Beginning, Previous Section, Section III, Next Section
Chapter 7 A ~ It's Always The Quiet Ones!
Monday
November 16 1998
10:14 a.m.
Charles was looking out of the window in Lillian's room when Jane's car came up the drive.
"She is here, Grandmother. I will go meet her outside, just in case she wants to tour the grounds first." He walked over to the chair she was sitting in while Dana braided her hair and placed his hand on hers.
"Take your time. We'll need a little time to get ready." Lillian knew Dana could be finished in five minutes flat, but the contained excitement she spied in Charles demeanor was, for lack of a better word 'encouraging'. He could never fool her, and Lillian suspected that the lady arriving today was a little different from any ordinary friend. Lillian did have to give her grandson credit; he tried to put up a casual front last night over dinner when he spoke of her…for the third time in two days.
"We'll be up later then." Charles was outside of the enormous house not two minutes later, catching up with Jane next to the garage. Standing on the driveway admiring the view of the backside of the home, she took in every angle and slope that defined the building with wonder.
She fell in love with the feel of the house while touring it years ago. Many of the interior areas had not been accessible to the public, and Jane hoped Charles would show them to her today.
Charles must have been observing her for a while because the look on his face was both expectant and appreciative. Jane gave him a nod of acknowledgment and walked in his direction.
"You didn't call so I assumed we were still on for today." Jane's voice was pleasant, but low key.
"I did not have your phone number, but the day is all yours." Charles had wanted to call on her last night just to make sure she was still coming…or any other excuse he could think of, but he didn't know how to reach her. Directory assistance did not have her number on file, and he was not going to ask William for it because his request would surely lead to questions.
"Good reason." Jane's eyes swept the length of the house. "How long have you lived here?"
"Since I was two." Charles pointed in the direction of another home to the south. "My family once owned that house too, and sold it to the Darcy's when I was eight."
"Oh, the Edward Hill House. I understood William's parents did a great deal of restoration to it in the '70's to get it back to the original Frank Lloyd Wright design and the new owners are continuing the work."
"You know your Wright, Jane, and you are correct. My parents were not interested in the project." Before she could ask any more questions about the Hill House, Charles spoke again. "Where would you like to start today? Lillian asked me to give her a little time before I introduced her to you, so lead the way."
"Let's walk the grounds while the sun it out. It is supposed to become cloudy later."
Charles checked her shoes. Jane did not have on heels like she had the last two times he had been with her, but flat leather loafers. She was also dressed in the style he had always seen her in--dressy causal. He wondered if she ever wore blue jeans and a tee shirt or her hair down. He had spent a lot of time lately wondering about Jane.
They spent some time walking the back yard discussing specific plants along the base of the foundation, medieval chimneys, and the fire on Christmas Day, 1922. Their conversation was interesting to both parties, and without relevance the minutes passed. Realizing he could loose track of time in her presence, Charles suggested they go indoors and call on his grandmother. With the temperature dropping as the wind picked up, Jane readily agreed.
Once inside they took off their coats and gloves as the prepared to go upstairs. Jane adjusted the bun in her hair that she always wore, smoothing the loose strands with her palms. Noticing her cheeks were red from the chilled wind, Charles placed his palms on her face to warm them.
"It was a bit cold outside. I think we can have you warmed up in no time." She looked at him, but said nothing. "Would you like some hot tea or cocoa?" It did not occur to Charles that he was behaving as if he and Jane were intimate friends instead of the virtual strangers they were. He was just being himself.
"Maybe later, thank you." Jane tilted her head back and looked around the open room without moving. Her eyes burned brightly with reverence for the beauty of the interior of the room, lending her an aura of naiveté. Her face held no particular expression, but she gave the impression of contented joy. Jane felt comfortable in this house, there was just something about it that made her feel warm and safe when inside its protective walls. Admittedly, Charles was easy to be around, too. She knew she had misjudged him at William's party, but two days ago at the restaurant he had brought her out of her shell and it was nice to laugh for a while. He was someone she would attach the term 'a kind human being' to. It would take her some time before she would be able to gauge his sincerity, but so far he seemed genuine in character. Lately Jane had become rather observant in her dealings with other people, and was identifying the traits common to deceptive individuals. Charles had not shown any of these characteristics so far.
Rendered mute by the sight of her exploration of his house, Charles focused on her eyes as they traveled around the room. It was not her outer beauty that he found so enticing (although it could not be forgotten), but the depth of which she conducted herself. When she laughed, she laughed heartily; when she was angry, she let it blaze. And when she was quite…she was unreadable.
Charles was wise and educated enough to understand the process the mind goes through when one person finds another attractive, but what he could not understand was why he was feeling it so fiercely. Yes, chemicals were released in the body that had a profound effect on the brain blah, blah, blah…but this was not what puzzled him so. Why did her mere nearness feel so familiar?
He thought about the fact that he still had his hands on the face of a woman he barely knew, and yet it did not strike him as being forward. Jane did not recoil from his touch or even appear uncomfortable, and from the little exposure he had of her, this did not seem to be in personality. Charles lifted his hands and rubbed them together to re-warm them. Jane was still a little pink.
"You are almost warm now." He placed his hands back on where they were before.
Charles's voice brought her attention from the molding round the ceiling to him. For a woman who had not been touched so affectionately in a long, long time, she did not experience her usual unease caused by the proximity. Instead she examined his facial features without embarrassment as he watched her do so. He had a few freckles on the bridge of his nose left over from his childhood and they gave him a buoyant charm. Jane realized he must be her own age, since he had already made it through medical school and had been practicing for a few years, but the freckles and his adorable sandy-blond curly hair would most likely always throw people off when guessing his age.
"How old are you, Charles?" Jane wanted to know, so she asked.
"31. How old are you?" It was a fair question.
"Didn't your mother tell you it isn't nice to ask a lady her age?" She arched her eyebrows at him.
"Lillian never said anything about it," he returned her saucy expression. "How old are you?"
Jane eyed him curiously, wondering why he said the name of his grandmother instead of his mother.
"Old enough to know better." She lifted her finger up to her lips as if she was sharing a secret. "I'm really 30."
Jane smiled coyly at Charles giving him this urge to just lean over and kiss her. Knowing that would be the stupidest action he could do since asking her outright if she was depressed, he removed his hands suddenly from her face to curb the temptation. Charles wasn't willing to make another move that could be fatal to her opinion of him.
Jane stopped smiling.
"Did I offend you?" She knew she had to stop being so informal around Charles because most people were responding poorly to her newfound boldness.
"No," a decision had to be made as to how much he would tell her. "Jane, I cannot explain it. You are…" Charles raised his hands up in the air showing he did not have the words.
He could tell that she really did not understand what he was trying to say. Charles looked away for a moment and thought. It was too soon to say anything to her, way too soon. And what was he going to say anyway? Um, Jane, I just have this impulse to kiss you? Suspecting she would not be receptive to any declarations of fondness and the fact she did not seem ready to even consider a simple date, Charles looked back at her to think up some half-hearted explanation.
Her voice kept him silent. Jane had something to explain.
"Two years ago I would have just given you a shy smile while silently wondering what you had found wrong with me, never to pick up the subject again. Two years ago I was sedate, courteous, submissive; constantly trying to bend to the wishes and needs of others. Now I find myself just too tired to act that way anymore. So, if I speak out of turn or appear ungracious, know that is not intentional. I am just learning how to be direct and have not had enough practice to be considered proficient."
Stunned by her open confession, Charles placed both of his hands on her jaw and leaned down until their lips were level. His purpose was clear.
"This is what I was trying to tell you." His racing pulse vibrated through his body.
"May I?" Charles inquired as his breath took the last bit of chill out of her skin.
"Don't ask. I'll eventually justify saying 'no'." Jane moved in closer to him.
Needing no more encouragement, Charles pushed aside his own conflicting conscience and gave in to the want without over analyzing it. Knowing he was not doing anything unethical (Jane was not a patient of his), only a slight tinge of guilt reminded him there was still some liability involved.
Charles decided to trust Jane's judgment and proceed.
At first the touch between their mouths could barely be felt by either. As if gliding over ice, he moved in nearer to her and ran his lips gently over hers, caressing them to a point where they became free from the tension holding them tight. Without any premeditation, one of his hands went around her waist and stopped widely open in the middle of her back. His free hand wrapped itself around the back of her bare neck, tracing the path of her vertebrae up and down in a long oval pattern. He began to kiss her.
Feeling the warmth of her skin against his palm sent sensations up his arm, causing him to respond by deepening the kiss as he lost himself into an absence of time. Charles could feel her fingers gripping his forearms leaving their imprints against the muscle. Jane was not pushing him away or pulling him closer, but holding onto him while letting her trepidation flow out through her fingertips.
She no longer felt like a stranger to him, but kindred being with whom he could share this experience and many others.
Jane did not compare Charles's kiss to any other man she had ever kissed before, but accepted the offering on its own merit--it was good. To the point of being almost painfully pleasurable, it was one of the softest kisses she could imagine. A part of her wanted him to stop because she was beginning to feel and respond, and the other could not get enough of the taste of freedom. If she were not so afraid of the darkness that surely accompanies such unleashing of emotions, she would have given into her desire to kiss him back just as vigorously. But Jane would not separate the man from the possibilities, therefore she held herself back protectively. Still, Jane was not going to make the decision to end it. Charles would have to.
He did a minute later, backing off a centimeter at a time while watching her open her eyes. His mind was absolutely devoid of thought as he stopped moving and stared at her.
Jane did not remove her hands from his arms as she considered what had happened. He was the first man to pierce the armor she wore since she filed for divorce, and she was not certain if she liked it or not. Deciding not to comment on what had just taken place between them, she found a safe subject that needed their immediate attention.
"Shouldn't we be going up to your grandmother?"
"Excuse me?" Her question did not fully register in his mind. Did she say something about a grandmother?
"Lillian, isn't she waiting?"
"Oh, yes, I suppose so." He turned to face the stairway, but turned back to her right away.
"Jane?"
A long sigh escaped through her throat. He wanted to talk about it.
"Yes Charles?"
"Was it okay that I kissed you? I cannot tell."
Without any outward expression, Jane looked at him for a moment. She could still feel his kiss.
"I think I should tell you a little about myself. I'm not looking for a long-term relationship, or a commitment, or any of the other incorrect stereotype men often associate with women. I'm not even looking for a steady companion. But I do like you, Charles. Yes, it was okay to kiss me. Well, it was not okay…" Jane's nerve almost abandoned her before she could finish her sentence. "It was very nice."
For a moment she could not believe that she had just spoken her mind to him so brazenly. She could not deny that it was all true, but saying it out loud like that made her uncomfortable.
Jane found herself drawn to him on both an intellectual and physical level, but she was not going to offer any man her heart. It had nothing to do with her trusting or not trusting Charles, she had not known him long enough to make a determination on that account. It was more of a matter of her knowing her own limits when it came to surrendering herself to another person. Jane learned this lesson the hard way with Eric, and she held herself responsible for her own weakness. Never again would she allow someone else run her life or so many of the other things Eric was admitted to do. This restriction Jane placed on her emotional attachment would also include the good-hearted Dr. Bingley.
"I would like you to meet my Grandmother." Charles offered Jane his arm and placed his hand over hers as they traveled upstairs to Lillian's room. Jane had laid out the boundaries for him, and he would adjust his expectations accordingly. He felt better knowing where he stood.
The introductions and first impressions were made in the bedroom. Charles, Jane, and Lillian sat in the upholstered chairs surrounding an antique round table. Many questions passed between them in a relatively short amount of time and a bond between young and old was established.
Jane needed on a few minutes to determine that Lillian Bingley was unlike any grandmother she had ever met. At first glance, the woman appeared very maternal. She was a tiny little thing with silver braided hair wrapped around her head in European fashion. Old World was Jane's first thought, until Lillian spoke. The thick accent was easily recognizable as Polish, but her words were clear and concise. Her attitude was modern, while her ideas were expressed as 'possible' instead of 'fact'. Lillian did not appear to be a woman who acted in a matronly way by pushing her own dogma off on others. Jane was relieved because the strength of the woman was obvious…Lillian could weather out any storm and come out just fine.
Lillian was more than pleased with Jane. She did not giggle uncontrollably or flatter unnecessarily, two traits Lillian could hardly stand to be around. Instead she asked questions when she was curious, and responded when she had something to say. When Lillian mentioned her cancer, Charles looked away as he always did, but Jane held her eye contact and calmly asked her several intelligent questions with seriousness. Jane did not give her the 'poor you--how you must be suffering' line of sympathy Lillian hated to hear, and this made her company even more enjoyable. But, her appreciation of Jane rose to almost euphoric heights when she learned the young woman was Roman Catholic. Lillian was a religious woman, and this information caused a plan to begin to develop in her mind. IF (and she knew that it was too early to be certain) Charles and Jane started to see each other, Jane's understanding and acceptance of Lillian's faith may be beneficial when the time came for her to die.
She had no doubt Charles would follow her wishes to the letter, but without an appreciation for the process, there was a good chance it might be too overwhelming for him to deal with alone. His sisters Caroline and Louisa were more of a hindrance than help, and there were precious few other family members to call upon. She did not want Charles to have to face his greatest fear alone; he was far too beloved to Lillian for her to think of him put in that position.
After Jane finished her cup of tea, she excused herself to use the restroom off of Lillian's room. After the door closed, Lillian motioned Charles to come closer.
"Podoba mi sie. Urodziwa kobieta z madra glowa. Ciesze sie, ze nas sobie przedstawiles."
("I like her. She is a lovely woman with a good head. I am glad you introduced us.")
"Babciu," Charles usmiechnal sie, "to niegrzecznie mowic o ludziach, gdy ci sa jeszcze w domu, szczegolnie w jezyku, ktorego nie rozumieja. Czy nie tego mnie uczylas? Ale zgadzam sie z toba, co do niej!"
("Grandmother," Charles grinned at her, "it is not nice to talk about people while they are still in the house, let alone in a language they do not understand. Is that not what you taught me? But, I do agree with you about her.")
"Wnuczku, kocham cie, ale pozwol starej kobiecie robic to co chce." rozesmiala sie Liliana.
("Grandson, I love you, but let an old woman be!" Lillian laughed.)
"Tez cie kocham. Jak sie czujesz? Nie jestes zmeczona?
("I love you, too. How are you feeling? Are you tired?")
"Mam jeszcze jakies dziesiec minut zanim zapadne w drzemke. Przyprowadz ja znowu. Jest kilka rzeczy, o ktore chcialabym ja zapytac."
("I have about ten more minutes in me before I need to take a nap. Bring her to the house again soon, I have some questions I would like to ask her.")
Charles's grin faded. He had a good idea what information Lillian wanted out of Jane. He watched her reaction when Jane told her about her job in Champaign. He wasn't sure if he was up to another 'Hospice' disagreement with his Grandmother again. They were of opposing opinions on that subject.
Jane walked away from the closed door and went over to the sink with a smile on her face. She had heard their conversation. Charles was correct…it wasn't nice to talk about people when they were still in the house-especially when they do understand the language. Her smile widened as she washed her hands.
Chapter 7 B
The tour of the house went well, and Charles allowed Jane to investigate the areas of her choosing. Around noon they broke for lunch.
As Jane neared the dining room table, her eyes grew wide with excitement.
"Charles, are the table and chairs FLW originals?"
"Yes, it is. Do you like the style?" He pulled her chair out for her to sit down.
"How could I not? This is a wonderful home, you must be very content here."
"I am, Jane. I inherited the house from Lillian two years ago, and now that I own it, I notice little things that I didn't growing up in it."
Charles paused as the cook brought out their lunch. He had asked for a salad type dish to be served, since he was under the impression Jane did not eat fatty, sugary food. Pleased with what he had selected to serve her for lunch, she tilted her head in his direction and showed her satisfaction. Charles was really being thoughtful.
"Jane, what would you like to drink with your meal? I don't drink alcohol, but there is some wine available if you would like some."
"Water is fine."
"Thank you, Iris. Everything looks wonderful." He excused the cook and returned his attention to Jane. She was still looking at him with her happy expression. How he wished it would last. Jane was so disarming when she smiled.
It was a shame Charles did not know how to read minds; he would have been delighted with what she was thinking at that very moment.
"After lunch, what would you like to do? I have a collection of photos and drawings from the house, including the sketches drawn after the fire."
"Charles, I don't want to bore you with my obsession. I must appear like a child in a candy store. " Jane really wanted to see what documents and photos he had, but she had already been there two hours. Surely Charles had other sources of entertainment or business he would like to attend to. "I shouldn't occupy too much of your time today."
This was not what he had wanted to hear her say, and Charles quickly thought of a reason to make her feel welcome to stay.
"Jane, we share the same obsession, so please do not leave before you are ready. I have no other plans for today except to show you around."
She could not refuse. After they finished their meal, they headed off into Charles's study on the second level. The room was different from his office at work. The woodwork was original to the design of the house, therefore dark. But the white walls brightened the area, and Charles had placed a small rug in the center of the room. Otherwise, it was exactly as his Grandfather had left it when he had passed away 15 years ago.
He spent the time explaining this to Jane and she listened with interest. His family sounded fascinating and she had many questions, but refrained from asking them since she felt they were really none of her business. She had no desire to intrude in his private affairs anymore than she wanted him to quiz her about hers. It was the feeling of safety in being strangers that Jane preferred.
A long antique leather sofa was their destination as they sat side by side, pouring over old photo albums and scrapbook. One picture in particular caught Jane's attention. It was of a little curly headed boy in the backyard smiling for the camera about ten feet away from the iron fence that surrounded the perimeter of the yard. Believing it might be Charles, she asked him about it.
"That's me." Charles checked the date on the photo. "I was five when this was taken."
"You were an adorable child." Jane looked closer at the picture. There were two little girls on the other side of the fence, looking in his direction.
"Are those girls in the background William's sisters?" Jane remembered that Charles said he had moved out of the house when he was two, but she did not recall when he told her that it was sold to the Darcy's.
"No, William only has one younger sister, and this was taken before they bought the house." He forced a happy face. "Those are my older sisters. They lived in the other house until my mother passed away."
Jane did not ask any more questions about it. She assumed he must have been a product of divorce, otherwise why would he live in this house while his siblings were in another.
A little after three in the afternoon, Jane was preparing to leave. She had said her good-bye to his grandmother and was waiting for him to put on his gloves. Charles had insisted on walking her out to her car, a rather chivalrous move by Jane's standards.
She had to admit that the day was pleasantly spent in his company, and yes, she would enjoy doing it again. He opened the door for her and they walked to her car.
"Jane, thank you for coming today."
"I should be thanking you for having me."
"Would I be asking too much if I invited you out to dinner this week? Maybe Friday?"
They stopped by the driver's side of her car as Jane thought about the offer. Knowing she had made herself quite clear earlier in the day about not wanting 'a relationship', she thought it would be safe to have dinner with him. If his expectations started to get out of control, she could always set him straight.
"Thank you, Charles, that would be nice. I need to give you my phone number. Please, sit in the car with me and I'll write it down for you."
As the car warmed up, she found paper and pen and gave him her information.
"I almost forgot. I wanted to ask your opinion on something." Jane explained her sister Lydia's situation to him in detail, expressing her doubts about the legitimacy of her sudden dyslexia.
"Why don't you set up an appointment, and I will test her. I will admit her behavior leads me to wonder about the cause of her falling grades. Still, I'll keep an open mind and see what I can find."
"I'll have my mother call your office. Thank you. I should be going now. I'm anxious to see Elizabeth."
"Tell her 'hello' for me, if you want. I hope she is feeling much better."
"I will." Jane's brown eyes locked with his blue and they stayed that way for some time.
Why is he so sweet? And what am I going to do about him?
"Charles?" She whispered.
"Yes?"
"Dear, if you don't get out of my car, I am going to have to take you with me. We'll be going to Lizzy's and then to my mother's. You don't want to go to my mother's house, trust me. She will not let you leave once she has you in her grasp." Jane cracked a huge smile. "I'm kicking you out for your own good."
Try me! Mischievous tones brightened his own smile.
"Are you going to let me kiss you again?"
Jane pretended to think long and hard about it. "What did I tell you last time?"
"To do it before you changed your mind!" He laughed. "I do not know if I would call that an open invitation."
"You had better hurry because I'm starting to think..." He stopped her sentence with his mouth.
A few seconds later Jane was no longer able to think clearly anymore. The man could kiss and the magic he worked with his lips left her dumbfounded. It was far, far too easy for her to forget her expectation that they could see each other without any real sort of attachment forming. It was also far to easy for her to begin to kiss him back. He stirred something inside of her that she wanted to keep dormant…
Charles moved his arms around her to cradle her. He was unable to control the amount of desire he was showing even though he knew he did not want to rush her. Jane brought him to life in her own unique way. She presented herself as an enigma and he wanted, no, he needed to unravel her mystery. It had been years since he had wanted a woman like he did Jane. He could easily see himself falling in love with such a woman, if he could just be patient and allow her the time she would need to heal from her past.
When he felt her kissing him back, his energy surged and he doubled his efforts. Both began to expose their spontaneous side to each other, oblivious to the fact that they were tangled around each other in her car. If Jane had not had on her defrost, the windows surely would have steamed up due to the heavy breathing taking place in the front seat.
When they finally parted, Jane rested her forehead against his while they caught their breath. WOW was the first coherent thought to enter her head, all of the others were not fitting for a proper lady.
Charles was desperately trying to come up with an excuse to keep her there longer. If she would allow it, he would love to spend the evening kissing her like that. Unluckily, his male hormones were clouding his reasoning abilities and all he could think of to say was, "Jane."
Jane sat back in her seat. It was entirely too hot in the car and she checked to see if she had the heat turned up on high…it was not.
"I'm going to leave now." She mumbled as she noticed a spot of lipstick on Charles. Taking a Kleenex, she held his head with her left hand as she wiped the red smear off. The close contact of this action lead to another round of kissing, this time initiated by her. It was as frenzied as the first, but the duration was cut by half.
"Dinner on Friday, correct?" He asked quickly.
"Yes, are you going to pick me up or do you want to meet somewhere?"
"I'll pick you up around 6:30."
"Okay, just bring a baseball bat if you're coming to my neighborhood after dark." Jane teased.
His jaw dropped open in disbelief, causing Jane laugh at him.
"I'm kidding, Charles, but barely. Call me if you need directions."
"Good-bye Jane." He leaned over to give her a quick kiss, but she strong armed him and made him stop.
"Not a good idea if I am ever going to get out of your driveway. Good-bye Charles."
Jane drove to her sister's house in a slight state of shock.
Not only did I kiss a man I barely know…three times (!), but I want to turn my car around and go back for more. She was not sure if she was happy with this honest admission or not.
4:20 p.m.
"Lizzy, what is that you are drinking?" Jane was staring at some brown mixture her sister had in a large glass sitting on the coffee table.
"Weight gain shake. Looks yummy, doesn't it?" Elizabeth giggled as she stirred it again. "Want one?"
"I think I'll pass. How many of those have you choked down today?" Jane sneered as Elizabeth took a big gulp of it while holding her nose.
"This is my third. The doctor told me about it today after he weighed me. I'm sick of looking like a scarecrow."
"I don't think you look bad." Jane eyed her sister over. She was thin, sure, but Elizabeth wore it well.
"I look like Calista Flockheart or what ever her name is! The 'feed me' look is out Jane. I'd rather add some weight and be healthy. Geez, I'm at the bottom of the weight chart for my height. I don't think anyone should be that skinny."
Jane was.
"Did William say something to you about your weight? Does he think you should gain some?"
Elizabeth frowned at her sister. "I didn't ask him, I just told him my plan. It is my business what I…" She stopped and remembered Eric's comments that she had overheard when he was badgering Jane about her weight. He left his scars on her.
"Jane, I have never listened to what other people think I should look like. I know the most important thing is for me to be happy with myself. I recall what Dad taught me years ago, 'It is none of my business what other people think of me.' So, if someone thinks I am too skinny or too fat--screw them! Does that make sense?"
"Of course." Jane changed the subject quickly. "We need to pick out our dresses for Mary's wedding before you start working again. Didn't you say you were going back to the Company next Monday?"
"Yes. There are some things I need to teach Steven before the year-end business report is due. He called this morning, and now I am also going to fill in for him while he and Mary are on their honeymoon. I did ridicule him about planning the wedding date so that I would be stuck getting the financial records in order for the tax year."
"I thought you were working on a training program for William's company?" Jane admired her sister's ability and confidence when it came to the doing a task. Elizabeth just jumped in and did her work without hesitation--never looking back.
"I have finished it. William has asked me to lead some classes for his employees, and I agreed. They start at the mid-January." Elizabeth lowered her head and chuckled.
"What?"
"You should see how much I am charging to do it. He called me a Bandit!" Elizabeth laughed even harder remembering William's expression when she handed him the paper with her fees listed out. "Elizabeth Bennet does not work for free! Ask Steven. I think I am going to end up making more money freelancing than working full time."
"Only you, Lizzy."
"Oh, Jane. I just thought of something. William told me that there is a job coming up in his firm and they are going to need an Interpreter. He uses a company out of New York for cases such as these, but I told him to ask you about it. Would you be interested? It starts December 10th and runs for four days. They're going to Warsaw!"
"Warsaw? I don't know. I'm not up on business terms."
"They wouldn't need you for that, the company they will be working for has a business interpreter. Your job would be to take care of the Allied team when they are out of negotiations. For example; getting them around town, helping them with desk clerks and operators, getting to and from restaurants, and so forth. It would be like baby-sitting. The hours would leave your days free and I think it sounds like fun."
"What about Dad? He'll be home by that time." The offer had Jane intrigued. It would be a free trip to Poland, and she would be able to see Joanna.
"I'll pick up the slack there. Maybe you could extend your trip and visit your friend?" Elizabeth wanted to see Jane take the offer because she thought it would be good for her to get away for a while.
"Is this serious? Would William consider me?"
"Yes, it is real. He's going to home late tonight. Would you like to stay for dinner and talk to him about it?"
"No, I need to stop by Mother's soon. Would you have him give me a call when he is at work? I have to admit, I am interested."
"Sure. I'll find out the going rate for interpreters and let you know."
"Lizzy, I can't charge William for this. It would be like a vacation."
"William will not let you do it for free, and why should you? You're performing a needed service."
"Well, have him give me a call. I really should be going. I need to check on Lydia and make sure she is home."
"Mama called me this morning and we had a long talk about our sister. I'm going to start helping out there, too. Mama said you opened her eyes to the problem. Thank you, Jane. I have been far too remiss in my dealing with Lydia."
Jane just smiled and patted her hand. "Do you need anything before I leave?"
"Only for you to tell me more about Charles. Did you have a good time today? Why didn't you tell me earlier that you were going to his house?"
"Because I didn't want you to make more out of it than it was. I did have a nice time; the Moore house is one of my favorites. There is nothing else to tell." Nothing else I'm going to tell.
Elizabeth was disappointed by the brief description, but tried not to let is show. When Jane had told her about it after she arrived, she had developed some hope. Charles was a sweet man; just the type Elizabeth wanted for Jane.
"I'm glad you had a nice time." Elizabeth got up with Jane and walked her to the door.
"Jane, there is one more thing that is on my mind. When you called my house Saturday at midnight to check on me…why? I didn't say anything to William about it, but your timing was…interesting." Was it another one of your dreams? Elizabeth did not voice her suspicions. She knew how uncomfortable it made Jane to talk about them.
"It was nothing, Lizzy. I didn't realize the time when I called." Jane had no problem with lying about it.
Chapter 8 ~ With The Right Ambiance, Almost Anything Is Possible.
Friday
November 20th 1998
5:15 p.m.
Jane stood by her bed, casting a critical eye on the clothing spread across it.
A person would think I had never been out for dinner before. Come on Jane, just pick something. It's no big deal, only Charles and only a dinner. You're not so sure you really like him anyway. Heck, this will probably be the only time you go anywhere with him. Yeah. No Big Deal.
She started to laugh at herself. Denial was a beautiful thing. Jane went back into her closet and pulled out her red dress. The tags were still hanging from it, and the significance of this particular piece of clothing was not lost on her.
Jane had purchased the dress the day before her divorce became final. She and a few women from work had devised a plan. They were going to celebrate her freedom from Eric by painting the town red. Each woman had agreed to wear the color in honor of women everywhere who were lucky enough to be rid of rotten husbands like Eric. It was going to be a light-hearted night designed to help Jane through the most difficult day of her life.
But, the plan went astray. When all was said and done, Jane had no desire to go anywhere but home to a hot bath. After all he had put her through, Eric had the audacity to break down weeping in front of the Judge. Jane had never seen him cry before and it made her sick to her stomach to be subjected to the drama.
Drama was the correct word because Jane knew he was simply desperate and this was his final trick before the papers were signed. Eric was trying to play on her emotions--just another game added to a year and a half of games.
During the scene, Jane stared straight ahead and passed the time by thinking of unflattering adjectives and nouns to attach to Eric's name. She was not going to break her resolve at this late date; not that he had a chance in the first place. What Eric did not understand was that Jane had reached her limit with him a long time ago and she harbored nothing resembling sympathy anymore. For all she cared, he could rot in hell.
Jane held the dress up in front of her. It was beautiful. The sleeveless red shell had a low cut V for a neckline, and it fell right above her knee. It wasn't adorned with any pattern but had an elegance about it that flattered her figure because it was cut in such a way to hang on every curve.
Jane tossed the dress on her bed and got down on her hands and knees. The shoes were somewhere at the bottom of her closet.
6:22 p.m.
Charles knocked on her door and stood back. The large bouquet of flowers he had in his hand was throwing him off. Do I hold them in front? Do I use two hands? Do I surprise her? Do I just admit I am an imbecile and get on with it?
There were several factors leading up to the nervousness he was feeling. First off, Lillian was much too excited for him. She had insisted that he go directly from work to Jane's without stopping by the house. She said it would just waste precious time. Next, when he had called William to get an idea about a restaurant, he had to listen to ten minutes of badgering questions (none of which he answered) about who the woman was before he would make a suggestion. And then finally, as he was leaving his office today, one of the doctors in the practice made a huge deal about him being in dress clothes. I own suit jackets and ties. I don't see what all the fuss was about. Did Dr. Kennley really have to call the other doctors into the hall to see me? And who had the camera?
Charles was about to knock again when the door opened. He stood there with his mouth agape staring at the vision in front of him for one full looooong minute. The flowers in his hand were almost dropped, but his reflexes were still working and he was able to clutch them before they spilled onto the hallway. Mentally he decided to go with the 'admitting I am an imbecile' excuse because he really could not find any words to say. Jane was gorgeous!
After about 30 seconds Jane narrowed her eyes at him.
"Hello?" Amused at his expense, Jane worked hard to keep a straight face.
"Hello, Jane."
Silence.
"Could we try this again?" Charles asked innocently.
"Sure." Jane closed the door in his face and leaned against it trying to stifle her giggles. In all honesty, she was no better than he was. Charles looked incredibly handsome tonight and she wasn't sure what to say to him. Better to start over with dignity than to try to resurrect any from the past minute. Jane waited.
The knock finally came and she opened the door once more while biting the inside of her cheek to hold back her mirth. Faking surprise, she greeted him.
"Charles, so nice to see you. Please come in."
"Jane, you look lovely tonight." Charles handed her the flowers. "These are for you…" He could not hold it in anymore and started to laugh.
Jane gave him back the flowers, put her hand on his chest and pushed him back out of the door.
"I know we can get this right, Charles. One more try."
"Okay, okay." Charles answered as he was wiping the tears from his eyes. "It is just so funny…" Jane closed the door.
He could hear her laughing on the other side. I need a fresh approach! An idea came to him and Charles knocked.
"Hello…" She was stopped by a kiss. Charles wrapped his arms around her, once again getting hung up on the flowers he brought. Opening one eye, he saw the position of the couch and unceremoniously tossed the oversized bouquet on it. Being free from the shackles of orchids and baby's breath, his hands roamed the length of her back. Charles was a gentleman though, and he never ventured anywhere suspect, but stayed safely within the boundaries of modern day propriety.
"Good evening, Jane." He said when they parted. "You are beautiful tonight."
Still a little shaken by his entrance, she looked at him with glazed eyes.
Hum…that has never happened to me before!
"Once again you are wearing my lipstick. Come with me into the bathroom." Taking his hand, she led him into the small room. "You look very nice, Charles."
Leaning over the sink vanity, she handed a tissue behind her back as she touched up her lipstick in the mirror. Charles was standing right behind her, taking advantage of the upper portion of the mirror. Jane raised her eyes a little and watched him wipe off his lips. He really did look good tonight. Charles had chosen a denim dress shirt with a suede vest and a tweed sports coat. He wore the ensemble well.
He leaned closer toward his reflection to get at a stubborn spot, pressing Jane against the sink.
"Hey, Hey, Hey!" Jane warned him with an 'I know all about you men' facial expression.
"Unintentional, I swear." He pleaded. "I cannot get this off," he pointed to a place above his lip. "Would you help me?" Charles stepped back to allow her room to turn around.
Jane licked the end of the tissue and removed the lipstick from his face.
"Where are we going tonight?"
"A restaurant William recommended. I didn't tell him we were going together, although he tried to force the information out of me. I don't know what has gotten into him lately, a year ago he would have given me the restaurant name and let the subject drop."
Jane grinned at him. "I didn't call my sister today, just in case. Although I think I could have kept her at bay. I only have one cousin who is a whiz at extracting information, and thank goodness Charlotte doesn't have a clue. She's an excellent chess player whose only weakness is that she looses concentration when she feels emotionally attached. Her strategy goes right out of the window when that happens."
"I think I met her at the party. Short woman with straight black hair? Married to a body builder?"
"That's her. She babies Elizabeth like there is no tomorrow, but leaves me to my own devices."
"Ahh. Well, if I ever meet her again, I'll steer clear." Charles straightened his tie not noticing the look on Jane's face.
I am not going to get serious about him. I am not going to set myself up for failure. This is just going to be a causal thing…nothing heavy.
Torches lit the driveway leading to the gothic-looking building where restaurant was housed. Jane slowly turned her head and looked at Charles. Did he have this planned? She did not think so because he looked as surprised as she did.
The place reeked of romance, right down to the valet who waited under the canopy to take the car. The building had the appearance of an old castle, complete with ivy vines clinging to its brick façade.
The door was opened for Jane and she exited the car. Charles came around and joined her on the front steps.
"William gave us his reservation. He said that he and Elizabeth come here all of the time."
"Well, now I know how he managed to catch my sister. Scary!"
"Want to go inside?" Charles eyed the massive doors directly in front of him feeling intimidated by the obvious Byronic ooze it was holding inside.
"Okay." She replied unsteadily. Arm in arm they entered the restaurant.
The entire establishment (sans kitchen-which was not visible) was lit only by the soft glow of candlelight. There was not an electric light visible anywhere, and it took them a while before their eyes adjusted to the dimness. It was the most intimate place either had ever dined at before and definitely conducive to amour.
Charles noticed that the parking lot had been full, but he could not locate any of the patrons. Every table was positioned in such a way that the place looked empty and he had to be envious of the genius who thought up the idea.
Flowing piano music was coming from somewhere, and Jane was thankful she had used the restroom before coming. Chances were she would never find her table again if she left it.
They sat in booth like they did the last time they went somewhere, although this one resembled nothing like the one at the diner. It was in a sparsely lit corner with live greenery surrounding the area. The host asked if they would care for some wine, and both refused. He bustled off and a short time later a waiter appeared out of thin air. He gave them some appetizer choices and Charles picked White Asparagus with Red Wine Sauce. He really did not have much of a choice…even the food selection was romantic.
"This is a nice place," Charles commented, "but I doubt they hand out menus. Who could read them?" He was feeling the pressure to live up to his environment and was wishing William had sent them to a place a little less obvious. Yet, he had to admit that Jane's face lit by candlelight was quite a sight to behold.
Jane decided at this point to relax and make the most of the evening. After all, she really doubted there was much to that 'ambiance' theory she had heard of. Really, some people actually believed that lighting could affect your… Charles had the cutest little curl by his temple. She was certain she could get through this evening just as well as if they had went to Denny's.
But, instead of a famous Denny's Grand Slam Breakfast being served at their table, the main course they agreed upon was Rabbit stuffed with herbs, dried garlic bread crumbs, and shallots. Jane had not tasted anything as wonderfully rich and fulfilling since her last visit to Germany and she savored every bite. For tonight her diet was forgotten as she finished her last bite of mango salad, sighing contentedly as Charles smiled at her.
"Dessert?" He asked her playfully.
"What do you think?"
The dinner dishes were cleared away and Charles ordered a dark chocolate Vienna Torte for the two of them. Before the waiter disappeared, the pianist began playing the song 'Lady in Red'. Remembering William's recommendation about dancing, he asked for directions to the proper location.
"Jane, will you do me the honor?" Gallantly, he stood up and offered her his hand. How could she refuse?
"A pleasure, but shall we leave a bread crumb trail so we can find our way back?"
"I'll trust my sense of north, south, east, and west."
Charles held her hand as they made their way to an open area. There were four other couples already engaged in the pleasant pastime and plenty of room for another pair.
Jane laid her face against his and snuggled in close. She was still in control of herself, so being near him wasn't going to hurt her determination. She was having a wonderful time, and the different conversations they had had throughout dinner were both light and refreshing. It was turning out to be a favorable evening for all involved.
Jane did happen to notice one rather personal thing about Charles. He must have shaved before he picked her up tonight, because his skin was still smooth at this late hour.
Charles knew the words to the song they were dancing to, but wasn't about to scare her off with his singing voice. Instead he sung them silently to himself as he caressed her arms and shoulders.
The lady in red
Is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek
"Do you think they will let us stay here like this all night?" He whispered in her ear, brushing a few strands out of his way.
"Hum…" She was living in the moment, and at this moment she was very satisfied.
There's nobody here
It's just you and me
It's where I want to be
Charles lowered his head and kissed her forehead, moving cautiously over her face planting kisses everywhere but her lips.
And I hardly know there's beauty by my side
I'll never forget the way you look tonight
"Jane," he breathed heavily, "may I ruin your lipstick?"
"Spoil it all you want." Okay, control was slipping away and it felt wonderful.
And when you turned to me and smiled,
It took my breath away
I have never had such a feeling
They left the restaurant an hour later with the torte boxed up—having danced up until the last minute.
11:12 p.m.
Charles checked in with his grandmother before retiring for the night.
"What are you doing home so early?" Lillian asked with slight disappointment.
"Good evening to you too, Babcia." He was grinning back at her.
"Well?"
"We had a nice dinner, danced, and I took her home. What would you have had me do? Kidnap her?"
Lillian thought about his suggestion. She supposed that would not do, but he could have stayed out longer.
"I did not want to overwhelm her, Babcia. I like Jane, but she has not been divorced for very long."
"I understand. So, you had a good time?"
"Yes. It was near perfect."
Chapter 9 ~ That Was Odd
Wednesday
November 25th 1998
2.04 a.m.
The canvas tent Jane found herself in was obviously old Army issue, although she was not sure how she possibly could have known this information. It was a worn shade of olive green and tattered on the edges, but otherwise in good shape. The time of the day was a mystery since the flaps of the tent were down, but it did not seem important. There was plenty of light inside of the shelter.Looking down at her body, she discovered she was wearing a simple, long white gown made of satin. There was an interlocking circular pattern woven into the material at breast height and it appeared to extend around the entire gown. She knew the dress existed only in her dream because there was nothing in her closet that came close to resembling it.
In one corner of the tent were four items. Jane immediately recognized the tricycle she once rode as a child. Placed next to it was a parcel with postmarks on it. It must have arrived recently because no one had opened it yet. The vacuum cleaner she had asked her mother to bring to her apartment on moving day stood next to the box, and the final item was Jane's favorite cobalt vase.
In the middle of the room three wooden chairs surrounded a round table that had a bowl in the center of it. Jane sat down and brought the bowl over to her. Inside was a large mound of dark red cherries. As she began eating them and they gave her the sensation that they were very sweet. It was not long before she felt content and stopped eating, although she kept the bowl in front of her in a possessive manner.
Appearing to her right was a Confederate General proudly wearing the red shades of Dixie. He was a little gruff looking with his full beard, mustache and piercing eyes, and try as she might; she could not place the man. His appearance fooled her though, because as soon as he sat down in the vacant seat to her right, a smile crossed his face and he began to speak.
Addressing Jane, he said the same word over and over while nodding his head up and down.
"Right."
"Right."
"Right.""What is right?" She had no idea what message the man was trying to give her. Jane was not fond of these types of dreams…they were never very clear and she often had to work to be able to decipher them (if she could at all).
The General pointed to the chair to her left, and looked up at Jane with a confused grimace.
"Right!"
There was nothing in the chair but her hand.
In an act of frustration, the General picked up the bowl of cherries from the table and sat down in the chair he had been pointing at.
"Right!" he said with confidence.
Jane woke up slowly feeling dazed. Reaching into the drawer of her nightstand, she brought out her dream journal, turned on the light and began writing down the details she was just given. She had no idea what they meant.
A Lesson In Paying Attention...Or Not!
Saturday
November 28th 1998
5:30 p.m.
Charles was not only on time, but prepared. He had the movies and popcorn in one hand, a vegetable pizza in the other, and a liter of diet Pepsi under his arm. It was Jane's suggestion that they watch movies at her apartment instead of going anywhere, and the more he thought about it the better is sounded.
He knocked with his elbow and waited for her to answer the door.
"Hello! I see you are ready for a lazy night. Let me take that from you." Jane took hold of the pizza box and closed the door once he was inside. She had dressed down for the evening in a pair of jeans and sweater, and for the first time Charles was able to see her with her hair down. The blond mane fell just below her shoulders in a blunt cut, and unlike Elizabeth, there was not one ounce of curl to it. The way she had it tucked behind her ears flattered her face nicely and his appreciation showed on his face.
"Jane, could you get the soda under my arm too?" As soon as Jane had it in her hands, he laid down the movies and kissed her.
"Sly devil!" Jane giggled while her mouth was still pressed against his. "Now I am on to you."
Charles backed away and took the pizza from her. "The kiss entrance seems to work and I'm going to stick with it."
"Well, you still have not totally convinced me I should let you stay."
He placed the pizza on the table next to the Pepsi and convinced her he was worthy of admittance.
After dinner they settled down on her couch and popped in the first movie. Jane had requested 'Natural Disaster' night, so Charles had rented Twister and Volcano. She pressed play on the remote and scooted a little closer to him while fast forwarding through the previews. The beginning scenes seemed a little off for a disaster flick, and it wasn't until the name 'Mickey Rourke' came on the television that they began to doubt this was one of the movies they had picked out.
Jane got up and took the tape out of the machine.
"Charles, this is '9 ½ weeks'. Did you rent this?" (Note: For anyone who has never viewed 9 ½ Weeks…it is a rather steamy R rated movie!)
"No. What's the other one?"
She picked up the other movie and read the title. "Sex, Lies and Videotape."
"Are you sure?" It was a stupid question, but Charles did not know what else to say at the moment.
"I can read, dear."
"Honestly, I rented Volcano and Twister. The checkout was pretty packed. I must have taken someone's movies."
They just stared at each other for a moment with silly grins on their faces. Jane was the first to crack a huge smile as she watched him trying to contain his humor.
"Boy, are the people who ended up with our movies going to be disappointed! They're expecting love," she held up the two lusty tapes and started to laugh, "and they're getting…they're getting…what we had picked out!" Jane was holding her stomach, bent over laughing. The entire situation was just too bizarre as far as she was concerned.
Charles crossed the room and joined her. He was determined to salvage the evening.
"Surely one of these tapes will do. Let's see." Jane handed him the movies. "9 ½ Weeks. Oh, I remember this movie. It is pretty graphic. Okay, what about the other one? Well, um… Do you have any movies, Jane?"
"Buns of Steel."
Charles raised his eyebrows. He had not heard of that movie, but it made the other two sound pretty tame.
"It's a workout video, Charles." She squeezed his arm. "Sorry, but that is it. Eric won our tape collection in the divorce, but I got the VCR."
"Well, Sex, Lies and Videotape is not that bad. Do you want to watch it?"
"We might as well."
Seventeen minutes later.
Charles came up for air from his reclining position on the couch.
"Maybe you had better put in 'Buns of Steel'?" He asked while getting the feeling back in his lips.
"Agreed!" Jane sat up and fixed her hair.
12:24 a.m.
Jane sat curled up in a chair in her living room staring at the door while twirling her hair. Charles had left a few minutes before and she was thinking back on the evening they shared.
Tonight was a close one.
Every time they got together it was better than the last, and she could feel a real attachment forming on her part, even if it was against her own will.
Was this really so bad? He was not a demanding, possessive man. Of course, neither was Eric in the beginning.
Jane could not claim to know any happy long-term relationships to compare with. Her cousin Charlotte seemed content, but it was difficult to determine since she spent so little time with her and Bill. The rest of the family appeared to be satisfied with the notion of finding a mate and settling into a dull, passive existence until 'death do us part'.
Granted, she would have traded any one of them places while she was married to Eric, but what Jane wanted to know was if there could be something more between two people? Because if that was all she had to look forward to, she would rather be alone.
To clarify, it was not excitement that Jane wanted out of a relationship (if she were to allow herself to have one), but lasting love. And she had seen very little evidence that it existed anywhere outside of the realm of fiction.
The ringing of the phone startled her out of her speculation. Jane reached over to an end table to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Jane." It was Charles calling from his car. "I just wanted to thank you again for a nice evening."
"Thank you, Charles, but I do not deserve it. You are the one who brought everything." Answering him in a soft voice she wondered what possessed him to call her.
"It was a pleasure."
He fell quiet for a minute.
"Jane, would you be interested in joining a tree trimming tomorrow afternoon? It is at my house, and will only be Lillian and me. It is… I am not very talented when it comes to arranging ornaments and I would like the Christmas tree to be nice this year. If you have other plans or don't want…"
"What time would you like me to be there?" She didn't have to think about his offer. The significance of this Christmas to Charles was not lost on her.
"Anytime you can make it. I'll work around your schedule."
Jane heard the sound of a cash register in the background and Charles telling someone 'thank you'.
"Charles, where are you?"
"Getting gas a few blocks from your home."
"Come back."
Jane put on her coat and was waiting outside on the steps leading to the second floor of her apartment building. As she watched his car pull into the parking lot, she felt a little apprehensive about having asked him to return. What was she doing and was it a mistake? Was she always going to second guess the choices she made?
There was one thing Jane was certain about…she was sorry she let him walk out of the door tonight.
She rose and met him half way. They did not even say hello, but fell into each other's embrace. Not being shy, Charles did not hold back on what he was feeling as he kissed her fervently in the middle of the lot. Earlier this evening there were a few occasions when they had both come close to giving into the urge to push the relationship to the next level, but each time they stopped right on the edge while they still could.
To the unacquainted observer, Jane and Charles might appear just like so many other newly bound couples. But behind the sweet smiles, hand holding and laughter was a desire that would rival any romantic concept of passion. From their first day together at his house it was evident, and try as they might, it would not cool itself.
It was always there...an undercurrent of need and familiarity. Neither could really explain what was happening to them, but at times it felt as if they had been waiting for each other for one hundred years. The amount of time spent together was not an issue. It could have been three years or three days, the number was unimportant.
Charles knew on the day Jane came to his office that she was what he had been looking for. She filled something unexplainable inside of him that he never realized was empty. It wasn't the need to make up for his guilt over Tanya, or a desire to fix Jane's life for her that attracted him to her, but something else he could not put his finger on.
On the other hand, Jane fought what she felt for Charles every day. She wanted to love him like she knew he deserved, but just as she would become comfortable with her own heart's admission; she would begin to doubt. Jane had fallen in love with Eric quickly and with abandon. She really didn't feel she needed to learn that lesson again, so she held herself back; which only confused her in the end because she was going against her natural instincts.
Jane felt like Charles was devouring her as their kissing took on a new intensity. It must have been twenty degrees outside, but she was not cold. One of his hands was on the back of her neck and it kept her from loosing her balance, and the other was lower on her waist. Even through her thick Parka, she could feel it, but Jane always felt his touch, no matter how slight it was.
Charles pulled back so he could look at her. Running the back of fingers against her cheek, he felt her skin to see if it was chilled. It was not. When his eyes locked with hers, the depth and hold of the gaze said more than any uttered words could. It went beyond physical and into the realm of pure, honest emotion where sight is not registered by the mind, but the soul.
"Jane, I..." she knew what he was about to say; she could feel it in the way he held her.
Don't say it out loud. It will change everything if you do.
"Please, no sweet sentiments or promises. You don't need to say them."
He longed for a way for her to look inside of him and see that he did not have it in him to ever do anything that would harm her. But, whatever it took to have her with him, Charles would do.
Charles held her closer as he traced the outline of her lips with his own.
I love you, Jane. I wish you would let me tell you.
Hand in hand they walked up to her apartment. After the coats were removed and Jane put her keys up, they stood looking at each other across the living room for a moment. Everything suddenly felt so premeditated and awkward, and this was not how either had imagined the first time together to be. Yes, it had been on both of their minds, but maybe the romantic daydream was more than they could live up to. The air became heavy with anxiety and someone was going to have to say something to alleviate the pressure. But nothing was said until Charles noticed Jane's shaking hands. This was not what he wanted. He strode over to her and put her hands in his own.
"Jane, there is no reason why we have to rush this. Let's wait until it feels right."
"I know that, Charles. I don't feel rushed."
Charles leaned against the wall and Jane against him. Reaching up, she took a hold of one of his curls and slowly let it slide between her two fingers. She smiled as it went back to its original position. Charles was the first man she had ever dated that had curly hair, and it fascinated her.
Charles had to grin as she continued to play with the same piece of hair. Jane had just stopped thinking about the situation and put all of her attention on something else. Her round, brown eyes had a curious look about them and her lips parted as her smile widened.
"How do you comb this?"
The question was odd, and Charles was amused.
"Well, I don't, Jane. I just run my fingers through it when it's wet and forget about it."
"Hum." She dropped her eyes to his face and touched his few freckles.
"Did you have a lot of freckles when you were a child?"
"No, not a lot."
"Can I tell you something that may sound…well, I'm not sure how it will sound?"
"Okay."
"You are so cute. I know that most grown men don't really want to be called 'cute', but Charles, you are."
"And you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met."
Jane's smile dropped to one of shyness before she leaned in to kiss him.
"Thank you," she replied quietly.
"And thank you." Charles brought her closer to him and Jane laid her head on his chest. His hands lightly stroked her back and arms, making her feel loved and wanted.
Lifting her head from its place over his heart, Jane's trusting eyes looked into Charles's and she kissed him.
Putting all conflicting thought and emotion aside, it wasn't long before the desire they shared in the parking lot returned, igniting a fire that would last until the dawn broke.
Talking In Your Sleep
Sunday
November 29th 1998
8:17 p.m.
"It is perfect!" Jane exclaimed as she admired the Christmas tree.
"Are you sure we do not need any more ornaments? This side seems a little bare." Charles asked as he put a hook on one of the antique glass balls.
"Charles, put down the ornament and come over here. You are too close to get the whole effect."
"Lillian," Jane turned around beaming, "what do you think?"
From her vantage point on the sofa, she had to agree with Jane.
"Beautiful." Her weariness did not hamper her good spirit and after all of the trouble Charles and Jane went to in getting the tree, she was not about to say one negative thing. There was no reason to anyway; it was the most handsomely decorated tree they had had in years.
"Are you sure it is straight? It seems a little off to the right to me." Jane asked as she stepped back a few feet to where Charles was standing. Unaware of what he was doing, he took hold of her hand and held it. Jane smiled up at him.
"It is straight, I haven't..." Lillian stopped to clear her lungs. "Jane, come here."
Jane bent down over the older woman and was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you." Lillian whispered in her ear. "You are appreciated. If it were not for you, wnuczek would have had every ornament we own on the tree."
Jane grinned at her. She had already formed that impression as soon as Charles had opened the ornament box.
"I'm off to bed, children." Lillian got up from the sofa.
"Let me take you upstairs." Charles came over to carry her up to her room.
"No, I will walk. Carol will assist me if I need it. You and Jane should admire your creation."
When Lillian reached the top of the stairs, she flipped off the light switch that controlled the living room. The lights from the tree lit the room with a soft white glow.
"Beautiful!" She said before she went down the hall to her room. "You did well."
"It is pretty, don't you think?" Jane questioned Charles while she stared mesmerized by the sight of the twinkling lights.
"It is. I took us the entire day, but it was worth it. Do you regret letting your sister know what you were doing today?"
"No, we needed Lizzy's Suburban and there was no way around it. Did William say anything to you when you two were bringing the tree here?"
"Not really, he asked me if you were the woman I took to the restaurant and when I confirmed it, he let the subject rest. What about Elizabeth?"
"She tried, but I just smiled at her until she gave up." Jane was proud of her dupery over her sister earlier this afternoon.
"Are you tired tonight?"
"Not really. I slept right through my alarm set for church." Jane guided him to the sofa with a broad smile. "Thanks to you I received my first-ever call from my mother this morning. She rings us when we do not show up for services. It is her motherly duty to give us a guilt trip when we neglect our religion."
Jane leaned over and took his hand in her own.
"You are a bad influence," she teased.
Charles brought her closer to him. "I take full responsibility," he murmured quietly. "Jane, do we need to return Elizabeth's car tonight?"
"No, she is," he was kissing her neck and interrupting her thoughts, "riding downtown with William tomorrow morning. Charles, not here! What if the nurse comes down?"
"You're right." Charles stopped. "I'm sorry, Jane."
"Why are you sorry?"
"Because I was..." A good look at her expression stopped his explanation.
Oh! Not HERE.
11.43 p.m.
"Charles, I am going home." Jane got out of bed to get dressed.
He reached over to where she was laying to grab her a little too late.
"Do you have to?" Charles was still half-asleep. "You can stay here with me."
"I would feel better if I went home." He was already back asleep when she answered him.
Right before she was ready to leave, Jane placed a kiss on his forehead.
"Goodnight, Charles."
His eyelids fluttered twice before he responded.
"Goodnight, Jane. I love you."
A haunting voice from her past invaded her head as she was trying to absorb what Charles had just said in his sleep.
Jane, since you are so determined to go through with this divorce, I want to give you a bit of warning. You might as well face it now; men are only going want you for your looks. Don't let yourself be fooled by some Romeo proclaiming his undying love for you…it isn't the way men work. There is only one thing on a man's mind, and it isn't caring about you as a person. I doubt there are many men out there who would be willing to wait for you like I was.
Guilt, confusion, and disbelief bore down on Jane. She did not…could not believe Charles was like that. If anything, Eric was describing himself!
She looked upon the sleeping man in front of her. Although she wished he had not said those words, she would not hold it against him. Jane knew Charles was trying to say it to her last night before she stopped him.
And she found herself beginning to believe him.
Author's Note: The dream at the beginning of this chapter has a phrase and message in it. I know it is a tough one, but I tried to make it as easy as I could. There are symbols that may give clues as to what the message is. Jane figures it out in Chapter 14 (as of now).