by Shelia Goss
“What do you need me to do?”
“I hate to do this to you, because I know you’re supposed to have a long four day weekend. But can you come over Saturday and help me go through the files?”
“Now you know I will. It’s entirely too much stuff for one person to go through. In fact, why don’t I just cancel my day off and we work on it tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to do that. There is no sense in both of us stressing.”
“I won’t be able to enjoy my day off anyway if I’m worried about you.”
“Okay. Let’s come in a little earlier. The center’s children’s party is Friday afternoon and I don’t want to miss it.”
“Cool. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Violet locked her office and went home.
***
This is a Calgon night. I don’t want to see anything with a number on it. Dang it, there’s the phone. I can be home all night and my phone won’t ring, but as soon as I get in the tub, it wants to ring. Maybe who ever it is, will get tired and just hang up. Why isn’t my answering machine picking up?
***
Violet exited the tub, wrapping a towel around her as she rushed to the phone. The caller ID box said unavailable, so she picked up. “Hello.”
“Hi. Baby. You sound like you’ve been running.”
“I was in the tub. How are you and your parents?”
“Everything is fine. I needed this time with my family. Sometimes I hate being on the road. I’m enjoying this down period. I miss you.”
“Marcus, I miss you too.”
Marcus end sounded muffled. “I can’t wait to see you. I’ve been having some wild dreams about you.”
“Oh really now?”
“Yes. So when I get back, just have the strawberries and champagne waiting.”
“Slow your roll. By the time you get back. I’ll be having a visitor.”
Marcus sighed as if disappointed. “Can it visit early, because I’m in heat?”
Violet laughed. “No silly. You know it don’t work like that.”
The phone crackled and Marcus said, “This phone keeps messing up.”
“It’s a bad connection. Do you want me to call you right back?”
“No, I’m getting off anyway. I just wanted to tell you I miss you and to let you know you’ve been on my mind constantly.”
“I miss you too. Now hurry home, so I’ll have something to play with.”
“You naughty girl. I’m going to tell your mama.”
“If you do, the honey is off limits.”
He laughed. “See you wrong. Okay. I’ll be quiet, as long as there is an endless supply of honey.”
“Whatever. Bye.”
***
The next morning, Violet arrived at the center early. She set everything up, so when Janice arrived, she could start outlining their strategy. They needed a plan to figure out the problem or they wouldn’t accomplish anything. She would use her desk and she setup a laptop and an adding machine on the table in her office for Janice to use.
“Good morning. I thought you would be here. I know you haven’t eaten, so I bought us both some bagels and juice.”
Violet took the bagel and used a plastic knife to spread strawberry cream cheese over it. “Thanks. I was starving, but didn’t feel like going to get anything.”
“I know you girl. So where do I begin?”
For the next fifteen minutes, she went over what she needed Janice to do and how she wanted her to arrange things, so they both would be using the same method.
They spent the next eight hours going through all of the files and formatting the information. They took a break to enjoy the children’s party the center hosted and each went home to get some rest. They spent the next day, which was Saturday, comparing the data with that of the auditors.
Violet wiped the sweat off of her forehead as she continued to go through the papers. “We’ve spent two days and still things are not adding up.”
“Hold up Violet.”
“What?”
“I think I found it.” Janice jumped up and started doing the Cabbage Patch and sang, “I found it. I found it.”
Violet took the paper she was holding out of her hand. “Where? Now show me.”
“See we’ve been looking in this area, when all along it was in the miscellaneous funds area.”
“How did the funds get moved over to miscellaneous, when they were originally broken down by each project?”
“Looks like somebody has been playing monopoly with the center’s money.”
“Yes, but who is that someone?”
“I don’t know.”
Violet blinked her eyes a few times and hung her head low. “I wish I did, because now there’s another problem. All evidence points towards me.”
26
ROSE
I’m so glad I extended my stay for a week. I thought I would be bored, but not having to rehearse or be at a shoot, has been so relaxing. I’ve been spoiled. I must bring the family down here for a vacation. Even Mama would have fun here. The tours have been well put together. I really loved the snorkeling. I don’t know why I don’t have an aquarium at home as much as I love the ocean. Getting an aquarium will be the first thing on my agenda when I get back to the States.
I will need an extra suitcase to fit all of the things I just bought. Tonight I’m going to the fiesta in the hotel. I don’t know what to wear. I like this light blue floral wrap and I can just wear my sandals.
***
Rose took a quick shower to freshen up. She coordinated her outfit with some jewelry she had purchased and found a pair of black sandals that matched the outline of the floral wrap. She took a final look in the mirror. “This will have to do.” She touched her ears. “I love these big colorful earrings.” She grabbed her hotel key and placed it in her matching small clutch and walked out the door.
The party was in full swing when she got downstairs. Everybody was drinking, laughing and dancing wherever they stood. While she danced, somebody came behind her singing. “Hey pretty lady.”
She turned around to the familiar voice. “John. What are you doing here?”
She gave him a tight hug. He responded, “We’re filming in a town up the road there. I heard about the fiesta, so I decided to stop by and get my party on. What are you doing here?”
“I came down for a week vacation and I have seen so many people from LA here. But everybody has pretty much kept to themselves.”
“Cool. So you want to hang out with me and my crew or are you enjoying your solo act?”
She danced around him. “I guess you can hang with me.”
John laughed and they continued dancing. John made introductions to the rest of the production staff; they knew who Rose was, although she hadn’t worked with the crew before.
Rose got out breath. “Whew. I think I’m going to sit out on the next couple of songs.” She found her a chair and flopped down. She bent over to put her sandal strap back around her ankle, and when she sat up she was looking directly at the man who was on the balcony. A slow song was on and he was all over the woman she had seen him with earlier. She rushed over to where John was standing and grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor. “John, I need you to do me a favor. Dance with me. I see somebody I know, but I have to make sure it’s him, before I say something to him.”
“Oh, you’re trying to make one of your old boyfriends jealous? Well, use me.”
She wrapped her arm around his neck and they danced and slowly moved toward the couple. “No. It’s not even like that. I think I see someone’s man.”
“What? Don’t tell me it’s going to be some drama tonight.”
“Let’s hope not,” she said as they danced and swirled until they got right near the couple.
She purposely bumped into them, so he would have to look her way. “Excuse me.”
Marcus face showed a shocked expression. “Violet, what are you doing here?”
“I cou
ld ask you the same thing and who is this woman?” Rose yelled.
Marcus stuttered, “You’re not Violet. Rose?”
Rose stepped in between him and the woman he was dancing with. “Who else would it be? How dare you cheat on my sister!”
The woman walked from behind Rose and looped her arm through Marcus’s arm. “Marcus, who is this and what is she yelling about?”
Marcus stuttered his response, “This is Rose Purdue. You know the actress.”
Rose interrupted him. “I am his girlfriend’s sister and who are you?”
The woman looked at Rose as if she was ready to fight. ”Look Rose, I don’t care how many movies or CDs you have out. Marcus is my man and for you to go through all these dramatics is not even necessary.”
“Look here wench. This is between Marcus and me.”
John stepped between them both because he could tell that blows were not far behind. “Rose maybe we should leave now. He knows he’s been busted.”
Marcus tried to pacify both women. “Yes. Let’s table it for now and we can talk about this later.”
Rose turned around. “Marcus, I have my phone right here. All I have to do is dial a number. I want you to explain to her, what you are doing here with another woman. You told her you were going to your parent’s. Now she might look old, but she ain’t quite old enough to be your mama.”
The woman took her shoes off and was about to hall off and hit Rose, when Marcus intervened. “Rose, please don’t tell Violet.”
The woman took one of the shoes and hit him with it and turned to walk away. “What do you mean don’t tell Violin, Violet or whatever you said? You sorry son of a….” She continued out the door.
Marcus tried to go after her, but Rose grabbed his arm. “No Mister. You’re not going anywhere. I should have known you were trifling and I could have saved my sister much grief.”
“You’re not going to tell her about this are you?”
“What do you think?” Rose said with her arms folded.
“She never has to know. I promise I will stop seeing Marie. You know I really care about your sister.”
Violet started singing, “Heard it all before.”
He interrupted her. “I’m serious. Promise me you won’t tell her.”
“I’m not promising you anything. If it wasn’t so late, I would call her right now.”
Rose was about to walk away, when she heard him say, “If you do, I’ll tell her you made a pass at me.”
She spun around and headed back in his direction. “Come again?”
Marcus had a smug look on his face. He said, “I think you heard me. Now we wouldn’t want that, since you guys have made some progress.”
Rose was five feet ten inches, and although Marcus still towered over her, it didn’t stop her from getting as close to his face as she could. She shouted, “I don’t take too kindly to threats.”
“It’s not a threat. It’s a promise. If you say anything, I will tell her how you got drunk and tried to seduce me. Simple as that.”
John could tell Rose was getting in deeper and deeper. “Come on girl. Maybe we should just leave.”
Marcus agreed. “Yes. Remember. Violet never has to know and we’ll all walk away happy.”
Rose stormed off the dance floor, with John close behind her. “John. I could kill him. He’s cheating on my sister and now I can’t say anything because if I do, he’s going to lie on me and claim I made a pass.”
John placed his arms around her shoulders. “If you like, I can be there with you when you tell her. I normally wouldn’t get involved in other people’s drama, but if you care about your sister, you must tell her.”
Rose leaned on John and cried. “We’re getting close again and what if she doesn’t believe me?”
John wrapped his arm around her and offered her some advice. “I really don’t know what all is going on with you and your sister, but I’m sure it’ll all work out. Just ask yourself one question. If she eventually finds out you knew about this, what do you think she’s going to say or feel?”
As John walked her to the elevator, she responded, “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.”
“Sleep on it. Don’t make a decision tonight. Do you need me to come up to your room with you?”
“As fine as you are John, I think I’ll pass this time.”
John chuckled. “Alright, now that’s the Rose I know.” They hugged and as the elevator door closed, she waved good-bye and blew John a kiss.
Although she had plenty to drink, she ordered another margarita and a hamburger from room service. After she ate, she sat on the couch in her suite and flipped through the channels on the television.
No luck in finding anything that caught her attention, she turned it off, grabbed a blanket and went and sat in the long patio chair on her balcony.
***
Just when things were looking good for Violet and me, this happens. I could kill the lying bastard for what he’s doing to my sister, to me. I know he’s not going to stop seeing that woman. They never do. She’ll believe whatever wild story he comes up with and he’ll still be juggling my sister and her. There has got to be a way.
***
Rose continued going back and forth in her mind with the pros and cons of telling Violet. She came to the conclusion that she would have to let Violet find out what type of man she was dealing with on her own. It didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t think of any alternatives.
27
VIOLET
Yawning, Violet got out of her car and tried to shake the feeling that her Monday wasn’t going to be good. The first thing she encountered when she got to her office, were messages from several board members concerned about the center’s activities. After she returned the first call, she was informed of an emergency meeting being held later that evening and she was asked to be in attendance. The previous night, she stayed up trying to figure out who could have stolen the funds and why.
***
What am I going to do? I have no clue where the money is. At this point, I don’t know who I can trust. I know it wasn’t Janice. At least I hope not. Look at me; I even doubt my best friend. It must be the stress. Okay. It’s not me. It’s not Janice, so it only leaves one other person and that’s Carlton Larson the Funds Manager for our district. It’s going to be hard to show I didn’t take it, but if I can find out how to prove he did it, I can clear my name.
***
Violet leaned back in her chair and rubbed her temple. She sat up when she heard the sound of Janice entering. Janice closed the door. Violet said, “I guess you’ve heard about the emergency board meeting tonight.”
“Yes. I was coming to check on you. You know we’re in this together,” Janice stated as she took a seat.
“I was sitting here thinking about it. We both will be under the firing squad, me more so than you, but you’re the Assistant Director, so they’ll be looking at us both.”
Janice balled up her fist. “I’m pissed. All of the time and effort we’ve both invested and these snotty nose folks are going to accuse us of embezzlement.”
Violet reached over the desk and squeezed Janice’s hand. “What we need to do is prove Carlton took the funds and our minds need to be clear, so try to control the anger.”
“I don’t know how you do it. You’re going to be officially accused tonight of doing something with the funds, but yet you sit here asking me not to be angry.” Janice shook her head.
Violet leaned back with a solemn look on her face. “Trust me. I’m livid right now. I can’t let what he’s done ruin what I’ve tried to do for the kids, for the community. These people have trusted me and I will do whatever I have to, to clear my name. I can’t be consumed with anger. It’ll only deter me from finding out how to prove I’m not guilty.”
“I hear you, but I’m not as good as hiding my emotions as you are and don’t forget we’re both in the hot seat, not just you.”
“I thought about everything last nigh
t and we need to have a strategy going into this meeting.”
While they were brainstorming, Violet’s cell phone rang. “Hello.”
She heard what sounded like planes in the background. “Hi. I’m back in town and I wanted to see what you were doing tonight, so I could drop off the gifts I bought you and tell you about my trip.”
“Rose. Welcome back. I’ll have to call you later. I have a lot of things going on right now, so I don’t know when it’ll be.”
Rose sounded disappointed. She asked, “What’s going on? Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No. Unfortunately I have to take care of this myself, but thanks for asking.”
“I’ll send Tina, my assistant, to your office around noon or to your home later on tonight with your gifts. I have some things I need to catch up on anyway from being gone for a week.”
Violet tried to rush her off the phone, so she could deal with her problem. “Sure. Either one works for me. We’ll talk later. I have to go now. Talk to you soon.”
Violet took a sip from her cold coffee. “Eww. That’s nasty.”
“So the drama queen is back in town?”
Violet chuckled. “Now Janice. Be nice. That is my sister you’re talking about.”
“Okay, I will. I’m glad you ladies are working through your differences.”
Violet smiled for the first time in days. “I am too. It’s been a big relief.”
They finished going over their plans for the meeting. They worked way past lunch and weren’t aware of the time, until Tina showed up with several gift bags from Rose. Janice left to go get them something to eat. While waiting on Janice to return, Violet opened up her gifts.
She placed a call to Rose. “Hi. I wanted to let you know I got the gifts. Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome. I was hoping you would like them.”
“These figurines will go perfect in my collection and I love those bracelets. My favorite one is the silver one.”
