by Alex Marcoux
“Remember, this goes no further.” Natalie looked for a response from the two before she continued. “She does live with a guy who happens to be younger. His name is…Justin. And yes, Charlie did leave her and broke her heart. And that’s it. I’ve said enough.” Natalie was eager to change the subject. “So did you set up an appointment with Celeste?”
“Yeah, I have one tomorrow evening,” Anastasia answered.
“Who’s Celeste?” Stephanie pried.
“She’s a psychic. Natalie has used her for years,” Anastasia answered. “I haven’t had a reading in a couple of years. I thought it was time.”
“Are you going to start with that hocus-pocus stuff again?”
“Stephanie, I just want a reading.”
The scent of freshly burned incense permeated the candlelit room. As Anastasia sat across from Celeste a chill ran up her back. The older woman wore an indigo sweater with extravagant jewelry. Celeste’s long hair hung naturally, encompassing her face, making it difficult for Anastasia to see her eyes. Celeste placed a tape in her tape recorder.
“Before we begin, is there any area you want me to focus on?” she asked.
“My career,” Anastasia answered.
The woman closed her eyes and remained silent for what seemed forever. She opened them and pulled her hair back, permitting Anastasia to make eye contact for the first time. Celeste reached over to the tape recorder and pressed “record.” Smiling warmly she said, “You don’t need a psychic to tell you that you’ve done well with your career.” The woman stared back at Anastasia. “But…you are at your peak.”
“So it’s downhill from here?”
“I wouldn’t put it that way. But I do see a change for you in one…no, about two years. It affects your career. But I feel this is a positive change for you personally and even spiritually. Perhaps your priorities just change.”
“Wonderful,” Anastasia responded sarcastically.
“There is something else about this change.” Celeste closed her eyes and appeared to be concentrating. “You don’t like being judged.”
“Are you asking or are you telling me?”
“You are very…what’s the word? Reserved? You put up a wall or perhaps a front. Yes, that’s what it is-a front. Do you know what I mean?”
“No,” Anastasia lied.
“You hide yourself from people. You don’t let them see the real you but a fake you. Do I need to give you an example?”
“No.”
“This all goes back to a past life you had in ancient Egypt. I don’t know if you play on the game board of past lives, so you can take this or leave it. Have you done any past life work?”
Anastasia shook her head. “No.”
“Can I share what I saw in your past life?”
Anastasia nodded.
“It was in ancient Egypt. You were a servant or a slave to a high-ranking politician. You were considered an untouchable because of your social class and judged for what you were. During this lifetime you were a man and you fell in love with your master’s wife.
“In this relationship you found true love. But the two of you could not be together, except for exchanging brief periods of affection. There were complications in her life that did not allow her to abandon what she had to be with you. I believe it was…children. Yes. Two children. The two of you planned to be with each other when the children grew, but…it was too late. Somehow her husband found out that she was unfaithful. He punished her for being with an untouchable, by imprisoning her. She eventually died, alone in prison, before the two of you could be with each other again.”
“And I’m supposed to learn something from this?”
“Yes. Otherwise I wouldn’t have shared this with you.”
Chapter 15
Anastasia’s celebration event was scheduled for the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend. She remained secretive about her plans. Arrangements were made for two limos to pick up the employees and their partners that Thursday evening at MPI.
That morning Natalie entered Sidney’s office. “And how are you today? It is a lovely day, isn’t it?” She was beaming.
“Okay Natalie, what’s going on? Are you okay?” Sidney asked.
“Wonderful, absolutely wonderful,” she smiled. “Sidney, I made a decision last night about my relationship with Karen. Not to change the subject, but did you know that we’ve been seeing each other for over a year now?”
“Should I congratulate you?” Sidney asked, trying not to sound too sarcastic. “Now what did you decide last night?”
Natalie sat in the chair in front of Sidney’s desk, forcing eye contact. “I decided to take our relationship to the next level.”
“You guys moving in together?”
“Hell no. I want her to meet my family. So I’m going to bring her tonight, to meet you.”
“I should have known you were up to something. Is that thing tonight?”
“Yes, like I told you on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s tonight. You’re not going to be a brat now, are you?”
“You’ll still love me, won’t you?”
“Don’t ask stupid questions.” Natalie was losing patience. “Are you taking Scott?”
“No, he has another commitment.”
“Would you please do this for me?”
“To meet Karen?”
“No, because it’s important to Anastasia and it would mean a lot to me.”
Sidney remained silent, then confided in Natalie, “I’ve heard about the limo parties. Do you think you could find out where dinner is? I’ll join you there. Then I’ll be able to leave when I feel like it.”
“And I’m supposed to trust you?”
“Natalie, you have my word, I will join the party for dinner. Have I ever lied to you?”
Natalie left the room and returned in a half-hour. “That was harder than I thought it would be. You promise you’ll join the party for dinner and dancing?”
“No, that wasn’t the deal. It was dinner,” Sidney said flatly.
“But I just spent a half-hour negotiating with Anastasia to get this information. Dinner, after-dinner drinks, and you’ll at least consider dancing. You can drive yourself there and home.”
“Deal.” Both women shook hands, then laughed.
Natalie and Sidney were surprised to learn the restaurant was in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Apparently, Anastasia thought getting away from the city would be fun. The limousines were to be stocked with drinks and appetizers for their two-hour trek to the restaurant. Apparently the restaurant was closed to the public to cater the private party.
Sidney looked at Natalie. “You’re not going to let me out of this, are you?”
“Absolutely not. And I’ve been threatened with death if we tell anybody about her plans.”
“You can trust me.” Sidney looked at her watch. “What time is dinner?”
“Eight sharp.”
“I think I’ll leave work early. Justin is going away for the weekend. I’ll try to spend some time with him before he leaves. I’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
Sidney arrived at her shore house about three o’clock that afternoon, but Justin was nowhere to be found. She did find Lynette, her domestic helper, in the kitchen. She appeared to be preparing dinner. “Hi Lynette.”
“Hello Ms. Marcum, you’re home early.”
“Yeah, I was hoping to spend some time with Justin. Do you know where he is?”
“He’s down by the pool,” she answered.
“Thanks.” Sidney opened the rear patio door that overlooked a below-ground pool. She walked down the path to the pool level. The property extended past the pool and pool house and dropped another level to a private beach area on the Manasquan River.
As she walked around the pool, she could see Justin’s muscular back in a chair. He appeared to be fixing one of the crab traps. “Want to go out for a sail?” Sidney asked.
Justin smiled warmly at the sight of Sidney. “Hey Mom, what are you
doing home early?” The eleven-year old put down the crab trap and stood almost as tall as Sidney, to embrace her.
“I have a business dinner tonight. I thought I’d come home early and play this afternoon. How was school today?”
“Good, but I can’t wait for vacation.”
The two spent a couple of hours together, cruising the river in their 27-foot Hunter sailboat.
Later, as Justin finished his dinner, Sidney asked, “What are your plans for the weekend? Have you packed?”
“Dad’s sending the car for me tomorrow, after school. I think we’re going to the East Hampton house. I’ll be back on Monday, probably late. I’ll pack after dinner.”
“Lynette is staying tonight. I’m sure it’s going to be a late evening. But I’ll see you in the morning before you leave for school.”
*
Sidney was showered and dressed when Justin knocked on her door and came into her room. He studied Sidney’s attire. “Where are you going tonight?”
“To a dinner party at a restaurant. Anastasia’s hosting it.”
“When are you going to introduce me to her?” Justin asked, then entered her large walk-in closet.
“What are you doing?”
“Mom, you’re dressed like you’re going to a staff meeting.” He inspected the clothes in her closet, then selected something that Sidney had not worn in years. “Try these on,” he instructed her.
Sidney started to object, but knew it would be useless; she could never argue with her son. Justin left her alone and closed the closet door. She put on the black pants, then the white silk blouse. Such a simple outfit, but even Sidney admitted the combination was striking. She tried to recall the last time she wore them together. Then she remembered, It was with Charlie.
“That’s better.” Justin showed his approval as he opened the closet door again. “Try these,” he instructed, then handed Sidney a pair of Chanel shoes and belt.
“Is this your way of telling me you want to be a fashion designer or something?”
Justin laughed. “No. I just want you to go out and have fun, Mom.”
As Sidney drove west toward the Delaware River, she thought about Justin’s comment, “I just want you to go out and have fun, Mom.” He was such a great kid. It had been a long time since she went out for anything other than work. The thought unnerved her; then she reminded herself that she was going out for business, and she felt better.
She crossed the river, and traveled north on a winding road into the little town of New Hope. New Hope, she thought. What a great name. Sidney followed the directions to the restaurant, but almost missed it. Two limos in the parking lot of the large house signaled she was in the right place. She glanced at her watch-it was 8:10 P.M. A sign for the restaurant entrance directed her to the front of the building.
The entrance led into a small piano bar. Anastasia was sitting at a piano and everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves in a sing-along. Natalie saw Sidney enter, and was the first to greet her. “You made it,” she said with a warm smile.
“Did you have any doubt?”
“Well…I’m just glad you’re here. You…you look great.” Natalie grabbed Sidney’s hand and pulled her toward the bar. “What do you want to drink?”
“Chivas and water,” Sidney said to an attractive woman tending the bar.
The bartender quickly returned with her drink. “Can I get you anything else?”
“No, thanks.” Sidney turned her attention to Natalie. “How was the limo drive?”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but it actually was great. Everyone enjoyed it. Do you want to meet Karen?”
“Sure, where is she?”
“She’s at the piano with the group; let me see if I can get her.” A few minutes later, Natalie returned holding a woman by the hand. “Sidney, this is Karen. Karen, this is Sidney.”
Sidney shook the hand of an attractive white woman in her mid-to-late forties.
Karen smiled. “It’s nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard so much-“
“Don’t worry, I only told her about your good traits,” Natalie interrupted.
Anastasia had finished a song on the piano and noticed that Sidney had arrived. She hugged Sidney, taking her by surprise. “Thank you for coming.”
The remainder of the group greeted Sidney, then retreated to the dining room. Two large round tables were set for the party. The dining room decor and atmosphere were perfect. The windows in the room were lined with lace curtains. Two windows viewed outside, while two looked into a dark room that appeared not in use. Sidney took a seat next to Natalie and Karen, then Anastasia followed and sat next to Sidney. Nelson and Michelle also sat at Anastasia’s table, along with their spouses. Soon everyone was seated, but Sidney was surprised that Stephanie was sitting at the other table with the rest of the party.
The woman who had tended the bar came into the dining room with wine menus. She asked Anastasia if she wanted to order wine for the group. To Sidney’s surprise, Anastasia turned to Sidney. “Would you order the wine?”
The woman handed Sidney the wine menu. Sidney reviewed it, then selected a chardonnay and a cabernet sauvignon for each table, to start. As Sidney handed back the wine menu, the woman clutched the menu where Sidney held it, holding Sidney’s hand along with the menu. The woman’s touch caught Sidney by surprise. The waitress smiled at Sidney before she released her grip-
“Hello, my name is Carol and I will be your server this evening,” the woman introduced herself to the two tables. “I know this is a special evening for you, so if there is anything we can do to help make your evening more enjoyable…,” she turned and smiled at Sidney, “please ask.”
“Ms. Carol seems to have a little crush on you, Sidney,” Natalie whispered.
“A little?” Anastasia joined in.
“Somebody must have told her I’m picking up the tab.” Sidney blew it off.
To Anastasia and Natalie, however, it was obvious the waitress was interested in Sidney. She remained attentive to Sidney’s needs throughout the evening. Every time Sidney’s wineglass was about half-full, the waitress quickly refilled the glass.
After the appetizers were served, Anastasia stood away from the table and raised her wineglass. “I want to take this opportunity to spoil the fun and say something serious.” She quickly got the group’s attention. “This has been such a wonderful year for me. And I know it’s because of this group that I’ve been able to get back on my feet.” Anastasia raised her glass. “To a great group. Thank you for everything, and I’m looking forward to another great year.”
Sidney found the dinner enjoyable. The food was excellent, and the company was surprisingly fun. Halfway through the dinner, she realized she could not remember the last time she laughed so much. At some point, lights began flickering through the lace curtains that looked into what appeared to be a dance floor. Sidney could feel soft vibrations from the music, but it was not objectionable.
As the group finished dessert, Anastasia announced that after-dinner drinks would be served in another bar at the establishment. The group left the dining room and moved to a bar area that joined the disco. Like all bars, the club was dark and loud. A crowd appeared to be forming quickly.
Sidney sat in a love seat and was surprised when Natalie sat next to her. “There’s something I need to talk with you about.”
“What’s that?”
“We’re in a gay bar.”
Sidney laughed, then realized her friend was serious. She looked around but could not tell by the gathering of people in the bar. Sidney reached for her liqueur and took a sip. She carefully replaced the glass and picked up Natalie’s pack of cigarettes. Removing one, she asked, “May I?” But she didn’t give Natalie a chance to answer. The smoke she inhaled felt good. Why did J ever quit? she wondered. Oh yeah, I got pregnant.
Sidney observed the group of people from her company. They seem to be enjoying themselves. Anastasia was entertaining them. She now wore a
baseball cap and her hair was pulled back. Stephanie remained at a bar, talking to a female bartender.
“The rest of the group, do they know?” Sidney asked Natalie.
“They do. It was explained to them in the limo. They’re okay about it, or at least they appear to be. After all, we’re here for a private party. Anastasia told them that as soon as anyone feels uncomfortable, the limos will return to the city.”
“Since when do you smoke?” Anastasia suddenly asked as she sat across from Sidney. “Did Nat tell you? We’re in a gay bar.”
“I don’t smoke, and yes I know.” Sidney continued to smoke the cigarette.
Sidney and Natalie talked about work, while Karen danced with Nelson and his wife. Natalie knew that Sidney would try to leave as soon as her drink was finished. When the deejay started playing decent dance music, the rest of their group visited the dance floor, except for Natalie and Sidney.
Natalie turned to Sidney. “Come on, let’s dance.”
Sidney remained seated. “I don’t think so, Nat. I think I’m going to be taking off.”
But Natalie was persistent; she took Sidney’s hand and led her to the dance floor.
Once on the dance floor, Sidney felt less tense. Relax, she lectured herself. So far, I’ve had some harmless fun. Maybe Nat’s right, a couple dances, then I’ll head home. She danced with Natalie, then Nelson, and even ordered another drink.
Carol, the waitress from the restaurant, walked over to Sidney. “My turn.” Sidney hesitated, then the woman whispered, “I’m just asking for a dance, nothing else.”
“Okay,” Sidney replied. Why did I say yes? She asked herself as they returned to the dance floor. Have I had too much to drink? It’s okay. Women dance together all the time, she tried to convince herself.
Shortly into their dance, Carol initiated small talk with Sidney. Then her chatting got more personal. She complimented Sidney’s dress and appearance. Soon, Carol was dancing closer to Sidney, but Sidney just moved away. When Carol closed the gap again, Sidney turned around but soon felt Carol’s hands on her waist. Turning, Sidney met Carol’s stare with a disapproving frown.
The song finally ended and the music slowed. Sidney started to leave the dance floor, but Carol continued her quest. She took Sidney’s hand and led her into the next dance. Before Sidney had a chance to object, a familiar voice from behind her said, “Here you are, honey. Carol, I hope you don’t mind if I cut in.”