Payback and a Bottle of Merlot: Like Sisters Series Book One (26 page)

OMG… Where in the hell did Mom’s brain go? Holy crap! Okay, shake it off, you have things to do.

Mia had a few more calls to make. She already spoke to the videographer yesterday, and he agreed to be at the Sofitel by six-thirty. She called the hotel and spoke with the Events Coordinator earlier to find out where the slide projector was stashed. Now all she had to do was call the girls and find out when they were closing shop for the day. They had to go home, get ready and be at the train by four forty-five. The train left the station promptly at five o’clock and they couldn’t miss it.

Mia had a few hours to kill before she needed to get ready for the party. She hopped on her bike and enjoyed the relaxing ride into town. She thought about how her life was going to change as soon as tomorrow. She was excited. She just had to get through tonight without any hiccups along the way.

She chained her bike to the pole outside Daniels Camera Shop and walked in. “Oh Mr. Daniels, are you here?” she called out teasingly.

Aaron peeked his head around the corner from the back room storage area. “Hey, doll face. What brings you into town?”

“You do. I missed you. You make me smile. So, we’re going to work here together someday, huh? Reggie will be lying on the floor and the kids will be playing in their toy room in the back.”

Aaron grinned at Mia while she daydreamed about their future. “Do you like that plan, Ms. James?”

“Do I ever. Just so you’re aware of it, I’m having a party at my house tomorrow. I wanted to tell you myself, not that you heard it from someone else. I know you have to work until five.”

“Don’t worry about me, but what brought that on, and where’s Jack going to be? He can’t be cool with that, can he?”

“Jack doesn’t need to be cool with it because he isn’t invited. I have no idea where he’ll be, as long as it’s far away from me. Karen came up with the idea yesterday. We’re calling it my ‘jail break’ party. Clever huh?”

“Does that mean what I think it means?” he asked, smiling.

“Yep. It all ends tonight, and my new life begins tomorrow. Wanna grab a beer next door? Do you have a half hour to kill?”

“Sure, I’m all yours.”

Chapter Thirty Four

“Are you ready, Vic?” Mia asked nervously, as she mindlessly picked through her jewelry for something that would complement the emerald green dress.

“Yeah, almost. We’ve still got a half hour before we need to be at the train station.”

“I’m just checking, nervous energy, I guess. Are you all glammed up?”

“Oh yeah, I look pretty damn hot,” Vic admitted.

“I want this night behind me so I can move on. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to expose Jack for the cheater he is, he deserves it. I just wish it was tomorrow, and we were enjoying the patio party instead.”

“It will be soon enough. Let’s get tonight over with, then you can wash your hands of him. You’ll start the divorce proceedings, and move on with your new and improved life.”

“You’re right, Vic. Is Tina helping Sasha with the wig?”

“Karen’s helping her. They’re finishing up, and they’ll be at the train right on time. Karen has everything we need for tonight. Don’t worry your pretty head about anything. It will go down exactly as planned.”

“Alright, that sounds good. I may have a shot of tequila before I leave just to calm my nerves.” Mia exhaled a big sigh.

“Go ahead, honey. Who could blame you? I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”

Mia was a wreck. She went back and forth with the plan a million times. Should she, or shouldn’t she, ruin Jack’s life?

Has he done anything the three years I’ve known him to make me happy, or feel remotely special to him? Nope, he hasn’t. I guess I answered my own question. Jack Barnes has to go down.
Mia spun around slowly, giving herself a final look in the full length mirror. The notes she wrote were placed safely in her purse. She filled Reggie’s water bowl, and left. Her heart pounded as she waited in the car until everyone else arrived at the train station.
Here they are, and I’m a basket case.

Karen parked her Lexus sedan next to Mia’s Camaro.

“Mia, you look beautiful,” Sasha said, as she climbed out of the back seat.

“Oh my God, Sasha, I would never recognize you. And that dress… holy shit! Nobody is even going to pay attention to Jack. All eyes will be on you.” Mia was impressed with the work that transformed Sasha into a drop-dead gorgeous red head for the evening.

Sasha giggled and blushed.

“I think everyone looks gorgeous right now,” Tina said. “Sir?” she called out, as a man entered the Tarrytown train station, “would you mind taking our picture, please?”

“Not at all. You ladies must be going somewhere very special tonight, as lovely as you are,” he commented, while snapping a few photos of the five beauties together.

“Thank you,” Tina said, smiling. “There, now we have a great picture to remember this night by.”

The girls boarded the train to Grand Central Terminal. It would arrive in less than an hour. They were on edge, and wanted to get through the night without any major snags.

“Did you bring your notes?” Vic asked Mia.

“Of course I did. There’s no way in hell I’d remember what to say otherwise. I’d be standing on stage with the ‘deer in the headlights’ look while Jack sneered at me. I won’t let that happen. You wouldn’t know it now, but I’m going to do my best to seem calm and collected while I’m in front of hundreds of people. I just hope Jack is front and center. What would be even better, is if I called him up on stage to join me. You know, the loving couple and all. Sorry Sasha, but this is something I have to do. It’s the perfect way to take him down. Everyone will be paying attention to him, just the way he likes it.”

The train slowed, giving the girls fair warning they were arriving in the city. Mia’s mind flashed back to the day she saw Jack and Sasha together as she exited the train. It seemed so long ago, and now Sasha sat next to her, about to take part in Jack’s demise.

“We’re here,” Sasha said, nervously.

Karen took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “We’re in this together, sweetheart. Be strong and don’t worry. We’ll all be fine.”

Mia flagged down a taxi. She instructed the driver to take them to the Sofitel on 44th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It was a few short blocks from Grand Central Terminal. Once inside, Mia found the Events Coordinator while the rest of the girls followed a safe distance behind. They were led to the Le Grand Paris Ballroom where Jack’s promotion party was being held. Mr. Evans showed Mia where the slide projector was, and excused himself, leaving the girls alone to do whatever was necessary.

“Everyone needs to stay out of sight and far away from Jack when the employees start showing up. It won’t be long now,” Mia said, anxiously. “Sasha, since you’re disguised anyway, would you be a sweetheart and find a hostess to bring all of us something non-alcoholic to drink. My damn tongue is so dry I think it’s stuck to the roof of my mouth.”

“Sure, Mia, what do you want?”

“Just have somebody bring us a pitcher of Diet Cokes and five glasses. Thanks, hon.”

While Sasha was looking for a hostess, Mia and Karen slipped all the pictures Karen had made into slides, into the individual slots on the carousel tray. The slides were organized in chronological order starting with Karen and Jack’s marriage. Mia and Jack’s marriage followed, then recent slides from a few weeks ago. Every third slide would be an image of Jack and Sasha together in some type of intimate pose. Jack’s face was obvious on every frame, but Sasha’s face remained hidden. Nobody would connect the mystery woman in the slides to Sasha anyway, since her long black hair was well concealed under that vivacious, red wig.

The guests and employees began arriving. Mia and Karen wheeled the slide projector to an appropriate spot in the wings behind the stage. They could see most of the people mingling in the ballroom by peeking around the heavy, velvet stage curtains. Thirty minutes passed, and it was becoming more difficult to watch for Jack with the large crowd forming. A familiar laugh sounded from the right side of the room. Mia and Karen recognized it well. Jack was in the house, making sure everyone heard him. People gravitated toward their assigned white linen covered tables. Name tags were placed next to each crystal goblet. Tina, Vic and Sasha sat nearest the exit doors of the ballroom, deliberately, at the least conspicuous table. Jack, being the guest of honor, sat at the front table near the stage, with the CEO, CFO and President of Plan-It Kidz. The Events Coordinator, Mr. Evans set up the podium and microphone. Balloons and banners hung throughout the ballroom, congratulating Jack on his promotion. Everything flowed smoothly. Waiters carried large silver trays, offering champagne and hors d’oeuvres to the crowd.

A tap sounded on the microphone, and the ballroom fell silent. John Morrison, CEO of Plan-It Kidz was introduced and took the stage.

Mia and Karen inhaled several deep breaths, then exhaled.

“It’s show time, Mia,” Karen whispered, with an affirmative nod.

***

Mr. Morrison began his speech by saying what an accomplished and goal driven Regional Sales Director Jack was. Integrity, family values, and loyalty to the company was what made Jack the perfect candidate to advance to National Sales Director. After those words of praise, Mr. Morrison welcomed the CFO and President of Plan-It Kidz to join him on stage. A thundering applause came from the crowd as the big moment neared.

Mia squeezed Karen’s forearm to the point of embedding fingerprints in her arm. “Ouch Mia, let go,” Karen whispered.

“What? Shit, I didn’t realize what I was doing, sorry. I’m so nervous right now.”

“Good, use that nervous energy when you’re on stage. Don’t forget, I’m right behind you, girl.”

“Now without further ado, I would like to welcome Mrs. Jack Barnes to the stage,” Mr. Morrison said, while clapping his hands.

“Go, Mia,” Karen whispered, knowing Mia was having a serious case of stage fright.

Mia took a deep breath and walked out from behind the curtain. She looked to the first table where Jack sat. Seeing the color drain out of his face gave her the confidence she needed to keep from running out the door. Wearing those six inch heels made the idea of fleeing impossible anyway. The crowd hushed as Mia spoke. “Good evening everyone. I’m Mia James, Jack’s wife. I thought it would be more appropriate to surprise Jack rather than to upstage him with my presence.”

The crowd broke out into a round of laughter.

“Anyway, tonight is all about Jack, so I thought it would be fun to show his colleagues and peers a sneak peek of the side of Jack nobody knows. First, honey, would you please join me on the stage?”

The crowd cheered and ribbed Jack at the thought of seeing a bit of his private life. Jack walked up on the stage mortified, but held it together, if only to save face. The “on demand” smile came out, but Mia knew he was sweating bullets.

“There’s that beautiful smile I love,” Mia said, clearly taunting him.

She handed him the microphone so he could address the audience. The monotony of Jack’s voice hummed in Mia’s head as he spoke. He thanked Plan-It Kidz for the wonderful promotion, and everyone in the crowd for attending. The audience applauded Jack’s heart felt acceptance speech, while Mia grabbed the microphone from his hand.

“Now before we get to the slide show, there’s someone else I would like to introduce. The promotion may not have been a total surprise to you Jack, but I’m pretty sure she will be. Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to welcome Karen Miles, Jack’s first wife, to the stage.”

Jack spun around as Karen came from backstage pushing the slide projector and wearing a smile. The screen was being lowered as she walked up to Jack, gave him an air kiss, and stood firmly next to Mia.

“Karen, what the hell are you doing here?” Jack whispered, with an angry growl, but still maintaining the artificial smile across his lips.

With the microphone still in Mia’s hand, she was given a nod that everything was ready. “Anyway, I hope you’re all enjoying tonight’s festivities in honor of Jack’s promotion to the national level. As I said earlier, I thought it would be fun to share some of Jack’s life and interests with you, his peers and colleagues. Some of you only know Jack through Plan-It Kidz, but I assure you, there’s much more to him than just his career. What you’ll see tonight is the Jack, Karen and I know best. You’ll see the fun Jack, the loyal Jack, and the loving Jack, over the last ten years. Would someone dim the lights please?”

The slideshow began as Karen started the narration. “These first few slides are of what I thought was the most wonderful day of my life, our wedding.” Karen advanced the slides, with the first two showing her and Jack exchanging their vows. The next slide was of Jack and Sasha kissing on the street. You could hear a pin drop in the crowd. Karen continued, with every third picture being Jack and Sasha. Mia took over with their wedding photos and the same narration. Every third slide was again, of Jack and Sasha. Whispers sounded throughout the crowd. Jeering began as the room got louder and the audience became agitated. Mia continued advancing the slides showing images of Jack squeezing Sasha’s butt, licking her neck and French kissing her, just feet from the Plan-It Kidz building entrance. The CEO pleaded with Mia to shut it down, but she continued, while telling the crowd how the very last slide was taken only a few weeks ago. Jack ripped the projector cord out of the wall. The audience was outraged.

Out of nowhere, in slow motion it seemed, a beautiful redhead glided down the length of the ballroom aisle, passing every table like a model on a runway. All eyes turned to her, the jeers silenced by her radiance. She gracefully stepped onto the stage in sequined stilettos, approached Jack, and whispered in his ear. The crowd was mesmerized. She took Mia and Karen by the hand and led them down the stage steps and past the crowd, as elegantly as she came in. Tina and Vic were in the vestibule. The idling cab waited beyond the glass doors. In a matter of seconds, the five were whisked away, and disappeared into the night.