need to digital-brush him. His smile reached
across the room and found us. In the world of perfection, he was the
quintessence.
Yes from him?
Never.
William excused himself from the female admirer and rushed
to us. He put out his hand to me. I took it, and his hand swallowed mine. I had
to look up to him. He had three plus inches on my six-foot-one height.
“Nice to meet you.” Seana smiled.
Ending our handshake, William turned to my wife. “My
pleasure.” His stare lingered on her a little too long for my taste. They
clasped hands. “Your Vids didn’t do you justice.”
“The same’s true about you, Mr. Graves.”
I felt a boulder of jealousy drop in my gut as William
brought Seana’s hand up to his lips.
He released Seana’s fingers, but his gaze remained fixed on
her. “ William , please. Welcome to
Texas,” he said with no sign of a southern accent.
We were swept into his waiting limo. As the driver pulled
onto the highway, William began asking questions about our work and family and
then filled us in on the latest happenings in his life. Three photo shoots in
Europe and one in Australia a month earlier had rounded out his year, plus he
had just finished his doctorate in Philosophy, giving him a total of five
graduate degrees. He had decided to learn Mandarin since he was thinking about
relocating to China. He invited us to the opening next year of one of his
clubs. His fortune reached around the globe.
Gloom coiled around me like a noose. William was
good-looking, charming, intelligent, and happy. Why did he have to be so damn
happy?
“Maui opens in the perfect season for great waves. Do either
of you surf ?”
Seana was enthralled—as was I. Who wouldn’t be? I wondered
if she had forgotten why we were here, but when I looked over at her, I knew
she hadn’t. She flipped her hair back many more times than necessary, a dead
giveaway that she was nervous. Tick tock .
“Thanks, but it depends if Seana and I can coordinate our
vacations.” I was with our city’s public works department, and she worked for a
communications company with an asshole for a boss. We both got three weeks off
each year. No more. How could he understand our life?
I knew asking someone’s age was the worst social blunder,
but I was tempted. There had to be less than twenty people with William’s years
in the entire world. The original team that cured aging would’ve been proud of
their handiwork in him. I realized that William was far beyond human in our
twenty-second century world; he was a god. Trepidation took hold of my entire
being.
The black vehicle arrived at William’s private drive and
stopped at the front of his massive estate. It was hidden from the street by
heavily wooded grounds; this was no McMansion .
William informed us he had had it built for his late wife, Heather.
The interior was elegant and filled with incredible
paintings and sculptures. A marble staircase surrounded the circular foyer.
Music and the scent of fresh flowers met us. A handsome butler took our
luggage.
After going to our suite and changing clothes, we were led
by a servant to the library. Books lined every square inch of the walls of a
room that could’ve easily held our entire apartment. William sat in one of the
four wingback chairs, reading an ancient text. There were no computers here,
only visceral books. We joined him, more
mesmerized by the man than the surroundings.
William asked if we would like some wine. We both answered
with the affirmative.
“I must find the perfect bottle. It’s not often I see
family.”
Trying to appear sophisticated, I questioned, “Do you have
many to choose from?”
I immediately felt stupid at the comment. My nerves were on
edge, like Seana’s, who continued to flip her locks back like a wild stallion.
“Several thousand.” He smiled and then exited the room.
Seana’s exterior of ease evaporated when he left. She put
her head in her hands and began to rock back and
across the room and found us. In the world of perfection, he was the
quintessence.
Yes from him?
Never.
William excused himself from the female admirer and rushed
to us. He put out his hand to me. I took it, and his hand swallowed mine. I had
to look up to him. He had three plus inches on my six-foot-one height.
“Nice to meet you.” Seana smiled.
Ending our handshake, William turned to my wife. “My
pleasure.” His stare lingered on her a little too long for my taste. They
clasped hands. “Your Vids didn’t do you justice.”
“The same’s true about you, Mr. Graves.”
I felt a boulder of jealousy drop in my gut as William
brought Seana’s hand up to his lips.
He released Seana’s fingers, but his gaze remained fixed on
her. “ William , please. Welcome to
Texas,” he said with no sign of a southern accent.
We were swept into his waiting limo. As the driver pulled
onto the highway, William began asking questions about our work and family and
then filled us in on the latest happenings in his life. Three photo shoots in
Europe and one in Australia a month earlier had rounded out his year, plus he
had just finished his doctorate in Philosophy, giving him a total of five
graduate degrees. He had decided to learn Mandarin since he was thinking about
relocating to China. He invited us to the opening next year of one of his
clubs. His fortune reached around the globe.
Gloom coiled around me like a noose. William was
good-looking, charming, intelligent, and happy. Why did he have to be so damn
happy?
“Maui opens in the perfect season for great waves. Do either
of you surf ?”
Seana was enthralled—as was I. Who wouldn’t be? I wondered
if she had forgotten why we were here, but when I looked over at her, I knew
she hadn’t. She flipped her hair back many more times than necessary, a dead
giveaway that she was nervous. Tick tock .
“Thanks, but it depends if Seana and I can coordinate our
vacations.” I was with our city’s public works department, and she worked for a
communications company with an asshole for a boss. We both got three weeks off
each year. No more. How could he understand our life?
I knew asking someone’s age was the worst social blunder,
but I was tempted. There had to be less than twenty people with William’s years
in the entire world. The original team that cured aging would’ve been proud of
their handiwork in him. I realized that William was far beyond human in our
twenty-second century world; he was a god. Trepidation took hold of my entire
being.
The black vehicle arrived at William’s private drive and
stopped at the front of his massive estate. It was hidden from the street by
heavily wooded grounds; this was no McMansion .
William informed us he had had it built for his late wife, Heather.
The interior was elegant and filled with incredible
paintings and sculptures. A marble staircase surrounded the circular foyer.
Music and the scent of fresh flowers met us. A handsome butler took our
luggage.
After going to our suite and changing clothes, we were led
by a servant to the library. Books lined every square inch of the walls of a
room that could’ve easily held our entire apartment. William sat in one of the
four wingback chairs, reading an ancient text. There were no computers here,
only visceral books. We joined him, more
mesmerized by the man than the surroundings.
William asked if we would like some wine. We both answered
with the affirmative.
“I must find the perfect bottle. It’s not often I see
family.”
Trying to appear sophisticated, I questioned, “Do you have
many to choose from?”
I immediately felt stupid at the comment. My nerves were on
edge, like Seana’s, who continued to flip her locks back like a wild stallion.
“Several thousand.” He smiled and then exited the room.
Seana’s exterior of ease evaporated when he left. She put
her head in her hands and began to rock back and
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