Duping Cupid (A Valentine's Day Short Story) (14 page)

April pinned her hands beneath her thighs to keep from smacking the leer off his face. A line from an old movie popped into her head. Her idol, Bette Davis, in
Beyond the Forest
: “Being here is like waiting for the funeral to begin. No, it’s like waiting in the coffin for them to carry you out!”

Well, as long as she had some life in her legs, no one would carry her out without a struggle.

Assuming her best Bette Davis poise, she replied, “What I mean is we handle the day-to-day errands that pile up. Carpooling, grocery shopping, housework, extracurricular activities, dry cleaning, even prescriptions. We bake cupcakes, help with homework, and stay with sick children. A true wife wears a multitude of hats everyday. Chauffeur, chef, tutor, maid, nurse. It’s all in a day’s work. Since our customers expect a variety of services, Rainey-Day-Wife consists of individuals trained in all aspects of family life.”

“Could you give us an example?” Jocelyn asked.

Tilting her head, April considered her mental list of stressed-out parents. “Well, we have one client who, twice a month, requires someone to make Sunday dinner.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to eat out?” Grant asked.

She shrugged. “Maybe. But this father misses the family dinners of his youth and wants his children to grow up with that tradition. If our staff member handles the dirty work, he gets the chance to reconnect with his little ones without the stress of preparing a big meal.” She leaned forward, hands folded in her lap. “You must understand; this gentleman only sees his children two weekends per month, alternate holidays, and one month during summer vacation. He’s a member of what I call, ‘the fast food group.’ Some of these dads consider zapping a TV dinner in the microwave home cooking.”
The audience tittered with laughter. Through the blinding lights, April noticed a few women nodding in agreement.

“But you don’t deal strictly with single dads, do you?” Jocelyn asked.

“No, although I’d say about seventy percent of our clients fit that profile. We have a few single moms and several busy couples. But my experience is that most women juggle the responsibilities of parenting better than men.” Too sexist? Maybe. But in her experience, it was true. Still, she might want to take a moment for quick damage control. “Regardless of gender, however, all families run into crunch times where there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Whether our clients opt for a long-term contract or temporary help, Rainey-Day-Wife is there to make their burdens a little easier.”

“Yet, there are those who disapprove of your business,” Jocelyn said.
“Most notably, our very own Dr. Jefferson Prentiss, who placed your company at the top of his annual list of the Most Family-Unfriendly Businesses in New York two years in a row. Isn’t that right?”

“Three, actually,” April corrected with a grim smile.

Every December, Dr. Jeff put her on his cockamamie list, and she lost thirty percent of her business come January. Oh, she always recouped by the second quarter, but she couldn’t afford to continue going through this year after year. Which explained why she’d agreed to go along with this current madness.

“And we’re in for a very spirited debate on the matter as Dr. Jeff is here with us today,” Jocelyn announced, rising to her feet. “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
New York Times
bestselling author and frequent ‘Taking Sides’ guest, Dr. Jefferson Prentiss.”

He strolled onstage to the appreciative cheers of every woman in the audience. No wonder.

The photo on his book jacket didn’t do him justice. Glossy black curls framed a face fit for a rock star. His shoulders, encased in a pale blue shadow-striped shirt, looked broader than her backyard clothesline. He shook hands with the hosts then turned his attention to her.

Smoky gray eyes behind thick sooty lashes drew her in with hypnotic power as he bent to shake her hand. His warm clasp reflected his posture, completely at ease with the gushing adoration of the females inside the studio. Then he gave her a slow wink, and her jaw dropped to chest level.

“Pleased to meet you,” he murmured in a voice richer than hot chocolate on a wintry afternoon.

“Same here,” she managed through a throat cloaked in a blanket of nerves.

He took a seat beside her, so close his thigh pressed against hers, and she skooched up near the arm of the couch. The skin tightened around her bones, leaving her fearful that if she inhaled too deeply, her skeleton might snap in two.

The moment the applause and catcalls died down, Jocelyn said, “Dr. Jeff, you believe that businesses like Rainey-Day-Wife contribute to the breakdown of families.”

Dr. Jeff shook his head at April, then faced the audience. “Yes, I’m afraid so, Jocelyn. Such an enterprise not only takes advantage of the greatest tragedy of family life, the ghostly specter of divorce, but it also gives parents a way to avoid their obligations to their children. Ms. Raine may call it whatever she likes--a business, a service--but her company and others like it profit from their clients’ heartache. They have no conscience, never giving a second thought to how their mercenary practices contribute to a child’s loss of structure and security. I find that shameful.”

Wait a minute. Did he just call her mercenary? Nervousness and thoughts of making a good impression disappeared. In their place a good healthy umbrage simmered in April’s veins. She
opened her mouth to retort, but Jocelyn beat her to it.

“Still, Ms.
Raine had no education and no career skills. Alternatives must have been very difficult to come by. Don’t you think she had an obligation to provide for her children in any way she could?”

“At the expense of other families’ happiness?”
Dr. Jeff rejoined. “Surely a woman as enterprising as Ms. Raine could find a way to make a living that did not require her to alienate parents from their children and wives from their husbands.” He leaned over the knife-like creases in his gray slacks, hands outstretched toward the camera. “This is exactly what’s wrong with today’s world. Our society has broken down to the point where the simple acts of love and consideration that should be part of everyday life are handled by profit-seeking strangers, rather than family members. I’m appalled that an intelligent woman like today’s guest feels no shame collecting a salary while destroying relationships.”

April squirmed some more, fisting her hands until her fingernails dug painfully into her palms. Oh, she’d love to blast him with all the fire simmering in her belly’s furnace. But that would only alienate the audience, and this interview was supposed to bring positive publicity to Rainey-Day-Wife.

“Take, for instance, Ms. Raine’s client who requires the Sunday dinner,” Dr. Jeff continued. “Would it be so terrible if that dad cooked the meal himself? Perhaps he might even allow his children to participate in small ways. A four-year-old can help set a table. Older children might prepare a salad or dry the dishes after the meal. These are the special moments that bring families together.”

“You raise some interesting points, as always,” Grant said, then turned to April. “Do you wish to reply to Dr. Jeff’s comments?”

You bet I do!

Tamping down visions of slow-roasting a naked, trussed-up Dr. Jeff on a rotisserie, she edged forward on the couch. “Yes, Grant, thank you.”

Before she might take advantage of her opportunity, Jocelyn held up a hand. “Well, we’ll give you a chance to do so right after this commercial break.”

The “Taking Sides” theme music swelled around the stage and from somewhere beyond the blinding white lights, a deep voice announced, “And we’re out. Two minutes, people.”

About the Author

Gina
Ardito is an award winning author of contemporary and paranormal romances and a popular speaker for writers. As Katherine Brandon, she also pens historical romance. She lives on Long Island with her husband of more than a quarter century, their two children, a bionic dog, and two neurotic cats. In 2012, Gina launched her freelance editing service,
Excellence in Editing
. For more information about Gina, including other available works, speaking engagements, and editing services, visit her website:
www.ginaardito.com
. You can also connect with her through
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.