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I feel a cheesy smile spread across my face, and I hold the glass up in a toast. There’s a warm feeling spreading throughout my body and I realize this is the happiest I’ve been in a long time. I take a sip of the champagne and put the glass down on my coaster. I look over at the bar and the woman from earlier is staring at us. “Who’s the woman at the bar? She seems to be invested in what we’re up to.”
Brad doesn’t look towards the bar. “Oh, that’s Lydia. She’s one of the founding partner’s daughters. She’s a paralegal for her dad.”
I hum and try to remain casual. “Is she a lawyer too? Like is she also studying for the bar?”
He shakes his head. “No, she didn’t go to law school. She became a paralegal but I get the feeling she’s just doing it long enough until she can either land a husband or daddy coughs up more money for her inheritance each month.”
Oh. Oh. Now I get the looks she’s giving. “Well, I hope that all works out for her.” That’s the only thing I have to say about her. I’ve not been one of those women to tear down another one just to make myself feel better about myself. Nor do I feel the need to do something crazy to stake my claim on Brad. That’s the other thing life has taught me, if a man is going to cheat, he will cheat no matter what I do or don’t do. Some zebras just can’t change their stripes.
The rest of the night passes without incident. We have dinner with his entire office and as the evening goes on I learn more about the people Brad spends his days with at work. It turns out the partner who brought Brad into the firm has known him forhalf his life. He’s also promising him that if he passes the bar he’ll be an associate and then some day a partner with his name on the building. Brad’s eyes widen slightly as they both speak and I’m sure it’s because he’s hearing everything he’s ever wanted. Since this is a work party for Brad, he’s had to spend a significant amount of time working the room. He’s talked to so many people about work-related things. I guess lawyers don’t always take a break at the holidays.
As I sit at the table, I get a clear picture of what my life might be like if Brad and I make it and get married one day. I know that we’ve only officially been dating for a few weeks, but we have a very long history together, so it’s feasible to believe that we could make it.I feel like we could make it.As I sit at the table and wait for him to say goodnight to a few people, I can see our life flash before my eyes. I see more parties like this, introductions and then being left to my own devices, watching women fawn over him because of his good looks and eventually the wealth that he will have, possibly recognition of the community.
Being a very independent woman I’m not sure if I like the idea of sitting around waiting on a man. I mull over that idea when Brad steps in front of me holding my coat out. I stand almost robotically, pushing my arms into the sleeves. Brad asks me if everything is okay and I smile and tell him yes because on the outside everything is fine, but on the inside my mind is going ninety miles a minute. Wondering if this is what all his social interactions would be like. Other than the introductions tonight, he had me hang back and not really mingle with his coworkers.
I’m spiraling through my thoughts as we make the drive back to his house. When we park in the driveway, Brad turns off the engine and turns in his seat to look at me. “I think I already told you, but you look amazing tonight, Nikki. People absolutely lovedyou. The partners were asking me all sorts of questions about you. I thought I was going to have to tell Phil to back off with the way he kept looking at you.”
I giggle because I know exactly who he’s talking about. I didn’t remember his name was Phil but I did remember the lingering stares he was giving me half the night. When he came over and shook my hand and introduced himself, he held my hand a little too long for my liking, but I tried to be nice. I don’t want to rock any boats for Brad since he’s probably the lowest man on the totem pole.
“You’re coming inside, right?”
“Yeah, of course. I brought some clothes to change into so I wouldn’t have to drive back in my dress.” I hook my thumb over my shoulder and gesture towards my car. “I just need to get my bag.”
“Grab your bag and let’s get inside. It’s getting late.”
He isn’t kidding. It is late and I have a two-hour drive back. While we haven’t talked about me staying over, I did bring a bag that includes a change of clothing and my toothbrush. A girl’s got to be prepared—and trust me, I am.
BOW CHICKA BOW WOW
December 19, 2009
Brad stands at the entrance of his house waiting for me to join him, watching the street and following my walk all the way down his driveway to my car. I grab my bag and swiftly walk up to meet him. It feels like a toasty warm oven in his house compared to outside and since I’ve been freezing half the night, it’s as if my muscles that have been constricted from the cold and anxiety of meeting new people all night can finally relax.
Brad takes my bag and puts it on the bottom step of the staircase. “Let’s see if anyone is up and then we’ll go upstairs and I’ll show you where you can get changed.”
I smile, hoping I’ll get to finally meet his sisters. I used to hear a lot about them back in college. After Brad’s revelation earlier tonight, I know it was the same for them as well. We walk through the house going room to room. Most of the lights have been turned off and as we walk down the hallway past the now vacant kitchen, I start to see a flicker of light. We round the corner and find ourselves in a living room. There’s a humongous television currently on and two women on the large sectional couch. One of them islaying sideways watching the TV wearing pajamas that have cats printed all over them eating pizza and the other is sitting up eating crackers out of a box.
I don’t know if they see or hear us first but both turn their heads in our direction at the same time. I would laugh at how comical it looks but I can’t. My face has taken on the biggest grin to match the ones his sisters have on their faces. The one laying down sits up and pauses the movie they were watching. The one eating crackers quickly finishes chewing. Both stand as Brad and I come around the couch. Brad flops down on the couch, casual and cool as a cucumber. I sit down and feel a little stiff.
I think this has been the most nervous I’ve been all night. I know from our conversations that his sisters are important to him. I want them to like me. I also know from him that his sisters are very close in age. They are even referred to as Irish twins having been born less than a year apart. Looking at them now, I can see how they could almost be twins. They look so similar not only in age but features.
“Amelia, Abigale this is my girlfriend Nikki.” He points to each one as he says their name. “Nikki, these two crazies are my sisters.”
Amelia playfully swats him on the shoulder with her hand. “Hi, Nikki. It’s nice to meet you. We’ve heard so much about you I was beginning to wonder if you were just Brad’s imagination.”
I roll in my lips to keep from laughing at Brad’s expense. I like her already. “Nope. I’m real. I promise.”
Abigale leans forward and puts her elbows on her knees. Her smiling face turns serious as she studies me. “I have to ask, what’s your intentions with our brother here?”
I wasn’t expecting this. I thought we’d meet, maybe ask each other about work or something. People don’t really expect adults tobe asked about their “intentions.” The shock must show on my face because she starts laughing before I can come up with a response.
“You should see your face. I swear all your coloring drained.” She laughs hard and slaps her knees. She’s so tickled. “I’m just fooling you.”
I release the breath I was holding and look at Brad. He rolls his eyes and exhales a tired sigh that I don’t quite understand. “She’s been doing that joke since I was in middle school. Anytime I’d bring just a friend over, didn’t matter if it was to study, work on a project, anyone would come in with me and she’d interrogate them and ask them the same question. I swear our dad used to pay her to do it.”
Abigale snorts out a laugh. “I wish he would have paid me but I do that shit for free for fun.”
Brad shakes his head at her but his lips quirk up in a smile. He’s clearly amused by her antics.
