Until the End of Time

by Schuster, Melanie

  ***

  Renee was quite ready to head back to Detroit the next day, but Bennie prevailed on her to stay. There was some huge dinner dance that held some kind of significance to The Deveraux Group and it was sure to be a splashy, gala event.

  “One of the sororities sponsors it every year as a means of raising scholarship money. The Deveraux Group is a big contributor every year. In fact, they’re receiving some kind of recognition for it this evening. So please stay, won’t you? I promise you I’ll have you on thefirst thing smoking out of here on Sunday morning. Swear,” she vowed, holding up the fingers of her right hand like the Girl Scout she’d been so long ago. Renee sighed and capitulated. Martha and Big Benny were all for this evening, as was Donnie, so she didn’t want to be the lone voice of dissent. And it gave the BFFs a chance to shop, since Renee hadn’t brought anything that dressy with her.

  Bennie had of course offered Renee full run of her closet, but Renee demurred, wanting to get something new that would boggle Andrew at a later date. Then she told Bennie about the wedding reception and the Incident of the Pink Dress. “Did I ever tell you that I borrowed your dress? The one you had made for Clay?” she began.

  On their way to the mall she regaled Bennie with the story of how she had knocked Andrew’s socks off and put Ms. Dana-Safari-Barbie Pierson firmly in her place with one fell swoop. “I tell you, that dress has powers, girl. We just have to use them for good and not evil.”

  While she wasn’t looking for anything as risqué as the pink dress, Renee nevertheless came up with a frock that meant business. She found a hot little Herve Leger in pewter with gray pearl beading that fit her like a glove. In the manner that the designer was known for, the dress made her luscious figure look downright scandalous without revealing a thing. It had a relatively modest surplice neckline and a rather chaste knee-length hem, but everything in between was incendiary. Renee actually felt as good as she looked, because the party was much more fun than she had imagined. The shimmering ballroom held the crème de la crème of Atlanta and parts beyond; there was an amazing cross section of society at the gala. From the luminaries of show business, to the academic elite, from the athletes, to the doctors and the shining stars of the business world everyone who was anyone was there. Including, to Renee’s delight, their old friend Ceylon, whose presence Bennie had kept secret. Ceylon was actually one of the headliners of the program, there, as she delicately put it, to ‘separate people from their money for a good cause’.

  “Renee, girl, that dress is amazing,” Ceylon commented after effusive hugs and kisses. “I would ask to borrow it but my fanny would look like two bulldogs fighting under a blanket in something that formfitting,” she sighed as she ran her daintily manicured hand across her generous derriere. Renee looked sideways at Ceylon before answering. Who was Ceylon kidding? Every inch of her was drop-dead gorgeous whether she was a size six or sixteen. She was wearing a midnight-navy Marc Bouwer than made her bronze skin absolutely sparkle.

  Renee chuckled, “Well don’t look now, hon, but there are six men staring at that rear end like it was made of candy, so don’t go there, okay?”

  Ceylon didn’t miss a beat as she replied, “If one of the six is that gorgeous Martin Deveraux, he can have a bite. If not, they’ll get over it.” As she spoke her eyes lit up; across the room was Martin Deveraux in the flesh. This was a truly rare occurrence in the social annals of Atlanta. For once Martin had shaken the dust off his tuxedo and joined the living. Murmuring something to Renee, Ceylon made a subtle but determined beeline to Martin.

  Laughing to herself, Renee went back to The Deveraux Group table that Clay had purchased for the tidy sum of $10,000, which didn’t include the $500 per plate dinner or the generous donation that he was making later. The after dinner speeches that preceded the dancing were about to start. Renee was busy greeting various people she knew; she even saw a few of her personal clients from Urban Oasis. Between socializing and telling Bennie about Martin and Ceylon, her attention was captured so she didn’t see Donnie approaching the table from behind her. She did hear his voice, however.

  “Everyone, I want to introduce you to someone who’s going to be an integral part of Cochran Communications and The Deveraux Group. After we hammer out the details with Clay, some amazing things are going to start happening at both organizations,” Donnie said with an animated authority. Renee turned her head just in time to see the face of the person Donnie was introducing. “Everyone, I’d like for you to meet Donovan Bailey.”

  Those were the last words Renee heard for some time.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Somehow Renee managed to get away from the table clutching her evening bag without causing a scene. There was so much handshaking and exchanging of names going on that she could make a mad dash for the ladies room without attracting undue attention. She wouldn’t have cared if someone had noticed her because she was so overcome with nausea that she had to get to a toilet immediately. Luckily, the room was deserted. Renee bolted for the first stall just in time for the wracking waves of sickness to overtake her. It was thousands of times worse than the flu; she was shaking all over, and cold sweat was pouring off her forehead.

  When the painful heaving ceased, she rocked back on her heels and tried to stop trembling as she flushed the toilet. It was minutes before she was able to stand and when she did, she almost fell down again with the sudden onslaught of dizziness. All the while she tried vainly to compose herself, to think clearly. It was him…it was that sick bastard. It was him at the airport; it was him all along. Oh my God, he’s here in the same place with me, with my friends… Renee almost started heaving anew when the realization hit her that Donovan Bailey was in the same room with her dearly loved friends and family-to-be. It was as though she feared he would somehow taint them with his presence or…oh my God—he might say something. He might remember me...he might tell…

  Now Renee was seized with the need to flee the ballroom, to get as far away from the hotel as possible. She rinsed her mouth and used her paper towels to blot away the moisture on her face. Dispassionately she tidied her hair and placed an Altoid in her mouth. An eerie calm had taken over her; she was governed by one principle right then and that was her overwhelming need to get out of there without causing a disturbance. But how?

  She left the ladies’ room and started towards the front of the huge hotel where the gala was being held. She was walking with the insouciance of someone who knows exactly where she is going when nothing could have been further from the truth. She would decide what to do when she got outside—there had to be a cab service or hotel limousine or something available. Renee was concentrating so assiduously on her escape that she didn’t hear Ceylon call her name. She stopped at the front doors, trying to remember if it was cold outside, if she had a coat, if she remembered Bennie’s address.

  She jumped like a startled Burmese cat when Ceylon touched her arm. Ceylon looked alarmed. “What in the world is wrong with you? I’ve been trailing behind you calling your name like a crazy woman…Renee? Renee?” Ceylon felt the beginnings of panic stirring; it was obvious that Renee couldn’t hear a word she was saying.

  “Renee, angel, what happened? Oh never mind, I’m taking you home, okay? I’ll take you right back to Bennie’s and get you into bed,” she said soothingly. She led Renee to a nearby banquette and looked around for the concierge or a valet so that she could send for her limo. As luck would have it she saw Martin who was slipping out for a cigar, or just cutting out early. She called his name once and he responded immediately. He took one look at Renee’s ashen face and surmised that she was not well. Ceylon asked him to wait with Renee while she found her driver, but Martin brushed aside that suggestion.

  “I’ll get my car and have her home in a few minutes. Are you sure we shouldn’t go to the hospital?”

  Hospital seemed to be a word Renee recognized and she recoiled. Ceylon put her arms around Renee and assured her that they were going right back to Bennie’s
house. “I’ll fix you some tea and a hot bath and we will have you feeling better in no time flat,” she promised. As she uttered the words she hoped that she could make them a reality.

  Ceylon was so concerned with Renee that she didn’t even register the fact that Martin, that reclusive and non-social Deveraux, was driving a silver Rolls Royce. She surely would have had some flirtatious remark to make had she been aware; as it was all she could think of was Renee, who had yet to utter a sound. Ceylon had enough presence of mind to call Bennie on Clay’s cell phone. For once Bennie was glad he had the odious thing in his pocket. Ceylon made Renee’s sudden collapse seem like a touch of flu or an allergic reaction, since she didn’t want to panic the expectant mother.

  “Oh honey, she’ll be fine. That big handsome Martin is driving us to your house and by the time you get there she will be just fine. But make some noise when you come in because Martin and I might be busy,” she added merrily. Realizing what she had just done, she turned to Martin with a sheepish look on her reddened face. “I was…trying to make light of it...I wasn’t, umm…” For once Ceylon was at a loss for words.

  Surprisingly, Martin seemed to understand. He reached over and squeezed her hand, something that would have ordinarily had her heart pounding. This time, though, it was just sweet comfort. Her thoughts were completely centered on her friend in the back seat.

  After a ride that was much shorter than it actually seemed, they were at Clay and Bennie’s house. Without consulting anyone, Martin swept Renee up into his arms and carried her up to the house, handing Ceylon his set of keys. She quickly opened the door and disarmed the burglar alarm according to his instructions. Martin took Renee up to the bedroom where she was staying and left her to Ceylon’s ministrations.

  Ceylon got Renee out of the beautiful dress and into a robe, chatting to her in a low, comforting voice. “I’m going to go and make you a cup of tea with lots of honey and lemon in it, the way you like it. And probably a little shot of brandy, too. Brandy is good for just about everything, it’ll take the edge off. And when I come back upstairs, I am going to run a hot bubble bath for you, if you want one. You just lie down and rest, okay? I’ll be right back,” she assured her. Renee never responded.

  When Ceylon went downstairs to the kitchen, she found that Martin had already started the teakettle and had taken out a variety of teas. “I have no idea what she’d like, so I thought you could pick one,” he said in his deep voice.

  “Lapsang Souchong is her favorite. Or Earl Grey,” Ceylon said quietly. She got down a mug and a small plate from the cupboard. Then she stopped and stroked the bridge of her nose with her index finger, a sure sign that she was upset. She could feel tears surging to her eyes and blinked rapidly to prevent them falling. The last thing Renee needed was some big ol’ drama queen scene.

  Suddenly, the most unexpected thing happened; Martin turned her around and settled her next to his heart for a big hug. Enfolded in his arms was the last place she ever expected to find herself, but she didn’t fight it. His arms felt too good and she was too distraught to question what was going on. She just let him hold her and she clung to his strength while he whispered comforting words to her. After several long moments the teakettle noisily reminded them that it was full of boiling water. Ceylon reluctantly drew away from Martin and prepared the tea.

  “So what happened tonight, Ceylon? I can see that it’s not just a case of being ill. She looks traumatized,” Martin said quietly.

  After all he’d been through since his accident, Ceylon wasn’t surprised by his perception. Nothing about Martin really surprised her, not his moodiness, his unexpected kindness or his potent masculinity. She looked up into his beautiful, scarred face and sighed.

  “I’m not sure what happened, but you’re right, she had some horrible shock. There’s only one thing I can think of that would do that to her. I just hope she can talk about it. Would brandy help, do you think?”

  Martin found a bottle in Bennie’s pantry and added a small amount to the tea. Ceylon put some homemade shortbread on a small plate and put everything onto a tray. “Sugar helps when you’re in turmoil. I have no idea why, but it does,” she said. She picked up the tray to go upstairs, only to have Martin take it from her. She led the way to Renee’s room and Martin placed the tray in her hands.

  “I’ll be downstairs until Clay and Bennie get home,” he said in response to her unasked question. “I’ll also cancel your limousine—I’ll take you to your hotel.”

  Before she could react to that, he leaned over and kissed her. It was too close to her mouth to be on her cheek, yet too far on her cheek to be on her mouth and Ceylon had no doubt but that he had deliberately placed it there. But she couldn’t afford to get all gooey about it, she had to see to Renee. Renee had rolled herself up into the smallest ball possible and her golden eyes were dulled and listless, but wide open. Ceylon set the tray down on the dresser and went to Renee, stroking her hair.

  “Sweetie, I want you to drink this tea, okay? Just sip a little of it and maybe you will be able to tell me what happened.”

  She went to the dresser to get the tea and was encouraged by the fact that Renee stopping rocking back and forth and sat up. She was even more encouraged that Renee spoke to her as she was handing her the mug of tea; at least she was until she heard the words Renee whispered.

  “Ceylon, he was there tonight. The man that raped me was at the dinner.”

  Before she realized what she was doing, Ceylon gasped in sheer horror. She immediately tried to compose herself but she couldn’t help the expression of pain that crossed her face. To some extent she was expecting the words because she knew of nothing else except the unexpected death of a loved one that could make someone as strong as Renee collapse like that. But to hear them in those soft measured tones was dreadful. She wanted Renee to get it all out, but she wasn’t sure that she would be able to. But after a few sips of the steaming, brandy-laced tea, Renee continued to talk. She talked until she was all talked out, but she wasn’t able to sleep for a long time.

  When she at last drifted off, Ceylon sat with her for awhile to make sure she was really sleeping. She finally went downstairs to see if Bennie and Clay had come in. It was just her and Martin, who was in the family room pretending to read a book while the stereo played softly. He was leaning back on the big sofa and looked too good for words with his tuxedo jacket removed and his band-collared shirt opened at the neck. Ceylon stood in the doorway, stroking her nose again. Martin held out his arm to her and without hesitation she joined him on the sofa, nestling into his side and cradling her head on his shoulder. They sat quietly like that until Martin could feel the moisture from Ceylon’s eyes dampening the front of his shirt. That was when he pulled her into his lap and held her as close as he could so that she could cry out her pain for her friend. It was a little bit after that when he kissed her, and there was no doubt about where this one landed

  .***

  Renee was on her way back to Detroit before noon the next day. It took an Academy Award caliber performance to convince Bennie, Clay and the others that she was fit to fly, but she carried it off. She made a great show of lightheartedness and chalked her anxiousness up to homesickness for Andrew. It was only a partial lie, she told herself.

  “Now Bennie, it’s been three days since I’ve seen my beloved and my babies. Don’t forget I have two puppies waiting for me, too. It was just a little touch of the flu, that’s all. I’ll be just fine when I get home. After all, Andrew is a doctor, for heaven’s sake!” she said lightly. While she was selling this happy tale to Bennie, she was also packing rapidly. It didn’t really matter what Bennie or Clay or Big Benny or anyone else had to say on the matter—she was getting the hell out of Atlanta that day if she had to walk. Bennie had to accept what Renee was saying at face value, although she wasn’t too sure about her feeling fine, as she insisted. Renee still looked drawn and ashen to her, but as she pointed out, she was making haste to get home to a doctor, so
she would be cared for if she was really ill.

  It wouldn’t have been possible to convince Ceylon, but then again Ceylon knew the whole truth of the matter and was in agreement that Renee needed to get home to Andrew as fast as possible. She said so to Renee on the telephone as Renee was about to leave for the airport. “Okay, dear heart, you get back home to Detroit as quick as you can and tell Andrew everything. The sooner he’s aware of what is going on, the quicker you two can work it out,” Ceylon said confidently. “Everything is going to be fine, Renee, you’ll see. You’re not alone in this anymore. You have me and Andrew and Yolanda and nothing bad is going to happen while we have breath in our bodies, okay?”

  Renee was so overcome with emotion that she could barely reply. Ceylon seemed to sense it because she immediately switched to a more neutral topic, that being the elusive Martin.

  “He’s a perfect gentleman, damn him,” Ceylon sighed dramatically. “He could’ve taken advantage of me last night, but no, he stayed with me until I fell asleep and then he disappeared into the night. But I’ve got news for Mr. Man, I’m not that easy to lose,” she murmured in her husky, silky voice.

  Despite the tears clogging her throat, Renee managed a chuckle. Ceylon did have a way of making her laugh even while she was in turmoil. Still, she was thoroughly relieved to be on board the plane where she could have the privacy to deal with the horror show her life was becoming. The plane was crowded due to holiday traffic, but Renee was glad; the hordes gave her the luxury of anonymity. No one knew her or paid any attention to the beautiful woman whose icy demeanor was betrayed by the rapid movement of her fingers. As always in moments of stress, she was rapidly counting her fingers with her thumbs—one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four…

  ***

  Renee’s homecoming wasn’t quite what Ceylon had predicted, but anything was better than being in Atlanta. Contrary to what she had told Bennie and Clay, Renee hadn’t alerted Andrew to her travel plans. She couldn’t have dealt with seeing him right away. She had no idea what she would say to him, how she would explain what happened, how he would react…her mind was in such chaos that all she could do on her long ride home from the airport, was stare blindly out of the window of the taxi and count silently. One, two, three, four...one, two, three, four…