Something Blue

'Wedding' or 'Canceled' or 'News'? None seemed right, so I kept the subject line blank. Then, as I selected my personal e-mail group and prepared to send the shocking nugget via cyberspace, my phone rang.

'Darcy,' my boss, Cal, said in his breathy, effeminate voice. 'How are ya?'

'Not so good, Cal,' I said in my 'I can't deal with taking instructions' voice. One that he knew well. It was the beauty of working for Cal. He was a complete pushover.

'Well, may I please see you in Conference Room C?'

'For what?'

'We need to talk about the Celebrity Golf Challenge.'

'Right now?'

'Yes, if you could. Please?'

I sighed as loudly as possible. 'Okay,' I said. 'I'll be there when I can.'

Damn. Had I arrived a few minutes earlier, he'd be opening my e-mail and contacting someone else about the golf tournament. I was sure that once I told him the news, he'd pass the project elsewhere, especially if I could work up a few tears. In fact, I could probably squeeze a few leisurely weeks out of my purported hardship. Maybe Marcus and I could even take a vacation together. I minimized my e-mail, deciding that I'd give it a final tweaking and a spell-check before sending, and then made my way downstairs to the conference room. I pushed open the heavy door with a hangdog expression.

And there before me was the entire staff of Carolyn Morgan and Associates, all packed into the room, yelling 'Surprise!' and hurling their heartiest congratulations at me from all directions. A gigantic blue box from Tiffany perched on one end of the lacquered table. An ivory-frosted cake with pink gel writing sat temptingly at the other. My heart raced. Talk about your audiences! Talk about your drama!

'We knew you'd expect your party later in the week!' Claire squealed. 'Gotcha! And you believed I had that meeting!'

She was right. They had, indeed, gotten me. But I was about to get them right back. Top their surprise. I smiled hesitantly, and said, 'You shouldn't have.'

'Of course we should have,' Claire said.

'No. You really shouldn't have,' I said.

Cal stepped toward me and put his arm around me. 'Speech,' he said.

'I'm speechless,' I said. 'I'm literally without speech.'

'Impossible,' Cal said. 'I've known you for years and never seen it happen yet.'

Laughter rippled through the room, affirming that, indeed, I had the biggest mouth in the place. I cleared my throat again and took a step forward, smiling demurely. 'Well. Thank you all so very much… but… there isn't going to be a wedding. I'm not getting married.'

Cal and some others laughed again. 'Yeah. Yeah. You're going down like the rest of us poor, married fools,' he said.

I smiled bravely and said, 'No. Actually, I called the wedding off this weekend.'

Like a Red Cross volunteer during a fire at an orphanage, Claire sprang into action. 'Omigod! No! Way!' She pressed one hand to her temple and whisked me out of the conference room back up to my office, her arm around my waist as if I might, at any moment, faint. 'What in the world is going on?' she asked when we were alone.

'It's over.' I sniffed.

'Why? You and Dex are perfect together! What happened?'

'It's a long story,' I said, my eyes filling with tears as I thought about Dex in Rachel's closet. Despite all my plans to the contrary, I just couldn't resist telling her. I needed her sympathy and full support. I needed her to tell me that Dex could not possibly be interested in boring old Rachel. So I dropped the bomb on her. 'We broke up this weekend, and then, yesterday afternoon, I caught Dex and Rachel together.'

'What?' Claire's mouth fell open.

I nodded. 'You're telling me.'

'What do you mean 'together'? Are you sure?'

'Yes. I went over to talk to Rachel about this whole situation and Dex was there, in his boxers, all crouched down, hiding in her closet.'

'No!'

'Yes,' I said.

'Oh. My. God.' Claire covered her mouth with both hands and shook her head. 'I-I don't even know what to say. I just can't… what in the world was he thinking? What was she thinking? How could they?'

'Please don't tell anyone,' I said. 'It's all so humiliating. I mean, my maid of honor!'

'Of course not. Cross my heart,' Claire said, making a big X over her bubble-gum-pink twin set. She gave me a few seconds of respectful silence before launching into Q amp;A mode. 'Was it a one-time thing?' she asked.

'It had to be a one-time thing, don't you think?'

'Oh. I'm sure. Dex would never like her,' she said.

'I know. I just can't see it. There's no way, right?'

'No way. He just couldn't go from you to her. She's just so plain, and… I don't know… I know she's your best friend so I don't want to say anything bad-'

'What? She is so not my best friend anymore. I despise her.'

'I don't blame you,' Claire said solemnly, ready to step up and fill Rachel's bland shoes.

I threw her the bone she so craved. 'You're my best friend now.'

Claire clasped her hands together and looked at me as though she might cry. Ever since our roomie days together, Claire had jockeyed for position as my most favored friend. At times, she was downright obsequious. But it was what I needed at that moment, and she delivered. 'Oh, Darce. I'm totally here for you.'

'Thanks,' I said. 'I appreciate that.'

'We're going to have the best time hanging out as single girls again,' she said. 'What are you doing tonight? Henry Fabuss is throwing a big bash at Lotus this evening-for his thirtieth. We should totally go. He's such a hoot-and he's so totally dialed in, you know? Everyone's going to be there. It would really get your mind off this.'

'Not tonight,' I said. 'I think I just need some alone time. In fact, I think I'm going home now. I can't stand being here-and I don't want anyone to see me crying.'

'Want me to come with you? I'm sure Cal would let me leave with you,' she said. 'We could go shopping. Retail therapy.'

'No, thanks. I think I want to be alone,' I said, even though I was actually planning to be with Marcus.

'Okay,' she said, obviously disappointed. 'I understand.'

'I just need to get this e-mail out before I leave. Can you read it see what you think?'

Proofing my e-mails used to be Rachel's role. She had been so good at it. I vowed to banish her from my thoughts. She was persona non grata until her apology came forth in skywriting. Meanwhile, Claire took her job seriously, leaning in close to my monitor, and reading the e-mail twice. She finally looked up, gave me a brisk nod, and said it was fine, just fine. So I hit send and sashayed down the hall, relishing the stares and whispers from my colleagues along the way.

nine

Marcus agreed to leave work early and meet me back at his apartment, where we had fantastic sex. Afterward, I rested my head on his chest and told him my conference room tale.

'I'm surprised you didn't jet with the Tiffany box,' he said after I had finished the story.

'I wanted to,' I said. 'I bet it was something good… Oh, well. We'll get a replacement when you and I get married.'