City of Sin - Chapter 2
Bee
I pressed the buzzer outside of Marie and Carter's apartment building. "Marie, it's me. Let me in." I pulled my jacket tightly around myself. No answer came through the speaker system. I pressed the button again. "Marie, please, it's freezing!"
A second later the door buzzed. Yes. I grabbed the handle and almost ran inside.
Marie was the first friend I had made in New York.
She used to work at Kruger Advertising with Kendra and me.
She had gotten a promotion a few months ago and then used her new position as leverage for a better pay grade at another ad agency, Blue Media.
She had her dream job and Carter worked for the same company as her.
They were the nicest power couple I had ever met.
And Marie hadn't started as a secretary.
I couldn't help but think I was on the wrong path.
If I wanted to be where she was in a few years, I really needed to make a change.
Maybe Kendra was right. I was just worried Mr. Ellington would be mad if I spoke up during the meeting. And I was so tired of feeling afraid.
I knocked on Marie's door and she immediately opened it.
"Hey, Bee!" She gave me a big hug. "Geez, I feel like it's been forever since we've gotten to hang out."
"I know. I guess Carter's keeping you busy?"
She laughed. "No, my new job has been keeping me busy." She released me from her embrace. "How is everyone at Kruger doing?"
"Great."
"Even you?"
"Yeah. I'm good."
"So Mr. Ellington isn't driving you crazy anymore?"
I laughed. "No, he still is."
"Hopefully you won't have to deal with him for too much longer. And as soon as you get a promotion and get some experience, I think I can land you an even better job with me."
I smiled. If I ever get a promotion. I didn't want to think about that right now.
"Hey, Bee," Carter said as he emerged from their bedroom.
Oh my God. That's why they hadn't let me in right away. They had been having sex. Carter's hair was all mussed up in the back. Awkward. "Hey, Carter."
"I'm starving," he said and sat down at the table. "What's for dinner?"
Marie laughed. "Pizza. I already ordered it."
"Perfect. Were you guys talking about Mason?"
"Carter! I haven't even brought that up yet."
"Oh, sorry, babe."
Marie laughed.
"Who's Mason?" I sat down on the opposite side of the table as Carter.
"Well, I was waiting for a good segue, but this will have to do." She sat down next to Carter. "He's this guy that we work with at Blue Media."
"Okay?"
"Bee, he's a really nice guy. And super charming."
"That's nice." Is that really why they had asked me to come over for dinner? To set me up on a date? I folded my arms across my chest.
"And he's really handsome."
"Really handsome?" Carter said. "I mean...I wouldn't say really handsome."
Marie laughed."Not as handsome as you, babe."
Carter smiled at her.
"Yeah...no," I said.
"No? We didn't even ask you a question yet," Marie said.
"The answer is no. I'm not going on a date with your weird coworker."
"He's not weird," Marie said. "He's really cool."
"He sounds awful."
Marie laughed. "He's actually super awesome. And I told him all about you. He can't wait to meet you. You have a date tomorrow night at 8."
"Wait, what?"
"It's already set."
"I'm not going on a date tomorrow night. I have plans."
"Plans to watch T.V. alone in your apartment?"
"Why does everyone think that's all I do?"
"Because you do it a lot."
"Okay, fine. I like binge watching awesome T.V. shows. Is that so wrong? And I do have plans. I'm going to go to a bar with Kendra tomorrow night." Maybe.
"No, you're going on a super awesome date with Mason tomorrow night. Which you won't regret because he's great."
"Great? I doubt that. What's wrong with him? Why would he agree to go on a blind date? No one does that. That's like the most awkward thing ever. He's probably a serial killer."
"People do it all the time. He's not a serial killer. He's a successful, handsome, businessman."
"Yeah, well I don't like successful, handsome, businessmen. You know that." I bit my lip. I didn't want to think about Patrick. Stop thinking about Patrick!
A buzzing noise sounded in the apartment.
"That would be the pizza," Marie said and stood up. "Just think about it, okay, Bee?"
No. "Okay."
Carter got up and answered the door as Marie grabbed some plates.
"What do you want to drink?" Marie asked. "White or red?" She held up two bottles of wine.
"White's good."
***
I was on my second glass of wine. The more I drank, the more I started to think about Patrick.
I always tried to be good around Carter.
It was awkward that he was still friends with Patrick.
I knew they hung out. I ran my thumb along the spot where my engagement ring used to be.
I just needed to know something. Anything.
"Have you seen Patrick recently?" I looked up at Carter.
He glanced at Marie and then back at me. "Yeah, we usually catch the Giants games together. I saw him last weekend."
"Oh. Cool. How is he doing?" I tried to hide the eagerness in my voice.
I hadn't heard from Patrick in months. I just wanted to know if he was still hurting too.
Time was supposed to heal you. But I still felt broken.
I was worried that I always would. Just thinking about him made me want to cry. I took a huge sip of my wine.
"He's good, Bee."
"Good. That's really great. I'm glad he's good."
We were all quiet for a minute.
"So when you say good..." I let my voice trail off. "Is he seeing anyone right now?" That's what I really wanted to know. I wanted to know if he had moved on.
"What does seeing someone even mean these days? Am I right?" Marie laughed awkwardly.
"Does that mean he is?"
"Bee. It's been six months," Marie said. "You need to move on too."
He's seeing someone else? My chest hurt.
I took another sip of wine. I wasn't sure why I was surprised.
He had moved on while he was still engaged to me.
But the more time passed, the more I thought about the good things and not the bad.
I missed him. I missed what we used to be.
He had promised me that he'd never leave me.
"So, what is this Mason guy like?" My voice sounded small. I wanted to move on too. I wanted to be able to heal.
"He's super handsome," Carter said and laughed.
Marie rolled her eyes. "He's fun. I think he's exactly the kind of guy you should be dating right now."
"So he's gross?"
"No. He just knows how to have a good time. He's always the life of the party. Like I said before, he's charming."
"Is he friends with Patrick too?"
"Not that I know of." Marie looked at Carter.
"I don't think they've ever met," Carter said.
"Okay. I'll do it."