In An Instant

I hear the sweet melodic sound of a song that sounds so familiar. It’s like a distant memory, carrying me deeper and deeper into the riptide. In the distance, I can see a blurring image of a man. Is it him? Is it the man I have been longing for all my life? Or is it Triton, the son of Poseidon, on his chariot, coming to take me away? I can see what looks like a trident as he raises it in the air and points toward the waters, parting them as he invites me to his side, calling my name. I walk through the water and take his hand. He lifts me into his chariot, and then we descend under the now crashing and whistling waves. Is this a dream? Am I being taken away, or has the tropical storm made a swift turn toward the Jersey Shore?

SIX : The Heart Prevents the Mind from Seeing …
My present happiness is all I see … All this beauty in front of me. I have favor. I am blessed … I can… I profess … All my dreams, desires come true… for my destiny is in view … One thing I know… love requires sacrifice … to make all things new.

Sasha says to Jez, “We just finished the count from registration. We have six hundred walkers, of which five hundred have submitted all the money they collected. Guess how much?”
Jez shrugs, shakes her head, and says, “I don’t know. Twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“Not even close!” says Sasha. “So far we have raised forty-five thousand, plus the fifty thousand from Ennazus. That does not include the other private pledges. Brandy and Amber are going to be ecstatic! By the way, where is Brandy?”
“Oh, I sent her to go relax on the beach. I figured she could use some time to herself to clear her head.”
“OK. I will let her know where we are at,” says Sasha.
Jez stops her and says, “That can wait. Would you mind checking with Wilhelm to confirm that he is on track with the appetizers starting promptly at 12:15?”
“Sure, not a problem,” says Sasha as she walks away.
Sasha has had very little interaction with Wilhelm. In fact, she has only met him twice, and both times were at events where he was my guest. She thought he was a nice guy, yet she still had her reservations and continued warning me that he is not the one and would end up breaking my heart.
As Sasha enters the main tent, she stops, looks around, takes it all in, and thinks the luncheon will be perfect. She sees Wilhelm with some of the other chefs preparing the appetizers. He is discussing the timing of the displays and passed hors-d’oeuvres and how they will be placed overlooking the water.
The tent is glorious with white sheers tied to the poles. The flowing sheers accent the entrance to the beach like the palace entrance of the Greek gods. The sun’s rays dance between the flowing white and gold curtains, sending a sparkling, magical ambiance throughout the tent similar to the marble and gold pillars of Mount Olympus as the clouds surround them. The tent has a simple elegance to it, with calla lilies and yellow roses displayed at each table. There are gold and white linen tablecloths and ice sculptures of a dolphin, turtle, stingray, and a starfish all around the tent.
In the corner, behind one of the bars and overlooking the ocean, was an ice sculpture of a beautiful butterfly with its wings spread across the back of the bar. The detailing on the wings was exquisite, and when the sunlight shined through them, you could see a prism of different colors like a beautiful rainbow after a summer’s rain. The butterfly is a metaphor for me, as everyone calls me that because I constantly transform. Kind of symbolic if you ask me. Wilhelm had thought it would be a great surprise and a good way to apologize for being an ass.
Sasha walks toward Wilhelm where he stands close to the bar. She admires the ice sculpture and how the sun, the beach, and the ocean waves are reflected in it.
In an awkward snarky way, Sasha says to Wilhelm, “You did that for her, didn’t you? I thought you said you were done!”
Wilhelm replies, “Yes, I did it for her.”
He looks away as if to case the room and then turns to her and says, “Look, Sasha … about the other night. It was a mistake. We should never have gotten together. I promised myself that we would stop. Then you came over and we both got really drunk. You were wearing that sexy dress and lingerie, and I couldn’t control myself. The way you submitted to all my desires … the sex, like always, was amazing. But it has to stop. You have to stop! You’re one of her best friends. Jez, Amber, Kylee, and Brandy can’t find out. Especially Brandy. It would kill her. Do you understand? I love Brandy … I am in love with her. I didn’t realize how much until the other night.”
Sasha moves toward Wilhelm, looks him dead in the eye, and says, “You should have thought about that before you took me back to your place time and time again. Do you know how hard it has been for the past month, lying to everyone, lying to Marcus? Now you say you love her. You’re right. Brandy is one of my best friends. We have to tell her the truth, Wilhelm. You don’t love Brandy. You love me … You’re just scared because I’m married. If you want me to leave Marcus, I will. We don’t love one another, not like you and I do.”
Wilhelm looks and nearly drops the cucumber and goat cheese appetizers he is holding as he starts running toward the water.