DRAGONJULS Storybook
Disclaimer and Acknowledgements: See Part One
Part 14
Chapter Twenty-nine
Catherine's phone rang; she had just completed her calls to Paul Strong and a couple of the other vice-presidents. Picking up the instrument absently she said a curt "Warriorson." and waited for the recipient to answer.
"Hey, with a welcome like that I'm not sure what to expect when we meet up again finally!" Jace laughed softly at the other end of the line.
Catherine nearly dropped the phone shocked hearing Jace at the other end. "Oh God, I'm so sorry Jace, I was preoccupied. Forgive me?" Her voice held a trace of anxiety.
"I will always forgive you no matter what!" Jace replied mollified at her apology.
"I might hold you to that one day." Catherine said seriously.
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure. So, how have you been?" Jace smiled as her mind pictured Catherine in the study. It gave her a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach as she recalled every feature of the woman she loved.
"Good, and you?"
"All the better for hearing your voice. I've missed you Catherine." Her voice cracked a little as she said the last words.
"I've missed you too Jace.' Catherine pictured the younger woman reclined on the sofa in her apartment, Jace had often described the scene to her in their numerous calls. "Grace came home, looks like I can arrange my trips away from here now."
Jace gave a small sigh of relief. "That's good news, How is Grace?"
"She's doing pretty well, although she had an accident today with the dishwasher, means I have the dubious task of cooking for us this lunchtime. Kids are a little sceptical about my cooking skills, I think Grace just laughs. Maybe she won't when she tries my cooking teach her to lose concentration with the domestic appliances." Catherine smiled into the receiver. It was so good to hear Jace's voice, it warming her in more places than she wanted to admit too.
Jace laughed, "Guess you need some lessons, do you want me to give you some?"
Catherine raised an eyebrow even though there was no one there to see it. "I can think of other lessons I would prefer you to teach me than cookery!"
"I.........well.......Yes! I'm sure you could." Was all Jace could manage; she was completely floored by the suggestive comment.
"You know my love there is no reason to be embarrassed it's only a phone call. Wait until I'm in the same room with you, then you can take me to task over any comment I make, and in any way you want!" Catherine mellowed at the thought.
"I love you Catherine," Jace's voice took on a husky quality.
"And I love you too, my dear Jace! Are you home for good now, or has Hudson plans to send you even further afield?" It was difficult to maintain composure even with a phone call, and it really was getting too much taking the proverbial cold shower after every call.
"Hudson is away in New York, not sure what she has planned for the future, hopefully nothing as rural as where she's has been sending me lately." Her voice held the frustration she had been feeling recently.
"Mmm, well I hope she doesn't send you anywhere in the next few weeks because I would have to come and find you, now wouldn't I." Catherine growled into the phone.
"You say the nicest things Catherine." Jace chuckled at her end. Having Catherine come looking for her in any part of the globe sounded pretty romantic to her.
"Glad you think so. I've got Grace and the Reverend on board for the trust fund and the kids are settled. I was wondering........" Catherine stopped mid-sentence as she heard a giggle from the other end of the line.
Jace was intrigued, what had she been going to say? "You were wondering?"
"Ah, yes wondering." Then she said nothing more. Silence prevailed, they say silence is golden but to Jace, silence in this particular case was intriguing.
Jace was happy the woman had completely lost her train of thought or it appeared that way. Over a giggle too! I wonder what else I can do or say that would bring on that reaction? "You going to tell me?" Borrowing an expression that Catherine used frequently to get answers from people.
"You sound like me!" Catherine was surprised but pleased at the banter she was being subjected to, it felt really warm and quite good inside!
"Is that a good thing or bad?" Jace countered.
"In this case good, but don't let it happen to often." Catherine retorted with mock indignation.
"I'll remember, you were wondering or don't you remember now?" Jace teased her gently.
"Yes, I remember, you don't get my mind to completely shut down Jace Bradley," Catherine let a light laugh finish for her.
"I hope I do one day," was all Jace replied. She heard a sharp intake of breath at the other end, which pleased her very much, and brought a warm, glowing smile to her face.
Catherine left that comment for another day, as it was getting way too hot in here, however it had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. "Yes, well I was wondering if I should adopt the kids or at least ask them what they think?" the tall woman changed the subject abruptly.
"Way to go Catherine, that's a wonderful idea." The happiness in her voice, made Catherine smile and realise that she had been right to think Jace would show the kids more love than she ever could.
"Glad you think so, because I sort of hoped that maybe.....well that you would.....I guess what I'm trying to say is....." Catherine was at a loss to finish the sentence without pushing her boat out too far.
"Yes," came the solid answer from Jace, who was smiling broadly at the cell phone held in her hand. All she wanted to do was hug the woman at the other end and hold her close; probably more, but she would accept the embrace for a start; yes a start of something more intimate.
"You don't even know what I'm going to ask?" The tall woman at the other end was smiling equally as broadly.
"Yeah I do, you want me to help you raise two kids. Am I right?"
"Yes!" an almost inaudible sound from the other end.
"Does that imply you're going to make an honest woman of me?' Jace couldn't help the chuckle and the possibility of making the older woman blush. "Have I made you uncomfortable Catherine?"
Catherine was certainly blushing, she hadn't thought of making a permanent commitment well, not until she had spoken to Jace about her past anyway. Then again she hadn't really considered the possibility of a permanent statement of their relationship, 'Honest woman indeed!' "Not uncomfortable no!" She muttered.
"So, are you?" Jace persisted.
"Am I what?" Catherine responded cautiously.
"Going to make an honest woman of me? Or will I just be the nanny?" After Jace said the word, she suddenly realised that she could have meant exactly that, they hadn't talked about a permanent arrangement together. Had she been wrong with her assumptions?
"Nanny? Now there's a thought! How about I answer that question when we see each other shortly?" Catherine refused to be drawn into the subject until after their talk.
Jace sighed heavily and a feeling of rejection took over, 'Maybe she did only want a nanny? What a fool I can be sometimes, I must be very tired to have pushed this far.' "Okay, I look forward to it."
"You won't be disappointed, I promise you Jace." Catherine spoke in the low voice that sent Jace's senses reeling. Her feelings suddenly shooting back onto the exhilaration level.
"Glad to hear it! Please tell me Catherine, what else is happening with you and at the ranch?"
They talked about several issues, Grace, the doctor, Colin and the children. Finally Jace had to ask the question that had been plaguing her since Peter had mentioned Ms Devonshire.
"How well do you know Ms Devonshire of the Xianthos Corporation?" Jace nonchalantly asked.
Catherine found the question unexpected, and a little strange but she countered with a question of her own. "Why do you ask?"
"The documentary we filmed at the ranch has been vetoed by her I wondered if you had been influential in that decision?" Jace held her breath waiting for the reply and hoping she wasn't going to be too unhappy with the response.
Catherine thought about her answer, it wasn't the right circumstances to explain and tell Jace that she was Devonshire, that admission had to be done face-to-face, one on one to gauge the reaction.
"Yes, I was influential in that decision, let's just say Xianthos owes me a favour or two."
"So, it was really you who vetoed the project?" Jace asked quietly, her heart beginning to race as she thought about the powerful friends that Catherine could weald if she wanted too.
"If you put it like that, yes.' Catherine needed to say more. "She shouldn't have pushed me on this one Jace, I had already denied access to my property, she ignored me! Did you think I would leave it like that? I'm not a person that you walk all over and ignore!"
Catherine looked around the study, it was getting close to lunchtime and she needed to start something, those kids were always hungry.
'That, and your scared to death she will think less of you, because of your show of what? Power? That was all it came down to in the end, petty power plays, because you hate Hudson's guts,' her internal voice mocked her.
"No, no I knew that you would perhaps take a stand, but to stop the whole documentary being released, that reeks of something else." Jace answered in a quiet voice.
"And that would be?" Catherine answered her coldly, this conversation wasn't going anywhere, and it wasn't relevant to them personally!
Jace bit her lip as she heard the change in tone and knew that the woman would have a very cold expression especially in her eyes.
"Childish behaviour." She'd said it, and knew that it wasn't going to be something Catherine would take lying down.
It was a minute before she heard heavy breathing and a sharp intake of breath at the description. "Childish bloody behaviour! What sort of answer is that? Do you think I've been stuck here with kids too long Jace?" was the scathing reply.
Jace was upset and knew that this wasn't how she had envisaged the conversation to go. "Never that Catherine, but.........why veto everything?"
"Because I can!' came the blistering reply. "I have lunch to prepare Jace, guess I'm going to have to resort to some more childish behaviour to tackle that problem. You want to say anything else?"
Jace could hear the drumming of angry fingers on the desk. "I guess not."
"Glad to hear it, I'll be in touch." Catherine replaced the receiver and pushed herself away from the desk, but then moved forward again and placed her hands on the top of the polished surface.
'Are you mad, what the hell have you just done?' Her head hit the desk as she closed her eyes at her own impatience and lack of understanding. 'That was Jace, the woman you love. Not some bloody business associate who has rattled your cage. Get a grip on life Catherine or your going to blow it all away, again! That is assuming you do love her that is? Yes! Oh god yes I love her.'
Jace was crying, it was a natural reaction; the tears felt justified. It had been a long three weeks, and now this!
'Why? Why did it have to end like that, it wasn't meant as a criticism?
More an observation, when will she be in touch? What if she doesn't get back to me? What am I going to do? I can't pretend anymore that I can walk away from this without being hurt, and it sure hurts now! Please call me Catherine, please!' her mind pleaded.
Jace walked into her bedroom and flung herself on the bed and cried herself to sleep, Xianthos had a lot to answer for!
***********
Grace had seen the gathering storm that threatened to fall in their paths any day now! Catherine Warriorson was a veritable storm front waiting to burst forth. She had been like that for days, in fact over a week. Nothing anyone could say brought a smile to her face, not even when the kids tried, and they had tried. She'd even stopped telling them stories, saying she was busy with work related problems and that she was going away soon.
That had upset them, particularly Jake. He was even having bad dreams again, but Catherine was way too busy to see that, she was always ensconced in her study and hardly past the time of day with anyone. There could be only one reason for this, Jace! Well if the storm front was coming, she was ready for it, wellingtons, raincoat and all!
Catherine stalked into the kitchen that afternoon and sat heavily in the chair a scowl on her face.
"You know if you keep that expression on your face to much longer it's going to be permanent and you have a beautiful face Catherine," she was never one to miss an opportunity.
"What the fuck do you know?" Catherine angrily replied, it wasn't often she swore and certainly never to Grace.
"Guess you're not in a good mood, couldn't tell by looking at you?" Nothing ventured nothing gained.
"What the hell do you want from me Grace?" Catherine pierced her with a cold look.
"How about what's wrong Catherine, friend to friend?" Grace smiled at her warmly; this wasn't the time to run from the problem.
"Nothing." Catherine replied sullenly.
"So, nothing is making you walk around as if the whole world is going to end at any time?" Grace tired the diplomatic route.
"Don't be melodramatic Grace," Catherine said scornfully.
"Okay I won't, if you tell me what's wrong?" Grace gave her a friendly smile.
Catherine ran a hand through her unruly hair; it needed to be in that damn ponytail. "I think my world is ending Grace." A desperate voice replied. 'Now, who was being melodramatic?'
Grace looked at the untidy image of her usually immaculately coifed friend; smiling gently she said one word. "Jace?"
Looking up, Catherine smiled wryly for the first time in days. She nodded her head. "Have you argued?" Grace asked her quietly.
"In a manner of speaking, it was to do with the documentary, she didn't like my tactics, called me childish," her voice held a hurt expression.
"Was she right?" Grace asked tentatively.
"I hope not! But I was rude to her and I don't know how to take it back?" Catherine almost blasted her anger at Grace with her question.
"You know, Jace might be feeling equally as bad and it's easy, how about you send flowers and then follow up with a call. In person would be better, but the phone would be a start." Grace felt suddenly ancient next to this vulnerable woman who didn't have the slightest clue about relationships.
Catherine suddenly got up from the table and went over and hugged Grace. Beaming she whispered in her ear. "I don't know what I would do without you Grace. You think that would work?"
"It would with me!" Catherine hugged her even harder.
Grace laughed loudly and the kids came in at that moment and stopped as they saw the tall, dark and recently usually angry woman smiling and hugging Grace. "How about tonight you take back your place of reading to our children here?" Her head moved to indicate the present children.
Catherine released Grace and a flush started at her neck at having been caught in a sentimental embrace. Looking at the children she sheepishly smiled. "Do you want me to take over tonight?" It came out slowly and quietly.
Both children exchanged a look and then they looked back at her.
"Yes please, Grace doesn't know how to make the right voices for the characters especially the animals." Lisa piped up and then launched herself at the tall woman for a hug. "We missed you." The child spoke into her thighs, which was the highest she could reach without being lifted off the ground.
Jake just looked at the end of his shoes and a slow smile took over at Lisa's enthusiasm.
"I missed you too Princess, I'm sorry to you both for my.......my indifference." She looked at the boy with apology in her eyes.
Jake looked directly back and grinned back at her nodding his head at her apology.
"Well Grace, I'd better get onto that florist before I lose my nerve." With that she released Lisa and kissed her head, and on the way out of the door placed a hand in Jake's hair and ruffled it gently.
Grace was chuckling "Was that easy or what!" She congratulated herself as she went on to get some cookies for the kids, before they started to fend for themselves, which would be worse than a storm brewing with Catherine.
***********
Sending flowers half way round the world was easy all you had to do was find an international florist.
'Okay, that's not a problem, just send a selection, yes that would work. She didn't know what Jace's favourite flower was anyway,' smiling she picked up the receiver and called the largest florist in Christchurch and told them to arrange whatever they could as quickly as they could to get to LA, money wasn't a problem.
Then she thought about another option! Chocolates. All women liked chocolates didn't they? Yes, except for you! Okay, but who could arrange that one? She scanned the Internet for an hour. Finally she selected what she needed, that would certainly keep Jace in chocolate for........depends on her appetite for goodies,' that brought a smile to Catherine's face; she wished she could be there to see the said goodies arrive.
The next thing she needed to do was arrange a courier to get a personal message to LA to arrive in tandem with the flowers and the chocolates, calling her usual courier, she arranged for the person to arrive within the hour, this was way too easy she thought. Then it occurred to her, ' what was she going to say on the message? Hell, I'm no good with words, not romantic ones anyway. Screwing up romantic situations is more my line.' Thinking about the problem, she put on the radio for background noise and heard a song that had words that explained the situation, what a coincidence.
Opening her personal writing draw in the desk, she pulled out a handmade, pristine white piece of paper, with her personal monogram of the ranch on it. She hardly ever sent this paper out, usually only used for invitations to the ranch or close friends. Not that she had many of those, but it would have served that purpose. Now it seemed appropriate to send this message on something more fitting than a normal card or sheet of paper.
Picking up her Mont Blanc fountain pen, she penned the note that she hoped would help her make up to the woman who held her heart and her prospects for a brighter future.
***********
Chapter Thirty
Jace had been walking around the studio or sitting in her office either moody or withdrawn. Peter had been called to Chicago to talk about another project and he had been away since the morning she came back on the lot, which had been two days after talking to Catherine. She hadn't been in the mood or capable of putting her personal problems on a backburner, now she had to, she had to get on with her life, what was left of it anyway!
Hudson had arrived back two days later and smirked at the obvious unhappiness of her publicity PA. Could it be she wondered anything to do with a certain Catherine Warriorson? 'Oh I hope so, yes indeed I do. Life is looking up for me at the moment, and another's discomfort always added to the euphoric feeling I'm having. Well, soon enough you're going to hear the truth about your little friend Jace. No! That's definitely the wrong word to use for her! No, you're tall, dark, sexy and very dangerous friend. I'm going to love every minute of that encounter.' Hudson grinned evilly at the back of the young blonde and re-entered her office.
Jace had tried to concentrate on her work, she really had but it was becoming intolerable, she needed to talk to someone about it soon and she didn't have a clue who she could confide with. Her Dad was away on business and Peter was still away, not due back until late the next week. Turning in her chair she looked at Hudson's door. "God I must really be losing it, if I even think about discussing this problem with her!'
Jace pushed a lock of her hair from her eyes and looked at the blank screen in front of her. 'Dare I send Catherine e-mail? No! She doesn't want to hear from me or she would have done something about it by now, wouldn't she? Maybe, she thinks I should get in touch first? No, she said she would be in touch; she's the one who got angry, not me! Why, why do I keep going over this, it won't help anything?' Tears stung her eyes as she tried to stop them flowing.
Getting up from her desk she noticed it was five p.m., 'Hell, I might as well go home I'm not contributing much here at the moment.'
Hoping that Hudson wouldn't come looking for her, she picked up her purse and car keys and headed for the parking area. The sun was still beating down as she exited the building and continued on her way. Pausing for a moment she looked at the simple colours that made up the logo for UCP, wondering not for the first time this week if the colours had any relation to Xianthos, maybe she would check tomorrow.
Climbing into her very hot Toyota coupe she turned the ignition and hoped the air conditioning would get to work fast, getting incredibly hot inside a car would only fuel her depressive state at the moment.
The car negotiated the final turn to her apartment complex and she locked the vehicle and ran up the steps to the building wing that housed her apartment and the prospect of a cooling shower.
Glancing at the corridor as she got off the elevator she noticed a man loitering half way down the hallway, he was wearing a uniform of some description. Quickly walking towards her apartment, she noticed a delivery man was lounging on the wall opposite her door.
"Anything I can help you with?" she enquired as she put the key in the door. Wondering if she was smart doing that, you never knew who was hanging about these days.
The young man fairly beamed as he saw which apartment she was entering. "Would you believe you sure can?"
Jace looked at him and noticed the name of a famous international florist on his jacket. "Then you better tell me?"
"Are you Ms Bardley?" He said quickly, pulling out his delivery sheet.
"Could be, who wants to know?" Jace answered with a slight smile.
"Your lucky day I guess, must have a really wealthy suitor, hope you have room, I'll be right back," he announced as he quickly levered his body from the lounging position against the wall and rushed towards the elevator.
Half an hour later, flowers surrounded Jace, flowers in every variety and colour of the rainbow and some that had nothing to do with the rainbow. It was spectacular and totally unexpected. One thing missing was a note or message of any kind.
Carefully walking around the living room, she negotiated an area of the floor that was covered by flowers and heard the doorbell ring. Approaching the door she was greeted by another delivery person, who asked the same question as the previous young man.
Sometime later she sat on her computer chair and contemplated the flowers and the boxes and boxes of chocolates from every known chocolate producing country of the world, it was awesome, but no note or message! She wasn't sure if it was someone's idea of a joke, but a lovely joke none the less. Or was it Peter? Or could it be the only person she really wanted it to be from, Catherine? 'It had to be Catherine, it just had to be!'
Now she waited in anticipation, surely she would get some sort of message no one would go to this effort without at least some sort of note would they? Putting on a pot of coffee she felt her emotional walls beginning to break away again and this time it was for a happier reason.
Stepping over the flowers into her bedroom she picked up Tas and hugged him. "I know it's you Catherine, I just know it!" She whispered into the soft toy's ear, seeing only the wicked smile answer her.
Then the doorbell went again, she nearly crashed into a basket of roses at her haste to get there. Wrenching open the door she saw the courier and he handed her a plastic wallet and made her sign for the document and went on his way.
Glancing at the plastic wallet she noted the country of origin. "I just knew it!" she shouted in happiness and noted the surprised expression of one of her neighbours, who had been going into his apartment.
Closing the door with a faint blush on her cheeks, she held the wallet to her heart.
Grabbing a coffee she sank into her sofa and put her feet up on the arm of the
furniture and gently opened the seal on the wallet. Gingerly opening it she
extracted a pristine white envelope in what could only be specially prepared paper and if
she didn't know better it looked like Chinese handmade to her. Putting the envelope to her
nose she could smell the faint trace of fresh cologne, which was all Catherine Warriorson.
Slitting open the envelope, she pulled out a matching piece of paper and slowly
opened it out to see the flowing bold script that told its own story.
Jace,
Seems that words are not my friends on many occasions, and I wanted to tell you exactly how I felt. At times it's hard to find the right words, so I've taken the liberty of borrowing a few from a song, I'm sure the author or the singer won't mind in this instance. As you know I love to listen to songs, I can feel so much through them that I find difficult to voice on my own, so here goes.
Don't turn me away; I'll give anything to see you stay.
I'm lost and alone without you here with me.
I will be your lady if you really want me!
I need you to be the first sight I see, living fantasy as reality.
That's where I'm gonna be.
I would never break your heart my love is beating strongly here for you.
Please come home and collect it from me as only you can!
I hope you know the song, heard it today on the local radio station, kind of a fortuitous listening session for me. The rest of the lyrics mirror what I need to say to you Jace and I'm going to do just that very soon if you will let me? Please give me the chance to show you how I feel Jace that's all I ask?
I'm going to call, please don't hang up on me!
I love you,
Catherine
Tears streamed down the cheeks of the emotionally happy woman. It had been a maelstrom of torrential emotions as she read and reread the note. Her heart was so full of love for the woman who she knew deep down to her core was going to be her lover sooner rather than later it was their divine destiny. 'I love you too Catherine.' smiling tearfully into the empty apartment as she looked over the array of flowers and chocolates.
The phone rang.
Picking up the cell phone on the coffee table she answered with a warm "Hi." Jace was far too overwhelmed at the events happening, it was all she could say.
"Hello Jace, I'm sorry!" Catherine Warriorson spoke softly and not without an element of trepidation in her voice.
"I love you Catherine." Jace managed to utter before she burst into tears. Catherine listened to the woman crying and wanted nothing more than to get on the next flight and go to her, but it wasn't possible to many people still had to be dealt with before she could fly off at the drop of a hat.
"Jace? Jace are you okay? I'm sorry love, there is nothing I want more than to be with you and say that in person and I will as soon as I can believe me, I will!" Catherine wasn't immune to the emotional storm that was going on in LA.
"I.....I love you Catherine! That's all that matters. That's all that will ever matter to you and I!" Jace was trying to control her tears and get her breathing under control.
Catherine breathed a sigh of relief and smiled briefly. "You forgive me to easily Jace, was it the flowers or the chocolates that helped me out here?" Catherine tried to lighten the tension.
"You know it wasn't either of those, it was your note. I loved the note and even if all you had written was 'I love you', that would have been enough! But when you get here, I'm going to make you listen to that song again and we are going to act on it okay?" Jace finally managed to get her vocal chords in full working order.
"Anything you say, I will be all yours to do whatever you want with, and you will be the only person that has or will ever get that promise." Catherine spoke with conviction.
"I've got to tell you this Catherine, I thought you had given up on me!" Jace gulped back a sob.
"Give up on you Love! Never! Nothing will ever be that bad that I will not want you in my life, nothing do you hear me Jace?" Catherine spoke with such conviction.
"Yes, but something might?" Jace whispered.
"No! You are my life Jace Bardley, without you I'm a shell that exists but has no meaning. When I think of you and what I've already achieved simply because you're behind me, no matter the distance between us, just think what I could do with you by my side!"
"Then I'm going to be by your side for the rest of your life. Think you can put up with me and my questions for eternity?" Jace was smiling happily, everything was going to be okay, and she knew it.
"Oh Eternity with you, well.....? Guess I could try it and see what it feels like." Catherine chuckled at her end. This was one of the happiest calls she had ever made. No, it was the happiest.
Continued in Part 15
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