Chapter Four- Night of the Red Fountain

 “Ah, here they are! The ‘lovely’ couple! Alan and Agatha! Of course, lovely, just lovely!”

        “It’s Adelaide, actually,” said Adelia trying to be as polite as possible, “And I assume you are Walt, Alan’s brother with your girlfriend Elizabeth,”

        “Yes,” said Elizabeth drinking a tall glass of red wine, “This steak place is darling, isn’t it? The decor is so beautiful like I’m in a Victorian conservatory, the hanging plants are gorgeous, just like Walt,”

        Walt smiled with his pearly white teeth and took a huge gulp of champagne, “Yes,” he said, “Now, Adelia, how did you meet my brother, Alan? You seem too nice for a guy like him!”

        Adelia froze and took a large gulp of wine to cover the fact that she didn’t know how to respond, “He shined my shoes one hazy May morning a year ago. He had this charm that I couldn’t resist,” Adelia said rather honestly, “Like that, snap, a relationship is blossoming in a matter of seconds,”

        “That’s true!” Alan said, dripping beads of sweat, “Did you know Adelia was in a show in Broadway?”

        “Oh my!” exclaimed Elizabeth, “You’re an actress? What play were you in? I mean, Broadway’s such a big opportunity!”

        Adelia once again froze and finished off her glass of wine only to pour more, “Well, it was actually an opera. I wasn’t exactly the singer, but I was a piece of seaweed in a scene with a lady in a seashell. It was the most amazing experiment,”

        “Your girlfriend is rather interesting,” Walt chuckled, “I can definitely see a marriage between these two, right Elizabeth?”

        Elizabeth looked at the phony couple and said, “I agree with you, Walt I can really see-”

        “Yeah, we’ll just have to see,” interrupted Adelia sarcastically, “This relationship is perfect isn’t it?”

        “Adelaide?” asked Walt, “Is everything OK?” Adelia looked at Walt, her eyes droopy as the steak arrived at the table.

        Alan tried to start up the conversation again, “Adelia also tried out for professional figure skating when she was 20, unfortunately, she didn’t get to become a figure skater, but she became something even better, my girlfriend!”

        “How sweet!” commented Elizabeth, “So, Adelia, you see, I am a big fan of the arts, do appreciate the arts too? I mean, you’re an actor so I would just assume so!”

        “The arts?” asked Adelaide drinking even more wine, “I like art like that painting on the wall. It’s quite pretty,”

        “That’s a plant, Adelia,” corrected Alan as he watched Adelaide finish off the whole wine bottle, “Adelia’s quite the smarty, all A’s in school!”

        “Oh!” exclaimed Walt, “I did too! It’s hard being around stupid people like Alan, though. He’s a real pain in the-”

        “Well, Walt,” interrupted Alan, “I think I did fine in school, just like you. I just didn’t get all A’s. Adelia is such a nice lady, her manners are the best I’ve ever seen out of such a nice lady!”

        “Alan,” slurred Adelia, starting to become quite drunk, “I think you’re being wrong! Manners are no worry to me!”

        “Is she OK?” asked Elizabeth, “Does she normally act like this in public places?”

        “I think it’s nothing,” said Alan trying to cover up Adelia’s drunkenness, “She’s just had a little too much wine!”

        Alan took a huge bite out of his steak nervously as Adelia started to chug down her glass of wine.        

        Adelia did seem very out of touch with reality as she swayed back and forth in her chair. A server walked up to the table, “Is everything alright with you guys?”

        “More wine, please!” slurred Adelia, “Wine for the whole table, all around, you know? I’m hankering for some wine!”

        “I think she’s had enough,” Elizabeth giggled as she lit a cigar for Walt, “We’ve all finished our steaks, we should probably pay and go,”

        “Yeah!” shouted Adelia, “Let’s get out of this phony date already, Alan, I have a real boyfriend to get to!”

        “Excuse me, what?” shouted Walt, “So you’re saying Adelia isn’t your girlfriend! Well then, who is Adelia?”

        “Well,” nervously whimpered Alan, “She’s just somebody who’s shoes shined I shined yesterday. She’s never been on Broadway or been with me for so long. This whole night was stupid,”

        “You betcha it was!” shouted Elizabeth, “I was sitting here eating steak thinking I was sitting with the new Broadway star! I thought I would talk on the radio about how I knew Ms. Adelaide Marimont before she became the biggest sensation! My night has been ruined, come on Walt, let’s go!”

        Walt and Elizabeth strutted out the restaurant with cigar smoke trailing behind them, Elizabeth putting on lipstick angrily.

        “Listen, Adelia,” said Alan in a tone of defeat, “I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess, let’s leave,”