She glanced at the wine list and ordered the lowest one and the most expensive. She didn’t particularly understand wine, except the level of its sweetness, but she did understand prices. Michael didn’t blink and asked the waiter to bring him the same.
The first test was passed. The third test was the check. He would pass it by paying the bill fully. The second test was his behavior after drinking alcohol. If a man got drunk, he usually talked nonsense, got under her skirt without asking her last name, and so on. In other words, there was no reason to stay with him because most likely he was interested only in sex. For that, he could go to the Sugar Baby site. She was over it.
After a couple of sips of wine Michael relaxed a little and the conversation went more smoothly, but didn’t cross proper boundaries.
“Tell me about your business,” Margo asked. “Do you like doing what you do? I think that’s very important for any person. I love to work with cosmetics and I love to make women pretty, self-confident. I wake up every morning to make the world more beautiful.”
Margo hadn’t lied so enthusiastically, or with such pleasure for a long time and she was glad she chose cosmetics as her career. There was so much room for imagination. She told Charles that she worked as an accountant and it turned out that it was one of the most boring jobs she could ever have chosen. The only thing she could talk about was numbers and the only numbers she enjoyed were printed on money. So soon she had to “quit” her job and become a stay at home wife. She liked it. No, actually she loved it.
“I can imagine,” Michael answered. “My work is much more boring. I just make money.”
“But it gives you pleasure?” Margo asked, sipping her wine.
“Oh, yeah. The more money the more pleasure.”
“That’s the most important thing. We all should enjoy life. We live only once and not for too long. Have fun with it!”
“I agree one hundred percent. We must live for today and enjoy every day.”
They fell silent, looking into each other’s eyes. Margo thought that Michael would turn red again, but the wine, it seemed, dulled the sense of shame and shyness in his system. She just hoped he wouldn’t get drunk because in this case she would have to tell him goodbye no matter what.
When the waiter came up again, they ordered their meals and Margo chose the most expensive one again. He had to know that she wouldn’t be a cheap date. She ordered Filet Mignon and looked at her date. He didn’t even check the menu, but simply ordered the same dish. She didn’t say anything, of course, but she mentally applauded his good choice and good taste.
“I don’t want to upset you,” Michael began after the waiter wrote down the order and retired, “but it’s probably so hard for you now. I mean, your husband … I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
Margo dimmed her smile and nodded.
“Of course. It was so unexpected. Even if it was expected, it would still be hard.”
“What happened to him? May I ask?”
“We were hiking in the mountains and … It was a horrible accident.”
Margo shared the story she’d created with her date, without adding any extra details. Michael listened to her with his mouth open, shaking his head and clucking his tongue as if he couldn’t believe in the cruelty of the world.
“That’s horrible!” he exclaimed when Margo finished the story and wiped a single tear with a snow-white napkin. She was good with tears, but it wasn’t easy to squeeze out more than one or two.
“When my wife was killed in a car accident, I couldn’t believe it. I’d known her for most of my life. We met in high school. I thought I wouldn’t be able to live without her.”
“It probably will be difficult for you to start a new relationship?” Margo asked.
Michael shrugged.
“Not easy, but life goes on. I don’t think my wife would want me to be alone my whole life and cry every night. I think she would want me to be happy. I’ve been alone for a long time, concentrated on my work, tried not to think about anything else, but now I’m ready to start living again.”
They fell silent again and looked into each other’s eyes. Later, they talked about their businesses, about what their spouses loved to do. Margo told Michael about her husband’s children and that they had never forgiven their father for his new marriage. That was the only truth Margo had said during the entire evening.
“I have no children,” Michael said. “Only two dogs. We wanted to have children, don’t get me wrong, but my wife couldn’t get pregnant. I still hope it will be possible for me.”
“Of course,” Margo said. “Everything is possible. My husband and I didn’t have time to have children, but it was always important for us. I mean it was important for me to have a full family.”
Margo had never wanted children. She couldn’t even think about changing diapers, waking up in the middle of the night, and having no guarantee whether the kid would be good and not some jerk. She or he could turn out like her. No, thank you very much.
“I can’t believe we met in such funny circumstances and you agreed to see me.” Michael took Margo’s hand and ran a finger over her skin.
The moment was intimate, but Margo knew that after the first date they would go home separately. She wanted to marry him and not just have sex. He must increase his appetite for her.
They didn’t have any awkward pauses in the conversation; there were no pauses at all. The only drawback was how Michael ate: bending low over his plate as if nothing else in the world interested him besides eating. Margo knew that this was correctable and it was also tolerable with money. If he irritated her too much she would tell him about it. She had no problem in bringing out the best in people. The way he ate told Margo more about him, about the way he grew up, better than the words. He grew up in a simple family where they didn’t dwell on manners or care much about other people’s opinions. Perhaps his family was poor and he was self-made. Sometimes, you could take a man out of poverty, but you couldn’t take poverty out of a man.
When they finished their meals and leaned back in their chairs, the waiter came up again and asked if there was anything else they wanted.
“Dessert?” Michael asked.
Margo shook her head. He didn’t need to think that she ate like a cow.
“Just our check, please.”
While the waiter was away to get what they needed, Michael held Margo’s hand. When the check landed on the table, he looked at it briefly, silently placed two hundred-dollar bills in the folder, and returned it to the waiter. Michael didn’t know it, but he had passed all three tests. She hoped he wasn’t a pervert in bed. If that was passable, their marriage was a done deal in Margo’s eyes.
Margo was interested in the candidate’s car.
“Where did you park your car?” Margo asked as they walked to the garage where she parked.
“Right there, the silver one,” Michael pointed to the Mercedes across the road from them.
They walked slowly to her car, holding hands. When they reached her car, she allowed him to hug and kiss her.
“Can I see you again?” Michael asked as she stepped back from him.
“I’ll text you,” Margo said mysteriously and got into the car when Michael opened the door for her.
Margo smiled as she drove home. She sent a message to him at the red traffic light, thanking him for the evening and enjoyable conversation. She added that she would be happy to see him again.
When she received an answer right away with a bunch of compliments, she knew the deal was sealed. No surprises there. The man was in her pocket.
CHAPTER 4
Margo watched her assistant, who was setting the table. Daisy didn’t dare to mention that her contract didn’t include cooking, but Margo made her prepare only a salad anyway and promised to give her a raise. All the heavy stuff like steak, potatoes, and dessert, Margo ordered from a restaurant. All she had to do when her guest arrived was put the food in the oven and there you go. The
homemade meal was ready. The way to a man’s heart really was often through his stomach.
Margo was also ready, even though she had another two hours before her guest would arrive. She put a red dress on to make him excited right from the doorway. She slightly disheveled her curls, so he wouldn’t get the impression that she couldn’t be touched. Her makeup was light enough to emphasize her best features, such as youth. She also didn’t like to look too different after taking her makeup off. She owned the art of seducing men and had almost mastered the art of marrying them. She hoped to pass the test for the last talent in the near future. She liked to be married, although she liked to be a widow even more.
Margo went outside to wait for her assistant to finish her inept preparations. She could find someone more dexterous, but everything took time. She had to interview them, go through recommendations, plus not everyone could be trusted. This one had already passed the test of trust. Margo left a purse containing money on the table deliberately and not a single cent was missing from it. This honesty also meant that Daisy wouldn’t try to court her future husband and one always had to keep an eye on men. They tended to be a little easy to distract. Of course no man in his right mind would be tempted by anyone else when he got Margo’s attention, but anything could happen in life and a woman must be prudent in any situation.
“Everything’s ready,” Daisy said quietly behind her back. Margo winced. Her assistant irritated her even without unnecessary conversation. She just annoyed her and that was all.
“You can go,” Margo answered without turning. If she turned and saw Daisy’s submissive, cowardly face, she would lose her temper and this was something she didn’t want to happen. She would have to make an effort to calm down. That wasn’t all. Stress had a tendency to reflect on her face, making her skin look sort of inflamed and red.
“Goodbye,” the girl said, but Margo didn’t answer. Daisy didn’t deserve it.
Margo spent a few more minutes outside and then entered the house to save her makeup from melting under the hot sun.
She looked in the mirror, turning to one side and another to check for any imperfections, but couldn’t find any. The doorbell caught her in this process.
Michael came right on time. He was holding a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of red wine. What an attentive man. A man’s bag hung from his shoulder.
Margo accepted the flowers, kissed Michael on the cheek, inhaling the fragrance of some expensive cologne, and flung the door wider, letting in the heat along with her guest.
“What a beautiful house!” he exclaimed as he passed into the living room. “I love the furnishings. Did you choose everything yourself or with the help of a designer?”
“Myself, of course.”
“Everything is perfect! I wish I had your taste. I’ll be embarrassed by my house. No style, I just bought whatever I found expensive. What a view!”
“It is nice, isn’t it?”
Margo followed Michael and watched his movements while he was looking outside through the double glass door. He surveyed the pool, the neat white chairs and tables, yachts moored near neighboring houses. Margo was thinking about buying another yacht after they got married. Not because she liked yachting, but because she wanted to make her neighbors envious.
“You can go outside and wait while I set the table,” Margo said.
“I’ll help you!” Michael exclaimed.
“Oh, no, no. I want to surprise you.”
“You surprise me all the time.”
“That’s just what I want. I’ll call you when everything is ready. I’ll take this”
Margo took the bottle of wine from her guest.
“Are you going to hold on to your bag?” She smiled.
“Oh,” Michael let the bag slide down his shoulder. “I should have left it in the car. I just grabbed it out of habit. My work stuff. Is it okay if I leave it here?”
He pointed to a chair.
“Sure,” Margo said.
Michael dropped the bag next to the chair and looked at Margo. It was evident that Michael was uncomfortable in this situation and would probably prefer to help, but after shifting on the spot for a few seconds, he went out onto the terrace, closing the door behind him. Margo sighed and went to the kitchen. He couldn’t see from the terrace what was happening in the kitchen otherwise this hocus-pocus with homemade food wouldn’t work. Margo put the wine on the table and then arranged the flowers in a vase. She hated flowers, but at least these were roses and not lilies. She pulled out the cooked meat from the oven, placed it on the plates, thinking it was the last time she would do that. Then she took the plates to the beautifully set table and called her future husband to join her.
At the table, he praised the food and talked about his business. It was boring to listen to and Margo, periodically, flew out of the conversation into other dimensions, but what she was catching said that this man was perfect for her. He had a lot of clients and besides, he was thinking about starting another business.
“I want to try myself in real estate,” he said. “I received my license a long time ago, but then I got involved in consulting and it went so well, I didn’t want to stop.”
“I agree. We need to try many things, but not by dropping what we’re already doing successfully.” Margo nodded, carefully cutting off a piece of meat.
“Of course. Stability is the most important thing. I don’t know what it’s like to live from paycheck to paycheck. I’m too old for this. A new business for me will be more like a hobby. I don’t want to have a boring life. I love to do new things, it inspires me. Then again, there’s never too much money.”
Margo liked this man more and more. After dinner, she took a glass of wine and headed for the couch. Michael followed her example and sat down next to her.
“Life is a strange thing” Margo said after taking a sip of wine and putting the glass on the side table next to the couch. “Just a week ago, I thought only about my husband and I couldn’t even consider dating. I thought that no one would awaken my emotions and I would be alone for the rest of my life. Then, suddenly, I met you. I know it’s still very early, but I think Charles would understand me. My happiness was more important to him than anything else. He even told me, I mean when he was still here, that I shouldn’t wait if something happened to him. You know? Like he knew.”
“Maybe he did.”
“I didn’t even look in the direction of other men until you ran into me. It was as if angels pushed you into my path.”
“Yes!” Michael picked up her line enthusiastically. “I thought the same thing. Sometimes fate is fate. You can’t change it. The first time I saw you, I couldn’t move. It was as if I was waiting for you.”
“I’m so glad you did.”
Margo stopped talking and moving, gazing at Michael, hoping he would dare to kiss her.
He took his time. Margo almost lost her hope. He talked for another ten minutes, stuttering and missing his words, about how difficult it was in the modern world to find someone to spend your life with and grow old together. It was a predictable topic that Margo heard so many times from almost everyone she had met. Then he talked for another minute about Florida and how it was almost impossible to meet a genuine person. He said that all people in Florida were superficial and not serious about relationships, apparently hinting to the fact that he was a deep and serious man. Margo nodded, restraining herself from yawning and hoped that he would shut up before she fell asleep. Enjoyable food and good wine didn’t help her stay alert. She regretted not making coffee before leaving the dining room.
Finally, Michael couldn’t endure Margo’s gaze any longer and kissed her briefly on the lips, barely touching. Margo almost laughed. She rarely met men who were so indecisive. When Michael saw the girl wasn’t going to punch him in the face, and she even closed her eyes, he went for it. She didn’t want everything to happen on her new, designer, leather couch and pulled Michael into the bedroom, where they walked stomping and throwing off each o
ther’s clothes. Margo could show furious passion at the snap of her fingers, like a real actress. They almost knocked down the vase Margo bought just recently and loved, unlike the ones that Charles chose. Michael hit the door to the bedroom with his back, but ignored the pain like a champion and then they almost fell over the carpet.
To Margo’s delight it all ended pretty quickly, no more than fifteen minutes. Michael, however, didn’t look upset with the result. He collected his clothes and looked like a man who had just accomplished an important mission. Margo was always amazed by men’s ability to feel like kings when they weren’t even equal to jokers. This wasn’t important anyway. Margo had found her future husband and that’s what was important. She didn’t doubt that he would become the next Mr. Douglas. She didn’t even want to puke while having sex with him as it happened with many others. Charles, for example, had tons of chest hair and she hated it. He annoyed her during the last weeks of his life with his attempts to have sex so much that she wanted to run away.
“This was one of the most pleasant days since my husband died,” Margo said as she buttoned her dress. She thought the evening was boring, but she could adapt if she had to. Maybe she couldn’t pretend for a long period of time (that was what happened with Charles), but she was game for a needed period of time.
They talked for a few more minutes before Margo hinted politely that she had to get up early for work in the morning. Of course, she had to work, what else? She worked, right? If she suddenly found out that her guest planned to stay for the night in her house, he would realize now that this was not the right night.
“I forgot! I have an early meeting as well!” Michael remembered. He jumped from the bed and put on his clothes like he was a soldier who suddenly received a call to go to war. Then he went back to the living room, where he picked up his bag he had thrown on the floor near the armchair when he first arrived, and he opened it. “Work, work, always with me.”
“Yes,” Margo said as she stretched. “It’s always good to work. Especially when two people work in a family. You can afford a so much better lifestyle.”
The garden of dead thoughts Page 4
