by Alexis Gold
Denise gave him a nasty look. "Why would I do that? This is my house too, and if she's welcome, then why would we need to talk about it? She is my mother, and if my mother wants to be here with me, then she's going to be here with me. It has nothing at all to do with you."
Roman pursed his lips. "Thanks for being thoughtful." He looked at Agnes and smiled as best he could. "Agnes, if there's anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable, please let me know." He nodded and turned to walk out of the kitchen when Agnes stopped him.
"Yeah, there are some things you could do to make this dump more comfortable!" She pulled a cigarette from her little painted leather cigarette case, snapped it shut, and lit her cigarette up, blowing smoke all over the kitchen.
"You don't have any ashtrays around here. I had to use whatever I can find, and I got stuck using this crappy bowl." She nudged a beautiful blue and green hand-blown glass bowl by Dale Chihuly, and then ashed her cigarette in it. There was a thick pile of dead cigarette butts in the bowl.
Roman closed his eyes for a moment and tried to still the clenching of his stomach. He took a deep breath and looked steadily at her. "That is a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork worth over fifteen thousand dollars. It was created especially for me, and signed by the artist. It's not an ashtray."
"You think this ugly thing is artwork? Why am I not surprised,” she said with a nasty sneer. "Well, it's crap, but at least now it's practical, useful crap." She blew cigarette smoke at him and ashed in it again. "Another thing; what the hell is that thing you have me sleeping on up in my room? You are supposed to be so successful; can't you even afford to buy a decent mattress? That thing is hard as a rock! I want a new bed!"
Denise piped up and rested her hand on her mother's arm. "Don't you worry about it, Mother, we'll have a decorator come in and redesign your room, and you and I can go shopping and buy any bed you want. I'll take care of you, and Roman can pay for it." She turned and narrowed her eyes at him again meaningfully.
"Well thank heaven someone around here knows how to treat a guest. I must have raised you right, Denise. I just wish I'd have raised you with enough sense to marry a good man, because you sure got the short end of the stick with this one,” Agnes snapped.
Roman bit his tongue, walked over to the cupboard and pulled a cereal bowl out of it, then walked over to the table and yanked the Chihuly glass from where it sat before Agnes. He turned the Chihuly upside down and emptied it into the cereal bowl, and then he pushed the cereal bowl in front of the older woman and looked at her meaningfully.
"While you're out shopping, kindly pick up your own set of ashtrays. I'll be more than happy to buy them for you." He turned on his heel and walked out of the room with the Chihuly bowl still in his hand. It took him the better part of an hour, but he finally got it clean and smelling like it had never known burnt tobacco.
He placed it up in his room on the third floor of his home; a room that only he ever saw the inside of, since his wife slept in her own room.
After it was safely tucked away, he wandered through the house, looking for anything else he might want to protect, and wondering miserably how long she would be living with them.
He ate dinner alone in the breakfast nook, which he usually did, unless Denise happened to want his company, which was rare. One of the good things about Agnes was that she went to bed early every night. One of the challenges about her was that she was up before dawn every morning and prowling about the house, bored and looking for things to get into. There was no way to escape her in the morning, and starting the day with her was a difficult thing for him to do.
Roman was grateful that he had put Denise on a specific allowance each month so that she wouldn't bankrupt him. He had learned early on that it was best to curtail her spending ability, and now with her mother in the house, he knew that would be even more important.
He also wondered, when he looked at Agnes, if he was looking at a version of what his wife would be like in thirty years. Denise had smoked when she was younger, but the day she saw her first wrinkle, she put the cigarettes down and hadn't touched them again; not for the sake of health, no, but rather for the sake of vanity.
Roman went up to his room later that night and lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering about the profound changes in his life. He had wanted children when he was a younger man thinking about his future, but the idea of starting a family hadn't been at the forefront of his mind when he married Denise. Then after he had been married to her for a while and their relationship changed so much, he knew without a doubt that he didn't want to have children with her.
The thoughts he had once had about having children fell away in the face of a cold and hollow marriage and a thriving business.
Having a child became one of those things that fell into the life category of “I was going to do that, but it just didn't happen.” Well, now it had happened.
Unexpectedly, of course, but his heart welcomed it. He had been blown away by the discovery that he was a father, and the knowledge of it warmed his heart and gave him a happiness he had not ever known before. He felt more whole than he had in all the years of living in an empty and meaningless marriage. He felt as though somehow his life had suddenly blossomed and developed deep meaning; he had something to look forward to and someone to love.
Roman wondered how he would be able to explain to Denise how he had a child outside of their marriage, and what she would say to him. She was going to be Emma's step-mother, although she didn't know it yet. The thought of Denise as a step-mother contorted Roman's face with a look of doubt. She wasn't really cut out to be a mother, and he suspected that she may not be an ideal step-mother, either. He hoped that she would somehow be able to understand what had happened and accept Emma, because he wanted Emma in every facet of his life, including his home. Denise would have to make a choice, because in his heart of hearts, he knew that Emma was the one person who came before everyone else in his life now, and he loved it.
His thoughts strayed to Agnes as he tried to picture her involvement with Emma, and his brain wouldn't let him think of her that way. Instead, he shook his head and told himself that it would be better if Agnes weren't involved with Emma at all.
He caught himself chuckling at Janine, who had been so utterly delighted with Cami and Emma. He was grateful that she hadn't been judgmental at all, but rather welcoming and kind to Cami and Emma, and she'd taken to the baby right away. He hoped that somehow all of it would work out. It was that hope that he held to as he fell asleep alone that night.
The next day dawned with a grey fog filling the air and hanging thick and full on everything it silently covered. It gave a mysterious and cloaked feel to the house and grounds. Roman was sitting in the kitchen, enjoying it, when Denise walked in and poured herself a cup of coffee.
She seemed to be bubbling with happiness as she prepared herself something to eat. He looked up at her and wondered if it was the right moment to tell her about Emma. He knew it would be hard, no matter when he told her, but he thought that perhaps if he told her when she was in a good mood, it would settle better than if she was in a foul temper.
She sat at the table with him, and he smiled at her.
"Good morning. You're looking lovely today," he began in a friendly tone.
Denise flashed him a grin and shrugged her shoulders. "Good! It's such an important day. I really want everything to go just right today. It feels like everything will go right, you know, and that's good, because if anything goes wrong, I'll lose it."
Roman nodded his head and sipped his coffee. He knew it wasn't the right time to tell her. "Are you ready for the party tonight?" he asked. It seemed like it had been much more than a week since she had said she was hosting the big bash for the Senator and his wife aboard the yacht that Captain Heatherwick and been keeping in the marina.
"Everything is ready, except for this damn weather. It's supposed to be nice today, and just look at all that fog. I'll be furious if it ruin
s the party." She glared out the window into the misty morning.
Roman took a deep breath and sighed. "It'll burn off. The party isn't until tonight, so don't worry about it."
She finished her coffee and leveled her gaze at him. "Are you ready for the party? Do you have your suit?" she asked him in a warning tone.
"I have it. I'll be there tonight," he said pleasantly.
"Good. Everything has to be perfect. I absolutely have to make a good impression on Senator Johnson and Carmen." She stood up and took her coffee mug to the dishwasher. "My mother is really looking forward to tonight,” she said, turning and looking over her shoulder at him. "Don't ruin it for her. Be decent to her tonight."
Roman closed his eyes and drew breath into his lungs slowly, willing himself to keep calm. He didn't respond to her, he only released the air from his body gradually, focusing on it rather than on Denise.
She walked from the kitchen, having made an ordinance and not a request.
He heard the door shut and looked out of the window, appreciating the morning fog a bit more than he had before she walked into the kitchen.
Roman and Captain Jonathon Heatherwick spent the afternoon on the yacht, and Roman had to admit that it was a beautiful boat, and one he did not regret purchasing to sell to the Senator, if the Senator wanted it.
They talked and laughed over old times until Denise showed up and Jonathon looked visibly annoyed with her. He closed himself up on the bridge and Roman joined him in a bid to remove themselves from Denise's presence as she readied for the party.
She didn't really love sailing or being on boats so much, it was all about the prestige for her, and showing off to others. She had no interest at all in the bridge and so it was there that the two men stayed until the guests started arriving in the early evening, and then Roman bid goodbye to Jonathon with a smile and a clap on the shoulder.
"Come out for food and drinks whenever you're ready. In another half an hour there will be a good number of people here that you would enjoy spending some time with,” he said to Jonathon as he closed the bridge door behind him. Jonathon saluted him, and Roman headed to the deck to meet their guests.
Denise was flitting around talking to people, all smiles, hugs, and air kisses almost brushed upon cheeks. She was dressed in a bright red skin-tight dress and stiletto heels. Her red hair was curled and piled around the back of her head almost in a mane. Her makeup and perfume were thick, and she was hung about with chunky jewelry in her efforts to look the part of what she thought was abundance, because in her mind, abundance equaled quality, value, and worth.
Roman greeted guests separately from her as much as he could, although she would occasionally drag him over to introduce him to people she felt he just had to meet. He was glad to meet all of them, but he wished he wasn't presented in the light that she showed him; that of a wealthy tycoon, rather than just as himself. He could see that very few people were impressed with her gushing and posturing. He faded back away from her and mingled with people every time she turned her head away from him.
The Senator and his wife, Carmen, showed up right on time, and Denise saw them coming, so she rushed over and pulled Roman's arm to greet them as they came aboard.
He reached out his hand and shook Senator Johnson's hand, as well as Carmen's, welcoming them warmly.
"Good evening, Edward and Carmen! It's wonderful to have you here tonight as our guests of honor. Thank you so much for coming!" Roman said as he handed them each a flute of champagne. Denise slid her hand through Carmen's arm and stood close to her.
"There's tons of champagne and the very best seafood in all of the bay area. You won't believe it. Oh! My mother is here, too, and she wants to meet you. So, after we take you on a tour of the boat, I'll introduce you to her!" Denise practically squealed with excitement.
Agnes was indeed at the party, and hadn't talked to many people. She was instead parked at the bar at the far end of the deck, drinking and chain smoking. Roman had managed to avoid her completely, and he hoped to make it through the night without having to talk to her at all.
Senator Johnson looked around the deck and shook his head. "This is really a beautiful boat. I am anxious to have a look at her, is it too soon to ask for a tour?" he smiled hopefully at Roman, and Roman nodded.
"Certainly!" He waved at Allen, who was navigating the buffet table, and Allen almost dropped his plate when he saw that Roman was standing beside their guests of honor. He wiped his hands and rushed over to them.
"Hello! Senator, it's so nice to have you here!" he said with a wide grin on his face.
The Senator extended his hand. "Allen, so good to meet you in person. Please, call me Edward, and this is my wife, Carmen. We've talked on the phone enough that I feel I already know you!" They shook hands and Allen looked like he had just won the best prize at the carnival.
Roman indicated the highest point of the boat. "Why don't we start at the bridge, and you can meet Captain Heatherwick. We'll work our way down from there." With a smile, he turned to lead them all up the two flights of stairs that it took to get to the bridge.
Jonathon Heatherwick and the Senator hit it off right away. Edward was thrilled to see the bridge, looking at it as the best gift one could receive on Christmas morning.
"Command Central!" he exclaimed happily. Carmen watched him with a pleasant smile, obviously glad to see that her husband was immersed in something he passionately enjoyed.
Jonathon and Edward began talking about sailing, which quickly led to the topic of the military and they discovered they had served on the same ships at different times for the US Navy. That sealed their bond, and during the entire rest of the tour, and indeed the night, they were elbow to elbow talking about a great many things.
Senator Johnson and his wife both loved the boat, and by the time the evening was going full swing, Roman and Allen felt sure that he would probably buy it, as long as Denise didn't manage to further irritate Carmen. Her constant attention and fussing over the Senator's wife had made Carmen excuse herself more than once, just to get away from Denise, and Roman had to pull Denise aside to talk to her.
They stood a few feet from their group and he looked at her seriously.
"Denise, you are annoying Carmen, and I can't believe that you don't realize it. I know that you're excited that they're here, but you have got to back off! It may have escaped your attention, but there are several other guests of ours on this boat, and as a good hostess, you should be paying attention to all of them!" He was quiet and kind, but in serious earnestness.
She glowered at him. "Don't you tell me anything about it! You and Captain Featherpants haven't left Edward's side for a single minute! How am I supposed to become best friends with Carmen if you send me away from her? These are the most important people on this boat, and I'm not about to leave them alone just to go talk to everyone else!"
Roman exhaled in frustration. "Denise, if you wanted to spend all of your time with Edward and Carmen, you should have arranged a private dinner for them here, not a full blown party like this."
She grew angry with him, and only barely managed to keep it in check. "Roman! You just don't understand society! It's no good to have them here for a private dinner because then no one else can see how close we are to them! The whole point of the party is so that all of these people can see us with Edward and Carmen and then they will all know how important we are!" She was incredulous that he could possibly be so thick as to have missed that obvious maneuver.
Roman shook his head and looked away from her. "Don't ignore your other guests, and stop annoying Carmen. You're going too far overboard with her. Please keep it to a minimum."
Denise breathed out in a rush of exasperation and headed straight back to Carmen, who saw her coming and moved between Allen and Edward to try to avoid her. Denise was not going to be dissuaded so easily, and she pulled on Carmen's arm and insisted that she go to the bar with her to meet Agnes.
Allen looked after them as
Denise tottered down the deck in her high heels, dragging the Senator's wife behind her by the arm. His face was white with panic and fear, and Roman was grateful that Edward was too involved in his conversation with Jonathon to see what was going on.
Five minutes passed and Carmen came walking swiftly back down the deck toward Edward and the group. Roman saw the look on her face and his stomach tightened. He exchanged silent glances with Allen and they both desperately hoped that Denise had not ruined the evening for them.
"Edward," Carmen said when there was a momentary pause at her arrival, "we need to leave." She looked at him with deadly serious eyes.
Edward saw the look on his wife's face and sighed, smiling at Roman, Allen, and especially Jonathon, and he shrugged his shoulders. "I am sorry to go, but it would seem that the clock is striking midnight somehow. It's been a delightful party, and a great visit.
“Roman, Allen, thank you so much for hosting this for us. I'll give the boat some serious consideration and let you know what I want to do. Captain Heatherwick, Jonathon, please come visit me anytime, and I may sneak down here before too long to spend a little more time talking with you!"
