Immortal Beauty (38 page)

Marcus was back in his study at his desk this time which was covered in numerous papers and folders.

“Are you busy?” Sasha asked as she entered the room. He looked tired and Sasha wondered how tired his soul must be. She remembered that there was time that he had loved Celine, but that time was long gone.

“Oh, it’s nothing that can’t wait. Just a bit of real estate I am thinking of buying.” He held up a photo of a pristine white home on the hill with the deepest blue sea in the background. “Santorini. I’ve always had a fondness for the sun and the sea. I was thinking it might be nice to have a place to go to when I’m tired of Paris.” His feeble smile moved her greatly as if she had somehow caught a little boy daydreaming of better days ahead.

“Oh, it’s beautiful.” She murmured taking the photo from his hands. It was like a little paradise and it would be easy to pretend that nothing was wrong in the world in such a place. “I wanted to let you know that I’m going back to work.” She waited for him to respond not knowing if he would object or not.

“Of course you are free to do as you please, but I appreciate you letting me know. Are you sure you want to do this?” He took the picture of his sunny dream back from her and placed it lovingly into a manila folder.

“I am sure.” She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “Celine has no idea that I remember anything and I can still get away with playing dumb. I might be able to learn some things from the inside. I can play Mata Hari for a little while longer until we decide on something concrete.” Marcus remained silent. “Are you alright?” She was genuinely concerned.

“What? Oh yes my dear just fine. I was just thinking that I have been waiting so long for you to return home and now you are leaving us already.” He smiled up at her with his deep black eyes.

Oh don’t worry Marcus. I’ll be back. I don’t think that I should be at my apartment. I will stay here until this is over. That will be alright, won’t it?” Her voice sounded as if it were going to break.

“Oh yes, that would be more than fine Sasha. I know that I’ll sleep better now that you are with us again..” He looked at her in the way a father looks at his favorite daughter. Sasha removed her hand from his shoulder. She was beginning to remember just how much they had meant to each other and found it hard to leave this al behind. But she was determined that when this was over she would be through with all of them as well. More than anything else, she wanted a normal life and it all had to do with the train and seeing the beautiful countryside and the lovely little homes and people very much like her honest and simple mother must live in such charming houses. She ascended the impossible staircase and walked down Rue Raynouard, conscious of all of the city sounds around her. Her feet found their rhythm and she rapidly walked down the street enjoying the sharp click her heels made as they came into contact with the stones. This time she found the Metro without a problem and walked down the steps to death a train that was just pulling in. She was thinking of a story that she would be able to tell them at work hewn she retuned after being missing for three days. It wouldn’t matter to much. She knew Celine wouldn’t dare fire her. Celine had wanted Sasha near her all this time and sought her out all those months ago. That had been no coincidence. Celine had played her knowing that she had no idea who she really was. Her anger and hatred toward the woman began to rise to the surface and she knew that when the time came that she would deliver the final blow that would bring Celine down once and for all and that it was going to give her much pleasure. It was funny how just a few days ago she was simply a representative for a beauty company, and today she was an immortal creature with some killer skills! The train continued on its indifferent way and Sasha had to make a change at Invalides to get to work. She decided not to give her boss a story at all. She started thinking of a new plan and her lips curved into a smile at the thought of how it was now her turn to play Celine. She remembered a friend of hers from college always used to say: “Revenge is better than Christmas!” The phrase now had an entirely new meaning.

Once she got to the enormous building she flashed her pass to the guard and walked arrogantly to the elevators that would sweep her up and into the heart of the beast. She got off on her floor and Sandrine, a lovely young photographer came running up to her. She was a splash of lime green and yellow in a funky modern mini-dress. Her large and dramatic eyewear made her look like an owl.

“Where have you been? They called the police and everything! It’s been quite a scandal.” She was all breathless and excited. Sasha did not break her stride and Sandrine had to run with her little legs to keep up. “Was it a man?” She whispered in dramatic tones. “Did you meet someone? Oh please tell me it was something exciting! You have no idea how boring my life is!” She was being loud on purpose as she wanted everyone to see them together as if somehow that made her more interesting. The corporate world was strangely like 8
^th
grade in so many ways. Now Sandrine was friends with the shocking American girl that no one liked who had not even bothered to call in while taking three days off.

“Sandrine, I wish it had been a man! At least that would have been fun. Well, actually it was three men!” She laughed knowing the gossip that one sentence would generate. She saw her boss walking toward her with an angry scowl on her face. She was an older and very traditional French woman trained in the ways of Coco Chanel. There was no room for mistakes in this woman’s department. Mistakes were crumpled up and thrown away and this domineering woman had been waiting for this very day when she could toss Sasha out of her company, for she thought of Celgen as such, once and for al. Her hair was as black as her suit making her skin look unnaturally white.

“Miss White.” She sounded exactly like a school teacher. “Just what do you think you are doing?” Her shrill voice lifted up at the end of her question accusingly. “You cannot just come and go as you please. Celgen has very high standards which you have continually failed to uphold. I’ve already begun interviewing for your replacement and I certainly don’t want you sticking around to impart any of your bad habits on my new hire.” She was gloating and Sasha felt like the mean girl in the cafeteria had just knocked over her tray, but this time she could care less.

“Interviewing for my job?” Sasha sat at her chair as if it were just another work day. “Don’t you think that’s a little presumptuous Mrs. Olivier? Why don’t you ask Celine where I was? She’ll be more than happy to tell you, if she has the time, or have you forgotten about our upcoming launch of L’Eau Jeunesse? She turned on her computer and started typing away. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I have oodles of work to do!” She dismissed the woman with a wave of her hand which she knew would infuriate the older woman.

“Celine? You call her Celine?” She was in shock and pulled a black lace cloth out of her breast pocket and held it up to her nose. She was seriously old school!

“Of course I call her Celine Mrs. Olivier. She’s the one who sought me out and practically begged me to come work here. I didn’t really want to at first you know, I had my sights on a larger company.” Now Sasha was just being mean and realized if she didn’t stop soon she would lose her focus. “But if you want to give my job to someone else you should probably tell Celine first, she just gave me a promotion and a raise. I would hate for anything terrible to happen to you.” She smiled in the most unbearable way she could. She started working and acted as if her boss had already left her desk. Sasha knew that everyone was listening and that they were just as shocked as poor Mrs. Olivier. This was the quiet American girl who had always been so amiable and pleasant and eager to please. What on earth could have caused such a dramatic shift? The woman in black simply stood in place not quite knowing what to do. Sasha looked up in faux surprise. “You’re still here? Oh good, I’ll call Celine myself and you can talk to her.” Sasha punched some numbers and waited a few seconds before speaking. “Yes, please tell Celine that Sasha wants to speak to her. You know what? Please tell her that I remember everything…yes that’s right.” The look on Mrs. Olivier’s face was priceless. “Yes, I’ll hold.” She placed her had over the phone and whispered loudly, “It’ll just be a sec.” The older woman could not believe this. She didn’t even have to say her proper name! She had underestimated Sasha White in this company. It had almost been a mistake that could have cost her very own career. She listened attentively for Sasha to continue. “Celine? Sasha here. Oh, great….you? Perfect! It seems Mrs. Olivier has begun interviewing people for my position here at Celgen. Is there something I need to know? Is this because of my promotion?” There was a long pause. “Oh no! Don’t do anything like that! I adore Mrs. Olivier, she’s been like a mother to me!” She saw the expression on the woman’s white face go from horror to relief. Sasha was done playing with her. Her only crime had been meanness and she had no part in this dangerous game at the heart of Celgen. She place her hand gently on Mrs. Olivier’s shoulder and said. “As a matter of fact, I was just going to suggest that it is high time we honor Mrs. Olivier for all of her efforts. Yes, a bonus was just what I had in mind and perhaps a company dinner?” She smiled at the old woman and suddenly wished they had been nicer to each other all this time. “Of course I can meet you for lunch today, nothing would make me happier! Yes, she’s right here.” She handed the phone over to her boss and stood up abruptly. “I’ve got to meet Celine for lunch. I’ll see you later this afternoon.” She walked out of the office not looking at the stunned woman’s face who was staring at the phone as if she had never seen one before. All Sasha was aware of was that clicking sound her heels made that she loved so very much.

The café that Celine had chosen was a small discreet place where they would not see anyone they knew. Sasha found it as she walked a few blocks from St. Michelle. She stopped to look at the statue of St. Michael defeating the dragon. She had seen it a million times before but it never held as much meaning as it did today. It was at this spot that the Germans were forced to surrender because of the heavy symbolism. St. Michael had a long sword pointed at the beast. Sasha wondered if her sword was still in that old house. She would have to practice with it before she dealt with Celine. She passed a few antique stores and looked in the windows at the lovely ancient things. There were two cat statues from ancient Egypt. She wished she had time to shop leisurely but knew that a part of her just wanted to stall this meeting. She decided to force Celine’s hand. She wanted her to know that if she did anything to Taylor that Sasha would slice her into a thousand little pieces. She was going to make a deal with the devil and she wasn’t too happy about tit but felt that she had no other options. She didn’t care who controlled the waters and was beginning to think all of this was an ancient love spat between Marcus and Celine. But, she didn’t care anymore, she had to remind herself as she spotted the little café on the corner. All she cared about was Taylor and that was the reason she was getting ready to sell her soul. The place was fairly empty and very dark. She couldn’t imagine Celine setting foot in here without having someone wipe down every surface. Sasha was the only customer and sat down in the farthest corner and ordered a mineral water from the slight man who seemed thrilled that finally there was something to do and he smiled and flirted with her but she found even the slightest effort to be pleasant was too taxing. She was about to have lunch with the enemy. Not long after her water arrived Sasha watched an old woman with an umbrella come in and take a seat at the bar where they served coffee and such. She was dressed in a very provincial manner of an old woman in France. It was almost a uniform with the bundled sweaters and the obligatory umbrella to use against the weather as well as her fellow citizens who might try to bully her or cut in front of her in the line at the market. Sasha found herself envying the woman. Here it was again. The urge to live a simple life that kept returning to her. Then Celine walked in and all such thoughts vanished in the dazzling creature standing before her. She had large dark sunglasses, Audrey Hepburn style, and a dark green scarf wrapped around her head. She had a beige trench coat on and looked like a ridiculous spy glancing left and right to make sure no one knew who she was. She stopped directly in front of Sasha who had not moved at all. Slowly, a controlled fixed smile appeared on Celine’s face. She could tell that Celine enjoyed this little game. She was getting off on it and that made Sasha hate her even more. She was so smug.

“Ah Sasha, how nice to see you again.” She embraced Sasha in the familiar French way and they kissed as old friends do. Sasha was not expecting such casual formality from her foe. She tried to match Celine’s tone.

“It’s nice to see you too Celine.” The days of calling her Ms. D’Aumont were officially over. They sat down together and Celine ordered white wine from the waiter who was now flirting a little more successfully with the gorgeous red head. His day was truly looking up. He asked Celine in between compliments if they needed some time and Celine let him know that they were old friends catching up after so many years and would he be a dear and give them some uninterrupted time to talk before ordering lunch. The man took her extended hand which held a hundred euros. He promised them that no one would interrupt them whatsoever and he would return when she summoned him. Sasha could easily see that Celine loved having servants and loved the false respect they had to show at all times. Celine took a sip of her wine and removed the scarf from her head allowing the mass of curls to fall in a cascade upon her shoulders.

“So, you’ve been gone for a few days. I do hope you are feeling alright.” She circled the top of the wine glass with her long polished nails.

“Oh yes, quite well thank you. In fact I feel extraordinary. Especially these last few days. Like I could do anything!” Sasha smiled back at Celine and knew she was a match for this ancient creature whom everyone else was so afraid of.