week, maybe two. Any holiday family gatherings we need to worry about?”
“This is Curtis, remember?”
“I was talking about you.”
“Oh, no. None.”
Amera still remembered the passing look of pity that had crossed Owen’s face. She stared down at the card. She didn’t need pity. She needed help and Susan was the only person she could think of to help her really pull off the role.
“Danger, here I come,” she said to herself as she dialed Susan’s number.
“Hello?” Susan answered on the first ring.
Amera hesitated partly hoping to be able to leave a message. “I’m sorry to bother you but I don’t...I mean...”
“It’s great to hear from you.”
“Uh...thanks.”
“What’s wrong?”
My boss thinks I’m his wife and I want to fool him by playing that role . “Sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Let’s get lunch.” Susan gave her the address. “My treat. See you in an hour.” She hung up before Amera could say no.
Amera smiled, knowing she hadn’t planned to.
More than an hour later, the two women sat in a private booth in one of the finest Caribbean restaurants in the area. The waiters and waitresses wore colorful outfits, and were extremely friendly, providing Amera and Susan with instant service the moment they sat down. The interior of the restaurant consisted of a mural that was painted on all four walls, depicting the ocean, palm trees and a setting sun. The surrounding helped calm some of Amera’s anxiety.
“So what can I do for you?” Susan asked.
Amera rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know how to ask you this.”
“Just say it fast.”
“Ineedyoutoshowmehowtobeawifeforafewdays.”
Susan blinked. “Okay, that was too fast. Try again just a little slower.”
Amera took a deep breath then said, “I need you to show me how to be a wife for a few days.”
“A wife?”
“Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but it’s something I have to do.”
“Why?”
“It’s for a good cause.”
“Charity?”
Amera tried not to laugh. Curtis certainly wouldn’t like to be considered a charity case. “Something like that.”
“It’s easy.”
“Not for me. I’ve never been in a relationship with a man, except for business, and I don’t know where to start.”
“What about the one person you loved?”
“That was different and a very long time ago,” Amera said, embarrassed that she’d even mentioned it.
“Well, first you have to know what kind of wife you want to be.”
Her eyes widened. “There are different types?”
“Of course. Women become wives for many different reasons. And marriages come in different flavors: open marriages, sexless marriages, childfree marriages...”
Amera thought for a moment then said, “I’m in a sexless marriage of convenience.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Yes, why did you say yes? Then we’ll know the role you need to play. Is he a rich older man nearing his grave with adult children to contend with?”
“No, his father wants him to get married.”
“So, it’s for image?”
“Yes.”
“Then it shouldn’t be that hard. I’m sure he has staff that will keep their ears and mouths closed and you’ll just attend functions together. Smile, lightly touch his sleeve every once in a while, make him feel smart and successful.”
“But I don’t have to, he already is.”
“A man can never feel too successful.”
“But what do I do when I’m alone with him?”
Susan narrowed her eyes. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
Amera looked out the window and let her shoulders droop. She had to be honest. She turned back to Susan and said in matter of fact tone, “My boss suffered a major head trauma, and has some sort of amnesia and now thinks I’m his wife.”
“Oh.”
“Oh? Why doesn’t anybody see this as funny?”
“I think it’s kinda sweet.”
“Curtis Bishop is anything but sweet.” Except when he kisses me, which shouldn’t have happened and I shouldn’t keep thinking
“This is Curtis, remember?”
“I was talking about you.”
“Oh, no. None.”
Amera still remembered the passing look of pity that had crossed Owen’s face. She stared down at the card. She didn’t need pity. She needed help and Susan was the only person she could think of to help her really pull off the role.
“Danger, here I come,” she said to herself as she dialed Susan’s number.
“Hello?” Susan answered on the first ring.
Amera hesitated partly hoping to be able to leave a message. “I’m sorry to bother you but I don’t...I mean...”
“It’s great to hear from you.”
“Uh...thanks.”
“What’s wrong?”
My boss thinks I’m his wife and I want to fool him by playing that role . “Sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Let’s get lunch.” Susan gave her the address. “My treat. See you in an hour.” She hung up before Amera could say no.
Amera smiled, knowing she hadn’t planned to.
More than an hour later, the two women sat in a private booth in one of the finest Caribbean restaurants in the area. The waiters and waitresses wore colorful outfits, and were extremely friendly, providing Amera and Susan with instant service the moment they sat down. The interior of the restaurant consisted of a mural that was painted on all four walls, depicting the ocean, palm trees and a setting sun. The surrounding helped calm some of Amera’s anxiety.
“So what can I do for you?” Susan asked.
Amera rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know how to ask you this.”
“Just say it fast.”
“Ineedyoutoshowmehowtobeawifeforafewdays.”
Susan blinked. “Okay, that was too fast. Try again just a little slower.”
Amera took a deep breath then said, “I need you to show me how to be a wife for a few days.”
“A wife?”
“Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but it’s something I have to do.”
“Why?”
“It’s for a good cause.”
“Charity?”
Amera tried not to laugh. Curtis certainly wouldn’t like to be considered a charity case. “Something like that.”
“It’s easy.”
“Not for me. I’ve never been in a relationship with a man, except for business, and I don’t know where to start.”
“What about the one person you loved?”
“That was different and a very long time ago,” Amera said, embarrassed that she’d even mentioned it.
“Well, first you have to know what kind of wife you want to be.”
Her eyes widened. “There are different types?”
“Of course. Women become wives for many different reasons. And marriages come in different flavors: open marriages, sexless marriages, childfree marriages...”
Amera thought for a moment then said, “I’m in a sexless marriage of convenience.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Yes, why did you say yes? Then we’ll know the role you need to play. Is he a rich older man nearing his grave with adult children to contend with?”
“No, his father wants him to get married.”
“So, it’s for image?”
“Yes.”
“Then it shouldn’t be that hard. I’m sure he has staff that will keep their ears and mouths closed and you’ll just attend functions together. Smile, lightly touch his sleeve every once in a while, make him feel smart and successful.”
“But I don’t have to, he already is.”
“A man can never feel too successful.”
“But what do I do when I’m alone with him?”
Susan narrowed her eyes. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”
Amera looked out the window and let her shoulders droop. She had to be honest. She turned back to Susan and said in matter of fact tone, “My boss suffered a major head trauma, and has some sort of amnesia and now thinks I’m his wife.”
“Oh.”
“Oh? Why doesn’t anybody see this as funny?”
“I think it’s kinda sweet.”
“Curtis Bishop is anything but sweet.” Except when he kisses me, which shouldn’t have happened and I shouldn’t keep thinking
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