Unstuck

by Liliana Camarena

  After a couple of interviews we finally went inside and to the party. Once we were inside he offered me his arm and I surrounded it with mine. We walked together to the table we were ushered to.

  The venue, as well as the table, was all in black, gold and white. Lots of pearls and feathers and so many, God so many, flapper dresses.

  “Champagne?” asked Patrick as I looked around the place not taking my seat yet. No one was sitting; everyone was mingling and talking to everyone.

  “Sure,” I nodded and he picked two flute glasses from the tray a waiter was holding. He handed it to me and I immediately took it to my lips.

  “Delicious,” I said and he nodded “So,” I said and he looked at me “do you know anyone in here besides your sister,” He nodded while swallowing the sip of champagne he had.

  “Yes, at one point I have made business, partied or...” he stopped himself and looked at me “Slept with,” I finished for him and he just shrugged “with almost everyone at this party,” he finished. Of course, these are all socialite; he knows them all.

  “Lucy,” I heard my name and turned to look who was calling me. It was Stacy that was wearing a horrible royal blue flapper dress. She could’ve done so much better.

  “Hey,” I said hugging her.

  “You look amazing,” she said giving a sip to her champagne.

  “Thank you! So do you,” NOT! I mean she looked beautiful. The dress was hideous.

  “I didn’t think I would see you here! This is not Patrick’s scene, not a place to close business deals. If you know what I mean,” she winked at me. I didn’t know what she meant.

  “Regina begged him to come,” I said shrugging. She nodded.

  “Who did you come with?” I asked her.

  “No one,” she smiled looking away.

  “What?” I asked and her smile grew wider. “What?” “I’m sort of seeing Nick,” she blushed and I laughed out loud.

  “No, Stacy, Nick doesn’t see someone, he sleeps with someone,” I said and she giggled. Oh no! She was in trouble.

  “I know that! It’s just that lately we’ve been sleeping together quite often,” she couldn’t stop smiling. Often? How often? Nick didn’t sleep with the same girl more than two times. He once slept with a woman, 15 years older than him, 3 times. By the third time he was worried and deleted her contact on the phone. So often is not a word in Nick’s dictionary.

  “Often? What’s often Stacy? How many times have you slept with him?” I asked skeptically.

  “This week?” She asked OH MY GOD! This was news for me.

  “Yes this week,” still not showing my internal screams.

  “Almost every day. I slept over yesterday,” WHAT? “Well, yeah, that’s sort of seeing someone,” I said trying not to reveal the importance of this in Nick’s life. I needed to find what he was up to with my friend. ASAP.

  “Let’s take our seats,” I felt Patrick’s hand on my waist before I heard his voice. I just nodded. I was too shocked by Stacy’s revelation to say anything else.

  As every gala the food wasn’t what you would expect. It didn’t matter that this gala was full of teenagers that were too drunk for their age before the dinner was served. The food still sucked. I was ready to chew on my arm by the time dessert was served. The dessert was good but it was the size of a grain of rice and left me wanting to chew my other arm.

  “Want to dance?” I heard Patrick say and I had to laugh my ass off. Even though it was a Great Gatsby party/gala, there was no 1920’s music. “Weirdest gala ever,” he said in my ear and I nodded while laughing. Stacy, who was next to me, was looking at me weird. “I’m going to go talk to someone over there. You’ll be ok here?” Patrick asked while placing his hand over mine. I nodded.

  “Stacy’s here,” He gave a squeeze to my hand and went to talk to some men that were standing near the bar.

  “You are still with Brian?” Stacy asked me and I nodded. “How is that going?” “I don’t know Stacy. Like I’ve said to Patrick, I love my friendship with Brian too much to ruin it with sex,” I shrugged.

  “You haven’t had sex yet!!” she said a little loud.

  “Shhh!” I said looking around “Why don’t you say it a little louder,” I sighed “We haven’t,” “What kind of adult relationship is that, Lucy?” she asked me really worried. I guess it was kind of sad that two adults in their 30s have a relationship where no intercourse is involved.

  “I don’t know,” I said looking down at my hands “we’ve done almost everything else,” I looked at her.

  “Have you given him a blowjob?”

  “Oh my god, Stacy!!!” I was no prude but this was not the place to talk about my sex life “No,” I whispered.

  “Oh Lucy, dear, you need to end it or fuck him. You can’t be in the middle of this, having a high school relationship,” she said taking my hand.

  “That’s what Patrick said,” I said still not looking at her.

  “Go figure,” she said.

  I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts. “I need to go to the bathroom,” “Sure, I need to say hi to my family’s friends’ sons and daughters. I hate it,” she got up and went to a table nearby and I went to the bathroom.

  After a line of easily 40 minutes I finally had the chance to do my thing. Two girls, about Regina’s age, asked me if I had come with Patrick and when I said yes they said I was so lucky. I just laughed. Once I was out of the bathroom I decided to go outside to call Nick because I was in need of some serious explanation.

  “Sugar,” I heard his voice after two rings on the phone “What the fuck,Nick?” I said immediately.

  “Wow, what did I do now?” he asked amused.

  “What are you doing with Stacy?” I asked leaning on a column while looking out the garden at the back of the building. There was no one out there so I could speak freely.

  “Right now? Nothing?” I could clearly listen the laugh he was trying hard to contain.

  “Asshole! Where are you?” I asked suspiciously.

  “Home.”

  “What are you doing there on a Saturday night?” I was about to lose all patience “Relaxing,”

  “Relaxing my ass, Nick,” I said.

  “That would be good for your ass once in awhile,” I had to laugh at that.

  “You are waiting for her, right?” I asked worried. Worried for him but mostly for Stacy.

  “Yeah, she is coming over after a gala she is in. How did you know?” I heard him relax a bit.

  “I’m in said gala.”

  “Of course you are,” he said and I just nodded. We had a short silence and none of us said anything.

  “Don’t hurt her, Nick,” I pleaded with him.

  “I won’t. We both know that this is for fun and while it lasts,” Something in his voice threw me off.

  “Do you know that, Nick?” I asked

  “I’ve said it to Stacy so much that I am starting to believe it,” he sighed. He was in deep shit.

  “Are you falling for her, Nick?” I closed my eyes waiting for the answer.

  “I don’t know, Sugar. It just happened that we had amazing sex and then I wanted to see her again, and again, and again. And now…. I have no idea what I am feeling. I just know that she is the person I have the most fun with even with our clothes on.”

  “Thanks,” I said smiling.

  “Oh, you know what I mean, Sugar.”

  “I know,” Of course I knew, “There’s hope for me then,” I said that out loud but that was exactly what I was thinking.

  “Maybe. I’ll let you know,” he sounded confused indeed. We exchanged a couple of words and promised each other to talk more often then we hung up. I sighed. I hoped he could make a relationship work. I really did.

  “Where were you, Pepper?” I felt his hands on my waist. Black caramel apples.

  “I’ve been here,” I said still not turning around to look at him.

  “No, you weren’t here,” He said really soft.

&n
bsp; “I was on the phone with Nick. He is in sort of a relationship with Stacy. I was thinking that if he has found someone to have that, maybe there’s hope for me,” I sighed again.

  “It’s not about hope or trying to have a relationship, Lucinda. It’s about finding that someone that makes you want to be in a relationship,” I turned around, finally, and looked into his eyes. He had this intense look. I just nodded. I had nothing else to say. I didn’t want to pass on my pathetic mood on to him.

  “Want to go home?” he asked and I just nodded.

  “So good,” Said Patrick as we both licked our spoon. We were both on the floor in the kitchen eating what was left of the kiwi sorbet Brian had brought the night before.

  “I know!” I said leaning my head on the cabinet behind me.

  “Although,” said Patrick mimicking my movement, “I don’t think Brian intended for this sorbet to be eaten by other man that wasn’t him,”

  “He had a bit yesterday,” I said closing my eyes.

  “I wouldn’t want to share it. If I had something this good I would want it with me all the time, and I would devour it until I knew everything about it,” Were we talking about the sorbet?

  “Maybe he doesn’t want it that much,” I looked at him and he looked at me.

  “Then the sorbet it’s not meant for him,” I nodded. “Tomorrow,” He finally said getting up from the floor “I want to go shopping for winter clothes.”

  “Ok,” I nodded.

  “We should go early and avoid Sunday crowds,” we walked together to the foyer, “Sure,” I said again but he kept looking at me. I thought he wanted some other answer from me but I couldn’t find one.

  “Women like you, Lucinda,” he said putting his hand on my cheek “You, Lucinda,” he smiled down at me, “don’t need a relationship to feel hopeful. Ok?” He lowered himself a bit so his eyes were at the same level as mine. I nodded and he kissed my forehead.

  “Tomorrow then. Shopping,” he went up the stairs.

  “Good Night, Patrick,” I said walking towards the garden “Night, Pepper.”

  Next morning I was up at 7 so I could get ready and have a decent breakfast because for some strange reason I was starving. After a shower I gave up looking good in exchange of eating so I let my hair down and wet and went to the kitchen.

  “Good Morning, Lucy,” As always Miranda was already there ready to begin her day and our day.

  “Good Morning,” I said sitting on a stool. I was not waiting for Patrick to be ready to have breakfast. “Is he up?” I asked.

  “Yes, he is already at the gym,” she nodded and I was relieved to know I didn’t have to wake him up. “What are you having?” she smiled.

  “Eggs. I need protein,” I smiled while pouring OJ on a glass.

  While having breakfast, Miranda and I went through the list of Patrick’s basic clothing needs. Socks and underwear. Patrick could remember to shop for winter clothes but not for socks and underwear. To this day, Patrick has never, ever, bought his own boxer briefs. EVER.

  We were in the middle of going through the black socks department when he appeared on the kitchen’s door and then went to the dining room. I raised my eyebrows and Miranda prepared the tray with coffee. Lately he had been waking up in a horrible mood.

  “Morning,” I said going to the dining room, gave him the paper and poured a cup of coffee. He downed it not caring it was scorching hot. I poured a second one.

  “Good Morning,” he finally said.

  “Breakfast?” I asked and he shook his head.

  “Ok,” I nodded and went inside. No breakfast that meant bad mood. He was not having his favorite meal.

  “No breakfast,” I said and Miranda widened her eyes. I grabbed a thermos and poured the rest of the coffee in it. “Happy Sunday,” I said to Miranda and she laughed “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said hugging her and went to the dining room.

  “Ready to go,” I said sitting next to him. He was not even reading the newspaper, he was looking straight ahead to the trees, I guessed.

  “Yeah, let’s go,” he said nodding.

  We walked to the SUV, I said good morning to Mike and Patrick climbed in it just saying “Shopping.”

  “Here,” I said once the car was moving and gave him the thermos.

  “Thanks,” he said drinking the coffee. Once I saw Post-Coffee Patrick appear I decided I could talk. “So, I was thinking,” I said and Patrick raised his brows. At least he was already joking. Silently, but joking.

  “I was thinking,” I continued and he took another sip of his coffee “you’ve been having horrible, horrible morning moods,” he nodded “So,” I continued “I think I know why is that.”

  “You do?” he asked surprised.

  “Yes, you need to get laid again,” I said nodding and Patrick laughed.

  “No, Pepper, I need to relax, that’s what I need,” he shook his head. “I should have eaten something.”

  “Here,” I said pulling a granola bar from my purse.

  “Life saver, as always,” he said smiling and he sank his teeth on the peanut butter granola bar I had brought with me.

  “What do you think, Pepper?” Patrick asked while looking at himself in the mirror wearing a winter coat. The 5th winter coat he tried on. “I like it, like the ones before, but may I suggest you to buy one in each color? You’ve chosen all in black,” He turned to look at the bunch of coats he had said yes to and realized they were all in black indeed.

  “Cynthia could you please bring these in other colors?” he asked the girl that for the past hour had been red as a beet every time Patrick said something to her. She nodded and went to look for whatever Patrick asked for.

  “Seriously, Patrick, how do you manage to have a decent wardrobe?” I asked smiling. He smiled back.

  “My assistants do all the shopping,” he shrugged.

  “Then, why are we here?” I asked confused.

  “I don’t know. I thought it would be a nice change,” in that moment Cynthia came back with a rack of coats in different colors. I just wished they were different styles but I wasn’t going to find that out because I took that moment to make a trip to shoe department.

  “Where are you going, Pepper? I need you here,” he said as Cynthia helped him with a brown coat.

  “I need to go get your socks and underwear,” he nodded looking surprised. I was pretty sure he had no idea I bought those for him. He probably believed in the boxer and sock fairy and I’d just burst the bubble.

  Once in the shoe department I frantically looked for a pair of gala shoes to replace the ones he used. They were looking too worn in comparison to the ones grandma gave him. What was with the shoes? I had to ask him sometime. To look for the exact kind of shoes was difficult, I actually had to go to storage with the dude from shoes to look for the exact model and I had to do it quick because I had to go and get the underwear and socks. Still, I managed to get the shoes and the underwear.

  When I got to Patrick he was already in the vests department. Seemed that he was a winter vest kind of guy. “How about this, Lucinda?” he asked wearing a red winter vest. I liked it, he looked good in red.

  “I like it , Patrick. Red might be your color,” I said smiling and he nodded to Cynthia. There was a ringing phone somewhere and it was annoying. I kept looking around to see who was the horrible person that would let their phone ring. I found Patrick looking at me weird. I shrugged and he raised his eyebrows.

  “I think it’s you, Pepper,” he said looking at my purse. I opened my purse and yes, the ringing came from there; it was my personal phone. It had been so long since I used it that I forgot what an annoying ringtone it had.

  “Shit, it’s my mom,” I said looking at the screen and immediately felt tears in my eyes. I looked up and Patrick was looking at the phone.

  “Get it,” he said looking as scared as I was feeling. I shook my head. I was scared I knew there was nothing good coming from a phone call from my mom.

  “Oh,
for fuck’s sake,” said Patrick and walked towards me, grabbing my phone and answering it. He immediately gave it back.

  “Hi Mom,” I said while staring at Patrick who was already trying a horrible yellow vest. I shook my head letting him know that it wasn’t a good choice.

  “Lucy,” Now I was Lucy, no more Miss Stuart “we are at your place and there’s no one here. We thought being a Sunday and unemployed we would find you,” ugh! That’s exactly what I was scared of.

  “I’m not unemployed mother. I am actually with my boss right now,” I said using my inside voice as low as possible so Patrick wouldn’t listen.

  “Well, we want to see you. We came all the way from Georgia we thought you might like to see us,” I might like to see them. Me. Not them.

  “Yes mom, I would like to see you,” I turn around to give my back to Patrick so he wouldn’t listen to my pathetic exchange with my parents “but I am working. I really am,” I felt someone snatching my phone and of course it was Patrick.

  “Ms. Stuart, This is Patrick Maynard, Lucinda’s boss. She would love to see you. I’ll make sure she is in time for lunch with you. She’ll call you back with all the specifics. Lunch is on me,” he hung up

  “What did you do?” I asked in disbelief.

  “That would be all for today, Cynthia, thank you,” he said as the girl blushed and walked away with everything that would be sent to his place “I just agreed to lunch with your parents,”

  “You are coming?” I asked as I handed Cynthia a card with the address she would be sending Patrick’s clothes to.

  “You think I would leave you alone?” he said while going into the changing room to change his pants.

  “Charge this with everything else but I need to take them with me,” I said giving Cynthia the shoes and the underwear. She nodded wrote down what she had to and then gave it all back in a bag. “Thank you,” I said and waited for Patrick.

  Thirteen