Dear Adam (17 page)

"You listen to me, Adam Carter," she
interrupted, underscoring his name with a venomous snarl, "I don't
need your money. I've got money of my own. For your information, if
I wanted a ‘rich fool', I'd certainly look much closer to home than
Sicily. I don’t need anyone to take care of me and Dante. I’ve been
taking care of us just fine without anyone’s help."

There was silence on the other end.

"If that's what you really think, then we
might as well end it now."

“
End it? Aren’t you
over-reacting? I’m just trying to get you to see my perspective.
You know about my past relationships.”

“
Yes, I do.” Eden stopped
pacing and took another deep breath. “That’s why I didn’t hang up
on you when you pretty much called me a gold-digger.”

“
Well, you pretty much
called me a liar and a fraud.” He lowered his tone, more gently
this time. “I’ve been nothing but honest with you. And if the truth
sounds strange, it’s because it is strange. I don’t make up
things.”

Eden was quiet, remorse setting in as
suddenly as the eruption of her fury.

“
It’s a leap of faith for
both of us.”

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:16 PM

To: Adam -

nude lace

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:21 PM

To: Eden E

Nude lace? I was in the shower ...
NAKED.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:22 PM

To: Adam -

You're just taking a shower now? Or you take
showers twice a day?

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:27 PM

To: Eden E

Twice a day, though sometimes I don't in the
evening.

You were referring to your underwear? It's
one case where I prefer the American word. We say “knickers” and I
believe you say “panties” and I think the latter is far more
appropriate for such an intimate attirement.

----------

From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:33 PM

To: Adam -

Do you wear cologne?

Yes.

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:45 PM

To: Eden E

I wear Armani Code October to May and Agua
Lavanda over the summer.

They sound nice.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:47 PM

To: Adam -

Do you put it on every day? Where?

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:49 PM

To: Eden E

Every day. On my neck/lower face.

Do we still have a date at 5 PM?

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:57 PM

To: Adam -

I might be a little bit late. I'm stopping
off at a store which I think carries Agua Lavanda.

----------

From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 2:58 PM

To: Eden E

Why are you stopping there? In actual fact,
out of the two, I vastly prefer the Armani Code.

----------

From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:00 PM

To: Adam -

Because I want to smell you. Isn't that what
you're wearing now?

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:02 PM

To: Eden E

Yes, it is what I'm wearing now. But, if for
example, even though it's summer, I was meeting you tonight, I'd
wear the Armani.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:16 PM

To: Adam -

Alright, describe a scene for me. It's our
first date. You've showered for the second time that day and
wearing Armani Code. Would you take me out to dinner or a lunch or
coffee at a cafe? What would you be wearing?

----------

From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:19 PM

To: Eden E

Dinner. Italian food. Menu and wine
pre-ordered before our arrival. Black suit, black shirt, black tie.
I'd have the restaurant play music specifically chosen by me as
well.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:23 PM

To: Adam -

Pre-ordered? What if you ordered a Bolognese
sauce not knowing that I don't eat beef? Do you [and I am not
asking this in a cold or outraged manner] usually order for your
dates?

----------

From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:25 PM

To: Eden E

I don't go on dates. So this would be an
exception.

----------

From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:26 PM

To: Adam -

Mouth open.

Please explain the second to last
sentence.

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:28 PM

To: Eden E

Your mouth is open? Thank you, darling, but
I told you, I don't like fellatio.

I don't go on dates. My previous
relationships just happened. No dating involved.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:31 PM

To: Adam -

You meet a woman. "Hello, my name is Adam.
I'd like a relationship with you, please, but hold the fellatio."
Is that how it goes?

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:34 PM

To: Eden E

Something along those lines, yes. No, no,
it's usually been someone I've known in some capacity and we've
just drifted into it.

By the way, Edie, my name is Adam, I'd like
a relationship with you please, but hold the fellatio.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:37 PM

To: Adam -

Darling, I don't think you've ever "drifted"
into anything in your life.

I'll have to think about it. That fellatio
thing is a tough one to get over.

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:42 PM

To: Eden E

You are a “giver” shall we say?

Well, dates weren't involved, either
way.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:43 PM

To: Adam -

But you did go on dates within a
relationship?

----------

From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:44 PM

To: Eden E

Well, we did go out and did fun things, does
that count?

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:45 PM

To: Adam -

Fun most definitely counts.

----------

From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:45 PM

To: Eden E

Then yes ;)

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:47 PM

To: Adam -

So you were the couple at the beach where
the guy was lying on a towel sunbathing in a three-piece suit? I
always wondered who that was.

----------

From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:48 PM

To: Eden E

Haha no, but my chest would be covered in
public, always, because of my scar.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:50 PM

To: Adam -

How about at home? Do you always wear a vest
even when it's hot and you're by yourself?

Is this too rapid-fire? Am I not giving you
a chance to get a word in edgewise?

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 3:55 PM

To: Eden E

No, I'm just enamoured by the general
niceness of your tone with me since our discussion.

No, no, if alone and it's hot I am fine
being without vest.

Do you ever sit around in your
underwear/naked? I imagine it's different having a child in the
house.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:00 PM

To: Adam -

Lucky for you, I took my medication and now
I'm even-keeled again.

When I'm alone in the summertime, I wear
knickers and a cotton and lace chemise that comes down to just
below my derriere.

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:03 PM

To: Eden E

You said knickers on purpose, I presume?

That does sound nice.

Thank the Lord for your pill happy
nation.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:08 PM

To: Adam -

Yes. That's such a sexy word. Can you say it
to me over the phone later?

I had my prescription refilled on the way
back from our discussion. Shame on me, I'd been lax the past few
days. My psychiatrist warned me that psychotic episodes might occur
if I didn't keep up on my meds.

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:11 PM

To: Eden E

I hope you are being sarcastic? It's a
dreadful word.

What is your prescription? I may slip a few
extra ones in your hippy herbal tea from time to time.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:19 PM

To: Adam -

You are so new that everything you say
sounds ... mmm ... enamouring. To quote you. Even when you're being
stern with me.

Are you very sleepy? Maybe you should take a
nap?

I think all I needed was a dose of you.

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:26 PM

To: Eden E

I'm OK for now, and I've made it thus far it
would be senseless to sleep now when you're relatively close to
being home.

You're on a roll with this sweet talk and
niceness, darling.

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From: Eden E

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:29 PM

To: Adam -

Okay leaving!!! Cross your fingers.

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From: Adam -

Date: Thu, Aug 9, at 4:34 PM

To: Eden E

crossed x

“
I want to go on a date,”
Eden declared. She was sitting on the stairs, where the reception
was clearest. The house was dim, but not dark, with the late
afternoon light spilling through the windows. It was hot so she had
stripped down to a thin cotton slip edged with lace before
accepting Adam’s call.