by Shirley Hunt
Blake appeared to be thinking about that. As much as I had learned how to adapt into his circle we had still been born and raised in two separate worlds. While Blake could have easily afforded a new expensive camera I could not.
Finally he said, “Do you think we can find a place to develop the pictures?”
“There are still some big name drug stores around that will.”
Grabbing my hand Blake smiled and nodded, “Let’s go pick out a good disposable camera then!”
There weren’t any real name brand cameras at the store we had gone to and Blake and I sure did look for one. I was about to admit defeat when Blake spotted a store brand camera.
“It’s not much but it might work,” he said before handing it to me.
“It’s worth a try,” I said. “You can still take pictures on your phone. It seems like there’s nothing that those phones can’t do.”
Blake chuckled, “I’m still waiting for one that has a laser beam that can scratch my butt from Mars.”
I looked to Blake, surprised at first, but then I started to laugh. He did have a way to surprise me by saying things that I didn’t expect him to say. It was one of those things that I loved about him.
“Why not see about inventing one then?” I shot back.
“I love it when you come up with come backs like that!” Blake laughed. “The only bad thing I can think about old cameras is you never know if your photo turned out good or poorly until the film is developed.”
“It’s something that has plagued photographers since time began. However, sometimes it’s also a part of the fun mystery.”
“I imagine so.”
After paying for the camera I had convinced Blake to stand outside of the building for me to take a photo of him.
“My beloved husband can be the first picture on the camera!” I said.
Blake nodded and smiled. “Let me step back so my head doesn’t get cut off.”
That was also one of the hazards of having a disposable camera. It would be easy to accidently crop someone’s head off. That would not be good for a first attempt at photographing my husband with a piece of “archaic” technology.
Doing my best to center Blake as much as possible I told him to smile which he did. As soon as I snapped the photo a woman called out Blake’s name and came running to him.
I looked to see a pretty woman wearing an expensive looking pink outfit and matching stiletto heels. She had dark strawberry blonde hair that hung free and bright blue eyes. She was also adorned with glittering jewelry that could have easily cost me a year’s pay.
For a moment I felt horribly out of place being dressed in street clothes. They were not cheap clothing but not nearly as expensive as her outfit looked. That morning I had felt good about myself in a cheerfully embroidered peach blouse and pants with red roses embroidered on the pockets. My shoes were out of place as I had decided to go for comfort and durability over fashion.
Blake also looked surprised to see this woman show up and hurry to him.
“Oh, hello Ellen,” Blake said. He quickly looked to me and gestured for me to step forward.
I did so while wondering why he suddenly seemed so reserved.
“Ellen, this is my wife Amanda,” Blake said.
Ellen’s once cheerful demeanor faded as her smile quickly melted. If I didn’t know better she was glaring at me through her mascaraed eye lashes.
I stuck out my hand to be friendly but was left hanging. I felt a bit awkward as I pulled my hand back and looked away.
At first I blamed it on her knowing that I was “new money” and therefore not a member of their club. As much as I had seen it and adapted to it people still surprised me.
Obviously not all wealthy people were like that and treated me in such a way. The day after our marriage a very well off elderly woman even invited Blake and I over for homemade cookies and tea. It just seemed that the not so nice wealthy folks were out numbering the nice ones.
This time, however, I did once again jump the gun with my assumptions and conclusions before any evidence had been presented to me.
Ellen surprised me and perhaps even Blake by coolly saying, “You never told me you got married.”
If Blake was surprised he recovered very quickly and said, “Amanda and I were married very recently.”
I began to suspect he was becoming uncomfortable and just saying these things to make polite small talk. I normally wasn’t one to shy from small talk but this time I was.
I felt Blake’s arm wrap around my waist as more polite small talk was forced.
Through snippets of conversation I was able to piece together that Blake and Ellen had some sort of connection in the past. What type of connection this was I wasn’t positive but I had my suspicions. At the very least I thought they had been co-workers or even partners. Another possibility was that they were somehow romantically involved. I prayed she was not one of those stop at nothing ex-girlfriends who would do everything in their power to make life impossible for their ex-boyfriend and anyone he was with. I had seen enough crime shows and read enough books to know to do what I could to steer clear of them!
“So, how have you been?” Blake asked as he kept his arm around my waist.
Ellen didn’t look to happy about the change of subject. Rather than comment on that she said, “I started up my own business. It’s a fashion business that’s doing quite well locally that I’m hoping to expand. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of Ellen’s Bright Couture?”
“I don’t follow the fashion blogs,” Blake said. He looked to me, “You?”
“I’ve never heard of your business but I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for it!” I said with forced eagerness. In an effort to make a friend I said, “Where did you come up with that name?”
“I like bright colors,” Ellen replied stiffly. “I find blacks and browns to be quite drab. I want my customers to stand out!”
“I’d enjoy to see some of your pieces sometime.” I didn’t know why I had said that. Perhaps it was a last ditch effort to pacify her and make a possible friend.
Needless to say that plan had failed when she sniffed and said, “Someone like you couldn’t afford my designs.”
“Ellen, that’s not nice!” Blake said loudly as if he were scolding a child. “You really shouldn’t say such things to people let alone my wife! You know what they say about being nice to them on the way up.”
At first I thought Ellen had only disliked me for not being a part of her clique, but then I began to wonder if she and Blake had been romantically linked somehow in the past? It was entirely possible and I wondered how to ask Blake about this without seeming like I was prying into his business and the past?
I suppose it was an effort to be polite when Blake said, “Amanda and I are busy. Come on, let’s go.”
Keeping his arm around me he steered me away from Ellen and never once looked back to see where she was. Though I couldn’t see her I was fairly confident she was busy staring daggers into my back.
“Who was she?” I asked Blake.
“Someone I knew a long time ago.”
“Old girlfriend?”
“Yes. She’s always been kind of the jealous type which is why it didn’t work out. I didn’t like her jealousy or feeling like every move I did was constantly scrutinized.”
“As long as we steer clear of her we should be fine.”
At least I hoped we would be.
Chapter Three
I had hoped that Ellen would be staying out of our lives after Blake had more or less brushed her off. I think he had gone about it a little too nicely as I knew I wouldn’t be that nice. I would have been more forceful in my informing the person to leave us alone. While I would have been more forceful I also knew it wasn’t my ex-lover that I had been speaking to. It also wasn’t my place to speak up. Sometimes what a pain it was having been taught manners like that!
Blake had told me not to worry about it as Ellen could be rather single m
inded. He reasoned once she found something to distract her she would have forgotten all about us. I did certainly hope so! Who wanted someone mooning after your new husband all the time?
Still part of me began to wonder about that. Did she want me out of the way so she could have Blake all to herself? She did seem to be a bit too interested in him.
I trusted Blake completely and knew that he would not do anything to hurt or to put me into harm’s way. I knew I could trust him but I wasn’t certain if I could trust everyone else. I really didn’t like feeling like that as it made me feel like I was insecure.
I new sometimes there was competition among women but I didn’t think it could get so nasty towards the top. Sometimes I felt like I was stuck in a hen house rather than out in real life among real people.
As much as I had adapted to this new lifestyle I still had much to learn. I knew I must not stoop to their level.
To escape the pettiness and to have a good distraction I began to discuss what tourist places we could see next. It would keep us busy and out of trouble for a little while. I was determined not to let a certain few people make our honeymoon miserable for us.
We had thoughts of leaving this part of the state for another part or even leaving the state entirely. Fate had other plans, though; as Blake had been called and was needed to give advice and help settle a transaction of sorts.
“Can it wait until my honeymoon is over?” Blake asked.
I couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end of the phone line but I didn’t need to to know that he was displeased.
“I don’t want to be whiny but why can’t George do it?” He paused, “George Smith, one of the higher ups! You don’t need my—”
Somehow I knew Blake was doing this for me. He didn’t want to interrupt our honey moon because of me. I did want to tell Blake not to worry about it and that I would find my own way to entertain myself. If this was something that had to be handled then he should see about going about and getting it done. If our positions were reversed I’m sure he’d feel the same way about me.
Blake hung up the phone and looked to me.
“Business calls?” I asked.
“I’m afraid so. It’s important and there’s no getting around it.”
“If that’s the case you should go and get it done with so you don’t have to worry about it.”
Blake didn’t look convinced, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It needs to be done so you had might as well get it over and done with. If you don’t they’re likely to go springing surprises on us.”
Reluctantly Blake nodded. I could tell that he didn’t want to be away from me or our time together. As much as I didn’t like it I knew he had an obligation to work and there was no getting around it.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised.
We quickly kissed before he was forced to hurry out the door and to business.
It wasn’t always fun having Blake have to come and go like that. There were times I wished that he could have a second in command or have someone else do his work from time to time. Still, I also knew Blake was doing this for me so that I could be safe and be able to live a stable life. Even though we had plenty of money Blake still liked to be a provider.
It was a pity he couldn’t discuss with me what his plans were. He had been busy in some sort of plans about a new job prospect. He wouldn’t share what they were and I blamed them on him having to be secretive. Sometimes I felt like the company had the same secrecy going on as the president did! I knew Blake would tell me when the time came.
In the meantime I had decided to do some research and some digging. I was curious in what Ellen’s Bright Couture actually did and sold. I didn’t expect her to do anything against me but I was still curious and having a smart phone was sometimes a handy thing to have. And to think not that long ago I missed those old flip phones!
It didn’t take me long to find Ellen’s designs online. She was right that they were certainly bright and colorful! A bit too bright and colorful for my taste as it looked like someone could go blind just from looking at that fabric alone.
Some of the prints were, well, just plain bizarre. I knew the zebra stripe print that was often paired with bright pink was in but this was insanity! I knew I shouldn’t be judgmental but they eye didn’t know where to go with those bright colors staring at you.
Another one was made from a print that looked like a bunch of hands grabbing at the model’s body. Not my style at all.
I found it odd that there would be such a market for it but you never knew with people and it seemed there was a market for everything.
Chapter Four
Blake returned later that day and I was happy to see he was at least smiling. Perhaps that sudden business plan wasn’t so bad after all.
“How’d it go?” I asked him.
“It wasn’t so bad,” Blake answered. “I do have a surprise for you.”
“What is it?”
“Dinner for just the two of us! We’ll have a romantic dinner for two tonight at the Restaurant by the Sea.”
I had heard of the restaurant that was ironically named “Restaurant by the Sea” considering it was not by the sea! Everyone joked that it was a tourist trap, a romantic tourist trap, but still a tourist trap. Try saying that five times fast!
Smiling at Blake I nodded, “I like that.”
“Good! Pick out your best dress and we’ll be ready to go.”
For dinner I had decided on my green satin dress that had black lace work. I particularly liked this dress not only because of the design scheme but because the fabric was nice enough to pass off as expensive silk.
The dress itself had a vintage look to it that I liked and knew was coming back in style. I liked the way the straps of the dress went over my shoulders and crossed over my back.
Yes, you could say that it was my favorite dress.
I had sat down on the edge of the bed and slipped on my silver stilettoes. I rather enjoyed this pair of shoes and the extra sparkle that they had.
Blake had it easy by dressing up in a black suit, polished black shoes, and a red tie. When I glanced over at his shoes I could see them reflect the light that shown from up above.
“It must be nice to be a man,” I teased him.
“What do you mean?” Blake asked and laughed.
“You just have to put on a nice suit and you’re set.”
Blake laughed again, “Nah, we men are simple creatures that way. It’s the women who dress so pretty and get to be looked at! People just see us men and move along.”
“So people stare because I’m a woman?” I flirted.
“I know I would! You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve seen.”
“You flatter me.”
“It’s only flattery if it isn’t true!”
“If you keep talking to me like that we may never get to the restaurant.”
“I’d like that but I did make reservations…”
“Oh, you tease!”
“Yes, I suppose. Yet, teasing is half the fun.”
With that he pulled me up into a standing position and we kissed once again.
“I am free all night and I should be tomorrow.”
“Don’t say anything otherwise you might jinx it.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing so.”
I leaned in close, “Let’s get going before I tempt us both to stay here forever.”
“I like the sound of both ideas!”
“After dinner we can.”
“Now who is being the tease?”
Restaurant by the Sea was a creative building in my opinion. I did indeed have an idea in my mind of what this restaurant would be like but it was none of these. They did have a nautical theme and what I assumed were reproductions of vintage pieces. Why else would someone have a ship’s wheel hanging on the wall? There was the occasional rope netting as well as thick fabric serving as decoration and for curtains.
If it wer
en’t for other people being dressed so nicely I would have thought that we were over dressed. It was fancy and expensive looking and yet felt rather down home and inviting. In a way it was a nice change from all of those expensive and fancy places I had been to in the past. Sometimes one did enjoy just going to a fun and cheerful place.
“This place hasn’t changed,” Blake said over dinner. “My parents used to take my family and me here when I was a kid. It started out as a basic restaurant by a man who had a particular vision. His son inherited it after he died and turned it into the place we see now.”
