CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ah, San Francisco!
Lily yawned and stretched out her arms
getting out of bed in the luxurious suite she’d rented at the
Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill. It was always her favorite place when
she lived in San Francisco and she decided to pamper herself. When
things are falling apart, have pie in San Francisco! Okay, so maybe
that didn’t make too much sense, but then Lily wasn’t trying to
make sense of anything right at this moment.
She was just trying to breathe.
High in the west tower of the Fairmont, she
was able to do just that. Lily had flown to San Francisco the
Monday after returning home from that dreadful trip to Sonoma.
Getting away from everyone and everything seemed like the best idea
for now. And it was “getting away” and “not running away,” thank
you. She had to recharge her batteries to tackle what lay before
her.
And it was there—that big elephant waiting to
sit on her soon. What would she do about her dad? What would she
say to Sandy? Nope… Not today.
She was sleeping at night again and her
appetite picked up. Lily and her friend, Page, whom she knew when
she lived in the City, were going shopping and then to lunch in
Chinatown this fine day. She stretched again. Man, oh, man, that
felt good… It was nice to have fun again. She and Sandy had a lot
of fun when they…. Nope—not going there yet.
Her phone was off all week. She glanced at it
while brushing her teeth and noticed she had twenty plus messages
to return. Sandy and Sam were both probably going nuts worrying
about her. They needed to sort a few things out by themselves, she
had decided. Thus, her flight to San Francisco.
She had called Jeanne on Tuesday to let her
know where she was, so someone knew. But Lily had sworn her to
secrecy. Sooner or later, she knew Sandy would worm it out of her,
but not today. Nope. Not yet. She also didn’t want Jesse worrying
about her, so she told Jeanne she could tell him, if he asked.
Sandy would never suspect that Jesse knew anything.
She was fixing her hair when Page called from
downstairs.
“Ready to go?”
“Be right down, Page.”
It was a beautiful day in San Francisco.
But it was a lousy day in Sonoma. Sam had
been kicking himself ever since Lily and Sandy left. He spoke to
the framed photo of his wife on the wall. “I really screwed up,
didn’t I, Margaret?” He felt sure she was nodding.
“Should I try to make things right for sweet
Lily?” Margaret nodded again. He should be willing to do anything
for his daughter, even accept her choice in marriage. Even if he
was a Johnson…
Sam considered flying down to see her. She
certainly wasn’t picking up or answering any of his phone calls. It
had been a long week and he didn’t want to let this trouble
continue. He had to make things right, somehow. Sam picked up the
phone one more time.
* * *
Sandy called his mother. “Mom? You’ll never
believe who’s flying to Reno today…Give up? Sam…Yes, I’ll go pick
him up. Don’t worry about it. I want you here by 5:00, so we can go
through this together. All right? Talk to you soon.”
Briefly he wondered how his mother might feel
at seeing Sam again. Well, she’d just have to deal with it.
Sandy rubbed his eyes for the hundredth time.
With Jason taking care of the business and brother Bill minding the
finances, he could try to breathe. Sam’s plane wasn’t arriving
until 4:00, so he had some time to try to relax. Maybe he’d try to
finish that book Lily wanted him to read. Pride and what?
Where was it?
* * *
“Page, what do you think of this dress? I
like it, but Sandy prefers me in jeans.”
Lily and Page were shopping at
Bloomingdale’s, a fashionable clothing store in Union Square.
Everywhere they turned was another beautiful article of clothing in
that spacious, airy store. Four wonderful floors of fabulous
designs! Page watched her model the pretty dress in the mirror.
“Want to talk about it yet?”
“… No.”
“Lily, all you do is talk about him. What
Sandy likes, doesn’t like, what he does… You’ve been here almost a
week now. Hasn’t the dust settled enough for you to call him?” Page
watched her smile slip to a frown.
“Honestly, Page. I’m not sure what to say to
him. I basically ran out on him, hiding here in the City. I left
him in a bad way, I know.”
“Going somewhere to think things over is not
running off. You said that yourself. Problem is you’re not talking
about any of it yet. Let’s go get a glass of wine somewhere, all
right?”
Lily turned this way and that in the fitting
room mirror.
“You’re buying that dress, aren’t you?”
Page laughed at Lily’s wicked smile. “He’ll
love me in it, I know.”
* * *
Sam’s plane was late. Sitting and waiting for
him, Sandy thought about the last time he was at this airport here
in Reno. He and Lily were going to see Sam. She looked so lovely
that day, laughing and happy. They were holding hands, sharing
secrets. Poof…the memory dissipated. He hadn’t seen or
spoken to her in a week. It was interesting to him that he had
gotten along without her for four years just fine, but he didn’t
feel so fine now that she was gone.
He cut himself this morning shaving and
wondered who the poor fool in the mirror was. Oh yeah…that’s
me. Jeanne told him to pull himself together. Did he think Lily
would want to see him as a haggard old man? He had wondered if Lily
wanted to see him again period.
Maybe he should make an effort with clothes,
etc. So he tried to spruce himself up a bit. Without thinking,
Sandy put on the Western shirt Lily had worn that happy day in his
kitchen. Crap! He took it off. Just couldn’t do that yet.
Sam’s plane landed and he walked into the
arrival area. Because of security, Sandy would be waiting by
baggage claim. He only had a small carry-on, but it seemed like a
logical place to meet. Sam took the escalator down to the lower
area where baggage claim was located. Walking quickly, he passed a
tall cowboy complete with cowboy hat, sunglasses and a sign that
read: SAM CABLE. He stepped back to look at the sign again and
laughed.
“Mom’s idea,” grinned Sandy.
“Let’s start again, shall we, Sandy?”
“You bet, sir.”
On the way to Naples, the fog in the car
began to clear somewhat.
“… I realize I screwed up and I apologize for
it. Something that had happened to me years ago shouldn’t have any
effect on you and Lily. I see that now, but I guess my stubborn
side was up.”
“It has caused a few problems, Sam, I’ll
admit that. Hopefully, nothing insurmountable.”
“Have you two been talking it over?”
“No.” Sandy gripped the steering wheel a
little tighter.
“Why not?”
“… Because, sir, she won’t answer my phone
calls and isn’t at her job. I don’t know where she is.” Sandy
looked over at him.
“What? She’s missing?” Sam became agitated
and couldn’t sit still.
“Yes.”
“Good grief! Well, we have to find her.”
“I’ve been trying, but unsuccessfully so far.
I’m hoping you and Mom can help. You both got us in this stew. I’m
hoping you can help get us out.”
“… Your mother?”
“Yes, Jeanne will be at the ranch with my
son, Jesse, when we get home. I never had a chance to tell you much
about myself. I was married six years ago and we had a little boy.
She died of cancer a year after he was born.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you. That’s how Lily and I met: she’s
Jesse’s teacher.” Sandy glanced at Sam as he waved a hand in the
air.
“I can see all of it now. I suggested she
move here after her rotten marriage with Ron was over. What a
louse!”
“… She told me about him.”
Sam smiled at Sandy. “I’m glad she met you.
You both need some happiness in your lives. Seems you’ve had bumpy
roads, but maybe it’s smoothing out a bit.”
“It was until we went up to Sonoma.”
Sam winced at that remark. “Sorry, son.”
“Forgiven, sir.”
They rode in silence the rest of the way to
the ranch. Sam wondered what it would be like to meet Jeanne
Murdoch again and was lost in his thoughts.
* * *
Back in San Francisco, Page and Lily enjoyed
seeing the sights of the City. Sitting at a corner café in
Fisherman’s Wharf, Page tilted her head at the photograph on Lily’s
phone.
“He’s so good-looking. Look at the hair…
those eyes… Your pictures probably don’t do him justice.”
“They don’t,” smiled Lily. “He’s so handsome
and photogenic. He’s tall, probably 6’2 and gets taller with that
big old cowboy hat.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to call him,
Lily? After all, he doesn’t even know where you are. What if you
didn’t know for a week where he was?”
Lily closed her photo file and shut down her
phone. A waiter approached with their check.
“You’ve got a good point, Page. I think I’m
ready. We have a lot of fun together and I miss him terribly.” She
thought a minute. “Maybe tonight after dinner.”
“What about your dad? Do you think he may
have come to his senses by now? He probably had his reasons to
voice disapproval of Sandy, but do you think he’ll stand by that
position forever? Is he that rigid?” Page picked up the check to
look it over.
“No, I don’t think so,” commented Lily. “He
would want me to be happy and being with Sandy makes me happy. I’ll
tell you what, though, Page. I decided the first morning I got out
of bed at the Fairmont that I was going to marry Sandy, no matter
what Dad thought.”
“Good for you! Have you told this delicious
boyfriend about your decision yet?” She smirked which made Lily
laugh.
“No, but I will tonight. Thanks for this,
honey. You’re a good friend and I owe you.”
“Just invite me to the wedding. This guy I’ve
got to meet. Does he have any brothers?”