"Hello Mildred." Remington spoke in a soft voice, trying to avoid having Laura overhear.
"Hi Boss, I’m almost at the hotel."
"Good, Mildred, did you get what I asked for?"
"Yes Boss, but are you sure of what you’re doing? Is it real?"
"No Mildred, calm down, it’s a copy I had made by a friend, especially for Miss Holt. If you look on the inside you’ll see the inscription I had made for her, I mean, with what you’ve already seen, it would be better for you to see it all, don’t you think?"
"Oh, Boss, I’m sorry, but, you know!! I . . . I . . . I know how great the relationship between you is . . . you’ve always been at the edge of the precipice and I don’t want what has finally happened between you to fail because Miss Holt interprets something badly. Do you understand?"
"Yes Mildred, I know that you’re worried about us and that’s why I asked you to come on this trip, something Laura was none too pleased about either, because she thinks I want to use you as a shield, when in fact what I need is for you to be my witness as I will explain. I have to go, OK?"
"It’s OK, Boss, stay calm, everything will go well, I assure you."
No sooner had he hung up from Mildred than he began to quickly arrange his things so as to have everything ready for when Laura got out of the bath. He was doing so when Laura opened the door and, looking tenderly at him, she said, "You know Mr. Steele, I much preferred the bath this morning," and she smiled slyly.
"Mmm, I’m afraid I’m going to find the same thing, what’s more, I think showers in general are going to seem boring without you Miss Holt," and he went over to her to embrace her and kiss her.
"OK, go on, Mr. Steele, I’ll finish this or else we’ll miss our flight to San Francisco." Swiftly he gave her a kiss on the cheek and entered the bathroom.
Laura went into the room that had been hers until the night before to get dressed and prepare her bag. While she did so, she couldn’t stop her astonishment at the well being that she felt, an absolutely new sensation that overflowed from her. How are we going to be able to concentrate on this case? So, finally we are professionals and we are going to have to face this... and she began to smile at herself, thinking how all she wanted was to be with him and to enjoy a romantic trip to San Francisco. God, how many times they had had to put this off because of work! So, in short, Mildred will help us solve it soon and then it will be just the two of us. Oh, Mildred is going to drive me crazy with questions! What will I say to her? She will have already made a short movie in her head after listening to us over the telephone. As soon as the opportunity arises, I’ll think of something to say to her.
After about 15 minutes, they went downstairs to meet up with Mildred and Fred, who were waiting for them at the door to the hotel.
Fred took Laura’s bag and Remington accompanied him with his own bag to the back of the limousine to help Fred pack the luggage into it.
"Mr Steele, if you’ll permit me to say, you seem different today but I don’t quite know why," Fred began.
"Yes, Fred, thank you, I am completely different. What you see is a new Remington Steele."
Laura got into the limo, "Hello, Mildred," she said, trying not to look directly into her eyes for fear that she would discover her new look and then she would have to give too many explanations. However, it didn’t do any good, just with a slight look, Mildred said to her,
"Hello,Miss Holt, your face is glowing and you seem different, it looks like you really needed that rest," she said in a cheeky tone.
"Yes Mildred," she said, "After all that happened, Mr Steele and I needed to rest."
"Oh, yes and I see you’ve done it very well," Mildred said, smiling.
"Hello Mildred," said Remington, exultant, as he got into the limo.
"Hi Boss, I see that you too are feeling well rested. I’m going to have to try it myself, to see if I shine as radiantly as the two of you." And she laughed, letting them know that she knew perfectly well the type of rest they had had.
"Yes Mildred, I always said we could combine work with pleas - rest, didn’t I Miss Holt?"
"Yes...yes, so Mildred, explain to us what this case is that we have to solve."
"Ok, Miss Holt," Mildred began, very serious to explain to them the details of their supposed case, appealing again to her acting ability.
Once in the plane, Mildred was seated behind Laura and Remington and spied through the seats, watching how Remington and Laura searched secretly for each other’s hand to caress them and how they both exchanged looks, totally enchanted, trying to disguise it while they revised the case. Mildred felt so happy seeing that scene that she hated to interrupt but everything had to carry on.
"Ah, Boss, you have to change now because if not, you’ll be late to the ballet!"
"Oh, yes Mildred, you’re right," he said, making that same gesture he always makes to Laura when Mildred interrupts them. He got up and threw a small, almost imperceptible, kiss to Laura, which Mildred observed but pretended not to notice and smiled. He moved to the last seat of the plane to change.
Mildred rose and moved towards Laura, "May I?" she asked, indicating the seat that the boss had left empty.
"Yes, of course Mildred, sit down." Laura was looking out the window. Mildred had never seen this look of happiness shining in her face.
"Laura I really can’t believe these two faces that I have been observing for so long and . . ."
"Mildred, I’m a little scared."
"But of what, honey? Scared of what?"
"Of feeling so happy, so wonderfully loved, so complete like I’ve never felt before. And if he leaves me like my . . ."
"Oh, Laura, hon . . . so many doubts, so many fears, you still don’t trust him? You don’t know him? How long has he been at your side? Has he failed you? Can’t you see in his eyes how in love with you he is, that you’re the only important thing in his life?"
"Oh, yes Mildred! If I had any doubts, I can assure you that today they’ve dissipated but so constant is my fear of abandonment by the people I love that I can’t part with it. I try, I swear I try but suddenly it appears and it hurts so much."
"Come on, love, if you could see what I see, I know all your fears would go to the same demon."
"Thank you Mildred, you’re really like a mother to us. Mmm, tell me, is it really that noticeable?"
"You can’t disguise it no matter how much you try," she said, with tears in her eyes with the emotion she felt at what Laura had just said.
"Laura can you come here a minute?" came Remington’s voice from the back of the plane.
Laura rose like a spring while Mildred watched her. She moved to the back of the plane, a hand took her by the arm and made her fall over her skirt. He gave her a deep kiss, trying to hide behind the seats. "I couldn’t hold out any longer, my love."
"Good, me neither, that’s why I came so fast. I think Mildred already knows everything or at least she imagines. It’s incredible how this woman knows us both. She loves us like a mother, and a mother always knows what’s going on with her children. I think we’re going to have to talk to her, don’t you agree?"
"Yes . . yes but now I’ll leave you to dress, it won’t be long before we arrive and I don’t want to miss any of Romeo and Juliet."
"Ah, I didn’t know we were going to see the ballet!" And they kissed again.
Mildred laughed as she saw Laura’s legs hanging over the seat, and, never one to lose an opportunity to interrupt, she said, "Boss, are your ready yet, we have to go over some papers before we arrive."
"Yes, Mildred, I’m coming," he said hurriedly and with the same gesture of interruption always at the best moments. He stood up, looking incredibly handsome in his tuxedo, but not without first giving Laura a tender kiss on the cheek.
"OK Mildred, I’m here, what is so urgent?"
"Oh, Boss," she said in a conspiratorial tone, "I hope everything goes well, because if Laura gets angry with me for deceiving her with this whole story, I don’t know what I’ll do."
"Don’t do anything Mildred, stay calm, you made sure that everything is in order? You’ll see that Laura first is going to get angry but when . . . when . . ."
"When what Boss?"
"You’ll find out in good time. Did you call Mr. Donahue to make sure he will be with you in Marty’s Restaurant?"
"Yes Boss, everything is how you wanted it."
"Good, then let’s get on with the plan!!"
"What plan are you two talking about?" Laura asked.
Mildred rose quickly as planned, "That you’re going to the theatre to follow those two suspects and I’m going to the hotel to leave everything and to set up base so we can watch over those two while they’re sleep, isn’t that what you were saying to me Boss?"
"Yes Mildred, that’s exactly what I said to you." Then, "Oh, my God! Laura you shine so beautifully that no one at the ballet will be able to watch the dancers," he said, quickly changing the subject.
"Oh, come on, Mr. Steele, it’ just a simple evening dress, like so many others."
"You both shine like movie stars. Boss, there’s a nuance here that escapes me."
"I think at this moment, I can’t recall a single film because I’m in one," he said, watching Laura, enamored.
"Come on, you’re both making me blush. Fasten your seatbelts, we’re arriving already."
A limousine waited for them at the foot of the plane, the three of them got in and once they were there, Remington opened a bottle of champagne, "Let’s drink to the speedy resolution of this case, what do you think?"
They all clinked glasses happily.
To Be Continued . . .