Elizabeth's Choice

by Lyle, Linda;

  Friday morning, Elizabeth was surprised to find a sizeable amount of her work missing from her desk and a note saying that the work was being distributed among the other librarians. Her feelings went from relief that some of the pressure was gone, to irritation that someone thought she was incapable of handling it. She marched down the hall to Alex’s office, but his secretary was the only one in sight.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know what you mean?

  “My work load. What happened?” Elizabeth stood there, her arms folded in a stance that said, “Don’t mess with me.”

  “Oh, that. Alex just said that you looked a little tired yesterday and that you had really too much work for one person. He told me to divy up some of the busywork and leave you with the real research.”

  “Oh.” Elizabeth’s arms came down. “Thanks.” She started down the hall, but turned back. “I’m sorry I was so rude.”

  The other woman shrugged her shoulders, and Elizabeth turned back to her office. She sat down at her desk, her mind whirling. Why would Alex do that? She puzzled it over and over, but could find no answer. She couldn’t help feeling softer toward Alex. He had been so nice lately. Maybe she should give him another chance, at least be friends. A voice deep inside yelled, Don’t trust him, don’t let him near you. But she pushed the voice down and smothered the sound, turning to her work with a smile.

  Elizabeth didn’t see Alex all day. She caught herself looking for him and listening for his step in the hallway. Nothing. The rest of the day was spent in finishing up research on several cases. By the end of the day, she had cleaned all the pending cases off her desk and put all the files away. She left the office feeling a mixture of weariness and satisfaction in a job well done.

  At home, she changed into jeans and an oversized sweatshirt. Turning on the light in the kitchen, she opened every cabinet and the refrigerator at least twice without finding anything that appealed to her. She was just contemplating ordering in Chinese food when the doorbell rang. Who could that be? She walked to the door, looked through the peephole, and opened the door to find Alex with a bag from Mr. Lee’s Chinese Restaurant.

  He held up his hands as if to stop a protest. “Before you throw me out, I just came by with a peace offering. It’s been a long week, and I thought you might like to share some Chinese food.” She opened her mouth to answer, but he silenced her. “The Chinese food is yours automatically. The offer of company is optional.”

  “Are you through?” she said, her arms folded in front of her chest.

  “Yes.” He looked like a man waiting for sentencing.

  “Then come in before the smell causes me to faint from hunger.”

  His smile said it all. He jumped through the door and closed it as if afraid she might change her mind. Taking the food into the breakfast nook in the kitchen, they ate and talked like old friends. Then as soon as they had cleaned up the table, he became very serious.

  “Elizabeth, we need to talk.” He pulled her into the living room and onto the couch, except this time he put a large space between them.

  “What?” She looked at him and felt her heart begin to race. There was something in his tone that made her uneasy.

  “When I came over here the last time, I was out of line. I shouldn’t have pushed the way I did, and I shouldn’t have said the things I said. I want to apologize.”

  Elizabeth just stared. Her mind refused to comprehend or respond. The more she stared, the more downcast his face became. “I guess that means forgiveness is out of the question.” It was more a statement than a question, and Elizabeth shook herself from her reverie.

  “No. I mean, I forgive you.”

  “Whew! For a minute there, I thought you were going to hold it against me forever.” The charming smile was back, and Elizabeth felt herself smile back. “That’s much better. I haven’t seen that smile in ages.”

  “I haven’t had a lot to smile about lately.”

  “Then I guess I’ll just have to change that.”

  ❧

  His parting words rang in her ears. He seemed so interested in her well-being and her happiness. It was a feeling that she had not known in years. He had invited her to his health club for the day as his visitor, not as his date. She relived the evening over and over again, until she drifted off to sleep.

  The next morning she awoke early, anticipating an enjoyable time. She searched through her closet, looking for something chic and slimming which was a hard combination to come by in her wardrobe. She finally settled on a navy-and-white exercise suit that accented her dark hair and eyes and covered those extra pounds. Maybe today she could burn off a few of those. Anything was possible.

  Alex dropped by at nine to pick her up. He looked sharp in his designer sportswear. He took in her outfit with a smile. “You look lovely. That color suits you.”

  She returned the smile and all worries about her appearance faded at his approval. She bounced down the steps to the car, not even noticing the cold air. Alex laughed at her enthusiasm.

  “You look like a kid who just found out he’s going to the zoo.”

  “Better than the zoo. I’ve always wanted to spend the day at one of those health clubs, but when I was in school I couldn’t afford it.”

  “What about now?” he asked as he held the car door open.

  She put her arms on the top of the door. “Now, I don’t really have any friends who live close enough to go with me, and I never had the nerve to go by myself. I was always envious when I saw people who won those “Queen for a Day” contests on all those talk shows. It sounds like fun.”

  “Then you shall have it.” He closed the door and circled round to the driver’s side. “I pronounce you Queen, and today is your day.”

  “Thank you, kind sir.” She gave him a mock bow. She thought he was only being fanciful, but when they arrived at the club she found out differently. He turned her over to one of the trainers and told her he would see her at lunch. She followed the trainer to a room at the end of the hall.

  “Mr. McClintock says you are to have a facial, manicure, pedicure and massage before lunch,” the trainer informed her.

  “A what?”

  “The whole works. He said you were…what was it…oh, queen for the day, and to give you the full treatment at his expense.” The trainer smiled, obviously pleased by what would be a sizeable commission.

  Elizabeth stuttered, but all her protests were pushed aside. She finally, accepted the gift and enjoyed the whole process. By lunch, she felt like a new person. She found Alex seated at a table on the patio, overlooking a luscious indoor pool.

  “Did you have a good time?” Alex asked.

  “Marvelous. I feel like a new person.”

  “I hope not. I’m fond of the old one.” Alex smiled at her obvious enjoyment and his eyes roamed, taking in every inch of her. She would do nicely. “What would you like for lunch?”

  Lunch was a seafood salad and iced tea which seemed appropriate, because even though it was winter outside, it seemed like perpetual summer in the club. They finished lunch and he took her on a tour of the club, stopping to demonstrate some of the equipment. Alex was stopped several times by other members, and she was introduced to scores of people she would never remember. After that, he showed her how to play tennis. By four o’clock, she was tired, but exhilarated by the day’s experiences. She sighed as Alex opened the car door back at her townhouse.

  “What was that for?” he questioned.

  “Just sad that it’s over. I had a really great time.”

  “I’m glad. Are we friends again?” He held out his hand and tilted his head, trying to look angelic.

  She had to laugh. “I guess so.”

  His faced relaxed into a smile. He wiped his forehead as though wiping off sweat.“Whew! Now we can get on with our lives, starting with tomorrow. What are you doing?”

  She frowned. Originally, she had planned to keep attending Cedar Heights, but now she was not s
o sure. The thought of Scott revived the feeling of pain and humiliation she had managed to keep buried the last few days.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, leaning over to touch her arm.

  “Oh, I’m just not sure. Some of my plans got changed.”

  “Does that mean you’re free to go to church with me tomorrow?”

  “Church?” she asked, totally taken aback by this turn of events.

  “Yes, church. Don’t look at me like that. I’m not a heathen. I was raised in church.” He put a hand to his heart as if her words had wounded him.

  “I just never thought you…I mean I didn’t think…” she ground to a halt, unable to save the moment. His laughter at her predicament eased the tension. “I’m sorry, it’s just that I never thought of you as the church type.”

  “I’ll forgive you. How about it?”

  “Sure. Where do you go to church? “

  “Stonehaven Baptist Church. It’s near my house. I’ll pick you up around nine-thirty. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “See you then.” He turned and glided down the sidewalk to his car.

  “Bye.” She raised her hand in a salute before turning and going into the townhouse. He never failed to surprise her.

  twelve

  Sunday morning, Scott picked up Claire Bowden at her hotel and drove to Cedar Heights. She was her usual charming self and his friends were gracious, but something was missing today. He looked around trying to put his finger on the problem. Something just didn’t feel right.

  The sermon was taken from Luke 6:37, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged.” Scott squirmed in his seat as thoughts of last weekend flashed before his mind. Unbidden, an image of Elizabeth leaning forward in her seat as if transfixed by the message filled his mind. She seemed so genuine in her desire to be closer to God. Could he have misjudged her? Maybe she had just made a mistake, fallen to temptation? With that thought came the image of her with Alex and something inside twisted in pain. He shook his head trying to loosen the picture from his mind. Claire nudged him with her elbow, and Elizabeth’s face faded from view. Everybody was standing up for the invitation. He stood, willing his mind to focus on the pastor. He had to forget both of them.

  ❧

  Elizabeth followed Alex into the largest church she had ever seen in her life. Row upon row of pews lined the long room and overhead she could make out large balconies. Everything from the floor to the pews was covered in a rich red. Elizabeth noted the beautiful cherry pews as she sunk into the luxurious comfort of the seats. The organist was playing a classical piece on the huge pipe organ. The sound reminded her of a funeral.

  “What do you think?” Alex whispered in her ear.

  “It’s beautiful.” She smiled and Alex nodded.

  The music changed to a sort of march and everyone stood. Looking over her shoulder, Elizabeth was stunned to see the pastor in a flowing robe preceded by the choir.

  Leaning over she whispered in Alex’s ear, “Is this a special occasion?”

  “No. Why do you ask?” He looked puzzled.

  “Nothing.” She shook her head and watched the processional make its way to the stage. Stage was an apt word. The whole service seemed to be a performance. The music was flawless. The pastor’s sermon was a work of art that could have been compared to Shakespeare. The people were all smiles. Everything went smoothly and on time, as printed in the church bulletin. It was all too perfect. Elizabeth’s mind went back to the Sunday before with Scott and she sighed.

  “Something wrong?” Alex whispered.

  “No.” She shook her head and then touched a hand to her mouth.

  “Up late?” He smiled.

  Elizabeth just shook her head in agreement, unwilling to disturb the performance. She gave herself a mental shake. She shouldn’t be so judgmental. Maybe she should give it a little time. This type of worship service was new to her.

  The rest of the service was much like the beginning. Alex seemed content enough with his arm across the back of the pew and his face turned toward the pastor, drinking in the words. Elizabeth did not feel any strength or sense any new insights from the sermon. They were just pretty words, well spoken.

  ❧

  Alex stretched his arm across the back of the pew, touching her shoulder lightly. He turned his face to the pastor, but he didn’t see him. His mind was filled with the picture of Carly from the airport. He had met her for only a moment, but he knew he would call her. She wouldn’t be as stiff as this one. He glanced at the woman beside him. Elizabeth would be the perfect society wife. She knew all the right things to say, knew how to impress people. Even his parents would like her. But he had other needs. The image of Carly flashed back on his mind, and Alex spent the rest of the service contemplating how he would spend his evening.

  ❧

  Soon enough the call to stand for the benediction and final prayer came. Then the crowds moved as one toward the door. The pastor and his wife waited at the door to greet everyone, and people filed out as if they were in a receiving line to greet the king and queen. She was surprised to find that the people scattered the moment they got past the door. Within five minutes the whole place was barren. She remembered the fellowship she had had at Cedar Heights and sighed once again.

  “You really should go home and take a nap,” Alex said. He leaned over and brushed a stray hair out of the way. “Let’s get lunch. Okay?”

  She nodded her agreement and followed him to the car.

  ❧

  At a little past one, Alex dropped Elizabeth off at her house. Then he drove home to make a phone call. He pulled her business card from his wallet and dialed the number.

  “Carly?…Yes, it’s Alex McClintock. How are you?…Up to a drink and maybe a little dancing?…Great. I know a little nightclub that I think you’ll enjoy…Pick you up around eight?…See you then.”

  Alex hung up the phone and then sat down in his desk chair, stretching back. With his hands behind his head, he looked back on the day. Normally, he would have considered a day spent in church a waste, but taking Elizabeth to church had definitely increased his chances. He turned his mind from Elizabeth and focused on Carly and the coming evening.

  ❧

  Elizabeth spent the afternoon and evening channel surfing. She tried to read a book, but nothing she picked up was interesting. Her thoughts turned to Alex. Just when she thought she knew him, she would find out something new. He seemed right at home in church. Then a picture of Scott at church came to her mind. Scott seemed to enjoy his time at church. There was something about the way he looked when he was at church that was missing from Alex. She shook her head. She had to stop comparing the two. They were different people.

  ❧

  Scott took Claire back to her hotel after lunch. She was nice and certainly not hard to look at, but something was missing. He had had the same feeling in church that morning. He sat down in his favorite chair and looked outside. The beauty of nature had never failed to give him a sense of peace, but today, he could find no peace. In his heart, he knew that something was wrong, yet he refused to explore the possibilities. Elizabeth’s face filled his mind, and he jumped up from his chair and headed for the barn. He normally didn’t work on Sunday, but he couldn’t just sit around here. He spent the evening polishing all the saddles until he could see his image in the leather. But he didn’t like what he saw. Throwing down the cloth, he moved to another task and another. He fell into bed that night exhausted, but sleep was still slow in coming. His final thought was “judge not, and ye shall not be judged” and a picture of Elizabeth flitting through his dreams.

  thirteen

  Elizabeth spent November caught in a whirlwind of activity. Alex took her everywhere. It seemed every night was full. A concert here, the ballet there, an art exhibition, or one of an endless string of dinner parties kept her hopping. By the time Thanksgiving approached, she was exhausted, but Alex was already trying to plan their vacation. She didn’t even remember when it had
become “their” vacation. It was this topic of conversation that gave her a sense of foreboding.

  On the Monday before Thanksgiving, Alex dropped by her desk as he often did, but Elizabeth sensed something different in his mood. She put down the folder she was working on and looked up at him.

  “Something wrong?” she asked.

  “Why do you ask? I haven’t even said anything yet.” He smiled, but it didn’t fool her. For the first time she sensed hesitation on his part.

  “Just a feeling.”

  “Well, I just thought I would come and see where you wanted to go for lunch today.”

  “You told me last night that you had a lunch meeting today.”

  “Well, that’s off now.”

  “Canceled?”

  “You could say that.” Alex tapped his fingers on her desk. “So, where do you want to go for lunch?”

  “I had already planned to eat lunch with Morgan.”

  “Can’t you cancel?” His eyes looked clouded, as if he was somewhere else.

  “There is something wrong, isn’t there?” she prodded.

  “I would like to talk with you about something. Can you make other plans with Morgan?”

  “Sure.” Once assured that she would go with him to lunch, he returned to his office, leaving Elizabeth curious and confused. She turned back to her work, but her mind was still pondering the look on Alex’s face.

  ❧

  Leaving Elizabeth, Alex returned to his office. He frowned at his reflection in the desktop. The fickleness of women never ceased to amaze him. For the last month, he had showered her with flowers, lingerie, and jewelry, but that wasn’t enough. He had spent night after night with her, but she wanted more. He had had to cancel lunch. She wanted to go out with him in public, but he couldn’t risk it. He would just have to say good-bye to Carly. Too bad really, she had been a lot of fun. He shook his head in disappointment and then shrugged it off. He picked up the phone.

  “Mario?…Yes, I’d like a very quiet table for two…Yes, that’ll do nicely. Good-bye.” He hung up the phone with a smile. It was time to move things up a step.

  ❧

  Alex was prompt as always, but he seemed preoccupied. He didn’t speak all the way to the restaurant, which left Elizabeth with a lot of time to puzzle over his behavior. He took her back to Little Italy, the first place he had ever taken her. They were shown to a table in the corner, almost hidden by some hanging plants and a decorative screen. Alex settled in his chair, taking extra pains with his napkin, before he ever spoke and that was to the waiter.