Soulmates Read online

  Soulmates

  Suzanne Jenkins

  Soulmates

  by Suzanne Jenkins

  Soulmates. Copyright © 2014 by

  Suzanne Jenkins. All rights reserved.

  Created in digital format in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations in blog posts and articles and in reviews.

  Soulmates is complete and total work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  For information on the Greektown trilogy, the Pam of Babylon series, and other works by author Suzanne Jenkins, please refer to the ‘Also by…’ section at the end of this novel.

  Contents

  Summer

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Fall

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Author’s Notes

  Also by Suzanne Jenkins

  Soulmate—a human being who brings out the best in another.

  Whatever souls are made of, yours and mine are the same.

  A derivation of Emily Bronte’s famous quote.

  Jesus Loves the Little Children

  Jesus loves the little children,

  All the children of the world;

  Red and yellow, black and white,

  All are precious in His sight,

  Jesus loves the little children of the world.

  By Clare H. Woolston

  Public Domain

  Summer

  Chapter 1

  Pam Smith was getting married again. Nelda Fabian watched her eldest daughter, still beautiful at fifty-something, as she posed in front of a full-length mirror in her gorgeous, over the top wedding dress. “Well, you just look fabulous.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Pam said, turning this way and that. “It’s entirely different than the first one, isn’t it?”

  “Completely different. I remember thinking you were nutty to wear something so simple when you married Jack.” It was the first time his name had been spoken out loud in a very long time and never by Nelda. It ricocheted around the room like a bullet, buffeting their eardrums. Immediately guilty, Nelda turned to fuss at an imaginary pile on Pam’s dresser.

  Examining her reflection in the mirror, Pam thought of that first wedding; she wore a plain, white silk-satin sleeveless dress with a scooped neck, a tight waist and full, tea length skirt with no embellishment, her hair tumbling over her shoulders. On her head grandmother Genoa Fabian’s diamond hair comb, in place of a veil. Walking down the aisle of the beautiful church on the Upper West Side while she held her beloved father’s hand was like a fairytale. She closed her eyes for a second, remembering that day. Jack was waiting for her up at the altar, so handsome she couldn’t believe he was hers. And she was right.

  “I think I was trying to make a statement,” Pam said. Nelda turned to her, understanding what it was without her saying a word.

  “You were quiet elegance in the face of all that ostentatious wealth. They knew how to burn through money that’s for sure. If it weren’t for you, Pam, I wonder if there’d be any left.” Pam took a deep breath, thinking of the possibilities if she hadn’t taken control of Bernice when she did and it gave her the chills. They were safe, now.

  Offered a second chance at happiness, Pam didn’t skimp this time around. The dress she chose for her marriage to Jason Bridges was just the opposite of the first; skin tight, floor length, covered in shimmering crystal beads. Her hair piled up on her head braided with a strand of crystals, she just sparkled.

  “Well, a woman can change her style, can’t she? Besides, I saw this dress and had to buy it. I had to get married just to wear it.”

  “Your ass is incredible for a woman your age, Pam.” Pausing, Pam quickly put a tissue to her mouth and get out a guffaw that neighbors may have heard. Holding her side, she laughed for more than a few seconds.

  “Why thank you, Mother! I believe I take after you.” Nelda turned around and tried to look at her own rear.

  “What’s left of it has sunk down into my thighs. But honestly, I never think of it anymore. Who’d look?”

  “Yes, well I see men of a certain age checking you out when we shop together,” Pam replied. Now it was Nelda’s turn to laugh.

  “Good luck with that,” she replied, fussing with a piece of hair curling on Pam’s neck.

  “Knock knock,” Lisa said. “Are you about ready? We’re supposed to be at the church at noon.”

  “You can come in,” Pam replied. Turning around, they gasped; Lisa looked gorgeous, every bit her mother’s daughter. Wearing a very short, pale tan silk sheath, sleeveless and skin tight, every curve of her body accentuated, Nelda cried, “A naked dress!” Both Pam and Lisa looked at her and burst out laughing.

  “But boy, can you wear it,” she said.

  “You really can,” Pam said.

  “Thank you, noni. Oh, Mom, you’re so beautiful!” Lisa rushed to Pam, embracing her carefully, so Lisa’s long hair caught wouldn’t tangle in the beading. She looked down at her mother’s form. “How are you going to sit in that dress?”

  “Very carefully.” She walked over to the bed and tried to lower her body onto the edge. Frowning worriedly, she said, “It’s not too bad.”

  “You can lie down in the limousine,” Lisa suggested

  “Good idea,” Nelda said, grabbing a pillow off Pam’s bed.

  They walked out of the house together, Nelda on one side and Lisa on the other and the photographer was there, snapping away. Neighbors stood on the sidewalk, watching. It was a historic moment in their town, the widow of one of the most generous philanthropists, responsible for living trusts that ran the city sports teams, maintained the public golf course, supported the library, was getting married again.

  “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Pam said. “It’s so exciting! We sent out two hundred invitations and got RSVPs for three hundred people.”

  “Everyone wants you to be happy, Mom,” Lisa said. “It’s about time.”

  “Peter hired a stretch limo to bring the entire office over. I don’t even know most of those people.”

  “I wonder how many of Daddy’s friends will show up,” Lisa said, looking out the window. “Have you even heard from any of them?”

  “Not really. For the first few months after he died, everyone got in touch. But after that, I didn’t really want to be bothered. And then of course, after last year, I couldn’t even show my face in town.” Few of Jack’s old friends acknowledged Brent’s death and Pam was further hurt by the omission.

  No one would blame her; after he was murdered, the truth about the benevolent Mr. Smith came out. Granted, although it was all tabloid gossip, only Pam and Sandra and a few others knew it to be true. Going to the same gym she’d gone to for thirty years became an act of dodging snoopers. Shopping in town was pointless trying to avoid news cameras.

  Protective fencing erected on the beach side of the house, partially o
bscuring the view to the beach, kept curiosity seekers from getting too close. Now a year later, it seemed like everyone just wanted what was best for her and the fencing could come down.

  They climbed into the limousine, laughing at how awkward it was with tight dresses, but they pulled it off. The ride through town increased Pam’s sense of excitement until she felt sick to her stomach. A nearby parking lot was jammed with cars with more attempting to gain access. At the church, people were lining up to get in.

  “Oh no,” Lisa said. “They aren’t supposed to still be outside. It’s bad luck for them to see you. Driver, go around back, please.” He pulled up to the alley alongside the church, a police car parked there, the officer waving the limo through.

  “I think that was Andy,” Pam said sadly about the cop she used to date. “He’s like a bad penny.” Lisa snickered, grabbing Pam’s hand.

  “I’m getting nervous,” Nelda said. “We need to go where Jason can’t see you.”

  “It’ll be alright,” Pam said. “Let’s just get inside.” The driver pulled up to the parish hall. There was a little used door leading to the narthex. Pam could hide until all the people milling around were seated.

  “Let me go ahead of you,” Nelda said. “I’ll see if I can’t find out what’s going on.”

  “Mother, I’ve got to stand up,” Pam said. “Help me get out of this car first.” With a little tugging, Pam was soon standing. She and Lisa went inside the parish hall and found a ladies powder room where they could wait privately.

  In minutes, Nelda was back. “The coast is clear! Let’s go.” Both grandmothers were going to walk down the aisle with Pam. Bernice had arrived ahead of them, driving with Pam’s friend Jeannie. Bernice was acting as the wedding director until the planner arrived, late as usual. Everyone said Bernice looked like a sixty-year-old rather than eighty-something. No one but Pam knew about the facelift she’d had after a pacemaker insertion the previous year. Jeannie and Lisa were standing up for Pam as matrons of honor; while Jason’s best man was an old medical school friend, Paul.

  “Oh God, here comes trouble,” Nelda said as Lisa led Bernice over.

  “Are you ready?” Bernice asked. “Let me see Pam.” Nelda moved out of the way and Pam stepped forward.

  “Well, you are just beautiful. Honestly, you look like a young bride.” She put her hankie to eye, a little facial contortion beginning and the women yelled, “Stop!”

  “Bubby you’ll wreck your makeup,” Lisa cried.

  “I don’t care about my makeup,” Bernice wailed. “Just look at you, Pam. Gorgeous.”

  “We’d better get out there,” Nelda said. They moved aside so Pam could come through and the march to the vestibule of the church began. Lisa ran ahead to make sure no guests were lingering outside. Jeannie was waiting with Pam’s bouquet.

  “You look so beautiful,” she said, leaning in to kiss Pam’s cheek. Just as she said it, the organist started to play. Peeking out through a slit in the door, the bride wrung her hands.

  “I’m so nervous,” Pam said. “The church is packed.” Canon in D played and she didn’t know why, but it reminded her of a funeral procession. It dragged on and on while everyone was seated. There wasn’t a sign of Jason.

  The wedding planner finally showed up. “Oh, you look just lovely! Ready or not, here you come!”

  “Have you seen Jason?” Pam asked. Jeannie shot the planner a dirty look.

  “I better go see if I can find out what the hold up is,” Jeannie said directly to her. What was her job, anyway? “I haven’t seen the priest yet, either.” Pam and Nelda chucked.

  “I’ll go,” the planner said, frowning. Busybody.

  “Can’t have a wedding without the priest,” Nelda said. Pam saw people she knew well scattered throughout the sanctuary, friends and family from her life and people important to Jason. Pam’s sisters, Sharon and Susan and their families packed into the front row, Peter, Jack’s former partner and unfamiliar faces beside him were next. In the pew behind the family sat Jeff, Ted and Natalie. Where’s Sandra? Craning her neck, she strained to see the familiar head, but could not among the ocean of heads.

  They watched Jeannie and the wedding planner walk up the aisle, bodies turning to see if they were starting the bridal procession yet. Then she saw Jeff slip out of the pew, whisper something to Jeannie, who led him back to Pam. Paul, the best man, stepped down from the altar with the priest following.

  “Oh God, this can’t be good,” Nelda said. The trio came down the aisle and Pam knew without anyone saying anything to her.

  “I think I’m going to throw up.” Lisa put her arm around her and whispered to her, telling her to deep breathe, in and out. Nelda and Bernice opened the door, allowing the men to pass through.

  “What’s wrong?” Pam asked. Jeff came up to her, pale, embarrassed.

  “Jason’s not here yet, and I can’t reach him on his cell phone. Paul said he tried calling him earlier today to see if he wanted to drive in together, but there was no answer at the house. No one’s heard from him, and it doesn’t look like his kids are here. My ex-wife has been trying to reach him for the past half hour.”

  Pam had two choices; she could flee or she could stay and face their friends and family. Silently deliberating, the men were telling her what they thought she should do. Their voices talking at her in the periphery of her hearing pounded her eardrums. Needing to build up the courage to accept that Jason stood her up at the altar, she would move forward right that second. The wedding planner stood helpless, never having experienced this in twenty years of weddings.

  “Wait for ten more minutes, and if he doesn’t show up, I’ll make an announcement, something simple, like the groom’s been detained,” Jeff said.

  “Wait, the groom’s been detained? You really want to say that?” she asked, laughing. She was so sick of Jeff and his shenanigans she wanted to slap him.

  “Thank you, but I’ll handle this,” she pushed her way through and put her hands up in the air, the flowers of her bouquet shimmering, long satin ribbons trailing over her arm. Her family and Jeannie followed her, Jeff, Paul and the priest bringing up the rear while heads turned in the congregation, watching the beautiful woman in a posture of surrender coming toward them.

  “Someone ask the organist to stop playing,” she called out. Murmuring rose up, the decibels increasing the closer she got to the altar and a man sitting in front went to the organist and whispered. The music stopped suddenly along with the whispering. The congregation watched the beautiful woman in charge, the candlelight shining on the crystal beads of her gown shimmering like water.

  Paul turned to her, offering his arm, and she took it as they walked up the steps to the pulpit together. Pam’s heart was beating so hard, she was afraid she was going to pass out. They figured out how to turn the microphone on, the moments of awkwardness adding familiarity to the surreal scene as the priest stood aside, offering no support.

  Finally, she paused long enough to look out over the audience, waving to her sisters and to Jeannie, who sat next to her husband Dave, crying. Seeing the looks of admiration and compassion on the faces of her family and few friends gave her strength. Everyone had already figured out what was coming.

  “Thank you so much, all of you, for coming to church today for my wedding. Evidently, Jason isn’t coming. His family isn’t here either, which is worrisome. I’m sure everyone is okay or we would have heard. Paul and Jeff are good friends of Jason’s and they have been unable to get in touch with him.

  “So, it looks as though I’m not getting married today,” she said apologetically. More calls of regret rang out, but Pam didn’t want their pity. “You are my friends. You know this is not the worst thing that has happened to me!

  “And I have this gorgeous dress, as you can see,” she stepped out from behind the pulpit and spun for everyone, the appreciative echoes rang out over the crowd with some whistles and catcalls.

  “My mother-in-law paid a small fortune f
or the reception and it’s not going to waste,” she announced, lying, winking at her mother. “You all need to get over to the country club in one hour as planned and enjoy the afternoon. Have a delicious meal, champagne, dance to a great band, and then have wedding cake in honor of me. I love you all, thank you again for coming. Now I am going to go home to be alone for a while. I ask that you please respect my privacy.” Paul offered her his arm and they went out the side exit, but they could hear the applause. Bernice, Nelda, Lisa and Dan were there waiting for her and they hurried her out the side door into the limo before anyone could converge.

  “Thank you, Paul,” she called. He nodded, mortified.

  “Oh, Mother,” Lisa sobbed. “You are amazing.” Pam had just successfully completed the acting role of a lifetime.

  “Dan,” Pam said. “I feel like suing someone. Is there such a thing as alienation of affection?” Dan got so excited he was almost bouncing in the seat.

  “Yes, you can do that, you can sue him.”

  “I was just kidding,” she said.

  Lisa patted his leg. “Don’t get too excited, dear.” The few blocks left to home were made in silence, only an occasional sniff from Bernice or a sigh from Nelda heard, both ready for war. Pam was numb. All she wanted was to get out of the dress and into sweatpants and left alone. It was such an anticlimax to the months of planning and the excitement, she didn’t even feel sad. What had happened? She was wracking her brain, trying to see what hints she’d missed. There had to be abundant opportunities to ask Jason if he was troubled about anything and she must have pushed them off.

  “Did anyone see Sandra?” she asked. Turning to her, one by one they shook their heads. “So the answer is no. Where’s my cell phone?” Lisa dug through her purse and handed the phone off. First, she rang Sandra’s cell.

  “Right to voice mail,” she said, ending the call without leaving a message. Next, she rang the house phone. Someone with a thick accent answered. Valarie, the nanny.

  “Valarie, this is Pam Smith, from the beach.”