True Love at last

TRUE LOVE AT LAST? A SATURN HERALD SHORT STORY BY PENNY NAIR PRICE.

“She will be the ultimate catch darling.  I know you’ve worked hard for some good money yourself but her family is absolutely loaded and my grapevine sources say she fancies you too! And let’s face it, son, Imelda is a real looker!”

Leo’s mother patted her hair, smoothed down her skirt, and attended to the bouquet which she had just bought for the occasional table in the lounge.

“OK Mum” replied Leo scrutinising his face in the mirror, and almost blowing a kiss at himself – Leo was a bit of a narcissistic person and was stunningly handsome too.

“I’ll ask her out on a date.  But really she is the too girly girl for me – always doing her hair, her nails, and those pouting lips must have had hundreds of Botox injections. As for her high heels –   how she manages to talk about in them is above me.  But she’s a looker, I’ll give her that.  If I get her to drink a few cocktails at Gi Gi’s  I can find out what she really thinks of me.”

“Well dear – here is her personal number.” Leo’s mum handed him a piece of paper in sheer delight, staring intensely at her sons’ eyes.

“Mum! But where did you get this?”

“I was at a coffee meeting with a few of the neighbours and someone slipped it to me for Imelda.  So now you know!”

“Well, there’s no time like the present. I’ll call and invite her to come out with me this Saturday.  As a matter of fact, it’s good that I and Fiona have gone our separate ways so the timing is just right!”

“Yes, I never quite understood why you and Fiona split up.  You always seemed such a good match.”

“I think someone had been telling Fiona lies about me, so when it came out we had an argument and I lost my temper and finished with her.”

“Well, there’s some spiteful people about.  Don’t make the same mistake with Imelda.  It’s up to you to prove how good you are in every way Leo. And don’t let her know how many girls you’ve dated whatever you do!”

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Leo stepped out of the executive taxi to see Imelda looking amazing as ever waiting for him outside the doors.  He ascended the steps and took in her silver high heels, with matching silver clutch bag on a chain and stunning knee-length turquoise satin cocktail dress.  Her blonde tresses were almost crackling as she had them teased into huge waves coming to her bare shoulders.  Of course, Imelda also had the obligatory tan that all young people had in Los Angeles.  Leo and her match in the tan department at any rate.  And though she had the teetering party shoes on he still stood a good one and a half inches above her……Leo wore a loose navy jacket with a white T-shirt and Chinos with navy pumps. He carried his mobile and wallet in his hand as they went into Gi Gi’s and ordered their drinks.  Now Leo had already called the bar and paid for a special waiter to put doubles in the three cocktails he had planned they drink before dinner – but only in  Imelda’s drinks!  His friend had agreed to “spice up” her drinks to thus enable Leo to discover her true feelings from him.

The cocktail potions worked a treat.  Leo and Imelda had a curved padded seat around their table sporting a vase of Birds of Paradise as they had their cocktails served to them by Leo’s friend, Jim. overlooking a posh LA Boulevard lined with palm trees and studded with divine houses and super snazzy cars.

“So Imelda, when did you first get the hots for me? Cos we were going to the same college for three years before we both went our separate ways to work.  I know you work in your Dad’s fashion business.  I like to think you missed my company in the classes so much you gave your number to one of my mum’s friends.  Let me know the story – that would be so groovy. And don’t let me forget to say, Imelda – it’s great to be with you tonight, babes – you look amazing.”

“Oh, Thanks, Leo.  Yes, I suppose you were surprised to get my number.  But I am looking for someone to have fun with and I heard through the grapevine you had finished with Fiona so I thought why not? You always helped me in  the  library.”

“Well, I used to help everyone in the library.”

“Yes – you’re a real live wire, Leo. No kidding!”

By the time they had downed the third cocktail, Imelda had moved so close to Leo that he was almost sticking to her on the hot Summer evening where he was primed to find out all her secrets.

“Well I went out with Jake for a year but he left to look after his sick mum in Ohio. We don’t talk now.  Look, since then I’ve had quite a few – well, what you call “conquests”!  I don’t want to get any more of a name for myself.  I want to relax and date the same man then settle down. For the whole three years, I was studying with you, I was hoping you would ask me out but since you never did, I decided to make a pass my way.”

“Ok OK,” Leo raised his eyebrows and his eyes to heaven and slipped a caring arm around Imelda’s shoulders.  In response, she put her cheek on his chest, with bulbous lips which were pouting longingly at him as she made big round eyes at him.”

Leo leaned towards her and planting a caring kiss on Imelda’s mouth, he said.

“Ok let’s give it a go.  Are you ready to go for a bite?”

“A bite? ….. Oooooh yes OK loverboy.  What kind of bite will that be then? Have you still got that condo on the beach then?”

“Yes.  As a matter of fact, I have.  But first, let’s go for a fish meal at “The Trawler.” I think you need some food inside your tummy.”

Leo winked at his friend behind the bar as he escorted Imelda out of Gi Gi’s and into an executive taxi before they sped to another location to eat.

As the relationship progressed, more time than ever was spent at Leo’s condo and Imelda was an expert in making sure she didn’t fall with a baby whilst they were dating.  Eventually, the obvious question raised its inquisitive head though it was Imelda who asked it.

“Leo, now we’ve been dating a few months do you think we should be talking to Diamond Dave?”

Leo knew Diamond Dave specialised in engagement rings. He drew a deep gasp of air.”

“Oh, so you think we should get engaged then, babes?” The truth was that Leo had absolutely no one to tell except his mother that Imelda was good for just one thing – hanky panky.  She never read a book, was not interested in seeing movies or theatre, and hated cooking.  Her time was taken up in the nail parlor, the hair salon, and “dreaded” nights out with “the girls”.

“Oh…well sugar, we could maybe make an appointment with Diamond Dave in a few months and see what he’s got.”

“A few months?  I was thinking of tomorrow or the day after.”

“Sugar – you’re keen! I am not ready to marry and have kids just yet.  But I know we’ve had some great times together so let’s go see Dave soon.” Leo was secretly chastising himself for being an easy touch.  OK, there was no shortage of money in Imelda’s family – he would be guaranteed an amazing lifestyle of yachts, executive villas, holidays of a lifetime every year,  servants at every beck and call and oodles of leisure time but with Imelda?  She was So boring….oh dear! She didn’t even go running with him!

Imelda reported back to her father who was a whizz kid in the Hollywood designer fashion industry making costumes for top stars and the richest people in the neighbourhood.  He told her to go ahead and get engaged and he would “do the rest.”  “The Rest” meant Imelda’s father would set a detective on Leo through a secret agency which hired good looking men AND women to try and “pick up” people who were otherwise “spoken for “  to test their loyalty to their romantic partners

The ring was bought and the engagement party was held at Imelda’s parents’ sumptuous Mansion in Beverly Hills.  Leo had got to know Imelda’s parents and brother and sister and a number of partygoers came, totaling about sixty. Echoing in Leo’s mind the whole time he had been dating Imelda was his mother’s remarks that he was soon to become a very privileged and super-rich man, but he had retorted to his mum that he was pretty rich himself.  During the party, Leo went out on the lawn with his cake and champagne and sat on a bench feeling depressed.  How would he cope with Imelda being such a boring woman?  They could barely even enjoy a good meal together as she was pitifully thin and ate small meals with no interest in their flavors or indeed doing any imaginative cooking when they spent the weekends together. Going to the gym together was a no-no as she liked to go with her female friends.  Movies?  Well, she didn’t like the cinema.  It was usually Gi Gi’s then a meal and then back to have a night of passion – yes, the sex was good, but Leo,, with his experience had met many women who were excellent lovers. He had bought Imelda a guitar but she had no interest in learning to play it, and when they went for walks, Imelda had developed a habit of stopping people with young children and babies and billing and cooing over them, asking their names and going completely googly.

Then Leo was set up.  One night when he wasn’t seeing Imelda, he went to a new bar on his own to contemplate his future as Imelda’s husband and sat on a high stool at the bar in a quiet dimly lit designer environment at “Whiskies” with soothing jazz music accompanying his thoughts.  Suddenly an awe-inspiringly beautiful brunette lady sat down at the next stool.  She had a thick head of glowing auburn tresses and a red one-piece trouser outfit, low cut and clinging to her well-honed figure, together with show-stopping black high heeled pumps. She had the most inviting brown sparkling eyes expertly made up with gold, false lashes, and eyeliner.

She made a move on Leo “Hi there.  Well, I can tell when a man is deep in thought – wanna talk about it?”

“Oh – hi there.  So I look pensive, do I?  Well, I don’t want to share my thoughts with a complete stranger, but “  Leo hesitated for a split second then said, “I can buy you a drink though – what would you like?”

“I fancy a whiskey with ice and coke – make it a double will you?”

“Oh, I like that in a woman – someone who enjoys a good drink. “ Leo ordered the drink and ventured, “What’s your name?”

“Sabrina. And yours?”

“Oh – its er Fabio” lied Leo thinking it would help if things got more intimate.  He felt the colour rise in his face as his eyes caressed Sabrina’s form as she sat perched on the stool.  She grabbed her whiskey and coke and took a huge sip and swallowed provocatively. She looked puzzled for a split second.

“Fabio? – “That’s a nice name.  What do you do then Fabio?”

“I am in fast cars” lied Leo, and he saw Sabrina raise her eyebrows.

The evening went on and after a few more drinks, which Sabrina seemed to handle very well, Leo was surprised when she then asked him back to her flat to listen to her favourite pop star – Lou Reed. She put her arm around his shoulders and whispered in his ear.  “Come on darling.  You know you want to.” Leo laughed to himself.  He was engaged and here was a person who seemed much more his type of woman – they had talked about sport, fitness, food, and films.  Unlike Imelda’s boring company Sabrina was everything in a person he desired – even down to the lovely brown eyes and natural auburn hair.  “Well give me your mobile number first.” He ventured.  “I want to test it to make sure you’re being honest.” They exchanged numbers by ringing each other’s phone and went back to Sabrina’s flat.  She started undressing to the background music of Lou Reed and produced two glasses and a bottle of Jack Daniels and a bottle of coke.  Before Leo knew anymore Sabrina had him half-naked and was rubbing her sensuous scantily clothed body against him and he sneaked a contraceptive out of his jacket pocket and they were on the sheepskin run in no time going “all the way.”

Next time Leo went to Imelda’s house to have dinner with her and her parents, however, he was in a much better mood but knew it was because of Sabrina.  Sabrina still thought his name was Fabio and also that he was in fast cars.  Everything went smoothly at the table but afterward, Imelda said her parents had something to show Leo and they must all sit down together in the lounge.  Then the interrogation began.  The television was turned on and a selection of pictures was shown to the embarrassed Leo of him and Sabrina in the bar and then in her flat.  “We hired a private agency to test your loyalty to Imelda,” said her father.  “And this is what you do on your night out alone is it only months before a very expensive wedding?  You also lied that your name is Fabio and  that you are in the fast car business.  Sabrina works for the agency.  She helps to catch out people who are cheating on their partners.  We’ve paid her good money to prove that your engagement to Imelda is phony and it is now officially called off OK.” Imelda, sitting next to her dad let out a whoop of negative emotion and buried her head in a cushion.

Leo gently pounded his fist into his palm and looked left to right searching for an appropriate remark.  What he wanted to say was he had a great night out with Sabrina and that he was bored with Imelda and that he was ashamed but at the same time…..relieved!  Deep down he began to celebrate his engagement was off and he was a free man!  What’s more, he was already planning to date Sabrina as they had instantly seemed so well matched.  He would be in touch with her the moment he could to see when they could meet up again.

Leo thought carefully.  “I could never face Imelda again as her future husband today after this.  I am so sorry for what I have done.  Imelda and Mr and Mrs Spicer, please accept my true apologies.  Imelda – you can keep the ring.  Now I must go home and spend some time alone now that I am single after my awful misdemeanors. Goodbye.  I wish you all the best.”

 

Leo took his car keys out of his pocket and walked to the door.  No – one got up to see him out.

Imelda still had her face buried in a cushion.

Leo sat in his car and called Sabrina from his cell phone.  “Any part-time jobs going at the agency for catching out girls who cheat on their guys?  I might have a couple of nights free now I am single again! And by the way, this is Leo.  My alias was Fabio.”

“Yes, Leo.  I know all that as of course you know. I have to say we had such a good night out the other night – it was the best!”

“Well, I’d like you to join me for a bottle of something bubbly to celebrate you saving me from an eternally boring marriage! You are my Wonderwoman Sabrina for sure!”

“Well actually Sabrina is not my actual name – it’s my agency name.  But I am free tonight if you want to meet later!  The same place as before say 8 pm?”

“Yes – that would be perfect.  See you then. And…..” Leo was about to say “I think I love you” but he held off. “And?” ventured “Sabrina” – Leo replied…”Yes let’s arrange a weekend together so we can get to know each other better.” “Only if you’re rich” replied “Sabrina”.  “Actually I was just checking my account online this morning.  I am worth more than a million and I can prove it.  “Its a deal Leo…see you later alligator”.

Leo punched the air with his fist and said “Yesssss!!!” he was free and single again and Wonderwoman had rescued him – he owed her.  He just had to work out a way of making sure she knew it!