Sex Happens

by Carol Soloway

  Alex called to thank Meredith for the referral and asked why an attorney of the caliber she’d described would’ve been available on such short notice.

  “He’s in love with moi,” Meredith said.

  “Please,” Alex begged. “No time for humor.”

  “He’s fabulous, the valedictorian of our class, and I called in a marker. I’ll probably have to have sex with him for this.”

  “I’ll have sex with him too if he gets me custody of the boys.” Alex laughed through her tears.

  Meredith recounted Joshua Leventhal’s credentials and described several extremely difficult cases in which he’d prevailed.

  Alex felt a modicum of relief. There was no way Gabe could convince a judge to take her children away from her.

  ◆◆◆

  Four days later, Alex went to Leventhal’s office, and, within one hour, he’d completed the draft of the respondent’s pleading. Leventhal explained the process: They’d serve their response on Gabe and the court. Then she and Gabe would have to go to mediation; however, in Orange County, which is different from most other counties, the mediator isn’t permitted to provide any recommendations to the court. Mediation is just to give the parties an opportunity to resolve the issues.

  “Not likely,” Alex said and rushed out of Leventhal’s office to get to the October First Friday Book Club meeting.

  She thought it amazing how time had moved forward so effortlessly while she was slipping backward, losing the life she had built. She walked down the stairway to the main entrance to Waters Restaurant and then to their usual table on the patio. As she passed the ornate mahogany bar, a man in a navy blazer looked up at her. Then he quickly returned his attention to his martini. She decided she had to learn how to enter a room like Meredith, commanding everyone’s attention.

  Passing the pristine fish tank, she saw her First Friday friends already seated on the patio. Earth mother Terrie was clad in a black peasant blouse. Judi wore a beige ultraconservative suit. Meredith was seductively tailored in Chanel, and Liz wore a classic cashmere sweater with her long strand of glistening white pearls to accentuate her outfit. Alex tied the red sweater she’d draped over her shoulders.

  She pulled out the chair between Liz and Meredith and sat down with her back to the lake.

  Their food had already been delivered, and they were halfway through with their lunch.

  “I ordered Chinese chicken salad for you.” Liz pointed to the plate of salad.

  “Um, you smell good. Are you wearing Angel?” Terrie asked.

  “No,” Alex said. “Pink Sugar.”

  “Same cotton-candy smell.” Meredith grimaced. “And how does the new perfume mix with our plumber’s eau de toilette?”

  “Owner of a franchise,” Alex corrected.

  “Whatever,” Meredith said.

  This was the first time all of the members of the First Friday Book Club had assembled since Alex had received the petition from Gabe. True, she’d seen Liz every day, Meredith had found her another attorney, and Terrie had called numerous times to make sure Alex maintained her sanity. But none of them had said anything about this month’s book selection prior to today’s meeting. They had all seemed to be avoiding it, even Terrie, who usually glommed onto emotionally charged subjects. And there appeared to be some collective tension that, Alex knew, was due to the sensitive nature of this month’s novel.

  Sophie’s Choice, the story of a woman who had to decide which child—her daughter or son—would survive the Holocaust, ironically mimicked Alex’s life. She knew the women were uncomfortable about discussing the loss of a child in front of her.

  Judi wrapped her Million Dollar Red fingernails around her glass, her huge marquis ring glinting in the sun. “What’d everyone think of Sophie’s Choice?”

  No one spoke.

  Finally, Alex asked, “Who picked this depressing book, and why this month?”

  “You know we select the books at the beginning of the year.” Terrie looked at Alex apologetically.

  Alex burst into tears. “I couldn’t finish it. I’m living it.”

  “No one could’ve predicted there’d be custody issues,” Judi said. “I, for one, couldn’t have added another book to my busy schedule.”

  “If you really were my friends, then substituting a book wouldn’t have been an issue,” Alex said.

  “We are your friends,” Judi snapped.

  Alex knew Judi was right. After Gabe had left, the other physicians’ wives had shunned her. Gabe had consistently sent numerous referrals from his cardiac practice to other physicians at the hospital, but Alex had nothing to offer them. Her small chiropractic partnership could never provide the lucrative referral base Gabe’s busy cardiac practice offered.

  Judi seemed uncomfortable whenever Alex talked about Gabe. Hospital gossip, after all, was supposed to stay within the hospital walls. From the moment Alex had told the First Friday women about Gabe leaving, Judi had stopped talking about the hospital. Alex also suspected Judi had probably known about Gabe’s affair for a long time, even before he’d told her.

  “Let’s talk about the book and get it over with,” Liz said, once again trying to protect her friend.

  Alex looked at the women and realized how much she appreciated each and every one of them. “I’m so sorry. You’re more than friends. You’re my family, and I appreciate and love you all.”

  Terrie got up, walked around the table, and put her arms around Alex.

  Liz reached over and rubbed Alex’s back. “I could never make a decision like Sophie and choose whether my son or daughter would live. It’s inhumane.”

  “I can’t relate to that, but if my little Paws were taken,” Meredith said, referring to her Siamese, “I’d go absolutely crazy.”

  “This is ripping my heart out.” Alex fought back tears.

  “You’ll be fine,” Meredith said, softening. “I’ve been talking to Josh Leventhal, your new attorney, and we’ve got some ideas.”

  “Now I wish I had listened to Dorset, the first attorney, when he told me Gabe might try to take the boys. But I couldn’t believe it would ever become a possibility.”

  “Actually, the agreement states that the children don’t have the right to choose where they want to live until they reach the age of thirteen; therefore, technically, only Eric, since he’s thirteen, could have chosen.” Meredith pursed her lips. “However, the pleading presents the issue of change of custody for all the boys.”

  “I know,” Alex agreed. “But I can’t separate the boys. That would be worse than losing them, because they’d lose each other.”

  “That’s the true test of a mother’s love,” Terrie said.

  “Was there any question?” Alex asked.

  “Are you really going to fight Gabe?” Judi asked. Then she apparently caught herself. “I mean, he—”

  “Wouldn’t you fight if your husband left and tried to take your children?” Alex asked.

  Judi looked away. “I just mean Gabe has so much money to spend.”

  “Wait a minute,” Liz said. “Judi, how do you know how much Gabe has to spend?”

  Judi picked up her purse. “Linda, his fiancée, is—”

  “Fiancée?” Alex screamed.

  “If you don’t stay calm, you’ll definitely lose in court.” Meredith said. “Judi, tell us what you know.”

  “Linda came into this incredible wealth. Some bachelor uncle left her and her sister tons of money.” Judi tapped her glass with her shiny red nails.

  “How do you know?” Alex asked.

  “Nothing stays a secret in the hospital,” Judi said. “Anyway, Linda and her family had no idea their uncle had so much money. I mean, he was a mailman. He invested very wisely, and since he had no children of his own, he left all his money to Linda and her sister. Linda’s former husband, who, as Alex
knows, is also on staff at Brea Presbyterian Hospital, is pissed because he still has to pay her alimony and child support.”

  “Alex, make sure your attorney is advised of that,” Meredith said.

  The waitress put the leatherette folder on the table.

  “This has been fascinating, as usual,” Judi said, dropping a twenty into the folder. “I gotta get to the wedding planner. My daughter’s meeting me there in fifteen minutes.”

  “I can’t believe your daughter’s getting married,” Liz said. “I remember her bat mitzvah. It seems like only yesterday.”

  “Gotta go,” Judi said. “You should all be getting your invitations soon.”

  After Judi left, Meredith turned to Alex. “You’d better get rid of your boy toy.”

  “Why?” Alex asked.

  Meredith stopped applying her lipstick and held the Pink Icing tube in the air. “A black plumber might have deleterious effects on your case, now that it’s a custody case.”

  “No one judges anyone by color anymore, and he’s bi-racial,” Terrie said.

  “Any opposing attorney would jump on it. Come on, a plumber compared to a doctor.” Meredith laughed.

  “Maybe Meredith is right.” Liz put her arm around Alex. “What’s the attraction?”

  “Sex is great,” Alex said.

  “I got that loud and clear,” Liz said. “But once or twice, then get over it.”

  “I don’t agree,” Terrie said. “Women need the validation that only comes from a man, and besides, good sex is …”

  “Great sex.” Alex flushed.

  “Get a vibrator,” Meredith retorted.

  “When I’m with Luke, I relax.”

  “Drink wine while you’re vibrating,” Liz said.

  “Actually,” Alex said, “I invited him over for dinner this Saturday.”

  Meredith winced. “Not with the boys. They’ll tell Gabe, and it doesn’t matter how nice he is to the boys, Gabe’s attorney will twist everything and have you married to a plumber who’s using you for your money.”

  “The boys kept asking about the guy who calls. I don’t want them to think I’m hiding anything from them.” Alex rubbed her wrist, recalling the secrets her parents had kept from her. She knew how a child’s imagination could distort reality.

  “That’s important,” Terrie agreed. “Children need to feel included.”

  “Terr, give me a break. Alex can’t chance it.” Meredith pushed her half-eaten salad away, put money in the leatherette folder, and gave everyone an exaggerated air kiss as she rushed off.

  Alex looked at Terrie and Liz. “Do you think I should get rid of him, like Meredith said? Or would it be better to let them meet him?” She burst into tears. “I can’t lose the boys over this—or anything”

  “How do you think they’ll react to Luke?” Liz asked.

  “I know Daniel and Jon’ll be fine, but Eric …” Alex shook her head. “He’s so Gabe.”

  “Then I say you should cancel,” Liz said.

  “And I say you need to let them meet him,” Terrie said.

  CHAPTER 20

  After Eric’s football game on Saturday afternoon, Alex opened the back door of her Land Cruiser for Jon to climb into his car seat. She fastened his seat belt.

  “I get the front,” Eric shouted, annoyed after losing.

  “No, it’s my turn,” Daniel retorted.

  “Pick a number.” Alex took out a pen and paper. They waited for her to write down a number. Daniel guessed the correct number, seven, on the second try. She opened the front passenger door for him. If only all arguments could be settled this easily, she thought.

  Alex got behind the wheel, fumbled with the keys, and turned on the ignition. “Um, I invited one of my tennis partners over for dinner tonight.” She looked in the rearview mirror, checking for Eric’s reaction. Her palms started to sweat.

  “Bet it’s that Luke guy who keeps calling.” Eric smirked.

  “As a matter of fact, it is,” she replied.

  “I knew it,” Eric said.

  “Can I go too?” Jon asked.

  “Duh, Doofus, she’s invited him to our house.” Eric punched Jon’s arm. “But Mom, I want to play my new computer game, and I’ve got homework.”

  “You never worry about your homework,” Daniel, the family peacemaker, said and turned to look at Eric in the backseat.

  “As soon as we get home, you guys take a shower and get ready.” Alex quickly turned back, checking Eric’s expression.

  “Do I have to?” Eric asked.

  “It’ll be fun,” Alex said. “He’s nice.”

  As soon as they got home, she and Jon prepared the chicken while the older boys showered. Then she went to the garage for the fifth chair, Gabe’s chair, the one she’d removed from the family table. She lugged it back into the kitchen, placed it at the head of the table, and surveyed the room. Now the room looked so right.

  When the doorbell rang, the boys, clad in jeans and polo shirts, ran downstairs.

  Before opening the front door, Alex said, “I want you on your best behavior.”

  “I always do behaving good.” Jon looked up at her, his big brown eyes warming her.

  “I know, Cookie Face.” She leaned down to kiss him and then opened the door.

  Luke handed Alex a tiny bouquet. “Hey, guys,” he said and smiled at the boys.

  She reached for the bouquet of daisies and baby’s breath. “Thanks,” she said, pleased to have the boys see that she was worthy of flowers. These flowers were not a mistake like those Gabe had forgotten to cancel the day he’d announced his plans to leave her.

  Alex smiled approvingly at Luke. His short-sleeved white polo shirt cut into his powerful biceps, his perfectly fitted jeans were neatly ironed, and his cordovan loafers gleamed.

  “Wow,” Jon said and clapped his hands. “It’s Roosevelt Franklin in our house.”

  “What are you talking about?” Eric asked Jon.

  “Are you Roosevelt Franklin?” Jon put his hands on his hips and looked up at Luke.

  “Who’s that, buddy?” Luke patted Jon’s head.

  “No, he’s not,” Alex said, worried that she’d made a mistake by inviting Luke and nervous that Jon might insult him.

  “You’re Roosevelt,” Jon insisted. “Right?”

  “Doofus.” Eric scowled. “Roosevelt Franklin is a Muppet on Sesame Street. He’s not real.”

  “Mommy, why’s Eric teasing me?” Jon pointed to Luke. “Look at him.”

  Daniel put out his hand and said, “Nice to meet you.” Then he turned to his brother. “Jon, come upstairs to get Teddy to introduce him to Mr. Luke.”

  “No.” Jon stared at Luke. “I wanna stay here.”

  “Cookie Face, come to the kitchen and help me for a minute.” Alex took Jon’s hand, hoping Luke wasn’t upset by Jon’s assumption that he was a black Muppet from Sesame Street.

  “I hear you guys play tennis,” Luke said to Eric and Daniel.

  “Can we play now?” Jon dropped Alex’s hand and turned back to his brothers and Luke.

  “If your mother lets you,” Luke said.

  “Sure, but where?” Alex asked.

  “Come on outside while your mom finishes making dinner,” Luke said. “I’ll show you boys how to make a tennis court right here.”

  “I’m not going with … um …” Eric said.

  Alex looked at Eric, cautioning him not to be rude.

  “I’ll get our racquets,” Daniel said.

  Reluctantly, Eric agreed. “I’ll play for a few minutes.”

  While Daniel went to open the garage and got the racquets, Luke took Jon with him to his truck for his racquet and then to the garage to get supplies for the makeshift tennis court.

  Fifteen minutes later, Alex went outside to watch.
Luke had improvised a tennis court on the cul-de-sac in front of the house. Three folding chairs comprised the net, chalk lines marked the borders, and a Coleman lantern lit the makeshift court. Eric and Daniel were on one side of the “net,” Luke and Jon on the other. She watched for several minutes, convinced that it was good to have invited him. Maybe now Eric wouldn’t get as annoyed when he answered the phone, and it was Luke.

  “Mommy, I’m winning,” Jon said, holding his racquet up in the air.

  “He’s cheating,” Eric said.

  “Dinner’s ready,” Alex called.

  While Luke folded the chairs, the boys picked up the tennis balls and went into the house for dinner. They gathered around the kitchen table and took out their usual seats.

  Luke started to pull out the remaining chair at the head of the table.

  “No.” Jon jumped up. “That’s my daddy’s chair.”

  “Dad’s not coming back.” Eric shook his head and whispered under his breath, “I wish my dad were here instead of …”

  “I want Daddy,” Jon cried.

  “Boys, be polite.” Alex put her hand on Jon’s arm, reminding him to remain in his seat.

  “Oh, they’re fine.” Luke winked.

  “Sorry,” Alex said and went to the oven to take out the chicken.

  Luke followed.

  “Don’t worry,” he said and smiled. “I know how to read people, and your boys are doing great, under the circumstances.”

  “Thanks.” She almost kissed him but turned and saw the boys watching them.

  Luke carried the chicken platter to the table.

  Jon turned to Luke. “Will you read me a people story?”

  “What are you talking about?” Eric asked.

  Jon scrunched his lips. “I heard him say he ‘reads people,’ and I wanna hear him read a story.”

  Alex laughed and placed a chicken leg, a stalk of broccoli, and a scoop of rice onto Jon’s plate. “Luke means he understands people.” She stretched out her hand for Eric’s plate, then Daniel’s.

  “I still don’t get how he reads people.” Eric smirked.