Feathers and Down

By Jo Alexander

The thick air of aristocracy hung about the patrons of the Fuller Gallery, as they sipped appreciatively on free champagne, nibbled on succulent crab cakes, and arrogantly commented on the pieces of art displayed along the gallery’s errected walls. It occurred to the curley-haired brunette that this marked the first time she wasn’t participating in such activities. As it were, she sat on a nearby cushioned bench, a flute of champagne dangling, untouched, precariously in her hand. Her left leg was crossed over her right, revealing a ribbon of creamy flesh from the opened seam of her dress. This had caught the eye of several appreciative male patrons, as well as some equally intrigued female patrons, but none of this concerned the dark beauty. Her mind was captivated in a moment from earlier that day.

“Volatile, and changeable especially sexually”

So she was going to be involved with a volatile, bisexual woman, who drove a blue car, and was a natural brunette. After much inquisition, it came down to Alice But what if it wasn’t Alice? What if she was only “feeling” what she thought she was feeling because the Tarot Card reader had suggested the idea, she took it a step further by placing a face to the prediction, and now she had fallen victim to some weird, self-fufilling prophecy? What if all it was was friendship for them, but because she thought she was *supposed* to be with Alice, she ends up ruining the entire relationship?

No answers came, and it wasn’t long before Helena Peabody had had about enough of the entire night’s scene. Gathering her jacket from coat check, she didn’t even pause to say, ‘goodbye’ to family friends, or the curator as she scampered off to her car. Not that anyone noticed, not as long as the champagne was still free, and the treats were still circulating.

***

“How is it that you two have become such bosom buddies anyway, Al?” The kitchen of a suburban West Hollywood home was bustling, as people fluttered in and out, spending time both in the comfortable surroundings of the interior, and lazily enjoying the sunshine of the exterior. A beautiful baby girl cooed, as her blonde mother bounced her and stroked her back affectionately, kissing her mocha colored skin.