Of Body And Soul (3 page)

"I have wonderful paintings
that Mom and Dad purchased when they went to visit you. Those paintings inspired me to become an artist."

"Oh, how delightful. Pl
ease come visit if I keep the estate. It's about twenty-five acres of beauty, with a wide stream that runs along the property. It also has six large out-buildings encircling a beautiful lake. When our friends from Manhattan came to visit, we’d use the buildings as guest cottages."

"I'd love to visit and do some painting. Most of my work has been of upstate
New York. I seem to capture the Catskills the best."

"Isn't that something?" Grayson said, as she squeezed Andrea's arm. "Rita a
nd Andrew loved the Catskills. Especially the charming town of Windham.”

"I know.
My memories of that area are like a film rolling on, and as long as I keep these pictures in focus, I'm able to express them on canvas.” Andrea blinked away the tears that welled in her eyes. “When I go to the mountains, I drive by the Inn where we vacationed, but I haven’t stayed there since they passed away. That area is wonderful, no matter what the season."

"Is the
Inn still there?" Grayson asked, pressing her fingers to her temples, as she tried to remember the name. "I can't believe it," Grayson sighed and shook her head. "Uncle Charles and I also stayed there. The Wyndemere. That's it.

“
There were many summers when the four of us drove from the Catskills to Saratoga. We always stopped at this one restaurant in downtown Albany. Oh, what's the name of that place?" she hesitated, as her mind flipped through her memory file. "I got it, Jack's. Jack’s Oyster House on State Street."

"You have some memory, Grayson. My friend, Emily and I had dinner there just the other night."

Grayson closed her eyes as tears rolled down her still-beautiful face. "Oh how young we were, we two: Sizzling girls in those glorious summers!"

"Oh, Grayson, I didn't mean to make you sad."

"No dear, these are tears of joy. You know, it's a miracle we met today," she sniffled and dabbed at her eyes.

"Grayson." Andrea paused a moment, hesitant about s
aying her next thought. "The real reason I never kept in touch . . . ."

Grayson searched Andrea's face. "What is it
, dear?"

"W
ell, you know you looked so much like my Mom. At times, I couldn't bear to think of you, let alone talk with you or see you." She tried to avoid eye contact, even after all those years.

"Don't fret over it. Everyone who met us for the first time thought Rita and I were sisters, and besides, it's a wonderful compliment," Grayson said happily.
"From here on, it will be as if no years have passed between us. I'll be here for you whenever you need me." She reached over and patted Andrea's hand.

Andrea took Grayson's hand in her own and felt a wonderful sense of being home. A blush of
pleasure rose to her cheeks. She moved Grayson's things to the aisle seat then settled in next to her. "You know, God timed our meeting perfectly." Andrea smiled and held on to her old friend tightly.

The engines roared
. “Ladies and gentlemen,” the captain announced. “We will be taking off in a few minutes.” The passengers sighed with relief as the flight attendants walked up and down the aisle tightening seat belts and securing trays.

When the attendant approached their
aisle, she said. “The carryon must be stowed under the seat or in the overhead compartment.”

Andrea nodded and
gathered Grayson’s belonging and tucked them under the seat in front of them.

“
Thank you, dear.” Grayson patted Andrea's hand once again to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "I think I'll listen to some music, dear."  She placed the earphones to her ears. "I don't like the take off and the landing. The music seems to help."

Andrea smiled, "Ju
st close your eyes and relax."

CHAPTER THREE

The plane lifted off and And
rea glanced at her Rolex. We’ll arrive in Denver about 4:00 P.M. Jason had told her he’d have a limo waiting.
Great,
she thought,
I’ll have enough time to settle into my room, shower and dress for the dinner meeting with him

She looked up. A lock of golden hair fell across her eyes. She wished she hadn't agreed to this meeting. But, if she hadn't
, she never would have met Grayson. Andrea looked over at her and realized Grayson was a link in her life that must be welded back together forever. A feeling of warmth engulfed her. She took a sketch pad from her briefcase and sketched this remarkable lady sitting beside her.

Two hours into the flight, Andrea realized she'd been drumming her pencil against the pad. She put her things away and stopped the flight attendant as he passed her seat. "Could I please have a glass of Chardonnay?" she whispered, so as not to wake Grayson.

"What a great idea," Grayson chimed in. "We should celebrate. I haven't been on vacation since Uncle Charles passed away. This is a major step for me. And the fact that if my friend didn't decide to go to Vail, we’d never have met. Are you going to Vail on a ski vacation?"

"No," Andrea glanced at her watch as it edged toward freedom from Jason.

"I didn't think so."

Andrea eyed Grayson's amber cashmere suit and sweater. Her face, devoid of makeup, except for the hint of color on h
er cheeks, her hair soft, white and wispy, styled away from her face, gave her a much younger look than her years. Her sense of style was impeccable. Andrea realized the reason she hadn’t recognized Grayson. The woman had gained weight and had snow-white hair. The last time she had seen Grayson, she was a size eight and had red hair.

Andrea should have felt stylish in her coffee brown suede dress with matching coat, an
d carefully selected Prada accessories. But, for some reason, she felt older than Grayson, even though she was thirty years her junior.

"You're here on business then?" Grayson
asked, her wise eyes bright and bemused. "You’re meeting someone to close a very important deal. Right?"

For a moment Andrea was dumbstruck. Well, she thought,
that's a good analogy of a five-year relationship that went down the tubes.
The wine arrived before she could answer.

Grayson raised her glass.
"Well, here's to my vacation and your business deal," she grinned. "Andrea, are you married?"

The quick question needed a thoughtful answe
r. "No, but . . . hum, I've been with someone for five years."

"Five years!"

"Are you shocked, Grayson?"

"No, but that seems like a long time to spend with someone you're not married to."

"It was, and time is like the wind, Grayson. It blows down the corridors of your life and slams all the doors shut as it passes," Andrea sighed.

Grayson leaned over, her expression pathetically eager. "Tell me what it's like. In my day, it
was unheard of for a couple to live together."             

"What’s it like to live with a man?" Andrea looked at her. "That's a big
question," she hedged and wished their conversation had headed in another direction.
Should I tell her the truth? That living with Jason was a stress test—to see how long two people could exist in the same space without going mad?

"What's your boyfriend's name?"

"Jason . . . Jason Miles. And he’s not my boyfriend any longer.” Andrea said curtly. “He's an architectural engineer working in L.A.”

An
drea looked directly at Grayson and softened. "I'm sorry I was rude just then. The business I'm concluding is my relationship with the man.”

Grayson's mouth formed
an expressive circle. "Oooh, I'm sorry for prying," she said compassionately and rummaged through her pile of books, looking for something to read.

Andrea
patted Grayson's hand. "Don't worry, I’ve made the right decision this time," she said confidently and finished her glass of wine. Warm and comfortable, she closed her eyes.

She returned to that incredible night when she
first met Jason at Arthur's. From then on, her life was a whirlwind: traveling, entertaining, dining at the Oak Room, Tavern on the Green, Twenty-one. Fresh flowers were delivered to her every day. Jason’s gifts fluctuated from one extreme to another. One day he'd send a single red rose in a Baccarat bud vase and the next her favorite, violets in a wicker basket. More often than not, Jason's secretary would call to inform her that a limo would arrive at
their
house in a few hours to whisk her off to the airport. Jason had made a name for himself as one of the leading architects in the United States.

He flew all over the world to meet with clients
and he expected her to go with him. The life she had planned had been on hold since her parents' death and her relationship with Jason gave her a welcomed reprieve. There was never a dull moment. She fell in love with Jason’s lifestyle . . . the unpredictability and excitement. All too soon, she realized her life centered on playing hostess to his clients . . . catering to his needs.  In the process, she’d given up her painting and a large part of herself. She didn’t like the person she had become.

Her eyes flew open when she heard the pilot announce their descent.
The
Fasten Your Seat Belt
sign went on and before long, they landed in Denver.

Andrea gently removed the book from Grayson’s hand and whispered her name.
Grayson sat up immediately and gave Andrea a wide smile. "I must have fallen asleep. It had to be the wine."

"Look at t
hat snow!" Andrea's eyes opened wide and the golden flecks sparkled.

Grayson followed Andrea's glance. "It should be great for the skiers," she said
as she straightened her jacket and fluffed her hair.                           

When
Andrea stepped into the aisle, she was surprised when she recognized the same man whom she’d seen going into Emily’s house this morning. He wore the same blue wool blazer and gray flannel slacks. His white turtleneck intensified his deep tan and piercing blue eyes.

When he glanced in her direction, he nodded
and smiled. Their eyes locked and she felt a rush of heat that turned her face crimson.

Instantly
, the memory of the Christmas party burst through her subconscious.
It's Kurt, Emily's brother! I haven't seen him in four or five years. It’s no wonder I didn’t recognize him. He’s as dark as chestnut and he has a full, thick beard. He’s even more handsome than I remember. I wonder what he's doing back in the States and why Emily didn't tell me he came home. What a coincidence. Only Emily knew I was meeting Jason this weekend. Hmm.

Grayson stood and watched the confused expression on Andrea's face. "Are you okay, Dear?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just saw someone else that I hadn't seen in a number of years."

"Well, it must be your lucky day," Grayson said with a smile and hugged Andrea to her.

"Grayson, I have your friend's phone number and I'll call you. Maybe we can have dinner one night before I go back to New York."

"Wonderful!
"

“Grayson
, do you need help with your luggage?"

"No
, Dear. There’s a chauffeur waiting for me. He'll help me with everything. Go, go," she insisted. "You don't want to be late."  

Andrea looked at Grayson, barely able to say goodbye. She tucked Grayson's
Taos, New Mexico address and phone number into her purse and embraced her affectionately.

"I'll call
to let you know how everything turns out. If you decide to stay longer, I’ll be here the rest of the week," Andrea said and gave Grayson a quick peck on the cheek.

Kurt watched
from a few rows back as Andrea talked with someone standing between the seats.  He saw her kiss the woman and then work her way toward the exit. He tried to follow her, but there were groups of people clogging the passageway, chatting and taking their sweet time. He felt his temper rise. "Could you please hurry it up?" Exasperated, he pushed through the crowd. "I'm sorry, but my girl is waiting for me and I'm already late."

"Let the man through, let the man through," someone sh
outed. The group parted like a mini Red Sea and the young men on board patted Kurt's back as he rushed down the aisle.

"Thanks guys," Kurt said
. Once off the plane, he shouldered his way through the crowded airport trying to catch up to Andrea.

A
vision of winter white greeted Andrea as she waited for the limo to take her to Vail. She inhaled deeply and took a few minutes to watch the young and the not-so-young struggle with their luggage and ski equipment. Their booted feet crunched the icy snow, which gave an undeniable reason why they had come to this winter wonderland. Empty limos stood their ground and waited for their chauffeurs to return with passengers. The freezing cold bit back at the hordes of people and caused noses to run and eyes to water. Puffs of vapor escaped as the frolicsome crowd shouted and pulsated with excitement. They boarded the Colorado Mountain Express as soon as it appeared.

Andrea scanned the confusing scene
.
Where’s that limo Jason promised?
Just then she noticed an empty car and stepped off the curb to see if her name sat on the dashboard. Unexpectedly, her foot slipped and before she knew what had happened, someone grabbed her from behind and held her up before she hit the ground. Embarrassed, she turned and looked into beautiful, calming blue eyes.

"Excuse me," she mumbled, and tried to discipline her voice.

"You're excused only if we can share that limo," he said with total conviction.

"We may be going in different directions," she sai
d in a controlled voice, careful not to show her feelings.

"I don't think so. There's only one direction to
Vail Village."

He grabbed her bags
and headed toward the limo.    

She held her ground.
"You’re Kurt, Emily's brother, aren't you?"

He turned.
"I wondered when you'd recognize me."

She pushed her hair back and moved her head slightly
to establish perspective and scrutinize his face. "You look different,” she remarked. “It's been, what, four years?"