Paris - Chapter Ten
Flashback (TUESDAY)
Annie’s plane landed safely in Orlando, Florida. After
going through the usual horror of getting off the
plane, retrieving her luggage from the beast living in
the conveyor belt, dancing through the fun of Customs
with an officer who looked like she’d have been better
suited to checking the luggage of incoming souls to
Hell rather than exhausted travelers, and tactfully
avoiding the people selling T-shirts outside the
airport, she managed to hail a taxi and get to her
hotel. Once she was checked in, Annie called her
parents to let them know she had arrived in one piece.
Following that phone call, Annie made a second one to
her job to see what time they wanted her to report in.
Next came the unpacking of all her bags, always a
daunting task after any trip.
Growling protests from her stomach finally convinced
Annie to go eat dinner, after which she set her alarm
and flopped down on the bed. She quickly fell asleep,
not caring that it was still early. She wanted to
avoid as much jet lag as possible.
WEDNESDAY
Annie returned to the hotel early that evening. If
there was one thing she was sure proved the existence
of Evil, it was orientation tours. At this point, she
wanted only to take a shower, eat and go to sleep for
a very long time. She put on a CD of Italian music
while she prepared to get cleaned up. For some reason,
it always relaxed her.
The CD was still playing when she got out of the
shower, just in time to pick up the phone ringing next
to the stereo.
Eco ora mai, il momento temutto da tempo, sai
Gia so quello che mi dirai, e la fine, di noi
It is my hour, the moment of time
Already I know this which you give me, and the end of
us
"Hello?"
("Annie! Where have you been?!") It was Jacques voice
on the other end of the line, sounding urgent. ("I’ve
been trying to get a hold of you all day!")
Slightly irritated, she couldn’t keep the sting of
sarcasm out of her voice.
"Duh, Jacques. At my new job."
("Annie, please! Just listen to me!")
So che con lui tu te senti piu libera esere di voleve,
di prendere di contare di piu
I know that with him you feel more free to be, to
want, to have to sing of more
("Jacques, what’s wrong?") Annie suddenly felt very
chastened. It had just now dawned on her that he was
speaking in French which meant something was terribly
wrong.
("It’s. It’s Grandpere.") He sobbed.
Any remaining traces of irritation fled from Annie’s
mind. ("What happened?")
("He, he died last night; in his sleep. The doctors
say that he probably didn’t feel anything at all.")
Che scioco io io che ti o dato tutto di me
O, che vai stai portando il mio cuore con te
That I? I who gives you all of me
Oh, what happened?
You are taking my heart with you.
Annie fell heavily onto the bed, grasping the phone
tightly. ("Oh Jacques! I’m so sorry. What can I do?")
("Nothing right now.")Jacques was sobbing
intermittently now. ("The service won’t be for a few
days.")
("Jacques.") A tear fell down Annie’s cheek. ("If it
is in my power, I will be there for it.")
("I know.")
Un amore per sempre dura solo un istante
Sono tanti recordi che svaniscono en te
Resta forse quel sogno
Una stoira di amanti ma la fine vai via da me
A love for always, last only for an instant
I remember so much that, disappears in you
Perhaps the dream remains
A story of love but the end goes away from me.
("I love you, Jacques.")
There was a pause on the other end before he answered.
("I love you too, Annie. Goodbye.")
Annie hung up the phone with trembling hands, then
slid off the bed to the floor. She began to cry in
earnest now, deep gut-wrenching sobs that tore from
her throat. Her thoughts whirled about in her head
like a dervish; none stopping long enough for her to
focus on them. What to do, who to call? She snapped
her head once to clear it. Focus! Lying on the floor
like a child wasn’t going to help her right now.
Cuesta cita che mi penso deserto di lacrime
Sento il cuore affogare en me
Mentre tu sei con lui
This cites what I think, desert of tears
I feel my heart is suffocating
While you are with him.
It came to her then; Josh! She had to tell him. He had
a right to know. Holding back her sobs, Annie tore
through her purse for the card JC had given to her.
After a few tense moments of searching and fearing,
she’d somehow lost it on the plane, she found it and
picked it up. On the front of the card was WEG
Productions’ phone number, with the number of Johnny’s
private line on the back.
Annie had no trouble getting the number to work.
"Johnny Wright of WEG Productions. How may I help
you?"
"Hello, this is Annie O’Reilly." She paused; knowing
that what she was about to say was going to sound very
stupid. "You don’t know me, but I need to get in touch
with JC. I have a very important message for him."
Dicono che no se muore mel amore
Non perdi mei
Io me sento morire ormai fuoco dentro di me
I say that my love dies
You never lost I feel it die by this time
Fire within me
Johnny’s voice lost every trace of its former amiable
nature. " How did you get this number?" He demanded
quietly.
"JC gave it to me. In case, there was something
extreme or urgent I need to get to him". The man’s
tone had thrown her off slightly, and she felt about
two feet tall when she heard herself stammering.
"Johnny’s voice managed to grow even darker. "Haven’t
you done enough already?"
Annie’s voice conveyed her ever-increasing confusion.
"Excuse me?"
"JC got his package yesterday." Johnny’s voice cracked
with barely contained anger. "Were you calling to see
how deep it cut?"
So pure che dovre essere felice per te
Ma, mentirei, perche volgio che resti con me
I know however that I should be happy for you
But it is a lie, because I want what remains with me
"No!" Annie felt like things were starting to spin
away from her control. "I don’t know what you’re
talking about!"
Johnny scoffed. "Forgive me if I find that hard to
believe."
"No, really!" She was starting to panic a little at
the thought that this man might hang up on her without
even listening to her. "I don’t understand!"
"Well, neither did JC." Johnny sighed heavily,
exasperated. "I can’t think of a single reason why I
should want to continue this conversation with you."
"Wait! Please." Annie’s earlier tears were starting to
creep back into her voice. "Let me explain!"
"Like you let JC explain?" Sarcastic laughter rang
through the receiver into her ear. "This talk is over,
Annie. Goodbye."
Un amore per sempre
Dura solo un istante
Sono tanti ricordi che svaniscono en te
A love for always
Lasts only for am instant
I remember so much that disappears in you
Johnny was just about to hang up when Lance walked
into the office. Overhearing part of the conversation,
he turned to the man. "Is that our Annie?" He asked in
a hesitant tone.
Johnny’s voice was more akin to a growl. "Yes, it is."
Lance seemed to be debating something, then nodded
once. "Give me the phone."
He held out his hand.
The manager appeared hesitant at first, then shook his
head. "Sure. You talk to her."
"Annie?" Lance’s voice was cold. "It’s Lance."
Resta forse quel sogno una storia di amanti
Ma la find di verio vai, vai con duole
Perhaps this dream remains a story of love
But I see the end, you have to go, go with pain
"Oh Lance." Annie’s breath caught in her throat at
hearing the voice of someone who might still listen to
her. "I don’t know what’s going on, but I need to
leave JC a very urgent message. It’s vitally important
that he gets it."
"Didn’t you do that already?" His voice was beginning
to take on a tone similar to the one Johnny had used.
"I don’t understand. What’s happening? Everyone keeps
saying things that make no sense." She took a
shuddering breath. "I’m so confused."
Lance had no sympathy whatsoever. "How’s it feel to
have the shoe on the other foot now? Does it hurt you
as much as it hurt him, Annie?"
"Lance, I’m so mixed up." Annie’s voice was beginning
to crack. "Things are such a mess. I really need your
help. Please listen." She finally dissolved into tears
as the weight of the day’s events collapsed in on her.
Lance’s earlier anger slid away like sunlight from an
eclipse. "Annie?’ His voice was now soft, consoling.
"Please stop crying. I can’t understand a word you’re
saying." He ran a hand through his hair. "Where are
you?"
Un amore per sempre dura solo una istante
Sono troppi ricordi che scaniscono en te
Resta quei che momento forse solo un istante
Ma la fine vai via lontano da me
A love for always, lasts for only an instant
I remember so much, that disappears in you
This moment remains perhaps only an instant
But the end goes away, far away from me
"I’m at the 4 Seasons Hotel, room 472 here in Orlando.
Do you know it?" Annie somehow managed to get the
words out in between sobs.
"Yeah." Lance glanced at his watch. "I can be there in
about 1/2 an hour."
"Thank you."
As soon as Annie hung up, Lance raced out of the room.
He almost knocked over JC and Joey, who were on their
way in to discuss a photo shoot schedule.
"Whoa!" Joey slid to the side of the doorway as Lance
rushed by. The former then entered the room, glancing
over his shoulder. "Where’s he going in such a big
hurry?"
"The 4 Season Hotel". Johnny was busily scratching
something down on paper. "He just got off the phone
with Annie. Seems she’s here and rather hysterical
about something."
JC’s head jerked up from the papers he’d been looking
at. "What?’ He asked incredulously. Slowly, a very
dark scowl began to creep its way across his face. "Oh
I see." He straightened up deliberately. "Move on,
JC. Yeah, right!"
JC stalked out the door, very quiet. Johnny watched
him go, then turned to Joey. "You’d better go with
him." He stared out the door where JC had gone. "I
didn’t like the look in his eyes."
JC was struggling to unlock his car and not doing very
well. His hand was shaking so badly; it looked like he
was just someone random on the street keying up
another person’s vehicle. This, of course, only served
to further fuel his growing rage.
Joey put a hand on JC’s shoulder, another hand on the
keys. "Jace, let me drive. You’re just going to get
yourself, or someone else, hurt badly if you go racing
off like this."
JC gave him a glare, then handed over the keys without
saying a word.
No sooner had Joey pulled out of the parking lot, JC
shoved a CD in the player. The sound that came out of
the speakers sounded like a flock of chickens getting
run over by a pack of wolves who were trying to gargle
gelatin while howling "The Water is Wide." And that
was just the singing part.
The music if it could be called that in some sort of
twisted reality, sounded like an automobile from the
1940’s with all its original parts trying to run a
drag race against a 1997 Ford Mustang. Basically, a
total frontal assault on the senses.
Joey shook his head, trying to see if that would make
the music sound halfway coherent. It didn’t help at
all. He made a move to turn off the offensive sounds,
but JC slapped his hand away. "Don’t touch it. " The
latter growled, staring out the window.
"But what is it?"
"Swiss band. I can’t remember their name, but I picked
up the CD while we were in Germany." He glanced at
Joey from the corner of his eye. "And even though I
have no idea what they’re saying, it reflects
perfectly how I feel right now. So don’t touch it."
Joey decided that it would be best to go to his own
little happy place and try not to think too hard about
the noise blaring around him. Fortunately, it didn’t
take that long to get to the hotel.
"Now, JC, just let me do the talking." Joey approached
the manager with one of his best smiles. Out of the
corner of it, he whispered, "Because all you’ll get
from her is a restraining order."
JC stood off to the side, clenching and unclenching
his fists as Joey sweet-talked the manager, seething
quietly. After Joey got the room number, they took the
elevator. This only further irritated JC’s already
foul mood. By the time the door opened to their floor,
JC was in a decidedly unhealthy state of mind. He
literally sprinted out of the open door like a
racehorse, leaving Joey to keep up as well as he
could.
MEANWHILE
Ma la fine vai via lontano da me
But the end goes away, far away from me
As the song ended, Annie hit the repeat button
starting the song over again. She’d been listening to
that one song non-stop ever since getting off the
phone with Lance. During that time, she’d gotten some
underwear on and her hair half-way dry, but was still
clad in her robe.
No sooner had the song begun again, there was a knock
on her door. Annie raced over, practically ripping the
door off its hinges as she opened it. Lance stood
there, staring at her in concern. As soon as she saw
it was him, Annie dissolved into further tears,
falling forward.
Lance caught her, leading her carefully over to the
bed where they both sat down. He didn’t say anything
at first. It was one of those moments when you knew no
words were needed. He simply held her, occasionally
stroking her hair. As she continued to cry, he hugged
her close to provide comfort, whispering. "It’s okay,
Annie."
They were still sitting like that when the door bust
open. What could be most quickly described as an
extremely enraged JC came flying in, followed closely
by Joey, who was panting for breath.
Even bent over panting, Joey kept an eye on JC. His
friend’s behavior had him, to put it mildly, seriously
worried. In all the time he’d known him, Joey had
never seen JC this angry. JC had actually kicked the
door in, not such a far-fetched feat considering that
the door hadn’t even been latched. In his concern for
Annie, Lance had completely forgotten to make sure
that door had locked.
Seeing Lance, sitting there with Annie in his arms,
did absolutely nothing for JC’s state of mind. If
anything, it continued to bend what was already the
severely twisted remnants of his temper, his patience
and his heart.
"Well now." JC growled softly, spitting out each
syllable. "Isn’t this just the sweetest thing you ever
saw in your life?" His eyes locked on Lance’s face.
"Just move on? Forget about her?" JC clenched a fist
at his side. "Makes perfect sense now."
He stalked slowly towards Lance. The latter stood up
calmly, placing himself between Annie and JC. As he
got closer, JC raised his fist up, keeping his eyes
locked with Lance’s. In the background, Annie’s music
continued to play.
So che con lui tu te senti piu libera esere di voleve,
di prendere di contare di piu
I know that with him you feel more free to be, to
want, to have to sing of more
They both blinked, then JC threw his fist right
towards Lance’s jaw with all his weight, his anger,
and his pain behind it.
Disclaimer: The song featured in this chapter, "Un
Amore Per Sempre", had its music composed by Walter
Afanasieff, lyrics written by Marco Marinangel and was
performed by Josh Groban.
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