Chapter 12
“Well maybe he knew she was someone he wouldn’t fall for deeply,” was Jill’s take on the Wes/Keiko situation.
“I agree,” Laynie concurred. “I think after what that man went through, he was just looking for something to help him forget and heal. Keiko is not serious material for him. And he wasn’t ready for anything serious.”
I was on my second glass of wine and instead of feeling happy, the blues were setting in. “Well, it’s not like I’ve got a chance with the man.”
Picking the almonds out of the mixed nuts at the center of the table, Jill didn’t look up. “Why not, Tara? He’s obviously got a thing for you. You two have this special connection.”
“We sure do have a special connection and his name is Julien.” Just saying it made me shudder and reach for my wine glass.
Jill’s blue eyes opened wide with horror. “That’s got to be hanging over your head knowing at any time Julien can drop the guillotine,” her tone was hushed and dramatic.
A sip of wine was halfway down my throat and I began to choke, “That’s a great visual. The man has already had head from me and now he’s going to have my head.”
Patting my back, Laynie surmised, “I’m sure if he said something to Wes, you’d know about it.”
“Oh, I agree and then look at what a hypocrite I am, judging him on his young girlfriend when I’ve had sex with his best friend.”
“They’re best friends?” Jill asked. “Are you sure they’re not just business colleagues?”
Shaking my head, and grabbing a handful of the now almond-less nut mixture, “From what Kelly has told me, they’ve known each other since they are like eight years old. Wes is very loyal to him and Julien is where he is only because of Wes. I think Wes has bailed him out of a few situations in his life.”
“Bros before hoes,” Laynie muttered.
“Exactly,” we all concurred.
“Can we get another bottle of the Syrah and more nuts,” I asked our waitress.
“Sorry I stole all the almonds. So why do you think he hasn’t said anything to Wes?”
“The only thing I can think is that it’s a control thing with him. He’s lording it over me. Holding me hostage with it.” The whole thing was weighing on me heavily. “Do I tell Wes?” I looked at my two friends sorely needing advice on this one.
Jill was vigorously shaking her head no and I looked at Laynie.
“Not until he’s pulling a condom out of its wrapper.” My best friend’s pointed look clearly said, keep your mouth shut.
After weeks of auditions and script tweaks, we were down to final casting on two of the PSA videos with three actresses and two actors doing readings. Wes had joined Kelly and Renata to make the decision and Chris was sitting in with the team, in Wes’ presence.
I stopped in to say hello to everyone, since this portion of the process didn’t include me. Kim had coffee and danish set-up for everyone and I grabbed a cup.
“Where have you been hiding?” Renata asked.
“Just waiting for you guys to finish casting and then you’ll be seeing plenty of me.”
I caught Wes’ eye and smiled. Why did it feel as if there was no one else in the room whenever he was around? I felt a closeness to this man, yet the distance was evident. Our relationship was purely business, yet it felt like he and I were the only two that shared some colossal secret. Or maybe it was only me, as I really didn’t have any idea what he was feeling and the secret I was hiding was massive.
Donna slipped into the room, “Tara, I have Frank on the phone.”
It was odd that Frank would call into the main number. “Tell him I’ll call him back.” I tried to keep my voice low.
“Umm, he was pretty insistent he needed to speak to you.” And then she whispered, “It came in through an international number.”
“What?” My voice was louder and sharper than I’d expected it to come out.
Shaking my head, I fled from the room. This was not going to be good. Not at all. It was Thursday morning and two days away was the Annual Father/Daughter Spring Dance. If he was overseas anywhere I was going to get on a plane and kill the man with my bare hands.
“I’ll put it through to your office.” Donna headed back to the front desk.
Visions of castration were becoming clearer as my anger increased with every step toward my office. Closing the door, I picked up my phone.
“Frank?”
The line was scratchy. “Hey Tar, I’ve got some bad news.”
“Where are you?”
“You see that’s the problem. I’m in Paris and won’t be able to make it back until Sunday.”
“Yeah, that is a problem, Frank, since you’ve got a date with your daughter on Saturday night.”
“I know. I feel terrible.”
“No Frank, if you felt terrible, you’d get your ass on a plane tomorrow and come home.”
“Look, Tara, my hands were really tied.”
“This had better be a good one, like the only surgeon who could reattach your balls is there.”
“Ha-ha, good one. You were always funny.”
“Spit it out.” My anger was flaring.
“It’s Crystal’s parents’ 25th anniversary and she booked this whole anniversary trip for them.”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me. How long have you known about this? You both knew this was the weekend of Scarlett’s dance. How many times are you going to break your daughter’s heart?” Hearing my door, I looked up and Wes was slipping into my office as I got the last sentence out.
“I’ll get her something really great. An outfit from a top French designer that her friends would kill for.”
“She doesn’t want an outfit or any other gifts, Frank. She wants her father with her at that dance. Especially after what you pulled on her with the holiday dance. What message are you giving her? Not to trust men that tell you they love you? You’re breaking her heart. As you’ve already seen, you will have multiple marriages in your life, but only one daughter named Scarlett.”
Wes opened the mini-fridge in my office and pulled out a bottle of Evian. Unscrewing the cap, he handed it to me. My hands were shaking with anger and it splashed all over my desk.
“Can you let her know…” I cut him off.
“No. I cannot let her know. I don’t care if it’s the middle of the fucking night there, you’d better pick up the phone and call her yourself. You should be ashamed of yourself. That child is too good for you.” And I clicked off the phone before he could respond.
Turning away from Wes, I breathed deeply, trying to calm myself. How the hell could a man do this to his daughter? And now, not once, but twice.
“Are you okay?”
I shook my head, no. I was trying my hardest to hold back tears. Without turning to face him, I alerted him to that. “If you ever see me cry, run for the hills because it means I’m angry. Very angry. I cry when I’m angry.” Dabbing the corners of my eyes with the back of my fingers, I pulled myself together enough to finally turn around.
“What a piece of shit.” I exhaled, letting a load of the tension out.
Wes picked up a picture on my desk, “She’s beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I smiled. “And she’s a good kid, too. Smart and sensitive and very funny.” I motioned for him to take a seat, as I did the same. He continued to look at the picture in his hand. “This is the second time in a row he’s done this to her. He did it at the holidays and now for the Father/Daughter Spring Dance.”
“When is it?”
“Saturday.”
“This Saturday?” Wes looked astonished. “Wow. And what was the excuse?”
“They flew to Paris for his wife’s parents 25th anniversary.”
“They live in Paris?”
“No. They live in The Bronx.”
“Didn’t you say she was twenty-five and a half?” He smiled at me, coyly.
Gasping, “I did. Well, there’s a little family secret.” Shaking my head, “Scarlett is going to be destroyed. Maybe my brother can come in.”
“Where is he?” Wes picked up Scarlett’s picture again.
“He’s in Boulder.”
“Colorado?”
I nodded.
“How about this,” Wes began. “I know Scarlett is going to be disappointed. But what if we set up a mystery date for her.” I could see the crinkles start to appear in the corners of his eyes and then that smile. That damn, heart-stopping smile. What was it about this man?
I laughed, “I’m envisioning this board game that my older cousins had. You’d open the door at the center of the board to find out which guy was your mystery date.”
“Exactly. What if Scarlett just knows that she has a blind date for the dance and that she’s going to have a fun time.”
“Okay. So, do we rent a non-asshole dad for the night?”
“Well, I promise not to charge rent.” And there was that smile again.
“You?” My mouth was hanging open. “You want to take my daughter to a dance?” I was floored by his offer. It was beyond generous in spirit.
“I would love to. Now, she’s a little young, even for me,” he joked. “But I’d love to be her surprise date and help make the night a little bit better for her.”
“Wes.” I was speechless. Reaching for his hand across the desk, I gave it a squeeze. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Tell me about her dress.” He smiled and gave my hand a squeeze back.
“It’s beautiful. It’s a pale sky blue with a full skirt. Very ‘50’s.”
He smiled at the description. “Okay and how is she wearing her hair.”
“We’re having an up do done on Saturday. She has that perfect heavy, wavy hair for an up do. And she’s doing a mani/pedi on Saturday, too.” This man, a virtual stranger to my daughter, had just asked more questions than her father ever had.
“They still do corsages, right?”
I nodded, “They do. It’s a big thing for a bunch of girls to put their hands together to form a circle and have someone take a picture from above of the circle of corsages. It’s really beautiful with all the colors.”
“Dinner?”
“They’re serving a buffet there.”
“What time?”
“7:30 to get there by 8.”
“Where is it being held?”
“At the school. North Shore Country Day.”
Wes looked impressed. “North Shore Country Day,” he repeated. “Very nice.”
One of Long Island’s prestigious prep schools, the campus of North Shore Country Day was built on a former Vanderbilt estate. The north shore was dotted with estates that had been summer homes to various members of the railroad tycoon’s family.
“Wes, I really don’t know what to say, there aren’t words to thank you here. I think she will be very hurt by what Frank has pulled, but in the end, I know she will be thrilled that she’s still able to go and will absolutely adore you.” I know I do, were the words I didn’t say.
“My mind is spinning with ideas. We’re going to have a great time.” He smiled and I felt relief.
“What are you going to tell Keiko? You’re going out on a Saturday night.”
Looking me directly in the eye and holding my stare. “I’m going to tell her that I’m turning her in for a younger model.”
Knocking on her door, “Scarlett, can I come in?”
It took a moment, but finally there was a muffled, “Yeah.”
Lying in bed with Five Seconds of Summer’s Castaway playing on repeat, my heart ached for my little girl and my outrage at Frank’s insensitivity stabbed at my gut.
Sitting down on the bed next to her, I gently stroked her beautiful wavy hair. I could feel her hurt and anger in the silence.
Castaway was playing for the third time before she spoke. “Why did he do this to me, Mom?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, baby. I’m not inside his head. But it was a stupid, stupid thing to do.” How do you tell a fourteen-year old that her asshole father can’t stand up to his immature and insecure child bride and is afraid he’ll lose pussy access?
“I hate him.” The tears rolled down her freckled cheeks.
“Don’t hate him, sweetie. Hate what he did.” Though I knew she had every right to hate him, she’d looked forward to this for months and he’d promised her he would not let her down again. I didn’t want her to have an adversarial relationship with her dad. “So, what if there was a way you could still go to the dance. Would you be interested?”
Lifting her head from her pillow, I could see how swollen her eyes were from crying and in that moment, I hated Frank just a little bit more. “Is Uncle Bryan coming in?”
With a smile, I shook my head. “No. This is a mystery date.”
“A mystery date?” I actually couldn’t tell whether she was intrigued or horrified.
“Yes. A mystery date. Just hear me out, okay.” Scarlett nodded. “He’s father age appropriate. He’s handsome, very cool, has got a great personality, and I know you will totally hit it off with him.”
“Oh God, Mom, you didn’t get him off a dating website or something.” Scarlett’s blue eyes were wide with horror.
Laughing, “No silly. This is someone I know and he’s really psyched to take you on Saturday.”
“Are you going to tell me who it is?”
Shaking my head, I smiled at my daughter. “No. It’s a mystery date.”
“Mom, this better not be embarrassing.” How had she perfected teenage attitude already?
Ruffling her hair, “Just the opposite, my love. You are going to have the hottest, coolest date there.”
“A hint?”
I continued to shake my head, no. Torturing a teen was a fun sport. “So, is that a yes? Shall I tell him the date is on?”
“I guess,” she acquiesced with the obligatory eyeroll.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I emailed Wes. It’s a go!
“Okay, here’s what he says,” Tell her I can’t wait to meet her.
Sitting on the couch with a glass of wine after Scarlett had gone to sleep, I tried to sort out my emotions from the day. Frank could pull shit on me, I was an adult, with the emotional fortitude to handle it, but to fuck over Scarlett that way, well, that was just unconscionable. Was he seriously not standing up to a 25-year old? How hard would it have been to say to her, “You know we can’t go away that weekend, I have Scarlett’s dance.” He seriously couldn’t say that? Dickless ass!
As I brought my wineglass to my lips, I had a thought. Something that was probably as juvenile as Frank’s behavior, but would make me feel better.
Rummaging around my desk drawer I found what I was looking for. I could feel my smile growing as I pulled the bag out.
“Hello, little dolls,” I smiled.
Pulling the male doll from the bag. “Hello, Frank doll. Well this is apropos, because this doll is not anatomically correct. It’s missing a dick. And balls. Just like the real Frank. Because you’ve turned into quite the dickless motherfucker.”
Opening the pin box, I looked at all the colorful heads on the pins. “Hmm, which color fits the circumstance. Is there a pink one? Because you are pussy whipped, my friend. So, the pink pin it is.”
Putting the doll down on the desk, I took the pink pin and stabbed the poppet between the legs. “If you had a dick, I just stabbed it.” I pulled the pin out and stabbed it again in the same spot, just for good measure.
“Take that, you loser.” I told the doll before putting it back in the bag and returning it to the desk drawer.
With a final sip of my wine, I felt much, much better.
“Hi sweetie,” I answered my cell late the next afternoon. “What’s up?”
“Mom, you’re never going to believe this.” The excitement in Scarlet’s voice was at full throttle.
“What? Tell me.”
“I just got a package.”
“From who?” I started closing down files on my computer.
“From him.”
I laughed. I still wasn’t getting it. “Him who?”
“My date. It’s from my mystery date.”
“What did he send?” I packed my laptop into its case.
“It’s so unbelievably cool. It’s a picture frame that looks like a cell phone. And he stuck a post-it note on it that says, We need to take one badass selfie for this. It’s like literally the cutest thing ever, Mom.”
“It sounds it!” I couldn’t believe how Wes was going out of his way to create a wonderful occasion for Scarlett. The man was blowing my mind.
Hanging up with her, I shot Wes a text from my phone. You just made someone’s day!
Oh great, she got it! I messengered it over so that she would have it today. Build up the excitement.
My heart melted. How thoughtful was this guy to think about the details to make my daughter happy? I hoped Keiko appreciated what she had, because guys like this were few and far between.
Wes…
Tara…
Giving you a virtual hug.
You can give me a real one when you see me.
Deal, I told him, wondering how I’d let him go if I were ever in his embrace.
I was on my first cup of coffee Saturday morning, when the doorbell buzzed. Dragging to the door, I looked out the peep hole to see a young man with flowers.
“I have a delivery for Scarlett Collins.”
“Scarlett,” I called. “Bring me my wallet.”
Reaching the door, she gasped. “Are those for me?” She took the arrangement of blue hydrangeas and white roses from the delivery boy.
“And this, too.” He handed her a small box wrapped in textured silver foil paper.
Heading back to the kitchen, I admired the flowers on the table. “They match your dress,” I noted. “Aren’t you going to read this?” I pulled the card.
Still holding the silver box, she looked from the box to the card back to the box, trying to decide which to open first.
I laughed, “Just choose one.”
Putting the card down, her curiosity as to what was in the box won out.
“Oh my God, this is like literally so exciting,” she exclaimed. And so, it was. In that moment, I thought, had Frank been home and taking her tonight, none of this would have been happening. At 7:30 P.M., he would show up. Beginning and end of story. There would have been none of this preamble to build the excitement and make Scarlett feel special.
Ah Wes, I bet you are the king of foreplay because you certainly know how to thrill a woman with anticipation.
Scarlett squealed the minute the lid came off the box. “How did he know? I’ve been like literally dying for this.” Out of the box she pulled a silver Michael Kors bracelet with a pave heart slider.
“That’s beautiful.” Again, Wes Bergman had rendered me speechless. He had taken this situation where my daughter, who was feeling not very special at the hands of her father, and transformed it into an opportunity to make it one of the most memorable weekends in her young life.
Keiko, go find someone your own age to play with because Wes is stealing my heart with his beautiful heart.
Finally, Scarlett was ready for the card.
Scarlett – Right now I wish I had the superpower to speed up time … just so I could meet you sooner. ~ Wes
“His name is Wes?” She was beaming when she looked up at me.
I nodded, extending my hand for the card. Smiling at his message, I couldn’t help but think that maybe he was a superhero. The White Knight.
“Can’t I come over?” Laynie had begged.
“No, I’ll take pictures and then I’ll meet you for dinner after they leave.”
“But I want to see him and I want to see Scarlett all dressed up,” she was actually whining.
“You’ll see pictures. I think the three of us in the room is going to be overwhelming enough for now.”
Coming out of her bedroom, I was entranced by my little girl; she looked perfect and beautiful. But more than anything, what I noted was that my daughter was happy and I could not thank Wes enough for making it so.
“Look at you,” was all I could say. “Scarlett, you look gorgeous.”
“I look like I’m sixteen, don’t I?”
“At least!” I laughed, taking in her fresh-faced beauty.
Playing nervously with her new bracelet, “I hope Wes and I have stuff to talk about. What if we have like literally nothing to talk about, Mom?”
“Don’t worry, sweetie,” I reassured her. “Wes is this totally cool guy who is really easy to talk to. When I first met him, he and I stayed up a whole night talking, we had so much to talk about. So, I think you’ll do okay.”
And there he was at the door.
“You ready?” I asked Scarlett before opening it.
Nodding, I could see her curiosity was trumping her nerves.
“Okay, here goes, let the mystery date begin!” I said, as I opened the door.
Laughing, as he had heard my introduction, there stood Wes Bergman at my front door looking like he was ready for a Tom Ford photoshoot in his white dinner jacket and black bowtie, crazy curls all askew and a florist’s box with a blue and white corsage in hand.
Catching my breath was more difficult than I expected as he leaned forward and kissed my cheek.
“You look so handsome.” My words were an understatement. Somewhere in my psyche I knew that this image of him was something that would be with me for the rest of my life.
“Thank you.” His eyes crinkled and then I watched that smile that always grabbed me and twirled my heart around the room take over his face as he laid eyes on Scarlett. “You are even more beautiful than your picture, Princess.”
The moment his eyes were on her and he called her Princess, I watched my daughter do a teen version of swooning. Her right shoulder came up and her chin dipped as she looked up at him through her lashes. Was I really watching this?
“I’ve got another little something for you.” He took the corsage, baby white roses set on pale blue lace, out of its box and tied the blue satin sash around her unadorned wrist. “I see you’ve got my heart.” He gestured to the bracelet.
“Just make sure I don’t break it,” my fourteen-year old quipped.
My jaw went slack as I heard the words come out of my daughter’s mouth.
Wes laughed at my precocious child, “Like mother, like daughter. I’m toast,” he declared. “Are you ready, Princess?”
“One sec, you two. You are not getting out of here without a picture.” My daughter looked very happy under his arm as I shot a few pictures.
“Wait until she sees our selfies,” Wes said to Scarlett, bringing her immediately into a co-conspirator role.
As they headed out the door, Scarlett turned to me and through her smile mouthed the words, “He’s cute.”
I nodded and mouthed, “Told ya,” as my daughter and this handsome white knight left to make their own memories.
It was nearly midnight when I heard from them again.
“Hey Tara, it’s Wes.”
“Hi, what’s up.”
“If it’s okay with you that I keep Scarlett out just a little later, we were going to stop off at a diner and grab a bite to eat.”
“Didn’t you guys eat at the dance?”
He laughed. “Not much and we danced it off, so we’re starved. Do you want us to come and get you?”
“No, I’m good. Have fun.”
“I promise I’ll have her home long before daybreak.” I could hear the smile in his voice.
Walking through the door at 1:15 A.M., a very happy and tired Scarlett looked at her date and threw her arms around him in a bear hug. “Thank you for making this the best night ever.”
Hugging her back, he planted a kiss on the top of her head. “Ah Princess, this was one of the most memorable nights I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for letting me be your date.”
“Goodnight, you guys.” She turned around and waved as she headed to her room.
“Can I get you something? A cup of coffee, perhaps?”
“Definitely,” he said, following me into the kitchen. Taking off the white dinner jacket, he hung it on the back of a chair and loosened his bowtie.
“I can’t thank you enough,” I said, as I handed him a mug of coffee.
“Tara, I had the best time. She is an amazing kid. You should be so proud.”
“I am. Did she open up to you at all about the Frank situation?”
He nodded. “Yeah, we talked about it some. I told her that it is his shortcoming and in no way should she think this is her or how she should be treated by men. And that not all men are like that. She’s really very mature.”
“I don’t even know where to begin to thank you, Wes.”
The smile was on his face as he opened his arms, “You can thank me with a hug.”
He didn’t need to ask twice as I closed the space between us, fifteen years of separation rapidly being whisked away. As his arms closed around me, I let myself enjoy the barrage of sensations, his heat, his scent, his strength, realizing that I’d been waiting for this very moment from a few hours into the night we met. And now here we were, a lifetime away, and I was finally enjoying the comforts of Wes’ embrace, yet knowing that it didn’t mean what I’d hope it would. And now, it never could.
“You don’t have to be so strong all the time,” he whispered in my ear.
“Oh, but I do. Because as you saw it’s not just me to worry about and I can’t count on anyone. I have to be strong for her.”
Wes tightened his hold around me. “You amaze me, Tara. If there’s anything you need, I’m just a call away.”
Letting my head find its comfortable spot on his chest, I closed my eyes, momentarily spiriting away to that place that I could pretend, just for one second, that Wes didn’t have a girlfriend who wasn’t me.
I was having strange dreams of Wes when the phone woke me out of my restless sleep.
“Hello,” my voice was barely a croak after three hours sleep.
“Tara,” the voice sounded far away and broken.
“Yes, who is this?” I couldn’t yet pry my eyes open.
“It’s me, Tara. It’s Crystal,” she sounded as if she’d been crying.
“Is everything alright? Where are you? Are you in Paris?” I was now sitting up in bed, raking my hair from my face.
“Yes, we’re still here.”
“Crystal, where’s Frank? What’s going on?” I was starting to feel panic set in.
“Frank’s in the hospital, Tara,” she began to sob.
“Oh my God, what happened? Is he okay?”
Through her sobs, she squeaked out, “He passed two kidney stones.”
My half-closed eyes opened wide. Kidney stones. Massive penile pain. Twice. Holy shit!
My worry of anything major subsided and I had to hold back my laughter. “Is he alright?”
“Yes, he’s resting comfortably, but he was in so much pain last night.”
“I’ll bet he was.” I nodded.
“He said it was like being stabbed.”
Moving the phone from my mouth so that she wouldn’t hear my snickers, I took a moment to collect myself before speaking again.
“Oh, that sounds terrible,” I managed, picking at a thread on my comforter.
“It was. It was horrible. I was so worried and it ruined my parent’s whole anniversary celebration,” she was now whining.
Seriously? Did she really expect me to commiserate with her on her ruined party plans after what she and Frank pulled on Scarlett? Could she be that clueless?
“It is really hard to have to handle all the health issues you older people have.”
You older people? Did she just call me that?
“Okay Crystal, I’m hanging up now. Tell Frank I hope he feels better and have a fabulous rest of your trip.” Click.
Two kidney stones. Two pin stabs. Holy crap, this was truly getting scary. First Crystal and the toe stub. Now Frank and the kidney stones. Maybe that old toothless lady in Dominica wasn’t kidding, maybe these dolls had voodoo powers. These coincidences were crazy. Could it be just putting the thought out there in the universe was creating the energy to make these things happen?
Holy shit! I was slightly freaked out, but at the same time loving it. Take that, Frank. Hurt your daughter and I’ll stab your dick again, you coward.
Curling back under my covers, I couldn’t help but smile. Scarlett had a wonderful night at the Father/Daughter Formal with Wes and Frank’s dick basically went up in flames in Paris. It was a good night. A very good night indeed.
I couldn’t wait to tell Laynie and Jill.