Without You I Have Nothing (21 page)

_{Jennifer was
surprised and embarrassed.}

_{Laughing Peter
explained, “It means 'Now my days of philandering are over'…  Joe is trying to
marry me off. Are you free sometime soon?”}

_{The answer was a
punch in the arm and Jennifer’s smile, “Just behave.”}

_{It was when the magic
of the day was ending and they sat in Peter’s car outside Jennifer’s apartment
that Peter put forward a suggestion hoping she would agree to his plans.}

_{“Would you like a
weekend away from the city say up in the mountains or a secret place?  Pack a
bag, just a few things...”  The words tumbled out. “That new car needs a long
drive in the country to make that motor work. Perhaps we could head north where
it’s warmer and not so crowded.”}

_{Peter waited for an
answer but there was none. “It would do the car the world of good.”}

_{Remembering that he
had told Ted that this weekend would see the start of the contract delivering
trucks to Bathurst  Peter froze. Seeing the hesitation in Jennifer’s eyes he
shrugged, ‘The trucks can wait. Jennifer is more important than trucks}

_{Slowly Jennifer shook
her head.}

_{“You really don’t
trust me, do you, Jennifer?  After all this time, you still don’t trust me so
am I wasting my time loving you?”  Peter looked surprised at his own vehemence
as he walked around the car to assist Jennifer to her front door.}

_{“On Friday, collect
your car. I’ll not annoy you anymore. I’ll stay away. Why?  Because again you
have insulted me and frankly I don’t like it.}

_{“I have no idea
what’s in your pretty head but I sure don’t like the lack of trust. Goodbye,
Jennifer, I’ll not worry you anymore. Find someone you can trust.”}

_{Peter turned and
without looking back started towards the car. With squealing tires, he left.}

_{The next morning Joe
demanded to know what was wrong. “Yesterday you were all smiles and so happy
but today, nobody dares look at you or they get their head ripped off. Peter,
what’s wrong?”}

_{“Nothing’s wrong. Just
collect a car for pre-delivery from Jack next door. Put the best workers on it
and you register it. The papers will be on the seat. I trust your driving. The
others may flog it. It is for a special person who no longer wants me.”}

_{Quickly Peter turned
away not wishing Joe to sense the true depth of his loss. The morning dragged
and Peter stood in the doorway staring into space when a certain British Racing
Green Mini made its way slowly past him into the furthest work bay.}

_{Unable to cope, Peter
wearily climbed the stairs and sat at the table, chin in hands staring at the
blank wall.}

_{The jangle of the
phone startled him and Joe’s animation alarmed Peter, “We’ve an irate new lady
customer here. I’ve just sent her to you.”  Quickly, Joe hung up unwilling to
listen to the explosion of Peter’s colorful expletives.}

_{Doing his best to
hide his foul mood Peter opened the door in response to the timid knock.}

_{“May I come in?” 
Jennifer look worried. “Peter, sit down and listen to me please. You frighten
me when you explode. You gave me no time to respond to your suggestion and it
shocked me coming out of nowhere the way it did. I do trust you. I just had to
decide what would happen if I... and you do rush me so.”}

_{“Jennifer, nothing
will happen, nothing that you don’t want to happen. I love you. Don’t look so
shaken, so surprised, I do love you and would do nothing intentionally to hurt
you or to destroy any feelings you may have for me. I'm sorry for my
impetuosity but I’ve had nothing to love in my whole life and my enthusiasm
just carries me away.}

_{“I speak without
thinking. I’ve no ulterior motive in asking you away this weekend. I just
thought it’d be a great opportunity for us to be together. That’s all I could think
about, believe me.”}

_{“Well...”  Jennifer
hesitated. “It sounds fun, but, Peter, please move slowly. You frighten me with
your eagerness as though everything must happen yesterday. Please take our
relationship slowly.”}

_{“Jennifer, does this
mean you’ll come?”  Peter couldn’t believe her words.}

_{Shyly, dropping her
eyes, she whispered a faint, “Yes,” before Peter swooped her up into his arms
and kissed her until, breathless, she pushed herself free of him.}

_{“Behave, Peter. You’d
better wipe your face before leaving the office otherwise the workers may get
the wrong impression. Could you drive me home as I have some packing to do
tonight?”}

_{There was a knock and
Joe walked in, humming that Mozart tune. Peter noticed the lipstick on Joe’s
cheek and couldn’t help himself.}

_{“Joe, I’ve told you
and told you. Don’t become familiar with our lady customers. I think you’d
better get rid of that lipstick before your wife sees you.”}

_{“It was not my fault,
boss. It’s this impetuous young lady you brought here as a new customer. She
demanded to see her car and when I showed it and explained what had been done
and she saw her number plates on the front seat... well, the lipstick is the
result.”}

_{“I’ll speak to you
later, Dad,” Peter grinned, acknowledging Joe’s age.}

_{“If this young fellow
of mine doesn’t look after you and doesn’t treat you with the utmost respect
let me know. I have a big strap hanging behind the kitchen door.”  The reply
was swift.}

_{Laughing, Jennifer
hugged Joe. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. Now come on, Peter, take me home. I’ve
such a lot to do.”}

_{Friday morning did
not come quickly enough.}

_{Peter bounded to
Jennifer’s door to collect her luggage and to drive her to work. When the door
slowly began to open, Peter nearly tore it from its hinges.}

_{“Steady on.” 
Jennifer didn’t struggle as Peter swept her up. “My dress is getting crushed
and I have to be in court today.”}

_{“I'm so pleased to
see you. You look beautiful. Here is something for your desk.”}

_{Thrusting a single
red rose into her hand Peter wondered what she would think of his note. ‘Thank
you for being you and a bigger thank you, for making me feel the way I do.’  He
hoped she would understand.}

_{“Oh, Peter, what a
lovely rose and your note says so much. Thank you.”  Jennifer stood on tiptoe
to lightly kiss him on the cheek. As Peter tried to grab her, she whirled away
with a laugh, “Don’t muck me up. I have to go to work. Come on.”}

_{At the workshop,
during the afternoon Peter transferred two pieces of luggage to the Mini. As
well, he loaded the CD player with music he had specially cut the previous
night.}

_{Even Joe noticed
Peter’s light heart. “You're in a good mood,” he shouted across the noise. "You’ve
done nothing but whistle all day.”  At afternoon break, he continued his tease,
“Is there something special in that tune?”}

_{“Why?”  The new
apprentices were interested but too young to understand.}

_{“Well...”  Joe’s
chest swelled and he began singing the tune Peter had been whistling.}

_{“You’ve a marvelous
voice.”}

_{It became too much
and Peter made it a duet.}

_{The apprentice looked
puzzled. “What’s the song?  I don’t speak Italian.”}

_{Joe began to laugh
and the wide grin showed what Peter had been thinking, “It’s very rough English
translation is ‘Now my days of philandering are over.’}

_{“Why are there two
small suitcases in the boot, Peter?”  His eyes twinkled. He knew, but as
foreman, he wanted to tease the boss. “Off for the weekend with someone
special, eh?”}

_{Peter blushed
furiously but his denials only brought more good-natured teasing. Not that
Peter cared. He was too happy. Even the apprentice’s comments when Peter
appeared in a suit to ask Joe to lock up, did not break through his euphoria.}

_{“My, you do look
smart,” Jennifer was surprised when he called at her office as she finished her
day. “Those blue tones suit you. I feel under-dressed.”}

_{“You look beautiful,”
Peter’s eyes glowed as he admitted, “I always have to choose carefully as you
always look so attractive and tonight every man in town will envy me.”}

_{Jennifer took Peter’s
arm before asking, “Where’s my car?  I'm so excited. Take me there now, please
Peter I can’t wait any longer.”}

_{In the taxi, Jennifer
was quiet. Another Jennifer was there and, when Peter tried to hold her hand,
he knew by her stiffness, he was not doing the correct thing.}

_{She waited until
Peter unlocked the workshop before speaking, “I'm worried, Peter. Perhaps it’s
best if we don’t go off tonight.”}

_{Putting his arm
around her Peter dragged her against his shoulder. “For heaven’s sake will you
stop worrying?  Stop talking and for once just relax with me. I promise you no
funny business,” and she looked up into his eyes Peter grinned. “Come in and
I’ll explain.”}

_{Jennifer forgot her
apprehension when she saw her car waiting under the spotlights on a red carpet
with her own number plates. It seemed all ready to leave immediately. She
inspected the car and tried to understand the care Joe had put into the
pre-delivery.}

_{'Just a little
something for someone who makes the boss so happy' was his note on the front
seat and as she turned the key, the sounds of 'Love Changes Everything' filled
the car.}

_{Her face lit up and
she whirled about to give Peter a brief hug. “The car is more beautiful than I
remember and it cost a lot more than I paid for it. I don’t know how or why but
I am grateful. How can I ever repay you?”}

_{“Come upstairs and
freshen up before we leave because I want you to understand something so this
weekend will be perfect.”}

_{Reluctantly she
followed. “So this is your hideaway. Bob was telling everybody what a sly fox
you are.”}

_{She dropped her eyes
demurely before shyly continuing, “But, I didn’t believe him. Not everyone has
a one track mind like his even if all his actions are in his mind. What worries
me is how will I ever pay the bill?”}

_{Peter pointed into
the bedroom and she retreated until she backed against the door. “If I were Bob
I’d leer and drool, dragging you onto the bed, demanding, come here and I’ll
show you.”}

_{Jennifer clenched her
hands so tightly the knuckles turned white.}

_{“But, I'm me. So
relax, laugh and enjoy. There’s no charge. How could I charge you?  I care too
much.”}

_{Slowly she sat, her
body taut, studying Peter like a bird mesmerized by a cat, ready to fly to
safety. Saying nothing and becoming even more strained, she didn’t move as
Peter dragged his chair opposite hers to take her hands. They were cold and
trembling as though she was terrified.}

_{“Look at me,”
demanded Peter.}

_{She dropped her eyes
embarrassed by the intensity of his words.}

_{Just as he thought -
Jennifer knew. Taking her chin in his hands, he tilted her head until he looked
directly into her eyes. “I love you, God, how I love you.”  The words tumbled
out.}

_{Jennifer’s eyes
widened, her face relaxed and Peter felt as though a weight had fallen from his
shoulders.}

_{“I love you so much
it hurts. This weekend I want to be special,” he tried to drill the thoughts
into her head.}

_{Her face tightened in
fright.}

_{“No funny business. No
sex - just us. I love you too much to risk losing whatever I’ve gained.”}

_{Her lips opened and
she stared, not actually believing what she heard.}

_{“I think I’ve won
your friendship. I hope so - and I'm going to spend this weekend trying to
build on that friendship. Now relax. I won’t hurt you, not intentionally.”}

_{Her eyes softened as
she smiled.}

_{“You little fool. Let
yourself go with me. I'm your slave, Jennifer.”  Peter paused to draw breath. Jennifer’s
hands were no longer frozen. “I don’t know how you feel about me and I’ll not
ask. If all I have is your friendship then I am a very rich man and I will be
happy.”}

_{Peter stood and her
eyes followed him, “I’ve never used that word ‘love’ before meeting you. It
sounds strange but it is so true.”}

_{Before continuing,
Peter kissed both of Jennifer’s wrists, “No matter what the appearances are. Keep
this in mind. I love you too much to risk losing you. The rules, as far as I'm
concerned, are to look after you, keeping you safe and happy. I’ll also try to
make myself pleasant so you enjoy my company.”}