The seven-year old, blue-eyed, blonde girly-girl loved to wear pretty dresses no matter what time of the year. Her birth mother was only fifteen when she brought Kacie into the world. The young woman had enough common sense to realize that she would never be able to care for her. Holly’s parents agreed long before they were married that their future family would have a paternal-to-adopted ratio. After Holly was born, her parents looked into a few adoption agencies but never fully made a commitment until twenty-one years later when they adopted Kacie at two-months old. Sadly, she was only a toddler when Darlene passed away, too young to keep any real memories of her beautiful and remarkable adoptive mother.
So far, Tim had managed to keep Kacie grounded throughout her young life. Thanks to his recent marriage to Gale Richmond, she had the stable mother figure she so deserved. Regrettably, when Holly took over her mother’s company, she had little time to spend with Kacie. The kid was growing up quicker than she could have possibly imagined.
“Oh—I thought of a new joke today,” Tim said, taking a swig of his white wine. “What kind of suits do lawyers wear?”
Everyone looked around at each other until Gale finally prompted, “I don’t know, honey. Tell us.”
“Law suits.”
Groans and eye-rolls erupted. Holly stifled a chuckle, though mentally, she was somewhere else that evening. She picked at her chicken Marsala, unable to stop thinking about the new deal she’d made with Dr. Cat Adams.
“Holly, you’ve been unusually quiet. Is everything okay?” Gale asked.
Gale Richmond had come into Quality not Quantity, two years ago. Unfortunately, she couldn’t afford the services, but Holly had a brilliant idea: Her father, recently widowed, was looking for such a woman, whether he knew it or not. She had shoulder-length, wavy brown hair, hazel eyes and a distinct scar on her left temple, a reminder of an unfortunate lunch pail-throwing incident during her kindergarten year. She was an intelligent woman and worked at an advertising company. She’d never been married; in other words, she was not damaged goods. Tim hardly dated after Darlene died, but Holly could see that her beloved father was lonely and in need of companionship. After some major coaxing, Tim agreed to meet Gale casually for a late lunch. The two ended up hitting it off, and a year after their first date, they marched down the aisle.
Holly looked up from her barely touched meal. “Well, Dr. Cat Adams came by the office this afternoon.”
A blank expression washed over Gale’s face and she looked at Tim for an explanation.
“Cat was a very close friend to Darlene,” Tim explained. “They did business together at the company.”
Holly did a quick once-over on her father. He was still handsome, even with his paunchy stomach and thinning dark hair. At one time, Tim had been thin and fit, but after his wife’s death, fast food became a source of comfort; thanks to McTherapy, he’d gained thirty pounds. Gale made it her priority to whip him back into shape by cooking healthy meals and taking long walks with him after dinner.
“She had an interesting proposal for me today,” Holly said. She then went on to explain the odd encounter and Cat’s generous offer.
“That much money? Holly, it’s a gift from heaven. You’re going to do it, aren’t you?” Geraldine asked. “I mean, how could you possibly pass up that kind of dough?”
“Even though I’m dreading what’s to come, yes, I’m going through with it.”
Gale smiled at Holly amiably. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet someone.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that? That’s not why I’m doing this. It’s just to boost my bank account, not my love life.”
“Holly believes dating websites mess with fate,” Tim mentioned as he took another helping of creamed spinach.
Gale immediately grabbed the plate away from him. “Honey, I think you’ve had enough.”
“Does anyone at this table even care to know what kind of people these dating websites attract? Losers and lowlifes, that’s who,” Holly said.
Kacie tugged on Holly’s blouse. “What’s a dating website?” she asked, her blue eyes large with curiosity.
“Nothing you ever need to know about, sweetie.” Holly gave her sister a small pat on the back. “When you get older, you’ll meet men the right way. You’ll have to beat them off with a stick.”
“We know you’re still hurting from your break up with Matthew, and it’s going to take some time, but in the meantime, you need to get back out there and live a little,” Gale said as she began to clear dishes from the table in an effort to stop Tim from eating all the leftovers.
Kacie’s smile suddenly turned into a frown. “You broke up with Matthew? Awe! He was so nice.”
“Nice? She was with him over four years and he never bothered to put a ring on that finger. I would have dumped the creep years ago.” Geraldine pointed a fork at her youngest granddaughter. “Kacie, whatever you do, don’t follow in your sister’s footsteps.”
“Grandma!” Holly said, offended by her curt tone.
Geraldine had some very strict and old-fashioned values, primarily because she’d had the rare luxury of a solid, loving marriage to Grandpa Dennis that lasted over forty-five years. In fact, he was the reason she’d started Quality not Quantity over fifty-five years ago: She wanted to help people find true love so they could be as happy as she was back then.
Ten years ago, on a Sunday morning, Geraldine woke up to find her beloved husband as still as a statue beside her. He’d suddenly and tragically passed away in his sleep. He was only seventy-years old. The loss hit Holly’s grandmother so hard that she ended up having to live permanently with her daughter, and son-in-law.
“Holly, you’re a matchmaker. You should know these things. What was one of the core truths at the club when your mother was running it?”
Kacie was tired of all the grownup talk about dating and icky boy-girl things. She got distracted by the family cat and teased it playfully under the table with a scrap of chicken.
Geraldine slapped her hand down on the table, rattling the plates and glasses like the bones of a skeleton. “Kacie! Pay attention.”
“Geraldine, she’s only seven,” Gale said, bringing the old woman to her senses. “She still thinks boys have cooties and we like it that way.”
“Better now than when it’s too late,” Geraldine replied. “I want Holly to teach her sister good values. Now, Holly, kindly recite your mother’s core truth.”
Holly sighed heavily and looked at her grandmother’s face with an air of wistful remembrance of her failed relationship with Matthew. “If he doesn’t seal the deal within a year, he’ll be indecisive forever—blah, blah, blah.”
“Very good. Maybe if you had listened to that advice years ago, you could have saved yourself from a lot of grief,” Geraldine said.
“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Gale cut in. “You’ll meet someone else.”
“Just do the doctor’s experiment and focus on yourself for once,” her father suggested.
“Oh, Holly, that reminds me.” Geraldine clapped her hands together in sudden delight. “I just signed up for that Facebook thingamajig.”
“Huh? Grandmother, you’re online…with a Facebook page?”
“My friend Jenny has one. Can I get one too?” Kacie begged her father.
“Oh, no way. We’ve been over this several times.” Tim shook his head adamantly. “There’s no point for little girls to be on a social networking site—or really on the Internet at all. There are too many creepers and psychos out there.”
“But everyone I know has one, Daddy,” Kacie whined.
“No, young lady. When you’re eighteen you can do whatever you want, but until then, we get to decide,” Gale said, firmly. “I wish you hadn’t brought this up, Geraldine. We go through this every time she hears the word, Facebook.”
“I stay away from that stuff,” Holly said.
Kacie crossed her arms and replied with a pout, “It’s not fair!” Then she stuck her bottom lip o
ut so far a pigeon could have landed on it.
“Sorry,” Geraldine said. “I didn’t realize it would cause a problem. But really, this matter is between your eldest daughter and me.” She turned back to Holly, ignoring Gale’s gripe. “Maybe you could help me?”
“I can try.”
Tim got up from the table. “With all due respect, Geraldine, why would a woman your age need a Facebook page?”
“To reconnect with old friends, of course,” Geraldine said. “Hold on. Let me go get my laptop.”
“She has a laptop now?” Holly asked her father in disbelief.
Tim just shrugged.
Geraldine came back to the table, booted up her laptop, and logged right into Facebook. When Kacie saw it, she tiptoed over to her grandmother to catch a peek at the computer screen.
“Uh-uh! I don’t think so. You get ready for bed, missy,” Tim said from the kitchen. “This instant!”
In a huff, Kacie stomped away from the table, crossing her little arms. “I never get to see any of the cool stuff.”
Once the child was out of sight, Geraldine said, “Okay. Show me how to use this thing.”
Holly took a seat next to her grandmother. “Well, you can search for anyone by name in the search box up here. I don’t know if Madelyn has a Facebook page, but we can try and look her up, just as an example.” Holly typed in Madelyn’s full name and her profile appeared instantly. After clicking on her picture, Holly could only stare at the screen in disbelief. “Oh my God!”
“What’s the matter?” Geraldine asked. “Oh look! It’s your friend standing with that one woman from the television show, Nanny to the Rescue.”
In the picture, Madelyn looked chummy and was all smiles as she stood next to reality star Janis Coleman from, Nanny to the Rescue, but that wasn’t what had Holly so shocked and upset. What had her boiling inside was the fact that Madelyn was wearing her $2,000 dollar, baby-blue, Chanel dress. “That’s it! That bitch is going to die!”
“Oooooh. Holly said a bad word. Maybe you should send her to bed too!” Kacie yelled from the hallway in a bratty tone.
“Huh?” Geraldine asked, wrinkling her brow in confusion.
“Never mind, Grandma. I’ve just got to go lay down the law with someone.” Holly kissed her on the cheek. “Please tell Gale and Dad I said goodbye.”
***
“Madelyn, are you home? We need to talk!” Holly called out as she walked in the door of her apartment.
She strode into the kitchen and nearly had a fit. Dirty dishes were piled in the stainless steel sink like The Leaning Tower of Pisa, with some of her best china wobbling precariously at the top. Leftover plates of food sat on the counter beneath a canopy of buzzing, hungry fruit flies as they waited for the precise moment to land on a brown fleshy banana peel. Two frying pans, laden with a thick coating of grease, rested on the stove.
Madelyn was leaning against the cupboards, dressed in holy sweats, eating a bowl of rice and beans. She was completely immersed in the latest rag mag. When Holly approached, she looked up and smiled. “Hey girl! What’s up? I had the longest day. Muhammad––”
Holly cut her off before she could finish. “Did Muhammad happen to buy you a Chanel dress identical to mine, because I just so happened to look up your profile on Facebook tonight and interestingly enough, you were wearing my brand new dress!”
“Oh that.” Madelyn cringed in embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, girl. This morning before I left, my co-worker called and told me the woman from Nanny to the Rescue would be stopping by our office this morning. I had nothing to wear, and I panicked. I was going to ask you if it was okay, but it was so last minute that I didn’t have a chance.”
“You have no right to go through my things, or wear my clothes without permission. It’s an invasion of privacy!”
“I promise it won’t happen again.” Madelyn put her hand over her heart. “I know it was wrong I-I...”
“And another thing. I don’t know how you’re used to living, but I don’t intend to live in a pigsty. If you’re going to stay here, I expect you to clean up after yourself and your kids.” Holly pointed to the sink. “This…this is absolutely unacceptable. I’m sorry, but I can’t take this anymore.” She looked around the kitchen and took notice that the microwave, toaster, blender and a few other kitchen appliances were all unplugged. “Why the hell is everything unplugged?”
“I don’t want you to get cancer from the radioactive waves, girl.”
“What? Okay, that’s it. You have two weeks to find a place, Madelyn. We weren’t meant to be roommates for a reason.”
Seeking solace, Holly headed to her bedroom. She needed to vent and the only person she could think to call was Todd. As soon as he picked up, she immediately went into a tirade, practically screaming in his ear. “Then, she has the gall to wear my clothes without permission! Can you believe that? I haven’t even worn that dress yet and she’s strutting around in it? She doesn’t clean up after herself, her kids are monsters, and I—I just don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
“So kick her ass out,” Todd said. “Problem solved.”
“You know I can’t do that. I told her two weeks, but I’m not sure I can stick to that. I guess I’m just a softie.”
“Why is it you can stand your ground with clients but not with the people you are close to?”
“I yelled at her and gave her an ultimatum. Doesn’t that count for something?” she asked as she plopped down on her bed, feeling defeated.
“Right. Two weeks will turn into two months, two months into two years, and before you know it, you two will be fighting over who gets to use the orthopedic shoes,” he joked. “You’ve gotta grow a pair, girl…well, not literally, but you know what I mean.”
“Yeah, right. She’s not going to be here that long. Over my dead body.”
“She will if you don’t stop being such a pushover. When you’ve got a pest in your house, honey, you’ve got no choice but to call the exterminator or get rid of it yourself.”
***
With everything set for the BIO mixer, Emma and Chris had nothing left to do but tend to a few minor details. They had the perfect venue: the rooftop of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. It met Holly’s approval with its Tropicana poolside and bar—a desirable location for mixing and mingling in a must-see, historic hotspot. Just across the way was the Dolby Theater and Mann's Chinese Cinema. The entire patio would be for their private use only.
The thatched-leaf umbrella tables were elegantly set up with candles, fresh flowers, and light appetizers. Chris had gotten there early that morning, like he did before every mixer, to make sure everything was going according to plan.
Emma checked in all thirty male recruits at the entrance at one thirty. It came as no surprise that half of those invited had backed out at the last minute, but there was still a broad selection of every ethnicity, age, and body type. The men obligingly struck up conversation with other recruits as they waited for the festivities to begin.
Holly arrived about a half-hour later, wearing a black cocktail dress that revealed more cleavage than she was used to. The bodice was form fitting and tight enough that she had just enough room to breathe.
She put her hand over her mouth, mesmerized by the herd of attractive eligible bachelors who were wandering the patio while sipping on drinks and munching on gourmet appetizers.
“We did an amazing job. These guys are hot,” Holly said.
“I’m thinking Jackie and Sabrina will be impressed,” Emma said.
“Yeah, let’s hope.” Holly politely left the two of them and went to say hello to the crowd of awaiting men who lit up like fireworks when she approached.
“Hey, Darren. I’m glad you could make it,” she said. “Chad you look really handsome. Jackie is just gonna love you.” She made her way around the patio from man to man, making chitchat and giving compliments where they were warranted.
Finally, Emma tapped on Holly’s shoulder and whispe
red in her ear, “Sabrina and Jackie are waiting in the back.”
“Okay guys! Listen up and gather around,” Holly announced.
Everyone became very quiet and drew closer to Holly.
“I just have a few rules before we get started. First, I don’t want any of you making drunken jackasses out of yourselves, so keep the drinking to a minimum. Second, I know this might be a little nerve-wracking, but don’t be too uptight. Mix, mingle, and have fun. Just be your wonderful selves. Any questions, gentleman?”
No one spoke up or raised his hand.
“Good. In that case, let me go fetch our guests of honor. I’ll be right back.”
Chris and Emma were waiting in the hallway with Jackie and Sabrina. Jackie was dressed to perfection in a white wrap dress that showed off her size two frame. Sabrina, on the other hand, was a walking disaster in a lacy, sleeveless black dress that barely covered her crotch and left her breasts practically popping out all over the place. She’d slathered on far too much makeup: mascara, rouge, and hooker-red heavy lipstick. Her dark eyes were studded with false eyelashes.
“Sabrina,” Holly said, almost at a loss for words, “you are dressed so inappropriately for tonight. This is a classy mixer, not a strip club.” She turned to Jackie. “You, on the other hand, look adorable.”
Jackie blushed the color of the inside of a pink shell. “Thanks,” she said.
Sabrina snorted. “I see nothing wrong with the way I’m dressed. I’m just expressing myself. This is me, take it or leave it.”
“I’m thinking leave it is the option most will go with. If you attract any attention looking like that, it’s going to be the wrong kind,” Holly explained as politely as she could. “This is your mixer, honey. The way you choose to behave will make or break you.”
“I won’t have any problem. All these men are going to be begging for my attention. By the end of the night, I’ll have more numbers than Little Miss Prim-and-Proper here. Wait and see.”
“Excuse me?” Jackie retorted.
“Maybe you should put a sweater on or something,” Emma suggested, worried about what some of the men might think of her bringing out a woman dressed in almost nothing.
The Experiment Page 9