her kitchen would stay empty. By the way, the chopper will return to the isle on Sunday morning to fly the musicians back to Honolulu.” He added, “Sounds like he’s about ready to touch ground. I need to go down and direct traffic.”
Unpacking did not take Barbie long, and as she soaked in her luxurious marble tub, she thought, I could learn to like this place. The rest of her day was pretty much taken up with rehearsals for the performance she was to give the next evening. The musicians had the hard job of organizing the stage. Emilio helped them move the grand piano, but the rest was up to the band. They were in charge of setting up the audio equipment by linking the guitar cables to the amplifier; testing the microphones and perfecting the acoustics for the outdoor show; tuning their instruments; and last but most importantly, practicing the pieces of music Barbie had chosen. All she had to do was sing.
CHAPTER 9
The charter boat dropped the guests off in the late afternoon on Saturday. Approaching the mansion, their remarks ranged from “How lovely” to “It’s a pretentious castle!”
They were shown to their respective guest bedrooms on the second floor to unpack and freshen up. Then followed a tour given by their host who guided them through the ground floor. There was a state-of-the-art kitchen and bar, large living and dining rooms, den with a TV screen extending over an entire wall, a music room, a couple of bathrooms, and his pride and joy, the game room.
As he walked them through the game room, he stated, “Feel free to compete in a game of pool, ping pong, or foosball. And for those of you with arcade video nostalgia, enjoy the vintage Ms Pacman, Donkey Kong, and pinball machines.” On the third floor, he mentioned that the workout equipment in the gym and the practice putting green were at their disposal.
In the early evening, people gathered for the after-wedding-celebration in the mansion’s garden. Folding tables and chairs were set up in a semi-circle around a temporary stage. Strings of lights hung from several fragrant mimosa trees, wrapping their yellow flowers in a deep golden sheen. Additional light from the tabletop lanterns added to the romantic atmosphere as dusk turned into night.
Set off to the side, Hermina roasted prime rib on a giant barbecue grill. Chris tended the bar, mixing exotic cocktails like Mai Tais, daiquiris, piña coladas, and margaritas. No dress code applied. Kurt’s specification “island party casual” left people to their own interpretation. Most men showed up in Hawaiian shirts and either shorts or khakis. Whereas the women had chosen flowery dresses or wraparound skirts.
Alexa was one of the exceptions. Flower design clothing cramped her style. Happy to leave her tailored suits at home, she dazzled in an azure-blue backless dress. The invitees, glasses filled with fruity drinks, stood around in small groups chatting, and then ambled toward the set tables.
Neal found space at a table where Kim and her little girl were seated next to Hope. Sidney and Heather Ross had already socialized with the Triests on the boat ride over, so it was only natural that the four would dine together. Each setting accommodated four or five people, except one small table for two near the stage, which everyone presumed was reserved for the newlyweds. After Max and Alexa collected their margaritas, the only available seats were next to the Simonians. Alexa and Max introduced themselves.
Rafi thought, she doesn’t remember me, but I clearly recall the day I ran into Kurt and his then fiancée. At the time I supposed that the man was not thinking straight, otherwise he’d have stuck with the wife who was a good woman in Rafi’s estimation, and not hook up with Alexa. But he had to admit, Alexa was still as attractive now as she had been then, but her high-brow demeanor was even more pronounced. All this went through Rafi’s mind in seconds, and he decided to keep their previous encounter to himself.
He formally said, “Pleased to meet you both. We are Rafi and Kate Simonian.”
Alexa asked - - less out of curiosity but feeling the need to make small talk - - “How do you folks know Kurt and Barbie?”
Rafi replied, “Kurt and I go back a long way. Our older son and his youngest played on the same neighborhood soccer team as little boys. Kurt and I hit it off and stayed friends all these years.”
Alexa’s trial attorney’s skill for noticing detail was evident as she said, “So you live in Beverly Hills?”
Rafi smiled and said, “In those days, Kurt and his family lived in Glendale.” He touched Kate’s hand in a gentle gesture and remarked, “We still live there in our same house.”
Max was not paying attention to their conversation but eyed his wife while mulling over his own agenda. He thought, Alexa may think of her infidelity as an insignificant, spur-of-the-moment fling, but no matter how brief, she committed adultery and betrayed me. He was determined to keep his word to not bring up the subject yet doubted that he could ever let it go in his mind or come to terms with it.
Suddenly aware that both Simonians were looking at him, expecting his contribution to their topic, Max was about to add an incidental remark. He didn’t get the chance, however, because their hosts made an impressive entrance onto the garden scene. A spotlight, controlled by Emilio from the mansion’s balcony, followed the pair as they walked hand in hand past their guests and onto the stage. Barbie stunned in an off-white, sleeveless charmeuse dress. Kurt wore off-white trousers and a silk shirt, which matched the purple tropical flower in his bride’s hair.
Domenica and Rosa went from table to table, pouring champagne into people’s glasses, except for Evie’s, who received Hawaiian punch instead.
“Welcome to the Isle of Ease,” Kurt started his speech. “I’m glad you’ve all come to join Barbie and me in celebrating our new lives together, and hope that you’ll enjoy your stay. It will be a week of good food and sea adventures, but most important, one of relaxation and peace among friends. If we had our differences in the past, I want to take this opportunity to show that there are no hard feelings.”
He looked straight at Alexa when uttering that last sentence, and she had a hard time keeping from bursting out laughing.
He continued, “I want each and every one of you to have a good time, so let me know of any special wishes to make your experience here more comfortable. If you have a craving for a snack or drink between meals, our cook, Hermina, will be happy to accommodate you. My housekeeper, Domenica, and her helper Rosa are in charge of domestic issues. If you need anything done to your room or if your clothing needs laundering, either one of those ladies can help you.”
He grinned at Mike Triest, “No real estate talk, please.” Pointing a finger at Neal Victor, he ordered, “And most essential, no political talk!”
“Fine by me,” the latter shot back.
Kurt motioned to Chris at the bar, who took his cue and hurried over to hand each newlywed a glass of champagne.
Their host raised his glass, and as all guests did likewise, he proposed a toast, “To my lovely Barbie! May we live happily ever after. To you, my baby sister, favorite niece, and friends, have an amazing week!”
“Hear, hear!” some of the guests cheered.
Hope had inwardly cringed during the entire lecture. How could Barbie have married such a pompous ass? And he was ancient too! She had thought that she knew her friend inside out, but apparently that was not the case. If only she’d been around Barbie before the wedding, she’d have talked some sense into her. So what if the guy is loaded? Money isn’t that important, at least not in my book, Hope thought.
Minutes
