Author's Note: Please note, there was a time jump from last chapter to
this chapter.
December 3, 2004, 830 PM, New York, New York
In New York for two weeks, and outfitted in a new dress of periwinkle blue and two inch black heels, Asher stepped into the Italian restaurant. She had spent those two weeks re-seeing the familiar sights, shopping, revisiting her old haunts. Now, she met a friend for dinner. "Bienvinido, miss. Just one for this evening?" asked the hostess.
Asher tightened the black shawl tighter around her shoulders, and she clutched her purse tighter. She had taken care to dress nicely. She wore tiny periwinkle barrettes in her hair. This was a fancy restaurant. "Non, I am to meet a friend here," she answered in flawless Italian, and she hid a smile at the surprised expression of the young woman. "A reservation under the name of Wolfe?"
"But of course, miss. Follow me."
Asher followed the girl through the tables, and over the polished wooden floor, to a back booth, where a woman already sat, perfectly groomed, wearing a tight silver-white dress, drinking a martini. "Darling!" she rose, kissing Asher's cheeks, and hugging her warmly. "Did you want anything to drink?"
"Ice water," answered Asher timidly, and Amanda nodded, gesturing the hostess away. "Thank you again, Amanda, for meeting me."
"Of course. Although, I was saddened to hear Richard could not make the trip with you."
"He had to work," she answered through tight teeth. The hostess returned with the water, setting it onto the table, and Asher whispered 'Grazie' before taking a few sips. "Do you think I was wrong to leave him?"
Amanda sat back, one arm draped gracefully over the leather of the booth. "You did what you thought was right, no?" Asher nodded, and Amanda smiled. "Richard will pull through. After all, he has Duncan to help him."
"Duncan has his own problems."
Amanda laughed, not cruelly, but almost condescendingly. "We all have problems, Asher. It is what makes us human."
Asher swallowed some more of her water. "I think I may have made a mistake. I miss him. I love him."
The waitress appeared, asking for their orders, to which they gave. Amanda ordered the veal special, while Asher asked for the eggplant parmigiana. The waitress nodded, and promised to return momentarily with their salads and bread.
"Why did you leave him?"
"Why do leave Duncan? Why did Adam leave Duncan? I needed the time apart, to re-evaluate my love for him. Or, I told him that much at least."
"Meaning you think differently?" Amanda let the comment of her and Duncan slide.
"I don't know. I promised him I would return."
"And now you think you might do differently?"
"I don't know."
Asher cut herself a slice of the newly placed breadbasket, opening a butter. She had ordered the creamy garlic salad dressing, while Amanda had ordered the raspberry vinaigrette. A bottle of white wine sat between them, which the waitress said was a gift from some bar patrons. Amanda had sent a flirty smile and kiss their way.
"I think you should figure things out, Asher, don't you?"
"Si," she agreed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
It was almost eleven-thirty when the two finally left the restaurant. They had both enjoyed their meals, lingering over the coffee and tiramisu, talking of everything but men. Sighing now, walking the streets of Manhattan, Asher muttered, "I missed an interview for this."
"An interview?"
"For a law school in Paris. I'll reschedule when I return."
Amanda nodded, for once, wisely saying nothing to response. "Did you need somewhere to stay? Nick and I have an extra bed."
"No, I booked a hotel, but thank you."
"How long are you here for?"
"Not for long, but I can never return to the States without visiting New York."
"You lived here?"
"For a spell, yes." Asher smiled softly, nostalgically. "My last leaving was not exactly pleasant, but I remember the living itself fondly. Although, our house itself was in Westchester County."
"Lovely area of the state," Amanda agreed. "You will call should you need anything then?"
"Of course. Thank you, Amanda. Tell Nick thank you too, for dinner. It was his cards, no?"
"But, of course, darling!" Amanda laughed. She pulled Asher into a hug. "Zdo send my love to Duncan and Richard should you see them before I do."
"I will," Asher promised. She watched Amanda disappear into a fancy apartment complex, dress and perfume trailing behind her. Asher sighed. "I will," she repeated, and she turned to walk in the opposite direction.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------
Asher awoke to the sunlight streaming through her window. She pulled the covers tightly over her head, trying to block the light out, but had no luck. She swore lightly under her breath, and detangled herself from the sheets to shower.
Finally dressed, she pulled her black sweater-coat over her blouse, and purse in hand, she closed the room door behind her. She stopped at the front desk, asking the concierge for a cab. When twenty-five minutes later, the cab pulled up before a small corner coffee shop, Asher thanked him, and stepped inside.
She spotted him in the back corner, drinking coffee, reading the paper, an untouched croissant on a plate before him. Asher sighed, took a deep breath, ordered a hot chocolate and a muffin before she headed over to him. "Hello, Sam," she greeted.
He lowered the paper, a cynical smile on his face. "Hello, Asher. How are you?"
"I've been better. Thank you for meeting me."
"Anything for you, Asher. Although, I was surprised to hear from you. I believe you swore you would never speak to me again last time you left New York."
"I'm desperate," she whispered. She sipped her hot chocolate. "I blame you."
"I am hurt, Asher. Here," he touched his palm to his heart. "And, I must admit, this is not usually my weaker point."
"Bullshit, Sam. You have a soft spot for love. You know it, and I know it."
"Fine, you caught me. How can I help you?"
Asher took another deep breath, and swallowed more of her hot chocolate. "Why did you do it?"
"Do? Do what?"
"Use me."
"If I remember correctly Asher, you used me too. What did you once say to me? That I was power-hungry, manipulative, bitter, and revengeful, I believe?"
"I did," Asher admitted. "You told me I was cold and unloving."
"I lied," he shrugged. "What do you want from me? It's too late for apologies now."
"I'm not here for apologies, Sam. I only want explanations. I left Paris, probably destroying the one good thing I ever had for myself, and I blame you. I blame you!"
"I am sorry, Asher. I had no idea."
"It doesn't matter now." She shook her head, standing, leaving some change on the table. "Have a nice life, Sam. Should we ever see one another again, this meeting never happened, for I will most have likely died or given up."
She left. Sam looked after her, frowned, and returned to his paper. He would be conferring the research documents tonight.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Back in her hotel room, Asher frowned, collapsed onto the newly-made bed. She knew what she had to do, knew what she wanted to do. Sighing, she picked up the phone, and she dialed the operator. "Yes," she asked, "yes, I would like to know when the next cruise ship will be leaving New York for London. And, if possible, if I could have a number for a train station upon arrival in London, please?"
The operator asked her to hold. Asher obliged.
December 3, 2004, 830 PM, New York, New York
In New York for two weeks, and outfitted in a new dress of periwinkle blue and two inch black heels, Asher stepped into the Italian restaurant. She had spent those two weeks re-seeing the familiar sights, shopping, revisiting her old haunts. Now, she met a friend for dinner. "Bienvinido, miss. Just one for this evening?" asked the hostess.
Asher tightened the black shawl tighter around her shoulders, and she clutched her purse tighter. She had taken care to dress nicely. She wore tiny periwinkle barrettes in her hair. This was a fancy restaurant. "Non, I am to meet a friend here," she answered in flawless Italian, and she hid a smile at the surprised expression of the young woman. "A reservation under the name of Wolfe?"
"But of course, miss. Follow me."
Asher followed the girl through the tables, and over the polished wooden floor, to a back booth, where a woman already sat, perfectly groomed, wearing a tight silver-white dress, drinking a martini. "Darling!" she rose, kissing Asher's cheeks, and hugging her warmly. "Did you want anything to drink?"
"Ice water," answered Asher timidly, and Amanda nodded, gesturing the hostess away. "Thank you again, Amanda, for meeting me."
"Of course. Although, I was saddened to hear Richard could not make the trip with you."
"He had to work," she answered through tight teeth. The hostess returned with the water, setting it onto the table, and Asher whispered 'Grazie' before taking a few sips. "Do you think I was wrong to leave him?"
Amanda sat back, one arm draped gracefully over the leather of the booth. "You did what you thought was right, no?" Asher nodded, and Amanda smiled. "Richard will pull through. After all, he has Duncan to help him."
"Duncan has his own problems."
Amanda laughed, not cruelly, but almost condescendingly. "We all have problems, Asher. It is what makes us human."
Asher swallowed some more of her water. "I think I may have made a mistake. I miss him. I love him."
The waitress appeared, asking for their orders, to which they gave. Amanda ordered the veal special, while Asher asked for the eggplant parmigiana. The waitress nodded, and promised to return momentarily with their salads and bread.
"Why did you leave him?"
"Why do leave Duncan? Why did Adam leave Duncan? I needed the time apart, to re-evaluate my love for him. Or, I told him that much at least."
"Meaning you think differently?" Amanda let the comment of her and Duncan slide.
"I don't know. I promised him I would return."
"And now you think you might do differently?"
"I don't know."
Asher cut herself a slice of the newly placed breadbasket, opening a butter. She had ordered the creamy garlic salad dressing, while Amanda had ordered the raspberry vinaigrette. A bottle of white wine sat between them, which the waitress said was a gift from some bar patrons. Amanda had sent a flirty smile and kiss their way.
"I think you should figure things out, Asher, don't you?"
"Si," she agreed.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------
It was almost eleven-thirty when the two finally left the restaurant. They had both enjoyed their meals, lingering over the coffee and tiramisu, talking of everything but men. Sighing now, walking the streets of Manhattan, Asher muttered, "I missed an interview for this."
"An interview?"
"For a law school in Paris. I'll reschedule when I return."
Amanda nodded, for once, wisely saying nothing to response. "Did you need somewhere to stay? Nick and I have an extra bed."
"No, I booked a hotel, but thank you."
"How long are you here for?"
"Not for long, but I can never return to the States without visiting New York."
"You lived here?"
"For a spell, yes." Asher smiled softly, nostalgically. "My last leaving was not exactly pleasant, but I remember the living itself fondly. Although, our house itself was in Westchester County."
"Lovely area of the state," Amanda agreed. "You will call should you need anything then?"
"Of course. Thank you, Amanda. Tell Nick thank you too, for dinner. It was his cards, no?"
"But, of course, darling!" Amanda laughed. She pulled Asher into a hug. "Zdo send my love to Duncan and Richard should you see them before I do."
"I will," Asher promised. She watched Amanda disappear into a fancy apartment complex, dress and perfume trailing behind her. Asher sighed. "I will," she repeated, and she turned to walk in the opposite direction.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------
Asher awoke to the sunlight streaming through her window. She pulled the covers tightly over her head, trying to block the light out, but had no luck. She swore lightly under her breath, and detangled herself from the sheets to shower.
Finally dressed, she pulled her black sweater-coat over her blouse, and purse in hand, she closed the room door behind her. She stopped at the front desk, asking the concierge for a cab. When twenty-five minutes later, the cab pulled up before a small corner coffee shop, Asher thanked him, and stepped inside.
She spotted him in the back corner, drinking coffee, reading the paper, an untouched croissant on a plate before him. Asher sighed, took a deep breath, ordered a hot chocolate and a muffin before she headed over to him. "Hello, Sam," she greeted.
He lowered the paper, a cynical smile on his face. "Hello, Asher. How are you?"
"I've been better. Thank you for meeting me."
"Anything for you, Asher. Although, I was surprised to hear from you. I believe you swore you would never speak to me again last time you left New York."
"I'm desperate," she whispered. She sipped her hot chocolate. "I blame you."
"I am hurt, Asher. Here," he touched his palm to his heart. "And, I must admit, this is not usually my weaker point."
"Bullshit, Sam. You have a soft spot for love. You know it, and I know it."
"Fine, you caught me. How can I help you?"
Asher took another deep breath, and swallowed more of her hot chocolate. "Why did you do it?"
"Do? Do what?"
"Use me."
"If I remember correctly Asher, you used me too. What did you once say to me? That I was power-hungry, manipulative, bitter, and revengeful, I believe?"
"I did," Asher admitted. "You told me I was cold and unloving."
"I lied," he shrugged. "What do you want from me? It's too late for apologies now."
"I'm not here for apologies, Sam. I only want explanations. I left Paris, probably destroying the one good thing I ever had for myself, and I blame you. I blame you!"
"I am sorry, Asher. I had no idea."
"It doesn't matter now." She shook her head, standing, leaving some change on the table. "Have a nice life, Sam. Should we ever see one another again, this meeting never happened, for I will most have likely died or given up."
She left. Sam looked after her, frowned, and returned to his paper. He would be conferring the research documents tonight.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Back in her hotel room, Asher frowned, collapsed onto the newly-made bed. She knew what she had to do, knew what she wanted to do. Sighing, she picked up the phone, and she dialed the operator. "Yes," she asked, "yes, I would like to know when the next cruise ship will be leaving New York for London. And, if possible, if I could have a number for a train station upon arrival in London, please?"
The operator asked her to hold. Asher obliged.