'Til the End of Time Read online

  Her face softened and she came around the desk where he pulled her onto his lap. “Taylor, you worry if I’m crossing the street. This won’t be any big thing.” She kissed him softly. “This is my chance. My big break. Please, don’t give me problems about going.”

  “Would you stay, if I did?”

  She looked straight into his eyes, “No. I can’t.”

  “Won’t is the right word, Laura. You won’t. And, as much as I hate the idea, I won’t ask you to give it up. All I ask is that you be careful. I want you back, safe and sound.”

  “You worry too much,” she said with another kiss. “I promise I’ll be careful. You’re the one that will have your hands full with Annie. She’s so busy with all this senior stuff. But Rosina and the girls will help.”

  “I think I can handle one teenage girl.”

  Laura laughed. “Sure, Taylor. Piece of cake.”

  “Snorting is so unladylike, Laura.”

  “Sorry—not. I don’t think you realize how really busy she is.”

  “Then stay home and help.”

  “Nice try. It will be good for you to be Mom and Dad for a while.

  “Just don’t do something to make it permanent, please.”

  “Stop worrying!”

  “While you’re booking your schedule, you need to keep the first two weeks of January free.”

  “Oh?”

  “I thought maybe we’d take a cruise for our anniversary. Just you, me, a yacht—”

  “And if I don’t want to go?”

  “Doesn’t matter, wench. You’re being shanghaied.”

  “Hmm…does that mean you’ll bring along the pirate costume?”

  “I don’t need a costume for the kind of swashbuckling I have planned.”

  Laura laughed. “Okay, it’s a deal then. I’ll go do this job then I’ll run away from home with you.” She sealed her promise with a kiss that brought the discussion to a halt. “Want to go practice your swordplay?” she murmured and laughed as he carried her to their bedroom down the hall.

  Chapter 3

  Chris was sorting out cameras and lenses, trying to decide what he might be able to do without on this trip with Laura. He checked his supply of film; he could have gone digital but he still believed film was better. This was the chance of a lifetime for both of them and he couldn’t wait to get going.

  Betta had accepted it easily enough. He could tell she was worried but she would never interfere with his dreams. She loved him too much to do that.

  He looked up from where he was sitting on the floor at the woman he loved—Elizabetta Morgan, the fashion designer for anyone who was—or wanted to be—anyone. Her designs were a raging success and her wedding dresses were so sought after that some mothers had asked to be put on a waiting list when their daughters were born! He and Betta both found it very amusing, but gratifying.

  She was often asked about her own wedding dress and people were always astounded to find out there hadn’t been one. The two of them had been together for several years before they’d felt a need to get married. They’d done it impulsively, while they were on a trip to Italy. The family had been dismayed at missing out but the two of them had never regretted the quiet wedding in the chapel where Taylor and Laura had married.

  She was successful beyond her wildest dreams. So was he, for that matter. They were the perfect couple. Everyone said so. They were madly in love and totally devoted. The only thing missing from their lives was the children they both wanted. It wasn’t for lack of trying, yet every month brought another disappointment.

  As he carefully packed the last lens, he asked, “What time do we need to be at your parents’ tonight?”

  “Laura said dinner would be around seven but we could come on over whenever we wanted.” Betta looked up from her drawing board and, unconsciously, massaged the back of her neck.

  Chris got up and took over the massage and she leaned back into him. “Mmmm, that feels wonderful. What am I going to do without you while you run off with my mother?”

  “I guess you’ll have to find a real masseuse. Treat yourself once a week.”

  “I’ll think about it.” She reached up and took his hands. “I really wish you weren’t going on this trip. I…” She let her voice trail off.

  “Nothing’s going to happen, Betta, except that Laura and I will come back with the story of our careers. You need to quit worrying.”

  “I will when Taylor does. He’s really concerned about this trip. He told me the other day he had a bad feeling about it.”

  “He just can’t stand being separated from Laura. He’ll be fine once we’re gone. It’s not like we’re going to the wilds of nowhere. There’s e-mail and the phone. They’ll probably talk more often than they do now with their weird schedules.”

  “And us?”

  “Every day. E-mail or phone call. I promise.”

  “That will have to do then. Are you all packed?”

  “The cameras and film are and I’ve thrown in the digital camera, too. I just have to throw some jeans and tees into my duffel and I’ll be ready.”

  “Then go finish up and we’ll head over to dinner.” Chris turned to leave and Betta caught his hand to pull him back. “We’re coming home early, Christopher. I want some time with you, too.”

  He smiled and kissed her. “I can always sleep on the plane, darling. So you’ll have me all night.”

  “Not long enough,” she said with a tremulous smile, “but it will have to do.”

  Chapter 4

  It was the usual Monday night dinner at Taylor and Laura’s. They’d begun to have them when the girls, Meg and Betta, were still living at home. Since Monday was the traditional “dark” night on Broadway, Taylor could be home. It was often the only time they could all be together.

  The tradition had continued through the years. Even now that Meg and Betta had their own homes, Monday night often brought them home for dinner. And with Chris and Laura leaving tomorrow, tonight was one dinner no one wanted to miss.

  Megan and Jamie were there with their daughter, eight-year-old Jami Kaitlin, known to the family as Kat. Chris and Betta, Laura and Taylor, Rosina—they had lost her husband Matteo to cancer two years earlier—and tonight, Laura’s parents Sean and Maria, who had come from New Mexico, were also present. The only one missing at the moment was seventeen-year-old Annie.

  Even as Laura looked at her watch, Annie came bursting through the door, her red-hair flying about her face, her turquoise eyes sparkling. “I know, I know,” she said as she pulled off her coat, “I’m late!”

  Taylor shook his head. “Not quite. But pretty close.” He gave his youngest daughter a hug.

  Laura was amused at the sight of her husband and daughter. They were so much alike with those turquoise eyes. Annie was tall and lanky like her father and her mannerisms were his, too. She was a star student at New York’s School for the Performing Arts. Some of her instructors had begun comparing her to a young Katherine Hepburn and it seemed obvious she was destined for the stage. Laura knew it was Taylor’s fondest wish that Annie star in a show with him, but he was determined she earn that right on her own, with no strings being pulled by him.

  “Laura,” her mother said, “are you sure it’s safe to go on this trip and leave the two of them together? It will be like the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat, I’m afraid. You’ll come home and find nothing but scraps of red hair and a button or two.”

  Taylor laughed. “I can handle her, Maria. After all, I managed to tame your daughter.”

  “No, Taylor. She just lets you think you have. Same as Meg, Betta, and Annie do. The Armijo women do not let any man run their lives,” his tiny mother-in-law declared with a proud toss of her head.

  “She’s right, Taylor,” Sean chimed in. “There’s nothing tame about any of these women who surround us.”
r />   “Hear, hear!” Meg raised her glass of wine to the other women. “To the women of the Clan!”

  “To the women,” her husband Jamie responded. “And may God help the men who have married them.”

  Laughter filled the room as they all took their seats. Dinner was an odd mix of Italian dishes from Rosina and Mexican food from Maria. Over the years the two women had become friends and enjoyed sharing their cooking secrets with each other, each despairing of Laura’s aversion to cooking. Over time, some of the dishes had become what the family called “Mexitalia” and they were having a family favorite, green chile lasagna, tonight.

  “Do they have green chile in Bosnia, Laura?” Chris asked as he took a second helping.

  “I don’t think so,” Laura sighed. “It will be that much more of a reason to finish up and get home quickly.”

  “Gran?” Jami Kaitlin spoke up. She was the image of her father, red hair and green eyes, Irish through and through.

  “Yes, dear?”

  “Is it safe for you to go over there? I see on the news…” Her eyes filled with tears as she was unable to go on.

  “Oh, Kat,” Laura rose from her place and came around to pick up the child. “It will be fine.” She looked around at the rest of the family. She knew the same question was in their hearts. “All of you, Chris and I will be fine. It’s not exactly a war zone anymore. I know you’ve heard of things happening, but we’ll have a military escort and the focus of our story will be on the rebuilding of the country, and on the orphans who so badly need homes.” She gave her granddaughter a hug. “I promise we’ll be very careful.”

  Kat smiled up at her beautiful grandmother. Other kids’ grandmothers stayed home and baked cookies or they worked in offices. Her Gran was young and beautiful and exciting. Secretly, Kat was determined to be a writer like Gran and travel the world.

  “Now, who wants chocolate cake?” Rosina said.

  “With mocha icing?” Laura asked.

  “Is there any other kind in this house?” Taylor said.

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” Laura answered.

  Dinner continued as if there had been no interruption. As Laura looked around the table, she realized exactly what it was she would lose if something did go wrong.

  Chapter 5

  Chris and Betta were the first to leave. “I still have some packing to do,” Chris explained, but Laura noticed the way he was gripping Betta’s hand.

  “I’ll be by to pick you up about eight,” Laura said before she turned to give Betta a hug. “You’ll be all right without Chris? You know you can stay here while we’re gone if you’d like.”

  “I’ll be fine, Laura. It will give me some time to work. I haven’t been getting much done lately.”

  “You look tired, Betta. Are you sure you haven’t been doing too much?”

  “Hardly. In fact, I find myself napping every day.”

  Laura looked at her closely. “Betta, is there any chance you could be pregnant? If you are…”

  Betta smiled softly, “No, not yet anyway.”

  “Are you sure? ’Cause if you are, there’s no way Chris is going to Bosnia with me.”

  “Thanks, Laura, but I’m sure.”

  “When was your last checkup?”

  “Not that long ago, Mom.” She and Meg had been thirteen when Taylor and Laura got married. They only called her “Mom” when they were teasing her.

  “Then have another one while we’re gone,” Laura said as she pushed Betta’s hair back.

  “I’ll think about the checkup. You just be careful and bring Chris back to me in working condition. Then maybe we’ll give you a grandson.”

  * * *

  When the family was finally gone and her parents in bed, Laura came into their bedroom.

  Taylor was already in bed, reading while he waited for her. He had no intention of her leaving tomorrow without a reminder of exactly how much he loved and needed her.

  “It was a nice evening, wasn’t it, Taylor?” Laura sat at her dressing table and began to brush her hair. “I’m going to miss everyone.”

  “We’re going to miss you, too. Laura?” She turned to look at him. “Are you really sure you want to do this?”

  She put down her brush and came over to the bed to sit beside him. “Still worried?”

  “Always, when I can’t see you.”

  “I’ll be fine, Taylor. I’ll be home before you know it. Don’t forget to check on Betta now and then. She’ll be missing Chris.”

  “I will,” he answered as he pulled her face to his and gave her a soft kiss. “And I’ll call your mother once a week.” Another kiss. “And I’ll make sure Annie is doing what she’s supposed to be doing.” Another. “And I’ll miss you every moment you’re away.”

  He kissed her deeply and soon there were no concerns in either of their minds but the pleasure they could give to one another.

  Chapter 6

  It seemed that Laura had been gone for much more than two weeks. When he’d spoken to her yesterday, Taylor found it hard to be patient. “How much longer, Laura?”

  “I think just this week, maybe part of next. We should be home for Thanksgiving.”

  “You’ve just never been away this long. I don’t do well without you here.”

  “You just like being spoiled.”

  “Yeah,” he said softly, “I do. And I like to have my wife in bed with me at night.”

  “I know. And I’ll make it up to you when I get home.”

  “You’d better,” he growled at her, just to hear her laugh.

  “Should I bring you a present?”

  “Only a tall redhead with emerald eyes.”

  “I’ll see if I can find one.”

  “Just see that the one I have gets home safely.”

  “Stop worrying, Taylor.”

  “When you get home, I’ll stop.”

  A decidedly unladylike snort came over the line. “Yeah, right!”

  “So how’s the little girl?”

  Laura and Chris had met the child on their first visit to the orphanage. Rhen was a quiet child but Laura could see the intelligence in her eyes. There was a desperate need to be loved that hid there, too, and Laura had been captivated by her.

  “Rhen? You’d love her, Taylor. She’s so bright and funny.”

  “You know you’re getting too attached.”

  “I know,” she sighed. “I just want so much to make her life better.”

  “What about her, darling? You have a family to come home to. How’s she going to handle it when you’re gone?”

  “I don’t know, Taylor. I’ve been thinking about that.” Then the line had suddenly filled with static and he could barely hear her. “Laura? Can you hear me? The line’s gone bad.”

  Faintly he could hear her shouting in the background, “…awful static…call you…love…” The she was gone, the connection broken. He hung up the phone and tried to return to reading his book. It was no use. He couldn’t concentrate. Right now he missed her so much that he thought he might die.

  Chapter 7

  It was a beautiful fall day. Most of their stay in Kosovo had been cold and gray, with biting winds. The weather had added an eerie backdrop to the photos Chris took. It was almost as if the land itself was reflecting the state of the country. When this morning had dawned sunny and bright with no wind, Laura had declared they deserved a day off and made plans to take Rhen on a picnic at what passed for a zoo these days.

  He’d decided to tag along, to try for some pictures that didn’t reflect the sorrow for a change.

  Rhen had been excited and chattered away in a mixture of her native language and the little bit of English he and Laura had taught to her. She was like any other little girl faced with an unexpected day of fun and it wasn’t really necessary to understa
nd her words. Her attitude said it all.

  In the park, he pushed her high on the swings while she laughed in delight. She only let him stop when he declared he couldn’t push anymore and scooped her from her seat, carrying her back to Laura. But she was quickly away again, darting off to join a group of children who were playing a game.

  Laura had poured them each a cup of hot chocolate that the compound cook had prepared for them. He wrapped his hands around it and they sat in companionable silence watching the children playing.

  “I want to take her home, Chris,” Laura said suddenly.

  “Rhen? How?”

  “I want to adopt her. I can’t stand the thought of leaving her here. She’s so bright and beautiful. She deserves a chance.”

  “What does Taylor have to say?”

  She smiled at him. “I haven’t told him. I started to last night but the connection went bad. I’m not sure he’ll be all that crazy about the idea of starting over with another child. When we were first married we had Meg and Betta. Then just as we got them ready to leave home and thought we’d have time for ourselves, along came Annie. Now Annie’s ready to spread her wings and Taylor has plans that don’t exactly include a new child.”

  “So, do you plan on telling him or just showing up on the doorstep with her?”

  “I’ll tell him. I’ll try again tonight.”

  “And if he doesn’t like the idea?”

  “Then it will break my heart to leave her behind,” Laura said, her eyes filling with tears. “I’d try to find someone else to adopt her.”

  They broke off as Rhen came running over. Laura gave her some chocolate that had cooled enough for the child then watched as she darted back to the group.

  “What about Betta and me?” Chris asked.

  “Betta and you? What?”

  “What if we took Rhen?”

  Laura’s face lit up. “Chris! Do you think you could? Would Betta?”