Vultures Always Circle Around....
T
he next afternoon Victoria stood in front of Denise's desk as she told her about the situation with Ted's mother. She was glad that even though his heart was heavy, he'd managed to get a little sleep the night before. It was a sharp contrast to how she'd lain awake until the wee hours of the morning. She hadn't been able to shake the combination of sadness and grief that hung in the air from the moment Ted told her that his mother was dying. And now more than ever, she had a bad feeling that while this news was devastating, it was just the tip of the iceberg. Ever since her encounter with Parker last weekend, she could feel that things as she'd known them were about to change.
Victoria rubbed her tired eyes and yawned as she spoke. “I don't know how Ted's holding it together. If the situation was reversed, I'd be a basket case for sure.”
“Wow,” Denise said, shaking her head. “I can't believe his mother never told anyone how sick she was. No one had a clue?”
“Well, we knew she wasn't in the best of health, but we just figured it was the usual ailments that go along with being eighty-two years old. We had no idea she was battling stage-four pancreatic cancer.”
“She didn't even tell her daughter? I thought they were close.”
“They are, about certain things. But Carolyn's always been very secretive. I guess everyone has their own little idiosyncrasies.”
“Humph. That's not an idiosyncrasy.That's just straight up strange,” Denise said. “I hate to speak ill of the ill, but I've always thought something was up with your mother-in-law. Don't you think it's odd that in all the years that you and Ted have been married, you've never met a single relative from her side of the family or heard about any childhood friends she may have had? If you ask me, that means she's got a checkered past, with something to hide.”
“Yeah, under any other circumstance it would seem a little strange. But she was orphaned at birth, so she never really had a family to speak of.When you think about it, it's kind of sad.”
“I bet some long-lost relatives are gonna suddenly appear out of the woodwork now. It never fails. When someone dies, vultures always circle around.”
Victoria nodded her head, thinking about how Ted's older brother, Charlie, would be the first one to line up to pick the bones clean. “Good point,” she agreed. “But like I said, she doesn't really have any family. The state of Louisiana bounced her from foster home to foster home until she was a teenager. That's when she left for Boston and never looked back,” Victoria said, shaking her head. “Ted once told me that he was a grown man in college before he even learned that much. I think some pretty ugly things must've happened to her back then, and that's why she never talks about her past.”
“Could be, but I still think she's a strange one. Remember how she acted at your wedding? Smiling one minute, then running for cover the next?”
Victoria nodded her head as she remembered how strangely Carolyn had acted during their wedding reception. She and Ted, still giddy in the glow of their new union, had been mingling with their guests, introducing their families to one another, when she noticed a change in her new mother-in-law's behavior. One minute Carolyn was gracing everyone with her deep-rooted Southern charm, laughing and talking up a storm, and the next she was cold as ice, withdrawing quickly from the crowd so she could return to her hotel room. She'd said she felt a migraine coming on and needed to rest, but that excuse hadn't rung true to Victoria, because she sensed something inauthentic in Carolyn's words.
“Girlfriend, please. That headache excuse she gave was weak.”
“I know,” Victoria said, nodding in agreement.
“During your reception that old broad was throwin' back pomegranate martinis like springwater. I watched her, and it wasn't until your family started coming up to introduce themselves that she all of a sudden started feeling bad,” Denise scoffed. “Like I said, I hate to speak ill of the ill, but the truth is, as much as her son loves your pretty black behind, she ain't too keen on our kinda people. I think she was overwhelmed by so many black faces crowded into one room. Think about it. She's a privileged white woman who lives on an estate in Back Bay. How much contact does she have or has she had with black folks ... other than in a service capacity?”
“I told Ted the same thing, but he said I was making a big deal out of nothing. What is it about men that makes them blind to their mother's flaws?” Victoria's statement made her think about Parker. He'd been the same way when it came to his mother. Dorothy Brightwood was a shrew of a woman, but Parker thought she walked on water and floated on clouds.
The thought of Parker drew Victoria's mind back to him. No matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't get him out of her head. Even though she was concerned about and saddened by her husband's dying mother, Parker was stuck in her thoughts. She wanted to come clean and tell Ted about her encounter with him, and brace him for the fact that they would likely run into her old lover at upcoming Jack and Jill functions and PTA meetings. But with all that Ted was dealing with at the moment, there was no good way she could find to ease Parker into their conversation. Even though Ted was a confident man, she knew he'd be uneasy about Parker's presence in their lives.
Denise continued talking, but Victoria had zoned out of their conversation, consumed by her own thoughts. “Girlfriend, did you hear a word I just said?” Denise asked, snapping Victoria's attention back into focus.
“I'm sorry.What were you saying?”
“I said, given the fact that Ted's mother could pass away at any time, do you want me to stand in for you at Gigi's wedding so you can fly out early? The rehearsal dinner is tomorrow night.”
Victoria knew that Denise didn't want any part of the elaborate affair, but out of genuine friendship and professionalism, she was ready to step up to the plate. “Thanks, Denise, but that's okay.We decided it would be best for Alexandria and me to stay for now. After talking with his mother's doctor, Ted seems to think she might hold on through the weekend. Then it'll just be a matter of making the final burial arrangements.”
Denise let out a soft sigh. “Poor Ted.”
“I know.”
“At least his mother led a full life and was able to see her children and some of her grandchildren grow up. That's a blessing some people don't get.”
“Yes, it is.” Victoria nodded. She was glad that Alexandria had the good fortune of being able to spend time with relatives on both sides of her family, a luxury that had escaped her growing up.
“Well, just let me know if you need me to do anything,” Denise offered again.
Just then they were interrupted by the ringing phone. Denise picked it up, and Victoria could tell by the scowl on her face who was on the other end of the line. It had to be Gigi!
Denise pressed the hold button. “You know who it is. I can tell her that you're in a meeting.”
Victoria breathed out a heavy sigh. Gigi had just rung her cell phone a half hour ago, and now she was calling the office line for the fourth time that day. She couldn't imagine what Gigi wanted, because they'd already spoken three of the four times she'd called.
“This woman is trying to drive me crazy,” Victoria muttered and winced, losing patience by the minute. She looked at her watch, not wanting to waste more of her time on Gigi's last-minute harebrained ideas. She'd made plans to meet Debbie for dinner, and she needed to leave soon. But she also wanted to get bridezilla out of the way so she could enjoy her evening. “Yeah, go ahead and transfer her,” Victoria said as she headed down the hallway to her office.
After a painful and frustrating twenty-minute conversation with the nervous and perpetually frantic bride-to-be,Victoria hung up the phone feeling like she'd just run a marathon. She gathered her things and prepared to leave the office.
“Gigi can drain the life out of a damn battery,” she grumbled to Denise as she walked past her desk, trying to summon the last bit of energy in her reserves. She hadn't slept well since last Saturday, and now, five days later, she was moving like time was standing still.
“Don't let that crazy heifer stress you out.”
“I'm trying not to.That's why I got her out of the way, so I can enjoy my dinner with Debbie.”
“Hang in there, girlfriend,” Denise told her. “You know I got your back if you need anything, and tell Debbie I said hi and I can't wait to see her this Saturday.”
Victoria hugged Denise on her way out the door. “I will, and thanks.” She managed to smile, thankful to know that she could always count on her dear friend.
As she drove through the hustle and bustle of early afternoon traffic, Victoria wanted to do nothing more than go home and crawl into her bed. She wished she had asked Debbie to meet her at her house instead of agreeing to go out to a crowded restaurant. But she hadn't seen her friend in nearly a year, and from the way Debbie had sounded on the phone when they spoke yesterday, Victoria could sense that she was longing to have a night out.
She was about to hit speed dial and check in with Ted to see how things were going when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was him. “Hey, how is everything?”
“As well as can be expected,” he said. Victoria could hear the tension in his voice. “I met with my mother's doctor a few hours ago. She's resting right now, so I took a quick break to call you.”
“Were you able to talk to her?”
“No, but when I walked into her room, she looked at me and smiled, then faded off to sleep. I'm going to take Lilly to the cafeteria to get something to eat, and then I'll come back and sit with Mother until she wakes up again.” He paused. “
If
she wakes up again ...” Ted's voice was a whisper, trailing off like his thoughts. “How're you doing?”
“Hanging in there. I feel like I should be there with you, though.”
Ted secretly wished she was there with him, too, because she made him feel invincible when she was by his side, and right now he was fighting to stay strong. But he knew that her time and energy were better served where she was. “V, the best thing you can do right now is keep everything together back home. Lilly's here for support, and soon my mother will be in a better place. It's going to be all right.”
“I'm glad Lilly's there. At least you two can lean on each other,” she said. Then a thought occurred to her. “Where's Charlie?”
Her question triggered a rise in Ted's voice. “Down at mother's attorney's office, trying to see if he can get an advanced reading of her will.”
“You're kidding!”
“Sadly, no. Lilly said she heard him on the phone, setting it up, yesterday.”
“I'm so sorry.”
“It's no surprise. Charlie's always been a schemer.” Ted thought about how he'd never trusted his brother when they were growing up, and still didn't to the present day. “Listen, I've gotta run. I'll call you if anything changes. Have fun with Debbie, and give my little princess a kiss for me.”
“I will.”
After talking to Ted,Victoria gathered newfound strength. She knew that if he could marshal on in the face of such grief and sadness, she could certainly pull herself together. She needed to focus her attention on the things that really mattered and reframe her thoughts. But all the while a nagging thought kept snipping at her conscience. It wasn't about her dying mother-in-law or her grieving husband or the million and one things she needed to do before Gigi's rehearsal dinner tomorrow night. All she could think about was Parker's business card, which was lying at the bottom of her handbag.
What's at Stake ...
Victoria walked into Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant and managed to find a seat in the tightly packed waiting area. She was tired and hungry, and she was looking forward to a good meal. Even though she felt stressed and sleep deprived, the one thing that never faltered was her appetite. Nothing could stand between her and a good meal.
She arrived a few minutes early because she needed time to gather herself before Debbie got there. She was looking forward to spending time with her friend, and from the tone of their last few conversations, she knew that Debbie needed a listening ear.
Maybe helping her through her troubles will take my mind off my own,
Victoria thought.
Since Debbie had moved to Miami six years ago, when her husband's job transferred them, the two had kept in touch, but they missed the kind of close friendship that being in the same city could offer. Debbie was in town only for the weekend, to attend Gigi's wedding, but Victoria wished she could stay longer, because she knew that once they started talking and catching up face-to-face, they wouldn't be able to stop.
The lobby had thinned out, and Victoria was busy responding to messages on her BlackBerry when she felt someone walk up to her. “Debbie?” she said with surprise.
“The one and only.” Debbie smiled, standing before her with her hand on her slim hip, grinning from ear to ear. “Don't just sit there, glued to that time-stealing CrackBerry. Give me a hug,” she said and grinned, opening her arms wide.
Victoria stood up and embraced her friend, trying to recover from the shock caused by Debbie's appearance. From head to toe, Debbie Long looked like a completely different woman from the one Victoria had known since they were roommates in graduate school at U. Penn, or from the one in the Easter photo she'd sent just a few months ago.
Debbie had always been a free-spirited, granola kinda girl, preferring a look that, unlike Victoria's, screamed Woodstock instead of couture.The two women couldn't be more different in their taste, from the clothes they wore to the men they'd dated, but they balanced each other out like salt and pepper, literally. Debbie was a decent-looking woman, but she'd never really put a lot of time or care into her personal appearance. The new Debbie was a sight that made Victoria do a double take.
“You like?” Debbie asked, striking a pose.
Victoria looked her up and down, trying to make sure that it was really her friend standing before her. Debbie's long, unruly red hair was now a neatly tapered bob that rested just below her ears. Her customary T-shirt and torn secondhand jeans had given way to a boatneck summer blouse and linen capri pants. Her worn-down Birkenstocks had been replaced with low-heeled sandals, and her pale alabaster skin now boasted a serious tan.
“Girl, you look fantastic!” Victoria nearly screamed.
As the hostess led them back to their table, Victoria still couldn't believe the drastic change in Debbie's appearance. She scanned her friend again as they perused their menus while their server poured them each a glass of Merlot. “I can't get over your new look,” she told Debbie.
“You really like it? I mean, I know I'll never be a fashionista like you”âDebbie chuckledâ“but do you really think I look good?”
Victoria reached for the hot artisanal bread that had just been placed on their table. “Yes! Girl, you look good. I know Rob's lovin' it.” She grinned, dipping her bread in olive oil.
Debbie rolled her eyes.
“What?”
Another roll of the eyes.
“Okay, hold up. Stop rolling your eyes and open your mouth. What's going on?”
Debbie let out a long sigh. “I told you about the problems that Rob and I have been having in the bedroom, right?”
“Yeah, but I thought you two were just going through a little rough patch. I mean, you've always had such a hot and heavy love life... .”
“
Had
is the operative word.”
“Oh, I get it.” Victoria nodded, giving Debbie an understanding wink. “You decided to get a makeover to spice things up. Is it working?”
“Um, not really.”
Victoria looked closely at Debbie. She expected to see traces of worry, but her green eyes looked as bright as twinkling stars. “Debbie, what's going on with you?”
Just then their server came back to the table to take their orders. After making their selections,Victoria picked up where she'd left off. “Debbie, you're a woman who is completely comfortable in your own skin. That's one of the things I've always loved about you.You have your own style, however unconventional it may be,” she said, making them both laugh. “So if you didn't make this drastic change in an effort to improve your marriage, what made you do it?”
“Another man.”
There was a moment of complete silence.
At first,Victoria thought she'd misunderstood. But Debbie had said it so quickly and so matter-of-factly that she knew her friend was serious. She sat dumbfounded as Debbie told her about her new lover.
His name was Stan, and they'd met at a local art exhibit where Debbie was one of the featured artists. He fell in love with the five pieces she had on display and bought them all that very day. Over the next few weeks they exchanged their life stories over coffee and biscotti.They shared their goals and dreams through e-mails and secret phone calls. And they eventually gave in to their heated desire for one another in a room at the Miami Marriott.
Victoria was still in shock as the server sat their piping hot plates in front of them. She watched Debbie dive into her gnocchi as her eyes danced each time she mentioned her lover's name. But with every detail she revealed,Victoria's heart filled with worry for her friend. “How long has this affair been going on?” she asked.
“A few months.”
“Is Rob suspicious? I mean, has he questioned you about the sudden change in your appearance?”
Debbie shook her head. “He just thinks that since I turned forty, I'm trying to reinvent myself. He doesn't really care for my new look, but he said if this is what makes me happy ...”
Victoria put her fork down and gently wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin. She'd been trying to reserve comment, but now she had to tell Debbie exactly what was on her mind. “Debbie, I think you're making a huge mistake.”
Debbie's smile dropped into a frown. “See, something told me to just keep this good news to myself.”
“Good news?”
Victoria gulped. “Is that what you think this is? Cheating on your husband and jeopardizing your marriage and your family ... that's what you call good news?”
Debbie sat on the edge of her chair. “I thought you'd be the one person who would understand what it means to find real passion, but I see that I was wrong. Stop judging me,Victoria.”
Victoria softened her eyes. “Debbie, I'm not trying to judge you. I just want you to see what's at stake and realize what you're doing.”
Debbie shook her head. “Forget it.You don't understand.”
“Then help me to,” Victoria countered, trying to keep her voice low. “I want to hear what's so great about this guy that has you sneaking off to hotels in the middle of the day, while your son is at school and your husband is hard at work, trying to provide a comfortable life for you.”
Debbie put her hand to her head. “That's just it. It's all so
comfortable
... too comfortable. After Brandon was born, Rob and I eased into a routine that became predictable and boring. We used to take long walks in the park, hold hands at the movies, and spend hours making love. But little by little it all stopped. Now Rob spends most of his time at the office, and when he's home, it's like he's not really there, not fully engaged. Although I have to say, he does make time for Brandon. But as far as the two of us is concerned, the spark is gone.”
Victoria listened as Debbie went on. “When I met Stan, there was instant chemistry between us. He's handsome and exciting, and he looks at me like no other man ever has. A couple of weeks ago he told me that I had a hidden beauty that was bursting at the seams, waiting to be freed. The next week he took me shopping, made a hair appointment for me, and basically put together my makeover.” She beamed.
Victoria held her tongue as their server approached the table, sitting Debbie's decadent tiramisu in front of her.Victoria had forgone dessert, a first for her. This was a rare occasion that had stolen her appetite. She concentrated on her words, choosing them carefully, because she wanted to say the right thing. “From what you've told me about this guy ...”
“Stan,” Debbie interjected.
“Excuse me,
Stan
... I still think you're making a big mistake, and it's not just because you're having an affair. Frankly, there are plenty of marriages that suffer affairs and still survive. I think this is a mistake because this guyâexcuse me,
Stan
âis trying to change you into someone you're not,” Victoria said, taking a deep breath. “I listened to everything you said, and speaking as a sister who dearly loves you, I don't like what I'm hearing.”
“Why?”
“Debbie, he's got you painting sunsets and baskets of fruit, instead of the geometric abstracts you love. He has you wearing heels that you can barely walk in, instead of your comfortable Birkenstocks.You even said that your new wardrobe has to grow on you,” Victoria pointed out. “And now you're thinking about going back to the university to teach, when that was the very thing that burned you out and drove you to become a freelance artist in the first place.” Victoria leaned in close. “Debbie, you were fine just the way you were.”
Debbie looked up at the ceiling, totally exasperated. “But I wasn't fine the way I was. I felt like I was dying, Victoria. And, Stan ... he makes me feel alive. Do you know what it's like to have someone literally wake you up from the dead?” she nearly pleaded, raising her voice.
“Debbie, calm down.”
“You don't understand. You've got a handsome husband who bangs your brains out and shows you open affection. You're tall and beautiful, and men drool all over you when you walk into a room.You don't know what it's like to feel undesirable, but I do. And right or wrong, Stan makes me feel desired and wanted and full.”
Victoria sat back in her chair, taking in Debbie's words. She never knew her friend felt that way. She'd always seen Debbie as a confident, kiss-my-ass kind of woman who marched to the music playing inside her own head, the rest of the world be damned. She had her own quirky style and a genuine authenticity that made her one of the most sincere and honest people Victoria knew. Debbie's revelation about how she viewed herself was almost as startling as her admission about having an affair. “Have you talked to Rob about how you feel?” she asked.
“Yes, and it didn't do any good. He's oblivious.”
Victoria looked her friend squarely in the eyes. “So, where are you going with this? Where do you want this to lead?”
“Victoria, I honestly don't know.”
“Well, you better start thinking about it, because, girl, you're playin' with fire.”
“We're being careful.”
Victoria shook her head. “All it takes is one small slip. Regardless of how oblivious you think Rob is, you know, just like I do, that even though he's a good-natured guy, he's got a little edge. If he finds out you're cheating on him, he'll put his tae kwon do lessons to use and kick some ass. The only question is, will it be yours or Stan's?”
“I told you, Stan and I are being very careful. We've stopped meeting in the city.We found a place that's a few miles outside of town. It's remote and secluded. Besides, Stan has just as much to lose as I do. He told me that if his wife finds out, she'll surely take his children away from him.”
Victoria's eyes bucked wide. “He's married, with kids?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Now you have two people to dodge. Women have great intuition about these kinds of things.What if his wife is already suspicious? She could be tailing him, for all you know. If you get caught, you'll have another person ready to jump in your shit,” Victoria said, trying to keep her voice low.
“This is something I have to do for me.You're sitting there judging me, thinking, why would I cheat on Rob? I know he's a good person and that he loves Brandon and me. But sometimes you need more than just love to keep you going. Do you know what it's like to find yourself drawn to another person who gives you that missing piece? Who electrifies you with just the sound of his voice? Who makes you want to be with him even when you know you damn well shouldn't be?” Debbie sighed, returning Victoria's intense stare. “No.” She shrugged. “You don't know anything about that.”
Victoria shook her head, feeling her nose grow a full two inches as she thought about Parker's business card sitting at the bottom of her handbag. All she could do was say a silent prayer for her friend, along with one for herself.