A Memory Unchained (6 page)

That same laughter had filled the courts that Saturday

when she and Jeff played tennis together.

It was easy to have fun with him. Pamela had won-

dered why the gossip columnists portrayed him as such a

playboy.

When the match ended Jeff had jumped over the net

and shook her hand gingerly.

“You lied! You’re good!” he said out of breath.

She apologized for winning. “It’s really been a long

time, honest!”

“I’d hate to play you when you’re not rusty! Guess I’d

better practice up for the next match!”

Pamela grinned sheepishly! She felt encouraged he was

thinking of a “next time”!

The stars were shining brightly over Paris as Pamela

continued to watch the young couple on the court. She

knew they were Americans too. They were young and she

could tell, in love, and in a foreign country like her.

She walked to the fence as they finished their match.

50 __________________Gloria Graham

“Hello,” she called.

They were elated.

“You’re American!” the young girl almost screamed. The

young man grabbed his jacket and headed for the gate.

“Hello,” they answered. Pamela could feel the

happiness they felt at seeing an “American friend.”

She had a wonderful time talking about Boston and New

York with the couple. They were on their honeymoon,

homesick, and eager to share California with her.

As tired as she was, Pamela felt they needed someone

to talk with, to feel a relationship of home with.

She watched the couple, so much in love, as they re-

turned to the court.

Her thoughts returned to Jeff and their Saturday to-

gether at the tennis club.

Their Saturday afternoon had passed all too quickly.

They had gone swimming in the club pool and rested

under the shade of the umbrella in the flower lined patio garden.

Pamela had felt definitely attracted to him. He was

good to be with and so handsome, she thought.

When the day ended, Jeff made it clear he wanted to see

her again, soon. Her heart pounded in excitement. After

bidding Jeff goodbye, she barely returned home when the

phone rang. It was Jill.

“Mom! Where have you been?” She sounded wor-

ried.

“Sorry darling. I should have called! Jeff and I have been playing tennis today! Remember I told you about it?”

Jill sighed, “Guess I forgot when it was. I couldn’t

imagine where you were, I was worried when I couldn’t

A Memory Unchained___________ 51

get you!”

Pamela realized how her daughter felt. She had trained

her well. Jill had always been considerate of her mother’s feelings and concerns.

She apologized and began to tell her about her date

with Jeff. She hesitated when she got to her real feelings.

Pamela decided to keep that part of her life her secret, for the time being at least.

Pamela waved to the young couple still playing tennis

and decided to call it a day. Her memories of Jeff and Jill had made her homesick.

She had trouble falling asleep. Her prayers were filled

with the anxieties she felt inside. She was grateful for her experience in Paris, for Rex, her new friend, and very excited about this new phase in her life.

The harder she tried to go to sleep, the wider awake she

was. “Sleep Pamela,” she warned herself, “or you’ll look

awful tomorrow!”

The brakes squealed. Pamela clung tightly

to Rex’s arm. A look of panic frozen on her face.

“This is Parie!” Rex laughed.

“Eight lanes of traffic?” Pamela gulped. “It’s unbeliev-

able!”

She didn’t loosen her grip on his arm as they crossed

the main street, the Avenue De Champ Elyses.

“It’s a driver’s nightmare!” she gasped. Cars darted in

and out like dots on a video screen.

A brisk breeze lifted the dried up leaves off the side-

walk, pushing them into small clumps around the base of

the trees that lined the Avenue. Pamela pulled her jacket around her neck.

Traffic was not a new experience for Pamela, but the

traffic in Paris was unlike anything she had ever seen.

54 __________________Gloria Graham

Rex laughed watching her jerk and jump.

They window shopped, stopping to pick up souvenirs

and gifts for her to take home.

Rex watched as she tried desperately to explain the

size sweater she wanted for Jill. Pamela’s arms waved and measured as she spoke her broken French.

Finally he rescued her, laughing as he gave the right

size to the salesgirl.

“I’m really the foreigner here, aren’t I?” she smiled,

tucking the sweater bag under her arm.

“Not to me, Chéri, I’ll take care of you.” He smiled,

clasping his hand in hers.

Rex pointed to the other end of the Boulevard where a

magnificent arch covered the entire eight lanes of traffic.

“It’s the Arc de Triomphe!” She recognized it from pic-

tures of the end of the World War II. “I can just imagine the heartache of the French people when the Germans marched

through that arch” She sighed, holding the back of her neck as she looked upward! “It’s truly a masterpiece.”

“Oui,” he said thoughtfully.

As they walked past the entrance to the famous Lido

de Parie, the nightclub of nightclubs, she remarked how

small it looked.

“It’s so obscure! I would have passed right by it! I’d

never guess that was the famous Lido!” She shook her

head in disbelief.

“It’s beautiful inside, quite compact. If you like we can take in the show before you leave! It’s a tourist trap I must admit!” He said reluctantly.

Rex noticed her slowing down. “When you tire of walk-

ing, let me know and we shall ride back to my villa.”

A Memory Unchained___________ 55

“How can I tell you that when I’m receiving the most

wonderful tour in town?” She smiled, hoping she had not

revealed how tired she was.

“Let’s ride awhile, Chéri, you look exhausted!” Rex

walked to the curb, lifted his hand, and within seconds

his maroon limousine pulled up alongside.

Rex continued pointing out the interesting tourist at-

tractions as they rode along.

“I’ve never seen a city with so many huge churches in

it, seems like every corner has one.” She pointed to the

massive brick building covered with ivy.

“It’s the City of Love!” Rex smiled.

Pamela’s eyes were busy taking in all the sights of

Paris.

She sat quietly until one particular sight puzzled her.

In the center of every block stood a small green receptacle.

It seemed to be a very popular place. Each enclosure had

a long line waiting to get inside.

“Those,” she pointed, “What are they?”

Rex smiled sheepishly and answered, “Relief sta-

tions.”

Pamela thought for a minute, then without thinking

blurted out, “Outdoor toilets? How gross!”

Rex laughed. “You are blushing again!!”

“I can’t believe I used that word, ‘gross.’ It’s Jill’s favorite word and I usually detest it. But it really fits the situation!”

Pamela turned her neck around to take another look at the relief stations. “Right out on this busy avenue, I just can’t believe that!” she mumbled.

Pamela eased back in the plush seat and smiled at

Rex.

56 __________________Gloria Graham

“That smile, Chéri, what do you know that I don’t?”

He asked.

“You really do enjoy your designer status don’t you!”

Pamela laughed.

Rex smiled.

“Oui,” he answered bashfully.

“Women adore you, how on earth have you stayed

single?”

“I have been waiting for you Chéri!”

Pamela laughed and squeezed his hand.

“You do make me feel so special!” she sighed.

“Because you are!”

“Be serious now. Why haven’t you ever married?” She

paused, realizing her question was an invasion of Rex’s

privacy. “Please forgive me, I shouldn’t be so.. personal!”

Her embarrassment showed on her face!

“Again, Chéri, you blush!’ His eyes twinkled. “You

are my friend, remember? Friends share a secret part of

themselves, Qui?”

Pamela felt relieved.

He began to open up. “I fell in love only once, intense

and forbidden.” Lines across his brow gave away the hurt

he still carried inside.

“It was the wife of my best friend,” Rex paused, watch-

ing Pamela’s expression.

“Are you shocked?” he asked.

“Should I be? You must have had a good reason,” she

said quickly. “You are a compassionate, loving man. Should I be?” she asked again.

The understanding between them had become so spe-

cial; she felt she could almost finish his story herself.

A Memory Unchained___________ 57

Rex beamed. “My friend ignored his wife. She turned

to me for company.” As he spoke, lines formed on his

forehead. “She needed a friend!”

“Did you fall in love?” Pamela concluded as if she al-

ready knew the answer.

“Head over heels!” he answered quickly. “She was lone-

some, needed someone to lean on. I was there.” Rex looked far away. Pamela listened.

“Her husband didn’t want her, but he wouldn’t let her

go.”

“He must have loved her, why else would he try to make

her stay?” Pamela waited for Rex to respond.

“Oui. It was for the best. I can see that now. But

then…” he paused. “I convinced her of that.”

“And what now?”

“They moved to England. They have a sweet baby girl

now. I’m the Godfather.” Rex’s face beamed.

“We are both feeling our loss, my husband and your...”

she hesitated.

“My forbidden love,” he said softly.

“Things do happen for the best. We just have to be

patient. God is such a wonderful planner.” She smiled.

“Oui.” Rex bowed slightly.

“Chéri, I’d like to do something very special for you,”

he said.

“You already have, every day!” She smiled.

“Come, let’s have some excitement!” He instructed his

chauffeur to drive to the airport.

A slick blue and white Lear Jet with bold letters spelling out “REX DUPAR INT” on the side was being refueled.

“It’s yours?” Pamela was overwhelmed.

58 __________________Gloria Graham

“We’ll lunch in Monte Carlo, do some sightseeing and

be back by tea time! Let’s go!”

It was a world of the fairy princess, fancy cars, chauf-

feurs, private jets, and lunch on the Riviera.

Pamela took a deep breath. “Am I really alive?” she

thought!

She said a quiet prayer as the jet raced down the run-

way. The whirlwind tour of Monte Carlo was exciting. Rex

made sure she didn’t miss a thing.

When they returned to Paris, she laughed and hugged

Rex.

“I can’t believe this day!” Her eyes were sparkling. Rex

held her hand.

“Chéri, you are so lovely, you enjoy life so.” He smiled

and kissed her hand.

“Now, what about tomorrow?”

“Haven’t we done it all?” she said breathlessly.

“Not so, Chéri, Don’t forget my dinner party tomor-

row evening.”

Pamela leaned across the seat and kissed him tenderly

on the cheek.

“I can hardly wait,” she paused. “You are so wonderful.

Today will be a very special memory for me, forever!” She squeezed his arm.

“For me too,” he said and waved as his limousine pulled

back into traffic.

She walked nonchalantly to the pool area. Only a few

people were still there. Pamela pulled up a lounge chair

and positioned the back so that she could see the stars.

She felt warm and comfortable after being with Rex. She

closed her eyes.

A Memory Unchained___________ 59

Her thoughts rocked back to the night so much like

this one, that she and Jeff had their special time together, alone.

As they had dined and danced, a special feeling began

to take shape.

“Let’s go somewhere special!” Jeff had whispered and

began helping her on with her coat.

“Where shall we go?” she smiled lovingly.

“There’s a small café up the coast, a very special place, good music, a better dance floor, you’ll like it,” he added.

“Shall we go?” She nodded in agreement.

She slipped her hand into his as they walked to his

car.

The drive along the coast was beautiful at night. Jeff

put the top down on his beautiful silver convertible so they could view the stars.

Pamela loved the wind whipping through her hair.

“It’s like nowhere else in the world,” she whispered.

Jeff leaned closer.

“The ocean, you mean?” he asked.

“Yes, the sea, it has a magic all it’s own, so endless, so steadfast, one of the God’s true masterpieces!”

He smiled. “A little serious aren’t we?” he joked.

“Yes, but it’s so special.” She sighed.

The winding road led off the highway to the café over-

looking the ocean.

It was just like Jeff had said, cozy, quiet and very ro-

mantic. Flickering candlelight lit the room that echoed

soft romantic music.

The Maître d’ seemed to know Jeff.

“Your table is ready, Mr. Desmond!”

60 __________________Gloria Graham

Jeff held her close as they danced. Then he whispered

in her ear, “I wish we could really get to know each other, without all these people!” He kissed her softly on the neck.