holiday food.
A ten-pound sliced ham, scalloped potatoes and green vegetables were displayed at one end, while finger foods like baby quiche, crudités, dips, cheeses and crackers were at the other end. A side table was loaded with dessert goodies from Christmas cookies, to cake, to homemade pudding. The women wore long skirts and the men sports jackets and ties. Even two-year-old Casey Maine sported a red and green bowtie.
Now & Forever 3 - Blind love Page 22