The cocktail party was a smashing success

Chapter 6:

Lucy and Carlos hurried out of the apartment in pursuit of a bus. Rain shot out of the sky like bullets of the Wild West. Lucy pulled out her umbrella while the rain drenched Carlos. She would have shared the umbrella, but it was a small Japanese umbrella, only good for one person. They arrived at the bus stop and Carlos ranted about how they should put a bus shelter at the stop. After all, the good citizens paid their taxes and deserved to be protected from the Pacific Northwest rain and it poured all of the time!

Lucy did not care much for his foul mood. He was releasing bad vibes so she huddled underneath her umbrella, praying that the bus showed up on time. It did and she hopped on first, quickly paying her fare. She found an empty seat. Carlos obstructed the front of the bus and people tried to squeeze past him. He dug for change from his tight wet jeans.

The science fiction enthusiast, Darren sauntered to Lucy and plopped down next to her. Lucy didn't mind but knew Carlos would be furious. He was so possessive and sure enough, the jealous lover kicked Darren out of the seat causing a scene.

Darren snickered at Carlos. "Hey, it's not like I want to have sex with her."

Carlos guffawed, "And how do I know that?"

Darren gawked at the clueless Carlos and he scurried to the front of the bus, found a seat and started a conversation with the driver.

Lucy turned to Carlos, "Your macho attitude is lost on me."

He grinned sheepishly. "Come on, I was only protecting you from wolves."

Lucy guffawed, "I know him from one of my classes."

She stared out the foggy window. Carlos sulked. "You're a sexy woman. I get tired of fighting off the competition."

Lucy glared at Carlos, "It used to be a free country until Carlos the dictator took over!"

More steam covered the bus windows. Lucy watched a group of business people and students carrying black umbrellas pass by her side of the bus. As the driver slammed on the brakes, Lucy noticed a woman in her twenties dressed like a riot grrl librarian. She carried a bright pink umbrella. She caught Lucy's eye and Lucy felt like her heart would disintegrate to ash. She was hoping never to see Belinda again because of the feelings the librarian aroused in her. She pounded on the window and tried to get the woman's attention. She mouthed "I love you" to the librarian as she disappeared around a corner. Oh, no, there it went again, her attraction to girls.

Carlos tried to get Lucy's attention. Finally, he shouted at her as if he had not embarrassed her enough.

"Hello! I'm trying to talk to you!"

Lucy felt dazed. "Did you see that woman?"

"Who are you talking about?"

Lucy fidgeted with her satchel. "Never mind, what were you saying?"

Carlos puffed out his chest like a proud rooster. "I was asking you if you still want to throw a party."

"We can throw a cocktail party like your parents did."

"You forget that my parents were too busy trying to survive in this country to throw parties and they didn't believe in drinking alcohol. You know my Mama is a good Catholic."

Lucy rolled her eyes.

Later that day, Carlos and Lucy strolled towards their apartment building. Carlos opened the door for his lady. Not that she felt impressed since he had acted like a beast all day.

"Have you see Mark lately? He's pulled a disappearing act since he met Julia."

"Why do you care as long as he pays his rent? Besides I like having the place to ourselves."

Lucy frowned at Carlos' ambivalence. "Mark's my friend and I think that something is bothering him."

"If he hasn't confided in you, then why do you get all worked up about his problems?"

The couple lounged in bed. Carlos caressed Lucy's arm and she stared off in space. She envisioned life with Carlos. She saw herself relating to his conservative parents or more like not relating to them. Carlos' mother would not care for Lucy's arty dresses, and she would be turned off by Lucy when she bowed and giggled.

This led to a thought about Natalie helping Lucy slip into a wedding gown. Dressed in traditional kimonos, Lucy's parents entered the room. They bowed to their daughter. Restricted by her wedding gown, Lucy attempted a bow, but stumbled.

Next, Lucy saw an altar. Carlos beamed victoriously since he managed to snag a bride. But Lucy only noticed Belinda Chance, the riot grrl librarian, sitting in the front pew and smiling demurely while holding a blue Telecaster in her lap. Lucy grimaced when she realized she made a bad decision.

The priest turned to the reluctant bride. "Lucy Yakamoto, do you take Carlos Suave as your lawfully wedded husband?"

Lucy picked at her bouquet, dropping petals on the carpet. "I don't think so. I really don't think so. I'm incapable of marriage."

The priest wiped sweat from his forehead and Carlos threw a tantrum. Family members and wedding guests hissed and booed. Lucy tripped over her gown as she raced out of the church.

Later that day, she lounged at the kitchen table reading a book on cocktail drinks. Carlos sneaked up behind her with a surprise, a bouquet of daisies which he handed her. Lucy rose from her chair and embraced Carlos.

"What are these for?"

Carlos handed Lucy a super size burrito.

"Food too! Yummy! Are we going to eat a three-course meal? Thank you."

Lucy devoured the burrito while Carlos filled a Mexican vase with water. He plopped the daisies, plastic and all into the vase. He splashed water all over the table, but Lucy was too hungry to mind. She devoured her burrito and licked her lips. Wow, that one was sure spicy, she thought. Carlos kissed her on top of the head.

"We have a few hours to kill before the party. Would you like to learn some party games I learned as a child?"

"Are they naughty games?"

"I'll let you decide."

They raced to the bedroom. They allowed their raging hormones to call the shots. Lucy tore off her dress. She was not interested in acting ladylike, but in quenching that sudden desire that took over her more reasonable thoughts. Her lover pulled her toward him and he bit the strap on her slip, feeling like a lusty fool for love.

He whispered in Lucy's ear, hoping to please her for once. "I'll even let you be on top."

"What's the occasion?"

"I just thought I'd try something new."

"Really?"

Carlos grabbed Lucy's ponytail and he gently pulled her head back, kissing her full on the mouth.

Meanwhile, Marks sneaked out of his bedroom like a mole surfacing from underground caverns. He spied on the couple making passionate love through the cracked open door. He frowned because that routine wore thin and it had only been a week since he moved in with them.

He watched their heads bobbing up and down; he listened to their moans. He staggered to the phone.

"Hey, it's me. Nothing's wrong, but would you like to see a movie tonight?"

Mark glanced over his shoulder and he whispered into the receiver. "The Latin lover rides again. I'll pick you up at eight o'clock."

Mark slammed the door when he left, knowing full well he would embarrass Lucy, that was if she was capable of embarrassment. He felt doubtful at that point. She appeared to have no limits like a coyote constantly catching its tail on fire. "Go, Lucy, go, and where are you heading anyway?"

Startled by the door slamming, Lucy pushed Carlos away from her. "Ah, Mark's been here the whole time! We don't have much privacy with him around."

Carlos laughed, "And earlier you were worried because he doesn't hang around the apartment enough and going on about Julia… We just gave him the thrill of his life--live erotica in his own home. This beats the Playboy channel!"

Lucy shuddered. "You don't know Mark. He's really a gentleman."

Carlos guffawed. "No, under that pale expression and shy demeanor, he is a hot-blooded male. Everyone knows he's pining for you."

Lucy blushed. "He just has a little crush, that's all and he has a new girl now."

Lucy tickled Carlos and she kissed him. "Mark's just a pal."

Carlos fidgeted with the sheets. He cleared his throat, tossed a breath mint into his mouth. "I know that we have only known each other a short time, but… "Carlos grabs Lucy's hand. "Lucy, will you marry me?"

Lucy gasped as she pulled the sheets tightly around her body. "That's just sex talking. Orgasms make people say things that they regret later."

She jumped out of bed and pulled on a kimono. She glanced at the Hello Kitty clock.

Carlos argued, "That's not true. I love you."

Lucy quickly made her way to the door.

"Hey, where are you going? You aren't giving my proposal any thought."

Lucy tried to calm her nerves by shoving her feet into her furry slippers. "Neither have you. You're only thinking about yourself, but what about me?" When a woman looks for a husband, she doesn't have sex with him in a phone booth!"

Carlos felt dejected and he refused to give up his prize. "But, I thought that when you agreed to co-habitat, you'd also be interested in marriage."

Lucy looked over her shoulder. "The guests will be arriving any minute. What will I tell them if I answer the door in my kimono?"

"Tell them that you accept my marriage proposal. Then we'll have something to celebrate. Your friends will like that."

Later that evening, Lucy lounged at the kitchen table lost in a memory of the other day when she met Carlos' parents. His mother looked at her as if she was yanked out of a swamp. She obviously didn't care for Lucy's bright mini dress, but it went beyond the clothing. She felt that no woman would be good enough for little Carlitos. Oh, and how, she spoiled her son, plying him with Mexican cuisine and constantly patting him on the head or kissing him as if he was still a child. How could Lucy ever marry into such a family, where the husband is king and the wife, well, she had better know how to cook, clean and give confession to the priest on a regular basis. Aye, yi, yi, as Carlos would have said.

Carlos sulked in the bedroom. What was the point of giving a party now when he felt dejected? He prided himself on being a man about town and he thought he could have had any woman in Olympia. So why did he put up with Lucy's flightiness? What was the attraction anyway? She seemed rather selfish only caring about her friends and alternative rock music. Certainly there was no future with that woman. Why did he bother?

And yet, in the short time that they knew each other, they had some good times. He recalled the day that they moved in the apartment and he introduced Lucy to Cuban music. Yeah, Benny Morès and Perez Prado. They danced around the empty apartment, tripping over boxes and really working up a sweat. Boy, Lucy could sure dance and for once they had a moment in common when they and the music were one. But she had proven that she was incapable of serious adulthood. And he doubted that she would ever grow up.

Lucy flitted into the kitchen dressed in an Audrey Hepburn cocktail dress. She arranged the cocktail glasses and set a blender out on the table. She danced her way into the living room which adjoined the kitchen. She pulled out the soundtrack for Breakfast at Tiffany's and placed it on Carlos' turntable. She wondered if he was still sulking, but then decided to put that thought out of her busy head. She wished to appear happy when the guests arrived. She felt that life was too short to worry about sulking men bent on dominating women.

Emma entered the apartment looking quite elegant in a chic 1960s cocktail dress. Lucy liked when Emma wore her hair up and showed off her long neck. Andy, always the good sport, wore a vintage 1950s suit.

Lucy imitated Audrey Hepburn, "You look ravishing darlings."

Andy looked around, "Where's Carlos?"

Lucy giggled, "He's in the bedroom sulking."

Emma confided in Lucy, "Ooh, why?"

Lucy's grin transformed into a frown. "I would rather not talk about Carlos. Come on, let's enjoy ourselves."

Andy also did not want to get involved with a heavy discussion. He spotted Lucy's record collection and shuffled through the pile.

"Brilliant! Prado and Nino Rota! I was expecting something silly like Perry Como or is that coma?"

Emma teased Andy, "Don't be rude to our hostess. She's really knocked herself out." Emma turned to Lucy, "Where did you find these records?"

"I stole them from my parents and the rest of them came from thrift stores. I actually had to buy the Nino Rota ones at Tower."

Natalie and a group of men arrived. The women headed to the kitchen while the men swarmed like drones around the record collection. Lucy detected drool coming from their mouths and she was happy to accommodate them. They were out to have a splendid evening.

The men shuffled through the collection. "Whoa! Burt Bacharach! Does anyone listen to him any longer?"

Andy smiled, "Sure they do. Actually, she has quite a collection here. Rota and Mancini."

"Where did she find the soundtrack to Breakfast at Tiffany's?"

The women mixed drinks and placed finger food on trays. Lucy licked salt off of her fingers.

Emma related, "What is it about men and record collections?"

Lucy popped a pretzel into her mouth. "I don't know, but I think that they enjoy impressing each other with trivial knowledge. It's really a bore."

Natalie tested a cocktail drink. "It's possible that they can't handle social events so they hide behind familiar things."

Lucy wondered why Natalie was so philosophical and why she stood up for men.

"Come on, don't go psychology major on us. They prefer sex and trivia. Sometimes they prefer trivial sex which is fine with me because…"

Natalie gawked at Lucy. When will she stop looking for fun around every corner? Besides, what is this comment about being too psychological?

"What's that suppose to mean? Perhaps, they just like music. Isn't that why they join bands?"

Emma and Lucy stared at each other and giggled.

Emma argued, "That's debatable. I think they join bands so they can get laid and it works for them."

Natalie gasped, "And why do women join bands? You will probably give me some gross generalization or a high minded answer that women join bands to heal the planet or something of that nature."

Emma glanced at Natalie who responded, "Actually, it's not so far off to say…"

"Oh, give me a break! I think some women musicians join bands to get laid just like some of the men do. I've known men that really enjoy playing music because it makes them feel good and not to get laid."

Lucy joined in, "Speech, speech! Nat, lighten up."

Natalie remained in the kitchen sulking while her friends joined the other guests. Carlos sauntered to the stereo and turned down the volume. The room fell silent and the guests gawked at him.

The man of the house took the floor. "I have an announcement to make."

Lucy freaked and covered her mouth. He planned to embarrass her once again and in front of people she knew. Lucy thought, oh, what a spoiled brat!

The guests crowded around Carlos, smiling in expectation. Lucy caught Carlos' eye and she mouthed, "Don't you dare!"

A menacing grin crossed Carlos' sullen face. "I proposed to Lucy."

The guests leaned forward in anticipation of Carlos' next words.

"And she did not accept."

The guests hissed and booed. Lucy stumbled from the room sobbing. The men quickly grabbed their coats and made a beeline for the exit. Natalie studied Carlos' face. She mused how best to play her cards in that situation. Did she sacrifice her friendship with Lucy and make a move towards to the Latino or did she maintain the status quo?

She glared at Carlos. "How dare you air out your dirty laundry at this party! If you have a problem with Lucy, then act like a man and deal with it in private."

Carlos sneered, "I wanted to humiliate her the way that she has humiliated me. I am not her Latin boy toy."

Lucy staggered into the room, her eyes red from sobbing. She plopped down in a chair hoping her friends would console her. Emma and Andy grabbed their coats off of the couch. Emma glanced at her distraught friend. She strode over to Lucy and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll ring you in the morning, love. I'm sure that the two of you will sort this thing out. He's not the first man to be refused a bride."

Carlos collapsed on the couch, his body trembled. No one thought of consoling him. Natalie glared at him, zips up her parka and slammed the door.

After everyone left, Lucy raced down the hallway. She shouted at Carlos, "You can sleep on the couch tonight!"

She tossed a rolled sleeping bag and pillow at Carlos. He unrolled the sleeping bag. He pondered his situation and decided he wouldn't sleep in the love den. He headed out into the night which he hoped would give him some mother comfort.

Meanwhile at a café across town, another couple sat at their favorite table, sipping lattes. They gazed into each other’s eyes hoping to catch their own reflections. Mark confided in Julia.

"I made a big mistake moving in with them. They either fight or have loud obnoxious sex."

Julia took the opportunity to further her cause. "Did you sign a lease? What would happen if you moved out?"

Julia wasn't fond of Lucy and saw her as competition despite her situation with Carlos. Mark was unaware of Julia's ulterior motives and thought that he was madly in love with the self-professed Plain Jane.

"I signed one, but I think I can still move out. I mean the way they're going, I will be out of a home soon."

Mark mused to himself that he would never win Lucy's heart so what was the point of him living with her? Sure he thought at first, she would dump Carlos, after all, what did those two even have in common besides sex? And everyone knew sex was not a strong enough bond or a reason to hold a relationship together or so Mark thought.

He stared at Julia. She had her own unique beauty if only she would lose those bitchy cat eye glasses. At least she was not flakey like Lucy. In fact, he was fond of Julia's grounded personality and her sense of responsibility. He would be safe and secure with a woman like Julia, but it wouldn't be much of an adventure.

The barista sauntered over to the table and cleared it. He headed back to the counter and he placed a CD in the player. The sound of Ice Cream screaming filled the café. The couple barely heard their thoughts as those thoughts drifted past them on their way to nowhere.

"Why don't you move in with me?"

"What, huh?"

Julia shouted over the din, "I said, why don't you move in with me?"

Mark rose from his chair and he helped Julia with her coat. "When do you want me to move in? I'll need time to tell the others."

"How about next month? We can discuss it more later."

"How will I break the news to Lucy?"

"Be firm with her. Don't let her charm you out of your decision."