Smoldering Embers

by P. M. Briede

  I turned my back on my boyfriend and Abigail to focus my attention on the first lady. “Regina, thank you so much for everything you did to put this event together. I’m hearing that it has been very lucrative for our scholarship fund.”

  She waved my gratitude off good-naturedly. “Oh, what I did was nothing. What you did was phenomenal. Charlotte, you really are a treasure. Everyone is asking when the school is going to do another one of these date nights.”

  So as not to appear arrogant, I swallowed my burgeoning pride and took a moment to look around. For the most part, everyone was enjoying themselves immensely. It had been a lot of hard work but the payoff for the school was worth it. Maybe making this a regular semester thing for the underclassman was an idea that had some merit. After Governor Wyatt and his wife said their good-byes, Paige and I walked out to brave the pulsating swarm again.

  We were about ten steps in, when the two men from the bar walked through a break in the masses in front of us. My stomach immediately turned. I couldn’t explain why but I just got a bad feeling from the two of them. The one on the left had his eyes trained on me, while the others eyes raked over Paige. “Ladies, seems we got separated. You enjoying your drinks?” It was obvious it wasn’t Shorty’s first drink from the way he slurred the words.

  We said yes and tried to move away from them but the crowd had closed in around us. Shorty stole a glance at me and then his friend, before returning his eyes to Paige. The music slowed and with the volume lowered, he didn’t have to yell but did anyway. “Ginger, how about you and me dip the light fantastic on the dance floor and let our friends here get better acquainted.”

  “It’s ‘trip the light fantastic’, small fry,” she seethed in a low voice so as not to draw attention. “And no thank you. If you’ll excuse us please…” She moved to go through them but they didn’t budge.

  I’d remained still and silent through the whole exchange so far. Shorty’s friend was looking at me as if I was in heat and he was getting plastered off my pheromones. When he spoke his voice trilled which was in stark contrast to his height and build. I could see why Shorty had done all the talking up until this point. “How about we let the kitten here speak for herself.” He walked up to me and put his face next to mine. I could smell the alcohol as it wafted off his breath. “You wanna howl tonight, kitten?”

  When he dared to trail his fingers down my chest following the cut of my top, I’d had enough. Paige stepped forward to intercede but was cut off by Shorty. No matter, I could handle myself. I’d taken part in enough women’s self-defense seminars to know what to do. I flung my drink in his face and shifted backwards then dropped the glass. At the sound of it breaking, everyone turned to face us and in my peripheral I saw some shuffling that looked like someone was trying to get through. I grabbed the hand that was just above my breast and trapped it between both of mine. Then I bent his wrist back and spun under his arm to get behind him.

  About that time two cops burst from the masses. “That’s not how we treat ladies, gentlemen,” said the one who took Squeaky. “We’ll take it from here, ma’am.”

  “Charlotte! You alright?” I turned and looked at Paige. Shorty no longer had his arms around her. They were now tucked behind his back in a pair of handcuffs.

  “You okay?”

  She smiled. “Yeah. I’m well equipped to handle drunk assholes. I didn’t know that you were,” she said with an arched eyebrow.

  I shrugged and watched the police escort them out while everyone else recommenced to drinking and dancing. I was about to go looking for Wesley so that we could go home when he appeared out of nowhere. “Love, are you hurt?” he questioned in a pained whisper that was loud enough to be heard over the thrumming. “What was I thinking leaving you alone for so long?”

  “I’m fine, darling, but I’m ready to go home.”

  The sounds of strings sailed through the space as Etta James’ At Last started up. Wesley cut her off. “Can I have one dance?” he asked. “Please?”

  I smiled and let him lead me to the dance floor. Just as the first lyrics were belted out he took me in his arms and we started swaying to the melody.

  * * *

  “You were supposed to keep her busy! Instead when I went to get him she was standing right there!” The fire was burning all around. The flames pulsed at every venomous word the sonorous voice flung at whomever it was they were talking to.

  “I warned you that it wouldn’t be easy this time. She’s older and wiser now. You roped me into this charade because she only responds to me! The problem is that she’s aware of that. She doesn’t know how or why yet but it’s only a matter of time. It’s time to pull the plug before this blows up in our face!”

  “We are too close! Had I had the time I was supposed to have …”

  “Well why didn’t you!”

  “His friend showed up!”

  For the first time the shadowy figures these voices belonged to weren’t just voids centered in the fire. I could make out their form. I could tell it was a man and woman by the outline of their frames. There were no other distinguishable details but something about their shape struck me as familiar.

  Pain shot through me at that realization, emanating from behind my eyes. I knew these people! Another stabbing shot. I curled in to a ball as if it would protect me from the pain that throbbed from within.

  “Charlotte!” Wesley’s voice cut through the noise, the fire, and the pain. There was pressure on my arm but it was only for a second before he howled.

  I forced my eyes open. When the smoke of my dream cleared Wesley was outlined by the moonlight streaming through my windows, shaking his hand the way a person does when they’ve set it on the stove by accident. “What happened?” I asked in a weak voice. My throat was dry and raw.

  “You burned me,” his confused voice answered. He hesitantly reached out to touch me again. “At least I thought you did,” he said when his fingers met my skin. He tenderly cupped my face. “It’s those headaches again, isn’t it?” I closed my eyes to soothe the pain that was throbbing behind them. “It’s time to see a doctor.”

  I didn’t argue with him. Come morning there would be time enough for that. They were just dreams, creepy, confusing, realistic dreams. But just dreams. Right now all I needed was to go back to sleep so that pain would stop.

  Chapter 17

  A few days later and it was Fat Tuesday. Olivier had never called and I hadn’t seen him at school. April had informed me the next day at school that he’d requested some time off from Max for a sudden personal emergency. I don’t know why I’d believed he would give me answers.

  Paige and I were getting ready for the governor’s Mardi Gras ball in her room at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel. We had about an hour before Wesley picked us up to escort us to the event. He was in our room getting ready and finalizing some things with Alexander’s speech. I was in Paige’s room with her because I wanted my dress to be a surprise.

  I sprayed Paige’s tresses with hair spray one last time. I’d helped her style them into loose curls that were swept back to one side in a nineteen forties flair. Also choosing nineteen forties elegance, my hair, on the other hand, was pulled back into a romantic up do with well-placed strays swept over Victory Rolls. Her dress was a rich sapphire halter which fell into a straight skirt at her waist bringing out the deep blue of her eyes. She was wearing simple diamond drop earrings. My dress was a muted maroon with a strapless neckline and fitted bodice which slightly flared at my hips into a wave tuck skirt. My jewelry, a gift from Wesley, was stiff S-shaped diamond necklace with one end dipping lower than the other in front coupled with diamond stud earrings. She’d just zipped me in when there was a knock on the hotel door.

  “Coming,” she called out as we headed into her living room. I paused in the doorway when I remembered that I’d left my clutch on her bed. As I turned to retrieve it she opened the door to greet our gentleman. “Wesley, Tristan, please come in.” Oh, gentlemen.

  �
�Paige, you look breathtaking.” A voice I didn’t recognize resounded.

  She answered shyly, which amused me since I’d never thought I’d ever use the term to describe her. “Thank you Tristan. You’re not so bad yourself.”

  “He’s right, Paige, absolutely breathtaking.” Wesley’s voice floated through the space as I put my phone in my clutch.

  “Then you’re in trouble as you haven’t seen anything yet. Wait until you see Charlotte.” She trilled at him.

  “Where is my heart? Isn’t she here with you?”

  With one last look in the mirror I re-secured an errant bobby pin. “I’m here. I’m coming,” I called as I headed out to join them.

  His back was to me when I walked through the door and I had a brief moment to appreciate the form he cut in his tux. Tristan’s eyes bulged a bit when he saw me, which luckily Paige didn’t notice, but Wesley did and he turned to rest weary eyes on me. His reaction was everything I’d been hoping for. His eyes grew wide as he rocked back on his heels. Whatever he’d been about to say he swallowed and pulled at the collar of his shirt like it had just grown too tight.

  “Tristan, how about you and I go down to the bar? I could use a drink, couldn’t you?” Paige’s voice was light with amusement and I pulled my gaze from Wesley to give her a thankful glance.

  Unfortunately, Tristan wasn’t as quick. “I thought we were all going down together.” Paige leveled a sardonic expression at him until he caught up. “A drink you say? Yes, that actually does sound like something I need.” He offered her his arm and just before they left she glanced over her shoulder at me and winked.

  When Wesley didn’t immediately approach me, I tilted my head to the side and fixed him with a quizzical gaze. He understood my questions, nodded, and erased the distance between us. No words passed through his lips though when he got to me. I reached up and cupped his cheek and caressed his lips sweetly with my own. “I think this is the part where you say I look lovely,” I whispered against them.

  His voice came out ragged when he found it. “I would but it’s not enough. There isn’t a word to describe how you look. There isn’t a word that explains how you affect me.” He pulled my hand from his face and placed it on his drumming heart. “There isn’t an expression sufficient enough to tell you all that you mean to me.”

  His overflowing endearments made me blush. They mirrored my own sentiments. He’d always been special to me, but now even I couldn’t seem to find the right words to tell him all that I wanted him to know. When I leaned into him again, I felt something hard in the pocket of his pants, and no it wasn’t of the “happy to see me” variety. I stepped back and looked down. “What’s that?”

  His hand was instantly in his pocket and I could just make out the outline of his fingers as they clutched whatever it was. “Nothing.” His voice was cagey and when I looked back into his face it was trying desperately to hold onto his secret.

  I backed away from him, my eyes narrowed, as I set about untangling all the threads of his actions. Sweat beads appeared at the edges of his hairline. He was shifting nervously from one foot to the other. The hand not in his pocket rubbed the back of his neck furtively. And even through his jacket I could see the strain in the muscles of the arm connected to the hand that was clutching the box in his pocket. Box! My eyes quickly swept over him again and all the pieces fell into place. He was going to…

  “Why is it I can’t get anything past you?” He lowered himself to one knee and pulled the box from his pocket. His knuckles were white from the vise grip he had on the box. He reached out to gently clasp my left hand before bringing it to his lips. “Love, you mean the world to me.” His words began shaky but confidence built in them as he carried on. “Being your best friend alone had always been more than I thought possible and for a long time, I was satisfied with the status quo. Becoming your amator,” his eyes flashed; his lips turned up slyly, “has been a dream that I never wish to wake from and again I was satisfied with the upgrade. But over the last couple of weeks, I’ve grown greedy and displeased with just being your boyfriend in public, your amator in private. I desire more and I hope you do also.”

  When he stopped, so did my heart. It had been palpitating throughout his speech and tears were threatening to spill over the dam of my eyelids. I took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling trying to hold them back. I returned my gaze to him when I felt I had my tears under control and saw a shadow of hesitation in his eyes. I smiled encouragingly but I couldn’t speak. He took a steadying breath himself and flipped open the lid to the box. Inside was a vintage amethyst and diamond engagement ring. It was absolutely flawless.

  “Charlotte Grace, will you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife?” He was apprehensive. How could he even doubt my answer?

  “Yes! Of course the answer is yes!” A few tears escaped and slid down my face as he sprang up and caught me in his arms. His kiss was joyous and frenzied.

  He pulled back to gently wipe away the tears with the pads of his thumbs. “I can’t believe you said yes.” I asked him why with my eyes as I’d again lost my voice. “It has nothing to do with doubting you. It’s just reconciling myself to the fact that all my hopes, all my dreams, are becoming a reality.” A thought struck him then and he stepped half a step back and took the ring out of the box before tossing it away. Then he tenderly slipped the ring onto the finger. It was a perfect fit.

  “It’s beautiful, Wesley,” I said in a stifled voice.

  “You do like it?” I nodded emphatically.

  After taking a few moments to dab my eyes and fix my make-up we joined Paige and Tristan at the hotel bar. Paige saw us before we reached them, leapt off the stool, raced over, and grabbed my hand. “Oh, congratulations you guys! I am soooo happy for you both.”

  “Why does it seem like you knew this was going to happen?” I asked her with a smirk.

  “I’m clairvoyant,” she announced. When I shook my head, showing I didn’t believe her, she added. “Plus it helps when you catch him fiddling with it on Valentine’s. I really thought he was going to do it then.”

  Tristan walked up at that precise moment and we stopped our prattling. “Wesley.” They acknowledged each other before he turned to me. “Charlotte, I’m sorry but I don’t think we’ve been officially introduced.”

  “That’s right!” Wesley piped up. “Everything didn’t really accommodate an introduction last week. Charlotte, this is my colleague, Tristan St. Claire. He’s the Director of Finance for Governor Wyatt.”

  I reached out to shake his. “Pleasure to meet you, Tristan.”

  “The pleasure is all mine. Wesley has been raving about you for months, and now I understand why. I didn’t get the chance to tell you how amazing the fundraiser was the other night.”

  “Thank you…”

  Wesley interrupted me. “Tristan, allow me to introduce you to my fiancée, Charlotte Grace.” His tone was smug as he spoke.

  Tristan’s eyebrows shot up as he looked down to take in the ring. “Good for you, man! Congratulations! When did this happen?”

  “Just before we came downstairs. I think it’s about time we go. Ladies?” He offered me his arm and Tristan did the same to Paige. We then walked together to the Grand Oak Mansion at Mardi Gras World.

  The space was beautiful. Tables were placed haphazardly throughout the room and a dance floor was set up in the center. There were harlequins pantomiming amongst the New Orleans elite, a champagne fountain at either side of the room, and waiters filtering through the masses offering hors d’oeuvres. The men showed us to our table and then excused themselves to meet with the Governor.

  Neither Paige nor I wanted to sit at the table, so we worked our way around the room. I stopped to talk with Max and the Superintendent of Schools while Paige went off to talk to the district attorney and New Orleans Sheriff. When my conversation had run its course, I turned to look for Paige but came face to face with Olivier.

  He was the absolute last person I expec
ted to find at the Governor’s Mardi Gras Ball. “Olivier!”

  He leaned forward and lightly pressed an intimate kiss to my cheek. “Charlotte, it’s good to see you.”

  “Everything alright?”

  His countenance took on a perplexed look. “Yes, why wouldn’t it be?”

  Now I was the one who was baffled. “You’ve been gone since the fifteenth on a personal emergency. Or at least that’s what you told Max. Was that not the case?”

  His previously flaming eyes simmered in shadows. “Ah, yes, a personal emergency. Yes, something came up quite suddenly and I needed some time off to figure it out and take care of it.”

  I nodded warily. His words rang true but their meaning didn’t. “And did you get it taken care of then?”

  Shrugging, he ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll know soon enough, but enough about that. I believe I owe you something though.”

  My eyes grew wide at his words. He’s never brought up his secrets on his own. Before I could respond, Abigail walked up. I was shocked when she wrapped her arm around his waist and kissed him on the neck. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I should have figured that you’d be where she is. Look, we need to go. Daddy’s going to start his speech soon.” Cool eyes turned on me as she purred sarcastically. “Charlotte, how good it is to see you again.”

  Caught in my observations of Olivier’s withdrawal of her touch and quail at her voice, her palpable rancor grabbed my attention. “Abigail, I feel exactly the same,” I said as I smiled sweetly at her. It didn’t make any sense. Alexander and Regina are such lovely people, but I could not say the same for Abigail. She smiled and turned his face so she could plant a deep kiss on his lips.

  The action caused something inside me to snap and all I wanted was to viciously wrench her away from him. Was it jealousy? Nonsense, I had Wesley. I pondered my sudden reaction while deliberately averting my eyes as she lapped at his tongue. It had to be just a protective instinct for a friend. Something about her wasn’t right, which was obvious to me due to the insistent need I always felt to shower after interacting with her.