Society Wives

by Renee Flagler

  “Hi Vonnie,” Ryan squeaked out in a near whisper.

  “How are you, darling?” Nadalia lifted halfway from her chair and planted air kisses on either side of Vonnie’s cheek. “Pearson just sent me a text that she’ll be here in a few minutes. How do you like the place? It’s one of my favorites. The Chilean sea bass and the lobster scampi are amazing. I recommend you get one of those.”

  “It’s so cozy. I love it.”

  Seconds later, Pearson blasted in like a wild wind. The plump man couldn’t keep up with her step. Instead he nodded and turned back toward the front.

  “I made it, ladies.” Pearson swirled off her mink cape and placed it over the back of her chair. “Nadalia, how did you find this place? You won’t believe how long I drove around looking for the address only to realize that I had passed it three times. The entrance is so dark and hidden that I thought I was walking into someone’s secret lair.” Pearson’s loud laugh let everyone know that her party had already started.

  “Waiter, I’ll have what she’s been drinking,” Nadalia said and laughed.

  “Very funny, Nadalia. Now hand me the wine list so you can get it right,” Pearson said and howled. She laughed so hard, spit caught in her throat and she started coughing.

  Ryan patted her back. “Are you okay?”

  Pearson waved her off. “Girl, I’m fine.” Pearson took a few seconds to get herself together and then cleared her throat. “Thanks for accepting my invitation, ladies. Again, I apologize for my behavior the other night. So eat, drink and be merry on me. Are we good?”

  “Yes,” Ryan said.

  “I’ve been good,” Nadalia said. “Now tell me what you were drinking before you joined us.”

  Pearson looked through the wine list. “It’s not on here, but this will do.” She pointed out another brand. Nadalia summoned the waiter and ordered a bottle for the table.

  Ironically, Pearson’s voluminous entrance shifted the dynamics and the girls fell into easy chatter. Nadalia wanted the pleasure of ordering for everyone, insisting that they would love their meals. After she ordered, she held her fork in Pearson’s direction. “Listen Pearson. Don’t drink too much because I’m not driving your ass home,” Nadalia said. “Niles isn’t here to be your designated driver.”

  “Aw shut up, Nadalia. I actually think you need to drink a little more. You wouldn’t be so uptight.”

  “You really think I’m uptight?” Nadalia sat back with a look of wonder.

  “Sometimes.” Pearson dug into her plate half acknowledging Nadalia.

  Ryan looked nervous as if she were afraid that the two would break out into a fight. Vonnie was enjoying herself more than she anticipated.

  “You may be right.” Nadalia’s response shocked everyone. Forks fell onto plates, backs straightened. Everyone looked at her. “I haven’t had sex in over a month!” Nadalia took a sip of her wine and continued eating as if nothing happened while everyone else’s mouth hung open.

  “Nadalia!” Ryan chided.

  “What, girl? You and Anderson never had a dry spell?” She scrunched her brows at Ryan.

  Ryan looked as if she pondered that thought for a moment and everyone fell into a fit of laughter.

  “I told you to take him on a sexy, spontaneous excursion,” Vonnie interjected.

  “Don’t worry. It’s already been planned.”

  “Good,” Vonnie said and held up her wine glass. Nadalia clinked glasses with her and winked.

  “Date nights!” Vonnie yelled as if the words would vanish before she had a chance to say them. “Date nights are good, too. Mike and I go out on dates all the time.”

  “Niles and I used to do that. We need to start doing them again,” Pearson said, taking another sip and clearing her throat.

  “Okay…and about the other day,” Nadalia looked at Ryan. “I don’t know if I should be the one apologizing…” She then cut her eyes at Pearson who rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “…but I’d never do anything inappropriate to entice any of your husbands. I only have eyes for Sage. I’m sorry that whole thing happened.”

  “I know!” Ryan cast her eyes down for a moment. “We’re fine. He bought me these for Christmas.” Ryan turned her neck and held out her wrists to show off her diamond earrings and tennis bracelet.

  “Very pretty!” Vonnie said.

  “Oh.” Nadalia nodded. “He did good! And let’s not forget the custom fur from Miso, right!” she said, taking the opportunity to plug her company’s work. “Did you love it? I had one of our top designers create that for you. It’s one of a kind.”

  Ryan nodded.

  “Nice!” Pearson added.

  “What about you, Pearson” Nadalia added. “How’s things over at the Days?”

  “Oh. Never better,” she said with a mouth full of sea bass. “Mm. Nadalia. This was an excellent choice,” she said, pointing at her meal with her fork.

  “We don’t have to ask Vonnie. She and Mike can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. Even when they are not touching, Mike fondles her with his eyes,” Nadalia said laughing.

  “I know right!” Pearson said. “I love me some Niles Day but your kind of love just oozes out all over the damn place.”

  “It’s the curves. Maybe you three should gain some weight. Pass me the rest of that fried calamari,” Vonnie said, reaching for the crispy appetizer, surprised that she was having a good time with this bunch.

  “Maybe we should do this again sometime soon,” Pearson said and laughed. “Next time we’ll get Ryan drunk and see how quiet she is then.”

  The laughter around the table continued through dessert, and their talk stayed light. None of them dared to reveal too much or venture too deep into their own issues.

  Vonnie had been exposed to a glimpse of Nadalia and Ryan’s lives. She didn’t know much about Pearson’s situation except the disappointing stares she caught Niles giving her at times when she was intoxicated.

  No matter how funny it sounded, wives and husbands in healthy relationships should be having sex. Miscarried babies shouldn’t be secrets.

  Right now, Vonnie wondered if these women were oblivious to their issues or if they were just trying to pretend that their issues didn’t exist.

  Chapter 20

  Pearson

  Pearson wore the Persian rug down in her office for two reasons. First, she was wondering if Niles would find out about the DUI that she narrowly escaped on her way home from having dinner with the girls. Fortunately her story about getting an emergency call about her sick mother worked. Instead of locking her up, the cop followed her home to make sure she arrived safely. There was no need to inform Niles.

  As she held the phone in her hand, she thought about her second issue. She wasn’t in the mood to talk with her mother. When Candice called the other day, Pearson lied and told her she was on her way out and would have to call her back. Pearson had even sent Candice a text to say Merry Christmas, figuring she’d done her job of reaching out.

  Niles helped her get through the holidays. He stayed by her side, missing some of his family’s traditional gatherings to nurture Person through her rough time. His family understood and encouraged him. The only outing she participated in was her time with the girls. That had been surprisingly enjoyable.

  Niles seemed happy that she leaned on him as opposed to drowning her taste buds in a vat of full-bodied reds.

  Pearson took a deep breath. She was ready to see what her mother had to say; her curiosity had been piqued when her mother pleaded with Ryan to call her back. She only hoped that their conversation didn’t end in an argument as it usually did.

  Pearson dialed the number before she lost her will. She counted the rings, hoping the call would go to voice mail. She could leave a message and that would show that she tried.

  “Pearson! I’m glad you called.”

  Pearson let out the breath she’d been holding. “Hey, Mom. Sorry I didn’t call back before now. I—”

  “No problem. I n
eed to see you. What’s your schedule like this weekend? Come over for dinner?”

  You want me to come for dinner? Pearson wondered if her mother realized whom she was speaking to. “This is Pearson, Ma.”

  “What?” Candice was confused. “I know who I’m talking to.” She clucked her tongue. “Don’t be silly.”

  “What’s this about?”

  “We need to talk. That’s all.”

  “About what?” Pearson felt her patience waning and started pacing.

  “I’ll fill you in on everything when you get here. How’s Sunday?”

  “Hold on, let me see.” Pearson checked the calendar on her phone. Her shoulders deflated when she saw that her schedule was clear, leaving her no real excuse to avoid Candice. “Sunday should be fine. I just have to check and see if Niles has anything to do.”

  “I need to speak with you…alone.”

  “Oh.” Pearson went silent. Niles was always her buffer—the peacekeeper. She wondered what was so important and secretive. “Okay. I’ll stop by after church.”

  “Good. See you then. Goodbye, Pearson.”

  “Goodbye, Ma.” Just as Pearson pulled the phone away from her ear she, heard her mother say I love you. It sounded forced. Like her mouth wasn’t used to framing those kinds of statements.

  After a few awkward ticks, Pearson replied, “I love you, too.” The words felt as foreign to her tongue as they did to her ears. “Goodbye, Ma.” She ended the call and stood for several minutes without moving.

  Pearson had always loved her mother. Somewhere inside of that shell of Candice’s, Pearson assumed she had love for her too, but she couldn’t remember ever hearing her voice it.

  Pearson drifted through the rest of her work day in a haze. Candice’s declaration affected her and made her even more curious. When the rest of her staff left for the day, she dragged to her car, wrapping her fur coat around her as a shield against the sharp winter winds. The icy temperatures had taken the color from the landscape, leaving the ground an ashen gray and the naked trees a dull brown. The wind whipped at Pearson, stinging her legs right through her tights. She picked up her pace, jumped into her car, and sat while the heat thawed her skin and heart.

  She actually said she loved me.

  Pearson didn’t know how to take the comment. Should she be happy or leery?

  Waving off her anxiety, she started on her fifteen minute commute from her office in Garden City to her house in Sands Point. She couldn’t wait to get home and submerge herself in Niles’ arms. She called him to make sure he would be home when she got there.

  “What’s up, beautiful?”

  “Hey, hon.”

  “Are you okay?” She knew he would recognize the weariness in her voice despite her efforts to sound cheerful. “Did you have a hard day?”

  “I finally called my mother back.”

  “Oh.” He was silent for a moment. “What did she say?”

  “She wants me to come over for dinner on Sunday…alone.”

  “Oh.” Niles paused again. “Are you going?”

  “Yes. It seems important.” Pearson felt lighter having shed some of the burden by talking to Niles. “I’ll be fine. You know she actually ended the call by saying she loved me.”

  “Uh…wow!”

  “Yeah. I know.”

  For moments, Pearson drove along just listening to Niles breathe on the phone. Having him on the other end gave her comfort. He was truly her refuge.

  “Are you bringing work home with you?”

  “Not tonight.”

  “Good. Hurry up and get here. I just thought of something.”

  Pearson smiled as she ended the call through her car’s Bluetooth. She wondered what Niles had planned and again thought about how blessed she was to have him. She sped up and tried to get home as fast as she could.

  When Pearson got to the house, it was empty. She took a shower, put on a comfortable pair of lounge pants and tank top and then headed back downstairs.

  Niles walked into the kitchen struggling with several bags.

  “What did you get?” Pearson said, taking some of the bags from him and setting them on the counter.

  “Crab legs!” Niles raised his brows. “Go turn on the TV in the family room and chill out while I get this ready.”

  “Okay!” Pearson smiled.

  The TV was already on and frozen on the opening scene from her favorite movie, Pretty Woman. When it came to her relationship with Niles, she could relate to Julia Roberts’ role. Like Richard Gere’s character, Niles had been her knight, rescuing her from a hard existence. She may have been financially wealthy, but emotionally, she was destitute. Niles’ love for her seeped deep into the lonely, neglected crevices of heart and filled her up at times.

  “Crab legs and Pretty Woman.” She laughed. The two together was like a salve.

  Pearson retrieved two throws from the linen closet and curled up on the sofa. Once Niles got things settled, he joined her. She wished he had brought a bottle of wine with the crab legs, but she kept her mouth shut.

  Pearson didn’t see her drinking as a serious problem. She could handle her liquor. Those few inexplicable episodes and blackouts were random events as far as she was concerned. Unfortunately, Niles didn’t see it that way.

  Niles sat on the couch, pressed play on the remote, and the television came alive, filling the room with sights and sounds.

  Pearson looked at him. “Thank you.”

  Niles kissed her and then settled into the couch. She wanted the wine, but drank in Niles’ presence instead.

  “This was perfect,” she said to Niles and kissed his cheek. Pearson imagined the ways she would show Niles her appreciation once they got into bed. Thinking about the things she wanted to do with him made her heart flutter. A mischievous smirk spread across her lips.

  The crab legs were all gone when the movie ended, and the warmth inside of her turned into a glowing heat. The look she gave him revealed her shameless thoughts. Niles looked at her and his eyes narrowed.

  “Ready to go to bed?” Lust made his voice husky and he licked his lips.

  “I’m ready,” she said with a wink.

  Niles pulled her into his arms and kissed her with a passion that ignited her senses. She felt the hairs on her arm stand up and her center lurched. When their lips parted, Niles gazed into her eyes. Pearson stared back with adoration. The heat of her desire still warmed her parts.

  “Let’s go make a baby.”

  A Baby. Pearson felt like someone had assaulted her with a bucket of cold water.

  Chapter 21

  Nadalia

  Nadalia walked into the kitchen as Sage sat at the breakfast nook sipping a steaming mug of coffee, swiping through the news on his iPad. She smiled at just the thought of seeing him there. It had literally been weeks since she’d gotten up on a Saturday morning and found her husband home.

  Sage looked up at Nadalia standing in the doorway, staring at him and nodded as he blew into his cup, then took a sip. Wincing from the heat, he took his time swallowing, sipped again and placed the cup back down. “Morning,” he said and winked.

  Nadalia winked back, but didn’t move.

  He drew his brows together. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing.” Nadalia smiled again. “I’m just happy to see you home.” She began to make her way over to him. “Any plans for the day?”

  Sage raised the side of his cheek to receive Nadalia’s kiss. “Not really.”

  “That’s rare.” Nadalia went to pull her robe together, then, decided to leave it hanging, revealing her black lace night gown. “Let’s do something.”

  “Like what?” Sage laid the iPad on the countertop and turned toward Nadalia.

  She raised her brows and laid a seductive smile on him. Sage smiled and shook his head. Nadalia was slightly offended, expecting him to respond more enthusiastically to her advance. She checked her emotions and took a deep breath. She had already planned their “spontaneous” excursio
n that had to wait until after the Super Bowl, but she figured a date night would be ideal for the evening.

  Nadalia closed in on Sage and cozied up to him, snuggling against his arm. “How about you take me out on a date?”

  “A date! We’re already married?”

  Nadalia took a moment to contain her annoyance before responding. “Sage…honey. Married people go out on dates, too.”

  “No, married people go out. You are no longer dating, once you get married.”

  “Then let’s pretend we are not married!” Nadalia huffed and then lit up as an idea popped into her head. “Yes! Let’s role play. We can go somewhere and meet up like we’re going out on a real date and then come back home and make love all night long.” Sage looked at her sideways. “Come on,” she whined. “It will be fun. It will be like old times.”

  “You really want to do this?”

  “Yes! We’ll even take separate cars.” Nadalia clapped her hands. “Come on.” She pulled on his arms when she saw that he wasn’t sold on her idea. “It’s been so long since you’ve taken me out. We always go out with a bunch of other couples and by the time we get home, you’re tipsy and tired and you ignore me.” Nadalia didn’t mean to sound like a whining child, but she was getting frustrated.

  “Fine, where do you want to go?”

  “Geesh, Sage. Could you at least sound like you actually want to take me out?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Just forget it.” Nadalia waved him off and got up from the stool.

  “Wait! What’s going on here?”

  “You tell me!” She stood defiantly with her hands folded tightly across her chest.

  “Tell you what, Dali?”

  “Are you sleeping with another woman?”

  Sage’s eyes grew wide. “N…no! Why do you keep asking me that?”

  “Because if you’re not screwing me, then who are you screwing?”

  “Whoa! Here we go again. Where’s this coming from?”

  “Sage! Think about it. When was the last time we had sex?”