Anna's Visions (16 page)

“Your laughter is infectious,” Cody said, placing
money on the tray the waiter put by his side. Then he took Tori’s hand and led
her to the door.

Outside, they slipped off their sandals, and when
Tori’s toes dug into the sand, she giggled again.

“I’m glad you’re having fun. Let it go. I love it!”
Cody said.

They strolled across the beach, stuck their bare feet
into the water, and watched the moon dance across the Gulf of Mexico. It was
the most romantic night of Tori’s life, and she could feel Wes’ memory being
overshadowed by the electrifying presence of Cody Baxter.

As they sat huddled together in the sand, Cody tilted
her chin and lightly kissed her lips. “What do you say we go to my room and
have a night cap?” he said, his eyes burning into her soul and turning her
innards into quivering gelatin.

“Okay,” she said, as if in a trance.

Cody pulled Tori from the sand and she rested her head
on his strong arm as they strolled back to the hotel. She could barely feel her
feet touch the floor as they walked down the hall. He opened the door and stood
back as she entered. Tori hurried into the bathroom. After she’d finished
peeing, she looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She didn’t feel
like herself.
Probably too much wine
.

Tori came out of the bathroom, and saw Cody sitting on
the side of the bed. She was nervous being in his room, but she slowly walked
toward him.
What does this Greek god have in mind?

Cody stood and held his arms out. Tori fell into his
embrace, pressed her body close to his, and felt the warmth from his body. She
wanted to melt into his flesh. Sex appeal oozed from every pore of his being,
but her instincts told her to kiss him goodnight, thank him for the fun day,
and hightail it to her own room.

Then he kissed her, and she had never felt such
passion. Her entire body tingled, but fear gripped her at the same time. She
gently pushed back. “I think I need to go to my room. But thank you for such a
great day.”

Cody didn’t reply. He scooped Tori into his arms,
threw her onto the bed, and pounced on top of her like a playful puppy.

“Hey, get off me!” Tori yelled. “Didn’t you hear me
say I want to go to my room? I’m not ready for this!”

Cody climbed off Tori and said with a strange look in
his eyes, “Sorry. I thought you wanted to spend the night with me.”

“I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. I thought we
were just going to have a nightcap,” she said, looking around the room.

He laughed. “That’s just an expression,” he said as if
she were as green as a gourd.

“Oh.” Feeling like a fool, she straightened her
rumpled clothes. “I really want to go to my room.”

“Okay,” he said matter-of-factly. He took her hand and
pulled her to her feet. “I’ll walk you to your room. I hope I see you again
tomorrow, though.”

Tori blushed. “I’ll be on the beach. I think you’ll be
able to find me.”

“Good.” He picked up her clutch bag and held out his
right arm like an usher at a wedding.

Tori could feel her feet touch the floor as they
walked to her room. The spell had been broken, and she was relieved. Cody
opened her bag, took out the key, unlocked the door, and although he pushed it
open, he didn’t step inside. “See you tomorrow.” He smiled and turned to walk
away.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.” Tori shut the door and slid
the chain lock into place. She fumbled for a switch, flipped it, and a lamp on
the bedside table came on. She walked toward the bed, dropped the key on the
nightstand, and sat on the bed, rubbing her throbbing temples.

She felt as hollow as a drum, and she wasn’t sure if
she actually wanted to see Cody again. She did like him. He was fun – but he
also made her vaguely uneasy. Maybe it was just because she was out of her
element here in Florida. She came to find adventure and broaden her horizon –
and Cody Baxter was the perfect person to help her do both. “I’m a dumb country
girl who doesn’t know crap from crackers,” she mumbled.

She undressed, slipped on her gown, brushed her teeth,
and then crawled into the king-size bed. She had a brief but strong urge to
jump out of bed, run down the hall, fall into Cody’s arms, and let him hold her
all night, but she was too tired to act on it – and she figured that was
probably just as well.

A moment later, Tori sat up in bed and slapped her
forehead.
“Crapola!
I forgot to call Jill.” She
glanced at the clock on the nightstand and saw it was after midnight in Madison
– too late. She pulled the covers over her, promising herself she’d call Jill
the first thing in the morning.

The next thing Tori knew, it was morning and the sun
was shining brightly outside her window. She hurried to the bathroom, showered,
smeared suntan lotion over her body and slipped into her bikini.
Ready to hit the beach.
But first, she had to call
Jill.

She sat on the side of the bed, lifted the receiver,
but just as the desk clerk answered, there was a knock on her door.

Anna’s Note

June 2, 1976

I haven’t slept a night since I learned that Tori took
off. I can’t believe she didn’t tell me about her plans. I can’t believe she
actually divorced Wes.
Tori is
a hot head, but she has
never done anything this crazy. Wes is her soul mate. I’ve known that since the
first day they met. I hope she comes to her senses and realizes she has made
the biggest mistake of her life.

I pray that she will call me soon. Or send me a post
card. The whole family is about to have a nervous breakdown – and Jill. I pray
for a vision, one that will show me Tori is still alive. My spirit guide hasn’t
told me that she has departed from this earth, but my strong vibes tell me she
is in grave danger. And just as I thought I could rest in peace after she
survived the accident. This is not like Tori.

Anna West-Morgan

Chapter Eleven

When Tori heard the knock she knew who it was – any
thoughts of Jill instantly left her mind. She set the receiver down and hurried
to the door. When she removed the chain from the door, she saw Cody was leaning
against the doorframe, smiling broadly, his right hand on his hip.

“Morning,
beautiful!
Ready to start the day?”
His blue eyes gazed over Tori from
head to toe. “Wow! You look beautiful.”

“Morning to you,
too.
Hold on, let me get my
beach bag,” Tori said, and her heart began beating like a Tom-Tom. As she
stepped into the hallway, Cody dropped the key into her bag. They held hands as
they hurried outside, where the blinding sun reminded Tori that she’d forgotten
her sunglasses. “Oh, crap! I left my sunglasses in my room. Hold on, I’ll be
right back.”

Cody took her arm and said, “Just shield your eyes and
hold on to me. There’s a gift shop across the street. I’ll get you another
pair. You can’t have too many pairs of sunglasses. I lose a pair a day!”

They walked into the gift shop and it took a second
for Tori’s vision to adjust. By the time it had, Cody was picking a pair of
sunglasses off a rack, saying, “Here, try these on. They’ll be perfect.”

Tori slipped them on, then stood on her tiptoes,
trying to see herself in the tiny mirror at the top of the sand. “I can’t
really see them in this little mirror.”

“Trust me, you look great! Just keep them on and I’ll
go pay for them,” Cody said, turning to walk toward the cashier before Tori
could reply.

“Well, whatever you say, big boy,” Tori mumbled to
herself.

They walked along the beach, ate hotdogs, fed the
seagulls, and drank several Piña Coladas. Before Tori realized it, she was
light headed and had a bad case of the giggles, and the more she laughed, the
more Cody laughed – like two kids on a playground.

By late afternoon Tori had developed a splitting
headache. Rubbing her temples, she said, “I think I need to lie down for a few
minutes.” She also felt a bit sick at her stomach but she didn’t mention it.

“Come to my room, baby,” Cody said. “I’ve got
something that will help your headache. Then we can watch the sunset from the
balcony.”

In Cody’s room, he opened the sliding glass door and
stepped out on the balcony. “Come and see this. It’s gorgeous.”

Tori walked outside and stood beside him as he wrapped
his strong arms around her. They basked in the golden glow of the sunset and
then he pulled her close and kissed her neck, slowly working his way to her
lips.

Tori felt as if she were orbiting around the moon,
sun, and all nine planets. It was the most wonderful kiss she had ever experienced.

Cody lifted his lips from Tori’s, pushed back and held
her at arm’s length. “How is that headache now?”

She smiled. “Well, I’ll have to admit I feel quite a
bit better.”

“I’m glad,” he said, as if his sensual lips could cure
her aches and pains.

Tori studied his handsome face for a few seconds, and
then asked, “How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

He laughed. “I’m not a goofy woman. I don’t mind to
tell my age. I’m twenty-eight.”

Tori gasped.
“Twenty-eight!”

Cody laughed again. “Hey, I’m not over the hill. I’m
old enough to know how to make a woman feel special. I’m a man, baby.
A real man!”

Well, aren’t you a smug little devil?
“No, you’re diffidently not over the hill. I guess I
thought you were closer to my age.”

“And how old are you, little darlin’?” he asked,
patting her bottom playfully.

Tori blushed. “I’m nineteen – or at least I’ll be
nineteen in a couple weeks.”

“Nineteen!” He acted just as shocked as she had been.
“Well, little darlin’, you’ve got a lot to learn, and I’m just the man to teach
you.”

Cody’s remark made Tori a bit nervous, and she
considered telling him that she needed to go back to her own room to lie down.
He headed toward the bathroom and called over his shoulder, “Hold on. I’ll get
you something to get rid of that headache, once and for all.”

Maybe she was getting in over her head. Then again,
why did she always assume that Cody had other things on his mind? She was being
silly. Maybe Cody was right. He just might be the perfect mature man to teach
her what she needed to know to grow up.

Cody soon returned with a glass of water and two green
capsules. He held out the pills.
“Open wide!”

Tori took a step back. “What are those? I don’t take
anything I don’t recognize.”

“Would I give you something if I didn’t know what it
was? I suffer with migraines, and my doctor prescribes these. Trust me, they
work like a charm.”

“Well, what are they called?” Tori asked, still not
sure about taking something that wasn’t prescribed for
her
.

“It’s Fiorinal,” he replied. “I always keep plenty on
hand because when a migraine hits, I’m worthless.” Then he looked Tori in the
eyes and added, “There’s something else you don’t know about me. I’m a
pharmacist. I know more about medications than most doctors.”

Tori had apparently not only found the most handsome
man on earth, but he was also a man with a profession.
Handsome
and rich – a good combination.

“Well, I guess you do know your stuff,” Tori said,
washing the pills down with water, hoping they worked fast.

“Good girl.” He took her hand and led her back onto
the balcony. Together they watched the red ball of fire disappear, and by the
time the sun had sunk below the horizon, Tori’s headache was gone, and she felt
delightfully euphoric.

Cody pulled her close. “Feel better?”

Tori smiled and looked up at his seductive grin. “Not
only is the headache gone, I feel so, so – I don’t know how to describe it.
Pure bliss?”

Cody nodded. “That’s great. I told you they’d help.
Now let’s have a glass of wine.”

* * * *

The next thing
Tori knew, it was morning.
She rubbed her eyes. She was still in Cody’s room! She looked to her left and
saw Cody lying in the bed beside her. “What’s going on here?” she cried.

Cody rolled over sleepily and smiled.
“Morning, little darlin’.”

“What am I doing in your bed? I don’t remember falling
asleep!”

“Hey, calm down. You fell asleep while we were sitting
out on the balcony, so I carried you inside and put you to bed. And don’t worry
– nothing happened. All we did was sleep.”

Tori had her doubts about that, but she said, “Well,
thanks for taking care of me. I guess I had too much to drink. I’m not a
drinker and my system isn’t used to it.” She raised the sheet and noticed that
she was still wearing her bikini, which was reassuring. “I think I need to go
get dressed,” she said, swinging her feet off the bed and heading for the door.

“Hold on!” Cody hopped up and sprinted past her. “I’ve
got your room key. I’ll get your clothes. Be right back.”

He was out the door before Tori could protest, so she
headed for the bathroom. Since she was still a little groggy, she was actually
grateful that Cody was kind enough to fetch her belongings.

They spent the day much the same as they had the day
before – walked on the beach, browsed the shops and lounged by the ocean with
drinks.

For the next week their evening ritual was to gather
on the balcony, a glass of wine in hand and watch the sun slide from view into
a molten sea of crystalline water. It was heady stuff, and there were times
when she wished it would never end.

One night, Cody gathered her into his arms, lovingly
gazed into her eyes, and said, “I’ve only got a few more days left before I
have to go back to work – but even one day without you in my arms will be
agony.” He paused for a moment, as if trying to get his thoughts organized,
then asked, “Tori, will you marry me?”

Tori was
shocked and though she opened her mouth, no words
came out. She shook her head slowly, searching for the right words. “I’m
flattered, Cody,” she said, taking a deep breath before she continued. “We
barely know each other. I’ve had a wonderful time and the thought of us parting
hurts me, too, but–” The look in his eyes made her stop in mid-sentence. His
body stiffened, his face reddened, and she felt an icy chill run through her
body, so she quickly tried to soften her tone.

“I need time to think about this. I’ve got another
headache coming on and I can feel my depression coming back. You see, I
suffered a mental breakdown not too long ago–”

Before she could finish, he interrupted, “Well, I have
just the thing for your depression. I have bouts of depression myself
sometimes. In fact, I’ve got a fix for anything that ails you, baby. Trust me.”

As he turned and headed for the bathroom, Tori stood
as if she had taken root, stunned, not knowing what to make of his sudden
change of attitude and such aggressive behavior and anger that it had filled
her with terror. By the time he reemerged from the bathroom, she had managed to
write it off as just a case of bruised male ego.

Cody held out his hand. “Say the magic word and you
get the prize!”

He was again playful, and his dazzling smile warmed
her heart.

“Rumpelstiltskin!” she said with a laugh.

“Wrong!” He unfurled his hand to reveal several
multi-colored pills as if they were candy. “But since I didn’t say you had three
guesses, I’ll let you have them anyway.”

Tori stared at the pills. “What’s all that?”

“These, baby, are happy pills. You can choose one or
all of them, but I promise they’ll take away all your cares.” He pointed to
each capsule, one by one. “This one is Seconal – people call it a red devil.
This one is Nembutal – a yellow jacket. This one is Valium – also known as a
blue doll.” He picked up a black capsule. “This is commonly called a black
beauty.
My favorite.”

After he had finished describing each pill, Tori
instinctively backed away. “I don’t think I want to take any of them, thanks.”

“Suit
yourself
,” he said, and
popped one of the black capsules into his mouth, followed by a yellow one and a
red one. “I’m just trying to help.”

Seeing him take several pills made her a little more
at ease, so she said, “Well, I suppose you wouldn’t give me something that
wasn’t safe. After all, you know your pills. Which one would you recommend?”

“Take a blue doll and a black beauty,” he said. “In a
few minutes you’ll be calm and cool as a cucumber – and you won’t be depressed
anymore. I promise.”

“I’ll need some water,” she said, accepting the two
pills, anxious to get relief from the sudden tension making her head feel as if
it were in a vise, and stop the blues before they made her cry. She hadn’t had
a case of the boo-hoos since – she couldn’t remember the last time. But she
never wanted to go through them again. Never!

“Be right back,” he said, heading to the bathroom. A
moment later, he returned with a glass of water, and Tori swallowed the pills.
Then he took her hand and led her to the balcony. “Let’s stand here and watch
the sun go down.”

As they held each other, Tori felt a profound sense of
peace wash over her and she felt more safe and secure than she’d felt for a
long time. Maybe Cody was meant to be her knight in shining armor. It certainly
felt that way at that moment.

They snuggled into a lounge chair and Cody whispered,
“Are you starting to feel better?” He pushed her head onto his shoulder. “Just
breathe deeply and go with the feeling,” he coaxed.

A few minutes later, Tori said, “Tell me more about
yourself
. What was your childhood like? Do you have a best
friend?”

Cody gently rocked her as if she were a child. “You go
first. I want to know everything there is to know about the most beautiful
woman in the world.”

“Okay.” For what seemed like hours, Tori described her
childhood, vacations, family dinners, holidays, Grammy and Poppy’s farm – and
especially how she and Jill were kindred spirits and couldn’t live without the
other. She couldn’t seem to stop talking, but Cody didn’t seem to mind. He
listened intently to the incredibly detailed picture Tori
was
painting for him.

After she had finally talked herself out, Cody said
softly, but with his fist clenched and his jaw muscle tight, “It sounds like
you had the kind of life I was robbed of.”

“I’m sorry. Am I boring you?”

“Not at all,” he said pleasantly. “Please continue.”

Tori started to tell him about Wes, but quickly caught
herself
. “I’m sorry. That’s not something you’d want
to hear.”

“That’s okay, baby, let it all out.” He shifted her
weight to his other leg.