knew Miles personally and can attest to the fact that he was grumpy and demanding – not pretty traits in a human being but served him well in his business practices. Through his grumpiness he saw something he loved in Helen, ‘something fresh, bold, and honest and a little bit weird’. Is how he put it.”
It took a bit of time to get to the podium but I didn’t rush.
“Thank you Wyatt. It’s good to see you relax; it’s good to see all of us relax. We know that business really doesn’t have a place during this bash, I still want to take the opportunity while we are all together to say thank you for your diligence and your loyalty and of course the leadership that you’ve provided to all of our work force. Wyatt, you have a designer’s flair plus you know just the right people to join you in your vision. This place is transformed and more fun than adults can usually have in public. So our aim tonight is to have some of that fun. Laugh and dance and enjoy the company of talented and fun people.”
“In parting I have only a few more words. In these tough economic times a chief really doesn’t get to say these words very often.”
“The New Holdings has seen record profits in the last quarter. We decided that these profits need to be shared with those who are helping to make our success happen. ‘The New Holdings’ has mailed to all employees profit sharing checks that were cut on Friday morning. So, don’t throw them away without opening them. When you get your check please cash it with my warmest regards and personal thank you. So it shall be that when there is profit for ‘The New Holdings’, that profit will be shared with the work force. This is a new policy that will be adhered to until further notice.”
There was polite applause as I returned to the booth where Charlie stood waiting for me. He kissed me on the temple and let me slide to the inside. It was nice to see my drink waiting for me as well.
“Woman, were you nervous?” Charlie whispered.
“No, Lover, I wasn’t nervous. I was as comfortable as I would be talking to my kids. That’s kind of odd, really. Did I sound nervous?”
“No, you were great.” Charlie said and kissed me again.
In a matter of minutes we were joined at the circular booth first by Denice and Sam and then by Rick and Amanda. When Kevin and Kathy came by we had to squeeze together to fit everyone into the booth.
When our meal was delivered everyone left for their own tables and only the connected four of us were left to eat with more room. After dinner the night brought us a great deal of dancing and laughter. When I was on the dance floor with someone other than Charlie, I’d see Charlie ask any gal who was standing or sitting alone to dance. Charlie and I made it an unspoken deal to dance every other dance together. Michael and I got a chance to show our skills on the dance floor again but honestly we weren’t any better than Michael and Lu or Charlie and me for that matter. Charlie was my dance partner, my life partner and I was his. We swirled around on the dance floor and moved with the grace of angels but sometimes devilishly sexy.
Sought out by Kevin and Kathy before they retired for the night, I had a chance to tell Kevin how proud I was of him and he echoed my words right back to me. We belonged to each other’s ‘fan club’.
“Mom, you’ve always impressed me but watching you take command during your talk was inspiring. Kathy and I had a ‘kick ass’ time tonight. We’re taking off at first light but you’ll hear from us officially with news about the paperwork for the Olympics.”
Kevin moved in to kiss me and whispered in my ear.
“Kathy agreed to marry me, shh, mums the word.”
“Email me, I need more.”
I said in an urgent whisper before he left me. He smiled and nodded. Kathy hugged me and whispered in my ear.
“Kevin agreed to marry me, shh, mums the word.” I laughed.
“You guys email me, I need more!”
I said without regard to privacy.
Charlie and I stayed at the bash until after Michael’s session that started at midnight and ended at 2 a.m. His intimate stage was set up like a piano bar. But there was an audience of about 100. Michael’s audience banter was more adult than in the larger venues and stadiums.
“I’ve never been a fan of boxing but there is one aspect of the boxing presentation that would enhance any show. So I thought I’d add it to mine, strictly for the fans to enjoy, of course.”
While Michael was talking a shapely scantily clad ‘Las Vegas’ showgirl strutted out and around his piano holding a sign that said, ‘Another Song’ and then a second gorgeous showgirl also nearly naked, came in right after the first, also holding a sign, that one said, ‘Please Michael’.
Close to the end of his act Michael invited me on stage for a song. We immediately went into an act that we’d put together for a PBS Special. It was sexy and sultry and fun. I got to sing in a scorching and sexy voice and drape myself across the piano during the routine and then we shared a little innuendo banter. It was all fun.
We stayed to see Wyatt bid farewell to all and were the last of his guests to leave. We left to the servant’s quarters to get out of the way of the caterer’s clean-up crew.
Michael, Lu, Charlie, and I sat at the dining room table sipping on a really nice sherry that Wyatt had given me and talking about the great fun we’d had and that we didn’t want it to end.
“I gotta tell ya, Lu, the two of you made a stunning pair on the dance floor tonight. You guys are so connected.”
“Thank you Elena. You and Charlie are wonderful dancers. It was fun, no?”
“Yes, it was fun.” I nodded my head.
“Baby, Lucy’s right; you and Charlie shined on that dance floor.”
Michael joined the praises.
“Charlie, I always knew you could move, ever since I first saw you jump Helen’s fence, but tonight you were a guiding star.”
Their praise and recognition met with a ‘Thanks” from Charlie, “It’s all Helen.”
“No Lover, it’s all us.”
I whispered and touched my lips to his neck.
At that very second my recall insinuated a memory into my mind’s eye. It was Charlie and I dancing our first dance at our wedding. Charlie had made me dance with him many times before the event so that he’d do well. Those quick few seconds showed me just how good he was. My heart raced with that vision reminding me that Charlie was my man. Without warning I wanted, no, I needed a one on one with my man.
Charlie left the table a few minutes before and when he came back he had one of my larger sketch pads with him.
“Helen was fooling around on the plane.”
Charlie said as an introduction to the fun pictures I’d drawn of the four of us in super hero costumes.
There were four completed sketches and a dozen or so with only the beginnings of a picture or a jacket which were for me reminders of an idea that I wanted to explore and develop.
The
