The Group Chats
Layla:
CODE RED. Bennett just called me from a supply closet. AN ACTUAL SUPPLY CLOSET.
Jenna is wearing a RING. Left hand. THE finger. He saw it at the morning briefing and forgot what quarter it is.
Serena:
I know.
Layla:
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU KNOW
Serena:
I was at Mercer with Caleb early this morning (power couple breakfast in the boardroom while we both caught up on some work). She walked in wearing the gold band and her sunglasses like it was a perp walk. When the hell did she get married? And why don’t any of us know this?
Audrey:
Has anyone seen Dominic? Because it has to be him, right? They came back from Tokyo acting strange, and there’s no universe where Jenna married someone else.
Serena:
For clarity: we have a ring, a suspicious trip, and a man who has been publicly obsessed with her for three years. I’m comfortable calling Dominic the leading hypothesis.
Audrey:
Hypothesis? He’s in love with her. Logan says he hasn’t been on a date in YEARS. He swore it on his Iron Man chess set. His exact words were, “Dominic’s romantic attention has been functionally monogamous since Jenna entered the dataset.”
Serena:
That is the least sexy sentence anyone has ever used to describe obsession.
Nora:
I’m in a budget meeting so I can’t say much, except that Dominic came to visit David on Saturday about some paperwork. It was all very serious. He was not wearing a ring. But David KNOWS SOMETHING and Dominic left very quickly after Jenna said she was out of town.
Layla:
Do you think it was a prenup he spoke to David about? Is this why neither of them came to the movie Saturday? They eloped?
Serena:
Do you really think Dominic would plan a secret wedding, though? Jenna said she was visiting family on the weekend which means she was in Queens. If Dominic was visiting David and Nora that same day, he wasn’t with her.
Layla:
Dominic has a jet. He can be anywhere in the country within hours if he wants.
Audrey:
I’m going to question Logan. He’s Dominic’s best friend. If anyone knows where he was this weekend, it’ll be him. Hold please.
AUDREY AND LOGAN — 9:51 AM
Audrey:
Babe, do you know where Dominic was this weekend by any chance?
Logan:
No. Why?
Audrey:
Jenna is wearing a wedding ring.
Logan:
WHAT!?! Oh my God. I just spit coffee all over my keyboard. brB.
THE GIRLS — 9:55 AM
Audrey:
Logan doesn’t know. We’re gonna need to go direct to the source.
Layla:
Nooooo! We can’t ask her straight. She could get mad at us for prying. Jenna is scary when she’s mad. Her lips disappear and her eyes go all stormy.
Nora:
I could get Miranda to ask her. She’s a little in love with Jenna and has no filters at all. I wouldn’t put it past her to dress as Jenna for Halloween this year.
Serena:
Yes, do it. I need an answer before my next meeting starts because I physically cannot focus with this information gap.
Layla:
Would it be too suspicious if I suddenly show up to visit Bennett and stop by her desk?
Serena:
I don’t care. Go. Do it on video call so we can all see. But don’t make eye contact or she’ll read it as a threat.
Audrey:
I haven’t heard any more from Logan. But I’ll bet he’s calling Dominic as we speak.
Nora:
Miranda is on it. Stand by.
MIRANDA TO JENNA — 10:08 AM
Miranda:
Hello, goddess! did u get married this weekend?!?!?!
Jenna:
Um . . . hello, Nora’s sister Miranda who I did not give my number to . . .
Miranda:
Oh! Amazing! I knew you’d remember me. I really think we bonded those two times we met. Thank you for helping me fix my makeup at Nora and David’s engagement party. You are a queen!
Jenna:
It’s no problem. I couldn’t let you walk around looking like Beetlejuice.
Miranda:
Ha! You always have the best jokes. Can I see the ring?!?!?!?!
Jenna:
How do you know about the ring?
Miranda:
A little birdy whispered in my ear.
Jenna:
I’ll bet they did. Thanks, Miranda.
Miranda:
Wait! You didn’t show me the ring!
Bestie!?!?
THE GUYS — MONDAY, 10:17 AM
Logan:
Did Jenna and Dominic get married?
David:
Who told you that?
Logan:
No one. I’m asking if it happened. Does that mean yes?
David:
Why don’t you call him and ask him yourself?
Logan:
I did. But Roz says he’s in meetings with the Canfield Group all day. I sent him a text. But nothing yet.
Caleb:
Jenna was wearing a wedding band this morning. I feel like that’s the only logical explanation—unless she’s bound by some family betrothal to solidify the bloodlines of her ancestors.
Logan:
It’s not out of the question. Her user preferences do tend toward the “tear up the rulebook and set it on fire” end of the spectrum.
David:
Please stop talking about people’s love lives using your weird tech metaphors.
Caleb:
You’re both missing the truly important part, which is that Dominic hasn’t said a word about it. At all.
Logan:
He’s probably waiting for the right moment to drop it on the group before he throws a big celebration party or something
David:
I genuinely can’t be part of this conversation. Dominic is my client so I need to leave.
Logan:
So you admit you know something!
David has left the chat
Bennett:
That is the most confirming denial I’ve ever seen.
Logan:
So what do we think? They eloped in New York this weekend?
Caleb:
Maybe. But $500 says it was Tokyo. They came back from that trip looking sketchy as fuck. @Bennett why don’t you go and ask Jenna directly. She’ll tell you. She likes you.
Bennett:
I’m honestly not that brave. Let’s just wait for Dominic—he told us not to make a big deal about anything last week. Let’s take his lead.
Caleb:
Highly unfun. I’m going to harass the information out of my brother.
THE MAIN CHAT — MONDAY, 1:03 PM
Jenna:
In the years I’ve known this group, I’ve come to respect you for your astute minds and professionalism, even under pressure.
Never, in all my years at Mercer Capital, have I seen a group of grown adults skulk around like children on a playground or act like paparazzi staking out a celebrity.
So, if you must know: yes, Dominic and I are married.
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision toward the end of our stay in Tokyo.
We are currently giving our marriage a trial period in the open, and I would appreciate it if you could take this in stride until we come to a mutual decision regarding our marital status.
Thank you for your understanding. Attached is the one photo we have of the occasion.
You may share your excitement among yourselves.
Attachment:
DOMINIC TO JENNA — 1:04 PM
Dominic:
Proud of you, sweetheart. Also, for the record, watching you terrify our friends has made me want to give you a lifetime of orgasms.
Jenna:
I’ll be collecting on some of those tonight.
Dominic:
I love it when you talk dirty to me.