Goodbye To Tomorrow

by Theresa Hodge

  "Okay..." She said when she was finally able to speak, trying desperately to maintain her cool. But I could see the confusion reflecting in her eyes.

  "I'm sorry Gracen, I have been looking for ways to let you know, I mean to ask you...What I'm trying to say is; will you marry me, Gracen? Will you spend the rest of your life with me?" I asked as I dropped down on one knee in front of her, while the music which had dropped to a soft jazzy tune played in the background.

  "Jesus!" She gasped in utter shock. Her expression again slowly changed from bewilderment to relief to joy as a soft smile spread over her pink face. She let out a flow of air from her mouth.

  "I think I'm going to need a drink," she responded as she started to step backwards.

  I slowly leapt to my feet and, taking a few steps in her direction, I pulled her back into my arms passionately.

  “What do you say? Will you be my wife?”

  "Yes, I will! I will marry you, Jiraiya." She exclaimed with tears in her eyes.

  My heart was in an uproar of excitement and, amidst our joyous laughter, my arms found their way around her waist for the second time.

  The attention of people in the room began to shift in our direction. I picked her up and swirled her around because she had just made me the happiest man in the world. I set her on her feet and embraced her once more, invoking another round of wild laughter.

  "I will!" She exclaimed again.

  "Say it! You will do what?"

  "I will marry you!"

  Excitement filled the hall at once as everyone turned in our direction while bringing their hands together in a round of applause accompanied by congratulatory shouts of joy. The excitement of the night cloaked us in its warmth.

  The music became louder: shouts and applause erupted even more as we held on to each other and started to kiss passionately. Champagne flowed freely but I was already drunk on love.

  Thoughts breezed through my mind of how it was, just a few years ago, when my path and Gracen's had crossed at the lobby of Oceanview Real Estates and Property Development in downtown Manhattan.

  There was something about her that had drawn me to her from the start... her face stuck in my memory. She was just unforgettable. There was something about me too; Gracen had admitted that to me at a later date. My thoughts float back to that time; I had been rushing out to an appointment when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

  "Hello, excuse me. I'm kind of lost here. Can you please point me in the direction of the Client Relations office?" Gracen asked the first time I met her. She was dressed in a knee-length, red, slinky summer dress that did nothing to hide the beautiful curves of her hips. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, showing the perfect angle of her face and those gorgeous sky-blue eyes.

  "I'm guessing you want to check our list of available properties?" I asked immediately, flashed my most charming smile.

  "Yes, a friend suggested that I come to the open house over here. Do you work here? Obviously, you do." She added almost immediately with a charming smile, sending me groping for words.

  "Yes, yes I do. I am on my way to my office. If you will follow me, I am sure I can hook you up with something good. I am sure you will find the properties exquisite and the prices are competitive in today’s market. You can bet on that," I said politely trying to keep my emotions in check as I led the way.

  "Are you in any way the Client Relations officer?" She asked, puzzled by my enthusiasm.

  "No, I am not but let's just say I am in a position to help you and I would be willing to show you our nicest properties on the market."

  "Well...I hope I find what I'm looking for."

  "I hope you do, too" I responded with a warm smile.

  "Hey Brenda, could you please bring the client’s file to my office right away?" I instructed my assistant in a professional tone.

  After this, it didn't take long for her to figure out I was a top player at Oceanview.

  "I thought you were on your way out for lunch, Sir." My assistant replied, puzzled.

  "Well, as you can see, I am no longer hungry," I responded with a mocking grin on my face as I strolled towards my office with the beautiful lady in tow.

  “Is this your office?” Gracen’s voice held surprise as we got to the transparent glass door. She had noticed the name on the frame and the title just above it as I pushed it open.

  “Yes,” I nodded.

  "So, you are the CEO?” she asked rhetorically. Her smile had widened as she entered.

  “Yes indeed,” I replied again and took my seat behind the huge oak desk I had imported from Spain. I smiled as I waved her to one of the cushioned leather seats in front of the desk. "You may have a seat, miss...?" I inquired.

  "Gracen, Gracen Lafleur," she stated simply.

  "I am sorry Miss Gracen, pardon my manners," I said with a warm smile, “I am Jiraiya Sampson.”

  Seconds later, Brenda appeared holding a bulky folder in her hands and a sheepish smile.

  "Here are the files you asked for Sir." She said, handing it over to me while smiling politely at Gracen. "Will that be all, Sir? I can wait behind just in case you need something..." Her words trailed off when I gave her a look.

  "That will be all. Thanks, Brenda." I cut her short, the sheepish smile still registered on her face.

  "Sir?" Smiling, she stood perfectly still, pretending that she had not heard me earlier.

  "Brenda," I said pointing towards the door.

  "Yes Sir, I'm going."

  "Now, let’s get down to business,” I said, giving Gracen all my attention.

  Gracen remained quiet but graced me with another of her beatific smiles.

  "So where do you want to start?" I finally asked after seconds of getting lost in her gaze.

  "I would think that's where you come in with your expertise."

  "Oh! Yeah… So..." I stammered, trying to get a grip.

  "Are you usually this nice to all of your prospective customers? It’s flattering getting help from Mr. CEO himself.” She flashed a flirtatious grin.

  I returned her grin with a flirtatious one of my own. I adjusted my seat backwards to observe her with a full-blown grin on my face.

  "Well, what can I say, we are Oceanview," I said with arms spread wide in a gesture of self-assurance.

  "Yeah right! I presume you also wink at all the clients that walk through Oceanview's doors." she had retorted while trying to hold back a smirk.

  "Well, that's different.” I allowed my voice to trail off before continuing. “It's not every day we get a gorgeous client such as you walk into Oceanview," I stated, staring at her expectantly.

  "Are you flirting with me Mr. Sampson?"

  "Well, I wouldn't put it that way," I replied before handing over the small laptop with pictures of available properties.

  The relationship between Gracen and I had been like magic from then on. Soon after that first meeting; I had asked her out on our first date, and then a second, third, etc. It wasn’t long until we were known as the IT couple.

  Each time we spent together was amazing. We had both grown so attached to each other in such a short time, that it was not difficult to believe we might have met before in our previous life and joined together in this one.

  Jerked from my thoughts by the chorus of voices offering congratulations, my eyes re-focused on my beautiful fiancée, and the excited voices of the people surrounding us.

  I thanked the crowd for the love shown before asking to be excused, politely. I took Gracen’s hand in mine, as we darted quickly out of the room. In one quick turn, she turned back before exiting the hall and waving, in her usual dramatic fashion, to the crowd before stepping out into my waiting arms.

  Gracen looked flush from our abrupt departure; she couldn't hide the blush on her face. It was obvious she was totally in love with me and me with her; I had never felt this way before in my entire life.

  I had been with many women in the past; from sultry actresses to boring bankers to seriou
s lawyers. None of them had ever made me feel this way. They had never been more than a fling to be discarded when the next beauty came along. Gracen on the other hand was different; I had known this from the first day I had laid eyes on her. I shook my head with a smile on my face, playing back the last couple of minutes of my proposal.

  "Where are you taking me?" Gracen asked as we walked briskly towards the vehicle.

  "Sincerely, I have no idea; I just want to get you out of here before I burst with excitement," I responded almost immediately.

  The drive from the venue to the surprise rendezvous was pretty fast. I drove enthusiastically and with blistering speed, overtaking every automobile along the way. I was visibly joyous at the outcome of my proposal and Gracen could tell. She was equally excited; she had fallen in love with me from the very first time our paths crossed, she had confessed.

  Soon, we were at a fancy restaurant; the ambience was composed, with a tone of flamboyance.

  "Do you like it?" I asked as we stepped in; Gracen holding her flowing dress in her hands.

  "Of course, I love it! It's beautiful!" She responded.

  The hostess led us to a window table that provided a beautiful view of the city.

  “The waiter will be over momentarily,” the hostess said, giving us a menu as she walked away. Minutes later, the waiter was at our side. We placed our order after scanning through the menu; the waiter promised to come back with our request as soon as possible.

  I stared into Gracen's eyes with a soft smile on my face.

  "Oh my God!" She said shyly, burying her face in her hands.

  "Why am I so shy around you all of a sudden?" She asked almost inaudibly.

  "Well, I think it's because you just said ‘yes’ to me." I replied with a wink.

  Gracen laughed at the sound of my words, burying her face further down between her palms.

  "You are not helping," she blurted out again somewhat muffled.

  A minute of silence ensued as I took time observing the beauty in front of me.

  "What are you doing?" She asked still covering her face.

  The smile on my face widened.

  "I was thinking," I said, placing my right hand on my chin.

  "I was thinking we should go see my parents for a formal introduction; it's what people do, right?” I asked as she looked on with adoration in her eyes.

  “I am sure they would be glad to meet you. We have discussed so many times me bringing you home. Especially my mom; she seems to have become fond of you without even meeting you. Well except for the pictures I showed her and the fact that she has bought every magazine you’ve graced.”

  Gracen slowly uncovered her face to reveal a wholesome facial blush that had been hiding behind her palms. She didn't have to say a word; her expression already said it all. It was evident she already relished the opportunity to see my parents for the first time. She had also seen a few pictures of them on my tablet, but nothing was better than actually seeing them in person.

  "So, I am thinking, we could do that next weekend. Is it a good time for you Gracen?" I inquired to see if the trip would fit in with her schedule.

  "No problem, I am good for next weekend," she said reservedly in a soft voice. “So much in a day,” she mused as she slowly flipped her hair. Her skin glowed beneath the dim light that served as the source of light in the small but elegant restaurant.

  The waiter returned, carrying one tall bottle of champagne and two wine glasses. He slowly positioned the two glasses in front of us and placed the champagne bottle at the center of the table.

  "May I?" The waiter inquired pointing towards the bottle in question.

  "Nah! We've got it," I responded politely.

  The waiter straightened up immediately from his bent posture and promised to get back with our remaining order in no time as he disappeared once again.

  The room was aglow with our delight as we chatted about the night, the weekend plans and our love and the future.

  Chapter 2

  Jiraiya

  The meeting

  The soft screeching sound of tires announced our presence as my car came to a stop in front of the four-door garage of my parents’ home. I stepped out almost immediately; rushing over to the other side of the car. My attempt to be a gentleman was thwarted by Gracen, who let herself out of the car just before I got to the door.

  "Really?" I said as I heard the door open, catching sight of Gracen as she stepped out.

  "You don't have to open doors for me all the time, you know."

  She gently closed the door behind her, stretching her left arm out towards my direction, her purse in her other hand.

  "But you could do this," she added with an adorable smile.

  "Yeah, right," I responded before taking her hand, clutching it in my arm.

  Gracen looked dazzling under the early morning sun. I was dressed simply in a pair of white linen pants and a grey buttoned down long-sleeved shirt. I was in no way a guest in my parent's home, so luxury wasn't part of my wardrobe for the day.

  Gracen had tried to keep it gracefully unpretentious; she wasn't so sure about how receptive or approving my parents would be of her fashion style. I was of little help. My only advice was that my parents were cool people and her clothing wouldn’t matter a bit. Gracen knew better than to listen to me.

  She was draped in a knee-length, white fitted dress with green flowery patches all over. The dress blended beautifully with her skin color. She wore a simple, yet exquisite, piece of jewelry and a small green handbag to go with it.

  The front door flew open as soon as we reached the doorway. Lucy, the housekeeper greeted us, dressed in a black uniform with a white apron tied around her ample waistline.

  "Hello Sir, it's so nice to see you; we have been expecting you."

  "Hello Lucy, it is good to see you. How have you been? It's been a while."

  “I am good Sir,” she replied giving me a friendly smile. She stepped back from the doorway to let us in, before closing the front door behind her.

  "Babe, this is Lucy. She takes care of my parent’s home and she does such a wonderful job. She and Rose, our cook, have become part of the family." I face Gracen as I introduced her to Lucy.

  "Meet my fiancée, Gracen," I added with a flourish.

  They exchanged warm pleasantries as we stood there in the foyer.

  "Where are father and mother?" I asked Lucy as we walked toward the sitting room. Gracen seated herself on one of the beautifully designed cushioned chairs.

  "They are upstairs. I will get them right away," Lucy responded. "I was helping Rose with breakfast in the kitchen just before you arrived," she added before darting off.

  Lucy’s mission was cut short by the sound of my mother’s voice and footsteps coming from the stairs at the far end of the living room.

  "Jiraiya!" my mother called out affectionately, excitement peppering her voice. “I thought I heard your voice.”

  "Mother!" I replied with joy in my heart, and turned in her direction.

  "So nice to see you Son," my mother said as she took hold of me, drawing me in to a warm hug. “It’s been much too long.” She gave me an extra squeeze as she fussed over me.

  One could tell, just by looking at us, that we had shared many memorable moments together and that we loved each other dearly.

  “Where is she?" My mother asked after she had released me from the hug, and before catching a glimpse of the seated Gracen.

  I chuckled from the expression on my lovely mother’s face.

  "Oh my! You are so gorgeous, my dear," mother said, as she advanced into the room. Gracen rose, eager to give and take the embrace.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Sampson,” Gracen responded shyly with a visible blush to her fair cheeks.

  "Where is father, mother?" I asked.

  "He said he would be down in a moment," she responded without looking at me, her gaze still transfixed on Gracen. “You did not tell me she was this gorgeous Son."

  A
nother round of footsteps could be heard walking down the stairs.

  "Good morning, father," I greeted with my hand outstretched, heading towards the stairs.

  My father had a slight smile on his face as he slowly walked his way down the stairs. I glanced back at Gracen. I could tell she was nervous. I gave her a comforting smile before turning back to my father.

  "Morning Son," he replied shaking my hand before he pulled me into a back patting short embrace.

  We walked back to the sitting room, so I could introduce my father to the woman I hoped to make my wife.

  "There is someone I would love you to meet, father," I said, as I went to Gracen’s side and clutched her hand in mine. I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze to calm her apprehension.

  "Father...meet Gracen...my fiancée. She is the one I've been talking to you about over the phone," I said, as he stood before us.

  "Hello Mr. Sampson. It’s so nice to finally meet you and your wife," Gracen said shyly, gesturing her arm in my mother's direction.

  My father nodded his head in greeting. He had a tight smile on his lips as he made his way over to sit in his favorite chair.

  "Jiraiya has said quite a lot about you over the phone,” he told her as he sat. “No wonder the boy can’t find his way home more often,” he added.

  Gracen and I went to sit in the chairs directly opposite him and adjacent to my mother. “I’ve been busy in the office,” I replied in way of apology. “You taught me to be at the top of my game and that’s what I’m doing.”

  "Is Rose done in the kitchen? I'm hungry." Father responded, ignoring me, almost immediately facing mother.

  "Rose is almost done with the meal," my mother replied.

  “Good," he stated.

  "So, my son told us you are a model?" He turned his attention towards Gracen once again; eyes hard and piercing. I flash him a look, telling him to behave, but he pretends not to see.

  "Yes, Sir. I am a fashion model for a global magazine and several local magazines.”

  "Oh, wow," my mother exclaimed in admiration.

  "And how has prancing around in front of a camera worked out for you so far?" My father probed; paying no mind to his wife's surprised gasp.