The Sackler Trap

Emmy and Tony

I stood before my bed and surveyed the two magnificent dresses spread out before me. The TONY dress was a pale lavender confection, strapless with a tight waist embellished with green and silver hand embroidery. The skirt was full and floor length, the chiffon fabric floating like a dream when I walked. A true ingenue's dress, quite reminiscent of the wedding gown Ella wears in the last scene of Evening Primrose.

But it was the second dress, my Emmy dress, that kept drawing my eye. It was what I would be wearing when Adam saw me again for the first time in five months. It was a two-piece gown, dark red satin, the one-shoulder top stopping just at my navel and the knee-length skirt was full and swung flirtatiously with black net crinolines underneath. Something Angela would wear. I smirked a little, picturing it with the sheer black stocking and red stilettoes I planned to wear. My heart skipped at the thought of Adam seeing me in it.

There was a knock at my door and I practically floated towards it, not even bothering to see who it was. I flung it open with a smile already on my face and a flustered Eve came rushing in.

"Hi Julie," she breathed as she entered my home and walked a few feet inside, wringing her hands, then turning to face me as I closed the door. "Sorry to barge in like this."

I shrugged, a perplexed smile on my face. "Wouldn't expect anything else, Eve."

Eve bit her thumbnail for a second, then planted her hands on her hips and rocked back and forth on her heels in agitation. Suddenly she ran her fingers through her lustrous blond locks that were the envy of every female on the set of The Chemist and sighed. I watched her, confused but knowing she'd get around to it eventually.

Finally, she took a deep breath and spat out, "Arthur's wife died last night."

My eyebrows shot up and my mouth opened but I couldn't think of what to say or make of this revelation. "Oh," I managed softly.

Eve huffed and shook her head. "It's...I don't know, Julie, I feel like I'm going straight to hell. All I can think to myself is now he's free, but then I worry that maybe...maybe her death will just drive him further from me. I don't know how he felt about her!" Tears spring to her cornflower blue eyes. "And then I think I must be the most vile, selfish person on earth to be...to be glad that someone has died! Even if Arthur never comes back to me, at least...at least he's free." She breaks down crying.

I am stunned. I truly am at a loss for words. I can only stand there and stare at Eve.

She continued, sniffing. "Adam says I am a ghoul." She sneaks a peek at me through wet eyelashes. "He says I should move on. Find someone new."

Eve was studying me closely. I bit my lip and began walking slowly towards the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Eve followed close behind me and leaned against the door jamb watching me.

"Do you agree with him?"

I turned and shook my head. "Eve, you know I don't give a damn what Adam says or thinks."

Eve cocked an eyebrow. "Then what's with those phone calls?"

I was incredulous. "He told you about that?"

Eve smiled grimly. "Adam and I have been like peanut butter and jelly for years now, Julie. He tells me everything. I tell him everything." She looked off to the side and amended, "Well probably not everything...we have a love/hate relationship with each other."

I turned away still shaking my head. Last night's call had been the longest yet, mostly chatting abut the upcoming awards and my new musical. He had two directors after him for a couple of movies. He'd have to travel out of the country for three months and was trying to work it into the shooting schedule for The Chemist.