Immortal Beauty (16 page)

“Why to find the fountain of youth of course!” She laughed genuinely and loudly as she smacked her palm on the hard surface of her desk. Now she was passionate; alive. “You Americans started his fad with Hollywood and now the rest of the world wants the same thing. We all want to be young Taylor. Women spend billions of dollars a year to keep from aging. It is the oldest disease known to mankind and my company is about to offer the people what they’ve always wanted.” She paused and stared him down. “A cure!” Her eyes were flashing with unadulterated pride. She was practically beaming.

“A cure for aging? Is that possible?” Taylor was now fully involved in Celine’s tirade. It was fascinating and the claim she was making would absolutely make the headlines but could she deliver? People have been looking for the fountain of youth since civilization began. How could it be that this one woman had found it? His puzzlement must have been obvious on his boyish face.

“Taylor soon you will realize that anything is possible. It’s the one thing that is true in all of life.” Her voice was filled with egotistical pride. She was sure of anything that came out of those beautiful red lips. This same trait was true of a few dictators Taylor had interviewed in the past. The megalomaniacal personality that viewed all of life and all of it’s inhabitants as toys to be moved this way or that. She lowered her head to meet his gaze and he was shocked to see how her peridot green eyes seemed to glow from within. For a moment he was scared of her and thought this was how her secretary must feel. “Let’s say same time tomorrow?” She extended her long silky hand to meet his in the most professional manner. “Again please forgive me for this sudden departure from schedule. You do understand?” She linked her arm in his and together they walked toward the reception area.

“Of course I do Celine. I think it’s great that you show this much concern about one of your employees. It makes you more than just another multi million dollar figure without a face. It make you more human which has huge appeal in this day of the corporate giants. It will be very good for the article.”
“Taylor, we already agreed that this article was not going to be about me. Besides once the public finds out we have the cure for aging they won’t give a damn who Celine D’Aumont is. They will just want to know when and where they can buy the antidote.”
“Antidote?” Taylor pulled his arm from hers and stopped walking to whisper quietly. “Is this the name of your ingenious new product?” He smiled at her like a clever schoolboy.

“Oh. So your not just handsome and charming, you have brains too!” Celine laughed as she kissed him on both cheeks French style and dismissed him from her presence as a queen dismisses her court. “Tomorrow Mr. Hamilton. I promise you all the answers tomorrow.” She practically yelled down the long silver and white corridor made of glass walls on one side and gloss white brick on the other. She was momentarily bathed in light and looked more like an apparition than an actual person. “Oh by the way, that little lab of mine in Orleans where we do the embryonic research is strictly off limits. It holds the patent key to our new product line and it is under the heaviest security. We can’t afford to let in a spy this late in the game.” She smiled at him most serenely as she moved back toward him and lowered her voice back to the sultry whisper. “Don’t waste a trip for nothing. They barely let me in there these days. If I were you I’d stop at Versailles for the day. The weather is supposed to be fantastic and if you haven’t seen it you really must. Poor Marie though, losing her head in the end.” She sighed heavily as if Marie Antoinette had been a dear friend of hers. It was such an odd thing for her to say and it instantly brought back the strange dream where Sasha was Helene and she was placed in the guillotine no matter how hard he tried to stop the unfolding events. All of a sudden he remembered the cloaked figure in the dream with the mass of red curls spilling out from the hood. It was the red brick color of Celine’s. He smiled politely and took her hand in his.

“I think I may just do that! It sounds like a wonderful idea. Good luck with finding your assistant and if you need my help please don’t hesitate to call. Remember I’m a journalist. I’m trained to uncover the mysteries in life.” She turned on him like a thundercloud.

“That is most generous of you Taylor but I insist you relax. I already have the best investigative agency in Paris looking for my assistant. I’m sure it’s some simple explanation. It always is.” With that she turned and walked down the corridor disappearing into a burst of light as the Parisian sun finally broke through the clouds revealing a glorious day in the city of lights.

Back in Celine’s office the assistant was fighting back tears. Celine had fired her because of the stupid man who pretended to be her decorator. It was so unfair! She was not trained in corporate espionage, she was trained to type and greet people and look attractive. She picked up the phone and dialed Guy the tech man for Celgen. She wanted to find the little man who did this to her. She wanted to find him and make him pay somehow even though she still found herself strangely attracted to him even after all of this. She looked at the clock. One more hour of employment left and then she was through. She didn’t know what she was going to do with the rest of her day. She would call her mother. She would know what to do. She was always so wise and supportive. It wasn’t easy but she managed to squeeze out the last hour as Guy and Celine holed themselves up in her office. She suddenly hoped that the spy had done some serious damage. It would serve the red haired monster right. She pretended to be so nice and so caring and then bam! She had changed like the weather outside, with no warning whatsoever. She let fall a single tear as she finished packing her things and thought once again how you could never trust the women of Paris.

DINNER FOR TWO

Sasha relaxed in her bathtub letting the aroma of the orange blossom sea salts overtake her senses. It had been a long day and most of it had been spent on the phone with clients who showed little patience with the “rude American” who was representing Celgen. She hemmed and hawed and stroked endless egos until she could take it no longer. She kept glancing at the clock hoping that 5:30 would hurry up and arrive. Now that she was home she wanted a good half hour to relax and unwind giving herself time to catch a second wind. She was torn between two outfits to wear for dinner and would decide once she had her hair and make up done. For some reason she wanted to impress Taylor Hamilton. She wanted him to see her as a woman. In the back of her mind she wondered if she would have the nerve to try and seduce him. She still couldn’t figure out the meaning of the dream but realized that she may never know what it was all about. For as long as she could remember she had dreamed of an older more beautiful world and in the dreams she was always incredibly wealthy. Since she had moved to France the dreams had become more and more vivid and she remembered the details as if they had really happened. The last dream had been the most dramatic and the house seemed so very familiar as if it had been waiting for her all along. It felt like after being on a long journey she had finally returned home. Her bathwater was becoming tepid and she decided it was time to get ready. She had classical piano music playing as piano music had the magical power of calming her frantic overworking brain. She realized that she wasn’t nervous at all and this was troubling. She should have been anxious but she felt like she was meeting up with an old friend. It was probably that he too was a fellow American and in a city full of foreigners that counted for much. The manner between them was unstrained and relaxed as if they had grown up together. She chose a perfume of lily of the valley because it was one of her favorites and she felt it was feminine without being overpowering. She gathered her coffee colored hair up into a twist and let a few tendrils fall down around her face and curled those pieces with a small iron. She had forgotten how good she was at being a woman. All her life she had been a girly girl who loved pink and begged her mother to let her wear make up long before she was allowed to. She easily jumped back into femme fatale mode for her date. Once she was satisfied with the reflection looking back at her she went into the bedroom to choose the outfit. She had to try them both on to see the effect. The first was a simple silver dress of cotton and linen. It was plain but accentuated the curves of her lithe form. She thought it wasn’t bad as the reached for the other dress which was a light velvet plum colored garment with a little embroidery around the neckline. This outfit was much more sex kitten than the first and she smiled at the creature in the mirror. She scrambled around her dresser drawers for her silver jewelry box for just the right earrings. She found an antique pair that she had purchased shortly after arriving in Paris from one of the little shops on the Left Bank. They were ruby droplets that reflected a dull fiery glow when the light hit them. Just a touch of shimmer pink lip gloss and she would be irresistible. At the last minute she gathered up a silver gauzy scarf to keep herself from feeling naked. It was just about seven and she decided that instead of waiting anxiously in the apartment she would descend the stairs and wait out front. She ran down the stairs in her silver heels leaving behind her the faint whisper of lily of the valley.

In the courtyard she looked up at the sky. No sign of rain anywhere, in fact it was an absolutely gorgeous night with the breeze sending the thick white clouds sailing past to reveal the faintest twinkling of stars. It was one of the first things Sasha had noticed was different after moving abroad. The clouds always moved more quickly than they did back home as if they were in a hurry on their way around the world. She crossed the courtyard and headed out the door. Taylor was standing on the sidewalk across the street looking at her building. For a moment he didn’t see her which gave her the opportunity to look him over frankly and honestly. He was handsome for sure. Tonight he was more casual leaving the suit behind and was dressed in black slacks and a navy blue turtleneck. He looked good and she knew at that moment she was done trying to talk herself out of dating him. She only wished he was staying longer so they would have a chance to get to know each other before he headed back to the states. Maybe she could delay his departure with her feminine wiles. She smiled at the thought of seducing Taylor into staying.

“Hey Taylor!” She shouted above the street noise of busy people and the endless stream of little cars. She stayed where she was and let him come to her. It was obvious that he was checking her out too. She was glad she chose the plum dress. “Are you hungry?” She smiled and allowed him to awkwardly kiss her on both cheeks.

“Actually I have not eaten yet. Do you have somewhere in mind because I am starving!” She was acutely aware that his hand had found the small of her back as they walked down the street.

“Yes I do. It’s the most charming Basque restaurant and it’s just around the corner. I think you’ll like it.” They walked down the busy Rue St. Dominique away from the Eifel Tower and all the tourists and she led him down a side street near the river.

“Basque huh?” What on earth does Basque food taste like? I’ve never had it.” His left eyebrow raised in question.

“Oh it’s very heavy and very satisfying. This place is one of my favorites and they speak English for you tourist types!” She laughed.

“Oh thank God! I was afraid I would order something completely bizarre and they would bring a goat’s head to the table or some such scenario.” Taylor was truly enjoying himself. A Paris street , a beautiful woman at his side and the promise of good food. It didn’t get any better than this.

“No goat’s heads here. Just delicious fair served with a side of humor.” She pointed to the heavy dark wooden door of the restaurant. L’Amie Jean. It looked very quaint and already the tables were beginning to fill up.

“Oh Mademoiselle bon jour!” A large man in a large white apron stepped out from behind a tiny bar at the entrance and greeted them. “Have you brought a friend or perhaps a cousin with you this time?” He was all smiles and made no attempt to hide his obvious prying.

“Actually we are on a first date. Do you have a table in a corner somewhere, something with a little atmosphere?” She winked at the bartender who had now greeted Taylor with a vigorous handshake and clapped his hand heartily across his back.

“I know just the one. It is the best table in the house with the worst waitress!” He bellowed and laughed at his own feeble joke. “Yes, you can’t have everything you know.” He led them past the low tables covered in red and white table clothes filled with similar couples. “Ah you young people make me feel alive! Don’t forget to stop at the bar for an aperitif afterwards, on me of course.” He led them to a secluded corner behind a large wooden post of dark oak. There was a huge old wine barrel in the corner where the table was. The place was made of all dark wood giving it the appearance of a Hobbit’s house in the shire and the walls were highly polished and filled with photographs of the Basque region and it’s people. It made Taylor feel like he was at his grandmother’s house for a big reunion. It was definitely homey and he was glad that Sasha had picked this place. He would have chosen something expensive and impressive and all wrong for a first date. This place was really cozy and inviting and he was beginning to look forward to the rest of the evening. It was definitely off to a good start.

Taylor stared down at the plate in front of him. He had ordered a seafood pasta which sounded delicious when the waiter told them about it but here on the table was a bowl of spaghetti with every sea creature imaginable piled on top of the noodles staring up at him. They were all intact as if they were still swimming in the sea and Taylor wondered when a few of them would up and scurry away. Sasha tried her best not to laugh.

“I’m sorry I had no idea! It’s a special tonight and I’ve never seen anything like it before. If you like we can send it back.” She looked down at her own plate of beef and boiled potatoes with a thick slice of bacon on the side.

“And insult your friends?” Taylor smiled and attempted to spear one of the smaller shrimp. “No way. When in Rome…” He tried to figure out how best to attack his dinner before it attacked him. Sasha sipped at her wine and forced herself to begin eating her hearty meal. Taylor pushed the offending creatures to the side and decided to dig into the pasta. It was delicious made with fresh tomatoes and scores of fresh green herbs like basil and thyme and something citrus that he couldn’t identify. He put his fork down for a moment and raised his glass of sparkling water to Sasha. “Everything tonight has been wonderful. I’m really enjoying myself.” He looked into her hazel eyes which now seemed blue and gray in the candlelight. They clinked their glasses and enjoyed a few moments of silence and good food. He drank the water quickly never quite feeling satisfied. It wasn’t anything at all like the water that Celine had given him but it would have to do for now. Besides he had bottles and bottles back at the Ritz. Sasha looked really beautiful and he felt very proud to be out on a date with her. She was funny an intelligent and a total beauty. Women like that are always married or in a relationship or most of the time never gave Taylor the time of day. He traveled way too much to offer someone stability. At this point in his life he was completely dedicated to his career and always thought that he would meet someone later in life to settle down with. Sasha now had him questioning his own life plans. She was from the Midwest and there was a simple honesty about her that only comes from people who were raised in America’s heartland. It was refreshing to him as he was always surrounded by jaded and unscrupulous characters who were willing to say or do anything to further their agendas. He wanted to know more about her but didn’t want to appear nosey.