Dreambirds

When he asked her to glam up for the dinner party, her heart sank. She knew what that meant and what she would have to do. She wasn’t anybody special, no one would be interested in her, but that’s the way he liked it to be.

Arriving late, as planned, she watched him swoosh into the room, admiring the way he delivered a sense of elegance through his posture and well-held head. His shiny hair, each one lying precisely and smoothly alongside the other, had no flicker of dandruff besmirching either his parting or the collar of his dinner jacket. His magpie-like hopping from host to guest drew attention, his piercing blue eyes drew attraction.

She’d seen it before, his immaculately manicured hands enthusiastically extended to both those he knew and to those he did not know. It was his tactic to shore up popularity.

He was the decoy, the shiny bright predatory bird, she the coffee-coloured Jenny Wren. At dinner, he was placed near the head of the table, she below the salt, amongst the lesser, chirping birds. She’d expected that, it had always happened that way. It left her on her own to make contacts, blend in, contribute.

Gems and gold glittered in the candlelight. Each prism of light eye-catching, flashing an offer to Magpie, who held the attention of those on either side, the briefest of nods in her direction told her all she needed to know.

She was just there to obey orders, she wasn’t keen on that and her cheeks stung with the condescension. But that was what she had to do and she expected her rewards would come later.

‘Have you travelled, dear?’ Her neighbour enquired, neck shortened into her shoulder. A band of emeralds flashed on her wrist. Wrapped in a yellow gown she resembled an African cockatoo. ‘Outside your own country, I mean.’

‘This is my country, I was born in Bradford. Lived here all my life.’

‘But don’t you feel the cold though, dear? Your family must long to see sunshine and palm trees?’ The emeralds glowed and tempted, the bony wrinkled claw stretched out across the table. ‘We had a lovely holiday in the Maldives, is that near where you come from? Such friendly people.’

‘I have no idea. As I said I come from Bradford although my grandfather came from Sri Lanka, perhaps that’s what you are thinking of?’

Then another chirper, further along the table, joined the conversation. This one wore a ruby pendant on her breast. ‘The robin’ she reckoned. ‘Queen of the territory.’

‘Perhaps, young lady, you have visited Europe? On a school holiday or a pen-pal exchange?’

‘Yes, indeed I have. I went to Krakow last summer with a friend, loved it.’

This one might not deserve the full treatment, she thought.

‘Did you go to Auswitz?’ Robin twittered. ‘It's so much better than it used to be!’

‘Pardon me?’

‘So nice since they took all those shoes away. It’s a great attraction now, you really shouldn’t have missed it.’

She revised her opinion. They deserved everything that was coming to them.

‘May I pass the wine around, ladies?’

‘Time for the little girls’ room for me, dear.’

‘Let’s all go. Make sure we’re ready for the evening ahead.’

Seeing the women excuse themselves from the table, Magpie rose to his feet. She smiled, genuinely this time. One of his best features, his old-school manners; so very correct.

‘How fortunate you are, dear, to attract such a catch, have you know him long?’

The emeralds gleamed, beckoning her to come closer, tempting her with their deep-sea colours.

‘He only calls on me for business. He likes women, he also likes to be free. So I leave him to enjoy the party. But really, I’m an escort, didn’t you know? He is a real gentleman though, he’ll pay me well and I’ll enjoy his attention too. Such an exciting lover! I’m here to please him and I’ll look forward to that later.’

Shock rippled through the cockatoo breast of emerald green and yellow. It seemed to shiver outside the body, giving a fuzzy edge to the exotic image, which had inched closer. She cocked an ear towards Jenny, keen to peck a morsel of gossip.

The ruby pendant of the robin-type woman swung forward, revealing a breast prematurely aged by the sun. She opened her mouth and sucked in the information as it floated across the room.

‘He’s related to royalty, well I guess you knew? And has made a fortune in gem dealing. He can tell paste from original just by looking at it. I don’t know anything about gems myself, couldn’t care less.’

‘Look at my emerald bracelet dear, it was Mother’s. She, Lady Galah, had quite a collection. You won’t see emeralds like these every day.’

‘And my pendant, an Indian ruby. Been in my family forever. Of course we are an old family. Are you dear?’

‘Do let me try them on. I’ll slip this ruby over my head, very gently. Ooh it is heavy. I’ll look as glamorous as a peacock, I’m sure they have very old families too.

Really? the emerald bracelet, well only if you are quite sure. It does glitter, so clever to have it offset with diamonds. No, it's not at all too much, and I love the way it slides up and down my arm. But let’s get back to the subject and I’ll tell you some of the tricks he likes to get up to with us girls.’

‘They do suit you dear, with your lovely dark skin. Now tell all.’

‘He takes his time as a lover. Interesting games, whippings and blindfolding. You’ll often find that quite usual with men like him.’

‘Does he whip you dear?’

‘Not me, I don’t allow it. However, I do allow a bit of blindfolding, just for fun. And it really can be fun you know. Very exciting. He’s so good at it, I can’t wait. The pleasure he gives, his body is in great condition. Although he doesn’t always leave with me. So if he sees a very attractive woman here tonight, he’ll probably.. ’

‘Would he be tempted by us do you think dear?’

‘Perhaps. Maybe. I’d be disappointed of course, but I’m just a plus one, I don’t really count, do I? Maybe if I use my silk scarf I can blindfold one of you and then I can ask him to come in. He’s so very generous; you will enjoy it I’m sure.’

‘Haven’t you got another silk scarf, dear? Just for little me?’

‘I can use your stocking, lovely lady. There, not too tight is it? I’ll go and fetch him now. He’ll adore playing with you both. Shall I leave you for say five minutes to arrange yourselves?’

‘Arrange ourselves dear?’

‘Well slip your clothes off, obviously. No fun otherwise! I won’t be long; you get ready now while I’m gone. Here’s a bath towel each, you won’t find them with your blindfolds on.’

It was half an hour before they crept, shivering, out of the powder room, wrapped in bath towels, devoid of their jewels, back into the party which was in full flight.

But Jenny Wren herself had flown with her booty. Job done. Now everyone was talking about her. Everyone had an opinion and wanted to know who she was. Little Jenny had certainly glammed up. She was the one they were looking for, not Magpie. ‘In your dreams, ladies,’ he murmured, as he slipped away.