Chapter 1
Marian jumped out of the cab with her coat over her head, protecting her from the driving rain of New York City's early spring. She darted into the apartment building where she lived with her roommate, Lucille. It was a building popular with young women; close to the nightlife, and a reasonable distance from the business offices where most were employed as secretaries or typists.
She took the stairs two at a time, heaving as she reached the door of their third floor apartment. Throwing open the door, she expected to see the normal gaggle of girls chatting over coffee in the front room. But there was a deafening quiet in the flat this day, and Marian suspected she knew the reason. Still catching her breath, she walked down the hall to Lucille's bedroom. Marian knocked on the shut door, the only evidence of life being a streak of lamplight flowing from the crack at the bottom.
"Come in," was the quiet response.
Marian entered and smiled cheerfully at the slender, blue-eyed redhead who sat on the bed with a book.
"Lucille, what's going on? Nobody's here and you're reading a book in the middle of the day?!" Marian snatched the book away from her and flopped onto the bed.
Lucille looked at her and sighed tiredly. "I wasn't in the mood today, Marian."
"Is it Tom Henderson? Come on, you said yourself you were only going with him for the fun of it! What did you wanna do, marry him?"
"It isn't that. It was the WAY we broke it off. One big blow-up and suddenly I don't know what I'm going to do with myself." Lucille rose from the bed and walked to the window, where the rain was still beating against the pane. "I've spent the last two weeks wondering what I saw in him in the first place. There was no spark, nothing interesting. He was the same, dull thing that I thought I was leaving behind in Jamestown."
Marian leapt from the bed and came up behind her. "That's why I came home in such a hurry. You're going to get out of this apartment and have some fun. Come on, I wanna show you something."
Marian grabbed Lucille by the hand and dragged her out into the front room, where an open newspaper was lying open on the coffee table. "I was reading the paper this morning when I saw this!" Lucille took the paper in her hands suspiciously and looked at a block of text that Marian had circled with a red pen.
OPENING NIGHT! THE TROPICANA CLUB PROUDLY OPENS ITS DOORS AS THE FIRST LATIN AMERICAN SONG AND DANCE CLUB IN NEW YORK! INTRODUCING THE AUTHENTIC SOUNDS OF RICKY RICARDO AND HIS ORCHESTRA!
Lucille looked at Marian with puzzlement. "So what?"
"So what?! We're going dancing, that's what! You want out of the same old dull thing, this is it. We'll get all the girls together and go tonight. Do you know how many guys will be there?!"
Lucille smiled and peered again at the newspaper ad. It was a sense of adventure that had brought her to the city in the first place and maybe this was the ticket. "Ok, I'm in." The girls laughed to each other and Marian felt satisfaction that she saw the sparkle enter Lucille's eyes again.
Chapter 2
It was almost 8pm and the rain had long stopped in favor of a mostly clear sky, spotted with stars and a full moon. Enrique sat in a dressing room at the rear of the Tropicana Club, listening to the strains of the boys out front tuning their instruments. He glanced at himself in the mirror. What a change from cleaning bird cages by day and appearing in broken down gin joints by night in Havana. As he tried to grow accustomed to the sight of himself in a tuxedo, his mind was a whirlwind of all that had happened to him in the last few months. His decision to leave Cuba, the beating down of doors in New York for musicians and jobs. All culminated in this important moment. If he was good, if the people loved him, the owner would keep him at the club indefinitely.
He sighed deeply to calm his nerves and grabbed a tall conga drum from the corner of the room; one of the only things he had brought with him from the island. Here goes nothing.
Chapter 3
Marian and Lucille waited in line behind a velvet rope outside the club. A group of girls in their acquaintance murmured excitedly around them, and a line of eager young men and women stretched down the block. Lucille's excitement built with the energy of the crowd.
A tall, strong hulk of a man emerged from the club. He was wearing a suit and looked intimidating at first. "How many?" The man unfastened the rope in front of Lucille and Marian and softened at the sight of them.
"We're seven," giggled Marian.
The man counted the seven girls and waved them into the club before moving on to the next party in line.
The girls walked into the club and Lucille was amazed. It was full of beautiful, tropical colors and dim lighting. A sea of tables and a dance floor stretched in front of a stage which was brightly decorated with podiums that looked like drums. Lucille was hypnotized by the exotic feel of this place. So much so, that she realized she was standing completely still while the others had moved on to a table, and other patrons were filing in around her. She scurried to catch up with her friends and sat near the dance floor, with an unobstructed view of the orchestra in front of her.
After what seemed like an eternity, a large man in a white suit stepped on stage and addressed the enormous crowd that had gathered in the club. "Ladies and gentleman," he roared. "Welcome to the Tropicana Club! We have the distinct pleasure to present to you tonight, direct from Havana, Mr. Ricky Ricardo!" The man stretched out his arm and backed off the stage.
Chapter 4
The crowd applauded the entrance of a tall, handsome young man with a head full of raven black hair and a tanned complexion. He began to conduct the orchestra, and then he turned to face the audience and began to sing. Lucille watched him move about the stage, and in no time at all, he had electrified the audience. She watched him, mystified…and that voice!
After a few ballads, he began a series of spicy dance pieces that promptly got the audience on their feet and dancing. Lucille barely noticed that all her friends had spread about and were being wooed to dance by nice looking boys. She glanced at them. They were all the same. They were all Tom Henderson. She'd rather watch this dancing, singing man on stage.
Chapter 5
Ricky was exhilarated. He had walked on stage a nervous, would-be singer. But now, halfway through his performance, he had transformed into a confident star. The audience seemed to love him. At least, they liked him enough that he was sure his first night would not be his last. He saw the people, alternating between watching him and dancing to his rhythm.
Suddenly, his eyes stopped on a figure at a table who was not moving. She was simply staring. He struggled to focus on the figure in the dim light. As he sang, she became clearer. A very lovely redhead with curls that stopped at her shoulders, lily white skin and striking blue eyes. Her form-fitting blue dress stopped at the knees of her crossed legs. Now he struggled to take his eyes off her.
As the orchestra transitioned into another piece of music, Ricky reached back for his drum. He began to beat it, slowly at first. The room stilled and every eye was on him, Lucille's most of all.
Ricky sang the words of Babalu, a native Cuban piece praising the rhythm of the conga drum in Spanish. His drumming became rapid, more rhythmic and more intense, and he lost himself in the music, his eyes to the sky.
When he finished, the audience roared with approval. Ricky looked forward and scanned again for the woman with the red hair; it was her he wanted to impress with his drum in that moment.
Chapter 6
After taking his bows and thanking the audience, Ricky instructed his orchestra to play the instrumental dance numbers that they had rehearsed. He had his sights set on getting introduced to the redhead in the blue dress.
But as he started to cross the dance floor, the club's owner ran to him, pumping his hand and congratulating him. Ricky was momentarily distracted from his quest, eager to know if he had a permanent place here. "Ricky, that was incredible, my boy! If you can do that every night, you'll make me a millionaire!"
"Does that mean I have the job?" Ricky still clasped the handshake he had with the man in the white suit. "Yes, my boy, you have the job," chuckled the man. Ricky smiled broadly and renewed his handshake before continuing his stride across the floor. His confidence was broken, however, when he realized she was no longer there. He searched the crowd frantically, but he feared she was gone.
Chapter 7
"But Marian….!"
"Lucille, you have to meet this guy! He's hunky and blonde!" Marian pulled Lucille by the elbow to a corner of the club. Lucille wanted none of this. Where was Ricky Ricardo, the man with the drum?
"Lucille, this is Jeffrey! Lucille? Lucille!" Marian stomped her foot and yelled after her friend, who had broken free of her grasp and was walking in the other direction.
Lucille started walking back to the table she had been pulled from, not seeing a sign of the handsome Latin whose drum seemed to set the beating of her heart.
She kept walking, turning all around and straining to rule out every face. Her search was interrupted by a strong thud, and she was suddenly knocked to the floor. She started to look up, ready to react furiously to whomever had gotten in her way. Her eyes widened and her face froze. It was him!
Ricky's and Lucille's eyes locked and it seemed as though the club had fallen silent, although no one had, in reality, noticed the incident as music continued to waft through the club and everyone continued to dance.
Ricky shook himself out of his reverie and was suddenly mortified at what he had done.
"I'm sorry! Please, forgive me, let me help you!" Ricky reached out for Lucille and she took his hands. Her ears rang from the sound of his thick accent and her face was suddenly very hot.
"Are you alright?"
Lucille stood and brushed off her dress. "Yes, I'm fine. I should've watched where I was going."
The two looked at each other and Lucille noticed how much more handsome he was up close; his strong face and round brown eyes. "You're Ricky Ricardo. Your performance was wonderful, I love your singing."
Ricky blushed. "Thank you. I'm still gettin' used to bein' called Ricky. Back home, I was Enrique." He flashed a smile. "But I love the way you say 'Ricky'…what's your name?"
"Lucille MacGillicuddy. Lucille…"
Chapter 8
It was 3am and most of the club's patrons had filed out, going home but knowing they would return. The boys were packing their instruments. "Where's Ricky?" Marco, the pianist, yelled out. "I don't know! I thought he'd be celebrating with us, but he disappeared after Babalu!" Juan, a trombone player shrugged.
Marian and another friend, Caroline, walked tiredly back to the table where they had been sitting. "I don't know where she could be. She ran off when I tried to introduce her to that guy, and I haven't seen her since!" Marian was exasperated. Caroline smirked. "Well, you know Lucille. She's probably got it in her head to do something and she's out doing it. You'll probably find her at home."
"Yeah," Marian agreed. "Let's go, party's over."
Chapter 9
It was 3am, but Ricky and Lucille didn't realize it.
After their bumpy encounter, the two had talked for hours. They had managed to slip into a quiet area of the dance floor, and Ricky taught Lucille how to rumba. It was the best excuse he could find to put his arm around her waist. He found her enchanting; so different from anyone he had known in Cuba. She was clever, interesting and full of energy…and was she breathtaking. Now, they had retreated to the rooftop of the club, where they sat in the cool night air, their conversation winding through their childhoods, their dreams, their hopes.
"Now that I'm here for good, my name will be there , in lights." Ricky pointed off to the Tropicana's bright new sign glowing over the city street.
Lucille smiled dreamily at the thought. Her gaze fell to the street, where milk and bakery trucks were beginning their early morning rounds. "What time is it?!" For the first time in hours, she remembered Marian and her friends.
Ricky looked at his watch. "It's almost 3:30…"
"Oh my goodness, I have to get home! My friends have no idea where I am." Lucille started to turn for the stairs descending the roof, but she hesitated. How could she ensure she would see this man again without seeming pushy or eager?
The thought was barely complete when Ricky reached out and touched her arm. The softness of the act sent tingles through Lucille's spine. "Lucy, when can I see you again?" Ricky's eyes were full of hope that she would WANT to see him again. "Lucy?" Not since her grandfather, many years before, had anyone called her Lucy. Ricky feared he had offended her with this nickname. "I'm sorry, I din't mean to shorten your name without askin'." Lucy smiled warmly. "No, I like it. If Enrique can be Ricky, then Lucille can be Lucy."
Lucy reached into her purse for a pen and found a scrap of paper. She wrote her address on the scrap and handed it to Ricky. "This is where I live. Come by anytime you like and we can…go out and get to know each other more." The two lingered a few seconds, looking into each other's faces, before Lucy turned and descended the stairs to the street.
Ricky watched her walk from the club hurriedly, hearing the click of her heeled shoes long after she was out of sight. The first peeks of soft blue light were rising around the skyline when Ricky left the club for his small apartment, still clutching Lucy's address in his hand and wondering how this beautiful girl had managed to stir him so much, so quickly.
Chapter 10
Marian stood in the doorway of Lucy's bedroom, watching her brush her hair. A new dress was spread out on the bed. "Going out again?" Lucy turned from the mirror to face Marian. "Yes, Ricky and I are going to have lunch in Central Park today." Marian walked toward the open window and sat on the windowsill. "Well, you have a beautiful day for it." The two were silent for a few moments, listening to the din of activity on the streets below; there was a quiet hum to the warm, sunny Sunday afternoon in June.
Lucy looked up at Marian. "What are you doing today?" Marian started twirling a curl of her blonde hair around one finger. "Not much. Maybe go shopping with Caroline…" Marian trailed off. "Lucille?" Her friends hadn't caught on to calling her Lucy. That was fine with her. The name belonged to Ricky.
"Mmm?" Lucy tied a ribbon into her hair.
"You've been seeing Ricky for two months now. Do you think it's getting serious?"
Lucy gazed at herself in the mirror, and the events of the last two months flashed in front of her. They had spent time together nearly every day. On the days he couldn't get away from his rehearsals and engagements, she would go to the club and watch him perform. They had spent more than a few times talking on the roof after his show. As time passed, the times not spent talking were filled with embraces and, lately, kisses. Her heart warmed at the thought of the first kiss they shared; locked in an embrace with her head resting on his chest, Ricky said her name softly. When she looked up at him, their lips brushed gently and then pressed together. Trusting his instinct that there was longing in her response to him, Ricky had pulled her closer in his arms and deepened their kiss with such a passion that it seemed to cause physical pain to break away from his lips.
"Lucille?" Marian's voice broke Lucy's daydream. The thought of Ricky stirred feelings in her that had never been roused before. It was his voice and his drum that seduced her that first night, but his strength, security, honesty and fierce devotion had captured her heart for good. "Oh. Yes, I…I think we're getting serious."
Chapter 11
Ricky's stride was strong and purposeful as he walked toward Lucy's apartment building. In the crook of his arm was nestled a bouquet of red roses tied with a wide red satin ribbon. His performances at the club were the talk of the city and his growing following had brought with it a modest increase of income. The security of his newfound popularity, and the promise of more work through an agent, had cemented his latest decision.
He had spent the last two months falling hard for Lucy, and he knew she felt the same. She had a rebellious side and a penchant for mischief at times, but she was also a lady, loyal, loving and refined. The duality of her personality captivated Ricky and he loved her all the more for it.
Not realized that she had watched him walking up the block from her window, Ricky was pleasantly surprised when he saw Lucy emerge from the front of the building to meet him. He drew in a sharp breath as she came toward him, her light, silky cream colored skirt swirling around her knees. Her ocean blue eyes looked at him warmly from beneath a wide-brim cream hat.
"They're beautiful!" Lucy smiled brightly at the bouquet in Ricky's arm. Her heart skipped when he wrapped an arm around her and gently pulled her toward him for a kiss.
Chapter 12
Lucy and Ricky sat on a bridge overlooking a small pond in the park. They had spent another afternoon talking and planning, peppered with embraces, gazes and sweet kisses. The sky was orange and pink, and the breeze was warm, seeming to usher in the coming summer. With the setting sun, Lucy had removed her hat and let down her hair in soft waves.
"Lucy…do you love me?"
The question was spoken softly, yet there was a firm resolve. Lucy looked intently at Ricky, his face very serious. She saw a mixture of certainty and nervousness in his eyes. Her stomach jumped and her breathing shallowed.
"Yes, Ricky, I love you. Do you love me?"
Ricky released his held breath. "Yes, honey. A lot."
Lucy smiled and thought that he would take her in his arms, but he didn't. She frowned when he seemed to move away from her, but she was soon aware of the pounding of her heart when he fell to his knees in front of her. Her head was light and her eyes were fixed on his as Ricky took her hands.
"Lucy, I love you desperately. I can't live without you. Will you marry me?"
Overwhelmed by waves of love, happiness and intense joy, Lucy smiled down at him with sparkling eyes. "Yes! Yes, Ricky, yes."
Ricky smiled broadly and rose to his feet, pulling Lucy up with him. He wrapped her in his arms tightly, and her arms circled his neck. Lucy's fingers entwined into Ricky's thick black hair as he pressed his soft, tender kisses against her lips.