...For a pri$e

CatherineWalter's life had never been easy. She had to work doubly hard to get something that her counterparts already had. She knew this and it only stood to amplify her determination to succeed. Consequently most of her life was spent working. In her childhood and early youth she aced every thing that she did, be it topping the class in an exam or winning a competition, which gave her little time for herself. While her friends – her few 'friends' took love letters to bed Catherine usually slept with JohnLaw or FredWeston. Now, she earned an income that would turn anyone green. Hell, it wasn't even near the money that her friends were making, even the sum of her friends' collective income fell short of what she earned. She spent lavishly on herself and spared no expense when it came to her friends. She had a way of choosing the most expensive things – even when there was no price tag – and owning it. The universal language of money made it possible for her to fulfill all her cravings and all the suppressed fancies of the young girl now surfaced.

Carol was the stereotype 'cheerleader' – lots of good looks. Trust her to be at the right place at the right time. A stuck up snob in the true sense of the word. Beautiful but with a dysfunctional brain. All her life she had used her lethal looks to achieve what one's brain was meant for. She had married well and had what all women long for – a husband who truly loved her and no one but her. Lady Luck's child who had everything yet an unquenched desire...

"You know Frederick ...began Catherine smiling as Frederick cut her short, "Call me Fred, I insist." Her smile broadened as she continued, "I know this sounds very bizarre. Way back then when we were in college I had a major crush on you before I could tell you I came to know that you and Caroline were seeing each other and so I let the matter drop."
He broke the momentary, embarrassing silence, "Do you still have feelings for me?""I don't see how my answer is going to make a difference, now that you are a married man."
"That's not an answer to my question." He was fishing in perilous waters.
She looked squarely into his eyes and said what he had hoped to hear a singular yes.

The conversation turned towards their lives, their jobs, the friends that they had remained in contact with...As the train neared its destination they realized that they had so much to share and decided to dine together later that week.Frederick promised to bring Caroline so that the old friends could exchange their stories.

Although Catherine, Caroline and Frederick were the same age their appearance implied something altogether different. Catherine's white strapless, backless gown with golden trimmings, and plain long gold earrings that complemented her dress made Caroline look out of place in her knee length black evening dress matched with necklace, earring and slippers of the same color. Catherine who sat beside the married woman looked an incredible seven years younger. It was not very difficult to compare the two women – one whose youthful looks had stood the tests of time and another whose age could be known at a glance. While Catherine's figure was firm and lithe Caroline's had filled in making her look like a matron. Even their faces were proof – false though they were of the age discrepancy. A weathered face, a shade of lipstick that brought out the yellowness of her teeth, wispy graying locks tied into a pony – tail were no match to the flawless complexion, a smile that revealed sparkling white dentition and tresses of a titan which fell gently to her shoulders framing the face of the unwed woman.

On the other side of the table were their partners for the night Catherine's friend AlecDuvall and Caroline's husband FrederickPeterson - who was a decade older than Duvall. And that was clear not only from the way that they carried themselves but from their actions and their language. The dashing and debonair Duvall presented a stark contrast to gentlemanly, conservatory Peterson.

Two days later Catherine got a call from Fred asking her to meet him for lunch at the Mansion Regal. The tone of his voice surprised her and she had conceded willingly, for her calendar was free. She had only a hazy idea of where the place was but managed to be there on time.

As she entered Catherine was shocked to see the state that Fred was in. He looked like the ruins of the man he had once been. Once being just a couple of days ago. As he set his sight upon her his eyes lit up. His whole frame verbalized the feeling of a bankrupt man who discovers that he has come to a large sum of inheritance. He beamed thankfully and she acknowledged with a mesmerizing smile.

In her dark blue pinstripe suit and a pale blue shirt she was dressed like the perfect executive – dressed to finalize a business deal. She walked neither too slowly nor too fast and her steps looked well rehearsed though she had never been to the Mansion Regal before. She sat at the table and watched him with anticipation.

The silence that hung heavy in the air was temporarily disturbed by the waiter's presence. They ordered. Once the steward was out of sight the words came out in a rush. "Caroline wants a divorce. Mutual Consent. And we have married for nearly thirteen years now. I tried to make her understand, to see reason but she wouldn't listen..."and just as suddenly as they had started the outburst stopped.

Several images raced through her mind. She had not known Fred very well in college but she knew enough. She was not blind and their love for each other was no big secret. The unconditional love in his brown eyes – love for her, his single-handed efforts directed in maintaining the relationship, his twisted features when she was hurt, the pride that he radiated when she had triumphed...was it possible that a man's love could so abysmal that it is impossible to fathom. What sort of a woman would want to loose such a life partner???

She had always felt that Caroline had not deserved Fred. That he was too good for her. A person like him merited something better...

"Is there another man?" she asked quietly.He looked up; his countenance that bespoke his anguish was enough for her to understand the unspoken positive.

"His name is AlecDuvall." Catherine looked blank.

"He's the one you introduced to us at the dinner party." said Fred with a grimace.

"But I didn't bring him. Caroline called me up and asked if I had a partner for the evening, when I replied in the negative she said that that she would bring one of her friends along so that we could be a foursome."

"That bastard has been poisoning her mind for nearly two months." he exclaimed.

Even now he did not wish to credit Caroline for putting a full- stop to their relationship. In his eyes the entire blame rested with Alec.

Their meal arrived and they talked about varied subjects like two professionals who had come together for a business lunch, as their apparel suggested. He knew and she also knew that this was a way to vent his fury, to channelize his anger.

When the waiter had cleared the table a more self – possessed Fred took Catherine's hands in his, and looked into her eyes. For a person who had seen the love in Fred's eyes for another woman Catherine saw in those unfathomable pools of dark brown love for her. He asked, "Do you CatherineWalter take me FrederickPeterson as you lawfully wedded husband?" "Yes, I do." and they laughed – like sunshine after a squall, their laughter symbolized a new beginning – the beginning of a life together.

Catherine knew that Fred could love deeply and the only thing he expected in return was to be loved in the same measure. From the time he and Carol had first been together, he had never once looked at another woman, until now. Since Carol had stopped reciprocating his affections, Fred had come to realize that it was not possible to force another to love.....
It had begun nearly fifteen years ago. No, it had not been love at first sight that had died out. It had been something deeper – it had always been something more than the 'first crush' of youth. It had been born out of a sense of loneliness and bred by the urge to share her life. She had at last found the perfect man that she had been waiting for. Rather the man she found as a perfect match for herself was now waiting for her. The wait had been long and parts of it could even be described as painful but Fred was worth it and a lot more... after all thought Caroline affectionately he was the only man who could make her heart skip a beat.

Two weeks later FrederickPeterson and CarolinePeterson were no longer man and wife.
Two weeks and few hours later CatherineWalter lost her 'single' status as she entered into holy matrimony with her old classmate FrederickPeterson.
Two weeks and several hours later a mysterious number flashed on the screen of Mrs.Peterson mobile phone.
She took the call alone. "CONGRATS!!!" said the voice on the other side. "I am a happy man. With a million dollars to my credit, a fully paid trip to the Bahamas with my fiancée Emily, enjoying the sun and the surf. Aaahhh this is life. By the way Cath I mean Mrs.Peterson this is just to remind you I don't know you and you don't know me. For the last time ta-ta from your humble servant AlecDuvall." The line went dead.

She had always known that Caroline was the weak link in their relationship. She had swallowed the bait – hook, line and sinker. After all reflected Mrs. Catherine Peterson, which older woman would refuse a younger man as handsome exciting and charming as Alec. Fred stood no chance against him. That dinner had been crucial in deciding the fate of four people. Caroline had chosen the spirited Alec and Fred: Catherine. Make two people sit beside each other if you want to judge who the better of them was – was the old strategy that had worked. Alec was amazing beyond words that evening, if she had not known better she too would have chosen him instead of dear old Fred. He had kept his end of the deal by regularly updating her with the nuances in the lives of the couple. That had been instrumental in making her entrance – like a well written script reduces the onus of the actor – Alec had made her role a piece of cake. He had Caroline eating out of his hands. He had unquestionably earned his million dollars. Catherine hoped that he and Emily would live happily; for she had been the primary reason that he had undertaken this enterprise. A million dollars – earned in two months – a security for their future.

Once again she had selected the most expensive item – for something that most people normally don't spend a single penny she had spent a staggering one million dollars. Her mind raced on her latest addition to her collection...A million dollars poorer, but nonetheless thought Catherine she had been on the receiving end of an amazing concordat. A million dollars for something priceless...???

After all one can have anything ... for a price.

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