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A knock came to the door, and a young woman walked in with a black pant suit and white shirt, carrying a small tray with two large sparkling crystal goblets and a bottle of wine. She opened the fancy bottle with the French label and poured a small amount for Melody to try.
“Great.” The woman put the tray on a white table and exited the room.
Alex turned to Melody. “How is it?”
“How the fuck should I know? I’ve never had a taste of a five-thousand-dollar bottle of wine in my life. Taste the same to me.” She held the bottle up, looking at the label. “It could cost more, but what good is it if you can’t drink the wine.” She smiled and poured Alex a full glass.
Alex placed the glass to her lips, as if she thought it would turn her to gold. “Oh, yes, this is good. Max said I should take more interest in this kind of thing, what with all his money. I mean our money. Max buys wine only to sell and make more money. I want to drink it,” she said, giggling and toasting to Melody, with their glasses hitting together making a ping sound. The glasses made a fine ringing sound like good crystal, and it probably was because she couldn’t imagine otherwise.
“And so do I. What’s the use of having money if you can’t spend it, or wine if you don’t drink it,” Melody said, drinking all of the wine in her glass, and reaching for the bottle, pouring out more for her and Alex.
“Tonight is going to be the best night of our lives. Promise me, you’ll try to make it that way because every time I’ve seen you, you look so sad. How can a young woman with a rich gorgeous handsome man like yours look so unhappy?”
She didn’t answer Melody, because she didn’t realize the things that weighed on her. She had just wanted to get out of New York. Sign the papers, sell all of the stuff Max had accumulated, put everything behind her, and start anew.
It was agreed he would keep only a few of his holdings. The Millennium Hotel in San Francisco and one casino in Las Vegas. The rest to go on the block, especially his holdings in Asia. They had to go. It was those casinos and hotels that kept him away from his family.
Eleven o’clock drew near and Alex and Melody had drunk over fifty thousand dollars of wine with two bottles lying in the basket near her bed. She raised her empty glass. “That last bottle was one my father had been saving. He wanted to drink it for Christmas with his snooty friends. Oops, my bad,” she said giggling.
“I’m not drunk yet,” Alex confided.
“That’s because you’ve been drinking the good stuff. Just wait until you get a glass of that cheap wine. You’ll be falling on your ass,” Melody said laughing, and almost tumbling on the floor.
“I hope you don’t have any reporters here,” Alex said, her head bobbing to the side. She might have thought the wine had little effect on her, but it did affect her perception and judgement.
“No press. They were barred from the last party.” Melody stood and fell back on the bed near Alex. She turned to Alex, and said, “It seems someone took a picture of me sucking off one of my mother’s girlfriends’ husband. They had the nerve to plaster that all over the front pages of some little Long Island village newspaper.”
“How did they get away with that? Don’t they have a morality code?”
“I guess they did, because they put a black square over his cock, and left my face and mouth in the picture. They only showed him waist down, his zipper opened.”
“But how did anyone recognize him?” Alex inquired.
“His suspenders were hanging down on the side and he had his initials on them. And someone remembered his tux. At our fundraiser, for some children’s orphanage, he was bragging about how he kept his body in shape. He took off his jacket and everyone saw his initials. He put his fingers in the suspenders and plucked them when he said he wore the same suit when he married his wife, and his body was still the same. Nobody has the same body when they are twenty and forty-five. I didn’t see his body at twenty, but from what I saw of him, men in their twenties can’t get that hard or look that good.”
Melody made a gesture and picked up a bottle and banged it on the foot of the bed.
“Wow,” Alex said. “That hard?” And they almost fell off the bed laughing.
Returning to the story Melody said, “Thank God it was only in a small-town newspaper. My mother paid dearly for those negatives and to keep them from putting it on the internet. I keep them in the safe. I have to remember to burn them one day. Can’t have the grandchildren getting hold of that.” She winked at Alex.
Melody pointed to the safe sitting in her closet, “Do you want to see the pictures?” she said, raising her eyebrows up and down.
“I don’t think I want to see a picture of you with a man’s dick in your mouth,” Alex said slurring her words.
“That’s what my father said when my mother tried to show him the pictures and blame him for spoiling me.”
Alex stared at her. She couldn’t smile. Melody, seeing a slight disapproval on Alex’s face, said, “Not to worry. His wife died years before. He hadn’t had an orgasm in five years. And he was sexy as hell with his mingled grey hair. He kept that body of his in shape. You should have seen the muscles on him. Almost as hard as that husband of yours.” A broad smile came over Melody’s face, but Alex’s mouth turned down at the corners, on the mention of Max.
It was nice that Melody appreciated a good-looking guy, but hands off when it came to Max.
“Sometimes you have to give nature a little push. It’s called priming the pump. To this day he credits me with saving his life. And he gave me the best orgasm I’ve ever had. He really knows how to go down on a woman.” Melody sighed and looked away with a smile.
“Well, Melody, I think this is getting a little too personal, and you should make your appearance.” Alex stood near Melody, and Alex turned her around. Melody was dressed in her Red Riding Hood costume, and looking more like a she wolf instead of an innocent girl out for a stroll in the forest.
“I can’t wait to introduce you to my mother’s gossipy old friends. When I say this is Mrs. Maximillian Blackstone, they are going to wet their Depends.”
Grabbing Melody’s hand before she opened the door, Alex said, “No, you’re not. I don’t want anyone to know that I’m married to Max.”
“Oh right. I think I’m kind of drunk.” Melody wrinkled her nose. “The wine just hit me.” Melody tottered out of the room, walking as if on eggshells with Alex following behind her. “I need your arm,” Melody said.
“Where are we going?”
“The elevator is to your right,” Melody said pointing.
“And you had me walk up all those stairs?”
“Stairs are for sober young people, and the elevator is for the elderly and drunk.” When they reached the elevator in a matter of seconds, it was opening with no one on it. Then they walked out of the elevator into a wall of music and noise of people talking and moving around. No one noticed them until Melody bumped into a man in his sixties. He was dressed in black in a Batman costume, with a cape and a mask.
“It’s about time you came down. “Who’s your friend?”
“No one you would know.” And the drunken middle-aged man circled Alex.
“I like that costume. He stood in front of her in his Batman costume. “Hey, cat girl, want to use that whip on me,” he shouted. “I think we can get something going.”
Alex glanced at him, smiled, pulled out the whip hanging on her side, and popped it on the floor, making a loud crack near his feet. The man leaned back and turned and scurried off to freshen his drink.
“I guess he wasn’t drunk enough,” Melody said laughing. “You sure as hell know how to handle that thing and men.” She glanced at Alex, slanted her head, and gave her an approving smile.
Alex caught sight of a well-positioned fireplace against the wall, and she observed a young man in his thirties leaning on it, and staring at her. He was tall about six three with a ruggedly handsome face from what she could see. He wore a black mask over it. His shoulders were wide and not diminished by the black cape.
“Who’s he?” Alex whispered.
“You mean the tall, interesting man standing alone watching and evaluating everyone. The one in the Star Wars, The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren Costume? He’s the night’s entertainment. He does look interesting in those black boots and dressed all in black. I get hot just looking at him. Look he even has a laser. It seems he can’t take his eyes off you, Alex.”
“It’s something about him. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s his eyes that remind me of someone,” Alex said.
“You can see his eyes. Girl, you aren’t drunk enough.”
“He’s coming over here,” Alex whispered. “Don’t leave me.” Alex reached for Melody’s arm, but she pulled away. Melody walked past her, leaned back, and whispered, “You’re going to thank me.”
Melody turned away and smiled. The dark-haired handsome man smiled and nodded at Melody. Alex furrowed her brow. Nervous. She still didn’t know how to react to men when she wasn’t with Max. She didn’t like small talk, especially if she had been drinking.
She didn’t trust herself around handsome good-looking guys. And she didn’t trust them because of Robert. She made a promise to herself to stay away from them. She had all she wanted in life. Who could give her more, and who was as handsome as Max?
Only Robert could have compared to Max in looks and money. But after what had occurred with Robert and with those kind of men—men who she could be sexually attracted to, she would make it a point to go the other way. Alex turned to walk the other way, but she wasn’t quick enough, and the crowded room with men and woman standing around laughing, talking, and drinking prevented her escape.
Searching the room for cameras, she imagined Max would know if she found someone desirable. It was all in her mind. And there was no way for him to know she was at Melody’s home and at a party, and looking into a stranger’s eyes.
When she left the apartment, the only other person who knew she had gone was the doorman, and he was away from his desk.
Taking a deep breath and trying to relax, she reasoned that there was nothing wrong with having a casual conversation with a guest. How else was she to learn how to interact with others and stop being awkward with wealthy people? After all, she was now one of them, Max had tried to convince her.
She wasn’t sociable with Robert, and yet he followed her. It was like that with rich powerful men. Once they saw something they liked they would overstep their bounds. She would get this out of the way quickly. She would tell him she was married, and that should do it. He stood in front of her staring, taking her all in and saying nothing.
“I’m married,” she blurted out.
“I would be surprised if you weren’t. Someone as young and beautiful as you would have a man somewhere.” He extended his hand. Alex looked down at it, as if it was a snake ready to bite her, but after an awkward moment, she placed her hand in his and he shook her hand. “My name is Ross, and you’re Mrs. Blackstone.”
“How did you know? Did Melody tell you?” Alex said, looking around for Melody to warn her about going against her wishes.
“I don’t know Melody and she doesn’t know me. I think I saw you in a newspaper once. You and your husband.”
Alex remembered she hadn’t put on her mask. She fidgeted for it, but couldn’t find it. She glanced up at him, waiting for him to speak.
“I was invited to perform at this party. I don’t turn down money even though I don’t need it. I enjoy what I do. In about fifteen minutes, I will go into that room.” Ross pointed to a large room. The doors were opened, and Alex could see a small stage surrounded by tables and chairs.
“It’s great meeting you, Mrs. Blackstone. I think Mr. Blackstone is a lucky man.” Ross stared for a long moment, then he bent and kissed Alex’s hand. Alex angled her head to the side and her mouth fell open in surprise. She smiled a closed smile. She was sobering up and for some reason she had enjoyed that brief talk with Ross.
And that was all it would be.
All she needed was just brief conversation with a man who found her appealing. She needed it for her ego. Nothing complicated, where she would compromise her marriage. She wouldn’t make another mistake again, especially since Jonas Blackstone wasn’t around to interfere in her life, and she didn’t want to be reminded of how he had almost wrecked her life and marriage.
Alex waited a moment until the guests had found seats. Her thought was to sit at the back and enjoy the show. She hung around and stood near the double doors. “Oh, there you are.” It was Melody. “You’re not going to sit back here.” She grabbed Alex’s hand and passed her through a maze of tables with guests clapping. The entire room looked like either Disney World or a freak show with all the different costumes from Snow White to Sleeping Beauty.
Tables full of Batman and Robin, Cinderella and their Prince, Beauty and the Beast, and then Little Red Riding Hood and Catwoman prancing through the crowd to sit up front.
The curtains opened and out came the magician. He introduced himself as just Ross. He performed card tricks and tricks with coins, nothing complicated, something simple. The entire room was drunk, and they would clap and be amazed at anything. But he amazed and got their attention when he disappeared.
Alex was even impressed at that feat. And she clapped louder than most and stood up.
When everyone searched around for him, he was standing in the doorway behind them. Someone pointed, and said, “There he is.” Everyone turned and he jogged through the audience and took Alex’s hand to her surprise, and led her to the stage with her looking back at Melody, who appeared to enjoy the joke.
“My next trick isn’t a trick after all. I’m going to hypnotize this beautiful woman. And when she wakes she won’t know that she has been hypnotized. She will be unaware of my suggestions and won’t know anything. Her voice may sound different, and her personality may change.”
“I don’t think I can do this,” Alex said, looking in Ross’s eyes. “I’m afraid.” Ross was holding both her hands facing her.
“Do you have any deep dark secrets?”
“No,” Alex said. She lied.
“Then you don’t have anything to worry about. Don’t worry, I won’t ask you anything personal, and I won’t ask you to do anything you haven’t done before. It will be innocent fun, and you can bring a little laughter to everyone here. And who knows it might not work.”
A loud noise came from the audience, “Go on, Alex. Don’t be afraid. Hang loose for the first time in your life. We’re all here,” Melody shouted, “What do you have to be afraid of?”
The crowd started chanting, “Do it, Alex. Do it, Alex.”
Ross raised his hand, and the audience became quiet. He held both of Alex’s hands and pulled her close. He whispered as she followed his mouth.
“I can’t hear you?” Alex said.
“You don’t have to hear me. Read my lips,” he said quietly. Ross whispered in a low tone, and she followed his words. Her eyes fixated on his mouth, and she closed her eyes as if she was asleep. Then he dropped her hand and leaned to whisper in her ear. Then Alex opened her eyes.
“I guess she wasn’t a willing subject. It didn’t work. Her will was too strong,” Ross said to the audience with a small laugh. He took her hand and led her to her seat, and said, “Next.” And three young women in their twenties dressed in pink Cinderella dresses with tiaras on their heads rushed the stage.
It had started out as innocent fun with a friend, but then all Alex’s chance meetings began that way, and ended badly.