Page 8 of The High Price Of Loneliness

When her doorbell rang just a few minutes later, it was all she could do to not run through the house to greet Edward. Smiling and a little breathless, she opened the door to see him in a black suit and tie with roses and a gift box with a giant bow.

Edward smiled, as he presented the treasures he had brought her, saying, “For you, my lady. May I help you put these inside before we go?”

She beamed but said, “Oh my, don’t look at my house. I wasn’t expecting company!”

“No worries, just take the flowers first, and I will wait here. Put these somewhere special, so they will be the last thing you see when you go to bed tonight and the first thing when you wake up in the morning,” he requested.

Angelica, relieved not to have her messy home discovered by Edward’s discerning eyes, gushed, “I know just the place for them,” smiling broadly as she went. She took the gorgeous roses, mixed with orchids, baby’s breath, and lush greenery in a heavy crystal vase, from Edward. She whisked them away to her bedroom and placed them just in front of her dresser’s big mirror. The reflection appeared to double the size of the already huge flower arrangement. Amazing!

No one had ever shown up for a date with her like this before, dressed to the nines with flowers and a gift! Her heart was still racing when she returned to Edward, still patiently waiting at her door with the other gift in hand. He said with a slight smile, “This you get to open in the car, but not until later—on our way back home.” He understood the power of anticipation, which might keep Angelica wondering.

He offered her his free arm, as a gentleman, and walked her to the driveway. But, oddly enough, she noticed that Gray had left his car at the foot of the drive near the street. Thinking this odd, she smiled at her date, and asked, “Do you always like to park far away, Edward? Perhaps in case you change your mind and need to make a quick getaway?” Angelica laughed as she poked fun at yet another of his eccentricities.

He smiled warmly at her ribbing, but he nodded at the car with a bit of a surprise for her in store. “No. Just this once. It’s a new feature, actually, and I wanted to try it out.” They paused at the top of the driveway for just a moment while Edward pressed the ‘Summon’ button on his key fob for his black Tesla X. The electric smart SUV started itself and slowly drove up the driveway to pick them up with no one inside. The work of self-driving car innovation. Incredible!

Another click of the key fob opened the doors, and Gray escorted Angelica to her beautiful white leather seat. He guided her in and said, “You are the first to ever ride in this with me. I hope you don’t mind if I play with the technology just a bit. It’s fun, don’t you think?”

“Ok. I’m impressed, Edward. But much more with you—than with the car—just so you know.” Angelica smiled gazing into his piercing blue eyes. Off to dinner they went with the car in the self-driving mode so Edward could pay more attention to his date. They both had their flirt engine on, and it wasn’t hard to tell that the natural attraction between them was sweeping them forward, like a force you just couldn’t resist—so why try?

They arrived at one of the premier restaurants in Sarasota, Michael’s On East, where the valet took over the car. Michael’s was well known for delivering exquisite food with service to match. The owner was a very good friend of Edward’s. Nothing like a “home court advantage” when you want to impress a date. Gray was greeted by almost everyone, including the owner, and it was easy to see he was a “regular” at Michael’s.

Angelica loved the VIP attention and confessed to Edward, “I’ve heard so much about this place. I’ve always wanted to try it sometime. Thank you for bringing me here!”

The host led them to an elegant circular fanback booth that was plum colored and felt opulent, where they were seated. Dinner was phenomenal, and they talked nonstop, easily getting to know one another. The evening seemed to fly by, until it was time for the theatre, and Edward said they needed to go.

She saw the opportunity for a bit of good-natured fun, so she simply had to ask, “Won’t they hold the start of the show for you, Edward, if you tell them we are running a bit late?” Angelica smiled and teased, poking a bit of fun at her wealthy and powerful date as she linked arms with him. Gray shook his head, smiling at her brand of humor, and off they went.

It was packed at the Performing Arts Center. Edward described the show to her. “Everyone who loves theatre lovesPhantom of the Opera, whether it is your first or many times seeing it.”

Her heart was racing with excitement about seeing the show together, as Angelica chimed in, “Oh, it will be my first time, and I’m so excited!”

She looked into his deep gaze as he said, “I hope you love it, and if so, there are many more experiences I would like to share with you, Angelica.” Gray smiled still looking deep into her eyes for a bit longer to deliver the well-intended double meaning.

The usher took them to the center box on the balcony, where they had premier seating. Edward nodded and said a distant hello to several theatergoers who knew him from the Sarasota social scene. The curtain went up, and the house lights went dark. The show was brilliant, and the music was a powerful and emotional roller-coaster, telling the story of a mad composer who falls in love with an innocent, naïve soprano singer named Christine. It was the perfect aphrodisiac for an ending to the evening that Angelica had been hoping for all day. Actually, much longer than just today. She had dreamt of being courted and wined and dined and treated like a fairy-tale princess for as long as she could remember. She didn’t want to wake up and discover that this was all a dream.

Then applause. Loud applause as everyone rose to give the cast and crew a standing ovation, and Angelica snapped back to the present moment and stood next to Edward to join the rousing cheers. Edward’s arm encircled her waist and pulled her gently to his side as they—and a few thousand others—moved through the theatre to exit the grand Performing Arts Center.

The valet had Edward’s car stationed nearby as they approached, so they and only a handful of other patron theatergoers had a quick and easy exit. Meanwhile, Angelica observed, almost everyone else would have to wait in quite a long line for their cars.

The black Tesla X whisked them silently and quickly onto the main road and towards home. As they went, Angelica could not stop talking about the show. “I cried I don’t know how many times. It was so, so unbelievably beautiful. I just loved it, and I would love to see it again now that I know the story! Thank you for bringing me. It just doesn’t quite say enough. I really appreciate this, Edward—more than you know.”

She looked up into Edward’s handsome face now lit only by the dash lights of their SUV. Secretly, she had stolen a few admiring glances of him during the show in the theatre. She had been torn between the passion and power of the show,Phantom of the Opera, and who she was seeing it with. Both had made her heart pound all evening.

“Seeing you this happy is thanks enough, Kitten. I had hoped you would like it, at least. Not everyone reacts to the theatre and opera the same. Most people can grow to appreciate opera over time. But a few have an immediate and very emotional reaction to it like you did tonight. And for them, it will always be a part of their soul.”

Angelica simply sighed as they drove away and began, “Edward, are we …?”

She paused, hesitant to ask what was on her mind. Sensing this, he asked, “What, Kitten?”

She continued, “Are we going to your place and the Red Playroom now? I thought about you and all that you said last night and… I think I am open to exploring that with you. But only if you want to.”

He drove silently but engaged his Tesla’s self-driving mode so he could turn to her, then replied, “Before we go much further, Angelica, remember your gift from earlier this evening?” Edward handed the red gift with a sparkly red bow to Angelica.

She received the package replying, “Everything has been so exciting all evening. I guess I completely forgot about this until now.”

Edward smiled and nodded approvingly, “That’s refreshing and a good sign, actually. Open it please, as we go, if you don’t mind.”

She said, “Of course!” Angelica took great care opening the beautifully wrapped red box. Inside was the largest box of Godiva chocolates she had ever seen. Plus, there was a large bone-ivory colored envelope with a red wax seal with a large letter “G,” for Gray she assumed, stamped across the fold.

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