CHAPTER 49
Tristan lightly knocked on Rebecca's office door, "May I come in?" He peeped in the partially opened door. "Yes please," She set her ink pen down and closed her portfolio. Tristan had a small bouquet of flowers in his hand, "For Emily? I think she's upstairs," Rebecca pointed to the ceiling, "Actually for you, I'm sorry," He became sincere as he spoke, Rebecca looked at him with dismay, "Why did you leave?" He cleared his throat handing her the bouquet. "I know I shouldn't have left but Marlene, pregnant was difficult to take, it just hit me hard and I hope you understand I have no feelings for her now but when she was raped and then finding out she was pregnant," He frowned sighing, "It could have been mine Rebecca but she didn't even try to find out, no she had an abortion," Rebecca stood up grasping him, "Calm down that was a longtime ago please don't upset yourself instead you should be happy for us, I'm your sister have you thought of me? Marlene and I are happy and ready to start a family." She sat back to her desk.
"I was selfish and out of line and Emily made me see that," He chuckled, "I felt awful for walking out, I just left her," Rebecca crossed her arms leaning back in her chair, "Is this serious, you and Emily?" Tristan was quick to answer, "It is especially after last night with her it's natural and I can relax." She smiled at him, "Are you in love? I thought all that time ago Bella would be the, one but Emily seems to have your affections." He sat down in front of her desk, "I think I love her she has my attention and I hers she's very giving and simple and she does everything for me, I just don't want the pain if something goes wrong." He put his face in his hands. "You can't live your life that way if you don't take chances you'll never know Tristan." She advised him. "Your right and I think she's worth taking a chance on, I should go see her." He stood up heading for the door. Rebecca laughed, "If you're in love don't lose her." She added, "Rebecca again I apologize, I'm really happy for you both." He answered with honesty. "Thank you Tristan it means a lot." He left her she picked up her ink pen tapping it on her desk she thought of Berlin and how she would have to schedule a trip there but mostly she knew she needed to tell Marlene. "Hey," her voice rang in the phone, "Are you busy," She asked. "Not at the moment, why?" Marlene resounded, "Are you about ready to head home?" She questioned, "I am let me get my things and I'll meet you by the doors." They hung up.
Rebecca sat her portfolio and keys down on the table, Marlene helped her remove her coat, "I think I'll shower before dinner," Rebecca quickly grasped her arm. "We need to talk," She murmured causing Marlene to turn around with an odd look, "Ok, is everything alright? Or can it wait until after I shower?" She asked placing her hands on her hips, "You know the spring fashion show is going to have Emily's summer collection and the new lingerie line." She spoke casually, "Yes, I'm aware or at least that's what I've been planning for, why?" She awaited her answer, "Tanja has decided that a teen line be added to the show and uh, I will have to go to Berlin to meet with and assist Katherine in getting it ready." Uncertain of Marlene's feelings she gazed deeply into her eyes. "I see," She said looking back at her, "I knew when you took this job you would have to deal with Katherine and that it would only be a matter of time before you would have to start making trips there." Rebecca breathed in a sigh of relief. "Unfortunately it will be often I'm afraid, I just wanted you to know that." Marlene stroked the side of her face with her hand, "I love you and I trust you." Her smile said it all, "Now, I was thinking about a shower before dinner, care to join me?" She eyed her seriously. Rebecca giggled following her.
Marlene gazed at the paint swatches left by her dad there were pinks and baby blues she smiled rubbing them with her thumb. "Hey," Rebecca walked up behind her buckling her wrist watch, "We're going to be late," She placed her hands on Marlene's waist, "Baby colors," She smiled, "Think pink," Rebecca picked. She turned around grasping her, "Kiss me," Marlene demanded, her lips met hers. "Hmmm, I could miss work for this," Rebecca mentioned tenderly kissing her again, "We will need to decide which room will be the baby's room," She voiced pulling away from Rebecca, "Shouldn't the baby have a crib in our room at first?" She questioned anxiously. "Yes, I'm thinking when he or she is older," Rebecca swung her back around, "You mean girl, Madeline right?" Her stare serious, "Rebecca," She answered crossing her arms and rolling her eyes, "What if it's a boy? Are you going to feel any less about him then you would a girl? I just want us to have a healthy happy baby," Her voice trembled as she spoke with concern. Rebecca touched her abdominal area with the palm of her hand rubbing it gently.
"I want the same a healthy baby and it doesn't matter really if it's a boy or a girl and we do want more than just one," Rebecca replied embracing her, "I think we should get to work before Tanja starts looking for us." Marlene finished dressing they headed for LCL and the busy day ahead.
"Did you book a flight for Berlin yet?" Tanja asked as she approached Rebecca at the coffee bar, "Not yet, I plan to as soon as I go to my office, I will look over the list of candidates for an assistant, I really haven't had the time and since I haven't been anywhere lately there wasn't really any point." She winced taking a sip of her latte. "You won't have an assistant for Berlin is that a problem?" Tanja probed her, "No, Katherine and I will be busy lining out the teen line and getting things prepared for the fashion show." She ordered a coffee, sitting next to Rebecca, "How does Marlene feel about Berlin, Katherine?" She sipped her latte before answering, "We did discuss it and I told her I would have to be involved in the teen line and the set up, she's very understanding and realizes that I will have no choice but to work with Katherine on a regular basis." She voiced sternly. Tanja nodded, "What agenda do you have today?" She further asked. "I will book a flight, view the candidate's list and Kim is ready to go over the trend books." Tanja stood up, "Sebastian and I have a meeting planned late this afternoon with Elisabeth, I'd like for you to attend we have another problem with the China production line and we should discuss Tokyo, Sebastian is wanting to send Kim there next week." Rebecca agreed then walked to her office.
Rebecca booked a flight for Berlin it was to leave on Wednesday and return on Saturday she sat back in her chair and thought of Katherine briefly and how passionate her desire to design was but the struggles of remaining in a relationship with her became, front and center. Rebecca took in a deep breath thinking out loud, "I'm sure she's still angry and it certainly hasn't been long enough," She rubbed her face with her hands leaving it cradled in the darkness of them. She quickly removed her hands picking up the candidates list and mulling over the names, she picked up the phone and began to dial a number, "Yes is this Aaron Strauss?" She asked, "It is and you are?" The voice pleasantly asked on the other end, "Rebecca Von Lahnstein, LCL, we met in Riga last year," She answered. "Yes, I do remember and how are you?" He responded, "I'm good, busy these days," She related. "I hear you've taken a new position a friend of mine said he ran into you in Amsterdam." She smiled sitting back in her chair, "I did, actually that's why I'm calling, I'm looking to hire an assistant and your on my list, do you think you would be interested?" There was a brief moment of silence on the other end. "I'm free lancing right now and I'm in Koln working, I could come in for an interview if you'd like to set one up." He remarked. "I have to leave for Berlin for a few days lets say Monday about ten?" She retorted and the appointment was made.
Rebecca pulled her suitcase from the closet and began packing. "There you are, I though you might come to the dinning room?" She smiled at Marlene passing her by with the suitcase in hand she sat it by the door. "I had to pack, did you eat?" Marlene watched her quickly pass by her again, "I did don't you think you need to?" Rebecca picked up her cosmetics bag placing it on top of her suitcase, "No I'll grab a snack from the kitchen later." She went to the table and sat down thumbing through her planner. Marlene walked to the bedroom and began to undress she peeked around the door pulling her nightgown over her head. "Coming to bed?" She didn't get an immediate response, "Rebecca," She called out again, "What Marlene? I'm busy," She answered looking back at the doorway she sighed lowering her head she closed her planner and walked out of the living area and into the bedroom. Marlene was covered her body facing the opposite way from where she laid. Rebecca propped herself against the door facing she stared into the darkness. "Marlene," She spoke in a low tone, "What Rebecca?" She answered rolling over to see her beginning to remove her clothing.
"I'm sorry," She offered, "I shouldn't have snapped at you," Marlene frowned, "It's ok, aren't you hungry?" She asked with concern, "No not really it's been a long day and I had a late lunch plus I was running late with Kim and the meeting Tanja had scheduled." Marlene sat up in the bed, "How did the meeting go with Tanja?" Rebecca moved closer to the bed, "She postponed it, last minute, problems in China again and Sebastian had to arrange a flight to leave for there." She extended her hand out to her, "Are you ready for Berlin?" She asked as Rebecca clutched her hand lying next to her, "I am and I'm not," She eagerly spoke. "Katherine and I didn't leave things in a very good place, she hates me and all the anguish I caused." She reflected, Marlene chuckled, "I don't think she does, I think she loves you still and hate is such a final word Rebecca being away from here has given her time to prepare she knew there would be chance meetings after all she still works for LCL." Rebecca grimaced, "Prepare for what? I mean lets be real, I ruined her life she expected so many things from me and I destroyed that." Marlene hung her head not looking directly at her. "It's my fault had I not come back things would be so different for you then they are now." Rebecca moved closer to her extending her hand to the side of her arm she caressed it.
"You were never far from the back of my mind, yes two years of not seeing or even hearing from you made me realize that what we had and what we shared was truly over, I loved you so much my heart broke a million times, meeting Katherine made me see that I could still have a life and lucky for me she was willing to give her all but I still was in love with you and I could only dream of you, where you were, what you were doing and who you were seeing and I always had those moments of when we were together to fall back on." Marlene groaned, "Strange how things turn out, you never left my mind and I think you understood that I loved you but I needed to break away from all the chaos in my life and finding myself was just what I needed, I realized I would never sing again, no since trying," She voiced in monotone. Rebecca rolled over, "So tell me was Jakob the only one in your life?" Marlene swallowed hard, "Not at first, I kept my nose to the grindstone, I was hurting just as you were and yes LA is very hip and open but I chose not to reveal myself, my sexuality I kept secret however I did date a couple of women privately after awhile." Rebecca giggled, "If I know you it was for sex," Marlene grabbed her, "Stop it," She remarked, "Come on be truthful, it was for sex," She laughed picking at her. "What about you silly?" Rebecca became serious, "I was broken hearted and just couldn't finally I hooked up with a couple of girls, just dating until I met Katherine." She sighed deeply.
"When you met her she must have really turned your head," Marlene mused, "She did, I fell really hard for her, when we first met she was fresh and new and liked the things I did she was beautiful and inspiring and she tried desperately hard to make me forget you." Marlene thought for a brief second, "I thought she didn't know about me," Rebecca's lips met Marlene's in a slow kiss, "She knew there was someone, I didn't let on very much and she didn't push it, she just wanted me and I hurt her badly." Rebecca put her face in her hands, "I'm not sorry things didn't work out for her, I know she loves you but you love me," She responded calmly. "I do love you and only you, I loved her once but I'm in love with you, there's a difference Marlene." Rebecca answered continuing, "When I found out you would be coming home it made the situation between she and I even more intense my heart pounded at every thought of you and my head ached in anticipation of seeing you yes I was angry, angry at the situation and I wasn't really sure why you decided to leave LA." Marlene lightly kissed the side of her neck, "Your wedding vows said it all, remember?" She questioned her, "About our lives being a circle and how when it gets broken it will somehow come back together?" They both laughed embracing, "If the circle breaks it must find its way back together no matter how long it takes," Marlene surmised. "I should get some sleep, I have an early flight," She kissed her tenderly placing her hand on her abdominal area she bent down kissing her there. "And our baby, good night, little Madeline," She looked back up at Marlene, "I love you and with a wink of her eye rolled over for some much needed sleep.
