Drive and Determination

by Louise, Kara

  “May I ask what these things are that have come to light?”

  “For one, I understand that you advised Chad not to ask Janet to marry him. You told him you didn’t think he should!”

  As she pronounced these words, Will changed color, but any sort of prevailing emotion soon dissipated, and he listened without attempting to interrupt her while she continued.

  “I have every reason in the world to think you overstepped your bounds, William Denton, even as Chad’s employer. Chad and Janet loved one another and were perfectly suited to each other. Do you deny that you told him you didn’t think he should propose?”

  “I have no reason to deny it. I had my reasons.”

  “Your reasons! You care little for anything or anyone but your company. You manipulate people as if they were your puppets, with little thought or consideration for them. I can’t help but wonder how many others in your employ have sacrificed happiness because of your interference!”

  “You must believe there to be a multitude!”

  “I know there is George Westham!”

  An angry shudder coursed through him. “And what do you know of George Westham’s concerns?” He practically spewed out the man’s name.

  “It’s obvious you have something against the man. He told me how your father had promised him advancement within the company, seeing his potential. You chose, upon taking the company over, to send him off as a salesman to Guatemala. You broke your own father’s promise to him!”

  His eyes darkened even more. “Poor George, indeed!” He turned away and Elyssa could see that he was trying to maintain some semblance of control. A slight slumping of his shoulders and nod of his head inexplicably made Elyssa feel her defenses beginning to wear down. For a brief moment she had an impulsive desire to reach out to him. She quickly shook that away.

  When he turned back to look at her, his rigid posture had returned and his head was held high. “And what, may I ask, do you think I think about you?”

  Her heart lurched at his question and his eyes seemed to bore deeply within her. Moistening her lips, she finally uttered, “Two years ago, I believe your words describing me were something to the effect of being naïve, opinionated, that everything revolves around me, and I have no idea how to run a business. More recently, however, I overheard you refer to me as a project! Something to wheel and deal for whatever purposes you had in mind!” She looked down as her eyes began to well up with tears.

  He stood still; his eyes fixed on her face. He seemed to catch her words with no less resentment than surprise. She noticed him wince when she mentioned his words from two years ago. His complexion became pale with anger and the disturbance of his mind was visible in every feature. He was struggling for the appearance of composure and would not open his lips, till he believed himself to have attained it.

  Finally, he said, “So this is what you think of me! I thank you for explaining it to me so fully! I wonder how you endured my presence these last few days.” He shifted his weight from one foot to another. “I see my coming here was a mistake.”

  Suddenly Elyssa’s eyes narrowed. “Exactly how did you get past the security gate? No one can come back here without a ticket.”

  “I purchased one.”

  Elyssa met his gaze, suddenly alarmed. “You are on my flight?”

  He let out a huff and shook his head. “No, rest assured, Elyssa, I am not on your flight. It was full. I purchased a seat on another.” He tossed the ticket down. “Obviously I won’t be using it and never intended to. I only came back here to…” He took in a shaky breath. “Well, never mind.”

  Elyssa fought back her tears as one last time she looked up at him. “I am sorry, Will, but we are two very different people who live in two worlds that are poles apart. I just need to go home and sort this all out.”

  Will’s jaw tightened again as he looked down at Elyssa. “I’m sorry, too, Elyssa, but what is there for you to sort out? Your words certainly indicate that you have me all figured out. Goodbye. I hope you have a good flight home.” With that, he turned and walked away.

  Elyssa stood very still for some time, watching him take brisk strides through the crowd of people. She was all too familiar now with his confident gait. She told herself she ought to feel relief that he was now out of her life. Unfortunately, she felt anything but. The tears that had threatened earlier were now more demanding and soon spilled out. She collapsed into the chair in which she had been sitting, unable to move for quite some time.

  She stared down at the ticket he had tossed at her. She wondered how much it had cost him to come find her. Why would he have done such a thing? Why had he even bothered to come down to Guatemala in the first place?

  She could not, would not, answer that question, for if she did, she would have realized that for some explicable reason, William Denton had fallen in love with her.

  Chapter 19

  Elyssa returned to her modest country home and within days after settling back in, she felt as though the previous week in Guatemala had merely been a dream; some of it a nightmare. Apart from the anguish and confusion in her heart, she could almost believe it had never happened.

  She waited anxiously for the box Pemberleo was shipping to her. She was eager to get her hands back on Janet’s journal, look again through the keepsakes from the Blakelys’ belongings she sent back, and although she didn’t want to admit it to herself, she was hoping Will had written a note to her and included it in the box.

  She saw that the package had been delivered after returning home from work a few days later. The large box had been left on the porch and she struggled in vain to pick it up to bring it inside. She finally decided to open it out there and remove some of the items, making it possible for her to carry it in.

  With each item she lifted out, she told herself that her one main objective was to find Janet’s journal. But her eyes seemed to betray that intention as they searched instead for an envelope in which a letter may have been placed. When at last she found both, she gingerly pulled out the letter.

  She opened it slowly and found herself looking at a typewritten letter. Her heart sunk when she glanced down at the bottom to see that it was from Will’s secretary, Mrs. Reed. The letter informed her that the remainder of Chad and Janet’s belongings had been given to several charities. It concluded with a statement that Pemberleo would be in further contact with her regarding a matter that was being finalized. A fleeting sense of curiosity caused her to wonder what that matter might be, but disappointment quickly took its place. If Will had any intention of contacting her again, he would have written this very first letter himself.

  Despite the reasons she told herself and had lashed out to Will as to why they should go their separate ways that last day in Guatemala, she now found herself questioning her rationale. Since returning home, she found it more and more difficult to justify the assault on his character. Perhaps it was true, that with distance and the passage of time the faults of another grow dim.

  She found herself frequently thinking about him and their time together in Guatemala. Just the recollection of him walking by her side filled her with regret. She thought of his most surprising, yet effective means to rid her of the blame she placed on him when he took her on the bumper cars. The memory of him carrying her across the rain swollen street made her yearn to be held in his arms. His attentive comfort when she was ill was not something she could easily dismiss. The look in his eyes and the gentle kiss he placed on her cheek began to appear more and more an indication that he had strong feelings for her.

  She slowly pulled out Janet’s journal. Holding it to her chest, she knew it would be difficult to read, but she knew she had to. Walking over to the swing, she sat down and drew her legs up underneath her. She opened the journal as the swing began swaying rhythmically to the beating of her heart.

  As she began to read Janet’s words, all her initial feelings of grief surfaced. It took Elyssa the remainder of the week to read through the journal and
gradually she was able to push aside that grief and enjoy the story of the Blakelys’ life together in Guatemala.

  Most of Janet’s entries dealt with her day to day routine. Elyssa cried at the description of her first day at the pre-school and how precious, but needy, the children were. She laughed at her sister’s description of how crazy the drivers were in Guatemala and how Janet didn’t think she would ever find the nerve to get behind the wheel.

  Elyssa was touched by the warmth and admiration Janet had for Chad and how much she enjoyed supporting him in his work.

  Elyssa devoured every word Janet wrote and upon turning each page, she found herself glancing down to see if there was any mention about Will. While Janet didn’t mention him all that often, when she did, it was always in a positive light.

  The only reference she could find that gave Elyssa any indication that Janet knew of Will’s interference came in an entry where Janet had the most to say about him.

  She wrote,

  Will joined us for dinner this evening. He had been in meetings all day. I couldn’t help thinking how tired he looked. He must have enjoyed himself, though, because he stayed fairly late and commented several times how pleasant it was to be able to come home to a family and eat a home cooked meal. I thought how sad it must be that the only family he has is Gina and she will be going off to college soon. He always asks me how my family is, asking about each one by name if I forget to mention anyone, and I think he’s truly interested in what I tell him. It’s funny. Even though he is Chad’s boss and I know what he did, I’ve never felt any censure from him. I actually think he enjoys being in our company! Imagine that!

  Chad says he has seen a change in him. Not a drastic, sudden change, but one that has come about slowly. He’s known him since university days and has spent a lot of time with him. While he can’t put his finger on what the change is, he thinks it’s for the better.

  Elyssa read and reread that entry. She was grateful that Janet never picked up any antagonism toward her on Will’s part. Perhaps he came to believe that Janet had been good for Chad. Elyssa couldn’t help but wonder whether he ever admitted to himself -- or Chad -- that he had been wrong. Could he have truly changed from the man she met two years ago?

  As Elyssa read Janet’s entries, she came to truly appreciate the genuine spirit of charity Janet had toward others and how she only had kind things to say about everyone and everything. Elyssa was surprised, then, when she came across some entries toward the end of the journal. The entries dealt with Maria’s visits and how the young girl had become enamored with someone. That someone was George Westham.

  Elyssa felt sick when she read Janet’s words describing how George was an unscrupulous womanizer and not to be trusted. Janet wrote how she had tried to warn the young girl about his character, but Maria loved him and felt certain that George loved her. When Elyssa read Janet’s very last entry that dealt with George, she practically grew sick.

  Janet wrote,

  I don’t know why Will has allowed GW to continue to work for Pemberleo. I know he has his reasons; I think in part he is trying to honor his father’s wishes. But GW is a liar, cheat, and manipulator. I hope he doesn’t hurt Maria. I really hope he doesn’t, but deep down inside I know that he will. He knows no other way!

  Immediately after reading that part, Elyssa sent off a letter to Shelley, enlightening her that it was George who caused Maria such grief. Shelley may have talked to Maria already and knew George was the man in question, but in case Maria was too ashamed to tell her, Elyssa thought Shelley ought to know.

  Elyssa should have trusted her initial instincts about the man, but when he showed up that last night with his pictures and accusations, suspicion about his character was the last thing on her mind.

  When the weekend came, Elyssa took some of the items from the box down with her to Los Angeles to give to her mother and sister. She had planned a short visit with them knowing they would want to hear more about her trip. She also brought along some things for her Aunt and Uncle Garner, whom she was really looking forward to seeing.

  She was disappointed to find out that her aunt and uncle would not be there, as they were traveling the country with their children. Apparently they were looking to relocate to the Midwest, where they once lived and where Maddy had grown up. They thought it would be preferable to raise their young family there.

  The weekend she spent with her family was just as she expected. She felt very little rapport with her mother, who was always eager to express her grave concern about one thing or another. There was always something for her to worry about. Her younger sister was so different than her that it made her miss Janet all the more.

  The weekend concluded with a visit with Charlene. Elyssa always enjoyed Charlene and her wild, impulsive ways. Her personality was very much suited for the lifestyle there. She was doing well in the entertainment industry, but presently was between jobs.

  “I’m on board to do the set design for a Western, but it’s in pre-production stage right now. They’re trying to agree on the budget and until I know what it is, I can’t do a thing other than dream. I’d love to have you by my side when it comes time to begin work on it, Elyssa, but it may be months before anything can be done.”

  Elyssa thanked her, but declined. “I don’t think Western is my thing, but thanks, Charlene. I do so appreciate it.”

  “You know I hand out your business cards everywhere I go. Have you never received an offer of a design job from one of them?”

  Elyssa laughed. “You hand them out everywhere but where I live! No one is going to call me when they have no idea who I am, especially if they live on the other side of the country!”

  Charlene smiled. “Well all that’s needed is to get your business card into the right person’s hands!”

  The two friends shared a few more laughs and some cries together reminiscing about Janet, and then Elyssa made the drive home. She loved the part of the drive where she drove along the coast and could see the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean before she headed inland. She always stopped at the last turnout to give herself a rest and enjoy the ocean breeze and the sound of the endlessly pounding waves.

  She decided this time to get out and walk along the beach a bit and then sit for awhile on the sand. She pulled out a small blanket she kept in her car and walked toward the beach. Taking her shoes off, she stepped into the soft sand and squished her toes into it. As she walked closer to the water, she thought of the day at the lake when she and Will ended up soaking wet. A smile crept upon her face as she recalled the fun they had. She stepped into the water up to her ankles and turned to walk along the coastline.

  When she came back, she spread out her blanket and sat down, looking out at the reflection of the sun as it approached the horizon. There were no volcanoes looking back at her, but she couldn’t help but think again about Will. She closed her eyes as she began to lie down upon the blanket. Her fists pounded into the sand on either side of her and she wondered if she would ever be able to forget him.

  *~*~*

  The next month passed quickly for Elyssa. She was sitting one day at the table in the kitchen looking over her bank statement. Her checking account was dwindling to almost nothing and her savings had grown only a few cents from the interest. Her job at the library barely paid for her living expenses and she began to fret over whether she’d ever get another decorating job while living so far out here in the country. She began to despair that she might have to move back to the big city and go to work with Charlene. It was something she swore she would never do.

  Elyssa walked out to her mailbox and pulled out a stack of envelopes. As she flipped through them, she was thrilled to see a letter from her Aunt and Uncle Garner. Elyssa began to rip it open as she walked back to the house.

  Her Aunt Maddy began the letter with her usual greeting. She told her how much she missed her and what a wonderful time they had been having. The letter then went on to inform Elyssa that they had found the perf
ect home in Lamstone, Illinois, a small town about 45 miles from Chicago. Elyssa delighted in her aunt’s description of this quaint little town with rolling hills and thick woods. A lake was only a few miles away, tempting Edward with his favorite pastime -- fishing. Lamstone was close enough to Chicago to have all the amenities of a big city, but it still had a small town feel. She was sure Elyssa would love it.

  An invitation was extended to Elyssa to come any time. While Elyssa would gladly make a visit to see her aunt and uncle and cousins, another person came foremost to her mind. Will would only be about 45 miles away.

  She tucked the letter back into her desk drawer. Now was not the best time for her to go, as she desperately needed some income to help pay her bills. She knew, however, that as soon as she could afford to go, she would. As she wrote down her expenses for the remainder of the month and worked at saving here so she could spend there, her phone rang.

  “Please be someone with a design job!” she said as she looked up to the heavens.

  “Hello?”

  The voice on the other end was soft spoken. “Hello. Is this Elyssa Barnett?”

  Elyssa smiled. She didn’t recognize the voice and thought that perhaps this could be her big break. “Yes, this is Elyssa Barnett,” she said with the most professional sounding voice. “May I help you?”

  “Yes. My name is Gina Denton.”

  Elyssa was grateful the caller could not see her reaction, for her jaw dropped and she shook her head in disbelief. “Gina Denton?”

  “Yes, I am William Denton’s sister.”

  Elyssa took in a deep breath and steadied herself. “Yes, I know. I mean he told me about you. What can I do for you?”

  “I am in the area and would like to know if you were free for me to stop by today. There is something I would like to discuss with you.”

  Elyssa’s eyes narrowed as she tried to determine what the young girl wished to talk to her about. “I am free all day today. When would you like to come by?”