Chapter 2: The Party

Married life was wonderful. We both had good jobs so money was never an issue, which eliminated one of the biggest stress factors for newlywed couples. We seldom argued and made it a point that if we did have an argument we would make up before we went to bed. At least once everyday Sonya would tell me she loved me and she was always affectionate. As time went on our sexual activity only slowed a little bit as it does for most marriages but it was still exciting for me to make love to Sonya.

Up until the point where I began this story everything was great. We had a happy loving marriage.

Over the years the people that worked at SA had become a close knit group and everyone likes to socialize together. That is why in addition to the four parties that Mr. Stanley likes to hold there were a lot of parties at people's homes during the year. Sonya and I never missed a party and had held several of them at our house.

About two weeks after this strange mood had come over Sonya we went to a party at Jim and Nora Carson's house. Most of the other guests arrived around the same time we did and I noticed the Sonya seemed to be in much better spirits as soon as we started circulating among our friends.

We had been at the party about a half hour when another guest arrived. I had never seen him before and I am sure I would have remembered him if I had. He was just over six feet tall, in good physical shape and had a full head of dark brown hair. He looked to be about my age, around thirty-three, and I guess he would be considered handsome.

As he entered the room I noticed that Sonya looked over at him and then quickly turned away. I watched as he walked over to say hello to Nora and it was obvious that he knew most if not all of the other guests.

I used my hand to turn Sonya's head toward him.

"Who is he?" I asked her.

"Tony Kaplan," she said. "He just started for SA about three weeks ago He's the new sales manager."

"You never mentioned that they hired a new sales manager," I said.

"I didn't? "Sonya replied. "I must have forgotten."

It was about twenty minutes later that Tony came over to us.

He said, "Hello Sonya, how are you?"

"I'm fine Tony, how are you?"

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Tony said as he looked at me.

"I'm sorry," She said, "Tony, this in my husband John. John, Tony Kaplan."

Tony said, "Glad to meet you. I understand you used to work at SA too."

"Yes I did, "I said. "Nice to meet you too."

Tony gave Sonya a funny look and then said that he had to talk to a couple of people and then he moved off to join in another conversion across the room.

I turned to Sonya and said, "What was that about?"

"What do you mean?"

"You acted like you didn't want me to meet him. You didn't bother to introduce us until he asked you to. And what was that odd look he gave you just before he left?"

Sonya said, "I don't know. There's just something about him that makes me feel uncomfortable. He caught me off guard and I forgot to introduce you."

"What about the look?"

"What look?"

"I am talking about the strange way he looked at you just before he walked away."

"I don't know," she said. "I didn't see it so I don't know what it meant."

"You said he makes you feel uncomfortable," I said. How does he make you feel uncomfortable? Has he done or said anything to you to make you feel that way?"

"No he hasn't done anything. You know how some people can just make you feel that way. I think it because he is a manager and I always feel a little uncomfortable around authority figures."

There was some truth to what she said. I know she did feel uncomfortable around the managers. Not afraid of them but just uneasy. So I dropped the subject.

Right after that party, things seemed to get back to normal. Sonya was her happy self again and whatever had been bothering her seemed to have resolved itself.

Two months later, in August, we decided to have a patio party at our house. We invited all the usual suspects, our friends from SA and a few neighbors. The party was set to start at six o'clock on Saturday evening. The Wednesday before the party I had to fly to Dallas for two days of meetings with a client. The bank planned a big dinner party for the meeting participants on Friday which meant I would have to stay over and come home Saturday. The best arrangements I could, make for Saturday was a flight at one o'clock in the afternoon, which would arrive in Raleigh at 4:45 PM. This would give me time enough to get home for the party but I wouldn't be able to give Sonya much help with the preparations. I asked her if she wanted to postpone the party for a week.

"If you can get home before six o'clock," she said, I can handle the preparations with some help from Julie but you have to be here for the party."

"No problem," I said. "I should make it in plenty of time.

The Dallas meetings were successful and the Friday night dinner party was great but that is the only good news. At one o'clock Saturday afternoon I was at the gate at DFW but my plane wasn't. I called Sonya and told her I was going to be a little late.

She said, "How late. You have to be her tonight."

"They haven't told us what the problem is yet so I don't know what time we'll get out of here but I should still make the party on time."

"You better."

I said, "What's your problem? I'll be there, but why are you so worried about me being at the party?"

"I just need you here with me. I feel naked without you," she said.

"I'll be there."

At three o'clock they announced that the flight was canceled. I scrambled over to the gate agent to get on the next flight but was told that there was nothing available until the 9:05 PM flight, which would arrive in Raleigh at 12:50 AM. I could not believe this was happening. I didn't know what was going on with Sonya but I knew that this news was not going to be taken well. In spite of that I still had to make the call.

Sonya said, "You won't be home until after 1:00 AM?"

"Sorry, that's the best they could do."

"Shit," Sonya said, "this isn't fair. I need you here."

"Are you going to be all right?"

Sonya said, "I guess I'll have to be won't I?"

"Yes, I guess so," I said. "I love you."

"I love you too."

During the call I sensed a level of desperation in Sonya's voice I had never heard before. I had no idea what she was so upset about, after all the guests were all friends of hers. I had never seen her freak out this way.

I went back over to the gate agent and stood in line behind an angry businessman who was taking his frustration out on the agent. By the time he was done with his rant the agent looked pretty frazzled.

When the other man left I said, "I guess he had a bit of a gas."

The agent smiled and said, "Maybe so. How can I help you?"

I explained my problem to the gate agent and asked her if there was any other way I could get to Raleigh earlier than the 9:05 flight. I told her that I would really appreciate anything she could do to help me.

She banged on her keyboard for a bout five minutes straight and then she said, "I can put you on a flight to Memphis that leaves here in thirty minutes. From there we can put you on a 6:45 flight arriving in Raleigh at 9:50. Would that help?"

I said, "Yes. You are a life saver. Thank you so much?"

The agent looked at me and then over at the grumpy businessman she had just dealt with and then did some more typing on her computer. Two minutes later the agent handed my two boarding passes and I took off running to catch the flight to Memphis.

I looked at my boarding passes as I was about to board the plane and saw that I was in seat 4B. The gate agent had given me first class seats on both flights. I guess it does pay to be patient with the gate agents during times of stress.

I wasn't able to call Sonya before the flight to Memphis left and decided not to call from the Memphis airport because she would already be busy getting ready for the party. I would just surprise her when I got home.

The Raleigh Flight arrived right on time and I was out of the airport and in my car making the twelve mile drive to my house by 10:15. I got to the house at 10:35. There were several cars parked in front of the house on both sides of the street but luckily no one park in our driveway so I was able to pull the car into the garage. I left my luggage in the car and went into the house.

There were no guests in the house they were all in backyard sitting or standing in groups talking. When I walked outside the first person I ran into was Julie.

Julie said, "Well, you made it after all. Sonya will be happy to see you. I don't know what was wrong with her but she was very upset when you said you wouldn't be back in time.'

I said, "I got lucky and found another way to get here. Where is Sonya?"

Julie said, "The last time I saw her she was headed into the house to use the bathroom. I guess she's still in there."

I went back into the house to look for Sonya. There was no one on the first floor so I went upstairs to look. I ran into Cory, one of our neighbors, coming out of the guest bathroom on the second floor but there was no sign of Sonya up there either.