Marco Polo was not invited

Chapter 3:

Carlos waited a couple of weeks before phoning Lucy. She told him that she was having a farewell house party. She mentioned music, artists, intellectuals and plenty of conversation. Lucy told him to think of it as a salon, but of course, he had never heard of salons except for places where his sisters had their hair done.

The party started without Carlos. The guests including a twenty-something British couple, Emma Chase and Andy Smith, Natalie, Lucy's house mate Mark Gardener, dead heads and other scenesters milled about the old Victorian house. The women sat around a table eating meatballs with chopsticks. The pale, nervous Mark also sat at the table chatting up a riot girl, not that he was interested in a twenty year old who resembled a toddler in her miniskirt, but it was a good way to learn how others lived their wretched lives. The riot girl waxed on.

"Yeah, my band, the Sugar Bums, just finished recording our first single. It sounds great!"

Mark decided to go along with the trivial conversation.

"Sounds intriguing! When's your next gig?"

Just as the young musician was about to respond to Mark's question, the doorbell rang and Lucy leaped out of her chair and strode to the door. "It must be him."

Dressed in his navy blue business suit minus the tie, Carlos swaggered into the house. He looked around, studying all the bemused faces. He chuckled to himself when his eyes landed on Mark's anemic face. Was this the best Lucy could come up with?

Lucy dragged her new boyfriend to the table. "Everyone, this is Carlos Suave. Perhaps you have heard of him?"

The men glanced nervously at the handsome Latino while the women swarmed around him like bees in a noisy hive. Carlos nodded to the women. Lucy placed a plate full of spaghetti in front of him, the way a good wife doted on her adoring husband. She handed him a set of chopsticks. He stared at them uncomfortably realizing if he fumbled with the chopsticks, he'd no longer be top dog. He dropped a meatball onto his lap. Lucy giggled. She handed Carlos a fork and a piece of garlic bread which he stuffed in his mouth and relished. Not exactly the spicy food his mother cooked, but it worked for that moment.

Andy struck up a conversation with Carlos. "Lucy tells me that you work as a clerk at the Capitol. What's it like working with power-hungry politicians?"

Carlos ignored Andy's question and focused on his dinner. He felt too tired and hungry to answer any questions, especially about work. But Andy kept pestering him.

"Have you met Booth Gardner yet?"

Mark joined the men. "What are they going to do about those Spotted Owls?"

Andy turned to Mark, "Not the Spotted Owl argument again. You think that you have problems-there is no wildlife left in England unless you count those tower ravens."

Mark argued with Andy. "You exaggerate. What about those cuddly hedgehogs?"

Carlos slammed down his fork on the table. "Man, don't talk about politics! I am sick and tired of politics!"

Astonished by Carlos violent response, the men sheepishly left the table. They headed over to the stereo where a group of men had gathered and were rummaging through Lucy's vintage record collection.

Lucy, Natalie and Emma observed the men, but their attention was mainly focused on this new creature. Natalie flirted with him.

"So, Carlos, where are you from?"

Carlos frowned.

"Why haven't we met before?"

Carlos smirked.

Natalie sulked.

Emma interrupted the awkward silence. "Did you attend Evergreen?"

"No, I attended a business college. I don't have time to hang out with middle class hippies. Some of us have to work for a living and deal with the real world."

Emma glared at Carlos, "Well, excuse me."

Natalie and Emma left the table. Finally, Carlos found himself alone with Lucy. He asked her about the meaning of the demolition sign in front of the house.

"When do you have to move?"

Lucy gazed into Carlos' deep brown camel eyes. She was especially fond of his long thick eyelashes which reminded her of Mexican children in those paintings she had seen at thrift stores.

"In two weeks."

"I know a two bedroom apartment that's for rent. Do you want to move in with me?"

Lucy pondered Carlos' question. On one hand, she did need to find a new place, but on the other hand, she had only met him twice. Telling her parents would be a problem, but at least he staved off her other desires. Also there was the problem of economics. Could the two of them afford a two bedroom apartment on their own?

"I don't know. Could Mark move in too?"

Carlos frowned, "Who's Mark?"

Lucy shrugged, "He's my house mate and he also needs a place really soon."

Carlos smiled reassuringly at her. "Let's check the place out tomorrow and if you insist, Mark can tag along, that is if he's even interested."

Lucy glanced at her friends that swarmed around the stereo. She wondered why none of them asked her to move in with them. Wasn't this what the party was about, a plea for help? At least that was how she and Mark saw it. Yet, not even Natalie with her big, lush apartment asked either of them to move in with her. Lucy wondered why the English couple did not offer a space in their bungalow. Certainly they had a spare bedroom or two. However, Carlos, a man she barely knew had asked her to move in with him.

If she moved in with him, it would be fun. Certainly the sex would be steamy and she would be distracted from her problems. Sure Carlos should lose the suit and lighten up a bit, but he was attractive and responsible. Her parents wouldn't have minded that.

She gazed at Carlos and she caressed his arm. "Yes, let's go look at the apartment tomorrow then I will make a decision."