All of a sudden Jacob stood up. He took the glass of
martini fromz Helen's hand and put it on the table, as if he knew her agony. Then he hugged her; both his arms around her neck, kissing her on her head, shoulder, face, cheeks, everywhere but her lips; and saying unfathomable things! She could not hear him because of so much noise; however tears flowing down her cheek! People in the entire hotel lobby, where they were gathered to celebrate the New Year Eve's party of 1967, all stood up and began clapping, screaming, so much so that music stopped. Finally when the excitement of people subsided and the place took its former, usual, boring aura, Helen heard Jacob while she was still in his arms:
"Oh, my God, It is you Helen! Where have you been?"
"I was about to leave! You finally recognized me!"
At this point, she also wrapped her arms around him. Jacob's companions were all astonished; they were all envious! Who was this woman?
"Oh, my God, what have you done to your hair? I like it though!" He laughed, his eyes laughed. He turned to his friends:
"This is Helen, a very old friend from my home town!"
His friends all stood up and shook hand with her. After all these ceremonial greeting ended, Jacob said:
"Won't you sit with us?"
She suddenly felt tormented and oppressed! However she tried to hide her feeling of disappointment with a derisive smile!
"Don't you want to sit with me? We have a lot to catch up for all these years we haven't seen each other! I think your friends will be bored with us!"
Jacob's friend all laughed at cleverness of this beautiful woman and said:
"Go, Go Jacob with your friend. She wants to talk to you not to us!"
Jacob picked up his tuxedo jacket and put it on. As they were walking away, Helen stopped and turned around and went back to the table. She picked up her martini from the table, gave an expansive smile to Jacob's friend!
"They charge too much for a drink!" She said and walked back towards Jacob, who was looking at her with astonishment. She had a hard time to handle her long dress, high heels, her glass of martini. Jacob noticed all of these. He took her martini from her hand. She held on to his arm.
They walked to a dark corner seat underneath the stairs. It was not very far from bar. A waiter, who had witnessed all that happened, caught up with them:
"I saw what happened. My manger said your first drink is free. I'll be your waiter!"
Helen and Jacob looked at each other and laughed.
"Which table do you like" I assume that table in the corner!" The waiter said.
That was what exactly what Helen had in mind.
"Yes, How did you know?"
The waiter knew that he would have a hefty tip from these two that night. He walked ahead of them to clean the table.
They followed him. The seat was a leather love seat with a short round, cocktail table in front of it. There was a bowl of nuts on the table. The waiter delayed his cleaning the table that was not dirty at all!
"What would you like to drink? I told you your first drink is on the house!!"
To Be Continued
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