by Weeks, Abby
“That’s quite a ways,” Zola said.
“It is,” Ariel said. “We still can’t believe we live in a place like this.”
Zola looked at them. They were honestly amazed to be there in Beverly Row. She could relate to that herself. She’d come from East LA and when she’d first seen where Jake lived her jaw had literally dropped. Seeing how genuinely impressed Ariel and Becky were, she started to feel kinder toward them, more affectionate. They weren’t the rich, stuck-up women she’d expected them to be at all. They were friendly and open and uninhibited. They were nice. They were even humble.
Zola had been toying with the idea of giving them the worst fitting and least flattering bathing suits she could find but now she changed her mind.
“Ariel,” she said, “what size are you?”
Ariel looked at Zola’s breasts and then down at her own.
“Here,” Zola said, “try this on.” She handed Ariel a blue and white Lacoste bathing suit that might actually fit her nicely. She grabbed a more daring triangle top for Becky.
“You’ll wow Kyle in this,” she said as she handed it to her.
“Who’s Kyle?” Becky said.
“You’ll see soon enough,” Zola said with a grin.
Becky looked at her mother.
“Go ahead,” Zola said. “Put them on. Don’t be shy. I’ll go wait on the balcony.”
III
“WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING?” Becky whispered to her mother. “This is insane.”
Becky felt like she’d stepped onto the set of some wacky television show. Everything was so different from what she was used to. Normally on a Saturday afternoon back in Pomona she’d be at the Montclaire Plaza right now with her friends, checking out all the hot guys at the mall. The last thing she’d expected was to be brought up to the bedroom of some sexy Latina wife and told to try on swimsuits.
“I know, honey. Let’s just get through it, okay.”
Her mom seemed as rattled as she was.
“Are you alright, Mom?”
“I’m fine, honey.”
“You seem embarrassed.”
“I guess I am, Becky!”
Becky nodded. They were in this together. She pulled off her dress and got into the bathing suit. It wasn’t a bad fit. Her mother went into the bathroom and came back out a moment later. She looked beautiful in the Lacoste bikini. Becky knew her’s was the sexier outfit but she wished she could have worn the Lacoste. It looked so elegant, like a paparazzi shot of a famous actress lying on a yacht on the French Riviera.
“Mom, you look fantastic!”
“Oh, honey, you’re so sweet.”
“You really do.”
“You look great too.”
Becky looked at herself in the mirror above Zola’s vanity. She looked hot and she knew it. It was a shame there wasn’t anyone to impress at this party. It was just neighbors, a bunch of married men and their wives, she imagined.
“Híjole,” Zola said as she came back in from the balcony. “You two look hot.”
Becky saw her mother smile. She was actually proud. That was all it ever took with her mother, a few complements and she was right as rain.
“Thank you for giving us outfits that actually fit,” Ariel said.
“You’ll be a lot more comfortable now,” Zola said. “Trust me. You never want to be the only girl at a pool party without a bathing suit.”
Becky looked at her and smiled. Despite the strangeness of the situation she was pretty sure she liked Zola. At first she’d pegged her as a bimbo and a trophy wife but now that she had a chance to see her more closely she could tell that there was more to her than that. She seemed sensitive, vulnerable even. It wasn’t difficult to see why. She was young and Mexican and she was probably as amazed at all the wealth on Beverly Row as Becky and her mother were.
Becky tried to imagine what it would be like to marry an older man like Jake Medeiros and have him take her into this world of glamor and glitz. Would she feel like a princess who’d been rescued by her prince charming? Or would she feel like property that had been purchased? Would she feel that she had to do everything her husband wanted to keep him happy? She wasn’t sure.
IV
ARIEL LOOKED AT HERSELF IN the mirror. Becky and Zola were ready to get back to the party.
“You two go ahead,” Ariel said. “I’ll be right down.”
“Are you alright, mom?”
“Sure, honey. I just need a minute to collect my thoughts.”
Zola smiled at her. “Don’t worry about a thing, Ariel. I remember how nervous I was to meet these people when I first came here.”
“When was that?” Ariel asked.
“It was about two years ago. I lived with my mother in East LA before that. I guess me and my mother were like you two,” she said, looking at Becky.
“That can be a nice arrangement,” Becky said, smiling at her mother.
Ariel loved it when Becky said things like that. She’d gone through a period of guilt after her divorce. Becky’s dad was a good father and she knew Becky would miss living with him. But Becky understood the reasons for the divorce and once she got things clear in her head she’d been nothing but supportive.
“It was nice,” Zola said. “Sometimes I miss it, even with all this wealth and comfort, I miss the ratty little apartment I grew up in. Funny isn’t it?”
“Not really,” Ariel said. “I can understand that.”
“Does your mother still live there?” Becky said.
“Oh, no. She died a few months after I left.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Becky said.
“It was very sudden. Very unexpected. I felt so guilty at the time. I’d left her alone to rush off and marry a rich gringo and then she died. I felt like I’d abandoned her.”
Ariel put her hand on Zola’s shoulder. She felt like comforting her. Ariel felt strangely protective of Zola. It was weird considering they’d only just met. There was something about Zola that Ariel could relate to. She could see herself and Becky in Zola’s face. Zola was just a few years younger than Ariel but Ariel almost thought of her as being closer to her daughter’s age. She seemed somehow alone in the world and that made Ariel want to look after her.
*
ARIEL WATCHED ZOLA TAKE BECKY down the sweeping staircase and then went back into the bedroom. She gathered up the dresses she and Becky had taken off and then touched up her makeup using the mirror above Zola’s vanity. She knew she was just stalling. She’d been so embarrassed when she arrived and she needed a few minutes to compose her thoughts.
What the hell was up with Jake Medeiros? How had a sweet girl like Zola ended up with a man like that? Sure, he was rich and good-looking, and she knew as well as the next girl that those two things could be a powerful combination, but he was so smarmy. That was the word that came to Ariel’s mind. She still couldn’t believe he’d actually patted her butt right there in the kitchen where anyone could have seen. He seemed to be one of those entitled men who thought the whole world and everyone in it was his for the taking.
*
WHEN ARIEL GOT DOWNSTAIRS SHE felt just as shy as she had earlier. She looked through the kitchen doors out to the patio and there weren’t actually that many people out there. She’d felt so overwhelmed earlier and that had made the party seem bigger than it was. She stood there in her bikini, praying she looked good.
“Ariel,” Zola said and came over to take her arm.
“Thanks for this bathing suit,” Ariel said. “I really like it.”
“You look great in it. Better than I do.”
“Oh, I doubt it,” Ariel said but when she looked at Zola she really seemed to mean it.
“I want you to meet your new neighbors,” Zola said.
Zola brought Ariel over to the patio table where everyone was seated. It was a lovely iron table with a big canopy over it. Large, red Mandevilla flowers hung from the canopy.
“Everyone, this is the newest addition to our little ne
ighborhood. Ariel, this is Veronica Roycroft and her husband Hank.”
The Roycrofts looked like a perfectly respectable couple, the type that Ariel had expected to find in a community like Beverly Row. They were both in their mid to late forties. Veronica had stunning, rich red hair that flowed down over her shoulders. Her husband had a little bit of a belly and was wearing a Ralph Lauren polo shirt. He seemed like the kind of guy who played a lot of golf.
“It’s a pleasure,” Hank said.
Ariel took his hand. She caught him glance at her cleavage in the bikini.
“And this is Trudy Luxton,” Zola said, introducing the woman sitting next to Veronica. “She’s divorced.”
“Is that the way you define me?” Trudy said, extending her hand to Ariel.
Ariel shook it.
“Sorry, no, of course not,” Zola stuttered, “I just thought—”
“You just thought that since we’re both divorced that we could bond over it,” Trudy said, laughing.
Ariel laughed. “I could see that happening,” she said.
“Sure, anytime,” Trudy said. “Whenever we’re feeling morose and lonely we’ll open a bottle of wine together and drown our sorrows.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Ariel said, taking a seat.
She looked around for Becky. She was sitting on the diving board with a very attractive young man about her own age.
“That’s Veronica’s son, Kyle,” Zola said with the same mischievous grin she’d had earlier. “I told Becky this party would be fun.”
V
ZOLA SAT NEXT TO JAKE and made sure her guests were looked after. Everyone had brought food so the party really didn’t take much effort. Ariel seemed to be fitting in nicely, making small talk with Veronica and Trudy. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Becky and Kyle seemed to be hitting it off over by the pool.
Jake squeezed her knee. “Honey, go make me a plate would you?”
“Sure,” she said.
She looked around the table. She really hated when Jake spoke to her like that in front of people. It made her feel like a maid. She hated it when he spoke to her like that in private too but at least that didn’t humiliate her as much. She had a feeling he did it in front of guests on purpose to put her in her place. He was cruel like that sometimes. But what could she do about it? She wasn’t about to start standing up to him, not after two years of treatment like this.
She just accepted it and got up and went to the kitchen. Jake liked meat so she gave him some of the delicious looking ribs that Ariel had brought. She also got him steak and potato salad and a little of the pasta salad she had made. She’d used one of her mother’s recipes.
She brought the plate out to Jake and sat back down.
“Oh, and a beer,” Jake said.
She looked around the table again. Veronica averted her eyes. Trudy looked away too. They both knew that Jake could get like this sometimes. Ariel seemed a bit more surprised. She’d get used to it soon enough, Zola thought. Everyone else had. Jake liked throwing his weight around, showing everyone he was king of the hill.
She got up from her seat again. “Anyone else want anything?” she said.
Everyone had everything they needed but Ariel got up. “Here, let me give you a hand,” she said.
Zola smiled at her. “No need, honey,” she said. “It’s just a beer.”
She went in and got the beer. The cool air from the refrigerator felt soothing on her face when she opened the door and she stayed there for a minute to let it cool her down. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she took deep breaths. She just prayed that Jake wasn’t going to make one of his scenes. He’d done a few things before that had really humiliated her and she just hoped he didn’t get it in his mind to do anything like that again.
When she got back to the table, Jake had switched seats and was sitting next to Ariel.
“Over here, honey,” he said to Zola, like she was a waitress.
She put the beer on the table and he slapped her butt as she passed him. It wasn’t a soft slap either, but firm and it made a loud clap.
Zola smiled but on the inside she was mortified. She knew this wasn’t the way a husband was supposed to treat his wife, especially not in front of company. She knew she was being demeaned. And what really made it worse was that she knew everyone else knew what was going on, and they knew that she didn’t have the courage to do anything about it.
She took her seat and watched Jake as he tried to flirt with Ariel, right there in front of her. He was eating the meat and potato salad but of course he didn’t touch the pasta salad he’d seen her making earlier. She didn’t understand what made him treat her so badly. She tried to be a good wife to him.
“So,” Jake said to Ariel, “where’s your ex? What does he do?”
Zola could tell Ariel was uncomfortable with the attention she was getting from Jake. What woman wouldn’t be? He was sitting too close to her, leering at her breasts and body in the skimpy bikini, her skimpy bikini. Zola told herself that no matter what happened, she wasn’t going to blame Ariel for it. It wasn’t Ariel’s fault that her husband was a cheating pig.
“Well,” Ariel said, “he has an art gallery in Santa Monica. He lives down there.”
“What kind of art?” Jake said.
Zola rolled her eyes. She knew Jake had less than zero interest in art. He was flirting and he was doing it shamelessly right in front of all their guests.
“It’s actually very interesting,” Ariel said. “It’s hyper-realistic painting. So basically paintings that are so real they look like photographs.”
“Anyone I might have heard of?” Jake said.
“Sure,” Ariel said, “Robert Bechtle, Don Eddy, John Salt, Ralph Goings.”
“Interesting,” Jake said.
Zola wanted to scream. Jake was about as interested in paintings as he was in opera.
“Honey,” she said. “Come sit next to me.”
Jake looked at her and then turned back to Ariel, ignoring her.
“I’d love to go check it all out some time,” he said to Ariel.
Ariel nodded and smiled politely. Then she got up from her chair. “Excuse me,” she said, “Zola, is there a washroom downstairs?”
“Sure, honey,” Zola said. “Right off the kitchen.”
Zola was surprised when Ariel touched her. She just put her hand on her shoulder as she passed but Zola found it surprisingly comforting. It made her feel that everyone wasn’t ganged up against her. She knew that Ariel had only excused herself to get away from Jake. She appreciated the fact that Ariel didn’t want to flirt with her husband. So many women would have been pleased for any attention from a man, especially if they’d just gone through a divorce, but Ariel had more manners than that.
VI
ARIEL WENT TO THE WASHROOM. She didn’t need to pee. She just sat on the toilet for a second and gathered her thoughts. Jake was so pushy. She hated sitting next to him. She wished he would just go back and sit with his wife like any decent guy would.
While she was in the washroom she heard some more people arrive. Men’s laughter filled the hallway outside the washroom and she waited for it to subside before going back out.
When she got back to the patio she met a group of four men who all introduced themselves as Jake’s business partners. They were brash and cocky and rude.
“You can call me Honcho,” one of them said.
“And who do we have here?” another said.
Zola introduced Ariel as her new neighbor.
“Not bad,” the man said, eyeing Ariel’s breasts in her bikini. It was clear the men were arrogant pricks.
Ariel felt embarrassed. It was like they were at some frat party and all the girls were fair game, just hanging out in bikinis hoping to be taken by the boys. That was the atmosphere that had taken over the party as soon as these new guys had arrived. Ariel wondered what kind of business Jake was in if these were his partners. They were all muscular, good-looking
hunks with California suntans and more confidence than they knew what to do with.
“So what do you all do?” Ariel said, trying to be polite.
The men all looked at each other and then laughed. Ariel looked at Zola but she just shook her head as if the topic of their business was out of bounds.
Jake had taken his shirt off and came over to get Zola. He wanted her to get in the pool with him. He grabbed her by the front of her bikini bottom and Zola had to rush forward toward him before everyone got a view down it. Ariel hated it. She hated everything about the scene. Jake was showing off for his four buddies and they were all laughing at everything he did like a bunch of high school jocks.
“Come on, babe,” Jake said, pulling Zola toward the pool.
“Not now,” Zola said. “Please, Jake. I’ve got to look after our guests.”
Ariel hated when men acted this way. Jake was being pushy and a show off and he was treating his wife like a prize pony.
“Come on,” he said again, pulling the front of her bikini.
If he pulled it any harder the strings would open and it would come off. That would have given the men something to laugh at.
Jake pulled Zola down toward the pool. Ariel could tell that she was trying to resist him but she gave up. She had no choice. He looked like he was going to rip her bikini bottom off if she didn’t do what he wanted. She let Jake pull her and they both fell into the water with a splash.
The four colleagues all laughed. The way they looked at Ariel, she thought they might pull her into the water next. She prayed none of them tried to lay a hand on Becky. If that happened, she didn’t know what she would do. One of them was taking his shirt off and looked like he was going to get into the pool. The others went over to the patio table and joined the Roycrofts. Ariel made eye contact with one of the men and immediately regretted it when he winked at her. Who were these guys? She felt vulnerable in her bikini with them around. She decided that if any of them tried anything with Becky she’d call the police. She didn’t care about the scene it would create. She wasn’t going to be bullied into anything like a freshman at a college frat party and she wasn’t going to let her daughter be taken advantage of either.
