Miss-Fortunate Reality (2 page)

I inhaled and rang the
doorbell. After a few seconds of screaming kids, a dog barking and some cursing
from my dear friend, the door opens. My first impression of her was
astonishment. She gained at least over forty pounds, she was always thin, and
when we were younger we were able to wear each other’s clothes and no one would
be the wiser. Her wavy dirty blond hair was messy and straggly, with no shine to
it, and her eyes were dark and tired. “Hi Pam!” I said offering her a big
smile, she was not happy. “What are you doing here Alex” she said, her voice
tired and annoyed. “I came to see you honey, it’s been months, but I’m holidays
for the next week” I said but she just looked at me stolid. “Can I come in?” I
asked my voice breaking, she was mad at me, maybe even furious. She raised her
eyebrows and opened the door wider, I came in and hugged her but she did not
hug me back. “I’m sorry Pam, I know it’s been a long time” I whispered. “Uh
hu
” she replied. Just then Marc walked in the house “You
ladies ok?” he asked smiling back at me, I looked back at Pam “Listen, Robert
is gone for the rest of the week, I don’t have to go home just yet, why don’t I
order us some dinner and we can sit down and talk, what do you say?” I asked
looking at both of them. “What exactly do you want to talk about Alex?” said
Pam her voice volatile. “Pam, you need a night off, let me do this for you,
please” I replied. “Fuck you” she said and walked away back to the kitchen.
I looked at Marc and given the expression on his face, I knew this was the
extent of my visit. He was as shocked as I was by her reaction. Pam was not
someone that would swear, she was raised in the same crappy neighborhood I was
but she was prim and proper, swearing was out of character for her.
“Alright, I guess I’ll go then” I spoke softly and walked myself out, put my
sunglasses back on hiding the tears creeping out of my eyes and Philip opened
my door.
As we drove away, my heart broke into a million pieces and I began to cry. Pam
and I had been friends since the third grade, both of us raised by single
mothers. She had three other siblings, and her father would come and go as he
pleased, until one day he stopped coming around. We had a tough youth, we were
both poor and bullied by the rich girls in our school and we cried together
when things got bad.
When we turned 12 we made a pact that we would be sisters for life and no
matter what life threw at us we would always be there for each other.  I
couldn’t help feeling guilty of breaking that promise and I wasn’t sure she
would ever forgive me.
When I finally got home, I checked my voicemails, there were only two messages,
one from Toronto Life magazine wanting to do a piece on me, and the other was
from Robert, saying good bye from the airport.  This brought a smile to my
face.
I was exhausted so I laid down and fell asleep.

CHAPTER
TWO

I woke up a few hours later to
my cell phone buzzing and I realized I was still wearing my suit and shoes.
I kicked them off and checked my text messages, and found five messages from
Marc.
Marc: “We need to talk”
Marc: “I’m coming to your place”
Marc: “I’m on my way”
Marc: “Have you had dinner?”
Marc: “u there?”
Me: “Are you almost here?”
Marc: “1 minute”
Me “I was asleep. Sorry” I replied as I made my way downstairs to open the door
as his car was just pulling in. He drove an old red Mazda which next to my
black Audi SUV, looked decrepit and sad like it did not belong here. Marc
turned the engine off and came out of his car wearing a pair of dark blue jeans
and white t-shirt looking impossibly sexy, it was already night time, I checked
my watch and sure enough it was 10pm.
“How are you doing Alex?” he said and gave me a tight hug. He smelled so good,
his cologne was subtle but it suited him and it was almost intoxicating.
“I’m ok, sorry I look like shit. I feel asleep as soon as I got home” I said
offering for him to come in.
“Oh whatever Alex you always look stunning” he said and I think I blushed.
He came in the house and looked around awestruck. “Haven’t been here for a
while, I like what you’ve done” he remarked.
“Thanks but you know this is all Robert” I replied. And it was true. Robert
loved to spend money on the house and appreciated art. Large, expensive pieces
of art. I had no time to deal with matters of the house so I let him take over
the interior decorating.
“Alex, I’m sorry about what happened back there, she’s changed so much since
the baby, I honestly don’t know what to do, all I do is wrong, she won’t talk
to me, other than to yell at me, she won’t talk to her other friends, it’s
exhausting” he said suddenly.
I closed my eyes tightly and began to cry. He hugged me tightly again. “I know”
he whispered.
I let go of his arms and composed myself. “I need to change, will you excuse me
for a few minutes, and please help yourself to a drink from the bar” I said and
made my way upstairs.
I changed to some jeans and my favorite Black Sabbath t-shirt which I’ve had
since high school.
I went downstairs to meet him in the living room. He made himself comfortable
and was drinking whiskey. I sat across from him and saw the dry martini he made
me on the coffee table, I smiled “You remembered” I said.
“Yup and I can’t believe you still have that t-shirt” he remarked smiling.
“What can I say, it’s my favorite” I said as I took a sip of my drink.
We stared at each other in silence for a while.
“What are you doing here Marc?” I asked breaking the silence.
“I don’t know, she went ballistic on me after you left, I tried to calm her
down, then after we had dinner, she fell asleep and I had to get out of the
house, so I drove around for a bit and then decided to come here, maybe hoping
you could shed some light as to what I should do” he said looking at his
tumbler.
“Well besides the baby, what’s truly bothering her?”
“Her weight, money is the biggest issue right now” he replied, and I could tell
he was embarrassed.
I got up “C’mon with me” I said and he followed.
I took him to our home office and grabbed the checkbook.
“No way Alex, c’mon!” he said leaving the office.
“Get your ass back in here Marc, tell me exactly how bad it is” I demanded.
He sighed “We’re late one month with mortgage, because of some dental work we
had to do with Sam, she can’t drive the minivan because she needs new brakes,
so she’s been staying home for the past month and half”
“Ok, this should do it, and I don’t want to hear it, it’s not free money and
you can pay us back when you can, there’s no rush” I said handing him a check.
“You don’t have to tell her either, take it, deposit and pay your bills and
take her out for dinner” I continued.
“I don’t know what to say Alex”
“Save it, and next time do not wait, you hear me?”
He walked around my desk and hugged me tightly again, let go slightly and
looked into my eyes, I could feel his breath on me, I smiled and he let go of
me. “Thank you” he said.
“Ok let’s go discuss this issue with my bestie” I said ushering him back to the
living room.
“So what did she say about me?” I asked.
“You don’t want to know, she’s just pissed because you don’t come around to see
her”
“I was working on the spring collection damn it” I said
.
“She knows that, but she’s feeling like crap right now, she doesn’t sleep, She
can’t get the weight off, she sees your name in every magazine she buys, you
have no kids, she thinks you can’t possibly understand what she’s going
through, she’s upset”
“Well that’s true, I have no kids” I said putting my drink down hard on the
table
.
“Oh c’mon, we know the situation with that, she’s just feeling sorry for
herself” he said apologetically.
“She won’t even sleep with me” he added. I’m not sure why but something about
the way he said that sent a slight jolt through my body.
“Jesus, have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately Marc? Any woman would
feel intimidated” I retorted.
He smiled at me wickedly.
“I’m just being honest, I was shocked when I saw you this afternoon”
“I’m flattered, especially coming from you” he said looking at me. What the
hell is going on here? Are we flirting? He always flirted with me but it was
always playful and always in front of Pam.
“I need to eat something” I said getting up “Can we take this conversation to
the kitchen?”
“I should go” he said “She’s going to be wondering where I am, maybe” he added.
“Oh just stay for a few minutes and let me makes us some sandwiches, you can
take it in the car with you, I won’t hold you hostage” I teased.
“Alright” “Hey do you remember that night, we were in grade 12 I think, and we
went to that party at Carson’s house, the cops came and we locked ourselves up
in the closet and waited until everyone went home?” he asked leaning over the
granite counter.
How could I forget, that was before I introduced him to Pam. Marc and I met
first, we were just friends at the time, classmates. We crashed the party and
ended up in that closet, but that was before the cops showed up, we had been
drinking and one thing lead to another, we ended up in the closet making out
letting things get far until we were interrupted by the police knocking on the
closet door. I didn’t hear from him after that for about a week. Then I called
and told him he was an asshole and that I would remain friends with him and
eventually he hooked up with Pam.
“Yup, but you have selective memory” I retorted.
“No, I remember how it went down, I was an asshole, I wanted you so badly but I
thought you were way out of my league” he said, I swallowed.
“Well I wasn’t the one for you, Pam was”
“I often imagine what the outcome would have been if we had hooked up.” he
said.
Often?
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I asked, I was livid. “Would have been exactly
the same as now, and why the fuck are you wallowing in the past?”
“Fucked if I know, I saw you today, looking beautiful and so together as always
and I just wondered” he sighed.
I finished making the sandwiches and grabbed the saran wrap to pack his.
“Ok well I guess I should go” he said taking the sandwich from me.
“You need to help me with her Marc” I ordered.
“Come over tomorrow, I’ll take the kids away for a while, you two can have the
place to yourselves”
“Thank you, that’s all I ask”
“Robert is a lucky man, I wish I had what he had” he said looking into my eyes.
“Be careful what you wish for” I replied.
Just then, the phone rings. It was Robert.
“Hey baby, how’s London?” I asked turning my back to Marc.
“It’s good, but I miss you, but I am coming back early, I’ll be home Tuesday”
“Oh that’s fantastic. I went to see Pam today and she’s furious with me Rob,
she wanted nothing to do with me, I’m heartbroken”
“Well why don’t we throw a party next weekend and invite them over, invite all
your friends and some of mine, and we’ll have a good time.” Robert suggested.
“Ok, sounds great, well it must be late for you, go to sleep and we’ll speak
tomorrow.”
“I love you Alexandra” his voice deep and sexy “I love you too”
When I turned around Marc was right behind me, putting us in an awkward
position again.
“Wanna come to a party next weekend?” I asked.
“Give Pam a chance to dress up for once” I suggested.
“Yeah sounds good” he said taking a step back.
“Ok I
gotta
go, thank you for the sandwich” he said
and put his hand on my waist and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek “and thank
you for the other” he whispered, he let go and walked toward the door.
“I’ll be there around 10 am tomorrow” I said holding the door.
He stepped out the door and turned around again “How come you didn’t tell Rob I
was here?”
“Marc you know Rob, he’s wonderful but he’s protective, possessive and
extremely jealous. I’m sure you’d be wondering what your wife was doing with
another man in your house while you’re not there. Given the fact that he’s in
another continent trying to close the biggest deal of his life, this is not
something he needs to know”
“Why? What would he do?” he asked getting too close to me again.
“I’m not sure, I’ve never given him reason to suspect otherwise and I’m not
about to start now”
“Go home to your wife Marc” I concluded, and closed the door.
After he left I ate my sandwich and went upstairs back to bed, I was exhausted
and I needed to clear my head for what could be a very emotional day tomorrow.
Just as I began to get undressed I got another text message from Marc.

“I
had fun tonight, I can’t recall the last time I had a meaningful conversation
with a woman.”
I didn’t respond. I’m not going there. I understood his predicament, but
whatever he was looking for he was not going to get it from me.

CHAPTER THREE

I woke up early the following
morning. Going through my closet I realized I was in dire need of getting some
everyday clothes, I had nothing but office wear, evening gowns and cocktail
dresses. So I grabbed a pair of jeans and a black fitted tee, low cut in the
front with pretty satin ribbons on the sleeves and on the hem. Grabbed my
Michael
Kors
tote and a pair of black strappy sandals
with a 3” heel. Put my hair up in a messy bun and put on a little make up.
As soon as I drove into Pam and Marc’s driveway. Marc comes out the door
yelling something, both my windows were closed  and my car is pretty sound
proof so I couldn’t hear anything other than seeing the angry look on his face
and his mouth moving. I got out of my car, grabbed my purse and made my way to
the door, Marc was picking toys off the ground in the front yard. He saw me and
had a volatile look on his face and I knew something was terribly wrong. I
softly knocked on the already ajar door “Pam?” I said softly.
“Come in” she called out. I walked in the front door and there she was by the
kitchen sink washing dishes while the two older kids were sitting down on the
table having breakfast. I quickly put my tote down and took off my shoes and
went to help Lucy who was struggling with her cheerios “Hey sweetheart, let me
help you” I said and sat down next to her. Suddenly Marc barged in the door and
slammed it shut, violently throwing the toys in a toy box just inside the
kitchen. “Pam you’re here all fucking day, I just don’t think it’s fair that I
have to clean up the mess the kids make while I’m out at work” he shouted
.
“You have no idea what is like Marc, you don’t have to change dirty diapers all
day long and do the laundry on a daily basis, all I’m asking is for little help
from you” Pam retorted. “I come home and I take care of the kids, I feed them,
I change diapers and on the weekends I spend time with them while you go on
your daily coma” replied Marc. “You are as such a fucking asshole!” she began
and then they both started yelling. I grabbed the kids, took their cereal
bowls, drinks and took them to the backyard, closing the yard door behind me to
muffle the screams.
About a ½ hour later, Marc comes out, walks past me and lights up a cigarette.
I continued talking to the kids and pretended he wasn’t there. A few minutes
later he put it out and sat at the table with us, his eyes intently on Lucy,
his only daughter. “Thanks for looking after them” he whispered “Not a problem”
I spoke softly “Is everything ok now?” I asked.  He smiled “No, we’re not
ok Alex” “I’m taking the kids to my mother’s today and perhaps meet up with my
dad at some point” he replied. Marc also comes from a broken family, but his
father always stayed close, close enough to watch Marc and his brothers grow up
and be there for them, he was one of the lucky ones.
“Ready to go guys?” he said suddenly raising his voice “
Yeahhhh
”
the kids replied happily.
Shortly after he left, I sat at the kitchen table as Pam went upstairs to take
a shower. I took the liberty of checking my phone for messages, and sure enough
there was a message from Marc.
“Thank you for this”
I cleared all messages coming from him and put my phone away.

When
Pam came downstairs, her hair was still wet and she was wearing jogging pants
with an oversize t-shirt. “Want some coffee?’ she asked not looking at me.
“Not really, I was thinking we could go get a
mani
and a Pedi, perhaps do a little shopping at the
Eaton Centre” I suggested.
“Alex I can’t afford any of that and compared to you I look like shit” she
replied looking into my eyes.
“My treat darling, let me make it up to you, if you won’t take my apologies, at
least let me spend some money on my favorite person” I said innocently.
“You’re such a bitch Alex” she retorted.
“Do I need to wash your mouth out with soap?”
She laughed “Ok let’s go” she said grabbing her purse. “But you need to drive,
my van’s brakes are fucked”
“Christ Pam, what’s with the potty mouth?”
“Three kids and a useless husband seems to do that to you” she retorted and
smiled wryly.
“What the hell is going on between the two of you, you seemed to be fine last
time I saw you”
I said opening the doors to the Audi.
“Ugh, life Alex, three kids, no sleep, I got fat, no money, but of course you
know nothing of what that’s like”
“Pam, I have stress in my life as well, you read the magazines, you see the
comments those fashion critics make, especially with my last collection, I was
lynched and publically I might add”
“Oh please, you’re still making millions aren’t you, I’m sure the Neiman Marcus
partnership was worth a few” she replied spitefully. But she was right, the
contract was worth 30 million but I wasn’t going to tell her that.
“Whatever, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling Marc useless Pam, what’s up with
that? He has a job, he’s good at what he does and if it wasn’t for his brother
he’d be making some real money”
“Yeah he works, but he spends a lot of time at the gym as you clearly saw
yesterday and for what I ask you? What’s he trying to prove, that he can get
fit and I can’t?”
“Would you listen to yourself Pam, you’re mad at him because he looks good?”
“Well if he touched me once in a while maybe I wouldn’t feel this way”
“Maybe it’s your attitude, no man wants to sleep with a woman that’s volatile
and treats them like shit, they too want love and respect, he loves you no
matter what Pam, you know that don’t you?”
She started to cry “C’mon Pam don’t cry, we’re spending a day together getting
pretty”
“I missed you so much Alex, you don’t know what it’s been like for me.”
“I’m sorry Pam, it was a busy season, but I swear I will make time for you, at
least a few hours a week, ok?” I said holding her hand.
“Ok” she said wiping her tears.
I took her to my favorite salon on
Yonge
Street. We
got our nails and feet done, and I talked her into getting her hair done,
chemically straightened, cut and added some much needed color. We also ended up
doing a bit of shopping, I got her jeans that actually fit and some shirts that
were versatile and easy to care.
By the time we got back to her house it was already 9pm, Marc was already home
with the kids.
I pushed the door open letting myself in with some of Pam’s bags, she was
getting the rest from the trunk of my car. “Honey I’m home” I said as I walked
in. “Hey gorgeous” said Marc walking up to me giving me a hug lifting me off
the ground, he put me down and give me a kiss on the cheek “Hello yourself” I
said a little stunned “Here take these” I said passing him her bags and ran to
the bathroom.
When I was done, I walked down the hallway and made my way toward the kitchen,
I stopped when I saw Marc and Pam embracing in a private moment, I watched them
from the hallway as they reconciled their troubles away. It put a smile on my
face. Once they were done I walked on, grabbed my tote and made my way to the
door “You’re leaving?” asked Pam turning around.
“Yes, Rob will be calling soon” I lied
.
“When can we get together again?” she asked.
“I’ll call you, I’ve got that party to plan for next weekend, so…”
“Well, just come on over when you can” she replied giving me hug.
“I will, take care you two” I said and walked out the door.
When I got home, I checked my messages. Rob had called earlier to wish me a
good night, I felt like calling him but then realized the time difference so
instead I went to bed.