A Life More Complete (41 page)

“I’ll see you around ten, okay?”

“Sure,” he says, but he also doesn’t
question anything. He doesn’t seem to care that his thirty-five week pregnant
wife is going to be shuttled around the greater Los Angeles area for the night.
Having his arms around me stops some of the pain, but not all of it. I feel
inadequate despite his kindness tonight. With his kindness comes callousness
something I have grown to expect and accept.

I slip out of his arms and into the
kitchen; filling a glass with water I begin to speak knowing he isn’t
listening. I don’t need the reciprocal conversation anymore. I’ve grown used to
talking without being heard.

“I’ll leave the party around nine,
that should get me there near ten. I’m going to have to take a cab since Bob is
driving. I guess I could drive myself, but that seems silly. I really hate
taxis. So dirty and germ filled.” I pause for a second to take a drink of my
water. Tyler says nothing. “By the way, you never told me what you’re wearing. I
hope you don’t have a mask. I’ll never be able to find you.” I wait a few
seconds for him to respond but his eyes are focused on the TV. “Hey, Ty? Did
you hear me?”

“Hear what?” he asks

“Hear me. I asked you what you’re
wearing to the party tonight. I’m glad you’re listening to me.”

“I don’t do costumes. It’s a party
with people I do business with. You think I’m gonna show up dressed like
Napoleon Dynamite? No.” He huffs and uncrosses his feet. “And just so you know,
I don’t listen to you. You talk just to hear yourself talk. I’ve gotten really
good at tuning you out.”

“Thanks,” I mumble as I check myself
out one last time. Bob strolls in through my front door just in time to keep my
annoyance with Tyler from erupting into World War III.

“OMG!” he squeals when he sees me in
my costume. “You look amazing. Just like her. Crazy what a wig can do, isn’t it?”

Bob’s wearing a white lab coat with
the name Dr. Sapirstein embroidered on the upper left hand side. He has on a three-piece
suit and a fully gray fake beard. I touch his face and giggle at how he looks. “You
ready?” he asks.

“Yep. Let me say good-bye to Ty.”

Tyler’s hand flies up over the back
of the couch and gives me a dismissive wave. “See ya,” he yells his voice even
and his tone wry.

“I guess that’s good-bye,” I say
looking at Bob. He shrugs his shoulders as I follow him out the door.

I’m having so much fun with Bob at
the party I hardly notice the time. It’s Bob that brings it to my attention
making me wrinkle my nose in disgust. I don’t want to leave. It’s nice to spend
time with people who enjoy my sense of humor and have no predetermined ideas of
how I should behave.

I look down at my costume and
suddenly I feel foolish. I’m about to meet Tyler at a party thrown by someone
he does business with, who happens to own a beach house in Malibu and something
tells me it isn’t the kind I’m picturing in my head, all the while dressed as a
woman carrying the spawn of Satan. What the hell am I thinking?

Bob walks me out front his arm draped
over my shoulders and my head resting against him. I’m exhausted just thinking
about having to spend the rest of my evening with Tyler. A black Mercedes SUV pulls
up in front and Bob motions toward the SUV. I give him a questioning look.

“Did you really think I was going to
let you take a taxi to Malibu? Not a chance, sweetie. You and your precious
cargo will be riding with Edward.” Bob waves a hand at the vehicle and like
magic a large, burley man in his late thirties exits the driver’s side. His
hair is cropped close and his face impassable. “Krissy, this is Edward, my
father’s driver and since my father is old and rich he’s already in bed asleep.
Probably has been for at least two hours,” Bob says as Edward tips his head
slightly. “So you are the lucky recipient of a chauffeured ride to Malibu.”

I lean into Bob, my body heavy as I
wrap my arms around his waist. He pulls me closer and gives me a quick kiss on
the forehead. “You didn’t have to do this. You are so good to me,” I say as he
slaps my butt.

“There’s not a chance in hell I’m
letting your cute little pregnant ass get in a cab. I love you far too much for
that. Get moving. You don’t want to be late to meet your prince charming.”

“I wish,” I mumble as I climb into
the back seat. “Enjoy the rest of your night and again, thank you.” My eyes
begin to well with tears. Bob cares far more than Tyler ever will.

“Have fun, love. I’ll miss you,” he
says as he blows me a kiss and closes the door.

I hand Edward the address and lean
back into the soft leather of the captain’s chair in the second row. The hum of
the engine is relaxing and the smell of leather calms my nerves. I can’t
remember a time when I was chauffeured around in an expensive car when I wasn’t
with a client. The darkened windows and quiet stillness block out any offending
thoughts as we ride through the night. The quiet begins to bother me when Bob’s
voice comes over a speaker in the car.

“Hi, love. I just wanted to make sure
you were doing okay. Edward tells me you’re nearing your destination, but that
you look tired. If you’re too tired please have Edward bring you home.” I smile
at his kindness and also wonder how in the world I didn’t hear his conversation
with Edward.

“I’m fine, Bob. Tired, but I’ll be all
right. How did I not hear you talking to Edward?”

“He has an ear piece and he is very
discrete.” I know he is smiling. I can hear it in his voice. “I’ll check on you
tomorrow. Seriously, though, if you’re tired go home. I don’t want you
exhausting yourself, especially not for Tyler and his pompous work friends.”

“Blah, blah, blah. I know. Love you,”
I say, leaning my head back against the seat and even I can hear the exhaustion
in my voice.

“Love you, too.”

A few minutes pass and the car comes
to a stop in front of a large wrought iron gate. The gate swings open as a man
approaches the vehicle. Edward speaks to him in a low tone and the man flags us
on. We pull up in front of a house that resembles a high-end oceanfront hotel. Beautiful
sweeping balconies, flagstone driveway and fountains grace the entryway as the
car rolls to a stop.

“Edward? Are you sure this is the
place?” I ask, panicking.

“Yes, ma’am. This is the address you
gave me. You’re on the guest list. Do you know the owner?”

“No. I’m supposed to meet my husband
here.”

“Well, it’s Phillip Dubois. He is the
owner of the well-known investment firm Dubois Industries.”

“You know the owner?” I ask,
appalled. “How?”

“Yes, ma’am, I do. I’ve been doing
this job for a while now and I know pretty much everyone Mr. Sonfeld does
business with. That being the elder Sonfeld.” His tone is clipped but not in a cruel
way. For some reason I like Edward. He makes me feel safe.

“Um, so do I just get out here?” I
ask not knowing what to do. I figure that Edward might have a clue since he’s
more accustom to this lifestyle.

“Yes, ma’am. There will be someone to
greet you at the front door.”

“Okay,” I respond, but I stay firmly
seated in the back of the car where I’m comfortable. “Ma’am?” I hear Edward ask
quietly.

“Edward, please stop calling me ma’am.
You’re making me uncomfortable,” I snap.

“My apologies,” he says, glancing
over his shoulder. “But I don’t think it’s me making you uncomfortable. Would
you like me to escort you to the door? I’d be happy to do so.”

“No,” I reply, slightly indignantly. I’m
not a child although right now I certainly feel like one. I’m completely
mortified to enter this spectacular house with absolutely no frame of reference
as to where I might be able to locate Tyler. I send him a quick text from the
comfort of the fancy, protective SUV. I wait a few seconds for a response, but
I get nothing. I can tell that Edward is waiting for me to make a move and I’m
sure he’d like to enjoy what’s left of his night off, so I exit.

“Good night, Edward. Thank you.” I
pause and lean back into the car, stupidly I ask, “So do I tip you?”

For the first time this evening I see
a faint smile cross Edwards lips, “No Miss Mullins, but thank you for the
offer. Enjoy your evening.”

I close the car door and slap myself
in the forehead. Sometimes I even shock myself. I repeat it in my head as I
walk slowly to the front door.
Don’t say
anything stupid. Don’t say anything stupid.
The independently wealthy make
me nervous and apparently so do their help. Strange since my professional life
is surrounded with them. It’s the personal situations that draw the uneasiness.

A man wearing a really unfortunate
baby blue tuxedo with tails opens the door before I can ring the bell. I can’t
tell if it’s a costume or part of a uniform. He asks for my name and directs me
down a long marble hallway. I secretly find the tuxedo intriguing, so I quietly
snap a picture and text it to Bob knowing he will find it as entertaining as I
do.

I’m left standing in front of floor
to ceiling windows that over look a spectacular pool with views of the ocean
mixed in. There’s a large crowd of people gathered on the deck and surrounding
the pool. I search the guests, looking for Tyler before I make my way through
the crowd. When I don’t find him I move into the crowd and get lost for a
moment. I turn around and spot him several feet way in a large group. I smile
and then my smile drops instantaneously. As a sick feeling moves through me and
my exhaustion becomes extreme, to the point that I’m not sure I can stand on my
own. The overtly loud music begins to over stimulate me and my head throbs, my
pulse races, perspiration builds and I think I may seriously barf.

I watch Tyler’s arm slip around a
skinny blonde girl’s waist. He pulls her tightly to the side of his body and
she leans into him. Her hand slides up his back and slips it into his hair. Resting
her head on his shoulder he runs his hand down to the small of her back
eventually coming to rest on her ass. When she turns her body to face him I
almost vomit on the spot. She presses her lips to his mouth while both of his
hands grope her ass without caring about who is watching. I’m bordering on a
near breakdown as I stumble back down the marble hallway.

“Can I help you ma’am?” Baby Blue
asks as I shake my head and bolt out the front door. The valet stops me and
asks if he can get my car, again I shake my head. I can’t seem to form a
coherent thought. I pull my phone from my purse as I waddle down the brick
paved driveway to the gate. I call Bob because at this moment I can’t think of
anyone else.

“Oh my God! Blue tuxedo! Love it!” he
yells over the music playing in the background.

“Bob,” just saying his name causes me
to lose it. I’m crying and I can’t get a word out.

“Krissy? What the hell is going on? Where
are you? Why are you crying?” The panic in his voice is evident and I’m not
helping to subside it by not speaking.

Shakily I get the words out, “Can you
come get me?”

“Where are you? At the party?”

“Yes.”

“Let me call Edward. He couldn’t have
gotten very far. I’ll call you back in a minute. Hold tight, honey.”

“Okay,” I say trying to control
myself. The gate attendant is eyeing me warily when I sit down in the grass out
front of the obscene house. It feels like hours pass before I hear back from
Bob, but when I look at my phone it has only been three minutes.

“Edward is coming, baby. He’ll be
there soon. Hang in there. I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure it has to
do with Tyler.”

“Bob,” I sob. Luckily Edward comes
barreling down the street and sidles up to the curb in record time. “Edward’s
here,” I choke out before I hang up.

I open the door and climb in before
Edward can assist me. Attempting to stifle the sobs that have me near hysteria,
I hold my breath.

“Thank you, Edward,” I mumble.

“You’re very welcome, Miss Mullins. Mr.
Sonfeld has asked me to inform you that he’ll be meeting you at your house
shortly.”

I thank him again as my words get
caught in my throat coming out in a hoarse whisper. This is all so surreal. The
mental images are worse than the actuality of it. They are disgusting and bold,
far too detailed. They play with my emotions until I’m hysterical again. In
place of what should be jealous fury, I can only feel humiliation.

I leave the car without saying
good-bye or thank you to Edward. I can only think about the safety of my house
and crawling into my bed. Bob’s arms are waiting when I cross the threshold,
embracing me, holding me close, making me feel a small amount of comfort.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?”
he whispers.

“No.”

“When you’re ready I’ll be here.” Bob
leads me over to the couch and I lay down with my head resting in his lap. He
pulls the wig off and begins to unpin my hair, running his fingers through it. My
breathing settles down and my eyes are heavy. I fall asleep quickly. I feel the
couch shift as Bob gets up, but I’m back asleep within seconds.