“That sounds… really nice, actually.”
“Yeah. Here, hey, listen. You’ve got my card there. If you change your mind, shoot me an email, and I’ll hook you up with some contacts to get you started.”
I pocket the card even though I know I’m not going to use it. “Nice talking to you.”
“You too.” She smiles as she turns to a young woman browsing with a toddler on her hip. “How can I help you today?”
On my wayback to the apartment, I see that dog walking up the block. The one with the pink rhinestone collar that only appears on the weekend, even though it’s the middle of the week. For a second, I want to tell George. I’m halfway to pulling out my phone when I remember we aren’t doing that anymore.
DECEMBER 30
CHAPTER 50
OWEN
I’m sprawledout on George’s couch in my sweats. I’m not totally sure what time it is, but judging by the way the apartment is getting darker and darker, I’d say late afternoon. I haven’t bothered to get up to turn on the lights.
I’m watching a marathon of mediocre children’s holiday specials I found flipping channels. The current selection features some colorful blob-like characters I’m pretty sure I recognize from a video game from the mid-’80s. The plot makes absolutely no sense, but that’s just fine with me. It’s really just noise to keep me out of my head. Not that it’s working.
My phone buzzes. I glance down at it on the cushion beside me. Zoe texting again.
Earlier today, she told me the wedding planner is now onhospitalbed rest. So, Zoe’s been occupied pretty much all day. Which is probably better. If she sees me like this, she will have many, many thoughts to express that I don’t feel like hearing. It was hard enough earlier when I begged out of tonight’s rehearsal dinner. I feel bad about that. I know I said I’d go along with her, but it’s not even a traditional rehearsal. Just a few close friends and family having dinner since half the wedding party won’tbe in town till tomorrow. I played the introvert card, and that seemed to work.
Anyway, I’m going to the wedding tomorrow, obviously, and that’s about all I think I can handle. Not that going to George’s ex’s wedding is something I think I can handle, but maybe by then my mind will have been turned to mush by watchingGrandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer: The Animated Special,and I won’t care.
My phone buzzes again. I guess I better look.
Zoe
Ask me how my day was.
Also, are you sure you don’t want to come tonight?
Owen
I’m sure. How was your day?
Let’s see. I fixed a hotel room mix-up, averted a seating chart crisis, made an executive decision on warm versus cool lighting at the venue, and I’m generally getting the hang of this stand-in wedding planner thing, which is good because it looks like it’s just me now.
Uh…
I thought Shondra was helping you by phone?
She WAS… But then the custom cake toppers came in and they were both white. Which, you know. No. So I asked Shondra if we could just PAINT Cory Black, but we both sort of decided a blackface wedding figure felt really wrong.
And then I said should we tell Luca and Cory and she said God, no and I said I could run down to Duane Reade and get some from the party section and she said on a $2,000 cake?!
And then the doctor sent me a message saying her monitors were all beeping and he was confiscating her phone. So now I’m on my own. But I still have the binder Shondra gave me and I can understand about half of it, so it’s fine!
I have no earthly idea what to say to all of this. Fortunately, I don’t have to.
Zoe
What are you wearing to the wedding tomorrow?
My suit?
Lemme see. Let’s FaceTime.
