AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Back at her desk, she stared into the small picture of her and Mel that rested in a heart-shaped frame. It had been taken during the first summer of their courtship. She smiled weakly. Are we ever going to be as happy as we were when that picture was taken? The grinning couple in the photo seemed to mock her as they embraced lovingly against the background of endless sea. Even the stuffed zebra she clutched in her arms, the one he had won for her on that Coney Island trip, seemed to know secretly of their fate, with its big pink sewn-on smile and lifeless button eyes.
Mel had proposed the following Christmas. He had appeared at her apartment unannounced. “I was just on my way out,” she told him. “I’m going Christmas shopping.”
“Wait, I’ll go with you,” he said. “We can walk down Fifth Avenue and go to Macy’s.”
“Macy’s it is,” she replied quietly.
Fifth Avenue was ablaze with lights. On both sides of the street, pedestrians hustled in and out of the expensive stores while taxicabs weaved in and out of traffic, trying to avoid getting caught up in a jam.
The store was crammed with blissful shoppers carrying parcels and choosing gifts. One department had a huge Nativity scene set up, with the baby Jesus in the manger surrounded by miniature statuettes of his mother and villagers. The whole display was festooned with holly, cranberries, nuts, tinsel, fruits, and dozens of ribbons.
Adrienne squeezed Mel’s hand. “Isn’t it beautiful?” she breathed.
But Mel wasn’t looking at the Nativity scene. He was staring down at their hands, which were clasped together. “Yes, Adrienne,” he murmured, “it’s really beautiful.”
Then he got down on one knee, pulled a ring from his pocket, and said, “I love you, Adrienne; please marry me.”
The shoppers applauded. Adrienne was so surprised, she couldn’t answer right away.
“Aw, come on, sweetheart. You can’t turn me down in front of baby Jesus.”
A woman in the crowd said, “This is just so romantic.”
Adrienne said yes.
Adrienne put her head in her hands and rubbed her eyes gently to catch the tears that were beginning to form. Now her marriage was troubled, and she had a problem at work, too. Who the hell was Lloyd Cooper and why was he acting so strangely?
And on top of it all, she still wondered what had really happened to Mel the night before.
When she came back from lunch, there was a message on her desk to call Lloyd Cooper. She was not in the mood for more intrigue. She decided to go see the president instead of calling. When she appeared in front of his secretary’s desk, Adrienne’s face was flushed. A few strands of hair had come loose from her French roll and flew lightly around her face.
“Is Mr. Cooper available?”
Sally Gomez pressed a button on the intercom and listened for a second. “Yes. He’ll see you right away.”
Adrienne stalked past her without a thank-you and turned the knob on Lloyd Cooper’s door. He stood up, came toward her with a welcoming smile, and motioned Adrienne into the visitor’s chair. Her courage started to wane as she sank into the plush seat. Who did she think she was, barging into an executive’s office just because she was at odds with her husband? Adrienne shrank further into the seat.
“Did you want to speak to me, Mr. Cooper?” she asked meekly.
Lloyd Cooper grinned at her, his cheeks dimpling, but when she didn’t smile back, he cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry that our last meeting was interrupted and that it has taken me so long to get back to you.” His voice softened. “It’s really good to see you again, Adrienne. My God, it’s been over seventeen years!”
Adrienne felt bad about not remembering this man who was so obviously happy to see her, but she had to tell the truth before the situation became embarrassing. “That’s really nice to hear, Mr. Cooper, but do you mind telling me where we crossed paths all those years ago?”
He gave her a teasing smile. “The High School for Performing Arts. We were really tight during senior year. Why don’t I go find us some coffee? Think about graduation day while I’m gone, all right?”
He left the room without waiting for an answer.
/>
Adrienne relaxed. She couldn’t remember any boy named Lloyd Cooper, especially not one as fine as this one, but it had certainly been an unforgettable year.
Senior year at the High School for Peforming Arts Class of 1982 got off to a bad start when the beloved typing teacher dropped dead from a heart attack, in the classroom, right in front of thirty-five students who were so busy typing The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog that they didn’t even hear the body hit the floor.
Then, in December, a group of boys from another school crashed the Christmas dance. When the resulting melee was over, three students had to be hospitalized for various injuries. Thankfully, after the New Year, the streak of bad luck came to an end. The students focused on college applications or talked about becoming famous. Adrienne had visions of a seven-figure music contract and platinum albums, the tokens of a successful recording career. Spring brought excitement over the upcoming senior prom and graduation; fall offered the first sample of reality.
Adrienne heard a bumping sound at the door. She shook her head to clear the memories and opened it. Lloyd was holding a silver tray. There were two cups, spoons, a coffee pot, and a small jug of cream. “I had to kick the door,” he said, smiling. “My hands are full, and Sally is away from her desk.”
