Sedona's Heart

by Sasha Fino

  “Wow, you look beautiful, Aunt Blanche,” Kimberly said when she saw Blanche in her dress. The dress was blue, and Blanche looked stunning in it

  “Thanks, I’ve never worn this dress before,” Blanche said shyly. Then the doorbell rang, and Kimberly jumped off the bed to answer it.

  “You really deserve someone who loves you, Aunt Blanche,” Kimberly said. Before Blanche could say anything to her, Kimberly ran out of the room and answered the door

  Annette was at the door at the same time Lexy’s limo pulled up

  “Hey, Annette, how are you?”

  “I am great, Kimberly. Is your aunt ready to go?” Annette asked in a sweet voice. Annette looked beautiful in her red dress and high heels. There was no doubt in Kimberly’s mind that Max would go for Annette

  “Yes, she will be right out. How’s Jordan?” Kimberly asked her

  “Jordan is fine. He is at home working on a science project that is due on Monday. How are you, Kimberly? My, how you remind me so much of your mother.”

  “Thanks, I have been told that a lot lately. I am just great, my friend, Lexy, and I going to have a pizza and popcorn pig-out at her house tonight,” Kimberly said.

  “Really, Kimberly, I don’t want you coming home sick tomorrow,” Aunt Blanche said as she came down the hall to greet her friend

  “Got to go, Lexy is waiting for me. Have fun, Aunt Blanche, I love you. It’s nice to talk to you, Annette, like always. Goodbye,” Kimberly said as she picked up her bag and kissed Aunt Blanche. Kimberly closed the front door behind her and walked to the limo as Lexy rolled down the window looking very happy

  “Daddy and Brianna got into a fight today with no help from me, I might add, and Daddy is at the fundraiser as we speak. Annette looked very sexy when I saw her. God, I just love our plan,” Lexy said. At the same time, Kimberly got into the limo, “Miss Lexy, don’t get your hopes up,” Horace said, sitting across from Lexy.

  “Horace, do you want to get rid of that dummy bimbo and have our home back? The plan will work, so enjoy the ride, my friend,” Lexy told him “Yes, Lexy, as you wish,” Horace replied

  “Great, so off to your house we go,” Kimberly said, laughing, “No, we are going to this fundraiser and spying on them.”

  “What! We are not allowed to go to the fundraiser, Lexy! We can get in so much trouble if someone finds us.”

  “I know, that’s what makes it even more exciting,” Lexy said.

  “I don’t know what to do, Annette. Should I take that job and move or stay here so Kimberly will not have to move? Kimberly is tired of moving because of her father… I mean, Kimberly finally made a friend, and I just can’t make her move again, but we need the money. Dean is not happy about it, either. What should I do, Annette?” Blanche asked, finally telling Annette her problem on the way to the fundraiser

  “I know where you are coming from. Jordan would just die if we had to move again. I would love to hire you, but I have this great girl working for me, and she needs the money very badly,” Annette said

  “We all do. How hard is it to open a business?” Blanche asked “Not that hard. Why?”

  “Just thinking, Annette.”

  “Do you know what you need after dealing with Dean, and

  taking care of Kimberly?” Annette asked.

  “What?” Blanche replied

  “A night of fun,” Annette answered

  “I know, that’s why we are doing this. I bet this fundraiser will

  be fun.” “No, no, I mean, you should have fun playing with a man tonight. Dean is gone, knowing full well he is fooling around, behind your back” Annette said

  “What? No way! Annette, you are crazy! This is a school fundraiser, I would never act that way, unlike my husband. Blanche was shocked at her friend’s suggestion.

  “I know this is a school fundraiser. I have been to school fundraisers before. But who knows who you will meet? I am just playing with you. Besides, how long has it been since you and Dean had meaningful sex?”

  “My love life is off-limits to you.”

  “Since when Blanche, I’m your best friend from the time we could crawl. You never played around in high school. You married

  right out of school, and have put up with Dean and his bull ever since.” “I will not betray him. No, I won’t! I am not capable of having the kind of one night stands you enjoy. You, of all people, should know how I feel about Dean.”

  “Here we are,” Annette said, changing the subject at hand. “Why don’t you go in first, because we are already late and I will be right there, okay? Here is your ticket to get in, and our table is number 17.”

  “Okay, see you inside. Blanche, I love you as a dear sister, I am sorry if I said something wrong.” Annette got out of the car, leaving before Blanche could reply

  Is it so easy to see that I am not happy in my love life? Kimberly saw it, Annette saw it, and I’m sure my other friends are aware of it, too. Looking down at her ring finger. Blanche was startled to find that her wedding ring was missing from her finger.

  “Damn, I can’t believe that I forgot my wedding ring. Tonight, of all nights, I forgot it,” she said to the empty car. She then remembered that she took it off when she was doing the dishes and was running late on time and forgot to put it back on

  “What’s one night without it?” she thought

  Chapter 8

  The Fundraiser was held out on the large terrace that overlooked the red rocks. A fire in the outside fireplace was roaring as the sun started to set.

  The sound of a piano playing by the fire set a cozy mood. The fundraiser had a good turnout, people were all over the place. Max was very astonished by how well this fundraiser was set up and run

  Max sat by himself at a table under a lit tree. From the moment Max had walked in, people crowded around him, saying how pleased they were that Lexy was going to Sedona High School or some other observation. He finally made his way to a seat in the corner of the room and sat down. To Max’s astonishment, he knew quite a lot of Sedona’s business owners

  Max never liked going to Sedona’s fundraisers. He wished he had brought Brianna along. He rolled his eyes at the thought of Brianna and what had happened on the phone last night.

  “I have been with you all the time at your home. This is a big party that I need to go to, and can’t you just once come with me and stay at my place?” Brianna yelled after Max begged her to come to Sedona and go to the fundraiser with him

  “You live in a small, one-bedroom apartment, Brianna. There is no room for Lexy to sleep if I did come for a while. I’m not that kind of a father.”

  “That’s the point, so we can be alone. I like Lexy, we’re buddies, but I want you with me at the party, and I have planned something special for you when we get home. Please promise me that you will go to this party with me, Max,” Brianna said sadly

  “I can’t. I need to go to the damn fundraiser tonight, and I forgot all about it when I told you I could go. This is a fundraiser for Lexy’s school. I have to go for Lexy,” Max said

  “It’s no wonder you never remarried,” she said coldly. “Everything is for Lexy.”

  “That’s not true. I love Lexy more than anything in the world! I have my reasons for not remarrying. I am still in love with my last, longtime girlfriend, Renee,” Max roared, realizing he had just admitted to something he had never intended to tell any soul

  From that point on, Max continued to fight with Brianna, and he was not sorry at all for what he told her. At the end of the call, Brianna said it was over between them and hung up-on him. Max had no desire to do anything about it

  He didn’t want Lexy to know about the breakup just yet and told Horace not to tell Lexy, as well. All that Lexy knew was that they had had a fight

  Max’s thoughts were interrupted when he looked up and saw a man in a gray tux coming toward him

  “Mr. Heller, it’s nice to see you again,” the man said, “Hello, Arthur, how’s the business going?” “Busin
ess is business, Mr. Heller.”

  “How’s your wife and Lily?” Max asked. When Lexy was little, she and Lily were friends always playing together, until they have gotten into a fight about some long-forgotten reason and stopped talking or playing together

  “Lily is doing great. She gets all A’s and is at the top of her class. She is going to Washington, D.C., for a summer camp. How’s Lexy?”

  “Lexy is Lexy; she is doing great. Lexy can’t wait for school to end.”

  “I heard what happened Lily told us about it. Come let me buy you a drink “Sound great, Arthur,” Max said as he got up and walked over. Then Arthur put his hand on Max’s shoulder. Arthur was the only one he truly liked in the

  room of people

  “My wife, Angela, was the one to put this fundraiser together,” Arthur said “Angela did a great job putting this fundraiser on,” Max said as they came

  up to the bar

  “Did you get the pink flamingo in your yard?” Arthur asked, “No, I have a gate so no one can get in.”

  “I did. I had to pay $25.00 to the school; it was a game one of the other mothers thought up. Then we put the pink flamingo in another neighbor’s yard. You’ve got to love fundraising week. It brings this whole town together.” The two men waited for an opening at the bar before a couple moved out of the way

  Once they sat down, a bartender came up to them and asked what they wanted

  “Let’s see, I would love a Highball. What would you like?” Arthur asked Max

  “The same, please.”

  The bartender went off to make their drinks

  “Max, are you seeing anyone?” Arthur asked

  “Nope, that’s why I am alone,” Max said quickly

  “Oh, just broke up with someone?”

  “You can say that.” Max did not want to talk about Brianna tonight. The bartender came back with their drinks and handed them to the men

  “Don’t look up, Max, it’s the girls’ teacher, Ms. Tiny Patella, and everyone knows that Tiny is sleeping with Peter Tenney. Man, he’s an ass, but watch your back, Max. She’s out to get you.”

  “Thanks. Tiny Patella has been out to get me for three years now. I made the mistake of sleeping with her. She was only after my money, and Lexy knew it all along. I never did like Peter, and they are made for each other,” Max said, rolling his eyes as he took a drink. Tiny passed them by without noticing Max.

  “Boy, I heard from Lily that Kasey’s mother is always away on business,” Arthur told him

  “Is she here with Peter?”

  “No, but she does know about it,” Arthur admitted to him

  “Between you and me, I’m happy that Lexy spilled the beans in class,” Max confessed, as a woman came up to them

  “Well, look who’s here!” Arthur said

  “Hi, Honey, and hello, Max. Long time no see,” Angela said happily

  “Good to see you, too,” Max said

  “How have you been?” Angela asked

  “Busy with business and Lexy keeps me on my toes. I heard you were having trouble with your landlord. I know you are renting from Peter. If you ever want to change, I have a place for you. As you know, Peter and Kelsey have it in for Lexy and me.

  Blanche approached the large terrace, making her way through a swarm of people while looking for Annette. She finally saw Annette sitting at a table under a tree, and she made her way over there

  Blanche arrived at the table and sat down by Annette. They were the only ones at their table and were looking to have a conversation

  “Why don’t you go and get our drinks for us?” Annette asked Blanche a little while later

  “Sure, I will be happy to. What can I get you?” “A red wine would be just fine,” Annette said while she looked in her bag

  “Okay, then I will be right back.”

  “Damn it!” Annette said under her breath

  “What?”

  “I forgot my cell phone in the car. I need to get it just in case Jordan tries to call me. I’ll be right back.”

  “Do you want me to come with you to the car?”

  “No, no, go and get our drinks. I will be back in a second!” Annette told her as she got up and left Blanche standing there

  Blanche decided to go ahead and get the drinks. While she made her way over to the bar, she glanced ahead and saw the man of her dreams. Their eyes met. He was sitting alone at the bar, wearing dark dress pants and a button-down blacktop

  Blanche came up to the bar and sat down on a barstool. As she ordered the drinks from the bartender, she kept her eye on the man. She could swear that she had seen him somewhere before, but could not place him. Then the man got up from the bar and made his way to her

  “Hello, he said

  “Hello,” Blanche, reply back to him.

  “Great night for a fundraiser,” he said sitting down on the barstool next to Blanche

  “Yes, it is, but today I almost died of the heat,” Blanche said as her heart began to beat uncontrollably. He laughed

  “You’ll get used to it. It will get even hotter in a few weeks. I noticed that we are seated at the same table for dinner.”

  “What a coincidence!” She said as the bartender set down her drinks,

  “Yes, it is. It’s so stunning out here with the red rocks in the background.”

  “Yes, it’s breathtaking to me. It’s my first time at this lovely resort, and I have lived here my whole life,” Blanche said as she sipped her drink. There was something about him that was fascinating her.

  “No kidding, my name is Max, by the way.”

  “Blanche,” she said, shaking his hand while she looked into his eyes “So it this your first fundraiser?” Max asked,

  “Yes.”

  “There is another coincidence!”

  “Is it yours?” Blanche questioned him

  “Of course, and I am astonished how nice this fundraiser is.” “Me, too!”

  Blanche saw that Max was about to say sometime but was interrupted. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this year’s school fundraiser. Dinner will be served in just a few minutes, so be sure to get to your tables. After dinner is over, we will start the auction. Also, be sure to get your free wine,” announced Principal Lamia loudly into the microphone

  Blanche turned around and saw Annette was back sitting at the table “We better get to our table. Can I carry your other drink?” Max asked. “All right, thank you,” she said, smiling at him.

  Chapter 9

  Nearly 9:00 p.m. while a cool breeze ruffled their clothes as they stood outside the back entrance to the large terrace. They were hiding behind a wall where no one could see them “I think we should walk in pretending to be waitresses,” Lexy

  said, eyeing her.

  “Yeah, right, like that would work. Dinner is over.”

  “I know that! We can clear the plates off the tables and spy on

  everyone as we do so. Horace knows the maître d’ here, and can get us in. Right, Horace?”

  “Absolutely, Ms. Heller,” Horace said. He had Lexy’s back

  “How on earth are we going to get away with this without being recognized?” Kimberly asked

  “My good friend, you will see. Now follow me. Horace led the way.” “Ms. Heller, are you sure that you want to do this? You are taking quite a risk.”

  “Yes, I do. What’s with you today, Horace? You seem to be unusually worried. Do you want that dummy Brianna out of our lives?”

  “I do, but…”

  “But what?”

  “I promised your father that I wouldn’t say anything.” “What is it, Horace?” Lexy asked, looking mischievous,

  “I’ll tell you, but you didn’t hear it from me.”

  “Deal!”

  “This morning, your father told me that he and Brianna had broken up over the phone. You were still in bed.” Lexy looked like Christmas had come early for her.

  “What! Oh my god! All Daddy said was that they fought. You should hav
e told me before we arrived here

  “Your father told me not to!”

  “Bye-bye, Brianna!! We can still spy on them,” Lexy said dancing around

  “What’s the point?” Kimberly asked,

  Before Lexy could answer her question, Kimberly looked up and saw her Aunt Blanche talking and laughing with Max, as they walked out of the back entrance. Her heart sank. Max led Blanche out of their view. Annette was nowhere to be seen

  “Lexy, it looks like your father and my aunt are hitting it off,” Kimberly said, pointing her finger at them.

  “Horace, wait in the limo for us,” Lexy told him as soon as she saw them Horace walked away, leaving the two girls alone

  “Are you crazy, Lexy? I can’t climb a tree,” Kimberly whispered to her. Lexy watched Max and Blanche walk past their hiding place

  “That makes two of us. We are fine just where we are…” Lexy told her,

  “What? Where are they going?” Kimberly asked

  “There are tables on the other side by the creek and nowhere for us to spy on them. Why are they together?”

  “Maybe they found out that we are friends and they are talking about us,” Kimberly told her

  “Maybe, but who cares now? Let’s go and celebrate that Brianna is out of our lives for good, and it is not my fault!” Lexy said happily walking away

  Kimberly looked over and saw Aunt Blanche laughing at everything Max said.

  “It’s a beautiful starry night out tonight,” Max said, making conversation with Blanche as they walked together. He held a bottle of wine and two glasses.

  “Yes, it is, and I am so happy to be getting out and taking a walk. I am surprised that no one is out here enjoying a lovely night.”

  “I’m not. Everyone loves bidding wars at auctions. Why didn’t you bid on something?”

  “I’m on a strict budget at the moment,” she told him

  Max realized this wasn’t one of his bimbos, and she reminded him of his late wife. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he couldn’t stop looking at her. The whole dinner Max kept his eyes on her, admiring her beauty and her maturity. Had his wife lived, she might have had the same presence. After dinner was over, Max had decided on a walk to clear his head, then asked Blanche to join him.