The Sibylline Oracle (12 page)

Ava swung open the door of the cottage and pranced in like she owned the place. Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “Let’s see if I remember where Alex hides his
really
good wines!” She disappeared for a few minutes and then returned with a couple of dust-covered bottles. She wiped them off and poured three glasses while Camille continued explaining that they really shouldn’t be drinking.

The fireplace was already ablaze as Camille, Ava, and Valeria grabbed their glasses. Valeria sipped the wine and couldn’t believe how good it tasted. Ava raised her glass in a toast, “To friends!”

Valeria felt tears begin to well, but swallowed back the emotion with the extraordinary wine. “Ava, I don’t want to keep you from Lars tonight, especially when you’ve been away so long.”

“Don’t worry about us! Lars is going to be busy most of the night with Alex and Tavish.” Ava looked to Camille and Valeria with a smile. “Besides, I’m here to get the scoop!”

They clinked glasses and drank again. Glancing through her glass, Ava took a long look at Valeria and then took on a conspiratorial expression. “So…without Daph here to influence your response, tell me exactly about how it happened with you and Alex.”

Valeria noticed Camille roll her eyes at Ava. “How what happened? Do you mean how I met him?”

Ava leaned back. “Yeah, tell me everything.” Seeing Valeria’s concern, she added, “Don’t worry, I won’t repeat a word.” Then, Ava settled back on the floor next to the sofa.

“Well,” Valeria started, “Alex saved me from being crushed by a car.” Ava nodded as if she didn’t care about that part. Valeria went on, “I…well, I decided to go to lunch with him, or was it breakfast?” She thought about it and then her face lit as she remembered their time together at Sarabeth’s, and on the flight, and in Verona...

Ava leaned forward. “That’s the part I want to hear about! What caused
that
smile?”

“Really, we just talked,” Valeria said innocently. “Actually, I guess I mostly talked.” She paused. “Well, we both talked about books and how much Alex likes
Walden
and—”

Ava picked up the copy of
Walden
that Valeria had dropped on the table when she’d come back to change for dinner. “Exhibit A!” Ava said, waving her hand. “Yeah, yeah, yeah!
And then?
”

“Well…” Valeria took another sip of wine. “Then we…uh, let’s see. Oh, yes! Mani came and gave me a transference. And then Alex walked me back to my apartment and told me I needed to pack.” Valeria thought and then added, “Or something like that.”

“Okay!” Ava’s eyes got big with irritation. “I’m looking for
details!
You know…
when did he make his move?
”

Shaking her head with pretended irritation, Camille knew there was no silencing Ava. Valeria was taken aback. “Make his
move? I don’t know what you mean…Alex wouldn’t do that! He’s way too much of a gentleman!”

Ava’s jaw dropped as she moved forward and glared at Camille. “What is wrong with kids today?” Ava’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. “
You mean he hasn’t made a move
?”

Embarrassed, Valeria wondered what had caused that question. She suspected that her feelings for Alex must be obvious. Maybe in this culture running around on your spouse was acceptable, but it wasn’t in her world. And Valeria couldn’t believe it would be all right in Alex’s either. Obviously, Ava hadn’t gotten the whole story. “No. Why would he?”

Again, Ava turned and looked at Camille with absolute disgust. Valeria realized she needed to jump in. “Tell me about you and Lars. How did you meet?”

Snuggling into the back of the sofa, Ava began, “Well, we both had been having fun with a number of…well, I guess you don’t need to know about that.” Ava looked up with a spark in her eye. “Oh! I know. So, I had seen Lars on the beach in Paxos.”

“Paxos?”

“An island off the western shore of Greece,” Camille added, while Ava gave her a look that said Camille was interrupting her flow.

“We were both doing the bathing beauty thing. You know, not actually getting into the water. Finally, I said, ‘Are you a chicken or are you actually going to get in the water with me?’ Of course, I didn’t know he was an oracle at the time.” Ava dropped her head to the side, her face lighting in memory. “After a little…well…fun, we saw each other at the Council meeting. Ours was a love born out of…well, great sex! Fortunately, we enjoyed everything else too.”

Ava gestured to Valeria. “So, your turn!”

Realizing it was time to halt the discussion of her and Alex, Valeria began, “Actually, I’m engaged to a diplomat named David Wiley.”

“No!” Ava contested, looking as if she doubted the information, while Camille silently sipped her wine.

“Yep.” Valeria nodded attempting to convince Ava. “Three years now.”

Ava looked skeptical. “I don’t see a ring.”

“That’s because David and I have decided that there’s no hurry. People like to rush into things! No, David and I are taking our time,” Valeria said, feeling very relaxed about her presentation.

Ava was refilling their glasses when they heard a knock on the door. “Food!” Ava ran to the door and returned with several bags. Valeria and Camille followed her to the kitchen and dished out what Valeria recognized as American-style pizza. Emptying the other bag, Ava held up a giant bag of popcorn.

“You
bought
popcorn?” Valeria asked.

“Ava doesn’t cook, as I mentioned earlier.” Camille laughed.

They ate as the fire roared and Ava poured the wine freely. “So, tell us more about this diplomat…what’s his name? Oh, yeah, David!” Ava tossed a couple of kernels of popcorn in the air and caught them in her mouth. Valeria thought popcorn and wine was an odd combination.

“Well, I met him at the hotel across from the U.N. where I have—I mean I
had
—a floral account. He saw me and sent his assistant over to ask me to join him. And…I guess that’s about all,” she said, her mouth already feeling a bit loose from the several glasses of wine and the friendship.

“I want the juicy stuff!” Ava’s eyes lit up as she tossed a few more kernels of popcorn in the air again and caught them with great accuracy.

“
Juicy stuff?
” Valeria asked.

“Tell us how he proposed!” Ava said, as Camille leaned forward to listen.

Valeria thought for a minute. “You know, I don’t…I don’t really remember. Hmmm...” She glanced up in thought. “I guess it was just decided.”

Ava rolled her eyes. “So, how did he sweep you off your feet? Tell us about the seduction?”

“
Seduction?
Oh, no! I’m not going to talk about that!” Valeria wondered in horror,
is that what girls talked about?

Ava opened another bottle of wine and refilled their glasses. “Camille, tell me about Jonah!” Valeria sipped the wine and it was even better than the last bottle.

Camille’s eyes softened with the memories. “Alright. Well, Jonah and I found each other because of our eye color. Let’s face it; there aren’t many of us, especially of our skin color, who have our shade of blue eyes!”

Valeria suddenly realized that Ava and Camille had the same eye color as Alex and Mani. “What is the deal with your eye color?” she asked, feeling braver from the effects of the wine.

“I don’t really know. But all true oracles have the same eye color,” Camille said, sipping her wine.

“Except for Daphne. Her eyes are green,” Valeria recalled.

“Yeah, she likes to be different. Thanks to Bausch and Lomb, she can be.” Ava offered. Then she signaled for Camille to continue while she refilled all of the glasses.

“Jonah and I had both been courting others. But even in those days, there was
so
much drama with mortal relationships.

“Finally, one day I just said, ‘Jonah, I think the reason nothing ever works with anyone else is because we belong together.’ You know how when you try to mix friendship with love, it doesn’t always work? Well, with us, it was just…” Camille sighed, finishing, “…wonderful!” She nodded as if that was the end of her rendition of how she had met her husband.

An hour later, having more wine than she should have—while listening to great stories of Camille and Jonah and Ava and Lars,
and
hearing them both talk about previous lovers—Valeria’s courage came forward.

“You know, David was my first—well, first and only. But...he really isn’t the romantic type! Not like…well, not like Alex. David’s more the thinking and planning type…about everything. And I do mean
everything!
”

Ava’s eyes jumped. “Yeah?” she asked, angling for more details. She poured more wine into Valeria’s glass.

“David decided we would take our relationship to the next stage—that’s what he called it. Oh, I guess that’s how he proposed! He said it was about time we took our relationship to the next stage.”

Ava tilted Valeria’s glass. “Drink up, sister!” Valeria obliged.

“So, where was I? Oh, yeah…so, after the fourth date…well, you know...” Valeria thought for a moment about what she really wanted to, or would, say. She never believed she would have this type of discussion with anyone, let alone her new best friends!

“Okay, so what happened? Did he take you to a romantic B&B? How did he sweep you off your feet?” Ava demanded.

Thinking about it for an instant, Valeria realized her glass was full again. But the wine was so good. “Well, no. David isn’t really a ‘sweep you off your feet’ kind of guy. It was all very…planned.”

Ava winced. Valeria had to admit even Camille looked disappointed. Valeria gulped down the rest of the wine. “David just…well, you know…went in and undressed and then patted my side of the bed.”

Ava’s jaw dropped. “This guy has all the romance of a cow!”

Even Camille was aghast. “No!”

Both Camille and Ava held their thumbs down while they booed.

“Well, I’m certain I was no real prize for him, either. I mean, I had no idea what was supposed to happen,” Valeria admitted, feeling the need to defend David.

Having clearly had too much wine, Camille finally burst out and said, “Val! What are you doing with this man?”

Just then, there was a knock at the front door. Ava jumped up and headed to answer it. “Oh, no! You don’t get her back tonight!”

Valeria brightened as she watched Alex step through the door. “Sorry, I wanted to get my shaving supplies and a change of clothes.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed at Valeria. “Ava, you know Valeria isn’t much of a drinker. Don’t plow her with too much wine, alright?”

Ava shrugged sarcastically, and then dismissed him with the wave of her hand. “She’s fine!”

“I’m fine!” But Valeria realized that she had already had too much.

From the bedroom, Alex signaled to her. Valeria rose and, realizing she was probably staggering just a bit, tried to straighten as she walked to where Alex stood. She noticed his eyes were lit with amusement, and something else equally as pleasant. “Are you alright with me leaving you alone with them tonight?”

Valeria looked at Alex as she stood a bit too close, occasionally weaving even closer. She answered a little too flirtatiously. “I’m fine,” she slurred.

“Yes you are,” he said with an amused glow in his eyes.

“If you wanted to join us, I’m sure that would be okay…I mean, fine.” Suddenly, Valeria heard what she said and was horrified. Alex laughed his charming laugh as he looked into her eyes again.

“We still have a lot of details that we must resolve.” Alex touched her nose as Valeria moved her face close enough to touch his. “Otherwise, I would probably have to run them both off and enjoy your company alone.” Valeria let out a drunken little laugh, which she realized made her sound like a lovesick schoolgirl. He chuckled again, but stepped away to grab a sports bag.

After packing, he carried his bag to the living room. “Ava, leave us a few bottles of the good stuff, will you?” He smiled intently at Valeria. “I have plans of my own for them!”

Valeria leaned against the arch to the bedroom, her face smiling drunkenly after Alex as he left. Ava exclaimed with great emphasis, “Now,
that’s
what I’m talking about!”

With a sudden pout coming to her face, Valeria wandered back to sit on the floor again. “Yeah…too bad about that.”

“What do you mean?” Camille asked.

“He is so very…sexy and romantic, isn’t he?” Valeria rolled her eyes as she giggled drunkenly.

Camille slurred knowingly, “You are totally into Alex, aren’t you!”

“Well, of course she is! I mean look at her—she is practically swooning! Hell, she
is
swooning!” Ava added.

The words stopped Valeria in her tracks and she took a deep, unsteady breathe. “I don’t want to think about that.”

No, she really did not want to think about that. If she thought about Alex, she also had to think about the fact that he was taken. And she had spent a lifetime forcing herself to think about only those things that were possible. These thoughts about him completely overwhelmed her.