On This Day

by Melody Carlson

  “Need any help up there?” he offers as I walk away, but I suspect by the way he says it that he hopes I don’t. I can tell he’d rather stay down here, down where the action is. And that’s probably for the best, anyway.

  “No thanks,” I call back. “It’s pretty much a one-woman job.”

  I can hear him laughing as I go, as if I’ve said something terribly clever.

  I see Margaret making her way back to the lodge too. She is walking so slowly that I feel concerned for her. It’s as if she can barely move her feet up the gently sloped trail that leads to the lodge. I’m worried that she’s worn herself out today. And that worry instantly turns to guilt as I realize how I allowed the poor woman to watch my Amy this afternoon while I slept. I hurry to catch up with her. “Hello, Margaret,” I say as I take her arm in mine and slow my pace to match hers. “Wasn’t the wedding beautiful?”

  “Oh, hello, Laura dear. Yes, it was truly lovely.”

  “You must be so proud of your granddaughter,” I say quickly. She sounds a bit out of breath, and I decide to carry the conversation so she can focus her energy on walking. “Jenny was so beautiful. And the way Michael looked at her when she went down the aisle … Well, I thought the poor man was going to fall over.” I chatter on and on, reminding myself of Great-Aunt Gladys. But by the time we reach the lodge, Margaret is smiling.

  “Thank you for escorting me up here, dear,” she says as I hold the door open for her and follow her in.

  “Hey, Mom,” calls Jenny’s father. “Did you see that crazy getaway in the canoe?”

  She nods and smiles. “Wasn’t that sweet?”

  “I’ll see you later,” I tell her. At least she’s in safe hands now. I’m sure her son will look after her.

  I feel slightly cheered as I go up the stairs. I’m not sure if it’s the result of putting Margaret’s needs above my silly emotions or if it’s because I finally get to escape the wedding crowd and see my sweet little angel.

  By the time I reach the hallway, several doors from our room, I can hear her screaming. She’s crying so loudly I’m sure she must be hurt. With pounding heart and images of bleeding, broken bones, and a concussion from a fall, I run as I fumble through my purse for my room key. Oh, why did I leave her with a baby-sitter?

  Chapter 31

  INGRID

  Are you okay?” Jason asks me suddenly, breaking through the hurricane noise in my head.

  Am I okay? Okay? Jason is breaking our engagement. He’s found “someone else.” Someone he loves more than he loves me. And he wants to know if I’m okay? How stupid is this guy? And as crazy as it seems, despite my earlier doubts—my almost certainty that I was through with him—I cannot believe he’s the one dumping me. Did I hear him right? Is it true that Jason is actually dumping met

  “I’m sorry, Ingrid,” he’s saying now. I try to make myself focus on him, to make sure I’m really getting this right. “I know this must hurt a lot. And I feel rotten to break it to you like this today. But I just couldn’t go on pretending any longer. I’m sorry to hurt you. But this just happened, you know. I couldn’t help it.” He runs his hands through his hair in that desperate way I find slightly irritating. “I’m going to leave right now,” he says in a firm voice, as if he’s the parent and I’m the child. “I’ve got to get back to the city. But I just had to talk to you before I went back. Do you understand?”

  “Do I understand?” I stare at him as if he’s a complete stranger. Like, who is this guy? Studying his features, I try to remember exactly what attracted me to him in the first place. Because right now, at this very moment, I totally hate his guts.

  “Ingrid? Can’t you understand? These things just happen…”

  Now I explode. “You show up at my best friend’s wedding and then casually tell me that you’re breaking our engagement, that you’ve found ‘someone else,’ and I’m supposed to understand!” I stand up now, feeling seriously enraged. “What kind of jerk are you, anyway?”

  “I’m really sorry, Ingrid.” He stands up and looks over his shoulder to see if anyone else can hear us. I follow his gaze and see Jenny’s aunt and uncle walking nearby. Oh how I don’t want to be seen by anyone right now. But Elizabeth’s eyes meet mine, and I can tell she knows something is wrong.

  “I wanted to tell you about this all last week,” he’s saying, “but you were so obsessed with this wedding stuff, it’s like you were checked out. Anyway, I just never got the chance to really talk to you.”

  “I cannot believe you!” I yell, forgetting my concerns about being overheard. “I cannot believe your nerve, Jason! How long has this been going on? How long have you been cheating on me with someone else?”

  He looks down at his feet now. “I really should go, Ingrid. This is a bad scene. And like I said, I’m really sorry. I hope you’ll be okay.”

  “Okay?” I say for the umpteenth time. “You hope I’ll be okay? You drop a bombshell like this, and you hope I’m okay?” I sink back down to the bench and actually start to cry. I’m not even sure why. I should be glad that it’s come to this, that it’s finally over. But I still feel betrayed. I can’t even wrap my mind around the whole thing. Maybe I’m just angry.

  He sits down beside me, puts his hand on my back, and says nothing. As I cry, I begin to realize how totally silly I really am. I mean, here I had planned to break up with him, but he beat me to the punch, and now I’m going to pieces. How ridiculous is that? I finally stop crying and look up at him. And when I see his face, the tightness of his jaw, the creased concern of his forehead—like maybe he really does feel like a rotten jerk—I actually begin to laugh.

  He looks more puzzled than ever. “What is it?”

  I can’t help myself, and I start to laugh even harder, the way you do when you’re not supposed to laugh, like when you’re at a funeral and something sets you off. I can’t control myself, or maybe I’m hysterical. But I just laugh and laugh until my sides begin to hurt.

  “Ingrid,” he persists. “What is it? What on earth is wrong with you? Are you all right?”

  I finally manage to get a hold of myself. “I’m sorry, Jason,” I say breathlessly. “It’s just that it is kind of funny.”

  “Funny?” He looks totally confused now.

  “Well, the truth is, I was considering breaking up with you.” I start to giggle all over again.

  “You were going to break up with me?” Now he’s the one who looks incredulous. “No way!”

  I nod. “Way!”

  “I don’t believe you. You’re just saying this to get even with me. It’s because of your pride, Ingrid.”

  I shrug. “Hey, think what you want, Jason, but it’s the truth. You want to hear what is even worse? I was already nurturing a little crush on one of Jenny’s cousins. Can you believe it? In fact, that’s what really got my attention. I thought, how can I be so obsessed with Patrick when I’m engaged to Jason?”

  Now he looks hurt. To be honest, I don’t really care. Or not much, anyway. After all, he asked for it. And he’s the one who brought this on tonight. He’s the one who cheated on me.

  “Who’s Patrick?”

  “Just a guy”. Just a really nice guy who is way more thoughtful than you.

  “Are you kidding?”

  Okay, now I feel a little guilty. Why am I treating him like this? Why not just consider the fact that he’s doing me a great big favor? “I’m sorry,” I say in a more contrite tone. “No, I’m not kidding. I had planned to break up too. So, really, Jason, you shouldn’t feel bad.” I sigh and shake my head. “Don’t beat yourself up, okay? I mean, seriously, we just weren’t meant to be. I’m glad we found out now instead of further down the line or even after our own wedding.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” But he doesn’t look completely convinced, almost as if he might be having second thoughts. Or maybe it’s just the old “I want what I can’t have” thing.

  “Jason, I’m sorry I lashed out at you when you told me. I guess I was a little shocked.�
��

  “You and me both.” He studies me now. “So you’re really into this other guy? More than me?”

  “What can I say?” I hold up my hands and give him my most innocent face. “And for what it’s worth, it’s probably just a passing crush. But it was kind of a wake-up call for me too. The truth is, I think I’d gotten caught up in the idea of a wedding more than anything else. Early on it was so exciting to plan this whole thing with Jenny. And I guess I thought it would be fun to have a wedding of my own. Then you asked me to marry you, and I thought, okay, here we go. But I hadn’t really considered the whole marriage part of the deal. Not really, anyway.”

  His expression is a mixture of relief and deflation. I have no doubt he’ll get over me. I mean, he was pretty much over me before anyway. Oh, his pride may take a bit longer now. Same as mine. But I think we’ll both be able to move on just fine. I hold out my hand for a handshake. “How about if we part as friends, both equally to blame in all this, okay?”

  He pauses, then takes arid shakes my hand. “Yeah, I guess we should be glad that we just avoided what could’ve been the biggest mistake of our lives, huh?”

  I nod.

  “Not that you’re not a cool girl, Ingrid. You are. But, well, you know …”

  I give him a weak smile. “Yeah, I know.”

  “Now if you don’t mind, I think I’ll split, okay?”

  “No problem.”

  I stay on the bench as he walks away, taking a moment to clear my head. Despite what I just said, I am still pretty shocked and more hurt than I care to admit, even to myself. I mean, it’s not every day that a girl gets dumped at her best friend’s wedding. I feel blindsided. Like someone just ripped the rug right out from under me. And it doesn’t feel so good. I know it’s probably all for the best, but it’s still unsettling. The idea that Jason was seeing another girl! And that I didn’t even know it, that I was totally clueless. Well, it’s pretty disturbing.

  Chapter 32

  SUZETTE

  That Jenny really pulled off quite an event,” I say to Jim as I lift my glass of Chardonnay and examine the clarity of the wine in the light. Jim won’t let me order anything stronger than wine tonight. But that’s okay. At least I have him all to myself now. After seeing Nicole at the wedding, I realized my battle may not be quite over yet. I don’t give any of this away to Jim. Part of my plan is to keep playing oblivious. I figure this will give him an easier out when he dumps Nicole. And, as they say, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Of course, it hurts me. But it’s a pain worth suffering if it keeps our marriage intact. And that’s all that matters.

  “She’s a good girl,” he says as he glances toward the doorway. Is he hoping to spy Nicole? “A good addition to the Fairbanks family.”

  “And she seems to understand the importance of maintaining appearances,” I add, partly to be conversational and partly to remind him how aware I am of this important fact. “She’ll be an asset to the firm, don’t you think?”

  He nods and takes a slow sip of his pale ale. “I already talked Michael and Jenny into hosting next year’s Christmas party.”

  “Oh, really?” I consider this with some alarm since I usually host the annual Christmas party. “Why the change?”

  He laughs. “Good initiation for the new guy.”

  “Oh.” That makes sense. Still, I feel like I’ve become even more unnecessary, sort of shoved aside for the new girl, whether it’s Jenny or Nicole. And I’m sure my face gives me away.

  “I thought you’d be relieved, Suzette,” he says with a tinge of exasperation. “You’re usually exhausted by the time it’s over.”

  I wave my hand. “I think you’re remembering back at the beginning, before I figured out the right people to hire to do the actual work. Now I’ve got regular caterers and party planners and the works. It’s really not that difficult.”

  “Well, maybe you can help Jenny figure things out.”

  I brighten a bit. “Yes,” I say, “that’s a good idea.”

  I notice him looking at the door again, long enough that I turn to see who he’s staring at.

  “Isn’t that your new friend?” he says in a dry tone.

  “Yes,” I say, somewhat relieved to see Elizabeth. Maybe she can help spark this lagging conversation. It seems I can barely engage Jim tonight, as if his head really is someplace else or with someone else. I wave at her, and she comes over to our table.

  “Want to join us?” I offer.

  “Yes, please do.” Jim jumps to his feet and pulls out a chair for her, as if he, too, is relieved to have company. “Have a seat. Elizabeth, is it?”

  She smiles. “Yes. And you’re Jim, right?”

  “We’re almost related,” I say. Then, noticing Jim’s creased brow, the sign that he doesn’t agree with me, I add, “I mean, since Elizabeth is Jenny’s aunt and you’re Michael’s boss.” I sort of laugh. “Well, you know.”

  Thankfully Elizabeth steps in. “Especially after being up here at the lake for a couple of days, spending time with the same people, it does almost start to feel like one big, happy family.”

  I suspect she’s being sarcastic, but you’d never guess by her expression.

  “It reminds me more of being at summer camp,” says Jim with a slight frown. “And the truth is, I never much cared for summer camp.”

  “But wasn’t the wedding beautiful?” I say, realizing how redundant and stupid I sound, even to myself.

  “It all went so smoothly,” continues Elizabeth. “Without a single hitch.”

  “Uh, excuse me,” says Jim suddenly, and then he’s standing. “I’ll bet you two won’t miss me for a few minutes. I just remembered there’s a business associate I wanted to speak to before dinner.” And just like that, he’s gone.

  “That man” I say with a growl. “I think the only way to keep him in one place will be to Super glue his shoes to the floor.”

  Elizabeth kind of laughs. “Sorry about that. How’s it going otherwise?”

  I shrug. “Okay, I suppose.”

  Then the waiter comes over, and Elizabeth coolly orders an iced tea. “With lemon, please.”

  Irritated that she won’t actually imbibe with me, I chug down my Chardonnay and order another. “How long until dinner?” I snap at Elizabeth.

  She looks at her watch. “About twenty minutes. That chili and hot dog not staying with you, Suzette?”

  “Ugh, don’t remind me. I’ve been tasting it all afternoon.”

  She laughs.

  “Where’s Phil?”

  “I don’t know. Fortunately, Eric talked him into helping him with something.”

  “Eric?”

  “Jenny’s dad.”

  “Oh. Right. So have you two talked yet?” I ask, suddenly curious to hear how Elizabeth’s marriage problems are faring.

  “Phil tried to talk, but I’m holding him off. I decided that I don’t want to deal with this until after the dinner.”

  “Maybe you’ll realize it could be wiser not to deal with it at all,” I suggest. “Let sleeping dogs lie, as they say.”

  “That might work for some people …” Elizabeth sighs deeply. “But I refuse to live with a lying dog.”

  That makes me laugh, and then the waiter brings our drinks. “Cheers,” I say as I hold up my glass.

  “Cheers,” she echoes without much enthusiasm.

  “Oh, don’t be so glum,” I tell her. “Having a cheating husband isn’t anything new. Good grief, it’s been going on since the beginning of time. I’ll bet that Adam even cheated on Eve.”

  “With whom?” she asks in a dry voice.

  I shrug. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m just saying—”

  “That I should forgive and forget, just sweep it under the rug, look the other way?” she finishes for me. “Move on?”

  “Maybe. If it saves your marriage.”

  “And what kind of marriage does that leave you with?”

  I roll my eyes and take another sip without responding t
o her jab.

  “Sorry, Suzette,” she says quickly. “I don’t mean to judge you.”

  “Fine.” I put my glass down with a loud clink. “All I’m saying is that it might be the lesser of two evils, you know?”

  She studies me closely. “I’m not sure. What exactly do you mean?”

  “Well, think about it, Elizabeth. What are your choices really? I mean, we’re not getting any younger. Do you seriously want to go through being single again? I, for one, did not enjoy being single. I mean, do you remember dating! The pressure and stress of trying to meet the right guy, and then all you went through trying to hook him and get him to the altar.” I shake my head. “I do not want to go back there.”

  “Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you have to date or remarry.”

  “What about money?” I add. “Do you have any idea what your lifestyle becomes when you’re single? It’s not just cut in half, you know; some women drop down to poverty level.”

  “I have a good job,” she says. “I’m a partner in my own business.”

  “Well, okay, maybe you’ll be fine. But you’ll have to do with a lot less. Trust me; I know what I’m talking about.”

  “So you’ve done some research, have you, Suzette?”

  I know she’s teasing me now, but I don’t care. “I keep my ears open,” I tell her. “I have a couple of girlfriends who’ve gone through the divorce wringer. I don’t see that much of them anymore since they’re not in our circle now, but I hear the rumors.” I point my finger at her. “And that’s another thing. Do you realize that you lose most of your friends with a divorce? At least you lose the married couples. No one wants to have anything to do with you. It makes them too uncomfortable. Like I said, putting up with a cheating husband really is the lesser of two evils.”

  She actually seems to consider this as she sips her iced tea.

  I watch a couple of musicians setting up in a corner. “Looks like they’re having live music up here tonight,” I comment. “The tall dude with the goatee isn’t bad looking. I wonder if he’s available?”