by R. F. Allie
He came out of nowhere and pressed a kiss to my exposed shoulder.
“Well then, I need to taste this burger before we leave.”
Jude said cheerily.
“Yes definitely!"
“Dinner is about to be served, I'm sorry I had to take care of some details for later."
Landon winked at me and I smiled.
What was he planning?
“It’s okay, we played a little around the tables, and Jenna is probably ruining every man at the poker table. She has a serious poker face."
I laughed.
“Let’s go and play a little, I'm feeling positive tonight, and you'll be my lucky charm."
I took his extended hand and pushed to my heels.
“Okay kiss me!"
Landon had been playing at the craps table, and he was really winning. He requested a kiss every time he threw the dices and I laughed at the youthful and carefree gorgeous man at my side.
“See I told you're my lucky charm."
He said after another win
“Okay, let's not lose all that money for the sake of the people who will need it."
I encouraged him and we head to the terrace to join the others.
“Ladies and Gentleman, Dinner is served, please follow the hostesses to be directed to your respective tables."
A man’s voice announced and we all head inside.
We walked to a table were stood two gentlemen with his partner; Evelyn.
I tensed; then remembered Alec’s words and laughed. I wasn't a jealous girlfriend, but I never had to or felt like I needed to be. It was probably all those tabloid photos or I was starting to feel something and that time it would come with the territory.
I looked back at Jude for moral support and squeezed his hand, secretly asking him to stick with me. He squeezed mine and nodded his understanding.
“Dad, Simon, Evelyn, let me introduce you to you my date Miss Clea Dane and her friends."
He introduced the rest of us and we all shook hands.
“Dane and Seiter?"
Landon's father looked at both Jenna and I with a wondering look and we nodded.
“Clea Dane.”
He muttered smiling.
“I would remember that name. Daniel had chosen it. He thought you’d bring glory and ambition.”
I was taken aback.
How the hell?
Landon's dad laughed.
"You girls are still inseparable, even after all those years?”
I shrugged and looked at Jenna.
“Oh my goodness, this is the most pleasant surprise.”
I was at a complete loss of words.
“I was in the army with Danny and Keith. Don’t you girls remember me? I used to visit frequently back when your father was the ambassador in France."
He looked at me then turned to Jenna.
"Hell. After the wars and everything else, I even climbed the Lenin Peak with Keith. And might I add, we were one of the few who succeeded."
“Oh my god.”
I mumbled and looked at Jenna.
“He’s that Uncle Rob; remember the one who gave us all those stamps and said to us…"
“This will always remind you were home is." Jenna continued
”Oh my god I remember that, we were twelve."
“That would be me. Now what does an old man got to do in order to get a hug?”
He said opening his arms to us and hugged both of us.
He let go of Jenna then held my hand between his palms.
"I'm so sorry for your loss kid, I couldn't come due to attenuate circumstances, as I'm sure, um you understand."
He looked at his son then put a light kiss to my hand.
“You don't have to worry about it.” I said smiling at him.
“Great. Now both of you come and sit next to me and tell me all about your lives."
He pulled the two seats at his sides.
We all settled around the table; I was between the two Davis men. It was too good to be true; Davis Sr. put all of us at ease starting to tell stories about ours fathers. We laughed at some of his jokes and told him about our work and studies. The whole time Landon’s hand was holding mine, even when they served the salad, he wouldn’t let go of it.
“You know Uncle Robert, don't ask me about mine, but Clea still has your stamps."
Jenna confessed
“You do?”
He turned to me and I nodded.
“I most certainly do, you said they will remind me where home is, and they did."
I said to him.
“Yeah, Boo is a romantic, we all know about the stamps; they are all over the apartment."
Jude explained
“I’m happy it took you where you belong and probably brought you here."
“No that would me my doing Father."
Landon interjected, and everybody laughed.
“So what brings you to Chicago?”
Evelyn directed her question at me, and seeing the look on her face I had a feeling she didn’t like me; she didn't speak much, and offered fake smiles and empty compliments.
“I came to find Landon.”
I answered coldly
“How romantic. “
She said throwing daggers.
“Evelyn."
Simon; Landon’s brother brought his hand to her back.
“I think so too."
“Me too."
Landon squeezed my hand and brought it to his lips
”And she found me, much like my father' stamps found her.”
He continued. I didn’t fully comprehend what he’d meant.
Everyone at the table was wide-eyed; including me, then Jenna clapped her hands together.
“See I knew I loved you."
She told him and turned to the father.
"Hey Uncle Robert, How about I tell you the story of how they met? It's very funny.”
Avoiding my gaze she leaned and talked to his ear, I shifted uncomfortably in my sit and Jude mouthed “Screw her" glancing in Evelyn's direction.
Landon kept holding my hand and talked to Ryan, then turned to me.
“Don’t worry about Eve; her bark is worse than her bite. “
He said.
“I don't care about her, but she does make me uncomfortable, I feel like you guys should talk things over." I murmured to him.
“What things?”
He asked confused
“You know, maybe she's not over you yet."
I insisted.
“Over me?” He said with a frown.
“Oh I forgot that you got acquainted with my public life."
He leaned further.
“I dated Eve when I was seventeen, during our senior year. Today I'm twenty-eight, you do the math."
He explained pressing a swift kiss to my cheek.
Oh! That was news!
“But the media said...”
“I know what they said Baby, but it's not true, and I don't care for them enough to correct them, but I'm with you now, so maybe I should take the time "
Oh Okay!
I fell short of words to say to his confession. So he did date her, like a decade ago, and he said he was with me; reality crept all over me once again. We lived in two different cities, we had different lives, and how was it going to work.
He squeezed my hand again.
"Don't worry baby, we'll figure everything out, we still have to talk about it, but basically we're together, we have our rules, the rest is just detail."
He said like reading my mind, and then I thought about those damn expressive eyes of mine and nodded.
"Okay."
I agreed with a hopeful smile; his face lit up.
We finished dinner, and sat talking about the charity. I knew that Landon and his father cared for the cause, because his late mother was very attached to it. She was an oncologist and traveled the world raising money for research dedicated to the disease.
“Ladies and Gen
tleman, I hope you enjoyed your dinner."
The host’s voice came from a stand.
"Time for you to enjoy the festivities, and don't forget to get your checkbooks ready, the auction will start in thirty minutes."
He finished presenting the group of musicians.
Landon pushed to his feet and extended his hand bowing.
“Miss Dane, will you dance with me?"
I took his hand and stood.
“It will be my utmost pleasure."
“Save me one Boo."
Jude said
”Yeah me too Buttercup."
Ryan joined
“Don’t forget the old man."
Landon's dad continued, and I laughed.
“Gentlemen calm down, there are other women around the table. “
Jenna yelled at them, and Uncle Robert stood and walked her to dance next to us.
I loved the unexpected turn the party had taken; his father, his confession, his reassuring nature. I was glad my friends were around me. But what I liked most, was being in his arms, dancing to the most beautiful music, I rested my head on his shoulder and took in his scent and stroke his neck.
I loved the musician’s version of ‘Somewhere only we know’ by ‘Keane’
“Are you having fun baby? If you want to leave, just say the word."
Landon breathed in my ear, sending shivers through my body.
I looked at him and shook my head.
“No, but if you'd rather leave, I won't mind"
“As long as you're with me and enjoying yourself, we have until tomorrow."
I felt sad by the idea of leaving him.
“I don't want to think about it"
He pulled me further in his embrace.
“Don’t worry baby, I have a plan."
“You do, don't you? “
I smiled at him and he nodded; ever the self-confident.
“I have a plan on my own; too."
I said wickedly.
“So don't play coy with me Mr. Davis."
“Does it involve dessert? Please say I'll get some dessert!"
It made me all flustered. He thought of me as his desert.
Landon feigned a prayer with a sinful look.
“Careful Mr. Davis, haven't you heard of diabetes?"
I grinned at him, “I’d hate for you to get it."
“I don't care it's worth it! “
He said dramatically and I couldn't help my giggles.
We continued flirting endlessly, and I changed partners three more times; Uncle Robert was one-hell-of-a-dancer, he said that he had to be, since his wife dragged him all over the country for these kinds of events.
But he mostly liked to dance with her on their dates; he talked about her with so much love. I was in awe. He called her his true one.
I danced with my two favorite men who told me how happy they were, especially Jude, who liked the way he spoke to Evelyn, who he’d baptized Ice Queen.
The auction was about to start and the hostesses handed us a brochure of the items:
Lily Foundation for The Children Of the Night
Charity Auction
(Please raise your hand and speak to bid on an object)
Please note that all the following packages are donations from our guests:
Item 1 - Princess-cut diamond earrings (Bucheron)
Mrs. Lily Davis.
Item 2 - Vintage Chanel dress
Mrs. Annabel Santoni
Item 3 - Original Milton Green portrait of Marilyn Monroe
Mr. Charles Carmichael
Item 4 - 1951 Penfolds grange Hermitage ( Wine )
Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Granger
Item 5 - Massandra 1775 ( Wine )
Miss Natalia Nevikov
Item 6 - One week sail on a yacht with a captain
Miss Evelyn Crawley
Item 7 - "La Courtisane" A Dubois Sculpture 1886
Mr. Landon Davis
Please note auction proceeds will benefit research dedicated to cure children suffering from
Xeroderma Pigmentosum.
"You're donating the sculpture?"
I asked Landon, bewildered by such an act of generosity.
La Courtisane was a treasure, and he seemed to care for it. In truth; I was actually against art possession, especially those that belonged in another era. I’d rather take the time and go see them where they truly belonged; museum and expositions. I found it to be selfish that people would keep some art pieces in their living room, instead of sharing them with the rest of the world.
"I'm doing it for my mother.”
He stated.
“See those diamond earrings?”
Landon signaled to the first item on the list, and I nodded.
“They were my mom’s; Dad got them for her, and she never took them off, not even once.”
He asserted.
“So, it's the least I can do."
He shrugged.
I could hear the awe and admiration he had for his father.
I was taken by his sensitivity and his respect for his family.
Landon could’ve written a check to the organization; he could’ve chosen something else, something he cared less about. He seemed very fond of the sculpture, earlier, yet he’d chosen to give it up in the hope that it would bring more funding for the research. He did it out of pure love and selflessness.
The auction started. His mother's earrings raised the bids to two-hundred-and-fifty thousand.
I saw the expression on Uncle Robert’s face; it was one of sadness and nostalgia; the loss of his wife affected him badly.
Landon fixed his father with pure praise and kindliness.
I felt suddenly overwhelmed; I hadn’t expected to witness anything like that.
Those people were giving up so much, not in a matter of chattel, but rather by act of love. They were willing to prove their devotion to a woman who seemed to represent the world to both of them and I was in awe; bearing witness to it.
Many of the following items raised a good amount of money, especially some two hundred years old bottle of sherry wine.
The auctioneer got interrupted by his assistant, and announced a last minute addition. It had turned out to be made by Alec Avery; and to Landon’ surprise, his partner had offered his Ferrari. The attendance went overboard with the latest item and the bid reached close to six hundred thousand.
“Men and their toys.”
Jenna commented; and we all laughed.
Once the auctioneer announced Evelyn's donation; she raised her hand and actually bid on the thing. Everyone looked at her in confusion.
"What?” She said.
"I'm not letting anyone stay on my boat for a week, so I'll be the highest bidder; it's a win/win for everyone."
I was repulsed by her audacity.
The host announced La Courtisane, and made a full historic coverage of the sculpture. When I saw Landon’s expression, I had a thought I hadn’t had for the past fourteen months. He didn’t seem to have any regret; he reminded me of him.
It was a worthy opportunity; it felt deserving and right, especially after what I’d witnessed from the two men sitting next to me.
The bid had started at eight hundred thousand, and we were launched into a spiral of several raised voices and numbers.
I looked around me; everyone was focused on the auction. Uncle Robert was glancing at his son; pure pride gleamed in his eyes, but also compassion. Probably because he knew what his son was going to lose, which also was a gift from him.
That was all it took from me to do the unthinkable…
"One million dollar!"
I said raising my hand.
I avoided the stunned gazes of my dinner companions.
"One million dollars, do I hear one million fifty thousand?”
The host echoed.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing Clea?”
Landon grabbed my arm and I heard another raising bid.
“O
ne million one hundred thousand.”
I couldn’t believe what I was doing, and my friends seemed too stunned to comment.
“Stop it Clea.”
Landon warned.
“One million one hundred thousand.”
“Going once, going twice. Sold to the lady in the Ivory dress!"
The host announced, and a cheer of applauses echoed around me.
I fell short of words. I had no idea what had crept over me. I’d never been that irresponsible, or unpredictable.
"Did you just do what I think you did?"
Jude faced me with his stunned expression.
"Yes, I believe I just did."
I breathed out.
"My god C.! Are you sure?” Jenna interjected.
“Most importantly are you okay?"
Jenna looked down and I knew she felt for me. The others didn't say a thing; Landon was in shock, I hoped it won't bother him; because it was still his.
I turned to my worried friend and reached for his hand and squeezed it to translate my state of mind. I was shocked by what I’d done. But truth was, I was relieved.
He nodded and kissed my knuckles.
I stood.
"Excuse me gentlemen.”
They all followed, along with Jenna.
"I'll come with you."
She said clasping my hand.
Chapter XI
We walked to the restroom. My thoughts scattered all over the place; I had no idea how it was going to influence the whole relationship. It was the most astonishing spontaneous combustion in my head.
Jenna spoke, calling me back to reality.
"I don't know what just happened or how it did.”
She started.
“Hell, I don’t know what you were thinking.”
She admonished and shook her head in disbelief.
“But as you best friend, let me start by saying that I'm sorry; I'm sure that wasn't an easy thing for you to do. But I'm so fucking proud of you; I wouldn't find the words to describe just how much."
She took me in a forceful hug and I couldn't hold my tears any longer.
We stood there for what seemed like hours, and then I wiped my tears and looked into her beautiful, understanding eyes.
"It felt right.” I murmured.
“I don't know; I was looking at those two men and what they were giving up. It's not like they had the genes carrying the disease or knew someone close who died from it, just giving up some very important things out of love and devotion for the wife and mother they cherish.”