SEcrets~`~`~` Chapter one

Diana joined Jacob in the kitchen. He was warming the stakes he had grilled earlier in the oven. he had made his signature stakes he called it stake Diana, which was after marinating them for a couple of hours he would grill them, and then he put some fresh mushroom and a little chicken broth, and some spice on it to warm it in the oven. Diana put his head on his shoulder.

"I have this whimsical and wandering feeling about this girl, Rosa. I can't describe it. I don't know, it is a weird sensation."

Jacob turned to her and kissed her on her lips.

"I do, too. Perhaps because she is close to Vickie's age."

Diana shuttered by hearing her daughter's name. Her rushing blood ran quietly in her graceful body. Since this morning, she had changed to a tea length layered skirt which each layer was a shade of blue and she was wearing a sleeveless shirt of same material as skirt but only in darker blue. She still had her hair in a pony tail, but her very soft make up showed a truly beautiful woman even at her age. Jacob, as usual has his khaki pants and white shirt on,

The dinner was served at seven thirty. By then everyone had enough wine to feel relaxed. Diana, who did not believe drinking too much when she was hostess, also had enough wine to laugh without holding back, or argue like the men did that evening and almost every time they got together. The food was excellent. Everyone ate more than their normal habit just for the pleasure of eating.

ED and Tim got to like each other or perhaps found the other interesting for just that one evening. Thui was mostly silent, and if she said something normally had nothing to do with the conversation. On the other hand, Rosa was talkative, very expressive, and had opinion for everything. She was working on her PhD. Her major was English literature. Tim was directing her dissertation. There were three more professors in the committee of her advisers, who would evaluate her dissertation. Thui thought to herself: "A very good deal, date you professor and pass with flying colors."But one thing Thui said to Tim that awed everyone:

"Do you date all your students in order they pass?"

Ed was furious. Rosa was offended but Tim just laughed it out and shook his head for yes.

These people were all educated people, except Thui, who no one knew how much education she had. She always said that she had her education in her home country. Of course Ed was a lawyer, Jacob and Tim had Ph.D.s, and Diana had gone as far as master degree.

There was an aura about Rosa that made both Diana and Jacob uneasy in a pleasant way. It is contradictory to say "uneasy" and "pleasant" in a same sentence, but that was the vibes they were getting from this beautiful girl.

Diana felt connected to Rosa in a very special way. But her main concern was that Tim Had not recognized her. In that incident, twenty four years ago, Tim had been her professor, too. But perhaps in his long career, he could not possibly remember every student or every encounter he had had. Jacob was right. Tim was extremely bright; nevertheless, his weakness for women, as Jacob had told her this morning, was obvious.

Rosa helped Diana to clean up the table and serve the dessert. No one was ready for coffee. The drinking went on. Everyone felt at home and relaxed. This was something that happened to anyone who was guest at Diana and Jacob's home. Smoking cigars for men, cigarettes for women, drinking, and talking aloud and over each other continued. Jacob and Diana's attitude, the quality of food, the variety of wines and after dinner liquor they always had, made people wanting to come to their home as guests.

Diana got up to see if anyone needed anything. Tim was vehemently was talking about his work and writings. She had to cut in:

"Any one need anything?" And then she added: "Last call, I want to sit and relax."

Diana suddenly froze when noticing that Tim's eyes sought hers. She stopped short in the doorway, startled by his feverish and smiling face and glowing eyes turned in her direction. A feeling of sheer horror, a cold and overbearing terror filled her. Then a thought flashed in her mind: "I would not have these exasperated feelings if I was not afraid."

"Come on and sit. If we need anything, we get it ourselves, my beautiful angle." Jacob said and then he turned to Tim:

"Isn't she gorgeous? She still looks like a teenager after putting up with me for all these years."

He was apparently was in a good mood considering the bad morning he had had.

Tim looked at Diana and nodded his head:

"Absolutely! You're a lucky man."

Diana sat next to her husband. Her heart palpitated.

"You were talking about success; how do you measure success? What is success in your opinion?"

Jacob gave a knowing glance and responded:

"For me success is a good night sleep. When I can easily fall asleep, I know I was successful that day for what ever I was doing.

"Do you have a good night sleep often?" Tim offered an expressive smile to all. Others laughed at his question.

"I'm going to answer you in a different way. How far I've succeed is for me to know. Another words, I may feel successful but in reality am not. By the way, I do have many good night sleep." Jacob's face wreathed in smile.

"What about you, Diana?" Tim's expression was polite but not resolute.

Diana thought to herself: "He must have remembered me!" She started a cigarette. It was obvious that she was uneasy; nonetheless, she was oddly determined to forget about past and not to think about it.

"I know I've been successful in my life. I've accomplished whatever I wanted to do and to top it off I married a great man which I have always wanted."

"What you're saying means that your success interrelates to Jacob's. If he is accomplished, you're, too!" Tim spoke with conviction.

"Absolutely," Diana paused for a minute and then continued:

"That is what marriage is all about. I am very independent, yet very dependent. It may sound strange to you..."

"Not at all." Tim interrupted her.

To Be continued