Author's Note: This was the second story I posted on the site. I have received a lot of feedback (some praise, a few corrections, and no shortage of flak) about the story and the category in which I chose to post it. LW seemed appropriate to me at the time but several readers told me that the story is really about 'watching and being watched' and doesn't fit as well in LW. So I've done some editing, fixed a few errors (Laura's age at the reunion for one -- thank you Mr. or Ms. Anonymous), and changed the category. Here it is in E&V. If you read it in LW, the changes aren't significant enough to read it again........unless you didn't vote or comment the first time around and would like to do so now.
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It was February, it was snowing, and it was Saturday. Kevin Taylor saw no reason to venture very far from his recliner by the fire. He was just dozing off when footsteps on the porch announced the mailman's arrival. Moments later a bundle of mail slipped through the slot to plop softly on the polished hardwood floor. Kevin eyed the small pile, debating whether its contents might be worth the effort of getting up. Curiosity won out.
Retrieving the small stack of circulars and envelopes, Kevin sat on the hearth and began sorting through the collection. Junk mail went immediately into the fire. All but one of the remaining envelopes contained bills. The last item was a plain, white, legal-sized envelope with only a return address in the upper left-hand corner. No name. A computer label declared 'Kevin and Laura Taylor' to be the addressees. Only mildly curious, Kevin tore open the flap and extracted a single sheet of paper. He began to read. Before he could complete the first sentence, his heart was beating a little faster, his palms grew clammy and his fingers started to shake.
'Greetings to the Class of 1985!
Well, it's that time again folks. Can you believe it's been twenty-five years? Can you believe it's been five years since our last reunion?
Your committee has chosen Denver once again. I'm sure none of us will forget what a great time we all had at the last one. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I always say. The committee seems to agree, so once again we're headed for the Hilton Hotel and Convention Center in the Mile High City.
The back of this letter has all the details. Don't disappoint us. Get your deposits in on time.
See you in June gang!
Sincerely,
Ollie Regal
Kevin sat staring at the letter while he tried unsuccessfully to slow his pulse and control his breathing. The bills lay forgotten at his feet. Ollie was right. He'd never forget the last reunion. The events surrounding their twentieth were indelibly imprinted in his memory. Feeling a little shaky, Kevin's thoughts drifted back five years in time.
***
Their flight arrived on time at Denver International Airport, their luggage was among the first to reach the conveyor, their rental car was ready and their hotel check-in was effortless. Everything in their room worked properly. It was clean and they had a nice view of the Rockies. Kevin should have known something was going to go wrong before the weekend was over.
Laura was delighted to be there. She knew she looked good. She had been among the most beautiful during high school and she had aged well. She looked a lot more like she was in her twenties than her actual age of thirty-eight. Laura could hardly contain herself. She knew she would fare nicely during the comparisons that would inevitably be made later that night at the reception.
They had a couple of hours to kill. Kevin occupied himself with a book while Laura made her final selections of the night's apparel. Soon it was time to shower and dress. They shared the small bathroom with the practiced ease of two people who had been married for fifteen years. Laura calculated their departure time to arrive at the reception fashionably late.
As they prepared to leave the room, Kevin stopped to admire his wife. She was truly beautiful. Long curly auburn hair fell below her shoulders to frame classic features. She had chosen basic black in a mid-thigh sheath design that accentuated her stunning figure. A single diamond pendant sparkled in generous cleavage. A carefully cultured tan complimented her long, slim bare legs. Small diamond post earrings and very subtle makeup completed the picture.
"You look gorgeous. Every woman there will hate your guts."
"Well, thank you sir!" she said with a curtsy. "But don't you be checking out my competition too closely. You cut a pretty handsome figure of your own."
"You won't have any competition," he laughed.
Five minutes later they entered the reception room. It was already filled with more than a hundred people. They joined the crowd and spent the next two hours reestablishing contact with classmates they had not seen in years, some since graduation day.
Tuxedoed waiters roamed the gathering with trays of drinks. Kevin had eaten nothing since an anemic airline snack several hours earlier. Two scotches made their presence known faster than usual. Laura, a light drinker, was still nursing her first glass of white wine. Kevin excused himself and headed toward the hors d'oeuvres. Laura was lost in conversation with a group of women, all vaguely familiar to Kevin, but nameless. Grabbing a third scotch from a passing waiter, Kevin filled a plate with an assortment of finger food and stood surveying the crowd.
They all made him feel old. He could see Ollie across the room, bald as a cue ball and overweight by thirty pounds. Randy Arthur was already so drunk he could hardly stand, a mousy blond wearing a bored expression like a shield stood at his side. Kevin didn't remember her. Mike Nolan was engaged in conversation with a group of ex-jocks. He had a paunch and a receding hairline. Mike was okay so Kevin made a mental note to talk to him later. C.J. Gallagher stood out among the flabby jocks, louder and uglier than the others. Each time a half decent female passed within range, they all tried to stand taller and suck their guts in.
The women were generally worse off. None of them could hold a candle to Laura. Even Joanne Brackett was looking a little dumpy and she'd been a knockout in school. A couple of the guys had married championship Herefords somewhere along the line. Kevin decided there were only two or three women in the whole room who rated a second look. He glanced across the room at Laura who was now attracting a crowd. Mostly men. She caught his eye and grinned impishly. He grinned back and shook his head in mock exasperation. She deserved the attention and he knew he had nothing to fear.
"Hey Kevin!" came the cry from thirty feet away. It was Ollie Regal heading his way with a drink in each hand.
"Here, have a drink. You like scotch if I remember correctly."
"You're a good man Ollie. For the next half hour they caught up on old times and Ollie tried to sell Kevin an assortment of mutual funds. Kevin didn't mind. Ollie really was a good guy. If it weren't for him they probably would have no reunions at all. No one else would take the time.
"Holy shit!" Ollie said with sudden emphasis, gesturing over Kevin's shoulder with his drink. "Who is that?"
Kevin turned to see who had captured Ollie's attention so completely. Whoever she was, she was stunning. Kevin stared at her with open appreciation, trying to place her. She had entered the room alone and stood looking around with more poise and self- assurance than a movie actress. Kevin thought she looked vaguely familiar but he was certain they'd never met. He'd remember if they had.
She had light blond, slightly curly hair worn nearly to her waist. Large expressive eyes, a small straight nose and a wide, full-lipped mouth gave her a Northern European look. She was no sun worshipper because her skin was very pale and smooth. Perhaps five foot eight, tops, in her high heels. Her legs were magnificent, long and elegant. Her dress was a simple affair. Thin spaghetti straps held delicately printed floral material tightly against shapely breasts and a narrow waist to fall loosely from there to mid-thigh. Where Laura's dress was molded to her figure, this woman's dress swirled about her legs when she moved. Kevin decided she was a Swedish model who had wandered into the wrong reception.
He looked about the room and found that others had discovered her as well. Fifty heads were turned in her direction. She didn't seem to notice. An alert waiter hurried to her side with a tray of wine. She relieved him of a glass with a dazzling smile and walked right up to the group of jocks who stood drooling thirty feet away. Kevin watched her progress with interest and a touch of envy. Apparently she knew them. He decided to see how long it would take for one of them to pass out from trying to hold his stomach in.
They were a scream. She talked to each in turn. It was easy to tell who she was addressing. Mike stood there first, grinning like an idiot, holding eye contact. The others focused their attention exclusively on her breasts until their turn came. As soon as she shifted her attention to the next in line, Mike dropped his gaze to her cleavage. And so it went until she had greeted them all. Kevin still had no clue about her identity.
A nagging, spooky little feeling caused him to look around for Laura. She was still standing among a group of women across the room, but staring directly at him with a small frown on her face. She stuck her tongue out at him. He grinned back, knowing he had been caught looking.
Seconds later Laura was at his side.
"I thought you said I had no competition," she said with a mock pout.
"You don't, Sweetheart, but she's a lot better looking than anyone else in this room besides you. Who the hell is she, anyway?"
Laura laughed. "I didn't recognize her either. This is her first reunion. Carol James was the only one who knew who she was."
"Well?"
"You're not going to believe this."
"Probably not if you don't tell me."
"It's Veronica Henley."
"You're kidding! What'd she do, have plastic surgery?"
"Nope. Apparently, the basics were there all the time. You're looking at contact lenses, a few self-help books, a successful career, a personal trainer, nice clothes and last year's divorce from a wealthy doctor."
"You're kidding!"
"You just said that. You're as bad as the Chicago Bears over there."
"I am not."
"You are too. Whoops! There goes Mary Ann Wilding. I've got to go talk to her. Try to keep your hands off Veronica while I'm gone."
"I'll try," he said, grinning mischievously as he grabbed another scotch from a passing tray.
***
The party had been going for hours when Kevin, a little drunk, decided to get some air. He'd lost track of Laura some time ago. A large terrace off the reception room beckoned him.
The Rockies were bathed in moonlight. The night was clear and cool. It felt good to be outside. He'd had about enough of the reunion already. He still had to endure the golf match and dinner tomorrow night, and then they could head for home the next morning. He leaned against the railing and inhaled deeply. In a couple of minutes he'd go back in, find Laura and convince her it was time to go back to their room. Maybe he'd even get laid.
