“So, how’s your headache?” Chelsey asked her mother.
“It’s gone,” Ruth told her.
“You’ve been having a lot of them lately. Don’t you think you ought to go and see a doctor?”
“No, I’m fine. So, how was Les Misérables?”
“It was great. We were so engrossed in it that it didn’t seem as long as it was–10 minutes shy of three hours. The Sondheim Theatre is beautiful.”
“I’m happy that you and Gideon enjoyed yourselves. Where did you go for dinner?”
“We had dinner at Macellaio RC Soho. The food was amazing.”
“Sounds Italian.”
“It is. So, what about you? Did you end up going out?”
“Yes. I went for a walk because I thought the fresh air would do me good but I ended up with a headache. I guess it was because for me it was still a bit too cool and I didn’t wear a hat.”
“Why didn’t you take an aspirin instead of going to bed?”
“I don’t like taking too many of those things. Anyway, a good sleep always helps.”
“Well, you missed out on a great evening.”
“I’m sure you didn’t really miss me.”
Chelsey didn’t deny that. “Gideon and I were thinking that it would be nice to visit Toulon and Besançon in France.”
“Why do you want to visit those places?”
“Well, Toulon is where the prison is where one of the characters in Les Misérables was and Besançon is where Victor Hugo was born.”
“Instead of planning trips to France, why don’t you think about getting a summer job?”
“I have thought about it.”
“And?”
“I love reading, so I was thinking of working at a publishing company.”
“What about working for a newspaper or a magazine?”
“I’m not interested in working for a newspaper or a magazine.”
“What about that magazine Gideon likes to read.”
“The Era Time?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t you like to work with that Choma Laval woman?”
Chelsey pursed her lips. “Her name is Chioma and her surname is now Krasnova.”
“Oh yes, she recently got married.” For as long as she lived, she would never call that woman Mrs. Krasnova.
“Yes. I saw photos of her and her husband on her Facebook page. He’s very good-looking.”
“How did you happen to see her Facebook page?”
“I’m one of her followers. She posts interesting articles on there and events that she will be covering.”
“So, why don’t you find out from her if there are any summer jobs at the magazine?”
“I visited their website and there are summer job openings.”
“Well, why don’t you apply for one of them?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“What’s there to think about, Chelsey? You’ll get to work for a very popular magazine and possibly work with one of their top writers. Why aren’t you jumping at this golden opportunity? I swear I don’t understand you sometimes.”
“I will think about it,” Chelsey insisted. “I want to talk to Gideon first.”
“You mean to get his advice? I’m sure he’ll encourage you to apply for a job there.”
“I’m sure he will but I’m hoping that there are summer job openings at his company.”
“You want to work at his publishing company?”
“Yes, I’d like to.”
“Why? Why would you prefer to work there instead of at The Era Time?”
“I love books and I would love to be able to edit and proofread manuscripts.”
“I thought you were interested in writing–journalism.”
“I am interested in writing but that’s as a result of reading so many amazing novels. Most writers start out as avid readers.”
“Are you sure your wanting to work with Gideon has nothing to do with your crush on him?”
“I don’t have a crush on him.”
“All right. It’s up to you what you want to do.”
“Yes. It is. I’ll talk to him about it later after dinner.”
“So, you think Mr. Krasnova is very good-looking.”
“Yes, I do but if I had to choose between Gideon and him, I’d choose Gideon hands down.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. You seem surprised that I would choose Gideon.”
“I guess I am.”
“Why should you be? Gideon is quite a catch too.”
“Yes, I suppose he is.”
“Still, from what I can tell, Dushan Krasnova must be fantastic in bed.”
Ruth stared at her. “How on earth can you tell that?” she demanded.
“I told you that there were photos of him and Chioma on her Facebook page. Well, there was one of them when they were on their honeymoon in Seychelles. They were sitting at the bar and he was kissing her on the shoulder. She was wearing this lovely strapless red dress and he was dressed in all black. There’s something chic and sexy about a man wearing all black. Anyway, the way he was kissing her it was both romantic and sensuous. If he was acting like that with her in public, can you imagine what he’s like when they’re alone? The sex must be off the charts–“
“Chelsey.”
“I bet with him, sex isn’t limited to the bedroom. Maybe they’ve had quickies in public places like a swimming pool, a fitting room, a restroom, a sauna, in his car or on the backseat of a taxi, a movie theatre–“
“Chelsey!” The shrill cry startled Chelsey and she gawked at her mother who had sprung to her feet. “I don’t want to hear any more of this–this smut.”
“Smut?”
“Yes, smut.” Ruth was beside herself with anger and jealousy. Dushan and she had never had sex anywhere except in the bedroom. They started in the living-room but invariably ended up in his bed. She didn’t want to imagine him and his wife having sex all over the place.
“How could you call healthy married sex smut?” Chelsey demanded resentfully.
Ruth give her a withering look before she stormed out of the room.
Chelsey bristled. What on earth was her problem? When had she become such a prude?
Source: Ask Men
Notes to Women 