Chapter 7

         Belinda looked up from a catalog featuring a powder puff of a bridesmaid's dress,
     hoping to see her friend in front of the mirrors by now, but no such luck. "Janet,
     did you get lost back there or what?"
         "No... I'm coming..." Janet stepped out of the dressing room with Myrtle right
     behind her, helping with the train.
         "Step up there, darlin'," Myrtle instructed, pointing to a small platform. Janet
     obliged, then looked to Belinda with her arms outstretched.
         "So, whadyah think?"
         Belinda couldn't tell yet if Janet had her heart set on this particular frock, so she
     scanned it up and down with caution. "Well... it's definitely beautiful."
         "Yeah-- isn't it, though?"
         "And the detail work is exquisite."
         "Oh-- well, that goes without saying."
         Belinda cocked her head and looked her in the eye after another 30 seconds of
     inspection. "But--"
         "It's not the one," Janet finished.
         "Not by a long shot!" They laughed, relieved to be in agreement.
         "Now that's the way to decide!" Myrtle said. "Then we've got two more to go--
     come on, honey--"
         The door of The Boutique opened and closed, with the rough cough of a man all
     too familiar causing Janet to snap back around and investigate.
         "WHOO-EE! That sure looks a helluva lot nicer than that gunny sack you wore on
     OUR wedding day." Axel gave her a once-over that chilled all three women to
     the bone.
         "So you're following me now?" Janet demanded to know.
         "Did' ya get my note?"
         "Oh, I got it all right."
         Belinda stepped over to Myrtle, explaining the situation as best and fast as she
     could.
         "Axel, go home. You've got your life, I've got mine... let's just leave it at that, okay?"
         "Jan Jan," he pouted, trying unsuccessfully to look innocent as he lumbered
     closer. "All I want is a chance to show you I'm as good as the guy with the bad
     ties. Won't you gave me a shot for old time's sake?"
         "NO!" She still felt her voice shake as she said it, but she looked him in the yes and
     was solid enough.
         "Well I think the lady's had her say," Myrtle interrupted, pushing past them all to
     show Axel the door. "But I suggest you get goin' before I charge you with
     trespassin' on my property."
         Axel looked back at the exit, but approached Janet all the closer anyway.
     "You're sayin no, but you're meanin' yes, baby." He reached out to finger the lace
     on the dress. Janet jerked away instinctively.
         "Out!!" Myrtle snapped. "He leered at Janet a moment longer, then obliged.
         "Janet," Belinda said, rushing to her side, "I thought you and Trevor were done with
     him..."
         "I want to try on the next one," Janet said quickly, turning back to the dressing
     room in one big blur of satin.

 
         Belinda gave her a few minutes, but then resumed her line of questioning. "So
     Janet, what ARE you going to do? He doesn't appear to be going away."
         "He will. He has to."
         "Don't you want to take legal action? This man is stalking you, as best I can tell."
         "Belinda, I've got to take care of it my own way." Then her tone changed
     suddenly. "Don't worry about that now-- take a look at this!"
         Out she stepped in a cream colored dream of understated elegance that fit her--
     and her personality-- to perfection. She floated carefully but excitedly to the
     platform. "I've got just the veil, too," Myrtle winked, dashing to the other side of the
     store.
         "Oh, Janet!" Belinda beamed, equally excited for her.
         Janet turned to the mirrors after getting Belinda's approval... all smiles as she was,
     though, she couldn't help looking back over her shoulder to where Axel had
     stood.
 
         Later that afternoon, as Janet flipped through a series of Email in her office at
     Enchantment, she was intrigued by one that appeared to come from the Dillon
     House. As soon as she saw it she skipped over the others and opened it up:
 
Hello Gorgeous! 

    Look at me, getting the hang of this e-mail stuff courtesy of the Tim Man. All so I can pass notes in school with the very beautiful Janet Dillon. (OK, so I'm jumping the gun a little. I can't help it, "Janet Dillon" just sounds so good!) 
   If this thing works, you have to send me a message back, okay? Also because you have to answer the following important question: would you rather join me and Belinda talking shop over dinner at: 
       a) Your Place (Valley Inn), 
       b) Holidays, or 
       c) McKays? 
   Or I suppose you could say D--as in "Duh, who wants to hear you two talk shop?" But I hope you'll pick one of the first 3 choices. And... BRING THE NOTE. (You know which one!) 
   I'll be learning some new tricks at home with this computer all afternoon, so I'll be  waiting to hear from you. I LOVE YOU! (Tim will have to teach me how to write that in bigger letters.) 
 
                                                                                               Trevor 
         Even a written message from him warmed her all over. She thought a moment
     before responding:
 
  Hello Handsome. 

     Yes, the e-mail worked just fine, I could hear your sexy voice even though you were nowhere around.   I vote for "my place" if that's okay with you two; that way I can put away my wedding gown (yes, we found one today!) and still pull  Belinda up to the room to work on plans if there is time. 
    How's 6:30? If I don't get  another cute message from you then that's when I'll plan to see you. I love you too. 

                                                                                      Janet 
 
         She arrived on time, but Trevor and Belinda looked deep in conversation already.
     "You two need to lighten up-- the workday's over," she offered as cheerfully as she
     could when she sat down, but she could sense she wasn't going to get very far.
         "We weren't talking about work," Belinda said haltingly after a moment.
         "I had a feeling..." she turned her attention to her troubled looking fiancé, and she
     could tell Belinda had already spilled about Axel's appearance at the Boutique.
     She reached out and took Trevor's hand. "I'm FINE," she tried to reassure him.
         "Did you bring it?" he asked, still not looking up. She sighed, reaching into her
     purse and producing the note Axel had left the other night. But she kept if
     clenched in her hand.
         "Trevor, I want to talk about this first."
         "He's stalking you, Janet."
         "It wasn't that bad--"
         "Yes it was," Belinda jumped in. "That man scared ME. I can only imagine what sort
     of anxiety you feel as his ex-wife."
         "Exactly, Belinda! I'M the ex-wife here. Axel is MY problem, and I want to take care
     of him in my own way! Why is that so hard for you two to understand?"
         "Because it's only--" Trevor started out rather loud, but toned it down when he saw
     he was turning a few heads in the dining room. He finally looked Janet in the
     eyes. "Because it's only a matter of time before he graduates from public places
     to... to something more dangerous."
         Belinda excused herself from the table. Trevor reached to touch Janet's face. "She
     tells me that dress you picked is gonna take my breath away," he said with a little
     sadness in his eyes.
         "I'm gonna give it a try, anyway."
         "I hope so..." With his other hand he reached for hers and slowly peeled each
     finger back so he could access the note. With a defeated shrug, she finally let
     him take it.
 
 
 
 
 Re-view Chapters
1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/ 12/ 13/ 14/ 15/ 16/ 17/ 18/ 19/ 20/ 21