Chapter 1: Formalities
Athena met Miss Aloura G. Beath on a fall evening in a convenience store on the
outskirts of town. Neither of the women was originally from Asheville but found
the town to quite pleasant. Athena thought Aloura to be breathtakingly beautiful
in her presence in addition to her physical flawlessness. So she swallowed back
her usual hesitation and laid her salutations before Aloura.
"Beautiful day, eh?" She paused almost nervously as Aloura turned, said nothing,
and gazed at her.
"Hi, I'm Athena...Athena De'Pourne and may I ask your name?"
Aloura took her time, giving Athena a moment more torment, and responded.
"Hi, Athena...De'Pourne? Is that French?"
"Yes!...it is I'm Canadian and my father's family originated in the south of
France. I'm sorry I did get your name."
"That's because I didn't say. However, my name is Miss Aloura Beath."
"The pleasure is..." Athena was cut off by the cashier's wretched voice.
"WHO IS NEXT!?!"
Stumbling to relocate her tongue Athena walked after Aloura who was indeed next.
"Aloura, I mean...Miss Aloura Beath, would you like to have coffee with me
tomorrow afternoon?" She blinked, eyes closed for what felt like an eternity,
awaiting sure rejection.
"Depends really" Aloura spouted. "Where would you like to have coffee and what
time?"
"Well, where's good for you Miss Aloura?"
"How about my house, 1:30pm sharp coffee and conversation?" (It was more of a
statement than a question really, the way Aloura put it.) "What's your number?
I'll call you tonight at 8 o'clock and give you directions."
"That's perfect!" Athena nearly shouted with excitement.
The ladies exchanged good-byes, information, made their purchases and were
quickly on their way.
All the way to her apartment Athena was drowning in thoughts of Miss Aloura
Beath. She wondered what Aloura thought of her, what kind of home she had, and
if she thought the after lunch coffee to be a date or merely a casual meeting
amongst acquaintances. She was so caught up she drove right past her home.
Aloura, on the other hand, wore a smirk of accomplishment all the way to her
house. She loved leaving young ladies in a squirming fit, mind and body. Into
her home she went, orange juice in hand, right to the cupboard. Pouring a glass
she glanced at the time and went up stairs to draw a bath, giving herself
approximately 1 hour to bathe and thirty minutes to relax before making her
phone call.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Athena this is Aloura. How're you?"
"I'm .." Stuttering a bit because she didn't realize the time "I'm all right,
and yourself?
"Well, I'm quite refreshed and relaxed, fresh out of the shower." That old
familiar smirk began to crawl up Aloura's face as silence permeated the line.
"So, yes...this coffee date is tomorrow Tuesday the 13th at 1:30pm dress
casually. However, I've changed my mind a bit on driving arrangements. "
Athena sat, frozen in micro-spasmic fear as she opened her mouth to nearly
whisper.
"You don't......"(she rephrased with a little more vocal stability) "I'm not
driving to your place?"
"No, I'm going to send my driver to pick you up around 1:10.." Aloura paused
giving the impression that she barely cared what Athena thought of the matter
and finished. "...is that all right with you, Athena?"
An overly enthusiastic "Yes!" surged through the phone line shortly to be
accompanied by a much calmer "Yes, that's fine. I'll give you directions to my
apartment."
The conversation lasted all but 10 minutes but felt longer to Athena. She told
Aloua where she lived and shortly afterwards they shared brief good-byes.
Athena wondered about this "Miss Aloura Beath" and wondered who she really was.
"Well, " she thought "I guess I'll find that out tomorrow".
