“Are you expecting company to help you celebrate?” the woman asked.
Bernadette knew that not only did the woman not have a filter, she was lacking subtlety as well. “No, I wanted a quiet evening, so I’m treating myself to dinner.” She didn’t ask the woman whether she was dining alone or not because Bernadette was sure she’d tell her.
The woman smiled wide and unknowingly obliged Bernadette’s thoughts. “This is wild. I’m doing the same thing!”
Bernadette was surprised. The woman was young and very attractive and seemed to have an outgoing personality. Now Bernadette was curious about why a woman like her was flying solo on such an important day. And just like she’d known the woman would divulge whether she was dining alone, Bernadette was sure the woman would explain why she was there by herself. And as predicted, the woman answered the question that Bernadette didn’t have to ask.
“I told my son, my fiancé, and the rest of my family and friends that the best birthday present they could give me was a day off from everything, including them.”
Bernadette raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Wow. That’s quite a request.”
“Don’t get me wrong,” the woman said, shaking her head. “I love my family and my fiancé to pieces, but sometimes I get tired. I look out for everyone except myself, so I decided it was time that I had an It’s All About Me day,” she said with pride. “My parents are keeping my son, my fiancé is preparing for my birthday party tomorrow night. I’m having an early dinner and then I’m going to go home, soak in a hot tub of bubbles, drink a glass of wine, and relax. I haven’t done that since before my son was born, which has been more than five years. I’m long overdue.”
Now Bernadette understood the woman’s statement, and she wished she’d had that same healthy respect for self-care when she was the woman’s age. And truth be known, at the ripened age of fifty, Bernadette still didn’t know how to say no, especially when it came to anything involving her professional career. “Good for you. That’s a very healthy way to approach life.”
“Thank you, Ms. Gibson.”
Bernadette was startled when the woman called her by name. Looking familiar was one thing, but knowing Bernadette’s name was another.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” the woman asked with a chuckle.
“You look very familiar, but I can’t remember where we’ve met. Obviously you know me, I just don’t know from where.”
“I work at Bourbon General in the payroll department. We met at the staff meeting last quarter when they announced you were the new VP. I shook your hand after the meeting and congratulated you.”
“I knew I recognized you, and I should have remembered from where, especially being that you’re a colleague. Please forgive my oversight.”
The young woman smiled and waved her hand as if she was swatting the air. “No need to apologize. There were hundreds of people there, shaking your hand and welcoming you just like I did, so I didn’t expect you to remember little ol’ me.”
“Well, it’s good to meet you again.” Bernadette leaned over and extended her hand for an introduction.
“Arizona Mays,” the woman answered, “and it’s good to meet you again as well, my fellow Aquarian.” She gave Bernadette a genuine smile and a soft handshake.
Bernadette immediately noticed that Arizona’s grip was more befitting someone much less commanding than she appeared to be. In Bernadette’s high-power world of business, a firm handshake set the tone for what kind of person you were. Firmness equaled strength and success. Soft and gentle was akin to weakness and vulnerability, and Bernadette didn’t have time for the latter. As she studied Arizona she wondered how much they had in common beyond the day they’d been born. “It’s ironic that we share the same birthday,” Bernadette said, “and that we chose to celebrate at the same restaurant, solo. What a coincidence.”
“My mama says there’s no such thing as irony, coincidence, or even luck. She says it’s all God’s way of remaining anonymous.”
Just then the attentive server returned with a basket of gourmet bread for Bernadette, as well as a flute of bubbly champagne. “Thank you,” Bernadette said.
“You’re welcome, ma’am. Are you ready to order?” He smiled, turned slightly toward Arizona, and placed a basket of bread on her table as well. “I’ll be with you in just a minute, ma’am,” he said politely.
Bernadette shook her head and responded. “No, I’m afraid I’ll need a few more minutes.”
“Me too,” Arizona said without being asked. “But what she’s drinking looks good.” She eyed Bernadette’s drink. “What kind of wine is that?”
“It’s Veuve Clicquot,” Bernadette answered. As soon as she said the words she knew by the blank stare on Arizona’s face that the woman didn’t have a clue, so she said, “I’m sorry, it’s champagne.”
“Oh . . .”
Bernadette looked at the server and smiled. “Please bring the lady a glass, on me.”
Arizona shook her head. “No, you don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to, but I want to.”
“Well, thank you. That’s very nice of you. I’ve never had Vuu . . . uh, whatchamacallit.”
Bernadette chuckled. “There’s a first time for everything.” She smiled, but she noticed that Arizona didn’t smile back.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
The server spoke up. “A glass of champagne is on its way, ma’am. I’ll be back shortly,” he said before hurrying off.
Bernadette noticed that the woman looked as if she was in deep thought again and whatever was holding her attention couldn’t be good. “Arizona, are you okay?”
“Actually, no, Ms. Gibson. I’m not.”
“My name is Bernadette.” She extended her hand to the chair in front of her. “Please, join me.”
“Are you sure? I thought you said you wanted to have a quiet dinner by yourself.”
“Initially, yes. I was going to have a solo celebration just like you. But where we differ is that I have me time every day of the week.” Now Bernadette shared the same unhappy expression that Arizona wore on her face.
“Sounds like we could both use each other’s company.” Arizona rose from her seat, pulled out the chair at Bernadette’s table, and sat down.
Just as she took her seat, the eager server came back with Arizona’s glass of champagne. “Here you are, ma’am. I’ll give you ladies time to look over your menus and I’ll be back shortly.”
“This came right on time,” Arizona said. “I’ve never had champagne before.”
Bernadette looked astonished. “Really?”
Arizona nodded. “I’m a down home country girl. I grew up on moonshine and Budweiser, and I’ve had plenty of both and everything in between. My fiancé, Chris, is gonna do a champagne toast for me tomorrow night, but I guess I’m beating him to the punch.”
Bernadette could see that the mention of her fiancé made Arizona uneasy, and she wondered why. “Well, an evening of celebrating yourself is cause for champagne, in my opinion.”
“Yes, out with my twenties and in with my thirties.”
“You’re a baby.” Bernadette held her breath and braced herself for Arizona trying to guess her age, given her penchant for blunt pronouncements. But to Bernadette’s surprise and relief, Arizona used good judgment and remained silent. She’d just proven that no matter how loose with the tongue a person could be, a woman’s age was always off limits.
“Thank you, but I’m getting up there,” Arizona said as she looked around the beautiful restaurant. “I never thought I’d make it to thirty because I was completely buck-wild back in the day, and I’ve been to more funerals of people I grew up with than I care to remember. But after my son was born, I turned my life around because for the first time I felt like I had something to live for. Then I met Chris, and he showed me that I was worthy of real love,” she said, then paused. “I’m thankful.”
Bernadette nodded. “That’s beautiful
.”
“Thanks. How about you? What’s your deal? I mean, I read your bio at work and everything, and I know you’re a powerful VP from Washington, DC. You’re highly educated, successful, and I heard you live right here in the Palisades. You got it goin’ on, so why’re you in this fancy restaurant celebrating by yourself?”
Bernadette knew it wouldn’t take long for Arizona’s in-your-face subtlety to reappear. But she couldn’t refute a thing that Arizona had said. If it had been anyone else delivering that assessment and question, Bernadette would have had choice words for them. But in the very short amount of time that she’d been talking with Arizona, she could tell that the woman was kind, good, straight-up, and honest. She was what Bernadette had asked God to send her way, and the revelation nearly made her fall out of her seat, but she managed to maintain her composure. “That’s a loaded question. How much time do you have?” Bernadette said jokingly.
“I don’t have anywhere to be and no one to answer to, so I’ve got as long as you need.”
Once again, Bernadette thought about her revelation. “Well, to my surprise . . . I’m going to answer your question. But first, let’s toast.” She raised her glass. “To God’s way of remaining anonymous.”
Chapter 8
ARIZONA
From the moment Arizona had met Bernadette Gibson six months ago during an all-staff meeting at Bourbon General Hospital, she’d respected the woman and had known that one day their paths would cross in a way that would help her, but Arizona had no idea that it would be she who would be in a position to help a woman as accomplished and successful as Bernadette.
As Arizona listened to Bernadette bare her soul over tender filet mignon and succulent lobster tails that had both gone mostly untouched, she was amazed that the woman who she’d thought had it all was longing for what Arizona had and was now on the fence about keeping. She knew this had to be a sign and an example of the fact that things could be worse than having a man who was sexually lacking. But she had to admit that even the thought of Chris’s physical and sexual challenges filled her with worry and uneasiness. However, for now she would focus her attention on something that didn’t wreck her nerves, and that was how she could help her newfound friend.
“I was talking to my cousin earlier this morning,” Bernadette said, “whose birthday is also today, and I told her that I’m at a point in my life where I want more on a personal level.” She paused, then sipped the last of the champagne in her glass. “I usually don’t share my private life like this, and especially not with professional colleagues. But I get a good vibe from you, Arizona, and I feel like I can trust you. Plus, turning fifty frees you up from worrying about every little thing.”
“First of all, you look at least five years younger than your age, and that’s real talk.”
“Thank you, and coming from you,” Bernadette chuckled, “I know you mean it.”
“Yes, I do.” Arizona nodded and smiled. “And secondly, I put in my notice two weeks ago, and yesterday was officially my last day at Bourbon General, praise the Lord! So you truly don’t have to worry about me. And besides, I was never one to get caught up in workplace gossip because too much foolishness can happen.”
“Why did you leave Bourbon General?”
“I’m going to pursue my passion of being a full-time makeup artist.”
“That explains why you look flawless. I was admiring your makeup when you walked in.”
“I appreciate your compliment. I love anything to do with beauty, and fashion, too. But makeup is where I excel. I’ve been doing it on the side for as long as I can remember. Last year I did a wedding, the bride posted photos on her Instagram page of the makeup I did for her and her bridesmaids, and as they say, the rest is history. I’ve been rollin’ ever since from referrals and word of mouth.”
“Wow, Arizona! Congratulations, that’s fantastic.”
“Thanks. It’s a blessing for sure. And I wouldn’t be able to do it without God on one side and Chris on the other.” Arizona felt choked up and conflicted every time she mentioned her fiancé’s name. She knew that because of his love, support, and strong belief in her, she’d felt empowered with the courage to quit her job and pursue her dreams. Chris had even told her that she didn’t have to worry about how she was going to pay her bills because once she took her leap of faith he would work two jobs if he had to in order to make sure that she and Solomon had everything they needed. He was a good man, for sure, but after last night she also knew he was a man with shortcomings, literally. And that was why she felt conflicted every time she thought of Chris or mentioned his name. Arizona was sure that Bernadette had noticed her expression because she was a smart and very observant woman.
“If things keep rollin’ the way they’re going,” Arizona continued, “I’ll be making more money running my own business than I did at Bourbon General.”
“That’s another cause for celebration. You should feel very proud.”
“Yes, I do. And I appreciate that coming from you. Bernadette, you give me career goals.”
Bernadette shook her head and gave, Arizona a half laugh, half frown. “My life looks good on paper, but when you read the fine print it’s full of hidden clauses and stipulations. Trust issues are at the top of the list.”
“After what you went through with that con artist, I can see why.”
“And believe it or not, I glossed over the really, really despicable parts. I’ve had a string of heartache in my day, and I mean one after the other. But that relationship . . .” Bernadette shook her head. “He devastated me. I believed in him, in us, and it was all a big lie.”
Arizona could see that even though Bernadette had said she’d been hurt by her ex five years ago, she spoke about him as if the wound was fresh. “Have you tried forgiving him?”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s obvious that you’re still carrying pain and anger from what he did to you. But, Bernadette, that was five years ago. As my mama would say, your anger toward him is blocking your blessings. And I know that’s true ’cause I’ve been there and done that, and it’s a road that leads to absolutely nowhere but a lonely dead end.”
Bernadette let out a deep, long sigh and formed an expression that bordered on shock and confusion. “I’m sorry, but if you think I’m gonna forgive that lowlife, you’re out of your mind, Arizona. As a matter of fact, he’s the one who should’ve sought my forgiveness a long time ago.”
Arizona leaned in close. “I’m not tryin’ to upset you, or play the holier than thou card, but the Good Book talks about forgiveness. If God can forgive us for all the messed-up stuff we do, how can we not forgive others?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m tryin’ to help you. I can tell you’re a good person, Bernadette, but like all of us, you’ve probably made mistakes in your life.”
“Of course I have.”
“And you’ve been blessed in spite of your mistakes and shortcomings, otherwise you wouldn’t be as successful as you are. It’s a fact that your ex did you wrong, but you also have the power to forgive him, which will help you forgive yourself.”
“Arizona . . .”
“And basically, if God has forgiven and blessed you, he’s also forgiven that low-down scum bag for what he did to you. If The Most High can forgive your ex, I know you can. And once you do you’ll be free to move on.”
“Do you ladies need anything?” the server asked. “Or would you like me to box up your entrées?”
Although the food was delicious, neither Arizona nor Bernadette had eaten much because they’d been so heavily vested in their conversation.
“I’d like mine boxed up to go,” Bernadette answered and then looked at Arizona.
“Yes, so would I.”
“Would you ladies care for dessert?”
Arizona and Bernadette both looked at each other before Arizona spoke up. “Well, since it’s our birthday we should at least get some birthday cake.”
&nbs
p; “It’s your birthday!” the attentive waiter said with excitement as if it was his birthday as well. “You must definitely order dessert.” He reached for Bernadette’s plate and then Arizona’s. “I’ll box this up and have our dessert selection tray sent out for you shortly.”
Arizona could see that Bernadette’s mood had shifted to an unhappy place and she felt bad for bringing her down, especially on a day when she should be celebrating. “Bernadette, I’m sorry if I offended you or made you feel unhappy. That wasn’t what I was trying to do.”
“What you said was absolutely right. I didn’t want to hear it, though, but I know it’s what I needed to be told.” Bernadette let out a long sigh. “Being angry is exhausting, and quite frankly, I’m tired.”
The two women were interrupted again when a server with a delectable dessert tray approached their table. The elegant silver and crystal tray held eight sweet treats to choose from. Bernadette chose the strawberry cheesecake and Arizona selected the Magnolia Room brown butter pecan pie.
“We didn’t eat our food,” Bernadette said, “so we better eat our dessert.”
Arizona smiled. “I guess you’re right. But truth be told, I don’t need to eat anything, especially if I want to drop some weight. I need to get serious.”
“You look fantastic,” Bernadette said.
“Says the woman who’s petite and has probably never had to diet a day in her life.”
“All I’m saying is that you look great just as you are. You’re a beautiful woman, Arizona.”
“Well, thank you.”
Bernadette paused. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“When are you getting married?”
Arizona shifted in her chair.
“The only reason I’m asking is because you’ve mentioned your fiancé several times, and you’ve talked about how wonderful and supportive he is, but you haven’t mentioned the wedding. Have you set a date?”
The Other Side Page 7
