Authors: Paloma Meir
Faye stretched her arms over her head and yawned as she glanced at the time on her computer. It was a little past midnight, late for her to be up. She seldom stayed up later than 10:30 since her daughters had gone away to school.
“One more…” She muttered to herself as she clicked open a new entry on kiva.org, a website that provided microloans to women in developing countries. She had managed to provide eighty loans in the previous few hours, totaling a little over 48,000 dollars.
She was growing frustrated, she had hoped to disperse at least 100,000 dollars on her first day as a multi-millionaire. The microloans, and she never intended them to pay her back, she had set up the system to reloan the money to others upon repayment, were meaningful. The tiny amounts tangible, truly helping the women to set up little businesses, or attend university in their far off regions.
She knew it would be easier and quicker to just hit the lend button instead of reading all the stories, but she was entranced by the bravery of the women. At the rate she was going it would take the entire year, a year spent in front of the computer, to rid herself of the money. She closed the window and leaned back in her chair, wondering how she could summon the energy to climb up the stairs and get into bed.
“What are you doing down here?” Adam surprised her and asked as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. “I don’t like waking up alone.”
“Ummm,” She leaned into his embrace, extending her neck, savoring the sensation of his lips her throat, “The Bergdorf’s account is taking up so much of my time.”
“My mogul wife…” He released her and swiveled her chair around to face him, “I had a nightmare… Dario and I were in a field, dogs were chasing us… and you know Dario, clumsy. He tripped, the hellhounds tore at his legs. He was bleeding so much. I beat them back with rocks and they ran away but Dario was gone… I was alone… and then I woke up… alone in the bed.”
“Oh my darling,” She pulled him to her chest, “It was so long ago, the dogs are gone forever. Dario’s safe, and you’re safe…” She ran her hands through his thick, silky hair.
“Sometimes I think if I go back, if we go back with the girls… I would see its just land with people like anywhere else. I’m not a child anymore. I’m a man—
“A strong man…” She murmured and kissed the top of his head.
“I am, don’t let this moment fool you,” he gently laughed, “Maybe it would put an end to these night terrors.”
“You’ve been thinking about going back since Anja was born. The time is now Adam. The summer’s coming up, the girls will be home. We could go then, bring Dario…”
“Not this summer…” His tense emotions shifted, and he began listing all the responsibilities of his job.
Faye’s mind wandered as he evaded the real subject. She thought of the orphanages and group homes in Croatia, maybe it would be better for her to just turn the winnings over to them, provide better care for the abandoned children. No, she thought to herself, it wasn’t that bad then, and it certainly wasn’t now.
Adam and Dario had just fallen through every conceivable crack, and their constant running away hadn’t helped either. Their current emotional problems, or more Adam’s, Dario hadn’t been as affected by their dangerous living conditions, he had his protective older brother making sure all of his needs were met, were not the fault of the childcare system.
“That is a busy schedule you have planned for yourself, but maybe a week or two at the end of summer. Will you think about it at least?”
“Maybe the next summer,” He jumped up and held his hand out to Faye, “Come to bed, it’s very late.”
“Think about this summer,” She took his hand and stood up, “I was reading a news story about the Gates Foundation and their goal of eradicating Malaria in Africa. That’s a noble cause, don’t you think? It affects 200 million people a year. Can you imagine if they actually did put an end to the disease? I’ve always thought potable water and food distributions were the most urgent problems in the world, but there are so many problems. What do you think is the most pressing issue?”
“What?” He laughed and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him, “Getting you into bed right now is my most pressing problem.”
“No, really…” She nuzzled into his strong arms.
“I don’t know, Faye. Africa is far away. There are problems right outside our door. What is it they say? Think globally, act locally? If we were going by that rule of thumb, I would say homelessness. That’s a million problems in itself, so many roots, so many different causes… It’s hard to see the kids on the street, digging through our trash for food.”
“You’re not that kid anymore.” She stopped him at the top of the stairs and hugged him tightly.
“Faye,” He stiffened in her embrace, “You asked me a question about charitable causes, not about myself.” He lifted her hair and kissed her neck again in the way he knew she loved. She melted in his arms.
“I love you, Adam…”
“Show me you love me,” He picked her up off her feet and carried her to bed.
…
Faye woke up sleepy, sublimely sleepy and stretched out in the bed wishing Adam hadn’t gotten up to shower. She wanted to spend the day entwined with him, and never leave their bed. The jaunty ringtone on his phone destroyed her fantasy.
Anger filled her, and she picked up the phone, something she had never done before. She was prepared to scream at the girl, send her away forever, maybe even confront Adam about his infidelities for the first time. But the ringtone wasn’t a phone call, it was a text message.
The message she read was sexually graphic beyond her comprehension and written in baby talk. She threw the phone back on the bedside table and put on her clothes that lay on the floor from the night before and stormed towards the door.
“Where are you going?” Adam opened the door to the bathroom and asked, “I was going to make you breakfast in bed, pick up where we left off last night.”
She turned to him, anger coursing though her veins, but she sighed heavily in spite of herself. The masculine beauty of her husband, his olive skin and broad shoulders never failed to send a flutter through her, “I’ve never been anything but good to you.”
“Faye…” He nervously glanced at his phone.
“I deserve better.”
She slammed the door and ran out into the street to get in her car. A disheveled boy with a dog on a rope slept under the tree in their front yard. The anger drained from her as his sleeping shape morphed into her husband as boy. She tiptoed towards him and carefully slid a twenty-dollar bill under his arm, got into her car and drove to her workspace.
A little over a month later, a very quiet and cold month for the Petrovs, Faye rushed out of her house to the car. She had an appointment with a realtor in Laguna. The personal financial aspects and setting up of the trust accounts for her family was going very well. The only item left for their future monetary security was the purchase of a home by the beach.
She planned to pay for it in cash. No mortgages for her. Her financial planner had protested, but Faye had remained firm in that decision. She never wanted to worry about money again in her life after all of the lottery madness was over.
She was running late and had her phone open in her hand, searching for the quickest route in the morning traffic. She didn’t notice the boyish man standing by her car. She was not happy when she looked up from her phone and saw him not more than ten feet away from her.
“What are you doing here?” She quickly looked over her shoulder to see if Adam was anywhere near.
“Relax, he left five minutes ago.” He laughed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She opened the door to her car, willing him far away.
“Your husband, the one you’re keeping all the secrets from.”
“I’m not keeping any secrets from him,” Faye shouted out. The lies had ceased causing her distress sometime over the previous month. Truths had become her struggle, “I’ve checked in with the building manager. He told me you’re fine, no noise complaints, well mannered. So, what is it you’re here for? I’m very busy.”
“Really, no secrets huh?” An amused expression passed through his eyes. Faye forced herself not to smile, “He knows about your unlived-in apartment down the road? That you let a stranger move in, rent-free?”
“Are you blackmailing me?” She slammed the car door and stood stiffly in front of him, arms crossed. Her fierce position was more cute than threatening, causing Nick to laugh again.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that’s something I would never do, but no that’s not why I’m here.”
“So you’re planning on eventually blackmailing me?”
“No Faye,” He held up his arm, boy scout-style, “I am not going to blackmail you, and I promise to never blackmail you. I just never thought of doing it to anyone before. I’m adding it to my skill set if times get tough again. Thanks for the idea.”
“Well… okay,” She rolled her eyes and opened the car door, “I have to be going now. Good of you to check in. You won’t have to do it again. Bye.” She waved him away and got into her car.
“Faye,” He opened the car door, “I didn’t stop by to check in. There are people buzzing on my door all the time. A bunch of retards—
“Stop,” She held up her hand and spoke slowly with great care as she did with her daughters when they were little girls, “We don’t use the word “retard”. It’s a slur, derogatory—
“You’re such a mom, or mom-like I guess, never had one myself. I know it’s a slur but these were actual retards. A group from the Special Olympics came to the door. They made you a sign and everything… They wanted sponsorship for their team. I told them you weren’t around but they could tell me about it over breakfast—
“Please don’t tell me you had them buy you breakfast.” She closed her eyes and clutched her steering wheel.
“Sorry Faye, but I had them buy me breakfast. We carb-loaded like you did that day out in the Valley. Those dudes can eat and we played soccer on the beach for the rest of the day. They were pretty good, surprised me.”
“I’ll have the building manager disconnect your door buzzer and please stay away from anyone who may ask for me.”
“It’s not just them—
“I’m sorry… but I have to go. I’m very late for an appointment. Also, please don’t use that word again. Bye.” She reached out for the handle to close the car door.
“It’s not just them Faye, it’s the mail too. Bags of it, well a bag of it…”
“I’m sorry you’re having this problem but I have to go. You can just throw away the mail and by throw away I mean recycle. Please use the recycling bin.”
“Faye—
“I’m sorry… I don’t know what to say.” She softened or maybe melted as she looked into the pool of his green eyes, “But I’m very late. If you want to continue this conversation, you’ll have to come with me.”
He walked around to the other side of the car and got in.
“I didn’t actually mean that. I was trying to call your bluff.” Faye turned the key in the ignition and released the smile she had been holding in.
“That’s a losing game Faye… So, where are we going?”
“Laguna, I have an appointment with a realtor. But more importantly, how did you find me?”
“That check with the address said your last name was Smith, but that lady in the Valley called you Ms. Petrov. So I googled you.”
“And you found my home?” There were a few entries under her married name, mostly for her business but none connecting her to Faye Smith, lottery winner. Serge had done a good job taking care of that.
“Nah… You’re probably not going to like this, but whatever.” He leaned back in his seat and bobbed his head to the quiet stream of music from the radio, “I saw you out on a walk about two weeks ago, so I followed you. You’re like Mother Theresa out there on the beach, feeding all the dregs.”
“You followed me?” She knew she should have been horrified, but she felt strangely flattered, “And please don’t call them dregs. They’re a delicate community with individual needs.”
“Delicate community of meth heads,” he laughed, “Just that one time… maybe a couple of other times but I only followed you home once.”
“Well, I would appreciate it if you didn’t follow me anymore,” Faye took a moment to ponder what her life had become, “So tell me whatever it is you wanted to tell me. Is it really so bad living there?”
“No… not so bad at all. This stripper, Stacy, came by about a week after I moved in. She said she was a college student working the poles to pay her tuition. She wanted you to buy her a set of implants. She stops by every few days now. Good times with Stacy.” He quaked in his laughter. It was contagious and Faye laughed along in spite of herself.
“You can’t take advantage of these people,” She forced a serious tone of voice, “I’m definitely getting your door buzzer removed, and you will stay away from them from now on, okay? Add it to the rules of your free living arrangement.”
“I didn’t take advantage of her. She was on me. Anyway, she’s a liar, she doesn’t go to school. I think she wants to be an actress. Who knows? She never makes any sense.”
“But you continue seeing her?”
“Yeah, she’s hot, very aggressive too. Staaaacy…”
“Hmmmm… okay,” She raised her eyebrows and shook her head, “Let’s listen to some music,” She turned up the volume louder than she usually did.
“Wait,” He patted her hand away and turned the volume down, “Why are we going to Laguna?”
“I told you already, I have an appointment with a realtor. I’m buying a house.”
“Why isn’t your husband with you if you’re buying a house? Why did you rent that apartment? I’m guessing to keep the money grubbers away.”
“You’re right about the apartment, and I am sorry about that. I didn’t actually imagine people showing up that way. I was just being cautious. I should have warned you.”
“No problem…. Beach living, I love it. But you didn’t answer my first question. Are you setting up another life and then dumping him? That’s some cold shit.” He shook his head back and forth.
“No, I would never do that. The winnings are a… difficult responsibility.” She glanced at him and felt her face redden. He was such handsome boyish man, “I’m not going to unburden myself to you. You’re very young.” She reached out to the volume dial again. His hand covered hers, stopping her.
“I’m not that young.”
“How old are you?” Her hand felt like it was on fire under is touch. She didn’t move it away.
“Twenty-four.”
“Yes, very grown up.” She shooed his hand away and successfully turned the music up. They drove the rest of the way in silence.
…
Six hours and five houses later, Faye was tired. The day was hot, and none of the homes spoke to her. The first one the realtor had shown her was priced twice her budget. When she let the realtor know she was firm in her price range, Nick made a joke about her winnings. A glare from her silenced him.
Nick had proved to be a distraction. In the second house, that was too far from the beach, he had picked up a Rolex watch thoughtlessly left on the kitchen counter by the owner of the home and tried to pocket it. His borderline-criminal instincts amused Faye but she couldn’t let him act on them. She mouthed “no” to him and he placed it back on the counter with a wink to her.
Other than having to keep an eye on him, he was making the day brighter.
He was impressed by the many amenities, the saunas and walk-in refrigerators that Faye had grown used to in her friend’s homes over the years. She felt like she was seeing a whole new world through his youthful and unspoiled eyes.
She began to wonder about his past and how he ended up in a garage apartment in Hollywood with too many parking tickets. She planned on subjecting him to a full interrogation on the drive home. She was eager to be alone with him again.
But even Nick, of the relentlessly high spirits, had grown tired by the fifth house. He stormed through it, pulling her by hand, making note of the details he liked. For an almost feral young man, he had surprisingly good taste, recognizing quality, and pointing out where the owners had cut corners. He referred to the cutting corners as “Home Depot Shit”, sending the realtor into near nervous collapse.
“Faye, we’re done here. This is it. This is your new house,” He said as they stood at the edge of the terraced garden by the black-bottomed swimming pool.
“Really?” She laughed with amazement that his opinion had grown to mean something to her, “It’s farther from the beach than I hoped for—
“The ones on the beach are up on the cliffs, and they were all too much money… according to you. I have doubts about that,” He stripped off his shirt revealing a broad shouldered and leanly muscular chest with a scattering of golden hair. Faye’s heartbeat quickened, and she felt as if her mouth were hanging open.
“This is what you wanted… Four bedroom immaculate cottage, rose bushes everywhere, privacy, alcoves, full ocean view from every room and it’s only three blocks from the beach.”
“What are you doing?” She covered her face with her hands as he took off his jeans.
“I’m going for a swim. It’s hot out.”
She moved her hand away from her face to find him stretching as if showing off for her. “You can’t do that…” She said as he dove into the pool.
“I just did…” He popped up out of the water and floated on his back, his eyes on her. “Come on in,” He beckoned her with a wave of his hand.
“No… I’m going to go inside and make an offer on the house. Should I bring you back a towel?” She was frozen in place as she watched him float in the pool. It was as if he had baptized her new home by jumping in.
“No, I’m good. The sun will dry me off.”
“Hmmmm,’ She hummed, still not taking a step away, lost in staring at Nick.
“I thought you were going inside to make an offer?” He splashed, waking her from the lost moment, “Are you sure you don’t want to come in?”
“Yes,” She turned and went back into the house.
…
“So, tell me about yourself. Where did you grow up? How did you end up in Los Angeles?” She asked as they got into her car to drive home.
“Not interesting. Why didn’t you swim with me? It seemed like you wanted to.”
“I find you very interesting, and for whatever reason we’ve been, temporarily at least, thrown together.”
“Thrown together,” He nodded his head, a playful smile on his face, “I like that. Tell me why you wouldn’t go for a swim and I’ll tell you all about myself.”
“I’m a grown woman with kids, Nick. I can’t just strip down to my underwear and jump in stranger’s pools.”
“It’s your pool now, and that’s not an answer.”
“It won’t be my pool for ninety days, and my answer is the truth.” She sighed heavily, “But I did want to jump in. Okay? Happy now?”
“I’m only going to be happy if we go for a swim.”
“That’s not possible. I don’t have a pool and I wouldn’t feel comfortable barging in on my friends to use theirs, especially with you.”
“Am I another one of your secrets?” He didn’t wait for answer, “You’re rich Faye. Let’s go buy you a bathing suit and we can check into a hotel for a swim.”
“No.”
“Give me one good reason why not.”
She thought for a minute and then two, “I don’t have a good reason. It just doesn’t seem proper to check into a hotel with someone half my age for a swim.”
“You’re right that’s not a good reason.” He tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to a shop in the little seaside village, “They sell bathing suits. We’re going to do this. And I want you to know I’ve gone out with plenty of women your age.”