Oil of Roses Ch. 21

"He would have loved this, you know," Tatiana said as she got up and came over to sit next to Carol.

"Oh Tattie, yes he would have indeed. He would've had the best time here tonight."

"And you know he would approve of your family and friends, don't you?"

"I hope so."

"Carol, darlin', I know so and if you weren't so wrapped up in the middle of it all you'd know it too. Tony would've loved them all and with his charm they would have adored him as well."

"Tattie... Tony left me... money."

"Of course he did, honey. There was never any doubt in my mind that he would. I assumed you already had it."

"Nope, just found out today. Tattie... he left me over a quarter of a million dollars... in cash."

"Sounds about right and there's not a penny of that you don't deserve. Oh, I don't mean you earned it on the flat of your back. Despite your behavioral... peculiarities... you've never been a whore. You earned it by being you and by loving and caring for him and by making him happy. I suspect that if you'd never bedded him and had done nothing more than played Parcheesi with him every day until the end he would have done the same thing and you'd have deserved it just as much.

"So, little Carol, what's really bothering you? Because you can't fool old Aunt Tattie into thinking it's anything you've mentioned so far."

The small woman looked up at her companion.

"Tattie, money... changes things... you know that. What if Harry and Margo don't want me anymore because now I'm financially independent and don't 'need' them?"

"Absolute fuckin' tommyrot! Not a chance in the world and if you'd quit worryin' yourself into a tizzy you'd see it too. They love you, little one, they love you more than either of them really suspects or understands, in my opinion.

"You are a part of them. Never doubt it. Trust me, they don't. And if you don't believe me or can't accept that, ask them. Talk to them about it. You're smart enough to figure that out. What else?"

"What the fuck am I going to do with a quarter of a million dollars, Tattie? I've never had more than a thousand or twelve hundred dollars to my name ever. Tonight I pulled out two grand to cover supper, as well as other expenses nobody is letting me cover. I've never had two thousand dollars at one time, much less a quarter of a million."

"Carol, dear, calm down. Money can be scary, especially if you've never had it before. I remember the first time one of my pieces sold after I got some recognition. I had priced the piece at nine hundred, thinking that might be a little steep. The store owner I had just started selling through, Evelyn, who became my business manager and remained so for years afterwards, looked at me like I was crazy. She told me to put a two in front of the nine and I'd still be on the cheap side of what the market would pay. I happened to still be in her shop when a woman walked in, a casual shopper, saw the necklace and had to have it. Ten minutes later she was heading out the door with it, thrilled with the bargain she'd found and I was in complete and total shock. This little ol' gal had no clue how to handle the kind of money Evelyn was telling me I was going to be making.

"So I asked for help. I asked people I trusted. From what I know of Margo, Harry and Karen, none of them are handling their own investments and such. They have people who handle that for them. Hell, if nothing else, talk to Niccolo. I'm sure he knows people who could help you figure out how to invest your money, take care of it, help it grow.

"Now then, is there anything else you'd like to talk about, anything else that's bothering you?"

"No, not really."

"Well come on then, I'm pretty sure that you and I can find room out there to dance together."

"I'd be honored, Tattie."

"Stuff and nonsense, the pleasure's all mine."

* * * * *

After several dances Bizoumet sent a note with one of the waitresses that she was about to stop playing unless Carol came up and sang so she reluctantly took the stage.

Carol had been dreading this all night. She was so scared she'd break down on stage, thinking of Tony and put a pall on the evening, an evening which so far had gone marvelously.

She needn't have worried. She closed her eyes and held onto the mike stand as she swayed back and forth, dancing with Tony in her mind, singing to him as she had when he was alive.

There were tears a-plenty in the club that night, but none of them were Carol's. She performed for her old friend, lover and Master one last time. She sang with all she had in her and it flowed out through the audience, touching everyone there.

She did a set of his ten favorite songs and when she was finished she was drained, holding on to the mike stand more for support than anything else. Nick walked up to her, helped her from the stage and sat her on a bar stool. He took her head in both hands and kissed her on each cheek.

"You did him proud tonight," Nick said, tears in his eyes. "I don't doubt he heard you. I can't believe in a God that wouldn't let him hear you."

After she rested a bit and had some water, Harry appeared beside her.

"May I have this dance, Baby Girl?"

The next hour or so passed as she danced with everyone, even people from the audience who used the time to tell her how much they had appreciated her performance.

It was 2:00 when the regular patrons were ushered out.

"Well now," Harry said, "time to relax a bit."

Bizoumet had joined them at the table. "You folks know how to throw a wake, especially you, Nick. If this girl eats anymore of that food I won't have anything that fits me."

"I find that hard to believe," Nick said, smiling. "I've seen you eating tonight and I'm sure you haven't put on an ounce."

"Another true gentleman... Eddy, where do you find these marvelous men?" Bizoumet purred.

"I just tell 'em about you, darlin' and I can't keep 'em away," Eddy said, smiling.

The conversation continued until around 4 AM.

"Toast time!" Harry announced. "A full circle." The traditions were explained and everyone got a fresh drink.

"To friends present," said Harry.

"To absent friends," Eddy announced.

"To absent loves," Karen added.

"To Tony Juliana," Carol said.

"To light, love and laughter," Tatiana interjected.

"To those we hold most dear," said Margo.

"To new friends," added Bizoumet.

"To plenty of time to love," Kelly said.

"To freedom," announced Jessica.

"To dreams coming true," said Patricia.

"To finding your heart's desire," added Tamara.

"Success for all our friends, confusion to all our enemies," finished Nick.

And then there was silence as drinks were emptied.

It was 4:30 AM when Nick finally paid the tab, everything was packed up and the Chateau de Chantilly was as it had been before.

The limo full of only slightly drunk but very tired friends headed to Tatiana's home to drop her. When they arrived 'Pyotr' was busily pacing back and forth in the living room, visible through the drapes.

As Tatiana trudged wearily up the walk, the rest of them got out and yelled in unison, "GOODNIGHT PETER". After which Carol shouted "You fuckin' poseur!"

Laughing they fell over themselves getting back into the limo as Tatiana's cackling filled the night.

* * * * *

Before the limo had gotten two blocks away from Tatiana's, the first pair of shoes had come off and soon no one was wearing anything on their feet.

"Whoever it was wrote 'I Could Have Danced All Night' was clearly out of their freakin' mind," Eddy groaned. "If I don't have blisters it's a miracle. If I do have blisters, I'm gonna whimper a lot."

"There, there, Edward. If you have blisters I'll pamper you. It's my duty and my pleasure," Tamara said, hugging his arm.

"Issum big bad Eddy gonna whimper wikum wittle baby?" Karen asked, grinning.

"Yes, Dyke, yes I will. Of course, if you were to mention it too many more times I bet I could still find it in me to beat your ass at arm-wrestling while I'm whimpering."

"Besides," Patricia said, jumping in, "I'd put Liz up against Eddy in the 'Worlds Biggest Baby Contest' when she's sick. Good Lord, you'd think a cold meant she was dying of the plague."

"I'm not that bad!" Karen said indignantly.

"Oh yes you are!"

Eddy laughed. "Okay, for being big whiny babies when we're in pain, let's call it a draw and be thankful we have wonderful women who indulge us."

"Agreed. Uh, I'm not sure it was a real good idea for me to take those boots off," Karen said apologetically. "I'm sorry, y'all."

"Not a problem, that's why God made sunroofs, to let in ventilation," Harry replied as he hit the switch to open the limo's and turning up the fan in the air conditioner.

"Besides, Dyke," Eddy growled as the somewhat cool early morning air swirled about the interior, "your feet can't stink anywhere near as badly as mine. I swear these bad boys could knock a buzzard off a shit wagon tonight."

"Your foot stench ain't shit, Neanderthal. Mine would set the goddamn shit wagon on fire."

"If you two get into a foot funk pissing war, Tamara and I are going to beat both of you senseless, sell you to the gypsies and live together happily ever after. Isn't that right, Tamara?" Patricia said.

"Yes ma'am." Tamara replied, cuddling up to Patricia, who sat next to her.

"Eddy, when was it you first knew you'd lost control?" Karen asked, smiling.

"Karen, unlike you I was never silly enough to think I was ever in control," Eddy replied, grinning back at her.

The limo-full of laughing friends cruised on into the night.

* * * * *

Once home the bathrooms were used in shifts as makeup was scrubbed off and sweaty bodies were given quick once-overs. By 5:30 seemingly everyone was asleep, dead to the world.

Except Harry.

He and Margo had cuddled up on either side of Carol, holding her and each other as they got comfortable. Carol had dropped off almost immediately but Margo had seemed restless and Harry had just been unable to get to sleep at all.

Deciding that awake and moving about was better than lying in bed and pissed off, he got up and headed for the kitchen. Rummaging around in the pantry he found some hot cocoa mix, the kind with little marshmallows, and decided that a cup or two couldn't hurt and might help, especially if he sweetened it with whiskey.

He had just settled down at the kitchen table with his first cup, watching the sky gradually lighten out the window, when Margo padded in.

"Hey honey, what are you doing up?" he asked.

"I could ask you the same question. I just couldn't sleep. Is there anymore of that cocoa?"

"There certainly is. Shall I make you a cup?"

"Oh please, love."

"With whiskey or without."

"With, by all means."

Harry puttered about and before too much longer was back, sitting at the table with Margo as they both inhaled the chocolate fragrance rising from their mugs.

"Harry, I'm worried about Carol. She's been so... I don't know, skittish I guess, since finding out about the money Tony left her. Insecure, like because she has money, we're going to kick her out of the nest."

* * * * *

Carol had woken up shortly after Margo left the bed. Her sleep had appeared much deeper than it was as there were far too many thoughts and emotions running loose in her head. She had gotten out of bed and headed for the kitchen, arriving in time to hear Margo say she was worried about her. Carol had hung back behind the doorway, frightened yet curious.

* * * * *

"Funny, I can't sleep because I'm afraid she'll leave us, now that she has money," Harry replied. "I know it's silly, I know that much more than financial need lies at the heart of our relationship. It has from the very start. But still, irrationally, the thought scares the hell out of me. I can tell myself it isn't going to happen, over and over, and it doesn't help in the least. My mind relaxes and the fear comes rushing back, as strong as ever."

"You have nothing to be scared of," Carol said as she came into the kitchen and threw her arms around Harry's neck. "This is silly," she continued as she went and hugged Margo. "I'm scared shitless that you're going to 'kick me out of the nest', as Margo put it, and you're scared I'm going to fly away. Tattie was right. I should've just sat down and talked this over with the two of you."

"Well," Harry said, "we're all here now. Would you like a cup of cocoa? With or without whiskey?"

"Yes, please, with," Carol said, settling into a kitchen chair. "Look, I'm not going to leave unless you want me to."

"And it'll be a very cold day in Hell before that happens," Margo replied.

"Right," Harry said, "so do you think we can all stop tweaking so hard and just relax. Carol, honey, you're a part of this, as much as I am, as much as Margo is. There isn't any 'Margo and Harry', 'Harry and Carol' or 'Carol and Margo', there's just 'us'. I know that's hard for me to wrap my head around sometimes. It's not a family arrangement I was raised imagining. But it's ours and it's going to work for us because we're going to keep loving each other and talking to each other and loving each other some more until we make it work."

"He's right, none of us are alone in this... and that's something I've been needing to remember from time to time," Margo said. "Harry, when I set up my hours with the clinic, I kept the option open to take Fridays off. I think I'm going to start doing that. You and Carol have Mondays together, and I don't begrudge you that at all, but our weekends tend to get eaten up with friends and running around. I want a day that's just for us."

"Then you better switch it around to Mondays, darling wife. Anna and Galena are in the house on Fridays and while Anna would smile and ignore the show I don't think she'd approve of her underage daughter attending."

"Good point, I'll discuss it with the clinic director Monday morning... oh shit, tomorrow morning. Christ, I'd forgotten it's Sunday already." She looked out the window at the brightening daylight. "So, we make Mondays a day for just the three of us, nobody else. Sound like a plan?"

"Works for me," Harry said. "Force me to spend the day with the two people I can't live without? Oh, my life is a never-ending, torturous grind of pain and degradation."

"Only if you ask nicely, dear," Margo replied, kissing him on the cheek. "Work for you, sweetie?"

"Yes Madam," Carol said, "in fact it sounds like heaven to me."

"Fine, then let's finish our cocoa and head for bed. I don't know about you two, but I've been awake far too long."

Fifteen minutes later the three of them were well on the way to joining the rest of the house in deep sleep.