“For the woman I don’t have time to date?”
“Jade says there’s an incredible interior designer offering a full house design. Maybe you can do something about that mausoleum you live in.”
“It’s minimalist.”
“You’re starting your own movement – emptyist.”
“Fuck off. You have me working so hard, I’m barely there anyway.”
“And the rest of the time you’re at my place. Sitting on my furniture.”
A woman in a cloud of sequins comes rushing towards us. It’s Jade’s assistant.
“Um, Mr. Ashley, your wife says, and I quote, ‘tell my darling husband and his trusty sidekick to get their asses to their tables.'”
She throws her hands up apologetically and then rushes off again.
We down our drinks and wander off to our respective seats.
An hour and a half later and I’m ready to go home. I start to stand up, saying goodbye to my table companions just as Jade takes the stage. Shit. I can’t leave now.
“Firstly, I’d like to thank you again, all of you, for joining us and showing your support for us tonight. This cause is so close to our hearts, and you have shown tonight that it’s close to yours as well,” Jade says, her hand on her chest as the applause rises and falls. “Well, it’s come to that time of the night. The announcement of the winners of tonight’s amazing silent auction prizes. I’d like to acknowledge the sponsors who donated such generous gifts and their valuable time to help up reach our goal for tonight.”
Jade’s assistant comes onto the stage and hands her an envelope.
“The first prize we’d like to announce, is the services of Isabella Fountaine. One of Manhattan’s up and coming new interior designers. She has just been named as one of Architectural Digest’s “designers to watch” and has been so generous as to donate her services to design an entire home for our winner. But even more generously, she will also be donating her time to the design of our brand new youth centers. Isabella, would you like to join me on stage, please? While I make the announcement?”
A spotlight shines into the crowd. Like everyone else, I turn towards it, trying to make out the figure being singled out, and walking to the stage.
Through the bobbing heads, I can just make out a lock of blonde hair.
Something inside me stirs.
No.
The light continues to move but I can’t get a clear view.
“Come on,” I whisper, willing her to move faster. Once she gets to the steps up to the stage I’ll be able to see-
Fuck.
No.
Fuck!
Yes.
It’s her.
I watch as she lifts the skirt of her dress and takes the four steps onto the raised stage and floats across it until she reaches Jade.
I’m winded. I haven’t moved, but the air is knocked out of my lungs.
It really is her.
“Isabella… thank you against so much,” I can just make out Jade saying. Wait. What? She called her Isabella. That’s not… that’s not her name.
Maybe it isn’t her? No, it is. It definitely it.
I watch as she leans towards the microphone and I hold my breath.
“I’d like to thank the ASH Foundation for all the good work you do,” she says, and now there’s no doubt.
Everything’s suddenly a blur as I watch Jade tear open an envelope, smiling and opening her mouth to speak.
“Wait!”
I find myself on my feet.
There’s confusion on the stage, and then I feel the heat of the spotlight on me.
“Xavier?” I see Jade mouth.
“I… I’ll double it. The bid.” I hear myself saying.
“Um, I’m sorry, Xavier, bidding time is over.”
“Then triple it. I don’t care. Whatever it is.” There’s a murmuring from the crowd.
“I uh, well, this is unprecedented. I’m…” Jade says, flustered.
The woman shields her eyes as she looks out into the sea of tables, looking for me. The second our eyes lock, I know. Whatever she calls herself now. I still know. It’s her.
“I don’t care how much it costs.” The crowd is restless, trying to figure out what’s going on.
They’re not the only ones.
So, I make it clear.
“I want her. She’s mine.”
Her
12 years ago
The bell hanging over the door dings as I enter the ice cream parlor two blocks from my high school. The walls, each painted a different color, are covered in faded posters of different types of sundaes and milkshakes.
“Hey, Malynda, I saved you a seat over here,” Randi calls over to me, waving me to her table. I wander over, pushing myself through the crowd. It’s only mid-April and already the temperature is in the high 70’s. The snow has long ago melted, spring has settled in early this year, and Mainers are taking advantage of the sun.
I drop my backpack onto of the pile of bags in the corner and flop down onto my seat.
“I didn’t think I’d see you,” Randi says, handing me a spoon and pushing her sundae over to me. It looks good. So good, I’m almost tempted to take a bite. But I know better. I promise myself, in one month I can have all the ice cream I want.
“Yeah, I was supposed to have an extra dance training session tonight, but my partner bailed.”
“Really? I thought he would’ve needed it even more than you.”
“That’s just it, I think he’s given up.”
I sink back into my seat thinking about Pierre, my partner for the contemporary dance I have planned for the end-of-year showcase. Until I have an acceptance letter to the college of my choice in my hand, I’m not giving up. I know recruiters are still roaming the schools, looking for their next class of freshmen.
Until I have that acceptance, I can’t let up. That includes no ice cream.
I reach for the bottle of water in my backpack, looking around. It’s 4 p. m. and there’s barely anyone here that I don’t recognize. The crowd is made up mostly of juniors and seniors from my school.
“Psst. Stalker, 3 o’clock,” I hear Randi’s voice whisper into my ear. I instantly turn my neck to the right. But I don’t see anything but groups of familiar faces.
“What? Where?” I crane my neck to the left.
“Oh, shit, he’s gone. A guy was seriously giving me creeper vibes, staring at us.”
“You think everyone’s staring at you,” I say, only slightly envious of her blue eyes and perfect pout.
“Yeah,” she grins, “but this time, I said us. You included.”
“Well, now I know you’re nuts. No one ever notices me when you’re around.”
“Shut up, you’re fucking beautiful. And your body looks like your Dad had sex with a cheetah. All sleek and gorgeous.”
“Ew. Thanks for that imagery.” I shake my head to clear it.
“Shush, there he is again!” she squeaks and points toward the counter.