Drive and Determination

by Louise, Kara

  Gina stood up and turned, looking down at her nervously fidgeting fingers. “George’s father worked alongside our father for as long as I remember. Our families did a lot together. I feel as though I have known him all my life; that he is as close as a brother.”

  “He told me a little about that.”

  Gina turned back and somberly faced Elyssa. “But what he probably didn’t tell you was that about a month before you went down to Guatemala, he did something that overstepped his bounds.”

  Elyssa looked at Gina thoughtfully. “What did he do?”

  “My brother and I had gone down to Guatemala. Will found himself in meetings one day from morning to night with some of the staff. It was a warm day and I remember I was just sitting outside around the pool when George came by. He said it was such a beautiful day and asked me if I would like to take a short drive out to Lake Atitlan. He called it the most romantic place in the world. What infatuated girl wouldn’t accept?”

  Elyssa closed her eyes tightly, remembering his words to her as well.

  “I’d always had a childhood crush on George and was more than willing to go with him. As we drove out, he started to pour on the charm. He told me how much he had always cared for me; how I had turned into such an attractive young lady. Of course I was flattered with his attention.”

  Elyssa stood up and walked over to Gina, putting up her hand to stop her. “Gina, I don’t need to hear anymore.”

  “No, please. Let me continue. We had eaten lunch at a restaurant in a hotel overlooking the lake. He left for a short while and when he returned, he told me he had secured a room.” Gina looked down as a blush tinted her cheeks again

  “He told me it was so that we could go swimming in the lake and then come back and change before we drove home.”

  “Did you really believe that was his sole motive?”

  Gina shook her head. “I don’t think I ever thought about whether I could trust him or not. When my cell phone rang, George told me not to answer it. I felt wrong about that, especially when I saw that it was Will. I knew he was probably looking for me. I answered my phone and, needless to say, my brother was furious when I told him where I was and who I was with. He had me put George on the phone and warned him that he better not lay a finger on me and that he wanted him to leave me right where I was and we were to wait until he arrived.” Gina looked at Elyssa with pain filling her eyes. “I should have known better.”

  “But why does he still work for your brother if he did this?” Elyssa asked in aggravation. “Why wasn’t he fired?”

  Gina let out a breath of relief. “He finally has been. William fired him a week or two ago. I think he originally let him continue working because he thought he could better keep his eye on him that way. He knew where he was and where I was. My silly little heart still held out feelings for him and I think George knew it.”

  “And now, Gina? How is your heart now?”

  “Grown up these past two months. I have seen George for who he is and my brother knows he no longer has to worry about me doing something immature like running off with him.”

  Elyssa shook her head in frustration. “I am so glad he was fired. I recently discovered that Maria, a young friend of Janet’s in Guatemala City, had become pretty enamored with him.”

  Gina reached out and took Elyssa’s hand. “Shelley was able to get the whole story from Maria. Apparently she saw George with another woman one night and he laughed at her when he saw she was so visibly upset.” Gina lowered her eyes and shook her head. “All she could think to do was call Janet. When no one answered the phone at the Blakelys’ home, she called Janet’s cell phone. They were at the lake. Maria was so upset by the whole incident, Janet insisted that they would come home immediately.”

  Elyssa began to shake with anger and grief and fell back into her chair. “That’s when the accident happened.”

  Gina nodded. “Part of Maria’s guilt was due to George planting that in her head. He told her the accident was all her fault because she acted so childishly in calling Janet. Unfortunately she chose to believe him.”

  Elyssa tightened her fingers around the armrests of the chair. “How could he do such a thing?” she cried.

  “Elyssa,” Gina said as she grew more somber. “That’s not all.”

  “What?” Elyssa asked with trepidation as she drew her hand to her chest.

  Gina knit her eyebrows together. “Will discovered that George was involved in hiring the man who took pictures of the two of you at Lake Atitlan.”

  Elyssa could feel her heart lurch as she tried to comprehend the fact that the very man who most apologetically showed her the pictures had been the one behind them all along.

  “He was responsible for those pictures on the internet?” Elyssa felt her head begin to pound and brought up her fingers to massage her temple.

  “When Will found out about the pictures, he thought it was highly unusual for someone to have recognized him there. Several celebrities frequent Panajachel, but Will would not be the most recognizable or that sought after. He hired an investigator to trace the photographs to the photographer and from there linked him to George.”

  “How can someone be so cruel? Is there no end to the man’s madness?” She turned to Gina. “I feel like… like wringing his neck!”

  Gina let out a sigh. “So did Will. I think someone had to physically restrain my brother when he confronted him. He had literally reached his breaking point.”

  “I don’t blame him! How could someone do something like that?”

  “Definitely not the kind of person my brother wants working for Pemberleo. You’ll be pleased to hear that George is long gone and the pictures will not appear in any magazine. They have been destroyed and are off the internet site.”

  “I’m certainly relieved about that, but that pales in light of everything else he did and all the pain he has caused!”

  Gina looked intently at Elyssa. “I’m sorry. I know what I’ve had to say has not all been easy to hear.”

  Elyssa clasped her hands and brought them up under her chin. She gave Gina a weak smile. “But you also brought very pleasant news and I will try to dwell on that.”

  “Thanks. I’d best be off. The others in Solvang will worry about me if I get back late.” She smiled and extended her hand. “I have really enjoyed getting to know you, Elyssa.”

  Elyssa rose to her feet and grasped Gina’s hand in both of hers. “Me, too. I do hope we meet again.”

  With a fervent look of expectation in her eyes, Gina replied, “I do too, Elyssa. I do too.”

  *~*~*

  For the next few days, Elyssa couldn’t get Gina’s words out of her mind. Her heart swelled with appreciation for what Will had done, while it revolted against George’s contempt for others. Elyssa felt sick as she recalled how deceived she had been by him.

  That first night she arrived in Guatemala, she had fallen into a heap of tears. George had let her pour out her disdain for the man she blamed for Chad and Janet’s deaths, while all along it was he that was truly responsible. If anyone was guilty of not caring for others, it was George. Will was only guilty of not knowing how to show others he cared.

  From what Elyssa read in Janet’s journal and what Gina told her about Will, she couldn’t get him out of her heart and mind. Those feelings that had begun to grow more favorable toward him in Guatemala were pushing their way to the surface again now that she knew a little more about him.

  Elyssa knew she had to thank Will for what he did. She was fairly certain he wouldn’t want to be thanked, but thank him she must. Several times she picked up the phone to call, but was never satisfied with the meager words she had prepared in advance. She picked up pen and paper more than once, but the finished letters all ended up in a crumpled heap in the waste basket.

  She determined that she needed to tell him to his face. A visit to her aunt and uncle in Lamstone would give her the opportunity. She just wasn’t sure when she would be able to afford to g
o and she didn’t want to burden them with the financial responsibility of flying her out.

  A telephone call the very next week seemed to provide the perfect answer.

  When the phone rang, Elyssa picked it up, thinking it was some friend or family member. Instead, a woman introduced herself as Emily Brownwood, from Regency Home Management Company. She explained that she was acting as manager for someone who had built a new home and wanted to have a designer come in and do the finishing work and decorate it.

  When Elyssa asked how she heard that she was a designer, the woman told Elyssa that the owner of the house had been given her business card from someone named Charlene.

  “Charlene!” Elyssa’s eyes looked up toward heaven as she laughed at this unbelievable news. “They received my business card from Charlene and want to hire me?”

  Emily cautioned her that there were several designers being contacted, but that the owner was looking for someone outside the area. She told Elyssa that they would like her to send them a designer board with samples of fabrics, tiles, wood stains, and pictures of room layouts so they could get an idea of her preferences. Once they received hers and the others, they would make the determination of who got the job.

  When Elyssa took down the address of the management company, her hand began to shake. It was in Illinois.

  “Where in Illinois is this?” Elyssa asked, almost afraid to hear her answer.

  “We’re about 50 miles south of Chicago. We have access to everything you need close by, but the transportation system into Chicago is exceptional, with the buses, commuter trains, and the ‘L’. If you fly in, Midway Airport would be closest if you can get a flight into there. O’Hare is a little bit farther.”

  “And do you know if you are very close to Lamstone?” Elyssa asked.

  “Yes!” the woman replied. “My office is about ten miles away, but the house you will be working on is not five miles from Lamstone. Are you familiar with it?”

  Elyssa could barely formulate the answer as her excitement was building. “My aunt and uncle just purchased a house there and I had plans to visit them. This would work out tremendously if I got the job!”

  “Well that’s a plus in your favor, then,” Emily assured her with a chuckle. “We won’t have to worry about putting you up in a hotel, although money is not really an issue.”

  “Is there a budget I am to work with?” Elyssa suddenly thought to ask.

  “No, not really. You will be able to do whatever you want to do!”

  Elyssa’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. She couldn’t imagine working on a house where there was no concern for a budget.

  After a few moments, Elyssa was finally able to say, “I have a designer board already made up from my senior project which I can send to you right away, if that’s all right. It really is a true reflection of who I am and what I like to do!”

  “That sounds fine. Of course once you see the house, you’ll be able to do whatever you want with it. You won’t be bound to what’s on the board.”

  “And who is the owner of the house?” Elyssa wanted to know.

  “The owner is… I have the contact name of Richard Fitzpatrick. But you will pretty much work through me. Mr. Fitzpatrick doesn’t want to be involved in any of the decision making other than approving the design.”

  “That’s pretty surprising. I am used to people hovering over me, ready to give their opinion on all my ideas. I’ll go along with it, though, if that’s what he wants.”

  “Good. You’ll be hearing from us as soon as the designer is chosen.”

  A squeal was let loose from Elyssa when she hung up the phone. “I might have a job!”

  She scrambled out to her garage and began looking through the mélange of things she had accumulated in her few years here. She pulled out her senior project designer board and hoped it wasn’t damaged or too outdated. When she looked at it, she smiled. Yes! she thought. I have to admit that this is really pretty good!

  She carefully wrapped it up and sent it out the very next day with a big prayer that the eyes that saw this would also see the potential she had.

  She called her aunt and they talked excitedly about the possibility of her coming out -- with a major job! She asked Maddy to do some checking on the Regency Home Management Company. Maddy called her back within the hour to inform Elyssa that it had an excellent reputation.

  Elyssa received the call three days later that she had landed the job and she was ecstatic. A check to cover all her initial expenses including airfare would be sent immediately and the sooner she could fly out, the better.

  Elyssa clasped her hands over her heart as she considered the ramifications of this journey. She couldn’t be more thrilled that she had a job and would be seeing her aunt and uncle, but a tinge of apprehension lingered as she wondered how, or if, Will would receive her.

  Chapter 21

  When the check arrived from the Regency Home Management Company, Elyssa couldn’t believe her eyes. It was in the amount of $1,000 which was to be used for any expenses she incurred getting to Chicago. When she checked airline prices, they were fairly high, considering she wanted to leave with only a few days’ notice. She called a friend of hers who was a travel agent and they found the best deal.

  She arranged for her paper to stop being delivered and her mail to be forwarded to her aunt and uncle’s. She really had no idea how long she would be there.

  Elyssa made good use of her three days before flying out by going online and finding stores that sold designer fabrics and other home decorating supplies. She had only a vague idea about what would be required of her, but she wanted to be prepared. She knew which manufacturers she preferred to work with and wrote down several addresses of businesses that carried their product, marking them with a black “X” on a map she purchased of Chicago and the surrounding area.

  In addition to the different stores, there was one other location on the map that she had circled. It was the home offices of Pemberleo Coffee.

  In all the details that required her attention before leaving, she never once forgot about Will. Her mind raced with scenarios on how she would see him again; what she would say. She wasn’t even sure he would want to see her, but she knew she had to take a chance. She needed to offer him an apology as well as thank him for the memorials. It was just a matter of when and how.

  *~*~*

  Elyssa was able to get a non-stop flight and purchased a few home decorating magazines to look through on the journey out. She wanted to be ready for anything in case this Richard Fitzpatrick had any special preferences. She cringed at some of the decorating styles she saw, but folded down the corners of the pages that had ideas that appealed to her. She really couldn’t do any planning, though, until she saw the house. She believed a house had a very definite character of its own and that the design would automatically flow from it. She would need to take that into consideration before making any decisions.

  When the plane landed at Midway Airport, she walked briskly toward the baggage claim area, where her aunt and uncle would be waiting. The airport bustled with people coming and going and the energy swirling about her filled her with immeasurable eagerness. A tinge of nervousness invaded her thoughts as she considered both the enormity of this particular design job and the state of Will’s feelings for her. She wondered whether her message of thanks, appreciation, and offer of apology would be the extent of their contact.

  The Garners waved enthusiastically when she finally made her way out to the open area of the airport. Elyssa greeted her aunt and uncle with a fervent hug and then reached out for Lillian, the youngest. With her free had, she patted Frederick, the oldest, on the head.

  “It is so good to see all of you! I have missed you so much!” Elyssa was beaming from ear to ear and gave Lillian a gentle squeeze.

  “And how fortunate for you to be able to combine a visit with a design job! You must be excited, Elyssa. I can see it in your face!” Maddy observed.

  “I am ex
cited,” Elyssa concurred. “I couldn’t have planned this out better myself if I tried.”

  “Are you hungry?” her uncle asked as they turned to walk toward the baggage carousel unloading luggage from her flight.

  “A little. But I’m willing to fit right into your schedule. We have the weekend to enjoy each other’s company. So I’ll let you set the pace. Monday, however, I’ll be a little more consumed with work.”

  They made it to the baggage area and kept their eyes open for Elyssa’s two suitcases. When she pointed them out, her uncle easily picked them up and they walked to the car.

  As they drove away from the airport, Maddy and Edward apprised Elyssa on all that had happened the weeks since they had last seen one another. Elyssa told them all about her trip to Guatemala, leaving out one major detail -- William Denton. She didn’t feel up to talking about him, especially to her most discerning aunt. Maddy would easily pick up on the slightest quiver of voice or downward glance and know the leaning of her niece’s heart. Elyssa would wait until she knew what his reception of her would be before she told her anything. The only mention she made of him, as well as to her family, was of the memorials he and Pemberleo established for Janet and Chad.

  The time flew by quickly and the city soon gave way to the suburbs with gentle rolling hills and wooded areas. It almost reminded her of the Santa Ynez Valley. When Edward kept going straight instead of turning at the sign indicating that Lamstone was to the right, Elyssa questioned where they were going.

  “Well,” her uncle answered, “we thought we would drive you past the house you will be working on.”

  Elyssa clasped her hands together. “Do you know where it is?” she asked.

  Maddy turned around from the front seat of the car to face her. “I talked to Emily Brownwood at the management company and asked her for the address, telling her I was your aunt. Edward and I drove past it a few days ago.”

  “And?” Elyssa’s eyes widened with curiosity.

  Her uncle waved his hand across the air. “A real fixer upper. I hope you’re not too disappointed when you see it.” A sly glance and wink at his wife told Elyssa he was teasing.