The Brass Statuettes Ch. 05

"A long time," Juana answered. "Mebee teerty years. José an' me; wee 'ave our honeymoon in d'are."

Juana waited for her reaction and Trudy reacted with a smile. "That's really sweet," she said. "My husband and I will have our twentieth anniversary soon."

"Twenty ees good, too," Juana conceded, unable to conceal a note of cheerfulness. She paused, wondering if she should say more; perhaps inquire if she had children. She decided not to; she'd said enough already. "I must work now."

Trudy remained on the veranda, drinking her iced tea and enjoying the manicured lawn and the gardens. She had taken Gloria at her word when she said one o'clock. She had never been one of those 'fashionably late' types. This new venture into the world of Gloria's charity would take some getting used to.

Off to her right she spotted the swimming pool. An older Mexican man dressed in jeans, a pale green work shirt and a wide-brimmed field hat was inside the fence skimming the surface with a net attached to a pole. "That must be Juana's husband." It occurred to her what a different life they led. Yet, in the final analysis, they were the same as she and Frank—just two people trying as hard as they can, finding their way through life together.

"Trudy!" She heard a cry from behind her. She knew it was Gloria stepping out onto the veranda to greet her. She turned to meet her hostess.

"Thank you for inviting me," Trudy said as Gloria crushed herself to her as she seized an embrace.

"I'm so glad that you decided to join us," Gloria told her. "The others should be here in about fifteen minutes."

"I apologize for coming early," Trudy said. "I'd have sworn that you told me to come over at one."

"Oh, I did," Gloria said. "But, that didn't mean to be here at one. That's the time to start getting ready at one. We're always about a half-hour behind."

"I see," Trudy replied. "Next time, I'll know. It worked out well. I had a chance to admire your gardens."

Gloria pulled out a chair from the table and they both sat down.

"I see that Juana brought you a refreshment. I think I'll have one, too." Gloria took a deep breath and yelled out, "Juana!"

"Don't be silly," Trudy said, rising to her feet. "All the makings are right here on the bar. I'd be happy to make one for you."

Gloria remained in her chair. Her face began turning red, but she allowed Trudy to make her drink. As she was just finishing it Juana appeared on the veranda.

"Deed chu call me, Señora Warner?"

"Never mind," Gloria snapped. "I wanted you to make me a drink. Mrs. Bennett's doing it for you."

"Sorry, Señora Warner," the maid mumbled.

"It's okay," Trudy interjected. "It's my pleasure." She set Gloria's drink on the tray when Juana stopped her.

"Dee Señora likes to have vodka wit' eet," she whispered to Trudy. "Eet' ees in dee cabinet. I weel get eet."

"Oh," Trudy said, slightly chagrinned. "Gloria," she called over to from the bar to the table, "you don't want any vodka in this, do you?"

Gloria's head snapped around. She drew a deep breath and began to answer, but then let the breath out. "Not if you're not having any, dear," she answered in a saccharin voice. She shook her head slightly, and motioned Juana to go.

Trudy rejoined Gloria at the table. They took a big gulp of their drinks. "Trudy, dear," Gloria began. "I should have told you that we dress quite a bit more casually at our meetings. You're a bit overdressed, I'm afraid."

"This old thing?" Trudy asked. "Why these are just my grocery store clothes!" Then she laughed out loud while grabbing Gloria's arm, who recoiled a bit and grimaced as Trudy enjoyed her own joke.

"Most of the girls wear cotton skirts and blouses with their suits underneath," Gloria went on. "I hope you brought your bathing suit. Did you?"

"Sure did," Trudy replied. "It's right here in my tote bag."

**************

"That brings us to you, Trudy," Gloria stated as she stood chairing the meeting. All of the other Board members had their assignments. Each was responsible for specific sources of donations from the various corporations and professional offices in the community. Ashley and Brenda had the additional charge of finding suitable office space in the downtown area when the time was right. Darlene would handle the checkbook. Brenda also had the responsibility to write all grant proposals. There was a seminar that she would attend to learn the basics of doing that. Gloria would coordinate everything and be the press contact.

"I'm not really used to this kind of thing," Trudy admitted.

"Oh, don't worry," Gloria said. "I have an assignment for you that will be a big help."

"Whatever you say," Trudy replied.

She was to have the title of Corresponding Secretary. Gloria explained that it would be Trudy's responsibility to open a post office box, sort and record all the mail and send acknowledgements when necessary.

"I know that it doesn't sound like much," Gloria conceded, "but it would really be a big help."

"It's fine," Trudy said. "I used to do that kind of thing before Frank and I were married. I was a receptionist at the firm where he worked. That's how we met."

Gloria cleared her throat. "That's very interesting, Trudy," she said. "You'll have to tell us all about it sometime."

Out of the corner of her eye Trudy spied Ashley and Darlene covering their mouths and looking away to stifle little giggles. She said nothing when she saw them; it happened all the time and Trudy learned that life was easier when she ignored it.

"I don't think we have any more to cover today," Gloria announced.

"Tyler thinks that we need some board members that aren't connected to Western," Ashley said.

"That's what Alvin said, too," Gloria replied. "I'm working on it. We have to get the right people." Gloria paused and looked around the table. "I think we're done for today," she announced. Let's go relax by the pool."

*********

Gloria directed Trudy to the changing room in the mini-gym and handed her the key. "By the time you change into your suit, we'll be at the pool waiting for you," she said. The four women watched in silence as Trudy finally disappeared into the building by the pool.

"Hey, Gloria," Ashley demanded, "What's the idea with the Virgin Iced Teas?"

"That was Trudy's idea," Gloria answered. "She had Juana fix it for her that way before I had a chance to say anything."

"I thought as much," said Brenda.

"And then she made me drink it the same way," Gloria added. "I called for Juana to serve me a drink, but Trudy jumped up and said 'no, she'd do it'—and then she did. I couldn't stop her without making a scene."

"Ah thought the idea was that Trudy was s'pposed t' become more like us, not th' other way 'round," Darlene reminded the group.

"That's what I thought, too," Gloria said. "This was all Brenda's idea."

"Well, how was I supposed to know..."

"And you should have seen Juana fawning all over her," Gloria continued. "Someone's forgetting who pays the tab around here."

"It would figure that it'd be Trudy who'd take a shine to the maid," Ashley said.

"Well, it's going to take more time and patience than we thought," Brenda said.

"More time than you thought," Ashley shot back.

"We're stuck with it now," Brenda retorted. "Anyway, she's got a job where she can't get in the way and it's one that's a big pain; we're lucky to have her—or else one of us would have to do it."

"We'll just have to deal with it," Gloria said. "We better get over there. She'll be coming out soon."

When Trudy opened the door of the mini-gym she was wearing a one-piece suit in a solid royal blue color. Trudy saw right away that her suit was quite unlike the others'. They were all in bikinis that were much less modestly cut. It was another example of Trudy not fitting in; she half expected it to be so before she stepped through the door.

"It looks like royal blue's in season," Ashley pointed out.

"Huh?" Trudy puzzled.

"It's the same color as your beautiful gown last Friday night," Gloria explained.

"Ha!" Trudy laughed. "I never thought of that. I guess it is my favorite color, come to think of it."

Trudy poured a handful of sun protection cream in her palm and began smoothing it on her arms and legs. The four other women noticed how long and toned her limbs were.

"You're certainly in good shape," Brenda said.

"Well thanks, I..." Trudy began to answer.

"What gym do you belong to?" Ashley asked. "Who's your trainer?"

"Gym?" Trudy asked. "I don't really go in for that. My housework is enough to give me plenty of exercise. Sometimes I do some stretching on a mat on the floor when I'm alone in the house."

"Housework?" Ashley and Darlene mouthed to one another when they were sure that Trudy had looked away.

"How are you going to tan your mid-section if you wear a one-piece suit?" Brenda asked.

"I guess I won't," Trudy admitted. "It doesn't matter. When a woman's pushing forty, like me, it's better not to show too much skin in public."

Brenda and Gloria traded glances, and Gloria's face started turning red. Gloria drew a deep breath and rose up in her chair, but Brenda place her hand on her forearm to stop her.

"Anyway," Trudy corrected, "that's the way it works for me."

"Showing our bodies off is what makes men want us," Gloria instructed her. "That's why we work so hard on keeping them like they are."

"I don't really think so, do you?" Trudy retorted. "And anyway, I only mentioned showing skin in public. Where it really counts is not public—and I never hesitate to show more there." Trudy laughed. She saw the others roll their eyes at first, and then force out polite giggles.

"You're speaking about your husband," Brenda clarified. "What about other men?"

"What do you mean," Trudy paused with a puzzled look on her face.

"You know—men who aren't your husband," Brenda repeated. "How do you make them want you? For example, how would you make my husband, Blake, want you?"

"I would never go to bed with your husband," Trudy answered. Her brow furled and the smile disappeared from her face.

"She didn't mean to actually get in bed with him," Gloria explained. "Just to make him wish that he could."

"I don't want him to wish that," Trudy replied. "I like the real thing more than pretending."

"I'll bet your husband thinks about it," Ashley said. "Maybe Gloria, or me, or any one of us—or all of us. All men do. Turnabout is only fair play."

"Did you mean all of us one at a time, at the same time?" Brenda inquired. Her joke got a bigger response than Trudy's.

"I wouldn't know," Trudy said. If there ever had been any fun in the afternoon with the girls, it had disappeared. She looked about for some refuge.

"That water looks so inviting, Gloria, she said. "Do you mind if I have a swim to cool off?" She didn't wait for the answer; she dove into the deep end head-first, and swam to the other end, not stopping until she reached the far wall.

"Trudy's got a lot to learn," Brenda commented as Trudy disappeared beneath the surface of the water.

"Well, I don't think I have the patience to teach her," Gloria said.

"Maybe she'll have to learn on her own someday, when her husband's career requires it," Ashley said. "I'll bet she's never thought of that. Then she'll find out about 'the real thing'."

"Ah'm sure not," Darlene issued a mild protest. "It's hard for me t' think on it."

"And you're far more advanced than Trudy," Brenda agreed.

"At least Darlene's a willing student," Gloria pointed out.

Trudy completed her lap and popped her head out of the water. "Shhh," Brenda scolded. "Don't let her hear us!" At the end of her lap Trudy stood up in the shallow end and turned toward the group with a look of expectation. Hearing nothing from them, she pushed back into the water and started her return lap to the deep end.

"We'll talk later," Gloria told Brenda.

Trudy arrived at the edge of the pool and quickly hoisted herself out of the water. She stood dripping before her new associates and looked up at the sun as they eyed her. She walked to the chair and picked up her towel and began drying herself.

"I should have realized that the water would wash off all my sunscreen," Trudy said. "With my skin, I'll burn to a crisp if I stay in this sun very long. I think I'll get dressed." She didn't wait for Gloria's permission, like some of the others might have. She turned and headed for the changing room in the mini gym.

Inside the house, Juana stood at the kitchen window where she could see the pool.

"¿Come se dice eso nombre—Trudy?" she asked herself.

Perhaps, she thought, it meant 'tall, smiling woman'. She thought again and corrected herself. "Woman with the kind face." She observed that this new friend of her mistress was different from the other women who regularly sat undressed at Gloria's pool and tempted José's young obreros as they drank too much.

Trudy came out of the mini-gym changed into her street clothes.

"This has been fun, Gloria. Thanks for inviting me. I've got to get going now."

"So soon?" Gloria pouted. "We were just getting started."

"Have to get dinner started," Trudy answered, "and check up on Margaret and Patricia."

"I'll call you for the next meeting, then," Gloria conceded. "Thanks for coming."

"'Bye, everyone," Trudy said to the group and abruptly turned and walked toward the house.

"Juana will help you find your way out," Gloria called after her. Trudy didn't answer.

"This hasn't been much fun today," Gloria stated. "Trudy put a damper on everything."

"There are no gardeners, either," Brenda observed. "Darlene, this was supposed to be your big debut."

"Maybe it doesn't feel the same without the vodka in our iced tea," Ashley said.

Darlene was blushing. "Ah was ready," she said. "Ah'm wearin' my littlest bikini."

"Be ready next time," Gloria ordered.

**********

As always, the Texas summer night was very warm, even after sundown. Patricia was out with friends and their younger daughter, Margaret, was fortified in her room, alternately on her cell phone or the internet. Rather than hide behind the air conditioning, Frank and Trudy decided to have a drink together by the pool. They hadn't changed into swim suits. Frank was wearing gym shorts and impulsively threw off his shirt and dove in.

Trudy watched Frank swim down to the shallow end. She was drinking a glass of lemonade and Frank had a beer waiting for him when he was finished swimming. It seemed that a lot was happening to her around swimming pools lately. Frank swam back and climbed out of the pool.

"You should dive in, Trudy," he urged. "It's only us. You can get your clothes wet. No one will see."

"That's okay," she said, "I already went swimming at Gloria's house this afternoon"

"That's right, I almost forgot," he said as he dried himself. He reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head and sat down in the chair next to hers. He opened his beer and took a few long gulps. "Ahh! The first swallow is always the best."

"I knew you were going to say that."

"How would you know that?" he demanded

"Because you say that every time you have a beer when you're hot and thirsty."

"I guess you've got me all figured out," he conceded.

"Not all figured out—but mostly." She let a smile escape to let him know that it pleased her to be with him. It wasn't a voluntary act; she couldn't make it come and go on command. Her face gave away her feelings whenever it chose to.

"Then, I guess I'd better watch my step," he replied. "Anyway, how did it go?"

"What go?"

"The meeting at Gloria's house. You're the one who brought it up."

"It was okay."

"Trudy," Frank said, "when you say something went okay, it means 'not very good'."

"It was nothing much," she answered. "Gloria and the girls didn't like my bathing suit, and they made fun of me when they thought I couldn't hear them. Other than that, it was okay."

"Made fun of what?" Frank demanded.

"They didn't like it because I didn't put booze in my iced tea and that I do housework instead of going to a gym."

"Sticks and stones," Frank said, appearing to lose interest.

"On top of that, they gave me a clunky job to keep me out of the way. It's okay, though, because then I can do my part and not be responsible for anything."

"Whatever Gloria and her cohort are capable of, I'm sure that you are, too."

"Not that social stuff, Frank. I can't do it. It sounds like they're planning on going around to all the companies and twisting arms."

"What else would it be?" Frank said. "I remember last winter we had the Foundation slotted for a nice two million dollar donation. Alvin came in one Monday morning with a smile on his face and all of a sudden it was three million."

"I would never do that," Trudy said.

"Why not?"

Trudy turned and gave Frank that look that let him know he was on thin ice, and the weather was really hot.

"I didn't mean with Alvin," her husband clarified.

"Stop joking!" she said, and then looked away. Frank sat back and downed the rest of his beer, chuckling to himself.

"You should see the way Gloria treats her maid," Trudy said, letting her displeasure show. "It's awful."

"It's up to you whether you have booze in your iced tea," Frank said.

"Well they ..."

"I think you worry too much," Frank insisted. Trudy said nothing. Frank could tell what she was thinking.

"They didn't like your bathing suit because they wish they could look like you do when you wear it."

"Do you mean it?" she asked. Her voice cracked a little.

"Did you wear the medium blue one that's a little frumpy?"

"It's royal blue, and I like it."

"Yes, Trudy; I meant it."

"You're sure?"

"Have you noticed me avoiding you lately," Frank asked.

"I suppose not," she answered in a tiny voice. "and it's modest—not frumpy"

"I'll prove it to you," Frank offered. "Put down your glass."

"My glass?" Perhaps she didn't notice that she did set it on the table.

"Now, relax; close your eyes."

"Oh, Frank what is this?" But, she closed them, just the same.

"I think you need to cool off," Frank said. Before she could question him again he grasped her hand. He pulled her along and she ran to keep up with him. After a few strides they were airborne, and then they entered the water together—clothes and all.

They were dripping as they approached the house. Margaret met them at the door. She had heard the splashing and Trudy's shriek. Frank and Trudy were laughing, but their daughter gave them a stern look.

"Oh really!" she exclaimed in disgust as she rolled her eyes. It made her parents laugh even harder. The girl turned to go back to her room. She put her cell phone back to her ear. "You won't believe what my parents just did..."

**************

TO BE CONTINUED

Dear Readers,

Thanks for reading. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Send me your comments, either on the Public Comments section, or in the private e-mail facility.

AW