Affair: New Scent

After 9 p.m., seems like the crowd has melted away. They’re going home after having glasses and glasses of champagne until their face are pinky and they talk non sense things like their companies, their friends, and the guy on the next table is talking about his great aunt, he must have drunk too much champagne or is it the Golden Rum Cake?

And so at 9.30 p.m., we all go home. Ian and I ride the limo again and the paparazzi haven’t dispersed a little. They are all still at their same position, lining up the entrance door to get the closest pic of celebs. “Where is the car?” I ask Ian when we’re in the lobby, loaded with paparazzi that shot their cameras non-stop.

“It’s on the way. Are you okay?” he looks at me intensely.

“I’m ok.” I say as my head sways a little.

“Hey! You’re Sugar, right? You come here too!” a woman voice suddenly calls. I turn to see the owner of the voice and I see a tall, slender-bodied woman in her 20s. I racked my brain trying to think where I'd seen her before. And to my horror, she comes closer. “How are you doing?” she shakes my hand gently.

“Oh, I’m good. How about you?” I ask her, struggling so hard to remember her name or where had I seen her. But my head gives a little nudge back that means ‘don’t disturb me! I’m light, and dizzy and stuffed!’

“I’m great! So how was your parent’s perfumery business? Was it this big?” she tilted her head back to the huge poster of Hey Son!. What the hell is this woman talking about?

“Oh, yeah. It will!” I reply in an assuring voice although I’m doubtful inside.

“Ms. Willis!” suddenly a bearded man walks towards us. “It’s really nice to meet you!” he hugs the woman and they kiss each other’s cheeks.

Ms. Willis?

Where might….

Oh!

Oh my god! My whole body freezes as I come into consciousness.

It’s the woman from the charity evening! I don’t even remember her anymore! And what the hell is she talking……damn! I lied to her, didn’t I? I said that my parents got a perfume line, and it’s a joining company with Earl…Gavin?

A moment later the bearded guy has gone and Ms. Willis turns to me again. “So? Are you enjoying the night?” she asks.

“Oh, yes, very much. Thanks.” I say.

“Well, where is your friend? The lucky daughter of the Freyson Family?”

“Oh, she’s inside. But she’ll be back home in no time.” I say, trying to smile.

“Oh, I see.” She says, raising her eyebrow elegantly. Suddenly, the bearded guy back again, this time with another man in a dark brown suit. “This is the famous Ms. Willis. Ms. Willis, this is Pierre Beau, the guy I once told you.”

“Oh, sure! Nice to meet you!” Ms. Willis shakes the Pierre Beau’s hand professionally.

“Enchanté!” says the French guy enthusiastically.

“So, are you the well-known reporter of Jalouse Magazine?” Ms. Willis asks him.

“Yes, I am.” He replies proudly.

Ian has now listens to the conversation, too. “Who the hell is this woman?” he whispers.

“She’s a fashion designer.” I reply quickly, don’t want to miss the conversation. I know I’m eavesdropping, but I can’t help it.

“And have you know about the…” Pierre looks around cautiously and I quickly look away to the busy road. “…I heard from a friend that Heidy and Mr. Freyson has an affair!” he says dramatically and Ms. Willis and the bearded guy are gasping, including me actually.

“Did you hear that?” I nudge Ian silently.

“Yes I heard it. But it’s no proof.” He says calmly.

“…and Mr. Freyson is having an uneasy home condition right now. I guess he and his wife are having a fight, you know. I looked at their only daughter just now and she’s terribly sad. It’s on her face and Mrs. Freyson doesn’t come today.”

Ok, this is over the limit.

How could they find out about that?

And suddenly our limo appears and stops in front of us. A doorman opens the door, “Oh! You’re going home! Well then, see you later, Sugar!” Ms. Willis says.

“Sure! See you next time!” I say, waving my hand and as the door closes, I’m plunk into a deep relaxation, away from the crowds. It’s just me and Ian. And the street lights and the traffics. I practically close my eyes to feel the silence and peace.

“So.. are you going to tell me or not?” Ian suddenly asks after we’re silent for about 10 minutes.

“What?” I ask without opening my eyes. I’m perfectly settled here.

“About the perfume line your family had?”

“Oh. I was lying.” I say without much thinking.

“Lying? Why did you lie?”

“Well, I thought it’d look cool and I would be more fitted in the group. Besides, people at the Charity Evening won’t really ‘see’ people unless you got tons of money.” I say honestly. Ian chuckles and says, “Well, about Vi’s parents and Heidy…”

“I hope it’s not true.” I cut in.

“Yeah. You don’t have to believe it, ok? It’s just a rumor. Magazine people use to make rumors.”

“But…how did they find out about the fight?” I ask, opening my eyes and all I can see are just blurry vision of lights from shops and cars passing us away.

“I…..I have no idea.” Ian replies. “What time is it?”

“9.40.”

“It’s too early to come home.” He says. Ok, I know this is some kind of a sign, this will make a mean that he wants to take me to other places, some cool places!

“Well, where do you want to take me to?” I ask to-the-point-ly.

Ian laughs quietly, “How do you know I’m going to ask you to other places?”

“Girl instinct.” I reply.

“Well, in that case, does your girl instinct says you’re hungry?”

“Hmmm, let me ask her.” I say and I really talk to my belly about it and Ian laughs. “Well, she says ‘if it’s just a little donut or a cinnamon pretzel, then it should be ok’.” I announces as if my belly can really talk.

“Ok, how about La Bergamote?” he suggests.

“Where the hell is that?” I ask blankly.

“It’s in 169 Ninth Ave. not far from here.” He rolls down the partition between us and the driver. “To 169 Ninth Avenue, please.”

“Sure.” says the driver. “They say it’s a good place there.” he adds.

“Really?”

“Yes. People are always mounding up that place. It’s really delicious. I have ever brought my wife there once and after that night I proposed her and she said yes. It’s like the most beautiful thing.” He says.

“Whoa! How romantic!” I say.

“Yeah. So, what’s the place like?” Ian asks.

“Oh, it’s pretty. You just have to look at it yourself. Well at that time I was a taxi driver, I don’t have much money. Taking my wife to eat there was like cutting my salary into half! That was pretty crazy. But at noon, many people come there, they say the napoleon is crazily delicious. Must-try.” He explains.

“Whoa! Sure!”

“Ok, here we are.” He says, stopping the car on the side of the street ad it looks hugely “too much” for this place. It’s a nice place with restaurants and galleries lining up the street and this limo, just doesn’t fit in.

“Thanks a lot, Marco!” Ian says. “You can go home now.”

“But I haven’t taken you back home!” he says.

“That’s ok. I’ll take bus from here.” Ian says.

“Ok then if you’re sure. Have a nice meal with your nice girl!” he says, rolling up the window and sends us a wink. We wave him goodbye and everybody is staring at us with these formal dress and suit.

“Shall we?” Ian offers his arm and we both walk inside the comfy little place.

Ok, this place is sooo irresistible. I had a chocolate mousse and a cup of cappuccino but the napoleon are so demanding that I had to order more. Same goes with Ian, he had a chocolate croissant as a starter, but then he wants fruit cakes and in the end, we are both stuffed and happy and light and totally relaxed.

“So…. Are you going to get a job again some day?” I ask, fiddling with my spoon.

“Well maybe. Actually, I was thinking of getting other jobs as waiter or newspaper guy, but I don’t really like the idea of waking up too early and have to go to work I don’t like. I know being a newspaper guy pays a lot of money but so is baby sitting. But the thing is, I hate both ideas.” He replies.

“what would you like to do, then?” I ask.

“I don’t know. I must find the right job to know it fits me.” He says lightly.

“Ice-cream man?”

“That sounds fun! Driving the ice-cream truck with kids chasing you. But I don’t like the idea of sitting in the truck until my flat ass glued to the seat.” He says and we both giggle to the image of him, driving the ice-cream truck with a really terrible face.

“My sister got a job in an advertising company. It’s just so unfair! She is the smart one and I’m more like…..”

“The stupid one?” I puts in.

“Yeah kind of.” He says, laughing.

“I let you know what is unfair. My mum is going to Hawaii and she doesn’t bring her kids along with her! Dang! I’m dying to go to Hawaii!”

“What she do there?”

“She’s a wedding planner. She will organize a wedding there for a couple of superrich people. Mum says they are “kind of” celebrities just because they bring LV bag. My mum is like soooo plain. She has no idea who is Johny Depp! Mind you!” I say and we both laugh.

“Oh! I know this guy who works in Ben and Jerry’. Would you like me to ask him if there is a position available?” I suddenly recall the ice-cream guy.

“Ok, sure if you don’t mind,”

“Of course not!” I say.

“Ok, it’s almost 11 now. We should go home or your parents will get angry.” He stands up and holds my hand.

“Uh. Ok.” I reply vaguely. Then we take a nice walk before stopping at the halt to feel New York’s cool night breeze with night life. Then we get in the bus and ride back home.

I’m all stressed-out when Vi calls this morning. Why can’t my life be just fine for a day? I sometimes wonder if God would let me be stress-free even for just a moment. Well, my life used to be like so “safe” but since I knew Vi, it all changed. My life is a big chaos, full of stresses, parties, dresses, shoppings, clothings, and a dog. It’s not that I hate it, it adds colours to my life actually. The thing is, sometimes, it’s overwhelming. And my life sometimes looks more like a story than a real one.

“Sugar… I need to see you today.” Vi’s shrill voice echoes in my ear.

“What happened?” I rub my eyes and stretches.

“I heard my parents arguing again. This time is not about the money my mum gave, it’s about my dad having an affair!” my heart skips a little as she tells me in a desperate voice. “Oh god Sugar! I’m scared!”

“Clam down, ok? Calm down….” I say soothingly, “that can’t be true. There is no proof to that.” I say, remembering what Ian told me yesterday.

“But Mum has got proofs!” she cries.

“What?”

“She has got proofs! It’s in Dad’s e-mails and text messages! They’re calling each other ‘Hun’!” she furiously says.

“Welll….maybe it’s a common word for people that work in a perfumery and clothings business? You know, sometimes, they’re gay and they like to….”

“My dad is not GAY!” Vi says harshly.

“I know, I know. Ok, you know what, I’ll be there.” then I click the phone off. This is starts to go scarily nuts. Affair? A man in his 40s and a woman in her 20s? This is a total scandal! The press will all get excited if they know about this and there will be headlines like “Affair: New Scent” in no time.