by D T Pollard
Tara woke up with a puzzled expression on her face and pondered if something was wrong with her. Was she constantly falling in and out of love or was she running from something that she didn’t quite understand.
“Tara we need to get ready for our little get together tonight,” Brandon said.
“Okay, I’ll be right there,” Tara said.
The party tonight would be Tara’s coming out event of a sort as Brandon’s fiancée. While she was not sure who all would be attending, Tara knew a lot of movers and shakers in business and entertainment had properties on the islands and many of them knew each other. This would be the first big social gathering in which Tara would act as hostess and she was full of nerves. Although she was now engaged to one of the wealthiest men in the United States, she was still insecure about her place among those of his ilk. In her mind Tara felt she was still that girl in the trailer off the blacktop road even after all of the years she had been gone. In spite of her education, professional experience and wider exposure to the world, Tara felt like she was learning by trial and error. Without role models to learn from, Tara was prone to make mistakes in etiquette and she didn’t want to embarrass herself in a setting with people of the social status that would be attending the event at Brandon’s house.
“Brandon, I’m a little nervous about the event tonight. This is my first big exposure to the people that you think of as your peers and I’m a little afraid of embarrassing you. What if I say or do the wrong thing?” Tara said.
“Tara, don’t worry about it. These are the nicest people you will ever meet. Most of them are down to earth. They are all very successful in their own rights, but this is an informal get together that will allow everyone to mix and mingle without having to be on guard for how they are dressed or act. There will not be any media types around. Just be yourself and you’ll be fine. I know how charming you are and so will they,” Brandon said.
“Okay, I feel a little better, but I feel like we have come so far so fast in our relationship,” Tara said.
“Tara, sit down for a minute,” Brandon said.
“When I first met you, you had a look in your eyes when you looked at me that said, what is his life like. You’re not the first person that has given me that look, but yours also said that you needed to experience the world I live in. Gary is a good man, but you are ready for so much more than he could offer you. You told me about where you came from and you didn’t use that as an excuse to not get an education, move to the city and become a business professional in corporate America. Now it’s time for the world to get to know Tara Wilson and one day Tara Larson,” Brandon said.
“So you saw stars in my eyes?” Tara said.
“No, I saw a star in my eyes and it was you,” Brandon said.
“We still have a few hours before the party, don’t we?” Tara asked.
“Yes we do,” Brandon said.
“Well, why don’t we spend a little quality time together before our guests arrive?” Tara said.
“I like the way you think,” Brandon said as Tara took his hand and led him to the bedroom.
4
Tara was amazed at the transformation of the property into a Hawaiian Luau location within a few hours. The natural setting with the beach as a backdrop didn’t take much effort to convert except the addition of torches to light the area after dark.
When the time for the event arrived Brandon and Tara acted as the primary welcoming committee. Tara stuck close to Brandon because without him no one knew who she was. It was one thing to meet another business tycoon, but it was the entertainment celebrities that took Tara by surprise and they all knew Brandon on a very familiar level. Movie and music stars walked into the home along with their significant others. Tara had to suppress internal screams and looks of awe as these icons presented themselves as people outside of their roles as performers for everyone else’s enjoyment. One person came to the function that Tara had wanted to meet for years. Talk show queen Opal Jeffrey came to the party and Tara could not hold back her enthusiasm.
“Miss Jeffrey, I so pleased to meet you. I’m Tara, Brandon’s fiancée. I’m a huge fan of yours. I watch your show and you give such great advice,” Tara said.
“Tara, it’s very nice to meet you. I must say that your future husband throws some of the best parties in the islands. He’s a good man and I’ve received some great business advice from him,” Opal said.
“Really, it’s nice to know that someone like you takes advice from Brandon. I hope you have a good time and all of the refreshments are in the next room,” Tara said.
“He’s a smart man and I’m up for some refreshments. Nice to meet you Tara,” Opal said as she walked away.
“Brandon, I just met Opal!” Tara said.
“That’s great! She’s a good friend of mine,” Brandon said.
As the night wore on Tara became more comfortable being among her guests and her feelings of inadequacy slowly faded away. There were many times that Tara had to feign that she knew about some foreign country or exotic meal. By the time the night was over Tara’s head was spinning as she realized that she was entering an environment where limits only existed in the minds of these people. If some of the individuals in the room wanted to be halfway around the world the next day, there was nothing to prevent it except their will. Tara thought about her mother being worried about their electricity being disconnected because they might not be able to afford to pay the bill. Those were the concerns of the little people, Tara thought, and the people in that room didn’t have those concerns. Suddenly a sense of unease came over Tara and she didn’t quite understand why.
“Tara, are you okay?” a woman asked.
“Oh, excuse me. Opal, I guess I was just lost in thought,” Tara said.
“Tara could you take a walk with me out by the beach? I’d like to talk to you,” Opal asked.
“Really, sure I can take a walk with you,” Tara said as they went outside.
“Tara, I watched you tonight. You are smart, beautiful and a little overwhelmed by all of this,” Opal said.
“Was it that obvious? I tried to bluff my way through it,” Tara said.
“I take it that this type of environment is new to you, you know around all of these celebrities and leaders in business,” Opal said.
“Well, yes it is. I didn’t grow up in this kind of environment. We all loved each other, but things were hard sometimes. This is so far from that. Sometimes it’s a hard thing to process,” Tara said.
“If you know my story, then you know that I didn’t have much when I was young, but it took me thirty years to get to where I am now so I had time to adjust and now this seems natural. This must feel like you’ve been shot up on a rocket,” Opal said.
“I do feel that way sometimes and because I’m here because of Brandon instead of my own steam, so to speak, I’m always trying to make sure I don’t embarrass him,” Tara said.
“Tara look, Brandon is a friend of mine, but this is not his first rodeo as far as marriage is concerned. He’s been married once before. You seem to be a nice person, but make sure you take care of yourself. One piece of advice is to never use his lawyer on something like a prenuptial agreement or divorce, and believe you me, there will be a prenup, but hopefully not a divorce. The second thing is, don’t get lost in his world. Created your own space, find something that you are passionate about outside of his interests. The third thing is never lose your history and by that I mean your friends and family. Those folks were with you from the beginning and will be your best support system. The last thing is don’t let people like me intimidate you, because I’m just a person just like you. I guarantee you that everybody in there that went to the bathroom tonight did it the same way you did, you never get rich enough to send someone else to the bathroom for you,” Opal said.
“Now I know why everybody loves you. You were watching me and could tell that I was feeling uncomfortable. You didn’t have to take time out to talk to me, but you did.
I appreciate that. Thank you,” Tara said.
“Don’t worry about it. Just hang in there, you’ll be okay,” Opal said as they walked back to the house.
5
Brandon and Tara returned to New York where Tara had moved in with Brandon. The house that Brandon and Tara lived in was immaculate and sprawling. The Atlantic Ocean was in view and the beach was within walking distance. Tara loved her new home, but she felt disconnected from everything and everyone she knew. Her old life was back in Dallas and she needed to find a way to connect to the world that Brandon lived in now.
“Shannon, it’s me Tara. I miss all of you guys. I’m getting used to being up here. You saw Gary. How is he? I know it was scheduled for this week. I understand how bad it looks. Shannon why are you talking to me that way? Okay, Shannon, I’ll talk to you later. Maybe you will understand later on, bye,” Tara said.
Tara was taken aback by her friend Shannon’s reaction. Shannon’s reaction was not just due to how she felt Tara treated Gary, but it also expressed a personal affront she felt. It finally dawned on Tara that Shannon felt she chose Brandon to leave them all behind including her. Tara called Shannon back.
“Shannon what’s the real problem? I couldn’t just let our conversation end like that,” Tara said.
“Tara, don’t you get it? You are in a different league now. The things you are able to do for fun, people like me can only dream of. You’ll be going to Paris, London and the south of France like I go across town. People like me aren’t able to do those kinds of things, except for maybe once in a lifetime. You’re an eagle now and eagles fly with other eagles. I’m down here on the ground with the rest of the chickens. Now do you understand? I’m not rich enough to be your running buddy anymore,” Shannon said.
“Shannon, this is about friendship, not money,” Tara said.
“Tara I understand what you mean, but in a year, we will have very little in common, because you will be a citizen of the world. That’s just reality. We can still talk, but you’re going to need friends around you that understand the life you’re living now,” Shannon said.
“I understand that, but some friends you have for a lifetime regardless of how long you’re apart or where you are in life. It’s not about money or status. I thought we were friends like that,” Tara said.
“Tara, I’m sorry. I guess I felt like I got kicked to the curb by you. You don’t know how awkward it was when you left Gary. I’m friends with both of you and then you left him and it felt like I had to decide who to remain close to. If I chose you, you’re not here anymore. If I remain friends with Gary it feels weird because you’re not around and you guys were a couple. I feel like I’ve lost two close friends at the same time and I blamed you for it. I know you said you fell in love with Brandon, who I’ve never laid eyes on, it’s just strange and I can’t explain it. Of course we’re still friends. I was going to be your maid of honor in your wedding,” Shannon said.
“Well, won’t you be my maid of honor when I marry Brandon?” Tara asked.
Tara heard silence on the other end of the phone.
“Shannon, will you still be my maid of honor in my wedding to Brandon?” Tara asked again.
“I’ll have to think about it. This is the wrong time to ask, okay. Let this week pass and ask me again. I’m still having a little trouble with how you ended up with Brandon given who he is and how you met him, okay. Give me some time,” Shannon said.
“Okay, that’s fair. I’ll talk to you later,” Tara said.
Tara’s conversation with Shannon, one of her closest friends, let her know that the end of her relationship with Gary wasn’t just between two people, but it ripped the fabric and affected the lives of their social circle. Tara thought that maybe Shannon was right and she needed to find friends that would be moving in the same circles she would be in now. The only trouble Tara had was figuring out where to begin her search, because in this new environment she was lost, but Brandon was about to change that in an instant when he said they were invited to a party at one of his friend’s home to kick off the summer social season.
6
Brandon and Tara pulled into the large circular parking area near the rear of the property that was owned by his business associate Frazier Nelson. Frazier was a technology tycoon in the area of security software and Brandon’s realm was social networking. Brandon’s friendworld social networking platform was shaping the way people want about their daily lives. Friendworld allowed members to communicate with friends, family and associates in a way that was replacing email and texting. Friendworld allowed people to be connected in a manner that indicated how close they were to each other. People that were associated could be in the same room, house, neighborhood, city or world. Many friendworld users updated their current state and checked on the state of their associates when they got up in the morning, before they went to sleep at night and several times throughout the day. The momentum that friendworld was gaining around the world was impressive and Brandon was poised to make his worldwide push in the next year. Brandon and Nelson were friends and their products really didn’t compete with each other in the marketplace. Brandon and Tara entered the home for the party after exiting his Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe.
“Brandon, it’s good to see you again, you’ve been all over the place, it’s been a while. Who is this lovely lady with you?” Frazier asked.
“You’ve been all over the world yourself. This is my fiancée, Tara Wilson. Tara this is my good friend Frazier Nelson,” Brandon said.
“Nice to meet you Tara, congratulations, so you’re going to be the woman to make an honest man out of Brandon, again.
“Well, we’ll see about that, but I will be his wife,” Tara said with a laugh.
“Beauty and a sense of humor, what more can a man ask for?” Frazier said.
Frazier was older than Brandon at about forty five years old. A stunning woman of about twenty six years old came alongside Frazier and placed her arms into his.
“Tara this is my much better half, my wife Ashley. Ashley this is Brandon’s fiancée, Tara,” Frazier said.
“Nice to meet you Tara, come on let me show you around,” Ashley said.
“Sure,” Tara said as she followed Ashley.
“I thought I’d save you from the boring business conversation that always breaks out every time those two get together,” Ashley said.
Ashley and Tara went to an area out by the pool, sat down and requested drinks from one of the catering staff at the party. Ashley was a vibrant young woman about Ashley’s height and size. With brunette hair, a slightly darker skin tone than Tara and a bright white smile it was easy to see why Frazier was attracted to Ashley. Ashley was Frazier’s third wife.
“Wow, this is a great house. How long have you been married to Frazier?” Tara asked.
“Thank you. Frazier and I have recently celebrated our first year anniversary,” Ashley said.
“Well, congratulations. Did you get a nice present?” Tara asked.
“Absolutely, Frazier gave me this pair of diamond earrings,” Ashley said as she showed the huge stones to Tara.
“Those are so nice. I don’t want to be nosey, but how did you meet Frazier?” Tara asked.
“Well, that’s an interesting story. Frazier and his former wife were in Las Vegas dining at an exclusive restaurant and I was their server. I didn’t know who he was, but figured he was someone important by the way the restaurant manager came out and greeted him. So I took his order and waited on them for the entire meal. When I came back with the receipt and his credit card, he was alone because his wife had gone to use the bathroom. Frazier looked at me and asked for my phone number. I asked him why he wanted it. He said he could do great things for me and thought I had potential, so I gave it to him. I left and passed his wife on my way back to the kitchen. When I went back and picked up his check he had left me a one thousand dollar tip. I was just floored. Frazier called me two days later from his private jet. Three days lat
er he stopped in Las Vegas on his way back from California and I met him for lunch. Frazier said he was interested in me and I reminded him that he was married. He told me that his marriage was a minor consideration, because he was contemplating changes in his personal situation. We started seeing each other and six months later he divorced his wife and went public with me, so now here we are,” Ashley said.
“Well, my situation with Brandon was very interesting as well,” Tara said.
“I heard about that. A lot of people know about that. I’ve wanted to meet you,” Ashley said.
“Really, what all do you know?” Tara said.
“I know that you were engaged to be married to one of the salesmen in Brandon’s company when you met him and left your fiancé for him,” Ashley said.
“Oh god, I can’t get past how I got together with him. It just haunts me,” Tara said.
“I’m not one to judge. I carried on an affair with a married man, and which is worse if you think about it, at least neither you or Brandon were married. A lot of the couples at this party were with someone else when they met their current spouses. These people see what they want and go after it, if it means disposing of their current partner, they pay the price and move on. It will probably happen to me at some point,” Ashley said.
“So you don’t think you will be with Frazier for good?” Tara said.
“Tara, I was a waitress serving him and his wife dinner. He hit on me while his wife was in the bathroom because he liked what he saw. I was young, good looking and hungry for a better life. Frazier paid his wife her prenuptial settlement to get a newer model. I know the game,” Ashley said.
“How long did it take for you to get used to living the way you do now? I mean, this is way different from what I’m used to,” Tara said.