Once, Then Again

**(As In The Description This Is For Whoever It Was That Was Nice Enough To Upgrade My Membership For Me. Sorry It Sucks But I'm Experiencing Writer's Block With All My Other Stories)**

The room was crowded with people; wealthy people who thought nothing of buying a brand new Mercedes-Benz every year or jetting off to the French Alps on a whim. They had inherited their wealth and had never known life without it. Ignorant in their ideas of those beneath them financially, they viewed poor as not owning more than two houses. Yes, they were snobby, spoiled and shamefully unware of how the rest of the world lived. This particular party was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kern, known best for their South Hampton parties which usually included a movie star or two. Jael Parker had worked several of these parties before and to her, they were rather repetative. The catering company she worked for was in high demand among the upper class, so at least once a week, she found herself in some mansion, serving wine and cheese to people who had probably never dusted a living room or pumped gas or shopped for anything less than Versace. But the job paid the bills so she put on a bright smile and walked around, offering whatever she happened to have upon her platter.

''Can I offer you some wine?'' she asked a man pleasantly, nodding to his half-empty glass. He nodded and as she poured, spoke, ''What else will you offer me?'' Jael was used to this as well and sighed. ''Wine's all I have. Another server has cheese and crackers,'' she replied before moving off. She paused at a couple of women. ''Wine?'' she asked and one of the women nodded absently. ''I don't think it will last long. They both move on too quickly,'' one of the women said, holding out her glass for Jael. ''I agree. But they do make a lovely couple,'' the other replied. The first woman nodded, ''Yes, they do. But they're polar opposites.'' Jael finished replenishing their wine supply and moved on; she had no need for the gossip of the wealthy. Probably some heriess to a hotel chain and the heir to an oil company, she thought before forgetting all about it.

''I'm taking my break,'' Jael announced, putting her platter down on the counter. Frances, the owner of the catering company, nodded. ''Be back in fifteen minutes,'' she said and Jael slipped out the back door. She walked through the driveway which the size of a parking lot and full of extremely expensive cars. Jael felt odd being surrounded by such pricey cars, so she wandered around toward the front. There was a small porch, empty. All of the guests who wanted to move outside were out on a massive deck just above. Jael could hear them laughing and gossiping as she debated whether she wanted to sit on the porch or continue walking.

Before she had decided, the door leading directly out onto the porch opened and a woman walked out. Jael immediately stepped back into the shadows. Frances had strict orders that no one was to see one of her workers on a break. ''We must appaer as hard-working as possible,'' she had said during one of her many rants. The woman closed the door and walked over the railing. She leaned against it, bracing her arms on it. A moment later, the door opened again and another woman stepped out. ''Followed me, did you?'' the first woman asked without even looking, ''You always did have a thing for stalking.'' ''I have never stalked in my life,'' the second woman replied and the first woman laughed. ''You have heard the saying about the web of deceit and how tangled it becomes with each new lie, haven't you?'' she asked, looking over her shoulder.

Jael was extremely confused but curious. She sense this wasn't a common, every day, run of the mill type conversation. So she, against her better judgement, continued listening and watching them out of the shadows. ''Are you happy with her?'' the second woman asked abrruptly. ''When did you become so blunt?'' the first woman asked in turn, looking back out into the darkness. ''You seem happy but then, you seemed happy with me. Or you did until I woke up to find you gone,'' the second woman went on, her words surprising Jael. ''Since when does my happiness concern you?'' the first woman asked, smoothly avoiding the real subject of their conversation. ''Damn you, Miley. You're like some sort of animal. You play with people's emotions and take off whenever you feel like it, leaving them with a broken heart,'' the second woman said, her tone making it clear that she still suffered a broken heart or at the very least, a wounded one.

Jael felt like she was watching a soap opera. The wealthy led extreme lives with extreme results. Most of the time, the things she over-heard were rountine: John is cheating on Mary with Rogar's wife, Ann is in love with Rick but has to marry Hank if she wants her inheirtance, ect, ect. But it had never occured to Jael that there would be homosexual problems among the wealthy. She wondered if the other guests knew of any of this. She had never over-heard anyone discussing it but it didn't mean they didn't know.

The first woman, Miley, turned around to face the second woman. ''Prehaps I am an animal but you need to move on, Eva. It lasted two months over a year ago,'' she said, sounding rather bored. Eva, the second woman, looked as if she was on the brink of tears. ''I loved you,'' she said, her voice breaking up. Miley sighed. ''Eva, go back inside. Dance with someone. Drink some wine,'' she said, gesturing to the door. Eva nodded and turned back to the door. It was then that Jael realized that her break was over. She hurried back to the parking lot and in the door. ''Barely made it,'' Frances said, ''One minute late.'' Jael didn't reply. Instead, she grabbed a platter and put two bottles of wine on it. She went back out into the crowd.

''I only drink white wine,'' the woman said, her tone snooty. ''Red wine is all I have. But I am sure another server has white wine,'' Jael said, plastering a false smile on her face. ''Well, I'll wait,'' the woman replied, turning her back to Jael. ''I drink red wine,'' a man said just off to the right of her, ''Hell, I'll drink most anything if it's being poured by a sexy little thing like you.'' Jael mentally rolled her eyes and poured his wine. ''What's wrong, Sweetie? You looked annoyed,'' he added. ''I'm fine,'' Jael replied, quickly moving away. She was heading back toward the kitchen for another bottle of wine when she spotted the second woman from the porch, Eva. ''Hey you!'' she called, heading toward Jael. Great, somehow, she knows I was listening, Jael thought, stopping. ''Fill me up,'' Eva said once she was closer. Jael poured her glass full, almost until the brim. ''Thanks,'' Eva said before all but stumbling off. Jael was grateful that Eva hadn't said anything about earlier but it was obvious that she was drunk.

''I need another couple of bottle of wine. And I hope someone out there has white wine,'' Jael said as she went back into the kitchen. ''Sam has white wine,'' Frances replied, ''And forget the wine. I need you to get Amber. There's a more private party going on and I need you two to serve it.'' ''Okay, where?'' Jael asked, already heading back toward the door leading out into the party. ''Third floor, first door on the left. The food and wine is already up there,'' Frances called. Jael quickly found Amber flirting with a young man. ''Forget yout flirting and follow me,'' she ordered, grabbing Amber's arm and leading her firmly away. Amber was a good worker but she tended to be absent-minded when she was around good looking men. Jael informed her of the private party as they walked up the stairs. Once there, Amber pushed open the door and they went inside. Like Frances had said, there was already wine and food sitting on two tables. ''Do we just serve from behind the table?'' Amber asked and Jael shrugged. ''I guess so,'' she answered. Once they were behind the table, a man approached them. ''No, darlings. You're supposed to load up a platter and serve just like downstairs,'' he said, smiling.

Jael soon discovered that this 'private party' was extremely similar to the one on the second floor with two differences. There was considerably less people and, as she moved about, pouring wine and rejecting lines, she had the feeling she was being watched. But she couldn't pinpoint who it was, so she gave up. This party consisted of the younger guests and as such, the conversations were more open-minded and diverse: less gossip, more actual events and issues. After about an hour, a woman stood on a chair and called for everyone to be quiet. Jael noticed how everyone quit talking and shifted closer.

''As you know, I am Lorraine Wilkes and I would like to make a toast,'' she announced, smiling. ''First off, this party is simply wonderful. Prehaps the best Frank and Tab have ever had,'' she began and people nodded in agreement, ''Second, I'd like to wish Pete and Gwen the best of luck.'' Everyone turned to a couple in the corner and even from the distance, Jael could see Gwen's swollen belly. ''Third, I'd like to congraulate Heather on winning 2 million in her divorce from the bloody bastard, Ronald,'' Lorraine went on and a woman grinned and nodded. ''And fourth, I'd like to recongize Eva Yarnell. She's downstairs but I think she deserves to be recongized as the sorest loser present. She can't let go of Miley,'' Lorraine finished, smiling down beside her. It was then that Jael saw Miley standing beside the chair that Lorraine was on. But Miley wasn't smiling. In fact, she looked annoyed. It was then that Jael knew that Lorraine must be the 'her', Eva had been refering to.

''Wine?'' Jael asked, not bothering to fake smile. This particular guest wouldn't appreciate it. Wordlessly, Miley held up her glass. Jael began to pour and Miley suddenly shifted her head. ''Not so fast. Wine is meant to be poured slowly,'' she said and immediately Jael slowed down. Once she was done, Miley took a sip and after a moment nodded. ''No harm done; tastes like it should,'' she said and Jael started to move away. ''I've been watching you,'' Miley said, causing Jael to look back at her. ''Excuse me?'' Jael asked and Miley laughed lightly. ''Don't play coy. Your eyes give you away,'' she replied, taking another sip of the wine. ''Are you always so vague?'' Jael asked, remembering Miley's trick with Eva earlier and deciding to use it against her. ''Prehaps,'' Miley answered, ''But you understood perfectly well.'' ''You assume I did,'' Jael said and Miley shook her head. ''Sometimes I make assumptions but that wasn't one of them,'' she said, her tone careless; she was sure in her knowledge.

Miley had thrown her off, caught her off guard. So Jael decided to return the favor. ''You have heard the one about the web of deceit and how tangled it becomes, haven't you?'' she asked and watched Miley's expression shift from one of confidence to one of mild surprise. ''Yes, I have,'' she answered, smiling. The she asked, ''Heard that particular conversation, did you?'' Jael shrugged. ''I didn't intend to. I was taking a break and over-heard,'' she replied. ''Then you know all about me. Tell me about you,'' Miley said, drinking from her glass. ''Me? I'm working,'' Jael said, turning and moving off. She was halfway across the floor when Miley grabbed her wrist. ''Take a break,'' she suggested and added, ''I know you get them. You just said so.'' ''Aren't you here with someone?'' Jael asked, but it was really a statement. She nodded to where Lorraine was talking with a small group of people.

''She's of no interest to me,'' Miley said without even looking. ''Do you always get so bored so quick?'' Jael asked. Miley didn't answer for a moment and when she did, it wasn't an answer Jael was expecting. Instead of a confession or denial, Miley said, ''When I find someone who doesn't bore, I'll know I've found the one I am meant to be with.'' ''Until I find that person, I carry on, drifting from one lover to another, searching,'' she went on, shifting her head away and taking the last sip of her wine. Jael was startled and shocked by the words. They were deeper than she had expected to hear here among the glimmer of wealth and money. In her experiece, rich people were shallow, not meaningful. But she had the impression that Miley believed every word she had uttered.

''Another break?'' Frances demanded, frowning. ''I know. Dock me or something,'' Jael suggested, already putting the platter down and heading toward the door. The door closed behind her, cutting off Frances's words. She quickly hurried around to the porch and as she went up the steps, Miley stepped out. For a moment they looked at one another and then laughed at their urgency. ''Sit,'' Miley said, gesturing to a wicker glider that sat three. Jael sat down in the middle and Miley took the place to her right. ''What's your name?'' Miley asked, turning to face Jael. ''Jael Parker,'' Jael replied and asked, ''And yours?'' ''Miley Darcona,'' Miley answered, looking out into the darkness. ''Why were you watching me?'' Jael asked in the silence that followed. ''Why were you watching me?'' Miley asked back, smiling. Jael hesitated, ''You interested me.''

''And you interested me,'' Miley said, causing Jael to frown. ''All I was doing was serving wine, how interesting was that?'' she asked. ''Darling, you are sadly mistaken. You were doing far more than simply serving and pouring wine; you were moving about with grace and air of intelligence. And you were impossible to not watch,'' Miley said, looking at Jael out of the corner of her eye as she spoke. Jael was flattered. Never had she heard someone describe her in a such a way. ''What would you have done if I had not responded the way I did?'' she asked, struggling to sort it all. ''Died,'' Miley replied and Jael smiled. ''So dramatic,'' she muttered and Miley turned to her, grinning. Then she turned serious, ''I very well might have. I have always acted on my intution and the moment I saw you, it began screaming at me to speak to you, touch you, anything with you.''

She lightly brushed her fingers over Jael's exposed wrist. Desire, longing rushed through Jael from that brief contact. ''You're here with someone else,'' she said, trying to get a hold on control. ''Someone who doesn't interest me,'' Miley said softly, drawing her hand back. ''Interest you or not, you're with her. Not me,'' Jael said, regreting it. ''I can end it with her. Tonight. Now,'' Miley suggested, looking at Jael. Jael was very tempted to tell Miley to go to Lorraine and end it. But she held back. ''You're extremely wealthy,'' she said, shaking her head. ''Does my wealth make me more or less attractive to you?'' Miley asked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ''Neither,'' Jael answered honestly and Miley shook her head. ''Then why does my being wealthy have anything to do with this?'' she demanded.

''Nothing and everything,'' Jael replied, looking off to the side. ''You're a fool if you're going to allow income brackets to interfer,'' Miley said, standing up. ''I'm not. I'm simply trying to protect myself,'' Jael responded, grabbing Miley's wrist, halting her. ''From what?'' Miley asked, curious now. ''You and your allure,'' Jael answered, standing up as well. ''Your break is surely over,'' Miley said, nodding at the door. Jael sighed, ''Yes, I imagine so.'' ''Jael,'' Miley said, stopping Jael as she was going down the steps. Jael looked back, ''Yes?'' ''I'll tell Lorraine we're through,'' she said, ''I want you.'' Jael smiled and went off the porch back to the kitchen door.


***Several Years Later***


''Honey, is there something wrong? You've been tense since we got here,'' David said, frowning at Jael. Jael looked around and shook her head. ''I'm fine,'' she said, putting on a fake smile. Who would have thought that her life would have gone in such a complete circle, she wondered. Here she was, back in the South Hamptons, back in a manison, only this time she wasn't serving food or wine. Now she was a guest, the girlfriend of a respected banker. Hope no one recongizes the server, she thought, seeing some familar faces in the crowd. When David had told her to dress up, that they were invited to a party, she hadn't imagined this.

''David, who is this lovely lady?'' a woman asked and Jael immediately bit back from answering for herself. ''Pasty, this is Jael, my girlfriend. Jael, this is Pasty,'' David said, gesturing from one to the other. ''Nice to meet you, Jael,'' Pasty said, smiling warmly. Jael smiled in turn, ''Nice to meet you as well.'' Pasty lingered for a few moments before heading off to mingle some more. ''Are you sure you're okay?'' David asked and Jael nodded. ''I said I am fine,'' she said, annoyed.

There were lots of things David didn't know about her, including her summers working as a server for a catering company. It felt odd to be here, among these people and be dressed similar to them and not in a plain white shirt with black trousers, Jael thought, looking down at her dress. ''I'll go get us some wine,'' David said, nodding toward a long table filled with glasses and food.

''I know you!'' a voice declared, causing Jael to spin around. God no, she thought, immediately recongizing Beverly Jones. ''You do?'' she asked. Bev nodded eagerly, ''You used to date Richie Jr. I remember you coming to my house for the New Year's Party.'' Jael sighed with relief and then replied, ''No, I am afraid you're mistaken. I've never dated a guy named Richie.'' Bev frowned, ''Well, I never forget a face and I know that I know yours.'' Jael shrugged, not wanting to admit that Bev was right nor wanting to deny it. ''Here, you go honey,'' David said, pressing a glass of wine to Jael's hand. ''Thank you,'' she said absently, automatically lifting it to her lips. And all but spit it back into the glass. ''Honey?'' David asked all conerned. ''Is the wine really that terrible? If so, I'm not getting any,'' Bev said dryly. Jael ignored them both; her attention focused on something not even twenty feet away.

Her back was to Jael but that didn't cause Jael any worry. She was sure in her knowledge of who it was, especially when the laughter drifted down to her ears. David was speaking to her but she didn't hear him at all. However, she heard Bev loud and clear, ''Now I know where I remember you from.'' Jael turned to the woman. ''You were at that New Year's party but not with Richie, Jr. . You were with . . '' Bev said, trailing off at Jael's warning look. ''I am confused,'' David said, his words finally breaking through to Jael. ''Never mind. It's all in the past,'' Jael told him and Bev smiled. ''Is it?'' she asked, slightly shifting her head in Miley's direction. ''Yes,'' Jael said firmly. ''Shall we put that to the test?'' Bev asked and before Jael could respond, called, ''Miley, come and see who's here!''

A fraction of a second later, Miley turned her head to look back at Bev. Even from the distance, Jael could see the sparkle of happiness in her eyes shift into something else. She quickly said something to the man she was talking to and came over to them. ''Jael,'' she said, looking Jael up and down. Jael's instinct was to do the same but David's presence kept her eyes above Miley's neck. ''You two know one another?'' he asked, frowning. ''Yes, they know each other. Better that I am sure you would imagine,'' Bev said, causing them both to shot her dirty looks. ''How have you been, Miley?'' Jael asked, turning back to her former lover, her only female lover. ''Fine. And you? What are you doing slumming in my financial bracket?'' Miley asked in turn, grinning. ''Fine. This is David, my boyfriend,'' Jael said, quickly establishing boundaries. She felt the need to let Miley know that nothing else could ever occur between them even as she knew it was a lie.

Miley smiled as if she knew exactly what Jael was trying to do. ''Hello David,'' she said without even looking at him and in such a way that Jael knew that she didn't view him as a threat. And why should she? Jael asked herself, they're not in the same book. Hell, they're not even in the same library. ''Miley,'' David replied, his tone, however, was defensive and worried. Jael wondered if he knew instinctly that Miley was prehaps the only person that could take Jael from him. And Jael knew that she would leave David for Miley if Miley asked her. She would do it just as quickly and easily as Miley had left Lorraine for her all those years ago. ''David, you don't mind if Jael and I go and talk somewhere, do you? We have tons to catch up on, five years worth,'' Miley said, smiling at him. David gave Jael an uneasy look but nodded anyway. ''Thanks. I'll bring her back soon. I promise,'' Miley said, taking Jael's wrist in her hand and gently pulling Jael away.

''Would you leave him?'' Miley asked, closing the door behind them. Miley had led them upstairs and into what appered to be a guest bedroom. ''Lead many women up here?'' Jael asked, walking deeper into the room. ''No,'' Miley answered, smiling, ''Now answer me.'' Jael looked back over her shoulder, ''Do you really need to ask?'' ''I suppose not but I'd like to hear the words out-loud,'' Miley replied, moving up beside Jael. Jael smiled and tucked a strand of Miley's hair behind her ear. ''He's of no interest to me,'' she said softly, causing Miley to grin. ''Tell me again why we went our seperate ways,'' Jael whispered. ''We decided we were moving too fast,'' Miley said, ''A natural decision when after three months we were talking about living together.'' ''We were moving too fast,'' Jael agreed, nodding. ''We'll go slower this time,'' Miley promised. ''Not too much slower, I hope,'' Jael said, smiling, ''I seem to recall nearly being driven mad last time we went slow.''