When she was a child, Granma Conroy would take the two girls to Sunday school and church every Sunday. Amanda got away from the habit when she and Arlie got married and moved to Nevada, but lately she was being drawn back into it, bit by bit. It wasn’t an every-week occurrence, just an occasional excursion.
The soaring vaults of the seventeenth century Flemish Baroque church captivated her as she sat quietly looking up at the expanse and beauty of them. The stained glass windows always gave her a sense of peace as she sat there and reflected.
Sometimes she even sent up a prayer, but normally she wasn’t into praying. It made her feel uncomfortable. She didn’t know why, but it did. She would pray occasionally in bed, but only in her mind, nothing spoken aloud. It used to amaze her how people could pray loud, long and hard like they were giving a speech, and so eloquently, when all she could do was stumble over words and say something that didn’t make any sense and would embarrass her. So she had decided way back then that prayer wasn’t for her, at least not the spoken kind.
She wondered if she would be able to teach her children how to pray since she couldn’t do it. She felt that children should definitely learn the basics of religious beliefs; she would want them to go to Sunday school and church like she did when she was a child. Oh how she wished her grandma was still alive. Amanda would bring her to Belgium to take care of her children, if and when she ever had any.
Her thoughts then drifted to Richard and his daughter. She closed her eyes and prayed to herself that Darys would recover and be normal again. She’d never known or heard of anyone with a head injury. Richard had told her that it could leave a person disabled or even worse. No, she didn’t want that for Darys. As much as Darys had hurt her, she wanted her to get well. It would kill Richard if she didn’t.
Amanda stood up and began walking toward the exit, wondering if she should postpone the wedding, not knowing whether or not Richard would be back in time. It depended on what happened with Darys, of course. It wouldn’t hurt her feelings if the wedding were put off. Not at all. It was actually a relief that it might not happen in August. It felt too soon for her.
She was feeling guilty for thinking that way. Richard was such a wonderful man and she was lucky to have him. She had to push those thoughts from her mind.
Chapter 51
Richard flew into San Francisco where Darys had been transferred. The doctors told him she was suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and it was now a wait-and-see situation. They had already performed surgery on a ruptured brain aneurysm, but they couldn’t agree on a prognosis on her brain or back injuries.
A lower dorsal vertebra had been broken and she was paralyzed from the waist down. Her left collar bone and arm were also broken and there was a deep gouge on her left cheek where she had hit a sharp rock.
It didn’t look good at all.
Richard was terrified. He needed to talk to Amanda, decided to call her from the cafeteria’s patio where he’d gone to get a cup of coffee.
When he stepped out onto the patio, the trees were rustling in the breeze over the sparsely inhabited tables and benches looking out over the cityscape. He could see the white Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill in the distance and the Golden Gate Bridge crossing from the city to the waterfront community of Sausalito beyond. Alcatraz was still an imposing institution in the middle of the bay, even though it was nothing more than a tourist attraction now.
He walked to the rooftop patio’s railing and looked down into the courtyard below. The doctors and nurses had their own cafeteria and patio a couple floors down from the visitors’ space.
He dialed. “Amanda, it’s me … yes, darling, I’m okay. I just needed to talk to you. She’s not doing well … I don’t know. Maybe we should postpone the wedding. I’m so sorry. If she does recover, she’s going to need lots of care—” His words choked in his throat. “I’ll call you later, darling, to let you know what’s happening … I love you and I miss you horribly. Bye.”
Outside the Intensive Care Unit, Jered was waiting for Richard. He gave him a bear hug the moment he got there. “How you holdin’ up, Boss?”
Richard sighed deeply and shook his head. “I feel so helpless.”
“Well, there’s nothing we can do, the doctors say, until she wakes up,” Jered said as he stepped back.
Richard saw the tears in Jered’s red-rimmed eyes and that was the first time he’d noticed the haggard lines of worry on his face. He grasped Jered’s shoulder and said, “Hey, she’s going to be okay, she’s a toughie, you know that.” Although he was having trouble believing his own words, he wanted Jered to believe them. Sometimes he felt like a father to Jered and this was one of those times.
“I gotta tell you, Boss, I’m in love with your daughter. Have been for a long time, I guess. After you left I jumped all over her for treating Amanda like she did and for a few other things she was being stupid about, and first thing I know, she starts sidling up to me. Come to find out she loves me, too. We just admitted it to each other last week.” He wiped his eyes and looked down at his boots. “I just want you to know, that if she pulls through this,” he looked up into Richard’s eyes, “I’m going to ask her to marry me.”
Richard was speechless. This had come out of left field. It wasn’t something he would have expected in a million years.
Jered was a few years older than Darys, was hired when he was a teenager to work with the horses. In fact, Richard had hired him as a favor to the high school principal who had been very fond and protective of him, saw something good in him, regardless of the fact he was such a troublemaker in school. Jered’s parents had been killed in a car accident when he was ten and had been living with an uncle, who was in jail more than he was out. Jered had been more or less raising himself, so Richard took him in.
Jered took to the horse and cattle business with Richard as his tutor and worked his way up from stable boy to ranch hand to ranch foreman in ten years. He’d been the most honest, hard-working man Richard had ever seen.
Richard squeezed Jered’s shoulder again. “Son, I’d be honored to have you as a son-in-law. I can’t think of anybody else who could handle Darys. And if she loves you, then it’s okay with me.”
“I promise you, Boss, I’ll always love her and take care of her, no matter what happens.” Tears ran down Jered’s cheeks.
Chapter 52
After Amanda’s store opening, Rachel went back home to Cornwall instead of going directly to Paris as she’d planned, mainly to spend time with Belinda who was struggling to recover from the damaging chemo treatments. It was hard to tell which was worse, the disease or the chemo.
In the meantime Amanda had called and told her what had happened and about the postponement of the August wedding, said she didn’t know when it would be, but would let her know as soon as it was rescheduled.
Then on the first day of September Rachel took a train to Paris. As soon as she arrived at the house in Montmartre, she opened all the windows and aired out all four floors of the remodeled and refitted eighteenth century house on the Place du Tertre.
Her friend Janet Corrigan had been caretaking the house, but lived with Bob Benton on his houseboat near the Eiffel. She and Bob were coming to the house that evening, though; they’d scheduled a full day of appointments with clients and said they’d meet Rachel for drinks and dinner as soon as they finished.
Janet and Rachel had met because of Shellie Singer - all three were Americans in Paris trying to decide what to do with the rest of their lives: Rachel the romance novelist, Shellie the jazz singer, Janet the real estate mogul. Janet had helped Shellie get to Paris to pursue her career and escape an abusive husband who was now history.
In fact, Rachel had met Shellie while doing research in Montmartre. She’d come to Paris once again seeking inspiration for one of her novels, and ended up sitting at a sidewalk table next to Shellie and Adrian, who happened to be on a first date. They began talking across tables to each other. Then Shellie recognized Ra
chel - she’d seen Rachel on the Oprah show segment about violence against women that gave her the strength to leave her own violent husband that week.
Later Rachel met Janet and Bob through Shellie. Bob owned the houseboat where Shellie had lived the first few months she was in Paris.
Since Rachel loved Paris and went there several times a year and Janet wanted to spend more time there, and because Shellie needed a place to live, they decided to buy the house in Montmartre. The deal was that Rachel and Janet would invest the money, remodel it, and Shellie could live in it full time, while they would be there part time.
However, life and its changes happened, and they all went their separate ways. But the house remained a haven for all three of them, to go to whenever they wanted.
Now it was Rachel’s time. She loved Paris in the fall. The weather was crisp and clear. The flowers were blooming as if they didn’t know the heat of the summer was over and that they should quickly retreat before the cold, bleak winter.
After Rachel unpacked, she went into the back garden and was thrilled to see all the vines and plants they’d planted that were climbing the walls and filling the flower beds and gigantic colorful, ceramic pots. She cut roses and gladiolas—late bloomers—cannas, and geraniums. Pink and coral bougainvilleas were terrific fillers in floral arrangements.
She carried the cut flowers into the kitchen and began filling vases: one for the dining table, one for the piano, one for the mantle, one for the sunroom, one for her bedroom, and one for Janet’s in case she and Bob were staying the night. She figured they would be. Only Shellie’s room didn’t have flowers. She missed Shellie.
The candles in Lalique holders were lit on the dining table, soft instrumental music was playing in the background, and two trays of appetizers were on the bar pass-through from the kitchen. Rachel had opened the champagne and made sure there were bottles of wine, brandy, vodka, and gin in the bar cabinet. She was looking forward to seeing Janet and Bob; it had been months since she’d seen them. The last time she was there, they were in the States.
A knock was quickly followed by Janet’s voice as she pushed open the door. “We’re here! Rachel, where the hell are you?”
Rachel hurried from the sunroom where she had turned on one of the crystal lamps on the sideboard. “Here I am! Oh, I am so glad to see you guys!”
They hugged and said their hellos, and over drinks they caught up on the most recent happenings in their lives.
After bringing them up to date on Paul and Belinda and Cornwall, Rachel asked Janet, “Have you heard from Shellie and Adrian lately?”
“I’ve been up there several times,” Janet replied. “You know how I feel like she’s my own daughter. If ever I would have had a daughter, she’d be just like Shellie. They’re having child number two now. Can you imagine? Two children when she didn’t even want the first one,” Janet said and went after more champagne. “Our little Shellie with two kids. Un-fuckin’-bee-lievable!”
Rachel laughed. She had always laughed at Janet’s way with the vilest of words. No one could ever be offended by her; she was so funny when she said them.
Bob just grinned and shook his head. It had always amused him how Janet could be so crass and still be loveable and feminine.
“I sure do miss her,” Rachel added. “Does she ever come here anymore?”
“Last time was before she was showing. The beginning of summer. Little Henry is a living doll, Rachel. Isn’t he, Bobby?”
Bob nodded in agreement. “He’s the spitting image of Adrian.”
“I’m thinking about visiting them after the wedding,” Rachel said. “Switzerland is right there, may as well take advantage.”
“Oh, she’ll love that, honey,” Janet said as she reached over and squeezed Rachel’s hand. “You’ve got to do that. She’s having a girl this time. They already tested. And you’ll never guess what they’re naming the poor little thing.” She glanced at Bob with a wide grin. “Tell her, Bobby.”
“Jan Rachel van Allman.”
Rachel gasped. “She isn’t!”
“She is.” Janet laughed as she got up for the champagne bottle.
“For heaven’s sake!”
“That’s what I said, Rachel, honey.”
“A girl. Named after us. Wow!”
Janet continued laughing and sat back down on the sofa by Rachel as she poured. “So, honey, how are you doing? Is it getting any better … you know … I mean … Pete?”
Rachel sighed. “Some days I’m all right and then other days I’m not. When I see couples together, it just reminds me. And then I fall into a pit. But it’s getting better, it is.”
“Oh, honey,” Janet hugged Rachel, almost spilling her glass of champagne. “I worry about you, you know. You’re too young for all this shit to be happening to you. Isn’t she, Bobbie? But I’m so glad you’re here now. We’re gonna have us some fun. Just like old times.”
“Works for me!” Rachel stood up. “But first let’s eat some of these hors d‘oeuvres and then decide if we’re going out to eat or not. All of a sudden I’m hungry.”
Bob rose from the overstuffed chair. “We are definitely going out. I’ve made reservations in a super cafe.” He reached for a morsel.
“And does he ever know his food, honey.” Janet popped a bite-size appetizer into her mouth. “You can bet it will be fuckin’ great … just like these appetizers. Lordy, did you make these all by yourself? When did you find the time? You just got here today.”
“They’re quick and easy. I’ll give you the recipe.”
“Don’t bother to give me any recipes, hon. I don’t do food, I eat it.” She popped another into her mouth. “Mmmmm, this one is really good. Taste that one, Bobby Boy. So, tell me about your friend in Belgium. You said her name is Amanda?”
“Yes, Amanda and Richard.”
“When did you say you’re going back up there?”
“It was to be in August, but that’s been changed. Now it’ll be when Amanda lets me know the new wedding date. I plan to go about a week before to help her.”
“Why don’t we go to the café to talk about all this? Is that a possibility, ladies?”
“Bobbie Boy must be hungry,” Janet teased.
“Bobbie Boy is hungry,” he replied.
Chapter 53
“What should I do, Rachel?” Amanda sat at her desk sipping coffee with a deep frown on her face. This was the third time that week she’d phoned Rachel in Paris. “I feel like Darys fell off the horse on purpose so Richard would cancel the dang wedding. I sure wouldn’t put it past her.”
“But he’s saying she’s getting better, right?”
“Yes, that’s what he’s saying. But how can he leave her when she’s in the rehab center? She can’t even walk. I just don’t know. Sometimes I think it’s not meant to be, you know? I didn’t think I loved him this much, but now I know I do. I really miss him, Rachel. I think of him all the time—” she choked up. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to cry.”
“Mandy, it’s okay to cry. It’s how you feel. You can’t help that.”
“I know, but my mama always told me that weak people cry, strong ones don’t.”
“Not true, honey. I can attest to that. I’m a very strong woman, and I do my share of crying. So get that out of your head. It’s good to show your emotions anyway. It’s healthy.”
“Well, I just don’t like to cry.”
Rachel laughed. “You’re so funny. I really miss you. You know what I think would be good for you?”
“What?” She wiped her nose with a tissue.
“Come to Paris.”
Amanda blinked in surprise. “Me, come to Paris? I ain’t never been to Paris.”
“All the more reason,” Rachel shifted the phone to her other ear and began pacing. “Look, you can leave Iona in charge of the shop. She can handle it. She’s the best girl you got and she’d love the responsibility. You need to be able to get away periodically anyway, so this will give her the ex
perience. Come stay a week or two. She can call you if she has questions. Take the train so you can see some countryside along the way; it’s about a two-hour trip. I’ll email you a Metro map so you can get to Montmartre once you’re here.”
“You think I should?”
“Yes, I do. It’ll get your mind off Richard and give you a chance to clear your head. Honey, you’ve been working hard for weeks. You’re on burnout.”
Amanda thought about it. “Well … I guess I could do that. I mean, I can do anything I want, right? I’m not married yet. I ain’t got no boss. I’m my own boss, dammit! Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll call you later tonight, okay?”
“Terrific! You’re making the right decision, Amanda.”
“Oh my goodness, I’m going to Paris! Paula will never believe this. She won’t.” Amanda’s spirit soared.
Chapter 54
When the train from Brussels arrived at Paris Nord, Amanda couldn’t believe it had only taken a little over an hour and a half to get there. Paris was only ninety minutes from where she lived. How could that be? She couldn’t wait to tell Paula.
From Paris Nord she took the Metro to the base of the funicular in Montmartre and then followed Rachel’s easy directions.
She was loving Paris already. It wasn’t like Brussels at all. It was something special she couldn’t put her finger on. The atmosphere, maybe? The people? The buildings? The buildings in Paris didn’t seem as dark as the ones in Brussels. Maybe it was the difference in stone. And the iron gates, fence railings, and the artistic iron filigree on the windows and balconies. The balconies themselves. The trees and flowers. So different, so beautiful. She fell in love with Paris.
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