Serena had pulled her hair up, securing it with bobby pins and curling the ends of the pieces that hung out. She kept her makeup soft and natural, but did wear more than she would to work. Finding a dress proved more difficult. She wasn't planning on attending many formal occasions out here. All of her appropriate clothing was in the storage locker back in New Mexico.
She decided on a white eyelet sundress with thin straps and an empire waist. Serena though it could be appropriate for a wedding, if it were in a different color, made of a different material, and the wedding was a rustic outdoors sort. She slipped on her same tan sandals and headed down stairs.
John stood on the curb outside. Serena almost didn't recognize him. His long hair was slicked back and he traded his glasses for contact lenses. He had on black pants, a red dress shirt and a black vest complete with a black tie tucked in.
"You look great," Serena said.
"My mom always said I clean up nice," John said. "You are very pretty yourself."
Serena could tell by the look on John's face what he meant to say was 'you would wear that to a wedding?' She nodded her head in appreciation when the car pulled up. The driver started to get out, but John waved him away and held open the door for Serena. He held out his hand and she accepted with some reluctance as she sat down in the car. Serena made sure to scoot as far away from him as possible. Not wanting to give him any ideas.
"Where does Malcolm live?" Serena asked as the car started moving.
"Near the lake," John said. "It will be about a ten minute drive. Have you been out that way yet?"
"No," Serena said. "I saw it though. I hear it's more like a pond."
"Some people swim in there," John said. "But I wouldn't. I think it's on the list of repairs Malcolm wants to make to the town."
"How do you repair a lake?" Serena asked.
"Get the right fish in there to kill the bacteria," John said. "Pluck all the seaweed, import sand from lush places. Essentially turn it into a giant pool that looks like a lake."
"I doubt it will happen this summer," Serena said.
"Probably not," John said.
The rest of the ride they remained silent. They were surrounded by woods on both sides traveling down a small dirt road. The car came to a stop in front of a gate, Serena would have missed it. The driver entered a code and the gate opened. While Hawkins was the main owner of pretty much every business in town, Malcolm's name was on a lot of the paperwork. Serena expected him to have money, but this was bordering on extravagant.
Malcolm's home was on a hilltop, trees covered what should have been his front lawn. The car came to a stop right in front of the giant house. There were tall white columns out front, and the building was at least three stories high with long windows decorating its face. Malcolm stepped outside on the brick porch and started down to meet them.
"Serena thank you for coming," Malcolm said.
"Your house is huge," Serena said.
She shook her head, feeling like that came out inappropriate.
"Sorry, she said I meant to say lovely," Serena said.
John walked out of the car and shook Malcolm's hand. Serena thought John's outfit looked right at home. Malcolm was in almost the same, but sans vest or tie.
"This must be Serena," a new voice said.
A tall, almost painfully thin women stepped out of the front door. Her hair was short, stopping just below her ears. Serena couldn't begin to guess her age. She wore a long dress, that clung to her figure. It was simple, looking like it was made out of silk with a halter tied in the back. She looked timeless, almost as if she was from another century altogether Serena definitely understood what John was getting at with the wedding attire. The woman grabbed Serena's hands and kissed her once on each cheek.
"I feel like I'm in East Egg," Serena said.
"Don't be silly," the woman said. "We would be West Eggers all the way. Please come inside."
The woman did not drop Serena's hand as she walked back up the steps.
"I thought we would have dinner outside," Malcolm's wife said.
Serena blanked on Malcolm's last name. She had no clue what to call this woman. The interior of the house was more beautiful than the exterior.
"I designed and decorated this entire place," she said. "It's my baby. Do you like it?"
The house was a wide open space. There was a giant stair case leading upstairs, and Serena could see another giant one leading downstairs.
"It's the most beautiful building I've ever seen," Serena said.
"I will give you the tour after dinner," she said. "For now let's go have an aperitif on the veranda."
Serena didn't know what an aperitif was, but she let the woman lead her to the back on the house. The entire edge was glass doors that were open, letting the air flow in. White drapes hung in the breeze. The veranda was just a huge porch. Serena figured a thousand people could fit comfortably out here. She went to the edge and saw a beautiful garden below that ended at the lake. From this viewpoint it did not look much like a pond.
"How are you enjoying Juliet so far?"
Serena turned around to see the woman behind a marble white bar she hadn't noticed earlier.
"I like it," Serena said. "Are you from here?"
"God no," the woman said. "I am a child of the world. I was born in Paris, and have lived everywhere over the years."
Serena didn't understand what a woman like her was doing here. That seemed like a rude question to ask.
"So how did you and Malcolm meet?"
"He is one of the founders of this little vacation spot," she said. "When I was about your age my parents dragged me here. We met at a little café, back then courting was more civilized. We could only meet with a chaperon."
"You mean in the 90s?" Serena asked.
There was no way this woman was more than twenty years older than her. She pressed her lips and then smiled.
"Yes," she said. "Between all that grunge rock and flannel there were still lots of societal rules."
Serena couldn't tell if the woman was joking or not.
"We only live here during the summers," she said. "April through September. I cannot wait until we are on the road again."
"That explains why Malcolm was able to offer me the job so late in the year," Serena said.
"Kay are you boring her to death with your stories?" Malcolm asked.
He walked onto the veranda with John in tow. Malcolm went to his wife and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. The two of them looked at each other with love. Serena felt like she was looking at a page in her history book.
"Cool house right?" John said.
Serena nodded. Kay made two more drinks and handed them to John. Serena took one, unsure of what it was she took a sip. Delicious. There was alcohol in there, so maybe Malcolm wasn't so concerned with drinking during the week after all.
"Sit," Kay said.
Everyone sat down on the couch. Serena wasn't sure if it was actually patio furniture of not, but it was certainly custom made.
"So Serena," Kay said. "Tell us about yourself."
"Not much to say," Serena said. "I was an army brat. I've lived in eighteen different states."
"That seems like a lot," John said. "I didn't realize they moved service men that often."
"Women," Serena said. "My mother, and it depends on what your skill is. She was in high demand."
