A Place In the Sun
7
Carmen froze as Julia fell to the floor. Tyler quickly dropped out of his seat to Julia's side, trying to revive her. As Julia's family came out of the dining room to see what the commotion was about, Carmen slipped out almost unnoticed.
The bartender quickly got Tyler a cold napkin that he gently patted on Julia's face. Within a few moments, she opened her eyes, trying to make sense of what just happened. She looked up at the seat where Carmen had been sitting just a few minutes ago.
"Where'd she go?" she asked, looking up at Tyler, into his piercing blue eyes that had a few wisps of his light brown hair falling in them.
"I don't know," he said, looking around for Carmen as he helped Julia into a chair.
"Julia, are you all right?" Isabella rushed over to her daughter.
She forced a smile, "Yes, mama, I'll be right back in, now, go back to the dinner."
Isabella started to protest, but Julia motioned her to go back to their family.
"I'm Tyler Barrows," he said, pulling a chair up next to her once Isabella left.
"Julia Santos, all them in there," she pointed toward the dining room, "they're my family, my mama and my sisters and brother and their families."
"So, do you want to clue me in as to what just happened in here?" he asked.
"Oh, it was nothing really…" she trailed off.
"Didn't look like nothing, you caught one site of the woman I was having a drink with and collapsed on the floor, you said something before you fainted."
"No, it was just my imagination, I was mistaken, that's all."
"You thought she was someone else?"
Julia nodded, "Yes, she looked like my sister Maria."
"Where's your sister?"
"She's been dead for six years, the older two of the children in there, those are her kids."
"I'm so sorry."
"Thanks, but it's been a while, six years ago was a total different lifetime for me."
"A lot's happened?"
"You could say so," she said, quietly. "So, what did that woman tell you?"
"Well, she didn't say much, she told me her name's Carmen. And that she just got in town a few nights ago. I just got in today myself."
"Thank you for your help, Tyler," Julia said, standing up.
"It was no problem," he gave her a little smile.
"I'll see you around," Julia was intrigued by this newcomer to Pine Valley.
"Bye," Tyler gave her a little wave as she headed back to the dining room.
...
Gillian sat in bed thumbing through a magazine when Dimitri came in.
"Are you up for a visitor?" he asked.
Her eyes brightened at this, "Who? I'm bored out of my wits!"
"Ryan," he said softly.
"Dimitri!" she practically screamed, then catching herself she said in a lower voice, "Dimitri, how can you let him in this house while Kata is here? I told you I can't tell him yet!"
"Ah, don't worry, your child is down with Peggy in the gardens picking some flowers for your room, Peggy knows not to let Katalin up here until I give the okay."
"You better hope that she keeps Kata away."
"I promise," he said solemnly. "Now, do you want to see him?"
"Of course," she said, hugging one of her many pillows. "Let him in, and close the door after you leave."
Dimitri opened the door and called down the hallway for Ryan to come up. In a few moments, he came in.
"Hey," Ryan said, quickly glancing at Gillian and then back at the floor.
"Come over here and sit down," she moved a pillow out of the way for him to sit down on the bed.
As he sat down, he asked her, "How are you doing?"
"Better," she smiled. "You?"
"The same, nothing new," he looked down at his hands.
"So…" she said, looking around. "Why'd you make a trip all the way to Wildwind?"
"Just to check on you, I told you, you had me worried."
"You could have called Dimitri to see how I was."
"I wanted to see for myself."
She smiled, taking one of his hands. He slid off the bed, onto his knees on the floor, he could look at her better this way.
"I've missed you, Princess," he still held onto her hand.
"I've missed you, too, Ryan," she used her free hand to rub his hand that was holding her other one.
"You're more beautiful than ever," he said gently.
"You're just saying that," she rolled her eyes. "I've got cuts and bruises all over, and I haven't touched my hair in days, I'm sure I look awful."
"Well, then let me help," he said softly, taking a brush from the nightstand. He gently brushed her hair out on her pillow. After he finished he got up to leave. "You need to rest, I should go."
"No, Ryan, please stay," she said, half asleep already. "Stay until I fall asleep."
"Um…okay, Princess, if that's what you want, I'll stay," he pulled up the covers for her. She motioned for him to lay down next to her. She snuggled up against him as he hesitantly draped his arm over her.
...
Carmen slammed the door to her room after her as she entered. She threw off her shoes and sat down on the bed, taking a small notebook from the bedside table.
Day 3: August 15, 2003
My first day in "civilization" as Garlan called it. I won't count yesterday or the night before since that was spent travelling and here in my room at the Valley Inn.
What happened? I haven't a clue. I sat at the bar having a drink with a very attractive young man named Tyler when this woman I've never seen before comes into the room. Tyler saw her looking at me, so I turned around and at this, she whispered something and collapsed to the floor. Does this mean she recognizes me? If so, her reaction, did I frighten her? What would cause her to faint like that?
What was it she said? I know right now I'm full of questions, everything here is so confusing. If I could just remember what she said…It was so quick, I turned around, she said something, then she fainted. Of course this caught me by surprise, I turned and left the bar almost immediately. I heard Tyler call after me, but I kept going. So now I'm up here in my room, writing an account of my day as I've decided to log my discoveries in Pine Valley. This first disturbing incident I believe shows hope that this may be where I belong, that Pine Valley is where I am from.
Carmen returned the notebook to its location and went to the window. Silently she stared out at the lights of the city below.
...
Location: Pine Cone Motel, seedy side of Pine Valley
"One room," a man said as he approached the front desk.
"How long will you be staying with us, sir?" the woman asked.
"Not sure, I plan on sticking around for a while."
"Ok, name?"
"R. J. Conley."