***
I got back to our apartment a few hours later, around four pm. I wanted to try to organize my thoughts, so I had wandered up and down the streets and through a park or two to see if anything would be any clearer to me. No luck. I got our mail before heading up to the small two-bedroom apartment Michael and I shared. We put almost everything we earned back into Sew Fit so this was the best we could afford. Our apartment could be described as cozy, if I was being charitable. I flipped through the junk before my eyes landed on a letter from my aunt. I frowned a little and put it in my room. I couldn’t deal with that and this marriage proposal. I brought a change of clothes to my bathroom and turned the water on. I did all my best thinking in the shower.
When I was finished, I put on some sweatpants and a loose top. I felt a little better from the shower, but I still hadn’t made up my mind. As I was just about to decide to forget my problems by putting on the T.V. and zoning out for a few hours, I heard the door unlock.
“I’m home!” Michael shouted. “And I brought a guest.”
I rolled my eyes and sat up from the couch, untangling myself from the blanket cocoon I was going to ignore my worries in. “Hey Mike. Hey Virgo.”
“Hello baby!” Virgo ran up to me and gave me kisses on each cheek. Virgo was Michael’s girlfriend and professional supermodel. They met at fashion week last year and had been nearly inseparable since. She’d moved here from California; her parents the kind who would name her after her star sign. Virgo was thin, tall, with skin tanned always like she’d just been at the beach, and long, dirty blonde hair. When I first met her, I was a little intimidated, she seemed so cool. “How is my Lydia today?” She asked, fixing my hair a little. I quickly learned that Virgo was the biggest mom friend I’d ever had.
“I’m.” I didn’t know how to describe what I was feeling. “A lot happened.”
“Did you get your briefcase back?” Michael asked.
“Yes. And…” my voice trailed off.
“And?” Both he and Virgo said at the same time.
“It’s a long story.”
“We’re ordering Sushi, you can explain over some sashimi,” Virgo said, clapping her hands together. “Have you eaten today?”
“Yes, mom,” I said, teasing.
Dinner arrived quickly, and while we ate over the coffee table in the living room I explained as much as I could remember about the meeting. I finished the story and added, “Also please don’t tell anyone. This should stay between the three of us.”
Virgo shook her hands to placate me. “Sweetie, this isn’t the only deep, dark secret I’ve had to keep for a billionaire. No worries.” She smiled cheerfully. Both Michael and I gave each other looks that said we both didn’t want to know.
“Anyway,” Michael began, “that’s a lot Lyds.”
“I know.” I sighed.
“Which way are you leaning?” He asked.
“I don’t know Michael! This is why I wanted to ask your advice.”
He frowned and took a moment to think. “You’re the one who’s going to have to spend a year pretending to be married. Of course, I’d want two million dollars for Sew Fit, but I’m not the one who’s going to have to spend all my time acting like I’m in love with him. He’s a dick, remember? I know you won’t actually be married but spending any time with him at all could be too much. Do you think you could do it?”
“I always saw myself marrying someone like him,” I admitted. Then I clarified, “Looks wise. He said I was attractive, and I have to admit, he is too.” I thought about his stubble and how it would be to kiss a jaw as sharp as that. I quickly cleared my head of those thoughts, remembering who those lips were attached to. “But his personality is, well, it’s not compatible with mine. I wanted someone more cheerful and soft. He’s too rude and brooding.”
“Can you pretend to be in love with someone so opposite to you?” Virgo asked.
“I could fake it, if I just looked at him and ignored what he said.”
“Wow, that’s maybe the meanest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” Michael fake gasped.
“I’ve had a long day.” I defended myself, frowning at him.
“What do you think your aunt Renee will think?”
My mind went to the letter I threw on my bed earlier. “I don’t want to worry about that.” I changed the subject. “What should I do?”
“I don’t think I can answer that for you Lyds.” Michael shook his head. “If you decide to go for it, I will do everything I can to help you. I’d tell everyone about how happy the two of you are. But Virgo and I will break into his fancy mansion and rescue you if he so much as seems like he’s going to do something bad to you.”
“Thanks.” I mumbled.
“But if you don’t want to do this, I respect that. We made peace with the fact we weren’t getting that money yesterday. Like I said then, there will be more opportunities. Hopefully ones that don’t involve a fake marriage scheme.”
“But if you do get married, Michael and I get to be your co-maids of honor.” Virgo said seriously.
“It’ll be a fake wedding,” I said, smiling a little. I was beginning to find a little humor in the ridiculousness of what we were discussing.
“Still, I want to be there for your big day. I’ll see it as practice for when we are your real co-maids of honor.”
“Why am I a maid too?” Michael spoke up.
“Anyway, sweetie,” Virgo said, cupping one of my cheeks. “Whatever you decide, we’ll be there for you. Sleep on it tonight. You’ll feel better about
