Let Them Have Cake (8 page)

             
The man on the horse continued to stare and then began slowly shaking his head as if to say, no, something was not right. Without answering any of Anna’s questions, he turned his horse and rode off at a gallop. Anna felt an overwhelming feeling of loss as he rode into the distance.

             
Was she going crazy? How could she feel drawn to some strange man that wouldn’t even talk to her? She looked at her watch and realized that if she didn’t hurry she would miss the bus back to the hotel. She turned for one last look in the direction the horse and rider had gone, and not seeing them, she started for the palace.

             
Jeff spotted her as he rounded a corner. He jogged to catch up to her.

             
“Where did you go, Anna? I was really getting worried. We have to walk fast or they’re going to leave us. Here, take my hand so you don’t trip,” Jeff said as he began walking faster.

             
“I’m sorry. I went for a walk by myself on the edge of the
forest. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m being too sensitive. I’m not normally like this. Maybe it’s jet lag,” Anna replied.

             
“Don’t worry about it. Traveling is stressful, and we’ve been on the go since we got here. I know you’re not like this normally. I’ve been watching you for a long time.”

             
Jeff put his arm around Anna’s shoulders and drew her protectively towards him. He slowed his pace to compensate for her fatigue.

             
“
Regina
was just telling us about an optional excursion available to us. There’s a small inn close by and we have rooms available for a discounted price. We can stay a night or two there if we like. We would be on our own and not with the tour. We can join them in a day or two. What do you think?” Jeff asked.

             
“I think it sounds wonderful. I’d love to spend more time here in
Versailles
. What about your sisters? What do they want to do?” Anna asked.

             
“They’re having fun with Mark. The happy threesome is going to stay in
Paris
.”

             
“What do we do about our clothes and stuff?” Anna asked.

             
“We can ride back with the group and pick up enough to last us a couple of days, then the bus will bring us back to the Hotel Londres. It has balconies that overlooks the palace, and
is furnished in Louis the XV style,” Jeff replied.

             
Anna thought about how it would look to the other people on the tour when she and Jeff left together to go back to the Hotel Londres. She then decided this was her big chance at love and she wasn’t going to let it pass her by, no matter what anyone thought of them.

             
“Let’s do it. I’d love to spend time alone, just the two of us.”

Chapter Seven

             
Music floated softly across the smoke filled room. Lovers, their bodies locked in tight embraces swayed gently from side to side. Their movements couldn’t really be called dancing, but the lovers were too enamored of each other to care.

             
“I’ve fallen in love with you. You know that, don’t you?” Without waiting for an answer, Jeff continued, “I love your hair, your eyes, and your body. Boy! Do I love your body!”

             
Anna disengaged herself from him and gave him a playful punch in the ribs.

             
“Seriously, I love you. I love your independence, your self-assurance, and your fiery spirit. You’re so different from other women I’ve dated.”

             
Anna wound her arms around Jeff’s neck and gazed into his eyes.

“Do you think it’s possible to really fall in love with someone this fast? Maybe it is, but I’m not sure,” Anna said hopefully.

             
“Speak for yourself. I know that what I’m feeling for you is love. I hope you feel the same.”

             
“Let’s sit down and talk. I want to get to know you better. Tell me what kind of a little boy you were and what made you want to grow up to be a doctor.”

They wound their way through the haze of smoke and the maze of small tables to their own secluded table in the corner of the room. Jeff refilled their wine glasses from the open bottle on the table, sat and looked thoughtfully at the sparkling liquid swirling within.

“Where shall I begin? I was born in
Los Angeles
thirty-five years ago at
White
Memorial
Hospital
. My parents lived in Eagle Rock at the time. Dad is an architect and my Mom is a homemaker. I was lucky she was home all the time. My sisters came along ten years after me, so I was an only child for a while. Mom took me everywhere with her. We had an old fashioned family doctor, Dr. Trueblood, and he actually made house calls at times. I guess I first started thinking about being a doctor from watching him. Our neighbor, Richard, was very ill with measles. He had a fever of one hundred and six and Dr. Trueblood came to the house in the middle of the night and stayed until the fever broke. I always believed he saved Richard’s life.  How about you?” Jeff turned to Anna.

“I guess we have one more thing in common. I’m a
California
native, too. I’ve lived there all my life. My parents are both college professors. They met as students in
Berkley
in the late sixties, smoked pot, and went to sit-ins and love-ins. They finally decided they wanted a family so they got married and had my sister Laura within the year. My Mom continued to work with women’s rights groups and at getting the Equal Rights Amendment passed. They are really quite a pair. You would like them,” Anna explained.

“They sound interesting but I somehow can’t see them as people that would encourage their child to become a nurse. How did that come about?” Jeff asked.

“Sorry, I got sidetracked. Well, I was a candy striper volunteer in high school. I delivered mail to patients and watered their flowers. I watched the nurses and admired how much good they did for people. When it came time to decide what I wanted to do with my life, nursing was a natural choice. I love it. It’s the only kind of work I will ever want to do.”

Anna continued, “I haven’t told anyone yet but I’ve decided to go back to school to become a geriatric nurse practitioner. I had to put that on hold while I was taking care of my great-aunt Tillie, but now that she’s gone I can put my application in and get started soon. Aunt Tillie left me enough money so that I can work part time and go to school, too.”

“You’ll make a wonderful nurse practitioner. All of the old
men will love you,” Jeff said as he took Anna’s hand. “Let’s dance one more and then go back to the hotel.”

Anna smiled as she rose to allow him to take her into his arms for their final dance of the evening.

***

“I have another bottle of our special champagne,” Jeff said upon arriving back in their room.  “I’m not ready for the evening to end, are you?”

“Let’s open it. I’m not ready to go to sleep either,” Anna replied.

“I’m in love with you. I held myself back from getting involved when I would see you at the hospital. I can’t do it here though,” Jeff said as he took Anna in his arms.

“I used to watch you while you worked. I didn’t think you even knew who I was. I thought you were interested in Denice. You would flirt with her when you came to the ICU,” Anna replied.

“Who the heck is Denice?” Jeff asked.

“She’s the Canadian nurse. You know, the tall one with the dark brown hair. She’s really cute,” Anna answered.

“I never even noticed her. Well, not in a romantic way. If she’s the one I think she is, she’s a good nurse and really nice, but that’s all,” said Jeff. “All I ever noticed was you. Couldn’t you tell?”

             
“I had no idea. I’ve worshiped you from afar for so long I thought there would never be a time we would be together.”

             
Jeff took her in his arms and kissed her. The kiss was long, passionate and lingering.

             
He held her away from him and looked into her eyes. “I feel that we are meant to be together forever. I hope you don’t think that I’m just interested in a vacation fling.”

             
“I hope you’re not,” Anna replied.

Anna began slowly unbuttoning his shirt. She ran her fingers through the silky reddish-brown hair on his chest and over his tight abdomen.

“That’s quite a six-pack you’ve got there, doctor. When do you have time to work out?”

“Just following my own advice. It’s important to keep the temple in shape.” Jeff paused and looked closely at Anna. “Are you sure you’re feeling well? You’re warm.”

“I’m just a little tired. I’m getting a bit of a headache. Why don’t you see if you can distract me and take my mind off of it?” Anna resumed removing Jeff’s shirt.

Jeff stroked her hair gently, and then began kissing her neck. His hands slid lower and he began trying to manipulate the zipper, which proved to be challenging. Anna pushed his hands aside and unzipped it herself. The dress dropped to the floor in a heap. His hands reached for the clasp on her black lace bra.
He deftly removed it and tossed it aside. He cupped each breast in a hand and raised them slightly as he lowered his mouth to them. His tongue circled first one nipple, then the other before sliding lower to encircle her navel.

“What’s this? You hide little secrets under your clothes. Is this a pierced ring in your navel?” Jeff teasingly asked.

Anna blushed and replied, “That’s as adventurous as I get. Don’t look for any body art or piercings elsewhere.”

“Oh, I think I need to look more carefully now.” Jeff said as he removed the remainder of his clothing.

Anna shivered at a chilly draft coming from the window. “I think I’d better get in the bed. I’m feeling cold all of a sudden.”

“I’m sorry. You feel even warmer than you did earlier. No wonder you’re chilled. Do you have any Tylenol or Motrin?” Dr. Jeff asked, suddenly assuming a professional air.

“In the bathroom. There’s some Tylenol in my makeup bag on the counter.” Anna pulled the comforter to her chin.

Jeff found the Tylenol, and smiled at the package of birth control pills next to it in the bag. He poured a glass of water and returned to Anna.

“Here. Take these. It will bring your fever down. How’s your headache? Do you feel sick anywhere else?”