Williamson."
"Thank you, Robert."
Sage and Tina scooted through the bustle and came out on a patio leading to the grounds that stretched for acres.
"Anthony usually has his throne set up across from the orchestra," Sage said as she moved from the three steps on the brightly-colored patterned tiles of the patio to the terra cotta tiles of the paths on the grounds.
"Sage!" Tina exclaimed, "the pool!"
"Three Olympic-sized pools, actually," Sage nodded.
The pools stretched ahead of them out to the fading sunset towards the ocean, each of the three pools tiered three steps below the previous, each cascading a water-fall into the next. One silk oriental carpet after another was laid out on the terra cotta tiles. Exotic oriental party lanterns with soft pastel-colored lights hung about everywhere.
Sage spied Anthony Williamson, seated in his usual place when entertaining outside, in a gazebo across from the orchestra.
Chapter 6
"I'm a happy man tonight," Anthony Williamson said, handing his cell phone to his great-nephew who stood beside his throne-like wicker chair.
"You should be, Uncle Anthony. Everything is perfect."
"It's not just the party that makes me happy, but it's the reason I'm having the party."
"I thought it was a no-occasion party."
"That's what the invitations said, only to make sure the guest of honor would come. Robert just informed me that she's here."
"The guest of honor? Who?"
"You'll meet her soon enough." Anthony turned to Michael's companion. "Tell me, missy, are you and Michael an 'item' as they say. Are you serious?"
Millie exchanged a quick look with Michael.
"I'm never serious, I'm just a kidder."
"So he won't come through for you?"
"Really, Mr. Williamson, we're just pals... from work."
"Tell me something though, am I a prejudiced old man, or is my grand-nephew awfully good-looking?"
"He's gorgeous," Millie gushed. She stopped, shy. "Well, that's my reserved opinion."
Anthony laughed. "She's very cute, Michael."
"She is, indeed."
Millie went on, "Michael is not only attractive, he's really smart too! You should hear the things he can talk about. I've never known a man who knew so many things."
"Oh, please, that's enough talk about me," Michael protested. "Uncle, let me tell you what happened to me on this road a few weeks ago...."
"Here it comes," Millie said, "the beautiful chauffeur story again."
"Poor Millie, I guess once was enough for you."
"Naa, I'm just kidding. Besides, your uncle might know who the mystery woman is."
"You kids can sure talk a lot about a story without telling it," Anthony pointed out.
"A few weeks ago," Michael began, "I was driving on the Canyon Road. I had in mind to stop and visit you, but my carburetor was giving me trouble, so I decided to head on home. Further down the road was a white limo stretched almost entirely across both lanes. When I walked up to the door, there was this beautiful blonde woman behind the wheel."
"Sage!" Anthony said.
"Oh!" Michael said, then stopped. "So you do know her."
"Indeed I do."
"Well, I guess you'd know the domestic staff of your neighbors," Michael reasoned.
"Domestic staff? Sage is anything but domestic staff. What makes you think, even suggest...?"
"I assumed, since she was driving the limo...."
"Oh, I see! That's a reasonable assumption, sure." Anthony laughed jovially. "What a funny picture." He stopped laughing. "But no, it's not at all funny. Why was the limo across the road?"
"Some motorcycle gang had been harassing her. Apparently my arrival was very timely and I scared them off."
"Good for you, Michael! Good for you!"
"That sure answers a lot of questions," Michael observed, "like why she went in the front door as if she owned the place, why she was dressed-up in that blue velvet gown. Of course it doesn't answer why she was driving the limo...."
"The poor girl has happened on some extremely hard times of late," Anthony said. "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to discuss her
"Thank you, Robert."
Sage and Tina scooted through the bustle and came out on a patio leading to the grounds that stretched for acres.
"Anthony usually has his throne set up across from the orchestra," Sage said as she moved from the three steps on the brightly-colored patterned tiles of the patio to the terra cotta tiles of the paths on the grounds.
"Sage!" Tina exclaimed, "the pool!"
"Three Olympic-sized pools, actually," Sage nodded.
The pools stretched ahead of them out to the fading sunset towards the ocean, each of the three pools tiered three steps below the previous, each cascading a water-fall into the next. One silk oriental carpet after another was laid out on the terra cotta tiles. Exotic oriental party lanterns with soft pastel-colored lights hung about everywhere.
Sage spied Anthony Williamson, seated in his usual place when entertaining outside, in a gazebo across from the orchestra.
Chapter 6
"I'm a happy man tonight," Anthony Williamson said, handing his cell phone to his great-nephew who stood beside his throne-like wicker chair.
"You should be, Uncle Anthony. Everything is perfect."
"It's not just the party that makes me happy, but it's the reason I'm having the party."
"I thought it was a no-occasion party."
"That's what the invitations said, only to make sure the guest of honor would come. Robert just informed me that she's here."
"The guest of honor? Who?"
"You'll meet her soon enough." Anthony turned to Michael's companion. "Tell me, missy, are you and Michael an 'item' as they say. Are you serious?"
Millie exchanged a quick look with Michael.
"I'm never serious, I'm just a kidder."
"So he won't come through for you?"
"Really, Mr. Williamson, we're just pals... from work."
"Tell me something though, am I a prejudiced old man, or is my grand-nephew awfully good-looking?"
"He's gorgeous," Millie gushed. She stopped, shy. "Well, that's my reserved opinion."
Anthony laughed. "She's very cute, Michael."
"She is, indeed."
Millie went on, "Michael is not only attractive, he's really smart too! You should hear the things he can talk about. I've never known a man who knew so many things."
"Oh, please, that's enough talk about me," Michael protested. "Uncle, let me tell you what happened to me on this road a few weeks ago...."
"Here it comes," Millie said, "the beautiful chauffeur story again."
"Poor Millie, I guess once was enough for you."
"Naa, I'm just kidding. Besides, your uncle might know who the mystery woman is."
"You kids can sure talk a lot about a story without telling it," Anthony pointed out.
"A few weeks ago," Michael began, "I was driving on the Canyon Road. I had in mind to stop and visit you, but my carburetor was giving me trouble, so I decided to head on home. Further down the road was a white limo stretched almost entirely across both lanes. When I walked up to the door, there was this beautiful blonde woman behind the wheel."
"Sage!" Anthony said.
"Oh!" Michael said, then stopped. "So you do know her."
"Indeed I do."
"Well, I guess you'd know the domestic staff of your neighbors," Michael reasoned.
"Domestic staff? Sage is anything but domestic staff. What makes you think, even suggest...?"
"I assumed, since she was driving the limo...."
"Oh, I see! That's a reasonable assumption, sure." Anthony laughed jovially. "What a funny picture." He stopped laughing. "But no, it's not at all funny. Why was the limo across the road?"
"Some motorcycle gang had been harassing her. Apparently my arrival was very timely and I scared them off."
"Good for you, Michael! Good for you!"
"That sure answers a lot of questions," Michael observed, "like why she went in the front door as if she owned the place, why she was dressed-up in that blue velvet gown. Of course it doesn't answer why she was driving the limo...."
"The poor girl has happened on some extremely hard times of late," Anthony said. "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to discuss her
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