Copyright © 2008 Joyce DeBacco
All rights reserved, Wild Child Publishing.
As the partiers began playing silly shower games, Sylvie ducked outside. When she saw the bright tips of the Stein brothers' cigars swirling through the dark during an animated conversation with the father-to-be, she headed in the opposite direction.
Upon reaching the lake, she kicked off her sandals and dipped her toes in the water.
"Going for a moonlight swim?"
Wheeling around, she saw Alex sitting on a small log bench. "Why aren't you with the other men?" she asked, annoyed that he hadn't made his presence known sooner.
"Oh, the lake looked so romantic with moonbeams dancing over its glassy surface, I just couldn't resist it."
"It is pretty," she said, ignoring his reference to romance.
"The festivities over already?"
"Not quite."
"Cindy seems like a lovely lass."
She shrugged. "I suppose."
"Does that surprise you?"
"If you must know, yes," she said, irked by his prying. "But only because I had a different picture of her in my mind."
"My, you're touchy. I would think you'd be glad she's so homespun. I think they make a perfect couple. Sort of like Jethro Bodine and Elly May Clampett."
"Jethro and Elly May were cousins," she was quick to point out.
"Well, you know what they say about mountain folk." He chuckled.
She gasped. "I can't believe you said that."
"Crikey, it was a joke. Where's your sense of humor, girl?"
In no mood for levity, Sylvie dug her heels into the sand. "Okay, let's get a few things straight, mister. First, I'm not a girl, I'm a woman. Second, there was never anything between me and Brad. Third, even if there was, it's none of your damn business. Fourth, you're obnoxious and I can't wait for you to go back to your fancy penthouse or wherever you come from."
He laughed, a provocative chuckle that lingered deep in his throat long after the laugh ended.
"Stop that," she said. "I don't begrudge Cindy the right to be happy."
"But you are a little envious."
"Why should I envy her? I could be married right now if I wanted to, but I choose to do other things with my life," she said grandly.
"Oh? Like what?" He raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner.
"I'll have you know I'm a very good accountant. I used to work for a major firm in the city."
"And what do you do now?"
She hesitated. "I--I'm presently between jobs."
He crossed his arms and stretched out his legs, as if settling in for a long discussion. "So what do you have against being a wife and mother?"
"Nothing. I just don't think I need a man to validate my worth."
"Now you sound like a goddamn women's libber. I suppose you burn bras and picket too?"
"For your information, bra burning isn't done anymore," she said in a voice dripping with disdain. "And the term women's libber has been updated to feminist."
"Then you're not against apple pie and motherhood and all that?"
"Of course not. I just don't want to live in someone else's shadow." She crossed her arms and stared him down. "I also want more than the proverbial white picket fence and 2.3 children or whatever that figure is. But I don't expect someone like you to understand that."
His teasing expression turned sober. "If you're so capable and confident, then why aren't you out there pursuing your dream instead of hiding away here in Mayberry, R.F.D.?"
Sylvie thought about that. What was she doing there? She was a competent, intelligent woman. She didn't need anyone--mother or husband--telling her what she could or couldn't do. She'd never thought about it before because no one had ever challenged her--she just did what was expected of her. Now that she had verbalized her true feelings, it was almost liberating.
And though Alex was exactly the sort of man she despised--arrogant, opinionated, and insufferable--he'd forced her to focus on the real issue, finding her backbone and standing up for herself.
Still, something about him made her want to run the other way. He knew too much about her, how she felt, how she loved, and how she could be hurt.
"I think I hear people leaving now," she said. "I should go back and say good-bye."
"I'll join you," he said, following.
Back at the house, Brad and Cindy were packing their car with gifts. "Oh, Sylvie thank you so much for the sleeper set," Cindy said. "It's adorable."
Before Sylvie could say, "You're welcome," Cindy gave her a big hug. Behind his wife, studying his feet, Brad mumbled, "Yeah, thanks, Sylvie. Appreciate it."
Wearing a silly smile, Sylvie waved the young couple off. The car's taillights grew smaller, and Alex tugged at her still wagging arm. "Jolly, good sport, old girl," he said.
Sylvie quickly ditched the smile and stiff upper lip. "Oh--shove it, Alex!" Then she stormed in the house, angry with herself for not being able to think of a wittier comeback.