Society Wives (33 page)

At first Vonnie didn't know if she should take offense to Pearson's remark until she continued.

“Life hasn't exactly been a bowl of cherries over at the Day's residence either.” Pearson proceeded to share the problems with her tough journey to sobriety and efforts to rebuild her relationship with Niles and her mother while facing the harsh realities of Candice's impending demise. “It's been so hard. I'm proud of myself. I haven't had a drink in three weeks and two days. At first, I would sneak a few drinks in here and there, but Niles found my stash.” Pearson paused, holding back possible tears. “I'm doing better. I can't afford to lose Niles. Soon he'll be all I have in this life.”

Vonnie wiped the tear that trickled down the side of her nose and took Pearson's hand in hers as they wept together.

After a while, Vonnie broke the silent cries. “Things aren't always what they seem, huh?”

“Tell me about it, girl!” Pearson wiped her tears with the back of her hand, sniffed and stood. “Believe it or not, this is like therapy for me. I never really had people to talk to. Now I can't seem to shut myself up. But it helps,” she tittered. “I need to get going.” They hugged again, smiling as they pulled away.

Vonnie hadn't expected it, but sharing her story with Pearson made her feel lighter. She smiled inwardly as she walked her to the door.

“Hey,” Pearson said. “Have you heard from Nadalia?”

Vonnie thought about it. She had ignored calls from Pearson and Ryan but didn't recall any missed calls from Nadalia. “No.” She thought a moment longer. “Not since we went to dinner that last time,” she said.

“I guess we've all been hibernating, handling our business.” On the way out, Pearson turned back toward Vonnie. “Promise me you won't stop being my friend when you move.”

Vonnie pursed her lips together and smiled before she said, “I promise.” She held three fingers up like a girl scout. Both women laughed.

“Love you, girl!”

Vonnie blinked. “Love you too,” she said slowly, surprised at Pearson's expression.

“I know. I've been trying those words out on certain people lately. Everyone seems to give me a similar response. But it's true.”

The girls hugged one last time before Pearson left.

Vonnie headed to the garage to check in on Mike, realizing he'd been in there for a while. She found him sitting on one of the boxes with his head in his hands.

“Hey.”

Mike looked up. “Hey.”

Vonnie came over and tapped the box he sat on, gauging its stability, before climbing onto his lap. She put one arm around his neck. “You okay?”

Mike smiled and Vonnie's heart quickened for a second. That was the first genuine smile she had seen from him in a while.

“Believe it or not, I'm good. I was just thinking about some of the memories we made in this house. I hate to leave, but we'll just make more in the new house.” He raised his brows and grinned.

“You got that right!” Vonnie winked. She let a moment pass before saying, “Pearson was here.”

Mike raised his brows. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. She knows we're moving.”

“Niles knows, too. He kept questioning me, talking about something hadn't seemed right with me for a while. Finally I had to break down and tell him a few things. He just wouldn't let up on me.”

“What did he say?”

“He wanted to help.”

“And you said, no!” Vonnie interjected before Mike could say anything else.

“I've been praying.”

Vonnie's eyes stretched wide. She and Mike had always been consistent church members, but other than grace, she hadn't seen him do much praying. “Wow.”

“I think He heard me.”

“Of course He did.”

“No really because things have been happening and I feel different.” Vonnie looked at him curiously. Not that she didn't believe him, but she had never heard him speak this way before. “Seriously, babe,” Mike said responding to the look she was giving him. “I even got a message from the lawyer saying that the case was going to be dropped because of something the police didn't do properly.”

Vonnie closed her eyes and thanked God herself for answering her prayers. She wrapped her arms tightly around Mike's neck. She couldn't imagine having to live apart from him or explain to her daughter why her father was in jail.

“Plus all the stress that I've been feeling is starting to go away. All of a sudden, I'm not so upset about leaving here. I'm actually looking forward to starting a new chapter and having Noelle home. I mean, we can't get it on as spontaneously as we used to, but I can deal with that. Instead of focusing on what we're losing, I've been counting my blessings. I realize I've got quite a few.”

Vonnie's joy started on the inside and spread to her lips and eyes.

“I've always said that life was good as long as I had you. We started from the bottom, now we're here.” Vonnie swatted Mike playfully for his sad rendition of the popular line from the rapper Drake's song. “And we're going to be just fine.” Mike nuzzled his nose into her neck.

Vonnie threw her head back and laughed. Mike was becoming himself again. She too was sure that they would be alright. Mike laughed, and then wrapped his arms around Vonnie, who leaned in for a kiss. One that started as a series of sweet pecks, but quickly turned into a passionate lock, ending abruptly when the box they were sitting on collapsed underneath them and sent them crashing on to the cold garage floor. They looked at each other, laughed, and locked lips once again.

Chapter 50

Nadalia

Nadalia wondered how she would deal with being in the same room with Sage after weeks of avoiding contact with him. Tonight, not only would he be unavoidable, but also she wondered how she would manage being in his presence with everyone else around. Everyone knew they were separated since she had permanently moved back into her mother's Long Island home.

Nadalia applied a saturated coat of red lipstick, pressed her lips together and turned from side to side checking her reflection. Although the pain of Sage's betrayal was still fresh, it had been a while since she cried herself to sleep, giving her eyes much needed relief. A facial and massage gave her an added lift in both her spirit and appearance.

Satisfied with her make up application, Nadalia slipped into a black, beaded gown that hugged the curves of her hourglass figure. A fresh trim gave her jet black shoulder length hair a polished finish. She could set any red-carpet ablaze.

The closer she got to leaving the house, the slower she moved. She couldn't stand Pearson up after promising to donate a fur coat for the auction. The designers worked overtime to create an exquisite mink cape.

Nadalia and Sage had always been such an integral part of the auction. She was sure that Sage was donating his usual pair of prime tickets for club seats at the Met Life Stadium.

She just hadn't figured out how she would handle being around him with everyone else there.

Nadalia exhaled and shook her head. Delaying the inevitable was senseless. She grabbed her silver evening bag and crystal covered pumps and headed out the door. The ride to the Hamptons seemed longer without Sage, yet she managed it without breaking down. However the closer she got to the venue, the more nervous she felt.

Nadalia wheeled her sports car up to the valet, pushed her red lips into a friendly smile as she handed the young man her keys and walked into the posh venue with her head held high. Slipping passed the red carpet, she headed straight to the hall where the cocktail reception was being held, glanced around and then she went into the ladies' room to check her reflection. Nadalia fluffed her hair, and ran her finger along the lines of her mouth, cleaning up any of the lipstick that may have run outside the lines of her full sweetheart lips.

Stepping out cautiously, Nadalia moved into the cocktail reception with her chin forward, winding through throngs of elegantly dressed woman, and polished men sharply decked out in tuxedos. As she passed, she offered cordial nods and delicate waves to familiar faces. A festive air hung in the atmosphere, but Nadalia's nerves were too frazzled to be swept up in it.

I can handle this.
She pepped herself up and released the breath that she'd been holding as she leaned on the edge of the bar.

“One Louis XIII and one Cabernet Sauvignon please,” she told the bartender. Her intention was not to get drunk, but she needed the cognac to take the edge off quickly. Throwing the liquid back, downing it in one gulp, Nadalia winced at the slow burn passing through her chest and closed her eyes. She put the snifter down on the marble bar top, picked up her purse and turned to leave.

“Hello, Nadalia.”

She froze right in the middle of her turn. The depth of Sage's voice flowed through her with the same sting as the cognac she had just downed. Nadalia closed her eyes and swallowed long and hard, before turning in his direction.

“Sage.” She was proud of how steadily her voice held up in that single word.

He stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. “How have you been?”

“Fine.” After a few ticks, she added, “And you?” She wanted so badly to appear unaffected, but remembering how much she loved the richness of his voice made it difficult. She had yet to look him in his face, fearful that she would break.

Sage touched her hand and her breath caught. She swallowed hard again and pulled her hand away from the familiar touch of his strong fingers.

“Please don't do that.”

“I miss you.”

Nadalia shifted her feet.

“I just want to know if we can at least be friends.”

Nadalia exhaled, relived that he understood that what they once had would never be again.

“I still love you. Always have and always will. I understand that you can't...don't want to be with me anymore, but I can't see you not being a part of my life in some way.”

Nadalia nodded. Not in a way that responded to his friend request, but in more of a non-committal way that let him know that she'd at least acknowledged him.

He went to touch her hand again and immediately she pulled back. Squeezing her eyes shut, she fought to keep it together. Encouraging herself, she repeated in her head,
you can do this.

“I'll try to stay out of your way tonight; you don't have to avoid me. I'd just like to be able to talk to you soon.”

Nadalia shook her head. “I know. I just need a little more time.” She looked away.

She could feel him staring at her. She could smell the cologne mixed with the natural scent of his body emanating off him. She could see his rigid manly stature through her peripheral vision, but still refused to look at him. She couldn't trust herself just yet. Proud of the fact that she was keeping it together and hadn't run out of the event, she decided it would be best not to look at him. Even stealing a glance could have thunderous affects. She didn't want to be reminded of how handsome he was. Of how much she still loved him. It was too soon to handle looking into the depths of his brown eyes, or taking in the strong jut of his chin. She kept her eyes on the people. The beautiful dresses. The smiling faces. The other men.

“There you are!” Pearson's voice cut in, piercing her concentration. She was focusing hard on everything and everyone else that she could.

“Hey,” she said. She received Pearson's hug and gave her an air kiss.

“Pearson!” Sage greeted. “You look great.”

“Why thanks!” Pearson said, spinning to offer them a better view. “We'll be moving into the other room momentarily. You'll be sitting at the front table with me.”

“Okay,” Nadalia said.

Pearson's look let her know that she sensed that something wasn't right.

“I need to run to the ladies room. I'll see you two inside.” Nadalia hurried off, thankful for Pearson's interruption and the opportunity to make a clean escape. She had gotten through the initial part of their encounter and was confident she'd make it through the rest of the night. It would take time for the love she had for Sage to wear off, if ever. However, she knew now that she could make it. Not that it would be easy, but it was doable.

Then, she could work on being his friend. She could at least give him that.

Chapter 51

Pearson

Anderson was Pearson's emcee for the benefit and he had yet to arrive. She dialed his number.

“I'm five minutes away,” he answered, jumping right to the reason for the call.

Pearson barely heard him over the music playing in the background. “Well, come on already. You're making me nervous.”

“I'll be right there, Pearson.”

She tapped the phone, ending the call and went in search of her mother before checking back in with her staff. Candice was seated in the same place where Pearson had left her twenty minutes before, which was just outside the room where the cocktail reception was being held.

Candice's decline had become much more evident in recent weeks, taking her to a point where her money and vanity were no longer able to hide the fact that she was seriously ill. Pearson could see that Candice was thinner and her movements were slower. Seeing that her mother was fine with Walter by her side, Pearson kept moving.

The young firecracker of a PR agent pulled on her to take a few pictures with some of her prime investors.

Pearson saw the event manager scanning the crowd in search of her. The look on her face gave Pearson no doubt that she was coming to deliver some bad news.

Niles appeared by her side to let her know that there were still a few issues with the sound equipment and that would affect the music from the live band that was setting up. Telling her not to worry, he promised to handle it.

Pearson realized that she no longer had the two manila files that she'd been holding in her hand. She stopped, closed her eyes and tried to recall where she left them. Trying not to panic, she turned to retrace her steps. Those folders contained the emcee's speech, the program outline, and several checks for vendors she had to pay at the end of the night.