Bizzy stepped from her tub. Droplets of water clung to her body. She reached for her towel and slowly wrapped it around herself. Walking over to the door she grabbed her robe before entering her bedroom. "Hello, Mrs. Montgomery," her hairdresser said. Bizzy had called her after leaving Susan's office on Friday. She told herself she wanted a trim, but she had to admit she to wanted to look perfect for this afternoon meeting. As she set in the chair, her hair dresser began to ramble on. Bizzy ignored her, thinking about Susan.
Susan had caught her by surprise. Bizzy remembered her hands: they were long, slim and perfectly manicured. She imagined them on her neck and face. It had been a long time since Bizzy had found anyone even remotely interesting. In college she experimented, but it was the 60s everyone had. She married because that was what was expected. In his own way the Captain loved her, even with his extracurricular activities she knew that. She even loved him. She was happy with her life. But why couldn't she stop thinking about Susan.
Bizzy smiled. She made the brunette nervous. Most people were nervous around Bizzy because she scared them. She was sure Susan wasn't scared of her. In the car on the way to the train station she had seen Susan peak at her legs. At that moment Bizzy was grateful for all the time she spent working on her body. Bizzy was 41 and had given birth two very intelligent children. But her life was about portraying the image of perfection. Bizzy was good at that image. Not even the Captain's activities interfered with it. Every husband in her social circle had affairs. It was expected and accepted. She didn't turn a blind eye. When a nanny or a tutor fell in love with him, she made them aware of her knowledge and summarily fired them. Her marriage was important to her image. She wouldn't let some cheap tart ruin it.
When her hairdresser said she was finished, Bizzy stood and walked into her closet. The hairdresser quietly packed her things and left. She knew the drill; Bizzy's back meant that her services were no longer needed. Bizzy looked at her many suits and chose one that allowed her to show off her figure. She wanted to see if she could make Susan more nervous. Bizzy took her time picking her undergarments, making sure to choose pieces that made her feel sexy. She wondered briefly if Susan would have enjoyed watching her dress. Bizzy sat down on the chaise in her dressing area and slowly rolled stockings up her legs to mid thigh. She clipped them with her garter. She pulled on her underware and fastened her bra. She looked at herself in the mirror. 'Not bad' she thought. For a moment she imagined what it would be like to have Susan standing there looking at her. Bizzy laughed at herself. She was getting worked up over some 22 year old, who could not have any possible interest in her. 'Snap out of it, Bizzy.' She continued to dress. As she applied the final touches of her make-up the butler knocked on the door.
"Come in Joseph."
"Mrs. Montgomery," he said. "Susan Ballord has arrived."
"Thank you, Joseph. I'll be down in a moment."
"Yes ma'am." He left the room closing the door behind him. Bizzy clipped her pearls in place, slipped into her shoes and slid into her jacket. She dabbed a small amount of perfume directly behind her ear. She walked down the hall towards the staircase. As she descended the stairs, she looked around her foyer to make sure nothing was out of place. The flowers sitting on the table directly under the chandelier were cut that morning from the garden. The painting was a newly acquired Renoir, a gift from the Captain. At the end of the stairs, she made a left moving towards the living room. Because the doors were open she could see Susan standing there brushing imaginary dust off of her jacket and mumbling to herself. As Bizzy got closer she heard Susan say, "Relax everything is going to be fine."
When Bizzy entered the room, Susan turned to look at her. Susan inhaled sharply, "Wow!" Bizzy smiled. She guessed she was wrong, maybe Susan was interested.
"Joseph. Would you bring us some tea?" Joseph quietly left the room. Next to Susan were two easels with boards on them. Bizzy moved to take a look. Susan had turned an empty rooftop into a garden oasis. "Did you draw these?"
"Yes," Susan replied. "Mrs. Montgomery…" Susan stopped as the butler re-entered the room with a maid carrying a tea tray. The maid set the tray directly on a coffee table in front of a wing back chair. Bizzy was looking at Susan.
"Mrs. Montgomery," Joseph said. "Would you like me to pour the tea?" With a tilt of his head he dismissed the maid.
"No, Joseph. I will do that." Joseph left again this time closing the door behind him. "You were saying Susan."
"Mrs. Montgomery I was thinking…." Bizzy interrupted Susan. She loved the sound of Susan's voice. It was calm and soothing. She wanted to know what it sounded like to have Susan say her name.
"Call me Bizzy."
Susan cleared her throat and began again. "Bizzy," she said slowly. Susan liked the taste of the name in her mouth. "I was thinking that we would turn your roof top into a garden. Each individual section would have a different flower as its centerpiece and that flower would speak to the purpose of the area. Of course every flower would be incorporated in some way. The look would be completely understated. Just enough elegance to make them remember it as the best roof-top garden party they had ever attended."
"Which flowers do you think we should use."
"Orchards, gardenias and tulips. Mostly white with just a dash of color." Susan looked at her expectantly. Bizzy turned back towards the boards. She liked that Susan did not say roses. It showed her that Susan liked to take chances and think of things that no one else did. Bizzy remained silent. Usually this was the point where the presenter began to ramble and back track on their ideas. Bizzy used it as a test that most failed. Only the non-confident continued to speak while someone was considering. Bizzy walked over and sat in the wing back chair. She liked that Susan did not follow her, but waited by the boards anticipating the questions she was going to be asked. Most would have followed her. Susan passed both test. Bizzy was impressed.
"Would you like some tea, Susan?" Bizzy gestured towards sofa adjacent to the chair. Susan sat on the edge of the sofa. She looked composed, but Bizzy had had years of experience sensing nerves and she could feel Susan's. "Cream and sugar."
"Sugar please. No cream." Bizzy made the tea and handed it to Susan.
Bizzy looked at Susan over her tea cup. Her hair brown hair was pinned back in a severe bun. Her neck was long and her skin was smooth. It took everything in Bizzy's power not reach out and touch it. Bizzy licked her lips, as she placed her tea cup back on the tray. "I like your design and the attention to detail. The fabric you've chosen is good. The chairs are not something I would have picked, but that's something easy enough to correct. Gardenias are my favorite flower." Susan let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "I will provide you with a list of invitees, because I doubt your boss would know the appropriate people to invite." Susan snorted. Bizzy paused, when Susan got up to retrieve a pad and pen from her bag. "On Thursday we will confirm the date. You will keep me apprised of all the details. I will have someone bring you a key to the building so that you can take the appropriate measurements. In three weeks, I want to see the complete lay out and productions of every single arrangement and center piece."
Susan looked at her expectantly. "When would you like to meet with the caterer?"
"I have someone in mind for that. I will give you the details when I confirm the date. I will need your home number so that I may contact you." Susan pulled her business card from the back of the pad and jotted down her home phone number. She wouldn't usually give a client her home number, but she wanted Bizzy to have it. When she handed Bizzy her card their hands grazed, the touch sent a jolt of electricity threw her body directly to her center. Susan coughed to cover the moan that almost escaped. "If that's all," Bizzy said. "I can have someone drive you to the train station." Bizzy smiled at Susan.
"No." Susan said a little too forcefully. "I drove."
"Of Course." Bizzy stood and opened the door. A few minutes later the butler appeared at the door. "Joseph will you have someone help Miss Ballord with her things." Joseph nodded and moved to gather Susan's things. Bizzy stood there watching Susan pack her things. Normally, she would leave the room and move on to whatever she had to do next. She couldn't leave. Her feet were glued to the floor. At that moment Susan looked at her with a lazy smile.
"Thank you, Mrs. Montgomery… I mean Bizzy." Bizzy walked Susan to the door, standing there as Susan loaded the last of her things and drove away. Bizzy realized she wanted Susan. That scared her more than anything.