A Scarlet Cord (14 page)

“Melanie, we want you to be happy …” Jerry interjected.

“It’s just that … already we don’t see you nearly as much as we used to. And now Jerica’s talking about changing her name and—”

“What?”

“Jerica told us that … she’s going to be an Ellington now,” Jerry explained.

“Oh no … You misunderstood. Yes, Joel and I told her that after the wedding we would be a family, but I would never take the LaSalle name away from her. Jerry, I would never do that.” She pulled out a chair and sat down beside Erika. “Nothing could ever change the way I feel about you two. I’ll always be grateful for the short time Rick and I had together, for the fact that he gave me Jerica. I’ll always
be grateful for my happy memories of him,” she said tearfully, “and especially for the fact that Rick brought you both into my life.”

Erika dabbed with her dinner napkin at the rings of mascara under her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mel. Just … just give me a little time to adjust to this news. Since Rick died, you and Jerica have been the only thing keeping me going. I know I’m being selfish, but … I just can’t stand the thought of losing either one of you. And now … I feel like I’m losing you both at once!”

Melanie thought she understood. And she couldn’t deny it. The truth was they hadn’t eaten a Sunday dinner with the LaSalles in six weeks. Her Sundays had belonged exclusively to them before Joel came along.

She had intended to invite them to dinner with Joel some evening, but her time with him was so precious that she kept putting it off. She didn’t know what to say now. There was no denying that things would be different once she and Joel were married. Already they had talked about moving to the other side of town, closer to the church and Jerica’s school. And they wanted children together; they were both certain of that. Of course, those children wouldn’t have the same connection to the LaSalles that Jerica did. The new family she and Joel and Jerica formed would compel new loyalties and would consume much of Melanie’s time.

She hadn’t considered how these things might make Rick’s parents feel. Now she realized that, in a way, it must feel almost as if they were losing their son all over again.

“Oh, Mom …” Melanie had rarely used the endearment since Rick’s death, but it came naturally from her lips now.

She put her arms around her mother-in-law. “Of course you won’t lose us. I’ll still be at By Design. And you will always be Jerica’s Grammy … Nobody could ever take your place.”

She looked to Jerry, sought to include him in her tribute. “Jerica loves you two more than anything in the world. I would never try to keep her from you. Never!”

Jerry scooted his chair back and stood to embrace her. “We’re happy for you, Mel. We truly are. It’s just a little hard to remember …” He cleared his throat, and Melanie saw tears glistening in his eyes.

Erika rose now and put an arm around Melanie. Biscuit pattered into the room, his toenails clicking on the wood floors. The dog cocked his head and stood looking up at them as if to ask, “What is wrong with you people?” Looking down at his bewildered eyes, they all laughed, and the somber mood was broken.

But as Melanie drove home later, she realized that she had been far too wrapped up in her own little world these past weeks. She had more than just herself to think of. Rick’s parents were an important part of Jerica’s life, of her heritage. Erika was right. Her and Jerry’s memories of the past and all their hopes for the future were wrapped up in the precious little girl who shared their name. She must remember to respect that. And she must be certain that Joel understood and honored it as well.

Twelve

As the holidays approached and the year came rapidly to a close, By Design was deluged with work. It seemed that every client had decided that this was the year to do an elaborate more-than-just-a-card Christmas greeting. In addition, one of the company’s largest accounts was doing a major revamp of its corporate identity and had chosen the holiday season to unveil the new look. Every designer was working overtime to meet the deadlines, and when the designers were swamped, Melanie was doubly swamped.

She hated the extra hours Jerica was spending at the day care center, and she hated that her time with Joel had become so rare. However, one mixed blessing of the firm’s workload—aside from the financial boon—was that there were many candidates for entry in the annual regional design competition. It had always been Melanie’s task to select the pieces they would enter each year, and she spent many an evening at the office helping fill out entry forms and assemble displays.

Amidst all this, Christmas seemed to get lost in the rush. The holidays came and went in a whirlwind, and when Melanie went back to the office after New Year’s Day, she breathed an audible sigh of relief as she and several of the designers enjoyed the luxury of milling leisurely around the coffee pot.

“Isn’t it great not to be on deadline?” Suzanne Savage joked.
“The only thing we have to worry about now is what to wear to the Addy awards.”

Silver Creek didn’t offer many opportunities for glitz and glamour, so the advertising awards presentation—known as the Addys—was a highlight of the year for the By Design crowd. It was a chance to dress to the nines, mingle with designers from other St. Louis area agencies, and for many of them an opportunity to strut their stuff professionally.

Melanie glared at Suzanne and pulled at her hair in mock distress. “You had to remind me? Couldn’t you just let me enjoy one measly day in oblivion before bringing that up?”

“Sorry, Melanie,” Suzanne laughed. “I take it you don’t have your dress yet?”

“Are you kidding? Last year I was still shopping the morning of the Addys.”

“I don’t think my nerves could handle that,” Sena Baker said.

They chattered on about the sales the local department stores were having, and finally, the staff meandered back to their posts. Nursing a cup of black coffee, Melanie went up to her office daydreaming about the upcoming gala.

“Wow! You look gorgeous!”

Melanie twirled in front of Joel, basking in the compliment. The sleeveless above-the-knee velvet sheath she wore was simply a dressier version of the little black dress every woman was supposed to own. But she was pleased with the way she had turned out tonight. Darlene had done her hair in a sleek upsweep. And with simple diamond earrings and strappy heels, she felt very feminine and pretty.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she told Joel, reaching out to straighten his bow tie.

“Well, I feel like I’m headed for my high school prom,” he
lamented. “I’d like to get hold of the guy who invented these zoot suits!”

She laughed and her spirits soared in anticipation of a glamorous evening in the city with Joel.

“I can’t wait to show you off,” she told him, as he pulled the Taurus onto the interstate, headed into St. Louis.

“Same here,” he said, giving her another appreciative once-over. “Did I mention that you look ravishing tonight?”

She giggled. “Only about a hundred times.”

When they arrived at the America’s Center where the event was being held, Joel let out a low whistle. “Good grief, valet parking? What have I gotten myself into?”

“Hey, you’re a big-city boy. You should be able to handle this,” she teased.

He turned the keys over to the attendant and came around to escort Melanie. The night was cold. Overhead the lights of the city shivered in folds of navy silk, as though they, too, had dressed for the event. Joel and Melanie followed the crowd to the hall where the awards ceremony was being held. They checked their wraps and fell in line with the crush of other attendees at the buffet table.

The room was elegantly decorated, with pillar candles under glass chimney lamps providing the only light on the dining floor. Already the room was choked with cigarette smoke, which swirled artfully in the flickering light. In front of the stage, a small band played mellow jazz.

A six-foot-high ice sculpture served as the centerpiece on the buffet table. Joel’s eyes sparked when he saw the intricately carved ice dragon, which had somehow been rigged to breathe a continuous flow of water. “Well, look at that,” he said, inspecting the piece.

“Pretty impressive, isn’t it?”

“No … I mean, yes … it
is
impressive. It’s just that it looks so much like this fountain that was on the campus … at Langston.”

“Where you taught?”

He nodded.

“Really? Isn’t that interesting? Oh, here …” She handed him a fancy buffet plate and a napkin embossed with the stylized flame that was this year’s Addy logo. “Do you want something to drink?”

“Sure … Whatever you’re having is fine.”

She got them ginger ales from the bar, and they stood along a wall, searching the room for their table.

Soon Melanie spotted a bejeweled hand waving from a corner of the room.

“Oh, there’s Suzanne … and Jerry and Erika … over there …

She waved back, and balancing her plate of hors d’oeuvres and drink, she nudged Joel in the direction of the LaSalles and the others from By Design.

“I wonder how we rated a table up by the platform,” she whispered as they wove their way through the crowd.

Along the way, Melanie spotted a designer she knew from a St. Louis agency with his wife. “Hi, Steve, Margo. Isn’t this lovely?” She took in the decorations with a toss of her head. “I don’t think you’ve met my fiancé. This is Joel Ellington. Joel, Steve and Margo Kieffer.”

“Margo … nice to meet you.” Joel nodded politely and juggled his plate in order to extend a hand to Steve Kieffer. “Steve, is it? Very nice to meet you both.”

Melanie winked. “Steve’s firm is our toughest competition tonight.”

“Ah, so I gather we won’t be
leaving
the premises on quite such friendly terms,” Joel joked.

The Kieffers laughed, obviously charmed by her handsome escort, and Melanie flushed with pride.

They continued through the crowd to their table. Jerry spotted them and pushed back his chair and stood to kiss Melanie’s cheek. She gave him a hug and leaned to embrace Erika, too.

“You look lovely tonight,” Erika said.

“Thank you, Erika. So do you.”

Setting her plate at an empty spot, Melanie slipped her evening bag off her shoulder and put it on her chair. She waved across the table. “Hi, Suzanne. Oh, José, I don’t think you’ve met my fiancé.” She turned to introduce Joel, only to find that he had disappeared. She glanced around the room and spotted him three tables away, speaking with a man she didn’t know.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “I’ve lost him already. Sorry … I’ll be right back.”

She moved to join Joel, but stopped in her tracks when she got close enough to get a glimpse of his face. His lips were white as chalk, and he looked as though he might be sick. The paunchy, middle-aged man with whom he was speaking had a stricken look on his face as well. “Man, I’d heard you were dead!” the man said loudly, shaking his head.

What in the world was going on? The man seemed to know Joel, but Joel only shook his head and held up a hand. “No, I’m sorry, you must be … mistaking me for someone else.”

The man returned to his table and took a seat with his back to them, but Melanie heard him tell his dining companions, “Well, I guess I made a fool of myself, but he’s a dead ringer for a guy I knew back in New Yawk.” Melanie started as she realized the man spoke with the same East Coast accent Joel did.

Joel seemed dazed, and stood there with his drink tipping precariously. Melanie took the glass from him. “What was that all about?”

No response.

“Are you all right?” she asked, putting a hand on his arm.

“I’m … fine.” He moved toward their table.

She motioned to the table behind them. “Who was that?”

“I … I don’t know. He thought he knew me. I guess … I must look like somebody he knows.”

“Someone from New York? That’s strange.”

“Yes.”

She shrugged and led the way back to their table to introduce Joel to the By Design crew who hadn’t yet met him. José wielded his camera and had them pose for several shots. Joel pulled Melanie close and they smiled into the camera.

Later, while they waited for the awards ceremony to begin, Melanie watched Joel surreptitiously. He fidgeted in his seat like a little boy, avoiding her eyes and seeming preoccupied.

Several times throughout the social hour, Melanie caught Joel looking furtively over his shoulder toward the table where the stranger with the East Coast accent sat. Granted, the encounter had been odd, but it struck Melanie that Joel seemed overly disturbed by the exchange.

“Is everything okay?” she whispered, as the lights dimmed.

He nodded and tucked her arm in his, but the smile he gave her was tight-lipped.

The program began and in the excitement of the awards presentations Melanie put aside her concerns. By Design cleaned up, taking home top honors in five different categories and garnering several honorable mentions. Melanie was in high spirits as they left the banquet hall, exchanging high-fives with colleagues and modestly accepting congratulations from rival agencies.