An Unconventional Affair
by Lauren
Note: Thanks to TigreMalabarista (MelMac) for beta'ing.
Anaheim, California
July, 1984
"The California Teachers' Association Convention"
Chapter One
Ralph swung open the driver's side door of the station wagon and got out. He leaned with his elbows resting on the ceiling of the car. It would've taken a major catastrophe to remove the smile from his face.
And Pam realized that. She'd taken a step back after getting out the passenger side and finding him awe-struck by the humongous banner draped across the main doors of the Anaheim Convention Center.
After all, Ralph had only talked about this particular convention for years, but had never been able to make it simply because he never knew about it until it was too late to sign up.
However, this year by miracle or sheer luck, Ralph's name was first on the sign-up list, written in two seconds after the sheet of lined paper had been posted. Mr. Knight hadn't even walked away from it yet. Knight gave a small smile and shook his head as Ralph had walked away down the hall that day practically beaming. Even though Knight was wary about the younger teachers, he had to admit that despite wondering about Hinkley in the past, he knew that Ralph was there for the long run and his attitude proved it.
Ralph was beaming once again. "I can't believe I'm actually here..."
Pam had barely heard the comment as it had been whispered. She figured he probably wasn't even aware he said it out loud. She hated to end his moment, but they still had to check in at the Radisson hotel just down the street, get their luggage inside, and return to the Convention Center to check in their and begin getting prepped for the convention itself, which began in the next morning.
"Ralph?" Pam began, easily, just trying to reclaim his attention. But Ralph didn't even blink, however his jaw did fall slack. Pam grinned and nearly laughed, "Ralph!" To emphasize, she wrapped her palm twice against the roof of the station wagon.
"Huh?" Ralph shook himself and finally turned his attention back to her. "Pam, what did you do that for?"
"Because I was getting afraid that I'd lose you to a convention center." Pam gave him a wink and he blushed slightly.
"Sorry about that. I guess I got lost in my thoughts," Ralph responded, his cheeks still a bit flushed.
"It's okay, hon, just don't let it happen again," Pam teased. "Come on, we have to get over to the hotel for check in, then we can return and you can stare slack-jawed some more."
Ralph grinned. "I have permission this time..."
They both got back in the car, Pam swatting Ralph's arm as they got settled.
------------
Ralph and Pam arrived at the hotel about five minutes later and went inside to the lobby. They checked in and Ralph went back outside with the bellhop to gather the luggage. Once the luggage was on its way up to the room, they went back out to the car and returned to the Convention Center.
Ralph parked the car and they got out, Pam chuckling and Ralph trying not to gawk again.
The structure of the Center consisted of metal and glass and encompassed quite a large piece of land. Palm trees lined the area leading up to the main doors.
Ralph and Pam made their way to the entrance and went in, stepping into a large lobby that was wide open with plenty of people already milling about. They made their way through the throng of people up to the check-in desk.
The woman at the desk smiled. "How may I help you?"
"I'm checking in for the teachers' convention," Ralph replied as Pam glanced around, taking in as much as she could.
"Okay, sir, I just need your city, school, and name, please."
"Los Angeles. It's Whitney High School..." he paused a moment as she typed in his information, "and the name is Ralph Hinkley."
"Thank you, sir. It will be just one moment." The woman watched the screen for a moment, then moved across the reception area to a printer. She tore off a newly printed page, along with a plastic tag. The woman fit the paper into the tag and picked up another piece of paper, plus a folded pamphlet. She walked back to the desk and handed all of the items to Ralph. "Here's your name tag, a pamphlet with a map of the grounds, and our sign in sheet. I just need your signature by the X on the first line. You'll sign once more upon check-out."
"Okay, thank you." Ralph took the pen the receptionist offered and signed the paper. He handed both the pen and paper back. "Here you go."
The receptionist smiled again. "Thank you, sir. I hope you have a wonderful experience here."
Ralph returned the smile. "Thanks, I hope so, too." He turned and draped an arm over Pam's shoulders. She grinned. "Now, we just have to find where we're set up."
Pam took the pamphlet and unfolded it. "This doesn't look too bad. I noticed some of these signs already." She pointed ahead of them. "It should be this way."
------------
A man entered a business office and walked up to the desk of another man.
"What is it, Matthews?"
"Mr. Franklyn, the Convention Center is holding a teachers' convention beginning tomorrow morning. Shall I alert the men?"
The man behind the desk tapped an index finger to his chin, his forehead creasing in thought. He looked up at the younger man and nodded. "Yes."
Matthews nodded. "Right away, sir." He turned and left.
Franklyn clasped his hands on the desk. "That should've been my Convention Center. It was mine, dammit! So what if I tried to steal it out from under my competitor's nose. I had plans for that center long before Murphy did. I'll show that upstart. After tomorrow night, I'll put ahead plans for the purchase of that center. It will have my name on it, earning me money!"
------------
At the Convention Center, people continued milling about, which was making it hard for Pam to stay near Ralph, who'd struck up a conversation with a couple of professors from his alma mater, Orange Coast College, that'd remembered him.
Ralph was grinning. He nodded, "Thank you so much. It was nice to see you again." He shook the professors' hands again and they headed off to another portion of the room. Ralph turned back to Pam. "I love this, you know?"
Pam couldn't keep from smiling, seeing his. "I can tell, Ralph. You're still beaming ear to ear."
"I can't wait for tomorrow." He motioned to a table with a Whitney High banner. "They're all set up here already. What do you say to dinner and a quiet evening, since I'm sure it'll be a few days before we get another quiet evening."
"I'd say that I would love to."
Ralph put his arm around her shoulders again, and Pam put an arm around his waist as they began to make their way out of the center.
------------
Less than ten minutes later, Ralph and Pam were making their way across the hotel lobby, headed for the stairs. Their room was on the third floor, but they both decided to simply walk.
The hallways were done in shades of red, with red roses, pink vases, maroon carpeting... and pink walls, which Ralph promptly pointed out and made a face at. Pam laughed as he shrugged.
"Who in their right mind would choose that color? That's awful!" Ralph commented, quietly, but almost breaking out laughing.
Pam chuckled. "Come on, hon, lets just find our room."
"Alright," Ralph agreed, still laughing a little.
A little ways down the hall, they stopped in front of a door and Pam pulled the room key from her purse. She put the key in the lock and turned the knob. Ralph pushed the door open and Pam flipped the light switch as she entered.
It was a generously sized room. The bathroom sat directly to the right of the door, with a closet across from it on the left. The bed was made with a red-shaded quilt. A wooden cabinet was set at the end of the bed, which Ralph opened.
"Found the tv," he announced.
Pam passed behind him, pausing momentarily to lean over his shoulder. "I doubt we'll need it." When he turned his head, grinning, she gave him a wink, and continued across the room to check the climate vent.
Ralph closed the doors on the cabinet and went to the closet. He pulled a luggage rack out and set their suitcase on it. Next, he put the two smaller bags on the bed. He pulled out the key for the suitcase from his pocket and opened the lock.
Meanwhile, Pam started to empty the smaller bags. The first bag she grabbed was the one that Ralph had insisted that he carry. She pulled the zipper and dumped out its contents.
"Ralph!"
Ralph spun around and his eyes widened. "Uh, Pamela, let me explain...!"
Pam held up the tunic of his magic jammies. "So help me, Ralph, Bill had better not show up here--"
"Pam, I only brought the suit as a precaution. I told Bill that if he interrupted this trip that I would turn him into 170 pounds of dog chow and that I really meant it this time." He gave a small grin. "Then I pulled the tire iron out of his car and bent it to prove my point. If he even tries to contact me, he can't. I left the communicator at the house. So it's just you and me, Pamela. The suit is just... here... for decoration and as a really big just in case precaution, that's it."
Pam considered it, then replaced the tunic, along with the rest of the suit to its bag. "Okay, Ralph. That's fine. I guess I was just remembering what happened the last time..."
Ralph took her hands in his. "Pamela, I promise that will not happen this time or any other time we're on a vacation." He smiled. "Now, what do you say to a nice dinner? When I made the reservation here, I asked about their restaurant and it sounds great!"
Pam nodded, smiling. "Lets go have dinner."
------------
They made their way to the restaurant and stopped at the podium.
"Reservation for two, under Hinkley," Ralph said.
The maitre d' checked his list and nodded. "Would you follow me, please? Right this way..." He grabbed two menus and led them into the dining area.
Pam couldn't believe her eyes. It was indeed a fancy restaurant, plus it had a dance floor and a live band playing. There were couples out dancing already. Ralph grinned, seeing the look on her face.
The maitre d' stopped by a two-person table against the wall on the right side, with the dance floor directly in front of them. He slipped away the "Reserved" card, folded it, and nonchalantly slipped it into his inner coat pocket. He placed their menus, then turned to Ralph, who nodded. The maitre d' also nodded and headed back to his podium.
"Oh wow..." Pam was stunned. She finally came out of it when Ralph nudged her. He was holding out the chair for her. She sat and he pushed her in.
"So does that mean you like this?" Ralph asked as he sat down across from her.
"Like this? I love this, Ralph!"
"I was hoping you'd say that."
------------
Franklyn was once again at his desk when a dozen men entered his office, led by Matthews.
"Excellent." Franklyn nodded his discharge to Matthews, who left. Franklyn stood to address the twelve men in front of him. "Men, you know why I called you here. What I want you to do, is tomorrow evening, when that convention is in full swing, go in and hold it up. I have weapons waiting for you. Take everything of value. Then starting shooting out over people's heads. If anything goes wrong, you know what to do." He gave an evil smile. "If that doesn't get Murphy to make me an offer, we'll just do it all again. And again and again, until he gets the message."
------------
The band began playing "Save The Last Dance For Me." Pam already had her head resting on Ralph's shoulder as they continued dancing. She'd decided that this was the next best thing to Heaven, slow dancing in Ralph's arms, with no worries... and no Bill or magic jammies to get between them.
Pam couldn't help her smile, thinking about it, and her smile grew when she heard Ralph softly singing the lyrics to the song playing. Sure, she'd teased him before about singing along to almost every song on the radio, but she did have to admit he had a great voice.
Eyes closing, Pam let her thoughts drift, only letting the music and Ralph's voice reach her consciousness. The song ended and a new one started. Pam couldn't pick it out right away, but Ralph did, as he began singing the words to "Stand By Me."
They swayed back and forth, moving very little. Pam didn't care, she wasn't even still standing for all she knew. She gave a slight smirk at the thought that she wasn't standing on her own anymore, that it was Ralph holding her up. Pam knew he could do it, too. He was quite strong, though by a quick glance he might not look it. Her nose wrinkled as the word "skinny" floated through her brain. Ralph was not skinny; thin, yes... with well-toned muscles, oh hell yes. She smiled again and shifted slightly to move one of her hands so it rested flat on his back.
The movement didn't interrupt his singing, but Pam could hear a slight change in his voice. She knew he was smiling, with a pretty good idea she was thinking about him... and only him.
The song ended and she was jolted by the obvious strains of "Tequila." Pam pushed off of Ralph's shoulder and started laughing when she saw the grin on his face.
"What?" Ralph asked, feigning innocence.
"Don't give me that innocent act, Ralph. You asked them to play this!" she chuckled as he started dancing again, moving away from her slightly.
He put his hands out, looking for hers. "Yes, I did. I didn't want you falling asleep on my shoulder." He gave her a wink.
Pam took his hands and let him twirl her around. Ralph twirled her so she had her back pressed to him. She glanced up and replied, "So I take it you have some plans for us later tonight?"
"You bet I do." And Ralph spun her out again.
------------