A Memory Unchained (12 page)

Pamela chose to ignore his last remark. She was dis-

turbed that he would assume everything was alright, like

nothing had happened between them.

“We’d better wait and talk at home. I’m leaving Paris

next Friday night. For a while anyway. Things are pretty

upset…” She paused.

“Upset, how?” his voice was visibly distraught!

Pamela told him briefly about Kel Orland and how he

refused to even discuss her proposals.

“The guy’s a lunk-head, letting a deal like that slip by!

This Rex fellow, how well do you know him?” His concern

seemed a little out of line!

“Well enough,” she snapped.

“Oh.” Jeff’s voice trailed off.

“Please, don’t mix me up anymore. I don’t know what

I’m going to do yet. As for Rex, he’s a wonderful friend.”

She realized Jeff was putting her on the defensive and she didn’t have to be!

“Let me call you tomorrow, don’t do anything in too

big a hurry! You sure did the right thing leaving that jerk Orland!” Jeff sounded very supportive.

She silently told herself. “I’m not a child you know

– and I do represent Rex’s collection and that’s quite a

calling card.”

A Memory Unchained___________ 107

She heard Jeff muttering something like, “I should be

there with you – next time.”

She wondered if she heard right. The phone began

making static again. She heard him say goodbye in the

distance. “Had he really said that?” Her heart pounded..

She closed her eyes. She could visualize his smile only half visible under his full moustache. His eyes were so blue she felt compelled to stare at them. She did miss him – and

it’s strange, she thought, he never mentioned standing her up for his cute little blonde friend. He did know the right things not to say!

A wave of disappointment swept over her again!

“Why should I care anyway?”” But her heart said she

did care. She wanted to share her love with him. She felt guilty about sounding so abrupt .

He had sounded so sweet on the phone. So concerned

about her. Why had he called anyway? She wondered. She

laid her head between her hands, “Oh God, what am I to

do?” She wished she could be in his arms listening to his wonderful voice in person. Now she felt the tug-of-war

going on in her heart! How could she think such thoughts!

Why wasn’t she remembering Tom’s arms around her? She

felt more pangs of guilt! A memory came pounding back,

a loving moment like so many, when she promised Tom

she would never love anyone else, ever!

It had been one of those many special times for both

of them. It brought tears to her eyes.

Pamela fell asleep with a heavy heart. A heart aching

for love! A fulfilling kind of love that she knew she could never have with Jeff.

Grant Mondane left word at the hotel desk that he

108 __________________Gloria Graham

would call the following morning. When the phone rang,

she was still in bed.

“Are you up?” he asked, his voice much friendlier than

before!

“Grant?” she yawned.

“Have breakfast with me, at La Boheme. I’m in a

fantastic mood and I want to make up to you for my bad

manners. Please don’t say no!”

He was very persuasive. Pamela didn’t have the heart

to turn him down!

She arrived at the restaurant only fifteen minutes late.

Grant had reserved a small table in the corner.

“This is a beautiful spot – just like I dreamed breakfast in Paris would be!” She smiled as Grant pulled out her

chair.

His manners were as polished as he looked. Every hair

was in its place, his jacket impeccably clean and pressed.

Yet, he had an underlying mystery about him that made

her curious.

After they ordered, Grant could wait no longer--!!

“Well, what do you think about Rex’s suggestion that

we try and merge our talents?”

Pamela had spent a lot of time thinking things over.

“There are a lot of things I need to know about you. Rex

explained a little about your chain, and the financial problems you are facing. But I want to hear it from you. What can you give to this merger?” She took a deep breath.

Grant opened up. “I’m one of the best business men

around and I know it,” he smiled. “The profits don’t show it this year, but I’ve had my hands tied by some cantanker-ous stockholders!” Pamela listened intently.

A Memory Unchained___________ 109

“I never had a childhood worth talking about,” he said.

“My mother felt it was more important to travel all over

the world with Mondane.” Grant’s cheerful, carefree look

turned sour.

“I take it you didn’t care for your stepfather,” Pamela

interjected.

“You got it. He took my mother from me – left me to

grow up in a boarding school. Don’t get me wrong, my

mother was good to me financially. But it wasn’t the same.”

He paused – his eyes were moist. She could feel the hurt

in his heart.

“I grew up without the love of a mother or a father

– that simple.”

“But you inherited an empire!” She tried to encourage

him to talk more.

Grant continued, he was deep in his recollection of his

childhood.

“While the other guys were off fishing and hiking with

their fathers, I was studying or reading. The boarding

school was OK—but not like having your own parents.”

Pamela sighed, she prayed she would say the right

things.

“What about college? Didn’t that help?” She asked.

“Sure, I sowed a lot of wild oats, got a chance to go

to America on a spelling tour once, then I stepped into

Mondanes department store chain running. It didn’t give

me much time to enjoy growing up.”

“I guess not, if you were just nineteen.” She smiled.

“It wasn’t easy at first. Then I realized my future was at stake, so I took hold and made it work for me.” He still

looked very serious.

110 __________________Gloria Graham

“I’d say you did alright!” She smiled.

“Yeh, but I missed all the fun times – dating, soccer

games – the good times!”

He looked like a sad little boy at that moment.

“Have you been in love?” Pamela asked trying to keep

the conversation on the lighter plane.

“Once – she was young – not ready for a meaningful

relationship!” He didn’t seem to want to elaborate so Pa-

mela dropped the subject.

Grant pondered for a while. His hands were shaking.

He continued his story…

“When news came of the plane crash – my mother and

stepfather were dead – I didn’t feel anything. I wondered why I couldn’t cry, or feel bad. It took a few sessions on the old couch before I realized I hadn’t lost anything. You can’t loose what you never had!” Grant seemed to pull himself

together with that statement.

Pamela took that as a sign to get onto another sub-

ject.

She began telling him how much she was intrigued

with Paris, the beautiful old buildings and the work of

the masters.

She felt Grant’s eyes watching her intently. She had an

uncomfortable feeling. Pamela paused several times to gaze into his meaningful beautiful blue eyes. The intensity of his stare, the cute way his mouth curved when he laughed

reminded her of Jeff and his undeniable charm.

“Tell me, what are you doing about your financial

condition now?” She tried to make conversation. His stare was discomforting. Pamela listened.

“I bought the stockholders out last fall. We’re on the

A Memory Unchained___________ 111

upswing now, but a year like that takes something really

great, like Rex’s collection, to pull it out completely.”

“And money!” she added. “As I see it then,” she began,

“Rex has given me the honor of supervising his collection and you a place in Europe to market it. Now what we need

is a silent partner in America with money! Right?”

“It’s the greatest opportunity of my life,” he said. “If

we can swing it.”

She could see the glow in his eyes. He looked like a

little boy with his first new bike. It was a charming quality. Pamela caught herself staring at him as he talked. He reminded her of Jeff in so many ways, only younger, much

younger.

She watched him spread his notebook all over the table

and begin making notes as they talked.

“By the way I love your smile, in fact I love everything

about you. Is that OK?” he said bluntly!

Pamela nodded “Yes!” She smiled, shaking her head in

disbelief! Grant flashed a very sensuous smile at her.

“With someone who has such energy along with Rex’s

magnificent design collection, Mondanes could be out of

the red in no time! We need someone who can see what

possibilities we really have,” she said thoughtfully.

Pamela sat quietly for a moment.

“Why so quiet?” He interrupted her moment.

Pamela was beaming. She smiled and then, as if a light

had been turned on, she couldn’t hide her excitement.

“Go call Rex,” she ordered. “Get him down here. I have

an idea that just might work!”

Grant looked at her for a long moment, then decided

she was serious and headed toward the telephone booth!

Pamela hated goodbyes! Rex had made

sure she was loaded with packages. He sent Jill every new perfume Paris had to offer!

Rex hated goodbyes too.

“It won’t be for long Chéri, we shall be together again, in your beautiful country!” he laughed. His eyes sparkled.

“I hope it works!” she whispered.

“I shall miss you,” Rex’s voice cracked.

Pamela turned to face him. “I’ll miss you too!” Their

eyes locked for a brief moment.

Then Rex pulled her close and kissed her on the mouth.

He had never done that before. His kisses had been sweet

gestures on the cheek or hand holding through the streets 114 __________________Gloria Graham

of Paris, but this was different!

“I’m sorry, Mon Ami, I forgot myself, I wish...” he

stopped!

She waited for him to continue.

“Forgive me,” he apologized. “Consider it my goodbye

kiss, for a time.”

Pamela was speechless! She took another long look

at him. A different kind of look. Had he always been so

handsome? Did he always smell this good? Pamela felt

that funny twinge in her stomach again. Had something

happened these past three weeks and she didn’t even know

it? It had been the most thrilling time of her life and Rex was a big part of that feeling!

Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead as she

watched Rex seemingly in a terrible hurry. She knew their kiss had disturbed him greatly!

“No sad goodbyes,” he said quickly. “Grant will be here

very shortly to see you off Chéri. God be with you!” he said and he disappeared through the revolving glass doorway

that led to the street.

Pamela watched him, bewildered by her own disturbed

emotions. She wondered why she felt lonesome for him

already. As precisely the same time that Rex left, Grant

entered the doorway.

“What was his hurry?” Grant questioned. “He didn’t

even speak!”

Pamela tried to explain as best she could! “He doesn’t

like goodbyes he said”

“Nor do I” he paused, “and we can’t say them, not

yet!”

“Why not?” Pamela looked bewildered!

A Memory Unchained___________ 115

“There’s some kind of trouble with the flight, not too

serious I understand.”

“What now?” Pamela shifted from one foot to the other

nervously.

“A five hour delay,” he responded.

“You’re kidding! That sounds serious to me!” She looked

perplexed.

“Nope, just takes time!” he said.

“You might know it would happen to me! I’m so anx-

ious to get home, to see my daughter.” She sighed.

“Your daughter?” he said in shock. “You – have a baby?”

A look of surprise crossed Grants face.

Pamela laughed. The situation didn’t call for laughter,

but his remark was the icing on the cake!

“My baby, is about your age, I’m sorry to say.” She

smiled.

“That’s not possible,” he responded. “You’re my age!”

“She’s twenty-one, and a beauty. The love of my life!”

She watched Grant’s expression intently.

Grant stammered, his jaw set and his eyes flashing.

“I’m thirty you know!” He growled.

“Just a baby,” Pamela smiled.

“Not too young!” His tone had changed to one of ir-

ritation. The look in his eyes gave Pamela an uneasy feeling again!

“Five hours is a long time to spend in this airport,”

he said. “Let’s go to my apartment. It’s close by and we

can wait out the repairs!” He added, “I’ll leave my phone number and they can call if there are any changes.”

Pamela couldn’t say no, even if she did feel uneasy. She

116 __________________Gloria Graham

would never want to hurt Grant’s feelings.

“Run for it,” Grant instructed as the taxis pulled up

to the curb. The weather had closed in and it was raining outside.

“I can’t believe how quickly this storm came up.” She

dashed for the taxi. Grant laughed as he ducked in beside her.

“They pass just as quickly!” he brushed his coat off.

Pamela shivered.

“You’re freezing and wet!” he said. “Cuddle up and I’ll

get you warm.”

She didn’t resist. His coat and strong arms around her