might still cry from happiness, Lover.” I confessed.
“That’s ok,” Charlie grinned.
Even though that morning I woke up with a kind of buzzing in my ears, well more like being under the covers with a mosquito that’s driving you crazy I got into the conversations going on, got our food, and sat at the end of the long banquet table which enabled us to see everyone. Just like it was Sunday dinner I looked to each person at the table to pay silent tribute to them and offer up a personal wish of success for each.
At breakfast, just like anytime, my sister was radiant. She was wearing a playful red and white dress that took me a moment to place. It turned out to be a small change up of a dress that I’d designed for the summer show. It looked beautiful on her. I swear she looked half her age. Denice had an enormous appetite and the metabolism that could handle it. She was wearing her hair up in a style that’s supposed to look like she just shoved up to get it out of the way but on her when the little curls escaped the clip the look just got better and better. I watched as she started a conversation and then ate her food while others joined and carried it. When there was a lull, she threw out a word or two and it would pick up again and she’d continue eating. She had a great talent of keeping the air filled with chatter and lively conversation. She knew everyone at the table so she didn’t have to single anyone out for information. Life seemed to be good to her and that made me happy. She deserves all of the goodness the world has to offer because she’s always been a major part of that goodness.
Sitting right next to Denice was Sam, a barrel-chested man with good manners and a ready laugh. The best thing about him was the way he loved my sister. His eyes sparkled as he looked at her; there was obvious magnetism between them. Their movement around each other was nearly a dance and they were constantly touching. Sam was wearing an ivory and black pullover sweater and black trousers that went well with his silver gray hair, quite nice.
Rick had Sam at his right hand but his attention that morning was on Amanda. He pulled out her chair and kissed the top of her head after he helped her adjust and move closer to the table. Rick must have gotten the memo about wearing sweaters because he was wearing a dark green pullover with what could only be called ‘golf’ pants of checkered greens. The colors were nice and matched Amanda’s pale green pullover sweater and darker green trousers. Rick is about 5’ 10’’ in height and slender with salt and pepper hair that is always neatly trimmed. Every now and then he’d try to grow a mustache or a goatee or a beard but met with little success so that morning he was clean shaven. Rick and I knew each other from way back because we’d dated when I was just out of high school and working in a high rise in downtown LA.
To my very right was Amanda with Rick at her right. Amanda was Charlie’s sister and the third of ‘Three Women’. She’d changed physically since we first met; she’d dropped a few pounds but still held her softer round female look. She’d let her hair grow long and wore it pulled back – allowing us the pleasure of seeing more of her beautiful porcelain skin. In her spiked heals she was still much shorter than Rick. Her breakfast looked to be lacking but she seemed peaceful.
On the other side of the table there were two chairs that were yet empty and the chairs at the opposite end of the table from us revealed two empty places that were, only moments before occupied by Wyatt and Millie. All eyes on the doorway to see Wyatt and Millie return; right behind them were Kevin and Kathy. As usual it took me a minute to catch on that Kevin’s appearance was a surprise for me because no one beside me seemed the least bit shocked to see him.
After hugs we all addressed our meal again and I continued my small pleasure of observing each of the table companions. Millie was the next to receive my attention. She spoke intimately to Wyatt while he lowered his head to assist in the privacy of her words. She looked quite a bit younger than Wyatt but I knew how old they each were and they were much closer in age than anyone could guess. With the height of a model and the creativity of a designer she’d headed the London Office of ‘Three Women’ since its inception and did a fine job for the company. She was instrumental in bringing her brother, David, into the business both as a model and as a designer. She made a joke about David not being there because he needed a ‘spa day’. Everyone knew that David didn’t neglect his self-maintenance.
Millie was wearing a very short skirt that showed off her long legs. It was a fresh young look with over-sized black shoe/boots and bobby socks the same color as the skirt, a vibrant blue. Her blouse was the same vibrant blue with large bright white checks, like I said, fresh.
Wyatt’s pretty tall, nearly as tall as Charlie but rail thin in comparison. The sharp angles of his look had softened since Millie entered his life. I loved to design for him and so did the other women which meant that Wyatt had a new wardrobe every season. His shape and look allowed us to use our artsy and playful sides while creating stylish clothing for him to wear. He’s a trusted friend who’s carried on my bidding and protected me with his knowledge of the law. I counted on him to tell me the honest truth and to give me his opinion. Most of the time I went the way he suggested but there’d been a time or two when I disagreed and he still pushed but saw when I was adamant in my decision and backed off. He was always quick to recognize the wisdom of a decision when it was revealed to be wise. He was wearing office attire with a white shirt, rolled sleeves, open vest of dark blue with matching trousers. He and Millie were a nice compliment to each other.
On Wyatt’s right, at the corner sat Kathy. Her bright freckled face was beaming her happiness. She was one of those gals who could push her sun glasses up on her head and muss up her hair but it looked good anyway. Her hair, a deep red, was very thick with small bouncy curls. She was wearing a traveling suit of a pretty soft pine green that matched her green eyes. She’d had eyes for my Kevin for as long as I’d known her. I liked her; she was funny and real. Whenever she was involved with something, she was involved. Not the lazy type, no she was a mover like my Kevin. They were a good match.
Sitting close to Kathy was my son, Kevin; a handsome man who looked taller than his 6’ height perhaps because of his athletic body. Always dressed to match the occasion, the slacks he wore matched the soft green of Kathy’s suit as did the shirt collar around his white pull-over sweater. He had a great smile and used it often. He was a positive ‘can do’ man whose confidence gave others confidence in him. Working for the Olympic Committee he headed all things ‘Catch’ and his time was valuable; he had to work at not spreading himself too thin. Later I found out that he and Kathy, their schedules so busy, were staying for only the one night. He caught me looking at him and winked and flashed me ‘I love you’ in sign.
Next to Kevin sat Michael a partner in a number of ways. He’s a song partner, a dance partner, a universal travel partner, a red travel partner, and he’d been my unofficial cosmic observer partner, he carried a catch object that I’d made for him named ‘Partner’. His usual attire, while not performing, was a tee shirt and jeans but that morning he was wearing white; white slacks and a white thin knit sweater. He was freshly shaven and looked really good.
Charlie slipped his hand in mine to get my attention. I smiled when he touched me and leaned in close to him.
“What is it, Lover?”
I asked in a voice that only he could hear.
In a voice as quiet as mine he said, “Woman, you’re staring at Michael.”
“Oh,” I said.
“I was offering up a Sunday dinner wish for him.”
“Yeah.,” Charlie said.
“What was the wish?”
“It was a wish that he could ‘get over himself’ a bit and relax more. His ego trips him up, don’t you think?”
Using
