| The Shore of Dreams! By Sharon Holtz Chapter Fifteen |
Catherine smiled at the two, and thought Ronald seemed very comfortable with
Jennifer, and she wondered, if she didn’t perhaps detect a bit of a sparkle in his
eyes as he looked at her! Yes, maybe all is not hopeless, after all...if he can still
look fondly at her, even though he has seen her with a curler stuck in her bangs,
and now with hair removal cream on her upper lip…then maybe...who knows!
Catherine excitedly asked, “Can we coax you into going out for lunch?”
Jennifer thought it might be nice to just stay there for lunch, and so she
suggested, “How about if I fix lunch for us here? I just put on a fresh pot of
coffee, and boiled up a ton of eggs! I could mix up some egg salad for
sandwiches. I’m gonna try that hard boiled egg diet this week.”
Picking up the diet book she was referencing, Jennifer read aloud, “It says here,
if you eat 3 boiled eggs at each meal, along with beverage of choice, such as
coffee, tea, or water, that you should lose 7-10 lbs. in one week!”
Catherine laughingly said, “And loose all of your friends TOO!”
Seriously, Ronald asked, “Jenny, what do you want to diet for? You don’t need
to lose any weight!”
Jennifer quizzically asked, “Oh Ronny, really? You don’t think I need to? Then
that's it! I am through dieting!”
To which Catherine boldly announced, “That’s what I have been telling you for
years!”
Jennifer seemingly did not to hear Catherine at all, and bashfully said, “Thank
you for your opinion Ronny!”
Decadently, Ronald added, “Your offer of egg-salad sandwiches sounds
delicious! I would love to stay.”
Catherine agreed and said, “Tell us what we can do to help!”
Jennifer gave them both projects, and they laughed and talked as they worked
away.
As Jennifer set the platter of sandwiches, and bowl of chips on the table, she
handed the jar of pickles to Ronald to open. As he effortlessly twisted the lid
off, Jennifer flirtatiously said, “Oh thank you Ronny, I always have trouble
opening these jars!”
She then smiled at Catherine, and said, “Oh how nice to have a strong man
around when it is time to eat!”
The three of them settled in about Jennifer’s kitchenette, and dug in.
Excitedly, Jennifer said, “Just think Cath, when I move into your apartment,
Vincent will be able to join us too. I can have dinner and cocktail parties!”
Hopefully, she turned to Ronald, and asked, “Oh Ronny, will you come too?!”
Politely, Ronald said, “Of course Jenny.”
Dreamily she smiled at Ronald and said, “Then I will count on it!”
Ronald looked back at Jennifer, and then smiled as he looked downward, having
to hold back his chuckle. With care, he then said, “Come here Jennifer...”
As Jennifer leaned toward Ronald, she asked, "What?"
He then took his napkin, and said, “You have a bit of egg salad on your lip right
here…” And gently wiped it away.
Although this should have been another embarrassing moment for Jennifer to
add to her list…she didn’t care! For right now, she was looking into the most
beautiful pair of deep brown eyes, she had ever seen! Ronald said, “There all
set Jenny.” And resumed eating.
Catherine, who was looking on, loved this sweet exchange between the two, and
thought...hmmm...one never knows...
Unexpectedly, Jennifer squealed, “Oh my God! Wait until you see all the
articles that have appeared in the paper about us! Unbelievable!”
Jennifer went over to her magazine rack and pulled out all the publications. She
leafed through them, and said, “Let’s see, here we are in the Amsterdam News,
The Asahi Shimbun International Billboard, Chinese United Journal, The
Forward, Greenwich Village Gazette, Irish Echo, New York Law Journal, I
suppose we made it in this one because of your Lawyer connections, and my
personal favorite, The Village Voice!”
Excitedly she added, “Cath, we are local celebs!”
Teasingly, Catherine asked, “What? No New York Post, Times or Daily
News?”
Jennifer completely ignored her friends sarcastic remark, and said, “Oh yes and
I received a call to appear on Channel 7 WABC for an interview, and also on,
WNBC, News Channel 4, and STEVE REGGIE on WLUX would like to
interview us on his radio show!”
Quizzically, Catherine asked, “Isn’t he on really early in the morning? At 5:
30AM-7AM or something like that?”
Jennifer stated, “Yes, my mom listens to him all the time!”
Catherine giggled, and said, “Well that answers my next question, we found his
one listener...your MOM!”
Jennifer scowled, and said, “You are not taking any of this seriously are
you?”
Admittedly, she replied, “Oh Jen how can I? We don’t deserve any of this
attention! You know it and I know it! I don’t want to do any of those shows.
What if we slip up on some facts?”
Jennifer explained, “Well Cath, we just have to make sure that we don’t!
Besides, I have never been in the papers or interviewed before! You are used to
it because of some of the cases you have been on. Won’t you please just think
about it?”
Ronald chimed in, and said, “Yea Cathy, you should think about it. It seems
Jenny would sure get a kick out of it!”
Giving in, Catherine agreed to consider doing an interview or two, but that
would be it!
She then guardedly asked, “What did your Mom say about all of this Jen?”
Jennifer widened her eyes, and said, “She hit the roof! She said she always
knew that job was dangerous, and she was glad you finally listened to her, and
quit the D.A.! Do you believe she is taking the credit for you leaving? Hilarious!”
She then inform idly said, “Cathy, don’t forget, we have to go down to the
station in the morning. The police would like to question us again!”
Catherine said, “I remember, and I have to stop and pick up some varnish at
Harvey’s too.”
She then noticed the Pratt booklet and course pamphlets Jennifer had laying on
her table, and said, “Vincent is very excited about checking out these courses.
He asked me to remind you to bring them, and he also wanted me to invite you
down to the tunnels for Supper.”
Ronald also suggested, “If you are ready, you could come with us now.”
Happily, she said, “Yes, let’s see, I have the Pratt information ready, the
alternative communication system presentation ready for Pops, and my copy of
Wuthering Heights!”
Looking at Catherine and Ronald she said, “I suppose I am ready.”
As Jennifer quickly tended to her pet turtle, she said, “Let me just put Gonzy’s
shade tree in for him.”
As Catherine peered into the bowl, she astonishingly asked, “What is this ping
pong ball doing in his bowl?”
Jennifer nonchalantly said, “That’s his exercise ball! He loves to push it around
with his nose! It is a riot to see!”
Catherine shook her head, and said, “Excuse me, but any time that I see Gonzy,
he is just sitting there. I have never once seen all of this activity you say he
does!”
Jennifer lovingly relayed, “Ahhh that is because he is shy. But we are working
on that aren’t we Gonzy?”
Ronald walked over to the turtle bowl, and said, “My youngest daughter had a
turtle once. She named him Harry! He contracted that soft shell disease, and
nothing would help him, and he died.”
Catherine and Jennifer were riveted as Ronald shared this personal information
with them. They stood silent as he continued, “The night before he died, my
wife and I over heard Gretta praying over his bowl, and her little prayer broke
our hearts. She looked up into the heavens, and she said, “Oh please Jesus help
Harry, he is such a good little turtle and he never hurt anyone, please make him
well.” We knew his death would devastate Gretta, so we replaced Harry with
another turtle. Well the next day when Gretta peered into the bowl and saw
Harry seemed to be well once again, she cried a tearful thank you to Jesus for
helping Harry.”
They all three had tears in their eyes by the end of Ronald’s story, and Jennifer
reverently whispered, “Did she ever find out Ronny?”
Ronald shook his head no, and softly replied, “She never knew.”
Ronald then said, “We wondered afterwards if we were wrong to shield Greta
from life’s heartaches.”
He wiped his eyes, as he then said, “Right or wrong, I am glad we did.”
Catherine and Jennifer both nodded in agreement, and as Jennifer passed
Catherine the Kleenex box, Catherine dried her tears, and Jennifer honkingly
blew her nose!
This caused both Catherine and Ronald to look at each other, and they both
started to laugh. Jennifer looked at them and asked, “What? What are you two
laughing about?”
Catherine shook her head and simply said, “Nothing Jen, nothing.”
To be continued
Chapter Sixteen
Jennifer, and she wondered, if she didn’t perhaps detect a bit of a sparkle in his
eyes as he looked at her! Yes, maybe all is not hopeless, after all...if he can still
look fondly at her, even though he has seen her with a curler stuck in her bangs,
and now with hair removal cream on her upper lip…then maybe...who knows!
Catherine excitedly asked, “Can we coax you into going out for lunch?”
Jennifer thought it might be nice to just stay there for lunch, and so she
suggested, “How about if I fix lunch for us here? I just put on a fresh pot of
coffee, and boiled up a ton of eggs! I could mix up some egg salad for
sandwiches. I’m gonna try that hard boiled egg diet this week.”
Picking up the diet book she was referencing, Jennifer read aloud, “It says here,
if you eat 3 boiled eggs at each meal, along with beverage of choice, such as
coffee, tea, or water, that you should lose 7-10 lbs. in one week!”
Catherine laughingly said, “And loose all of your friends TOO!”
Seriously, Ronald asked, “Jenny, what do you want to diet for? You don’t need
to lose any weight!”
Jennifer quizzically asked, “Oh Ronny, really? You don’t think I need to? Then
that's it! I am through dieting!”
To which Catherine boldly announced, “That’s what I have been telling you for
years!”
Jennifer seemingly did not to hear Catherine at all, and bashfully said, “Thank
you for your opinion Ronny!”
Decadently, Ronald added, “Your offer of egg-salad sandwiches sounds
delicious! I would love to stay.”
Catherine agreed and said, “Tell us what we can do to help!”
Jennifer gave them both projects, and they laughed and talked as they worked
away.
As Jennifer set the platter of sandwiches, and bowl of chips on the table, she
handed the jar of pickles to Ronald to open. As he effortlessly twisted the lid
off, Jennifer flirtatiously said, “Oh thank you Ronny, I always have trouble
opening these jars!”
She then smiled at Catherine, and said, “Oh how nice to have a strong man
around when it is time to eat!”
The three of them settled in about Jennifer’s kitchenette, and dug in.
Excitedly, Jennifer said, “Just think Cath, when I move into your apartment,
Vincent will be able to join us too. I can have dinner and cocktail parties!”
Hopefully, she turned to Ronald, and asked, “Oh Ronny, will you come too?!”
Politely, Ronald said, “Of course Jenny.”
Dreamily she smiled at Ronald and said, “Then I will count on it!”
Ronald looked back at Jennifer, and then smiled as he looked downward, having
to hold back his chuckle. With care, he then said, “Come here Jennifer...”
As Jennifer leaned toward Ronald, she asked, "What?"
He then took his napkin, and said, “You have a bit of egg salad on your lip right
here…” And gently wiped it away.
Although this should have been another embarrassing moment for Jennifer to
add to her list…she didn’t care! For right now, she was looking into the most
beautiful pair of deep brown eyes, she had ever seen! Ronald said, “There all
set Jenny.” And resumed eating.
Catherine, who was looking on, loved this sweet exchange between the two, and
thought...hmmm...one never knows...
Unexpectedly, Jennifer squealed, “Oh my God! Wait until you see all the
articles that have appeared in the paper about us! Unbelievable!”
Jennifer went over to her magazine rack and pulled out all the publications. She
leafed through them, and said, “Let’s see, here we are in the Amsterdam News,
The Asahi Shimbun International Billboard, Chinese United Journal, The
Forward, Greenwich Village Gazette, Irish Echo, New York Law Journal, I
suppose we made it in this one because of your Lawyer connections, and my
personal favorite, The Village Voice!”
Excitedly she added, “Cath, we are local celebs!”
Teasingly, Catherine asked, “What? No New York Post, Times or Daily
News?”
Jennifer completely ignored her friends sarcastic remark, and said, “Oh yes and
I received a call to appear on Channel 7 WABC for an interview, and also on,
WNBC, News Channel 4, and STEVE REGGIE on WLUX would like to
interview us on his radio show!”
Quizzically, Catherine asked, “Isn’t he on really early in the morning? At 5:
30AM-7AM or something like that?”
Jennifer stated, “Yes, my mom listens to him all the time!”
Catherine giggled, and said, “Well that answers my next question, we found his
one listener...your MOM!”
Jennifer scowled, and said, “You are not taking any of this seriously are
you?”
Admittedly, she replied, “Oh Jen how can I? We don’t deserve any of this
attention! You know it and I know it! I don’t want to do any of those shows.
What if we slip up on some facts?”
Jennifer explained, “Well Cath, we just have to make sure that we don’t!
Besides, I have never been in the papers or interviewed before! You are used to
it because of some of the cases you have been on. Won’t you please just think
about it?”
Ronald chimed in, and said, “Yea Cathy, you should think about it. It seems
Jenny would sure get a kick out of it!”
Giving in, Catherine agreed to consider doing an interview or two, but that
would be it!
She then guardedly asked, “What did your Mom say about all of this Jen?”
Jennifer widened her eyes, and said, “She hit the roof! She said she always
knew that job was dangerous, and she was glad you finally listened to her, and
quit the D.A.! Do you believe she is taking the credit for you leaving? Hilarious!”
She then inform idly said, “Cathy, don’t forget, we have to go down to the
station in the morning. The police would like to question us again!”
Catherine said, “I remember, and I have to stop and pick up some varnish at
Harvey’s too.”
She then noticed the Pratt booklet and course pamphlets Jennifer had laying on
her table, and said, “Vincent is very excited about checking out these courses.
He asked me to remind you to bring them, and he also wanted me to invite you
down to the tunnels for Supper.”
Ronald also suggested, “If you are ready, you could come with us now.”
Happily, she said, “Yes, let’s see, I have the Pratt information ready, the
alternative communication system presentation ready for Pops, and my copy of
Wuthering Heights!”
Looking at Catherine and Ronald she said, “I suppose I am ready.”
As Jennifer quickly tended to her pet turtle, she said, “Let me just put Gonzy’s
shade tree in for him.”
As Catherine peered into the bowl, she astonishingly asked, “What is this ping
pong ball doing in his bowl?”
Jennifer nonchalantly said, “That’s his exercise ball! He loves to push it around
with his nose! It is a riot to see!”
Catherine shook her head, and said, “Excuse me, but any time that I see Gonzy,
he is just sitting there. I have never once seen all of this activity you say he
does!”
Jennifer lovingly relayed, “Ahhh that is because he is shy. But we are working
on that aren’t we Gonzy?”
Ronald walked over to the turtle bowl, and said, “My youngest daughter had a
turtle once. She named him Harry! He contracted that soft shell disease, and
nothing would help him, and he died.”
Catherine and Jennifer were riveted as Ronald shared this personal information
with them. They stood silent as he continued, “The night before he died, my
wife and I over heard Gretta praying over his bowl, and her little prayer broke
our hearts. She looked up into the heavens, and she said, “Oh please Jesus help
Harry, he is such a good little turtle and he never hurt anyone, please make him
well.” We knew his death would devastate Gretta, so we replaced Harry with
another turtle. Well the next day when Gretta peered into the bowl and saw
Harry seemed to be well once again, she cried a tearful thank you to Jesus for
helping Harry.”
They all three had tears in their eyes by the end of Ronald’s story, and Jennifer
reverently whispered, “Did she ever find out Ronny?”
Ronald shook his head no, and softly replied, “She never knew.”
Ronald then said, “We wondered afterwards if we were wrong to shield Greta
from life’s heartaches.”
He wiped his eyes, as he then said, “Right or wrong, I am glad we did.”
Catherine and Jennifer both nodded in agreement, and as Jennifer passed
Catherine the Kleenex box, Catherine dried her tears, and Jennifer honkingly
blew her nose!
This caused both Catherine and Ronald to look at each other, and they both
started to laugh. Jennifer looked at them and asked, “What? What are you two
laughing about?”
Catherine shook her head and simply said, “Nothing Jen, nothing.”
To be continued
Chapter Sixteen
