Chapter 7

It was mid morning when he telephoned to Jennifer. They had a typical small talk conversation until the topic of how to spend the day came up.

"I thought maybe we could go to the horse races this afternoon, have a light snack to tide us over and then head back to London. I managed to wrangle a few seats to the opera tonight, if that's ok? I never thought to ask if you like opera, sorry."

"You have tickets for the opera tonight? Ummm, Jeff, the opera in London is a pretty sophisticated crowd. You don't just show up in blue jeans and a tee shirt."

"I know that Jennifer. I have appropriate clothing."

"That's not what I am saying." The frustration in her voice was evident. "You can't just expect me to go to the races, come home and do a quick change into something suitable for evening wear and be ready to go in ten minutes. I have to do my hair and get my gown out and make sure it's pressed and..." she was still going on about needing time to get ready.

"Okay, okay, we don't have to go."

"Are you crazy? Of course we're going. It's the opera for God's sake. We just don't have time to go to the dumb horse races!" It was very clear that Jeff did not understand the priorities or the problems associated with them.

"Listen, Jennifer, I don't want this to be an issue or something you feel hurried or rushed about. It's the opening night, so it will be playing for..."

"It's opening night???" she nearly screamed into the phone. "Are you nuts??? What are you thinking??? There is no question about it. I can't go to opening night in just any old dress. I need to go shopping, and I need to go right now. Pick me up at five o'clock." He could hear her tell Kate that she needed to get dressed because they needed to go shopping.

So much for the idea of going to the track.

Of course, when he arrived at the dorm that evening, an unusually large number of girls just happened to be loitering in the lobby, many with camera in hand. It just wasn't that often that a man appeared in the lobby dressed in black tie and tails, and it was even rarer when the man was as handsome as Jeff Myerly. He was barely into the room when several flashes and clicks of shutters could be seen and heard. As if on cue, when the murmurs of the girls subsided, the doors to the elevator opened and Jennifer Dickinson appeared.

To Jeff it was déjà vu. He was speechless. Before him stood a tall, slender cylinder of gold, easily the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Jennifer had selected a strapless dress, of some material that actually shimmered. It was a soft gold color that reached to the floor, and clung to her body in a very feminine but conservative manner. While the top covered her appropriately, it was obvious that her breasts were full, and definitely all hers. A decided hush fell over the lobby crowd, which in those few moments had grown substantially. As he moved to her, he could hear the cameras snapping and someone in the crowd asked them to just pause for a minute. First there was a single girl clapping, and then two and soon everyone in the lobby was applauding the couple. Jeff stepped back to allow her the moment, but the crowd urged them to be together.

It was a moment, to be sure, a moment in a girl's life that can never be repeated or exceeded, a moment that combines the ambiance, the beauty, and the intensity into one stellar crescendo of emotion. Jennifer maintained her poise and together they walked to the waiting car. Every girl in the lobby of the dorm that night who had witnessed first Jeff's arrival and then Jennifer's appearance now had engraved in her mind the image of the gallant prince riding off with the princess. Kate, Jennifer's best friend and mischievous roommate cried tears of joy for her friend.

Their arrival at the Opera House was amidst a line of limousines and they exited the car with assistance of white gloved valets. Immediately they were engulfed with flashes from photographers and onlookers. Jeff had not expected this, but Jennifer maintained her smile, and even consented to stop for photos from someone inside the rope lines. It was Jeff's first opera, and Jennifer's first as an adult. That it was sung in Italian did not seem to matter, the love story was clearly evident, and very compelling.

After the performance they remained for a while, socializing with others, perfect strangers, and all seemingly quite interested in who they were and, in the case of one snoopy lady, why hadn't they been seen before this evening. There were even more photographers snapping their pictures as they tried to leave. Eventually they found sanctuary in Jeff's car.

"I'm not at all hungry, are you?" she asked him.

"No, not really."

"Can't we just go home?"

"Certainly."

"Just ask the driver to take us to the hotel."

When they arrived at the hotel, Jeff asked quietly, "Are you sure?"

"I have never been more certain of anything in my whole life. I saved myself for you, Jeff Myerly. Please be gentle, at least at first."

When he kissed her, it was passionately, but it was not a passion of the loins, but rather, a passion of the heart. She cried out when he entered her the first time, but he waited for her, and soon after, she was aggressively meeting his thrusts. As he lay beside her later, he began to worry that his emotions were for Sharon and simply transferred to Jennifer, but he denied that, then questioned himself again, and denied it again. What he was feeling inside was for Jennifer as a person, not as an image of Sharon.

Jennifer was determined to make up for years of lost opportunities. She awakened him repeatedly throughout the night, until they were both exhausted, emotionally and physically. They were awakened mid morning by a knock on their door from room service. The valet brought hot coffee, tea, and a small overnight bag with the message that someone had brought it to the hotel during the night, requesting that it be delivered in the morning.

On top of a pair of Jennifer's blue jeans and a tee shirt, they found a copy of the morning Sunday London Times, and a handwritten note that said, "Looks like you had a wonderful time. I thought you might need these for the morning." It was signed, Kate. The paper had been reorganized so that the society page was on top.

The society editor of the Sunday Times had assigned several photographers and writers to cover the opening night of the opera. It is, after all, considered one of the highlights of the social season, and so it was covered accordingly. Prominently featured on the first page of the section, in the center and above the fold, was a picture of Jeff and Jennifer as they arrived. The caption below read: New to the opera scene this year, and certainly the most handsome couple of the evening, were Miss Jennifer Dickinson of Cambridge and her escort, Mr. Jeff Myerly of the United States."

On the third page of the section were more pictures of guests, including one of Jennifer alone and another with Jeff.

The only words out of Jeff's mouth were, "Oh my!" It was unclear to Jennifer, and even to him, exactly how he meant that.

"Did I tell you how absolutely beautiful you looked last night? I mean, really, Jennifer, really. You could have had command of every person in that opera house last night. I have no idea what will happen, now that you have been identified in the paper. You will probably be inundated with gentlemen callers."

"A lot of good that will do them, I have you." She paused, and then added, "Don't I?"

"Yes, Jennifer, you have me. I have no idea what your father will say if he sees this, but as of this minute, I am still alive, and you still have me."

When they returned to the dorm, Kate was sitting in the drive waiting for them. "Kiss her good bye right here and then you stay in the car, Jeff. The whole lobby is full of reporters and guys with cameras. We need to sneak around to the back door. Oh, and Jen, your father called."

Jeff returned to London and found a message from Richard asking him to call. He had no idea if Richard's call to Jennifer had been a coincidence or if he had somehow learned of their evening together.

"Boy, when I suggested doing something touristy, you really took it to heart!" He seemed to be in good spirits, but Jeff said nothing in response, waiting for the second shoe to drop, so to speak. "I must say, you two make a very handsome couple, indeed. Did you have a nice time?"