Elisa was just one year older than Anna. She’d been a little uncomfortable when her younger sister, Manuela, beat her to the altar. Now, up until this event, Elisa had always seemed a sensible girl. But something about her sister’s wedding plans seemed to undo Elisa. And so poor Elisa jumped into a relationship with a guy she barely knew, married him just six months after Manuela’s wedding (Anna remembered this because she’d been forced to wear a horrid lime green bridesmaid dress that made Anna and everyone else look like they had a bad case of the influenza), and within the year the “happy couple” separated and (to her mother’s horror) eventually divorced. It was the first divorce in Tia Benita’s family. To Anna it had seemed an obvious case of Wedding Fever. Elisa was still getting over the entire fiasco. The last Anna had heard, Elisa had sworn off men and dating for the unforeseeable future.
Anna so did not want to get the dreaded Wedding Fever. In fact, she would do everything possible to inoculate herself against it. Even if that meant acting somewhat chilly to Edmond occasionally. Not that he seemed to notice. And why would he? Most guys his age ran in the opposite direction when the topic of commitment and marriage came up.
And yet, Anna reminded herself as she saved and closed her document, it was Edmond, not her, who had made that bold statement about weddings. And it was Edmond, not her, who had been the pursuer in their relationship. At least to start with. For a while she had held him off, thinking he was just a young climber using whomever he could to find a better spot for himself in the publishing company. But when she discovered that his family actually owned the company and his job was secure, she began to see him differently. She realized that seemed a bit disingenuous. But the truth was, she’d let her guard down and found out that she honestly liked him. Then, following a complicated but short breakup, she’d been the one to throw him the white flag (or was it checkered?) and he gladly took it. Since that time, they’d been happy together—compatible, congenial, and even simpatico. Was it true love? Anna wasn’t one-hundred-percent sure, but she had a feeling it might be. And why not?
“Have you proofed that thing I brought down here this morning?” asked Felicia’s new assistant. Chelsea had been hired to replace Edmond. According to him, she was driving his aunt and most of the marketing department nuts with her lack of business savvy.
“Yes,” Anna shuffled through the papers on her desk. “I don’t see why you didn’t just e-mail it to me, though. It would save time and trees.”
“Because Felicia already printed it out,” she said.
Anna nodded. “Right.” She finally located the page and handed it back to Chelsea. “For the record, it’s not the thing; it’s called back-cover copy. I know it takes a while, but the sooner you learn to call things by their proper names, the easier it’ll be for everyone.” Anna smiled. “Including you.”
“Thanks.” Chelsea lowered her voice. “Is Felicia always this grumpy?”
“She’s a perfectionist.” Anna’s smile grew even more stiff. “And she’s part owner of this company, and she’s not known for her patience.”
Chelsea nodded. “I better get moving, huh?”
Anna looked at the clock and was surprised to see that break time had come, but Edmond hadn’t come down to get her. That was different. She picked up her tea mug and headed for the break room. Maybe he was on a deadline. When she arrived, however, she saw that he was already there and seemed to be engaged in a very intimate conversation with the intern Lucy. Edmond didn’t see Anna come in. He was sitting on the edge of a table with Lucy leaning toward him, eyes wide, and apparently talking about something terribly interesting, because Edmond seemed mesmerized.
Anna decided to pretend to ignore them as she made her way to the hot water and tea bags. But even with her back to them, she could feel her blood pressure rising. She wanted to turn around and demand to know what was going on. Of course, she would not lose her cool.
“Anna,” called Edmond. “I was just on my way to get—”
“Oh,” she said turning, “I didn’t even notice you there. Don’t mind me, I just wanted to grab a quick cup of tea and get back to work. I’m really behind on the Foster edits.”
“But I thought you were—”
“You know how it goes,” she said lightly, making her way to the door, “just when you think you’re done, suddenly you have to start over.”
“But aren’t they due by the end—”
“Which is exactly why I need to run.” And then she was gone. But her heart was pounding as she took the stairs, trying not to slop her hot tea as she went down. She hadn’t wanted to wait for the elevator or chance Edmond’s questions. Of course, the edits were finished. But what else was she going to say?
Anna took a deep calming breath as she sat back down at her desk. This was one of those times when a private office would have been most welcome. Maybe someday. She pulled the Foster manuscript back onto her computer screen, sipping her tea as she pretended to give it one final check before signing off and sending it to the printer. For all she knew, it might need a little tweak here or there. It wasn’t unheard of for the proofers to miss something, or sometimes the designers made a change that created a new typo.
The harder she studied the pages, the more the words seemed to blur together. And then her phone rang. She grabbed up her desk phone and then realized it was her cell. Why hadn’t she turned it off after lunch? She saw it was her mother and was tempted to send the call to messaging, but then she thought the distraction of her mother might be preferable to obsessing over Edmond and Lucy. Edmond and Lucy? Edmond and Lucy!
“Hi, Mom,” she said. “What’s up?”
“Oh, Anna,” her mother began, “I don’t know what to do.”
“About?”
“The wedding.”
Anna wanted to say “duh” but controlled herself.
“My travel agent is ready to book the whole trip—tickets, hotel, and rental car—but Gil isn’t certain the wedding will be in Maui. And then he said that it might be the third weekend in June because Kendall is having her wedding the very same day that he and Lelani had picked. The same day! What is wrong with that crazy girl, mi’ja? Has pregnancy messed up her mind?”
“Kendall wanted a June wedding too, and she wanted Lelani and—”
“But the very same day?”
“It’s a short month.”
“So what do I do? Gil refuses to say yea or nay, and Lelani is at school right now, and the travel agent says this deal will not last for long.”
“I suppose you should do nothing.”
“Nothing!” Her mother switched over to Spanish.
“If you’re going to swear at me, I will hang up,” Anna threatened.
“Sorry, mi’ja. I know it’s not your fault, but it is very frustrating.”
“Just take a deep breath,” Anna said. “And remember: When in doubt, don’t.”
“When in doubt, don’t what?”
“Don’t make a decision. Just wait.”
“But if I wait, I might miss out on this deal.”
“But if you book this deal and they decide something different, you’ll probably lose your money. When it doubt, don’t, Mama. It actually makes sense. If you’re not sure about something, don’t make a move. Tell your travel agent to wait. I’m sure you can get a firm answer out of Lelani and Gil by tomorrow. I know that they gave themselves the week to figure things out, and today’s Friday.”
“I suppose you’re right. That’s what your father said too.”
“See. Daddy and I agree. Just wait.”
“So, how are you doing? Any special plans for the weekend? I’m making dinner for Tia Louisa and—”
“Thanks anyway, Mom, but I think I have plans.”
“With Edmond?” her mother asked in a surprisingly hopeful tone. “I was just telli
ng Tia Louisa what a very nice boy he is, even if he’s not Latino. So what are you and Mr. Wonderful up to anyway, mi’ja?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure that he is Mr. Wonderful.”
“What?” Her mother’s tone grew sharp. “Has he done—”
“No, no,” Anna said. “He is Mr. Wonderful. I think I’m just a little stressed with work. In fact, I need to go now.”
“Well, if you change your mind about dinner on Saturday, you and Edmond are most welcome and—”
“Thanks, Mama. Adiós!” Anna closed her phone, then took in another deep breath. How stupid could she be? Nearly spilling the beans to her mother about Edmond and Lucy in the break room? What was she thinking?
It was not quite four thirty now, but Anna had put in enough comp time to know that she’d be fine to leave thirty minutes early. The sooner she got away from Erlinger Publishing, the happier she’d be. It was true that she had been a little stressed at work, and she was tired, and it was the end of the week. Surely she deserved a break. And right now she really did not want to see Edmond. She quickly finished up the last tasks on her desk, grabbed her coat and bag, and made a swift exit.
It wasn’t until she was safely in her car and several blocks from the company that she realized something. She and Edmond usually went out on Fridays. Sometimes they made specific plans and sometimes not. But saving the day had long been an unspoken agreement between them. Well, she thought as she drove straight home, she’d let him wonder about her. Didn’t absence make the heart grow fonder?
It was just a little before five when she got to the house. She decided it might help him to wonder even more if she turned off her phone for a while. Maybe he’d get worried and come over and apologize like a gentleman.
“You’re home early.” Kendall looked up from the pages of a fat, slick bridal magazine.
Anna made a grim face as she threw down her bag.
“Something wrong?”
Anna sat down on the sectional and folded her arms tightly across her chest. “Edmond!”
Kendall closed the magazine and leaned forward with interest. “What did Edmond do?”
Anna quickly recapped what she’d witnessed in the break room.
Kendall seemed to consider this. “It sounds pretty innocent. I mean, maybe Lucy was coming onto him. He’s a cute guy, and let’s not forget that his family owns the publishing company. It makes sense that female employees might find that an attractive package.”
“Meaning?” Anna sat up straighter.
“Not you, Anna. Good grief, I remember how Edmond chased after you. I’m just saying this Lucy intern girl might think she’ll be on the inside track if she hooks up with good ol’ Edmond.” Kendall laughed. “Not hook up as in … you know.”
“Oh, please! I don’t think that’s likely.”
“Because Edmond is a good guy.”
Anna sighed. “Yes, but if you’d seen the look in Lucy’s eyes. It was like Edmond was a rock star and she was so enchanted she was about to throw some undergarment at him.”
Kendall laughed. “So why not be mad at Lucy and let poor Edmond off the hook this time?”
Anna considered this. For Kendall, the advice actually sounded pretty smart. “You could be right.”
“Of course I’m right. I’ve seen Edmond look at you, Anna. If you ask me, that boy’s pretty smitten.”
Anna smiled. “Thanks, Kendall. I think I’m just a little stressed.”
“You know what you should do?” said Kendall with enthusiasm. “Go and have a bubble bath. That always cheers me up. And believe it or not, the tub is clean!”
“Seriously?” Anna wasn’t sure whether to trust her or not. She and Kendall shared a bathroom, and Kendall’s housekeeping skills, while improving, still left a lot to be desired.
“Absolutely. I scrubbed it myself this morning. I thought I was going to take a bath, but now I think you’d enjoy one even more.”
Anna stood. “Well, thank you, Kendall. I appreciate it.” A bath really did sound good. She would soak and relax and read the paperback she’d gotten at the grocery store a few days ago, and perhaps all the troubles of the day would just float away or down the drain or whatever.
It wasn’t until Anna sank into the sudsy, fragrant hot water that she realized her cell phone was still off and tucked away in her purse, which was still where she’d dumped it on her bed. Oh, well, let Edmond wonder. It might do him some good. In the meantime, Anna planned to lose herself in bubbles and a good book. Heavenly.
When Anna finally emerged from the tub, slightly prunelike but much more pleasant, she was surprised to see that it was nearly seven. She went straight for her bag, turned on her cell phone, and checked for messages.
“Hey, Anna,” came Edmond’s voice. “Some of us headed over to Blue Moon after work. Why don’t you come and join us? There’s a jazz group here tonight, and they’re supposed to play some really wicked Coltrane. Call me.”
That was it. Just one message. And he hadn’t even phoned until 5:37. Did that mean he’d headed over there directly after work without even checking on her? Or perhaps he’d worked late, assumed she’d gone home, and was being a little less thoughtful than usual.
Anna tied her bathrobe securely around her and sat down on her bed to ponder her position. She could respond to his invitation by getting dressed and driving herself over to Blue Moon. She could easily make it by eight thirty. And the music did sound worthwhile. But, really, is that how she wanted to be treated? She preferred that Edmond take the role of the gentleman. Call it old-fashioned, but she appreciated being treated like a lady. Really, what was wrong with that?
Something else occurred to Anna. What if Lucy was there? What if right this minute she was sitting next to Edmond, looking at him with those big blue eyes, flipping her fluffy blonde hair over her shoulder and treating him like he ruled the world. Really, did Anna want to compete with that? And why should she?
No, Anna decided, if Edmond wanted to spend time with her, he should make the effort to come get her. And perhaps even apologize for, or at least explain, the scene in the break room. Then she would go out with him. Maybe.
Just in case, Anna got dressed. Rather, she got dressed up. She put on her short black skirt, and since it was still kind of rainy and cool out, she put on her black tights and tall black boots. Edmond loved this look on her. She topped this off with the cranberry cashmere sweater set that Edmond had given to her on her birthday in February. Perfect.
Then she went downstairs to see if there were any leftovers she could munch on while she waited for Edmond to call or come by.
“Looks like someone’s going out tonight.” Kendall rinsed a dish at the sink and nodded approval at Anna’s outfit. “Hot.”
“Thank you.” Anna opened the refrigerator.
“So you patched things up with Edmond?”
Anna took out a piece of leftover chicken and just smiled.
“I can’t imagine ever fighting with Killiki.” Kendall laughed as she put her bowl into the dishwasher. “Of course, I know we will eventually. But it’s always the making-up part that makes the fight worthwhile, right?” She winked at Anna.
Anna nodded as she chewed a bite of cold chicken.
“Hey, I found some bridesmaid dresses that look pretty cool,” Kendall said as she reached for one of her magazines. “Megan and Lelani haven’t seen them yet, but I’d like your opinion.”
Anna blinked at the photo. “Black?”
“Actually, they’re navy. But I think they look kind of sophisticated. And you might even be able to wear the dress again. You know, to a formal party or something.”
Anna laughed. “If I had a buck for every time someone told me that.”
“You’ve been in a lot of weddings?”
“There’s a closet
full of ugly dresses at my mom’s house to prove it. I honestly don’t know why she hangs onto the things, but I suspect it’s because she hopes someday will be payback time.”
“So you think this dress is ugly?” Kendall looked hurt now.
“No, actually, it’s not bad. But are you sure about navy? I mean, you’re getting married in June. Don’t you want something a little more summery?” Anna flipped through the magazine, hoping to find something that seemed more fitting. “Like how about these dresses? They even look a bit like your gown.”
“Those are nice. What do you think about the color choices?”
“That aqua is nice. It kind of reminds me of the Maui ocean.”
“Oh, you’re right!” Kendall leaned over to peer at the color swatch. “My bridesmaids would be like the Maui ocean and I would be the …” Kendall laughed. “The big humpbacked whale!”
Anna shook her head. “You’ll look stunning in that dress, Kendall. Seriously, even if your stomach gets as big as a basketball, you’ll still look gorgeous.”
“You think?”
Anna nodded and took another bite.
“Well, thank you. I’m going to go online and find out how long it would take to get these dresses. My plan is to get some of the major decisions made before Mommy Dearest takes over. That way there’ll be less to argue about.”
This reminded Anna of her own mother and her concerns over making their travel plans. “Is Lelani around?” she asked as Kendall headed up the stairs.
“She and Gil and Emma went to a movie, but I think Megan’s still here.”
Anna finished her chicken and then hung around downstairs with her cell phone handy. But Edmond didn’t call. By five past eight she was feeling pathetic and lonely. So she went to her room and passed the time by reading her book, which she finally finished around eleven. Then, feeling more than a little worried, she got ready for bed. She tried to convince herself Edmond’s silence was no big deal. After all, there were no rules written in stone that said she and Edmond had to spend every single Friday night together. But deep down inside, she knew something was wrong. It was hard to describe the feeling, but it was kind of like her life was tilting sideways and she was about to fall off.
Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah Page 7