by BWWM Club
Hotel Majesty was one of Dawson’s latest acquisitions and he found it fitting to celebrate such a momentous occasion in one of their smaller, more intimate ballrooms. The truth was that his family was large enough to fill the largest room on the property, but he only found it necessary to invite those important.
Linked by both business and blood, the people he chose to attend opinions mattered in many ways, but none had the power to question his relationships. This child would be mixed race yes, but his child nonetheless. It didn’t matter, he thought, all blood was red.
Sara was given the list and she passed it to the secretary who sent out the invitations to each person. Friday the 27th was one week from now and they had time to change any plans they had made. When Dawson called they answered and this meeting would be no different. Fifty people all together were summoned to The Angel room on the top floor of the grand hotel. The setting should be beautiful enough to bring everyone to the right mood.
*****
Victoria had become accustomed to enjoying the luxuries of life with Dawson while enjoying the peace and tranquility of her hideaway apartment, but lately he had been hinting about her coming to live with him. Never direct in the issue, he merely dropped a comment here and there, but when he spoke about having only one nursery at his place she knew he would insist that they live under one roof.
She wasn’t ready to give up her freedom, but as she rubbed her swelling tummy, Victoria began to believe it may not be such an outlandish suggestion. Recently, it seemed that she had been surrendering all of her will and life to Dawson and his wishes. The caged animal syndrome began to take effect. Careful never to express this particular feeling to him, Victoria decided to keep her place as long as possible. It was her silent rebellion.
Sometimes she stood naked in front of the mirror and looked at her changing body. Her areolas were now a deeper shade of brown and her stiff stomach shone as the tiny baby stretched her muscles and skin. Her vagina looked different too, fuller, fatter. Was she loosing herself? The question always loomed over her when she was alone. She never came up with an answer.
What intrigued her was the fact that she could no longer conceal the growing bump and quietly a few female employees’ whispered congratulations. Tonight, however, the dress she wore camouflaged her pregnancy beautifully. She wanted to dress that way in case Dawson changed his mind. Though Victoria doubted this would happen, she went with the outfit anyway.
The caftan dress was made in Malaysia from an ethnic designer Victoria had befriended years ago. Perfectly capturing her desires in fabric while adding her own flair, the fashion designer nailed Victoria’s vision every time. Once Dawson had suggested she try some of the more trendy European styles and designers. The sharp look she gave him reminded him of Sara and Victoria’s shopping episode. He never mentioned it after that.
The simple shift was cut from fabric with the most exotic of pastel prints and the bat wing sleeves were edged with crocheted lace. The dress made her feel elegant even though it ended just above her knees. Kitten heels were the order of the night because they offered comfort with fashion flair and since her collection of wooden clutch purses had grown she had many to choose from.
The party had been set to begin at six fifteen and at five forty the sleek white stretch limo she once detested, arrived on the curb of her ordinary street. By now, the neighbors had become accustomed to the expensive cars in their district. Maybe she was somewhat of a star.
*****
Hotel Majesty was adequately named. The staff was dressed in pristine white and the foyer seemed to sing with heavenly glory as the bright lights shadowed by a brilliant craftsman’s lamp work cast deliberate shadows in certain corners of the room. Emerging from a limo with the bosses license plates meant she received even more gracious treatment from the concierge who appeared eager to do her bidding.
Following the short but commanding man who was responsible for keeping the rich guests happy, Victoria was taken on a long elevator ride to the top where she stepped out into the cool air. Keeping pace with the concierge, who followed the edge of the pool and opened a French door ahead of them, she was led to a small elegant ballroom with a long decorated table running down the center.
A few guests were already seated and looked around as she entered. Approaching the table after leaving her coat with a handler at the door, Victoria said good evening to the three men and two women seated there. Though a confused look crossed their faces, they were polite enough for her to feel comfortable.
She heard Dawson’s voice from somewhere and looked around to find him chatting by the door with a tall man who looked much like himself, Dawson joked and laughed with the man at his side. When he saw her sitting at the table, he immediately ended the conversation and walked over to her. Ignoring the others, Dawson greeted Victoria with a kiss and a wink of the eye while she felt their eyes boring into her back.
“I missed you,” he said. “Have you missed me too?” Rubbing his nose against hers, he listened to her sweet resounding yes. Kissing her again, he jumped up and excused himself. Time to greet the family. The crowd of Ledgers grew quickly and soon Victoria found herself surrounded by white people paying her curious glances and stares. Taking her hand again after making his rounds around the table, Dawson led her to the head of the table. At the head of the table, next to him she sat and smiled while Dawson called the elegantly noisy crowd to order.
“Good evening everyone, it’s so great to see all my family gathered in one space. While we enjoy each other’s company I want to introduce you to someone special. This is Victoria Jones, my girlfriend. This fine lady will be joining us this evening. Now that introductions are over I would like everyone to enjoy their meal.” Raising his full glass he said “Salute,” and all present did the same.
Sitting to the right of Dawson was Uncle Thomas, who had avoided looking at Victoria since he arrived. It did not go unnoticed by both members of the couple heading the table. Waiters arrived bearing the first course and a burgundy velvet curtain opened, revealing a small orchestra and a female singer dressed in white who introduced herself as Rose and began to soulfully sing a song of love.
Since the announcement, Victoria noticed several people buzzing and whispering as they tried to work out the unlikely couple. One particularly evil looking woman in her eighties with stark white hair kept glancing at her and then looking back into her soup. Maybe more than one person had caught Uncle Thomas’s disease of the mind.
The second course arrived just as the singer thrust into a passionate acapella about love and pain. Victoria believed the woman had received a script. Sitting next to Victoria was the tall gentleman who spoke with Dawson as he entered. He was friendly. As the meal went on he asked her about herself and business. His name was Thomas too, and as it turned out he was Uncle Thomas’s son and closest cousin in age to Dawson. Victoria suspected he already knew about the pending birth.
Just after the dessert of the most delicious sponge cake and tropical fruit compote, Dawson took control of the floor. Knocking his glass a little too loudly, he instructed everyone to look to him. He didn’t seem nervous and Victoria held her breath as she awaited the response of what would be a shake up to this white family. Projecting his voice Dawson said, “I trust that everyone enjoyed the sumptuous selections from chef Jacques, second only to my lovely girlfriend’s masterful creations.
“Before I make this next announcement I want to say a few things. Aunt Veronica, I want to thank you for the years of support and advice and you were right when you told me to find a good woman and settle down. My main man Thomas… you always told me the playboy life would never satisfy me and Uncle Andy, I learned from you to take my time with finding the right woman and after your first two divorces, I had to agree with you.”
The crowd laughed at the jokes being thrown, but after the laughter subsided Dawson’s face turned serious.
“Now this beautiful woman here has done me a favor. She has taught me pat
ience, compromise and most of all humility. Sometimes standing in another’s shoes makes you see things in more colors than black and white and I have to thank her for that.” Some of the younger women in the crowed made faces indicating the emotional speech touched them and a few of the men kissed their partners affectionately.
Dawson continued, “Victoria is an ambitious young woman on the path to success, but somewhere along the line I interrupted her walk. In a few month’s there will be a tiny new addition to our family and I hope just as you raised and guided me, that you will do the same for my daughter or son. Thank you so much for giving me a listening ear and do enjoy your after dinner drinks and the music.”
Chapter 10
Victoria was full of food and conversation from the younger Thomas and Dawson, who made her feel quite at home. Some of the other guests were friendly enough to offer quiet congratulations but for the most part they kept in their circle.
The music changed to something more up-tempo and jazzy and despite the crowd, Victoria felt like dancing. Holding Dawson’s hand and pulling him away from his conversation, Victoria held on to him and moved her waist and hips to the lively song.
For a full five minutes, she gyrated and Dawson tried to keep up. His loafers found themselves under her feet more than once and before he injured her, he stood to the side and swayed while she felt the rhythm of the music in her bones.
She had no idea she was being watched and judged as the other more uptight members of the Ledger family kept their backs ram rod stiff and inflexible. After a while her face became drenched in sweat and even though everyone there looked cool as a cucumber, she was overheating. Dawson noticed the flush on her skin and asked, “Are you alright Victoria?”
“Yes Dawson, I’m good you know but now that I’m pregnant my body does this over heating thing sometimes.” Then she whispered as she added, “If these people were not here I would strip.”
Laughing at the silly joke, Dawson held her hand to escort her outside where the pool, night sky and other sights were waiting. Sometimes being above others gave you a chance to see things from a different perspective and being on the top floor of this building was no different.
Tiny lights dotted the edge of the pool creating a perfect rectangle while a few cabanas with chiffon canopies blew in the wind. As she took in the sights and sounds, her focus left Dawson for a minute, but eventually she found him staring at her, almost entranced.
He had something on his mind. “They are so many beautiful things on this roof top, but you… you Victoria out shadow every one of them. You have no idea how much I look forward to seeing you each day and sleeping next to you at night. I know you are concerned that race is an issue between us, I guarantee that I won’t let it stop us from leading a normal life.” Dawson paused and sighed deeply as he mustered the courage to say the words to her that makes every woman feel special, honored and treasured.
“Victoria Jones, I love you more than you will ever know.” The kiss was hot and hard and a few of the older folk who had also drifted onto the roof deck turned their faces the other direction. It was obvious that this display of affection bothered them. Deciding not to ruin the moment by pointing out the haters, Victoria concentrated on what she wanted to say to the father of her child.
“Oh Dawson, I love you too. It’s a hard kind of love,” she stuttered as she searched for the right words. “It’s the kind of love that has grown stronger from experience and though I’m stubborn, I understand why you act the way you do. I trust you as my partner and I only ask that you take my opinion into consideration before making decisions and that you treat me fairly. I am so in love with the man you have become over the past months Dawson. I truly am.”
Pulling her body close to his, Dawson ran his hand over the smooth, silky fabric of her dress while she ran her hands over his jacket. He realized that the growing bump stopped him from hugging her too closely.
Dropping to his knees in a suit that cost more than some people’s salary, he leaned his head close to her tummy and pressed his ear against it. He began to speak to his unborn child and Victoria giggled at the entire matter.
“This is your father and I can’t wait to see you. It’s only been a short while since I knew you were there, but I know that you chose us. So little bun stay in this oven until you are nice and cooked but don’t take too long. You have a handsome daddy and a gorgeous mother waiting to hold you.”
He kissed Victoria's tummy and replaced his ear just in case he got a response. He knew it was silly, she was a little over three months and only once before did the baby make and sharp defined movements. Tonight however was different.
A sharp kick to Victoria’s ribs caused her to inhale sharply and Dawson to draw his head away from her stomach to look at her inquiringly. Was he feeling things or did the baby really kick? Victoria nodded in confirmation and for the first time in her life Victoria felt she understood the meaning of true love.
It was time to mingle and Dawson was every bit of a host. Starting with the people he didn’t thank at dinner, Dawson chatted with as many people as he could with or without a back story. First was the youngest couple there in which Evelyn was a Ledger by birth. She had an edge to her that Victoria liked and she shook her hand vigorously as she extended a sincere welcome to the family and congratulated her on the baby. Apparently she was a photographer and did all the baby portraits in the family and this would be no different.
Artists like Evelyn fascinated Victoria because of their complex personalities and she was no different. The husband was a neurosurgeon and quite straight laced compared to his wife who seemed so rebellious. They were an odd pair but who was she to judge.
Moving on to one of the characters who looked unassuming, Dawson introduced her to a man he called his grandfather, but the conversation seemed cold and clipped. Either he was in Uncle Thomas’s camp or there was something more deep seated that caused him to be so cold.
“Granddad, I see you enjoyed your meal.” The old man was still in his chair, rubbing his large tummy and puffing on a cigar.
“It was pleasant, but according to Uncle Thomas your girl here is a beast in the kitchen. Do you remember Audrey? She was the best cook ever at the great house where me and your grandmother lived. She kinda looks like Victoria too.”
This was enough. And as the old grouch expelled his stinky smoke in her direction with a glare of nastiness on his face, Victoria excused herself. It was clear that regardless of how much green these people had in the bank, the colors black and white were more important to them and pointing it out gave them extreme pleasure.
The nasty quip from the wrinkled man didn’t go unnoticed by Dawson, who quickly put the man in his place before letting go of Victoria’s hand.
“Yes, I remember Audrey, Pop, she was a great cook, but I also remember walking in on you with your head between her legs when I was fifteen. Do you remember that?”
The cigar paused on the way to his mouth and his wrinkly face turned pink and then red. Dawson gave the man a pat on the shoulder and laughed loudly. It was upstaging at his best and as Victoria left to find the bathroom, she chuckled at the quip. She loved Dawson more and more each day.
The ladies room in Hotel Majesty resembled a master bedroom fit for a queen missing only the bed. Upholstered couches were neatly arranged and the tiles on the wall reminded her of an old palace in Greece she had seen on TV once. There was a smiling attendant at the door waiting to help if it was needed. Once inside, Victoria realized the matter was more urgent than she thought and she all but chipped to the toilet to relieve herself. When she was finished, she sat there for a while, feeling a bit tired and a smidge sleepy, the way pregnant women do. It was then that she heard them walk in.
Staying silent in the stall with the decorative gold door at the end of the row, Victoria listened.
“Do you think she is a gold digger? I just don’t understand why Dawson would pass up supermodels and actresses for… well… for that kind of
woman!”
The other voice responded. It was that of Evelyn. “She seems pretty nice to me, but I am not sure what you mean when you say ‘that kind of woman,’ isn’t she the regular type?”
“Come on Evelyn,” the first voice said. “You know what I mean. She’s black or didn’t you notice?”
“Yes, I did notice, but I don’t see that as a factor. She’s mannerly, she owns her own business and seems to have a good head on her shoulders. As a matter of a fact I may ask her to work with me on a food art project I am doing for the museum. I am struggling to see what your challenge would be with this woman who has done nothing to you.”
The attitude in the woman’s voice changed to one of offense and shock. “You want to work with someone like that? The last time I brought one in to work at the shop, she stole from the register. If I had followed my customary routine of hiring… well… white people, that would have never happened.”
Victoria heard the impatience in Evelyn’s voice. “There is something seriously wrong with you Jane because if I remember correctly, you hired a white girl straight out of college to manage the store and she stole several thousand dollars worth of clothes from your little designer store. People like you have issues that run deeper than you think. Now if you would excuse me, I came here to use the toilet, not gossip about people who seem happy. You on the other hand, are miserable and lonely. Say hello to Martin the next time he passes you with his young lady lover on his arm. Have a good evening.”
She tried to control her laughter, she really did, but Victoria’s snicker bubbled from inside and she decided it was time to officially make her presence known. Both women’s heads snapped around when she opened the stall door and walked to the granite topped sinks.
The woman called Jane looked like she was about to have a stroke while Evelyn grinned mischievously.