Just another Day 1
Another wonderful day at work she thought. She looked in her mirror. Looking back at her was a nice looking woman of twenty-eight with dark brown hair and chestnut brown eyes. She worked in the data input department for her local bank and she really liked her job, and the friends she had made, but lately she was getting restless. While touching up her lipstick, she looked back at the mirror and asked, “Who are you really, Lizzy Branigan?” She laughed knowing her own little secret, even though she could not remember everything from her past.
She walked into her kitchen, grabbed a glass of juice, toast and sat down at the breakfast table. She usually would read the newspaper in the morning before going to work but today her stories lay on the table and caught her eye. She ate the toast and thought, would anyone understand this? Three women getting together on make-believe weekend trips, or were they only make-believe? They had changed Morgan and Nicole’s names in the stories to Rose and Desiree, but Lizzy kept her name. It was her little joke with herself, knowing that Lizzy wasn’t her real name. Lizzy smiled to herself then she thought about Nicole, aka Desiree, who was a thirty year-old physically fit woman. She loved to run. She was up early and ran five miles before work. She was in such great shape; everything was still natural for her, no bleach for her blonde hair. Then her thoughts turned to Morgan, aka Rose, who was twenty-nine years old and she was a quiet woman. You would not know she rode motorcycles on the weekend. She covered the red streak in her coal black hair pretty well. She was thin and had more energy than Lizzy.
Lizzy looked down at her watch and realized it was time to take off for work. She saw her reflection in a window when she walked by and thought, I do not think I went to a desk job in my previous life. I wish I could remember. She was jolted back to the reality when her cat rubbed against her leg.
“Hi, Oscar, let’s make sure you have enough water and food for the day. He did so she picked him up and scratched him behind his ears. She laid him on the couch and went back to the kitchen to get her lunch and the stories. She put the alarm system on as she left. She looked around as she walked out to her car. Everything looked the same except the car parked down the street; she made a mental note of the car just in case, black sedan, four door.
As she drove to work Lizzy thought, I don’t know how it started but writing the stories sure has taken a lot of stress off of all of us. Just a moment of laughter and the thought that you got away from it all can break up your day and make it bearable. Nicole, Morgan and Lizzy started writing stories of short trips since it was summer; they started out being on islands. Most of the stories were about food, fun and men. They helped the three of them to cope with work and their lives at home. Gave them a freedom of a vacation, without the financial burden, but gave them feeling of being refreshed. Nicole was the one that would add some interest or something for the next one to write to overcome, usually Lizzy. Lizzy was always up for the challenge. So at the end of summer Lizzy wanted to do more than one story so she just took off and wrote more than one story she wrote about a séance, a story about a house that is haunted, and a trip to the Titanic. She had a desire to write about dinners, dances, gowns, relationships, and jewelry. She enjoyed writing these stories in some weird way it was freeing her mind from the mundane routine of life. Nicole and Morgan see Lizzy as pretty and single with an eventful life. Lizzy just laughs and says, “Right, my cat Oscar and I party every weekend.” Lizzy was excited this morning. She was going to share with her friends their trip to Hill House. She loved to make up the dances. She could see the ball gowns in her mind down to every detail just like she had done this before. Constance was a big help with the eight course meals they had at Hill House. Lizzy thought to herself if they really knew there really was a Hill House and she did go there on weekends to get away. Desiree and Rose would be surprised.
Lizzy remembered the last one where Nicole had jokingly had her in this story with blonde hair and a bikini. Rose and Desiree had left me on the beach and I was beet red with sunburn. They ended up cutting off the bathing suit and had put her in a Mumu. Then when we were leaving Greece a young twenty five year old man came up and seemed to know me quite well. Desiree had named him John. It was a funny joke. But it brought back some memories of a man named Jack from her past didn’t make sense. There was no one to talk to about it she did not know how Drew, her weekend lover, would like her asking about another man. Oh well she thought I will just put it aside and move on.
Lizzy gave the Hill House adventure to her friends. The day was extra busy but they read it when they could. They loved the dinners, dances and the men she had put them with for dinner or dance partners. Mr. Darcy was a favorite for Rose. But in Lizzy mind he was hers and she had an unknown part she had written just for her. Maybe she would share it with Drew, her Mr. Darcy.
Nicole, Morgan, and Lizzy referred jokingly to the trip all day. They were all so glad it was Friday. They all had plans. Desiree camping, Rose riding her motorcycle to see the fall leaves changing and Lizzy well she was going to give Oscar a bath. Or was that the truth? She looked at Nicole and Morgan and wondered if they had secret lives too. Were they telling stories to her too or were they the ones who she had to be afraid of like Tom, her old boss and friend, told her?
Lizzy went home and packed for her weekend at Hill House. She made sure Oscar had enough food and water until Sunday. She headed off to the airport and to see Drew and become Jill Chamberlain again.
Jill loved flying in the private plane. She was happy that Jack provided this for travel. It seemed she would travel to this little hideout different ways but mainly with the plane lately. She picked out a fun little car to drive from the rent a car. She had the music station full blast as she drove to the house. Her first stop was to the security guards to check in. They said all was quiet and nothing to be concerned about. Jill opens the fridge as she passes through the kitchen and starts eating an apple. She makes it to the bedroom and kicks off her shoes. She props open the door to air out the room; it has been several weeks since she was there. Jill decided to go and wash up since she had been at work most of the day. She wanted to smell fresh for Drew and he should be here in awhile. The water felt good on her back she was in longer than she thought. So Jill rushed to get dressed. She sat on the bed with some papers looking at them when she heard a noise. She thought it was Drew, her heart racing, and then a tall, dark, handsome man came around the corner. Before he could put his overnight bag down she was in his arms. He about fell over, they laughed. He put his bag on the table and took off his shoes; she closed the door and locked it. As she walked back to towards the bed he grabbed her and gave her a long loving kiss. She melted in his arms. They moved to the bed, they cuddled close together, kissing and holding each other with only some talking. There time was so short together they spent most of it being together.
She pulled the papers out from underneath her. Looking at the papers she said, “You know, Drew, they think I make up my stories. The places and ideas,” she told him. “But I think that parts are real.”
He leaned back in the four-poster bed looking at her. She was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed looking like a little girl. He loved her so. He asked her, “What do you write about?”
“I write about make-believe trips. We each take turns with the trips. I did Aruba, Nicole did Gilligan’s Island and Morgan did Fantasy Island. At Gilligan's Island we even had the Professor and MaryAnn.” He smiled. She loved his smile. It went over his whole face, lighting it up. She whispered in his ear. “Make love to me again like our first time.”
He smiled at her and said, “So all I have to do is smile at you and you want to make love?”
“Give me a break,” she laughed. You had me at ‘your smile’. She climbed up and sat on top of him, and said, “Forget it I want you now.” He pulled her forward and kissed her hard. She pulled back and lay on her back pulling him on top of her. She never wanted to leave his strong arms. As she lay beside him later, she said, “Drew, I am so tired of this. I feel like your mistress. You go home, I go to my world.”
He just looked at her and said, “I know it stinks. I go home to the boys…”
“and to your wife,” she interjected.”
“Yes and my wife,” he continued. “You go home to your job and cat.”
She moved to the center of the bed again. “You know when I write my stories. The parts about Mr. Darcy are about you. ‘’
“Tell me about it,” he said quietly.
“Well, long before the stories I went to see the movie ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ I loved the actor who played Mr. Darcy. He had a sober face all through the movie until he was with his sister and Elizabeth. Then his smile would light up his face and I remembered you. I went four times to the movie and bought two DVD’s, one is here and one at home. I missed you so and did not know if I would ever see you again. Then you show up at Hill House.”
“I picked October to do my stories. This time I picked Bermuda Triangle, Hill House, Rose Red, Queen Mary and the Titanic. At Hill House I have Mr. Darcy with Rose as her partner for the fox hunt, Damian with Desiree for the evening and I had Charles Dickens. Drew smiled. I know I guess I thought if I put Mr. Darcy in my story with me I would be revealing us. Crazy I know. But I jokingly told Nicole I had a torrid affair with Mr. Darcy.” She just laughed and said, “Sure Lizzy in your dreams.” I didn’t let them read this one.
“Read it to me,” Drew said softly, stroking her arm.
She began to read. I was coming back to my room after the fox hunt wanting to take a shower and rest for the next few hours. I told Rose and Desiree I would meet them at the stairs for dinner. I went into my room and locked the door. I was glad to get my riding boots off. Then I put my riding clothes off on the chair to be cleaned. As I was walking into the bathroom I was taking off my lacey bra. I turned around in this huge wonderful bathroom to see Mr. Darcy standing there in a towel. He was a tall handsome brown haired, brown eye man a few feet away from me. He was drying his hair with a towel when he turned and noticed me. I had my bra down and instinctively put it back up over my breasts. Then said to myself why, he has already seen them. So I threw the bra to the side. Then I thought here is a luscious looking man standing across from me. It is now or never. So I walked over and put my hands on each side of his face so he couldn’t move and began kissing him. He stopped drying his hair and the towel dropped, he put his arms around me and started kissing me back. I pulled away slightly to remove my panties. I looked at him and said, “I was going to take a shower.” I took him by the hand and started walking to the magnificent multi-head shower. He dropped the other towel. He watched me wash and condition my hair while he was lathering up the loofa. He began at the base of my neck scrubbing gently, then across my shoulders. Then to my front and I leaned up and kissed him down his neck. He began to clean my back while kissing me then proceeded down my legs. My eyes were closed thinking nothing but pure ecstasy. I opened my eyes and took the loofa and began washing his chest. He shook his head no and grabbed my hand, then I whispered you deserve some tenderness and he let go of my hand. I walked behind him hugged him so I was close and washed his front while I caressed his back with my lips. I went down his legs as I came around to the front. He lifted me and walked me backwards to the wall of the shower. He lifted me until we connected; I wrapped my legs around him. Nothing but pure pleasure with my heart skipping a few beats and then he let me down slowly. We finished showering. Then after we dried ourselves and I walked over took him by the hand, led him to the bed. I said,” You have had your fun, now it is my turn.” He smiled and complied. For the next hour he kissed, caressed and did things he had never done before. During one time when I sat on top of him I said,’ you know I would yell out your name sometimes. But I am afraid we were never introduced earlier.” He laughed; I said “forget it you are my Mr. Darcy from now on.” He grabbed her and kissed her passionately.
Drew gasped and Jill looked up. Drew had tears in his eyes and said “the honeymoon.”
Jill asked, “our honeymoon?’ “I thought I remembered it. I just keep reading it over and over. Just to remember you, to feel close to you. She looked at him and said, “I can never find the words to tell you how much I love you and how hard it is to go back to the other world where you are not with me.”
He leaned over and took her in his arms. He began kissing her neck and whispered in her ear, remind me again where to kiss and caress you to make you happy. She giggled and whispered back pointing to her neck, begin here and move on down. He obliged her request.
Drew rolled over on his side, leaning on his arm and asked. “Remember when I tried to re-enact that?” Yeah, you in a towel and I walked in fully clothed with a gun in my hand pointing straight at you,” laughed Jill.
“I know I was thinking this is stupid she doesn’t even know I am here. So I thought to myself I will get dressed before she comes and then you walked in. I saw your face change with emotions, rage, fear, and then joy. Then all of a sudden you were in my arms kissing me,” exclaimed Drew.
“I had been “dead” for three years with no contact with anyone that I knew and loved. Then two people who shouldn’t know where I am show up in one month. Jack showed up first, then you a few weeks later at ‘Hill House.’ It was a lot to absorb. It was the same time when Tom was retiring from the bureau.’
“Yeah, I have heard his Alzheimer’s is getting pretty bad, “interjected Drew.
“Yes,” Jill continued, “It is pretty scary when you are put in the witness protection department and for me it is worse. I am even under protection from the witness protection. They do not know I exist. Then my main contact retires. You are told not to trust anyone. Then two men from my past show up. But neither of you stay around. Though I always feel Jack in the background. Drew, I am beginning to remember,” asked Jill.
Drew put his fingers to his lips. He went to the desk and pulled out paper and a pen. He wrote “don’t say anything about what or that you are remembering that night. There may be bugs in here, people are listening.”
She wrote, “Why could they hear the love story then?”
“What you wrote was a story to them, nothing else,” Drew wrote back.
She wrote,” Who do I trust? Are you and Jack the only ones I can talk to about this?”
Drew wrote back, “Jack and I are the only ones you can trust. What are you remembering?”
“Just snippets of that night, nothing that makes sense,” Jill wrote back.
“Like what?” he wrote.
“A gun, a man and a woman yelling,” she wrote.
“Well, I guess that is a beginning,” he wrote back. Drew looked at his watch. He said, “I am sorry I need to check on the boys.”
“Do not be sorry,” said Jill. She continued,” I shouldn’t take you away from your wife and kids.”
Drew left the room to make a call. He brought back to the room some food that Chef Constance had made for them. He grinned at Jill and said, “To keep up your energy. The kids are fine they are going to a movie and out for pizza. So they won’t be home for awhile.” He smiled at her.
Jill melted and forgetting his wife and sons, living for the moment. She justified her move on him because she never divorced him. The bureau “killed” her off. She lay back in the four-poster bed and just concentrated on him. After awhile she smiled at him and said, “Since it is still early want to go bowling?” He looked surprised and asked, “Where could we go bowling?”
Jill said, “Jack had one installed for me since we last met here. Remember I come up to the house almost every two weeks or so without company I do get bored sometimes,” she smiled.
The rest of the time they had fun. They had a competition while bowling. The winner got to decide the menu or to complete the other one’s sexual fantasy. Nothing was said about memories, Sheila or the boys. It was like the two were still married still together. Jill won and picked Drew’s favorite meal, steak and shrimp for dinner. They spent the night doing what they did best, loving each other, even though Drew lost, Jill did fulfill one of his fantasies.
The next morning before he left her, Drew pressed a phone in her hand with a note that read, “Use this in case of emergency.” He whispered in her ear,” I love you, until we meet again, be safe.”
“I love you, too,” she said.
He smiled at her and left. As he drove off he thought about her going back to her place. He wondered why he never had before. He realized thinking of her here only, helped him feel that she was still safe and kept him her in his life. He hoped they could bring her home safely when it was needed.
Jill went back inside. She retrieved her weekend suitcase, and she alerted the staff that she would return in a few weeks. She went down the security elevator to her waiting car. Then off to the private airport to the plane waiting for her. She thought to herself, Jack really takes care of me, but why?
She was watching the city being left behind when she felt someone there. She put her hand on the gun in her pocket but she knew she shouldn’t feel any fear. Jack quietly sat opposite from her. This was the closest he had been to her.
Jack said, “Jill do not worry, I am here only to talk to you. Drew said you are beginning to remember,” began Jack. Jill remained silent thinking that is who Drew called and why it took him so long. He continued, “Be careful. We are trying to protect you. The events of that night will only bring you pain. I am just trying to protect you.”
“Jack, protect me from what? What pain could it bring me? I have lost the knowledge what you are to me. What relationship we had. I have lost the child I was carrying and my husband. My husband has a new wife and two sons. I suspect Bryan is the son that I “lost” and I am not supposed to know about,” she replied with a strained voice.
Jack gasped.
Jill continued,” I am sorry I shouldn’t have told you that, I didn’t realize I knew that. Jack that night as painful as it was took my life away. I live in fear because I know someone wants to kill me if they find out I am alive. But I do not even know who to fear or what to fear. So I am afraid of everything. I feel safe with you and knowing that you are around to protect me. But I have no control over these memories popping into my head,” said Jill in exasperation.
Jack leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. She felt electricity run through her. Then she felt guilty because she knew she also loved Drew. Jack leaned in and said, “always remember we loved you through this please don’t judge us harshly when you remember.” He left and went back to the cockpit. Jill was taken aback that he uses “we and us”. What is the relationship between Drew and Jack?
Jill thought about how she should not have been so surprised that he was on the plane, since he owned it. But he never had made his presence known to her before, if he was ever on any of her previous plane trips. She thought to herself that she had been closing her eyes to what had been going around her on these weekend get-a-ways. She had been so eager to get out of the house. She had enough of cleaning and talking to her cat and she missed her life, whatever it was.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment