ARROW - 46. Chapter 46

I don’t know what happened when Mom showed Jane the tape. On Sunday, we had a mixed attendance, members and non-members. The piano player played show tunes and hits of the 50’s and 60’s. When I asked him why those years, he said the band we had would play the other years.

Marcel outdid himself. He had several salads, seafood, as well as appetizers. Jimmy had a wine list, which the servers used. I thought it looked pretty high class to me. I was surprised to see Mom had the girls with her including Jane. Dad sat with Colin and would bring me a glass of wine on occasion. I needed to hire someone to mind the desk on Sunday. Maybe one of the extra waiters that we will need when the club is open for members.

Sunday evening, I started on my mural. With the club being closed Monday and Tuesday, I could spend a full day on my painting. Wednesday and the rest of the week, I would work on the mural in the morning and early afternoon. Opening at 4, I stopped working on the mural at 2. That gave me a chance to clean up and prepare for the opening. We circulated the Board through the desk, ensuring all members signed in. Colin showed me how to start the recorder, so that was easy.

I would sit at the bar or circulate among the members who I knew. I was available for the servers to ask questions or if they needed help. Colin came home a 5, he would be on the floor at 5:30 or at the desk. Normally the members arrive between 4:30 (mostly the female members) with the male members arriving at 6. During Wednesday through Thursday, the crowds are not that large. I think every member showed up for Friday and Saturday.

Colin was concerned about staff. “Colin, let’s see how many members we get for the days we are open. Once we have those numbers, we can plan staffing.”

One of the members on Saturday asked how could he give a server a tip if he doesn’t have the cash.

We told him he could add it to his tab.

We decided that tips would go into a pool that is shared between all the servers and bussers. What if they want to give a specific amount to a specific waiter?”

“I don’t want to get involved with that. They can hand the server cash. I think the system we have now is more than adequate.”

By the third week, we seemed to fall into a routine. We had a good idea of the number of people attending the club on specific days of the week. Lunch on Sunday became a regular affair for certain people. As we saw the usual people every Sunday, we used them to make menu suggestions. I was surprised as how many asked for dishes from Europe. When I told Marcel that we had a request for a specific dish he would respond, “Next week I’ll have it.” Many times it was only one plate, the first time.

“Colin, have you notice that Mom’s girls are bringing their husbands for Sunday lunch.”

“Yes, Mom mentioned it. I wonder when the total family will be coming.”

“Yes, it will be interesting when Jane brings Marylou.”

“What if Marylou asks for membership?”

“I don’t know. Now that her mother knows how she acts, she may have changed.”

“We could take her back on a trial basis, if we can make her understand that it is a trial basis, and if she acts up then it will be a permanent ban.”

Over the next few weeks, the club seemed to stabilize. “I think we are almost like it was before we closed down. I see the same groups interacting.”

I was glad for Colin. The success of the club was important for him.

Marylou came back, Colin had a serious talk with her. I think her mother had a more serious talk with her. Colin said his mother told him that Jane wasn’t as quick to judge other people.

Life for me became routine. Colin and his Board managed the club. I worked on the mural when the club was quiet. In the evening, Colin and I would be on the roof. The plants were flowering, the weather was cooperating and many nights we would sleep outside on the roof. Colin said we would be safe, our sentinels would watch over us.

I finished the mural in July. It was a Sunday morning when I invited Colin, his parents and mine to the club for the unveiling. My carpenter friend came and removed the barrier, the electrician came and installed the lights. Everyone was sitting in the club, I also invited the staff and my professor from Yale.

As the cover came down, I watched Colin. There were his columns from Augusta's temple in the Old City in Barcelona. I listened as Colin pointed out each item. "There is the Eiffel Tower with Armand and me. The statue of America in Paris." He continued as he more or less relived our time in Europe.

France, Spain, Italy it was all there. I laughed at Colin, "Here is where we ate lamb and this young man was surprised to see us." Looking at me, he smiled. Then the palace in Madrid, the couple dancing at the Corral de la Moreria, that was when he noticed our dance floor was similar. I had painted the Family Church and he pointed out the towers representing the Holy family. I painted the dragon on the crypt which we saw as well as the sentinels. In Rome I painted the arch leading to the Coliseum. That was when Colin made the comment about the arch at our front door. I painted the restaurant where we ate several times. I painted the Trevi Fountain but I did something different. I went to Yale and working with a sculpture, we made a miniature copy of the Fountain. I had placed three coins in it. I had the church from the village with Teresa and Geno on the steps. I had a section of the Sistine Chapel and temples from Palatine Hill. If you would have sat in front of the mural and followed the paved road, you would have seen what Colin saw on our trip.

The floor in front of the mural was painted like the road we walked in Pompeii. I had painted a mural that Colin could relive our three months in Europe. When I looked at him, he had tears in his eyes. I leaned over and kissed him on the head, “This is your mural so that you will never forget our honeymoon.”

Our parents just looked. I noticed a few more coins in the fountain beside what Colin and I had added. As everyone went back to their tables, I placed the rope barrier in place. Marcel prepared a special menu and it further reminded Colin of our European trip. As our guests prepared to leave, they congratulated me on the mural. My professor said that I could have sold that mural for a lot more than the painting of Colin. I laughed and told him it was a present and would never be sold.

Life resumed, except if I couldn’t always find Colon, he was either on the roof or siting in front of the mural. I had surrounded our life with our experiences on our tour of Europe. A honeymoon that we relived every day.