Lavender Is a Harsh Mistress

by Earl Watson

  “No that is alright Mr. Peterson, I had planned to take Willis with me.” Marcus had just unlocked his door and turned around to face her.

  “I just thought that I might offer because Willis is just getting back from an overseas vacation and he might be quite tired” Amanda’s mind once again drifted away and she brought it back again.

  “You might be right Mr. Peterson, I never thought about that. If you have the time I would be happy to have you go with me.”

  “I am glad that you feel that way Miss. Wilcox. What time do you want me to pick you up? How does between eight and nine sound is that alright for you?”

  “Eight is fine. I will make sure that I am downstairs at exactly eight sharp.” As soon as Marcus closed his door Amanda started to re-proach herself.

  “What are you so nervous about? It’s just an affair, you have been to plenty of them. It’s just business and it could just have easily been Hilton, or even Patrick. We will just drive up to the place and be back in no time. If he’s half as good as he was in front of “The Blue Hen Posse” it should be a breeze.

  It was an early morning in the fall and the calendar said October, but the temperature said that it more like June. He was already in front of the building when Amanda’s taxi pulled up. He got out of his car and opened the door for her to get in. When he got back in he greeted her.

  “Good morning Miss Wilcox, it looks like we are going to have a beautiful day.”

  “Yes Mr. Peterson it’s supposed to make it into the low eighties.”

  “Do you mind if I put on my jacket, shirt and tie when we get close to the place, it’s a little hot?” Amanda looked over and noticed that 105

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress he was wearing a white tee shirt, a red windbreaker, black slacks, and black leather shoes.

  “Oh of course not, whatever makes you comfortable.”

  “Thanks, the rest of my clothes are in the back seat.” Getting uptown and out of the city took them no time. Traffic must have also thought that it was still summer and went to the beach. Before Amanda knew it they were passing under the George Washington Bridge, and a hop, skip, and a jump later they were on the New York State Thruway. What was once a glimmer of sunlight on the horizon. Was now a giant orange fire ball moving across a blue sky. Amanda looked at the dashboard clock and saw that they had been driving for close to two hours. She realized that something was missing on this long drive inside his car, conversation.

  “He sure doesn’t say much. He has hardly said a word since he asked me about his clothes. Maybe I should say something just to break the ice. But what should I talk about, maybe I will just remain silent.

  I am sure that he will say something soon.”

  Another half hour passed, then fifty minutes and Marcus still had not said a word. He was like a manikin, motionless with his eyes glued to the road. He never even so much as took a glance at her.

  But he did turn on the radio and a soft jazz sound began to fill the car’s interior. Amanda was glad that something was breaking this strained silence. Just at that very minute her Blackberry started to vi-brate and she looked down to read the message. It was from Carney.

  “Japan, didn’t work out, client died. Flying back now. See you tonight.” Just as she deleted the message she was aware that Marcus was trying to get her attention.

  “Miss. Wilcox, are you alright? She looked like she had escaped from a episode of the Twilight Zone.

  “I have been trying to ask you something for a minute or so. But, I see your mind seemed to have been someplace else.” She realized that he had been talking to her for some time.

  “Yes Mr. Peterson, I am alright.”

  “I was wondering that since we are making such good time. We can pull off and get something to eat.” For no good reason she stuttered an answer.

  “Yes....yes....I think it will be alright.” She turned her face away from 106

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress him and concentrated on the road. Inside she was seething.

  “Now he talks to me! Carney calls me about someone dying, and it’s at that very time that he chooses to talk to me then! I knew it, I knew it in my bones that this was not a good idea. I should have come with anybody but him.” In ten minutes Marcus pulled off of the road at a rest stop. He parked under a shady tree and turned off his car.

  “If you will wait here a minute I will get dressed and then we can go inside and eat.”

  “Mr. Peterson there is no need to get dressed I don’t mind.”

  “I know that you don’t Miss. Wilcox, but I do.” He took his clothes out of the back seat and started putting them on. Amanda was still fuming as she bit her lower lip while watching him get dressed thru the windshield.

  “I just made a simple damn comment. He didn’t have to reply as if I cursed his mother. But it’s my own fault it should have been anyone else but him. I could have even asked Manny, to drive me up here.

  If nothing else he can at least engage in simple conversation. In the future I won’t ask this guy to do anything else. I will just....” Her thoughts were detoured as her eyes settled on him getting dressed.

  Marcus removed the windbreaker and slipped on a soft light green dress shirt. She took note of the fact that from his shoulders down too his waist his body was tapered to perfection. His undershirt clung to his body to highlight his well developed pectoral muscles. Those muscles led into a hard flat stomach that sported a ripped six pack of abs. It appeared to her that his waist didn’t have so much as an inch of fat. As she concentrated on him from the front he appeared to her to be the perfect vertical man. As he looked into the distance he started to button his shirt. He wasn’t even looking as he pushed each button thru it’s hole. As if he was a conductor of an orchestra and each note was delivered in perfect time. Amanda leaned back against the seat as if she was at a show. She saw him tuck his shirt into his pants effortlessly without so much of as a wrinkle. With his suit jacket resting on the bench, he reached down and pulled a silk tie out of it’s pocket. He turned up his collar and wrapped the tie around his neck. Within the blink of an eye, he had tied a straight knot with the tip of the tie touching the top of his belt buckle. A rueful smile came to her face as she recounted the many times that 107

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress Patrick had tied the same knot a hundred times. But the tie always came down to the middle of his zipper. Marcus now produced a pair of jade cuff links out of his slacks and fastened them thru the French Cuffs. He then put the jacket on and the tie’s matching handkerchief caught her eye. It too was olive green and it matched perfectly. He gently shrugged his shoulders and everything came together like a masterpiece. For a minute she just gawked at him. With the high bright blue sky and the hot yellow sun hanging over his shoulder, for the first time she realized just how truly beautiful he was.

  Marcus escorted Amanda into the diner and pulled out a chair for her to sit down. He took a seat and motioned for a waitress to come over.

  “May I get you something sir?” Marcus turned to Amanda.

  “What are you getting?”

  “I will have eggs over easy and ham with toast, and a glass of orange juice. Marcus put down his menu and addressed the waitress.

  “That sounds good, I will have the same.”

  “Yes Sir, I will be right back.” Amanda noticed that the woman never even addressed her and kept her backside facing her. The woman strutted away from the table and Amanda got a good look of how the woman was dressed. “I wonder if there is a law that says that all waitresses have to wear tops that are four sizes to small.” Marcus excused himself to use the mens room, as the waitress brought them water. When she returned to the kitchen Amanda noticed that Marcus’ glass of water was on top of a stack of napkins and looked like it was going to tip over, she placed it flush on the table. It was then that she noticed some writing on the napkin. She picked up the napkin and saw that the waitress had written her number on it. Amanda looked toward the kitchen.

  “Why tha
t slutty bitch! I should call the manager and get her fired!”

  She thought better about it and remained seated.

  “The phone number is for him not me. When we get back to the car I will give it to him, it’s really none of my business. Maybe he likes that sort of woman. Who knows maybe he can find something to talk about with her.” Amanda put the napkin into her purse.

  After Marcus returned the waitress delivered their food while still keeping her backside facing Amanda. She also made it a point to 108

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress return back to their table to inquire if Marcus was totally satisfied with his food. On her last visit her last words to Marcus were.

  “If you see anything else that you want just call me.”

  Marcus paid the check and they exited the diner and headed for his car. Amanda remembered that she had the napkin in her purse.

  “Mr. Peterson I had better use the ladies room. Wait in the car, I will be right back.” She walked back into the diner and waited by the cashier until the waitress noticed her and rushed over.

  “Is there anything wrong Miss?” Amanda reached into her purse and took out the napkin. She blew her nose with it, balled it up and dainty dropped it into the garbage pail.

  If you were anybody in the fashion business you had to be at the Albany Fashion Conference. This year it was being held in the most expensive hotel in that city. Every fabric known to the human race could be found there. But what was more important than the fabrics were the contacts and connections that you could make. If you wanted freshly sheared alpaca from Peru, you needed a name and a number. If you wanted silk from China, that was spun the old fashioned way. You needed a name and a number for someone in China. Or supposed you liked to use musk ox fur from Greenland.

  You needed a contact number from there also. This was the place where you got those names and numbers. Naturally if you were at this conference, you had customers for whom money was no object.

  As Amanda strolled up and down the aisles she could see that Marcus was busy taking notes, feeling different fabrics, and asking questions. As always he was mostly surrounded by a crowd of women. Amanda felt a tap on her elbow, it was Alvin Seeton.

  “My dear Mandy, is it true that ever since your show people refer to you as “The girl on the moon?” Do you think that there might be a smidgen of space up there for me? Since we seem to be spending a lot of time together maybe we should go into business as partners. I can see neon lights flashing now saying Seeton and Wilcox. Or better still how about this, Alvin and Amanda. Or we can call ourselves the Double A’s. Do you get it? Our slogan will be, We dress up....and down the world! Mandy I think that it could be a beautiful thing.

  What do you say?” Amanda exhaled with a sound of disinterest.

  “No thank you Alvin, I’m doing alright by myself.” Alvin walked 109

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress around a bolt of fabric and came face to face with her.

  “But that’s today Mandy! You know what they say in the fashion business. You can be in vogue today and tomorrow be old news”.

  Amanda extended her arm and pushed him away. “Please Alvin, I am not even one tenth thru any of this stuff. So don’t make it any harder than it has to be.”

  “Yeah Mandy, I guess that you are right. But look at him, your boy genius. I have had my eye on him ever since he walked in. He’s good!

  He’s really, really good! He takes to this like a fish takes to water. Is your offer still good Mandy? I mean about it being alright for me to ask him about working for me?”

  “He’s a free man and he can go and work for who ever he wants to.

  I won’t stop him.”

  “Do you really mean that Mandy?” She gave him a frozen stare as she walked away.

  “I said it didn’t I! Now please get out of my way!” She moved away further down the aisle as Alvin yelled over the crowd noise.

  “Ahhh, don’t be like that Mandy. We can hate each other and still be friends! Don’t forget about my Street On The Street Party next month, you are the guest of honor.” Amanda hardly heard his last words as she moved deeper into the crowd. While talking to Alvin she had lost track of Marcus. Her eyes quickly found him surrounded by a gaggle of fashion reporters. Who were asking him about what it was like to work for Amanda Fashions, and how did he coordinate his outfits. She parted the sea of human flesh and stood next to him.

  “I think that we can go now Mr. Peterson, if you are ready.”

  “I agree. I have collected almost seventy names and numbers from all around the world. Anything that you might need you will be able to get. You now have the best of everything.”

  As they stepped outside what had once been a sunny day.

  Had now been replaced by dark clouds and a steady rain.

  “Wait here Miss. Wilcox, I don’t want you to get wet. I will get the car and meet you in the lobby.” Amanda thanked him and stepped back into the lobby. As she waited in the lobby she saw an ex-employee outside that used to work for her. The girl had since started her own business and Amanda wanted to wish her good luck. As soon as Amanda stepped onto the sidewalk. The skies opened up and 110

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress she was soaked by a deluge of rain that made her feel like she was under a waterfall. The girl that she wanted to talk to jumped into a van and it pulled off. Amanda quickly rushed back into the lobby but the damage had already been done. She was soaked from head to toe. Marcus came into the lobby to escort her out and pretended not notice how she looked. If he wanted too he could have picked her up and wrung her out like a sponge. Instead he took off his jacket and wrapped it a round her wet body and led her into his car. Amanda could see and feel that she looked like a mess. The only thing that she thought about on the drive back was. “Just don’t let him look over at me! He didn’t look over at me on the way up, so don’t let him look at me now! I am going to take off the rest of the week and I hope that he won’t mention this to anyone. Oh my God! I can feel my mascara running down my face!!” The drive back was just as quick and smooth as when they drove up in sunshine. Amanda gave him the address to her apartment and he rolled up to the front. Marcus came around to her side and opened the door. Amanda didn’t look at him as she jumped out of the car and mumbled a listless and hurried.

  “Thank you Mr. Peterson, and good night.” When she entered her apartment she didn’t bother to turn on the lights. She sat down on the couch, picked up a pillow and placed it over her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. Somebody turned on the lights, it was Carney.

  “What the hell is the matter with you?” Amanda removed the pillow from in front of her face. Carney’s used her hands to cover her mouth.

  “For the love of Jesus! What Happened? You look like Alice Cooper with a Lassie hairdo. Don’t tell me that this is the kind of look that turns Marcus on! Amanda placed the pillow back over her face again and screamed even louder. Carney rushed over to her and slowly pulled the pillow away from Amanda’s face.

  “Mandy I called the office and Raz told me that you had gone to Albany with Marcus. Now tell me what happened?”

  Amanda gathered her emotions about her and told Carney everything that had happened. About how Marcus wouldn’t talk to her, and the waitress, and Alvin, and getting drenched. Carney put a compassionate arm around her.

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  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress

  “Then on top of that Patrick must have called you at least twenty times.”

  “What did he want!!”

  “What did he want! He almost talked my ear off asking me over and over again if I knew any rich people who he could talk to about letting him invest their money for them. Then he begged me over and over again if he could act as my personal bodyguard. The only way that I could get rid of him was to tell him that I would think about it. Good God Mandy you have to be a saint to put up with him. I thought that I had a bad day by having a client die on me, but you really hit the jackpot.” Amanda stood up and started walking aroun
d the room and talking to no one in particular.

  “I know what I am going to do, I am going to fire him. He can’t treat his employer like that and get away with it.” Carney jumped to her feet.

  “Come on Mandy, maybe you can blame him for not talking to you, that I can see. But you can’t blame him for all that other stuff that happened. Are you also going to blame him for getting caught in the downpour too?

  I mean he told you to wait in the lobby!” Amanda stamped her feet on the carpet.

  “Why can’t I blame him? Maybe if he hadn’t started it by not talking to me none of this would have happened! Let him go work for Alvin Seeton! They both deserve each other, both slimy rats!”

  “Look Michelle Amanda Wilcox! You are not going to fire Marcus!

  He sounds like the kind of guy that would buy your business from you. Then hire you to work for him at a half million dollars a year, and still not speak to you! As far as that whore in the diner, here is what you should have done. When she came by the cash register you should have pretended to hand her the napkin. Then when she reached for it, pow! You should have sucker punched her right in the face. Imagine the nerve of that whore making a play for another woman’s man, right in front of her face! As far as Alvin, it’s just sour grapes. He just can’t stand it that you have beaten him at his own game. When it comes to that drenching monsoon that you got caught in. That’s between you and the man upstairs. Now how about that! I’ve solved all of your problems.” Amanda stopped walking 112

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress around the room and sat down next to Carney and said flatly.

  “He’s not my man. I am just somebody that he works for.”

  “Yeah, but Mandy, that dirty whore didn’t know that, he could have been! That’s something that I wouldn’t even do.” Amanda gave a slight cough and looked at Carney.