Nick found the narrow laneway he’d
missed the first time and located Serena’s house. A broad white Lincoln in the driveway
was parked in front of a double garage. As the luxury car stood in the center
blocking both doors, he had no choice but to pull in behind it. He felt
disappointed that he might not be alone with Serena, unless she also drove a Lincoln.
Carrying the wine and the flowers,
he tried to decide whether he should approach the front door or go around the
side of the house. When he heard voices from the back, he ducked beneath the
wooden trellis and walked around the brick house to where there was a low
octagonal wooden deck that led out from one of those sunrooms with curved
windows. Upon the deck was a pine table shaded by a dark green umbrella and
some matching pine chairs with seat cushions in green and purple. Two people
sat talking and drinking. The man in trendy white cottons wore glasses, and was
slim with smooth, dark brown hair. The woman, in a flowing exotic print dress
was blond, stunning. Both were probably in their early sixties.
Nick walked up the steps and the
woman rose like a butterfly unfolding. She was an older version of the woman in
Stuart Redding Brown’s photo album. Nick saw her beautiful eyes assess his
ivory slacks and black silk shirt before she said, “You must be Nick. Serena’s just
indoors, getting ready. I’m Reeva Brown- Carstairs . Serena’s mother.” Actually, she was assessing more than his clothes as she put out her hand for
Nick. He had to juggle the wine and flowers to shake her hand, and when they
parted fingers he felt thoroughly dissected.
Reeva raised her arm dripping with the multi-colored material. “This is Gerry Carstairs , my husband.”
The man rose, smiling. “Pleased to
meet you, Nick.” He came forward to shake Nick’s hand.
“Let’s put those on the table.” Reeva relieved him of the bottle and flowers. “Sit down. Do
you want a drink?”
“No, thanks.” Nick saw Reeva give him another long look while he
pulled forward one of the chairs. Reeva and Gerry
were either here to babysit the house for the evening or they were accompanying
Serena to the party. He hoped it was the babysitting duty, but as they were so
dressed up he presumed they were also going to the party.
Reeva floated through a glass door into the plant-filled sunroom. “I’ll go and tell
Serena you’re here.”
Gerry settled back into his seat,
cradling his beer. “Ladies always have to get gussied up for parties.”
Nick sat down, nodded and smiled,
although he didn’t feel like smiling. He felt irritated at the possibility that
he might not be alone with Serena this evening. He felt annoyed he wasn’t alone
with her now. He was even more frustrated when Serena appeared, looking
beautiful in a pair of flowing cream silk pants and a snug top with a narrow
gold belt at her waist. On her feet were pale gold leather sandals and her hair
was upswept. Long gold earrings with a diamond in each flashed money. He wanted
her all to himself.
“Hi, Nick.” She smiled her TV smile.
“Sorry about the commotion. Mom and Gerry were invited tonight, so they decided
to come by and we’ll all go together. All right?”
It wasn’t, but he couldn’t very well
demur in front of her mother and stepfather. He rose and indicated that the
flowers and the wine were for her.
“You shouldn’t have bothered.” She
peeked at the flowers and gave him a smile that was less TV. “But they’re
pretty. Really pretty. I’ll go and find a vase to put
them in. Do you want to come inside and see the house, Nick? Mom make sure Gerry has another beer from the cooler.”
Serena carried the
missed the first time and located Serena’s house. A broad white Lincoln in the driveway
was parked in front of a double garage. As the luxury car stood in the center
blocking both doors, he had no choice but to pull in behind it. He felt
disappointed that he might not be alone with Serena, unless she also drove a Lincoln.
Carrying the wine and the flowers,
he tried to decide whether he should approach the front door or go around the
side of the house. When he heard voices from the back, he ducked beneath the
wooden trellis and walked around the brick house to where there was a low
octagonal wooden deck that led out from one of those sunrooms with curved
windows. Upon the deck was a pine table shaded by a dark green umbrella and
some matching pine chairs with seat cushions in green and purple. Two people
sat talking and drinking. The man in trendy white cottons wore glasses, and was
slim with smooth, dark brown hair. The woman, in a flowing exotic print dress
was blond, stunning. Both were probably in their early sixties.
Nick walked up the steps and the
woman rose like a butterfly unfolding. She was an older version of the woman in
Stuart Redding Brown’s photo album. Nick saw her beautiful eyes assess his
ivory slacks and black silk shirt before she said, “You must be Nick. Serena’s just
indoors, getting ready. I’m Reeva Brown- Carstairs . Serena’s mother.” Actually, she was assessing more than his clothes as she put out her hand for
Nick. He had to juggle the wine and flowers to shake her hand, and when they
parted fingers he felt thoroughly dissected.
Reeva raised her arm dripping with the multi-colored material. “This is Gerry Carstairs , my husband.”
The man rose, smiling. “Pleased to
meet you, Nick.” He came forward to shake Nick’s hand.
“Let’s put those on the table.” Reeva relieved him of the bottle and flowers. “Sit down. Do
you want a drink?”
“No, thanks.” Nick saw Reeva give him another long look while he
pulled forward one of the chairs. Reeva and Gerry
were either here to babysit the house for the evening or they were accompanying
Serena to the party. He hoped it was the babysitting duty, but as they were so
dressed up he presumed they were also going to the party.
Reeva floated through a glass door into the plant-filled sunroom. “I’ll go and tell
Serena you’re here.”
Gerry settled back into his seat,
cradling his beer. “Ladies always have to get gussied up for parties.”
Nick sat down, nodded and smiled,
although he didn’t feel like smiling. He felt irritated at the possibility that
he might not be alone with Serena this evening. He felt annoyed he wasn’t alone
with her now. He was even more frustrated when Serena appeared, looking
beautiful in a pair of flowing cream silk pants and a snug top with a narrow
gold belt at her waist. On her feet were pale gold leather sandals and her hair
was upswept. Long gold earrings with a diamond in each flashed money. He wanted
her all to himself.
“Hi, Nick.” She smiled her TV smile.
“Sorry about the commotion. Mom and Gerry were invited tonight, so they decided
to come by and we’ll all go together. All right?”
It wasn’t, but he couldn’t very well
demur in front of her mother and stepfather. He rose and indicated that the
flowers and the wine were for her.
“You shouldn’t have bothered.” She
peeked at the flowers and gave him a smile that was less TV. “But they’re
pretty. Really pretty. I’ll go and find a vase to put
them in. Do you want to come inside and see the house, Nick? Mom make sure Gerry has another beer from the cooler.”
Serena carried the
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