just you and i in the history books.

Mr. Ferante sat three squares to the right of Eloise Kensington, the thirty something daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Achille. His presence was almost always measured on a scale but on this particular eve, it hadn’t been most appropriate. Mister Ferante never abbreviates his sentences, never compliments anyone’s sentiments towards the girl on his arm, and usually always complicates any such circumstance surrounding Henry Kensington. If one were to ever directly look into his eyes, they’d notice the blue in his left always flattered the gray in his right but never vice versa. Eloise had loved this man for twenty-one years on promise that she’d never have to take his name.

The girl on his left arm on this particular junction was Eva Ellington. She was the daughter of a woman named Vive, a former cocktail waitress turned beauty queen when Vive married millionaire Monty Ellington. Vive and Monty met one night at around 9:00 pm. Vive promptly took a seat next to a vanity table and began powdering her face and pumping foreign liquor into her windpipes. Within fifteen minutes passing, she stood up with little ease and tiny steps around the room fell down right into the lap of the lascivious Monty. He would court her only three days later.

Vive and Monty would later know Eva as their Fourth and prettiest child with tame green eyes and pinkish cheeks. Her abundance of thick dark curls left some mystery to her routine blue-eyed light-haired family or variations on the same. It was because of these ringlets she stood out and not only to her parents but to men alike.

Jack Ferante was a family friend, a younger version of Monty but within reason. Jack never wasted his dimes or charms on alcohol or politics and unlike his friend had seen many suitors since he began bearing his whiskers around town. A not-so-while back, Jack was set to wed Caroline Kausfer during brunch on one Sunday in the early days of April. The real reasons for why the two never married are as unclear as the reasons why the two were engaged to begin with. This had only kept Jack from seeing other women for a few months and once he laid his eyes upon Eva on her twenty-second birthday, he was consequently taken back by her eloquence and striking features. He had not seen her since her teenage years due to her schooling and his traveling.

“You’ve been a girl far too long in my memory, my dear,” he whispered in her ear.

Those were his first words before he kissed her on the cheek and graciously moved the dark hair away from her unapologetic eyes.

“So nice to see you again Mr. Ferante. My father tells me you’ve been spending much time around the family boat. I’ve done a little sailing myself you know.”

Eva lightly touched Jack’s arm before taking a sip of her orange cocktail. Jack loved the way her eyelashes looked when she was having a drink. He thought as though it were equally as mesmerizing as her skin.

“You might want to have a little sail with me around the pier,” he suggested before slowing shifting his shoulders inward, and then removing an eyelash from her cheek he whispered “Blow.” This was only the first encounter of many invitations to the pier and strolls through the market square. It was only recently that Jack began parading his new poodle around cigar and cocktail get-togethers. In fact, this night was nearly the first anyone, including Eva’s father Monty, had seen the two in each other’s company in public.

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