Unfortunately, Marissa had to cut Taffy’s exuberant exercise short. It was already after seven, and she was expected at dinner at eight. Ralph Hempston, a successful ophthalmologist, had taken her out several times, and though she still had not gotten over Roger, she enjoyed Ralph’s sophisticated company and the fact that he seemed content to take her to dinner, the theater, a concert without pressuring her to go to bed. In fact, tonight was the first time he’d invited her to his house, and he’d made it clear it was to be a large party, not just the two of them.
He seemed content to let the relationship grow at its own pace, and Marissa was grateful, even if she suspected the reason might be the twenty-two-year difference in their ages; she was thirty-one and he was fifty-three.
Oddly enough the only other man Marissa was dating in Atlanta was four years younger than she. Tad Schockley, a microbiologist Ph.D. who worked in the same department she ultimately had been assigned to, had been smitten by her the moment he’d spied her in the cafeteria during her first week at the Center. He was the exact opposite of Ralph Henipston: socially painfully shy, even when he’d only asked her to a movie. They’d gone out a half dozen times, and thankfully he, like Ralph, had not been pushy in a physical sense.
Showering quickly, Marissa then dried herself off and put on makeup almost automatically. Racing against time, she went through her closet, rapidly dismissing various combinations. She was no fashion plate but liked to look her best. She settled on a silk skirt and a sweater she’d gotten for Christmas. The sweater came down to midthigh, and she thought that it made her look taller. Slipping on a pair
of black pumps, she eyed herself in the full-length mirror.
Except for her height, Marissa was reasonably happy with her looks. Her features were small but delicate, and her father had actually used the term “exquisite” years ago when she’d asked him if he thought she was pretty. Her eyes were dark brown and thickly lashed, and her thick, wavy hair was the color of expensive sherry. She wore it as she had since she was sixteen: shoulder length, and pulled back from her forehead with a tortoiseshell barrette.
It was only a five-minute drive to Ralph’s, but the neighborhood changed significantly for the better. The houses grew larger and were set back on well-manicured lawns. Ralph’s house was situated on a large piece of property, with the driveway curving gracefully up from the street. The drive was lined with azaleas and rhododendrons that in the spring had to be seen to be believed, according to Ralph.
The house itself was a three-story Victorian affair with an octagonal
tower dominating the right front corner. A large porch, defined by complicated gingerbread trim, started at the tower, extended along the front of the house and swept around the left side. Above the double-doored front entrance and resting on the roof of the porch was a circular balcony roofed with a cone that complemented the one on top of the tower.
The scene looked festive enough. Every window in the house blazed with light. Marissa drove around to the left, following Ralph’s instructions. She thought that she was a little late, but there were no other cars.
As she passed the house, she glanced up at the fire escape coming down from the third floor. She’d noticed it one night when Ralph had stopped to pick up his forgotten beeper. He’d explained that the previous owner had made servants’ quarters up there, and the city building department had forced him to add the fire escape. The black iron stood out grotesquely against the white wood.
Marissa parked in front of the garage, whose complicated trim matched that of the house. She knocked on the back door, which was in a modern wing that could not be seen from the front. No one seemed to hear her. Looking through the window, she could see a lot of activity in the kitchen. Deciding against trying the door to see if it was unlocked, she walked around to the front of the house and rang the bell. Ralph opened the door immediately and greeted her with a big hug.
“Thanks for coming over early,” he said, helping her off with her coat.
“Early? I thought I was late.”
“No, not at all,” said Ralph. “The guests aren’t supposed to be here until eight-thirty.” He hung her coat in the hail closet.
Marissa was surprised to see that Ralph was dressed in a tuxedo. Although she’d acknowledged how handsome he looked, she was disconcerted.
“I hope I’m dressed appropriately,” she said. “You didn’t mention that this was a formal affair.”
“You look stunning, as always. I just like an excuse to wear my tux. Come, let me show you around.”
Marissa followed, thinking again that Ralph looked the quintessential physician: strong, sympathetic features and hair graying in just the right places. The two walked into the parlor, Ralph leading the way. The decor was attractive but somewhat sterile. A maid in a black uniform was putting out hors d’oeuvres. “We’ll begin in here. The drinks will be made at the bar in the living room,” Ralph said.
He opened a pair of sliding-panel doors, and they stepped into the living room. A bar was to the left. A young man in a red vest was busily polishing the glassware. Beyond the living room, through an arch, was the formal dining room. Marissa could see that the table was laid for at least a dozen people.
She followed Ralph through the dining room and out into the new wing, which contained a family room and a large modern kitchen. The dinner party was being catered, and three or four people were busy with the preparations.
After being reassured that everything was under control, Ralph led Marissa back to the parlor and explained that he’d asked her to come over early in hopes that she’d act as hostess. A little surprised-after all, she’d only been out with Ralph five or six times-Marissa agreed.
The doorbell rang. The first guests had arrived.
Unfortunately, Marissa had never been good at keeping track of people’s names, but she remembered a Dr. and Mrs. Hayward because of his astonishingly silver hair. Then there was a Dr. and Mrs. Jackson, she sporting a diamond the size of a golf ball. The only other names Marissa recalled afterward were Dr. and Dr. Sandberg, both psychiatrists.
Making an attempt at small talk, Marissa was awed by the furs and jewels. These people were not small-town practitioners.
When almost everyone was standing in the living room with a
drink in hand, the doorbell sounded again. Ralph was not in sight, so
Marissa opened the door. To her utter surprise she recognized Dr.
Cyrill Dubchek, her boss at the Special Pathogens Branch of the
Department of Virology.
“Hello, Dr. Blumenthal,” said Dubchek comfortably, taking Manssa’s presence in stride.
Marissa was visibly flustered. She’d not expected anyone from the CDC. Dubchek handed his coat to the maid, revealing a dark blue Italian-tailored suit. He was a striking man with coal black, intelligent eyes and an olive complexion. His features were sharp and aristocratic. Running a hand through his hair, which was brushed straight back from his forehead, he smiled. “We meet again.”
Marissa weakly returned the smile and nodded toward the living room. “The bar is in there.”
“Where’s Ralph?” asked Dubchek, glancing into the crowded living room.
“Probably in the kitchen,” said Marissa.
Dubchek nodded, and moved off as the doorbell rang again. This
time Marissa was even more flabbergasted. Standing before her was Tad Schockley!
“Marissa!” said Tad, genuinely surprised.
Marissa recovered and allowed Tad to enter. While she took his coat, she asked, “How do you know Dr. Hempston?”