“No!” she interrupted, “do NOT alas me. We’re going out tonight, and giving ourselves the celebration we so richly deserve,” she said.
“It’s more of a fabulous news/terrible news scenario.”
“Give me the bad news first,” she said reluctantly, sinking back down onto the velvet midcentury modern couch in dejection. She didn’t even give her customary gloat of pleasure over the modern midcentury part of it.
“I’ve got to go to Dubai tonight. Now if not before. The entire deal’s falling through and I’ve tried to handle it every other way first. I sent two vice presidents there yesterday and they’re literally sitting at the hotel, having been refused so much as a meeting. The guy will only talk to me, and I don’t mean Skype. So I’m for the Emirates. That’s the bad news.”
“Okay, I completely understand,” she said carefully, trying not to show her deep disappointment, trying not to cry on her now-wasted Burberry Prorsum dress. Maybe she could return it, reattach the tag, hope she hadn’t sweat on it or gotten any pickle-scented skin serum on the fabric. Because it was ruined for her now. It was just the fancy dress she was wearing when Brandon was too busy to bother with her again.
“The fabulous news is twofold. First of all, I came here to tell you in person because I knew you’d be upset and I didn’t want to be a coward and just email you while I was on the way to the Middle East. The second thing is that I got you this.” He held out a flat velvet box to her. She took it, not even wanting it one bit. Marj didn’t want lavish gifts. She wanted his time, an evening together, one night out of dozens that he worked until midnight and after. His was a demanding job, and she didn’t want to be a demanding wife but…she missed him.
She held the flat box, suddenly and deeply uninterested in whatever was inside. It was some piece of jewelry, some present to take the place of his presence. Some sparkly apology. She had several of those already—earrings, a bracelet, even a silver pin studded with black diamonds from the time he missed her after-school program students’ year-end party. She had so wanted to introduce him to them and let the two most important things in her life meet and overlap. Instead, she’d stood by herself, telling the kids to have a great summer, that she’d see them in the fall, and when they asked why her husband couldn’t make it, she had glared at the damn pin.
The pin probably cost enough to keep these kids in pizza all summer, but to her, it was nothing more than an expensive reminder that Brandon mostly didn’t have time for her. She went through periods like their time in Mexico when they could be together, and it was so great. Then there were the in-between times when it was less than great. When it was lonely and frustrating and all the velvet box would do was unveil another shiny bauble to symbolize how far apart they mostly were.
She tipped up the lid and regarded the large diamond pendant, a square shape flanked by tapered baguettes in a rectangular border. It was like an angular version of those halo pendants that were so popular. This one had a slightly Deco feel, and it was truly unique and gorgeous and probably something she’d choose for herself if she picked out jewelry. What she really wanted to pick out was a night at Locust with Brandon, stealing behind those iridescent doors and into the VIP lounge. She thanked him, let him fasten it around her neck. It probably looked stunning with that dress. She didn’t even bother to go to the mirror.
“You pinned one on your favorite things board on Pinterest,” he said proudly.
“I love that you check my boards to see what I like. Did you see where I pinned Locust’s menu? Because what I wanted was for us to be together. It would be a lot cheaper for you to show up to dinner once in a while and save the diamond budget for emergencies.”
“This is an emergency. I have a fire to put out at work, and I know this night meant a lot to you. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”
“I wish you would. I have this Pavlovian response to velvet boxes now. They make me break out in a sweat of dread like, oh crap, what’s the letdown this time? I know that’s ungrateful or something, but it’s how I feel. Like I get a gift instead of time with you.”
“It won’t always be this way. When the stockholders calm down, and Lena backs off…”
“Is that going to happen? In the near future?”
“We only have to stick it out six months if you can’t handle it,” he said. “You knew I had to run a company.”
“What? I thought we agreed that this was real. Not a six month arrangement,” she said, very hurt by his flippant suggestion, “I know you don’t like that I’m mad about being ditched for work. I guess I’m supposed to sit here and wait. But I get it. You have an emergency. So be good and stay safe. I love you.”