policy for my apartment and a couple of others, were based on shipboard practices: continual attention, and cleanup whenever needed. I was neat and tidy, but nothing could hide the mess I had made of my bed, the sheets and the coverlet, and she had the changes of bedding for me in her storage closet. All I had to say was, “Marilisa, my bed…” and she said, “I’ll be right up.”
She and I, on either side of the bed, quickly put on new sheets and a new coverlet. She did the pillowcases, and I retrieved my Watch Bear, a ridiculously menacing stuffed animal over a foot high, that was my appointed sleep guardian. I had brought him to the Blessing of the Animals last year, finding many people with their own little accumulations of toy critters. The priests at Saint Mary’s smiled a lot, but never said a word, blessing all the pets, and blessing pictures of beloved animal companions who had died. I was determined to find a special medal for my Bear, to pin it on him, his own talisman, as he was mine.
Marilisa did a quick sweep of the bathroom, gathering towels against my protests, “They’re still clean,” looking at me with a sly smile, I think not trusting that post-lovemaking towels could be used again. With quick efficiency fresh towels went onto the racks, and she was out the door with a wave at my thanks.
As I had hoped, Robin did arrive a little bit early – maybe fifteen minutes – a bonus of time for us. We hugged briefly as we murmured our hellos, and I stood back to admire her very high heels.
“Five inches!” I exclaimed. “I can’t wear them! Are they comfortable?” I was amazed that she had bought such shoes.
“Yes, I bought them for our outings!” she announced solemnly. “I am so tired of neck strain when we walk together.”
“Robin, for heaven’s sake, I’m just a bit taller than average.”
“And I’m a bit shorter, and you’re not just a ‘bit’ taller. In my next life, please God let me be tall!” She sat in one of the small upholstered chairs in my bedroom, inhaling deeply, “And please, God, let someone send me roses like that! Who is it? Who?” She was practically bouncing on the seat as she asked me.
“Rand….” I began.
“Grenville
Rand? Oh, my God!” She was excited and eager. “Tell me, what happened, did you, did he….”
“It was wonderful.” I sat across from her; we were bending toward each other in our excitement. “We went to the Balthusexhibit, and he’s going to be a museum trustee, and then we went to dinner, and then to his place, not his apartment…” The words tumbled one on top of the other, yet she and I could hear each other’s thoughts as well as our words, and she understood everything.
“Did you?” she asked, giggling.
“Oh, Robin, we never actually got to it! We were, you know, ‘in the throes of love,’ as they say, and I did Mrs. Sanjay’s technique, and he loved it,” at which Robin squeaked, her special sound, and bounced on the chair some more. “But just as we were about to, just at the point, his phone rang…” and I never finished the sentence because Robin screeched out an “eeeeek, oh noooooo…”
She was suddenly serious and angry for me. “And he
answered
it?” She was indignant. “Why didn’t he just ignore it!”
“You should have heard the weird ringtone, Robin. That was no regular call, and sure enough, he sent me home in his car and flew off, I think late last night, maybe to India since that’s the only place I’ve ever smelled roses like this.” I hesitated. “I wonder how he got them here overnight, though…”
“Never mind that!” Robin exclaimed. “You’re going to see him again!”
“Yes! I can’t believe how he affects me, he’s bright and tender and…” I had no more words, I just turned my hands up, surrendering the struggle to describe it.
“And
super
rich!” She looked at me. “Do you know how rich he is?”
“Robin, we’re not exactly poor.”
“Oooh, but
She and I, on either side of the bed, quickly put on new sheets and a new coverlet. She did the pillowcases, and I retrieved my Watch Bear, a ridiculously menacing stuffed animal over a foot high, that was my appointed sleep guardian. I had brought him to the Blessing of the Animals last year, finding many people with their own little accumulations of toy critters. The priests at Saint Mary’s smiled a lot, but never said a word, blessing all the pets, and blessing pictures of beloved animal companions who had died. I was determined to find a special medal for my Bear, to pin it on him, his own talisman, as he was mine.
Marilisa did a quick sweep of the bathroom, gathering towels against my protests, “They’re still clean,” looking at me with a sly smile, I think not trusting that post-lovemaking towels could be used again. With quick efficiency fresh towels went onto the racks, and she was out the door with a wave at my thanks.
As I had hoped, Robin did arrive a little bit early – maybe fifteen minutes – a bonus of time for us. We hugged briefly as we murmured our hellos, and I stood back to admire her very high heels.
“Five inches!” I exclaimed. “I can’t wear them! Are they comfortable?” I was amazed that she had bought such shoes.
“Yes, I bought them for our outings!” she announced solemnly. “I am so tired of neck strain when we walk together.”
“Robin, for heaven’s sake, I’m just a bit taller than average.”
“And I’m a bit shorter, and you’re not just a ‘bit’ taller. In my next life, please God let me be tall!” She sat in one of the small upholstered chairs in my bedroom, inhaling deeply, “And please, God, let someone send me roses like that! Who is it? Who?” She was practically bouncing on the seat as she asked me.
“Rand….” I began.
“Grenville
Rand? Oh, my God!” She was excited and eager. “Tell me, what happened, did you, did he….”
“It was wonderful.” I sat across from her; we were bending toward each other in our excitement. “We went to the Balthusexhibit, and he’s going to be a museum trustee, and then we went to dinner, and then to his place, not his apartment…” The words tumbled one on top of the other, yet she and I could hear each other’s thoughts as well as our words, and she understood everything.
“Did you?” she asked, giggling.
“Oh, Robin, we never actually got to it! We were, you know, ‘in the throes of love,’ as they say, and I did Mrs. Sanjay’s technique, and he loved it,” at which Robin squeaked, her special sound, and bounced on the chair some more. “But just as we were about to, just at the point, his phone rang…” and I never finished the sentence because Robin screeched out an “eeeeek, oh noooooo…”
She was suddenly serious and angry for me. “And he
answered
it?” She was indignant. “Why didn’t he just ignore it!”
“You should have heard the weird ringtone, Robin. That was no regular call, and sure enough, he sent me home in his car and flew off, I think late last night, maybe to India since that’s the only place I’ve ever smelled roses like this.” I hesitated. “I wonder how he got them here overnight, though…”
“Never mind that!” Robin exclaimed. “You’re going to see him again!”
“Yes! I can’t believe how he affects me, he’s bright and tender and…” I had no more words, I just turned my hands up, surrendering the struggle to describe it.
“And
super
rich!” She looked at me. “Do you know how rich he is?”
“Robin, we’re not exactly poor.”
“Oooh, but
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