Drive and Determination

by Louise, Kara

  “I told him not to bid so high. He more than tripled their value!” Elyssa said in mock frustration.

  Will shrugged his shoulders. “The proceeds are going to a good cause and we get two nice paintings out of it.”

  The small orchestra finished playing and Elyssa surmised that the musicians were most likely a handful of the ones who had performed at the benefit they just came from. She was touched that Will invited them to come and play especially for them and that he had extended the invitation to the others to join them at the bottom of the Ferris wheel. It was only for a short time, however, for they all quickly excused themselves and Will and Elyssa were left alone.

  “Do you like it?” he asked as they walked to the car arm in arm. Will looked down at Elyssa by his side. She held out her hand in front of her, admiring her ring.

  “It’s perfect, Will. Everything tonight was perfect. I don’t know how you organized all of this!”

  “I’m glad you’re pleased,” he said, and then he stopped. “You don’t mind, then, that I had to keep a few things a secret tonight? You don’t mind that everyone else knew and you didn’t?”

  Elyssa slowly turned her head toward him. “If all your secrets are as special as this was tonight, I don’t think I’ll ever complain again!”

  With roses still in her hand, she flung her arms tightly around the man she was to marry, intensely aware and forever grateful for his willingness to overlook and forgive all she had done and said to him in the past, and to finally see for herself, the man who William Denton truly was.

  Chapter 32

  As Elyssa stepped out onto the end of the aisle on her uncle’s arm, a smile lit up her face when she saw Will standing up at the front of the church. He looked much like he had three years ago when he stood at the side of Chad at his friend’s wedding to Janet, but now she could see the man he truly was. Certainly, he had changed, but a great deal of her perception of him had changed, as well.

  Elyssa and Will wanted a more intimate gathering of close friends and family and thus had chosen to be married in this small Chicago church, smaller than the one the Blakelys were married in. After a brief one month engagement, they chose to marry over the Thanksgiving weekend to make it easier for people who had to come in from other areas. Gina had cooked a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday for all the out-of-town guests. On Friday, most of the out-of-towners were able to go out and see the sights while Elyssa, her aunt, and her mother tied up all the final details of the wedding.

  Now, as Elyssa made her way toward the front, she caught a glimpse of her mother in the front row fanning herself. It had been an interesting week having her there. Will had confided to Elyssa that he could easily see why she was drawn to her aunt. Her aunt was calm and reassuring while her mother was unsteady and easily fretted about anything. More than once Elyssa caught Will grimacing over something her mother said or did. They were both very grateful that they were going to live halfway across the country from her.

  As Elyssa drew up next to Will and he took her hand in his, she felt all the strength of character he had and was willing to share with her.

  *~*~*

  Will had been waiting patiently up at the front of the church for the first glimpse of his bride. He took in a sharp breath when Elyssa first stepped out onto the center aisle of the church on her uncle’s arm. Her dark hair and eyes contrasted with the white of the dress and ivory tone of her skin. She looked radiant, and he suddenly recalled the day when she walked down another aisle, in a beautiful teal dress, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. That was at Chad and Janet’s wedding, and he had been fairly certain that as much as he found her exasperatingly attractive, she would never be his.

  Today, with each step Elyssa took toward him, he recalled the little steps she took as she gradually warmed to him. The day he took her on the bumper cars was a turning point for them. He could thank his good father for planting that idea in his head. He often thought he might be able to use it someday with his own son; he had no idea he would use it with a woman he loved.

  When they went out to the village, their ease in conversing together was a pleasant surprise. Not one to engage in profuse conversation, he found himself wanting to hear her thoughts and ideas and learn more about her. She seemed to enjoy their conversation, as well.

  Staying with her in the house when she was ill, even though he had not planned it, provided him with the opportunity to show her he cared. As they drove back to Guatemala City that day, he was quite confident that they had crossed a major milestone. If it hadn’t been for George Westham, he was fairly certain they would have flown home together, not wanting to part.

  Will watched Elyssa glide to within an easy arm’s reach from him. He could see every detail of her beautiful face and stunning dress; everything else that had taken place in the past few days getting ready for the wedding was now but a blur.

  She stood before him now and Edward Garner handed her off to him. Will could barely comprehend that the eyes that he had found so fine that very first night he met her, were now gazing at him in love. He took her hand and the two turned to face the reverend who would marry them and pronounce them man and wife.

  They stood together, eagerly waiting to speak their vows and promise their complete love and devotion, anticipating a lifetime of happiness.

  *~*~*

  As might be expected, Will and Elyssa flew to Guatemala on the company jet for their honeymoon. Once in Guatemala City, they were immediately whisked away to Lake Atitlan by Manuel, who was waiting for them at the airport when they arrived. There would be enough time on the way back to visit the Pemberleo staff that had not been able to make it to the wedding. A special reception was planned for them when they returned from the lake.

  They spent several nights in the Panajachel hotel where they had previously shared separate suites. This time there was need for only one, no need for a connecting door, and no need to worry whether anyone was taking pictures of the two of them. They had enough leisure time to take in more of the sites around Panajachel before setting out for the village.

  Manuel again made all the arrangements and escorted them to the house in the village before setting off to see his family again. As they walked up to the house, Elyssa could barely contain herself when she saw what was on the porch.

  “Look!” she said as she tugged Will’s sleeve. “Someone has put up a porch swing!”

  “So it seems,” he said softly.

  Elyssa looked up into Will’s face. “Did you do that when you were here last? You did, didn’t you?”

  Will looked down at Elyssa with a sheepish grin. “Well, I didn’t actually put it up, but I did arrange to have it hung.”

  As they walked up the steps to the house, Will asked, “Do you like it?”

  “Of course! That afternoon when you and Manuel had gone out and I was feeling a little better, I brought a chair out here and sat. I thought to myself how much nicer it would be if there was a porch swing.”

  When they came into the house, Elyssa could also see that things had been changed. Some pieces of furniture had been replaced, walls painted, and new window coverings hung. Will wanted to make sure that memories of Chad and Janet didn’t completely overshadow their time there, but there were just enough of their belongings remaining so they were not completely forgotten. He also wanted to make the home available for anyone from the company who needed a break, so he had arranged to have it furnished very nicely. He wanted to surprise Elyssa and therefore didn’t consult her with the design. Although it was simple, it was very nice. Will reassured her that if she was not happy with anything, she could make improvements while they were there -- but only if she wanted to. They were there to enjoy themselves and relax, not work.

  Their time at the village was very special; Elyssa saw Will really loosen up there much like he had before. She encouraged him to grow that “scruffy” look again and although the weather was cooler than their previous visit, it was mild enough to wa
lk barefoot along the shore of the lake and get their feet wet.

  Will had not expected it, but Elyssa wanted to venture out to see some of the villages that had sustained damage in the flood. He knew they would have to get into some pretty primitive conditions and didn’t want to put her through that on their honeymoon, but she insisted and he finally relented. He was pleasantly surprised again to find out that she was really a trooper and was not put out at all by having to “rough it” for a couple days. They were both ready, though, to get back to modern civilization. A small reception back in Guatemala City attended by employees and others who had come to know Will over the years concluded their time there and they returned to Chicago, eager to begin their life together there.

  Epilogue

  Five years later

  Will sat contentedly on the porch swing, his legs stretched out and his heels and toes giving movement so it would gently sway. Elyssa leaned up against him reading from a book. Will’s arms were wrapped around her now greatly expanded stomach, hoping to feel a small movement every once in a while.

  “Here’s a good name,” she said. “Emma. I think Emma Janet Denton is nice.”

  Will nodded. “What does it mean?”

  “Let’s see…” Elyssa looked down into the book. “Healer of the universe.”

  Will tilted his head as he considered the name. “Sounds a bit overwhelming for a little girl. I still like Amanda, worthy of being loved.”

  Elyssa turned her head to look out at the small playground they had built at the side of the house. Her cousin, Lillian, now 8, was playing with Nicholas.

  “Be careful, Lillian. Remember, Nicky’s only 2.” She turned back to Will. “I think I like it, too. Mandy Denton.

  “No, not Mandy. Amanda. I will not have you shorten it!”

  Elyssa laughed. “Just like we never call Nicholas Nick or Nicky?”

  “Well, I prefer they grow accustomed to their full names.”

  “We can do everything we can to keep their names full, but you know it’s their friends who will win out in the end. If Nicholas wants to be called Nick and Amanda wants to be called Mandy, we’ll just have to deal with it.”

  Their son, upon hearing his mother’s voice, toddled back over to them and crawled up the steps, making his way to the swing.

  “Come here, Nicky,” Will said, scooping him up and placing him on his lap.

  “Nicholas,” his wife reminded him. “Nicholas Chad. Our little victory of the people.” She laughed. “Talk about overwhelming!”

  Bouncing Nicholas on his knee, Will remarked, “It demands respect!”

  Elyssa sat up and looked at her watch. “And you’re going to be losing respect from everyone if you don’t get yourself to work! What kind of example are you setting not going in until after noon?”

  Will lifted up Nicholas and put him carefully on Elyssa’s lap. “I suppose you’re right, but as Fridays are casual day, I figure I can just amble on in any time I want.” He leaned over and kissed Nicholas on the nose and then Elyssa on the cheek. “I don’t think anyone is going to complain that I wanted to spend the morning with my wife and son.”

  He leaned over and patted Elyssa’s belly. “And little Amanda.”

  Elyssa watched Will walk away in his jeans and polo shirt. He didn’t always conform to the “casual day” attire that he established a couple of years ago. If he had any scheduled business meetings, he usually wore a suit. By the way he was dressed today, Elyssa could see he was anticipating a light day at work and that he most likely would be home within a few hours.

  Elyssa stood up and brought Nicholas and Lillian into the house to give them lunch. As she looked around their beautiful home, she let out a sigh of appreciation. She had so much, and that included her own design business.

  Almost immediately after Will and Elyssa were married, her decorating business boomed. She loved working with Emily and the sub-contractors she used. She also found the she could purchase almost anything through the Jones’ little store and Elyssa and Janelle became close friends.

  Once she had Nicholas, she intentionally cut back on the number of clients she took, and mainly did design consulting. She worked a lot at home, looking for products on the internet and then buying them from Janelle if at all possible. Emily worked with her in arranging the sub-contractors to do the work.

  Now with Amanda coming in a few months, she knew she would be putting all design jobs here on hold. She did not want to be away from her children and knew the need to be home and more available would be greater with two.

  Elyssa set Nicholas down with some books that Lillian wanted to read to him. She glanced up at the painting of Pemberleigh Manor and studied it a while. Then she walked back into the room that had become her design studio.

  Despite putting her career on hold in Chicago, there was one design job offer that she had wholeheartedly accepted. She walked over to the plans that were spread out across a large work table and leaned over to study them. As inspiration came to her, she would jot down notes. She was excited about this project that had been presented to her by Will and Gina just about the time she learned she was expecting another baby.

  Gina had graduated from Stanford a year earlier with a degree in hotel management. Along with her required classes, she had also continued attending cooking school and was ready to fulfill her dream to open a bed and breakfast. It pleased Elyssa greatly that her sister-in-law loved the Santa Ynez Valley and had found a perfect place to build, about 20 miles from where Elyssa had lived.

  Part of Gina’s inheritance along with some money Will put up as a partner set things in motion to buy the property that would give Gina her Pemberleigh.

  The plans for an exact replica of the Denton estate in England were drawn up and Elyssa was asked to decorate Pemberleigh Bed and Breakfast in nineteenth century design. It would be a major project and with much enthusiasm, Elyssa began researching and dreaming even before they broke ground.

  In perusing the plans for the large manor, Elyssa had to consider how many rooms would be used for guests and which rooms would be reserved for private use. Gina didn’t need a large suite, but if she married and had a family, she would want more. They needed a few small suites for live-in staff and then a suite for Will and Elyssa and their family when they came to visit.

  Elyssa wanted to do as much as she could before little Amanda was born. She ordered furniture and fabric and wallpaper from Janelle and had things held until the structure was far enough along for the items to be shipped and stored.

  She knew that this little dream of Gina’s would be gradual in its growth, which was just fine for Elyssa. She began by designing the main rooms and just a few bedroom suites. It would grow as Gina found herself able to handle it.

  There was one more thing Will did once he and Elyssa got married that tapped into Elyssa’s creative and giving side. He gave her a position within Pemberleo. It wasn’t so much a job where she had to go in to work everyday. He knew very well that she loved designing and was doing well at it, but he knew something was missing at Pemberleo.

  He put Elyssa in charge of the company’s benevolent division, discerning the needs in Guatemala that they could meet and working to bring that about. One of the first things she did was to add a tutoring building to the pre-school so children of all ages could get the additional help they needed to succeed in school and beyond. Tutors were hired and some computers were purchased so skills could be taught. As the years went on, the pre-school was the recipient of a great deal of assistance through Elyssa’s efforts.

  Once Pemberleigh Bed and Breakfast was finished, Will and Elyssa went out often. Elyssa loved leaving the coldest months of winter in Chicago and spending them in a more mild climate. Visits to Guatemala and their own townhouse in the Pemberleo complex became a third home for them.

  There were still times when Elyssa ached for her sister and missed her so much. She wanted to tell her how happy she was being married to Will. She wanted to share littl
e Nicholas and sweet Amanda. The dream that she and Janet had shared to be close to one another’s children could never be, but her sisterly feelings toward Gina grew with each visit and conversation.

  Elyssa often thought back to what Janet said to her before they walked down the aisle at her sister’s wedding. She told her that she had picked the teal color for the bridesmaid dresses because that was the best color on Elyssa and thought if there were any irresistible, single men there, they would not be able to take their eyes off of her. Elyssa often wondered whether Janet had Will in mind.

  She’d never know for sure, but if it hadn’t been for Janet, she would have never met Will. Elyssa couldn’t even bring herself to ponder whether she and Will would have ended up together if Janet and Chad hadn’t died. That tragedy inexplicably threw the two of them together in a way that otherwise might not have been. She simply accepted fate and how everything worked out.

  Will would occasionally walk in on Elyssa as she read Janet’s diary. It was her constant connection to her dearest sister. She could read through it now without constantly shedding a tear, and Will knew that when Elyssa began to talk about her, he needed to sit quietly and listen.

  Will’s life, which had once been so driven by his work, had taken a turn for the best when he met Elyssa. It hadn’t always been easy on their bumpy road to love, but he did not regret all the lessons he learned while attempting to take on those things she wanted in a man and discarding those things she didn’t. With prevailing resolve and a rather large dose of humility, he had persevered to the end and was rewarded with Elyssa’s love.

  Neither expected it, but both came to embrace it with a good measure of drive and determination.

  ~The End ~

  Kara Louise lives in Kansas with her husband. They share their 10 acres with

  an ever changing menagerie of animals. They have one married son who also likes to write.

  Other published books by Kara Louise

  “Pemberley’s Promise”