Wildflowers

by Melanie Wilber;Kevin Wilber

  “If you ever want to talk about it, please call me. All right?”

  “Okay,” she replied, not wanting their conversation to end, but she knew it was going to. “Good night, Michael. Enjoy your new job.”

  “Good night, Natalie.”

  ***

  The six weeks that followed were a bit easier to get through than the previous ones. Talking with Michael on the phone and receiving a short letter from him two weeks later with his new address helped her to feel somewhat connected to him. His short note brought tears to her eyes:

  I want you to know that I still care for you very much, Natalie. I hope that someday you will believe as I do--not for my sake so that we could be together, but for you. As much as it breaks my heart to not be with you, it breaks my heart even more to know you don’t have the joy and peace and love only God can bring. You may not believe there is such a thing, but I do. And I want that for you.

  Knowing that he still cared about her as a friend kept her from flirting with depression as much, but she still missed him.

  A busy photography schedule helped the weeks to pass quickly. Between the parades, special events, carnival rides, and ships in port for the Portland Rose Festival and various other early summertime activities, she had plenty to be trying out her new camera on and learning the tricks of digital editing.

  Matt sent another assignment her way, and she spent five days driving along the coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. She hiked three different days with the writers on her team for the Discover Oregon assignment and also spent some time on her own in well-traveled areas of the beautiful Mount Hood Wilderness.

  The clear blue water of Lost Lake made for an enjoyable afternoon. Blooming Rhododendrons were at their peak along the trail surrounding the mountain lake. People swimming, drifting in canoes, and fishing from rowboats frequented her different camera lenses as well as the beautiful forest, wildlife, and views of Mount Hood, Mount Adams, and the Hood River Valley from a nearby butte.

  At the day’s end, the sunset cast an orange hue on the snow-covered peak not more than ten miles from where she stood on the lake shore. She enjoyed a similar day at Trillium Lake, hiked to Timothy Lake, Tamamawas Falls, and portions of the Salmon River Trail. The display of lilies and lupine at Elk Meadows was magnificent. Spectacular views, rushing waterfalls, wildflower meadows, and fresh, clean air welcomed her at every turn in the expansive wilderness.

  Daddy didn’t back out on his plans to take a vacation to Europe, and they left the second week of July. She was anxious to get back to the familiar nook of the world, take Daddy to all her favorite places, and also hoped to visit some friends, possibly even Samuel if she got up the nerve.

  Natalie had their itinerary planned but had kept the schedule loose, not wanting to rush from place to place. She knew they were free to take their time and enjoy all the beautiful scenery Europe had to offer. From architectural masterpieces, to quaint villages, to beautiful countrysides. She promised to give Daddy the vacation he had needed and deserved for a long time. He seemed happy to go along for the ride.

  They had taken an evening flight from Portland, allowing them to sleep some, and arrived mid afternoon Paris-time the following day. They checked into an insanely expensive hotel in the heart of Paris where Daddy had made reservations, planning to spend the first two nights there before traveling throughout France and into surrounding countries. To help combat jet lag they resisted the urge to take a nap and spent the afternoon taking a walk along the river, ate dinner at the hotel restaurant, and took in a spectacular view of the city from the Montparnasse Tower.

  After a good night’s sleep, Natalie woke early the following morning, ready to take in tourist attractions and out-of-the-way places. Discovering her shampoo had spilled inside her bag and ruined a few things, including her contacts, did not put a damper on her giddy mood. The beauty and atmosphere of some of her favorite places were calling to her, and she intended to enjoy them fully.

  Notre-Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle--a Gothic chapel with amazing stained glass windows, were always a delight to see, as were the various gardens in their summer splendor, museums, galleries, and other places of interest. They walked through her old neighborhood where she had lived while attending school there. The moment she stepped into one of her favorite bakeries, the smells took her back to the happy times she’d had in the beautiful city, especially her days spent at the university. They also enjoyed dinner at a small café where she had eaten several times a week back then, rather than having her father dish out money at a much more expensive and formal place where the food was not half as good. The menu was the same as she remembered.

  On the second day they took a boat tour on the Seine and made use of the Paris subway system to zip around the city, taking in various sites Natalie thought Daddy would enjoy most. They also did some shopping in one of her favorite neighborhoods known for interesting shops, antiques, and galleries.

  Seeing the city with fresh eyes spawned her creative juices, and she kept her cameras with her at all times. She handed her equipment to Daddy many times to let him have a go at his old hobby. He looked at peace with a camera in his hands. He had a great smile, and she was glad to have a chance to see him using it again.

  Daddy became a different person away from the hassles and stress of his business. She was pretty sure this was the man her mother had fallen in love with. It was definitely the man she preferred as a father.

  She contacted two of her friends, whom she had roomed with for several months during her college days, and went to visit them that evening, leaving Daddy at the hotel to relax, read, and go to bed early. Seeing her old friends brought back more memories of the great times she’d had here.

  After two full days in Paris, Natalie was itching to get on the road and out into the country. She had planned a driving route throughout France. Traveling southwest to Versailles, their first stop was the famous royal chateau where King Louis XIV and Queen Marie-Antoinette and other royal couples had lived during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

  She had photographed the location many times from different angles and at various times of the year. This time she chose to simply enjoy the gardens, fountains, and ornate interior as a sightseer. From there they drove on to Chartres where another Gothic cathedral was the highlight. The architecture and stained glass captivated her as much as the first time she had visited.

  Traveling into the Loire Valley, they enjoyed many sights in the towns and villages along the route. Châteaus, vineyards, and the Loire River itself made for spectacular views throughout the afternoon and evening. They spent the night at a lovely Bed and Breakfast, then set out the next morning, traveling farther south through agricultural areas, forests, and along rivers.

  From the edge of the Pyrenees Mountains, to Provence along the Mediterranean coast, and up through the Verdon River Gorge, they encountered varied landscapes, small villages, large resort towns, and magnificent views of the Alps.

  They spent one night at the home of the host family she had lived with during her time as an exchange student. She always tried to visit them when she came to France. They welcomed her like a part of their family, and they were especially delighted with the chance to meet her father.

  By the time they returned to Paris after many days on the road, Natalie had tired of driving and looked forward to spending a few days and nights traveling by train instead.

  Taking a night train the following evening, they arrived in Florence, Italy the following morning, traveled to Rome and Venice, north to Austria, across the Alps to Switzerland, and up through the Rhine Valley over the next few days, taking in spectacular sights of the mountains, lakes, Medieval cities, German castles, and more. She had taken the train often in her cross-country travels to get to photographic destinations quickly and safely. But she’d always had to fight for a sleeping compartment, usually sharing the small quarters with strangers. She had met many interesting people that way from all ov
er the world, but traveling first class in a plush, private compartment, never fearing for her safety, was quite nice this time around.

  They had sightseeing London and the surrounding cities on their itinerary for three days during their third week. Daddy was interested in viewing the military sites in Normandy before they took a ferry across the channel into England. Natalie had been amazed throughout the weeks of traveling to discover her dad knew much about European war history, more than she herself did, and his knowledge of the World War II battles in Northern France was quite detailed. They visited the U.S. cemetery where an overwhelming number of white crosses stretched into the horizon just up the hill from Omaha Beach.

  “How do you know so much about all this?” Natalie finally asked.

  “I majored in history in college. Europe fascinated me the most.”

  “I didn’t know that. What did you want to do with a history degree?”

  “Be a professor.”

  “No way! Are you serious?”

  “Yes. My dad wanted me to major in business, but I rebelled. I guess he got his way in the end.”

  Natalie had no idea her dad ever had any ambitions besides taking over his father’s company. She wondered if their life would have turned out differently if Daddy had become a history professor instead of a rich businessman.

  Crossing the channel into England, they arrived in London by evening, ate a quiet dinner at the hotel, and went to bed early to rest their travel-weary bodies. They chose to spend a leisurely day in London the following day, touring the British Library at a relaxed pace, taking a river cruise on the Thames, and strolling around the botanical gardens to finish out their afternoon.

  “You mentioned wanting to see a friend here,” Daddy said as they looked for someplace in their travel guide to have dinner on their second night in London. “Do you still want to do that?”

  “Sure, if you don’t mind.”

  “I think I’ll head back to the hotel after dinner. I have some phone calls I need to make, and turning in early sounds good to this body of mine.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

  “I’m sure. You have worn out your old man on this vacation.”

  “Daddy. You are not old.”

  “Well, I’m not as young as I used to be.”

  She laughed, not feeling the least bit guilty for dragging Daddy all over the countryside and beyond. He may feel tired, as she herself did, but he looked younger and more alive than he had for quite some time.

  They walked to the restaurant they had decided on overlooking the Thames. Daddy enjoyed being in an English speaking community again. Now she knew why he didn’t like Europe as a place to conduct business. He didn’t know any remotely useful foreign phrases and very few words and had no desire to learn. Bon jour, síl vous plaît, and merci were about the extent of his French vocabulary. She felt her cheeks redden more than once when she told him something to say to a waiter or a merchant and he boggled the words to change the phrase into gibberish, or worse, an insult. She had stopped trying after the second day.

  They parted outside the restaurant. Natalie told him she would be back at the hotel before ten but not to wait up. Daddy decided to walk, and she took a taxi to another part of town, trusting the driver knew more about where he was going than she did. She had not spent much time in London and had only been to Samuel’s once before.

  She felt knots forming in her stomach as the taxi traveled across town to Samuel’s neighborhood. Nothing looked remotely familiar until they pulled onto his street. She recognized his building and the surrounding small businesses.

  Natalie paid the driver and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of the modest residence tucked in the middle of a bustling restaurant and shopping district. She debated if this was such a good idea. Samuel had no idea she was coming. She hadn’t seen or heard from him in almost a year. He could be married or not even live here anymore.

  I should have called, she thought but knew why she hadn’t. Calling him would have committed her to coming, and she hadn’t been ready to do that until now.

  I do want to see him, even if it’s just to say hello and good-bye. I can always make up some excuse to only stay a few minutes if it’s awkward or he has a wife and three kids by now. I’m just an old friend. No big deal.

  She entered the front doors of the building and headed up the steep staircase to the third floor. Taking a deep breath and fluffing out her hair, she knocked and stepped back to endure the wait. For the first time since being in Europe she wished she hadn’t ruined her contacts. Samuel had never seen her with glasses, she didn’t think. Perhaps he wouldn’t even recognize her. She decided to remove them momentarily. No one came to the door. She knocked a second time and waited a few more seconds before turning away.

  Feeling both disappointed and relieved, she contemplated waiting in the stairway for him to return if he still lived here but decided against it. She had no idea who lived in this building or if she might be putting herself in danger by being in such an out-of-the-way enclosed space. She knew she would feel safer outside where she could sit and wait for him to walk by.

  Opening the outside doors, she replaced her glasses, descended the cobblestone steps, and scanned the street for a possible look-out. She spotted a bookstore across the way and thought that would make a good spy headquarters. Waiting for the traffic to clear so she could dart across the two lanes, she was about to make a break for it when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

  She knew it was Samuel before she spun around. Seeing him so suddenly sent a shockwave through her. Samuel stared at her in disbelief. He looked as great as ever; dark hair, brown eyes, rugged cheeks, that small cleft in his chin. Without saying a word he pulled her into a tight embrace and lifted her off the ground. She squealed and he laughed. A hearty I don’t believe my eyes laugh.

  “Natalie!” he exclaimed, setting her back on her feet and stepping back to take a good look at her. “You’re alive!”

  “Of course I’m alive.”

  “Where have you been? I had no idea what happened to you. I honestly thought you died or something.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, feeling awful for never trying to get in touch with him and let him know where she had been for the last year. “I didn’t think you cared so much.”

  His face softened. He stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her again. “Oh, Natalie. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was worried sick about you.”

  “You were?”

  He took her face into his hands and looked at her with those dark eyes. “I thought I had lost you without ever getting the chance to tell you how I felt about you.”

  Natalie felt her heart pounding. How long had she waited to have Samuel look at her this way?

  “How did you feel?” she asked, afraid to hope for what she had longed to hear him say many times.

  “I was in love with you, Natalie Matthews.”

  Before she had a chance to reply or fully digest his words, he leaned down, and with the sound of traffic whizzing by, he kissed her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Samuel pulled his lips from hers. “You aren’t married, are you?”

  She laughed. “No.”

  “Engaged?”

  “No.”

  “Seeing anyone?”

  She bit her lip and shook her head.

  He smiled. “Have you had dinner?”

  “Yes.”

  “I haven’t,” he said. “Come upstairs with me?”

  She nodded and he placed his arm around her waist to steer her toward his building. He stopped to check his mail slot inside, and then they ascended the stairs. He opened the door, and she followed him inside. It was the same as she remembered. Sparsely furnished, skylights that provided ample lighting, and impeccably clean.

  “I’m going to order some dinner,” he said, stepping across the hardwood floor to the telephone. “Do you want anything?”

  “No, I’m fine.�
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  “Not even some chocolate eclairs?”

  She smiled. He hadn’t forgotten her. “Well, okay. You talked me into it.”

  She removed her lightweight jacket and crossed the room to the window beside the small kitchen. He had a nice view of the surrounding neighborhood and the city in the distance. She began to wish she hadn’t left her camera with Daddy to take back to the hotel with him. But she knew that was safer with the late hour she would likely be returning. Camera equipment was a hot commodity for thieves in high tourist areas. She never let her cameras out of her sight in any of the major cities or carried them around after dark if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

  Samuel went to change out of his business clothes and returned wearing a white t-shirt and jeans. She sat next to him on the leather couch and removed her white canvas shoes. Tucking her bare feet under her legs, she felt as comfortable as she’d always felt with him and was glad she had come.

  “So what’s new with you?” she asked.

  “Not much. I got a promotion at work about a month ago. I’m basically doing the same thing, but I get to travel more. I’m going to Japan next week.”

  “Have you been home at all since last summer?”

  “My sister got married in May. But I only got to stay for a few days after the wedding because of work. I’m taking two weeks off in September. I’m hoping to go home then. Where have you been hiding?”

  She told him the whole story about moving to Portland to live with her sister after her editor at Travel Europe was fired. His dinner arrived and they moved to the small table. She ate one of the eclairs but left the others in the box for later. While he finished eating, she told him about her current life: Living at Daddy’s, freelancing, her cover photos, recent assignments, and current projects.

  He listened with great interest, admiring her success and envying her freedom to pursue her dream. He had been one of her biggest supporters, encouraging her to keep trying when she wanted to give up, convincing her she had the talent and determination to do more than selling her work to stock agencies. He was the one who had told her to send some of her photos to Travel Europe. He got the magazine on a regular basis and said her stuff was as good as anything he’d ever seen between its cover.