My Christmas Stalker (9 page)

      “Whitley!” “Nora!” They both spoke at once. They both stared at each other their eyebrows creased in confusion. Something wasn’t right. Whitley’s mind replayed the night’s conversations.

      Whitely recovered first. “This is your friend? Jeff Carlisle is your buddy ol’ pal?” She glared at David.

     Nora looked at Jeff. “What is going on here?” She watched Whitley’s face. “What is it?”

     “Let us out!” Whitley demanded angrily.

    “Wait! What’s wrong?” David asked.

    “What’s wrong?” Jeff asked, sounding like a parrot.

     Whitley took a deep breath and started to connect the dots. “I knew the whole thing was too fishy! We just happen to be the winners of these outrageously, expensive dresses that happen to be delivered to our apartment by Jeff. Who happens to be the security guard for the most elite eveningwear store on this side of New York. He asks Nora out and has a friend he wants to introduce me to, who happens to show up at my place of work acting cute and oh, so charming!” Her face grimaced as if the words she said were distasteful.

    “The cute guy’s family happens to own a clothing store, which he didn’t exactly tell me the name of, but I am guessing it is Bella Noche`!” Nora gasped and Whitley shot another dark look at David. “Who then, when he needs help calls his friend, who happens to be the exact same security guard that brought us the so-called prize to begin with! You,” she pinned David with her hard expression, “happen to own the store the dresses came from, right?” She waited for an answer.

     “Yes, but let me explain!”

     Whitley continued. “How is it that the very same dresses we were trying on in the store became the wonderful prize? Humm?” She leaned toward David with narrowed eyes. “Well, the security guy is obviously in charge of the security cameras that one or both of you used to play ‘peeping tom’ on us for you to know
exactly
which of the dresses we tried on!” She sat back with her arms crossed, her head turned to look out the window.

    Whitley fought to keep the tears from falling. She knew better! How could she have let herself fall for such a creep? One who sits back watching women in his store’s dressing salons! She heard Nora’s quiet voice from the front seat.

     “Is Whitley’s…story….true, Jeff? Did you watch us on your cameras?”

   “Honey, please, let us explain.” Jeff’s voice was tense.

   “Yes or no? Did you watch us on the store’s cameras?” Nora’s voice was insistent.

     Jeff glanced at David in the mirror. His friend’s face was turned looking out the window. “Yes.” Jeff spoke in low tone.

    “Please take us home. I can’t take Whitley on the subway this late at night.” Nora turned in her seat and faced the window. Everyone could hear her sniffling. Her hand came up to wipe a tear every now and then.

    Jeff put the car into gear and pulled onto the road. At their apartment, Whitley and Nora jumped out of the car almost before the car stopped. The girls were up the stairs to their security door before the two men reached them.

    “Whitley! Wait!” David grabbed her arm and turned her to him.

     “Nora! Stop! Let me talk to you!” Jeff reached Nora and pulled her to him. “Please don’t shut me out! We need to talk about this!”

     “There is nothing to talk about!” Nora’s voice was raspy, her nose plugged from her silent cry.

     David pulled Whitley aside to the opposite corner. “Please, let me tell you what happen! We weren’t being peeping toms. Jeff was just doing his normal job when you two stepped into the salon. We do not video inside the dressing room, just the modeling room. We have a lot of shoplifting that happens from that area with the shoes, purses, and jewelry. I was visiting him in the security office that morning when you girls stepped out to model the dresses. You were the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I couldn’t help but look at you! I had to meet you!”

     “It was the same for me, honey! I took one look at you and I was hooked! I felt it in here!” Jeff touched his chest. He took her hand in his. “I love you, Nora. Right from the beginning. I know you have felt it, too!” Nora’s eyes filled with tears again.

    David continued, his eyes pleading with Whitley to understand. “So, then I made up the one thousandth customer prize, so I could give you the dress. You both looked so amazing in the dresses. I knew you couldn’t afford them, but I wanted you to have the dress, Whitley. I had hoped you would agree to go with me to the Christmas Ball.” Whitley pulled away from David.

      “Are you even a Mormon?” Whitley asked with suspicion.

      “Yes, that’s true. I promise you.”

     “Come on, Nora.” She dug for her key in her purse. Nora laid her hand on her friend’s arm.

     “Whitley, I believe them. They weren’t trying to be creepers.”

      “Well, that is great for you, but I feel violated.” The key slide through the lock and the click of the door signaled it had opened. “Goodnight. You make your own choice, Nora. I’m going up.” She slid through the door and ran to the elevator. Whitley leaped in, just as it was closing. She saw David rush to the elevator, but the door closed before he reached it.

       
W
hitley went straight to her room and locked the door. She dropped her purse and coat on the floor and crawled into her bed with her clothes on. She turned her face into the pillow and finally let lose all her pent up emotions. She sobbed into her pillow for over an hour, and then the silent tears fell all through the night.

    It was all just a lie! Right from the beginning! Her heart ached so much, her stomach followed next. She threw up in her private bathroom twice within a few minutes. She felt so physically ill over it all. She wrapped her arms around a pillow and continued to cry until there was light in the sky.

     She realized in just a day she had fallen for a guy that didn’t exist! Her one true love, the perfect man. Handsome, charming, someone who made her feel special and treated her with a gentleness that showed how much he cared. His kiss was so wonderful. No one had ever made her feel that way! But he had lied! He was nothing, but a liar. A lying stalker! His charming act in the pastry shop—phony! He had already known who she was and had stalked her—plain and simple!

     Her eyes and nose where so swollen she could hardly breathe or see. At 5:00 a.m. she called her boss and told her she couldn’t come into work. She was ill, she told her boss and arranged to take at least two days off. She couldn’t serve food with such a cold Patty stated. Her boss could hardly under understand her as she spoke on the phone!

      At 6:30 a.m. a knock came at the door. Nora called her name several times. “Your ride is here!” Tears leaped into her eyes again just as she had finally stopped crying.

     “I’m not going to work today!” She called out. She rolled over, pulling her pillow to her, she wrapped herself into her quilt and finally fell asleep.

      
T
hat afternoon she woke up and repackaged the dress addressing it to David Ballantine. She stared at the name of the store, Bella Noche`! Her dream dress sat in that box. She shook her head. She could never wear it now. She called a delivery service about 3:30 p.m. The deliveryman was there by 4:00 p.m. to pick it up. By 5:00 p.m. the dress was returned to her with a note.

           Dear Whitley,

             I am sorry to inform you that we do not accept returns to this store. We do not handle used dresses in our establishment. Please wear it. You will be the belle of the Ball. It was made for you. My sincerest apology.

                        Store owner and major jerk,

                                   David Ballantine.

   
N
ora arrived home earlier than normal, so Whitley assumed she must have gotten a ride from someone. She knocked on Whitley’s door, but Whitley wouldn’t open her door. She wasn’t ready to talk about David.

      The second day that Whitley had called in sick her phone started tweeting, its tone telling her she had a phone call. She pulled the phone open and was caught off guard by hearing David’s voice. She had forgotten to check to see who it could be. She had never given David her phone number, so that meant Nora had. The traitor!

     “Whitley, don’t hang up! Please listen to me. I’m so sorry! I went about this all wrong, I know that now, but I am begging you to forgive me and give me one more chance! It felt so amazing to be with you! We can’t lose that!” She closed her phone without speaking a word and begin to cry for another hour.

     Whitley lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling. Her phone tweeted again. She looked at the screen. Shawn Paterson.

      She flipped on her phone. “Hello?” Her strained voice answered.

     “Whitley? You sound horrible! Are you sick?” His concerned voice floated into the room.

     “No, not really, just a little cold.” She fibbed.

     “Oh, baby, I hope you get over it soon. You know I don’t do well with germs! I really hope you will be able to go with me to the Ball. So make sure you tell me if you aren’t better, say by Friday morning, okay, doll? It just won’t be the same without you. I have something really special planned, so keep me posted! Talk to you later, baby!”

      Whitley shut her phone. Shawn Paterson just didn’t matter anymore. She would have to go! She couldn’t cancel now, could she? And she would wear that dress and act like none of it even mattered! She would show that…that handsome, rich and famous…jerk of a guy! She would wear the stupid, gorgeous dress and act like he wasn’t even in the room!

      She knew she had recognized him! His picture was in the magazine she had bought two months ago. His picture was plastered on the side of buses. His picture was often in the paper. Oh, she had been such a fool! So stupid!

    She stared at her ceiling while tears silent fell down the side of her cheeks. Why did it hurt so much? Could she actually have fallen in love that quickly? She turned over and buried her face in her pillow and groaned. She was such an imbecile! Snap out of it! She prayed to her Father in Heaven in her mind.

    “Why did you let me go out with him? Why did you let it feel so wonderful? I hurt so much now in my heart. What should I do? Help me, Father, please.”

    The thought of her mother came into her mind.
“Call her,”
the voice said. Whitley shook her head. She didn’t want to tell her mother that she had made a complete fool of herself over a guy she knew for one day. One glorious, torturous, awesome day!
“Call her.”

       Whitley sat up and pulled out her phone. She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at it. She pulled her quilt up over her shoulders, pushed the buttons, and held it to her ear.

     “Hello? Spencer’s Happy Home of Christmas!” spoke a perky voice. “Which Elf do you want to speak to?”

      “Wendy?” Whitley asked. The hyper teen was her youngest, fifteen year old sister. Out of five children she was one of the last two at home.

      “Whitley! Hey, are you coming home for Christmas? Please say yes! It’s been so long since I’ve seen you!” Her excited voice carried over the phone.

     “I don’t know, squirt. Is mom home? I really need to talk to her.” Whitley fought hard to keep her voice in control.

      “Nah, she is out Christmas shopping. You should see the tree! It is so packet with presents! Everyone is coming home! Willa and Mark and baby, Kilee. Wayne won’t though—he is in Texas speaking ‘el Española’ on his mission, Me and Wesley are already here. Grandma and Aunt Milee are coming, too! You gotta come!”

      “When will mom…be home?” Whitley felt the pressure building behind her eyes.

      “Hey, you okay?” Wendy’s voice became serious. “What’s up, big sister?” Her concern was Whitley’s undoing. A sob came out unexpectedly. “Oh, man! This sounds serious! Tell me. I’m a good listener, you know.” Whitley laughed at that.

    “You? Miss chatter box?”

    “I can be quiet when it’s important. This sounds like one of those times. Are you sick? Or is it guy problems?”

     Whitley sniffed into the phone. “A guy,” she whispered.

     “Tell me,” she said softly.

     “I don’t know. You will think I am such an idiot.”

     “Well, being an idiot is my specialty. It may be a family trait and as a family we should support each other. Come on, tell me,” her sister urged. Whitley paused.

     “Alright.”  She began at the beginning, but left out some of the kissing parts since it was her fifteen year old sister. “Now I feel so deceived!”

     “Wow! That….was beautiful!” Wendy sniffed. “You love him!”

     “No! I can’t! Not after two days!” She insisted passionately, then much calmer she questioned her sister. “Can I?”

     “Well, I may be young, but I believe that God leads our lives if we are living it righteously. That man…David? He was just baptized and seems to be at a point of time where he is listening to the spirit in his life. He feels this same incredible draw to you, too. What did he say in his phone call? ‘This feels amazing and we don’t want to lose that?’ Well, I agree!

     “I don’t know, Wendy.” Whitley’s voice became emotional again. “I’m scared!”

     “Whitley, you have always had this problem with anxiety over things. I have one question? Where is your faith? Do you believe God hears and answers your prayers?”

     “Well, yes.” Whitley answered. The heavy feeling in her heart begin to lighten.

      “Have you been able to recognize the spirit in your life on other occasions?”

      “Y…yes, I have.”

      “What is the spirit telling you now? Put aside the embarrassment you feel by knowing some hot guy was checking you out when you couldn’t see him.”