Читать книгу Love Without a Home - Shari Mong - Страница 27

Elisa could not speak, she was surprised. She never expected this. Guy knew her feelings about marriage. She was married to her career. She had never let herself put a man before her career. She had never let herself, even before she met Guy, to fall in love with any man. Guy was a great man and surely any woman in Elisa’s shoes right now would say yes, but Elisa was not any other woman and while she loved spending time with Guy, she was not in love with him.

“Elisa darling, I know this is a surprise to you.” Guy was watching her.

“Oh Guy, we have known each other for a year yes, but you know where I stand on this.”

“Listen Elisa, you do not have to give me an answer right away. You can have time to think about it.” Guy told her putting the ring away. “I will not force you to do what you do not want to do, but I just wanted you to know Elisa while we had this time together to let you know how I feel.”

“Guy I do appreciate what you have done for me and given me. This trip, the jewelry, the wonderful lovemaking, and I do not want to seem ungrateful, but I thought that we had an understanding. I made a vow that I would not end up like my mother and depend on a man. That is why I worked hard and put myself through school to get myself where I am today and get out of the miserable life that I was in.”

“I am not asking you to give up anything Elisa darling. Your career or anything, but we could build a wonderful life together, with everything we have, we could travel and see the world. Like I said, I will give you time to think about it.”

“I have thought about it,” Elisa remarked.

“No you have not,” Guy said indignantly. Elisa was taken aback. She got up. “Where are you going Elisa?”

“I am going to change and go to bed, I am quite tired.”

“It is still early my dear, there is still so much left to do.” Guy stood up.

“Do what you want Guy, I am going to bed.” Elisa walked off and down the steps leaving Guy sitting there.

She changed into her chemise, washed up, and brushed her hair. She looked at the bed that they had made love in hours ago. She knew Guy had a guest bedroom so she slept there. Guy went down and did not see her in the bed. He looked and called out her name, but Elisa did not answer. He did not want to ruin this weekend with a fight. He looked in the guest bedroom and found Elisa sleeping. He wanted to walk up to her, to touch her skin, her hair, to kiss her but he did not dare.

Instead, he shut the door and went back out on the deck. He had his driver bring him some cognac and he drank thinking about tonight. The sun was setting and the sky was a mixture of blues and oranges. He would have loved to spend this night with Elisa. He sat there drinking and deep in thought.

The next morning, Elisa put on her robe and headed upstairs. She was sitting on the deck at the table drinking her tea and having a muffin. She was not really hungry. She sat there looking out at the other boats on the water. Guy came up and saw her sitting there. “Did you sleep well my Mon Cherie?” Guy sat down. His cook had asked him what he would like and Guy said to just bring him some coffee.

“I am sorry Elisa about last night. I sprung this on you.” Elisa sighed. The cook had brought out Guy’s coffee and left before Elisa spoke. Ignoring his question about how she had slept last night, she spoke.

“Please do not bring this subject up again or ask me.” Elisa continued to stare out at the water without looking at Guy.

“If I give you more t—,” but before Guy could finish, Elisa interrupted him.

“I do not need more time Guy, you have my answer. I have been honest with you from the beginning.” Elisa said sternly.

“Okay my Mon Cherie, I do not want to upset you anymore. We have a few hours to kill before we must leave. I thought that we would have lunch at my cottage and do some shopping before we leave. How does that sound to you Elisa?”

“I would like that Guy, but just as so long as you have me back before I have to go back to work.” Guy ordered his driver to take the yacht back. They sailed back to the dock and Elisa had gathered up her items. Guy’s limo driver took them back to his cottage. When they got there, Elisa went upstairs to freshen up for lunch. Guy told his servants how he wanted the table set and what they would be having.

When Elisa came down in white shorts, a pink off the shoulder silk blouse, a wide brimmed hat, and her sandals, Guy thought she looked like something out of a 1950’s movie. Oh how he wished that she would marry him. “Oh my dear, you look exquisite. “ He took her hand and kissed it. “I have already told my servants what to fix for lunch. Come please Elisa.”

The table was decorated with a lace tablecloth, fresh cut flowers, engraved silverware, and embroidered napkins. The lunch was delicious and they talked, but Guy never mentioned again about marriage. He hoped that she would eventually come around. They finished eating and did some last minute shopping before heading home.

Guy bought Elisa an expensive oil painting and a beautiful vase. Elisa was going to buy some gifts for Guy but he told her, by her coming, that was all the gift he needed. They headed back to his private plane and set off back to the states. Elisa had a great time except for when he asked her to marry him, but the whole way home they never discussed it. They were too busy making love and relaxing.

They got back to New York and Guy drove her home. It was late. Her bags were carried in and Guy kissed her goodnight. “I had a great time Guy, thank you.”

“I did too, thank you for coming.” Guy kissed her one more time. “I will be in San Francisco all week; can I see you when I get back?”

“Sure,” Elisa responded. Guy walked out the door and Elisa watched him leave.

She shut the door and walked upstairs leaving her bags there. She would have Cora unpack them tomorrow when she came in the morning. Elisa sat on her bed. The events of the weekend had exhausted her. Guy asking her to marry him brought back memories of her mother and she missed her more than ever. She wished that she was here for Elisa to talk to. Thinking about her mother made her open the drawer of her nightstand and pull out the letter that her mother had given her before she died.

Elisa saw the letter from her mother with Cara’s name on the envelope. Since she and Cara stopped talking, she had never bothered to give it to her but had kept it all these years for reasons that were unknown to her. She opened the letter and reread the letter her mother had written her.

My dearest and sweetest daughter Elisa,

I do not want to leave you but there comes a time when our time is done and we must say goodbye. Know that I will always love you and know I have not truly left you. After your father walked out on us, I tried to do the best I could to give us a good life. Though we were not rich, we had each other. You and Cara were my life and I even now; do love your sister even though she blamed me for your father leaving. I wish that I could have made Cara understand and explain why her father left and that I did everything I could to keep him here. I couldn’t. She was so angry and hurt and then she up and left.

I never saw her again after that but I never stopped loving her. In the letter I have written her, I hope she sees that I tried to do everything I could do to hold this family together. You grew up Elisa and made me very proud. You went on to college, worked hard, and made a good life for yourself. You kept your promise to take care of me. You have got to stay strong Elisa, even after I am gone. You need to remember that we all choose our own destiny that we all choose how we want to live every day we are given, and that life will throw us a few curveballs but we just have to learn how to hit them.

I remember when you were little how you would dress up and act like you were a model, or read those magazines and learn about the latest fashions. You grew up to be a beautiful woman Elisa. You became a successful woman. I wish that I could have been like you and gone to college and became successful, but I married your father right out of high school and then had you.

I always pushed you to be successful. I remember one evening we were out on the porch and you asked me this question: “Mother do I make you proud?” and I said, “Every day.” Though you and I were closer than Cara and I, I loved you both just the same. Don’t forget where you came from Elisa and where you are now. We all have battles to fight; we just have to know which ones to fight. When you get down or lonely Elisa, remember, someone else may have it worse than you. Remember this song I use to sing to you and your sister Cara, “Oh Star in the Sky” Oh, Star in the Sky, how you shine so bright, oh how you light up the sky, Oh Star in the Sky shine on me tonight. Blink, blink, blink so bright, oh star in the sky. Oh Star in the Sky you give off your beautiful light, Oh Star in the Sky shine on me tonight.

Elisa I am sure your career keeps you busy, but remember this: “Don’t drive through life so fast that you miss the scenery.” My time is almost up and I am getting weaker but I will always love you. I must go now.

Love,

Mom

Elisa was sobbing now. She wanted her mother here to talk to. She could make sense of what all was going on. Sometimes, things just didn’t make sense. Elisa lie back on the bed with her mother’s letter to her in her hand and fell fast asleep.

Elisa was in such a deep sleep that she did not hear Cora come into her home. Elisa woke up and looked at her clock. It was ten a.m. “Shit,” Elisa hollered. Cora came into her room.

“Is everything okay, Senorita Drinnings?”

“No, I am late for work. I am never late for work. I was so exhausted from my trip that I did not set my alarm.”

“Would you like me to put away your things Senorita Drinnings?” Cora asked her.

“What, oh yes my luggage downstairs.” She had forgotten that she had left her luggage downstairs. “Yes, thank you Cora.” Cora left and Elisa saw her mother’s letter on the floor. She picked it up and put it back in her nightstand drawer. She hurried and took a shower and got herself ready and headed out.

Her driver was already there. She got to work and saw the lowly man there on the sidewalk. She got out of the car and ran past him.

“Good morning ma’am.” Kyle said to her.

She ignored him as she ran into the building. Sissy was at her desk as usual doing her work when she looked up.

“Miss Drinnings, good morning,” Sissy said. She got up out of her desk. She had made sure that Elisa had her coffee each morning on her desk, hot and waiting for her. But with Elisa running late, it was cold by now.

Sissy did not even knock on Elisa’s door, but walked right in. That was a no no with Elisa, but this morning she did not care. “Are you alright Miss Drinnings?” Sissy asked her. “I am sure your coffee is cold by now I can go and heat it up for you.”

“Sissy you can call me Elisa, you and only you.”

Sissy knew there had to be something wrong because Elisa would never let her call her Elisa, two she would have been furious with someone walking into her office like Sissy did, and three cold coffee.

“I do not care about the coffee right now. I cannot believe I am late. I have never been late in all my years with Pose Magazine. I am sorry.” Elisa was talking a mile a minute and Sissy was trying to keep up.

“Whoa, Elisa, you are the Chief Editor of Pose, you can be late.”

“No Sissy, this job is my lifeblood, it is the very essence of my life, it is the reason why I get up and make sure I am here every day and on time, and this is unacceptable.”

Sissy did not know if Elisa was trying to convince herself of this or Sissy.

She took the coffee and left with Elisa standing there. Elisa watched as Sissy left. She could not believe Sissy had just walked out of her office like this. Sissy had never done this. Elisa plopped down in her chair. Sissy came back with Elisa’s coffee heated up. Sissy shut the door to Elisa’s office and sat down.

“Now you want to tell me what is unnerving you?” Sissy asked Elisa taking a sip of her coffee. Elisa took a sip of her coffee and sighed. “There is a lot of work to be done and I cannot believe that I am late for work.” Elisa was going through her briefcase. Sissy put her hand on Elisa’s arm. “Please Elisa, we have worked together for years, I have never seen you act like this. What is up?”

“Sissy I want you to call that guy, that new designer, what is his name again?” Elisa asked Sissy.

“Marco Shoops,” Sissy responded.

“Oh yes, call him and tell him that I very much liked his work and that I want him to come and work for Pose Magazine.”

“I will Elisa when you tell me what is eating you.” Sissy said sternly.

“Did you just get stern with me Sissy and not do right away what I asked of you?” Elisa was irked by it.

“I will do as you ask as soon as you talk to me. I am worried about you Elisa. You did not get furious with me when I walked right into your office, you said nothing about the coffee being cold, and you are letting me call you by your first name after how many years of working together? I want Elisa and I want to know what you have done with her. The Elisa I know would not have allowed that. I care about you Elisa. We are best friends. We are like sisters.” Sissy knew about what had ensued between Elisa and her sister Cara.