Sapphire Ice

by Hallee Bridgeman

  No longer did she anticipate him using her – or her using him – and then discarding her. She began to feel very special. She felt very important to him. Treasured. She thought of him now as her "boyfriend" and smiled the first time she used that term.

  Lying in bed early Monday morning after Thanksgiving, exhausted, sore, worn out from the last few weeks preparing for the holiday season, waiting for the phone to ring, she smiled. Contentment, happiness, and anticipation all waged a happy war inside of her. As she investigated these feelings, she detected a small frown mar her brow. Inside her heart, she felt like something – she didn't know what, but something – was missing.

  She pondered that for a moment. Monday mornings were typically reflective, because Sunday was the one day she didn't get to spend with Tony or speak with Tony. Typically, church took up his entire day. If finally occurred to her that she missed him.

  The more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to spend all of her free time with him. The thought of sitting next to him on a church pew, eating lunch after church with him and his friends, spending the entire day with him on the day he assigned such importance, held tremendous appeal to her. She decided that this coming Wednesday, she would go to his evening worship with him. He asked her every Wednesday and every Sunday if she wanted to go, and she always turned him down. Thinking about how much it would please him when she finally agreed to accompany him made her happy.

  The phone interrupted her reverie. She snatched it up very quickly, not wanting it to wake her sisters. The caller ID confirmed Tony as the caller, so she simply said, "Good morning," with a smile on her face.

  "Good morning, cara. How did you sleep?"

  "Deeply. It's been an exhausting week."

  "I imagine. It will stay that way until after New Year's."

  "I know. Just working with the books I could see the massive incline for December."

  Tony paused before continuing. "I know you're tired, and since it's Monday you likely plan on getting to work early, but I was wondering if you could meet me for breakfast."

  Excited little butterflies started dancing in her stomach as they always did in anticipation of seeing Tony. "Sure. Where?"

  "I've had a couple of overseas phone calls this morning, so I'm already at my office. Do you mind coming here? We could have the hotel restaurant bring something up."

  Considering the time, she made some mental calculations. "I'll probably take the Charlie. I imagine traffic is a chore right now. Give me about an hour and I should be there."

  "Aspetto. I look forward to it. I can send a car, if you wish."

  "No. Don't be silly. Then we'd have to battle traffic both ways."

  She could hear someone murmuring to him, but couldn't make out anything specific. "I have to go cara. I'll see you when you get here."

  Robin threw the covers off of the bed and dashed to the closet to dress quickly so that she could get to the train.

  TONY waited for Robin with a nervous anticipation he hadn't felt in a while. He couldn't predict the outcome of this conversation, and he didn't like that. His entire future stood in anticipation of how Robin would react.

  As he ordered breakfast and waited for her, he thought back to the conversation he and Barry had the Wednesday before Thanksgiving…

  "Did you lose track of time or something?"

  Tony glanced up from his computer monitor and watched Barry saunter into the room. "Not lately." He saved his work and leaned his chair back. "Why do you ask?"

  Barry sprawled into a chair across from the desk. "It's just odd that the high today is going to be a shivering twenty-nine, Christmas is just a month away, and no major deals that you're working on have crossed my desk. Despite all that, your plane hasn't left for Florida yet this year." He examined his nails.

  "Really?"

  "I also keep hearing rumors that the completely social Tony Viscolli has suddenly dropped from sight, which you only do when you're working on something major."

  Tony leaned back in his chair. "Is that so?"

  "Either you've suddenly decided you prefer the solitary life and you don't mind the cold so much, or you have a new lawyer and haven't told me. If you have a new lawyer, Tony, that would – you know – hurt my feelings."

  "Well, I haven't found a new lawyer. No one submits billable hours like you do, Bear."

  Barry laughed through his nose and half smiled. "So you decided to live a life of solitude, then?"

  Tony raised an eyebrow. "There's another possibility that might be keeping me here."

  "Nothing has ever kept you here when the temperature drops below fifty."

  He opened his top drawer and pulled out the jewelry box, and without a word, tossed it to Barry. The former NFL star caught it with one massive hand and flipped open the lid with his thumb, exposing the ring with the square cut sapphire surrounded by diamonds. He shut the lid with a little pop, then opened it again for a closer look, his eyebrows knitting.

  "Tony, this looks an awful lot like an engagement ring."

  "Is that what it looks like?" Tony put his hands behind his head and leaned his chair even farther back. He felt a silly grin spread across his face.

  "I don't know what to say. I mean, I know we've been friends for a long time, but this is just so sudden and unexpected." He started laughing. Without warning, he flipped the lid shut and tossed it back to Tony. "Can I have some time to think about it? And what will my wife say?"

  "Ha ha. Oh, so funny." He caught the box with one hand and tossed it on the top of his desk.

  "That's pretty serious, man. I'm assuming you're still seeing Robin? That this ring is intended for her?"

  "Esatto. Yes."

  "Let me get this straight." He hooked his leg over his knee. "You're going to ask a girl to marry you who you didn't even meet until September? This past September. Barely three months ago."

  "That's the plan." Tony could practically see the gears shifting in Barry's mind.

  "I don't like it."

  He smiled. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Bartholomew."

  Barry dropped the whole relaxed façade and leaned forward. "No, listen to me, Tony. It doesn't make sense. How do you know she's sincere? I mean, come on, what are you worth?"

  Tony laughed. "You'd have to know Robin to know how absurd that sounds."

  "That's the point, man. I'm your best friend and I have never interacted with her. Ever. Is she keeping you from your friends so that she can fully sink in the hooks?"

  Tony's smile faded. "No, actually, I've been all over the map lately, and only manage to see her one day a week. I took her by the church and we had dinner with Peter and Caroline. Other than that, I've been keeping her from my friends so I don't have to share."

  Barry nodded faintly. "That just adds to it. You've declined every holiday party you've been invited to, and I am fully aware of how much business you actually manage to conduct at those parties."

  Tony sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Barry, how long have we known each other?"

  Barry chuckled and fed Tony his own words from a few months ago. "Too long for you to even ask that question."

  "You ever know me to make a bad decision? Have you ever known me to go into any situation without prayer and petition?"

  Barry shrugged, "Not when it comes to business. This is not business."

  Tony nodded and then pursed his lips. Diplomatically, Tony said, "I appreciate your concern as a friend, then. I honestly do."

  "Is she saved?"

  Tony froze and slowly stretched his hand to the gold pen lying on the blotter. He gently started to spin it. "Why?"

  "Should I take that as a no, or continue to press for the answer?"

  Closing his eyes, he felt a weariness settle on his shoulders that he hadn't felt in a couple of decades. "I pray for her every single day. Every minute of every day. It's the one reason that ring is in that box instead of on her finger." He opened his eyes again and stared hard at his friend.

  Barry folde
d his hands together and laid them on the desk. "Tony…"

  "There isn't a single thing you can say to me that I don't already know. I know that God doesn't desire for us to be unevenly yoked. I know that my feelings for her can be a tool Satan can use against me. I know that every time I'm alone with her I face temptation that I don't know if I can fight another day without her prayer and consideration. I know all of that."

  Tony started spinning the pen again. "But I also know that the moment that I saw her, I felt drawn to her. I know that every moment in her presence fills me with encouragement, unfathomable joy, delight. I knew – I KNEW – that I was in love with her within a matter of days. Maybe I've known it my whole life. And I believe, strongly, that she will love the Lord as much as I do. All I can do is stay faithful, pray for her, and just continue to be me."

  Barry sat back again. Silence hung in the air for ten seconds, then for twenty. Finally he said, "And how does she feel about you?"

  Tony rubbed both of his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "I don't know." He smiled and the seriousness left his face. "Well, actually, I know that she's in love with me. She just doesn't know that she knows it yet."

  "Tony." The word was said on a sigh, and nothing else followed.

  "I know that God is in control, mi amico. I trust Him. And I know you're afraid that I'm moving too fast, but I will not take this relationship any further as long as she is unsaved. I think there are few books I've read more in the last four months than the second book of Corinthians. In the sixth chapter, God is quite clear in this specific matter of the heart."

  Barry sighed a deep rumbling sigh. He closed his eyes, took a couple of deep breaths, then opened them again. "I'd like to pray for you right now."

  Tony coughed and cleared his throat against the emotions that flooded him. "I'd appreciate that very much." He stood and moved around the desk so that he could sit in the chair flanking Barry's. They turned their chairs facing each other and clasped hands and bowed their heads.

  They had prayed for each other, jointly petitioning God for guidance and strength, and Tony felt his heart both lifted and burdened. The brotherly love that Barry displayed for him, the solidarity of his spiritual brother's love for him lifted and strengthened him in a way he hadn't realized he needed until the heaviness and imagined loneliness vanished before they said "Amen." But the burden he felt to bring Robin to an acceptance of the truth sharpened in those whispered moments and became a near physical ache.

  Tony had thought about that conversation and those shared moments of fellowship for the last few days. When he had invited Robin to attend services with him Sunday, he had prayed for God to convict her of the sincerity of the invitation. He had prayed that God could fill him with a visible light that would shine brightly through him and cover her. And he had prayed for revelation as he studied God's holy word.

  All of it had culminated in his telephone call early this Monday morning. He didn't look forward to the conversation he knew he would need to have with Robin this morning, but he knew that he had to say what needed saying and he could not let it go unsaid even one more day.

  His secretary announced Robin's arrival and it brought Tony fully back to the present. He took a deep calming breath and smiled as the door to his office opened. He strode forward, his hands outstretched, to greet her.

  After a lingering welcoming kiss, Tony led Robin to the conference table and held the chair out for her. He had the conference table in his office set beautifully. A vase full of flowers matched the linen, china plates with the gold scrolling "V" logo of Viscolli Enterprises sat perfectly centered on linen place mats, a silver pot of coffee gleamed under the lights, and a frosty carafe of orange juice sweated in the warmth of the room. A room service cart sat next to the table supporting an array of silver-dome covered dishes.

  She took the proffered chair and he poured them both coffee. Then he lifted the dome lids on the room service cart, revealing muffins, bagels, corned beef, scrambled eggs, and a bowl of fresh fruit. Robin chose a bagel and some strawberries and couldn't help noticing that Tony took nothing for himself.

  "You're not hungry?" She asked as she spread cream cheese on her whole wheat bagel.

  "I've been up for several hours and have already eaten." He waved his hand dismissively. "Enjoy. I'll just have coffee."

  Robin tried to engage him in general idle talk while she ate, but he was mostly unresponsive, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. Finally, she brushed the crumbs off of her fingertips and picked up her coffee cup. "So, what's up? Why the impromptu meeting?"

  Tony always seemed so sure of himself. In the time that she'd known him, he never missed a beat. He always appeared to know what to say, how to say it, what to do and how to do it. She watched as he lifted his cup and set it down, as he rubbed a finger across his eye as if to ward off a headache, how he drummed his fingers on the table and realized he didn't know what to say or how to say it. She began to feel the beginnings of some pretty serious nerves dance along the back of her spine.

  She cleared her throat. "I've always preferred a direct approach myself."

  His eyes flashed surprised before he half grinned. "I appreciate you, Robin." As his fingers toyed with the knot on his tie, the diamond on his pinkie winked in the light. "I missed you yesterday. A lot." She opened her mouth to agree with him, but he held a finger up. "My worship is a huge part of my life. It encourages me, inspires me, rejuvenates me, and feeds my spirit. I cannot imagine getting through the kind of weeks I have without devoting an entire day to God and discovering the accompanying peace and solace I find in Him. But I also find myself distracted by missing you. Frankly, it's getting to be a problem for me, and it's interfering with my worship."

  "Tony, that's something I've been wanting to talk with you about as well."

  Thrown off of his prepared speech, he cocked his head. "Oh?"

  She smiled. "There's this strange appeal to the thought of experiencing your church with you. I don't know why, but I do want to go. I'd already decided that on Wednesday when you ask me to go, I would say yes."

  Tony closed his eyes, relief flooding from his heart through his soul and whispered a thank you to God, "La ringrazio, Dio." He opened them again, and reached for her hand, cupping it with both of his. "I am so very happy to hear that." He smiled, and the smile warmed his eyes, giving her heart a little extra beat to it. "I planned on giving you an ultimatum."

  Robin's eyes widened. "Wow. Good timing on my part."

  Tony brought her hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles. "I don't know if I was going to be able to go through with it, but yes, cara. Excellent timing. Thank you so much for preempting what might have been a bad move on my part."

  This time, Robin sat forward and used her other hand to cup one of his. "I am a straight forward kind of girl, Tony. I don't pick up on a lot of hints or subtleties, and I'll drive myself crazy wondering what you mean or what you feel if you don't come out and tell me."

  Tony wondered if she realized how much she had changed over the last few months. She had completely blossomed with confidence and strength that he was certain she doubted ever even existed in her. "So you're saying just be blunt and straightforward?" Oh the things he wished he could tell her. How much he loved her, how much he desired for her to be his wife, how he longed for her soul to be saved, for her to give her life to Christ. Despite what she said, though, he knew she wasn't ready to hear it.

  "Yes. Please just tell me what's up. I work much better that way."

  He leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. How much longer must he contain this amazing joy he had in the love he felt for her? "Cara, there is a time for everything under heaven. I hope to tell you everything in time. And I assure you I will try to be blunt and straightforward when the time comes."

  CHAPTER 13

  ROBIN watched the clock all day. She was a little nervous about going to church that night with Tony. What did one do at church? How weird were the people going to be? She hope
d she didn't embarrass herself, or worse yet, embarrass Tony.

  These thoughts plagued her off and on all day, so she went to work to try to take her mind off of it. It didn't help. The unknown kept distracting her from her job. She tried to work accounting, but couldn't focus. She tried to get with Casey about orders, but he was in a rare form and couldn't be bothered. So, she decided to just walk through the front of the house, check on customers, check on the hostess and the wait staff.