That Blue Gibson: Another Round

nine

The ride to the venue was agonizing. Taylor and Dave were barely on speaking terms, neither of them having the guts to reach out first to discuss what had happened between them. They kept their discussion strictly to what their requirements were for the evening while Liz and Allison sat between them occasionally exchanging awkward looks. 

It wasn't until they were in the press line and Dave and Taylor were occupied with an interview when Allison turned on Liz. "What the fuck is going on?" she whispered harshly.

"I..." Liz scrambled for the right words, not sure what her husband had divulged about the night of Dave's birthday party and the day after. "They had a little... disagreement at Dave's party."

"I gathered that," Allison's acerbic laugh caught Dave's attention and he looked away from the cameras to Liz, waiting until she smiled at him to focus back on the press. "What did they fight about?"

She sighed deeply and was fully prepared to spill the entire truth, but they were interrupted by their press escort and called onto the carpet next to their husbands. 

"Everything okay?" Dave asked when Liz positioned herself beside him and arranged her dress to look as flattering as possible. 

"She's asking questions about you two," she replied through her fake smile. "I don't know what to tell her."

"Of course she is," he muttered through his own faux grin and tightened the arm around her waist. "I'll take care of it, okay?"

The next 45 seconds felt like an hour to her, trying to keep her smile neutral while sucking in as much of her belly as she could. Dave apparently sensed her nervousness because his thumb began to lightly trace circles directly over the spot where her FF tattoo was hidden under yards of black lace and she was just beginning to relax into his side when a commotion caught the attention of all four of them. 

A woman in a frothy pink tulle gown with matching pink hair and eyeshadow was screeching through the crowd towards them, her arms outstretched towards Dave. She crashed against him, almost sending all three of them tumbling into the backdrop if it weren't for Dave using his right leg as a brace.

"Hi! Oh my god! I haven't seen you in hours!" she giggled loud enough for the press wall to overhear and blatantly ignored Liz as Taylor tried to help steady the three of them. 

"Yeah, it's been a while," Dave replied flatly, hopping a little on his hurt leg. "You haven't met my wife yet, have you?"

There was a very distinct change in the woman's demeanor that was invisible to the cameras around them, but very clear to Liz. She even caught the eye roll Allison gave her as Taylor quickly escorted her off the carpet and away from the disaster in the pink frock. 

"We haven't met," the woman said coolly. "I'm Calliope, but I'm sure you've heard about me. I'm the one that's been basically living at the studio with your man!"

Liz's spine went straight and she felt Dave's fingers dig into her hip, "Oh! I actually haven't heard a word about it. I'm Elizabeth." Her voice was sticky sweet, matching Calliope's false excitement to a tee and making Dave clear his throat in an attempt to intervene, but there was no room for him in that particular battle.

"Everyone knows who you are, you lucky bitch! Being Dave's wife and all," she slapped a shrill emphasis on 'wife' that made Liz bristle. 

"Yes. Lucky, lucky me," she said smoothly then turned to Dave. "I'm going to locate a drink. Come and find me when you're done with... work."

He shot her a warning glance that she chose to ignore, then pulled herself out of his hold and left him to the media circus. Taylor passed her on her way to Allison with an apologetic smile as he took her place beside Dave and Calliope for photos.