“No problem…is it Mrs. or Miss?” Sam asked, his keen eyes connecting with hers.
“It’s Miss. Definitely Miss,” she said, smiling at him, her gaze glued to his.
“Why don’t you come and sit down front, Miss…”
“Dr. Weiss, actually,” Patsy said, as she walked to the front of the room.
Sam beamed at her for a few seconds before continuing his lecture. Pat sat down. When the lecture was over and Sam had finished answering questions for eager students, he ambled over to where Pat was sitting. They were alone in the lecture hall.
“Patsy, what are you doing here?” he asked, a small smile playing at his lips.
“I came to see you.” Her sharp eyes examined his.
“I’m honored. Why?”
“Because you left before I could tell you…how much I love you.”
“That true?”
“Are you calling me a liar?” She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.
“No, no. I’d never do that.” He smiled.
“Good. Of course it’s true. I also had a long talk with Jack. He’s not going to set up any more road blocks…not going to get between us again.”
Sam smiled and extended his hand to her. She took it and stood up.
“Perhaps we should go somewhere more private to talk.”
“Where?”
“How about my hotel room?” he whispered, his bright blue eyes glittering with desire.
“Are you trying to seduce me, Dr. Caldwell?”
“You’re damn right I am.”
“What are we waiting for?”
* * * *
Sam and Pat sat in the tiny coffee shop at his motel, sipping iced tea and eating salads after a long session of lovemaking.
“I’d like to talk about…our spending more time together…I missed you so much, Sam, you have no idea.” Tears formed in her eyes.
He put his hand on hers. “Are you serious?”
“Again you question my veracity. Of course, I’m serious. Why else did I fly down here leaving all that lovely snow and ice in Willow Falls behind?”
“Patsy…I miss you too.” He leaned over to plant a kiss on her lips.
Sam took Patsy birding with him in the Everglades and then on to his next lecture. They were back in Willow Falls in time for Valentine’s Day when Sam presented Patsy with a blue topaz ring to match her necklace and Patsy gave him a key to her house.
* * * *
After dinner at Bon Appetit on a Friday night, they drove to Patsy’s house to be alone. Sam poured some Drambuie into two tiny cordial glasses and they sat on the sofa together.
“I try to get up-to-date on technology and the changes in the world, but some things never change.”
“Like what?” Patsy took a sip and put her delicate glass down on the coffee table.
“Love. I don’t believe in shacking up, Patsy. I love you and I think we ought to get married. What do you say?” Sam took her hand in his.
“That’s a helluva proposal, Sam. Where’s the bended knee, the engagement ring, the pledge of undying love and all that? Some romantic!” She chuckled.
“Damn! You’re right. I’m talking about it like it’s a business deal.” Sam then dropped down, slowly, to one knee.
“I love you, Patsy, will you marry me?” he asked as he pulled out a small box. He opened it to reveal a beautiful emerald ring.
“Oh, Sam, I was kidding! Get up before you damage your knee.” Patsy sat up.
“My knee is perfectly all right and you haven’t answered my question.”
“Of course, yes, I’ll marry you.” Sam took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger.
They agreed to marry quietly at city hall. Sam and Patsy invited all the family to go out to dinner afterward. Sam took Peter, Lara, Mac and Callie to city hall for the ceremony before the dinner. He didn’t feel right marrying without his children there.
Patsy wore a short, elegant, beige jersey dress with lace trim at the neckline and hem and small white flowers in her hair. She carried a spring bouquet of soft pink flowers. During the ceremony, she teared up a few times and Sam offered his handkerchief. After the ceremony, eating and drinking began in a private room at La Côte d’Or, where Sam and Pat had their first date.
* * * *
After the talent show, the Caldwell and Maine clans, with Jim tagging along, went out for pizza. When they returned home, Lara and Peter stayed up late, talking, making plans for their life together. As Lara was turning out the living room lights before she joined Peter in bed, she saw the light still on at her uncle’s house. She poked her head in the bedroom and interrupted Peter correcting papers on the bed.
“Bear, I’m going over to Uncle Jim’s for a moment.”
She opened the front door and called out.
“Uncle Jim? Is that you?” Lara padded into the kitchen.
Jim Caterson was sitting at the kitchen table, a half-full glass of scotch on the table in front of him.
“How come you’re still up?” Lara slipped easily into the seat next to him.
Jim didn’t say anything. He handed her a note.
Lara read it.
Small town life isn’t for me. I’m going to New York with Andres. We’re in love. This is the best thing for both of us. Thanks for everything.
Fran
Lara’s mouth hung open a tiny bit as she reread the note.
“Fran ran off with Andres? I’m amazed. So sorry, Uncle Jim.” She tried to sound unhappy.
“Thanks, Lara. Me too…I think.”
“You didn’t really love her did you?”
“I thought I did. When Nancy died, I was so lost…she seemed like the answer.”
“I miss Aunt Nancy too. She was wonderful. Fran wasn’t a nice person, Jim.” Lara took his hand in both of hers.
“I suppose she wasn’t. There won’t be anyone like Nancy again.”
“You never know. Don’t be blind to love when it comes your way again, Uncle Jim. Look what happened for me, who’d think a blind girl could win the heart of the best-looking man in town?”
* * * *
Across town in the Marcia’s small house
The phone rang, Marcia picked it up.
“The children want to invite you to color Easter eggs with them.”
“Rebecca, that’s very kind of you, but I can’t.” Marcia folded a leg under her bottom and plopped down on the sofa.
“Oh, and stay for dinner. Jakub won’t be here. He is working late tonight.”
“Even so. I can’t. Please explain to Joey and Annabeth.”
“Marcia, you have to come! Please come and show Mommy how to make your hot chocolate,” Joey pleaded.
“Put Mommy on the phone.” Marcia said, “No fair, Rebecca.”
“So you’ll come then?”
“I guess so. You’re sure Jakub won’t be there?”
“I promise.”
“Okay. What time?”
“How about five o’clock?”
“See you then.”
At four forty-five, Marcia got into her car. It had been raining all day and now it was beginning to freeze. Visibility dropped as the rain turned to wet snow. She drove slowly trying to concentrate on the road but she couldn’t stop thinking about Jake. Secretly she hoped he’d show up. Why did I make him leave? The familiar ache in her stomach began when she thought about him. Her mind wandered. The light changed from red to green. She didn’t see the silver SUV come barreling along, trying to squeeze by on the yellow light. Marcia proceeded into the intersection, only to be blindsided by the SUV. The cars crashed, Marcia’s car spun on the slippery road, skidded and hydroplaned into a stone wall.
* * * *
At five o’clock Joey and Annabeth were in the front room at the window, waiting for Marcia. By five thirty, the children were angry and disappointed. At six o’clock, they ate dinner. Rebecca shot a glance at the driveway from time to time but Marcia’s car never arrived. She c
alled Marcia’s house three times only to get the answering machine.
At seven o’clock, Jakub came home.
“Your girlfriend stinks, Grandpa!” Joey said.
“What?” Jakub raised his eyebrows
“We hate Marcia,” Annabeth said, hurt and anger showing on her face.
Rebecca explained about the invitation Marcia agreed to but never honored. “She stood up the kids.” Rebecca couldn’t keep a tinge of annoyance from her voice.
“Not Marcia. If she say she coming, she comes.”
“Not today, Dad,” Johnny said.
Jakub’s brow creased.
“I’m going to her house. Maybe she sick.”
“I’ll come with you, Pop.” Johnny took his coat down off the wall hook.
The house was dark when the men arrived and there was no car in the driveway.
“Where’s her car?” Jakub asked.
Johnny used his key to let the men inside. Jakub felt himself grow more panicky with each empty room he visited. Johnny saw the message light blinking on the answering machine. He hit the button. The first one was from Rebecca, the second was from the hospital, looking for Jakub.
“Oh my God!” Jakub exclaimed, sinking into a chair at the kitchen table. Tears clouded his eyes, “Marcia, my love…”
“Come on, Dad. I’ll drive,” Johnny said, shepherding his father out the door and into the car.
At the hospital, Johnny spoke to the person in charge, then relayed the information to his father.
“She’s in surgery, Dad. We might as well go home and wait for their call.”
“You go. I wait here. This should not have happened. I should never leave. Stubborn, stupid old man.” Jakub rubbed his forehead.
Johnny waited for another hour, then he went home to his family. Jakub waited in the waiting room, praying silently. He had been blind to his good fortune. Now he may lose her for good. Stupid, proud old man. He finally fell asleep in the chair.
Three hours later, Dr. Cho came out.
“Mr. Novacek?”
Jakub looked up.
“You are Marcia Wilton’s next of kin?”
“Yes, yes.” He got up, looking nervous.
“Ms. Wilton is out of surgery.”
“How is she?”
“She has a concussion…”
“What is that?”
“It’s a head injury, but it’s not serious. Her knee was broken but we operated on it and it should heal fine. She’s banged up with some bruises and abrasions, but she’ll be okay,” Dr. Cho explained.
“Can I see her?”
“Sure. She’s a little woozy from the anesthetic, so only stay a few minutes. She’s in room 105, right down the hall and the second right.” He pointed the way.
“Thank you so much, Doctor.” Jakub shook Dr. Cho’s hand.
Jakub hurried down the hall, but stopped at the door. He was not very nice to Marcia the last time they met, yelling and swearing, pleading and threatening to get her to relent about the baby, to no avail. He had regretted it almost immediately.
He opened the door carefully. Marcia was asleep in the bed with her knee bandaged, her head was stitched up and she had two black eyes. Jakub started to cry. His beloved was hurt and in pain. He walked over to the bed, picked up her hand gently, kissed it and held it. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
“My love, so sorry. I never should have left you. Blind, stupid old man.”
“This wasn’t your fault, Jake,” she whispered.
“I love you, so much.” A few tears escaped down his cheeks.
Marcia graced him with a small, stiff smile.
“Marry me and we have a baby. Please, please.”
Marcia nodded a little. Jakub leaned over and kissed her gently.
“Ah, my love. Thank you,” he murmured.
A nurse came in and told Jakub he’d have to come back in the morning.
Johnny was waiting for him when he came out of Marcia’s room.
“Is she going to be okay?”
“She has broken knee, something with her head, black eyes, bruises, aye! But Dr. Cho said she be okay. Thank God.”
“That’s good news.”
“We get married and have a baby. She agree.”
“It’s about time, old man.” Johnny clapped his father on the back.
“Yah. Blind, stupid old man not blind and stupid anymore.”
* * * *
Within a few weeks, Marcia was well enough to walk into city hall on crutches and get married. She and Jakub brought Johnny and Rebecca as witnesses on Jakub’s lunch hour. They were married in a simple, quick ceremony. Marcia and Jakub had matching gold bands. He was reluctant to wear his, but Marcia insisted.
“I want everyone to know you belong to me, Jake.” She kissed him.
He couldn’t argue with her possessiveness, in fact he rather liked it. He insisted she change her name. They went to a local resort for the weekend for their honeymoon, where they spent most of the time making love. Now Jakub felt totally at ease. She was his wife and there was no reason to be ashamed of anything.
Nothing much changed in the Novacek senior home, except Marcia threw her birth control pills out and Johnny and Rebecca often came over for Sunday dinner or Jake and Marcia went to their house. The two families were reunited. Joey and Annabeth visited frequently and were happy to have Grandpa back in their lives.
At the end of April, Marcia found out she was pregnant. Despite all his reservations about having a baby, Jakub was proud he impregnated her and excited about the baby. He strutted around like a peacock for a while, making Marcia laugh.
Jake and Marcia bought their own house, one that needed fixing up but had a big backyard for the children in their lives.
“Maybe we should get a dog for Annabeth and Joey…and the baby?” Marcia touched his rough cheek.
“Dog? No dog. I’m too old for a dog.”
“We’ll see.” Marcia smiled.
Chapter Twenty-three
Mac ushered Dave Williams and Eliza into his office. Jonesy brought Dave a cup of coffee and closed the door on her way out.
“Any news?” Mac sat back in his chair and crossed his long legs.
“We know who killed Deena but we can’t prove it. The investigation is stalled because we haven’t been able to break our number one suspect’s alibi.” Dave blew on his cup of hot coffee.
“Huh, and I think my life is frustrating dealing with college kids,” Mac replied.
“What about Jenna Walker?” Eliza asked.
“We’ve finished combing her room. No evidence of a crime.”
“So I can tell her dad he can pack up her stuff?” Eliza took a sip from her mug.
Dave nodded.
“Seems like a simple suicide…over-achieving kid breaks and ends it.”
“Think so, Dave? I knew Jenna. She didn’t seem the type,” Mac responded.
“I agree with Mac. Jenna and I finished finalizing her schedule for next semester only last week,” Eliza added.
“Without evidence, there’s nothing I can do.” Dave gulped down the last of his coffee and stood up.
“Thanks, Dave.” Mac stood and shook the police chief’s hand.
Dave nodded to Eliza and left the office, shutting the door behind him.
“I hate these situations.” Mac returned to his chair.
“I’ll deal with Mr. Walker, Mac.”
“I’m not happy with the police walking away from this. Let’s take a look at her transcript again.”
“I’ve got it up on my computer.” Eliza stood up.
“Let’s go.”
Mac pushed to his feet and joined her as they walked across the hall. Jonesy was in Eliza’s office watering her plants when the two deans joined her.
Mac stared at the screen. After studying it for a few minutes, he noticed something.
“Did you see this?” Mac asked, pointing to the screen.
“I haven’t had a chance to lo
ok it over yet,” Eliza responded, sitting down at her desk.
“It looks like her grade was changed after the grades were posted. Maybe even after she died. This isn’t the same as the paper transcript found in her room.”
Jonesy peered at the screen over Eliza’s shoulder.
“Looks like it. Jonesy, can you get the date and the person who changed it?”
“I can try.”
Jonesy went out to her computer and punched in some information. She had been at it for about an hour when she came to Mac with a piece of paper.
“Mac, this is the person who changed that grade,” Jonesy said.
Mac looked at the name and then at Jonesy in surprise.
“I’m going over to talk to him. There must be some mistake here,” Mac said.
Jonesy nodded. After Mac left, she picked up the phone and called Callie’s cell.
Callie was on her way to the English department with a basket of food to meet Danny and his little son, Casey, for lunch. She hurried so she’d arrive before Mac. She showed up only moments before he did, went into Danny’s office and closed the door.
“Mac is coming to meet with Professor Littleton on something important. Can we listen in?”
Danny’s office was down the hall from Alan’s. They listened until they heard Mac’s footsteps, then they cracked the door open quietly. Little Casey was asleep.
Mac knocked on Alan’s door then went in.
“Hi, Mac. What are you doing in the English department?”
“Hey, Alan. I want to ask you about this late grade change. You changed Jenna Walker’s grade recently. Why?” Mac slipped into the chair across from Alan’s desk.
“I don’t like to admit this, but I made a mistake. You know with the rush to get grades out on time and all, I gave her the wrong grade.”
“What was her old grade?” Mac sat up straight.
“Gee, I don’t remember. I got rid of it on my computer and you know how it is, I can’t remember every student’s grade.”
“I saw the transcript, Alan. There was a printed copy in her dorm room. You gave her an F, then you changed it to a B. Why?”
Now & Forever 3 - Blind love Page 26