September 11, 1984 – Natalie
It's funny how some chapters of your life start so unexpectedly and without your realizing that they've started until you take a look back and clearly see their beginning point.
Natalie sat alone with the radio softly playing in the background of her small apartment.
What did I ever do to deserve this?
Natalie thought bitterly. She had struggled in college, working her butt off to get the same grades her peers had found so easy to achieve. While she had not been blessed with the brains in her family, she had been blessed with the looks. Yet after Fess, her first and only lover during her freshman year in college, she had not dated another man. True, she had turned a few callers down early on, and then no one had bothered with her, even the girls. She had gone through college a social outcast for the most part, struggling to keep her grades high, but at least accomplishing that small thing.
Vaguely, she heard the radio announcer relating the stunning news of an aircraft having crashing into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Wilmington, North Carolina.
Natalie ran to the television and turned it on in time to see a picture of her father as the announcer stated that: "James Brown was piloting several prominent local businessmen to a conference in the Florida Keys, but called in that he was experiencing engine problems moments before he crashed into the Atlantic."
"My God!" Natalie gasped, as she stared at the screen, and then slowly sank to the floor in disbelief. Seconds later, reality hit home and she realized exactly what had happened. She began to sob, they cry as she curled up in a fetus-like position where she remained until her roommate came in and found her an hour later.
As she was helped to her feet and led to a chair and sat down, Natalie wrenched her mind from the dizzying, terrifying news and said, "My mother ... I've got to call my mother!" a series of frantic phone calls to those she held close followed. Her roommate drove her to her mothers where for the first time since hearing the dreadful news Natalie felt a small iota of comfort in her mother's arms.
The following week flew past. Her father's wake; his funeral and the parade of friends and relatives offering consolation. And then, suddenly she was sitting at home, alone on a Saturday night, waiting for a phone call that might never come; thinking about the man she was ready to once more risk her heart for, despite the disappointment that Fess and that bastard Gavin had brought her. And so there was a pain whenever she allowed herself to care about a man. She dreamed that maybe this time things would be different. The romantic part of her still wanted to believe. She clung to that. What else could she do?
****
Two days before the plane crash, Valerie Marcolina, who was making use of a law firm to put her and her husbands personal effects in proper legal order, had become friendly with Natalie as a result of their interaction there. She had seen Natalie standing off by herself in the corner at a social function held by the law firm she worked for; and, after waving to her, headed over to talk, dragging her cousin, Porter in her wake.
"Natalie... What on earth are you doing hiding over here? You are being absolutely anti-social."
"Sorry, Valerie, but I feel kinda out of place with all the couples here. I... um, don't have a date, and, um...."
"Tell me about it," Val responded, taking a swallow from the vodka gimlet in her hand. "Why is a good man so hard to find? Just look at me - I'm stuck with my cousin, Porter here," she said, gesturing to the man beside her.
"Then you're monopolizing all the men around," Natalie laughed, referring to the fact that Val was married to Joe Marcolina, who had been one of the more eligible bachelors in Wilmington, before meeting Valerie.
Val gave her a knowing smile and responded, saying, "Maybe I could lend him to you. He's not much, but he might do in a pinch."
"Thank you for your enthusiastic endorsement, Val," Porter said with a laugh. "Instead of offering me such halfhearted praise, why don't you introduce me to this lovely lady?"
"Oh, sorry. Porter, this is Natalie Reynolds, just about the best thing to happen to this stodgy old law firm in a hundred years."
Natalie glanced around to see if anyone had overheard Valerie's remarks. It appeared that no one had. Valerie might have been indiscreet, but fortunately she had not been loud. Still, Natalie was embarrassed by her comment.
Porter used this as an opportunity to examine Natalie's body and found her form slim, especially in contrast to the other, more matronly women standing around talking incessantly.
Small boobs,
he thought,
but damn, she has a sensational ass, maybe nicer than Val's,
which he had coveted since they had gone swimming eight years earlier.
"Oh, see? Look, Natalie, he's checking out your backside!" Val exclaimed, and then took a gulp of her drink, already feeling guilty for deliberately putting her cousin in this position.
"I am not, and I beg your pardon, Natalie. Valerie is just being her usual big pain-in-the-ass naughty self."
"Well!" Natalie replied, hoping her voice reflected mock indignation rather than an irritated resonance, "I doubt he was ... staring."
"He was," Val said, matter-of-factly.
"I wasn't," Porter said quickly, but the flush of his cheeks had intensified, and both women knew he was lying.
"But men look... they all look," Val said, trying to alleviate the situation which was in danger of becoming a farce.
"And we women love that they do. Porter," Natalie said, "I want you to know that whether you were staring, or just glancing, I'm flattered, and appreciate your consideration either way."
Val feigned disinterest in the others, but was secretly pleased that the two were getting along, and said, "Oh, I must go. Joe is looking around and doesn't see me. It's time to hold his arm and smile at somebody important to his work."
"Bye, Val," Porter said, pleased that she was leaving him alone with Natalie. "Natalie and I will manage just fine by ourselves."
A sly smirk crossed Valerie's face. "Are you trying to tell me something, Porter?"
"Yes, we can carry on a civilized conversation without your help. Do go and help, Joe, Val. He needs you more than I do. But thanks for the introduction."
They had got on well after Val left, and he remained at her side until Joe Marcolina collected him at the end of the evening. Porter had promised to call Natalie before the weekend to set some sort of date. She had hoped he would kiss her, but he hadn't.
****
Natalie was running a bath when the phone started ringing. Pulling her robe tightly around herself, she entered her small bedroom and picked up the receiver.
"Hello?"
A male voice responded, "Hi. Is Natalie Reynolds there?"
Natalie knew exactly who was on the other end of the line, and her heart began to race.
"Hello, Porter, how are you?"
There was a slight hesitation. "Ah... look, I've been meaning to call you, but I thought you'd be busy. Err, um, I know this is last minute, but I was wondering if you might possibly be free tonight. I mean, I, um, understand if you already have something going...."
Although tempted to let him hang there for a while, she decided to play it straight and not act coy. Smiling to herself, Natalie put as much warmth into her voice as she thought possible, and said, "I don't have any plans I can't break... that is, if
you
have plans for the evening."
"You're free?"
Natalie laughed, and replied, "No, I'm not free. But I am available for dinner and drinks."
The relief in his voice was discernable to her, and she felt a thrill race through her.
My knight, my shining knight,
she thought, as she hung up after establishing a time for him to come by for her.
****
