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Chapter 2-3: Dinner and a Movie
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Dinner was already in progress as they entered the glass-enclosed back porch. The view of the shimmering lake and rising moon were breathtaking. A large dining room table ran the length of the porch. It was covered from one end to the other with several exotic foods on silver trays, rivaling any five-star feast. The Tiki torches filled the room with soft, dancing orange light.
Malcolm stood before a vacant seat at the head of the table, motioning for Tony and Gina to stand on either side of him.
There were several characters in attendance, drinking and eating heartily, laughing and carrying on several conversations at once.
Malcolm had to raise his voice above the ruckus to be heard. “Doesn’t anyone show consideration to their host anymore? You’re all a pack of rude savages!”
Several of the men, dressed in fine attire, lifted their wine glasses and shouted, “Savages!” Others pounded enthusiastically upon the table for effect. The ladies laughed loudly, the wine helping them along.
Gina and Tony gave each other a bemused look, obviously not understanding the inside joke.
To Gina, they reminded her of well-dressed Vikings at the Mad Hatter’s tea party. She covered her mouth to keep a smile from escaping at the thought of this image.
Several got up and greeted Malcolm, Gina and Tony with hugs, kisses and hearty handshakes before returning to their seats. Gina and Tony were confused by the ease in which these odd strangers welcomed them to their table.
“Well, well, look who finally decided to show up!” roared a robust looking gentleman from the other end of the table. The man was bald with a well-trimmed grey beard and a black eye patch over one eye. He wore a naval officer’s dress uniform several sizes too small, his chest loaded with ribbons of service and accomplishments. “The man considers the term ‘host’ to mean ‘late as hell’,” he added loudly, speaking to the petite woman on his left.
The woman with long, jet-black hair, and breasts too large for such a small body hanging half out of the stunning gold dress she barely wore, whispered something into the man’s ear causing him to blush. She was easily half his age and could be mistaken for his daughter.
Malcolm bowed gracefully to the one-eyed man and responded, “Welcome, my good Captain Bellington, I never tire of hearing those sweet sounds of rich sarcasm filling my ears with joy!” He then added to the woman on his left, “And to you, Mrs. Bellington, you are as ravishing and enigmatic as ever.”
Mrs. Bellington reached for her wine glass, leaned back revealing a grander view of her high-priced cleavage, and then took a long seductive sip, finishing with a mischievous wink that found Tony.
Gina shifted uncomfortably.
Captain Bellington dismissed Malcolm’s flirtatious banter with the wave of his hand. “Save your theatrical tongue for the ladies,” he said. “As you can see, neither I nor Madeline, fit that bill.” He laughed, earning him a sharp look from his wife.
This scene caused a fresh round of laughter about the table.
“My friends, I want to thank you all for coming. As the captain has pointed out, I am sorry for my less-than-punctual arrival, but I assure you… I had just cause.” Malcolm motioned toward Gina and Tony and finished, “Ladies and gentleman, I would like to introduce you to my guests: Tony Marcuchi and the sensational Gina Melborn. You may know her better as the alluring, Fire and Ice.”
This caught the attention of several men, who were quick to feign ignorance before their surprised recognition rewarded them suspicious glares from their wives.
“I have to hand it to you, Malcolm,” a man midway down the table started, “I didn’t believe you when you said she would be performing tonight. This is one time it pays to be wrong.”
“Why thank you, Gerald. I’m glad you could make it on such short notice. What happened to San Francisco?”
“My trip was canceled by… complications.” Gerald’s irritation was easily apparent. He quickly added, while undressing the stripper with his eyes, “But it would seem that my canceled trip was a blessing in disguise.”
Gina caught Gerald’s glance and his subtle intent. Instantly transformed in to meat, she hated the man.
Looking away from Gina’s cold stare, Gerald drank some wine and then toasted his host. “To you, Malcolm. Thanks for the open-ended invitation, and for salvaging what would’ve been a tragic weekend for me.”
“You are most welcome,” Malcolm said.
“You hear that slithering tongue? Sounds like lawyer talking.” Captain Bellington laughed, taking a shot at Gerald.
Gerald laughed in return, raising his glass to the captain, “You got me there, sir. Guilty as charged.” The wine was numbing his volatile temper this evening. However, Gerald still wanted to take the base of his wine glass and poke out that fat fuck’s other eye.
Malcolm took his two guests on a tour around the table, exposing them to some of North East Ohio’s upper class citizens. They met a couple of doctors, two college deans, various CEO’s of companies who will remain nameless, several politicians, a motivational speaker, two established book authors, a television producer, a marketing executive, a professional soccer player, and several others from various professions. Gina suspected that no one in attendance used their real names, no one except Captain Bellington, who was retired from the Navy. Even the despicable lawyer, Gerald, used a fictitious last name that Malcolm confirmed.
“Yes, my dear, most of my guests prefer the ease of incognito,” Malcolm said. “It makes them feel like they can let it all hang out without being under scrutiny of the public eye. Not to mention, due to the unique nature of our gatherings, I’ve found it’s best to protect the privacy of all my guests. Very few outside this room would understand our unified celebration of spirit.”
“And what exactly does that mean?” Gina asked.
Malcolm simply smiled and said, “Soon, my dear… very soon.”
After being ambushed by the males in attendance, each trying to impress Gina by their long list of successes (translating into an upscale version of ‘who’s cock was the biggest’), Gina rescued Tony from the half-intoxicated females who looked for any excuse to fondle his muscles.
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(Continued in next reply...)
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