Helen and Joan, Sandra never seemed to be the type of person who was swayed to do something by someone else. To Sandra, the person who was least likely to persuade her to walk out on a stage, something which had never crossed her mind before as a desirable activity, was her daughter.
When their laughter had subsided, Joan said to Helen, “Now, let’s get started on your new life. I shall be your personal guide and perform all introductions on a complimentary basis. No gratuity asked for, or expected. See that man over there?” Joan pointed to a well-dressed, handsome man in his fifties, who was sitting at a table about twenty-five feet away with two other men.
Helen looked in that direction and locked glances with the man, before turning away.
“He’s been looking at you, since you got here,” said Joan. “He’s a good-looking dish, isn’t he? I almost wish I wasn’t tied down already. I would fight you for him.”
“He must be married,” replied Helen.
“I’ll be right back,” announced Joan. She quickly stood up and sashayed over to the man, who watched her advance toward him, intrigued. On her way, she waved flirtatiously to other men, who had introduced themselves to her earlier. When she arrived at the man’s table, she placed her hands on his shoulders and whispered in his ears. They exchanged a few words.
“What’s she doing?” Helen asked Sandra in amazement and unease.
“Trying to help you,” Sandra responded.
“I feel like I’m back in high school.”
“High school wasn’t such a bad time,” said Sandra. “There are worse things, you know, like what happened this morning. Or did you forget about that already?”
“I don’t need to be reminded.”
“OK, not another word, ever,” promised Sandra. “Here’s something for you.” On the table in front of Helen, she placed a stack of ten business cards, which she and Joan had been given that morning by hopeful admirers.
Helen quickly flipped through the cards and saw impressive titles at well-known companies. “Where did you get these?” she asked.
“You’re not the only one who can choke men up,” replied Sandra. “The men were swarming around the table this morning. Joan was doing more to draw them here than I was, but a few flew at me, too. If that man over there doesn’t work out, we’ll make some calls and come back here, or go to other popular spots, until you catch something you like.”
“Maybe Bill has been good for something,” said Helen.
“That’s the last time you’ll ever say his name again,” Sandra told her. “The last time ever.”
Joan returned then with the handsome man in tow. Pointing first to Helen, then to Sandra, she introduced the man to them, “Helen, Sandy, meet my new friend, Tom. He’s single.” When she pronounced that last word, she smiled significantly, raising her eyebrows at Helen.
Tom was not the bashful sort. He had a confident way with women, like that of a skilled womanizer. In addition to his polished manner, he had a seemingly solid character that made almost any woman, whom he showed an interest in, feel, within a short period of time, that she could trust and depend upon him. That’s how his two previous wives had felt, when they married him.
With a warm, manly voice, he asked the three women, “Ladies, can I join you? I can’t think of a better way to spend this morning. I was practically falling asleep with my buddies over there. They aren’t that exciting or good-looking. You are the best looking bunch here, and...” He gazed at Helen with his liquid blue eyes. They were the deep blue of the Aegean Sea that sparkles at the base of cliffs. “If your friends will let me say so, you are the most beautiful of all.”
Helen blushed a shade of crimson in embarrassment, like a lobster being cooked. She turned her head away, not knowing how to respond to such flattery.
Sandra was ready to make up for Helen’s loss of words. “Sure, Tom, you can say that. We don’t mind. If you have any more compliments for her, just keep them coming.”
“She’s single, too,” Joan added, jubilantly. “Just like you. What a wonderful coincidence, don’t you think?”
From embarrassment and shame, Helen wanted to slide under the table and crawl away, but she stayed, and soon she joined in the conversation with Tom, who was an easy, interesting talker. Although she didn’t say as much as Sandra or Joan, she began to be pleased with how the day had turned