by Adan Ramie
"Are you all right?"
Adonia groaned and tried to sit up, and another wave of nausea crashed over and threatened to overtake her. Leah's hands hauled her up in what Adonia considered a feat of strength, then led her to the bed, where she curled into a ball, one hand wrapped around her middle and the other over her eyes.
"Get some sleep. I'm going to check in with Dame O'Brien, then I'll be back to take care of you. Okay?"
She rubbed a hand through Adonia's messy hair and along her shoulder, then padded on bare feet over to the closet. Adonia listened as she dressed, swept her hair back in a professional bun, then walked back over to the bed and crouched down. Adonia opened one eye at the hollow thud of the trash can on the floor beside her.
"If you need to be sick, don't try to make it to the bathroom. Do you need anything else?"
Adonia opened a mouth coated in what felt like sewer sludge, and rasped, "Water."
Leah stood and walked to the bathroom, ran a tap, then brought the clear, plastic cup back and held it to Adonia's lips. The water felt good as it dripped over her parched lips and thick tongue, and she was just pushing up to drink more when Leah pulled the cup away.
"Don't overdo it," she said, then laid a cool, wet cloth on Adonia's neck. "This should help, too." She stood, then bent back over and dropped a soft kiss onto Adonia's sweaty temple. "If you need me before I get back, call me. I'll try to hurry."
Adonia listened through the fog holding her down as the door clicked closed, then fell into the oblivion of sick, drunken unconsciousness. When she clawed her way back into the land of the living, the sun had set, and only the bedside lamp was on. Leah sat on the bed beside her, propped up on a pillow and with a book in her hands. Her eyes flicked back and forth over the page.
Adonia watched through barely opened eyes as a smile played on her partner's lips. Adonia drank in the sight of her long hair falling into her face. Her tired eyes still sparkled with life, and her bottom lip was drawn in where she chewed it. She had traded the professional outfit for a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt that Adonia recognized: it was the one Adonia's college roommate had bought her at the Tegan and Sara concert they attended the year before they graduated. She decided she had never seen a more beautiful sight, and the guilt that crashed over her was worse than any hangover could ever be. She had abandoned Leah in a time of need. She was an asshole.
"Have you lost the ability to speak, or are you just staring?" Leah asked, her eyes still on the book.
Adonia blushed, but didn't turn her eyes away. She pulled the warm, damp cloth from under her head, tossed it at the bathroom, and landed it neatly in a stack of towels for housekeeping. Leah put in a bookmark and closed the book.
"Nice toss."
Adonia smiled up at her. "I'm a stereotype. Softball for ten years through grade school."
Leah laughed, then slid the book onto the table beside her and settled in by Adonia. "You know, I would have had the maddest crush on you in school."
"Too bad we didn't know each other." And too bad I'm such an asshole.
Their eyes met and neither looked away for a long moment. Then Leah snuggled under the blanket, and Adonia helped her cover her shoulder. Leah caught her hand as she was pulling away and wrapped it around her. Adonia bit her lip.
"We do now," Leah said, and scooted closer, until their faces were mere inches apart. Adonia smiled and pulled a hand from under the blanket. She gave Leah's face one gentle stroke before she turned and crawled out of bed. "What's wrong?" Leah sat up, her face full of worry. "Are you sick?"
"No," Adonia said through a smile. "But I won't lie there and breathe hangover breath into your face. I'm going to go brush my teeth." She clutched her head and closed her eyes. "And maybe take a shower."
Leah settled back, but didn't lie down. Her eyebrows drew together in a frown. "Well, at least leave the door open from this end, okay? I don't want you to fall in there and bleed to death while I'm reading about a lesbian private eye."
Adonia stumbled to the bathroom. "I'll leave it open if you promise to tell me about that book when I get back out. A lesbian private eye sounds right up my alley."
She walked into the bathroom and immediately locked the door to the connected room. Then she set about the task of brushing, flossing, and mouthwash before stripping down and climbing into a lukewarm shower. She scrubbed her face, hair, and body with images of the previous night flashing through her mind.
Would I have done it? Would I have slept with Betheny's copy if I hadn't gotten sick?
She put her face into the weak spray and stood, her expression drawn in an aggressive frown. She rubbed her hands over her face a few times, then pulled away from the spray and grabbed for one of the little complimentary bottles on the shelf beside her. Conditioner in, she rinsed it off her hands and settled in to wait for it to do its magic on her thick, unruly mane.
In her mind, Betheny crawled on top of Leah, damsel in distress, wearing a purple strap-on the size of a rolling pin. She shuddered, tried to push the image from her mind, and turned to rinse her hair. She pulled up the image of Leah standing naked in the bathroom, and her hand snaked down from her hair to her breast. Two fingers squeezed one nipple taut, and a shudder ran through her. She leaned back against the wall of the shower, planted her feet to steady her, and ran the other hand down her belly and between her legs.
She imagined Leah dropping her towel, sensually making her way over, and pushing Adonia back to the bed. The imaginary Leah stripped Adonia of her shorts and underwear, then spread her legs.
Adonia let out a gasp. She thought of Leah's subtle curves, how her lean muscles pulled taut and strong, and that look of intense concentration she had when she was working a dish to perfection. Adonia imagined her using the hands that created feasts on her body with a skill known only to a woman who loves women and food. As she rocked herself furiously to orgasm, she could almost feel Leah's breath on her ear, and she bit down hard to stop the cry of pleasure from escaping her throat.
Sated, but clean, she rinsed again and turned off the tap. When she made it back to the bedroom, Leah was still in bed, but her book was on the table and her eyes were closed. Adonia smiled at the thought of Leah waiting in bed for her every night, a book in one hand and the other waiting to wrap around her. She dressed without fanfare and climbed into the bed, checking that the alarm was set on her way in.
"Are you sleeping?" Adonia whispered.
Leah's eyes opened, but only slightly, and a smile curved her lips. "I'm awake. How was your shower?"
Adonia busied herself with the blankets, hoping Leah didn't see her blush. "I feel better."
"Good."
Leah wrapped an arm around Adonia's waist and snuggled close, her face nuzzling into Adonia's ribs. Adonia froze in surprise, watching as Leah drifted back to sleep. She finally relaxed when Leah's breathing and heartbeat were slow and steady, and wrapped her arm around Leah's shoulders. She watched the steady pulse in Leah's neck through her light brown skin, her eyelids drooping, until she finally rested her head and slept the sleep of the guilty but exhausted.
11
The next morning, Adonia was up with the sun. She went downstairs, nibbled on the early breakfast, and brought two cups of coffee back upstairs to the room she shared with Leah. When she walked through the door, Leah stood in the bathroom, dressed in chocolate brown slacks and a cream-colored button down blouse. She had a towel to her hair when she spotted Adonia and grinned.
"I wondered where you had gone," she said, and put the towel in the laundry basket. She took one coffee from Adonia's hand and sipped from the rim. "That's actually not bad."
"Yeah." Adonia sat down on the bed. "I had a cup at breakfast. If it was terrible, I was going to suggest we go out and grab some. There's a really cozy coffee shop a few streets down. They have great java, and the people are friendly." She took a big gulp, then winced as it scalded her mouth and throat. "And it's not made
of lava."
Leah walked back to the bathroom, where she twisted her hair up in what Adonia considered some sort of origami magic, pinned it, and leaned forward to apply her makeup. She didn't wear much, which Adonia liked: just a little eye makeup, and a nude color on her lips.
"We could go. We have about an hour until the meeting," Leah said through stiff lips as she applied the lipstick.
Adonia pulled her phone out of her pocket. "But it's almost seven now."
Leah puckered her lips, dabbed on a tissue, then turned to Adonia with a bright smile. "And you haven't checked your e-mail yet. You might want to do that. Start with the one from Dame O'Brien, forwarded from Betheny. I already called to confirm everything."
Adonia made a face; for a moment, she had forgotten who they worked for, and why they were sharing a room in this nice hotel. She synced her e-mail, read the message, then shoved her phone back into her pocket and stood.
"Okay. So we need to be at the Greenwich by eight."
Leah nodded, switching out the onyx hoops in her ears for carved white tapers. She walked into the bedroom, pocketed her wallet, phone and keys, then snatched up her coffee and gulped it down with barely a grimace.
"Are we ready?"
"Yeah. Why are we going to a different hotel, by the way?"
Leah shot her a look, then walked to the door. She held it open and waited for Adonia to walk with her. In the hall, Leah spoke quietly. "Because we sent our esteemed client off the deep end. She's apparently having a breakdown and we're all invited to front row seats." She screwed up her face. "That is, those of us that made the cut. She fired half our crew."
Adonia stared at her, mouth agape, as they waited for the elevator doors to open. When they did, Adonia clamped her mouth shut. Alice and her partner stood inside, faces blotchy and eyes red from crying. They pushed between Adonia and Leah and stomped to their room.
Inside the elevator, Adonia stared at the doors as they closed. "So they got the ax."
Leah nodded. "I don't know why, but I guess Betheny only wanted to pay for so many of us to go to this spa thing."
Adonia made a face. "It's a spa?"
The doors opened, and Adonia composed herself. When they got to the desk, they asked for one of the car keys Dame O'Brien had left there.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the keys are gone. She has sent all but one of your cars back. Your party is checking out today, and we expect all your belongings to be packed and out of the room by noon." The woman took a deep breath, closed her eyes, her mouth moving without sound as if she were praying. When she opened her eyes, she tried to smile. "I'm sorry. I understand that your boss isn't your responsibility. Can I arrange a cab for you?"
Leah smiled back. "Yes, thank you. I hope your day gets better."
The woman rolled her eyes. "My day will get better as soon as your snooty boss is off this property." She closed her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. "I shouldn't have said that."
Adonia laughed and leaned in. "If you ask me, you're being too kind. She is a snooty bitch." She pulled back and Leah grabbed her hand. "How long for the cab?"
"I probably have one ready. Let me call."
An hour later, Adonia and Leah pulled up beside the hotel. They got out with nearly empty coffee cups, laughing like old friends. Dame O'Brien stood just inside the glass doors and stared hard at them through narrowed eyes. They clammed up when they saw her, and walked inside soberly.
"Hello, Dame O'Brien."
"Can it." The old woman's face was pale, and her usually immaculate hair was askew. "I hope you're happy."
"I don't know -" Adonia started. The woman held up a hand, and her bracelets jangled down her thin, crepe-skinned forearm. She motioned them both to follow her.
They walked into a beautiful dining room with tall windows open to the morning sunshine. Their employer led them past several tables to one set in a corner. A server appeared behind them as they sat, handed them menus, and helped the older woman into her seat.
"What can I get for you today?" he asked in an accent as thick and smooth as gelato.
"Felice Frizzante," Dame O'Brien said without looking at the menu. He bowed a head to her, then turned to Leah.
"And for you?"
"Just water," she said, and glanced at her cutthroat boss, who let out an exasperated sigh.
Taking her cue, Adonia snapped the menu closed and handed it to the server. "Moretti," she said. "And a frosty glass."
"Would you like anything to eat, Dame O'Brien?"
She smiled demurely up at him. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have a scone. Three, please."
"Blackberry-goat cheese?"
"Is it as decadent as it sounds?" she asked, her hand on his.
He licked his lips and smiled. "Even more so."
"Bring them to us hot."
He nodded and left the table. When he had gone, Dame O'Brien's smile dropped off and she pulled a tablet from her purse. She tapped through a few screens, then flipped it so that the caterers could see the screen.
"As you can see, our staff has been cut by more than half, but we will still be expected to produce the same amount." She turned her eyes from her screen to Adonia's, then to Leah's. "But there's another caveat: Ms. Clement expects the quality to increase."
"What?" Leah said.
"Impossible." Adonia ran a hand through her hair, and one thought gnawed on her mind. She didn't want to broach the subject, but she felt she had no choice. "How is this our fault?"
Dame O'Brien looked up with a smile as their server returned with a tray. "Oh, Celso, those smell divine."
He placed drinks in front of each, and a basket of steaming scones in the middle of the table. In front of each woman he placed a small plate on which he daubed clotted cream from a small bowl.
"Would you like anything else?" He stared into Dame O'Brien's eyes.
"No, thank you, Celso. This is plenty." She rubbed a sharp, manicured fingernail over his sleeve. "But I'll be back for dinner."
"I'll be waiting." He bowed and left them.
Dame O'Brien took a long drink of her cocktail, then turned her eyes on Adonia, who had devoured half of her scone and gulped down smooth imported ale from a cold glass.
"You broke her."
Adonia dropped her glass onto the table with a thud. "How did we do that?"
"From what I understand," Dame O'Brien said, looking at Leah, who stared down at the scone she was picking at, "you played your part too well. She believed you were quite interested. When the two of you left her, two things happened." She pointed at Adonia with her scone, and jabbed it in the air to emphasize her point. "You told her about a lavish Greek festival that she latched onto, and which we are now expected to cater." She turned to Leah, and her voice dropped to something like pity. "And you broke her heart."
Adonia drained the rest of her glass, then shoved away from the table. "We did what you asked. You can't hold us responsible for Betheny Clement being a wackadoodle."
Leah looked from Adonia to Dame O'Brien and back, looking torn and lost. She abandoned her barely nibbled scone.
Dame O'Brien stared up at Adonia for a moment with wide, shocked eyes before her face broke into a smile of delight. "Oh, Ms. Zabat, while I do hold you partially responsible, you won't be punished." She held out a hand and motioned for Adonia to sit, which the young woman did grudgingly. "But we cannot sit by as this contract is ruined by an unfortunate series of events. We need a plan. And since you two are not only some of my best, but intrinsically linked to Ms. Clement, I thought you would jump at the chance to help me."
Leah looked up. "So, we're not fired?"
"Fired?" Dame O'Brien asked. "Of course not. But you did just pick up another job title, thanks to your suggestions to Ms. Clement: Menu Planner."
"Just what I've always wanted," Adonia said in a monotone, but leaned forward to look at the tablet screen. If Betheny wanted a lavish Greek party, that's what she
would get.
12
"This is going to be the most epic party I've ever had. That maybe anyone has."
Betheny stood in front of a group of sixteen women in a simple white button-down shirt and jeans. Her face had been scrubbed of makeup, and her hair, freshly stripped of the bright streaks of signature purple, was pulled into a ponytail. She looked almost normal even in a simplistically lavish penthouse at a hotel too exclusive for most of them to even consider booking.
"I would like to thank one among us especially for this great idea," she said, and gestured for Adonia to stand. Adonia bit back a grimace, but stared back up at Betheny with cold eyes. "Adonia, I'm sure everyone will want to thank you once they know what's coming to them." She smiled, Adonia smiled back, but it was obvious that they were faking it, and she knew everyone among them saw the lie.
Betheny looked back at the rest of the group. "The event: Bethesmophoria, based on an ancient Greek festival. It will be a grand event that will last almost a week." Her eyes sparkled. Adonia hadn't seen her so happy in all the time since they had become acquainted, and by the looks of the women around her, none of them had ever seen it, either. They sat staring rapt. "All your belongings are currently being packed and sent here."
Murmurs broke out among them; some looked scandalized, and others inconvenienced or confused. Betheny held up her hands. "Ladies, if you could give me your attention," she said in a voice raised to drown out the others. She waited for the discussion to die down before speaking again. "Your belongings will be treated with respect. The women handling our move are from my own personal tour group. They can be trusted with your secrets and your valuables." She grinned, then turned and motioned to a guide standing behind her. The woman nodded, walked to the center of the stage, pulled down a big, white screen, and stepped back to raise what looked like a remote trigger. She pushed a button and the lights in the room died.
