The Magic in her Gift (16 page)

The door opened and the overly
lacquered blonde head of the wedding coordinator peaked in. “It’s
time, ladies.” She motioned to Rachel. “Come along, dear. You’re up
first.”

Sara followed them out into the hall
and heard the sounds of the church organ. She watched as Rachel
waited in front of the closed door for her cue to start down the
aisle. Suddenly, the door behind Sara opened and a woman stumbled
through. Her umbrella was damp and Sara realized it had begun to
rain.

“
Oh, dear, I’m late.” The
woman sent an apologetic look to Sara. “I’m sorry, dear. I don’t
mean to be rude.”

“
That’s all right,” Sara
soothed. “This weather could make anyone late.”

The woman smiled and came closer.
“Don’t worry. I won’t ruin your grand entrance. I’ll stay out here
until you join your young man at the front of the church.” She
patted Sara’s hand. “You don’t know me, I’m sure. My name is Eloise
Canter. I’m a member of your mother’s bridge club.”

Sara smiled. “Well, it’s a pleasure to
meet you, Ms. Canter. It’s very nice of you to come to my
wedding.”

“
I’ve wanted to meet you for
a long time, Sara.”

Sara frowned. “Why is that?”

“
Your mother has a painting
you did of the gazebo in Solomon Park hanging in her
solarium.”

Sara thought for a moment. “Yes, I
remember that picture. I didn’t realize mother framed
it.”

“
Yes, she did, and it’s
quite beautiful. It brought back such wonderful memories for me.”
Her eyes got a faraway look. “My Daniel proposed to me in that
gazebo.” She gazed off longingly for a moment and then turned her
attention back to Sara. “I’ve always wanted to tell you how much I
loved that picture.” She patted Sara’s hand again. “You are a
truly, gifted artist, Sara. I hope you realize what a gift you have
and use it to make yourself and others happy.”

“
It’s time, Miss Sara.” The
wedding coordinator motioned her forward to stand in front of the
double doors. She heard the beginning strands of Mendelssohn’s
Wedding March and the doors opened.

Sara took a deep breath and took her
first step onto the red carpet. She glanced to the side and
encountered the sad, green eyes of Elias Jacobs. Her heart felt
lighter the minute their gazes met. She nodded slightly and took
another step.

You’re truly a gifted
artist, Eloise Canter had said. Use it to make others and yourself
happy.

Sara could hear Eloise’s voice in her
head as clearly as if she stood before her. She swallowed hard and
took another couple of steps.

I’m leaving you my magic so
you’ll have the ability to create your own happiness, Sarafina. You
can make your innermost desires a reality. Trust in your heart and
don’t be afraid to go after your dreams. Anything you can imagine
is possible. Reach for your dreams, Sarafina. The magic is in your
gift.

She blinked back her tears when her
grandmother’s voice echoed through her mind. She’d missed their
connection.

Sara stared at Bart standing at the
front of the church. Closer and closer, she came to tying their
lives together. His smiled appeared strained and uncomfortable as
she joined him in front of the minister.

Sara let her thoughts slip to back to
the island for the first time in days. She could see the sailboat
and dolphins in the distance after she painted the scene from her
bedroom balcony.

You’re such a gifted
artist.

The magic is in your
gift.

Over and over, the voices drowned out
the words of the marriage ceremony. Then the voice she’d longed for
each night whispered in her ear.

You must send for me,
Sarafina. Find the magic and call for me and we can spend an
eternity together.

Her fingers grew slack and her bouquet
slid silently to the floor. She turned to Bart and smiled. “It’s my
painting,” she cried. She turned and stared down the aisle,
searching for twinkling green eyes.

Chapter 9

Elias stood in the center of the aisle,
a broad smile decorating his face. He held his hand out slowly
toward Sara. Blindly, she started toward her friend only to be
stopped by Bart’s firm grip on her arm.

“
What the hell are you
doing, Sara?” he demanded to know.

She yanked her arm free and glared up
into his face. “I can’t do this. The magic is in me and I can make
my dreams come true.”

Bart stepped back as if she carried
some type of contagion. He shook his head slowly. “You’re as crazy
as your mother.”

Sara laughed and ran toward the doors.
“It’s my painting, Elias.”

“
Sara, come back here,” Gwen
yelled.

Sara turned and saw Rachel grab her
mother’s arm to prevent her from chasing after the bride. She
turned and gave Elias a beseeching look. “I’ve got to get back to
the island. Will you help me?” she begged.

Elias’s smile got bigger as he grabbed
her arm and hustled her out of the church. There was a long
limousine waiting out front. When Sara and Elias came down the
sidewalk, the driver jumped out and opened the door. As Elias
helped her into the back seat, she heard her name screamed out. She
turned and saw her mother on the church steps.

“
Sarafina Danner, don’t you
dare embarrass me this way. Get back here right now,” Gwen
demanded.

Sara shook her head sadly and slid into
the plush leather seat with Elias right behind her. “Go,” he yelled
at the driver. In just moments, they were speeding along the
interstate.

Sara looked around the car and frowned.
“Who does this belong to? This isn’t the limo I ordered for my
wedding.”

Elias shrugged. “I’d hoped you would
come to your senses and I wanted to be prepared if you
did.”

Sara looked at him for a moment, threw
back her head and laughed. After a few moments, she wiped the tears
from her eyes and sighed. “I need to book a flight and get back to
the island, Elias. I know what I have to do now.”

He smiled and patted her hand. “I’ve
got a plane waiting, Miss Sara. There are clothes on board so you
can get out of this wedding finery.”

Sara studied him carefully. “You have a
plane waiting?”

He grinned. “Did I forget to
mention I’m not just the captain of the
Magic Dreams
?”

Forty-five minutes later, Sara let him
lead her onto a private jet. She’s stopped trying to make sense of
anything after finding out that Elias wasn’t a poor sea captain. He
ushered her into a seat and helped her fasten her belt.

“
I know you probably want to
get out of this dress, but the pilot says we can take off right
away if we hurry. I’ll give you some clothes once we’re at cruising
altitude.” He reached inside his coat pocket and pulled out an
envelope. “I found this on the floor in your room after you left. I
figured you must have dropped it.”

Sara glanced down. “That’s
Grandmother’s letter.” She reached out a shaky hand and grasped the
envelope. She raised her tear-filled eyes to Elias’s face. “Thank
you, Elias.”

He frowned. “For what?”

She let out a shaky breath and smiled.
“For saving me.”

He leaned down and kissed the top of
her head. “Anytime, darling.” He started to walk away.

“
Where are you going?” she
asked.

“
I’m going to give you some
privacy to read your letter. I’ll be up front with the pilot and
I’ll come back when it’s safe for you to get up and change
clothes.”

Sara swallowed hard and tore open the
envelope. With trembling hands, she pulled out a single sheet of
paper.

My dearest, Sarafina. You’ll
never know how much I loved you and wanted to be a part of your
life. I should have fought your mother harder, but at the time, I
thought it was for the best that I let her have her way. I always
put your mother’s happiness before anyone else in my
life.

Don’t make the same mistakes
I did, Sarafina. Trust your heart to find happiness and let the
magic make everything possible. I foolishly put the happiness of
other’s before my own true love’s wishes. My selfishness doomed him
and me to a lifetime of sadness and fleeting moments. Know that I
always loved you, child, and my spirit will be with you
forever.

Sara thought back to all the
paintings she’d found of Karl in her grandmother’s locked box. Her
grandmother had kept her love alive over the years with those
paintings. Each one represented a different period in his life.
She’d kept Karl alive here, in her world on her terms.
Karl told me he always wished she would visit his
home. Meloir had said the same thing.
Sara
took a deep breath and relaxed back into her seat.
I know what I have to do.

Twenty-eight hours later, Sara wearily
climbed the steps to her grandmother’s house. Excitement and
anticipation had kept her awake on the plane and now she was
running on pure adrenalin. As much as she wanted to move forward,
she knew she needed to sleep.

“
Do you want me to stay here
with you, Sara?” Elias asked. He’d carried a small bag packed with
clothes her size from the boat.

Sara smiled. “You’re welcome to stay if
you want to, Elias, but you don’t have to. I’m going to get
something to drink and then head to bed. I figure I’m probably
going to sleep the next ten or twelve hours away.” She started
toward the kitchen. “Do you want anything?” She chuckled. Of
course, I have no idea what there is to offer. Did you clean out
everything after we left?”

Elias followed her through the house.
“Not to worry, Miss Sara. I stocked up before I left for the
states. You’ll find pretty much anything you could want
here.”

Sara turned and grinned at him. “You
were that sure of me?”

“
No, honey, I was that
hopeful.” He walked over and kissed her cheek. “I’m going back to
my cottage. Get some rest and call me if you need me.” He turned
and walked toward the door.

“
Elias?”

He stopped, but didn’t turn
around.

“
Thank you,” she
whispered.

He nodded and walked out the door,
closing it behind him.

Sara took a deep breath and walked into
the kitchen. She opened the fridge and grinned. There was enough
food in there for an army. She grabbed a Pepsi and turned to leave.
The blinking light on the phone caught her eye.

Walking over, she picked up the
receiver and keyed in the code to play the messages. There was only
one.

“
Sara, how could you
embarrass me this way? You need to get back here as quick as you
can and straighten this mess out. I know my mother has something to
do with the way you’re acting. She never wanted to leave that
Godforsaken island and something she’s done is affecting your
judgment. I’ve talked with Bart and he’s willing to forgive and
forget if you get back here right away.”

Sara hung up on her mother’s
voice and grimaced. She’d have to get started early in the morning
in case they decided to come after her. She wouldn’t have much
time. She turned out the lights and headed up to bed.
Maybe Meloir will come to me in my dreams
tonight.

The next morning Sara awoke
refreshed, but disappointed. She didn’t remember any dreams
interrupting her sleep during the night.
God, please don’t let me be too late.
She hurried through her shower and dressed. Taking only a
moment to grab a glass of juice and a pastry from the kitchen, she
hurried upstairs to her grandmother’s studio.

Sara moved the easel closer to the
large windows and sat a blank canvas on the stand. She pulled over
a stool and sat down. Her eyes closed as she pictured Meloir’s
words in her mind.

The sky is shades of pink
and red with white fluffy balls of clouds.

Sara took a deep breath, picked up her
palette and began mixing her paint. Slowly, she touched the brush
to the canvas.

Dense forests filled with
fruit bearing trees that abound in oranges, blue green and
yellows.

Sara set her brush in the cleaning
container and picked up a clean one. She began to mix her colors
again.

The grass is green with
rainbows of colorful flowers.

“
Here, girl, you need to eat
to keep your strength up.”

Sara turned and smiled at Elias. “What
did you bring me?”

“
Just a sandwich and that
dang Pepsi we both like so much.” He set the plate on the table
beside her stool. “It’s looking real good, Sara.”

She stared down at her brush. “You’ve
seen it, haven’t you?” She raised her gaze to his. “I mean, for
real.”

He smiled and kissed her cheek. “You’re
doing fine, little girl. I’ll be back later when it’s time for
dinner.” She watched as he disappeared through the door. Sighing,
she wolfed down the food and went back to her painting.

The oceans are deep green
with pale green caps on the waves. They’re filled with colorful,
tasty fish.