Loving You (Remembrance Series, Book 2) (13 page)

I awoke when Gregory pulled me into his arms, when he got home. “Have you eaten anything?” I shook my head. “Do you want something to eat? I could sense on the drive home that you were panicked. I’m guessing your dreams are getting the best of you?” I nodded my head, not wanting to talk.

“Why don’t we get a little something to munch on, even if it’s just a bowl of cereal?” I was thinking about it when my stomach rumbled and ratted me out. Before I knew what happened, there was a tray with two cereal bowls and some juice on the bed and Gregory insisting I eat.

“I think I have a couple of songs that will cheer you up, while we eat.” He reached for his MP3 player and connected it to his clock radio. I smiled as our song,
I Knew I Love You,
by Savage Garden, came through the speakers. It warmed my heart and reminded me how deep our love is.

I was surprised at the song that followed. I wasn’t a big fan of Boy Bands, but did fancy Boyzone. It had been my favorite song to play whenever I was feeling down in college. The song ,
No Matter What,
talked about how things in life may go wrong, how people can sometimes try to keep you apart, but ‘No Matter What,’ love will prevail. I had to ask, “Did my mom tell you this was my favorite song?”

Gregory looked at me smiling and shaking his head. “No, but it has always been one of my favorites when I’m feeling down. I was hoping the words would let you know that whatever life throws at you, I’ll always be here.”

I hoped he was right. That no matter what was thrown our direction, we would make it through. The music helped calm me and led to wonderful dreams of a future together with this amazing man.

The next day, several of Pamela’s followers come up to me in the hallway screaming, “How could you?” One was shouting profanity so loud that Caroline called her in the office and the minion was sent home for the day without pay.

It was hard to keep up the act, but I continued to ask “What are you talking about?” anytime someone approached me with a snarky comment.

One of the girls in Marketing said that her friend saw me at the hospital on Saturday morning. I was finally forced to lie through my teeth. “That would be impossible, since I was with my boyfriend and his family the entire weekend.” It was not a full lie, but enough to make the employee question her source.

At lunchtime, I had to get out of there and stretch my legs. I got in my car, drove around for a while and called Gregory to tell him all the sordid details of my morning. He could not talk long, but assured me things would get better.

I returned to the office about twenty minutes later, feeling isolated and alone. I worked as I ate my lunch at my desk, leaving the door slightly closed to avoid hearing further comments that were directed my way.

Caroline called me over the phone again. “Jordan, we know that Pamela was a twister of truths and had everyone convinced of great things to come. Some may realize they have been lied to and others may try to avenge her. Just watch your back and hang in there.”

“No problem, Caroline. I love this job.” I tried to reassure her. My nerves were rattled; so, I kept to my office and continued to work while avoiding as much interaction with the staff as possible.

Sometime mid-afternoon, I was called up to the front desk for a delivery. I was surprised to see an arrangement of long stemmed red roses. Some of the front desk staff was curious as to what Gregory had written, this time.

When I opened the card, my guess was that his words were meant to be heard in an effort to throw everyone off of my trail. I owed him so much for coming to my rescue. I read aloud:

As I walked back toward my office, there was some chatter about how thoughtful my fiancée was. The skeptics, however, were not buying the flowers and sentiments. “I bet she sent the flowers to herself just to cover her actions.”

My heart sank as I wondered how long I would have to put up with the dissension. Pamela’s followers were extremely loyal. I could only hope that they would eventually see her for who she was.

I worked a little longer than usual, hoping to avoid running into many of my co-workers, as they left work. It wasn’t until my cell phone rang, that I realized it was almost seven o’clock.

“Hi babe, sorry; I lost track of time and will be on my way, soon. I will call you when I reach halfway. Love you, too. Bye.”

I quickly wrapped up my work and headed out, wishing Caroline a good night.

Caroline motioned for me to step in her office a moment. “Is everything ok, dear?”

“Just some comments and speculations flying around; appears I am the focal point of their aggression.”

She shook her head and took a deep breath. “Just hang in there, Jordan. Play the part and eventually they will start to doubt things and place their attention elsewhere.”

I agreed, hoping she was right; then left for the evening.

On the way home, I called my mother. “What’s wrong, dear?” Mom always knew when something was up.

I shed a few tears as I explained the fall-out amongst Pamela’s loyalists; about their labeling me as the prime suspect, and how Gregory had attempted to throw them off my trail, but they were still skeptical.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up. Both Caroline and Gregory feel I am strong enough; but inside, this is tearing me to pieces.”

My mother’s voice calmed me. “Everything will work out in the end. It appears there is a leak in the office, that’s why you are being targeted. I think Caroline is trying to fish out who is the cause of all the problems. I hate to say I agree, but stand your ground; you did nothing wrong. Eventually, her friends will either leave or realize that Pamela was leading them on.”

Her words were soothing, allowing me to regain my composure. “Thanks, Mom. You always know the right words to say.”

“Remember to take care of yourself, have a good meal and turn in early tonight. I think a good night’s sleep may help you feel a bit more refreshed and ready to handle whatever comes your way, tomorrow.”

I did as Mom asked, finishing what I could of my food and then got into bed early, trying to gain some extra rest. The emotions of everything were draining me more than I realized and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The talk I had with Mom and getting an ample amount of sleep helped to renew my spirit. I woke up ready to take on the day and deflect any bad attitudes at work.

The office demeanor was quite pleasant, upon arrival. However, as soon as Pamela’s team arrived, everyone’s dispositions changed from upbeat to a sense of dread; as if Pamela, herself, were in the office. But that would be impossible.

There were remarks, as people passed by my office door, but I decided to put up a positive shield and let them deflect off of it. I didn’t want to give anyone the satisfaction of knowing how much they hurt.

It was no surprise that the voices attached to the comments came from Sydney and Eleanor, two of Pamela’s top supporters, from our accounting department. “I don’t understand why she is lying to everyone. Why doesn’t she just fess up that she is the reason Pamela is gone? Who does she think she’s kidding, sending flowers to herself and making up false stories about spending the weekend with her boyfriend? Everyone knows she’s too pure to do that.”

The comments hurt, but I was determined not to give anyone the satisfaction and instead focused intently on my work.

The hurtful statements continued throughout the course of the morning. I wished I was unable to hear them. I’d finally had enough to the point I quietly stated to myself, “I wish they would focus on something else to bitch about for a while and leave me alone.”

“She’s fooling no one….” The statement was never completed.

“Who’s fooling no one?”

“For some reason I lost my train of thought.” They walked on down the hall, quietly.
Wow, that was odd. I couldn’t have caused that; or did I?

I was looking forward to escaping the office, again, for lunch—just to drive around and clear my mind. I had gathered my things and was about to put my phone on ‘Out of Office’, when Karen buzzed me, stating I had a delivery at the front desk.

I hadn’t heard from Gregory all day, but he’d already sent flowers, yesterday, so I couldn’t imagine what could be waiting for me up front. As I walked through the filing room and into the reception area, I saw a variety of smiles and giggles from several employees.

When I rounded the corner, I saw Gregory and his mother. I quickly gave each of them a hug. “What are you both doing here?”

Gregory spoke up first, “I had some business downtown and mom was in the area helping the curator with the new Revolutionary Exhibit at the History Center. Since we were both nearby we decided to surprise you for lunch. Besides, we didn’t get to finish our discussion about potential caterers for our upcoming party while we were at my parent’s place this weekend.”

I noticed his voice got a little louder on the last portion of the conversation.

Lorraine spoke up next. “Do you have time for lunch, Jordan? We had such a busy weekend and there’s still so much to discuss. We were hoping we could get a few more details ironed out over lunch.”

I asked Lorraine if she wanted a quick tour of the office. She was impressed by the size of our organization and, to my surprise, happened to know Caroline. Turns out they went to college together. For a while, I didn’t think we were even going to make lunch with how long Lorraine and Caroline stood in the hall catching up. Before we headed out, Caroline had made arrangements to meet up with Lorraine for dinner, one evening soon.

Lunch was amazing, at a new French restaurant that had recently opened. My nerves were still on end, so I opted for one of their specialty quiches and some fresh fruit. To my surprise, Lorraine wanted both of us to swing by the Revolutionary Exhibit sometime over the next few days. She was going to spend the week helping place the items in the proper chronological order by date. She had discovered a couple of pieces that dated back to some of our ancestors and thought we might get a kick out of seeing them, since we were both history buffs.

I was about to politely decline the offer, citing our work schedules, when I found myself facing Ray at the table in the suddenly empty restaurant. I jumped, placing my hand above my heart, slightly shaken from his sudden appearance. His long golden locks were pulled back in his usual ponytail at the nape of his neck, his blue eyes sparkled in delight, and he was dressed in all white.

“I was wondering if I was ever going to see you again, Ray.”

His expression was rather serious. “There hasn’t been a need until now. You need to know there has been a shift in the darkness. The witch has been somewhat subdued for now and has had her dark spirits doing her dirty work for her.”

“Wouldn’t that be good news?”

He shook his head. “Just because she is passive, doesn’t mean she can’t get to you. Know that if a heart has the potential to hate, then it has the ability to let evil in and let it take over. I’m forbidden to say more, as you both need to discover this on your own.

“As for the progress you’ve made in discovering your former selves, take the invitation to the History Center. The answers you seek may be found in hidden treasures of days past. Patience, and belief in your talents, will lead you the rest of the way.”

“Can I ask you something?”

He nodded. “You want to know why you had to deal with Pamela.”

“How did you know?”

Ray raised one eyebrow, in an all knowing look. “We know and see everything, Jordan. But, to answer your question, you have a great deal of strength lurking beneath the surface and needed a push to learn to stand for yourself. Your ethics and moral code serve you well. Your limits will continue to be tested, but it is to prepare you for the harsher things to come. We will protect you the best we can, as both of your powers start to fully emerge.”

I guess Ray could see the fear in my facial expression, because he placed a hand on my arm, giving me instant peace from his serenity. “You and Gregory are our greatest hope of the prophecy being fulfilled. Know that you are strongest when you stand together. Your faith in each other may be tested, but remember deception and lies are common tricks of the darkness.”

He glanced back at a white sparkling light, heading his direction. “I must take my leave. Hold strong to your beliefs and your love for each other; it will help counter anything the spirits throw at you.”

Before I could say another word, he was gone and Lorraine was asking, “So what do you think? Would Friday after work, around 6:30, work for both of you?”

Gregory looked as though he were ready to decline when I held his hand tightly in mine; letting him feel the feather I just stuffed into his palm. “A private tour of the exhibit sounds like a lovely idea, Lorraine. I’m sure we can both get off work a little early so we can meet you there.”

He looked over at me like I had lost my mind, given our current work schedules. When he glanced in his hand and saw the white feather, his eyes bolted to mine. I mouthed the word, “Ray,” and he changed his tone. “We can’t wait, Mom. I’ll make sure I’m done with work early. Will Dad be joining us?”