CHAPTER XXXV

A change in the wind

"Morning," Tristan groaned, "Late night?" Elisabeth asked as Justus served breakfast, "Too much to drink at the Banker's spring gala, Ann didn't even move this morning," He stated opening his napkin and placing it across his lap, "Rebecca," Elisabeth chimed, "Good morning everyone," She sat down, "Elisabeth tells me you've about completed a new collection," He sipped his coffee talking, "Yes and this evening I will present it to all of LCL," Elisabeth smiled widely, "I'm glad to see you are back in action and feeling much better," She remarked they finished breakfast, "It's a beautiful morning, care for a walk?" Rebecca asked Tristan he could tell she wanted to talk, "Ok out with it," He barked as they strolled down the path along the rose garden, "You know I'm doing much better," He looked down to her leg, "Keeping up with those exercises I see," He grinned she nudged him with her fist, "You are walking better," He mentioned, "Yes I've even jogged some this spring," She placed her hands in the pockets of her jacket, "How's Eric?" He questioned she shrugged her shoulders, "Want's to have a serious relationship," She smirked, "And I assume you aren't interested," He looked to her for an answer, "I like him but I'm not in love with him, its been iffy at best lately, I'm not the settling kind at least not with him," Tristan sighed deeply, "Marlene?" He eyed her asking, "I love her Tristan and I need to see if she feels the same way still, I've hurt her worse than before, I've rejected her to the point that I doubt she'll have me back," She whimpered.

Tristan embrace her, "You have to try and I think you'll have to be prepared, it won't be easy but I know she loves you, you just have to be convincing," He implored, "I don't want to hurt Eric, this has been on my mind for awhile now, how to let him down," She remarked sternly, "Unfortunately you will hurt him he told me awhile back that he had some really deep feelings for you, I've got to tell you Rebecca he was concerned about your past," She lowered her head, "I know, I think he's pressured me because he didn't want to lose me," She answered, "Marlene has been your greatest love and now that you remember things, Lizette would have lost you to her had things not turned out the way they did," He responded confidently. "Have you told Elisabeth yet?" He asked further, "When I'm through with you, I will sit down with her and tell her," Tristan chuckled, "I'm proud of you, to walk away from LCL, home to find the person you're suppose to live the rest of your life with, challenging yes but an accomplishment well worth it, I know you don't want to hurt Eric and if you need me," She embraced her brother, "Thank you Tristan, thank you for standing by me and realizing that this is what I want to do, I love Marlene so much and she's the person I want to spend my life with," He clutched her cheek with his fingers, "My little sister," He shook his head continuing, "Go talk to Elisabeth, you have a lot of planning to do," She smiled leaving him in the rose garden.

Rebecca stood in the doorway of the study watching Elisabeth perusing the banking reports Tristan had left for her, "Oh, Rebecca, please come in," She walked up to the desk and sat down, "Are you ready for the unveiling this evening?" She looked at her over her reading glasses, "I am, my last collection I think," She slightly smiled, Elisabeth removed her eyeglasses, "Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" Rebecca crossed her legs and rested her hands on top her knee, "Yes, I wanted to tell you something," She briefly stared, "Are you alright?" Rebecca smiled Elisabeth closed the ledger she was viewing, "Go on Rebecca," She kindly spoke, "I've made a decision," She began, "I've decided to seek out Marlene and see if she will give me a second chance," Her words firm as Elisabeth listened, "I see and Eric?" Rebecca grimaced, "I will tell him after the unveiling," Elisabeth nodded, "I must say I'm surprised but not disappointed, it will be difficult for Eric," Rebecca mildly groaned, "Eric is a wonderful man who deserves someone who will give unconditional love, he wants to settle down," Elisabeth interjected, "Has he asked you marry?" Rebecca seemed surprised, "No he hasn't but he's made his feelings known," Elisabeth got up from the desk and sat next to her, "Does Marlene know?" She shook her head, "She doesn't but I have to try, I love her Elisabeth and I know that in order to be with her and if she'll have me that I will have to make sacrifices," She added, "Will you give up LCL? Things are going so well, I just reviewed the bank books and I'm pleased with the financial outcome of the fashion show," She responded, "LCL will manage without me just as it did when I wasn't able to work, I could work and design from home," She insisted with a grin of confidence.

Elisabeth thought about what she was saying, "I only want you to be happy Rebecca, that's all any one of us have wanted for you, your father knew how much it meant for you to be happy, his little girl he loved you, you know," Elisabeth reminisced, "I know he did and I know he knew the only way I'd ever be happy is to be with Marlene," She pled her case, "I can arrange to travel back and forth if need be Elisabeth, if I'm going to win Marlene back then I will have to give more of myself then just a little and it will mostly likely be on her terms and conditions," She was somber as she spoke, "That's understandable, LCL has been prosperous since you've taken it over, I can't complain but its time to live for Rebecca, we will work it out and we will manage, Andre is doing a fantastic job as your head designer and he's found his niche, you should go and talk to him before the unveiling so that arrangements can be made," She stood up her eyes watery, "Thank you Elisabeth," Rebecca headed back to the orangery, dressed and then made her way to LCL. "Hey Rebecca," Andre called out he had a load of sketchpads in his hands, "My office," She ordered with a point of her finger, "Ok," He sat the sketchpads down on her desk, "Some new ideas," He motioned, "Are you happy here?" Rebecca questioned, "I mean as head designer?" She further added, "I am why Rebecca? Is everything ok?" He became worried, "Its time to make some changes in my life," She hesitated briefly, Andre listened with a keen ear, "Its about Marlene," He cut in, "The one you and I talked about awhile back?" She nodded, "I need to see if there's another chance, that we can reproach," Andre groaned, "Eric won't take it well," He furrowed his brow, "I'm not in love with Eric," She made herself clear, "It doesn't change the fact he won't take it well and what about this unveiling?" He asked firmly.

"Yes, my last formal collection," She answered quietly, "Will you be happy, if you go stateside and live? Will you be able to design?" He proposed many questions to her. "I have to try," She remarked, "I'll be happy to do whatever it takes to make LCL run efficiently," His smiled eased her, "Thank you Andre, I knew I could count on you, after the unveiling we will need to get down to brass tacks," They both laughed, "This is the happiest I've seen you in a long time Rebecca and I'm elated for you to find and love someone you know you'll make sacrifices for is, well, it is what it is," He mildly joked. "I've known all along she was the one and I discovered it when I began to regain my memory, Lizette was going to be an after thought, I wanted to search Marlene out and as fate would have it she came back to me as my physical therapist," She mused, "Yeah I heard," Rebecca groaned, "I chose not to make it known outside my family, it was a touchy situation at first she was married and her husband my Doctor," She sighed shaking her head, "Something must have happened," He voiced looking at her, "We had an affair and she confirmed she was still in love with me, I fought it at first but then I realized that I needed to work out things in my life before I could make a decision about what I really wanted," She replied, "But then there was Eric," Andre appeared confused as he brought up his name, "Marlene wanted me to go to New Port with her, she had decided to accept a job there, she didn't want to stay in Germany, I couldn't, I needed to find what I had lost and I explained it to her but she was adamant that she needed the change we parted, it was hurtful but I had to stay strong, I couldn't force her to stay and be unhappy, she had been through so much and this was a real chance for her to shine in her career," She firmly remarked, "I see, so when she left you thought things might be over and you started seeing Eric," Rebecca nodded they finished get things ready to unveil her newest collection.

Elisabeth and Rebecca sat in the front row as the models began to walk down the catwalk and onto the stage, photographers flashed photos and reporters talked amongst themselves as the unveiling ended, "Well another great collection, Ms. Von Lahnstein," Mr. Flock began interviewing her, Eric stood off to the side remaining quiet Rebecca spoke finishing her interviews as she eyed Eric she walked in her office and began putting her things away he knocked lightly, "Come in," Eric entered, "Looks like you've cornered the market again," She grinned at him her heart sad as she tried to keep her composure, "I did and I think for LCL it will be a success," He moved closer to her, "I've missed you," He touched her cheek with his thumb," She moaned, "I wanted to ask you something," He reached into his jacket pocket pulling out an engagement ring and getting down on one knee, Rebecca was shocked, "Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He questioned his eyes pierced hers she was speechless, "Please Rebecca," His voice graveled as he spoke, "I'm flattered and honored Eric," She hesitated, "But I can't," He quickly got up off his knee, "Why not we are so good together Rebecca, you have to admit it," He pleaded, "Its not that Eric and yes I care very much for you but its not meant to be," She insisted, "Rebecca I love you, its you I want to spend my life with," She took him by the hand they sat down across from one another, "There's a blue eyed blonde who is waiting for me Eric, she's my whole world and the woman I'm in love with and I've known it all along from the first moment we kissed, its her I can't get off my mind and she makes my heart flutter my stomach churn," He quickly interrupted her, "Marlene?" She shook her head positively, "But she's gone and she has a life away from you, her choice Rebecca, you would give up designing? LCL? You aren't being rational," He implored loudly.

"I know it hurts you Eric and I never meant that, you have to believe me," She begged, "I love you, I wish you would think before you act, you could be hurt, devastated by decisions you have no control over, does she know how you feel?" He questioned with emotion she could hardly speak, "Rebecca does she know?" He clutched her by the arms, "No she doesn't," She finally answered. "So your basically setting yourself up for failure, you should listen to reason," He goaded, "Did you want me to lie? Tell you everything in my life was perfect? You knew my past was unsettled and I had things that plagued me, I told you we had no ties and as painful as it is Eric I had to be totally honest with you, I can't sugarcoat it, I will never love you the way you love me," A tear fell from her eye as she gazed at the pensiveness in his expression, "And I will never love you the way I love her, no things aren't simple, who said they would be?" She commanded, "I just thought," He swallowed hard as he stopped talking, "You knew that when we met I just was looking for companionship, fun," She lowered her head, "So this whole time, I was nothing but a good time and you just used me?" His question angered. "Eric be rational, I do care about you how many times do I have to say how I feel? I'll never forget you and you are a very important part of my life, you've helped me greatly to get back on my feet and," He groaned interjecting, "I feel your not really being honest with yourself and this is some kind of farce, bullshit if you will, we didn't sleep together because you wanted companionship, we did because we shared the same feelings about one another and your being stubborn and contrite," He expressed loudly.

"Eric, I'm sorry but its late and I have work to finish, could you please excuse yourself," He sighed deeply walking to the door and opening it he looked back at her, "This isn't over Rebecca," He closed the door leaving her to feel on edge, Tristan walked in, "Hey, I take things didn't go well," She moved quickly to him and embraced him, "No he's angry and upset and he tried to make me change my mind," She stuttered, "Of course he tried to make you change your mind," Tristan teased in an effort to relax her, "I don't feel the same way he does, my god how many times must I say it, I felt bad but bitter at his cutting comments," She argued mildly. "He's a man and now he's hurt and he feels you should be ashamed," He remarked coldly, "Like you did?" She crossed her arms and gave him a cold stare, "I guess you could say that," He honestly answered, "Come on Tristan we've been past that for years," He grasped the top of her shoulders, "We have and I know that you and Marlene share the kind of love that nothing or no one could break, I'm on your side, I just want you to find happiness," He embraced her again, "Come let me take you home," He pulled her jacket from the coat rack and placed it across her shoulders, "My purse," She grabbed it turning out the lights and closing the door to her office they left for home.

Marlene sat in her office jotting notes down, Grace rapped on her door and entered, "Oh your back and how was New York?" She sat down in front of her desk, "Like any seminar, boring!" She exclaimed and then continued, "I didn't get a chance to talk to you before we left, how did it go with Tracey?" She seemed excited to hear any good news Marlene dropped her pencil down to the paperwork she was going over and frowned, "Not as well as I thought," She hesitated, "Oh, I'm sorry, I thought she really was interested," She voiced sadly, "It's not that, its me, we went out and it was a fun evening, I went back to her place and we had a serious talk, mostly about my past and she thinks I need to clear my mind about Rebecca, that she's interested but doesn't want a relationship that's clouded by uncertainties," Grace moaned, "I thought your break with Rebecca was clean when you left and after you talked at Christmas, Rebecca is still in the picture?" She searched for an answer from Marlene, "We are over, I haven't heard another word from her and I haven't exactly tried either, I want to move on and I like Tracey a lot but I can imagine how she feels, Rebecca is my past now its obvious to me but there must be lingering doubts," She attempted a smile as she told Grace, "Maybe you should try to talk to Rebecca again, there still might be a connection," She spoke sensibly, "I don't think that's a good idea Grace, I mean I tried and all I got was a text saying she was fine and hoped my life was going good," She groaned planting her cheek atop her fist. "I feel you still love her very much," She remarked, "I do, I love her and if she walked through that door," She sighed loudly, "But she won't come back to me and I have to deal with it," She answered in continuance. Grace felt badly for Marlene the turmoil she had been through and the uncertainty of a future with someone, "I know you won't give up and there is someone special for you," Marlene looked at her, "I should focus on career and not a personal relationship right now," She became adamant.