Without much thought, Helen took her Michelle’s hand with her own. The two friends climbed up the stairs, as James and Olivia stepped onto the empty dance floor. The band started playing Berlin’s “Take my breath away”, as they returned to their table. The image of the happy couple’s dance painted a smile on Helen’s face, as her mind drifted back to the night of their reunion.
What a night: loads of music, emotion, a huge hug and a long, sweet kiss. I’m happy for you two. You’re made for each other. Olivia, you’re the only one who can tame that brute. In a way, I’m relieved I’m not with him. James, you’re lucky to have her. Hold on to her. I just hope I can find something like this…
3
Helen, Michelle and Gina wished the best to the newlyweds and left Barbados early the following afternoon. Helen would carry bittersweet memories from her first trip abroad. She had been there for one of her closest friend’s marriage. Olivia’s happiness filled her heart with joy, but, at the same time, it reminded her that she was still alone. Helen had no reason to worry that she wouldn’t find love. After all, she was only 24 years old, but still, she envied her friend’s luck. Olivia had found her one true love and she hadn’t.
Nevertheless, the discovery of her special one was not Helen’s biggest problem. Olivia and James’s wedding was the conclusion of a hectic, but very fun, four-month period. Her parents had allowed her to drive back and forth to New York almost on a daily basis, until the wedding. Most of the time, Helen visited Olivia. They would usually go out to a nearby club or even frequent “Barry’s”, the bar where Michelle and James often performed. More than that, Michelle and Helen helped Olivia pick her wedding dress and, along with Gina, plan the wedding. A strong bond began to develop among the four women. It wasn’t long before they realized that they had quite a few things in common and, even though Helen could not stand Gina’s cynicism sometimes, she liked her as well. She was much less sentimental than Olivia, but her sarcastic jokes and her strong character appealed to Helen.
The only thing that gave Helen some hope of escaping her dull, uneventful routine in Shandaken was the idea of working for Michelle. Although it would not last long, she would have an ideal chance of travelling to the West Coast. Visiting the golden beaches of Malibu had always enthralled her. Moreover, she and Michelle would get to spend a lot more time together. Her job would not be difficult, as it didn’t entail much, and she only had to work during Michelle’s concerts. In Helen’s mind, it was a dream job, but she still had to convince her parents.
Mom and dad won’t like that. Don’t understate things, Helen. You know they’ll hate it. You’ve been driving around like crazy over the past few months and they were very lenient. They allowed you to enjoy every second of the preparations. God knows you had a great time. Is it bad that I want more? I mean, I’ve never lived away from Shandaken. All this is still very new to me. Shopping, hanging out in the big city… I already miss that. Who’d want to go back to working at the supermarket, after experiencing all this? Let’s hope my parents can understand me…
Sadly for Helen, it was already 1am when she entered Shandaken. Whatever plans she had of discussing her future plans with her parents would have to wait until the next day. Jetlagged, but with a heart full of content, she unlocked her front door and pushed it open. Helen snuck a peek into the living room. Her mother, Debbie, had fallen asleep in front of the TV. Grabbing the handle of her suitcase, she tiptoed into the house, while her gaze settled on her mother. Before she could cross the room though, a strong gust of wind slammed the door shut.
“God!” Debbie gasped, jolting forward out of her sleep.
“Hi, mom,” Helen said, her voice low as she turned left to face her. “Sorry for waking you.”
“It’s okay, child.” Debbie assured her daughter, her chest rising up and down. “Welcome home. How was Barbados?”
“Amazing,” Helen uttered, her voice filled with sadness as she dragged her gaze away from her mother. “Too bad you couldn’t make it. Where’s dad?”
“He’s in our bedroom. You sound upset, sweetheart,” Helen remarked, rising up off the couch. “What’s wrong?”
“Now’s not the time,” Helen heaved a long, deep sigh. “Go back to sleep. We’ll talk about it in the morning.”
“Well, I’m up now.” Debbie spoke in a soothing voice. “And tomorrow will be quite busy for the both of us. Come on, child. Tell me; what’s bothering you?”
“I’m going to miss them.” Helen confessed, her voice wobbly, as she turned her gaze to her mother’s face. “Michelle, Olivia, James… I’m even going to miss that cynical ginger, Gina.”
“You can always visit them in New York, pumpkin,” Debbie said, her tone calm as she started towards her. “Besides, James told me he’d be staying in his cabin a lot this winter.”
“Winter is five months away, mom,” Helen whispered, feeling tears rising up in her eyes. “And James needs to focus on his work, which means Olivia won’t be here much.”
“What are you saying?” Debbie asked in a voice riddled with tension. “You want to move to the city? Is that it?”
“I don’t know, mom.” Helen lightly shook her head.
“Look beyond your friendships with them, Helen.” Debbie advised. “New York is one huge, vicious place. Things move faster than you can blink there. Sure, you’ll be closer to them, but, most of the time, you’ll either be too tired to see them or you won’t have time for them. What are you going to do, anyway?”
“Mom, don’t get ahead of yourself, okay?” Helen requested as her voice broke and a tear rolled down her face. “I just said I’ll miss them. I haven’t thought about living in New York, getting a job there or anything else like that.”
“I can understand why,” Debbie said with a relaxed nod. “All this time was like a long vacation for you and them. But, do you really think it’s going to be like that from now on? I got news for you. It won’t. Pretty soon, life will happen. James is a rich man; he’s more than capable of taking care of his wife. Michelle’s on her way to stardom…”
“She asked me to work for her,” Helen interrupted.
“What?” Debbie squinted at her.
“Michelle,” Helen drew in a sharp breath. “She wants me to be her personal assistant.”
“Go on.” Debbie urged.
“She’s going away on a West Coast tour in a couple of weeks. It’s a temporary thing, though.” Helen explained, running her hand through her hair. “It will only be for a month, give or take.”
“What about your compensation?” Debbie asked.
“We haven’t talked about that yet,” Helen replied, her voice lower, as she gazed deep into her mother’s eyes. “I wanted to discuss it with you first.”
“It’s for just a month?” Debbie raised an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Helen gave a firm nod. Just after her sharp answer, her mother leaned in towards her, arms wide open and took her in her embrace.
“You can go.” Debbie said in her most comforting voice, slowly leaning back. “I’ll talk to your father. I’m sure he won’t mind.”
“Really?” Helen breathed out, surprise written all over her face. “I thought it’d be harder to convince you. I mean, you won’t have any help at the supermarket.”
“I’ve been doing it for four months now.” Debbie smiled. “I can handle it for a little while longer.”
“Thank you so much, mom,” Helen whispered, a broad smile spreading across her face, as she circled her arms around her mother’s back. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“Don’t mention it, honey.” Debbie assured, gently pushing her back. “Now, go get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
4
In spite of her workload, Helen was in a very festive mood. Her mother had given her the world the night before. At last, she would be her own woman. She would not depend on her parents anymore, at least for a short while. Helen worked tirelessly, carrying boxes or handling t
he register, humming lyrics of her favorite songs, and smiling at everybody. Most of her customers were used to her cheerful attitude; she had always been a happy girl, but a rude customer could – and often did – ruin her mood. Still, when she did face one that morning, she managed to baffle the several bystanders and did not even argue with him. On the contrary, she flashed a smile to dismiss him.
She called Michelle in the morning and told her the news. As one would expect, she was thrilled that her friend would become her personal assistant. Indeed, Michelle was so ecstatic that she kept cheering throughout their conversation.
The remaining days were no different. Helen waited patiently for the moment that she would leave her uneventful life in Shandaken once again, eager to reunite with her friends. To her dislike, Michelle was too preoccupied with rehearsals to drive there and Helen was simply too exhausted to do the same. Nevertheless, they both showed understanding; neither of them complained to each other.
When the big day finally came, Helen hugged and kissed her parents and drove out of the small, mountainous town, with a mind filled with questions, but with a heart burning with anticipation.
Malibu, California, here I come! Long, sunny beaches; gorgeous sunsets; loads of Michelle’s concerts; I just hope I don’t have to deal with Mr. Grumpy too much. He may be a great guy, but I just want to punch him in his fat face when he complains about everything. Okay, that’s just wishful thinking, Helen. He’ll be there, too. There’s nothing much you can do to avoid him. Nah, who cares? I’m going to be on my own. Is there anything more important than that? Well, sure there is: an honest relationship with someone. One thing at a time, darling, one thing at a time.
Helen parked her car in the underground parking lot of “Reigns”, a luxurious hotel in Manhattan, but, as she made her way to the elevator, she heard a familiar voice, echoing in the space: Gina. As she swept the lot, she spotted Rick’s Mercedes, heading for the exit.
“No, it can’t be her.” She told herself. Seconds later, she stepped out of the empty car on the penthouse, only to discover that the door to the suite was wide open. Michelle was behind it, whereas Olivia was sitting on the couch, laughing heartily.
“Hiiiii!” Helen sang, easing her suitcase down.
“Hey, girl,” Michelle smiled at her, as they exchanged a warm hug. “Come on in.”
“Liv, welcome back!” Helen cheered, sprinting across the living room. “When did guys come back? How was Jamaica?”
“Amazing,” Olivia chuckled. “But not nearly as amazing as this.”
“They got back last night. Jesus, country girl,” Michelle protested, while picking Helen’s suitcase up from the floor. “What have you put in here, rocks?”
“Um, why’s she laughing that hard?” Helen asked, looking up at Michelle.
“Oh, yeah,” Michelle gave an amused snort. “Gina and Rick were just here.”
“Gina and Rick?” Helen exclaimed, as her mouth fell open in utter disbelief.
“Yeah,” Michelle affirmed, smiling down at her. “They’re a thing. Rick was about to say something smart about…” she paused, “his favorite part of a female body. Gina glared at him. He stopped right away.”
“When did they…?”
“Get together?” Michelle finished Helen’s sentence. “Barbados. They hooked up on Olivia’s wedding night.”
“Oh, my God!” Helen’s voice became even more high-pitched. “How’s this even possible?”
“It makes sense, if you ask me.” Michelle stated. “He’s wacky, and talks a little too much. She’s restrained, and a little too serious. They’re a perfect fit.”
“So, there’ll be no more ‘sweet ass’ jokes?” Helen inquired, her voice dropping an octave lower, as she waited for her friend’s reply.
“Nope,” Michelle said with a grin. “I’m going to miss that, to be honest. Not the comments; just that crazy look in his eyes. He sort of looks like a mad scientist, every time he talks about butts.”
“Finally,” Helen sighed in relief. “Where’s James?”
“On his way to Shandaken,” Olivia interjected. “He won’t go anywhere without his guitars and his sheet music.”
“I can’t believe I’m about to go on tour with ‘Jimmy X’.” Michelle gave a short laugh. “I mean, who would have thought?”
“He’s…” Helen faltered. “He’s not going to reveal his identity, is he?”
“Do you even know James?” Olivia spoke in sarcastic tones. “There’s no way in hell he’s ever going to do that. He’ll do exactly what he did that night in their first gig: Wear a hat and pretend like he’s just another pianist.”
“That was some night.” Helen commented. “I’ll always have you two to thank for that.”
“I don’t want to remember it.” Olivia confessed, her voice lowering to a soft whisper. “Too much pain, too much sorrow…”
“Don’t think like that, Liv.” Michelle advised, seating herself beside her. “That night, Mr. Grumpy declared his love for you to the world. It also put me on the map as a singer, not as a joke.”
“He still doesn’t like that name.” Olivia’s lips curled into a sweet smile, as she faced her friend.
“He’d better get used to it.” Helen teased. “Michelle, can I talk to you for a second?”
“Not really.” Michelle’s quick response and her devilish smile intrigued her. Still, before she could speak, Helen’s friend pulled a folded piece of paper out of her right pocket and handed it over to her.
“Oh…” Helen gasped, as she noticed the amount on the check. “Three thousand dollars?”
“Make that six.” Olivia’s words added to her profound shock. “You’ll get that after you guys come back from the tour. James said, --and I quote— ‘I’d still be alone, if it hadn’t been for that blonde girl.’ It’s the least we could do for you, sweetie. He’s right; we’d still be apart if you hadn’t been involved.”
“I can’t thank you enough for this.” Helen spoke in a shaking voice, staring down at Olivia.
“Actually, you can.” Olivia murmured, arising to her feminine, 5’6” stature. “Just be the same, loving friend you’ve been these past few months. You take good care of them in California, okay? Make sure they don’t fool around with each other.”
“Hey, that hurt!” Michelle’s loud voice echoed in the suite, bringing a smile to Helen’s face. “I would never…”
“Oh, stop it, will you?” Olivia interrupted her. “You know I’m just kidding. Get up.”
“Yeah, I do,” Michelle admitted, as she rose obligingly, while Olivia lifted her left arm. Olivia snaked it around Helen’s neck, as Helen opened her own arms. In an instant, Michelle was lost in a group hug.
“Be careful out there, alright?” Olivia whispered; “Both of you.”
“We will.” Michelle declared, leaning back. “Country girl, our flight’s in four hours. I suggest we get ready.”
5
Helen, Michelle and James embarked on one of the most important trips of their lives. James seemed to be the least affected of them all. For some reason neither of them could understand, James was very cool about it. On the other hand, Michelle was very anxious. She kept asking him questions about their venues, almost all the way through the flight. In her opinion, even the tiniest detail mattered, such as the seating arrangements. Helen remained silent and preferred to watch their conversations. After all, she had no idea about anything they were discussing and it was none of her business. Furthermore, although she did understand Michelle’s insecurity, she thought she was being nonsensical. Helen had every faith in her vocal skills; she had a good feeling about her concerts. If she did try to confront her, they very well could argue over nothing and humiliate each other on a plane full of people. Helen would not do that to the woman who had just given her a chance to escape her everyday routine.
It’s amazing how stress can consume people like that. Look at her. ‘Why this, why that’… I’m surprised she hasn’t asked if the
re are any outdoor bathrooms in those venues. Don’t worry, Michelle. You’ll dazzle them, just like you dazzled everybody, back in Williamsburg.
As soon as their plane landed, Michelle proved to them once more how tense she was. Despite the fact that they had just been through a six-hour flight, she stated her will to visit the first venue. Upon hearing her idea, James burst out laughing and with good reason. Michelle was scheduled to perform at “Rockstars”, an outdoor arena in Santa Barbara, almost a hundred miles away and it was 9pm already. Much to his frustration, though, she insisted. Unwilling to follow her, James notified John Donaldson, the venue manager on Michelle’s decision and went to their hotel. She asked him for directions on how to get there and also requested him to be there. Much to her liking, he was polite and agreed. Helen believed that her friend was being absurd, but she would not leave her alone. So, the two women rented a car and started towards Santa Barbara, on that warm, late-July night.
Almost two hours later, they found themselves on a narrow, uphill road outside the city. The venue seemed small on the outside, as their car slowly rolled to a halt. John Donaldson, the aging venue manager was at the gate, with a sullen look on his face.
“Good evening, ladies.” He said, his voice firm, as they approached him. “Ms. Adams, I would really like to know what’s going on in that head of yours.”
“Excuse me?” Michelle squeaked.
“It’s rather late for me to be here,” Donaldson explained. “Anyway, follow me.”
Michelle let out an exasperated huff, as Donaldson walked through the gate. Beams of light were coming through the door, as they climbed up the dark stairs. The venue manager stepped outside and went to the right.
“Two thousand seats: about five hundred more on that stand over there;” he informed her, pointing to the left, as Michelle swept the well-lit arena. There were massive lights in each corner. Behind the seats, there was an amphitheatrical, spectator stand. “It’s not much, I know.”
Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection Page 96
