A Wife for Stephen (12 page)

The traffic is fairly light as Las Vegas goes, and it takes
only 15 minutes
for
them to
arrive at
the downtown

She
notices
expectantly for shoppers to exit the mall and make use of
their services, so Celeste figures Jenny and herself should
have no trouble at all finding transportation back to the
hotel.

Just inside the entrance of the mall, Celeste sees the map
of the shopping complex. Locating the “You are Here,”
indicator, she then seeks the name of a shop that she is sure
to have success shopping.

“This way,” she says to Jenny and tugs her in the
direction of her favorite store.
They arrive
at
their
destination
and upon entering,
Celeste quickly spots the section of formal wear. Celeste
wills herself mentally to slow down and takes a few deep
breaths.
This being summer, the racks are full of sleeveless,
strapless, and spaghetti strapped garments. Celeste selects
from the rack a black leather halter dress. Next to the dress
there is a black wrap to compliment the dress she has
selected.
there
are
quite
a
few taxis
waiting
A sales associate addresses Celeste and then offers, “Is
there anything I can help you find?”
“I’m going to a concert tonight, and I’m in need of a
new outfit.”
“Sure thing. Any particular color you had in mind?”
“Not really.”
“Well the
dress
that
you
are
holding with
the
accompanying wrap is an excellent choice. It also comes in
dark gray as well as brown and wine.”
“Well… the brown might be nice to see.”
“Certainly, what size?” Celeste informs the sales clerk of
her size. “If you come with me I can set you up in a
changing room then get the other dress for you.”
“OK,” Celeste agrees before turning to Jenny and
asking, “Are you going to try on anything?”
“Yeah, I’ll get one of the other ladies to help me. I’ll
meet you back by the dressing rooms,” Jenny answers.
Once in the changing room by herself, Celeste quickly
divests herself of her jeans and top. The dress slides on as
smooth as silk against her skin. She is just finishing with the
side
zipper
when
Lonna,
as
the
sales
associate
had
introduced herself, raps lightly on the door. “Here is the
brown dress, and I also took the liberty of bringing a few
other items that would look very well on you.”
Celeste
instructs
Lonna
to
bring in
the
articles
of
clothing. Once Lonna departs, Celeste tries on all the items
that Lonna has presented while coming out of the fitting
room for her and Jenny to model the clothing for one
another. Celeste accredits Lonna with having exceptionally
good taste but ultimately decides on the first item she had
selected with the matching wrap.
Celeste emerges from the dressing facility holding the
items she has decided to get and spots Jenny at the counter
paying for
her
purchase.
She
heads
to
the
lingerie
department to select a strapless bra to go underneath the
dress and matching black stocking.
Meeting up at the register, Celeste pays for her items
and then suggests that Jenny and she head for the shoe
store. Celeste asks the sales associate who is ringing up her
purchases where is the nearest shoe store where she might
find shoes to match her outfit.
“Just right next to us to the left, is an excellent shoe
store. You’re sure to find something,” the cashier answers.
Celeste and Jenny look at
camaraderie
that
comes
from
each other and with the
knowing and shopping
together for years, they say simultaneously, “
Shoes!
”
Just as the sales woman had assured, both Celeste and
Jenny finds shoes to match their new purchases. A short
while, later they are seated in the back seat of a taxi and
being driven back to their hotel.
They arrive at the hotel with plenty of time to order
room service and have a light diner before dressing for the
evening.
When their dinner has arrived, Celeste tries to pay for
their
meal
and tip
the
bellman
only
to
be
told that
everything has already been taken care of. With a warm
smile the man bows and exits the room quietly.

Celeste takes more time getting ready this evening than
she
had ever
spent
when dressing for
her
dates
with
Tyrone. She soaks in her drawn bubble bath allowing the
hot scented water to relax her muscles. She doesn’t emerge
until the water turns tepid. She then dries off and heads to
her wardrobe to apply moisturizing cream before dressing.

After dressing, she proceeded to the mirror in hopes of
seeing herself as Stephen will soon see her. Her long hair
flows over her bare shoulders and curls slightly at the ends.
Her
complexion,
which
has
always
been
flawless,
is
glowing from the warmth and steam of the bathroom.

Celeste brushes her teeth and then sets about lightly
applying her makeup. Giving herself a satisfactory nod in
the mirror, she puts on her shoes in the bedroom and grabs
her wrap from the wardrobe.

When Celeste enters the seating area, she sees Jenny
wearing a beautiful dress in charcoal gray and matching
shoes. Jenny, always the epitome of style, looks gorgeous,
and Celeste tells her so.

“Me? You are the one who is going to
knock Stephen
for a loop when he gets a look at you.”
In the lobby of the hotel, they walk to the front desk and
Jenny
inquires
of
the
concierge
who
is
attending the
counter about their ride to the concert.
“They are waiting right outside, Madam,” the concierge
answers before getting the attention of the doorman who
comes and escorts Jenny and Celeste to their awaiting
vehicle.
Again, a limousine, but this time, it is a shiny black
stretched limo sparkling to the point that Celeste can see
her reflection against the side as she approaches.
Once the two ladies are seated in the back of the limo,
the driver gently coaxes the vehicle out of its parking spot.
The ride is rather long compared to the distance they
actually travel. This, Celeste contributes to the bumper-tobumper traffic that is associated with a Saturday night on
the Las Vegas strip.
Celeste and Jenny are escorted by Henry, from the limo
to
their
seat
on
the
fifth
row,
center
remembers
Henry from
that
first
night
Stephen a short while ago. As the opening acts get under
way, Jenny and Celeste sing along.
When
Class
One
takes
the
stage
the
audience
is
transported to the height of the evening. The roar of the
stage.
Celeste
when she
met
crowd is deafening. Celeste and Jenny find themselves
covering their ears in an effort to save their hearing.
Tonight’s performance, to Celeste, is even better than it
was on the night she saw them in Los Angeles at the Staple
Center, if that is at all possible. Perhaps, thinks Celeste, it
has something to do with the uncanny feeling that Stephen
is singing to her.
Celeste passes the notion off as ridiculous and chalks it
up to them having spent the afternoon together and her
getting to know Stephen on a personal level.
After
Class One
takes their final bow and the curtain
draws to a close, Celeste and Jenny rise from their seat and
make an effort to wade to the backstage access curtain.
They are unable to move much from their seats, so they
decide to sit and wait out the crowd.
“They sure were on it tonight,” comments Jenny.
“Yeah. They were.”
“Wasn’t that opening act different than the one we saw
in LA?”
“Yeah. They were.”
“What’s with you and the short answers? That’s not like
you.”
“I’ve just been doing some thinking.”
Quirking her lips and raising one well-arched brow,
Jenny says, “For you, that’s never a good thing.”
“This time, I bet you would disagree. I like Stephen. I
was just trying to figure out why.”
Jenny sits speechless and perplexed, staring at Celeste.
After a short silence, she says, “Are you feeling OK?” while
raising her hand to touch Celeste’s forehead.
“I’m fine,” answers Celeste and moves Jenny’s hand.
“He’s a nice guy,” Celeste finds herself admitting out loud.
But knowing that she doesn’t want to discuss anything with
Jenny just yet, Celeste looks to see if the crowd has thinned
out enough that they can make it down the aisle without
feeling like sardines in a can.
It has. Celeste rises quickly from her seat and says over
her shoulder to Jenny, “We can go now.” Celeste is
grateful that Jenny isn’t in the mood to
prod her and
contributes it to the fact that Jenny is probably anxious to
see Mario.
Henry awaits them at the entrance, “Good evening,
Ladies. Did you enjoy yourselves?”
“Yes we did. Thank you.”
“Good. I’ll show you to the dressing room.”
Following Henry down and around the corridor is no
easy task as Henry is six feet five and weighs nearly two
hundred and fifty pounds, easily moving people out of his
way. Jenny and Celeste together don’t weigh as much as
him. They do their best to stay on his heels until finally they
arrive at the door to the dressing room.
Henry knocks on the door and says, “It’s Henry, Boss.”
The door is opened by Stephen. As Celeste steps over
the threshold she is caught up in a massive bear hug and
swung into the room.
“It was great seeing you out there tonight,” Stephen
confesses.
“I enjoyed being there to cheer you on,” Celeste admits
with a pleasant smile on her face, belying the difficulty she
has in making such and admission.
Stephen is slightly taken aback. He could sense on the
walk
they had taken earlier that
they had made some
headway in clearing away Celeste’s predisposition toward
him. He is quite aware, despite Celeste’s smile, that making
such an admission to him goes against her norm. “So, what
would you like to do tonight? Usually our manager likes to
arrange some appearance for us at an after party, but I
made sure to tell him not tonight.”
“Whatever is fine with me,” Celeste answers.
“I tell you what. Why don’t you go and wait in the limo?
I’ll get showered and changed, and we can meet for a late
night dinner? Unless you’ve already eaten?”
“I had a light dinner before getting dress tonight, but I
can surely eat again. I can’t believe you haven’t eaten yet
as late as it is.” Celeste makes mention, feeling slightly
concerned.
“I don’t like to eat too close to curtain because it makes
me sick.”
“Oh, OK.”
“It won’t take me too long.” Stephen lowers his head
and places a kiss on Celeste’s cheek. A gentle lingering
kiss.
Celeste raises her hand to run her fingers along the
length of his strong jaw and for the briefest moment, she
forgets what she is supposed to go do, caught up in the
new light
in
which
she
is
growing to
see
Stephen.
Remembering that she is to wait for Stephen in the limo,
she turns on her heals and heads out the same door, she
entered through just minutes before.
Realizing that
for
the
second time
today
she
has
forgotten her friend, she stops mid stride and turns to see if
Jenny is coming with her.
“So what are you and Stephen doing later?” Jenny asks
Celeste.
“We’re going to have dinner. What are you and Mario
going to do?”
“We’re going to dinner as well. Will it be all right if we
don’t join you? I wouldn’t ask except that you and Stephen
appear to be getting along well enough.”
“That’s fine. For goodness sake, Jenny. I never intended
you to be my keeper the whole time we are in Vegas. One
can only expect that you would of course like to spend
some time alone with your man.
“And yes. You are correct. Stephen and I are getting
along just fine. And even if we weren’t, I am perfectly able
to entertain myself should the need arise. But I don’t think
it will.”
Celeste and Jenny are in the limo waiting for the men for
a just short while but long enough for Celeste to mentally
file away the enigma that she is now coming to know as
Stephen. A man surely can’t kiss her so gently and have ill
intentions. Unless he were a good actor.
Celeste is not convinced that he is acting. But neither is
she prepared to give in to the new feelings that are welling
up within her for the tall chocolate man.

Upon situating himself in the back seat, Stephen says to
Celeste “I told the driver to drop us at the hotel. From
there we can drive to the restaurant.” Taking her warm soft
hand into his own, he asks, “Do you like Mexican food?”

Celeste settles into the back of the seat luxuriating in the
feel of the supple leather against her muscles. And even
more, she is enjoying sitting so close to Stephen. Enjoying
the feel of her hand in his.

They arrive at the hotel and discover that the
SUV
has
already been pulled around for their easy access. A quick
switch of vehicles and they are off for their private dinner.

After entering the restaurant, it takes Celeste’s eyes a
bit
to adjust to its dimly lit interior. As they are escorted to
their table, Celeste takes notice of the lovely Mexican
tapestry hanging on the walls. The walls are painted in a
pale pink and are also adorned by sombreros and pictures
depicting Hispanic women and children in their village
lifestyles.

Celeste’s
chair is held out by the host. A menu is placed
in front of Stephen and herself. They place an order for a
soft drink each and are left alone to decide their entrees.

When the waitress arrives with their drink order, she ask
if they are ready to place their food order. Celeste chooses
enchiladas,
a
Carne
Asada,
and Mexican
style
rice
proceeded by a bowl of authentic albondegas soup.