The Brass Statuettes Ch. 19

Frank kissed her on the forehead. Trudy stopped sobbing and looked at him.

"How was your trip?" she asked.

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Juana was in the kitchen, checking the glassware for water spots from the dishwasher and rubbing off the few she found. It was one of the little jobs she saved for the times that she was on duty and there wasn't much to do. The Señora had asked her to stay late. She was planning on a guest that evening and wanted her to serve a light snack and drinks.

Juana thought about José waiting patiently at their cottage. He always treated himself to a couple tequilas when Juana had to work late. When she arrived home she would pretend not to approve, but secretly was glad he had the chance for his little pleasure. José knew how to use tequila the right way. Not everyone did.

Juana knew that sometimes, when Señor Alvin was away, Señora Gloria would spend the evening alone in her bedroom. The next morning Juana would inspect the vodka bottle and a lot would be gone. She let the Señora keep her secret to herself.

"¡Povrecita; para ser borracha y sola, otra vez!" she often thought.

She declined to shed wasted tears. It would have been unprofessional. Once she'd asked her mistress, "Why you not go weet Señor Alvin sometimes?" She'd received a mumbled reply that she didn't understand. She should have minded her own business.

This night was different. It was nice to see the Señora not drinking. In fact she looked happy, if a little nervous. She was wearing her tight black slacks and a white satin blouse with ruffles that outlined a deep vee of bare skin in the center of her chest. There was a vapor of perfume emanating from the vee. Juana detected it when the Señora passed close by. It amazed her how these gringa women loved to dress up for one another.

"My guest will be here any moment, Juana," Gloria sang to her. "Show him to the study when he gets here. We'll meet in there. I might need you later, so stay close so you can hear us, but out of sight." Then Gloria scampered up the stairs.

"Him—He? Juana was confused. She assumed that she'd heard the English wrong. It would have been una falta grande to have a male guest in the evening with Señor Alvin away from the house—very improper. She'd never liked Raul and that cousin of his, but they were employados, so she had to accept it. And, of her part, she fretted. She found herself in a cruel vise between master and mistress of the house. She thought of Señor Alvin, working far from home.

She set the tray of canapés in the study on the coffee table. The bar was nearby. She checked it to be sure all the components were complete. On the corner of the coffee table rested a stack of folders filled with papers that Juana knew nothing about. She wondered if she should call upstairs to the Señora to see if she should hide them before the guest arrived.

The study was a poor place for a meeting. It had dim lighting, except for the desk, which had its own lamp, but it was across the room from the sofa and coffee table. The big French doors let in plenty of light for daytime meetings. Juana knew how easily Señora Gloria could get angry if any of her plans were questioned. Better to let it be. She would ask her about the errant files, though. The stairway leading to the upstairs was at the other end of the house. She provisionally moved the files to the desk to get them out of the way.

She was almost at the bottom of the stairs when the doorbell rang. It was too late to worry about files. She stopped and answered the door. She looked at a man in a navy-blue business suit. He was shorter than most men but had broad shoulders; he was dark haired and wore a serious look. Even though he wasn't very tall, he looked like a strong man who might be a good worker.

"I'm Frank Bennett," the man said. "I'm here to see Mrs. Warner." To Juana, the name 'Bennett' had a familiar sound, but she couldn't quite place it. It was an Anglo name, and it was sometimes hard to tell them apart. "She's expecting me," the man said, as a prompt to her as she hesitated.

"In here," she instructed the visitor. She turned and he followed her to the study. As they walked, Juana thought that although he had the look of a strong man, his face bore a rough sort of kindness, too. It made her think all the more that she should know him. She wondered why such a man would visit the Señora with her husband away.

They arrived in the study. "Pliz sit," she bade him. The man took a seat on the sofa with the coffee table in front of it. "Here ees food." She pointed to the plate of canapés.

"Thanks," the stranger said "Does Mrs. Warner know I'm here? Will you tell her, please?"

Juana turned and headed for the stairway. Gloria was on her way down as she approached.

"Meestare Bennett ees waiting for chu in dee stoody," Juana told her.

"Good!" Gloria said. Juana smelled the perfume even stronger. She must have put more on while she was upstairs. She also noticed that the Señora had forgotten to button the top two buttons of her blouse when she usually opened only one. She'd probably undone them to spray her perfume.

"Señora, dee buttons..." She wanted to let Gloria know, but her mistress wasn't listening.

"Now remember to stay close, in case I need you," Gloria reminded her. They hurried along, Gloria in the lead. Gloria stopped abruptly and turned to Juana. "Do you remember Señora Bennett?" Gloria asked. "You showed her the rose garden. I think you called her Señora Trudy."

Juana nodded and waited for Gloria to finish her point.

"Mr. Bennett is Señora Trudy's husband." Gloria turned and finished making her way to the study.

"¡El esposo de Señora Trudy!" Juana exclaimed to herself.

The hints with the familiar name and kind face were so clear. She had thought about Señora Trudy many times since she had seen her become angry and walk out of Gloria's party. She feared that the tall, kind woman would never return. With her husband in the house, she seemed closer.

Juana laughed to herself for a moment, thinking of the physical differences between the spouses. It was probably the reason she couldn't associate the man's name with her only Angla friend. She hadn't time for thinking about it very long. She took a place in the hallway near the open doors to the study. There were two potted miniature trees flanking the doors. Juana stood where the foliage hid her and she could listen for Gloria's summons—in case the Señora might need her. Juana never eavesdropped on the Señora's conversations, but she'd been ordered to be stationed where she was and not hearing them was impossible.

"Frank, you're a scotch man, if I remember." Juana heard ice cubes falling into a glass. "I'm having vodka and a little bit of tonic." There were a few moments while nothing was said. Juana assumed the Señora was busy with the drinks.

"You're such a dear to come over and help me tonight," Gloria warbled to her guest.

"Actually, Gloria, I'm not sure how much I can do to help you. My time is just not my own right now and..."

"Just your just being here means so much. Did you have something to eat? You must be famished."

"Yeah, I nibbled on one of these little snack-things while I was waiting for you."

"You're amazing, Frank. I couldn't go without dinner. I'd just faint—you'd have to— carry me upstairs to my room."

"I'll be okay."

"I mean, you must be very strong to be able to do that."

"Just used to it, I guess. By the way, you're not going to faint, are you?"

"I don't know; what would you do if I did? I can, if you want me to. It'd be like a fire drill—a dry run, so to speak."

"Maybe you better have one of these snack-things. Anyway, they're pretty good. Here—try one."

"Later, Frank. How's your scotch—would you like another?

"It's good scotch, Gloria. Alvin always stocks the best, even though he's not a scotch drinker."

"Then let me get you a refill."

"Sure; I wouldn't mind another one. It's been a long day."

Juana heard the clink of ice again. It was no kind of business meeting that she'd ever seen or heard. She thought of Trudy. She wished Señor Alvin had not gone away.

"Thanks, Gloria. That first one really hit the spot. By the way, I forgot that Alvin is out of town. I was only thinking of my own schedule. If it's a problem for me to be here—I mean if you're uncomfortable—we could make it another time and..."

"Nonsense, Frank. I feel very comfortable with you. I feel better than comfortable. You're the one who's not comfortable. You're so—stiff. Let me help you off with your jacket. I want you to relax.?"

"Really, Gloria, I doubt I'll be here that long."

"But I insist. Here, let me. Isn't that better?"

"I suppose..."

"Of course it is, let me slip in next to you on the sofa—so we can see the papers together."

Juana buried her face in her hands. She felt like screaming to the man, but she could only silently wish it: "No, Señor Bennett! Don't do dees awfool teeng to Señora Trudy." If she had more courage she would burst into the study and break up the pair. Any excuse would have been sufficient. But, she had her orders. She shook her head. It was always this way with these rich Anglos. She didn't wish to believe it, but there it was for her to hear with her own ears. Was she so wrong to have her own fears—for her job—and her doubts? She reminded herself that it was not her thing to judge .

"Well, what do you want to show me, Gloria?"

"I could show you—so many things, Frank. I could make you feel those things, too."

"I meant about the Foundation."

"What else could you mean? It's my passion—at least it's one of them. When I have passion for something—I just want to you know—I just have it all through me. I go all the way with it. That's the way I like it. You'll understand soon."

"So, have you got any documents to discuss?"

"I thought we'd have our drink first and just sit here and talk."

"Why don't we get the Foundation business out of the way first?"

"It's all business with you, isn't it, Frank? Do you ever have any time for fun? Just to do anything you want?"

"Business first, I always say."

"If you insist. Now, I left the folders right here on the coffee table. Where could they have gone? Oh excuse me; I didn't mean to reach across you like that. Now where did those folders go?"

"Well, if you can't find them..."

"We could get to them later..."

"What's that over on the desk?"

"Why they're over there, Frank. The maid must have put them there. I'll bring them right over. What eyesight you have. You must see everything. Do you?"

"Just a lucky guess, Gloria."

Juana heard her mistress lift herself from the sofa and pad across the room. There was no click-click of her heels. She must have taken off her shoes. There was a sound of papers dropping on the floor. She waited for the Senora to call her in to help her pick them up. It would be her opportunity to put a stop to what was going on.

"Oops! Look at clumsy me; I've dropped all the files on the floor."

"I'll give you a hand, Gloria."

"I hate to make you get down on the floor with me, Frank. Can you see what you're doing?"

"That's okay, Gloria. There's one over there—let me get it."

"Owwww!" Juana heard the Señora giggle.

"I'm sorry, Gloria, I didn't mean to touch you there."

"That's alright, Frank."

"It was an accident. I was reaching for the folder. I guess you were reaching for the same one. It just happened."

"I said it was alright, Frank. In fact, I kind of—you know—enjoyed it."

"Not only that, Gloria, when we bumped into each other, those two buttons on your blouse came undone."

"No Frank. I left them unbuttoned on purpose—so you could see."

"But Gloria..."

"You could do more than see them, Frank. Would you like to touch them—or even hold them? Do you like them?"

"Gloria..."

"Please, Frank; I want you to. I feel faint. You can carry me upstairs to my room."

"You look okay to me, Gloria."

"Please, Frank, help me up to my room. You'll be glad you did."

"I'm leaving now."

"No, Frank; stay with me. It will be our secret."

"Why are you doing this, Gloria? You're making a fool of yourself and taking a risk that I'll tell Alvin."

"You won't tell Alvin. Stay with me Frank; I've been waiting all day for you."

"Sorry, Gloria."

"Then just stay long enough to have another drink with me." "No, I'm leaving now."

Juana heard it all. Their talking was so confusing to her. She remained behind the large plant near the doorway so she could be invisible when they came out together on their way to Gloria's bedroom. At first she expected it and sadness filled her. Then, it all changed.

"He is a man. He is like José. He is Señora Trudy's man as José is mine," Juana told herself.

She watched Senora Trudy's husband hurry away from the study. The sight of him walking away made Juana feel happy and relieved. Her earlier cowardice had not led to disaster, after all, and she could be forgiven. She watched him and held her head up high. He didn't see her hiding as he passed by. She heard her mistress screaming.

"Where do you think you're going? You won't get this chance again. Come back here, Frank. No one walks out on me. Frank...Frank...god damn you."

When Gloria cursed him Juana made the sign of the cross. She thought she should go into the study to see if her mistress required anything of her. She knew Gloria would be angry and so she hesitated. She heard the sound of ice cubes clink into an empty glass again and she knew that her mistress would be drinking a lot more that night.

"Go on—go home to that ugly woman," Gloria growled to the empty room. "I'll get even." Juana waited some more. She hated it when the Señora acted like this. "He could have had the best," Gloria proclaimed to the empty room, "but he didn't have the balls for a real woman. Serves him right."

Juana shuffled into the study. "Can I run dee bath for chu, Señora?"

"What're you doing here?" Gloria sneered. She was sitting in an overstuffed chair. There were no lights in the room. Juana could barely make her out in the light that leaked into the room from the hallway. She had a fresh drink in her hand. The shadows that draped over her face made her look ugly.

"A hot bath would be nice, Señora," Juana sang in her most pleasing voice.

"No! No bath. I told you—go home," Gloria shouted. She waved her arm at Juana. Her voice was slurred. Juana knew there was nothing to do.

She went home to José.

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TO BE CONTINUED...