For Nick (21 page)

Camille called the following week and invited Andie to attend a surprise birthday party for Zach. Andie hadn’t even known it was his birthday. Even though she was filled with trepidation, she decided to attend and wish him well. It would look strange if his wife wasn’t there, after all, and she was still under contract to appear as his wife for the year. She intended to keep her side of the bargain no matter how painful it was. She couldn’t risk losing Nick’s money.

Nick had needed her so she ended up arriving late. The celebration was held in a ‘party room’ located at the back of a local restaurant. Loud music played at a heart-pounding rate. The room was dark, lit only by brightly colored fluorescent lighting along the ceiling and corners, making her feel as though she’d just entered a disco. A few couples danced on the designated dance floor, while others sat and stared morosely into their drinks. The room was filled with smoke and loud laughter. The minute she walked in, she knew everything about her was all wrong. The women were dressed in after hour’s cocktail dresses, low-cut and upper thigh short. She felt ridiculous in her knee-length skirt and sweater.
The schoolteacher has arrived
. Camille caught sight of her and approached.

“Andie, that’s so cute…you brought a gift. It’s not that kind of a birthday party, silly. Did you bring streamers too?”

Andie ignored the gibe. What kind of a birthday party didn’t have gifts? Camille grabbed her brightly wrapped gift from her hands and led her to Zach.

“Zach…look what your wife has brought for you. Isn’t that cute?”

The crowd parted to reveal Zach, sitting at one of the tables, talking with some of the men. He looked a little surprised to see her. Camille handed him the gift with a laugh. Zach immediately set it aside. His eyes rested upon her, looking her up and down. He nodded. “Thank you, Andie.”

There were no other gifts and she felt gauche.

From one corner, some ladies were making their way over to him with a huge sheet cake, brilliantly lit with candles. The crowd broke into song, singing ‘happy birthday.’

His eyes hadn’t left hers. Camille sat down next to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. The crowd closed, waiting for him to blow out his candles.

Andie made her escape.

She didn’t fit into Zach’s world, that much was obvious. But Cami did. The difference between them was disquieting to Andie. What exactly did Zach want out of life?

When she heard Zach arrive home that night, she hurried out to say hello and wish him a happy birthday. He’d already closed himself into his bedroom. Probably to avoid her. After knocking on his door twice, he finally answered. He’d already removed his suit coat and loosened his tie. He looked tired, she noted. Tired, and…if she was not mistaken, unhappy. But then, these days he always looked unhappy to see her. His abrupt change of behavior still baffled her.

“How was your birthday?” Her efforts at friendship between them were always met with rejection, but she had to try. They were going to be parents and they needed to be able to be civil with one another at the very least.

“Not really my scene, but nice. It’s the kind of place Cami enjoys.”

But not you? Interesting.
“I just wanted to say happy birthday,” she smiled at him brightly. He didn’t smile back.

“Thank you, Andie. You didn’t stay long.”

“No. As your wife I thought I should at least make an appearance.”

“Thank you.”

Her eyes wandered behind him to his room, his bed. Memories flashed through her mind. But then her brightly colored gift caught her eye. It sat in the garbage can. Her smile slowly faded.

Nothing he did or said could have spoken louder. He wanted nothing to do with her.

Got it. Loud and clear.

“Well,” she uttered awkwardly, “I’ll let you get to sleep,” she whispered without looking at him and retreated to her bedroom.

-18-

It was the next day at lunch when Zach saw Andie again. He was leaving the office with Cami and he noticed her sitting in the reception area, waiting for him. Mrs. Edwards must’ve neglected to announce her, knowing he’d send her away anyway. She tugged at his heartstrings, sitting there with her soulful eyes, trying desperately to hang onto him. He had to admit, he was impressed with her tenacity.

It had been easiest for him to ignore and evade. It seemed the only way to get through the required year. But she’d tried desperately to hold on to their relationship. He wondered what was at stake for her if she failed to get more money out of him. Would her lover beat her or leave her? Something was making her stay, day after day, just to be rejected by him. Why didn’t she give up?

He felt horrible about last night. He’d been puzzled at her abrupt change of behavior when she’d come to his door. It wasn’t until he turned around and saw what she’d seen that he understood. He took her gift out of the garbage and placed it on the shelf in his closet with the other gift she’d given him. He didn’t want to open either one of them, but he didn’t really want to throw them away either.

“Andie, why don’t you join us for lunch?” he said, surprising even himself.

She nodded, unable to hide the astonishment in her eyes. When they reached his car, she automatically got in the backseat, knowing Cami would take the front seat. It felt odd to him. In his heart, he wanted her in his front seat, not Cami.

He decided to take them to one of his favorite restaurants, a little pricey, but he felt like spoiling Andie a little. She wasn’t looking well, and as he studied her in the rearview mirror, he noticed that she’d lost weight, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Absently, she stared out the window with a furrowed brow. Clearly, life wasn’t going her way.

Once seated at the restaurant, Cami sat on one side of him and Andie on the other. They ordered and Cami kept up a constant stream of conversation, effectively cutting Andie out. He was intensely aware of Andie’s presence and felt her spirit with him keenly. She was quiet, not even attempting to get in on the conversation. There seemed to be an aura of sadness around her that he remembered feeling when he’d first met her. He felt so in tune with her that it was as if he could feel her angst. The thought occurred to him that maybe she had developed real feelings for him too. Maybe she was stuck in the middle between a money hungry lover and having fallen for her intended victim. It didn’t make what she had done right, but it lessened his anger towards her.

Their plates were served to them and they began to eat. He glanced at Andie several times. She seemed to pick at her food, hardly eating anything. It was almost as if a glass barrier was between her and the rest of the world. His original impression of her had been correct. She hid behind an invisible wall, keeping her safe from any outside emotions. It’s what protected her from crying. What was it she had said on their honeymoon?
It keeps you from screaming and never stopping.
Why did she feel like screaming? Was she unhappy with her life? Or did she really love the man who was willing to let her marry another man for money?

It was over between them, he’d made that clear. But it didn’t stop him from being concerned about her. He nodded at the appropriate times, but he wasn’t really listening to Cami. His thoughts were on Andie. Really, they always were, he admitted reluctantly.

All at once, his cell rang, seeming to cut into his thoughts like a blade. It was Mrs. Edwards reminding him that he had an important meeting today and he was five minutes late to it already. He glanced at his watch.

“I completely forgot. I’ll be right there.”

Zach stood. “I’m sorry. I have an urgent meeting that slipped my mind. I have to go immediately.” The restaurant was busy, it would take at least ten minutes to get the bill and get out of there. He clicked his tongue a couple of times, thinking about what to do. He turned to Andie. “Would you get the bill for me? I’ll take care of it later, of course. I’m really sorry, but I
have
to go.”

“Take me, Zach. My car’s at your office,” Cami insisted.

“Do you mind, Andie?”

Do I mind? What a question.
“No problem. I don’t mind at all
.
”
I’ll get the bill and catch the bus, no big deal. I’m nothing if not reliable.

“Thank you.” He touched her hand for a moment and then off he went with his hand at the small of Cami’s back in his gentlemanly fashion.

Andie let out a deep sigh. She was a glutton for punishment.
New rule for my life number one: never go out with your husband and his mistress. New rule number two: never agree to pay the bill. New rule number three: never marry a man for money. New rule number four: never fall in love with said man.

Her flippant thoughts didn’t garner a smile, not even a small one. There was nothing funny about it.

Really Andie, anyone with a brain could have predicted this would not end well. What was I thinking?

I was thinking about Nick. It’s all I ever think about. Nick needs me. I’d do it again and I know it. I’d marry a hundred strangers if it helped Nick.

The waiter handed her the bill and she tucked her credit card into the vinyl folder, fingering her imprinted name on the card,
Andrea Drake
. The waiter discreetly took the folder and walked off. She tossed her cloth napkin onto the table, giving up on the idea of eating her lunch. The familiar nausea was coming on. She never knew when it would strike, but it was rarely only in the morning as was the usual norm. Her heartbreak over Zach further exacerbated the feeling. She knew he’d simply taken pity on her today. He probably regretted taking her along at all. She’d given up on telling Zach about the baby. He’d know soon enough, it wasn’t exactly something she could hide for long. Unless he just thinks she’s getting fat.

The waiter returned. He leaned in close to her. “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but your card has been declined.”

“It’s just a mistake, please try it again.”

Andie stared out the window for awhile, trying not to think of Zach. It was useless. She was hopelessly in love with him.

The waiter approached again, his face red. “I’m terribly sorry, but your card has been declined again. Would you like to choose another form of payment?”

“Can you try it again? It’s not possible that this card doesn’t work. It has to be a mistake.”

“Ma’am, I tried it four times. If I try again, I will be instructed to confiscate the card. Perhaps another form of payment would be more appropriate.”

Now it was Andie’s face that turned red. “I don’t have any other way to pay you.” This is ridiculous. There was no way Zach’s credit card wouldn’t work.

“If you could please come with me to the office, we’ll get this cleared up,” the waiter suggested politely.

Andie was all too willing to go to the office to take care of the bill. People were beginning to stare.

When they made it to the safety of the office, Andie tried Zach’s cell phone. She got his voice mail. He must have his phone turned off during his meeting.

“Please try the card again.”

The waiter tried it two more times and was declined both times. “I’m sorry. I’ve been instructed to confiscate the card. I can’t try it again. Is there someone you can call?”

Andie called Zach’s phone four more times with the same result.

“I can’t seem to reach my husband. He’s in a meeting. I’m terribly sorry about this.”

“We will gladly accept a personal check.”

“I don’t have any checks with me.”

“I can allow you to walk to the nearest ATM. There happens to be one just across the street. Perhaps you could get the payment in cash.”

Andie knew her face turned an even deeper shade of red. Her account was empty. She had no other way of paying them besides the credit card. “I don’t have the money in my account,” she said quietly, feeling mortified. “Look, my husband will take care of this easily as soon as I can reach him. It’s really not a problem.”

The waiter allowed her to sit in the office for the next hour, trying to phone Zach. She also tried Mrs. Edwards, but a voice mail told her that she’d left the office for the day.

Perhaps she could call…no, he didn’t have any money to help her. She wouldn’t bother him, he’d just worry.

She placed a quick call to Nick, explaining that she was feeling very ill and probably wouldn’t make it today. Nick sounded worried, but understood. There was no way she’d tell Nick the ugly truth.

She continued to connect to Zach’s voice mail. She left a few messages for him, trying to sound cool and calm, when really she was starting to panic.

“Hi Zach…it’s Andie.” As if he didn’t know. “I’m still at the restaurant. My credit card has been declined. I…I don’t have any money left in my account. I need your help. Please call me back right away.”

The owner entered the office. He was an Italian man with a thick accent. “Why you eat expensive lunch and not able to pay?” His annoyance was obvious.

He was right. The bill was two-hundred dollars for only the three of them. For a quick lunch. Oh my.

“My husband can pay. I just can’t reach him yet. I apologize for the inconvenience.”