Still Falling (10 page)

“Come on bag of hormones.”
 
Serena noted several glances from the milling
crowd.
 
She wasn’t sure if they were
critically observing her extremely thin frame or her extremely young date.
 
It didn’t matter.
 
A few hours and it would all be over.

“Let’s size up the competition, shall we?”

“How do we do that?” he asked eagerly.

“Well it’s this thing I do at these functions.
 
I find a spot off to the side where I can see
most of the room but where I can be almost invisible and then I watch.
 
Once I’ve established the lay of the land I
pick out which couples would be the easiest to get stuck with at a table for a
few hours and just before the party starts I go over, start up a conversation
and keep it going until we’re
 
seated.”

“Crafty.
 
Do you
think we could pick a table with a lush redhead?”

“Like I said...lets size things up.” Serena replied,
exasperated.

They wondered off to one of the old marble stair cases
that led to the galleries, but now just served as a reminder of the buildings
previous purpose.
 
Standing on the third
step, just high enough to give them a good view over the mill of heads but not
enough that they put themselves on stage, they surveyed the crowd.

“Peacock blue dress, near the marble
horse!”

“Oh no,” giggled Serena.
 
“Her husband would buy you concrete boots and
take you swimming off his yacht.”

“She might be worth the risk.”

“No chance.
 
What
about Brunette in need of chest support.
 
Ten o’clock.”

“Far too much for my liking.
 
A handful is more than enough.”

“Fussy aren’t we?”

“Serena, how about tux at three
o’clock?”

“There are thirty tuxes at three o’clock and I thought
we were looking for potential girlfriends.
 
I didn’t realise you were that way inclined?”

“Actually, it hasn’t passed my attention that you are
single, so this one is for you.
 
There
leaning against the Marble horse.”

Serena sought out the Statue in question.
 
Marco was leaning against the pedestal deep
in conversation with the actress Michelle.
 
Her long manicured fingers constantly moved between his shoulders and
arms making it clear to anyone watching that she was claiming her
territory.
 

Marco kept one hand in a pocket and the other occupied
with a small glass of amber liquid.
 
After a few moments he stood upright and removed his hand from his
pocket.
 
Seconds later the hand was
sweeping up to his brow, to brush back an imaginary lock of hair with his
fingers.
 
Why do all the impossible men
have to be so damn attractive? She groaned inwardly.

“Tony, are you suffering brain damage?”

“The last time I checked it was all there and
working.
 
Why?”

“That arrogant
jackass,
knocked your lights out!”

“I know!” Tony said grinning.
 
“That’s why I choose him.
 
He knows how to protect his women.”

“Well in that case I think you need to consider green
and black pant suit coming in the door.”

“What? Why?
  
She
is huge.” He said in alarm.

“Now, now Tony.
 
Don’t be rude.
 
She is not huge.
 
She is strong.
 
And as Napoli’s
favourite professional female wrestler, she should be able to protect her
man.”
 
They kept up the light banter for
the next ten minutes while Serena made every effort not to allow her gaze to
drift back towards the marble horse.

Marco wasn’t ready to mingle just yet.
 
Leaving that to Michele who was more than
willing, he had drifted from the foyer to the main hall.
 
He stood near the bar, slightly off to one side
and watched the crowd filter through slowly.
 
In a few minutes everyone would be seated, the lights would dim, the
outfits being auctioned would be modelled and the auction would begin.
 
This would be the easy part.
 
He wouldn’t be expected to chat mindlessly
during this time as everyone’s attention would be focused on the show.
 

He had hired Spirit, a very popular middle aged pop
star from Rome,
as Master of Ceremonies to run the show and keep the audience entertained.
 
All he needed to do now was find his way to
his seat without being accosted.
 
Michelle loved the crowds a lot more than he did and had been mingling
as hostess for ages now.
 
He checked the
door.
 
The steady stream of guests had
slowed down to a trickle and most of the tables were full.
 
Taking a deep breath he prepared to step out
of the shadows.
 
At that moment Serena
stepped through the door.
 

She was stunning.
 
She was always stunning.
 
But
tonight.......wow.
 
Her slender neck was
dressed with a simple thin chain on which a small crucifix draped down to stop
just below that little pulsing hollow at the base of her throat.
   
Her hair had been swept up into a simple
loose pile on her head, with a few shiny, loose strands drifting down and
caressing her neck as she glided across the floor.
 

He recognised the dress immediately but had never seen
the dress looking quite as good on any of his models as it did on Serena.
 
Although the sweeping drapes of the satin on
the front of the dress, hugged her frame like liquid pouring down a statue, the
soft folds hid sharp angles of her skinny figure well.
 

It had only been three days since his models had
revealed the dress to the public at the Milan Fashion week.
 
He watched as she moved gracefully around the
tables.
 
The dress would not go unnoticed
by the media tonight.
 
Having a
competitor wear it would also not go unnoticed he mused.
 
What was she playing at?
 
This was the one piece in his line that he
had worked on completely alone.
 
The
dress had the thinnest strap he had ever used on a halter neck and was almost
invisible.
 
The back of her dress was
completely bare, the sides sweeping down to join in a ‘V’ that stopped just in
time to preserve modesty.
 
From here down
soft layers of black chiffon fell in staggered lengths midway down her shapely
calves.
 
To finish off the look she wore
simple, strappy sandals with a two inch heal.
 

He stepped further back into the shadows to compose
himself as he watched her annoying young boyfriend hold a chair out to for her
to sit.
 
They had chosen to share a table
with the elderly American diamond tycoon Arnold Richie and his wife.
 
That boy again!
 
All the anger at her abortion came flooding
back in hot waves.
 
It was going to be a
long night.

He headed over to his seat next to Michelle who flashed
him a toothy smile as he sat down.
 

“Darling, I do hope you are going to at least pretend
to enjoy the evening.” She said softly through her smile.
 

“That might be a tall order.” He replied quietly,
smiling and nodding at the other guests at their table.
 
As if in sympathy the lights dimmed and Marco
made a hash attempt at trying to relax.
 
He couldn’t get her out of his mind, very aware that only six or seven
meters behind him sat the most beautiful and unavailable woman in the
world.
 
His eyes watched the models
parade to the accompanying voice of Spirit and the regular applause from the
audience.
 
He watched, but saw nothing.
The auction came and went and the lights turned up a little for the waiters to
start circulating.
 

The band had started to play and a few couples had
started to dance.
 
He had to get some
fresh air. Excusing himself he rose and turned directly to door, not daring to
look in her direction.
 
Michelle watched
his departure with a quizzical expression.
 
He was acting very strangely.

“Tony, cover for me will you?”

“Are you alright?”

“I just need some fresh air.
 
I promise I’m fine.
 
Why don’t you ask her to dance?” Serena said
nodding in the direction of the young woman Tony had been staring at since they
had sat down.

“Only if you are sure you’ll be alright.”

“I promise.
 
I’ll
be fine.”

Actually she wasn’t fine.
 
She was exhausted.
 
She hoped the fresh air would help, and made
her way out into the circular foyer.
 
Wanting to avoid any lingering reporters she skirted the outer wall
looking for a side door which might still be open for staff.
 
Finding one, she stepped out into the cool
evening air and took a few deep breaths.
 
The air felt good on her face but she had to admit, she could have been
better dressed.
 
Rubbing her shoulders
she went to sit on the low marble wall of a small fountain.
  
Leaning down she let her fingers skim the
top of the water.
 
It was warmer than
expected, perhaps from the heat of the submerged lights.
 
Four small cherubs were in various poses, all
pouring water from jugs into the basin of the fountain.
 

The evening wasn’t quite as bad as it could have
been.
 
For one, she hadn’t seen Marco
since they had entered the main hall, although Michelle had been very
visible.
 
While she was missing Jo, Tony
was a delightful companion.
 
Arnold
Richie and his wife Mavis turned out to be a genuinely lovely couple, probably
because riches had found them late in life and they still maintained their ‘down
to earth’ outlook on life.
 

Lost in thought she traced circles around small bubbles
that drifted over from the centre of the fountain like small gifts from the
cherubs.

“You used to do that in the rock pools until that big
crab thought you were lunch”.

Serena inhaled sharply.
 
God why now?
 
She didn’t turn;
scared to look at him in case she fell apart.
 
Flicking the water off her finger tips, she diverted to gaze to the sky,
searching for stars and inner strength.

“You were lost in thought.
 
I hope I didn’t frighten you?”

“No.
 
No, I just
needed some fresh air.
 
I’m going back
inside now.”
 
Serena stood and made to
stride toward the service door.

“Serena, please wait.
 
We need to talk.”

She paused, still unable to look at him.

“Marco.
 
There
you are.
 
You are in high demand darling;
you can grab some fresh air later.” Michelle crooned as she swept gracefully
across the pavement.
 

“Well, hello!
 
Serena isn’t it?
 
I suggest you
head back to the baby you’ve cradle snatched before he’s kidnapped by some
other well wishing motherly type.”

Michelle wove her arm through Marco’s and guided him
away leaving Serena wishing she could just disappear.

Michelle was really getting on his nerves tonight and
he couldn’t clear Serena’s expression from his mind.
 
On return to the table he had a first-hand
glimpse of what Michelle had been talking about.
 
In the middle of the dance floor a tall
blonde with cosmetically enhanced assets was dancing with Serena’s
boyfriend.
 

Being nearly a foot shorter than her, the kids head was
well cushioned on her breast bone with one bejewelled hand making sure it
stayed there.
 
The kid looked like a ten
year old at Christmas, having just received the perfect present.
 
Excusing himself from Michelle’s clutches he
strode purposely onto the dance floor.
 
What he wanted most to do was finish what he had started on the beach
and teach this kid a hard lesson.
 
Instead he tapped the kid on the shoulder and told him Serena was
outside and needed him, whilst skilfully drawing the blonde away to dance with
her himself.
 
Serena was going through
enough because of this kid and he wasn’t going to allow the kid to make it
worse.

Serena was almost at the entrance to the dinner hall
when Tony caught up to her sliding nearly three feet along the polished floor.