Emily Barker - The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic

Nora was on the dance floor, doing the twist with one of Boodle’s friends, when she saw Ilissa again, talking to a blond girl who had a boa constrictor wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes kept a steady bead on Nora’s gyrations. When the music stopped, Nora went over.

“Nora! You’re the hit of my party,” Ilissa said, giving her a peck on the cheek.

“I’m having a wonderful time! I’m not tired at all, and it must be almost midnight,” Nora said. Something struck her, and she laughed. “Oh, will the magic wear off at midnight? Will I turn back into a pumpkin when the clock strikes?”

Ilissa smiled and reached out to tuck a stray wisp of blond hair behind Nora’s ear. “No, the magic doesn’t wear off at midnight. It’s much more powerful than that. It comes from you. You wanted something, and so it came to be.”

Nora was puzzled by the seriousness in Ilissa’s voice. “It’s that easy?”

“Yes, of course! Look at yourself. You’re already a lovelier, happier, more confident woman than the miserable little girl who turned up in my garden this afternoon. It’s because you dared to laugh and be beautiful.”

“I think you had something to do with it. I can’t thank you en—”

Ilissa made a dismissive gesture. “A dress, a little chitchat, a party—it’s nothing. I love it when I can help someone. And this is just the beginning, my dear.” She looked appraisingly at Nora again. “Pearls, I think, next time. Your skin has such a lovely golden tone. We ought to do more to set it off. I should have thought of pearls tonight. What a scatterbrain I am!”

I would look nice in pearls, Nora thought happily, then realized with some regret that she wouldn’t be here for the next party. Ilissa seized her arm.

“I am even more scatterbrained than I thought,” Ilissa announced. “Did I not introduce you to my son?” She called out a long name that seemed to include some vowels and consonants that didn’t occur in English, and out of the crowd Nora saw a dark head set on a pair of broad shoulders turn and move toward them.

“Like me, he has a terribly long and confusing name,” Ilissa said. “Raclin is what we call him for short. Darling,” she said to him, “this is Nora. You remember I mentioned her earlier.”

“But we’ve met already,” Raclin said, holding out his hand to Nora, a lock of hair falling into his eye. “Nora asked me if I was a movie star.” His hand felt very strong as it closed around hers.

“And you said no, but I’m sure I’ve seen some of your films,” Nora said, smiling. James Bond, the Sean Connery years.

“Well, if I were in a movie, it would have to be one with some very beautiful woman in it,” he said. “Perhaps we could read through a few scenes together.”

On second thought, maybe a little too charming, Nora thought.

“And I would direct!” Ilissa said. “It would be so much fun! I can already tell you two have, what is it called, screen chemistry.”

“Then it’s all set,” he said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m wanted over there. Lolly insists on getting into a grave misunderstanding with Carnassus, and I think I shall have to peel them apart.”

“Oh, the wretch,” said Ilissa, watching him move away. “Not Raclin—Lolly. I may have to—but that’s not important. So you’ve met my son. Do you like him? I can tell he likes you.”

“He’s the best-looking man at this party,” Nora said. It was true.

Ilissa looked pleased. “That’s what I always think, but then, I am his mother. I see Moscelle coming this way—she’s looking for you.”

The night flowed faster and faster. Nora had a long, earnest conversation with Moscelle about Gaibon and whether he loved Moscelle or Amatol more. “Really, the way it started out, it wasn’t that serious between us,” Moscelle said. “But she’s so possessive, she’s driving him away.” Nora squeezed into a snub-nosed red Ferrari with four or five others and they went racing down narrow roads lined with poplar trees, until they had drunk all the champagne that Vulpin had brought and had to go back to the party. More dancing, then Nora wound up talking to the girl with the boa constrictor, whom she realized after a while must be Moscelle’s rival, Amatol. “I’m Nora,” she said. “Lovely to meet you,” said Amatol. “Charmed,” said the snake, lifting its head from the girl’s shoulder and showing its fastidious, forked tongue.

Nora wandered out by the swimming pool with Amatol and a tall, bald black man. He had small, round Lennon glasses, and he was telling them, in great detail, about a love affair that he’d once had on the planet Jupiter with one of the gaseous women there, whose skin felt like silky smoke, whose kisses were explosions. What has he been taking? thought Nora. She looked down into the pool and saw a naked couple making love at the bottom. They moved rhythmically, wrapped around each other like eels. Nora marveled at how long they could hold their breath.

Someone started a game of hide-and-seek in the garden. Nora hid behind a palm tree until the girl who was It went past; then she ran laughing down the dim paths, skimming the gravel in her high heels until, in the shadow of a bronze centaur, someone grabbed her arm and pulled her to a halt. Nora almost fell, but the person pulled her upright and kissed her, roughly. “Good night, my dear,” he said. Raclin’s voice.

“Hey!” she said warningly. She felt too good to be really angry, she understood the kiss was all part of the night’s game, but still, you could take a game too far.

He kissed her again, more smoothly this time, and then the gravel crunched as he moved away.

It was a very good kiss, she realized too late. “Good night,” she said uncertainly.

She walked across the grass toward the house. It was almost dawn. The lawn was flattened, littered with crumpled napkins, wineglasses, a pair of lace panties. The pool was empty of lovers, but the man who’d had the affair on Jupiter was sleeping on one of the recliners, his glasses askew. In the brightening air, Nora noticed vaguely that his skin was not actually black, or brown, but dark green.

From under the covers, Nora groped for the ringing telephone. Maggie’s voice in her ear, clear but faint. “Nora? Is that you?”

“Maggie?” Blinking, Nora sat up in bed. It took her a moment to realize where she was. “My God, I missed the wedding, didn’t I? I got lost in the woods, and I just—I just forgot about it.” What on earth had she been thinking? “Luca and Chris must be furious.”

“Oh, no, no, no.” Maggie laughed, sounding tinny. The phone was the old-fashioned kind, squat and black. “No need to apologize. I hear that you went to a fabulous party last night. I’m so envious! I mean, the reception was fine, but compared to one of Ilissa’s parties—?”

“You’ve heard of her?”

“You never heard of her? I’m shocked! She’s famous!”

Nora lowered her voice. “Who is she, exactly? She has the most extraordinary friends. Last night was like something out of Fellini.”

Maggie laughed again. “She’s one of those people who’s famous for being herself.”

“Nice work if you can get it,” Nora said. “She’s been super sweet to me, I must say. I can’t wait to tell you about my adventure. How did you track me down here? Could you come pick me up?”

“There’s no hurry. The person I just talked to said Ilissa is completely happy to have you stay. Why not take a few days to enjoy yourself? How often do you get to be in a Fellini film?”

“True,” Nora said, considering. “But you’re driving back tonight, right?”

“Oh, maybe, I’m not sure. Seriously, you don’t get a chance to meet someone like Ilissa every day. People like that are magical. For once in your life, Nora, you should spend some time with people who can appreciate how wonderful you are, and show you how to really live.”