A New Kind of Bliss

by Bettye Griffin

  Only great sex felt better. But this would last longer.

  I spoke with Shirley first, and after she confirmed her willingness to work the following Saturday, I began making calls. I invited Rosalind, Valerie, Marsha, and grudgingly, Tanis, only because I knew it wouldn’t be right to leave her out. I didn’t want to put the stress of letting something about the luncheon slip on Rosalind, who saw her fairly often.

  After confirming that none of my guests had shellfish allergies, I decided to serve a meal heavy on seafood: bruschetta, crab bisque, shrimp and lobster salad, chicken salad finger sandwiches, and parmesan cheese drop biscuits. It would be my first time entertaining at what would become my new home, and I wanted everything to be perfect.

  “All right, guys,” Aaron announced Wednesday night at dinner, after my plans were firmly in placed. “Saturday afternoon I need you to be on your best behavior. Emily’s entertaining some of her friends for luncheon. They’ll be out on the patio.”

  Kirsten didn’t hide her disappointment. “Does that mean Arden and I can’t go swimming?”

  “I want to swim, too,” Billy added.

  “Oh, of course not,” I assured them. “Do what you normally do. The yard is certainly big enough for all of us.”

  “Yeah, kids, that’s right,” Aaron agreed. “But I would ask that you don’t have any company that day, all right? We’ll have enough guests.”

  Beverline, who’d been ominously silent, spoke up. “Well, Aaron, I don’t know if that’s fair. Saturday comes only once a week.”

  “Beverline, summer is just beginning. After next week the kids will be out of school and can have friends over any day of the week as long as you’re here to supervise them in the pool. If they want to invite their friends over this particular weekend, they can do it on Friday or they can do it on Sunday. You’re right. Saturday does come only once a week. And since Emily works Monday through Friday, this is the best time for her to entertain. No one’s being shortchanged here.”

  “It just seems odd to me that Emily is having her friends here. I mean, it’s not like—”

  Aaron defended me as I steamed at the insinuation that I had no right to have friends over and disrupt the family’s routine. “As I told Emily, this is going to be her home, and I want her to start acting like it.”

  “Hmph. From where I sit, she already has.” She stared at me, or rather at the position of my chair at the head of the table.

  I broke in before Aaron could respond. “Mrs. Wilson, I understand that this is a difficult situation for you. I’d like to make it as easy as possible. Maybe you and I could get together after dinner and talk about how we each envision things will be around here after Aaron and I are married.”

  All eyes at the table jockeyed back and forth between Beverline and me like tennis balls. I could see she was torn. If she refused my earnest plea, she’d come off looking uncooperative and surly. On the other hand, neither was she willing to accept me. I had her by the nipple, and she knew it.

  “Maybe that would be a good idea,” she said haltingly.

  Aaron beamed at me from across the table. I felt pretty proud of myself. Someone had to make a move to put an end to the tension between us. It always felt good when you take the high road.

  After dinner, Beverline and I adjourned to Aaron’s office, which I’d already ascertained he would not be using. “Wish me luck,” I’d said to him beforehand, giving him a quick kiss.

  “For whatever it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing,” he’d said.

  “Thanks. That means a lot,” I’d replied.

  Beverline cautiously sat on one end of the brown Chesterfield sofa, and I on the other. Nothing in her demeanor suggested she wished to speak first, or even at all. I took charge of the conversation.

  “I think you and I are overdue for a sit-down,” I began. “Mrs. Wilson, you’ve made it very clear that you disapprove of me. Ever since that first day last summer when Aaron invited me to meet all of you.”

  “That isn’t true, Emily.”

  “Maybe you honestly feel it isn’t, but you’ve never made me feel welcome. Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I get the distinct feeling that you’ve also encouraged Kirsten and Arden to dislike me as well.” I plunged on before she could interrupt to protest. “What I’d like to know is this: is your aversion to me because of me in particular, or because you just don’t want to see anyone take your daughter’s place?”

  “No one is going to take Diana’s place,” she said harshly. “She will always be the mother of Aaron’s children, and she lives on through them. Kirsten, especially, is in her very image.”

  “So is there something about me specifically that you dislike?” I asked as gently as I could.

  “Emily, you’re a nice girl.”

  Well, that was something.

  Beverline sighed. “I guess I always knew that Aaron would eventually want female…companionship.”

  Mom had used that same expression, but at least she didn’t make it sound dirty. What did Beverline think I was, a twenty-dollar ho?

  “Frankly, I just pictured him with a different type of woman, and I was a little disappointed.”

  She didn’t seem even remotely aware that she’d just said something insulting. “And just what kind of woman were you anticipating Aaron would become involved with?” I asked sweetly. I decided to throw out a few hints. “More educated? A different physical type, maybe?” Beverline was light-skinned, and Diana had been the same. I wouldn’t put it past her to feel that those of us whose complexions were too rich to pass the brown paper bag test didn’t belong in her family. Not counting Aaron, of course. Or his money.

  Then another possibility occurred to me. “Or maybe someone who hails from a different place?”

  “Well, Emily, you have to admit that Euliss…” This time Beverline appeared to realize how that sounded and tried again. “Don’t get me wrong. Some very fine people have come out of Euliss. People like Tanis Montgomery, for instance.”

  The mention of Tanis’s name was enough to make me see red. Not again, I said to myself.

  My mother had finally stopped mentioning Tanis’s accomplishments, other than saying how much she enjoyed her show, even if Tanis didn’t get a whole lot of screen time. Now here was Beverline talking about Tanis like she was the best thing to come along since The Weather Channel. I was willing to bet Beverline knew nothing about the Montgomerys in general. All she knew was that Tanis had achieved some minor level of success with her acting and had become a local celebrity. Of course, even with the show being declared a bona fide hit, it would be unlikely, given her age, that she would ever be much more than a character actress, but as far as Beverline was concerned, money talked.

  “I might not be in show business, Mrs. Wilson, and I might not collect a hefty check, but I work steadily, and I have a rewarding career that allows me to live reasonably well,” I said stiffly. “Actually, my work is not dissimilar from Aaron’s. I just do it on a more limited scale, and I don’t operate on people. But I treat more cases than he does.” It wasn’t everyone who could relocate and get a new job right away, I reminded myself.

  While my being from Euliss might have something to do with Beverline’s dislike of me, I also believed that she would resent any woman who threatened to take Diana’s place and just didn’t want to admit it. I decided to make a little comparison between Diana and me. “Helping my patients is as important to me as I’m sure helping students was to your daughter.”

  When we emerged from the room, having said all there was to say to each other, I felt no more optimistic about getting along with Beverline than I had before. We’d solved nothing.

  I went up to the master bedroom, where I knew Aaron waited. “How’d it go?” he asked, handing me a glass of wine.

  I sank into the double-wide chaise longue. “Not particularly well. If anything, she just reiterated that she doesn’t feel I’m good enough for you. Now, if I were a successful actress, like
Tanis…”

  He groaned. “Not that again.”

  “You’ve heard it before?”

  “Ever since her show became top rated, Beverline’s been trying to steer me toward Tanis. Even if I was attracted to her, I wouldn’t do anything about it.”

  I looked at him curiously. “You’re not attracted to her?”

  “No. Tanis has made it clear that she’d like to get close to me, but I’m not interested. For one, Rob Renfroe is a friend of mine, even if not a particularly close one. I won’t take up with a friend’s ex-wife. Second, Tanis has a great figure, dresses well, and always makes a good appearance. She’s attractive in a Natalie Cole type of way. But she’s not pretty, at least not to me.” He moved in close to me. “You, on the other hand, are beautiful.” He kissed my mouth, and I put my arms around his neck.

  “Say it again.”

  “You’re beautiful, Emily. I never felt the remotest attraction toward Tanis. To me she’s just the mother of Billy’s friend.”

  I threw my head back and chuckled deep within my throat. Tanis had never posed any threat to me. Aaron just said so. Lord, I wish I had a tape recorder. I could listen to Aaron saying Tanis wasn’t his type over and over again.

  Marsha called Thursday morning. “Emily, I just realized since you guys have a pool, is it okay if I bring Cameron and Cheyenne along on Saturday?”

  I really wasn’t particularly keen on having a couple of kids other than Aaron’s splashing around during my luncheon, but on the other hand, I could understand Marsha wanting to get them out of Sherwood Forest, even if just for an afternoon. I hastily tried to come up with an excuse.

  “I don’t see why not,” I said slowly, “although I don’t think my menu is particularly kid friendly.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that.” Marsha went silent. I knew she was thinking.

  “You know, I could always just pack them some sandwiches,” she finally said.

  I should have known she’d come up with a solution, but that didn’t seem right to me. She and her children were my guests. I should provide food for them.

  “I’ll tell you what, Marsha. I’ll get the housekeeper to make some hot dogs and Tater Tots just for them. How’s that?”

  “That would be perfect. They love hot dogs.”

  I called Shirley Friday morning and asked her to make the additions to the menu, and she cheerfully agreed. Just as I was priding myself on a situation well handled, I had a call from Valerie.

  “Hey, I just heard that Marsha’s bringing her kids. Is it all right if I bring mine, too?”

  I swallowed hard. I understood why Marsha wanted to bring her children, but Valerie’s situation was different. She didn’t live in a project; she lived on a quiet block on City Island. Couldn’t she get her housekeeper to watch them? Now I was faced with having three more children plus a baby at my luncheon, in addition to Marsha’s two. The sophisticated meal I’d planned was turning into a children’s hour. Aaron’s backyard was going to look like a playground—a playground that he’d specifically asked his own children to refrain from inviting playmates to on Saturday afternoon.

  Unfortunately, I saw no way out. The smart thing would have been for me to tell Marsha not to mention our arrangement to anyone, but since I’d already told Marsha she could bring her kids, I certainly couldn’t tell Valerie she had to leave hers at home. Besides, I owed Valerie a favor for the way she lied to protect me against Tanis’s deviousness.

  I tried to sound positive as I told my friend that would be fine. My palm was sweating as I hung up the receiver, but nonetheless I promptly picked it up and dialed Aaron’s home once more.

  This time Beverline answered. She informed me that Shirley was running the vacuum. “My, my, you certainly are keeping her busy these days,” she remarked. “Let’s hope she doesn’t turn in her resignation.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’m hardly working her to death, Mrs. Wilson. I believe you’re the one who runs white gloves over the tables to make sure they’ve been dusted.” As far as I was concerned, Beverline and I had agreed to loathe each other, and the gloves had come off. “I just need to speak with her about some arrangements for my luncheon. I’ll try her again in an hour or so.” The phone practically slipped out of my hand. As I rubbed my palm dry, I thought that all I’d need now was for Rosalind and Tanis to call and ask if they could bring their kids.

  I quickly realized how unlikely that was. In the first place, Tanis had a pool at her home, plus she had a nanny who lived in. Rosalind had neither, but like Tanis, Rosalind knew it simply wasn’t appropriate to ask to bring your children along to an adult luncheon. They also didn’t have Marsha’s predicament of being stuck in a ghetto. As for Valerie, she probably should have known better, but of course anyone who knew Valerie knew that she lived for her children. She was tickled pink to be a grandmother and to have a baby in the house once more.

  Part of me wondered if I should tell Aaron about the extra guests. I ultimately decided against it. Aaron would be playing golf Saturday morning with John Hunter, Elias Ansara, and another friend. I knew he’d be surprised to see all those kids when he got home, but I would tell him it just came up at the last minute and I really had no choice, since all the preparations had already been made.

  Still, the entire situation had me on edge.

  On Saturday morning I made Aaron an omelet and had coffee with him while he ate. Right after breakfast he left for the links. I carried the dishes into the kitchen. Shirley was already at work, and the kitchen was filled with the scent of boiling shrimp. The shrimp were boiling in a clear Dutch oven, and I could see how large they were.

  I was surprised to see bacon frying in a griddle that spanned two burners and Shirley mixing what appeared to be pancake batter. Why would she be making breakfast? She still had quite a bit to do before noon.

  My confusion must have shown on my face. Shirley gave me a sheepish shrug and explained, “Mrs. Wilson buzzed me and asked me to make pancakes and bacon for her and the children, since I’m in this morning.”

  My jaw went taut. “Oh, did she?”

  “I’m sorry, Emily. I couldn’t really say no. But it won’t take me long.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for. It’s not your fault.” As much as I liked Shirley, I didn’t feel it would be proper to complain to her about Beverline. Besides, it was pretty obvious that Shirley knew the deal. I suspected Beverline had no qualms about bad-mouthing me. “I’ll help out to make sure we get everything done.”

  Just then the timer went off, and I reached for the pot holders Shirley had left on the countertop near the cooktop. “I’ll take care of draining and rinsing the shrimp,” I said. “You keep doing what you’re doing.”

  Shirley let out a sigh. “Thanks, Emily.”

  “Good morning, Shirley,” Beverline said as she burst into the kitchen. If she was surprised to see me calmly spreading fresh-made chicken salad on a large rectangular flatbread, she didn’t comment. Instead she said, “How are the preparations for this afternoon going?”

  “Just wonderful,” I said in an equally bright tone. I put my knife down and picked up a sharper one and began to reduce a beefsteak tomato into thin slices. I felt Beverline’s eyes on me as I arranged the tomato slices over the thin layer of chicken salad.

  “What’s that you’re making, Emily?”

  “Pinwheel sandwiches filled with chicken salad.” I sprinkled lettuce that the efficient Shirley had already shredded on top of the tomatoes, then carefully rolled the bread up by the lengthwise side. I had to make a couple of efforts because the chicken chunks were so, well, chunky, but I refused to let Beverline see me get ruffled. I just kept trying. The rest of the sandwiches would be made with sliced London broil, which Shirley planned to make last so she could serve them hot.

  “Everything’s on the table for you, Mrs. Wilson,” Shirley offered.

  “The kids are eating already. I just came in to get my coffee. Uh, has Aaron left?”

 
I answered her. “Yes, about twenty minutes ago.”

  “Well, you’re certainly up bright and early, Emily.”

  “Of course I am. It’s nearly nine. My guests will be here at noon.”

  Beverline’s eyes fell on the George Foreman grill Shirley had placed on the counter to cook the hot dogs in. “Oh, you’re grilling, Shirley? I thought you were just making salad, sandwiches, and soup.”

  Shirley sent a pleading glance my way.

  That was more than Beverline should have known about my menu, I thought with annoyance. She’d probably had Shirley up on the carpet and questioned her relentlessly. “Yes, we are,” I answered, offering no further explanation. Then I pointedly added, “You know, Mrs. Wilson, if you hang around in here much longer your food will get cold.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” she said, getting the hint. But her sly manner told me she planned to find out exactly what would be prepared in that indoor grill.

  Chapter 28

  “Oh, this is good,” Marsha raved.

  Rosalind and Valerie agreed, but Tanis merely nodded. “Where’s Aaron today, Emily?” Tanis asked, just like I knew she would. I was sure she’d worn that pretty yellow and white halter sundress and yellow sandals for his benefit. Too bad she didn’t know it wouldn’t help, not even with the tops of her boobs peeking out from the top like giant stuffed pimentos.

  “He’s playing golf.”

  “John’s with him,” Rosalind added.

  Valerie’s gaze went to the pool. “Justin! Stop that splashing!” She turned and bounced her baby granddaughter on her knee. “Sometimes I wish they could stay this size.”

  Rosalind, Tanis, and I exchanged glances. Marsha spoke up. “You seem to be handling Melanie’s having a baby pretty well, Valerie. I don’t think I’d be as calm as you are if Cheyenne got pregnant at sixteen. Of course, she’s only thirteen.”