Price of Past Miracles Ch. 07

Megan Richards threw herself into college life at Northwestern University. She devoted herself solely to her studies, wanting to absorb every aspect of creative and performing arts, speech and communications. Her courses varied widely from creative writing to music to drama to an introduction into directing, editing and movie making... and she excelled at and loved it all. Instead of bringing her attention to those aspects that better suited her talents and her interests, she found herself feeling more and more confused.

And it especially hadn't helped when she went home for the holidays between semesters her freshman year and discovered that she and Jonnie North seemed to have lost some of that spark between them. They had been genuinely happy to see each other as they'd held each other tightly when he met her with her parents at LAX.

But when they kissed, they both looked at each other nervously when they didn't feel the fire that had always existed between them roar instantly to life. Megan had still felt a fluttering in the pit of her stomach when she saw his aqua eyes staring at her as she flew toward him coming out of the gangway at the airport gate. And she had expected the fluttering to burst into flames as soon as she threw herself against him and he picked her up in his arms... but that didn't happen and he'd realized it, too.

They knew they still loved each other but they were confused as to why the raging inferno between them seemed to have dwindled so drastically. They reasoned together that they were both concentrating so hard on their goals that it was nature's way of giving them the peace of mind to do that instead of missing each other so terribly... that seemed perfectly logical to them. Their relationship had felt anything but logical up to that point, so they tried to take it as a good sign... but they were still worried that they'd lost something very special...

They'd spent as much time together as they could during that holiday, talking about how things were going for them and catching up with their whole group of friends. Megan told Jonnie about her inability to narrow her interests as far as the entertainment world was concerned and it made him realize that she was a very talented and creative person... something he'd never been that interested in.

His whole life had been geared toward staying in good physical condition to get into police work, just like his Dad. But he didn't want to be just a cop... he wanted to be the best... to solve the cases that were unsolvable... to find sick serial killers who were still on the loose... to help people feel safe again...

It had always bothered him that the one person he knew he was supposed to be with as they grew up together had always been so frightened of him... but at least he finally understood why. It was just ingrained in him that people needed to know there were still people like him... and his Dad and all of his Dad's friends... who were dedicated to trying to stop all the sick and evil individuals still out there so everyone wouldn't feel so scared all the time...

That was why he was attending USC part-time, taking courses in criminal and behavioral sciences. But he was going to have to come up with most of the money because he didn't want his parents to have to take out a loan to pay for what they hadn't been able to set aside. His Dad had always assumed he would just go directly into the police academy after he graduated, but he'd come to understand how important it was to Jonnie to get into working the really bad cases as soon as he could without having to work his way up as a street cop for years. Now Jonnie just had to figure out how to start making enough money to cover his education...

Megan's twin half-brother Charlie and his girlfriend, Lily Wilson, were still keeping their relationship secret from their parents. As far as Charles and Diana and Larry and Maria knew, Charlie and Lily were just best friends who were attending UCLA helping each other with their studies for pre-med. Which did keep them busy most of the time, but they still found time to sneak to one or the other's house every so often and remind each other what they shared together when they weren't so buried in their studies...

Tom and Lynda Seldon were so proud, as well as everyone else, of how well Brad was doing at the Air Force Academy. He was one of the star players on their football team, and his academic curriculum had him on track for getting into the space program. He was also spending as much time as he could logging in flight hours to finally get his private pilot's license. Gordon had promised him he would give Brad his plane as soon as he had his license.

His Dad and Uncle Charles' old friend and the former pilot for the FBI Los Angeles office, Gordon Brown, had gotten him hooked on flying when he was a boy. Gordon had bought an old used Cessna years back and had taught Brad how to help him work on the engine and get it ready for flying. Then he had given Brad flying lessons starting when he was fifteen when Lynda had finally relented to her son's constant pleading despite her fear of all the things that could go wrong...

Tom had also helped try to win her over for their son by reminding her that she'd feared early in their marriage something would happen to Tom because of his job, but he'd always managed to get out of every dangerous situation he'd faced unharmed. But Tom didn't tell her that most of the time it was because Charles always had his back... But he didn't need to tell her that... she already knew.

The only reason she'd relented was because she knew Brad had already set his sights on becoming an astronaut... she'd seen it on his face when they'd watched the televised moon landing in July 1969... and she simply couldn't continue to stand in the way of her brave son's dreams. She'd realized he was every bit as brave as his father, but she was worried that he didn't possess the healthy respect for fear that his father did, which would help keep him calm if things ever did go wrong...

Barbie Estevez was the only one of their group who was floundering... still trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. She was happy in her relationship with Brad, ecstatic that he'd given her a ring for Christmas and told her it was his promise that as soon as he graduated from The Academy, he was going to marry her. But that was still almost four years away... she had to figure out what to do with herself until then...

**********

The next spring, she and Jonnie lucked into something that turned out to be very rewarding for her and very lucrative for him. Jonnie's mother, Barbara, had agreed to put together a charity fund-raising fashion show because of her association with a Rodeo Drive boutique she'd worked at for years. It was to raise funds for one of the L.A.P.D.'s community programs designed to keep kids off the streets and away from drugs. She had also immediately enlisted Dawn Estevez's help as she'd always envied her good friend's exceptional organizational skills.

Due to Dawn and Barbara's enthusiasm, the press made a big deal out of the event and it gained the attention of a lot of Hollywood bigwigs who wanted to attend the function and help them raise as much money as possible for such a worthy cause. They learned from Diana that The Duke had been largely responsible for talking it up after he'd read about it in the paper, so they'd sent him a nice "Thank You" note and told him they hoped he would be there.

Barbara had also been able to enlist the services of some top professional models who agreed to do it for free since it was for charity. But the day before the show, one of the male models called to cancel because he had suddenly taken ill and it was discovered that he had appendicitis and was going in for surgery that afternoon. Barbara had told him not to worry and that she was sure she could find someone to take his place...

But she'd already had trouble finding male models who were willing to do the show. Most of them had acted like selfish creeps when they were asked to waive their usual pay for the charity event. She was lamenting her dilemma to Dawn and Barbie over lunch that day as they were working on the last minute details for the show the next day when Barbie said, "Why don't you just get Jonnie to do it... he's as good looking as those other guys and he's got a better body, too!"

Dawn and Barbara had frowned at each other as Barbara replied, "Oh, Jonnie would never go for an idea like this! He's just not into this sort of thing!" But as she kept picturing her handsome son sauntering down the runway in some of the skimpy underwear and bathing suits they had thrown in with the men's fashions to entertain the mostly female crowd they were expecting, she started to smile as she realized Barbie was right...

Jonnie was not thrilled with the idea, but he succumbed to his mother's pleading when he met the two other male models and saw them eyeing him with envy and he also realized Barbie was right... In fact, he turned out to be the hit of the show! Every time he stepped out onto the runway, loud applause and feminine shouts of "woohoooo!!!" followed his every move.

He held his breath, clenched his jaw and continued to hide the shy smile that wanted to form and kept his eyelids slightly lowered so his mild fear and embarrassment wouldn't show. He had no idea how sexy he looked parading his perfectly toned body up and down that runway... until he saw the photos Barbie had taken of him.

Then he was glad he had hung onto the business card that a woman from some modeling agency had handed him at the reception afterward and told him to contact her if he was interested in making money at something he was born to do. It was the only card he'd kept because it was the only one that hadn't been shoved into his hand and followed by a look that had told him he would be required to perform in other ways besides just modeling or acting...

Jonnie had been astounded at how much attention he'd received as a result of that show, but he had been happy to learn that the charity had raised more money from that event than they had in the previous two years. It was so successful that Barbara and Dawn had been asked to make it an annual event and Diana had agreed to be involved with subsequent ones because of her Hollywood connections.

Jonnie had called the modeling agency and found out that, lacking experience, they would want to at least see a portfolio showing what he could do. A portfolio... he wasn't even sure what that was until Barbie explained that it was pictures showing him in different ways... poses, close ups, facial expressions, etc. He almost gave up on the whole idea until Barbie talked him into letting her shoot photos of him and helped him put a portfolio together.

They took a week or so of afternoons going around to different locations and taking all kinds of different photos using both color and black and white film, as Barbie knew the agencies usually liked to see how well models photographed in all mediums. Jonnie was no expert, but when he saw the prints of what Barbie had shot, getting him to do things and pose in ways that had felt completely natural to him, he was impressed again with how good she'd made him look.

He was especially impressed with some of his close ups... ones in which she'd captured an absolutely smoldering look in his eyes every time she'd told him to think of he and Megan together... But she'd also captured some very pensive expressions by telling him to think about how much he missed Megan and how much he was looking forward to seeing her again. Jonnie figured that would be his trick for making the modeling agency think he knew what he was doing... he'd just think of Megan in whatever way it took to get the emotions they wanted from him.

It turned out that the agency was a new firm trying to get established in L.A. so they weren't promising him huge money right away. But they did promise that if he worked with them and became as big as the owner's instincts were telling her he would, she would generously compensate him as they grew. Jonnie was no fool and he made sure that was all spelled out in the contract they asked him to sign...

It turned out to be a boon for Barbie as well. The agency was impressed with her photos of him, so they offered her a chance to eventually become one of their staff photographers if they were pleased with the freelance assignments they sent her way. Barbie jumped at the chance as she had always loved taking pictures of her friends and had never given a thought to actually becoming a photographer, even though everyone had always told her that she had a knack for capturing some great photos.

During the summer of 1976, Jonnie earned enough money from his modeling jobs to take a couple of summer courses at USC so his schooling wouldn't continue to drag out too long. Megan had been surprised to learn how he was making money, but she was supportive of it... other than the fact that it cut into how much time they'd been able to spend together that summer. But she'd also kept herself busy earning a little money through the recording companies and doing bit parts in some movies and TV shows since she'd finally gotten her SAG card.

By the following fall, Jonnie was starting to get noticed more and more by some of the bigger names in the fashion world and some of his jobs were requiring him to travel. Jonnie didn't like that it was taking time away from his true goal, but he was starting to get paid some premium wages for his work. And the agency had told him that he'd better take advantage while he was hot to earn as much money as he could because the fashion industry was so volatile that they couldn't guarantee how long his "look" would be "in"...

Thankfully, Barbie had also started to earn recognition for her work, especially for her photos of Jonnie, and they were frequently hired for the same assignments so they were often traveling companions. They spent all of their time together much as they always had growing up... consoling each other over the fact that they were still separated from their soul mates. And helping each other out of awkward situations whenever they found themselves being hit on by people who didn't know how to take "no" for an answer!

They usually did that by acting like they were a couple whenever they were out in public, something they'd never thought to mention to Megan and Brad... and it ended up causing them several months worth of trouble in their private lives...

**********

In early November 1976, Jonnie and Barbie traveled to the Bahamas to do a swimsuit shoot for the following spring and both of them had been fending off advances from a couple of the other models also working the shoot. So Jonnie and Barbie had put on an ostentatious display of a mock sensual kiss, not knowing that a celebrity tabloid photographer had been hiding nearby trying to catch racy photos of all the models in between changes.

The tabloid reporter had recognized the hot newcomer Jonnie North right away, but he'd had to snoop to learn the name of the pretty little photographer he was smooching on the beach that afternoon. The photo was printed in the rag's issue for the first week of December and Megan's roommate at Northwestern brought it to her attention right after exams were over and they were getting ready to leave for Christmas break.

Megan was in shock and she kept thinking on the plane ride home that there had to be some logical explanation. But what kind of logical explanation was there for how Jonnie and Barbie were lip locked together the way they were?!! She decided she would just point-blank ask Jonnie if anything had ever happened between him and Barbie and see if he'd tell her the truth...

Of course Jonnie denied it, knowing that Barbie would never have told Megan about the time she'd allowed him to experiment on her with his fingers before they had gotten together with Megan and Brad, and he never even gave their mock kiss a second thought. Jonnie frowned in confusion at the icy expression that settled over Megan's face and he asked her what was wrong. Then he felt an icy stab to his heart at what she said.

"I'm sorry Jonnie... I don't know how to tell you this, but... whatever I felt for you is gone. I think we've spent so much time apart that it's just... died out. I mean, the last few times we've seen each other, it wasn't like it was before... and I know you've felt that way, too. I think it's time we let go..."

He grabbed her arm as she tried to turn away from him. "NO, MEGAN!!! What are you saying?!!! Where is this coming from?!! Don't do this to me!!!" he gritted hoarsely as his throat tried to close up from the fear that was choking him. He would rather she have fought him and screamed at him in anger and told him that she hated him rather than just staring at him with that hollow look in her eyes... it truly looked like something had died inside her. He let her go and watched as she turned and walked stiffly away... his heart constricting in his chest as he feared he'd lost her for good and he had no idea why...

Something had died inside her... her will to go on at the thought she could no longer trust him. Megan spent the rest of that holiday break avoiding just about everyone, especially Jonnie and Barbie, and she wouldn't talk to anyone, either... except Brad. The day after Brad got home for his short holiday furlough, Megan went to him and broke down, showing him the photo of Jonnie and Barbie and telling him that Jonnie had denied anything happening between them.

Brad confronted Barbie with the same question and got the same response. Then he gave Barbie basically the same reason for breaking off with her... sending her into hysterics, wondering why her soul mate who'd made such passionate love to her the night before was telling her he no longer had feelings for her!

She screamed at him with tears streaming down her face, "You're lying, Brad!!! I know you are!!! I don't know why, but I know you're lying because of last night!!! I know what I saw on your face last night!!!"

He stared at her with that same hollow expression Megan had been walking around with and told her quietly, "No, Barbie... I'm not lying. Didn't you notice how much I kept my eyes closed? I did that because... I was thinking of someone else..." he croaked as he tried to swallow the lump that lie was causing in his throat. Then he turned and walked away from her trying to figure out why she and Jonnie had done something that destroyed their chances with the people they'd claimed to love all their lives...

It made absolutely no sense to him. He had a feeling nothing would ever make sense again... unless Barbie would explain why it happened and then beg him to take her back...

But Barbie and Jonnie were in such a state of shock... they didn't know what to do. Brad and Megan left after the holidays to return to The Academy and Northwestern wondering why neither Barbie nor Jonnie had even attempted to contact them to explain why they'd lied and at least asked to be forgiven. And none of them said a word to any of their parents about what was going on, leaving the adults all scratching their heads as to why Brad and Megan were no longer speaking to Barbie and Jonnie...

A few weeks after Brad had left, Barbie finally broke down crying and told her mother what had happened and that she and Jonnie had no clue why Brad and Megan had gotten that idea. Diana came to Dawn a few weeks later with the answer. She showed up on their doorstep with a copy of the two-month-old tabloid magazine with the incriminating photo.

Diana eyed her good friend and said carefully, "Dawn... I think I know why Megan and Brad broke up with Barbie and Jonnie. Somebody at work brought this to me yesterday because they spotted it and they know Barbara is a friend of mine and that Jonnie is her son. Take a look at this," she said as she flipped the magazine open and shoved it toward Dawn.