Revamped chapter 1, Sequel, Falling for Her Heart-Pt 3

[ladyauthor2b]

(continued from part two....)

Tom quietly closed the door grinning from ear to ear. Perhaps if his parents could speak alone, his request may stand a chance.

 "Now, Tara, I realize that Tom is exuberant, but it has been spur-of-the-moment ideas ever since we arrived," Ross explained, drawing near, "Frankly the days are hectic.  Wait until things settle down. There's no need for decisions right now."

 Ross usually shouldered all of the responsibility of their band, but he did it to achieve their dreams.  However tonight, stress seeped out in his tone.

 "No, Ross. That's not it.  Something odd occurred on the way over here. Let me tell you about it," Tara patted a space on the sofa next to her. He sat and listened while she explained everything that occurred on the way to the hotel. 

 "Jimmy? Are you sure? Couldn't it be someone with a familiar resemblance?" His eyes grew wide. 

 "Anything is possible. Yet, the man seemed as if he knew me. He waved and banged on the window."

 Panicked, Ross rose and walked to the bar. He poured hard liquor into a shot glass. 

 "Tara, let's not jump to conclusions.  Hell, it's been years since our school days at NYC. Surely, he won't take this further," Ross began, but his own fears couldn't convince him either, so he back paddled, "Ok. Ok. Never mind that. When it came to you- the man was unstoppable. Curiosity will awaken and he will seek out answers. I am sure of that."

 Ross picked up the glass and noticed it shaking.  Indecision creeping in his mind on what to feel, as in somewhere in Tara's demeanor, her eyes lit up at the mention of Jimmy's name. This made him cringe. The horror to lose her again to that man! He instantly recalled how he felt the first time he saw them kissing in the courtyard, at Hartridge, the state facility where they grew up.  Never in his wildest dreams did he think Tara would fall for someone else. Not when they were two peas in a pod their whole childhood. Yet, Jimmy interfered the moment he moved in and somehow took away Tara's innocence. The Cad!

 At this, Ross shot down the liquor.  A look of concern loomed within dark, expressive eyes that watched him do it. So for Tara's benefit, he closed the bottle and stuck it below the bar, nixing a destructive desire for more alcohol. This, too, had affected his life once. Ross went to grab his overcoat.

 "Look, Tara, our faces are plastered everywhere now, on flyers and ads in the newspapers.  It tells all about our upcoming American debut.  Jimmy can find us if interested," Ross forced a fake smile and planted a soft kiss upon her brow, "I really must go. Tom is waiting.  My dear, for now put those old fears to rest. Everything will turn out just fine. You'll see."

 With that, Ross exited and left Tara alone with melancholy thoughts.  She refilled her drink and then stared at the door for quite awhile.  The man, usually optimistic within any crisis, always brought comfort. Yet, lately she felt confused by his presence, in the way he held her or kissed her. Friendship had sufficed for years, but weeks before Christmas, Ross declared an interest. They had sat by a fire in her living room, discussing their future plans. Even then, Tara felt misgivings about Jimmy:

 "Oh, Ross. I don't know anymore. I'm just lost and need a man to show the way. I want love in my life. There are so many things that Danny gave without question, without hesitation. I never needed to ask. Things were never simple with Jimmy, so I'm not sure whether to do anything; besides his children don't have a clue he exists. What would be the point?"

 Tara had sat flustered, curled up in a blanket like a cocoon. She stared with large, flashing eyes-her hair tossed to one side. He suddenly drew near, seeking... and then he gathered her up into his strong arms and kissed her passionately. She gasped-not from what he did-but for how she felt as he stared into her eyes:.

 "Tara, I would love to be that man. There's never been a moment that I didn't think about you that way. Still, I realize that going back could open up a lot of deep feelings about the past. It's a chapter that was never closed properly. So I will wait for you. If you find that what lies there doesn't satisfy your needs, then you know that I'm close by. Just call out my name. Every desire will be fulfilled. I did it once. You know damn straight that I can do it again."

 Could there be more now? Was the timing right? How could she be sure? All this confusion! It only made her wish to fill up the void left by her deceased husband.  Ross had always been her best friend and only once her lover.  Still, she never felt in love with him and there laid the problem.

Jimmy was her first romance. Wrapped up in dreams for a future, but never a reality. However, she never forgot him or what he ever said:  

 "We can live in a great, big house. I'll work hard just like my father and you can stay at home with our kids," Jimmy said out loud. As she blushed, he cupped her chin to stare squarely into her eyes, "I mean it Tara! I want lots, so when people look at us, they will announce, "Make room for the McFadden Family!"

 "Just how many is "lots"?" Tara sighed, studying the seventeen year old left with plenty of boyish features and crazy ideas.  He looked good in blue jeans and a tie-dyed tee shirt, the fashion of the early 1970's. He placed a palm against the tree and shoved the baseball cap sideways on his head.  Long, shaggy strands stuck out the back in disarray angles. Jimmy looked around, spying young boys on a nearby baseball field, and so he pointed.  

 "I want enough to make our own team!" he announced and she almost swallowed her gum.  

 "You are joking!" she coughed, catching her breath. What an outrageous request, yet Jimmy gritted his jaw.

 "Well, we can certainly try! I want a large family. I miss mine terribly."

 Jimmy's eyes constricted. How could she not take heed?  He sounded serious and his family had been lost in a tragic accident.

 "Oh, alright," she replied, taking his hand and squeezing it in promise. Did God pay attention to set miracles in motion?  Did he know that Jimmy would be taken away before he discovered the truth? How else to explain the septuplets and their fate since the day they were born?

 Now Tara stood at the large bay windows of the suite to gaze at the streets below. Why did she see that man today?  Only old memories resurfaced to make her feel rather old. Perhaps a hot shower would make it all go away, so Tara grabbed several items out the luggage and then headed into the bathroom. The rejuvenating warmth from the jet showerhead spray melted away the stress of the day. It seemed just the trick to make her feel better as she washed up.  After several moments, stepping out of a tiled perimeter all refreshed, Tara slipped into a soft terry robe and studied the reflection in the wide bathroom mirrors.

 "This September, you'll turn 36. You're getting older," she teased at the image. How easy to deceive people about her real age when she possessed youthful qualities, clear complexion and such expressive hazel eyes. She took the towel to wipe away water from her forehead. Pretty bedroom eyes, she heard Danny whisper, in a crisp voice. All in her head. Her late husband of fifteen years had described them as such, before taking Tara to bed.  The mental image of that special man pounded in her brain. Whenever she felt lonely, what better way to escape? To recall every bit of his resounding laughter and sparkling blue eyes? What a man! He spent all his time proving how much he adored her. A husband like no other, yet these warm memories now only made her ache for a man's touch. Pain rose in her throat, tightening the mechanism to swallow as she fought hard to contain back tears.  Why had Danny died so young in life? He was only 39.

 "Oh, stop it!" she declared, tossing the brush down upon the counter. She stared hard at the mirror, angry that she couldn't let go of him, "No matter how much you wish it so, nothing will bring the man back to life! So find another one!"

 She spun around and trotted out into the bedroom, finding the beautiful armoire that exposed a television set hidden inside. Plopping onto the king size bed, Tara clicked the remote mindlessly only stopping when an attractive reporter discussed a recent black-tie gala.  She interviewed a man about the outcome. Tara giggled when he took the microphone out of the reporter's hands and walked away, pointing out all of the participants. His demeanor witty-and he zigzagged across the area, seeming to look for someone in particular. His brown eyes grew big and his mouth widened into a huge smile when he found him.  

 "Yes, we are very pleased at the wonderful turn out today," Mr. Summers said in a drawn out hippy voice, "Let me tell you, this whole event was produced under the capable hands-on approach of the Foundation's Executive Director....who we should be thanking for this magnificent effort,"  The camera zoomed in and Mr. Summers proclaimed proudly, "My cousin-Jim McFadden."

 "Oh, my God!"  Tara cried out, quite thunderstruck. Mr. Summers? Jimmy McFadden?  They were, indeed, the ones at the store.  Tara leapt up and tripped off balance as her foot caught in the comforter. She tumbled down to the floor and felt something hard against the back of her head. White, red and black hues suddenly filtered into her brain. Luckily, Tara landed on the carpeted floor. Then out cold, she slumbered into an abyss as dark as the night.  

 (to be continued)