by Gail Cleare
I turned casually and showed her my back for a minute, fussing with the display, giving her a chance to think privately.
“I wouldn’t ask you if I didn’t think you could do it, Amy,” I said.
There was silence behind me. Then, “Sweet! When do I start?”
“How about today?” I said, struggling to hold the sheet and staple it at the same time. “Maybe you could help me with this new display I’m trying to put together!”
“Sure,” she said, frowning. “You’re going to pin stuff up there? That’s like, a background?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Won’t that, kind of, make holes in all your stuff?”
“It would, yes, so I need to find a better way to attach them. They used pushpins at the store where I saw this done. They just make a teeny hole.”
“You got any ribbons? The nice kind, like from a sewing store?” She had a calculating look in her eye.
“I could easily get some. What’s your idea?”
“You could make big loops out of ribbons, maybe with bows if you want, and attach them to the background with staples, then you’d tuck the lace through the loops and it could hang down from them. It would look nice, kind of cascading down…”
It was a dynamite idea, and would look even better than what I’d planned. I was going to put this tall display behind the antique trunk and the shelves where we kept the old textiles. A pile of folded fabrics doesn’t look like much, so we needed an artful way to let people know what we were offering.
I went over to the cash register and opened it, taking out several bills. I made a note on a pad inside the drawer, and closed it again.
“Here,” I said, handing her the cash. “Take this and go buy the ribbons from the dressmaker down the street. I saw it on her sign, she has notions and thread. If she isn’t open, I can drive over to the mall later, or tomorrow.”
She received the money solemnly. She folded it up and stuffed it deep into her pants pocket, which I hoped had no holes in it. Her other clothes had them dotted about liberally, probably for deliberate effect.
“Hey, this is awesome, Emily!” she said with a grin, and sped out the back door.
She was back in half an hour with a shopping bag full of grosgrain and patterned fabric ribbons, various colors, to go with the floral sheet which was now firmly attached to its frame. We worked together for an hour or so, and then I stopped and let her finish it. She was obviously more than capable. I decided to give her a shot at the two windows on Crescent Street after we got through the weekend.
By the time Amy had finished our new display looked wonderful and several customers had already commented on it. One elderly lady had actually purchased a lace table runner after stopping to admire the goods. The day slowly crept to an end and I still had not seen Tony, nor had Henry reappeared. Then finally the telephone rang.
“Hello, darling Emily,” Tony said, sounding upbeat.
“Hello your darling self,” I said, smiling. “There you go again, trying to make me think you like me, or something.”
He chuckled, a rich deep sound. “What are you doing right now?”
“Don’t you mean, what are you wearing right now?” I whispered into the phone wickedly.
“No, but since you mentioned it…?” he whispered back, playing along.
It had gotten hot during the day and I was sweating, fanning myself with a newspaper. I didn’t like to use the air conditioning unless it was absolutely necessary.
“More than I would like to be, I assure you,” I answered.
“Well!” he said delightedly, “Let me come over there and help you with that!”
“Certainly, you can come over here. You live here, remember?”
“Um, yes. I haven’t been there much for the past few days. But, what do you say we meet over at Laurie and John’s place for a drink in a few minutes? I’ll go straight there.”
“Great, I’m starved,” I said, realizing it was true.
“You’re always starved.”
“No I am not, only at meal times, when I’m supposed to be. And, when I haven’t had anyone to hug and kiss me for a long time!”
“Well, you poor girl, we will have to satisfy your cravings immediately!”
“Just one thing first,” I said, switching to a serious tone, “Have you heard from Henry at all today? He went out for a walk this morning and he never came back!”
There was silence on the phone line for a moment, except for the sound of cars in the background.
“Yes, I did speak to him a little while ago. He was with a friend. I told him we would not be around for dinner. He’s fine, don’t worry!”
“OK, good,” I said, relieved. We said goodbye and hung up.
As I sent Amy off with a large container of leftovers and a satisfied smile on her face, I reflected that people with big money like the Gladstones didn’t necessarily have to get so carried away with it. They didn’t have to live in huge houses that were empty most of the time, or drive cars that guzzled gas and were killing the environment. They could afford to invest in solar panels instead of buying endless gallons of oil for their heating and cooling systems. They could live responsibly as all inhabitants of planet Earth should, rich or poor. It would be better for us all if everyone practiced moderation.
I went into the little bathroom and brushed my hair, putting on some eye makeup and freshening my lipstick. This cat and mouse game with Tony was making me a little nuts. Whatever was really going on between us, I wanted to bring it right out into the open. Flirting was fun and I loved the verbal repartee, but enough’s enough. It was time for some honesty and plain talk, as far as I was concerned. I locked up the building, and set off across the intersection to tell him exactly that.
The Devil
HEDONISM & OVERINDULGENCE
Description: The horned, clawed, bat-winged Devil stands grinning behind a naked man and woman who are chained to his throne.
Meaning: Hedonism, gluttony and excess. Wild sensual experiences. Sometimes it’s healthy to purge these feelings, and sometimes it’s dangerous.
The evening sky was streaked with deep rose and magenta, with a few lavender clouds clinging to the western horizon. Heat radiated up from the black pavement under my sandaled feet. We were hoping for some rain late tonight according to the forecast on the radio, but at the moment it was clear and still, and the air was sultry.
All the outside tables at the Green Thumb were occupied and I didn’t see Tony, so I pushed the double doors open and went inside. John and Laurie were both behind the bar, and the place was hopping. A sign near the entrance said, “Please Wait to Be Seated,” so I did. Laurie looked up when I came in and saw me, smiling and holding up one finger in a “wait one minute” gesture. I looked around and still didn’t see my date, so I walked over to the bar and slid onto an empty stool in front of the beer taps. It was a little early for dinner but I only saw a couple of empty tables. Everyone was out on the town tonight, blowing off steam from the work week and trying to cool down.
“Hi, girlfriend!” Laurie said, putting a cocktail napkin in front of me. “Tony called and we’re holding you a spot in the corner,” she said, gesturing toward a table for two. “Can I get you a drink while you wait?”
“Yes, definitely. How about a gin and tonic?”
“Lime?”
“Yes, please. Do you have Tanqueray?” I asked, squinting at the forest of liquor bottles behind the bar.
“Absolutely!” she replied, grabbing the green bottle to mix me my favorite summer cocktail. She shook it up in a silver cocktail shaker and poured it onto ice cubes in a tall, frosty glass. She placed the pretty drink on the napkin in front of me. I squeezed my lime wedge into the mixture and took a refreshing sip, enjoying the bubbly bright taste.
Laurie and John were both too busy to talk, so I drank alone while I looked around the room watching the diners enjoy themselves. Nearly everyone was dressed in casual summer weekend clothes, thoug
h a few people had obviously come straight from the office and their suit jackets were slung over the backs of their chairs. It was such a hot, humid night that everyone was eager to shed as many garments as possible. Neckties were off, shirts were untucked and collars were opened. A lot of skin was visible in various shades of black, brown and beige, and it all shone with the gleam of sweat, despite the air conditioning and ceiling fans inside the restaurant.
I was still wearing my navy blue cotton sundress, which had successfully gotten me back and forth to the Island. It had little narrow straps and buttoned down the front, or unbuttoned down the front, as I wished. Tonight it was open to the third button and when I crossed my legs the skirt fell open halfway up my thigh.
I had pinned my hair up off my hot neck and shoulders and it was starting to curl, damp from the humidity. A little trickle of perspiration ran down into my cleavage and I shivered.
My eyes must have fluttered because suddenly there he was, standing right in front of me. Once again, I had forgotten how good-looking he was. Or, maybe he actually was getting more and more handsome all the time, I don’t know, but it definitely seemed that way to me. The nice thing was that he seemed to feel the same way about me.
“Sorry to be late,” Tony said, zooming in to kiss me on the cheek. “Welcome home, traveler!”
He stood back a little and stared at me with his dark eyes shining. He wore a vanilla short-sleeved linen shirt and khaki shorts, with brown leather sandals on his feet.
“Don’t you look just…adorable!” Tony gloated quietly, his face flushed. He gazed at me admiringly, particularly interested in the third button area. I sat up a little straighter and smiled at him. His eyebrows rose in appreciation.
Laurie came over just then to lead us to our table. It was next to the window in the back on the Crescent Street side, very private and quiet. I thanked her and she grinned at me, taking our drink order and leaving a couple of menus on the table.
While we supposedly studied the menu, we secretly watched each other. I found myself acutely aware of him. I knew exactly how many centimeters away his fingers were from mine on the tabletop. When he raised his eyes and caught me looking at him, he flashed a smile and reached out to capture my hand and raise it to his lips. His full, soft, wonderful lips. My attention was riveted and I forgot all about the serious conversation I’d wanted to have. For just a minute or two. Oh, yes. And then it all came flooding back to me and I remembered.
“What have you been doing since I left town?” I asked casually, trying to get the conversation rolling along so I could steer it in the desired direction.
“Oh, this and that,” he answered absently, or perhaps evasively, as he read the menu. He put it down on the table. “I’ve been working on a new project, an investment actually. I’ve been on the run.”
“Oh?” I said, not very knowledgeable about stocks or investments. Reflexively, I wondered whether he had actually found a new girlfriend, rather than a new financial opportunity. Knowing that I tend to be a little paranoid about such things, I pushed the thought out of my mind.
“To your homecoming,” Tony held up his cocktail, and I raised mine. We clinked, and drank. The hum of the busy restaurant buzzed around us.
I glanced out of the window at the view down Crescent Street to the east. The sky was now tinted a dark salmon pink, and right between the buildings at the end of the street, the huge, swollen moon was rising. It looked full and round and enormous, a deep red-gold glowing disk that was just starting to show above the rooftops.
“Look!” I said to Tony. He turned around and we both watched for a minute. People seated outside on the patio were pointing at the sky, and turning their chairs to witness the moon’s ascent. Our waiter came over and took our order. Tony chose a bottle of Chardonnay to have with the main courses and I ordered the sautéed oysters appetizer for us to share. He asked for refills on our cocktails, at a nod from me when I polished off my second gin and tonic. I was starting to relax and have a good time, so I figured a little more would be even merrier. It was unfair of me to be so suspicious, I thought. Time to lighten up!
He seemed to be feeling more comfortable too as the conversation started to flow along in an animated fashion, the way it always did when we were discussing one of our common interests. We discussed international politics passionately for a while. By the time I had calmed down, our food and more drinks arrived.
We shared the plate of heavenly oysters, dipping them into some kind of tangy brown sauce. I wondered privately if it was true that they were an aphrodisiac. Squirming a little in my seat, I felt the energy spark between us when our hands bumped or our eyes met. In answer to his questions, I told Tony a little about my experiences on Nantucket. Then the rest of our meal came, and the wine, and everything tasted marvelous. Tony told a few silly jokes and I started to giggle.
I was feeling happy and quite reckless. I even stopped wondering about whether or not to believe what he said, and just reacted to it. I figured that since we had eaten a large meal it would somewhat counteract the alcohol, and I still seemed to be able to navigate between the tables in the restaurant without hitting anything.
When I went to the ladies’ room I saw myself in the mirror: eyes glowing, cheeks flushed and a few little tendrils of curling hair escaping from the loose pile pinned up on the crown of my head. I looked like I was ready for trouble, or ready to make some!
When Laurie came over with the check she gave me a funny look.
“Are you OK?” she whispered to me behind her hand.
“What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes wide.
“Emily! You’re smashed!”
“I’m not!”
“Yes you are!”
“OK, I am, a little. But it’s OK. I’m not driving.”
“Don’t worry, Laurel, I’m going to take her for a nice walk now. I’ll take care of her,” Tony said, signing the credit card slip.
“You are?” I said, delighted. “Where?”
“I thought we should enjoy the moonlight and go to visit your favorite meditation spot,” Tony said, taking my arm and steering me toward the double doors.
“Good night! Have a fun evening!” Laurie grinned and shook her finger at me warningly.
By now the moon had turned a rosy yellow and risen up above the buildings. Their black shadows leaned out into the streets toward the west. It was very bright outside, and the world was covered by a thin veil of dark golden light.
There were people all over the place. On the sidewalks, in the open windows of the buildings, on the steps and porches and even on the rooftops. They were talking, laughing, fighting, playing checkers, jiggling babies, strumming guitars, walking along with dazed eyes and their arms entwined around one another, kissing. Cars passed and honked, stopped, let people out or picked people up, and proceeded again. People dodged between the cars to cross the streets, not using the crosswalks or waiting for the lights to change. I could hear three or four different kinds of music playing, coming from all directions.
It was still very hot and humid. Many of the men were bare-chested or wearing sleeveless T-shirts. The women wore loose cotton dresses and the girls wore little teeny tiny tube tops or camisoles and cut-off jeans. Their breasts showed clearly beneath the skimpy tops and their flat young midriffs featured pierced navels with shiny gold rings or jewels. The sheen of sweat was on everyone. We reflected the golden moonlight on our exposed bodies and our wet hot skin as the sound of African drums came floating down the street and a car drove by with open windows, playing loud Latin music on the radio.
Tony and I crossed Market to the far corner by the medical building and walked down the sidewalk toward the park. It was quieter over here, mostly professional offices that were closed at night. The park itself was surrounded by more townhouses like the ones on Crescent, and some cute Victorian and Federal era houses.
We walked in companionable silence with our fingers linked, swinging our arms between us. I was definitely
a little drunk, probably more than a little, and I was practically skipping along full of energy. The moon made dark splotchy shadows under the trees that lined the sidewalk as we neared the gates, always open, and entered the park. We walked a little way down the pebbled path and there it was, the fountain with the giant carp.
“Oh mighty Poseidon!” Tony intoned, dropping my hand to approach the statue with both of his raised to the sky. “We come here to honor you tonight! And to thank you for revealing this beautiful goddess to me right here in your holy temple!” he said, gesturing as though to draw me to the attention of the fish, to whom he bowed.
“Well, your turn!” he said in a stage whisper, beckoning.
“Oh mighty god of the sea, father of Aphrodite the goddess of love, who was born on the crest of a wave from the foam of your jism,” I called out in ringing tones, showing off my considerable mythology expertise, “We honor you!” I bowed to the carp as well, with a very deep curtsy.
“Jism?” Tony said, one eyebrow raised. “I never heard that one!”
“Yes, of course, “ I said. “He masturbated, and the goddess of love was born from the foam that resulted. You know, full-grown and naked on the half-shell like in the painting. She didn’t have an actual mother, she was born from magical semen.”
“Really!” he exclaimed, taking my hands to help me rise from my curtsy, which had placed me in dangerously close proximity to the ground. I staggered and clutched at him to steady myself. He put his arm behind me to help, then scooped me up tightly for one of his long, thorough kisses.
A minute or a month later, I couldn’t have told you which, we were gaily strolling through the deserted park again, heading further off down the path past the fountain. I felt giddy and daring. The little park was beautiful in the moonlight, secret and private. I breathed in the moist air, scented by some sweet night-blooming flower, and felt a sweeping rush of pure happiness. The playgound and tennis courts were over this way. I found a swing and sat on it, swaying back and forth, enjoying the breeze.