Marissa did not need the extra jab from her subconscious to take offence at the woman's tone and attitude, so she pasted on her fake smile as well, more like a gritting of her teeth, as she replied to the woman. "Yes, THE wife," she said, emphasizing the, and she deliberately stretched out her left hand in a handshake, perfectly displaying her ring finger. She had been looking for something simple and unpretentious to accessorize her dress with, and the ring and a watch seemed fine to her.
Marissa was glad that she had chosen tonight of all nights to have it on, and she smiled inwardly as the woman's eyes alighted on the ring. Her smile got frostier as she barely touched the tips of her fingers to Marissa's outstretched hand. Not that Marissa gave a damn anyway, as she barely squelched the urge to wipe off the little piece of her flesh that the silly woman touched.
"I see that your wife is a lefty. How cute!" the woman directed her statement to Bernard, her megawatt smile back on display as she stepped back.
"His wife is very ardent with both hands. She just decided to use the left hand tonight," Marissa replied acerbically, forcing the woman to return her gaze to her.
Bernard looked surprised by Marissa's reply, then he smiled as he realized that this was probably the first time she would use that word so possessively. His wife. That sure sounds good. Bernard thought, and he smiled at her.
Marissa's eyes were on the woman, though, as the latter was giving her an assessing look like she was readjusting her previous opinion about Marissa. She gave her a slight nod, like she was acknowledging the fact that Marissa could not be easily handled, then smiled as a challenging light entered her eyes.
"Uh oh, that can't be good," Marissa's subconscious whispered to her just as the woman turned to Bernard with that easily switched smile on her face again.
"I was supposed to meet with a model of mine, but he seemed to have bailed on me. You wouldn't mind if I joined you, right? It would be a great shame for me to just go home like that after I had a night out planned," she crooned to him. Marissa simply couldn't think of any other word to qualify the way the insensitive woman talked to Bernard as if they were together alone on a She internally shook her head at the direction of her thoughts.
"Be rational, girl," she thought to herself.
Bernard, who had been wishing that the woman would simply leave so they could get on with their night, looked up sharply when he realized that the woman was waiting for him to accept her own invitation. He looked at Marissa, who had a blank look on her face and was looking at something over his shoulders. "I.. errr. My wife and I…"
"Oh great, just what I needed right now," Ms. Robinson exclaimed as the waiter got to their table and she swiped the beer off the tray. Hmmm," she moaned softly as she gulped the chilled drink. "This just hit the spot, down down down, right where I need it," she purred in that sultry voice that she had taken up a notch, trailing her hand up her throat like she was in the throes of ecstasy. Even the waiter looked away uncomfortably as he handed the soda to Marissa, who had her eyes pinned on the dratted woman.
Ms Robinson looked around suddenly, like she just realized what she did and her eyes widen in shock, her lips forming a perfect O "Oh, my God, oh my God," she said with an embarrassed laugh as she dabbed delicately on her blood-red lips "That was meant for you, wasn't it?" she asked Bernard. "Oh my! I am so sorry. It's just that I tend to lose my head sometimes when I see a chilled beer like that. Just like fine, well-sculpted men, they are highly irresistible," she said with her eyes on Bernard's body. "Oh, I am so sorry. Here, you can have it back. Oh, what am I even saying? Pardon my manners, please," she said as she pulled her hand back and turned to the waiter. "Please get this fine man another beer, and keep the refill coming, please. Tabs are on me."
The waiter nodded and left.
"Oh, you don't have to bother. it's totally fine."
"Then you won't mind if I join you then? Thanks," she said, sitting down directly opposite Marissa before Bernard could say anything. "Where is that waiter? They can be pretty annoying, don't you think?" She directed her question to Marissa with that fake smile on her face again.
"I wouldn't know, seeing as I don't frequent places like this. You, on the other hand, seemed to be a veteran at this, though," Marissa replied, thinking, "I had be damned to let any bitch fluster me and spoil my night for me."
Ms Robinson gave her an insincere laugh "I know, right? Though I wouldn't use the word veteran, I can confidently hold my own anywhere, any day, anytime. If you want to mingle, I am your person. I can show you the rope," she said, showing her teeth at Marissa before taking a sip of her beer. "Does that mean you are a homebody? Don't you work?"
"What the hell?" Marissa thought but she tamped down the retort that came to mind and replied with the same frosty smile Oh, I work; what do you do? Ogle men?"
Bernard looked sharply at Marissa, but she ignored him. Ms Robinson was taken aback for a while as well but then she smiled and said, "How apt. Did your husband tell you that I am an artist?"
"Oh? He knows what you do." Marissa said, still smiling as she picked up her soda and sipped.
"Oh yes, thank you, sweetheart," Ms. Robinson said to the waiter. "Keep 'em coming, okay?"
"She mentioned it the other day," Bernard said, feeling a need to explain. Even though Marissa's expression had not changed from that carefully blank slate except when she was smiling at Ms. Robinson. Bernard could feel a storm brewing, and he started doubting his idea of a date for them.
"Oh great," Marissa said, taking another sip when her voice sounded squeaky to her ears.
"Yes, I explained to him the other day at his place, but he seemed embarrassed when I was trying to explain what I do to him. You know men, they can be silly like that," she said with a seemingly conspiratorial look at Marissa.
"His…place. You were at his place." Marissa looked at Bernard as she asked the question.
"Ms Robinson came over to my place the other day on a neighbourly visit when she moved in, so you know..." Bernard trailed off, wondering what he had done wrong when Marissa just kept looking at him.
"I brought my signature pasta along as well. You know, my ex-husband once confessed that my incredible skill at making pasta was one of the things that made him fall head over heels in love with me. Silly man," Ms. Robinson said as she sipped her beer, giving a sly look at Marissa, and she smiled with satisfaction as she saw the way Marissa narrowed her eyes at Bernard.
"You ate pasta", Marissa said simply, as if she were stating a fact.
"I…ah" Bernard was about to let her know that he had given it to the gateman, but he didn't want Ms. Robinson to feel as if he had made a mockery of her good gestures, so he shrugged and stuffed his mouth with his drink.
"We should order some peppered meat to go with these drinks, don't you think?" Ms. Robinson said to Bernard "You know, to reduce the risk of getting drunk." Then to Marissa "Not that you have to worry about that anyway, seeing as you are going the safe route. Wise indeed, but I know men who prefer daring women, you know. So how was it?" she asked Bernard abruptly.
"Ehn, how was what?" Bernard asked in confusion.