The Alpha For Her

Back at the patio, the tables had little candles flickering, and people, some couples, some groups, were chatting quietly over drinks. Jennifer scanned for anyone she knew, but saw no one. So she called it an early night.

In the morning, after the coffee arrived, Jennifer called to Billie. There was no answer. She called again. Nothing. She peeked into her room. Either Billie had made her bed, or she hadn’t come home. Jennifer wanted to believe the latter.

Heading out for breakfast, she heard movement from Candy and Vera’s room. She waited. Candy emerged alone. She gave Jennifer rolled eyes.

“Did Bea, um, reject you?” Jen asked.

“I don’t think that it was possible for her to reject me. I don’t think that she understood me in the least. I sat through two excruciatingly boring lectures, only to get those innocent eyes and that bouncing, bubbly head totally miss any subtlety I pitched her.”

Jennifer giggled.

“It’s not funny,” Candy snapped.

“What about Vera?” Jennifer asked.

“She was home when I got in. Did her gym thing early this morning. Haven’t spoken to her. What of Billie?”

“Didn’t come home.”

“Good for her. At least one of us has gotten lucky.”

On the patio, they saw Vera sitting alone, her head in her tablet. They joined her. They were immediately served coffee. Jen saw Dryzek and his people at a table by the diving board. Dryzek was dressed casual, in beige Bermuda shorts and a white, short sleeved shirt. The little girl wasn’t with him.

“Hey, roomie,” Candy said, brightly. “So, how was dinner last night?”

“Charming,” Vera said, somewhat distracted by her device. “Mr. Dryzek was…was absolutely charming.”

“Okay.”

“Were you sworn to secrecy?” Jennifer asked.

“What?”

“Bea had her interview yesterday,” Jen explained. “But she had to promise that she wouldn’t talk about it.”

“Oh. Oh, no. Nothing like that.”

The waiters came taking breakfast orders.

“So,” Candy said. “How’d it go?”

“I said he was charming. The meal was five star, the wine superb, he has a room with a view, and everything was charming.”

“Okay,” Candy said, holding up her hands. “Just asking.”

“This isn’t high school,” Vera said. “And I won’t play silly adolescent games.”

“What is this American preoccupation with high school?”

“Everyone goes through it,” Jennifer said. “And everyone loathes it. Don’t you have high school in England?”

“I went to Public School.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No,” Candy said.

Over breakfast, she tried to explain how that the British Public schools were actually private schools. That led to the two talking about the differences, finally agreeing that adolescence was adolescence, no matter the language. All through breakfast Vera was silent, and both Jennifer and Candice kept glancing at her. But Vera’s eyes kept darting from her food to her tablet.

As people finished, and a final round of coffee was served, Dryzek stood. The place got quiet, and all eyes were on him.

“So,” he began, clasping his hands. “I appreciate that all of you indulged my little whim yesterday, and took on the challenge. And, I have to say that each and every one of the designs that I received was complete, competent, thorough, and, in a few cases brilliant.”

He paused as the relief raced through the space, and several tables sat up and brightened.

“But I have to say that one entry stood out head and shoulders.”

The people got quick quiet.

“You can find the winning entry in our drop-box. And I really recommend that you all study it – not just for its brilliance and creativity, but for its feeling of sheer and unadulterated whimsy. The winner is, and I hope that I get this right, Team Emo!”

“Oh my God!” Candy cried.

Billie squealed from across the patio.

Jennifer sat stunned at first, and then let the cheers waft over her as Candy hugged her.