I can’t help but chuckle. If I allow smartphones, everyone will be sharing pictures and videos on social media, tabloids, and blogs, which means it’ll be the first official event where they’re seen together. Would Van Dieren want that? And Petra? Does she want to be seen with him? I don’t know. But I’ll find out in four days. I step out of bed, take a shower, and get fashionably ready. My iPhone in hand, I call my loyal squad, Carol and Laura, to get their precious help.
Manhattan, December 1, 2019
Alexander Van Dieren
“I’m going to Singapore with Roy and Paulo,” I announce, drinking my espresso. “We leave tonight.”
“What? Now?”
I know she wasn’t expecting it. I had requested to meet her in the same library bar at the NoMad Hotel, but she thought it was just to spend some time with her, not to tell her I’d be leaving precisely a couple of days before her birthday. “Yes, since we recently acquired that firm, we need to make a few changes and elect the new management. It’s only for a few days.”
Petra seems confused. “But what about my birthday dinner at Emma’s? You’re not coming? Without you it won’t be the same.”
I smile. “I’ll do my best, but I need to get everything sorted out.” Nope. I have no intention of going and no interest whatsoever in drawing attention to ourselves and feeding the rumor mill.
Petra sighs, her face disappointed. “What about our trip together, then?”
My eyes locking onto hers, I tuck some hair behind her ear, give her a kiss, and whisper, “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t miss it for anything in the world.” She smiles, reassured, and reaches over for more. “I love you,” I add.
She doesn’t know it, but I have chosen this library bar precisely because I know no one from finance or from the media would come here. It’s a hidden gem for most people, a place with a certain charm, yet discreet enough to kiss and cuddle her in public.
Singapore, December 4, 2019
It’s such a big contrast going from freezing and snowy Manhattan to humid and hot Singapore. Even in the evening, the weather is still warm and sticky. Despite being overly tired and jet-lagged, we’ve decided to have a small celebration at the iconic LAVO Bar—the famous rooftop lounge perched on Marina Bay Sands Tower with sumptuous views of the city. After all, it’s our last night here. Since Paulo is on his way, Roy and I are sitting at a table alone, patiently waiting for him. But Roy is still acting very distant. With a pensive air, he takes a sip of his drink. Neither of us says a word. Finally, he looks back at me and sighs. “It feels so weird, Alex. I can’t even show you girls now.”
I burst into laughter. “Well, you’ll have plenty more for you.”
We finally see Paulo at the entrance, looking across the lounge for us. Roy waves at him, quite happy.
I remain thoughtful. Maybe Roy is finding it weird, not because of my relationship with Petra, but because he’s now the only bachelor among us. And as the oldest, it might have some sort of impact on his ego.
“Hey, Paulo! How are you?” greets Roy, warmly shaking his hand, followed by a pat on the back.
Paulo seems as excited as ever, just like a kid. He came from a dinner with our new office’s financial team and is enjoying Singapore much more than either of us. Paulo sits down beside Roy, glances around the lounge, and claps his hands before rubbing them. “So, did you guys spot anything good for tonight?”
I lift my eyebrows, my mouth opening wide, totally shocked by his question. “You are married, Paulo.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, but we’re in Singapore, right? And what happens in Singapore… stays in Singapore,” he replies joyfully.
Roy takes a sip from his glass, speechless.
But I shake my head, quite confused. “So why did you get married?”
“Have you seen my wife? How beautiful she is? I’m not young anymore, but I still want to have a few more kids.” I can’t stop glaring at him in disapproval, while he happily orders a gin. “Oh, relax, Van Dieren. I got a great prenup, don’t worry. Look over there. Those three chicks.”
I let out a sigh. This guy will never change. I know Paulo’s wife, Anabela. After all, I personally attended their wedding. I even saw them looking into each other’s eyes, taking marriage vows, for God’s sake. And yet here he is, looking for a one-night stand. I shake my head again. I’m definitely not interested in witnessing any of this. “Well, I’m gonna get some rest,” I snap, standing up.
“What? You can’t be serious. It’s only ten p.m. We need your blue eyes to catch girls,” protests Paulo.
“I’m sure your credit cards will be enough. Gents, have a great one, enjoy for me.”
Manhattan, December 5, 2019
Petra Van Gatt
“Happy birthday, Ms. Van Gatt,” Janine says as she steps into my bedroom.
My face beams with joy. I’m finally eighteen! An adult. “Thank you, Janine. Good morning.”
Before I can say more, my iPhone starts ringing. It’s Mom requesting a video call.
“Hi, Mom. How are you?”
She waves and smiles at me, glasses on, her short blonde hair impeccably styled, sitting on the sofa. “Happy Birthday, my little angel. I wanted to see you before you go. How are you doing? Officially an adult, huh?”
I can’t help but giggle. “Indeed, officially one,” I reply. “Thank you for the video call, Mom. I’m so happy to see you! You look great as always.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. Tell me, what are your plans for your birthday? Is Emma doing something for you?”
“Yes, she is organizing a dinner.”
“That’s great. Who’s attending?” she asks.
“Just friends from Loyola and Columbia. It’s a small dinner.” I wonder if Alex will manage to make it in time.
Mom smiles radiantly. “Very well, and who are these friends of yours from Columbia?”
“Oh, well, we are known as the geek squad of the freshman class, as we spend most of our time in the library. But it’s fine. I enjoy it.”
“Hmm, I see. Any cute boys?” I blush. I don’t know what to say. Should I lie for the sake of pleasing her?
“Not really,” I ultimately reply. “But Matthew is nice. He’s one of my closest friends at Columbia.” I’m happy with my response; it sounds like a decent one. “I’ve been focused on my studies.”
“That’s good. Well done. Will I see you for Christmas? I miss you so much.”
I smile. “I miss you, and Anika too. Of course, I’ll be back to Rotterdam for Christmas.”
Mom looks as excited as ever. “So good to hear. I will prepare us an amazing dinner for the twenty-fourth,”—she means Anika—“then we can go together to Midnight Mass. Father Thomas is looking forward to seeing you.”
I smile in return. Father Thomas is the one who baptized me. I haven’t seen him in ages. “Sounds like a great plan, Mom. And what do you have in mind for the twenty-fifth?”
“We can go to a dinner hosted by Carice, one of my closest friends. She is an amazing lady, one of the lawyers that works with me at my nonprofit.”
“Oh! You have a nonprofit?”
“Well, I’ve already been working without any proper legal structure to help as many women as I can, and since we’ve done tremendous work and feel the need to expand, we’ve decided to get the paperwork done. You know, I’ve seen some terrible injustices, Petra. Judges ruling against restraining orders meant to protect women from their dangerous husbands, just because there supposedly wasn’t enough evidence,” she confesses. “Anyway, now it’s official. We’re hiring, and the team is growing.”
“I’m so proud of you, Mom. No wonder everyone loves you.”
“Thank you, my little angel. Well, I suppose you have classes very soon. I won’t take anymore of your time. Have a great day. I love you so much. Take good care of yourself and enjoy your dinner.”
After hanging up, I scroll down through the many WhatsApp birthday wishes. I find Emma’s, my father’s, Matthew’s... I grin
and click on the one that matters the most: Happy Birthday, Ms. Van Gatt! I hope you slept well. I’m missing you dearly. We are on our way back to NY. Can’t wait to see you soon. A car will pick you up at 9 p.m. from Emma’s house. Don’t forget to have your luggage ready. Love you, Alex. P.S. Bring warm clothes.
Holy moly. I decide to prepare my bags straightaway before heading to campus. I have to make sure everything is ready. After all, I have little spare time between my classes and the dinner. Plus, Emma’s house is still an hour drive away.
I put the white dress and heels in my bag. Oh God. I suddenly realize something. Tonight will be my last night as a virgin. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.
“Ms. Van Gatt, are you alright?”
I blink at the sound of her voice. “Sure, Janine. I’m preparing my bags for my birthday trip. I have to hurry up. It’s getting late.”
“Breakfast is served, Miss. Don’t leave before eating something.” Janine’s about to leave, but I call her back. “Yes, Ms. Van Gatt?”
“Would you like to attend my birthday dinner tonight at Emma’s house? It’d be an honor to have you there.” Janine smiles at me but remains speechless. “It starts at six p.m. It’d truly mean a lot if you would join us.”
“Thank you so much, Miss, for your kind invitation. I… I don’t know what to say…”
I walk toward her. “Hmm, a ‘yes’ would be great.”
We both smile at each other.
“Well, since you are so insistent, I gladly accept.”
I immediately hug her. “Oh, Janine, thank you for agreeing to come.” I see some tears rolling down her face. After all, she has raised me almost like her own daughter. “Janine, why are you crying?”
“Oh…” She sniffles. “I’m just so proud of the woman you’ve become.”
My smile gets wider. “Well, I was blessed to have someone as special as you to raise me.”
She laughs while drying her tears.
Hudson Valley, December 5, 2019
Emma Hasenfratz
I have just received the final list of Petra’s guests for dinner. I raise an eyebrow. Sarah, Katrina, Janine, David, and Matthew. Only five people? And what about Van Dieren? Will he come later? Which Janine is she talking about? The maid? I don’t recognize the names of the two girls either, and who are those guys? Damn! Petra has a new group of friends, and I know nothing about them.
Since I have promised to host a small private dinner with only her closest friends, I only add Carol and Laura. This will be the smallest birthday dinner ever! For now, I need to make sure the table setting is ready and that the playlist for the dinner is quiet and sophisticated, while the one for after dinner is more commercial. On the food side, Petra has forgotten to tell me how many vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-sensitive people are among her guests. I have to know, and fast. Thanks for the list, babygirl, but what about food preferences and allergies?
Fortunately, Petra doesn’t take long to reply back. Two vegetarians, one vegan, two pescatarians, and one meat-eater—Janine. No one mentioned allergies.
Why on earth does she have to bring Janine? It doesn’t make any sense.
Since my parents are away, I decide to wear a high-waisted black miniskirt and an oversized white Dolce & Gabbana T-shirt to show off my new tattoos. I put on some matte red lipstick, my favorite choker, my new fourteen-carat gold septum piercing and my matching nose ring, fifteen denier black tights, and my new Balenciaga black-and-gold ankle boots. I smile, happy with my style.
It doesn’t take long to see the first cars pull up in front of my gates. Laura and Carol are on time, as always. A couple of minutes later, I glance out and see Petra. I rush to the main door to greet them. “Happy Birthday, babygirl!” I scream, hugging her. “Oh, Janine, such a great surprise to see you.”
“Thank you, Ms. Hasenfratz. Great to see you too.”
“How are you? You look amazing, Petra. Glowing like a godly princess.” She looks so damn cute and yummy with her long wavy hair, some strands clasped in the back with a ribbon, and her vintage fit-and-flare dress. “Where are your friends?”
“They’re on their way.”
I take Petra by the arm, and we walk a few steps forward, away from Janine. I murmur discreetly, “Where is Van Dieren?”
Petra looks around. Janine’s standing at the entrance chatting idly with Carol and Laura. “On his way back from Singapore. I don’t think he’ll be joining us. We are leaving tonight anyway.”
“Did he tell you where?”
“No, it’s a surprise. I just know it’s outside New York.”
We hear the doorbell ringing.
“Looks like your nerdy friends just arrived.” I open the door wide, impatient to see who Petra’s new friends are.
She promptly introduces them to me. “Hi, guys! I’m so glad you made it. This is Emma, my best friend. Emma, this is Katrina, Sarah, David, and Matthew. My friends from Columbia.”
I can’t help but chuckle. They look so young and naive, just like Petra. Matthew is the cutest—dark-blond hair, hazel eyes. He reminds me of James. He’s also the most athletic… Truthfully, though, they all look quite boring and plain. No wonder Petra prefers Van Dieren and me. “Well, let’s head to the dinner table. I’m starving.”
Following dinner, I excuse myself and go to the winter garden to smoke. Petra decides to come with me. After all, we want to spend as much time together as possible before she leaves. The winter garden is an indoor room made of glass walls overlooking the terrace and the pool area, where my mom grows her favorite plants. I play some music on my iPhone before lighting up my cigarette. Sitting on the green velvet sofa beside Petra, I remain thoughtful as I pull the smoke into my lungs with a long, steady breath. “I’m worried about you and Van Dieren, babygirl…” She raises an eyebrow. “You always had a penchant for bad guys— James, Jimmy…” I finally say.
“You don’t know him,” she snaps instantly.
But I’m not convinced. “Petra, we all know Van Dieren is a womanizer, a heartbreaker… You’re not like that. Don’t you think you should be with someone your own age? Someone who hasn’t been with half of Manhattan?” I sigh, my stare serious. “I just don’t want that guy to break your heart once you’ve had sex with him.”
“What the media says about his romantic life is a big exaggeration.”
“Babygirl, you know how much I care about you, right?” I remain anxious.
“We are together, Emma,” she announces. “Like, really together. My father knows about us.” What? I gape at her. “We haven’t done it yet, but not because I don’t want to. I’ve tried to convince him many times, trust me. But because he wanted to talk to Dad first.”
“Wow.” I take a deep breath. “So, wait, Roy’s okay with you guys being together? I can’t believe this! Your father? Roy Van Gatt? The man who’s firmly against boys and sees them as a useless distraction? He’s okay with you being with a forty-year-old heartbreaker?”
“Well, they’re best friends. He knows him better than anyone else.”
Holy shit. My mouth remains wide open, still dazed by her revelation. My heart thundering, I take another puff of my cigarette and ask, “So, you mean, together together? Like a couple?”
She giggles. “Yes, together together, like a couple, like a serious monogamous relationship, like girlfriend and boyfriend.”
I’m speechless, utterly mute, my mind still digesting all this madness. I gasp, thinking about an eventual reality. “Wait. So does it mean you see Van Dieren as”—I swallow hard and try to put two words together that have no place whatsoever in the same sentence—“husband material?”
Petra blushes, chuckling, and lowers her gaze. “Yes,” she mumbles. “And”—she tucks some hair behind her ear with a tiny smile—“father material too.”
Have you lost your mind or what? “I should’ve smoked a joint before talking to you, instead of this shitty cigarette.” I glance around for some alcohol. “I need a drink.�
� She hands me her glass of champagne, which I drink all at once.
“Relax, Emma.” She laughs. “Alex and I haven’t talked about it. I’m just sharing my long-term goals.”
How can I relax? I take a deep breath and play the usual cool friend. “Well, I never thought you had such goals with him. I mean, it’s one thing to have fun; it’s another to…” I swallow nervously. “Anyway, good luck with that. If you marry him, I want to be maid of honor.”
We hear knocking on the door, and I shout for the person to come in.
One of the housekeepers steps inside. “Ms. Van Gatt, your driver has arrived.”
I glance at my watch. It’s just nine p.m. “You’re leaving now? But the party’s just starting.”
“I know, I’m sorry to leave so soon. I imagine we have a long trip ahead.” Petra hugs me tight. “Thank you so much for the amazing dinner, Emma. You’re incredible,” she whispers in my ear. “When will I see you again?”
“Hmm… Are you spending Christmas here?”
“No, I’m leaving for Rotterdam after my exams.”
“Well, then next year, I guess, around March for my mom’s birthday.”
“I’m gonna miss you.” She presses her lips against my cheek in a long, tender kiss.
“Me too, babygirl.” I smile at her big blue eyes, and I can’t stop thinking how lucky that asshole Van Dieren is. “Well, have fun with your boyfriend.”
“Thank you for everything, Emma. I’m so happy to have spent this time with you.”
We hug each other once more. I smell her jasmine perfume, feeling a deep squeeze in my chest. “You know I will always have your back, right?”
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