MONTY’S ALARM WOKE HER at eight o’clock Sunday morning. She felt like she’d better get herself into the groove of an early rise again and didn’t want Jeannie to feel like the consultant wasn’t doing her part. Jeannie was awake and the coffee was made. Monty found the same breakfast scenario, with fresh bagels that Jeannie had already bought that morning.
Jeannie was reading the Sunday Times. She told Monty to read as much as she would like of the paper. She said that was as important to Monty’s growth as business courses would have been. Monty told her that she was on board for reading, but that she wanted to catch Liz at home with a morning video chat.
She went into her own room for privacy and texted Liz.
U up? Can we chat please??
Please! (Heart emoji) (Mwah emoji), Liz responded.
Monty placed the call via her video chat app. She saw her own postage-stamp-sized face, then Liz appeared on the screen.
“Oh, I am glad to see your face. I miss you,” Liz said.
Monty knew she was beaming. “I miss you. Look how beautiful you are! I’m melting, seeing you. I miss you. I wish you were here! Liz, it’s cool. This whole thing is cool, and we haven’t even gone into the corporation yet. We went to the park yesterday. Green. I mean I saw it on the plane, too…green amongst the buildings. That was cool. But in person! Wow! We walked a lot in the park, on these paths. I saw hawks with my binoculars. The two I saw were red tails. Jeannie has been going out in the morning, before I wake up, and bringing back fresh bagels. We have a big apartment with gray leather furniture. There is such a cool view of the city. We’re reading the Sunday New York Times today. That’s my job! Oh Liz, I wish you were here.” Monty barely paused between thoughts or sentences.
“Oh, God, how I miss your energy.” Liz grinned. “I’m so, so happy to see you. Your lips look beautiful right now. I wish I could kiss you.”
“Me, too,” Monty said. “Both kiss you and be kissed. It’s nice to see you, but I’d rather be able to hold you. Hey, we’re going to be in Asheville, North Carolina, in mid-March. That’s the plan anyway. Maybe we can meet there. I think it’s only a little more than two hours from home. I would like to go to a nice inn with you. Maybe a long weekend? Anyway, I’ll let you know more when we have a date for the meeting. I’ll be going with Jeannie and maybe Charlton. That’s our corporate point person. He has an MBA, and he went to law school with Jeannie. Anyway, we’re going there and to this big casino in Connecticut, and to Phoenix and Seattle. We’re—”
“Whoa, sweetheart. Slow down. You don’t have to tell me everything in five minutes”.
“Sorry, sorry. I’m excited, and I’m afraid I’ll forget something,” Monty replied. She took a deep breath to slow herself down. Liz was staring at her. “What?”
“I’m just looking at you, Monty. I miss seeing you. But you’re not smiling anymore.”
“I’m looking at you. I miss you like crazy. I didn’t think I’d feel this way. I’m happy to see you, but now, I feel sad already because we’re going to have to end the call sometime.”
“Yeah. The good and the bad. It’s hard. It’ll get better though. Maybe easier is a better word,” Liz said. “Do you have enough clothes to wear?”
“Jeannie said I do. The coat is good. It’s still cold here, but at least there isn’t a bunch of snow on the ground. In piles in places, but they say a lot of the snow melted with the hard rain this week. And I can alternate the suits. While one is being cleaned, I’ll wear the other.” Monty spewed the answers to Liz’s questions.
“You are adorable. I really miss you.” Liz sighed and looked away from the camera.
“Hey, now,” Monty said cheerily. “Don’t look sad. I won’t make it if you look sad.” Liz looked at her intently. “I love you. I am happy to see you…happy with you.”
Liz smiled at Monty’s request.
“Thank you for smiling.” Monty whispered. She put her finger to her own lower lip and pulled it down. They both laughed.
“Bye, babe. Oh, you’re such a tease,” Liz said. “See you on the screen again in a couple of days?”
“Sure. If something too fun happens, though, I might have to call you,” Monty said, feeling excited again. “Bye. Love you.”
“Monty, you don’t even know…” Liz replied as she ended the call.
Monty returned to the living space, thumbed through sections of the paper until she found business, and started reading.
“How’s Liz?”
“She’s good.” Monty let the edge of the paper fall and saw Jeannie looking at her over her reading glasses. She flipped the page back up.
“Y’all make a good couple, you know,” Jeannie said. “You balance one another nicely, it seems to me.”
Monty flipped the paper back down. “Jeannie, do you think I would be able to have a few extra days in Asheville? Liz loves Asheville, and we’ve never been there together.”
“I don’t see why not. We’re looking at a conference start on the Tuesday after St. Patrick’s Day, the nineteenth. If y’all head there that weekend before, it might work out perfectly.”
“I think I’m going to ask her to marry me, Jeannie,” Monty said softly.
“Oh Monty, that’s sweet. Are you going to do the ring thing?”
“I’d like to. I want to surprise her. I know it’s early in the relationship. We’ve never talked about that, you know, but I really want it to be a surprise. I don’t want her to have any inkling I’d do that. I’ve only said that maybe we could meet in Asheville when we’re there for the seminar. I told her I’d let her know dates when I found out.”
Monty folded the newspaper. “About the ring, though. I saw this beautiful designer ring in a store window in Atlanta. It was really cool. I remembered the ring’s look and found information about it online. That jewelry designer worked in black coral, but he died a few years ago. His stores closed, and that makes his pieces harder to find. I’ve found some previously owned pieces on different websites.”
“That’s going to be pretty expensive, I imagine.”
“Yeah, it is. I’m looking for one of two specific designs. If I can find them, I want to use the money I make to purchase matching or complementary rings. Like, there’s a ring that represents two beaches in Hawaii. If each of us had a ring in that wave series, then they would complement one another. There were also rings paying homage to New Orleans. Those are cool, too.”
“Paying homage, huh. You never cease to surprise me.” Jeannie smiled. “I mean, saying something like that, and you’re being thoughtful. Dang, she’s lucky.”
“I think I’m the lucky one. The chance she took. Chances, really.”
“Monty, I hope that works out for you. If you find the rings and haven’t received enough of your money yet, please let me know. I’m happy to help you out with that.”
“Oh, Jeannie. I might take you up on that offer. Might have to. Obviously, I’m lucky to have found you, too.”
“Hey, you want to take in a Broadway matinee? There are some discount ticket services. We might find a deal. Grab cheap tickets to something.”
“Shoot, yeah. If it’s possible, I’d love to see The Lion King. I haven’t seen the movie, but I’ve read about it. I keep seeing it in the New Yorker. I’ve never seen a play, other than in grade school.” She laughed out loud. “Don’t think that even counts. I sure haven’t seen a Broadway play. Not even an off-Broadway play, for that matter.” She folded the paper and tossed it over to the table.
* * * *
After the show, Monty was awed. She barely spoke. Jeannie suggested they grab some pizza from one of the many pizzeria choices. Monty felt she was going to burst with excitement. First, seeing something so wonderful on stage, then real New York pizza, which she had always heard about. Her only regret was that Liz wasn’t there. On the walk back from the subway station to the apartment, Monty was quiet.
“Monty, you’re not nervous about tomorrow, are you? You’re mighty quiet.”
“No. Not really. As cool as everything is, I feel kind of lost.”
“Think about what you’ve been through recently, girl. I mean in less than twelve months, you’ve been released after a year in prison. You were homeless. You were taken in by a wonderful woman with whom you have fallen in love. You got a legit job. You saved someone’s life. You were almost killed yourself. And now you’re ripped from your home on an exciting, legit job venture.”
“I think most of what I feel comes from missing the woman that I love. I’ve really got to get my head around this. Get my bearings.”
Jeannie stopped walking and turned abruptly. Monty walked right into her. Jeannie took Monty’s shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. “You are adorable. Real. Liz is a very lucky woman. I hope she realizes that. If I didn’t like y’all so much, I sure would try to seduce you.”
“It wouldn’t be too hard,” Monty said, looking down. She raised her head just enough, tilted to the side, and smiled.
Jeannie laughed.
“Oh, you! You are a devil. God, I wish I didn’t have any scruples.” She grabbed Monty’s hand and slipped it around her own waist. They walked together back to their building, where Sabón opened the door, smiling.
“Good evening, ladies.” He held the door, then rushed in as they passed and pressed the elevator button for them.
“Sabón, I might need your services.” Jeannie winked. “This one is too pure for me.” They all laughed as Sabón disappeared on the foyer side of the elevator door.
* * * *
Monday arrived, and Jeannie knocked on Monty’s door at seven thirty just as her alarm went off.
“Wake up, sleepy head,” Jeannie called. “We’re going sight-seeing this morning. Wear casual and comfortable. Bring a coat. The wind is a-blowin’ and mighty chilly.”
After a quick coffee and breakfast at the apartment, they took the subway down to the 9/11 memorial. As they walked around, Monty took pictures with her cell. She texted one to Liz. Jeannie had explained that she hoped to get a jump on the busloads of school children that might be visiting. Even if they had to wait in line, at least it was a weekday. She said the weekends were impossible. The memorial didn’t open until nine, but there was plenty to see. Monty was mesmerized by the flowing water. She took a selfie by the water and sent it to Liz.
Text buzz. Liz.
Stay warm, sweetheart. You’re beautiful.
Monty felt butterflies inside and smiled.
“You are,” Jeannie said, looking over Monty’s shoulder. Monty pulled the phone to her chest, then started another text hoping Jeannie would think it was going to Liz.
Jeannie glanced at her phone.
And aren’t your eyes brown ’cause you’re F.O.S? was the message Monty sent.
“You are,” Jeannie said again. Her tone was serious, and Monty shrugged.
“There’s one thing you’ve got to realize, Monty. How you look to others is about 90 percent in your own head. How you carry yourself. It isn’t as much how you look or what you wear. You’re confident. You’re not self-conscious. That shows, but if you don’t realize how truly beautiful you are, that’s a crying shame.”
“Aw. Come on. I’m okay. I know that. You and Liz, though. Y’all are beautiful. I mean bee…u…tee…full.”
“Thank you and you are, also. Inside and out. Innocent and wise. Your green eyes are mesmerizing. Your lips are luscious. Your nose is adorable. Your arms…when I see your arms, I almost faint. They’re gorgeous and muscular.” Jeannie kissed Monty, just to the side of her lips. “You are irresistible…really…but I will resist you, only because I love you both. Trust me. You are beautiful.”
Monty was blushing. She so easily felt sexually charged, but she trusted she would not act on it. She thought of how it felt when the flight attendant had given her a compliment and passed her a note. How she felt every time she saw Liz. How she felt when she thought about Liz. She was still amazed that she could experience this wonderful feeling after years of feeling nothing but fear…or feeling nauseated.
The memorial was moving and beautiful. The horrifying events of 9/11 were something Monty would never forget. In 2001, she was ten. She remembered the principal coming to their class to tell the students that they were safe, but that something bad had happened in New York City and at the Pentagon. Their teacher was crying. Monty hadn’t fully understood what this meant, but she knew that it was bad. When she got home that day, her mom was crying. Her stepdad was still at work. The television was on, and it kept playing images of the day—scary images—again and again. Stories of the towers, of the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania.
But those images were erased during the next few months as her mom became ill. Radiation and some medicine made her weaker and weaker. Chemotherapy was a term Monty learned later. She saw her mom bald, but most of the time she wore a scarf around her head. She died within six months. That year was filled with sadness. After that, Monty’s stepdad acted like he hated her. She hadn’t thought about her mom’s death or 9/11 in years, except in passing. She realized that she hadn’t talked to Liz about this part of her life.
Jeannie took Monty to look around Times Square. On the way, they stopped in at an Irish pub. Monty had fish and chips, and Jeannie had shepherd’s pie. They each had a draft Guinness. Monty felt decadent. She texted Liz a picture of her mug and the full fish and chips basket.
At Times Square, Jeannie took a picture on Monty’s phone of Monty with the Times Tower in the background. Monty took some pictures of monks in orange robes, some mimes that looked like statues, and some buildings she thought looked cool against the sky.
It was early evening by the time they reached Rockefeller Plaza. They were walking in the door when Jeannie nudged Monty’s arm and motioned with her head for Monty to look toward the elevator. Monty saw a familiar brown-haired woman. She squinted trying to figure it out. As the door closed on the woman, Monty thought her eyes might pop out. She’d recognized the news show host and author.
“Rachel!”
Jeannie nodded. “Live and in person.”
“That is so cool,” Monty said, still wide-eyed. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe I just saw her.”
“You are such an adorable tourist.” Jeannie rolled her eyes.
They made their way back to the apartment via cab.
“School night. Let’s get some rest and get ready for tomorrow,” Jeannie advised as they walked through the apartment door.
Monty nodded. “I’ll sleep like a baby tonight.”
“Just remember, from here on out, if you’re out in public, you’re the property of the firm. It’s business attire now, even off-duty, unless we’re in the apartment. Here, you can dress as you please. Or undress if you’re trying to please me.” She laughed out loud.
Monty smiled and nodded. “Got it, chief.”