I Remember (Remembrance Series)

by Cynthia P. O'Neill

  “What are you thinking about, Jordan?”

  “How happy you have made me.” I smiled and squeezed his hand.

  When the engine suddenly stopped, I asked, “Where are we?”

  “At the Copper Pot, a new fondue restaurant, here in Downtown. It opened a few months ago and has had rave reviews. I thought we should give it a try.”

  There was a huge crowd waiting to be seated. Gregory approached the hostess stand, giving his name. To my surprise, we were led to a quiet table for two, away from the main dining area.

  The table had just enough room for two people to share a meal, sitting side by side. He motioned for me to take a seat first and then sat beside me.

  The hostess said, “I will let your waiter know you have arrived.”

  I was confused by the lack of menus. “I hope you don’t mind, but in order to reserve this table, I had to pre-order one of their meals.”

  “This place is lovely, very romantic. I’m sure I will love everything.”

  The waiter arrived with our drinks, along with an appetizer of Swiss cheese fondue and some fruit, vegetables and breads for dunking.

  I watched as Gregory used a long forked, skewer to grab a piece of apple and dunk into the melted cheese. He held it out for me to take a bite. I was amazed at how wonderful the tastes were. He ate the remainder of the apple piece before skewering a piece of bread and repeating the process.

  “You know, I can feed myself.” I joked.

  “I know. I just enjoy taking care of you.”

  I decided to pick up my own skewer and stabbed a grape, dipping it into the cheese and holding it out for him to eat. “Two can play this game, you know.”

  “I know,” he said, pulling the grape off of the skewer with his teeth.

  Next, the waiter brought out two petite Cobb salads.

  “Have you ever been in love before?” Gregory’s question caught me off guard.

  “I thought I was, once.” His face looked crestfallen.

  I grabbed hold of his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “There was a guy, Richard. We were very good friends when we were growing up. When we were seniors, in high school, neither of us had gone out with anyone, so we decided to give it a try.”

  I paused for a second to gauge his reaction before continuing. “We went out several times, even shared a kiss or two, until we talked about how we felt. We agreed there were no sparks. So, we opted to remain friends, but it was weird after that and we ended up going our separate ways. We used to talk from time to time.”

  “Did you love him?” Gregory asked.

  “I thought I did, but what I felt for him is in no way compared to what I feel for you.”

  He took a deep sigh of relief and leaned in silencing my lips.

  “What about you?”

  “I would be hard pressed not to use the word ‘ditto’, because I had a similar situation. In college, I was friends with a girl named Angela. We tried dating for a while. I thought I was falling for her, but realized she only cared for me when I bought her things. When I stopped buying her gifts, she dropped me and moved onto someone else.”

  “I am so sorry you had to go through that. I hope you know you don’t have to buy me anything.”

  “That is one of the many reasons why I love you; you don’t expect anything and you always try to repay kindness. I don’t expect anything in return for the things I do. But, if it makes you feel better, you can cook me dinner again soon!

  “The reason I give you things, is because you have brought my heart to life and made me see what love is. I take pleasure in spoiling you and showing you just how much I care.”

  A tear filled my eye and my lips quivered when I spoke. “Your love is all I need.”

  “Ditto.” He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me, gently.

  I couldn’t believe how much food was coming at us. The main course was a selection of meats and seafood, cooked in an aromatic broth. Everything tasted heavenly.

  On the drive back we held hands and listened to the radio. “I Knew I Loved You,” by Savage Garden began to play and reminded me of Daniel and Angeline. Before I could say anything, Gregory said, “This should be our song. It expresses how we met and fell in love.” I nodded in agreement, our connection still amazed me.

  “Can you stay a little while longer? I have a special dessert for us,” Gregory asked when we got back to his place.

  “I need to get on the road, soon.” I didn’t want to mention that I had started dozing off on our car ride home.

  His hand lifted my chin, until our eyes met. “Are you sure I can’t talk you into staying a little while longer?” His lips brushed teasingly against mine.

  ”I guess I could stay a little while. So what’s for dessert?”

  He smiled furtively at me, grabbing the remote and turning on the radio. “It’s a surprise. I won’t be too long.” He headed to the kitchen.

  A small laugh escaped my lips as I sat down on the sofa. My eyelids felt heavy and I reasoned that I could allow my eyes to rest for just a moment. The music lulled me to sleep.

  I felt my consciousness slipping away and no matter how hard I tried to fight it, exhaustion was winning.

  I felt the warm caress of a hand on my arm as it gently shook me. “Jordan, you need to wake up.” I knew the voice was right, but my body would not cooperate. It was like I was under water and did not want to swim to the surface.

  The next thing I knew, there was a muffled one-sided conversation going on. “Mrs. Carlisle? This is Gregory. I need your advice. I left Jordan sitting on the sofa, while I went to get us some dessert and when I returned, she had fallen asleep. I can’t seem to wake her up. She’s breathing but she’s out like a light.

  “Yes ma’am, I have tried shaking her, but she doesn’t even stir. Should I be concerned?” I could sense apprehension in his voice and on some level I felt bad, but I still could not will myself to wake up.

  “No…she didn’t tell me that. Had I known, I would have postponed our date until tomorrow or sometime next week.”

  All I could hear next were a few “uh-huh’s” and “yes, ma’am’s”.

  “Okay, I will try again in a couple of hours and let you know. I am truly sorry about this. I never realized she was this exhausted. Thanks. Bye.”

  I could feel his hands slip off my shoes and turn me so I was lying on the couch. A lightweight cover was placed over my arms and legs and I felt a tender kiss on my forehead. That’s when I lost all sense of consciousness.

  The sound of soft footsteps crept close to me and I was lifted up by a pair of strong arms. I started to protest. “Put me down.”

  “I am sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m just moving you to a more comfortable place to sleep.”

  My eyes shot open to see him wearing a pair of sleep pants with no shirt. I was mesmerized by how sculpted his chest, abs and arms were. The sight of him stirred something deep inside me.

  I tried wiggling loose to break the spell he had on me. “What time is it?”

  “It is one in the morning.”

  “My mother is going to kill me. I need to get home.” I said, frantically.

  ”I don’t think you are in any condition to drive,” he said, as he set me, gently, on the carpet.

  I took a step toward my purse and shoes and lost my balance.

  His arms were quick to grab and pull me close. “You’re not going anywhere. You can barely walk.”

  He must have seen the panic in my face as he picked me back up. “Shh, there is nothing to worry about. I called your mom. She knows that you fell asleep on the sofa. I offered to drive you back tonight, but then there was the problem of your car being here. So we decided to let you sleep in one of my bedrooms and then you can drive home tomorrow, when you are rested.”

  “Is she furious with me?”

  “She is more concerned than upset. Why didn’t you tell me that you hadn’t slept much this week? I would have waited until tomorrow or next wee
k for our date.”

  I let my head fall on his shoulder. “Because I wanted to spend time with you.”

  I could feel a soft kiss on my hair. “As unsteady as you are tonight, I think it best if you slept in my bed. I will sleep upstairs.”

  He sat me on his bed which, to my surprise, was nearly an exact duplicate of my own bed, just larger. I stared in amazement at how familiar the room felt, right down to the deep burgundy colored comforter set.

  “You wouldn’t happen to have brought anything from home or from the move today that you could sleep in? I would hate for you to wrinkle that beautiful dress.”

  “All of my pajamas are in Deland, except for the lace nightie; but there is no way I’m wearing that. I only brought a couple changes of clothes, not planning on needing sleepwear.”

  He stepped into his closet for a moment, returning with a t-shirt. “I agree on the nightie. I’m not sure I would be able to keep my hands off of you. Here’s a shirt that might be long enough to sleep in.”

  I tried getting off the bed, but found my balance still had not returned.

  “Did you need anything from your bag upstairs?”

  “I could use my toothbrush.”

  “I’ll be right back, then. Just promise me you won’t move.”

  I nodded, my limbs feeling heavy and uncooperative.

  He was back in a flash, steadying my walk to the bathroom. “Do you need any help with anything? I promise to keep my eyes closed.”

  I had to laugh, knowing he would be every bit the gentleman. “Actually, could you unzip me?”

  I leaned against the doorway as he slowly unzipped the back of my dress and started to lift it up over my head. There was a strong charge of electricity between us.

  “I’ll go hang your dress in my closet while you get changed.” His eyes were filled with intense desire, as were mine, but we both fought it.

  “Thank you.” I closed the door

  I changed quickly and was surprised to see Gregory standing by the bed, waiting for me. “I thought you would have gone on to bed.”

  “Not without taking care of you first, Jordan.” In a flash he had me in his arms, carrying me to the bed. He laid me gently on the right side before sliding the sheet over me. He leaned in and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. “Good night, Beautiful.”

  I grabbed his hand. “Wait!”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I know this is silly, but could we snuggle? Just until I fall asleep? In my dreams, I am always comforted by the feel of your arms around me.”

  A smile spread across his face as he climbed in on the other side. I turned on my side and felt one of his arms slip under my shoulders, while the other encircled my waist, pulling me close to him. “Mmm…this feels nice,” he whispered in my ear, as his feet caressed mine. “I love you to no end, Jordan. I can’t imagine my life without you.”

  “I feel the same way.” The warmth of his arms and the comfort of his embrace allowed me to drift into a dreamful state.

  I was reliving the day’s events before seeing Daniel with Angeline in the distance. They were kissing, late at night, near a train station. It was blissful watching them. Suddenly, a haze surrounded them and I could hear a struggle.

  Instantly, darkness swirled around me as I was transported to the edge of a forest, near a river, lit by a full moon. There was screeching metal, along with the wail of a train whistle. The crash was deafening and soon screams pierced the night with haunting cries for help.

  I didn’t understand. I heard Daniel’s voice calling for Angeline. They were both struggling to reach each other and bobbing in the swift current of the river, while Sinister laughs echoed in the distance.

  The more they struggled, the louder the menacing voices became. They seemed to declare victory over the pairs suffering. I watched as Daniel and Angeline clung to each other, their lips meeting one last time and as a brilliant glow filled the air and they disappeared.

  I bolted upright in bed, shaking and screaming. “No! Save them!” Suddenly, I felt the bed shift and a pair of arms wrap around me. A soothing voice whispered, “It’s okay; I’m here.”

  Thankfully a faint glow from the hallway illuminated the room and I could see where I was. I looked into the face of the arms that held me and was thankful to see he was all right. “Daniel, my love, you gave me such a fright.”

  Daniel’s smile faded and was replaced by a puzzled look. “Angeline?”

  “Yes, my love.” I leaned in to brush my lips against his, only to find his lips respond with purpose and desire.

  His arms held me close and lowered me onto the bed. Our lips didn’t break apart. I could feel how warm and toned his naked chest was as one of his hands caressed down my arm, past my waist, finally stopping at my lower thigh.

  “I have missed you, Angeline.” His lips parted mine and I could taste his breath. My heart beat, erratically.

  Without warning, Daniel pulled back.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t do this.” He rolled into a sitting position beside me.

  “Why?” I sat upright, next to him.

  He took me by the shoulders, looking deep into my eyes “Jordan, you need to come out of your dream. Wake up.”

  “I am awake, Daniel.”

  “You’re confusing your dream for reality.”

  I began looking around the room. As my eyes refocused, I realized that this was not Daniel’s room, but Gregory’s; and I collapsed, weeping into his chest.

  He held me close, rubbing his hands backing circles along my back, comforting me. “It was just a bad dream, Jordan.”

  I wept over Angeline and Daniel perishing in the river. I cried over my confusion, believing I was fully awake. Suddenly it dawned on me. “How did you know about Angeline?”

  Gregory looked startled by the question. “They’re my dreams, too.”

  “But…how?”

  He shrugged his shoulders “I haven’t been able to figure out why we share this dream, as well.” He drew me closer and continued. “I’ve noticed the more we are together, the stronger and more defined Daniel and Angeline’s story is becoming.”

  The warmth of his chest and the sound of his heartbeat settled my nerves. “Do you notice that people from the present are popping up in your visions of the past?”

  “Yes, but I can’t explain why,” he admitted, woefully.

  “Why did you leave the room?”

  “I stayed in here until you fell asleep. Then I moved to the sofa to give you more room but still stay close by. I guess I need to stay in here for your dreams to stay light?”

  “Could you, please?” I felt reassured by his presence.

  Laying my head back onto the pillow, Gregory went to turn off the hallway light. The bed dipped as he crawled in beside me, wrapping his arms around me and drawing me close. He started humming our song in my ear as I drifted off into a more pleasurable slumber.

  I felt the warmth of his breath in my hair, the rise and fall of his bare chest against my cheek and the soothing beat of his heart in my ear. My eyes flickered open as his hand moved gently across my shoulders and arms.

  “Good morning, Beautiful.”

  I was sprawled across his chest, with my arms wrapped tightly around him. “How long have you been up?”

  “For a little while.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  He leaned down to kiss the top of my forehead. “I was enjoying the feel of you here, in my arms and I didn’t want it to end.”

  “I’m sorry about what happened after my dream. I’m embarrassed by it.”

  He hugged me tighter. “It’s okay, nothing happened. I should’ve realized when you called me, Daniel.”

  He looked like he wanted to say more but, instead, eased off the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

  A few minutes later, he returned with a tray full of orange juice, fresh fruit, yogurt and some croissants. “What is all this for?”

  “Just some b
reakfast in bed for the love of my life.” He flashed his quirky, half curved smile.

  He placed the tray in the center of the bed and crawled up beside me, crossing his legs and digging into the goodies.

  When we finished our breakfast, he offered the use of his shower; but I opted to use the shower in the bedroom upstairs, for added privacy.

  Feeling refreshed and dressed in my khaki pants and blue t-shirt; I called my mother while gathering my things. Fearing disappointment in her voice, I was thrilled to discover she was happy that I was fine and rested. However, I didn’t escape the lecture about needing to take care of myself.

  I was still on the phone when I heard a faint knock on the door. I opened it and motioned for Gregory to come in, mouthing the word, Mom, pointing to the phone.

  To my surprise, we matched again, except I wore sandals. He raised his finger, motioning for a moment to speak. “Hold on a second, Mom.”

  I was surprised when he reached for the phone. “Mrs. Carlisle, I realize you have company visiting and I don’t want to intrude on family time; but, would you mind if I follow Jordan up and unload the boxes for her? She still looks worn out.”

  He wrapped his arm around my waist. “Yes, ma’am. It would be my pleasure. Thank you. We will be leaving here in a few minutes.” He ended the call.

  “What was that all about?”

  He moved my hair aside and leaned into the right side of my neck, delivering tender kisses, one after another from my ear to the base of my neck. His grip tightened around my waist. “After spending the night with you in my arms, do you really think I’m ready to let you go?”

  “I don’t want to leave, but I need to get back home. And didn’t you promise your dad to look at a presentation?” I reminded him.

  “After you fell asleep on the sofa, I got out my laptop and finished the project.” He leaned in close and smiled against my neck. “So, I’m all yours today, my love!”

  I was putty in his hands and he knew it.

  The drive was uneventful. We pulled into the driveway around lunch time and Mom was the first out the door to greet us.