world and things like that. Young men and their dreams. Urgh!”
“I’m fascinated. Why are you so into marriage? Most girls your age would be travelling the world! Probably drunk on some tropical beach working part time at a bar.”
“I get messages from my friends that are on their overseas experiences. I guess I wanna settle down, have a man look after me, vice versa. I’m the youngest in my family. My sisters and their kids, OMG, I love looking after them. If I weren't a nurse, I would be a babysitter. I wish I had their life, you know, I want kids someday before my ovaries wrinkle and wither, ha-ha.”
My eyes narrowed. “So when you judged me on my co-dependence, you’re suffering the same thing. With your sisters and all.”
“I’m not the sex slave!” She giggled.
I didn’t laugh.
“Oops, sorry… I did it again. Awkward. What about you, Chad? Did you ever think about getting married?”
“It might mean having a girlfriend first…”
Felicity chuckled and I raised an eyebrow. “Oops again. I wasn’t supposed to laugh was I? I sort of like, thought you were like telling it as a joke.”
I paused, watching Felicity bite her bottom lip. I pulled my head out of my ass and laughed. It was pretty funny in a fucked up way. “It’s all good. You know, I actually proposed to Vivian.”
“Oh my god! Really?”
“Yeah, I was so certain she would say yes. I took her to a fancy Mexican restaurant where they had a live band. The place was absolutely packed. When I mustered up enough courage, I called her up on stage. She didn’t even shed a tear. She only said yes so I wouldn’t be embarrassed. God, imagine if she said no on stage in front of all those people. I would have topped myself.”
“But she said no? Didn’t she?”
“Yeah. When I dropped her home, she said it wasn’t that type of relationship yet. I was pretty gutted. Maybe it was the engagement ring. Ha! I should have got the most expensive one.”
Felicity crossed her arms, “Did you get down on one knee?”
“Umm…no. Should I?”
“It might have helped… I’d say yes.”
You watch too much daytime TV, Felicity. I notice though you haven’t cried from your side of the story. You must be over it?”
“I probably cried more over the hopelessness of the financial side. Francis moved out on a whim and left me to pay for everything. Probably in France or New York, laughing at me. Eating a French stick or Pizza.”
I took a sip from my drink. “Well, I’m glad I was able to provide employment for you to cover your debts. It was, to be honest, a long shot hiring you and I sense you will be a work in progress.”
Felicity scratched the side of her temple. “Oh, did you mean that in a bad way? Like I’m not doing good so far? Please tell me what I’m doing wrong.”
“No Felicity, I mean that in a good way. Working with you, empowering you, relying on you. These things take time. That’s what I meant.”
“Oh...okay. Phew, you had me there for a sec. I’m your girl.” She smiled, pointing inwardly.
When she said that last line, I flinched. “C’mon let’s get out of here. I have to see Vivian tonight. I need to front up with everything now before it becomes a pain in my ass.”
Felicity said, “She is to me.”
***
I never saw Vivian that night but Felicity was persistent in encouraging me to front up. A week later, Vivian asked me to come over. She had been working the week in China and wanted to share a final buyout offer from Cerberus for the rest of our shares. I arrived at her house to see her on the balcony holding her glass of red wine. I opened the front door and went in. On the table were two bottles of red wine, an empty box of chocolates, and small blocks of cheese with toothpicks, untouched except for one block that was missing a toothpick. There was a folder next to the plates.
One bottle of wine was empty and the other three quarters full. I removed my suit jacket and grabbed an empty
“I’m fascinated. Why are you so into marriage? Most girls your age would be travelling the world! Probably drunk on some tropical beach working part time at a bar.”
“I get messages from my friends that are on their overseas experiences. I guess I wanna settle down, have a man look after me, vice versa. I’m the youngest in my family. My sisters and their kids, OMG, I love looking after them. If I weren't a nurse, I would be a babysitter. I wish I had their life, you know, I want kids someday before my ovaries wrinkle and wither, ha-ha.”
My eyes narrowed. “So when you judged me on my co-dependence, you’re suffering the same thing. With your sisters and all.”
“I’m not the sex slave!” She giggled.
I didn’t laugh.
“Oops, sorry… I did it again. Awkward. What about you, Chad? Did you ever think about getting married?”
“It might mean having a girlfriend first…”
Felicity chuckled and I raised an eyebrow. “Oops again. I wasn’t supposed to laugh was I? I sort of like, thought you were like telling it as a joke.”
I paused, watching Felicity bite her bottom lip. I pulled my head out of my ass and laughed. It was pretty funny in a fucked up way. “It’s all good. You know, I actually proposed to Vivian.”
“Oh my god! Really?”
“Yeah, I was so certain she would say yes. I took her to a fancy Mexican restaurant where they had a live band. The place was absolutely packed. When I mustered up enough courage, I called her up on stage. She didn’t even shed a tear. She only said yes so I wouldn’t be embarrassed. God, imagine if she said no on stage in front of all those people. I would have topped myself.”
“But she said no? Didn’t she?”
“Yeah. When I dropped her home, she said it wasn’t that type of relationship yet. I was pretty gutted. Maybe it was the engagement ring. Ha! I should have got the most expensive one.”
Felicity crossed her arms, “Did you get down on one knee?”
“Umm…no. Should I?”
“It might have helped… I’d say yes.”
You watch too much daytime TV, Felicity. I notice though you haven’t cried from your side of the story. You must be over it?”
“I probably cried more over the hopelessness of the financial side. Francis moved out on a whim and left me to pay for everything. Probably in France or New York, laughing at me. Eating a French stick or Pizza.”
I took a sip from my drink. “Well, I’m glad I was able to provide employment for you to cover your debts. It was, to be honest, a long shot hiring you and I sense you will be a work in progress.”
Felicity scratched the side of her temple. “Oh, did you mean that in a bad way? Like I’m not doing good so far? Please tell me what I’m doing wrong.”
“No Felicity, I mean that in a good way. Working with you, empowering you, relying on you. These things take time. That’s what I meant.”
“Oh...okay. Phew, you had me there for a sec. I’m your girl.” She smiled, pointing inwardly.
When she said that last line, I flinched. “C’mon let’s get out of here. I have to see Vivian tonight. I need to front up with everything now before it becomes a pain in my ass.”
Felicity said, “She is to me.”
***
I never saw Vivian that night but Felicity was persistent in encouraging me to front up. A week later, Vivian asked me to come over. She had been working the week in China and wanted to share a final buyout offer from Cerberus for the rest of our shares. I arrived at her house to see her on the balcony holding her glass of red wine. I opened the front door and went in. On the table were two bottles of red wine, an empty box of chocolates, and small blocks of cheese with toothpicks, untouched except for one block that was missing a toothpick. There was a folder next to the plates.
One bottle of wine was empty and the other three quarters full. I removed my suit jacket and grabbed an empty
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