Unforgettable Love Page 6

  That looks familiar, she said to herself. Only because it was in half a dozen movies I like. Squeezing her dad’s arm, she looked at him. He said nothing to her. No questions about remembering. No comments about what she used to do or say or think. He just looked at her and patted her knee.

  “Home sweet home,” he finally said quietly as the car pulled up the long, winding driveway.

  “This is home?” Julie muttered, looking at the breathtaking house at the top of the hill.

  “This is where you grew up,” Margaret said proudly. “This is your home.”

  The place was a palace compared to where she had just come from. The home on Catalina Island that Karen and Cindy shared with Aaron was a quaint, cozy little shack compared to this sprawling estate. No doubt the flowers and greenery were perfectly manicured, and off to the side she saw a man in overalls tending to one of the rose bushes.

  When he saw the limo pull up, he took off his hat and approached the car as everyone was filing out.

  “Miss Julie! You are home! So good to see you!” the man said. Julie looked at his face and a sly smirk came over her.

  “I think I know you. I’m sorry. I’ve having trouble with my memory these days, but you look familiar.”

  “My wife had candles burning for you in church since we found out you were gone. She’ll be thrilled to know you are back where you belong.”

  “Well, thanks. That’s the nicest thing I’ve heard all day. Mr?”

  “You call me Carl. Ever since you were,” he lowered his hand to his knee.

  “Well, thanks, Carl. I’ll see you later.”

  “Good night Miss Julie. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson,” Carl slipped his hat back on his head and went back to his rose bushes. Julie felt a little happier. She did sort of recognize that man. She thought his wife’s name was Johanna. Carl and Johanna sounded right. But she couldn’t be sure.

  “It’s a start,” she said out loud, looking for approval but not getting much more than a nod from her father.

  Chapter 6

  “This place is beautiful.” Julie looked up and admired the crystal lighting fixtures that hung elegantly from the ceiling. She looked down at the marble floor as she stepped across it. Leaning into the huge fresh flower display, she inhaled the sweet scent of the blooms. “It must have been hard to raise a kid here.” Looking at Margaret, Julie arched her eyebrows. “With sticky fingers and fingerprints on every surface. You probably spent half your time cleaning.”

  Margaret took the words in but could barely digest them. Julie had nannies and maids often take her to play outside or to the park. Margaret rarely had the opportunity to fuss with mothering or housekeeping with all of her extracurricular activities like tennis and the gym and all the committees she belonged to. But she was a good mother, she reassured herself. Julie had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. A bit scatter-brained at times but with enough sense to get engaged to a man who could easily provide her with everything she needed. Yes, she raised her daughter well.

  “Why don’t you and James sit for a while, and your father and I will make some lemonade. Or would you rather have tea?”

  “Lemonade sounds good.”

  Without another word, Margaret took Richard by the arm and led him into the kitchen. Their hushed words blended into the sounds of the house like the hiss of a steam radiator.

  James watched Julie as she walked into the living room and took a seat. The back end of the house was even bigger than the foyer they had just walked through. Letting her eyes take in everything around her, Julie was sure that her fiancé was staring at her. Suddenly she wished she was back at Catalina Island with Aaron’s dumb jokes and silly one-liners to distract her from his longing gaze. This guy, James, was all business.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Overwhelmed.”

  “Yeah, I’ll bet. So, do you want to tell me about the boat?”

  Julie smiled and let out a breathy sigh.

  “What boat? Do we have a boat, too? Let me guess. It’s not just a boat, but a yacht that can hold enough people to start a small colony.”

  James shook his head and clicked his tongue. He couldn’t be sure that this wasn’t all an act. Once he left, was she going to tell her parents what really happened?

  Taking a seat next to Julie, James stretched his arm across the back of the sofa and looked at her.

  “You are so beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m a lucky man to be marrying you.”

  “When is the wedding supposed to take place?”

  “Two weeks from now.”

  “Two weeks? Well, I better get my head on straight before then or else we might have to postpone it. Don’t you think? You don’t want to be married to a woman who couldn’t even find her way to her own house. No wait, mansion.” Her eyes once again scanned the huge room and out onto the back patio. She stretched her neck a little to look out into the back yard and in the process scooted a little bit away from James.

  He began to play with her hair. He stroked it gently and pulled it away from her face, letting his hand tickle against her cheek.

  She blushed and looked at him.

  “James. Would you tell me how we met? Or tell me about our first date or second date or anything? Because I feel I know you. I feel it deep in my heart, but I just can’t remember. I can’t see anything.” Biting the inside of her lip to keep the tears back, Julie waited for James to speak.

  “Our parents knew each other and introduced us. I thought you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. And I told my mother right then and there that you were the girl I was going to marry.”

  The words sounded so pretty. Here she was in this beautiful house, being told all of this exquisite estate was hers, including this amazing man sitting next to her confessing his love to her, and she couldn’t remember a single date with him.

  “What made you know I was the one?” she asked seriously.

  James kept the smile on his face but the question was like a slap. He knew she was the one because she came from money and was prettier than the other girls in the privileged families his family socialized with. She could be trained and trusted. That was what he loved. He loved that he had gotten her away from her friends so quickly and easily. He loved that she was too gentle to kick up a fuss. And up until a couple days ago, he loved that she had nothing without her parents. But all that changed when she left and then, staring right at him chose the cold, bottomless sea instead of taking his hand.

  “I knew you were the one the first time you came out onto my boat. You loved it. You took to it like you were born to rule over the sea.” He looked into her eyes and waited for the heated flicker of memory to register in them.

  “We were on the boat when the accident happened.”

  “Accident? You mean when I fell overboard?”

  Julie’s eyes seemed scared as if the whole ordeal might be able to happen again.

  “It was supposed to be a romantic trip, just a quick getaway for me and especially you from all the wedding plans and demands and hassles.” He stroked her hair.

  “What happened?”

  “The weather changed. We didn’t see it coming. The next thing I knew we were too far out to outrun it. The waves became like walls and tossed us around, and I had you in my arms, trying to get my life preserver off my neck and onto you but ...”

  “But what?”

  “But before I could, the wave just swelled and crashed over you. The next thing I knew, you were gone.”

  Julie watched as James’s expression became pained as he spoke.

  “I was afraid I lost you forever.”

  “So, it was my fault. I didn’t have a life preserver on? Why didn’t I?”

  “Oh, Julie, you know. You were getting some sun, and you had on a pretty skirt and shirt and well, vanity,” James smiled as if this trait were just something he had learned to tolerate in his fiancé. Julie, on the other hand, began to cry.
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  “I can’t believe I did that? That is just so stupid. Was I really, I mean, am I really that selfish or that inconsiderate and stupid?”

  James wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him.

  “Julie, I forgive you. I forgave you immediately. I’m just glad you’re here now. You are home safe with me, and I won’t ever let you go again.”

  Julie leaned into James. How horrible. What kind of an idiot was she? She owed this guy everything for trying to save her life. For searching and searching and not giving up, even when it probably looked pretty hopeless. And here he was, right by her side.

  “What can I do to make this up to you, James? I can’t remember anything. I kept feeling this nagging in my gut, and it must be guilt over having put you and my family through all this.”

  Shifting in his seat, James wondered if it would stop the nagging in Julie’s gut if he continued to reinforce the idea that she had fallen overboard due to her own carelessness and not because she would rather die than be with him.

  “Julie, we’ll have a lifetime together for you to think of something,” he smiled broadly, causing Julie to laugh through a few tears.

  Just then, the Petersons came back into the living room with a tray of four glasses of pink lemonade with Julie’s favorite sugar wafer cookies spread out on them.

  “I’m sorry, Margaret, Richard, but I have got to get going.” James stood, straightening his pants and adjusting his shirt. He was convinced Julie was not faking. That changed nothing. The wedding was going to take place in two weeks, no matter what.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay a little longer?” Julie said, looking up at him. He looked scary from that angle being so tall and muscular. She wouldn’t have to worry about walking down an alley if he were with her.

  Unless he was what you had to worry about. The voice in her head spat out of the darkness. Why would she think that? After what he just told her, she should be thankful he didn’t drag her back to the beach and toss her in for good.

  “I still have work to do and wedding plans and well, you look like you are getting tired. This has been a crazy day for all of us.” James leaned down and kissed Julie on the head.

  Shaking Richard’s hand and giving Margaret a peck on the cheek, he excused himself and headed for the door.

  “Come back tomorrow, James. I’m sure our girl will be feeling much better.”

  Julie smiled but didn’t like how her mother spoke for her.

  What do you expect after the experience everyone has gone through? She’s just being a little protective. Who could blame her?

  It was funny how the internal dialogue just didn’t seem to want to do anything but argue inside Julie’s head. Where was all this negativity coming from?

  Fatigue. Plain and simple.

  James let himself out. Margaret and Richard talked about the wedding, and Julie became more and more overwhelmed.

  “Would you guys mind if we continued this tomorrow?” she asked sheepishly. “I’m not recognizing any of the names you’re talking about or the places. The only thing that made any sense was the six-tiered chocolate wedding cake, which sounded delicious.”

  Richard laughed and nodded his head.

  “Of course. We can’t expect miracles, right Margaret?”

  “No. We certainly can’t. But I think the more we just act like everything is normal, then the whole routine will just snap into place, and you’ll remember everything.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Julie stood and stuffed her hands into her pockets. “Which way is my bedroom?”

  “Up the stairs, first door on the left,” Margaret said a little sadly, half expecting Julie to go ahead and find her way.

  Making her way up the stairs that familiar hushed conversation resumed. The words couldn’t be understood, but Julie knew they were talking about her and James, and would the wedding take place. She didn’t know. All she knew at this moment was that she wanted to see her room and what made it hers.

  Chapter 7

  “So you are no relation to this girl. You met her at Inspiration Point,” Officer Dillard scratched behind his ear with a pencil as he sat at the front desk of the police station at Twelfth and California behind about four inches of bulletproof Plexiglas.

  “She has blonde hair, blue eyes and goes by the name, Julie Peterson. You think she has met with foul play or something because she left town. The town she ran away to when she ran away from her home in San Francisco.”

  “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds ridiculous,” Mark said, shifting from left foot to right. “But I was supposed to meet her when I got back from New York, and when I went to the house where she was staying ...”

  “She wasn’t there. Perhaps she ran away.” Officer Dillard’s eyelids were pushed up by crystal clear blue eyes that were surrounded by wrinkles, but they were the only thing. His uniform was crisp and clean from his collar to his cuffs.

  “The flowers I bought her were just lying on the ground. And her clothes, they are still in her room.”

  Taking a deep breath, Officer Dillard stood up. He signed a form, tore off the pink carbon and pushed it through the little slot at the bottom of the window. The white copy was dropped into a plastic bin that was overflowing with other white copies of the same form.

  “Look, you seem normal enough to me. If my daughter brought you home, I don’t think I’d have too much of a problem with you. But, even if you are the nicest guy on the planet, there are some girls that just don’t respond to that. I think your girl just liked to play games and is off telling her sob story to someone else.”

  Mark shook his head.

  “Sorry, fella. We will process your paperwork, and if anything shows up we’ll give you a call. But truthfully, I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.”

  Without another word, Mark turned and walked out of the police station. He promised Mrs. Carter he would stop by and tell her what they said, but even as he repeated the story, he just couldn’t help but think they had to be wrong.

  “I just don’t think Julie was like that.”

  “No. Neither do I. I grew up with a sister in complete possession of a narcissist personality. Julie didn’t crave dramatic attention. In fact, I found her refreshingly down to earth.”

  “What do we do now?”

  “I think we need to plan a trip to San Francisco.”

  Mark smirked a little.

  “We?”

  “Well, you don’t really think I can let you go alone? You can barely see straight with all the little hearts and cupids floating around your head. Do you really think you’re in the proper state of mind to pursue a damsel in distress?”

  “Careful, Francine, or someone may discover you’re a steel magnolia and not a shrinking violet.”

  Mrs. Carter chuckled.

  “That’s one thing no one will ever mistake me for,” she winked a long black eyelashed eye at Mark. “When shall we go? I’ll make arrangements for a driver.”

  “I can’t thank you enough, Francine. I’d say the sooner, the better.”

  Within the next few hours, Mark and Mrs. Carter were making the same trip to San Francisco that Julie had made when coming to Los Angeles.

  “What did you find in that,” Mrs. Carter pointed at the backpack in between James’s feet on the floor of the car.

  He had only opened it briefly as he waited for Officer Dillard to basically give him the boot. What he had seen was a baseball hat, a rolled up T-shirt, a notebook with some lovely poems and doodles. Swirly designs of flowers, a mother holding a giggly fat baby, a boy slumping at a bus stop were like little works of art in the worn and slightly tattered journal.

  “Not much. She must have had her wallet on her. Wouldn’t that just be too much of a stroke of luck.”

  “Let me see.” Mrs. Carter took the lightweight bag and opened every zipper. She checked every pocket, shook out every article of clothing, flipped through every piece of paper. Finally, she squinted into the
dark bag, reached her hand in and pulled out a cell phone.

  Mark’s eyes bugged.

  “I completely missed that!” he yelled, causing the driver to glance into the back of the luxury car for a brief second.

  He flipped through the caller log and saw several calls were made over a very short amount of time by James.

  “I think that’s the guy she was running from. Obsess much? He called her over two dozen times within the span of an hour. And look! No more calls from him since the day she left my place after dinner. Kind of strange, right?”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It could be a coincidence ... if you believe in those kinds of things, which I do not.” Mrs. Carter, who rarely left without a decorative fan, slapped a black one open with a quick snap and began to fan herself gently.

  “There is also someone named Danielle on here. Mom and Dad, too. But it looks like this James guy and this person Danielle are the people who she received calls from or made calls to in the amount of time she was at Inspiration Point.”

  Taking a deep breath, Mark pressed the redial. “Let’s see if Danielle can help us find Julie.” Seconds later, the phone on the other end began to ring.

  Chapter 8

  Once in her room, Julie was again astonished beyond all belief. What a life she must have been living. It didn’t seem like she ever had a care in the world. The corkboards were covered with pictures, and as Julie stood in front of them, little pieces of memory slid into place. There were lots of pictures of Danielle. Julie smiled as tears stung her eyes. Looking at both of their smiling faces, she remembered riding the bus and how they held hands sometimes during the prayers at church.

  “Church. Where was that church we went to?” Julie tried to remember. She searched every picture, glancing at every ticket stub and touching every bauble and trinket that she had hung there at one time, but she couldn’t remember. It was a simple place with a logo of a large dove at the front. It was located in a commercial building. Everyone who attended church there knew the dove represented the Holy Spirit landing on Jesus at his baptism. It was simple and beautiful, and in the morning on Sundays, the sun would shine through the windows golden and bright and make the whole place feel warm.