Black Tie Affair

by Rice, Rachel E.

  “Yes, I know I heard from your wife. She made an appointment to see me.”

  Did Alex let me think that I was the one who had broken our marriage and sexual contract? Is she having an affair? No. I answered my own question.

  “Mr. Blackstone, you appear to be deep in thought. Do you want to continue this session another day?” I agreed, stood, nodded, and hurried to the door.

  “Take your medication,” I heard as I bolted out of his office rushing for the elevator. I opened the door and there stood Robert.

  “What are you doing here Robert and in this building?” I thought nothing of it but it was curious. Was he having me followed?

  “I’m seeing my doctor,” he said to me. “I’m surprise to see you here Blackstone. I guess we all have some skeletons in our closets,” he said with a forced smile. I shook his hand and thought nothing of it. After all, now he knows as much about me as I know about him. But I have more to lose and he has a lot to gain.

  Alex

  I don’t know what to tell the children. I sent their father away because he has a problem. Children don’t care about their parents’ problems. Boys want their father.

  Max is gone most of the time. I don’t see him anyway. I tried to rationalize my behavior.

  I will have a discussion with him. Maybe I can continue to live with him, for the sake of the children. He will have his room and I will have mine. This is the only way I can salvage my broken marriage. Do I want to, is the question.

  What about the attractive man I think about night and day? What am I to do with him? I need to go on with my life meet different people maybe get a job. However, I’ve been toying with the idea of going back to college, there’s this law degree I started. Maybe take a few classes until the boys are old enough.

  I dressed and headed for the dreaded elevator. Since when have I been afraid to take my elevator in my own building? The day Robert came into my life was my answer. But he’s not in my life and he’s nothing to me. I tried convincing myself of the not so obvious.

  I felt miserable when I didn’t see Robert. I felt betrayed. Did I want to see him or didn’t I? Did I crave his attention? Did I crave being close to him and why do I feel this way? “Come on get yourself together,” I mumbled. I took a cab instead of calling Brandon. Today I’m going to Columbia University and register for one class. That should be easy.

  ***

  I stopped by the counselor’s office to make sure I chose the right professors, and check on the number of credits I may need if, or when I graduate. I’m not fooling myself, this is just so I don’t have to think about Robert, the man I have become inadvertently infatuated with.

  On leaving Ms. Williams’s office, I have my papers in my hand and I’m not paying attention to my surroundings, and I bump into a young woman about my age, maybe a little younger. I recognize the look on her face, all excited about starting college, because she was me once.

  “I’m sorry, my fault,” she said with a wide warm grin.

  “No. It’s my fault,” I say helping her retrieve her purse and gathering the spilled contents scattered across the tile floor. I kneeled reaching and dropping in her purse a compact with eye shadow, lipstick, perfume, numerous makeup items including an assortment of candy. Glancing at her shoulder bag, she has money or the purse is a knockoff, but I doubt that. When placing a pair of glasses in it, I did a closer inspection and it was indeed real.

  She has a genuine look about her, a soft welcoming innocent smile as if she needs a friend. I gave her a once over. Her jeans and shirt, very expensive. Her shoes more expensive, therefore, the purse is more likely the real thing.

  She needs a friend and I could use someone my age to talk to.

  “Thanks,” she says. “How about having some coffee with me?” I looked at her. “My treat,” she said with her sincere blue eyes beaming, regarding me and my clothing.

  She probably thinks I can’t afford a cup of coffee. I’m dressed in old cheap jeans and a sweatshirt. The ones I boxed up because I couldn’t bear to leave them. I wanted to remember where I had come from and where I was going, and I didn’t want to call any unnecessary attention to myself. I even found one of my faux black bags before Max convinced me that I needed to dress according to my status, which is the wife of the second richest man in New York.

  “Sure. Give me a few minutes to freshen up,” I said to her.

  “I’m coming with you, need to use the restroom,” she said with a wide smile. Her teeth told a story, she was well taken care of, and hair cut was expensive.

  “What about the counselor?” I asked her.

  “I don’t need to see her, all I have to do is select my classes and email my selection to her. My family donates gobs of money to this school.”

  “Oh. My name is Melody Silverstone,

  “Alex short for Alexander...Blackstone,” I said holding out my hand. Instead she hugged me as if we were old friends meeting after a long absence.

  “No kin to that Blackstone who owns most of Manhattan.”

  “Of course not. Do I look like I could be related to him?” She shot me a closed smile and grabbed my arm and tucked it under hers, “I hear he’s a freak. I wish I could meet him one day.”

  “And where did you hear that?” I asked as we walked into the restroom. I stood at the mirror and she enter one of the stalls.

  “My father said this, when I was ease dropping of course. He said that Blackstone has this place in Manhattan, which operates under his sponsorship, and all kinds of kinky stuff goes on there. It maybe just gossip among old men,” she said washing her hands, drying them, and looking in the mirror for a second.

  Melody glanced at me and her mouth didn’t stop moving until we reached the small specialty deli. I’m sure her father confused Jonas with Max. This happens all the time. Max’s name has been sullied by Jonas from the west coast and now on the east coast. I will have to talk to Jonas.

  “Here we are. What do you want, remember I’m footing the bill.”

  “Only coffee.” After we sat Melody chattered and gossiped about people I never heard of or wasn’t interested in. I knew never to tell her any secrets. We had been sitting there for an hour. I reached for my purse.

  “Oh, you’re not leaving?” She said her voice showing disappointment.

  “I have to get back to my children.”

  “You have children?” Her face lit up.

  “Yes. Two boys. My husband and I are separated.”

  “Oh. Too bad. A broken home. My mother wanted to leave my father but she stayed because of me.” And Melody talked for another hour about how her father was a womanizer and her mother wished that he was just a plane old freak. “You know,” she continued, “one of those men who love to be beaten and then she could take out her anger on him.” She paused to take a breath.

  “Sorry Melody but I have to leave now. My sons remember,” I said apologizing to her.

  “I understand. I hope we get classes together,” she said. I glanced at her and smiled. It was the first time in a year I have had conversations with a woman my age and for some reason I enjoyed her aimless nonstop chit chat.

  Classes were to begin in a week and I was excited about it all. I would have something to keep my mind off Max and Robert and have time to be with my boys and my little dog.

  Chapter 9

  I haven’t seen Robert in weeks. Maybe he didn’t lie when he said he was on vacation. I found myself missing him more than Max. But how could that happen? Robert had women coming and going and still I didn’t judge him as harshly as I’m judging Max. Is it because Max is my husband, or I have some underlying reason in my subconscious I’m not ready to address? Is it possible I’m reacting because I’m jealous of the women being a part of Robert’s life and I’m not? Robert has managed to ignite feeling of envy, anger, and jealousy in me?

  Feelings I thought were dormant and ridiculous.

  I was up early having my morning breakfast because I had one class at ten am tod
ay, and one on Wednesday at six pm. I hurried out because the doorman had called a taxi and the driver was waiting for me at the curb.

  I have to remember to contact Jonas today and ask him about the rumors surrounding Max concerning his club, not that I expect the truth, but somewhere in Jonas’s explanations I can peel away his lies and find some truth.

  Excited on my first day of class, I checked to see if I had everything I needed in my backpack. I dressed in worn jeans and white shirt and a pair of cheap sneakers. Somehow I was happy I didn’t see that man who had me nervous whenever I was near him. Checking the time, I was early for class.

  I found the large lecture hall and sat in a seat in the back. As the hall began to fill, I looked at the schedule. Looking at the seats and the large number of students filing in, he must be good. Then out of nowhere my eyes locked on Melody’s. She waved and headed up the stairs where I was sitting.

  “Can you believe this?” She said breathing hard from running up the stairs.

  “No. Not on your life would I believe that I would ever see you again.” I knew then if we continued to sit together that nothing would get done, and I can drop this class today, because I would fail the course because although I enjoyed her company, she was distracting with her continuous conversations.

  After dropping her backpack in a seat to her right, I placed mine to the left of me, then she sat next to me. “I hear the professor is a real hunk.” I glanced at the schedule.

  “It’s Dr. Healy’s class. He’s seventy,” I said looking at her a bit surprised. She can’t find a seventy year old man hot? Or can she? These days, nothing would surprise me or what turns some people on.

  “I know. He had a heart attack, and they called in this lawyer at the last minute for a favor. He’s taking over Dr. Healy’s class. By the discussion going around school, this guy is a handsome freak. He has fucked most of the women in this class, that is, everyone except me, and you, I guess.” I raised my chin, bit my lip shooting her a look of disbelief. “Serious, Alex. He’s so rich and good looking that women are dropping their panties for him in droves. But in some cases the women aren’t wearing anything but a thong if that.”

  “How do you know all of this?”

  “I ease drop on my mother when she’s talking to her friends. Some of the women on Columbia’s board, and they are heavy donors, and men too shoot the breeze with my mother, that is they gossip. They tell her everything that’s going on around here. I guess old women just like to gossip about young men because they aren’t getting any.”

  “It’s not just old women. Some young women are having the same problem.” I shot her a look and raised eyebrow, but her expression never changed. “And listening to all the womanizing this professor is doing, I don’t want to be caught dead in his bed,” I said to Melody.

  “Me. I’d like to find out what turns him on. Anytime you see a man with that many women, someone isn’t doing the job right or giving him what he likes. I wonder if he likes a little BDSM. I’d like to whip his ass sometime.”

  “Oh Melody,” I said closing my eyes for a second.

  “Straight up. I would do it in a fast second. And suck his dick, and let him fuck me here there and everywhere.”

  “Get out of here,” I said smiling, pushing her shoulder, “Oh my god I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” I began to laugh because I couldn’t believe anyone was that free to express herself so open. I gazed at the students sitting in the next two seats wondering if they had heard her. A female student sat texting and appeared to be in her own world and the guy next to her, he had a conversation going on with his mother.

  I’ve had an open mind since I met and married Max. I had forgotten how twenty something women talked among themselves.

  “I’m dead serious, Alex. I would use a dildo on him in a minute if he was into that.”

  “No?”

  “Yes. In a second. Then I would let him eat me out and see what kind of skills he had, and if they were lacking, then I would teach him how to satisfy me. You can’t have a man going down on you and doing all kinds of nasty stuff if he has no skills. You can get hurt.

  Why a girlfriend had her clit bit off just because her boyfriend didn’t have a clue and he didn’t know that it was attached to her. Come to find out she was his first and last. Word got around and neither one could get a date. So they had to stay together,” Melody said hunching her shoulders.

  “No. I don’t believe you.”

  “Well, it makes a good story anyway. And why ruin a good story with the truth.” She glanced at me with a grin, and took a drink of her diet coke from a straw, the sound making a loud annoying noise. Then she opened the top of the cup and reached in and took out a small ice cube. Turning to me, holding it waving it around, before plopping it into her mouth she said, “You know these are good for making love.”

  “No, I didn’t know.”

  “What you could do with these,” she said cracking one cube with her teeth. “My boyfriend put these on my...”

  “I get the picture,” I said conveniently interrupting her.

  “OK. Don’t call me up and asked me how to use them because you had your chance.” I think I may have hurt her feelings. Melody became quiet and opened a book and pretended she was reading it. She must have taken me for a prude and thought I needed a lesson on how to get an orgasm.

  All I needed to do was ask her a question and she started again. Melody’s banter on the joys and power of lovemaking made the half hour past quickly. I glanced down at my phone for the time and in walked, and from where we sat in the cheap seats, I had to put my glasses on to see him. I could see he was tall with a full head of brilliant dark hair. The kind you want to run your hands through as he is ravishing your breasts or going down on you. The just fucked, I don’t care, I want you to know I fucked hair, appeared awfully familiar.

  He stood behind his computer gazing at the crowd. When he spoke, I knew that voice. “I’m passing around the roster, please sign it. If you don’t, I will assume that you didn’t show up for class, and as you can see it is very large and I will be very busy.

  “He’ll be busy alright, fondling someone’s ass,” Melody whispered leaning close to my ear.

  “If any of you are planning on dropping out, I suggest you do it now.” No one stood. They turned looking at the next guy and remained in their seats. Then his eyes focused on me and for the life of me, I couldn’t tell how he knew I was there, but he said, “Mrs. Blackstone, I need to see you after class.” And then I remembered he would have a list of all the students in the class.

  “Dr. Healy’s syllabus is on my class website. I suggest you download it and follow it to the letter.”

  Melody grabbed my leg, and whispered, “Oh, he has you in his sights. He’s good. I bet he knows everyone he has fucked in here and you aren’t one of them.”

  I still wasn’t sure it was him because of the way he was dressed. He wore a plain white shirt and jeans. But then... “My name is Professor Montgomery. You will get my syllabus tomorrow in your email box.”

  “Two syllabi?” Melody questioned. “I don’t know. This is going to be harder than I thought.”

  I leaned over and whispered to Melody, “He lives in my building. I see him every day.”

  “Well it shouldn’t be a problem. You don’t have to go far to fuck him. You are going to fuck him aren’t you?”

  “I wouldn’t fuck him if he wore two rubbers.”

  “That’s what they all say. Look at that body, that hair, and lips.”

  “You can see his lips from here?”

  “You can’t have a face and body like that without having lips you want to bite and suck all day. I just imagine he is something in bed. Make sure you tell me about it when you do it with him. You are going to fuck him?” She glanced my way for an answer or something that would reveal my intentions. “Think about our grades. I have to pass this class or else my parents will take away my allowance. Take one for the team.” My eyes swun
g in her direction. Melody hunched her shoulders, “Talking too much to my father, so sue me,” she said grinning.

  Since when did this become our grades? I thought. The word our reminded me to call Jonas.

  Robert lectured the entire two hours, which included a PowerPoint presentation. And then class was over and it was time. “I’m not going to see him,” I whispered to Melody.

  “But why?”

  “You don’t understand Melody and I don’t have time to tell you,” I said standing and picking up my backpack and draping it over one shoulder. “I have to get home to my boys.”

  “Good idea. He’s going to his office and expecting you there. This will make him want you more,” Melody said as if she was hatching a plan. “We’ll just slip out and you can go home. Do you need a ride?”

  “No thanks, I can find my way. I’ll just take a cab.”

  Chapter 10

  I made it home about one thirty, my lunch was setting out waiting for me. A chicken salad sandwich. I wasn’t hungry. I needed to talk to Max, I checked his room not expecting him to be there and he wasn’t. I agreed to live with him hoping things would return to normal, but it didn’t. He was just there to be around the boys and stop me from having another life. He was the only one benefitting from this arrangement. I must have been out of my mind to think this would work.

  I really needed to talk to Max because my life was spiraling out of control. The life I wanted with him, my desire for him was fading the more I thought of Robert. I remembered when all I wanted was to be with Max and for us to live as a family but even that isn’t working. “I better try Jonas. Maybe he has heard from him,” I murmured to myself.

  “May I speak with Jonas Blackstone?”

  “He’s not here.” A man’s course voice answered throwing me for a loop. Most times Jonas would answer, because he expected a call from Crystal and she should be having her baby about now.