“I fell in love with you the first time I looked into
Them there eyes...”
Linda performed three songs from her velvet chair—“Them There Eyes,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” and “Satin Doll.” Then Joey took over with lead vocals, and Linda sang a little harmony from her seat until she grew tired, at which point she simply sat back and enjoyed the music with a serene look on her face.
Georgia knew the set list because she had helped to write it. Margot’s turn would be coming up soon. While she was nervous for her daughter, when Margot was actually called up to perform, Georgia found herself distracted by the sudden appearance of Zelda and Spencer. Their demeanor was unexpected. Shocking really. They stumbled rather than walked into the room.
The pair went straight to the bar where they began talking to Peter. They leaned in with both hands flat on the top surface, eventually slumping down on their elbows. It suggested to anyone looking on that they had to support themselves to remain upright. Georgia watched for a few seconds and silently observed, It’s almost as if they’re having trouble holding their heads up. Everyone else around her in the crowd was paying attention to the band until they heard Spencer and Zelda joking around much too loudly, and many stopped and turned in their direction.
The musicians were between songs bantering, but the disruption was jarring enough that they too stopped and looked their way. Margot’s big moment was coming up, and Georgia wanted to shush them for being so rude. Although Margot sang very well, she was not a professional, and it was obvious to Georgia that she was timid about getting up on stage. She knew that her daughter had been working hard to be ready to perform.
The disturbing scene that was unfolding before Georgia made it clear that Zelda and Spencer were intoxicated, as they continued to act unsteady and appeared to have a hard time standing in one spot. When they pushed away from the bar with drinks in their hands they were swaying a bit and holding on to each other for support. But the pair had been warned to quiet down, and Peter motioned toward the stage for Joey to continue.
Georgia had never seen Zelda drink alcohol before, let alone show up anywhere drunk. It was concerning, but she willed herself to put it out of her mind and turned her attention to her daughter who was being introduced by Joey. Georgia thought, Oh, our girl is lovely. Jack, how did we create a human being who is this stunning? I’m so happy she is finally growing up and finding her own way. Here she goes. She looks like a natural up there.
(Margot waggled her finger in Georgia’s direction as she sang the line)
“Oh, mother dear, we’re not the fortunate ones...”
Margot couldn’t dance well because she didn’t naturally possess that kind of coordinated rhythm. Yet she was a good sport about it and moved around the stage as best she could. All appreciated her effort, her vocal was excellent, and the entire crowd willed her on.
Georgia thought, She is nailing this, and Carl is beaming up at her like she’s a goddess. I would love to have Carl as a son-in-law. Peter is such a good husband to Linda, he’s a terrific role model in that regard. It would be wonderful to know that my daughter would be loved the way she deserves to be.
Spencer let out a loud whoop, threw his hand in the air, and started dancing. That would not have been a problem, except for the fact he was holding his full glass high and spilling liquor on the people around him. An angry groan went out from several onlookers, and it distracted Margot, who lost her place in the melody and lyrics of the song. A look of panic crossed her face.
Joey tried to help her by singing a few cues at her when they reached the appropriate moment. He sang, “That’s all they really want,” but she didn’t join in. Two lines later he belted out the words, but she couldn’t recover her confidence, and she looked very dismayed as the last verse wound down. She appeared completely rattled and couldn’t wait to get off the stage when the musicians played the last chord. Red-faced, she darted toward the bathroom.
Apparently, Spencer was oblivious to her distress because he kept calling out Margot’s name like she was a rock star. Zelda tried to quiet him, but she wound up losing her balance as she pulled on his arm. At the exact second the band finished and Margot ran, Zelda plopped to the floor on her backside with her legs splayed out. The crowd stared at her in silence.
Spencer handled the moment adeptly as he shouted out, “I’m sorry. We got excited. Let’s have a hand for Margot.”
The audience applauded politely, and although Margot wasn’t in the room to enjoy her ovation, the party went back to normal. The Innovators played two more popular tunes and then called the local pharmacist up to perform.
Most of the group had no idea this prominent member of their community could sing and were delighted as he belted out an impressive rendition of Aerosmith’s, “Walk this Way.” The whole room started dancing at this point, and everyone who knew the lyrics sang along. The band vamped it up for a while and kept the momentum going. When they ended the tune, Joey said, “We’re going to take fifteen minutes to grab something to eat and get a cold drink. There’s plenty more to come tonight, so don’t go anywhere. But before we do, we have an important announcement. Kenny Simmons has something he would like to say.”
Until that second, Georgia had planned to leave the room and find Margot, but instead, she froze in wonderment. Kenny walked confidently to the stage. She felt she was getting a glimpse of the business executive he had been before he retired, as he was obviously comfortable speaking in public. In no rush, he removed a piece of paper from his inside jacket pocket and slowly unfolded it with a bemused expression. He was absolutely adorable up there. She noticed that both of her sons had moved closer to her and were beaming. What did they know that she didn’t?
“Linda and Peter, thank you so much for hosting this wonderful event. I’m honored to be invited here tonight. It’s my first time at your Valentine’s Day party, but I hope it will not be my last. Getting to know you has been like being granted an extended family. I want you both, and Rolland and Yvonne too, to know how much I appreciate your friendship.”
Kenny lost his cool for a moment. He blinked several times and cleared his throat. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this day and I’ve made some notes to ensure I would say exactly what was in my heart.” He took a deep breath. “I’m a fortunate man, I have a beautiful daughter, and I was lucky enough to have had a happy marriage, although my wife passed away many years ago. But it’s funny, when we moved here and met all of you, my life really began, because moving here led me to Georgia.”
A delighted gasp went up as friends and family realized where this little speech was headed.
“Georgia, this may seem sudden to some. They may think we haven’t known each other long enough to consider marriage, but you and I, better than most, understand that life is short. Are you kidding me? At my age, there are long shadows everywhere.” A chuckle rippled through the gathering. “I don’t know much, but there’s one thing that I know for sure. I want to spend what’s left of my life with you. I would be honored if you would agree to become my wife. Honey, I have been carrying this note and ring box around for three months waiting for the right moment. Tonight seemed like the perfect time to ask. Georgia Best—will you marry me?”
Margot appeared over Georgia’s left shoulder. Her face was contorted. “Mom!” she seethed.
Christopher pulled his sister away by the arm trying to calm her, “Margot, you can talk to Mom later. Not now.”
Georgia shut everyone else out of her head. When she looked up at Kenny in front of the microphone, he was all that mattered to her. She felt like she had to run away from her daughter’s disapproval before she was allowed to ruin their exquisite moment. As Georgia charged forward toward the stage she hollered out, “You bet I will, Kenny Simmons.”
Kenny reached down and helped her onto the stage. He held the mike in his hand as he got down on one knee. He spoke into it and stared up at Georgia at the same t
ime. “Everybody here tonight is a witness!”
Kenny opened the small box he had with him and presented the ring to Georgia.
It twinkled in one of the stage lights and the crowd let out an Ooooooooooo. You could tell that he was having fun. With a slow sweep of his hand across the audience he displayed the diamond and let the moment sink in before he continued. “I am going to ask you one more time in front of all these people. Georgia Best, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
She took the microphone from him and spoke into it coyly, “Why, yes, Kenny Simmons, I do believe I will.” When she glanced over at Sebastian and Christopher, she saw they had both let out a belly laugh. Georgia resisted looking in Margot’s direction.
The crowd burst into applause. Kenny stood up and kissed her. Still deep in their embrace, he whispered in Georgia’s ear, “What do we do now?”
She shrugged her shoulders and let out a nervous titter, as she too was uncertain how to make an exit. The couple looked over to Joey for some help.
Joey effortlessly delivered into his own microphone the next course of action, “Let’s have a first dance from the happy couple. Georgia and Kenny step down onto the floor. He turned to his bandmates and said, “Guys, let’s do ‘Fly’. One, two. One, two, three, four.”
”Fly me to the moon
Let me play among the stars…”
Kenny took Georgia’s hand and twirled her away from him; his other arm arched high and then spun her back into his embrace where he led her through a swinging foxtrot around the parquet wood floor. His prowess as a ballroom dancer was a revelation. She felt like she were in a fairy tale or perhaps one of those glamorous 1930s movies, one of the musicals of the time where everyone hit the high notes perfectly and never made a misstep. The crowd made room for them as they glided around in a big circle, their feet nearly skipping out slow, slow, quick, quick in time with the music.
Both Kenny and Georgia knew the last three notes of the song would be played on a single clinking piano key. So, when it ended with a chink, chink, chink, Kenny dipped Georgia backward, and the crowd exploded. So many people hugged Georgia that it became a blur of faces, while Kenny, in addition to quick embraces, also got pats on the back from many of the guys.
Linda hobbled up to the stage and took a microphone from Joey in her good hand, “Congratulations to my best friend on her engagement! Peter’s gone to try to dig up some champagne. Georgia and Kenny, please follow me down to the basement to help us. As you know, we have a little wine cellar down there. The band’s going to take a break, but there’s much more to come. We’ll start the next set of music with a toast to the happy couple, so don’t go anywhere.”
The audience politely clapped as Linda climbed down off the stage. The three of them walked across the length of the family room and into the kitchen where they disappeared behind a six-paneled oak door.
Thirty-Five
“Shame has poor memory.”
—Gabriel García Márquez
As Georgia walked down the basement stairs, she could hear Peter judiciously raising a question. “But don’t you think that it’s possible you’re upset about your song too? You did a great rendition of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” but I remember what it’s like to make a mistake on stage. You think the whole world will remember it forever.”
Against the far wall of the open basement were a cooler and two rows of wooden wine racks about six feet long. Peter, Carl, and Margot stood at the end of the row farthest to the right.
“It’s not the song, Peter,” Margot shouted. “My mother’s getting engaged and my father just died. How am I supposed to feel about that?”
Carl tried to comfort her, “Margot, both of your brothers are happy for your mom, so Kenny must be a good man. Give him a chance. Get to know him better. Maybe if you sleep on it, you’ll see it’s all for the best.”
Georgia took in a sharp breath when Margot spotted her and hissed, “I can’t believe you would embarrass me like that. In public!”
Georgia recoiled from her attack. “That’s a strange choice of words. Why would you be embarrassed?”
“You’re a widow. . . you’re. . . well, no offense, Mom, but you’re old. There is no reason for you to even be dating, let alone getting married.”
Georgia was so offended that it was hard for her to reply. “I see. So, do you think you children will want to keep me company for the rest of my life? Instead of going out with your friends, do you plan on taking me to the movies on Saturday nights?”
“You have friends, Mom. You have a nice group of women friends to do things with.”
“Yes, and they all have husbands. Margot, maybe it’s hard for you to imagine, but getting older doesn’t mean you no longer need someone to love.”
“Love? You didn’t even love Dad.”
“What are you talking about? I was married to your father for thirty years.”
“He told me, Mom. He said things weren’t good between you and he might ask you for a divorce.”
Georgia staggered backward one step but Kenny caught her arm. “If that’s true, if he confided in you, he was wrong to do it. You were his daughter, not his buddy and you are my daughter, too. But I have news for you, little girl, he never once mentioned divorce to me. We were both in our marriage for the long haul.”
Ever the voice of reason, Linda burst in, “Margot, I’m sorry about your father, and I know you are still grieving, but you are out of line. Way out of line.”
“If she loved my father so much, why is she in such a hurry to get married again?”
Linda answered in a soothing tone, “Because she wants to move forward. Your mother is still a vital woman.”
Margot squared her shoulders off in front of Georgia. “Are you really in love with him?” She jerked her head in his direction. “With Kenny?”
Georgia’s expression softened. She didn’t want to hurt her daughter, but the truth was plain. “Yes, I am. I’m very much in love with Kenny. I’m going to tell you something, sweetheart. Love, this kind of connection, is a rare and precious thing. It doesn’t come along very often. That’s why we want to get married. When you know for sure you want to spend the rest of your life together—and when you’re older and there really isn’t time to waste—you want to start that life together as soon as possible.”
Margot’s fair skin flushed bright pink. “Mom, you have got to promise me, promise me, you are going to get a prenuptial agreement written up.”
Georgia’s expression opened in surprise, her eyes skittered from Margot to Kenny and back again. After a pause, she acknowledged, “We haven’t had a chance to talk about this, Margot. We just got engaged.”
Kenny thought it was a good moment to demonstrate to Margot that his intentions were good. “We will certainly make sure we have money for your wedding and so forth. After all, we’re going to be a family.”
Margot smirked at him. “My mother needs to protect the money my father left to her.”
“You father left to me? How many times do I have to point out I have worked my whole life, and my savings are mine?”
“Dad made a lot more money than you, Mom. You’re a school teacher.”
Georgia was furious. It was like Jack’s words were coming at her from the grave. “All right, missy, let me be clear about this. Kenny and I, my husband and I, will plan our future together. Whatever we choose to spend on you, whatever we decide to leave to you, if anything, is our choice. We will make these decisions as a married couple. The fact of the matter is it’s none of your business.”
The lights went out. All were silent when they came back on a few seconds later. A voice called down the stairs to the group. “Linda! Peter! You better come up here right now.” Before any of people in the basement could react, Sebastian flew down the stairs so fast he stumbled on the third step and came flying toward them. “Kenny,” he managed to get out, but he was panting, “You better hurry. Linda and Peter, we need you, we need a doctor.”
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br /> The big family room was hushed when they came in. A circle of people stood around something in the middle of the floor and others on the periphery clustered in quiet discussion. Apparently, the band, from the elevated stage, could see what was going on inside the ring. They stood holding their instruments and staring down into it. Even in Linda’s fragile state, with one arm held out by her huge cast which caused her to look distorted and akimbo, she was still commanding. With a single directive, she broke the circumference of the group open, “Get back. Give us room and air. Who can tell me what happened?”
Christopher was there and he stepped up. “Zelda fell over. She passed out. It was so weird; she closed her eyes, leaned back on her heels, and went over backward. Linda, she fell so fast, nobody thought to catch her.”
Spencer was sitting on the floor nearby with his mother and he was leaning heavily on her, as he too, seemed to be having trouble standing. Linda addressed Yvonne’s son in a no-non-sense tone, “Spencer, this is important. What did you two take tonight?”
“Nothing, honestly, I think we may have food poisoning.”
Linda barked, “Spencer! I need to know.”
When Kenny saw Zelda lying on the ground he was devastated, yet he took the time to scan her appearance from the blue tips of her fingers to her dangerously shallow breathing. Her face was a ghostly waxen color that didn’t belong on a living being. Abruptly, he turned away, clenched his jaw, and became so still that he looked spellbound. Georgia was behind his right shoulder standing on her tiptoes and trying to get a peek. When he turned, it was into her embrace.
She asked over Kenny’s shoulder, “What happened. Linda, is she all right?”
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