Can't Help Falling in Love (11 page)

    
Now, a look of unadulterated shock spread over Allison’s face, while Karen took
a turn at being pleasantly surprised. Had an atomic bomb just gone off, Allison
could not have been more
astonished.
In a split
second—not unlike the bomb that exploded Hiroshima—the word “girlfriend”
ricocheted through her ears into her head, down to her heart, and then back up
to her brain, where it gonged more loudly than the bells in
Reims
Cathedral on a Paris Sunday morning.

    
Before she could rationalize the full impact of their surprising disclosure
that just detonated in her face, Allison instantly melted. The object of her
affections extended the teddy bear to her as an obvious token of his adoration.
His gesture was sweet and overwhelming, especially when blended with his
mind-boggling confession and her realization that he and her sister had been
engaged in some kind of a recent romance. He had obviously dressed with care in
a long-sleeve, red and blue striped shirt that showed off his deeply tanned,
handsome facial features, and he wore his hair stylishly cut and combed high up
and back from his face. His entrance and profession of affection for Karen
simultaneously left Allison feeling both deeply disturbed and rapturously
enthralled.

    
Karen giggled, “Would you like some coffee? Allison was kidding a moment ago.
I’ve only had a single cup.”

    
“Sure! Thanks!”

    
“Allison?”

    
Allison felt as if she had just been bowled over by a speeding truck. She could
only stammer, “Y—yes. You
know
each other?”

    
Karen replied flirtatiously, “Know each other! We were voted the ‘Couple Most
Likely to Get Married’ at our prom!”

    
Allison wanted to say something, but could not find the words. She simply stood
there with a fake smile on her face while staring at the two of them. 

    
He broke the awkward silence by holding out to her the teddy bear again,
saying,
“
I’d like to be loved like your teddy bear.
When I’m away from you, maybe this will do instead.”

    
Allison took the charmingly lovable gift and held the toy close to her heart.
“That’s so sweet of you. Thank you!”

    
He reached around to the outside of the door and retrieved a garment bag, while
Karen said, “You don’t know how many times I’ve thought of looking you up again.
After all this time, I guess it was just too tough summoning up the courage.”

    
“Oh, come on, Karen,” he pleaded. “Make this easy for both of us.” He put his
arms around her and embraced her. She hugged him back.

    
As she headed back to the coffee pot, she teased, “Now this was a dirty trick.
Here I was half expecting to have to impress some world-weary traveling
musician, and
you
show up!”

    
“Instead, you got a guy who already knows you like coffee with sugar and heavy
cream, so why are you drinking yours black.”

    
She poured him a cup. “Allison and I aren’t on home team turf today. We’ve
invaded someone else’s studio, and they don’t have our usual coffee supplies.”

    
He turned to Allison and noted, “You’re sure quiet all of a sudden.”

    
“I’m sorry,” she replied. “I so anticipated your arrival this morning that I’m
still stunned that the two of you know each other.”

    
Karen handed him his coffee, and he said, “Thanks. Your sister hasn’t changed
much.”

    
“Well,” Karen replied, “it’s only been a few years, but you’ve certainly
changed!”

    
“No, only my circumstances have.”

    
“I know! When did you start performing? You never showed any inclination when I
knew you! We saw you yesterday, but I didn’t know it was you. You were terrific!
I’m amazed!”

    
“Karen,” Allison interjected, “how was it that the two of you met? Where was I
when all this was taking place?”

    
Karen poured coffee for Allison. “You were away at Vanderbilt, studying all the
time. I was a high school senior, and we were in love. I told you about him.”

    
“I don’t think you did.”

    
“I did, but you were too preoccupied to think much about it.” She handed
Allison her coffee and thought back to their torrid romance. “I was sure that he
was the only man I’d ever
really
love. We almost got married.”

    
“I thought it was now or never,” he added.

    
“But there were complications. Our parents all objected on the basis that we
were too young to commit ourselves, and being young and impressionable, we
buckled under to the pressure. Then, I moved away, but many times, I wished
that I hadn’t listened to Mother!”

    
“It’s alright. Only fools rush in. You had no way of knowing you were going to
see me again this morning.”

    
“And Allison,” Karen noted, “could think of nothing but you. Right now, I’m
afraid she looks like a hurt puppy dog!”

    
Deep inside, Allison could have cried at that moment, but she wanted to make
sure she played her cards right. She was still madly attracted to him. She
raised her coffee cup to her lips, using the moment to cast her eyes downward
to the brew so they could not see into her misty eyes, and she said, “I’m just
excited to have the chance to do some good work today, that’s all. I guess I’m
a little overwhelmed to discover that you knew each other intimately.”

    
Karen looked at him, and he grinned widely. Suddenly, they both burst out
laughing!

    
“The most intimate we got,” he said, “was when she fell asleep beside the pool
one day and I took an ink pen and connected the tiny moles on her back!”

    
Karen said, “Who would have known they formed the Liberty Bell? You see,
Allison, it was a high school romance.
Nothing more.”

    
“We spent a lot of time together in our senior year,” he said, “but malt shops,
movies, and going to the local hangouts with our friends was as far as either
of us dared to go. And since you’re both here now, I suppose I can control my
animal instincts. Just keep me away from ink pens!”

    
“Perhaps it’s time to change the subject,” Karen suggested. “Since we’re
renting the studio by the hour, what do you both say we get down to work?”

    
He sighed. “I’m as ready as I can be this time of the morning.”

    
“Allison, show him the sketches you made.”

    
Allison was only too glad to refocus their energies on something productive.
Being broadsided and knocked senseless by this mind-boggling revelation left
her numb. Working on her campaign ideas shifted their talk to a more even
playing field, where she could sidestep the unpleasant upset of learning that
her sister had earlier ensnared the boy of her dreams.
According
to them
,
she explained to herself,
their
love was nothing but a high school romance that, like the stars at morning,
soon faded away. I trust Karen. She’s always been up front and honest with me,
especially about boys. And I could already tell, over the last two days, that
he’s someone I can take at face value. I’m the one who wears her heart on her
sleeve, and I’ve got to be careful not to act like a jealous schoolgirl. At
this critical moment, I should just be myself, the Allison he’s come to know,
appreciate, and adore. Nothing less will do!

    
Allison made her presentation effortlessly. She flipped through the pictures
that she had previously selected and confidently laid them out for him to
inspect, showing just exactly how careful poses, when lit properly and shot
with a high quality camera and lens, would show him off to his best advantage.

    
He was immediately enamored with her work and said with admiration, “These are
great! Leave it to you two
to put your fingers on
exactly what I need to do.”

    
Allison glowed and said, “I certainly appreciate your compliments!”

    
“Oh
poo
!”
Karen said. “He’s
astute enough to know what works and what doesn’t. If we remember the impact
his looks and style had on the audience yesterday, we can safely say that we’re
not the only creative people in
Memphis
. I know my way around a camera, and
Allison knows how to craft a campaign as good as or better than Madison Avenue.
We’ll pool our talents and come up with something great!”

    
They soon had the photo flood lights on full blast. Allison cut the ceiling
lights from a switch by the front door, and Karen began taking a variety of
poses of him in front of the blue background. The most striking were some
extremely close facial shots that had him looking dreamily into the lens as if
he was looking right into a girl’s heart.

    
“These are looking so good!” Karen exclaimed. “Why don’t you go put on one of
the other outfits you brought?”

    
“Sure thing!”
 

    
He had no sooner retreated to the back than the front studio door burst open
and in walked Sharon Eaton! Allison looked up and her jaw dropped.
Sharon
blithely tossed her coat aside and
dramatically entered with all the subtlety of the Allies landing on the beaches
of
Normandy
. She exclaimed, “Darlings! What a
quaint, little arrangement. You’ve done such an adorable job with the
decor.  Did you do it yourself? I know you did. Who else would dream of
using a stark minimalist décor to create the illusion of a big city
professional
studio!
” Without asking, she rudely
flipped on the overhead lights at the switch by the front door.

    
Karen doused the floodlights, while Allison could barely hide the fact that she
was appalled at
Sharon
’s rude interruption. Nevertheless, she
managed to stammer, “What are you doing here?”

    
Sharon
feigned confusion. “I belong here!”

 
   “This is a private session.”

    
“Not any more. I joined the Board of Directors at Star Records, and I’m looking
forward to seeing how our new boy on the block—our #1 talent—goes through his
first promotional shoot for a national campaign! Don’t worry, kids, I’ll take
over from here and make sure that I get him on a fast track to success!”

    
Allison resented
Sharon
’s high and mighty air, but she was not
about to lower herself to
Sharon
’s standard and snap at her. For the
second time that morning, she had been nearly bowled over by unexpected
revelations, the latest of which was
Sharon
’s boast that she had somehow wormed her
way into Phillip Samuel’s good graces.
No doubt
, she figured,
for
the sole purpose of attaching her tentacles to every single artist that comes
near the place!

    
“How nice of you to drop by,” she managed to say in an even tone, despite the
fact that she was already red-faced with barely suppressed rage over
Sharon
’s interference and invasion tactic.

   
 
Sharon
began rifling through her purse for something.
“Oh, I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. There’s a lot at stake. We’ve
got so much to discuss and clarify!”

    
Karen drew near and interjected. “I didn’t realize we were going to be working
together. Although we don’t mind you being present, we’re in the middle of an
intense, private session, and I’m afraid you’ve somewhat broken the mood. Would
you mind taking a seat on the far side of the studio so I can continue?”

    
Thank
you, Karen!
Allison thought.
She could barely suppress her joy over her sister’s comment.
Karen’s
always perceptive of my
feelings,
and she no doubt
sensed that I was put out at
Sharon
for invading the confidentiality of our work.

    
Sharon
fished a crumpled pack of cigarettes
from her purse and began plucking at one with the tips of her long red
talon-like fingernails. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

    
Karen answered tersely, “We’ve never met, but your office hired me to shoot the
Anderson
account photos last month.”

    
Sharon
lit her cigarette and exhaled two long
plumes through her nostrils that momentarily made her resemble a medieval
dragon. “Oh yes, I remember. We managed to find a couple of shots from the
session that were somewhat usable. I’m sure you’re finding this handsome young
singer a more interesting subject, aren’t you?”

    
Karen could not hide her icy tone. “I enjoy working on all types of accounts,
Miss Eaton.”

    
Sharon
seemed oblivious to the fact that there
were no ashtrays in the studio and that the management had placed a non-smoking
sign up to announce their policy due to the presence of dangerously flammable
photo developing chemicals. She practically ordered Allison, “Do find me
something I can put the ashes in, dear.”