In Trust She Thrust

Linda felt the caress of the breeze blowing through short, un-bonded hair as new "BMW" sped along the freeway. She looked at Luis beside her in driving seat, his strong hands gripping the wheel. Get twenty-six mile a gallon with four-wheel power push, is important as, commercials say, 'it's a long way to empty', and Luis smiled at her.

Linda looked down at the ring she had accepted from Luis. Her brow wrinkled. So you have loved David, but you can't have him. 'Maria' wins the prize. Now stop thinking about it, girl. Just start to love Luis and all hurt will go away. All thought, but of course, not said. Ever to anyone,

Yes, she would devote her life to Luis, make a career of doing everything, which makes him happy. Perhaps someday she might even forget David and be able to give Luis the love he deserved.

She leaned her head back against the cool blue upholstery and closed her eyes to suppress the sudden stinging tears. "David", she thought, oh, David, darling what happened to us?

Never could she understand how she had lost David. She had always been too sure that he loved her, just as she loved only him. Ever since graduated school, it had been Linda and David, as a team, and she had dreamed of an evening when, in white satin and veil, she would marry him.

Only it hadn't worked out that way. David had married Maria Instead of the glamorous, alluring Maria who had returned to Frisco after a gap of seven years.

Linda tried to tell herself that she had had no moral or real claim on David, they had never been officially engaged, he had never really ash her to be his wife. But all the arguments in the world couldn't bring any comfort or solace to her desolate heart.

David has to catch fast track, Linda has given mild smile to him, she would never forget that night, after the graduation party when he'd taken her home. In the shadow cast by the big fig tree on the front lawn, he had put his arms around her, drawing her to close; she could even today feel the quickened beat of his heart against her shoulder.

 "You're my dream girl, Linda" he had whispered, his lips against her hair. She had leaned against him, waiting /wanting him to say that soon they would be married, why hadn't he? Had he expected her to say that she loves him? Surely he knows that without asking. Of Course, she was his ultimate girl. No other arrangement had ever entered her mind.

What she could never understand, what nearly broke her heart, was the way he had left her for Maria. Would it have made any difference, she wondered if she had been wearing his ring? Deep inside, she knew it wouldn't. Maria would never have let an engagement stand in her way.

Linda couldn't blame David, no matter how much he had hurt her. Maria had gone after him from the day she had returned to Frisco. Of course, he had been flattered, Maria had a beauty no man could overlook, and she was an expert at pleasing the masculine ego. And hers was an attraction Linda could not fight. David and Linda had been friends all their lives, he knows her every liking. There was nothing mysterious about her. There was much about Maria that was mysterious, fascinating and David had been captivated. He had married her.

It was Linda's spirit that had been at their lowest that she met Luis, and for a while she made herself believe that she was getting over her love for David.

Luis was exceptionally good looking and he gave Linda such a rush that she had little time for thinking. Linda before she knew what she was doing, she was wearing his ring and had promised to marry him.

Misty – eyed, Linda glanced down now at the Princess Cut Ruby in its old fashioned setting. The sun's rays flashed in prismatic hues from the gem's polished surface, and she held it up, admiring its brilliance.

"Do you like It, honey"? Luis asked. And when she nodded, "it was my mother's. She gave it to me before she died and told me to keep it until I found the girl I loved enough to marry."

Linda was aware of an instant's sharp regret as she looked at Luis's strong profile. He reminded her a little of David. He had the same straight nose, broad forehead, generous mouth, and uncompromising jaw. He deserves better than the second-best. She thought, as a result, her voice was unusually gentle when she spoke.

"Where did you live before you came to Frisco?" Linda has asked. "You never talk much about yourself, Luis ". Then, with an attempt at lightness, "If I'm going to marry you, I really should know a little about you, don't you think?"

Luis glanced at her with a smile "trying to find out if I already have a wife?"

"Have you?.

His low chuckle of amusement brought an answering smile he assured her. "to her lips. "Not even one "My background is singularly unexciting. I was born exactly thirty years ago in Chicago" he hesitates as if choosing his words, I graduated from the law school of Illinois, came here to Frisco, and was fortunate enough to get in with an excellent law firm.

"The rest I know, "Linda said. "You got a lucky break on that kidnapping case, and now everyone says there's no limit to where you can go, Right?"

Right, so far as the luck is concerned. I don't know about the rest." He took one hand from the wheel to grip hers. "You left out the best part. I met the most wonderful girl in the world and fell in love with her"'

With the heavy traffic, he could not take his gaze from the road for more than a second, and Linda was glad he did not see the way her teeth bit down on her lower lip, the way her eyes closed as if sudden pain.

"I'm not really wonderful, " she said unsteadily, "but I'm glad you also think so"

For several minutes they rode in silence; then Luis said, "Linda, when will we be married?"

Linda glances him a startled glance. "why I don't know, Luis. I haven't given it much thought"

Well, will you now? Briefly, his dark eyes held hers. "Make it soon, darling".

"But we've only been engaged four weeks ".

"I want to get a wedding ring on your finger as soon as possible, " he explained.

"Some How I have a feeling that if I don't, I'll lose you"

"that sounds as if you thought whole the men in Frisco wanted to marry me."

"It would only take one" Luis answered, and she wondered if he knows about David. But that couldn't be what he meant. David was married to Maria and had been for a year.

They drew up in front of Linda's apartment, in a big renovated old fashioned house that had once been the home of a wealthy businessman, but which had since been converted into four three-room apartments. Linda's was on the ground floor, It had its own entrance. And a tinny patio, that had once led to the swimming pool and tennis courts.

 As she inserted the key in the lock and opened the door, she saw that the postman had dropped several mails through the slot in the main door. She picked them up, scanning each one briefly. A bill posted from a utility company, an advertisement from a local store. And last, large squire thick envelops, obviously contained an invitation.

 With one Slender finger under the flap, Linda tore it open and drew out the engraved card. As she read it, her face stiffened.

"Looks like an invite to a party" Luis remarked as he tossed his hat onto the hall table.

'It is," Linda said, "From Maria. They're celebrating their first wedding anniversary."

Luis's hand hesitated on its way to his pocket for a cigarette. When he spoke, his voice was harsh. "What's the matter, didn't she got enough loot when she gets married?"

"Well, if she's looking for expansive gifts, she should wait for a few years" Linda replied. "The first anniversary is only paper"

"That's a break" came Luis comment. "you might get her a package of paper napkins"

"Don't tell me you haven't fallen for Maria, I thought all the man had"

Luis put his hand to Linda's smooth cheek and tipped her face up so that he could kiss her." This man prefers brown hair and eyes that same colour" he said softly.

After Luis had gone, Linda looked again at the invitation card, received from Maria. "I won't go" she breathed, her whole body rigid with resentment. "She's only inviting me so she can gloat because she got David and I didn't"

Resolutely she went to the phone and dialled Maria's number. After the second ring, she heard the affected, dulcet tone of the other woman.

"This is Linda", She announced. "I just received your invitation, and I'm sorry but…"

"Don't tell me you can't come" Maria interrupted.

For a moment there was silence then Maria spoke, and her voice contained no trace of its former saccharine sweetness. "Maybe you'd better break that engagement, darling. You wouldn't want people to know the real reason you didn't come, would you?"

"What do you mean… by quoting "the real reason"?

"Darling don't be naïve! You are still carrying a torch for David, even if you are engaged with Luis"

Linda's temper began to sizzle, "If a story like that gets around, I'll have a pretty good

Idea who started it"

The tinkle of laughter that came through Linda over the wire held an undercurrent of malicious. Why should I start such a story? David chose me, remember, I've nothing worry about"

Linda was shaking when she replaced the receiver. She knew Maria was perfectly capable of starting such a story, and in a society around, it wouldn't lose anything in the telling.

Oh, David, David, she sobbed as she dropped into a chair and covered her face with both hands, "why couldn't you have seen what she wished?"