DESIGN FOR LOVE

by Murray, Bryan

  “I could never fool you, Rainbow man!” she smiled.

  “Not in this lifetime, boss!” he grinned

  And so, she set off from the hotel in a rental car, sitting on the wrong side of the car, driving on the wrong side of the road in a city with not a single direction sign that indicated if she was at least going North, South, East or West. London could learn a lot from the USA, she was convinced.

  To take care of the navigational hassle, Francine had plotted and drawn a huge exaggerated map of all the turnings to get her onto the main highway for Stroud and Oxford and that picturesque corner of England referred to simply as ‘The Cotswolds’.

  There was a chill in the air, a hint of frost from the night before and a watery sun was struggling to break through as Francine finally hit the quieter roads. Fall was now in full swing in the hedgerows and the many golden/brown tinges added a new magic to the landscape.

  As Francine got closer to Stroud, Cirencester and the main towns and villages of The Cotswolds, she could see the passing scenery slowly starting to change. The houses were now all predominantly built in the beautiful warm Cotswold sandstone and more and more of the unique thatched roofs were now appearing as she passed through successive villages.

  She marveled at the beautiful scenery, truly envious that there was no way such beauty could ever be re-created in Texas, a modern state with modern buildings, modern roads and yes, she had to admit it, modern people.

  Perhaps there was some merit in having ones child educated in such serene surroundings as this. She noticed on one church that she passed that the foundation stone had been laid way back in the 11th century! She also wondered what or who had convinced Gerard to send his son to this beautiful place, so far from the hustle and bustle of Dallas.

  After consulting the map, she finally spotted the sign for Little Stanton and after turning into an even narrower approach road, she arrived in the center of the beautiful little village, a picturesque stream running through it and even at this relatively early hour, a scattering of tourists could be seen, cameras at the ready.

  Ahead, at the end of the village, where the stream forked, sat Gerard’s hotel. It was perhaps quite the prettiest and quaintest hotel she had ever seen in her life with a thatched roof and green lawns running down to the passing stream. There were small tables under umbrellas on the lawn where guests were taking morning coffee. All of a sudden, she was afraid. Afraid she had come on a wild goose chase, afraid that Gerard would already have left. She cursed herself for not calling the night before, but somehow her inner heart still craved the spontaneity of at least a partly chance meeting.

  She took a deep breath, walked into the small reception area of the hotel and approached the white-haired gentleman behind the counter.

  He gave her a sweet smile. “Good morning, Miss. May I help you?”

  Francine suddenly seemed tongue-tied. “Ah, yes, do you happen to know if Mr. Cinclare is still registered as a guest?”

  The man didn’t even need to check the register. “Yes indeed, Miss, but I’m afraid you just missed him. He left for the school to see his son. He should be back around noon.”

  “Thank you.”

  The man was reading her mind. “Would you care to take coffee on the terrace while you wait?”

  Francine glanced at her watch. It was 11-20. “Yes, thank you, that would be nice.”

  He ushered her to a table on the terrace, discreetly seating her in a corner to one side as a young Waitress arrived to take her order

  After a tray of delicious coffee and buttered scones, Francine was starting to get impatient and nervous, all at the same time. What would she say when she saw Gerard? How would he react? What if he clearly resented her being there?

  She was so deep in thought that she jumped in shock at a familiar voice behind her. “Francine! My God! Is it you?”

  She whirled round to see a smiling Gerard standing there, those warm green eyes once again turning her legs to jelly. She managed a smile, struggling to keep her heart rate under control. “None other!” she replied in a voice a lot huskier than she remembered possessing.

  As she stood up he came over and grabbed her hand and gave her an affectionate hug. “This is a lovely surprise! So, what brings you here?”

  ‘You, you gorgeous hunk!’ she was tempted to reply, but she answered. “Well, I was in the country on business, called you to say hello before I left Dallas and your office were kind enough to tell me you were here.”

  All the time she was talking she realized that he was still holding her hand from their greeting, which probably accounted for the fact that her fingers felt like they were melting.

  “Well, it’s great to see you because I wanted to talk to you after the show but things went a bit chaotic, I’m afraid.”

  She touched his shoulder, tenderness in her brown eyes. “Yes, I heard, Gerard. I’m so sorry about Helen. She was a terrific lady!”

  His eyes clouded with momentary sadness. “Yes, I made it back in time to see her, but unfortunately the cards were stacked, she didn’t make it this time.”

  She looked at him searchingly. “I thought I might have heard from you when I got back to Dallas, but I guess we’ve both been really busy,” she added quickly. “I know I have.”

  His face changed and in place of that warm smile, she detected a strange, pained look, one that he was having difficulty trying to explain.

  “Yes, you’re right,” he began. “I’m sorry I didn’t call, something came up that I had to deal with. But two things I can tell you. Firstly, I thought your showing in Monte Carlo was excellent. Secondly, you look terrific! Success definitely suits you.”

  Her heart was up to its old tricks again. “Thanks, I just couldn’t come all this way and not look you up,” she waved her hand expansively. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful spot in my entire life.”

  “Yes, my son’s in boarding school just down the road. I decided to come and spend some time with him when school would allow. He was devoted to Helen, especially after his mother died and I felt I needed to spend time with him to help him through the grief.”

  She looked at him tenderly. “I was beginning to think I had upset you when I didn’t hear from you. I’d got kind of used to having a guardian angel in the background.”

  He held her hands in his tenderly and Francine was sure she was going to suffocate if her breathing didn’t kick in soon. It was like his eyes were looking straight into her soul. “There’s no way you could upset me, Francine, to be honest I’ve really missed our friendly banter these past few trying days,” he let go of her hands and gently held her by the shoulders, a twinkle in his eye. “And as for that kiss…” he left the sentence unfinished as she sighed. “Tell me about it!”

  It was as if by magnetism they were both being drawn irresistibly together and Francine was convinced that he was going to kiss her yet again.

  Suddenly, the scene was shattered by a familiar female voice that brought Francine crashing back down to earth yet again.

  ‘Francine, what a lovely surprise!” it was a smiling Jeri just returned with an armful of shopping from the village.

  Francine struggled harder than she had ever struggled in her life to sound civil. “Hi, Jeri, nice to see you,” she quickly added in as nonchalant a tone as she could manage. “Just stopped by from a business trip to offer my condolences. You guys have had a really rough time!”

  Jeri shook her head ruefully. “Well, we’ve certainly been better. How long are you staying?”

  “Oh, I have to get back to London, I’m in the middle of a private showing for Huntingtons in their London store.”

  Jeri looked most impressed. “Really? How wonderful! When is the show?”

  Francine suddenly wanted out of there faster than the speed of light. “Oh, it’s later this evening,” she lied. “So, I’d better be on my way.”

  Gerard touched her arm, “Don’t you have time for lunch, Francine?”

  She wanted to r
eply. ’Of course, if it was just you and me’, but she replied. “No, I’m afraid not. By the time I get back, Vince will probably be having a fit!”

  She got up to leave as they escorted her to the car park. She turned to Gerard, her eyes wanting to tell him so much. “I hope you enjoy your visit with your son. He must be pleased to see you?”

  “He’s so pleased he wants to come home!” he added.

  “Bless his heart!” Francine’s own heart went out to a lonely little boy.

  Jeri gave her a genuine hug. “I’m sorry you couldn’t stay a little longer, Francine, but we must get together when we get back to Dallas.”

  “Yes, that would be nice.” she reached out to shake Gerard’s hand, but instead he gave her a warm hug. “Thanks for coming, it was great to see you,” back on a business level, he quickly added. “Good luck with the show, I’ll call you when I get back.”

  “Okay, bye.” she waved as she drove away. When she turned the bend in the lane out of sight, her eyes suddenly filled with tears. She didn’t know if they were tears of frustration, tears of embarrassment or simply tears of sorrow that once again she had been upstaged by the ever-present Jeri.

  She was beginning to feel like the person who when asked why they kept banging their head against a wall, replied that it was because it felt so good when they stopped!

  ‘Now’s the time to stop, girl!’ she told herself as she dried her eyes, reached for the map and wound her way through the country roads, back towards London.

  CHAPTER 40

  Back alone in his room at the hotel in Little Stanton, Gerard looked out at the gathering grey clouds over the stream, his mind deeply saddened at Francine’s sudden departure, saddened for a reason that Francine herself unfortunately didn’t even know existed.

  As he stared vacantly at the changing autumn scene outside, his mind went back to that horrible day back in Dallas, a day when the doctor had just left him in the hospital waiting room with the sad news that his Mother may not make it through the night.

  He had been sitting there, numb with sadness, vacant eyes watching the TV set switched on in the corner. Vacant that is, until he suddenly saw a face on the screen, a face that he recognized. It was Roger.

  The local news program was winding up and the female co-presenter was ribbing Roger, a mischievous smile on her face. “So, a little bird whispered that wedding bells may be in the offing, Roger?”

  Roger smiled his ‘I think I look charismatic’ smile and added coyly. “You never can tell, Moira.”

  “And may we ask who the lucky lady is?” Moira inquired.

  “Well, it’s not official yet, but I’ll give you a clue!”

  “Oh, great, I love clues, do tell?”

  Once again Roger tried to work the intrigue. “Well she’s certainly in Fashion and that’s all I can say at the moment!”

  Moira still wasn’t letting up on him. “So, when’s the big day?”

  “I’m not sure but I should know soon.”

  Watching Roger’s outrageous performance was more than Gerard could stand as he walked over to the TV and switched it off. He sat down dejectedly, head in his hands and quietly mumbled, ‘How could you, Francine? The guy’s a jerk!’ he heaved a quick sigh, took out his cellular phone and dialed a number. A voice answered at the other end.

  “Samantha,” he began. “I’m here at the hospital and the news is not good. It looks like it could be only a matter of days for mother. So, after the funeral and everything is taken care of, I need to fly to England to visit Jeremy. Can you check out what the flights look like into London? We’ll have time to make sure things are covered while I’m gone.” he listened for a moment. “Yes, I know it’s kinda sudden, but you’ll cope, that’s why I pay you the big bucks, Bye.”

  He had flicked the phone shut, a sad look in his eye. ‘He’s a jerk! A total jerk!’

  Back in his hotel room in England, he was jolted from his reverie by a knock on the door. It was Jeri.

  “You ready for lunch, Gerard?”

  “I’ll be right there.” he replied sadly

  CHAPTER 41

  Although the fashion show went like clockwork in front of a classy, invited audience, Francine still felt like she had been kicked in the guts with a sickening feeling in her stomach following her visit to see Gerard.

  She still tingled at the electricity she had sensed between them just before Jeri arrived and she would have given anything to have had just five more minutes alone with Gerard before the indefatigable blonde had reappeared. She told herself that now she really had to put any thoughts of a romantic liaison with Gerard from her mind and concentrate on business at hand.

  Later, a smiling Vince came to escort Francine to the post show party and as before in Monte Carlo, Francine found herself seeking temporary solace in the arms of alcohol, finally returning to her room with the first class makings of king-sized hangover.

  After a disturbed night’s sleep, she awoke to face the new day, a fresh resolve in her heart. A resolve that romance was not on the menu until further notice.

  After wishing a fond farewell to the wonderful people at Huntingtons, a sizeable order in her pocket for good measure, Francine and her team headed for the airport and the return flight to Dallas.

  As the 767 Jet soared into the London sky, she looked back wistfully through the window, back at a country where what tender hopes she had fostered that perhaps there was a future for her and Gerard, had been shattered once again.

  Ahead of her in Dallas awaited two further problems, both designed to thwart her current campaign of having nothing further to do with men. Unless she was very much mistaken, these two problems would come in the form of two men who would undoubtedly try to change her plans. One was a pain-in-the-neck ex-boyfriend and the other was a potential pain in the heart ex-husband!

  In the seat next to her, Vince was already sleeping like a baby. She looked at him fondly and gently stroked his chrome dome.

  ‘Why can’t they all be as nice as you, Rainbow Man?’ she mused as she looked through the window at the receding coastline of England.

  * * *

  Francine’s heart soared when she saw Alison with Mrs.‘T’ waiting for her at the gate as they came off the flight. The child rushed into her arms joyously. “Mommy! Mommy! You’re home!”

  She hugged the child, tears in her eyes. “You bet, my darling. I’ve missed you so much!”

  “Me too!” Alison cooed, her head buried against Francine’s bosom.

  Francine hugged Mrs.‘T’ affectionately as they all headed towards the waiting limo. Vince was already holding Alison’s hand like they were two pals, laughing and joking with each other as they walked through the baggage claim.

  Mrs.’T’ was watching Francine closely. “Everything all right, Francine?”

  “Yes, I’m fine,” she replied. “Why, don’t I look it?”

  The older lady hesitated. “It’s just that you look a little sad, my dear.”

  Francine tried to laugh it off light-heartedly. “No, just a little tired from the flight, that’s all.”

  Her housekeeper looked at her still unconvinced.

  On arrival back at Classique Fashions, Francine couldn’t believe the level of activity. Thelma was now like a stevedore guiding trolleys of clothes in from a line of delivery vans as Olive was standing there, clipboard in hand, checking the counts as they were wheeled inside.

  Francine got a most tremendous kick out of seeing literally hundreds of items on a single rack of an initial design that she could remember ‘doodling’ on the back of a napkin over lunch one day.

  She could see at a glance that life could now never be the same as she finally got a brief respite from decision making and retreated to the relative peace and quiet of her office.

  She was still a little jet-lagged and after a welcome slurp of coffee, she sat back in her chair, eyes closed, just as the phone rang. It was a bubbly Yvette.

  “Hello, my darling, welcome back!”<
br />
  “Hi, mom, how are things?”

  “Very well, my love.”

  “And how’s Daddy?”

  “Back home and loving it!”

  Francine’s heart leapt for joy. “That’s terrific, Mom!”

  “So, when am I going to see you?” Yvette asked.

  “When I get my head on straight.” Francine replied.

  “And how was London?”

  “Went very well,” Francine added, but wanted to say ‘It was the pits!’

  “Good, good, so you can tell me about it when we meet. Talk to you soon, darling, bye.”

  “Bye, Mom.”

  Francine put the phone down. ‘Well, at least one couple got back together,’ she mused, just as the phone rang again. She answered. “Classique Fashions?”

  Steve came on the line. “Hi, Francie, it’s Steve.”

  Francine’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh, hi, Steve. How are things?”

  “Great, matter of fact, that’s why I’m calling, er, as we agreed.”

  Francine tried to keep the conversation light-hearted. “Good, and how’s Ruby?”

  “She’s fine. Would you like to talk to her?”

  ‘Not really’. Francine wanted to say, but she answered. “Sure, put her on.”

  Ruby came on the line. “Hi, Miss Dubois.”

  “Hi, Ruby, and its Francine, please!”

  “Yes, Francine, we called to give you an update on Steve’s progress.”

  “Good, I’m listening?”

  Ruby took a breath. “He’s doing super, Francine. Eating like a horse, putting on weight like a Sumo wrestler!” she chuckled.

  “So, what do you think, Ruby?”

  “I think he’s ready when you are.” Ruby replied.

  Francine’s mind was in a whirl, “Okay. Well, I just got back from England last night, business is chaotic, so can you give me a couple of days to talk with Alison and then I’ll call you back to try and set something up.”

  “Great! Our number is 555-4683.”

  Francine was scribbling the number down. As if in answer to her next unspoken question, Ruby quickly added. “Steve’s staying at my place.”