The Lion's Den(65)
We’re doing “The Girl from Ipanema” when I notice that John has returned. He’s leaning in the doorway, watching Amythest with X-ray vision. After a moment, Summer spies him. She swallows and readjusts herself on the couch, breathing shallowly, then looks back at John, trying unsuccessfully to get his attention. At the same moment, Amythest notices John watching her and gives him a wink.
Summer rises from her seat and starts for John, but Bernard taps him on the shoulder and he disappears into the hallway, leaving Summer unmoored in the middle of the room. I grab her hand and make an effort to dance with her, but she jerks it away and gives me the evil eye before stalking out onto the back deck, Rhonda scuttling after her.
After the next song, I hand the mic to one of Marlena’s Italian friends and wander into the hall in search of a bathroom. The closest bathroom is occupied, so I wind up the thick-carpeted wide spiral stairs looking for another one. Funny, now that I’m not dancing, I can feel the boat rocking. Or is that me? I grip the railing as I go around, still managing to step on the hem of my dress and nearly bust my ass. I sit down right in the middle of the staircase and try to focus on the large abstract painting staring at me from the wall, but the colors all want to blend together. I feel my phone buzz in my clutch and extract it, noticing I’m connected to Wi-Fi. I guess not all rich people are crazy paranoid. I scroll through my email, the messages swimming before me.
Sis,
Beautiful day here too! Though nothing like floating around on the Mediterranean, I’m sure. I’m great, everything awesome. Sorry you’re having such a rough time out there. At least the food is good. Have you tried any sea urchin? I hear it’s delicious. I hope you don’t get voted off the island LOL. Keep me posted. Thinking of you. Xoxo
I immediately reply:
Heeeeeey sis whats up we’re on ths crazy boat and I just smoked a spliff so excuse my typos hahahhahaaa. Spent the morning puking z cuz my dramamine disappeared nad Summer gaveme something she said was but wasn’t. Aaaaand found out from vinny tht my emails are def being read on the boat so I wont be emailing from there anymore. So aslo u’ll never guess who I ranin to at lunch?? Dylan. Yep. was there with grannie who ai didn’t meet tho but was talking to john when I saw him. He told me to clall him lol. think I should??
Haven’t triee any sea urchin yet
I think threre r some rough seas ahead.
Rough seas I tell u. STORMW!!1!
Oh and Amythest! Is fucking JOhn!! HA!
I press send without rereading it and totter to my feet. Sheesh. I’m kinda wasted, it turns out. Good thing you don’t have to wear shoes on boats because heels would not be my friend right now. Okay. Where was I going? I have to pee. Upstairs. I was going upstairs to pee.
At the top of the stairs, I pause to pull myself together and scan for the bathroom. The place is deserted, but I hear men’s voices coming from behind a partially closed door. I know I’m drunk and probably not very quiet, but it’s too good an opportunity to snoop to turn down. I linger in the shadows as one of the voices rises above the others. The accent is British; it must be Charles.
“…is not a matter of the return, which I’m sure you are right about. It’s the principle. You couldn’t get this past your own board last time we spoke.”
“There’s no problem with the board,” John says flatly.
Charles standing up to John: this I have to hear. Out of sight between the office and the bathroom, I brace myself against the wall, listening. This should be good.…
Charles says something unintelligible, to which another voice replies something also unintelligible.
I strain to hear Charles sigh before returning, in a somber voice, “You may have the ability to circumvent the laws, as you did on our last venture, but that doesn’t mean you should. We have a responsibility to set a precedent, to safeguard the communities and land for future generations, not to pillage and destroy, take advantage of every business opportunity that arises.”
I inch closer to the door.
“I should think,” John warns, “after your part in our last venture, you would want to remain in the family.”
“I was nothing but a financier. I had no knowledge you were using substandard materials until the accident,” Charles spits.
“And you didn’t report it, even then,” John returns.
“Are you threatening me?” Charles asks.
“I’m sure you understand what damage—” John is interrupted by laughter ringing up the stairwell as guests climb the stairs, and the door immediately shuts. I quickly step into the bathroom and close the door behind me, too loudly. Shit. But I don’t think anyone heard. They were all in that office.
Michael was right about his father. At least someone in this gilded world has a moral compass. I bet John got Charles tangled up in that shopping center collapse the guys were talking about at lunch the other day. John is a bad man. A really, really bad man. But then, I knew that.
I pee for about six years, then splash water on my face in a vain attempt to sober up, and retouch my makeup. By the time I return from the bathroom, Bernard and Vinny are herding our blue-dressed harem back to the tender, where John and Summer are already waiting.
We’re a hot mess. Amythest’s dress is ripped. Brittani’s mascara is running. Even Claire nearly tumbles into the ocean as she’s handed down into the tender. But Wendy is the standout, her lipstick smeared and her chin chafed, her eyes a haze of longing for Leo as she wishes him goodbye.