Now & Forever 3 - Blind love (32 page)

Marcia didn’t intend to fall in love with Jake. She was
hoping a brief affair would get her over the loss of Jay, but Jake surprised
her. He had been there to take care of her, day in and day out. Marcia began to
depend on him, to look forward to being with him…which slowly evolved into
love. Now she wanted him in her life. After getting to know Joey and Annabeth,
Marcia knew in her heart she was ready to have a baby.

* * * *

Jake secured a job with a construction company just outside
of Willow Falls right before he met with Johnny. After the successful meeting
with Johnny, Jake returned home smiling.

“Tonight we go out to dinner, Marcia,” Jake said when he got
home.

He had taken a shower and stood in the bedroom with just a towel
around his waist. She was putting away clean clothes when he came in. She
looked at him, so strong and handsome and her thoughts turned away from food.

“Since you are fresh from the shower, maybe we shouldn’t go
out right away.” Marcia flashed him a sexy grin.

“Tonight we celebrate.” Jake went to the closet and pulled
out a shirt.

“There are lots of ways to celebrate,” Marcia said, pulling
her sweater over her head and unfastening her bra. She walked over to Jake and
put her hands on his chest, running them up through his soft dark hair, to his
shoulders, to his neck and into his thick graying hair. Jake couldn’t resist
her. He pulled her closer and kissed her passionately and the towel fell to the
floor. She led him over to the bed where they made love. Afterward, she rested
in his arms while he slowly caressed her breast.

“I got job today. Full time job at Davidson Construction. Now
we have enough money to live.”

“Wonderful!” Marcia looked into his eyes.

“Now, we get married…if you want marry me.” A tinge of doubt
crept into his voice.

“I do! There is just one thing.” Marcia chewed her lower lip
in excitement.

Jakub sat up, worried.

“What thing?”

“I want to have a baby. I want to be a mother. I want to have
your baby.”

“A baby? You want baby? I’m fifty, Marcia. I have three grown
children. A baby?”

“I know. But I don’t have any children. My one regret is that
I never had a child. I’m not too old yet. Please think about it.”

“I do think. No baby. I have grandchildren, how can I become
a father again?”

“But you’d be such a good father.” Marcia put her hand on his
arm.

“I don’t think so. Look at Johnny. He’s a pain, even though
he’s my son.”

“But the way you are with Joey and Annabeth. You’re so
wonderful! You’d be like that with our child. It’s what I want.”

“No. No baby,” he said, shaking his head.

“No baby? No marriage.” Anger mixed with disappointment
filled her heart.

“Marcia, my love! No! No marriage?” Jakub sat up straight.

“That’s right. No marriage. If you don’t want to give me a
baby, then I must find a man who does,” she said, getting out of bed.

“No!” The creases in his forehead deepened.

“Yes! I want…I need to be a mother. And if you won’t give
me…” Tears flooded her eyes and she couldn’t blink them back.

Jakub shook his head. His eyes flashed anger.

“You crazy! I’m too old for baby.” He waved his hand at his
head and then her.

“If you believe that, then I guess you are too old and you
should move out.” Marcia pushed down hysteria bubbling up in her throat.

Jakub packed a bag and moved back into the apartment over
Johnny’s garage.

Marcia spent the evening crying and couldn’t eat a bite. She
missed Jake already; the house was so quiet without his big presence there. But
she had an ache in her heart that would only go away if she had a child. Not just
any child, Jake’s child. She wanted…needed his patience, his wisdom, his
experience with children to help her be a good mother. And now he was gone and
she regretted everything she said to him, and wondered if perhaps it was too
late to take it back.

* * * *

Jakub showed up to cook dinner and when Johnny went to
question him, Rebecca took his arm and signaled him to stop. They all sat down
to dinner.

“How come you’re here tonight, Dad?” Johnny shook off
Rebecca’s warning hand.

Jakub ate in silence, his face drawn, worried and sad.

“I’m too old,” he muttered before putting food in his mouth.

“Too old for what?” Rebecca asked.

“Never mind.” Jakub waved his hand and continued to eat.

“Come on…too old for what?” Johnny prodded his father.

“For baby,” Jakub admitted quietly.

“Is Marcia pregnant?” Johnny shot up out of his chair.

“No.”

“Then what the—”

“She want to have baby. I’m too old.”

Jakub finished eating and excused himself after taking his
dish into the kitchen. He went up to the apartment.

* * * *

The little house across town

Marcia put down the phone, finishing her conversation with
Mac Caldwell. A deep sigh escaped her lips. She’d decided to return to
Kensington State in the fall. Without Jake to support her, she had to work to
pay the rent. Marcia started sorting through lectures and organizing notes, but
it was hard to concentrate.

She wasn’t sleeping well without Jake. She lost weight and
saw new wrinkles and creases in her face when she looked in the mirror. The
loneliness felt crushing some days, leaving her no reason to get out of bed.

Monday, Johnny Novacek showed up to collect the rent. Marcia
was anxious to ask him about Jake.

“Hello, Mr. Novacek. How is Jake?” Marcia handed him an
envelope.

“He’s fine. In fact he’s doing great, Mrs. Wilton.” He turned
hooded eyes to her.

Marcia attempted to smile but the stab of his words went
right to her heart.

“Good. I’m glad he’s all right.” Tears formed in her eyes and
she looked down. “Please say hello to him for me.” Her voice shook.

When she turned to go into the house Johnny put his hand on
her arm.

“I lied. He’s terrible. I asked you not to hurt him but you
did. You’ve destroyed him. You don’t look like you’re doing any better than he
is. Why don’t you marry him?”

“Didn’t he tell you?” Marcia leaned against the door jamb for
support.

 
Johnny shook his head
but his gaze didn’t meet hers. She knew he was lying.

“Then I can’t break confidence.”

“Great! Two stubborn people in love and too dumb to find a
compromise.”

“Why do you care? You must be thrilled your father isn’t
hanging around with ‘that whore’ anymore.” She flung the words at him with her
last bit of strength.

Color spread into Johnny’s cheeks.

“I’m sorry. I guess I…misjudged you. I didn’t think you could
really love my father. I was wrong. You say you love him but you won’t marry
him?”

“I love him. But I want…I need to have a baby. He doesn’t
want to have another child. He wouldn’t bend.” Marcia closed her eyes at the
recollection of their fight.

“You want to have a baby with a fifty-year-old man? You’re
crazy.”

“Exactly what he said.”

“A baby is a big responsibility.”

“I’m thirty-eight years old…not a child. I can’t control this
need. It’s primal, it’s basic…and even more so when you love someone. Jay and I
never got around to having children because by the time we were ready, he was
sick. He was sick for five years. And I’ve always felt…always felt…why am I
wasting your time? You don’t understand and probably couldn’t care less.” She
turned toward the house, ending their conversation.

* * * *

When he got home, Johnny went up to the apartment over the
garage.

“Hi, Dad.” Jakub was cleaning up his breakfast dishes.

Jakub raised his hand in greeting. He looked tired.

“I saw Marcia today.”

“You did? Why? How does she look? Is she okay?” Jakub sprang
to life.

“To collect the rent. She looks pretty terrible. She’s skinny
and tired-looking. I don’t imagine you’d want to jump into bed with her now.”

“What’s wrong? She sick?” He put down the dishtowel he was
holding.

“She’s heartsick. She misses you, Dad. Why don’t you go back
to her?”

“You want me to go back?” Jakub cocked an eyebrow at his son.

“You’re miserable, she’s miserable. Your reason for splitting
up is stupid.”

“Why stupid?” Jakub put the dishes back in the cabinet, one
by one.

“Look, if she’s crazy enough to want to have a baby with a
fifty-year-old man, let her! Look how well I turned out. You’re a good father
and grandfather. You’d be good to her baby. Every woman has the right to want a
baby, Dad.”

“You want me to go back to Marcia? You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.

“I think about it.”

But two weeks later Jakub was still living over the garage
and still thinking about Marcia…too stubborn to make the first move.

* * * *

Rehearsals for the talent show were in the Amphitheater,
where all theatrical productions and concerts took place; it seated two
thousand people in tiers with orchestra, mezzanine and balcony sections. Built
using stainless steel, glass and wood, the imposing structure was the newest
building on campus. Lara practiced there every afternoon for an hour before
Andres showed up. Peter accompanied them on the piano.

The Tuesday before the show, Carter Wills showed up at the
administration building at four o’clock. Of medium height and build, he was
nondescript. He met Jonesy who looked him up and down before she called Callie.
Callie met with him in her office. He sat tapping his foot and avoiding
Callie’s gaze.

“You didn’t bring any equipment, Mr. Wills?” Callie cast a
questioning look at him.

“Call me Carter. I leave it in the car until I know where
we’re taking the shots. Hate to carry that heavy stuff all over campus, know
what I mean?” Carter started to sweat.

 
“Which way to the
theater?” His pulse jumped, sweat collected on his forehead.

“You can’t miss the Amphitheater, Carter. Take the path on
the right from here, past the library, it’s the biggest building there.”

“Is Ms. Stewart expecting me?” A few beads of sweat broke out
on his upper lip.

What if she remembers
me?

“I don’t recall if I told her about you. She’s very sweet.
I’m sure she’ll be happy to talk to you.” Callie pushed to her feet.

“Thank you.” He shook Callie’s hand then moved toward the
door.

He mopped his brow with a handkerchief.

Callie walked out with Carter, stopping at Jonesy’s desk.

“Call Ballet News, Jonesy. Check on this guy. Something
doesn’t feel right.”

”I’m already on it.”

* * * *

On his way to meet Lara for rehearsal, Peter was stopped by
Carter Wills.

“Say, could you direct me to the Amphitheater?”

“There’s nothing happening there now…”

“I’m going to interview Lara Stewart for Ballet News
magazine.”

“Lara Stewart is my fiancée.”

Carter looked at him, fear coiling in his stomach. Then he
calmed down, realizing Peter didn’t know him and he had nothing to worry about.

“Congratulations,” Carter said, almost feeling jealous Lara
was with this guy. If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, she’d probably still be sleeping
with him.

“Why don’t you come with me? I’m on my way to meet her there
now.”

Damn! This asshole is
in the way. Gotta look like an accident. This is my last chance and I can’t let
this jerk mess it up.

“Hey…great. You don’t mind?” Sweat beaded on Carter’s
forehead again even though it was winter.

“Not at all. You’re doing a story on Lara?” Peter walked
along next to Carter.

“She’s the star, right? Known her long?” Carter ran his hand
through his hair.

“Almost a year.”

“Not before she came to Willow Falls last May?”

“How did you know when she came to Willow Falls?” Peter
stopped walking.

“Uh…research…research. Been reading up on her.” His hand fiddled
with the zipper of his jacket.

Peter cocked an eyebrow at Carter but resumed walking. The
police had been careful not to divulge the town where she relocated or when she
arrived. Carter read a look of suspicion growing in Peter’s eyes.

“What made you decide to write about Lara?”

“A nice fat check from Ballet News. I couldn’t afford to turn
it down.”

Carter’s smile faded. Arts publications never pay a big fee
for a story, any story, they don’t have a lot of money.
Crap, why did I say that? Did he pick up on it?

Carter entered the Amphitheater and bolted for the men’s
room.

“Thanks for your help.”

Carter rinsed his face off at the bathroom sink and applied
some Canoe, his favorite cologne to cover up the smell of his sweat. He took a
deep breath then stood with his ear to the door. He cracked the door open and
spied no one in the vestibule. He walked slowly and quietly to the door of the
auditorium and cracked it open.

Inside he saw Peter sit down at the piano and Lara warming up
on the stage. He saw Peter say something to her then kiss her. Carter couldn’t
hear what he said but Lara smiled at him and, after the kiss, bounced down the
stairs, grinning, heading for the door.

Carter noticed Peter call after Lara but she didn’t turn
around. He returned to the men’s room, pretending to be leaving.

When she got to the vestibule, Carter stepped forward in her
path. His voice squeaked then he cleared his throat.

“Hi, Lara. I’m Carter Wills, from Ballet News.” He moved
toward her.