Chapter 12

The rain outside the window beat down like a funeral dirge, the lights of the city blurred in the heavy sheets that poured against the window panes.

In the soft light of the living room, Naomi stared with unseeing eyes at the same page she'd been holding the book open to for an hour. Even the popular tunes of the FM station on the stereo weren't piercing her vacuum of loneliness.

For two weeks now, Randy had left her alone at the apartment when social and business duties called him elsewhere. For her own protection he had left her in the solitude of his rooms so that she wouldn't have to endure the glares and whispers of Boston society.

It had only served to magnify her emptiness and desolation.

On nights like this when Randy was called away to business meetings, her aloneness became more acute. Left for hours with only a mechanical voice from the radio or stereo to talk to her. Or only a book to hold in her hands. The fact that she was alone and friendless until Randy returned to take her in his arms and love her into the oblivion of slumber became sharper in her senses.

"Two hours," she whispered to herself. "Two hours till he comes. He said it would be midnight when he got back. That's so far off."

Even the weather seemed to be against her. So damp and dreary.

"Rain makes me so cold and lonely," she breathed, shivering and curling tighter upon the couch.

The phone jingled beneath the lamp beside her.

Randy! She thought excitedly. I'll bet it's Randy calling to say he'll be home early. He's coming home early to me!

She lifted the receiver to her ear.

But it wasn't Randy's voice that greeted her. It was a woman's.

"Hello," the voice said sweetly. "I'd like to speak to Randy Harcourt, please."

"He's not here," Naomi told her. "He's gone out."

"Gone out? Where?" the woman sounded surprised.

"To a business meeting," Naomi answered.

"That's strange. He was supposed to come to my party tonight," the woman continued.

She obviously thought she was talking to Randy's maid.

"Would you please give him a message when he comes in?"

Anger burned in Naomi's throat. Randy had lied to her. There was no business meeting. And he'd said nothing about this party.

"No. I'm not going to deliver any damned messages!" she cried slamming the receiver back into its cradle.

"I'm no maid! That isn't my job!"

So Randy was too ashamed of me to let people know I'm still here, she thought angrily. They think I'm a maid! And he has to lie now about parties and social engagements.

Angrily she whipped herself into the bedroom to get her raincoat.

If he can go out and have a good time, then so can I. I'll just go visit some of my friends!

The thought of Line and her old friends down at Roxie's bar came to her. Yes, she had some friends who weren't ashamed of her. She'd go see them and have a really good time.

Slamming the aprtment door behind her, she didn't feel so bad any more. She rode the elevator down to the first floor and crossed the lobby, ignoring the looks of other residents and their callers.

As she stepped out into the rain things didn't seem so bad. She had a place to go. People to see. Somehow she wasn't so lonely and despondent anymore.