If I had thought that I could keep my engagement a secret, I was sorely mistaken. By lunchtime, everyone knew. I was getting text after text of congratulations along with quite a few acknowledgements on social media.
Greg was the least of all pleased.
"Why is it that I have to find out about your engagement via Instagram?"I read the text wincing as I made my way home from Ian's place. I could practically hear the ringing in my ears from him yelling. How was I supposed to know that those girls from the restaurant would tag me with a congratulations message? I said as much and the only reason he forgave me was because I admitted that I didn't remember most of it.
I looked down at the ring on my hand again as I waited for the elevator. The whole situation is still feeling very surreal to me. I mean, granted it has only been two days, but I still don't feel like this is real. I haven't even said anything to my dad yet. He called me yesterday, and I couldn't even bring myself to tell him. It's times like this that I am glad I am only child. If I had a sibling, he or she would have definitely spilled the beans already. I will tell him, I just need sometime.Time for what though? I hadn't the slightest idea.
You know it is because you are waiting for Kai.This thought coming from some deep, dark, corner of my mind and I shook my head violently.
Suddenly the elevator door opened distracting me away from that path of thinking. I stepped inside smiling at the guy standing off to the side then pushed the button for the floor I wanted.
Truth be told, the only person I was really worried about telling was Kai. I knew that I shouldn't feel so concerned over what he might think, but I was nonetheless. The event he invited me to is tomorrow night and I notice that my nerves are starting to fray. What if he already knew? What if Garren told him?
I immediately dismiss that last thought because if Garren knew, I would have already heard from him. I wasn't in the clear yet, however, there were still plenty of hours left in the day for me to hear from that man. Until he cusses me out via text, phone, or facetime, I am in the clear.
I check the time as I exit the elevator a few moments later and see that I have just under two hours before its officially the end the day. My mood gets dampened slightly as I remember the celebratory happy hour that is scheduled to commence at five. Janet managed to convince a dozen or so people to take me out and I will admit that when I agreed to that, I hadn't yet had my morning coffee, something I suspect she knew and took advantage of.
"Gabe!" Says a particularly chipper voice.
I roll my eyes, not because I don't want to talk to her, but because I am tired and I don't want to deal right now, not to mention my head was starting to hurt. I just want my two hours of solitude before I will have to put on my excited face.
"Janet. What is up?"
"Well I was thinking."
Oh here we go.
"We should go to that place you love so much, you know, the one that you were telling me about that had the really good ramen? I figured that since this is such an awesome occasion, that you would want to go somewhere that you would love to go to in stead of somewhere that I chose?" My stomach took the opportunity to do a short gymnastics routine causing me to wince a bit. "Hey, you okay?" She asked suddenly taking a hold of my arm. "You look a little pale."
I closed my eyes suddenly feeling a little dizzy from the way my heart rate skyrocketed. How could I go to that place to celebrate my engagement? Taking a few deep breaths, I opened my eyes to see a very concerned Janet looking at me.
"I am okay, my stomach suddenly turned against me. I think it was lunch."
"Oh, that is not good. Say," She said lowering her voice so that only I could hear, "You think you might be pregnant?"
The thought of that caused my stomach to do another somersault combo. "No." I managed to get out a moment later. What was wrong with me?
"Well why don't you sit down before you fall down." She said as she ushered me to an empty chair. I did as I was told quickly leaning forward to rest my head on the empty desk. I heard footsteps rushing away and then returning about a minute later. "Here, drink this." She shoved a cup of water into my hand.
Lifting my head just enough, I take a sip before returning to my former position. I continued to focus on my breathing. After a while, my heart calmed down to a bearable pace.
"You feeling better, Hun?" Janet asked as she stroked my hair. I nodded as I set upright. "You know, maybe it was a panic attack? I have a friend that gets those and she says that when it happens, you can feel nauseated and your heart rate jumps really high. She also says that it can make it hard to breathe and a couple of other things I can't remember. Are you nervous about something? Is it the wedding? I shook my head, mostly to clear it, but she took it as an answer to her questions. "Well, it could be something you ate as well... Do you still want to go out later?"
I took another sip of water. "I think I will be okay. Sure, we can still go out, but let's go to the place you picked. I don't think my stomach could handle spicy right now."
"Oh, okay. Sure!" She stood at the ready as I got up off the chair. "Hey, let me walk with you over to your desk."
This engagement is having a bigger effect on me than I thought it would.Could it be like Janet had said? Was it a panic attack?
"I was just thinking. It seems kind of silly for you to have a panic attack. I mean, what do you have to be scared of or nervous about? The wedding, I mean, you already told me that it wouldn't be until next year, so, it's a bit early to be getting nervous, isn't it? Besides, I have never known you to be scared of anything, so forget I said anything about that. All right, you sit." She orders me after we reach my desk. "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"
I shake my head in answer. "I am fine. Thank you so much for your help." I smile warmly at her; at least, I think I am.
"Good. I will meet you back over here at five. I need to meet up with Jonathan and Brian to go over some things that are happening this weekend for the last hour of the day. I will have my phone on me, so, text if you need anything and I will make it happen."
I smiled a more genuinely this time. "Will do. Thank you Janet." I watched her as she walked away hoping that she was right about me. I have been known by others to be called "fearless"; "brazen" even but with just a hint of a thought about this engagement, my head is sent spinning. Today, was the first time I wasn't able to control my spiraling, today was the first time I was forced to think about him. I had gone a whole day without him being in my mind, and today, he was all I could think about. Maybe that was what it was. Just thinking about the engagement wasn't enough; I had to think about him also.
Perhaps it was the stress of thinking about both topics that took me over the edge? Whatever it was, I knew that I needed to calm down or I wasn't going to last the week.
Eventually, the end of the day came and I was now on my way to a place called Freddie's located in South Boston. From what Janet tells me, it is a very chic, up and coming hipster spot. Knowing how I felt about hipsters, I was surprised that she suggested such a place. She assured me, however, that I would not be disappointed. To be on the safe side, I had taken the bus to work and Janet agreed to drop me off at home. After what happened on Sunday, I was nervous to say the least.
When we arrived, there are already quite a few people there with both Jonathan and David being among them. I stared open-mouthed as the former came up to me holding a small gift bag. "I didn't know you were coming." I said to him as he hugged me and pecked me on the cheek.
"Why would I not? You can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but you are my little pain in the ass." Everyone laughed, me included. Then he leaned closer so only I could hear. "Just kidding, you are actually the only one on this team I like." He said winking at me making me laugh even more.
"To Gabriel! The first of the group to be getting married!" Janet shouted as she shoved a glass of dark colored liquid at me. I set my things down quickly so I could accept the drink while everyone hollered as they put their drinks in the air.
"I guess that means you are officially a spinster Michelle!" Brian called out before yelping and wincing in pain a moment later because Michelle walked over to kick him in the shin.
"I guess you won't need to by lunch for a few days at least." I say to her. "Brian will have you covered." She smiled brightly at this and Brian forgot about his leg for a moment to glare at me. I grinned back at him and blew him a kiss.
Taking a sip of my drink, I realized it was wine and relaxed a little. If I can stick to wine, the evening should go as planned. I can do this, just stick to the plan.
"Hurry up and finish that!" This coming from David who approached me with two drinks in his hand. "We need to catch up."
I raised an eyebrow. "But, it's Tuesday." I said a little bewildered. He laughed then motioned for me to finish and I felt obligated to oblige.
"You may be free this weekend, but I am not. It isn't final yet, but it looks like Florida is going to be the location of new office, so I will be down there schmoozing, which means I have to get it out of my system now." I just shook my head as he put the full glass in my free hand then took the empty one. "Cheers!" Then he emptied his glass in one swallow then looked at me expectantly.
"Okay, okay." I took a sip of the new drink. It was unsurprisingly strong considering the source. I looked back at him, and he was clearly unsatisfied with my "sip". "Fine, but I am going to need something to eat. What is this anyway?"
"Tennessee Iced tea." He laughed when I made a face. "Good ain't it? What do you want to eat?"
"I guess anything at this rate. I will need to soak up the alcohol." He laughed again as he walked off over to the bar presumably to order my food.
Maybe I should follow him though to make sure it is something feasible. "David! Wait for me-" A hand grabs my wrist and I turn around to see my favorite previously platinum colored bombshell. "Greg!" I abandon my drink on the tray of a passing busser so I could wrap my arms around him tightly. "What are you doing here?"
"My, I finally get someone who is ecstatic to see me, but it's just you, so I don't feel special." He says to me as he flips back his now ice blue, hair.
"Why are you here? Is it because of me?" I ask ignoring his statement.
"That Janet chick sent me a text the other day, I didn't even know that she had my number. How are you feeling by the way? She texted me earlier saying that she may need to cancel because you weren't feeling well. What happened?"
I looked around to see if anyone I knew was standing near by. "I think it is the stress of this engagement."
He cocked an eyebrow. "It has only been two days though."
"I know!" I said rolling my eyes, exasperated. "I figured that if I keep going at this rate, I wont make it until the end of the week. I have been trying so hard to not think about him, and that is exactly what I have been doing all day. I managed to get through yesterday just fine, but not today."
"Are you still going tomorrow?"
"Yes." I say without hesitation.
He makes a face. "I just don't know what I am going to do with you woman."
"That makes two of us."
"Gabe! Get over here woman!" I turn to see David standing at the bar gesturing toward a new glass and a plate of what looked like hot wings. "Eat up! You are now two drinks behind!" He says grinning at me drawing stares from a few people and laughter from my co-workers.
I turn back to Greg. "I am really glad that you are here."