North Star

by Angeline M. Bishop

  He regretted that he couldn’t bring himself to visit her in the hospital, but he’d had a chance with Yvette years ago, and he let his lust for partying get in their way during college. Yvette enjoyed parties, but not the kind that rocked until three in the morning, so she’d ended their brief courtship. Instead of changing his ways and getting her back, he wasted more time trying to replace her with other women.

  Rick returned to the present when his partner whispered into his earpiece that Keith had been spotted near the pool area. “Hang back, I want to see what he’s up to. I’ll be right there,” he whispered as he moved quickly toward the stairs.

  The ascent was slow.

  Rick advanced up into the rafters over the pool area and moved slowly toward the scoreboard. He’d always envied the announcers having the best seats at pool events, and a quick look at the cushy leather chairs and the multi-camera monitors confirmed his beliefs. Pool lights beneath the water dimly lit the surrounding walls and ceiling and made it difficult to assess what Keith was doing near the filtration system. Rick observed one of the Mason security guards wheeling two large containers toward Keith.

  As he spoke to the guard and pressed an envelope into his hand, Rick called for his team to enter the pool area from the four exits as he flooded the area with light. When Rick located one of the wireless microphones at the announcer’s booth, he whispered, “Testing. One-two-three. Testing. You can hear me. Good.” Rick strode toward the railing and peered down at Keith and the guard. “I’m sorry about the whispering, but there’s a party going on tonight, and I really don’t want to cause a scene. Anyway, you and your friend are surrounded. If you have any weapons, Keith, now is the time to place them on the ground slowly and walk away from the canisters.”

  Keith glanced at the officers advancing around him and hurried toward the stands.

  “If you continue another step, I’ll be force to shoot you. And from this angle, I’ll have no problem putting a bullet between your eyes.”

  Keith stopped as officers rushed to force him down.

  Rick placed the microphone back in the booth and quickly headed toward the poolside entrance. When he reached the containers, he discovered some contained large amounts of nitric acid and others contained various copper pieces. When mixed with chlorine water, they would produce the highly toxic, nitrogen dioxide. Which could flow throughout the center’s air vents and end the celebration in the auditorium on the other side of the pool’s adjoining wall. Such a poisonous way to close the center.

  “Everyone, take your seats. We have a wonderful evening planned for this year’s Mason Ball,” Mr. Mason announced from a spotlight on the stage. “This night is dedicated to my daughter, Yvette Mavi Mason, who is recovering in the hospital, and the wonderful staff of the Mason Community Center. You’re here tonight because you care about quality programs and childcare for the children of our community. And I commend you for your support.”

  The crowd roared with applauds and cheers.

  “Tonight we have a treat, provided by students of our Latin movement class. If any of you enjoy watching Dancing With the Stars on TV, I’m sure you’ll understand the work it took for Ms. Aldana to create an intricate dance number that captures the favor of the Samba, cha-cha, and meringue, and emerges it with the moves influenced by Hip-Hip and Reggaton.

  “Please join me in welcoming—” Mr. Mason was interrupted by his lovely wife from behind the curtain. “Oh, I’ve been told one of our lead dancers hasn’t arrived, so Ms. Aldana will be filling in with our college students. So, without further ado, please welcome Ms. Aldana and our gifted Mason students.”

  The houselights dropped as the curtains parted. On the colorful stage, resembling a street corner in the heart of the barrio, stood the students in various stances. As the music began, they paired up, and danced the difference Latin dances with energy and precision, to the amazement of the crowd.

  Caresse led a group of five dancers to the stage and helped the students transition into a Reggaton-influenced salsa with enough heat and fun to bring the crowd to their feet. She had changed into a shocking yellow, hip-hugging, leg-exposing dress that barely covered her body.

  Graham watched as Caresse shook her hips and tossed her hair to the rhythm of the music. And when a young man grabbed her body and twirled her around the stage, in time with the other dancers, he felt a familiar envy tighten his jaw.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I would say you wanted to rip the arms off that young man dancing with Caresse,” Janet whispered as she wrapped her arms around her brother’s bicep.

  “That obvious, huh?”

  “Yeah. What’s bugging you?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t nothing me. You’re falling for her, and you don’t know what to do about it.”

  “Not now, Jan. You promised not to overanalyze everything this evening.”

  “Okay, but you started it.”

  “I started it?”

  “Yeah, storming out, pulling Caresse behind you, then you return in a foul mood, looking like you want to eat that college student for dinner. What gives? Did you two have a fight?”

  “No?”

  “Are you mad she’s up there shaking her thang?”

  “No, Jan!”

  Roland pushed between the two of them. “Leave the man alone. Can’t you see love is working a number on him? And if you asked me, it’s about time.”

  “No one asked you, Ro. Zip it and watch the show,” Graham stated as he made his way through the crowd to the side of the stage.

  He enjoyed watching Caresse move, but the captivated expressions of the men around him made him wish he could throw his tuxedo jacket over her shoulders and take her home. It was a barbaric feeling, but any movements of her hips caused a reaction in him that was hard to contain, and from the looks of a few young men, she was casting a spell over them, too. He had to let them know she was his.

  The performance ended and Graham took a single red rose from a nearby vase and approached the stage. As Caresse bowed, he extended the rose, and she accepted it. With a smile, she kneeled to kiss and hug him in appreciation. As she rose to wave a final farewell with her students, other young men began to flood the floor, holding single roses from the displays, too. Graham frowned, and motioned Caresse to the stage’s edge again to gather her into his arms.

  As he carried Caresse toward the auditorium exit, she giggled as Mr. Mason announced, “Sorry, fellas, she’s been claimed by Mr. Sheridan. Now please put the roses back in the floral arrangements before your gesture makes my wife mad.”

  As Graham lowered Caresse back to her feet in the lobby, Rick ran into them while escorting Keith from the center.

  “What’s going on?” Caresse asked, shooting her ex-husband a nervous glance. “Keith?”

  “It’s all a misunderstanding. They have nothing on me,” Keith reassured her as Rick pushed him into another officer’s arms.

  “Lying to her won’t help your case.” Rick faced Caresse. “Your ex-husband is responsible for Yvette’s accident. We have the enough evidence and confessions from his accomplices to put him away for attempted murder.”

  “Keith, what is he talking about?” She spun to face her ex. “You didn’t like Yvette, but you would never hurt her.”

  “I wasn’t near this place the night of the accident.”

  “But you paid others large sums of money to cause the accident that nearly caused her death,” Rick interjected.

  “Keith, how could you?” Tears pricking the back of her eyes, Caresse studied her ex-husband’s face, seeing the truth in his.

  “She was supposed to close the center, not get hurt!” Keith yelled. “This damn Ball shouldn’t be held again!”

  “You hurt Yvette?” Caresse cried. “Our children attend classes here, Keith. What if one of them got injured or killed?”

  “Our daughters were out of town. Besides, what do you care? You were too busy dating Mr. Psyche magazine here. Infinity knew money
was the only way to get my job done.”

  “Infinity? What does my sister have to do with this?” Rick’s voice rose.

  “Where did you think I got the money from, Mister Officer? I may have some resources, but not like your family. And the chemicals you took from me tonight, I’m sure you’ll find Infinity’s signature on the release forms.”

  “Infinity would never!”

  “She would, and she did. She knew what it’s like to love someone who stopped loving you. She told me once the center closed, you would spend more time at home with our kids. And her ex-fiancé here would return to her because he never saw himself as a family man. He never wanted children underfoot, only a beautiful woman on his arm, and in his bed.”

  “Enough!” Rick shouted, red-faced. “Get him into the car. And someone find my sister. Now!”

  The officers escorted Keith out of the building. Rick touched Caresse’s shoulder. The look of deception was etched so deeply on her face that it halted him momentarily. He shook his head, then followed his men out of the building to take Keith and his accomplice to the station.

  “He’s lying, Caresse!” Graham spoke in a low voice.

  “I don’t think so, Graham.” She turned a hardened face toward him. “I have to change now. You should join your family inside.”

  Chest tight, Graham watched as a stunned Caresse walked down the hallway alone.

  Graham waited impatiently outside the dressing rooms backstage. When one of the dancers exited, he approached. “Is Ms. Aldana still in there?”

  “Yes, but I’m afraid she isn’t feeling very well. She’s still in the restroom. I was going to get Mrs. Mason.”

  “That’s all right. I’ll see if there’s anything she needs.”

  Graham knocked on the door.

  “Mama Mason?”

  He heard the hope in Caresse’s voice. “No, Caresse, it’s me. Come out, so I can talk to you.”

  “Why? I should have guessed by your shocked expression the other night when you learned I have children that that was the real you.”

  “Wrong? I love children and always will. Rick’s sister, Infinity, was my fiancée a year ago. She never saw the point in us having children and convinced herself that I felt the same. I love children, Caresse. I can’t image my life without thinking about being a father one day.”

  Caresse peered from behind the door.

  Hope urged Graham on. “I’m telling the truth. The reason I broke off my engagement with Infinity had nothing to do with children. Although, she would like everyone to think that was the reason. The fact of the matter is she got jealous of my magazine and almost caused me to lose it by leaking issue concepts and interviews to our competitors. It was her deception that led me to fire many of my top people, only to discover she was behind the leaks all along.”

  “So you’ve always known Rick?”

  “Yes. The only reason I didn’t tell you was because I consider Infinity a part of my past, and I didn’t want her to color our time together. Do you forgive me?”

  There was a pensive shimmer in her eyes as she stirred uneasily from the doorway. “I forgive you. As you can see, I have a part of my past I’ll be trying to forget about, too. I still don’t know how I’m going to explain Yvette’s accident and Keith’s arrest to my daughters.”

  “Don’t worry about that tonight. Let’s try to enjoy the rest of the evening.”

  Graham and Caresse spent most of the night dancing, talking, and flirting with each other, much to of the delight of his family and employees. They had never witnessed Graham so enraptured with anyone, and from the look in Caresse’s eyes, she was glad they approved.

  Mr. Mason and his wife, Sadie, took the stage, beaming wildly. “We are happy to announce that we’ve raised seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”

  Cheers ricocheted around the room, and Graham hugged Caresse tight to his side.

  “Thank you all. In addition, we’d like to thank the volunteers who have put in over five hundred hours at this year’s fundraiser.”

  More cheers.

  Mr. Mason held up his hand, and the crowd silenced. “We owe it in part to the Psyche staff for promoting the center and the Mason Ball. Mr. Sheridan, could you step up here, please?”

  After much prodding, Graham took the stage with Caresse by his side.

  “I really can’t take any the credit for this,” he began. “I wouldn’t be up here if it wasn’t for a certain volunteer who inspired me to feature an article on the Mason Community Center.” He glanced at Caresse and grabbed her hand tight. “Ms. Aldana works closely with Yvette Mason to ensure the youth of our town have a place to develop their talents and reach their goals. And I think we should thank her for taking the time to give me and my Psyche team an in-depth view of the center. Without which we never could have captured the mission of the Mason Center.”

  Graham kissed Caresse’s hand, then started clapping in her direction. The audience soon followed.

  Caresse waved and blushed as Mr. and Mrs. Mason moved forward and gave her a warm hug.

  “Thank you for making other Mason Ball a wonderful success,” Mr. Mason said, taking his place behind the podium. “This celebration is bittersweet for my wife and I since our daughter is still in the hospital, but I know her presence is here with us. Please honor her by keeping your commitment to the center. We can only continue to help the children if you do. Goodnight, and drive home safely.”

  Just then, a projection screen lowered behind the Masons and the lights dimmed.

  “Testing. Testing. Felicia, can they see me? Is Skype working?” Yvette asked, her face filling the screen. Caresse stared at her friend in awe. For all she’d been through, she looked wonderful. Her hair and makeup were perfectly done, while her best ruby necklace and earrings and red Marchesa dress enhanced Yvette’s coloring, making her appear as healthy as anyone in the room watching her.

  “Hey, lower the camera a little so they can see my gown. I paid too much money for it not to get in the shot.” Yvette preened for the camera with much diva attitude.

  “Oh, we’re on?” she questioned someone off camera. “Okay, hi everyone! There’s no way I was going to miss one of the best social events of the season. I want to say a few words before the doctors kick my camera crew and glam squad out because it’s after visiting hours.”

  Yvette stroked her cat Cleo and continued. “I’m so thankful for all of the well wishes from community patrons and community leaders. The outpouring of love is overwhelming, and I can’t express how truly touched I am.” She took a tissue from a hand off-camera and dabbed the corners of her eyes.

  “It’s times like this that a person realizes their purpose in life. I know that God’s hand is in the work I do at the Mason Center, and your donations tonight makes the pain of recovery much more bearable.”

  A loud knock, heard off camera, made Yvette’s eyes dart toward her door.

  “Okay, to wrap things up, I want each of you to stay in touch. You can reach me on Facebook between 7AM and 7PM and Twitter all the rest of the time, except when these doctors are poking and prodding me.”

  “Ms. Mason, it’s against hospital policy to keep this door locked!” a male voice bellowed.

  Yvette posed proudly at the camera before replying, “One moment, I’m getting decent. You don’t want to catch me in my unmentionables, do you?” She winked at the camera.

  The crowd laughed.

  “Don’t worry, I’ve seen worse,” the male voice returned.

  Yvette frowned. “What the hell does that mean? I tell you, he has the worse bedside manner. Goodnight, everyone. Enjoy the Ball,” Yvette whispered as she tried to cover her ball gown with the hospital sheets.

  Graham drove Caresse home and escorted her inside, where her Aunt Jacqui greeted them.

  “So how was the Mason Ball?”

  Caresse rushed into her aunt’s extended arms and beamed about the money raised this year. “It will mean more computers for the computer lab
, and we’ll be able to get the pre-school program started this fall. Yvette will be so happy.”

  “Yes, she will be Carè.” She hugged her niece warmly. “While you two danced the night away, I had quite a time with those grandnieces of mine.”

  Giggles from the stairway caught Graham’s attention. “You don’t say?” he asked.

  “They wanted to stay up to see if they could get a peek at the handsome Mr. Sheridan from Psyche magazine. Apparently Diane showed them who their mother was dating when we read the Mason Center articles, and they made up their minds they had to check you out.”

  “I believe they’re doing that now?” Graham turned and pointed toward the stairs.

  Caresse rose from the couch and peered into the dark staircase. “Come on down, you two. I guess you won’t go to bed until we get your introductions over with.”

  Nyla and her little sister, Messina, crept slowly down the stairs.

  “Are you mad, Mommy?” Nyla worried as she walked closer.

  “No, but I don’t like that you gave Auntie Jacqui a hard time. Come here and meet Mr. Sheridan.”

  Messina jumped to grab her mother’s hand as Nyla moved quietly to her side. “Graham, these beautiful girls are my daughters, Nyla, age nine, and Messina, age seven. Girls, this is Mr. Graham Sheridan.”

  “He took you dancing tonight?” Messina asked as she fingered her mother’s bracelet.

  “Yes, Mr. Sheridan and I like spending time doing things together,” she answered.

  Nyla stepped forward and gazed into Graham’s face. “Are you gonna make sure Mommy isn’t lonely anymore?”

  “Nyla?” Aunt Jacqui replied, appearing shocked at her grandniece’s directness.

  “It’s okay.” Graham could tell she was concerned. “How could your mother be lonely? She has you and your sister.”

  Nyla crossed her arms and frowned. “Having kids isn’t like having a boyfriend.”