Read Online More than the Sum by Fran Riedemann - Free Book Online Page B

loafers with no socks. To top it off, he smelled as expensive. 
    Masochistically, Brittany glanced back at her reflection in the window.  She knew she smelled, but it wasn’t expensive. He’s got to be married, you idiot, she warned herself.  Well, he might be,she tried to steal a glance at his ring finger.  She saw it was bare and felt strangely relieved.
    Immediately upon entering the gallery, someone handed each of them a glass of champagne. Brittany swallowed hers in three gulps, reaching out for a second one.  She looked around for food, realizing, with dismay, there was none.  Please let there be peanuts , she prayed.  Having downed the second drink she felt somewhat less agitated, although it irritated her how patronized Allan continued to make her feel. 
    He was engrossed, reading Rick-the-Painter’s bio, giving her an opportunity to walk away to look for Rick. Wishing she could remember his last name, her get-away scenarios were now a moot point. Allan walked up behind her again. 
    “ Do you own any of his work?” he asked her, gesturing toward a painting.  She felt a smile creeping up.  “Well, as a matter of fact, I do.  I have walls of his work.”  Ha!
    “ I’d love to see what you own. I have a few friends who collect his paintings. They tell me he is an emerging talent. It was my friends who invited me to come tonight. You’ll enjoy them, they’re lurking around here somewhere.”  He glanced past her, looking for them.
    She felt like crying.
    “ Brittany!  You came!”  It was Rick-the-Painter , beaming at her. “I was worried you might not come.  Do you love your walls?”
    Brittany felt like the Wicked Witch must have felt after she got water splashed on her.  I’m shrinking, I’m shrinking , she thought, reminded her how when she left home that morning she was pretending she was following the yellow brick road to the Metro. Too funny… she had transitioned from Dorothy to the Wicked Witch. There were too many coincidences for this to be dismissed as simply a funny coincidence .
    Carpe Diem , she thought, deciding that she either had to seize her moment or sneak away. You can do this, Brittany . 
    After taking a few deep breaths, she rose to the occasion. “Rick, I would like to introduce you to my friend, Allan Chandler. Allen, Rick has been painting my walls at home, and I highly recommend him.” 
    Rick looked pleased, Allan looked confused, and she could feel some of her confidence returning.  She saw a tray of Champagne moving past her and reached out for another glass. 
    Within the hour Brittany had met Allan Chandler’s friends, purchased a small painting ’s, and had them all laughing at her day.  She concluded she might have potential as a public speaker, unless it was the champagne talking. 
    They hung around the gallery until it had emptied of people when Allan suggested they all go to dinner, inviting Rick to join them . Allan turned to Brittany, “Would you like to join us?” She was sure the invitation was an act of mercy. There was no way for him not to have noticed her loudly grumbling stomach.
    “ Sure,” she answered quickly, liking the way the day was ending, but determined to work on her vocabulary.
    After dinner, Allan, who also lived in Alexandria, wouldn’t hear of her taking a taxi. When they arrived at her home, he walked her to her door to see her safely inside. 
    They stood beside each other on her front porch, having noticed the moon which was hanging so low in the sky it looked like it might fall from its own weight.
    “ It’s like it was in that movie...”  Brittany said, leaving the sentence unfinished.
    ” What movie is that?”  He asked.
    “ Cher was in it…and Nicolas Cage.  I can’t remember the name of it, but it was in New York.”
    “ You mean Moonstruck ?”  He answered. 
    “ Yes!  It was Moonstruck, ” she answered; glad they had found something to talk about to fill the silence. 
    And, then it was over.