Christopher Smith - Fifth Avenue

“The Leana Redman special?”

She squeezed Harold’s forearm. “Things are looking up, Harold. My father has his own building, I have my own drink. That’s fucking progress.”

While they waited for the drinks, she noticed Eric Parker leaving the dance floor with Diana Crane. Leana’s gaze followed them to the opposite end of the bar where Eric ordered a drink and Diana accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter’s tray. She finished it and was sipping her second by the time Eric turned to join her.

“Here you are, Miss Redman.”

“It wasn’t Miss Redman last week.” She winked at him as he blushed. “But manners matter. You’ve still got my number, right?”

He nodded.

“Then use it,” she said. “Like, soon.” She accepted the drinks he offered and looked back over at Eric and Diana. They were standing in silence, both nursing their own drinks. Leana noticed that Diana seemed angry. She wondered why.

She handed Harold his martini. “This will kick your ass to the moon.”

“I know it will.”

“Great. So, let’s kick our asses together.”

They touched glasses and drank.

“Can we talk in private?” Harold asked. He tossed back the martini and nodded toward Leana’s full glass. “You’re such an amateur,” he said. “Is that the best you can do? Drink up. Something tells me you’re not going to like what I have to say.”

They followed a wave of instant celebrities and old money past the candlelit buffet table. Ice swans filled with Iranian caviar gleamed orange in the flickering light and Leana could smell a tempting mixture of roast duck, Westphalian ham and salmon mousse. She lingered, but Harold embraced her arm and urged her forward. “This won’t take long,” he said. “You can eat later.”

“I want to eat now.”

When they were seated alone at Harold’s table, he turned to her and said, “Where were you earlier? You weren’t in the reception line when Helen and I passed through it.”

So, that’s what this is all about. “I came late.”

“Because of what happened with Celina and the man she helped earlier?”

How well he knew her. “Well, this proves it,” she said. “It’s still not too late for you to make a career tossing tea leaves.”

Harold sighed. Ever since Leana was a child he had tried to instill confidence in her. He had tried to make her see that she was not that different from Celina. Would he never be able to reach her? “Your sister is not better than you, Leana.”

“You don’t think so? Then tell me why Celina’s on the board of this goddamned conglomerate, and I’m not.”

“Your sister has worked hard to get where she is.”

“If I had been given the opportunities she was given, I also would have worked hard.” She lifted her head. “So, tell me, why was I shipped off to Switzerland when I could have gone to school here-as Celina did-and work for Redman International-as Celina did.”

“You know I don’t have the answer to that, Leana.”

“I know you don’t, but if we’re really going to have this conversation again, the story is the same. I’m tired of being the daughter who has accomplished nothing. I’m tired of people thinking I can’t accomplish anything. Just once I’d like to be the one getting the attention. Just once I’d like my parents to stand up and notice me.”

“Then stop bitching about it and do something,” he said. “Do you honestly believe Celina has got to where she is today by sitting on her ass and complaining like a spoiled child?” He didn’t wait for an answer. The only way to reach Leana now was by getting her angry. “Of course, she hasn’t. Yes, George gave her a chance, but that girl has worked hard and she wouldn’t be on the board now if she hadn’t earned it. I know George. He wouldn’t have allowed it.”

“Don’t you think I know that?”

“No,” Harold said. “I really think you don’t. I think you only see what you want to see-and that isn’t necessarily the truth.”

Leana couldn’t keep the edge from her voice. “Why are you saying this to me?”

“Because I should have said it to you years ago, instead of comforting you with words that mean nothing. The only way you’re going to make something of yourself in this world is to make it happen yourself. Just because you’re George Redman’s daughter doesn’t mean you should be treated any differently from the rest of us. In fact, it probably means you’ll have to work a hell of a lot harder.”

“Doing what? I have no skills.” She held up a hand. “Check that. I know what it takes to make a killer martini and I know how to get laid by strangers. Will that get me a job?”

“Maybe on the streets. What you do have is a college education and interests. The world is yours if you’re willing to work hard enough. Your problem is that you’re lazy. You’ve always been lazy, Leana.” He checked his watch, hating himself for having been so hard on her, but also knowing this time he might have reached her.

“Listen,” he said. “I have to go and find Helen. But I want you to come and see me soon-before Eric and I leave for Iran. Together, we’ll see if we can’t find something for you to do. You don’t necessarily need your father’s help to make your mark. Helen and I know most everyone in this town. Maybe I can introduce you to somebody who will give you a chance.”

“You’d do that for me?” Leana said.

“Leana, I’d give you to Anna Wintour.”

She brought her hands to her chest. “Really?”

“Or Putin.”

“What’s the difference? They both love fur.”

She hugged him.

“Believe it or not, I love you, Leana,” Harold said.

From the bar, Diana Crane watched the couple alight from the elevator and move through the crowd. She watched Celina laugh, watched the man at her side smile and watched their arms intertwine as they joined George and Elizabeth at the waterfall.

The man was tall and built, his sandy hair cut short, his face rugged and handsome. A few people recognized him along the way, but he didn’t seem to notice. She recognized him from the Journal article-Jack Douglas. His attention was on Celina and for that, Diana couldn’t have been more pleased-or thankful.

She turned to Eric and knew, by the surprised look on his face, that he had been watching them too.

“How’d you like to get out of here?” she said. “We’ve made our appearance, shaken hands with all the right people. George won’t miss us.” She took a sip of champagne. “By the looks of things, neither will Celina.”

Eric said nothing.

“I have a car waiting outside for me,” Diana said.

“I’m going nowhere with you, Diana.”

“It’s just for coffee, Eric.”

“I doubt that,” Eric said. “Unless you were planning to serve the coffee in bed.”

Diana’s eyes were like a light suddenly turned to his face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that I’m tired of you chasing me,” he said. “If you think my seeing Celina with another man is going to make me want to jump into bed with you, you’re wrong. I’m not interested in you. Never have been. Never will be. Now, why don’t you do yourself a favor and get lost? I’m staying here.”

Diana placed her half-empty glass of champagne on the bar. “They’re a good looking couple,” she said. “I hope it works out for them.” And then she was gone, stepping into the crowd, ignoring Leana, who had been standing beside them, listening.

“What was that all about?” Leana asked.

Eric shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand.” He tipped back his drink and studied Leana over the rim. She looked beautiful tonight. “What do you think of the party?” he asked.