Charlie turned, struggling to focus his eyes. “Hey, we’re closed.”
Patti dropped her hands from her face and twisted around. “Whoa! That’s a big car.”
“It’s a limo,” Charlie said.
“I know what it is,” Patti said. “What’s it doing here? I mean, when was the last time you saw a limousine pull into this parking lot? Like, never.”
Charlie made a clumsy pivot, tugged up his sagging pants, and he was off, making a wobbly path toward the front door. “I’ll tell them we’re closed and to get the hell away from me.”
“Probably lost,” Dina said, craning her neck to see who appeared from the limo. Patti stretched around and followed Dina’s stare.
“Gotta be lost,” Patti said.
Dina saw a driver emerge, wearing a dark uniform and a chauffeur’s cap. He rounded the front of the car, and then left Dina’s field of vision as he mounted the stairs to the front door.
Dina and Patti turned their captivated attention back inside, leaning, peering toward the entrance. A minute later, they heard muffled voices: Charlie’s voice and a man’s deeper voice. They couldn’t make out any words.
“He probably needs to use the bathroom,” Dina said.
They waited, hearing the voices rise and fall. A few minutes later, Charlie started back toward the girls, using the back of a chair to keep himself balanced as he approached. When he arrived, he stopped, scratched the back of his head and stared numbly at Dina.
“He wants to see you,” Charlie said, pointing at Dina.
Dina leaned forward. “He who, Charlie?”
Charlie jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “That guy. That chauffeur.”
Patti’s eyes darted from Charlie to Dina, to Charlie and back to Dina. “Did you call for a car service, Dina?”
“No, of course not. Charlie what does he want?” Dina asked.
“I told you, he wants to talk to you.”
“Why, Charlie? Why? How does he know me? I certainly don’t know him.”
“Well, he knows you—at least he knows you work here and what your name is. Just go talk to him.”
Dina spread her hands, shaking her head. “What?”
Patti shot up. “I’ll go.”
“Not you,” Charlie said to Patti. “Dina.”
“I know,” Patti said. “But I can go too, can’t I?”
“No…He wants to see Dina and only Dina. For God’s sake, Dina, just go talk to the guy.”
Dina searched Charlie’s face. She sensed something was a little off. His eyes were evasive, his manner guarded, as if he knew more than he was letting on. He was too compliant for a guy who only minutes before had been so defiant. Had there been money exchanged?
“Charlie, do you know that guy?” Dina asked.
“No. No. Of course, I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him before in my life. Will you just go? Go!” he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet. “Go.”
“Go!” Patti said, shoving her forward. “I’m dying to know who he is and what’s going on.”
Reluctantly, Dina moved through the tables and chairs, across the thick carpet, across the tiles, patting her hair in place as she advanced toward the chauffeur, who stood formally next to the hostess’ stand. As she arrived, he politely removed his cap and smiled kindly, but in a businesslike manner.
“Miss Dina Lee?”
Dina nodded, looking at the man carefully. He was about 50 years old and near her own height of 5’ 8”. He was slight of build, with smoothly combed salt and pepper hair, a pleasant face and alert dark eyes. He reminded her of a pharmacist she’d known as a girl back in Ohio, where she’d grown up. Officious and business-like, but courteous.
He held the cap in both hands and gave a slight bow. “My name is Clark Timmons, Miss Lee,” he said in a British accent. “Is there someplace in private where we can speak?”
Dina glanced into the bar. Matt, the bartender, was wiping down the bar. His girlfriend was waiting, surfing her phone. No privacy there. Dina looked right and decided on a round table away from the windows near the server station. Although Charlie and Patti could see them, they wouldn’t be able to hear the conversation.
Once Dina was seated, she smoothed her blue uniform self-consciously, and again, finger combed her hair in place. Mr. Timmons sat opposite her, laying his cap on the empty table, which wouldn’t be set for lunch until the following day.
Mr. Timmons took in a little breath as if to fortify himself. “Miss Lee, I represent someone who wishes to remain anonymous.”
“Anonymous? Who… I mean, what’s this all about?”
“I’m here at the wish of my employer. I’ll explain everything carefully to you.”
Dina folded her hands tightly. “Okay…”
“It may seem a little surprising at first, but if you’ll hear me out, I believe you will understand all the particulars.”
Dina could not imagine what this man was about to say. Her mouth firmed up as she waited. “Yes… Okay.”
He reached into his suit pocket and drew out an envelope. He laid it on the table, facing Dina. To her astonishment, it had her name typed on it. Dina gazed down at it and then up to Mr. Timmons, waiting for an explanation.
“Miss Lee, inside that envelope is a contract.”
“A what?”
“Contract.”
“A contract for what?”
“For a Christmas present.”
Dina gave a little shake of her head, as if to wake herself up. “I don’t understand.”
“Please let me explain,” Mr. Timmons said. “My employer wants to offer you a Christmas present, with no strings attached. If you agree to the present, that contract will specify all the terms, conditions and stipulations of the present. The contract has been drawn up solely for your protection, so that you will be comfortable and confident that no one, at any time, will take advantage of you in any way.”
“Mr. Timmons. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why do I need to be protected? From what? From whom? What kind of Christmas present do I need to be protected from?”
Mr. Timmons nodded. “Yes, well, let me just come out with it, Miss Lee, so you’ll understand everything more clearly. Simply put, your Christmas present is an all-expenses paid 10-day vacation to Paris, Rome and New York. No strings attached.”
Dina leaned forward, dazed, sure she hadn’t heard what she thought she heard. The words seemed jumbled and scrambled. She was sure he’d said something else. What the something else was, she had no idea. He could have just spoken to her in Greek or Sanskrit.
“What was that?” she asked, her eyes vague and searching.
“Yes, Miss Lee. Your Christmas present is an all-expenses paid Christmas vacation to Paris, Rome and New York. You will fly first class, stay in the finest hotels, and be accompanied by a personal female assistant, who will assist you, as well as direct you to the best restaurants, the finest shops and the most popular tourist attractions. In addition to all the above, you will be given a daily expense account of ten thousand dollars, to spend any way you wish.”
Dina stared, without seeing, without blinking.
“The vacation will begin on Wednesday December 14th, and conclude on December 24th, Christmas Eve, for a total of 10 days, allowing for time changes and so forth. You will be back in Colorado on the morning of December 24th. Now, just to be clear, the ten-thousand-dollar daily stipend is over and above the hotel and restaurant expenses. Those are all part of the package. The ten thousand is a separate gift, to be used for your own personal enjoyment, and to be spent in any reasonable manner that you wish.”
Mr. Timmons pointed to the contract. “The contract is specific, as you will see when you read it.”
Dina’s brain had stopped working for a moment. She couldn’t process and she couldn’t think—not one thought. Slowly, as if she were under water and coming up for air, she recalled her meeting with Mrs. Terry that same morning. She recalled Mrs. Terry’s words.
“You are about to have an adventure, Dina.”
Dina could hear her heart drumming in her ears. She could almost feel the Earth spinning on its axis. An impossible wonder swept over her.
“Mr. Timmons…Is this some kind of joke? Did Mrs. Terry put you up to this?”
“Mrs. Terry?” Mr. Timmons said, confused. “I’m afraid I don’t know a Mrs. Terry.”
Dina turned around to see Patti and Charlie staring at her with rapt curiosity from across the dining room.
“Are Patti and Charlie in on this?”
Mr. Timmons’ forehead lifted. “No, Miss Lee. No one you know is, as you say, ‘in on this.’ It was anticipated that you might be surprised by this offer.”
“This is a joke, isn’t it?”
Mr. Timmons slowly shook his head. “No, Miss Lee. It is not a joke. My employer wants you to have this present. All you must do is read over the contract—or have your lawyer look it over, if you prefer—and then sign it, if you agree to all its conditions, which, I assure you, are quite generous. You will need to sign the contract by 12 noon on Monday, December 12th, otherwise the contract will become null and void.”
“Null and void?”
“Yes.”
Dina looked down and away and then her eyes came to rest thoughtfully on the contract. “Can you tell me who this person is and why they’re doing this?”
“No, Miss Lee. As I said, my employer wishes to remain anonymous.”
“But why anonymous?”
“For their own reasons. That’s all I am at liberty to say at this time.”
Dina lifted her eyes. “Well, what does this anonymous person want from me?”
Mr. Timmons cleared his throat. “My employer wants nothing in return, Miss Lee. As I stated, the present is a gift, with no strings attached.”
Dina stared out and beyond Mr. Timmons, feeling the strange weight of the moment —feeling strangely disembodied, as if she were floating nearby, unable to pull herself back into her tired, bewildered and exhausted body.
“Will you need time to consider all this, Miss Lee, or are you comfortable reading the contract over here and now, and signing it?”
“What?” Dina said, distractedly, with another shake of her head, as if to anchor herself back into reality. “Oh, yes…No. I mean, yes, I need time. I definitely need some time. I just don’t know… about all this, Mr. Timmons.”
Mr. Timmons pushed his chair back and stood up. “Of course, Miss Lee. Attached to the contract you will find my card. If you have any questions, please call me anytime, day or night.”
Dina squinted a look up at him, considering him closely. “Why you, Mr. Timmons? Don’t take this the wrong way, but why did your employer send a chauffeur and not say, a secretary or a lawyer?”
Mr. Timmons shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know, Miss Lee. I did not ask. I’m paid to do a job and I perform it the best that I can. Perhaps I seemed less imposing than a lawyer. Perhaps it is because I have a daughter who is about your own age.”
He gave her a slight bow. “Good night, Miss Lee. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
Remembering her manners, Dina shot up, extending her hand. “Thank you for coming, Mr. Timmons.”
They shook limply, and then she watched the chauffeur pull on his cap and exit the restaurant. She followed him with her eyes until he descended the front stairs and climbed back into his car. After the limo drove away, Dina slumped back down into her chair, staring at the envelope that held the contract, that bore her name. It seemed alive somehow, and it seemed out of reach. She stared at it dreamily, as if she were, indeed, having the best and the most frightening dream of her life.
Standing over her, she heard Patti, Charlie and Matt all chatting at once, but she didn’t understand what they were saying. She didn’t understand anything. All she could do was breathe and stare at the envelope.
CHAPTER 4
On Sunday morning, December 11th, Dina entered the quiet Pine Village Coffee Bar, hung her coat on one of the racks near the entrance, and headed toward a marble top table in the back, near the glowing Christmas tree. It was early, only eight in the morning, and the morning rush was still to come. She felt that low, dragging energy from the night before—a hectic night at work and a restless, mostly sleepless night. She hadn’t slept more than three hours, snoozing with the contract lying next to her on the pillow, like a strange lover she hardly knew.
After ordering a cappuccino and banana muffin, she carried her breakfast back to the table and sat, pulling out her cell phone. She’d already called Patti, awakening her from a deep sleep, asking her to meet her for coffee. Normally, Patti would have told her to go jump in the nearest lake, or something much more profane, but because of the looming contract and the promised Christmas vacation, Patti snapped awake and said she’d be right over.
Dina sipped the cappuccino, staring drowsily out the front window at the melting snow, at the passing people and cars, at the dog walkers and the large inflated candy canes swinging gently from the antique street lamps. Her thoughts wandered toward memories of her parents.
She tapped her cell phone and stared at a family picture, taken the day she’d graduated from high school, back in Ohio. She was in her blue cap and gown, beaming, wedged in between her mother Mary, who was wearing her famous lavender suit, and her father Dave, who was obviously uncomfortable in his one-and-only black suit. He had been an electrician, and was much more comfortable in jeans and a flannel shirt than in a suit and tie. What would they think about this strange offer—an extravagant and fantastical Christmas vacation from some anonymous person? She could hear her father say, “They want something from you, kid. Bet on it. Nobody gives nobody nothin’ like this unless they want something back in return. I say, tear the contract up and tell that Brit chauffeur to go find some other sucker.”
Dina sighed. What would her mother say?
“Oh, my, Dina. It sounds awfully suspicious to me. And ten thousand dollars a day to spend any way you want? It’s impossible. It’s crazy. It just doesn’t make any sense. Why would someone do that for somebody they don’t even know? You must demand to know who this person is and why they’re offering you this—whatever—Christmas present—or you should turn it down. You’re at the total mercy of this person. You don’t know what might happen to you once you’re out of the country and on your own, with someone you’ve never met and don’t know.”
Dina laid her phone aside and chewed on a thumbnail. Patti would arrive soon. Last night in the restaurant, after Dina had told everyone the crazy news, Patti had screamed so loud she hurt everyone’s ears. Dina knew conclusively what Patti would do: she’d jump at the chance and never look back.
Dina hadn’t told anyone, including Patti, about the gift certificate she found on the street or about seeing Mrs. Terry and her predictions. That was just too weird, and who would believe her anyway?
Just then, as if on cue, Patti appeared in the doorway and entered. She stopped, planting herself, her face stretched with exaggerated enthusiasm. She jabbed a left and right finger at Dina for cheery emphasis, and made a funny face. “You!” Patti yelled, and three sleepy faces looked up from laptops and cell phones. The tall, spiked-haired male barista waved. He knew Patti. They’d dated a couple of times.
At the table, Patti struggled out of her coat, draping it over the back of her chair, pulled her cell phone from her purse and sat down heavily in the chair opposite Dina. Her cheeks were red, her hair a tangled mess; she wore no makeup and her eyes were wild with speculation and possibility.
“You, Dina Lee, have hit the jackpot and you, Dina Lee, look like somebody just shot your dog. What the hell is the matter with you, girl? Why aren’t you out-of-your mind happy? Why aren’t you out dancing in the streets? Why aren’t you, like, I don’t know, out shopping for clothes for your trip across the world, because you will soon have ten thousand dollars a day to spend any friggin’ way you want to, right?”
Dina took a deep breath and closed
her eyes. “Patti…I’m just a little bit scared and a whole lot nervous about all this.”
“Scared? Of what, scared?”
Dina opened her eyes. “It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of. I mean, whoever this person is, they’re going to want something back from me. You know it and I know it. They’ve got to want something from me.”
Patti rolled her eyes. “Okay. Okay. Like what do they want? Like what do you have? Like what could you possibly give this super wealthy, rich whoever it is person? Like, nothing, Dina. Okay, maybe they’re hot for you. Is that so bad? Hey, can you imagine anyone being so hot for you that they’d spend—I don’t know—thousands of dollars on you for ten days? So, what is your problem, Dina? Help me, here. I don’t get it.”
Dina lowered her voice, hoping to bring down Patti’s volume.
“Patti, I just can’t get my head around it. And I don’t like the whole anonymous thing. I have never known anyone, in my entire life, who has that kind of money. I mean, it could be some nut with a lot of money who wants to get his, or her, kicks in some twisted way, at my expense.”
“No, Dina, at their expense. And anyway, what’s twisted, for God’s sake? You read the contract. It’s simple. Straightforward. You don’t have to be a lawyer to understand it. You get a fabulous Christmas adventure to three of the most beautiful and exciting cities on the planet, for ten days, and there are no strings attached. Again, tell me what I’m missing here. Please, please tell me, because I just don’t get it.”
“I’m just a little more cautious than you are, Patti, okay? I’m not so impulsive. And I’ll be alone…traveling alone, eating alone, shopping alone, except with some person I don’t even know.”
Patti smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand. “God help me. How terrible. How absolutely dreadful,” she said, dramatically. “Like you won’t meet some guy or a bunch of guys. You’re going to be dressed up like a princess, Dina, staying in the finest hotels, eating in the best and most expensive restaurants the world has to offer. You’ll have a personal assistant, who’ll arrange hairdressers and makeup experts, and massage therapists and, who knows what else, and maybe even a gorgeous male escort. I’m sure your personal assistant can arrange that for you, and if she can’t, you certainly can with that ten thousand dollars a day to spend any way you want.”
The Date Before Christmas: A Novel Page 4
