Once Within A Lifetime (7 page)

“
I am looking forward to meeting your dad and the rest of your family. He must be a really marvelous person.”

“
He certainly is,” she nodded.

After
their snack, they went downstairs to have some coffee and dessert on the patio near the garden and talked of his plans to stay on for a few days.

“
I don’t have to get back to my business again right away and have no travel plans for a couple of weeks.”

“
That is wonderful. Can you stay all that time?” she asked hopefully. “When do you have to leave? I will have to spend some time working on my new line of fashions. I want to take time to plan and work on some men’s fashions, something I had not considered before. It had just not crossed my mind. I was just a women’s fashion designer, now I want to be a more versatile designer, covering whatever I desire to do, with an added interest in men’s lines and especially in ties, and your ideas the other day can help me a lot. While you’re here I’d like to have you help me with my designs and critique them if you will. You can check my ideas and designs as I go along. That will be great, do you mind? I also want to be sure to plan some time for us.”

“
I will be delighted to help in any way I can. Maybe I can help you with something around the house or garden to keep busy.”

“
I will think about it seriously. You can talk to the gardener to see if he can use some help. He does a great job with everything here.”

They
went outside to find the gardener but he was nowhere around. “We will find him tomorrow,” she told him.

A shower came up quickly and they ran together to the alcove of her front door. They were laughing and stopped as they reached the shelter. Their eyes met and they embraced and he gently kissed her. He pulled away for fear he was being too forward, but they both realized that they were emotionally involved and kissed again. This brought them even closer together on a different level and they smiled as they walked inside. It also relieved some of the built-up tension between them.

“
It was bound to happen,” she reached out and patted his hand and reassured him. “I am glad it did, aren’t you? I am surprised it did not happen sooner.”

“
Yes, dear, I am glad. I have felt like doing it many times, but I did not want to appear wrong to you in any way, in anything. I hold you in deepest respect.”

“
That’s especially good because respect can be a good guide to our actions if we think that way whenever we plan to do something. A girl likes to feel respected and safe.”

This
brought them even closer together and they knew they were on a definite level of their relationship and smiled as they walked inside.

They
spent a quiet afternoon together, and after an early dinner, he decided to go to his quarters to work on some things he would have to do when he returned home in a couple of weeks. He said goodnight, kissed her, and went to the cottage. She entered the house and leaned against the door staring into space. It was good to have a little time by herself right now to do some thinking. She realized that her life was about to take on some changes and they were not at all clear at this point, but she knew that, as they came up, they would deal with them
together.
This word had taken on a whole new meaning
'together'
, it seemed so nice to think and say, 'together.' It would take some time to adjust, but it was so nice to know that someone would always be there ready and willing to be of help in any way.
How would she do her
work? How could she possibly concentrate? How could they be apart?

It
was getting a little confusing and her head was spinning.
Did everyone feel this way when they were in love?

She
could not imagine at this point ever leaving her precious home she had created and wondered how he would feel and where he would want to live. She didn’t know anything about his home and family. There was so much to talk about but tonight she must not think of them or she would not get to sleep and she wanted to be fresh and alert tomorrow.

The
following day she awoke with a start. A clap of thunder resounded and the lightning flashed. It was raining hard and a strong wind blew. She wondered if Todd had an umbrella. She was a little disappointed because she had hoped to take him to a nearby beach so they could walk barefoot in the sand and talk.

As
they met for breakfast, which they would have inside for obvious reasons, they discussed some options of things to do on such a rainy day.

She
suggested, “How about going into town to take in a movie? There is a nice one playing there at the local cinema this week. It will be a nice relaxing change for both of us. We can have an early lunch and leave for the theater to catch the matinee.”

After
lunch he drove the car up to the door to pick her up and they drove into town, parked and went into the theater. They found a seat near the back and settled down to watch the movie. It was a love story.

He
looked at her and said, “Wait a minute, we have to eat popcorn at the movies, don’t we?”

She
smiled and nodded and he went out to the entryway to get some along with a drink. He returned, sat down, and they began to eat the popcorn.

Soon
the movie began and they got involved in the story. Like many movies, it had a sad part and she began to cry. He looked at her lovingly and gave her his handkerchief to wipe away her tears. Then he put his arm around her shoulders. He loved her sensitivity and deep emotions. She was a wonderful person and he was so grateful he had found her.

The
movie was very enjoyable, and when it had finished, they left the theater and went to the car. He put his arm around her and when they got to the car, he helped her inside, then went around and got in himself.

She
looked at him as he sat in the seat beside her and suggested, “Let’s drive around town a bit so I can show you some of the sights. Would you like to do that?”

“
Sounds good to me. Which way do we go?”

She
pointed in the direction she wanted to go and he started to drive that way. After a short distance they looked up one of the streets and saw an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. They both spoke at the same time, “Let’s go in.”

He
drove up front, parked, helped her out of the car, then took her arm and led her inside the shop. They found a small round table in the corner and sat down. A waitress came over and took their order. They ate slowly and lingered as long as they could. It was such a quaint little shop.

Afterward
they went back to the car, got in, and started for home.

“
It will be a great day to have a fire in the large living room fireplace. Even in the warmth of summer, the air is cool in the thunder storm.”

When
they arrived at the house, he parked by the front entrance to help her out of the car and they ran for the alcove. Remembering what happened there yesterday, they again embraced and kissed gently. They entered the living room and he got everything ready for the fire, lit it, and then went to sit in one of the large chairs facing the fire. She was already seated in the other one beside it. They began to discuss things about their lives.

She
related, “My parents have always been so kind and loving to me and so much in love with each other. They’ve been a wonderful and positive example for me all these years of true, married happiness and joy. It is only recently that I realize what a precious thing it has been to me. It is so easy to take things for granted, not fully considering the influences and examples in our life and how much they affect us. Parents need to be very careful what they do because it influences so deeply. They live in a nearby town and visit me as often as they can and keep in touch with me regarding my travel schedules. My older brother lives in an adjoining state, is married and has two lovely children, a boy of twelve, Graeme, and a girl, Carlita, who is eight. My brother and I were close growing up and spent a great deal of time together doing lots of things and talking about the future.”

Todd
related some of his story, “I have a brother, Matt, and a sister, Dirje. They both are younger than I and live not too far from where I live. My parents are a young appearing middle-age now and live in the same area I do. They have always been very helpful and supportive of all my life’s endeavors, leanings, and experiences.”

“
My parents were the same, encouraging me as I wanted to learn to design. It was a dream from childhood. My mother told me that I did a lot of sketches even as a very small child and spoke about wanting to do it when I grew up. I have been able to keep some of them which my mother saved for me. They were very interesting. I am surprised at the details I captured even then, so I guess I had a flair for it. I was sent to the finest schools and had my own room when I was home in which to study and work. I always loved my studies and my work and have been told that I am very creative. That was a big help in this line of work as you can understand and appreciate. I want to use it well and constructively so I will have no regrets later on for what I did not do.

There
are bound to be some, but I want to keep them to a minimum.”

“
My brother, Matt, is a construction engineer and supervisor and does very well in his work. He also has a creative nature which is beneficial to him in his line of work. His wife, Chantelle, is supportive and helpful to him and they’re very much in love. I know now that love is a deep caring for what happens in someone else's life. My sister, Dirje and husband, Cordell Wescott, are very happy and have two children, a girl, Sonya, three, and a boy, Jonathan, five.”

She
added, “ My brother, Reese, is an engineer and has helped design many beautiful buildings and homes here and in Europe. He loves my place and what has been done. His wife, Deanna, works with him as he gets things together. She is creative as well.”

“
Since I had been occupied and busy with my studies and work, I had not dated much at all during that time. So this has been a new experience for me. I had not met anyone or developed any interest in anyone up to this point. I have been out of school for six years now and doing very well in my business. It took about two or three years to get established in the field so I could enter into nearly any area or level in the fashion shows.”

They
talked until dusk, but had not been hungry because of the ice cream they ate earlier, which was quite some time after lunch. Nancy entered the room, asked if they’d been thinking about eating and where they would like to have dinner.

“
Why not eat in my studio? Is that alright with you, Todd?”

“
That sounds grand to me.” They climbed the stairs to the small area near a window where she ate and prepared snacks at times when she felt like nibbling.

Nancy
called after them, “It will be ready in about half an hour; I will bring drinks up to you right away.”

“
I will come down to get them and save you a trip,” answered Todd. “You will wear yourself out going up and down these stairs waiting on us. We appreciate your good cooking for us.”

“
The rain sounds great on the roof up here, doesn’t it? It is such a cozy feeling and makes you feel comfortable to be inside, warm, and pleasantly happy. I wonder if I should have a fireplace installed up here?” mused Triessa. “Sometimes the coziness does not do much to inspire doing anything but being lazy.”

“
I rather think the word should be relaxing,” replied Todd

They
sat looking out the window until dinner arrived. They ate and watched the rain fall on the garden. Lights in the garden, set on a timer, lit up beautifully and everything looked hazy through the rain.

“
It appears that the rain is here for the night, but it will be helpful to the garden and woodlands,” remarked Todd.

After
dinner they sat and talked a while then he decided to go back to the cottage. “I have some things which I need to prepare and mail to my parents and family so this is a good time to get them ready. We can take them into town and mail them tomorrow.”

They
walked slowly down the stairs together, speaking of the joy which the day and evening had brought to them. They said goodnight and kissed at the door and he took the car around to his cottage since it was still raining pretty hard.

She
went up the stairs and sat in a chair by the window in her bedroom with only a dim light on. She planned to listen to the rain on the roof for a while. It was so soothing.

After
about an hour she rose, took a warm shower, and prepared for bed. She lay there recalling much of their conversation by the fire and felt she knew him a little better and understood more about his family.
“Will I like them?”
she pondered.
“I am sure I will. Will they like me? I certainly hope so and I will do all I can to assure it.”
She was looking forward to meeting them, though somewhat nervous, and wondered how and when it would take place. She must figure out how to get him to meet her family as well. She drifted off to sleep and dreamed of him, which was not difficult, for he was about all she had on her mind these days.