alone! Weaving her way through the crowd to the
refreshment table, Tessa holed herself up with punch in a seat by a
window. She had been sure to eat a light dinner before coming,
because she knew greater offense than to eat dinner at a dinner
party. No executive vice president wants a
glutton for a wife, she rolled her eyes
internally.
She studied the glowing
patterns in the city beneath her, the neat rows of intersecting
lights that crisscrossed the middle-class suburbia below. Further
in the distance, she could make out the more irregular clusters of
lights in the wealthier neighborhoods. The larger houses demanded
roomier lots, and the wealthier homeowners expected a more
aesthetically pleasing frontage. Tessa imagined that she could see
her own house, empty and abandoned, straddling the line between the
two neighborhoods. For the first time since they had left, she
missed her children. Though they sometimes exhausted her, they also
provided a much-needed human connection, an affectionate love that
warmed her often shallow existence. But
only a child's love, she lamented.
Certainly a love she appreciated, but not the love of equals, a
love chosen and reciprocated of free will.
As she gazed forlornly out the window,
a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Jason, she realized. She
glanced covertly, almost eagerly, toward him only to discover his
eyes directed toward her. Her heart thudded in her chest. Trying
not to appear self-conscious, Tessa smiled indifferently at him and
turned away. He had seemed to stare at her. Maybe she could
classify him as just a strange man with a penchant for other men's
wives. Tessa tried unsuccessfully to calm herself with the thought,
but her mind didn't believe the words. For one, nothing about the
man spoke lowlife, from his disarming charm to his well-spoken
words. Too, Karen would not have pursued someone unworthy of
attention; she was too ambitious. Of course, Karen would admire
power in any of its forms, and while Jason definitely held power,
Tessa could not discern the nature of that power. He expected
recognition, he demanded respect, but on what basis? A man could
just as easily wield power for self-interest as for a more noble
cause.
In the reflection of the glass, Tessa could
make out Jason's form, so consequential and impressive compared to
those around him. Jason had deep chestnut eyes, she had noted on
their first meeting, almost black in their depth, and his hair,
also a near-ebony brown, waved gently across his forehead. He wore
no facial hair, but one could tell that he had trouble keeping an
afternoon shadow from breaking out on his chin. A perpetual smile
adorned his face: not the artificial smile of a charlatan, but an
amused sparkle which seemed to bespeak internal contentment and
jocularity. Strangely, inexplicable, his eyes met hers in the
glass, and she turned her gaze to the floor at her feet. No, Jason
needed not settle. Jason could have had any woman he wanted. Yet,
he continued to stare at Tessa. Though she would not look up, she
felt his eyes pressed upon her, and she grew increasingly
uncomfortable under their gaze.
Tessa tried to turn her mind from forbidden
thoughts of Jason and back to her own husband, though she failed to
concentrate fully. Merritt Wilson by no means lacked in visual
appeal. Although fairer in color than Jason, Merritt too had
beautiful eyes, a light green that often reflected whatever color
he viewed, and long light brown lashes fringed their perimeter. He
wore a chiseled jawbone, not too pronounced, but square. When he
smiled, his whole face lit with enthusiasm. Tessa even enjoyed
kissing his full, soft mouth. For a fleeting moment, the ghost of a
smile brushed her own lips.
How had they grown so far apart? she groaned
inwardly. Though Tessa had always reveled in challenging
authorities, in her personal relationships, she valued harmony to a
fault. Surely she had done her part to improve their relationship.
Unless she had created a
refreshment table, Tessa holed herself up with punch in a seat by a
window. She had been sure to eat a light dinner before coming,
because she knew greater offense than to eat dinner at a dinner
party. No executive vice president wants a
glutton for a wife, she rolled her eyes
internally.
She studied the glowing
patterns in the city beneath her, the neat rows of intersecting
lights that crisscrossed the middle-class suburbia below. Further
in the distance, she could make out the more irregular clusters of
lights in the wealthier neighborhoods. The larger houses demanded
roomier lots, and the wealthier homeowners expected a more
aesthetically pleasing frontage. Tessa imagined that she could see
her own house, empty and abandoned, straddling the line between the
two neighborhoods. For the first time since they had left, she
missed her children. Though they sometimes exhausted her, they also
provided a much-needed human connection, an affectionate love that
warmed her often shallow existence. But
only a child's love, she lamented.
Certainly a love she appreciated, but not the love of equals, a
love chosen and reciprocated of free will.
As she gazed forlornly out the window,
a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. Jason, she realized. She
glanced covertly, almost eagerly, toward him only to discover his
eyes directed toward her. Her heart thudded in her chest. Trying
not to appear self-conscious, Tessa smiled indifferently at him and
turned away. He had seemed to stare at her. Maybe she could
classify him as just a strange man with a penchant for other men's
wives. Tessa tried unsuccessfully to calm herself with the thought,
but her mind didn't believe the words. For one, nothing about the
man spoke lowlife, from his disarming charm to his well-spoken
words. Too, Karen would not have pursued someone unworthy of
attention; she was too ambitious. Of course, Karen would admire
power in any of its forms, and while Jason definitely held power,
Tessa could not discern the nature of that power. He expected
recognition, he demanded respect, but on what basis? A man could
just as easily wield power for self-interest as for a more noble
cause.
In the reflection of the glass, Tessa could
make out Jason's form, so consequential and impressive compared to
those around him. Jason had deep chestnut eyes, she had noted on
their first meeting, almost black in their depth, and his hair,
also a near-ebony brown, waved gently across his forehead. He wore
no facial hair, but one could tell that he had trouble keeping an
afternoon shadow from breaking out on his chin. A perpetual smile
adorned his face: not the artificial smile of a charlatan, but an
amused sparkle which seemed to bespeak internal contentment and
jocularity. Strangely, inexplicable, his eyes met hers in the
glass, and she turned her gaze to the floor at her feet. No, Jason
needed not settle. Jason could have had any woman he wanted. Yet,
he continued to stare at Tessa. Though she would not look up, she
felt his eyes pressed upon her, and she grew increasingly
uncomfortable under their gaze.
Tessa tried to turn her mind from forbidden
thoughts of Jason and back to her own husband, though she failed to
concentrate fully. Merritt Wilson by no means lacked in visual
appeal. Although fairer in color than Jason, Merritt too had
beautiful eyes, a light green that often reflected whatever color
he viewed, and long light brown lashes fringed their perimeter. He
wore a chiseled jawbone, not too pronounced, but square. When he
smiled, his whole face lit with enthusiasm. Tessa even enjoyed
kissing his full, soft mouth. For a fleeting moment, the ghost of a
smile brushed her own lips.
How had they grown so far apart? she groaned
inwardly. Though Tessa had always reveled in challenging
authorities, in her personal relationships, she valued harmony to a
fault. Surely she had done her part to improve their relationship.
Unless she had created a
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