A New Kind of Bliss

by Bettye Griffin

  Aaron approached me and carefully leaned in to give me a kiss. “I’m so sorry to be late,” he said. “Tanis called and asked if I could help her carry the food.” Tanis carried a padded bag with rounded sides that looked like it held a Crock-Pot. “When I got to her house she wasn’t quite ready.”

  “Why am I not surprised,” I said dryly. I could just hear her appealing to Aaron for help, like she couldn’t make two trips to the car to put the covered dishes in the trunk. I made a mental note to ask Wayne if he’d offer to drop her off. I had come in my own car and brought Marsha with me, but no way was I going to let Aaron drive Tanis home at the end of the evening.

  The party was on. Our class might be over age forty, but we were hardly over the hill. The bar was doing a brisk business, which would please the owner.

  I kept a close watch on Teddy and Shelly, who didn’t give any signs that they were anything more than old classmates. They barely spent time together, although I did pick up on a few discreet meaningful glances between them. The person who was frequently at Teddy’s side was, to my dismay, Tanis. I thought she still had lingering doubts about that night last summer and wanted to see what she could get out of Teddy, something that she could go to Aaron with when he took her home. I made it a point to get over to Teddy as quickly as I could.

  I counted to twenty after Tanis went to talk to someone else, made sure Aaron was occupied—he was talking to John Hunter—and then walked over. “Teddy, I have to ask you something. Has Tanis asked you anything about me?”

  “Yeah. She did ask if you and I were still seeing each other.”

  My throat went dry. Still seeing each other? Tanis was setting a trap. Had Teddy fallen into it and brought me with him? “And what did you say?” I held my breath.

  “I told her you and I were never involved, other than being friends, and we see each other fairly often because we work in the same building.”

  I let out my breath. “Thanks, Teddy.”

  “I saw your boyfriend come in. So that’s my competition, huh?”

  I went stiff. “So?”

  “Tanis said he’s a doctor. That explains a couple of things.”

  “Explains what?”

  “Why you tried so hard to make your relationship work instead of telling him to get lost. When a black woman gets to choose between a dental technician and an M.D., the M.D. will win hands down.”

  My spine straightened in indignation. “Black women? So white women are totally unimpressed by summer homes and elegant restaurants? Don’t kid yourself, Teddy. Every woman is.

  “And I’ll tell you something else,” I added, watching Shelly Muldoon chatting with Aaron and Wayne. “White women who date black men are more interested in thumbing their noses at the establishment than anything else. Especially if they’re from Euliss.” I watched as Shelly said something, and all three of them laughed heartily. It was probably perfectly innocent, but it annoyed me nonetheless.

  “I’m not trying to start something, Emily. All I know is that black women are more hung up on occupation than anyone I know, at least the ones who aren’t doing much themselves. That rules you out, but look at Marsha. She talked to me for one minute and in that time managed to ask what I do. She’s been flirting with me ever since.”

  I decided I’d rather see Teddy with Marsha than Shelly. He was a good catch. A sistah should get him. “Is that such a bad thing? You have to agree that Marsha’s looking pretty good these days.”

  “She went and got herself some new teeth, just like Tanis has a new nose. I say let her flash her choppers at somebody else. I watch the news, Emily. I know all about that guy she married. The drug czar who got his head blown off.”

  “So what?” I bristled. “She married a criminal, one who took her nice places, really courted her, and misrepresented to her how he made his money. That doesn’t mean she isn’t a nice girl, Teddy.”

  He gave me a playful poke in the side. “I’ll tell you a secret, Emily. There’s a whole bunch of nice girls out there looking for nice men, and there’re more than enough females for men to choose from. With all those available women out there, a man would have to be crazy to get involved with somebody like Marsha. Talk about baggage. She might be sitting on all kinds of knowledge that might be of interest to her husband’s business associates. The phrase ‘knowing where the bodies are buried’ takes on a whole new meaning. What she may know about his business puts not only her, but everyone close to her, in danger.”

  “You’ve been reading too much James Patterson,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  “Hey. You’re her friend, right? Do us all a favor and tell her to forget about me. I’m not interested.” Hands in pockets, he sauntered off. Moments later I saw him dancing with Valerie.

  I cornered Marsha the first chance I got. “Listen…Teddy’s been getting your signals, but I’m sorry to say he’s not interested. He thought I should be the one to tell you.”

  Her shoulders drooped, and I tried to soothe her. “Hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained. He’s not the last man on earth, you know.” I scanned the room. “What about Wayne? He’s unattached.”

  “He’s ugly.”

  “He is not,” I said indignantly. “He’s just…not particularly handsome, that’s all.”

  “Besides, he’s got eyes for Tanis. Not that he’ll ever get anywhere with her, that’s for sure.”

  I watched Wayne and Tanis dancing. So Marsha, too, had figured out that Wayne’s heart burned for Tanis. I wondered if Tanis knew about his admiration.

  “What about James Hardy?”

  “Are you kidding? He’s even uglier than Wayne. And he’s dumb, to boot. He got left back twice, for God’s sake.”

  “No, he didn’t. They put him in our grade when he moved to Euliss. I guess that’s the level he tested at. His family were migrant workers, Marsha. It’s not unusual for kids from those circumstances to be behind in school.” We’d all giggled behind James’s back about how ugly and stupid he was, but this wasn’t fourth grade anymore. “If those bars on his sleeve are any indication, he’s done pretty well for himself in the Marines.” Then I played my trump card. “Besides, I don’t see a wedding ring on his finger.”

  The deejay announced he was slowing it down, and Tanis appeared to excuse herself, leaving Wayne looking dejected. James Hardy, who back in the day was a not too bright tough guy with a flat head, small eyes, overly thick lips, and a swift right hook for anyone who dared make fun of him, approached Marsha with an outstretched hand, and they began dancing. With the typical heartlessness of a child, I used to make fun of James myself…privately, of course. It was nice to see that he’d done well. He had apparently made a career out of the military, and he looked almost handsome in his uniform…at least from a distance.

  Now Aaron was chatting with Teddy, which made me uncomfortable. I rushed over to join them, but I was stopped by someone who told me what a nice party it was. In the few seconds it took for me to acknowledge the compliment, Tanis beat me to it, and she and Aaron fell into step just seconds before I reached them.

  “Come on, let’s dance,” Teddy offered.

  I was annoyed at having missed Aaron but decided to have a little fun with Teddy. “That Shelly Muldoon looks fabulous, doesn’t she?”

  “Yeah, not bad.”

  “Have you seen her since graduation?”

  “Here and there.”

  Yeah, right. “What’s she up to these days?”

  “She sells medical equipment. I hear she’s really good at it, too. Looks like she’s trying to interest your boyfriend in some.”

  My head jerked at his phrasing. Anyone who didn’t know better would interpret Teddy’s words as meaning Shelly was trying to interest Aaron in something else.

  Teddy turned his head so that his lips were close enough to my ear to kiss it without leaning. “I was just talking to your boyfriend.”

  “You can tell me that normally.” He was entirely too close, and I didn’t like the way that l
ooked, even though the floor was crowded with couples. If Tanis saw she’d be sure to say something to Aaron about it.

  “Lighten up, Emily. I’m not gonna start nothing. Why do you think I told Tanis she’s barking up the wrong tree? You think I want him coming after me if he finds out you’ve been sharpening my pencil?”

  I spoke in a murderous whisper. “Teddy.”

  “That wouldn’t be the problem, would it? Am I able to give you something you can’t get from him?”

  I decided that Shelly must have been praising his bedroom skills and given him a swelled head. “No. It’s just like what I told you before. We were going through a rough time, and now everything’s fine between us.”

  “That’s not enough for you to end up in bed with me. Remember what I told you. We’re compatible, in bed and out of it.” He tightened his grip around my waist.

  Considering the words that came out of his mouth, now I was glad he spoke so close to my ear, lest anyone overhear. But we were dancing too close. I tried to wiggle free.

  Teddy kept his grip on me. “Relax. Tanis isn’t watching. She’s too busy dancing with your doc. She’s got her eye on him, you know.”

  I perked up immediately. “What makes you say that?”

  “Because she’s a little too interested in what went on that night she saw us at Hardy’s. Plus she’s been in his face tonight every chance she’s had.” He’d continued to speak softly into my ear, but now he straightened up. “Just don’t say I told you. I don’t believe in getting in the middle of shit.”

  “No, actually I knew about it. I’m just kind of surprised that you noticed as well.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m an observant type of guy.”

  By two-thirty in the morning most of the attendees had left, including, thank God, Teddy. It didn’t surprise me to see Wayne still hanging around—he probably hoped to have another shot at Tanis—but I didn’t expect James Hardy to be one of the last ones out the door.

  Rosalind, Valerie, Marsha, Tanis, and myself surveyed the leftover food. To our relief, the great bulk of it had been consumed. We decided that everyone could just take home what she had prepared. We’d given the kitchen a thorough cleaning earlier, in the afternoon, right down to mopping the floor, so all that remained to do was a quick wipe down and then simply cover the dishes with foil and put them in our respective vehicles.

  I soon saw why James had lingered. When Marsha said good night to me, she added, “James was kind enough to offer me a lift home. This way I won’t have to trouble Valerie for a ride. I’m sure she wants to get back to City Island.”

  “That was nice of him. Thanks for everything, Marsha. You were a tremendous help.”

  “I just wish I could have contributed more,” she said wistfully.

  “You can’t put a price tag on time,” I pointed out, giving her a hug. “Now, run along, and be a good girl. No hanky-panky with James.”

  There was no way was I letting Tanis cozy up to Aaron for a ride home. I was leaving out of here with him, even if I had to leave my car parked here overnight. But it really wasn’t fair for me to ask him to drive me all the way to Euliss when I had my car.

  I was pondering how to handle this when Aaron came up behind me, putting his arms around my waist. “I’ve got a suggestion.”

  “Aaron, I really don’t want to go to that motel.” I’d never warmed up to the idea of spending nights there. It was the type of place where you’d see Acuras and BMWs parked outside at noon…a time when the occupants clearly were supposed to be at work, which was likely where their spouses believed them to be. I felt out of place with all those adulterers and the other group that constituted the majority of the motel’s clientele: twenty-something live-at-homes who had their sex on the weekends.

  “I know. I don’t, either. Why don’t you come home with me? Everybody’s asleep.”

  “Isn’t that a little brazen, my spending the night? I know Beverline is a big girl, but what about your kids?”

  “I’ll sneak downstairs and lie down on the couch in my office before anyone gets up. I’ll just tell them we were out too late for you to go home.”

  Before I could answer Tanis approached us. “Well, it looks like that’s that,” she said briskly. “Aaron, can I get a lift with you?”

  “We’d be happy to drop you off.”

  She looked startled. “We?”

  “Emily and I.”

  “Oh. Emily, didn’t you drive over from Euliss?”

  “Yes, I did.” I refused to give her any more information. It was none of her damn business.

  Wayne came to my rescue, carrying Tanis’s coat. “Tanis, can I take you home?”

  “Well, I hate to take you out of your way….”

  “Not a problem.” He looked at Aaron and me. “I think Emily and Aaron have plans.”

  Even in the dim lighting I could see the disappointment on Tanis’s face. “Um…all right.” Wayne moved behind her and slipped her coat on her shoulders.

  After Aaron seated me in the Jag, I turned to look at Wayne and Tanis crossing the street to Wayne’s car.

  I wasn’t surprised when Tanis turned to look at Aaron and me.

  “I think you girls did a good job,” Aaron said.

  “Thanks. It was a real success. I hope you didn’t mind being around a whole bunch of people from Euliss.”

  “Emily, I hope you don’t think I’m such a snob that I would judge someone strictly by where they’re from.”

  “No, of course not.” What I’d been doing was trying to work the conversation so I could find out what he and Teddy were talking about, but of course this had to be deftly handled. “I guess I’m saying I hope you weren’t too bored. I’m not sure you have anything in common with Wayne, or Teddy, or anybody.”

  His forehead wrinkled. “Now, I know Wayne, but I’m not sure who Teddy is.”

  I had scored the perfect opening. I offered a brief physical description of Teddy. “You were talking with him. I don’t know if it came up, but he’s a denture technician.”

  “Oh, yeah. Nice fellow. He certainly thinks very highly of you, Emily.”

  “What did he say?”

  “Just that he’d known you since grammar school and what a sweetheart you are.” Aaron grinned. “Of course, I had to agree with his assessment.”

  “Of course,” I teased back. I was dying to know what else Teddy had said, but my instincts told me to leave it alone. Aaron didn’t seem disturbed by anything Teddy might have told him, and if I pressed it would only make him suspicious.

  Chapter 22

  “What are your plans for Christmas, Emily?”

  “We usually drop in at my oldest niece’s place in the afternoon. She assigns a dish for everyone to bring, and we have a wonderful family dinner. What about you?” I imagined the holiday had to be rough for Aaron’s family since Diana died.

  “We spend it at our summerhouse in Sag Harbor. It makes it easier, since…”

  I understood. Changing the location of their holiday celebration probably went a long way toward their being able to enjoy it without guilt. Of course, it helps when you have a summerhouse.

  “We usually drive out Christmas Eve and put up the tree,” Aaron continued. “I usually stay out there for two or three days, and Beverline brings the kids back New Year’s Day. I just hate the idea of not seeing you over the holiday.”

  I tensed. There was no polite way to say that I wasn’t ready for a family get-together that would run longer than ten minutes—not with his family.

  “What about the night before Christmas Eve? You know, Emily, if we’re going to live so close to each other, we probably need to spend a little time together socially.”

  “Yes, I suppose you have a point.” I’d hoped to avoid this. Thanksgiving had given me a reprieve, for the Merritts had gone to Delaware to spend the holiday with Aaron’s side of the family, coming back on Friday so Aaron would make my class reunion.

  “Why don’t I bring Beverline and the ki
ds down for a quick visit, maybe an hour? I think it’ll do the kids good to see you at home, in your own environment. They need to understand that you have a life outside of coming by our place.”

  I noticed he didn’t say anything about his mother-in-law. That told me he felt his kids would warm up to me, but he had no such hopes for Beverline.

  “All right,” I said with more enthusiasm than I felt. “Y’all come over.”

  I answered the door to see two smiling faces and three unsmiling ones. I joined the former camp, pasting a big smile on my face that wasn’t entirely false. As with every year, the holiday spirit had enveloped me like a warm blanket. One couldn’t help but get the spirit, what with the airwaves full of the familiar holiday tunes and the streets and apartment windows all lit up with colorful decorations. The streets of Euliss actually looked pretty. “Welcome, everyone!”

  Billy greeted me with his usual enthusiasm. “Merry Christmas, Miss Emily!”

  “Hello, Billy! Merry Christmas to you!” I gave him an affectionate hug, then gestured to Mom, standing a few feet behind me. “Billy, do you remember my mother, Mrs. Yancy?”

  “Yes. Hi,” he said to her, punctuating his words with a friendly wave. “Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas, Billy. You know, I think Santa Claus left something for you here.”

  He made an all-knowing face. “Santa Claus? Come on, Miz Yancy.”

  “Billy,” Aaron admonished.

  “Oh, that’s all right,” Mom said. “Emmie never believed in Santa Claus, either. It’s because her sister and brother are so much older than she is.” She turned to Billy. “You come with me.”

  “Everyone, take off your coats,” I urged.

  Although it was a bit on the warm side for late December, Beverline had worn a full-length mink and matching hat, no doubt to accentuate her membership in the Other Half. “What a lovely little tree,” she remarked in a condescending tone as she handed me the dark fur.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Wilson. My goodness, you must have melted in this.”