What is Love? Read Free Page A

anything she had imagined. To think a young girl from nowhere and with
no money was now, forty years later, able to pull this off and be the center of
attention amongst all these influential people.
    At the top of the
stairs, they stopped for Jonathan to catch his breath. “Ellen, you have outdone
everyone this year, it’s very grand.”
    They stood in the
Great Hall entranceway surrounded by several reporters and a camera. One asked
Ellen about the event and the significance of the gold gown. She leaned closer
to Jonathan and smiled toward the camera. “Tonight, I think my husband and I
have proven how important marriage is. You can’t last this long, not forty
years, unless you forgive and you stand together, united.” She faced Jonathan
and gushed, “Forever.” Jonathan stared ahead. “Smile, darling,” Ellen
whispered, “the world is watching.” She gave his arm a tug of encouragement.
    “I need a drink,” he
said and abruptly turned his back to her, then walked away.
    Ellen stood for a
moment under the awkward stare of the camera. Damn him , she wanted to
say, but instead forced a graceful smile and excused herself to follow Jonathan,
calling out to him, “Darling  … my
cape.”
    He stopped and
turned back toward her. He pulled the cape off her and slung it over his
shoulder like a roll of carpet. Unsure of how to respond, Ellen remained
motionless, watching him disappear into the crowd. The chill of night air
wafted in from the open entranceway as the press crew retreated.
    “Hey, Mrs. Executive
Chairwoman,” a familiar voice called out.
    Ellen’s best friend,
Patty, stood beside her, smiling and holding a flute of champagne, looking
elegant in a deep-red bias-cut satin sheath.
    “I love the gold,”
Patty said, stepping closer. “You look gorgeous.” Patty touched the beaded
silk, nodding in approval. “How does it feel to be one of the VIP couples
tonight?”
    “Oh, Patty, it’s
wonderful,” Ellen said as they linked arms.
    “Well, that explains
your glow.” Patty took a sip of her champagne. “So twelve more years before I
get to wear my envy-inducing gold dress?”
    “Sorry darling,”
Ellen said with a smile. “That’s what happens when you marry late.”
    “Twenty-eight is
hardly late, not today anyway.” Patty grinned and pulled Ellen closer. “We
can’t all find love at eighteen, you know.”
    “I was lucky, wasn’t
I?”
    “No, my dear.” Patty
raised her glass in salutation. “He was the lucky one.”
    Too bad he
doesn’t always act it, she wanted to say, but smiled instead.
    As they moved
through the hall, Ellen couldn’t walk ten feet without someone lavishing her
with compliments. Such attention! The endless hours of planning and hard
work were well worth the effort, she thought, as she looked around the
room. A great success.
    “Uh-oh, here comes
your favorite social princess. I can’t take her.” Patty gave Ellen a gentle
squeeze, then escaped to another group of women nearby.
    Ellen couldn’t blame
Patty. Truth be told, she was afraid of Greta Rosenthal and the damage her acid
tongue could inflict. But it was much easier to pretend to like her than be on
the receiving end of her scorn. And much safer.
    Greta approached and
air-kissed Ellen’s cheeks. “Say, have you seen Betty Caulfield? She must have
lost a hundred pounds. My God, she looks like a cancer survivor!”
    “Well,” Ellen said,
choosing her words carefully, “she did work hard—”
    Greta let out a
cackle. “But darling, what’s the point? He’s already gone.”
    “Perhaps she
couldn’t help it,” another voice piped in. “I heard she was so depressed after
her husband dumped her, she went to a fat farm.”
    “I heard stomach
stapling,” said another.
    Other women suddenly
joined their circle as the attack on Betty intensified.
    “It doesn’t matter,”
Greta said with a groan, “she’ll never get anyone now .”
    Ellen knew Greta was
right; it was over for her. It wasn’t a