Chardonnay: A Novel Page 15

  “How could you know her if you ain’t nevah seen her a day in your life!”

  I was dumbfounded.

  “Wha—what? I have seen her before...when I was two, twelve, and...ye—yesterday....” I walked over to the table to sit next to my youngest Aunt, Tempest. Like a sheer calm over the room my grandmother entered without making one noise. She walked over to me and said,

  “What do you know about her?”

  I looked up at her and said,

  “She’s my mother’s twin...”

  If I felt I put a move on the room before, I was wrong as ever before. My grandmother stepped back and said, “Stacey...talk to her.”

  My mother looked at her mother and then to me. “Your Aunt Fallon is dead.” and that’s all she said. She didn’t say it with love, she just said it like it was another day. I frowned my eyebrows and said,

  “What! No—no she was just here la—”

  “Chardonnay, she’s dead! There is no way in hell you could possibly know her. I don’t know how you know the things you do, but...” my mother’s words trailed off.

  My Aunt Hattie stumbled back into the room and said,

  “She comes to her every ten years! Ain’t that some shit! Y’all slow—it’s her ghost! That’s how that baby knows her. I’m drunk and I figured that shit out!”

  My grandmother shook her head and as if she had already figured that out and told Aunt Hattie to shut her mouth. I had had enough for one day. I got up from the table and went up to my room, I was going back to bed...spooked.

  14

  Eyes Wide Open

  June swiftly drove by with the added tension to funeral arrangements being made and a surprise family meeting my Aunt Marjorie was having in the following week. I had missed the meeting with Superior Ethnic Models and Micah was down my throat as we sat in front of a quaint coffee shop in a small historic district called The Crossroads, consumed of ma and pa shoppes.

  “WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO MISS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY LIKE THAT!” he yelled sympathetically at me. I was sure he meant well. I sipped my Chai Tea and rolled my eyes up at him.

  “I totally forgot with the crazy Sunday I had and then My grandfather passing away on Monday.

  “I’m sorry Micah.” I said giving a reassuring frown.

  He pulled his Blackberry out and started tapping away as he chanted,

  “The things I do for you....your my girl but you gotta get it together. I only make business deals not half ass deals so you gotta bring it, hon.”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Sending Josh a message and tell her to keep the resume I sent and that you fell down the steps after hearing your grandfather died and sprang your ankle.”

  I looked at him sideways giving him an estranged look.

  Micah looked over his Chanel shades and informed me about a golden rule in the fashion industry for new comer’s.

  “Your family crises don’t count at this point if you can physically get your ass there—these folks don’t play. All they have to do is find another girl that looks like you, if not better, and replace you.” he said with a cold stone face. I nodded my head to express I was taking in his advice, but honestly, I could give a rats ass. My world was not balanced without my Pal pal. He had been in my life for as long as I could remember, bouncing me up and down on his lap even when he got tired and taking the time to actually ask me about me. It could have been anything...he showed the concern.

  Micah sat his Blackberry down and sighed as he looked over at me.

  “What’s the real?” he asked.

  I shook my head and pressed out,

  “I’m just tired.”

  “Everyone gets tired, but you have to move it still. Look, let’s make a promise—I put forth fifty and you put forth fifty and we both make you a star.”

  I smirked at Micah and with a wishful smile saying, “That’s not possible.”

  He leaned in and said, “Girlie—when you’re dealing with Micah Waterford—anything is possible, Um’kay!”

  “Um’ kay!” I said making fun of him. He gave me the final arrangements on the rescheduled meeting with Josh, which was reset for that night, including telling me she was a hard ass. This time I prepared myself meaning I got a Brazilian bikini wax, hair did, nails did, eyes cucumberlicous, hair straightened, and went to the spa all courtesy of Micah.

  I had on tight hip hugging jeans, a snugged white tank top, and a cropped silk blazer with lace at it base. The heels Micah bought me were killer four inches and a shiny patent leather.

  When he got done with me I felt like a girl who stepped out of Vogue. He taught me techniques to use for poses and even facial expressions. When we got done with that, I went with Micah to meet Josh and some of their mutual friends at a restaurant called M&S Grill on the Plaza. It was about 9 at night but that was enough time to catch up, get drinks, talk business, and mingle for Micah. His friends were already seated at the table when we arrived, some on their second round of drinks. I spotted Josh a mile away with her intimidating glare. Micah leaned over and gave hugs and kisses to a few of them while another one of his friends, female, looked at me and said,

  “Well Micah we didn’t know you would be plus one—until late notice—so we may have to get another table. Oh—and Mr. Vonseigneur is here.”

  “Oh, he is! Well, this will be perfect, Chardonnay.” he said looking at me.

  I became nervous as hell. As much as I wanted this intern and modeling opportunity, I was so scared I thought I’d just back down and not try at all. To finally meet the CEO would be either suicide or life for eternity for my legacy with SEM.

  “Where is he?” Micah asked wanting to give me a private introduction.

  “Oh, over by the bar. And I’m Syndi!” the female said putting her hand out. I shook its strong claps and gave her a subtle, “Chardonnay.” before Micah snatched me away.

  We scrambled over to the bar to a man standing with the back of his broad shoulders to us as he held conversation with a few who’s who’s as such as himself. Micah cleared his throat and said,

  “Excuse us Mr. Vonseigneur, I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

  When Mr. Vonseigneur turned around to look at us I felt my legs buckle under me. Micah looked over at me with a strained wide teethed smile, pulling me up with his arm. I wish I had known...the Chief Executive Officer of Superior Ethnic Models and Black Billions magazine was Jase. My heart could have stopped. He didn’t look upset or even spiteful at me.

  In fact it was as if we hadn’t even met those three times before and fornicated on the third encounter—what woman wouldn’t have after experiencing his presence? That was my excuse and I was sticking to it.

  “Chardonnay Houston—this is Jasen Vonseigneur, son of Jean Vonseigneur and now new CEO of SEM and Black Billions magazine. Jasen Vonseigneur this is Chardonnay Houston—award winning writer and aspiring model.” Micah added aspiring model himself to the end of my credentials.

  Jase and I both held a long engaged stare before he fully turned his body towards Micah and I. I tried to step back but Micah wasn’t having it.

  “Go ahead and shake the man’s hand!”

  I did so while Jase said a low key,

  “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

  “Same here.” I said looking away.

  If there was one thing I knew about Micah, it was that he could peep game on anything very quickly. There was nothing anyone could get past him, and that’s why he would one day be one of the best managers to the stars, taking no more than five million for a newbie’s contract for anything. He looked at the both of us and said a low but exaggerated,

  “Damn! My introduction wasn’t needed obviously!”

  He looked at me and said,

  “You’ve fucked him! Haven’t you?!”

  I rushed off to the women’s powder room and locked myself in a stall. If I thought I was embarrassed when Jasen spotted me at that bachelor party—it was nothing near the infringement I f
elt now. Mascara ran down my face and on to the silk blazer I had on. I grabbed a tissue to try and rub it away as quick as possible. I heard a knock on the door and Jase’s soft voice to follow, calling my name, like he had done only a few nights ago.

  It had been a week actually since I left him lying lonely in our wetness and to only be smacked in the face like this was karma. Pure karma and the bitch loved me. I didn’t respond to any of Jase’s inquiries about me being okay and after fifteen minutes I didn’t hear him anymore. Eventually Micah busted into the ladies room and got awkward looks,

  “What?! I’m just as much a girl as y’all—trust!” he yelled at the women staring at him.

  He kicked open every door until he found me and then shooed everyone else out the ladies room and locked it.

  “Have you lost your mind? It’s one thing to sleep with a man who has a lot of money—but to fuck a billionaire and not know it...let’s just say you’ve had your dumb moment for the rest of your life.”

  I got up off the stool and walked over to the sink,

  “Micah don’t start with me.”

  “Uhn uhn—you had me doing all this work for nothing,” he chuckled,

  “I never thought to have you sleep with him to get an intern. That takes Genius!”

  “I didn’t know! How could he do this to me?”

  “How didn’t you know? I mean, come on, he just looks like money! But anyway, he’s out there waiting for you, girl. And as long as I’ve known Mr. Vonseigneur—I’ve never seen him on a chick...was starting to think he was on my team. But that’s his professionalism—however if you can change that...you must be some kind of special to him.”

  Micah stared at me with empathetic eyes. I took in a deep breath and decided for the rest of the night it would be about business. If Jase approached me wanting to engage in talk of our personal life together—I would cut him short. The only trick now was regaining my reputation and his trust in order to get the chance of a life time.

  * * * *

  The night went on as planned and Jase never took one glance at me as he sipped his bourbon at the table all ten of us shared, while having casual entertainment talk and laughs. After it was over small talk began through good-byes and some hugs were shared. I walked off outside to Micah’s car to wait on him since I felt the need to keep distance clear away from Jase, but I only made it easy for him to get me alone and talk to me. He walked up on me as I was about to get in the car as the valet opened the door.

  “Chardonnay, I just can’t let you leave yet.” he called out.

  I turned and pulled my left foot back out and stepped up on the curb.

  “What Jase or Jasen if that’s your real name?”

  “Is that any way to speak to the man who may make you a star?”

  “See this is what I didn’t want. A man that is in control of my destiny. This is exactly why I don’t have a man as well.”

  “I’m not trying to be chauvinistic. I have a sense of humor and you know that. But what I don’t have is time for petty little girl games. If you couldn’t handle a man like me—why didn’t you tell me that from the go? Or to my face for that matter?”

  I felt a lump build up in my heart and I tried looking off from him, but his supple hands gently pulled my face back to his gleaming exotic eyes. I was falling for him. But I couldn’t tell him. And obviously like in my letter when I wrote he would understand later—that time hadn’t come. He looked into my expressionless face and shook his head.

  “What are you gonna do? Leave me with these feelings?” he asked.

  Lord knows I wanted to love him but my heart wouldn’t let me.

  “Why me?” I asked.

  “Why not you?”

  Micah walked out the doors of the restaurant laughing it up with the woman who had introduced herself to me as Syndi. Jase pulled back from me but kept his eyes flexed on me. When they walked up to us Micah shook his head and went around the other side of the car,

  “Nice to see you Mr. Vonseigneur!” he yelled.

  “You too Waterford.” Jase said slightly looking up from me.

  “Jase, are you coming?” Syndi asked as she cut her eyes at me.

  He looked over his shoulder and then back at me. It was something about being a woman who had been played over and over again that in her voice I heard a proprietorship to Jase’s name. He whispered a,

  “Good night Chardonnay...nice to meet you.” and quickly walked off with Syndi.

  When I heard her say, “Babe—did everything go okay?” I knew the answered to his question of why not you. Men.

  * * * *

  Going back to my parent’s house was inevitable. Most of the family who had come was now in hotel rooms since their stay had been prolonged due to family quarrels about my grandfather’s estate and apparently bonds and trust funds he had set up for some of his grandchildren—not his children. As I sat in the family meeting with Konstance by my side, she poked and typed at her Blackberry, sending me text messages to mine. Her first one was inquiring about me stripping at a party and that Myron, which was typed in bold capped letters, knew about it now. I typed back that I could give a hell less. We sat through more boring but depressing debates of whether my grandfather should be buried in Oak or Cherry wood. Biggie was buried in gold—I wanted to suggest that but I thought that I might keep that to myself.

  Konstance whispered in my ear, “After this—my room-annual summer party at the Bryers Estate—it’s gone be huge!”

  I looked at her sideways. How could she think of such a thing at a time like this?

  “Can we bury Pal pal first?”

  “Nay you need to stop stressing, he would want us to not dwell like you are.”

  I knew she was right, but it was all too much for me. My Aunt Marjorie continued to dispel my grandfather’s long will when she came across my name and paused. She looked at my mother and then to me.

  “Stacey I will need to talk with you about something later. I will begin with the grand children’s list tomorrow.”

  It all seemed fishy to me so I walked up to my Aunt Marjorie and took her to the side.

  “Is there something I need to be told?” I asked.

  “Uhm,” she looked uneasy.

  “Baby you will have to discuss this with your mother.”

  “My mother? You know how difficult it is to talk to her. Where’s Nana?”

  “She’s at home resting honey—don’t bother her about this please.”

  I knew my grandma was taking this all really bad. She had been with my grandfather since she was twelve, baring fifteen of his seeds—beginning at the age of fourteen-years-old after taking his hand in marriage, thirteen of them still living. She had lost the love of her life without losing him. Not like I had lost Myron.

  I walked away from her without anything as to why she had such a surprised look on her face when she looked at the piece of paper with my name on it. I was almost sure it was money—money I needed for school at the very least. With what I had done to Jase, SEM was no longer a choice.

  * * * *

  Konstance was making the final touches and changes to the annual summer party we were throwing as I sat around her room made for a princess with her, feeding on a warm bowel of caramel popcorn she made for me. We had an annual summer party every year since 1999. It was always the talk of the summer from its decked out appeal to the hefty give-a-ways at the door. And who ever came had to have a welcomed seal of approval invite. I wasn’t much up for one this year, but I also believed we had to keep the tradition.

  “Girl this is really good.” I said chewing on my first bite.

  “Thank ACTS II.”

  We laughed. She sipped on her cold sparkling glass of Ginger Ale as I asked,

  “So you hear from Fianna or Ka—”

  “Uht—girl please! Don’t mention their names. They are the last thing on my mind with the crap they tried to pull.”

  “But Konnie you don’t feel the least bit bad?”

 
“For what? Protecting my fam? Hell no! Plus I didn’t cut her anyway.”

  I slowly stopped gnawing on my popcorn and thought to myself that I knew Fianna well enough to know she wouldn’t go away quietly about this. Konstance could play the fool, but it was a matter of time.

  “She get her invite to where this party is going to be?”

  “Yeah, only because I sent them out in May?”

  “MAY! Then that means—”

  “Everybody is going to be at our extravaganza!”

  “What?! Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You know we send them out every year in May. Its fly—check this out.”

  Konstance motioned me over to her lap top that rested on her shell cream desk top.

  The apple lap top had her and Denim’s prom picture on its desk top. She fingered the mouse pad and then hit a few spots on the screen.

  “Why lah! I sent this out to the VIP list and as well the guest list for the new faces via attachment in the Blackberry, file load iPod, Facebook, and to the less fortunate fax.” she laughed and then went on to say, “A text will go out to everyone tonight to remind them it will be poppin’ off in two days.”

  “Damn...I must be less fortunate retarded because I didn’t get any of that.”

  “Your VVIP, those folks don’t need invites...just themselves.”

  “This should be interesting.”

  “I can understand your concern...with the possibility of Myron showing up.” she said with a raised and tastefully arched eyebrow. She ran her hands through her silky new permed hair and went on to say,

  “Oh Nay—what’s wrong?”

  “Everything man. I jus’...I don’t know what to do. My momma looking at me to correct her every mistake, I can’t confide in my daddy because I want to look like his perfect little girl, and...that fucking Myron. I—hate him! I can’t get over him cheating on me and then dumping me. Do you know what I saw with my own two eyes?”