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“Thank God for you girl.” Gladys said. “I was afraid I would have to come dress you myself!”
Eight o’clock on the dot, a knock was on the door, and Gladys went forth to answer. She opened the door on Viktor, another flower bouquet in hand, with not a hair out of place. He looked dashing in his two piece suit, which would have blended into the night, pitch black like his hair. The bow added a touch of class which even she found delightful. That night he was not Vlad Dracula; that night he was James Bond!
“Hello, good evening.” He greeted, Gladys aware of the intensity of his gaze. “Is Gloria ready yet?”
“How do you know she’s not the one standing before you? I lost track of the time; I’ll get ready in a jiffy.”
“I never knew Gloria had a twin.” Viktor replied unfazed. “But it doesn’t matter; I just know you are not the one.”
Gladys lingered for a second on the doorway, and then stepped aside. “Come in then.”
Gloria’s cheeks were warm with embarrassment when Viktor finally came in. “Sorry about that but Gladys insisted on playing that old game-and you passed! With flying colors!”
Viktor could not help smiling at this. He could not take his eyes off Gloria for even a moment. Her beauty left him breathless; at a loss for words, and his heart pounded at the sight of her there in the living room
“Here, these are for you.” He said, handing over the roses.
“For me?” Gladys asked, pleasantly perplexed as she took the roses offered.
“For letting me take Gloria out again despite everything. I never expected Gladys who kept calling to be a twin; a pleasant surprise I guess.”
Viktor led Gloria by the hand, and into the limo, which glided smoothly into the night
The limousine took them to the heart of the city, and fifteen minutes later, pulled up alongside a double decked bus.
“Wow…”Gloria murmured as Viktor led her to the top which had been customized to contain a small dining table at one end, a makeshift kitchen at the other end and a waiter and cook in between. While the sides of the bus were plain red, the top had been decorated elaborately with a mixture of whites, greens, and purples. There were bright lights stationed over, and along the sides of the bus, which reflected off the cutlery and dishes, which Gloria later found out were pure silver. On the table itself, were two silver candle stands holding lighted candles fitted into glass bulbs. It was a marvelous display of light and color, and totally unexpected as far as Gloria was concerned.
“Fresh air for the lady, as promised.” Viktor said leading her to the table, and opening her chair for her in one deft move that hinted at his breeding, possibly influenced by his mother.
On cue the waiter came and delivered the wine menu and took their orders. The cook, French from his accent, and clearly a romantic, enjoying every moment of what he was witnessing, came and introduced himself, and the menu.
It worked like clockwork; the moment they delved into their meals, the bus joined the traffic, beginning a round trip that would go round, and round the city.
Gloria found it easy to open up to him; he made it seem like she was the only woman in the world. She told him how she ended up in his house the first day they met.
“At least you found the art fascinating.” He said over wine
“It was interesting to say the least, but I find it even more fascinating that you consider them ugly; why keep them in your home then.”
“To remind me that not only beauty deceives-ugliness can as well. Even ugliness can be considered artistic if it remains true to itself or has the right motives for being ugly.”
“The right motives for being ugly…beauty and ugliness; does this have anything to do with that portrait I saw the other day?”
“I wonder! Perhaps. We are most ready to get dirty and do ugly things for the people we love aren’t we? That’s the beauty of it; family: a bond that should not be taken lightly.”
They were through with dinner, and were sipping on wine when the bus pulled up in front of her house with a screeching hiss.
He led her off the bus and along the pavement to stop at the security light shining overhead. She looked flushed and satisfied with the evening and that was all he required to feel fulfilled himself. He kissed her as the bus pulled away, gently at first, then with more passion.
