Stranger (6 page)
Monday morning. Ugh. Here’s a little message for you:
“Dear Monday, fuck you.”
9:30 and there’s already a shitload of calls to make, quotes to catch up on and follow-ups to do. And I can’t get my mind off that mysterious man, Marco, who controlled my body and took me to places I’d hungered for never realizing they were real. He blew into my life like a hurricane sweeping me in for hours then leaving me washed on the shore under the bright sunshine as the waves lapped lovingly at my skin as I wondered if it had all been a dream. My breath catches and my body reacts to the memories. It definitely wasn’t a dream.
Another ripple of fear threatens to bubble to the surface and I push it back again. ‘No, there’s no way Santino can find out about him. There’s no trail, no emails, nothing that can link me to him. No one knows but us.’ I relax content with carrying these memories in my soul until I’m old and grey when I can pull them out and remember that passionate night of sweet abandonment.
I jump as my phone rings. I see it’s Carol who is the senior rep in the office and I smile. I love that woman. She’s the most endearing person I’ve ever met. Carol is the epitome of good things in small packages, strong and badass, she’s former military and she even keeps a small gun in her desk. Yet she’s kind and gentle.
“Yes?”
“Miss Sue Whiggins, get in here now.”
I laugh out loud at the joke. She and I play at that old Carol Burnett skit. I’m Carol Burnett as the secretary, because I’ve got the ‘junk in the trunk’ as Carol says, and she’s Tim Conway as the boss.
I walk across the hall to her office and sit in the chair across from her. There’s a lull in the traffic and calls coming in to the office right now so we take a five minute break to have a little girl time.
“So, what’s up with you, Elizabeth?” She leans over her desk leering at me scrunching her eyes like she’s about to interrogate me and I feel the blush heat my face. Damn, I can’t hide anything from her.
“Nothing, why?”
“Don’t give me that crap. What’s up?”
I let out a heavy sigh and look away trying to decide if I should tell her or make up something. I know I look like the kid whose eaten every last cookie from the cookie jar smiling at my secret crime while a few stray crumbs are still on my mouth.
I look back at her smiling. “I met someone.”
“It’s about friggin’ time. Who, when, where?” Her face beams with excitement.
“His name is Marco at happy hour Friday night.” I try to keep my excitement low.
“And...?”
I hesitate. I’m about to bust. To hell with it, she’s safe.
I lean in towards her as a wicked grin spreads across my face and I lower my voice. “The sex was in-fucking-credible.”
“Holy shit! I’m so happy for you. When are you going to see him again?”
My face drops. She doesn’t know about my past only that I was married and I prefer to keep it that way.
“I’m not. It was just one mind-blowing night. I don’t even know his last name or what he does or even if he lives here.” I pause. “And that’s how I want it.”
She studies me trying to read anything else on my face. Her hand reaches out and holds mine as her expression softens with caring.
“Honey, this is only a new beginning for you. Finally you opened yourself up. You deserve to be happy. I’m so glad he reached in and pulled you back to life.”
“It’s not quite that easy but, hey, maybe. Who knows, right?” I attempt to sound like I don’t care and that it was no big deal but she can see right through me.
Unexpected tears threaten to fall from my eyes and I can’t reply because of the knot in my throat. Carol looks at me with questions. Thankfully the phone rings and snaps us out of our deep little moment. I silently sigh in relief, a reprieve from the questioning I was sure Carol was going to begin and the emotional reaction I was just falling into.
I laugh, “Back to work,” and I get up to return to my office grateful for once for the office phone ringing.
Tuesday’s are kind of neglected. Monday gets a beating because it’s the beginning of the week, Wednesday is humpday and everyone loves it because it’s half way to Friday, Thursday is the ‘almost there’ day, and Friday, well, we know what Friday is.
Sitting at my desk mid-morning with a cup of decaf french vanilla coffee I get a text from Elsie, a girl I met while working on the Safe Haven film, I worked in accounting and she worked in wardrobe. Elsie is a free spirit, a little gypsy mixed with faerie, with a couple of beautiful tattoos and short blue black hair and she is the sweetest girl I’ve met in a long time. She moved to the East coast when the filming industry began picking up here again. We’ve hung out a few times while she was in between movie projects while she was back in Wilmington after Safe Haven wrapped. I smile because I’m genuinely happy to hear from her.
Hiya Liz! Back in Wilmington for a little while, how’ve you been
?
Great Elsie! How are things with you?
Great! Got a Halloween party to go to, you wanna come?
A slight feeling of apprehension simmers at the back of my mind. I’m not much of a socializer and these sorts of things always make me uncomfortable because I feel like a fish out of water at them.
Maybe, is it with some of the crew?
Yeah, why don’t you meet me at my place when you get out and we can talk about it.
Sounds good, you know if I go you’re gonna have to help me out with a costume.
Lol, don’t worry, girlfriend, I’ve got you totally taken care of already ;) See you later.
Lol, see you about 5:30, have I told you lately how you are just the friggin’ best!
I know, just have your ass here by 5:30 so I don’t have to hunt you down!
A Halloween party, I’m excited! I’ve never been to one, only to the clubs, so this is something new for me. My mind starts thinking of possible costume ideas as I say a silent prayer of gratitude that Elsie is a master at costuming and wardrobe and I have to keep myself from squealing out loud in childish excitement. This could be really fun and I think that maybe life has a way of taking you where you need to go even if you don’t know where that is. I think Tuesday’s just got pretty cool.
I see Elsie’s VW Beetle parked on the street outside of her apartment building as I’m walking up the block. She lives in one of the few true multi-story apartment buildings in Wilmington. This one in particular is special because it was used in the movie Blue Velvet and when I look at it I get a creepy feeling up my spine. I decided to go home first to change then walkver to her place since she doesn’t live far from me. I buzz her apartment on the intercom box that has seen better days outside of the building so she can let me up.
Yes?
comes Elsie’s grainy voice from the old silver panel on the red brick wall.
“Open up, little girl, I have some candy for you.”
I can’t help but chuckle
You are crazy! Hahahaha, common up!
Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. And I push the door open before the annoying noise stops and I have to call her again. I pause at the elevator wondering if this prehistoric looking contraption will get me to her third floor any faster than my feet will and as I do I hear it coming down, the door opens and out comes a beautiful Barbie looking college age girl. She looks me up and down then turns her head jutting her nose up in the air. Damn, I must look exceptionally good for her to act like that. Sometimes you can’t help but give people exactly what they ask for.
“Well, sweetie, no need to be like that, one day you’re going to grow up and maybe be a beautiful woman too. Have a nice night.” I see her steps falter slightly as she gets to the door but she exits quickly without turning. I probably shouldn’t have done that. Who the hell am I kidding, she deserved it, the stuck up princess.
When I get to the third floor, tiny Elsie is leaning against her open door waiting for me. She’s got an oversized NY Yankees t-shirt hanging off her shoulder and cut-off denim shorts with flip flops on her pretty feet with black polish on her little toes. Her short raven hair is brushed over one eye with long bangs with some spiking up haloing her pretty face and head, she looks like the most adorable little Emo pixy with her dazzling smile.
“You are so lucky you didn’t stand me up, Elizabeth. I’d have come and dragged your ass here kicking and screaming. Come here and give me some love!” Elsie lovingly threatens me.
“No doubt, Elsie, I am totally afraid of you, you scare the shit out of me,” and I pull her in for a great big bear hug. She is the only female adult that I know that is shorter than I am but she’s solid as a rock also, being part angel and part devil.
“Come in Miss 9 – 5. Looking good, girl,” she beams at me and although I haven’t known her for very long, two years really, she is a very good friend. This is one person you should not judge by her cover. She is extremely committed to her talent, doesn’t drink except an occasional glass of wine, doesn’t smoke or do drugs, but she has a mouth like a truck driver and won’t hesitate to punch you in the face if you deserve it. I’ve seen her do it at the wrap party for Safe Haven when one of the camera guys grabbed her ass and made some lewd insinuations at her. She turned around, smiled sweetly at him then pulled back and cocked him, laying him right out.
“Thanks, Elsie, you too, you get more beautiful every time I see you.”
“Aw, thank you, maybe I can be as beautiful as you one day.”
I laugh and turn to ask her, “Speaking of which, do you know the Barbie blonde that lives in your building?”
“Yeah, I can’t stand that bitch, and I let her know it one day after I got back from a project.”
“I just ran into her in the lobby downstairs and did the same thing.” I can’t contain my pleased surprise when I answer her.
“You’re kidding me, very cool. What happened?” Her smile is from ear to ear.
“She looked me up and down and gave me a dirty look. I thought she must be jealous so I just reassured her that one day when she becomes a woman she might be beautiful too.”
“You did not?! That is so perfect, that is exactly why I love you!”
“Yes, I did, there is no need to be like that. And no need to take it either.”
“Common, sit down, would you like some tea?”
“Love some, do you have chamomile?” I ask as I enter the living area.
“Does a bear shit in the woods?” Her reply comes to me from over her shoulder as she turns to put the kettle on and reaches for the mismatched antique tea set, sugar bowl, creamer and tea leaf holder, this girl loves her tea time and she does it right.
Elsie’s home matches her completely. It is a cross between a Gypsy wagon and a Victorian boudoir with feminine touches of lace and floral with splashes of vibrant satins of reds with gold trim and tassles. I take a seat on the antique sofa done in deep purple velvet with carved wood trim, a large black steamer trunk sits in front of it as a coffee table. The dark wood end table has an antique brass lamp with a cream colored shade with clear beaded trim that looks like crystals. I reach over to turn it on and the warm fuzzy lighting immediately casts a small circle of romantic haze in the room. Elsie comes in and sets a tray down set with the tea service on the trunk and joins me on the couch.
“So, what’s new with you, Miss Elizabeth?” She fills both of our cups with tea and continues, “Cream and sugar?” She must have lived during the Victorian era. I can see her now in her big bouffant dress entertaining her suitor.
“Yes, please, one sugar. Not much really, did you just finish a project?” The image of us sitting down like this would probably look a bit surreal if anyone were to come in but this is what we do and it’s great.
“Yeah, I was working on an HBO series in Atlanta, a pilot, I don’t know if I’d want to go back and do it though, if it takes off. I’d like to get onto Sleepy Hollow here, I know a couple of people that are working it, and there’s Witches of East End as well besides Under the Dome. So, I’m putting my fingers in and seeing what they’ll come back with.” She looks at me curiously and asks, “Why did you get out of the business?”
I sigh and think back to two years ago when we were working twelve to fourteen hour days before I answer. “My dad was sick. He passed away last year. I decided after that I needed to get back into a field that was a little more stable, although I wouldn’t mind the travelling and getting paid to do it. But I need to start settling down again, I won’t be in my 30’s for too much longer.” I smile at her, she is both young and old at the same time, an old soul in a wild body, and it’s beautiful.
“I understand. Hell, I would enjoy putting down roots and designing my own things with a lovely little boutique. I think that would be wonderful.” Her eyes take on a dreamy expression as she imagines it and she looks so content.
“I’m sure when the time is right for that you’ll know it. I have no doubt there’s nothing that you couldn’t do, Elsie.”
This is what I enjoy most about spending time with her. Neither one of us have any baggage with each other, I have no past, no family. She, to me, is just this fantastic eccentric, talented young woman with her whole future open wide to her. And she’s grounded while still having her head in the clouds and I admire her for that.