Esme and the Money Grab: (A Very Dark Romantic Comedy) by Paloma Meir Page B
Authors: Paloma Meir
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go to Croatia this summer,” Faye and Adam’s youngest daughter, Ines, crossed her arms and said with an exaggerated pout, “I’ll be nineteen soon and I’ve never been to my fatherland. I want to see the trains you and Uncle Dario snuck on. I want to run through the fields the two of you ran through…”
“We were running away, something you’ve never and will never have to do,” Adam reached across the table and ran his hand against his daughter’s cheek, “Do you want to know what I’m thankful for? Your mother… Her patience with me, and for giving me two beautiful daughters.” Adam’s eyes met his wife’s and the butterflies she had felt upon first meeting him returned to her heart.
“Adam…” Faye sighed and opened her mouth to tell him the truth of her good or cursed fortune. A high-spirited ringtone rang from his phone, destroying the moment. Faye leaned back in her chair and looked away.
“Well…” Cassandra threw her napkin on the table and ruefully shook her head. She was as familiar with Adam’s changing ringtones as Faye was. They had been friends since they were young girls, and there were no secrets between the two of them, “I’m thankful for the beautiful dinner all of you prepared. In fact I’m stuffed, and will fall asleep if I don’t get up right now.” She turned to Faye, “Let me help you clean up.”
“I’ll be back…” Adam's face filled with a glow and he left the table, a shamble in his stride.
“Thank you…” Faye unsteadily stood up.
“Shall I help?” Dario stood up and rubbed his thick hand against his full stomach. Faye stared at her brother-in-law, unable to reply.
She wondered how two brothers could be so different in every way. Adam was tall and broad, a lightening strike of virility ran through him. Dario was small, his shoulders slightly hunched. Both were handsome, but Adam was fierce with his dark and swarthy good looks.
They were both loyal and kind but Adam had a streak of devilishness, always taking chances. Faye knew the quality had come from savagely protecting his younger brother when their mother had abandoned them as children in Croatia. She could never hold Adam’s infidelities or rash spending against him. Still, those qualities did make her life harder, and his scampering out of the dining room to take a call from a woman Faye was sure was not much older than their daughters only strengthened her resolve to keep her financial plan hidden.
“We’re fine, Dario,” Cassandra spoke for her friend, “Stay with the girls, tell them the stories they want to hear. That’s as close to Croatia as they’ll probably ever get, if Adam has anything to do with it…” Cassandra gently laughed, stood up next to her friend, took her hand and led her to the kitchen.
“Tell us about the time you ran away to Dubrovnik,” Ines excitedly demanded.
“We did that several times,” Dario laughed.
“But did you ever make it there? To the beach?” Anja asked
“No…” Dario replied as Faye and Cassandra closed the dining room door.
…
“Are you okay?” Cassandra asked as she picked up the roasting pan from the stove and carried it to the sink, “I can’t believe he did that… Why does he always give them such zingy ringtones? Doesn’t he know that gives him away?”
“The ringtones…” Faye sat down at the small, round breakfast table and picked up a folded napkin and refolded it, “I’m fine, I knew what I was getting into the day I met him… Classic attachment disorder… I feel like I could write a book about it at this point... He’ll always pushes me away as he pulls me closer. He’s never been that way with the girls though, perfect father.” She threw the carefully refolded napkin down.
“Anyway, that’s not important…” Faye continued, “Same old story… My money plan however, is working out perfectly. Serge is brilliant, and so attractive… Thank you
“We were running away, something you’ve never and will never have to do,” Adam reached across the table and ran his hand against his daughter’s cheek, “Do you want to know what I’m thankful for? Your mother… Her patience with me, and for giving me two beautiful daughters.” Adam’s eyes met his wife’s and the butterflies she had felt upon first meeting him returned to her heart.
“Adam…” Faye sighed and opened her mouth to tell him the truth of her good or cursed fortune. A high-spirited ringtone rang from his phone, destroying the moment. Faye leaned back in her chair and looked away.
“Well…” Cassandra threw her napkin on the table and ruefully shook her head. She was as familiar with Adam’s changing ringtones as Faye was. They had been friends since they were young girls, and there were no secrets between the two of them, “I’m thankful for the beautiful dinner all of you prepared. In fact I’m stuffed, and will fall asleep if I don’t get up right now.” She turned to Faye, “Let me help you clean up.”
“I’ll be back…” Adam's face filled with a glow and he left the table, a shamble in his stride.
“Thank you…” Faye unsteadily stood up.
“Shall I help?” Dario stood up and rubbed his thick hand against his full stomach. Faye stared at her brother-in-law, unable to reply.
She wondered how two brothers could be so different in every way. Adam was tall and broad, a lightening strike of virility ran through him. Dario was small, his shoulders slightly hunched. Both were handsome, but Adam was fierce with his dark and swarthy good looks.
They were both loyal and kind but Adam had a streak of devilishness, always taking chances. Faye knew the quality had come from savagely protecting his younger brother when their mother had abandoned them as children in Croatia. She could never hold Adam’s infidelities or rash spending against him. Still, those qualities did make her life harder, and his scampering out of the dining room to take a call from a woman Faye was sure was not much older than their daughters only strengthened her resolve to keep her financial plan hidden.
“We’re fine, Dario,” Cassandra spoke for her friend, “Stay with the girls, tell them the stories they want to hear. That’s as close to Croatia as they’ll probably ever get, if Adam has anything to do with it…” Cassandra gently laughed, stood up next to her friend, took her hand and led her to the kitchen.
“Tell us about the time you ran away to Dubrovnik,” Ines excitedly demanded.
“We did that several times,” Dario laughed.
“But did you ever make it there? To the beach?” Anja asked
“No…” Dario replied as Faye and Cassandra closed the dining room door.
…
“Are you okay?” Cassandra asked as she picked up the roasting pan from the stove and carried it to the sink, “I can’t believe he did that… Why does he always give them such zingy ringtones? Doesn’t he know that gives him away?”
“The ringtones…” Faye sat down at the small, round breakfast table and picked up a folded napkin and refolded it, “I’m fine, I knew what I was getting into the day I met him… Classic attachment disorder… I feel like I could write a book about it at this point... He’ll always pushes me away as he pulls me closer. He’s never been that way with the girls though, perfect father.” She threw the carefully refolded napkin down.
“Anyway, that’s not important…” Faye continued, “Same old story… My money plan however, is working out perfectly. Serge is brilliant, and so attractive… Thank you
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