Her Lost Love

A Holiday to Remember

"Hi Jon, how are you? I hope you'd call me back." Stephanie Fox left a message on Jon's voicemail. It has been two days since they last spoke on the phone, which was a day after he flew to Los Angeles. They managed to speak everyday before he went to see Cathy. The last time they did was when he got in a quiet room and she asked him, "Are you in a bathroom?" and chuckled when he told her that he was in there since he does not want to awaken Cathy from her sleep. "I wonder why he liked her," she remembered herself speaking to Adriana and Vivian. At the night of the project launch, she had tried to get into Jon's way, but his attention was always a bit inclined towards Cathy. She was a simple assistant, with little to no make up at all, would occasionally dress up on chosen events. "She was a wallflower, how could he be so attracted?" she remembered herself asking the other two ladies on why they think Jon is a lot into Cathy. They all came to a conclusion that maybe it is because she seemed very innocent, that older men would always prefer younger women. 

After leaving the voicemail, she got up from her bed. She slid the door which handle was made of golden metal, walked out into the balcony and spread her arms in front of her, touched the metal railing which was made of wood, and the balcony wall made of glass. She closed her eyes and breathed, then put her right hand on her chest. She opened her eyes, and whispered, "I am going after you, Jonathan Albertson. No matter what." She went back in the room, slid the door closed behind her and dialed a number. "Hi," she said cheerfully. "Yes, please, a ticket to Los Angeles for Stephanie Fox." 

******

Christmas went great for both Cathy and Jon. It was their first time of being together for a whole week, and it was "The best Christmas", as Cathy had told him when they woke up on Christmas day. There was a huge and beautiful Christmas tree on the ground floor of The Orsini, and Cathy did not wait for Jon to take photos. Lee paid them a visit, they all ate at the unit's dining area, as Lee had arranged a small feast for the three of them. They had turkey, red wine, fra diavolo pasta, cheese, chocolate cake which was Cathy's favorite and French onion soup which was Jon's. 

When they were done with lunch, they went to the living to hand over each other their presents. Lee had set up a reading nook by the corner of the living room, adjacent to one of the bedrooms. They sat on the mattress which he had placed on the floor. They took turns in opening the gifts that they received, Lee got a Rolex Submariner Gents watch from Jon, and a blue Karako Suits necktie from Cathy. "I am not expecting this dear, thank you." He gave her a hug, and gave them his gifts. Lee was a man of elegance as he always had been, since his younger years, which is why he was hired by the Albertsons as an assistant. He handed over to Cathy a double chain bracelet with diamond letters that spelled her name, Catie, from David Von. She was so amazed that she hugged him back tightly and thanked him for being such a wonderful man and for always taking good care of her and Jon. Her eyes sparkled as she had never received such an adorable gift in her life. "Thank you, Lee. I don't usually wear things like this but I would love to wear this everyday." Lee smiled at her and then gave Jon an envelope, which contained tickets to the FIFA championship in Germany. Jon looked at Lee, and then at Cathy, with his eyes starting to get red and wet with tears of joy." I,... Thank you, Lee. " The two men hugged, and Lee told him, "I hope you two could go together. I have never seen you so happy with someone, I am glad that you have met this Catie over here." Lee held her hand and told her, "Please take care of him, he is almost a son to me." She smiled back and went on to give Jon her Christmas present. "I know that you can buy anything that you want. My gift is not as expensive, but I.." Jon cut her off and held her chin. "I would love whatever you give me." They both smiled, and as Jon opened the box, a pair of grey Oakley sunglasses surprised him. He gave her a tight hug and a warm kiss on the lips, then told her, "Thank you, my love." He put out a small box, held her hand open and closed her hand with the box in it. She slowly opened it, and almost shouted with amazement. It was a Chanel small classic white flap bag. She took it out the box, felt the shearing lambskin through her fingers, unable to utter a word. It was so beautiful that she could not believe her eyes. Jon asked her, "Did you like it?" She looked up at him, and with tears in her eyes, she replied. "I love it!" She hugged him so tight that he almost could not breathe. The three were so happy that they took group photos, with all of them wearing red sweaters and blue jeans as a holiday theme. There were forty photos in total, taken from Jon's Canon EOS - 1 DS Mark II, and many of those were photos of them opening gifts, hugging and moments that would forever be kept in their hearts.